Chapter 61: Defeat

Gale stopped using the wind vortex. He had set aside his carefulness and began attacking frantically. Jodien was easily parrying each slash of the sword, and his counterattacks were more violent than his previous ones. Each time the long sword clashed against the short blade, it would cause a crack on the latter, and Gale would stagger.

The short sword endured five hits before shattering. Gale thought that he could finally pierce the heart of his opponent but Jodien suddenly bent his knees, ducked low on the ground, and slashed his long blade upward. Gale deflected it with the short sword, causing the blade to shatter. 

The force of the blow had thrown Gale off his feet. He tried to regain his balance upon landing on the ground, but Jodien dashed towards his direction and stabbed him. Gale managed to save his chest but the long blade still pierced his left shoulder.

Instead of pulling away, Gale grabbed the blade piercing his shoulder, and with what remained of his short sword, dashed towards his opponent. He ignored the pain caused by the blade puncturing deeper into his shoulder. He had to hit the face of his enemy. He had to win.

But the annoying Jodien still managed to get away with only a scratch on his cheek then he raised his leg and kicked Gale hard on the stomach.

Let go! Aries yelled but the voice in his mind was unheard.

Gale endured the incessant kicks and punches thrown at his beaten body. He would not let go of the long blade stuck at his shoulder. He was desperate to reach Jodien with his shattered sword. But all he could do was shred the clothes and graze the skin of his opponent.

"It seems that you are prepared to die this day," Jodien smirked then kicked Gale hard on the stomach and dragged the long sword out of the wound.

Gale had been tossed in the air a few feet away. He struggled to remain standing when his feet hit the ground but ended up dropping on his knees. His body could not hold out any longer. He could not save Aries. He could not save Gust. He should die right then and there.

You cannot easily give up! Aries desperately yelled. Retreat and think of another way to win!

"Why will I retreat?" Gale whispered in resignation.

Why will you… Aries stopped as he realized something. Did you... just hear my voice?

"Of course, I can. Why will I not hear your…" Gale froze and his eyes widened with fear. "Aries… are you… dead?"

Not yet, Aries replied. Retreat now or let me fight in your stead.

"But…" Gale hesitated and it caused him another stab on the shoulder. It would have been worse if Aries did not take control and stepped into the shadow.

But as soon as he did that, intense pain shot through his mind and he had been thrown back to his body. He was coughing out blood and Princess Pieffer was anxiously stroking his back.

"Aries…"

"I need… to return…" he coughed out more blood before losing his consciousness and woke up in the body of Gale.

He was lying with his back flat on the ground with another stab on his upper right abdomen. Judging by the wound, the blade had pierced his liver and he was bleeding to death.

Gale! Don't you dare die! Aries was starting to panic.

"I'm sorry… I could not save… myself… either…" Gale closed his eyes and shed regretful tears.

"Finally," Jodien raised his long sword. "You can die with dignity."

Aries had easily taken control because Gale had already lost his will to live. He tried to lift a hand but the body was too weak to follow his commands. He could not even make Vermillion materialize.

The long sword was plummeting fast towards the heart of Gale and Aries could not even roll to his side and evade the blade.

Gale! Help me move your body!!!

But Gale was no longer listening to him.

You cannot die… Aries closed his eyes and focused. He had to make the body move. I will not let you die, Gale!

In the midst of his desperation, Aries heard metal clashed on another metal, a few inches above him. He also noticed that the arena had gotten awfully quiet. He quickly opened his eyes and had been stupefied by what he had seen.

Gust stopped the long sword with his jade-green blade.

"This is my fight," Jodien was obviously annoyed at the interruption.

"Gust…" Gale whispered and in an instant, Aries had lost control of the body. "Save… Aries…"

Gale gathered the strength to grab the leg of his twin brother and pulled him into the wind vortex.

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The moment they entered the wind vortex, Aries had been shoved back to his weakening body. He tried to lift his back from the bed but the slightest movement would send excruciating pain all over his body.

"Aries, please rest," Princess Pieffer begged with tears in her eyes.

"Gale…" his voice faded when he heard the sound of wind vortex forming and it was immediately followed by bothersome thuds.

Aries took a deep breath before bolting upright. Pain jolted from his head, leg, and abdomen that dizziness overwhelmed him. His frail body swayed and if not for Princess Pieffer, he would drop back to the bed.

"Thank you…" he muttered then glanced at the direction where the wind vortex appeared.

Gust carried Gale in his arms then he gently put his unconscious twin brother right next to Aries.

"Princess Pieffer, please, heal Gale," Gust was trying his best not to cry but his eyes were already brimming with tears.

"I will only heal him if you free Aries from his curse," the princess had firmly bargained.

"Okay, I will do it," Gust hurriedly agreed. "Please, heal him now."

"Then release Aries from his curse now."

Gust nodded and exchanged places with the princess.

"You should lie down," Gust helped Aries rest his back on the bed.

Aries glanced at Gale. Princess Pieffer was already closing up his wounds.

"He will live, right?"

"Yes, Aries," the princess smiled at him. "Gale will be fine."

"Gust, how is the curse? Aries already lost a lot of blood. I need to close his wounds."

"Just focus on my twin brother. Let me focus on removing the curse."

"Gust…" Gale whispered and it was a relief for Aries and his twin brother that he had quickly regained consciousness. "Guardian Aika said that Aries can only hold out for five hours. Nearly three hours had passed since I talked to her. You need to act fast."

"I know," Gust no longer had that coldness in his tone. He was slowly returning to the person he once was. "Where did you get such a powerful curse? Based on what I am sensing, this is newly inflicted. Your body weakens every time you use your special abilities and it worsens every time you will get wounded."

"Can you remove it?" Princess Pieffer anxiously asked.

"I can," Gust said without much confidence. "But it will take time if I do it alone. I need Guardian Aika's help."

"Let's all go to the dungeon," Gale quickly suggested and Pieffer helped him sit.

"The princess said that you need a lot of rest. I can easily carry Aries to the dungeon."

"But his wounds need to be closed as soon as possible," Gale got up on his feet and the princess provided him assistance. "We should come with you. We cannot waste time arguing. Let's go now."

Gust carried Aries in his arms while Gale wrapped an arm around the waist of Princess Pieffer then they separately summoned a wind vortex. 

They had been transported at a chamber that was nearly similar to the room of Master Kiel. It was only a bit smaller but it had plenty of towering shelves filled with leather-bound books. It had a four-poster bed with a purple curtain, bed sheet, blanket, and pillows. There were violet couches and a fireplace not far from the bed. Lamps were hanging on the pillars and an elegant chandelier was dangling on the high ceiling. Placed on one corner of the room were an organized long table and a chair with a well-designed armrest and backrest.

Sitting on the chair and too absorbed with a book was Guardian Aika. She did not even look up when four people suddenly appeared in her room.

Gust gently placed Aries on one of the couches.

"I don't want my things to be tainted with blood," Guardian Aika finally looked away from the book she was reading and shot a stern gaze at Aries. "I told Gale that I will only help if they defeat you, my dearest disciple."

"They did defeat me," Gust helped Aries lay down comfortably on the couch. "You know that I will not help losers."

"I hate liars," Guardian Aika faded into a purple smoke and reappeared behind her disciple. There was a deadly glare in her eyes.

"I am not lying," Gust calmly stated and turned around to face his master. "They shattered the wall I created around myself for years. I believed that nothing can break through it. But Gale and Aries did. I cannot let them die," he knelt in front of Guardian Aika and lowered his head on the ground. "You can punish me in any way that you want. But please, save Aries. Save my brother."

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