33 Risen#re

Upon arriving at the new camp, the faces of everyone from the second exploration group couldn't help but be filled with wonder, surprise and shock.

The first thing they noticed was the still burning flames, the fire was no longer spreading but the trees that were used to take down the mammoth were still burning softly and releasing smoke, while the rest of the area was burnt black from all the flames.

Then they saw the corpse of the mammoth, but what was even more shocking than that, were all the corpses of people that were in the same area as the mammoth, what truly stood out about the corpses was that it was clear that the wounds that were inflicted on them were obviously not done by a beast.

As soon as they arrived the first two people to come and great them was Tobias and Wentian, who informed them of everything that happened.

As everyone listened their eyes went wide in wonder and finally Tobias told them about the corpse's, and they couldn't help but show expressions of surprise as they heard that it was Lirian who single handedly slaughtered thirty cultivators.

Several people were already calling them the 'Thirty Fools'.

"Where is Lirian?" Media asked when they were finished narrating the details.

"He looked to be in a pretty bad condition before he left, and Edith went after him, they should have gone to the river, we were waiting for you guys to arrive before going to them?" Wentian quickly said, then the four of them went forward to find Lirian and Edith.

---

A shadow rose up suddenly and Number Three spoke, "I think that we might have one last chance to get this done without acting personally," she said to Number One in a hushed tone.

Number One nodded at her words as she heard the underlining meaning, it was obvious to Number One that Number Three had a plan, however speaking about it might reveal who their master was.

She quickly snapped her fingers and a barrier formed around the two of them, "Speak," said Number One.

Number Three quickly complied, "Master gave us the oath disc to control the ones who took an oath, and seeing the current state of the prince candidate he won't be able to put up much more of a resistance, there are still over eighty oath bound people alive,"

"After the prince candidates display I doubt any of them will attack him willingly, but with the oath disc's power that master created we can force them into attacking, and after the way the prince candidate killed all those other commoners it will make for a plausible reason for them to attack him,"

"If this fails then we can all attack, but why throw our lives away when we have one more chance," Number Three said logically.

Number One looked to Number Three deeply, "Your words are smart, I never would have thought of using the students too attack him directly, because it would have made the attack far to suspicious, but as things are now there is justification."

Number Ones eye's flashed coldly as she took out the oath disc, the students who Telamon snared were really pitiful to be caught up by his honeyed words.

In truth the oath disc was simply a tool that would grant Telamon complete control over anyone foolish enough to make an oath with him, Telamon simply offered them some nice words with a paltry amount of resources to make it look like they were striking a deal, but little did they know that they were selling their entire lives to Telamon by taking an oath.

---

Hinata was walked around through the camp, feeling glad that she followed her instincts not to attack Lirian earlier otherwise she could easily see what her fate would have been by going back and looking at the corpse's.

However at that moment a strange feeling over came her, telling her that it was time, it was time for her to kill Lirian.

In truth at first when Telamon gave her the order of what she needed to do to ensure Lirian's death, she felt panicked at the taught, she had always desired to prove that she was superior to Lirian, but killing him? that was a scary thought to her.

After all aside from the fact that she had never taken a life before, he was a prince candidate and the empresses son, wouldn't killing him ensure her own death, but even more than that wouldn't it make her a criminal in the Clovis empire, how was she to become empress if she was a fugitive?

But after she left, a soothing feeling took control of her, and made her realize that it was the best choice for her, by killing Lirian she would become the genius of the class and everyone would pay her more respect.

With Lirian out of the way she would become the centre of everyone's admiration and attention, and due to that she would be able build up real connection with the members of class.

By using them it would be possible to gain some backing and develop further, until she was able to break through to the fifth-grade before reaching four-hundred-years of age and by doing so she would be able to become recognised as a real princess of the empire.

Those thoughts filled her head, and they matched with all the things the headmaster had thought her, so she let them take control and since then the though of killing Lirian never left her mind, it seemed to become her only goal, the only thing she could focus on doing.

---

Lirian and Edith were sitting together on the edge of the river, it was quiet a distance away from the new camp, where the mammoth was killed, and to get here, Lirian had required Edith's support.

"Do you need me to get you anything?" Edith asked while gently rubbing his back and looking at him with a loving gaze.

Lirian's current condition truly troubled her, for as long as she had known him, even after he took down that rock drake, he was still lively afterwards, but right now he was barely even moving and most of his weight was falling on her as she supported him.

"I only need a few, cough, cough, cough," Lirian suddenly broke out in to a fit of coughs and blood mixed with spittle flew out of his mouth.

Lirian continued to cough for a full minute before he got himself back under control, but his breathing was rampant and pained.

Edith pulled him closer and wrapped both her arm around him tightly to support him, "You shouldn't have pushed your self so hard," she said with a concerned face and rubbed his back to ease his pain.

As she moved her hand around she could fell his muscles through out his body, every last one was constantly contracting tightly as if his own muscles wanted to strangle him, and she couldn't imagine how big the strain on his body must have been for his muscles to be in such a state.

"I had to do that," Lirian said softly while holding onto her with his face was going lightly pale.

"Why not show mercy from time to time?" Edith questioned, "Had you shown mercy you wouldn't be in this state."

Lirian raised a hand and gently cupped her face, "Edith you must never show mercy to your enemies, and anyone that points a weapon at you or leashes out a single word to undermine your authority is an enemy that must be killed no matter the cost," said Lirian in a slow and wizened voice.

"We have to show mercy sometimes Lirian, even your mother as the empress and my father as the Lord of Eden, sometimes it is best to show mercy, it can help people look at you in a different light," she argued back, she genuinely believed that knowing when to grant mercy was something that made great leaders.

"Tell me, what would have happened had my mother not show mercy to Efrideet all those years ago and killed her, she would have had many dissatisfied noble's, but her position would have been secure, her subjects would hate her but they would be obedient out of fear, but instead she spared that woman's life and it has brought her countless problems throughout her reign as empress," Lirian said simply.

"Promise me Edith don't ever show mercy to your enemies when you go for your trial, it will only bring you regret, do not show mercy unless you do not have a choice because mercy allows for the fires to grow, and when they grow it is easy for them to consume you,"

"Mercy will get you killed Edith, and I do not want to lose you," a slight plea could be heard in Lirian's voice and his grip on her grew slightly firmer.

Lirian's words moved Edith's heart, it was because in that moment she could tell that Lirian wanted her to learn this so that she could survive.

But more than that it was because he didn't want to lose her and once more she felt a compulsion in his words, like they belonged to someone who was truly old and wise.

Edith smiled at Lirian with little tears of happiness in the corners of her eye's, "Lirian I…" but just at that moment the sound of footsteps sounded out behind them and stopped her from saying her next words.