Ibro wasn’t nervous at all, but he was really excited. He had seen the effects of his Even runes before but he didn’t have a chance to use his Odd runes. He imagined the effects of this kind of runes but he now got a chance finally to assess his runes.
Ibro had made one set of 10 odd runes. Each one was made from a different type of ore. Ibro hypothesized that his rune effect depended not only on his powers but also on the grade of the materials used to make these runes.
He didn’t get the chance to test his hypothesis either. He also wanted to know more details about this new profession of his. He had no time. Now, he was standing behind the door of his house. He was confident in his ability to face this assassin.
His biggest trump card wasn’t these runes but it was Dronil. This super scout that kept its eyes on his surroundings was his biggest source of confidence.
Ibro waited for nearly half an hour. This enemy was very patient that irritated Ibro. He wanted to kill him as soon as possible to test his runes. After 10 minutes of waiting Dronil said to him:
“Be ready, he is entering the tent.”
Ibro got tense suddenly. He had a strange feeling of worry. He thought he felt like this because he was so eager to test his runes. He heard the voice of Dronil saying:
“He is now in front of the door. Get ready.”
Ibro raised his hand which held one of the Odd runes he made. He waited impatiently for that assassin to open the door, and he did.
Just as the door was open slightly Ibro threw his run to hit a hidden body at the doorstep. Once his rune hit that body a flash of light appeared that engulfed that person.
His stealth was automatically relieved. Ibro stood in his place feeling weird. The one he hit with his rune was no one other than himself. That was so strange that he didn’t believe his eyes.
The other Ibro looked at that ball of dark light that engulfed him and knew he was doomed. He screamed:
“Run, Run with your fastest sp..”
He couldn’t continue his words as he was attacked at once by this rune. Ibro stood at his place totally frozen. He didn’t know what was happening.
“Ibro, wake up. You must run immediately.”
Ibro didn’t think and moved his heavy legs with difficulty. His deep feeling of fear escalated to higher levels. He couldn’t think properly but all he knew was to run.
He opened the door and started running. He exited his own tent and kept running. The area around his tent was drenched by a thick layer of blood. He didn’t stop for even a second as he went outside this tent.
The whole area was lit by flames. He looked around in fear and panic. He didn’t know what to do.
“Keep running. There is a hidden enemy that I couldn’t detect.”
Ibro didn’t think about anything and started his running again. He was heading away from the camp. Screams didn’t stop echoing in the camp. Ibro didn’t know what was going on but he kept running without stop.
His legs led him to the same location where he learned making his first rune. When he reached there he stopped. He looked back towards the camp. The whole camp was lit in hot fire. Ibro didn’t know what was going on so he asked Dronil:
“What is happening?”
“I don’t know. All I know that when you attacked this person I felt the same strange energy trying to invade me. I had to get you away from there.
If you stayed there for more minutes, that energy would have took control of me.”
Ibro felt fear. What was that guy real abilities? Ibro didn’t believe what just happened at the camp wasn’t related to that guy.
If he were him, he would use anything to kill Ibro. If he were him, he wouldn’t let something important as this time loop without backhands. Ibro’s mind started to work rapidly.
Although he didn’t know enough info about this guy, he knew some that helped him in this situation. After moments of silence Ibro said loudly:
“You can come out.”
“Who are you talking t…”
Dronil voice was interrupted immediately as a slim tall young man appeared suddenly from behind one big rock. That man’s face was really handsome.
If he added some makeup and wore feminine clothes anyone would mistake him as a beautiful female with his long hair.
“How did you figure me out?”
“I thought it seemed strange for all of this to happen.”
“Really?! You just figured I was near you by this alone?”
“Yes. Although I felt weird and confused at the start, but later on when I thought that you might be some weak guy everything made sense.”
“You think I’m a weak guy?”
That slim stranger smiled in a hideous way that made Ibro feel dangerous. None the less Ibro smiled back challenging him as he said:
“Yes. You aren’t that strong.”
“Why do you say that?”
“If you are really strong then you won’t use these tricks to drive me out of my fort.”
The smile on this man’s handsome face widened as if he was feeling amused from Ibro’s words.
“You really are smart guy.
Then why did such a smart person like you fell into my trap?”
“You are really sincere. I like sincere people. Tell me, are you going to keep yourself away from me? Won’t you try and kill me?”
That guy laughed like he heard a funny joke. During his laugh Ibro said with great anxiety to Dronil:
“Search for the most safe and secure places here. It’s better if it seemed very normal and didn’t arouse any suspicion.”
In just one second Dronil said:
“I found four places like what you said. Only one of them seemed perfectly normal if you hid there. Do you intend to play hide and seek?”
Ibro’s thought was rushing up despite his confident calm looks as he instructed Dronil:
“I want you to guide my two hands to throw four Odd runes towards each place.”
“Are you afraid he would run away from you?”
“There is no time, I can’t stall more. Do it now.”
“I want to tell you that the moment yo…”
The words of that man were stopped abruptly as he saw Ibro’s sudden movement. Ibro threw four Odd runes each towards a safe place that Dronil selected. The four runes hit the places and exploded loudly like bombs.
Three places were empty but the fourth one was special. That rune hit something like a spherical shield that isolated something or someone deep inside it.
Ibro once noticed this place didn’t hesitate to add more two runes to the attack. The three runes exploded together and their strong effects were united to form a huge sphere that totally engulfed that shield inside it. That shield was white in color with silver lines that were shining like a small sun.
Ibro thought it wasn’t enough to destroy such defense with his three runes so he added another one. The four runes effect caused cracks to appear on that shield.
In a few seconds, Ibro heard the sound of a smash with the disappearance of this shield revealing the one hiding inside it. It was the same guy who was still standing in front of Ibro. Just as a smile was about to appear on Ibro’s face he heard the scream of Dronil:
“Watch out, he is behind you.”
Ibro didn’t need Dronil to continue his words as he turned around and threw his last rune towards the direction Dronil instructed. But there was nothing there.
Ibro’s rune hit the empty ground that was engulfed with its devastating effect. He heard a sound suddenly from his right side:
“You missed me. I was saying that your fate was doomed the moment you set your foot here. It was a foolish mistake to run to me foolish poor kid.”
Ibro then felt a hand was put on his head. He suddenly felt the gush of immense power that couldn’t be resisted. This power invaded his brain and caused unbearable pain. Ibro screamed in sever agony as that hideous man continued:
“I admire your courage and quick thinking. You figured out my nature. I’m an illusionist. This profession is very rare and I doubt you met someone like me before. If you met someone like me before you would have known how terrifying we are.”
Ibro’s pain had no limits, but he turned around his head to look at this man’s handsome face with severe hatred. He really guessed this man’s true ability when he first called out for him. There was only one explanation for what had happened to him.
That person who looked exactly like him was just an illusion. Ibro thought of such possibility and then he linked it to magician class. Magicians were famous for their thin blood.
This man was afraid of Ibro. One hit from that rune and he would die. That’s why he took all this trouble to cause fire and chaos at the camp. He also faked the appearance of such an exact copy of Ibro.
Anyone would trust whoever he knew. What was the best candidate available except himself then? Although he didn’t know that person’s true limits but he had guessed most of his abilities.
He also guesses his goal. He didn’t want to kill Ibro, as he didn’t have the ability to do so. In direct confrontation, he would die. So Ibro guessed his true intentions and he was ready for him. He looked deeply in his eyes and asked with false panic:
“Why are you doing this? Are you that evil guy who trapped everyone here?”
“I’m doing this to send you to your end. I’m just a countermeasure that guy left behind just in case someone like you appeared.”
Ibro felt some relief. His guesses were all right. He then smiled strangely and said with tone free of any anxiety:
“Did you believe you have won? I was ready for you. The moment I set foot here was the moment of your death.”
