My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Chapter 1013: Chapter 1015: Mugu’s Oath

Damon saw a rage on Mugu’s face unlike anything he had witnessed before. The young man stepped in front of Abellona and planted himself between her and the armored knights.

"You cannot have Abellona. She is not yours to take."

His voice was cold. His eyes held no fear. Only certainty. If they wanted her, they would have to step over his corpse.

That, unfortunately, was easily arranged.

What could a powerless village boy do, what could his anger and ire cause. Nothing.

There was nothing here could do to stop them.

The knights drew their swords and dismounted. They would have trampled him with their horses, but he stood too close to the prince’s new prize. They did not want her ending up dead like the previous three.

"Do not get in the way, boy. It should be her honor to serve his highness," one of the knights said with a cruel smile. There was nothing unusual about this for them. This was routine.

Damon folded his arms, watching from outside Mugu’s body.

’I have seen knights without honor, but never this brazen. Usually they invent excuses before stealing someone’s wife.’

Ashcroft’s voice drifted through his mind, dry and cold.

’The idea of honorable knights was always fiction. Those stories were created to inspire restraint, not because knights were ever bound by such ideals.’

That made sense. Some of the most deplorable people he knew were knights, but so were some of the best ones.

Damon ignored the commentary. His gaze stayed fixed on Mugu.

Mugu charged.

Damon saw how slow he was. Of course he was. This was an unawakened human with no class. The knights were at least Third Class.

Steel flashed.

Blood sprayed.

Mugu was struck and sent flying across the dirt. His skin tore as he rolled. He groaned, forced himself up, and staggered back in front of Abellona while tears streamed down her face.

"Ah, come on men. He is unarmed. At least let this be fair," one knight said mockingly as he tossed a sword to the ground near Mugu. "There. Now you have a weapon."

Mugu did not hesitate. He grabbed it and rushed forward.

A blade sliced into his side. Blood soaked the earth.

The villagers watched in silence. No one stepped forward. No one wanted to risk their lives for Mugu. Powerlessness had already taken root in their hearts.

’Injustice is only injustice when it affects you,’ Damon muttered. ’People condemn evil but rarely act. That is why evil wins. Good people stand by and become complicit.’

Mugu was beaten, thrown, and kicked across the dirt.

Yet he kept standing.

"He is just like me," Damon said quietly. It reminded him of his early days at the academy. No matter how many ganged up on him, he never stopped fighting back.

Ashcroft scoffed. ’The weak are weak. Feelings do not matter before strength. That is a truth in every world.’

Damon’s astral form moved closer to Mugu.

And then, with a sudden pull, he slipped back into the body.

The moment he gained control, he swung the sword upward and slashed across a knight’s eye. Before they could react, he rolled and cut the tendon of another. They were Third Class and far faster than him, so Damon aimed to cripple before they realized what had happened.

A hand caught his blade.

Two fingers held the steel as if it were nothing.

He tried to pull back, but it was impossible. His strength was less than that of an ant compared to the knight.

A kick sent him crashing to the ground. The other knights pinned him down with their boots. One raised his sword to behead him.

Dust filled the air.

Abellona threw herself over Mugu’s body. Her body felt warm, reminding Mugu he was still alive, and if he was, then he could still protect her.

"No, no. You cannot kill Mugu. Please. I beg you. Spare him."

The knight glanced toward the carriage. There was no response. He moved to shove her aside.

Desperate, Abellona grabbed a dagger from the knight’s waist. Tears streamed down her face, but she did not hold it to fight.

She pressed the tip to her own throat.

"If you kill him, I will die. But if you spare him, I will do whatever you want. Please. Spare him."

Mugu struggled beneath the knights’ boots, shaking his head violently.

"No. No. I will not let this happen."

"I accept."

The voice came from the carriage.

A man stepped out. Long dark hair. Cold eyes. The aloofness in his eyes made him seem as if he was not even human.

"You will be my wife."

Mugu’s rage flared again. He tried to rise, but Abellona pushed him back down. Blood soaked into the dirt beneath him.

She raised her trembling hand.

"You must heal him too."

The man nodded. The mage beside him tossed her a vial. She caught it and poured the contents into Mugu’s mouth. Warmth spread through his body. The bleeding stopped. Death retreated.

With renewed strength, Mugu grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her away, even though he knew it was futile.

She shook her head, biting her lips until they bled.

Damon watched from within, helpless fury burning through him.

Mugu felt the full weight of powerlessness.

Abellona leaned her forehead against his.

"I wanted to go somewhere far away with you. I wanted us to stay together until we turned to dust. Mugu, I love you. I do not want to go. I do not want to leave you."

Her hand trembled as it touched his face.

"Promise me you will live. Even without me."

"No. I will not. I swear I will save you."

The oath of the weak.

Meaningless...

Abellona was taken away by the prince of Valtheron.

And with her went the last warmth in Mugu’s heart. Leaving behind a poison that would intoxicate the world.

What remained was hatred.

The seed of the man who would one day become the first demon.

The Wicked Prophet.