18 The Rose and the Blood Thorn

while Gaia was holding his strange spear that he summoned, he threatened Jagal before he made a move.

You are one of those who I recognize as a strong opponent. and since I have to be serious about this fight I will remind you that your death will not going to be pretty.

I will crush different parts of your body, your heart, livers, your limbs I will spread it all over this land that you wanted to protect so badly but don't worry, I will still leave your head intact so that everyone can see your face. the face of a brave warrior but yet an idiot hoping that you can defeat me.

are you done? just tell me if we can go back to fighting again before you make me sleepy with what you have to say. Jagal said as he tried not to let Gaia know that he was feeling a bit scared at the moment and his movements are becoming slower since he used up a lot of energy.

and without any more ado, Gaia suddenly attacked and Jagal's sight could hardly follow its action.

Jagal tried to shield with his bow that he was holding but Gaia's attack was so strong that his bow was destroyed in an instant and he was knocked out by the force of the impact.

Jagal fell and while trying to stand up, he could not avoid vomiting blood.

What happened? Did someone drop Zing? How much? Gaia said as he imitated what Jagal said to him earlier when he also fell at the beginning of their fight while Jagal was on the upper hand.

He kicked Jagal's face while he was vomiting blood.

Gaia mercilessly kicked his body while Jagal tried to bear the pain. He couldn't think of a counter to what Gaia had done because he was slowly losing his sight due to the amount of blood he had lost.

in Jagal's mind, he was still happy because he had wasted so much time fighting a High Guardian. he didn't think he would be able to get over it because he matches for a minute with one on one combat with Gaia. if he dies in this fight he is still happy that Juno was safe and that time would be enough for Juno to escape.

Gaia saw him smiling even though he was feeling the pain all over his body.

Gaia was not happy with what he saw because he wanted to see him suffer. he took his spear and planned to stab Jagal in the back but suddenly he saw that the tattoo on his back was glowing and a bit weird because it is mixing with his blood. This means that Jagal had casted a spell so he tried to stay away from it. He saw the hand of Jagal holding a pure red necklace that seems to be familiar with him but he can't recall when or where he previously encountered it.

He suddenly felt a huge amount of fire that was about to burst below the ground then many arrows started coming out of the underground, and all of them are aimed at Gaia. these arrows look strange because they don't glow like they used too. but they are red in color and seem to have a curse.

Gaia felt a little shiver and he can't explain why, his instincts is telling him that being on the same place with Jagal at the moment would be in such a tragedy. The ground was collapsing and a deafening voices from beneath the ground was starting to make him more felt in danger.

As he tried to escape, he was surprised and couldn't believe what he saw. A great number of arrows grow underground and all of it were coming from Jagal's blood that has spread along the whole Desi. What he sees is a garden full of thorny roses that is made up with arrows with a pure color of blood. He dodges the roses that were trying to reach him out. Some of it reached his legs and he barely dodge it thru midair by swinging his spear. Yet he suffered very painful wounds even though it was just a scratch. Even though he was a Zodiac, the wounds are not healing as it used to be.

He looked at Jagal's body and wondered why he suddenly became like that. He also couldn't believe that Jagal was so desperate to kill him and was ready to sacrifice his own life and the entire Velos Desi just for that spell that he couldn't explain what it's called and what is the effect. All the remaining soldiers, children, old men, women, men and even the monsters he summoned fell down one by one and died because of the arrows that rose and pierced their bodies. Some of it tried to escape also but their bodies were immediately slice in half. And it seems that the arrows have a mind on its own that targets anyone who tries to move.

A few months ago, a Zodiac came to Velos Desi and Jagal was the one who was guarding that moment, this Zodiac was still unknown but Jagal was sure of it that it is one of the Zodiacs. It gave a powerful necklace to Jagal that grants him any spell that he can create by his own. Even though he is not quite sure about the effect of this necklace, he still kept it and decided that this will be used for future battles. Before the unknown Zodiac left him, it gave an advice also that many people of the Kingdom of Zo-An will try to capture the beauty of their Desi, especially Juno the one who was protecting it. The necklace that he gave will be useful that is why Jagal kept this necklace and unfortunately he used it while fighting Gaia, The High Guardian of the house of VEA.

This spell is called the Blood Thorn. Jagal created this spell to protect Juno by exchanging his life essence for the power within the necklace that was given to him by the unknown Zodiac. He promised himself that he was ready to sacrifice everything even his own life for his chief, leader, ruler and the love if his life. He was secretly in love with Juno but he never made a move or confess about his feelings. He was already happy being around with her and always giving her red roses. And because Juno loves roses Jagal wants to be a thorn of this beautiful flower. He wants to remain a thorn guarding the beauty of the flower at any danger that comes to it. A thorn that even if others try to break, it will never let go of the flower that he supports with all his heart.

The love that Jagal feels for Juno is pure admiration and respect. He never intended to think evil or let anyone do any malicious work to Juno. He feels the agony and pain that Juno feels in keeping the entire Velos Desi safe for the past many years just by her own and everyone on the Desi entrusted their lives to Juno.