Once he was inside, he got a good look around. Following that, other knights entered the room from the same entrance.
They all wore silver armour with a uniquely shaped crest of a wolf.
"Stand-by." Said Richart to his squad
The members quickly got into the stand-by position as they replied
"Yes sir!" They shouted simultaneously.
They wanted to help, but they all knew they'd only get in the way. The level of the opponent they were facing was not something one could deal with without holy magic.
"W-We're saved!"
"The Earl's and Duke's Knight squad are here!"
"P-Please help us!"
They shouted and began to cheer in happiness. Assuming that they were safe, some nobles quickly ran towards the Knight squad, leaving the area which the cloaked mages couldn't pass through.
"DON'T LEAVE THE GROUP!"
The duke tried to warn them, but by then it was too late.
"What's thi-"
Richart swung his sword in an attempt to cut through the dark spell before it could activate, but he was a second too late
All the nobles with a dark circle above their heads, were struck by a dark beam of light on their head, causing them all to collapse.
They weren't unconscious, anyone could tell just by looking. It looked as if they had the life s.u.c.k.e.d out of them.
At the same time as that happened, Richart's sword light passed through all the people, cutting through the darkness in the area before reaching John.
A few dropped to the ground as the light hit them, before revealing their true form.
Richart was right, some of the people hidden amongst the nobles were traitors or part of the enemy. He could see that as their transformation and cloaks were now completely visible as they dropped to the ground after taking the attack.
As it hit John, he fell on to his hands and knees, before slamming his head straight on to the ground.
"ARGH!!" He shouted in pain
The darkness inside John's eyes was beginning to be forcefully suppressed by John.
Serena who watched didn't know what to do, John was in pain and healing magic wouldn't help him. Even if it did, she couldn't use it.
"Not... Now..." John muttered as he continued to force the progression back
The only thing she could do now, was support him as she waited for a moment to strike.
"You can do it John, just... Focus on my voice... I'm here and I'll stay here with you..." Whispered Serena to his ear as she wrapped her arms around him before pulling him closer to her c.h.e.s.t.
Hearing this, John could feel the pain in his head decrease, on top of that, he could feel a warm light enveloping him.
As he slowly opened his eyes and looked over at Serena, he noticed that her Sacred Treasure was glowing. It was strange, it felt like holy magic. But normally, that would just cause him pain, it was something else.
And in no time, John was starting to feel like himself again. Seeing this, the expression on the boy's face went from an unpleased one, to a bored one.
"Tch, and so she helped stop the transformation... Well it's fine, it's not like him transforming after us meeting was part of the pla-"
Before he could finish, he stretched out his arm to the left, forming a dark shield, as he stepped back.
Not even a second later, a beam passed through the shield slashing it in half in the process.
Had the young boy not moved, he would have been striked.
"G-GET HIM RICHART! PLEASE MAKE HIM PAY FOR WHAT HE DID!" Shouted the duke as tears began flowing out of his eyes
"This is your last chance to turn back." Said Richart as he approached the boy with a glowing sword
"Kill him." Said the boy
In that instant, a few groups of the cloaked people charged straight at Richart, each with their individual weapons and abilities.
The main weapons they used were scythes. As they got in close, they swung their scythes straight at him while others at the back chanted.
They swung and swung and swung, but Richart avoided all of it with minimal effort. Their combat power was significantly low, they were levels beneath the Knight squad which he put on stand-by
As the ones on the back were near the end of their chants, Richart swung his sword sending a beam of light which knocked them all out on impact.
The nobles in the crowd watched speechlessly as Richart easily dealt with them. He wasn't part of the Royal knight squad, but he was definitely talented enough to be in it.
Serena watched with surprise as Richart easily avoided their swings while sending sword beams with every swing.
Richart was prolonging that fight, while making sure that no one was getting hurt, almost as if he was waiting for something.
Serena then noticed the occasional glance he had been giving John, checking up on him every minute. Seeing this, Serena was certain. Richart needed John if he wanted to help everyone.
But John was fast asleep on Serena's Lap, and she didn't know what might happen if she tried to forcefully wake him up
[Where's Master Sylvia?!] Serena wondered once more
"John... Wake up... I won't be able to protect you and save everyone at the same time... I'm not like you..." Serena muttered as she hung her head
Suddenly, the boy called back his tropes as he realised that his numbers were quickly going down.
"Get back."
His troops quickly did as they were told, and withdrew back to the shadows.
Their numbers had decreased significantly, and it looked like it wasn't unlimited.
Seeing this, Richart began heading towards the young boy, taking it as a request for a 1 on 1 duel.
As Serena saw this, she slowly laid John on the ground before getting up.
"What am I doing... Sure, I might not be able to do what he can do... I might not be as strong or as fast as him either. After all nothing is equal or fair in life... That's the case... But."
Serena's silver hair began to glow a bright radiant yellow colour as the wand in her hand began to shine brightly.
"But, if I don't give it my best, how could I ever be able to face him? He stands in front of danger ahead of others, helps them and even saves them. A hero... My hero..."
"That's why, this time, I'll be the one to save you... And I'll make them pay for hurting Ariel."