The Order Of Swords

The main city of Libertatis also known as the Inner city is the residence for the all the important people of the Pegaluve species. Their standing could be referred to same as that of the nobles in human hierarchy system. The outer city, also called the lower city that is settled on the ground where the most merchants come and trade is the home to most of the lower class and middle class residents of the Pegaluve species. 

Achlys and Cryo stepped foot on to the ending level of the stair and reached the heaven on Earth, the inner city of Libertatis. Both Achlys and Cryo looked down from above and saw those small houses in the outer city; some were covered by clouds making it hard to notice them. 

"We are pretty high, aren't we?" Cryo was quite impressed by the height at which were they and also for a city to be here at this level. 

"Yeah…" 

After a few minutes of walking straight to the entrance of the Inner city, they noticed some guards standing beside the huge door that led inside the city. 

"Human…? At a place like this…?" The guards noticed their arrival too. "You must sure love dying, welcome!" The guard with red wings, about five times the size of an average human being said sarcastically. 

"Hey!" The orange haired guard standing beside him poked him in the stomach with his elbow. "You cannot talk to them like that. Even though he is human, he is still a visitor." 

"Yeah yeah…" 

"Please forgive his manners" the orange hair guard apologized. "Though he may sound like that, he doesn't hate you at all. He is just happy seeing a human after so long." 

"Hey!" 

Cryo suspected their behavior and stared with a weird expression. "You are awfully friendly towards us compared to other we met." 

"Oh? It's just we don't hate humans at all, after all we are half humans." He explained with a cheerful smile. "In contrast, I respect humans, I love how they fight and stand their ground even after knowing about the literal Gods roaming this sacred land." 

"Thank you." Achlys became happy after hearing those words and smiled with a cheerful expression too. 

"Though we may be the only ones like this…I advice to be cautious inside the city."

"Yeah, they are quite racist towards humans" said the red winged guard. "Well, good luck." 

Both of the guards opened the huge door; Achlys and Cryo took their step inside and went inside the city.

"See you guys later!" Achlys waved back to the guards who happily watching them enter the grounds of the inner city. 

"I'll protect you no matter what, Achlys." Cryo said with a burning motivation. 

"Yeah, I know" Achlys patted his head and they roamed around the city. 

Shortly after roaming around the city, Achlys noticed something. "By the way, don't you think it's quite warm here compared to outside the city? Some sort of magic?"

Cryo noticed it to and tried to adapt to the wavelength to get a better understanding. "Yes, it's a high class magic which could either be casted by strong individual or multiple medium ones; though it does require a huge amount of mana." 

"Oh, so like this magic creates a suitable environment for the people to live this high in sky?" 

"Yes, something along those lines. It is called-" 

Cryo pulled Achlys back and evaded the spear. "Someone landed a surprise attack on us, Ice wall!" Cryo created an ice wall around him and Achlys. "Now then, Ice spears!" He launched a bunch of spears of ice in air to keep the attacker busy while they understand and adapt to the situation. 

The Pegaluves evaded all the spears with ease. "It is not that simple" Cryo smirked as he clenched his fist. "Burst!"

All of a sudden all the spears exploded and scattered with fragments creating ice spikes which stabbed the Pegaluves as they were not able to evade the surprise attack. 

"You are not the only one with surprise attacks."

Achlys covered his ears and looked down in distress. "What should I do!?" 

A hand came from behind on Achlys shoulders without him realizing. I didn't hear his footsteps? Was what he thought. "It is quite busy on these streets right, child of man?" 

The mysterious man walked past Achlys. His eyes as red and shiny as a ruby, he was wearing a cloak which made hard for Achlys to identify his identity. 

"Make sure that Bellona does not ignore the world this time." Hearing that Achlys nodded and got up to confront him but all of a sudden he disappeared and leaving nothing but a shield like pattern on the ground. 

Somewhere he stood on the roof of a house and saw Achlys got up staring at him. "The order of swords…he is in control for now." He said in a faint voice and vanished with a beam of light. 

Achlys covered his eyes from the bright light and noticed that the man had left without a trace.

..............................

In a wooden cabin in Loipetras, Mariola sat on her chair daydreaming and wondering about Achlys and Tiabishi. "Why did the both of them leave the town? It makes me quite worried about them." She rolls the chair around and gazed at the blue sky from her window. "May be I should have gone after them…should I just go on an adventure too?" 

Suddenly, Saria and Persephone barged in from the door covered in bandages and broken limbs. 

"Is it just me or m'e arm is healing?" Persephone felt something, maybe it was just a random itch. 

"Say it one more time and you see what happens next." 

Soon after Nox came barging in too "Yo! Achlys's mother, what's up?" 

Mariola sighed at Nox sitting on his toes on the table in front of her. 

"You look tired; maybe you should get some quality sleep." 

"Maybe you could just get off my table and scram off, Black magic maniac." Nox laughed at his uncanny and amusing nickname and gets off the table. 

Saria sat on one of the chair set in front of the table. "So you want to see Achlys again, right?" Mariola nodded in agreement. "Persephone is going on a search for them; maybe you could go with her." 

"Really…!?" Mariola's eyes widened and sparkled on hearing the news. "Let's go now, Persephone!" 

"What?" Persephone continued to hit Nox on his head with her whip and didn't hear a single word of the conversation. 

"She is talking about going with you on your search." Saria told Persephone about the conversation they just had. Mariola went to Persephone and grabbed her b y her hand and dragged her away.

"Just how strong is this lady??" Persephone got dragged by Mariola and they left.

"They sure are a funny bunch." Nox laughed like an idiot seeing them running away. 

"Yeah, I hope she gets out safely…this town isn't safe anymore." She looks outside the window seeing people stealing, hitting and forcing each one or the other way. "I had Adrian and Hiyendel do some background work in this city." She said while unsheathing her sword and moving out. 

On her move, Nox got up and summoned a black magic axe and went along with her. "Let's get this over." 

"Yeah, I will make sure this city falls by my hands." 

...............................

"Here" Princess threw a sword on the ground to Tiabishi. "Pick it up"

Tiabishi picked up the sword at told "Ugh! In the name of Light God! It's so heavy!" 

Princess laughed at Tiabishi. "Didn't know you had a humor, elf?" 

Tiabishi looked at her through her peripheral vision pissed but then ignored her comment. "Why?" 

"Why, what?"

"Why are you doing this?" Tiabishi finally picked up the sword and stood upright.

"Well, it's because I am bored as fuck and thought training you could entertain me." Princess sighed. "Moreover, this training could benefit you too...that boyfriend of yours, you can protect him in the future." 

"Don't you dare talk about my boyfriend from that filthy mouth of yours." 

"Make me, you stupid elf!" 

Tiabishi pissed by her words, charged at her and swung her sword towards the princess. For the princess, it was quite easy to block it. "Too slow and soft, is this all you can do?" 

Tiabishi gritted her teeth and took a step back to charge at her again. She again swung her sword but it was different this time, she swung it downwards and splitting some trees in half. 

"Tint of magic on that sword huh? Quite impressive..." Ignoring her compliment, Tiabishi again charged at her and dashed after her until she could hit her. 

Soon out of the woods came out the demon king and Dobrota. They saw the fight that was ongoing and didn't interrupt them. "Goodness! She finally got a friend! Sun might have risen from the west today…I cannot believe it." 

Dobrota sighed. "Why can't he be excited about things when it comes to me?" He said to himself. 

"Hmm..? Dobrota what happened?" 

"Nothing"