Swordmeister of Rome

"ARRGH!!"

"He's crazy!"

Ricardo, who was sent to <Gron-Pilah> to investigate, cursed at Rodeval who suddenly became enraged and charged at him. Ricardo didn't like him that much, but he left him alone because Rodeval didn't cause any problems. But to charge at him like that? At that moment, Rodeval, after throwing one of Ricardo's friends, lunged at him.

"ARGH!"

Ricardo couldn't even take out his sword, so he held up his left arm to block it. However, his arm broke instantly and was thrown off.

'Dammit… I knew he was a vicious fighter, but this…'

He was always vicious when he fought, but Ricardo thought it was a way of survival that he learned when he traveled through the Great Forest. He was wrong. This was Rodeval's true self.

"Tie him down!"

"Dammit!"

Rodeval didn't pull out his sword, so no one was dead, but it was just a matter of time. Students realized this and began cornering him. At that moment, he backed away into a corner and crouched as if he was afraid.

"…What?"

People couldn't easily approach him even then, but one came out of the group.

"What is up with him now…"

A man walked up and Rodeval backed away. Soon, there was no more room to inch toward and Rodeval began lowering his body some more. After he did his best to crouch, he then fainted.

"This will do?"

"Yes, thank you, Sian."

Sian ignored all the eyes looking at him and moved out. He felt like he was back in his Guarran-Tia days.

'What is going on?'

A fire was rising up from the area where the Granines lived and the evil energy was radiating all the way to Gron-Pilah.

<What happened…!>

The Third Elder could barely breathe.

Their hearts were racing madly and they had headaches ever since they arrived at Gran-Latra, but it became so severe yesterday that they were about to discuss it.

But it was too late. At that moment, a scream came from outside the house. It was probably one of his people who could not resist the energy from within.

'This… is bad…'

The Elder was barely holding it off, but he could not believe that his people had such evil instincts from within.

His heart was ordering him to follow his instincts. To kill and destroy…

'This is like those Harijans!'

He couldn't believe his people had the same instincts as the Harijans, but it was not time to think about that. He needed to suppress these instincts and help the others do the same.

The Third Elder quickly moved out of the house. It was chaotic. Some were lying on the ground, grasping their chests or heads and some were glancing around as if looking for prey. Some were moving down to the human city.

<No… Stop them…>

The Third Elder and a few others began taking care of the situation. They shared Exar to help people gain control of their conscious and knocked out those that tried to run down to the city.

<Fifth Elder… Ask… for help. Fourth Elder… go find… Great Elder… and the Second Elder…>

<Understood…>

The Fifth Elder quickly moved out to the people's city and the Fourth Elder ran to the Well of the Spirits, <Lavne>. The rest of them began searching for clues. There was a limit to suppressing this.

"What is going on there?"

Rian and Celine ran out of their dorm rooms in response to the evil power coming from the Granine's holy place, Gran-Latra. Everyone was looking in the same direction and there was a person running toward them at an incredible speed. It was the Fifth Elder.

"Everyone! Scatter! Run!" Rian shouted. If the Fifth Elder went mad, the people here had no way to fight him back. People began running at those words. Rian tried to run too, but his brother came first.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. But I'm not sure what's going on."

Rian sighed in relief and turned to the Fifth Elder. He was now very close. Fortunately, he seemed okay.

<We need… your leader… our village… have a problem… We require help…>

"What happened?" Rian asked.

<Our people… are losing their minds… we thought we had time… but the process quickened since yesterday…>

"Yesterday?"

Rian thought about yesterday, but there was nothing weird. Rian glanced around and found his brother making weird expressions.

"Sian. Did you see something yesterday?" Rian asked. He couldn't have seen it, but his brother might have.

"Oh, no. Uh…"

"Tell me anything."

"You know the crater I made before?"

"Yes."

"I practiced a bit yesterday. I was just wondering if it had to do anything."

If there was anything yesterday, that was the only thing.

"Practice? What kind of practice? You never practice." Rian commented.

"Oh… I had a few things I managed to learn so I wanted to test it out."

The Fifth Elder gave some thought to it and asked Sian,

<When… did you arrive here?>

"About two days ago."

<Then… it's probably not you.>

The Elder shook his head. Sian was powerful, but it wasn't something that would affect them like that. Even if his practice affected something, it didn't explain the strange sensation they had from before.

"I'll send an investigation team to the crater just in case. How is the village?"

<The Elders are suppressing the people, but it will not last long. We are having a hard time to controling it ourselves. We need to find the reason fast. We do not wish for war.>

The Elder spoke and Rian nodded. The Granine had four Grand Banders, two Ra-Banders, and countless Masters. If they went mad, this area was doomed. He needed to solve this.

"Brother, I'll help you out."

"Thank you, Sian. I definitely welcome your help."

Rian did not refuse Sian's help as the issue was serious.

<Great Elder… the Second Elder… there is a problem at the village…>

The Fourth Elder walked up to the well to meet with the two Elders while grasping his head.

<…>

<…>

<Elder?>

The Fourth Elder felt something strange as he saw Great Elder and the Second Elder blanky looking down into the well.

<What…>

He became curious and walked up next to them. Then he looked down into the well.

<…>

The Fourth Elder felt the reason he came here being erased in his head. Yet it did not matter. He needed to concentrate on the voice coming from the well.

Then the Fourth Elder too began looking down into the well.