I regressed and became the Sword Ice King-Chapter 351 - - Festival 82- Raid on a Rainy Night 21

'What's that?'

Meadow's thoughts seeped through her consciousness, her gaze hazy as the crimson light painted the walls of the Hallway in an irksome sight.

Her mind was muddled with the invasion from others, and now, confusion began to brew.

One that built discomfort within her.

She glanced at Rana, her chest tightening.

"What is that, Rana?"

She was a princess, perhaps different from the rest, but knowledge of certain principles would be unknown to her.

Rana glanced at her Liege, her expression squeezed, fighting the fear that attempted to grip her.

"It's a sealing scroll….a transcendent by the amount of power exuded from it."

'Sealing Scroll?' Meadow muttered in her mind, alienating herself from the tendrils of darkness that made her deaf mentally.

'Sealing….oh no…'

Then it happened– fear. Chest gripping, knuckles whitening, throat burning fear.

"What are they Sealing? How–How are we going to survive this if the–they….are they?"

She grasped her head, her mind muddled with mass information, thoughts that weren't her own and then thoughts that were hers.

"Ca–Calm down, Princess. We have the Juns, the Silvans, the Lucias, the Son Gokus….we have them all. We will be fine."

'What? Is this girl stupid?!'

She looked up at Rana, her expression twisting. Confusion, frustration, annoyance, mixed in a palette of colours. One without synchrony but disorderliness.

'Why would I leave my life for these people?! I've fought myself, all my life. I have been alone since the beginning and now! You want me to leave my life to those...fools? Power…hungry mongers who don't know what's right other than fighting?!'

She sprang to her feet, startling her guard.

Rana shifted slightly as she slowly arose as well, her confusion palpable.

"I'll be damned to let anyone define where I end tonight."

Meadow muttered as she took a step forward, pushing a girl away as she struggled to find her way to the door.

"Princess?!" Rana called out, her tone laced with hesitation, confusion. She took a step after her liege and quickly walked after her.

It was her duty to protect, and she would serve it till her dying breath.

Her gaze traced Meadow's movement, a smirk growing from the corner of her lips.

'Hmm…..this is exactly what I love about her.'

Despite that, the sudden distortion in space that occurred right above their heads didn't leave room for them to prepare.

Rana whipped her head up in shock, her body flinching as the masked figure descended like a guillotine.

He held a war hammer, his attention entirely focused on Meadow as he descended.

"Princess!"

Rana ran through the students, their subtle proclamations escaping her ears as she pushed Meadow away.

The latter turned around in shock, her gaze widening at the scenery before her.

Meadow's eyes met Rana's—wide, shocked—a breath before the hammer split the world in two.

It descended at a ridiculous speed, yet it seemed to move in slow motion, taking the space that separated itself from the two girls in a second and clawing its way to Rana's skull, a powerful energy exuding with it.

-BOOM!

"RANA!"

In a single swoop, the hammer rained down, and crimson liquid erupted into the air like a fountain, flesh and bones crumbling under the weight of the hammer.

Her body jerked as she landed, dangerously onto the body of another student.

One who took the opportunity to scream in shock as the students ran away from the masked figures.

The man whipped his hammer in the air to the sides, ready to slam against another child, when a bolt of lightning streaked through the air.

Colliding with the man and slamming him against the wall of the Hallway.

It was followed by a sound, so electrifying, and so loud, that its intensity reached the students.

Strings of lightning ran through the man's body, sending impulses of yellow down his figure.

It encroached its very being, burning him from within as a tearsome scream escaped his lips.

His body charred alive, sending a silent warning to those who watched it.

As the students were partly distracted by the electrifying sight, another exclaimed, his voice deep and loud.

"EVERYONE, OUT OF THE BUILDING!"

The students didn't need to be told twice, nor did they need to be begged to listen.

In a stampede, they rushed out of the Hostel Building, with panicked screams projected in the air despite the rain.

Their footsteps were like a drum band, striking the floor of the lobby and all those unfortunate to remain on it without mercy.

Escape was the only goal– the only way to gain a level of sanity in this mess, and they took it with open arms.

While the students rushed out, Darrell remained at the door, his arms folded as he observed them with careful eyes.

His gaze shifted from the door to the ethereal image of the golden lady.

He stretched one arm forward as a flicker of light ignited within its palm, and his grimoire appeared.

It flipped open, its intricate pages moving like rushing water until its purposeful chapter.

"May Gaia's mercy dwell on us, as we ask for her tender love.

For she prospers with us in light and darkness."

He glanced up from the grimoire, a smirk forming on his face.

"Rise, Oh Guardian of Earth."

The Hostel shook, a tremble running down the foundations of the Year One Academy. Its intensity accumulated, dispersing with arrhythmicity, quaking with a subtle vibration. Akin to an earthquake.

Those within the Lobby would glance up, startled and glance back down to focus on anchoring themselves from the vibrations.

While those who observed it from the outside would wonder what went on in the Year One Hostel Building.

Yet, despite all this, the vibrations continued to project.

Then, like a mechanisation crafted by man's knowledge, the golden lady arose.

Her pole of light ignited with such brightness that the skies were painted with its golden hue.

Her steps measured and purposeful as she emerged away from the Hostel and out into the open.

The students who rushed outside were soon enveloped by this same light that they had left behind to escape.

Shocked by the phenomenon yet grateful for its purpose.

Darrell smirked in satisfaction at all this, his gaze tracing the movement of the golden lady as she walked away from the Hostel.

His grimoire closed, then a subtle pang struck his chest.

He gripped it, sighing deeply as he looked away.

'Does that spell always use this much mana?'

A sudden quake and explosion caught his attention, his gaze whipping in that direction.

There, he found the Lecturers, Jane, Elsie and Sophie, fending off what seemed to be the rest of the attackers.

He had ensured none were present within the Golden Lady before it took off. It was also practically impossible to get in without his consent.

With that, he decided to focus on the next task at hand.

"Shall we, then," he said with a subtle groan as he walked towards them.

He had not covered the distance between the battle scene and himself when something-or someone-caught his peripheral vision.

Glancing behind, his brows furrowed.

"Princess Meadow?"

A few feet away was a princess on her knees, blood smeared on the palms of her hands.

Her head sunken, her shoulders limp, her body….convulsing slightly.

Darrell remained still in his position, his gaze growing soft at the sight.

'Before…'

A memory flashed in his head. An image of the masked figure he had shocked to death with his grimoire. The man who slammed his hammer on a student and killed her.

'....shit….'

He sighed deeply, resting his head on his palm as he walked up to her.

"Princess Meadow…"

Silence.

She remained, ever so silent.

Unperturbed by the world around her.

He didn't need to think twice to know she was weeping, and the reason so, was made evidently clear.

He groaned again, this time, glancing behind before turning his attention fully on her.

"Princess, I understand your grief, but now is not the time. We must evacuate this very moment!"

He stretched his hands towards her when she slapped his hands back, the stinging sensation from her slap lingering on the back of his hand.

His face grew dim.

'Well, this is unexpected. Is she losing her cool?'

Princess Meadow slowly stood to her feet, spun around and walked towards the exit.

All in a swift motion. Silence suffused between the two while she did it, causing Darrell to retreat to his thoughts.

He watched in silence, his gaze tracing her movements, and carefully observing her condition.

He couldn't tell.

Whatever it was that she went through, she went through alone, and he was unable to tell it apart.

Her cautious steps, her sunken head, her whitened, clenched knuckles. It was obvious she was upset, or perhaps saddened. But to what degree– to what extent was she going through?

'...though, why should it matter to me? She already shut me away from her life, years ago.'

Despite his conclusion, for some reason– or perhaps a reason. He still wanted to know.

"Princess Meadow."

She froze mid-step, her body swaying in motion.

His gaze narrowed at the sight, a flash of memory of the little girl he once knew all those years ago.

'....how much has changed.'

She was always this way. Introspective, withdrawn, lost in a world too far for those around her to reach.

Perhaps in a world that only she could burden–

'Or perhaps not.'

"I know how much Rana Lana meant to you….But, I assure you, Princess. It'll be better."

A moment of silence remained, perturbed by the beating of the rain on the buildings, the trees, the grass, and the plane around them.

The loud footsteps of the withdrawing golden lady, each sending vibrations down the earth.

The fight that remained in its climax, mana and aura surging in intensity, explosions and power exuding all around.

Yet, that moment seemed precious.

Meadow scoffed and walked forward, her back turned against the world.

Darrell chuckled.

'I thought so. We had already promised never to act like we knew each other….but this is just like you.'

His gaze shifted to the side, and it suddenly widened— unrestrained.

The world seemed to come to a slow trinket, as a white haired boy was chased by a Burly man, their energy exuded in space.

Bruises and cuts lay on the Burly man, while the white haired boy remained unphased, his emotions locked in a frozen cooler.

The problem wasn't the fight itself, as it was expected they would brawl.

No, what made Darrell suddenly launch at them wasn't the fight, but the direction of the fight as they neared closer and closer to the unsuspecting Princess.