The Ninth Wonder-Chapter 27: The black winter (2)

Tenth day, only four days left till the end of the trial. And Harley’s entire mood was ruined by the item he received as a gift.

He didn’t know whether to call it anything else based on the fact that it came to him not immediately, but a while after he had slain both man and monster.

"Let’s just go face the knight." Harley stood up, descending into the ravine.

Vernox chuckled to himself, earning a death glare from Harley before he quickly followed behind.

Maneuvering around the bones of all manners of creatures, Harley and Vernox gritted their teeth as the temperatures dropped rapidly.

Or should I say only Harley, ’cause Vernox was walking casually with confidence. The black button jacket he wore was not torn like Harley’s clothes after all.

The bones in the ravine were a lot, but they weren’t too crowded, so Harley and Vernox were able to approach the middle where the knight was standing.

"I’m the report it says that the knight can freeze things surrounding him, so I would try using flames to get the cold down," Vernox said, summoning the black, curved blade artifact that he got from the cave.

Harley held the silver sword he stole from the ship, ready to attack.

"Ready— ah!"

Harley gasped as his entire body vibrated where he was. The knight finally moved, turning to face their direction. The visors in its helmet seemed like a dark abyss was resting within, ready to devour him in an instant.

"It’s said to use illusions, so be careful," Vernox said, going ahead to circle around the knight.

It locked eyes with Vernox, not paying attention to Harley who went invisible and moved towards it silently.

"Hahahahaha..." The knight suddenly let out a laugh that sounded guttural.

Its voice sounded like a captured echo, making the helmet seem even deeper than what it seemed.

"More people come to bring me down. Let me see if you’re worthy." The knight shifted, pulling out the two curved daggers that hung on its waist.

"Which one of you wants to be first—?"

The knight hadn’t even finished asking its question when Vernox attacked, dropping a sword from above.

The knight didn’t pick up its sword, crossing the daggers and holding the sword suspended.

’Now’s my chance!’ Harley sprinted, releasing his invisibility. The cold ground slowed him down a bit and then he raised his sword for a strike.

*DOOOOM!*

A sudden feeling of dread washed over Harley, making him widen his eyes as he locked in with the knight.

Its helmet spun backwards to face him, and he felt like he... No, it—it was looking at him directly now.

"It’s not your turn. Freeze." As the knight spoke, the sword that was stabbed into the cold ground below suddenly released a white beam that created a wall of ice between it and Vernox.

"Just shut up and die!" Vernox withdrew his sword, engaging in vicious combat with the knight who had left his sword for daggers.

His skill was still top tier, being able to match the high-speed attacks of the knight and counterattack with precision.

"I see you, boy. Pretending to be what you are not!" The knight swatted a stabbing attack, following up with a heavy kick to the chest.

*Bang!*

Vernox hit the walls of the ravine, standing up immediately and raising his sword.

The knight smiled, dropping one of its daggers and swinging its arm back, catching someone by the neck.

"Oh, trying to sneak up on me now." The knight raised Harley by the neck.

Using the opportunity, Harley tried to stab into its armour but only met a metallic sound...

’It didn’t go through argh!’ he struggled for air as he was raised higher.

Then a clicking sound came from within the helmet and it tilted, as if what was inside studied Harley with great curiosity.

Vernox wasn’t sitting still; he was already close to them.

"Wait for me." The knight dropped Harley, and just then, a thick layer of ice surrounded his feet and arms as he made contact with the floor.

"Come, prove yourself for what you truly are, creature of fire!" The knight turned into a whirlwind of snow, approaching Vernox who just got his footing.

"All beneath the sky, must burn." Vernox uttered one of the verses of the artifact, making the runes on the blade shimmer to life.

The blade was coloured in thick flames and he ran forward to meet the mini snow storm coming at him.

"ARGHHHH!" He swung the sword inside as he was blinded by white.

*BOOOM!*

An explosion shook the ravine, making small rocks roll down the slopes. The skeletons all around seemed to rattle, as if in excitement for the ongoing battle.

Meanwhile, the fool who chose the most dangerous out of all the missions to take on was trying to break free of ice.

"Come on, come on!" Harley gritted his teeth. He blew his hair out of the way of his eye, trying to forcefully pull his hands out of the ice.

"This is not ordinary ice," he commented, resigning to look within the small fog that covered his vision.

He could only hope that Vernox had landed that attack.

"Gasp!" Harley’s body shook with fear as he saw a black silhouette standing in front of what looked like a structure of ice, with someone inside.

"Vernox! ARGHHHH!" Harley frantically struggled to break free of the ice, struggling to get free.

And the knight approached him with slow strides.

That was when Harley spotted one of the daggers impaled in Vernox’s chest. His whole body went limp and his eyes were filled with hopelessness.

’No... I didn’t come this far just to give up.’ He gritted his teeth, looking up at the knight with a calm smile.

"Just like I thought. You are as great as the stories say, great knight! I came to see you, and serve you. I’m nothing but a weak country boy, you see." Harley spoke, regarding the knight with respect.

"Hahahahaha...!" The knight laughed, its voice sounding like metal clashing against each other.

"I see you for what you truly are, Harleyquin. Deception, murder, manipulation, determination. Do you really see yourself for what you are?" The knight asked, getting close to him before bending down.

"You’re powerful enough to kill me anytime, you don’t need to be scared of me, great one." Harley swallowed, watching as the knight raised the second dagger above its head.

"Oh but I am scared. In fact, I fear you more than I fear the other guy."

The dagger came down on him, and everywhere blurred out instantly.