THE GUARDIAN OF MIDGARD

CHAPTER 4

Lightning streaked in the sky and thunder blazed with intensity, a man flew without stopping.

Until the eastern mountains came into his sight, before he stopped in his advance.

Jayd looked down, standing on the pointy top of a mountain.

“That's the place.” His eyes narrowed, resting on a large castle.

Blackstone Fortress stood tall, on a large cliff, with raised black walls around it.

Countless banners bearing a strange insignia fluttered in the cold wind.

Jayd studied the castle and his senses sharpened as the sounds of screams and the cracks of whips filled his ears.

Along with all these, he could also see the auras of the occupants in the castle. Some were faint and some were non existent.

“What are they doing with dead bodies?” Jayd's frown deepened.

Aside the auras he had sensed, one of them stood apart, a raging black fire, reeking of blood and greed.

“So that's him.” Jayd said, stepping forward, and at once, the earth exploded beneath his feet.

A streak of golden light tore through the sky before crashing straight into the fortress wall.

The shockwave sent soldiers flying in every direction, and the wall scattered like glass.

Everyone in the castle felt the mountain tremble from the impact.

The alarm bells rang at once.

"Enemy! Enemy inside the fortress!"

Within moments, soldiers surrounded Jayden from every corner, their swords pointing directly at him.

"You've got ten seconds to surrender yourself. Drop your weapon, kneel, and perhaps Commander Kraden will show you mercy." A man's voice boomed as he stepped forward, his spear drawn out

Jayd's gaze remained calm, “Where is Kraden?” He said, his expression didn't flinch.

The captain laughed loudly, and several soldiers joined him.

“And what do you want to do if you know where he is? Do you think one man can challenge Blackstone Fortress?"

At that question, Jayd’s lips lifted up in a slight mocking smile, causing the captain's smile to disappear. "Kill him."

Jayd slowly drew his sword. “You are making a big mistake.”

The soldiers didn't care, and they kept on coming, each of them, eager to be the first one to kill the intruder.

Soldiers moved their swords with speed, but Jayd was faster, moving like a phantom. His sword severed limbs and dug through the chest of many soldiers.

Screams filled the entire area and even the captain watched in dismay. And yet, after such killing, not even a trace of blood was left on Jayd, and that was how pristine his kills were.

In no time, the courtyard was filled with corpses.

The living soldiers backed off, all of their color draining away from their faces.

The captain gazed at him, dumbfounded. “What? Who are you?”

With the same deliberate pace, Jayd approached him. Then he grabbed the captain by the throat and lifted him up off the floor.

"Where is Kraden?" Jayd repeated the same question.

The captain shook with fear while the blood drained from his face, but Jayd saw something else, there was a glint of defiance in the man's eyes, “I am not telling you anything.” The captain said, gritting his teeth.

“Displaying such loyalty for such evil is stupid.” Jayd said, before crushing the man's neck, and tossing him aside.

His eyes zeroed in on the entrance of the castle, the cursed aura he had felt previously was currently approaching.

The laughter came, resounding in the area, "So, you're the one who has been causing all this trouble."

The soldiers immediately lowered their heads. "Commander Kraden!" They parted as Kraden strode into the courtyard.

His broad shoulders were covered in dark armour, while black veins crawled beneath the skin of his neck, showing the extent of his corruption.

His eyes swept over the dead, then they settled on Jayd. "You've slaughtered quite a number of my men. Impressive so I'd let you choose your punishment.” His gaze steeled while the veins on his neck pulsated, because he was genuinely angry after feeling so disrespected.

“Where is my sister?” Jayd narrowed his gaze, carrying an indifferent expression.

He had seen something like this in the Abyss. This fool couldn't tell that whoever gave him that cursed energy was mainly feeding on his life force.

An enormous sword appeared on Kraden's hand, and he rested it on his shoulder, "So impatient,” He hissed, “The girl is still alive, although I can't promise she'll remain that way if you continue testing my patience." He said with a smile.

Jayd's eyes turned colder. "You kidnapped innocent women, opened the Abyss, and offered lives to a corrupt god. There isn't a punishment severe enough for everything you've done."

Kraden's smile faded. "I can sense some divine power in you too, so don't talk to me like you are some sort of saint.” He sneered, lighting his sword with a dark fire.

Jayd stretched out his hand, and his sword materialized on his waist, “Once again, I'd ask you. Where is my sister?”

"Then you'll have to drag that information out of my dead body." Kraden scoffed as he raised his huge blade and swung it down.

The blade sliced violently, distorting the atmosphere, as it made its way downwards.

It impacted the ground hard enough for an electric shockwave to travel around, sending other soldiers flying off the cliff and into their death

The dust cleared, revealing Jayd holding the sword with two of his fingers.

Kraden's face, which was once filled with confidence, immediately twisted. "Impossible.” He clicked his tongue.

"It's all just borrowed strength," Jayd said, and he squeezed his fingers tightly, causing the black blade to shatter to pieces.

Without waiting for any sort of reaction, Jayd charged forward, driving a fist straight into Kraden's stomach.

"If it's going to take killing you for me to know where my sister is, then that's how it shall be." Jayd's eyes darkened, and another fist landed on Kraden's face.

The commander's head snapped back, as blood sprayed from his mouth and nose.

“Too fast.” Kraden thought but there was nothing he could do. There was no way he could react. Everything happened quickly and pain shot through millions of his nerves.

Another blow was thrown at his jaw, flinging him through the entrance of the castle.

Kraden went through wall after wall, leaving a path of destruction behind him, along with massive holes

Jayd followed him in a calm manner. Each step reverberated inside the halls, showing the heaviness of his strength.

To think he had been fighting since he came here.

His thoughts were also wondering, what god has tried to invade Midgard?

The remaining guards tried to stop him from proceeding, but they did not live for a brief moment after that.

As Jayd made his way down to the bottom level of the fortress, bodies covered the floor behind him, soon enough, no guard stepped forward as they were all too afraid.

The scent of wet stone and stale blood permeated the underground prison.

Rows of iron cages lined the walls.

The women inside shrank back in fear until they noticed that Kraden's broken body was lying before them.

There was only one conclusion.

Someone had come to save them, but who was it? Who would dare make a mistake of challenging Kraden?

Soon enough, Jayd stepped out of the hole, then his eyes looked around, searching every cage.

Ria wasn't there. Cold anger filled his eyes.

Then he saw her. "Ria!"

She hung from iron chains fixed to the wall, her wrists and ankles were bruised from struggling against them.

Fresh cuts covered her arms and her legs, while dried blood stained the front of her torn clothes.

One side of her face was swollen from repeated blows, yet the moment her eyes met his, she gave him the sweetest of smiles

"I knew you'd come," she whispered, tiredness evident in her voice.

Jayd stood frozen.

For years, he had imagined returning home as her protector.

Instead, to think he'd meet her in a such a state

Guilt gripped his heart. He was truly the worst brother.

For the first time, tears fell from the cheeks of the man who had just fought through countless soldiers without a single scratch.