Duke Paras is here

Time seemed to have stopped for a moment.

Not just for me, for everyone. Through the screens we saw the man in black trying to spread that blood mist runes into the barrier. At that moment, a shining sharp light appeared out of nowhere. It cleaved through the air and landed on the arm of the man in black.

At least that was what it looked like.

But the man in black was fast enough, and took his hand off the barrier.

*BAM* *CRASH*

The shining sharp light went past him and hit a house behind him. The house crashed to form a massive pile of rubble. Then we saw what that sharp glint was and the moment my eyes fell on it, I started breathing again.

My heart calmed down a little bit.

Hope rekindled in my eyes. Not just mine, even Duke Kurma, Dhana, Dharma also became hopeful all of a sudden. That was the only understandable reaction at that moment. And what we saw was an axe.

You read it right. It was an axe. A huge battle axe that could cleave a trunk into two. As for how big it was, you know storm breaker right? The axe Thor uses in the Marvel cinematic universe or whatever it is called here, the axe was a bit bigger than that.

*BAM*

Following the axe a man landed on the ground a few meters away from the man in black.

A man we were all very familiar with. 

The second strongest man of the Daksh kingdom, the head of Daksh Investigation Bureau, Duke of the largest duchy in the Daksh Kingdom, Father of Dharma Paras.

Duke Paravir Paras.

Sir Paravir is a formidable figure, with a robust and slightly weathered physique that reflects a lifetime of martial training. In his late fifties, his face bears the distinguished marks of age, etched with lines that tell stories of battles and wisdom gained over the years.

Unlike most of his peers who hid their aging with their mana, Duke Paras never found the need for it.

Strands of grey woven through his long hair and well maintained beard, a testament of the years he spent in both war and contemplation.

His eyes though aged, gleamed with the sharp intensity and hold the keen awareness that only comes from a lifetime of honing one's skills on the battlefield. His armor and the attire beneath it, didn't showcase the same luxury of his Duke title.

It was dull looking, practical, allowing for mobility while providing ample protection. The only thing that screamed his status was the cloak that flowed down his broad shoulders, embroidered with various symbols signifying his achievements and experiences through his lifetime of service.

He looked at the man in black who in turn returned the gaze.

A smile adorned the man's face as he looked at Parvir.

"Should have expected your arrival." The voice didn't show any worry. It was the same cold and flat tone as before.

"You shouldn't be here." Parvir replied.

His voice was deep and resonant, carrying the weight of experience.

*SWOOSH* The axe that was stuck in the rubble flew back to Parvir. Just like how Storm breaker does for Thor.

"Really? That's how you greet me after so many years?" The man in black replied. Parvir didn't answer this time and looked at the dead bodies of the citizens. The gory scene left behind by the vile act conducted by the man in front of him.

His eyes turned red. His long hair is trembling almost as if it was floating. He was angry. His hand was trembling with rage as he looked at the man in black.

"Why did you do this?"

"Good question. But I am not in a mood to answer."

The man in black turned around and placed his hand once again on the dome. 

"I am talking to you."

*KEEN*

The metallic keen of the axe could be heard as the Duke swung it at the much younger foe.

*BANG*

Black mana conjured into a barrier as the young man held the blade of the axe. 

*GROWL* *RUFF*

The wolf and the horse growled at Paravir, ready to attack. I was a bit panicked to be honest. Even though I was fairly confident in Paravir's ability, I was still a bit afraid of the combined force of the two beasts and the young man.

With all the destruction and devastation he caused, he hadn't shown his full strength by that time. And to think that he stopped the attack of the Duke with a single hand, it was a bit scary.

"Ember, Fang. What did I tell you before about this man?"

However, to our surprise, he made his beasts backdown.

"Don't get in my way. You are the only one I am reluctant to kill. But you know what I will do if you come in my way."

The man in black spoke. Paravir looked at him intently and said.

"You are not supposed to be here, you are not supposed to act like this. Why are you doing this?"

"As I said, I am not in the mood to answer you."

As he spoke, he injected his mana into the dome. The blood red runes spread much faster. Within an second, they were all over the barrier.

All of a sudden, I felt a sudden urge to drink. Drink something, anything. I was just thirsty and that thought gripped my heart in horror.

Without even giving me a chance to resist. My body automatically moved. I took the huge pitcher of water placed on the table and started gulping down. Not just me, everyone else around me did the same thing.

Even the Duke wasn't spared.

While drinking the Duke tried to activate the barrier control token to remove the barrier. 

However, he lost control over it. The man in black took complete control over it. I gulped down the water hurriedly while looking at the screen.

"What did you do? What kind of curse is it?" Parvir asked anxiously. That was the first time I ever heard his sound so distressed.

"You know about it. The curse of thirst."

"You…." Parvir didn't continue and ran towards the barrier.

He swung his axe.

*BAM*

With one strike, cracks appeared on the barrier. The man in black lunged forward and unsheathed his scimitar.

*KEEN* *CLANG*

When the second strike of the axe was about to land, the scimitar's blade blocked it. The man's legs were actually planted on the surface of the dome. It was similar to walking on walls and trees in that anime called Naruto.

Like how they used chakra or whatnot to walk on the walls, he used mana to stand on the barrier. Blocking the axe.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY."

*SWOOSH*

The axe was swung again, at a different spot. Duke Paras ignored the man in black and tried to enter the barrier from a different direction. But the man in black had different plans. He slid on the dome as if he was part of it and appeared at that new spot, blocking the axe once again.

For the next two minutes, that was all what we saw.

Duke Paras flew through the air like a flash. Hopping from one location to another to hit the barrier, while the man in black, skated on that dome to block the hits with the scimitar. 

When I say, I was shocked, I was understating my amazement.

One might think that the Duke Paras had a heavy and power oriented fighting style, because of his huge axe and the strength behind each swing. But his main forte, was his nimble movement and speed.

Not one man, and I mean it, not one man in the whole kingdom or any other kingdom was ever able to match him in that aspect.

But I saw it.

I saw it with my own eyes. For a second I thought that the stories I heard about him were false.

Even with all these thoughts, I was still drinking. Puking and urinating started in the room there. I was afraid. I knew that things are about to go bad.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY. MY SON IS INSIDE."

Parvir yelled as he panted heavily. He was sweating and even the man in black for the first time showed some sort of effort, he stopped and sheathed his scimitar.

"What the fuck is he doing all the way in Kurma?"

He muttered and waved his hand.

The barrier along with the blood mist runes disappeared.

Parvir jumped forward and ran into the mountain.

The man black looked at the wolf and the horse and shrugged. His behavior for was way too normal. He walked into the mountain slowly.

The predator has entered the house of prey. Will the guardian be enough to stop him? I didn't know at that time. All I knew was that as I finally stopped suffering from the curse, Duke Paras has arrived in that room.

He ran towards Dharma to check up on him.