Chapter 604: An Illusion
If the seer sent the rest of Mistletoe to find the so-called treasure, he knew something about these ruins and sought it. But, on the other hand, Arthur was clueless about this place despite receiving an invitation from it.
That person must also be the one who allowed Mistletoe to teleport into the ruins after Arthur left. There could only be one person he could think of, and it was the same person trying to obstruct him.
The first time he had a private interaction with the Ghost Ruler, that person sent Arthur to meet Mistletoe and the puppeteer. This early meeting was the last thing that Arthur wanted because he was still not ready to meet many people in his life.
This was why he never met his family, Mistletoe, Ellen, Lilo, and everyone he missed after going to Alka. These friends or family will notice that Arthur is not the same person they know and love. It would lead to a similar situation to his current one.
The Ghost Ruler seems to have calculated that and ruined his relationship with the infamous thieves. Then, he tried to obstruct him several times. It can only mean that he was trying to keep him inside the ruins for a reason.
"Why is the Ghost Ruler keeping me here?" asked Arthur with a frown as the chains threateningly floated by his side. "Their help is the only explanation that you managed to reach this point."
"You will know soon enough, outsider," smiled Sier. "We should have started this plan long ago as Mistletoe. It is great timing for us to weaken this kingdom."
"...weaken the kingdom?" his frown deepened. "What is going to happen to the Yalveran Union?"
"What should have happened long ago," said Sier. "The rulers are unfit to serve this kingdom. As the vessel of the Seer Guardian, I am the one truly destined to be the ruler of Yalen."
"I guess I"m starting to see how idiotic you are," smiled Arthur with helplessness. "I always knew you coveted the throne for some revenge, but for you to involve innocent people..."
"You cannot know what some people are capable of until you push them past their limits," said Sier with a shrug as he grabbed the spear and twirled it in the air.
"That is true," said Arthur as he reached out toward the chains. "You are to blame for pushing me so far. Let me show you, dear friend, what I am capable of doing."
Arthur grabbed the chains with both arms and pulled on them. His arms were met with resistance from the world before the chains broke and got absorbed into his body. Sier frowned and raised his spear to strike, but Arthur disappeared.
The Seer Guardian has never been too slow to see where an enemy rushed to, so this time was a first. Before he realized it, Arthur grabbed his head with a metallic and gigantic arm with eyes of terrifying rage.
"No one threatens the people I care about," said Arthur while gnashing his teeth until his mouth bled. "I will stop acting considerate of our friendship. Survive if you can, Sier."
Before the vessel could answer him, Arthur pulled his head down and slammed it into the arena. The resounding force of the attack caused ripples along with s.p.a.ce, and Arthur felt several spears stab his body.
Arthur let out a roar as the chains sprouted from his body and took hold of the spears, pulling them out. The Seer Guardian had his head beneath Arthur"s hand, and he reached out to grab his arm. Then, Sier slammed the ground with enough force to lift him, pulled Arthur down, and punched him with his other fist.
Boom!
The fist punched Arthur in the face, sending him flying through the air and rolling on the arena"s floor. Sier stomped on the ground with a b.l.o.o.d.y face as his mana burned out like a flame.
"Arthur!" shouted Julia as she rushed toward him, and Arthur clawed the arena"s floor to stop himself. His fingers dug into the hard brick and left a trail until he stopped. Then, he coughed the blood that leaked into his throat. "Are you alright?"
"I have never been better," replied Arthur after pushing his jaw back. "Stand back. This is going to turn ugly."
"You are still too weak to fight me, even if fighting was never my specialty," said Sier while realigning his broken nose. "Stand back, Arthur. This plan is meant to be."
"I saw enough to decide that you deserve to rule as much like your father," replied Arthur while wiping away the blood. "You are a broken child who wants the throne to prove his parents wrong."
Sier glared at him in silence as his face contorted into wrath. The violet mana swirled around him before it exploded outward and gathered around his body. Then, Sier stomped on the ground and roared.
"I deserve the throne!" his voice turned hoa.r.s.e and cracked as blood gushed from his face. "I worked all of my life to be something, and I will kill anyone who stands in my path!"
Sier bolted forward after he declared, and he was in front of Arthur in a second. The seer brought his hands together, turning his mana into myriads of color that began to turn the world into another illusion. However, Arthur stared at him with disdain while reaching out toward another chain and tugging on it.
"This is the reason that you are undeserving of it."
The chain broke in his hand, and Arthur was able to manipulate another law of reality. The first two chains were for his limits, and this one was for Sier"s illusion. The seer clutched his heart in front of Arthur while staring at him with wide eyes, then collapsed.
Arthur was no better, as the Chains of Order were still his double-sided weapon. The moment he uses it against someone, both of them get hurt. Therefore, he reflected the illusion that Sier created while unable to run away from it.
The exploding illusion pulled both of them inside, damaging Sier significantly. The seer screamed as he grabbed his head and smashed it against the ground. Arthur"s body was suddenly tired, and he fell to his knee.
"I guess we will see this illusion together," smiled Arthur as the world"s colors began to change and the two of them were transported elsewhere.
Although Arthur knew that this was an illusion, he failed to understand the place where the two of them appeared. It was a courtyard surrounded by many buildings, where countless knights were training.
"Where is this...?" muttered Arthur as he stared around. "This seems like a palace. Does it belong to the Yalen Family?"
"Hah... you..." Sier was breathing heavily beside him. "You brought us to the worst possible illusion. I will kill..."
"This is happening inside our minds instead of being based on reality," said Arthur as he stood. "I doubt it would even be a second when this illusion ends."
"...you are oddly calm for someone about to lose control."
"I would never lose control, nor sight of my goals," said Arthur. "This was the plan from the beginning. I wanted you to be rageful enough to give me the ultimate attack for me to reflect."
"...b.a.s.t.a.r.d."
"The best attack against the Seer Guardian is his illusion. However, I don"t understand what kind of attack this must be."
"...a psychological one," said Sier as he stared at the knights training. "I wanted to send you to the worst place you have ever lived in, and in the end, it brought me here."
"The worst place you have ever lived is a palace?" smirked Arthur. "A prince to the bone indeed, you are."
"You know nothing about it!" shouted Sier while trying to attack Arthur, but his fist went through as if Arthur was a mirage. "...stupid illusion."
"I would have been as eager to kill you," said Arthur as he looked around. "But seeing how wrathful you are ever since I mentioned the throne, I want to see the cause behind it."
"Leave!"
"As if I can," said Arthur while strolling toward the training knights. "It is better to ask them than waste time talking to you. Excuse me, sir knight, where is the annoying young prince?"
The knights were waving their swords in training while sweat rolled down their faces. However, it seems as if they did not see or hear Arthur.
"We are not a part of this place. It is just a movie playing, and we are watching," said Sier from behind him. "Let"s leave this place and wait for it to end."
"I doubt your illusion is that easy to avoid," said Arthur while looking around. "Furthermore, I found the target. A thin and lonely figure sitting on that bench," said Arthur as he started walking toward the figure.
"We meet again," muttered Sier as he stared at the bench, his eyes nostalgic, "dear mother."