Nameless King

"I'm not leaving!" The boy exclaimed.

'How annoying you are...!' Cursed Swordsman frowned.

"I know we're going to be attacked tomorrow, but I just can't do it." The boy lowered his head.

"Ah, so that's what you're talking about, but why? You're pretty strong for kids your age, but it'll be a while before you can stand up to the Azure Mantises."

"I understand that, but still... I can't do that. The Moon Lotus was found and planted by my mother! It's the last thing left of her..." The boy could hardly hold back the tears.

'So that's the thing... Damn, life is too unfair sometimes. Everyone in the village got a better life because of it, but this kid lost the most important person to him.'

"What happened to her?"

Cursed Swordsman didn't know how to communicate with children properly, so he decided to ask directly. He was sure this boy was strong enough in spirit to answer.

"She got very sick... even the best doctors in the village couldn't help her. They said it was probably due to the influence of the Moon Lotus..."

"But, you still want to protect this flower?"

"Yes..." The boy replied in a whisper.

The Cursed Swordsman sighed as he lowered himself and put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Kid, what's your name?"

"Kael..."

"Kael, listen to me. I promise you that nothing will happen to the Moon Lotus. I'll protect it easily, I'm strong, I can handle it. You must take care of yourself first. Do you understand me?"

"Yes... Good..." The boy wiped away his tears.

"Good. Then go home. It will soon be night."

The boy nodded and ran away. The Cursed Swordsman stared at him, he knew that his words made no difference, it was only a comfort, completely useless in this situation.

'I came here to rest, but I ended up babysitting... What the hell is all this about?' Cursed Swordsman pondered as he headed toward the west gate.

The Moon Lotus was to blossom under the bright moon's light that day. The battle would take place in the coming hours, and the guards were already ready to defend their home.

'Huh, the Cursed Swordsman turned out to be quite kind, though he is as bad with children as I am.' Wain said inwardly.

...

"Mr. Swordsman, you came." The head of the guard said.

He was a muscular man with long blond hair, a thick beard with a massive spear in his hand.

"Sure." The Cursed Swordsman nodded as he pointed to the blue flower in the pond's center, "Is that it?"

"Yes. In about an hour, the Moon Lotus will bloom."

"What's the plan?"

"One-third of the guards are distributed equally to protect the north, south, and east gates. Another third will remain here to prevent the Azure Mantises from breaking through the west gate. The remaining guards, led by me, will fight the Azure Mantises by the pond banks. You will take on their King. The main goal is to protect the village and the Moon Lotus." The Commander elaborated.

"It's not a bad plan, but are you sure a third will be enough? More than half of the guards remain on defense. I understand that the Azure Mantis can attack from other directions, and you should be prepared for that, but still." Cursed Swordsman muttered.

He felt that the ratio of defenders to attackers was uneven. He preferred to neglect defense for the sake of attacking.

"Don't worry about that. Our best soldiers will go on the attack, and what's more, you will be with us. We can handle it for sure, the Azure Mantis won't even be able to approach the Moon Lotus. Likewise, the wall guards will fire bows and crossbows at the monsters." The Commander said confidently.

"Okay, I get it. I hope you know what you're doing." Cursed Swordsman nodded as he jumped onto the wall.

...

Gradually the deep night fell, and the big blue moon illuminated the flower in the pond. It shone brightly, the Moon Lotus began to bloom.

"Prepare for battle!" The Commander ordered.

"Yes!" The guards responded simultaneously.

They stood in line and put their spears out in front of them. The Lunar Mantises could appear at any moment.

"Well... It's time to begin." Cursed Swordsman muttered as he stood next to the Commander.

Whoooosh.

The Moon Lotus glowed brightly, and the whole pond was covered with small glowing particles, it looked magical. The guards enjoyed this unforgettable view.

Roooooaaaarrrr!

However, it didn't last long. The roar of the monsters made them shudder and stare at the forest. From there, several large, blue monsters slowly emerged.

The Azure Mantises were a mixture of insect and lizard. They had paws as sharp as blades, sturdy chitin, and a long tail with a blade on end.

The guard commander raised his hand. He was ready to give the order to attack.

"Wait." The Cursed Swordsman lowered his hand, "They are only scouts, nothing more. I can deal with this without even making a move."

Cursed Swordsman took a deep breath as a powerful, frosty aura burst from him. The pressure came down on the Mantis, and they shuddered in fear, their instincts telling them to run to stay alive.

The Azure Mantises fled into the woods, they ran as if their lives depended on it.

"Wow..." One of the guards muttered.

"This is incredible!"

"The elder has found a great warrior!"

The guards were ecstatic. Such power was beyond their imagination.

"Silence!" The Commander shouted, "All talk later, concentrate on the main task!"

The guards nodded silently.

Wain watched this. Unlike the guards, he was frowning. Something was alarming him. Despite the Commander's words, one man's eyes still glowed with admiration. It was Kael.

'Damn, this guy came here after all, though it couldn't have been any other way...' Cursed Swordsman muttered inwardly.

He spotted Kael long ago, the boy hiding behind a tree near the west wall.

Step. Step. Step.

Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps. The guards turned around, and their eyes went wide.

'What are those freaks?' Cursed Swordsman muttered inwardly.

They were preparing for the Azure Mantis attack, but suddenly a group of men in black robes appeared. They ran towards the pond and mingled with the darkness of the night.

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