MEDIA:

Worst One - a song from the anime Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry (Chivalry of a Failed Knight).

This, in my eyes, is Casius' Theme :D

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Erin stared in awe at Casius, who stood before her, using his own body as a means of protecting her from the bandit's wrath. The ear-splitting scream of steel pushing against steel pulsated in the back of her mind, and sparks rained down as the two men struggled against each other.

Casius quickly pushed forward, forcing the bandit leader away. The other man stumbled back in a short daze, and it was then that Erin saw that the angel had unveiled a sword of his own, though it was quite unlike one she had seen before. Both the hilt and guard were laced with solid gold and the weapon possessed a curved blade, similar to that of a katana. However, this particular blade was wider and slightly thicker than the ancient weapon she was familiar with.

After struggling to her feet, Erin took a moment to examine the naïve man she knew all too well.

But Casius no longer looked like his usual, sincere self. His gentle demeanour had changed and his features, though still alluring, no longer held the innocence she had grown accustomed to seeing. Instead, they were twisted in a way that made him appear demonic, though the callous stare he wore was not directed at her, but instead to the bandit leader - the same man who had attempted to cut her down.

'What the hell is this?' The leader spat. His gaze wandered over to Erin and he shook his head. 'So your boyfriend's a sword wielder, huh?'

Erin should have screamed, blushed even. She should have retaliated by explaining that Casius was not, as he put it, her "boyfriend", but instead she just dismissed his words as though they were nothing.

The startling reality had paralysed her, rendering her still, unable to speak. Casius had spared her from the pain of leaving this world without ever having accomplished what she set out to do. He had saved her from death.

For that, she owed him her life.

The other three bandits slowly rose, their own eyes widening as they took in the sight of the enraged angel standing before them.

'Boss...what is that thing?' one asked.

'He's got wings!' another exclaimed.

'D'ya think they're real?'

The bandit leader whipped his head back towards his confused cronies. 'Of course they're not real, you idiots!' he bellowed. 'Angels don't exist! They're like fairies or centaurs! They're mythical creatures!'

Casius took a threatening step forward. 'You dare disrespect my race, you abominable brute?' He drew back his sword arm. 'Prepare to feel the wrath of Millennial!'

Millennial. Erin's gaze fell on the strange looking sword clasped between Casius' fingers. That must be the name of his weapon.

'Casius...' She reached out to touch his arm when he looked round. His features instantly softened, forming a look that was almost pitiful.

'Please stay back,' he said. His voice had regained its familiar tenderness. 'I know you told me not to intervene, but I cannot, by any circumstances, allow these malicious Mortals to escape unharmed. They must pay for attempting to harm you.'

Erin's heart leapt in response to his words, but she was desperate not to let her surprise show. 'I get that you're angry,' she replied, 'but you can't kill them. They don't deserve to die!'

'I shall not slaughter them. I simply intend to wound them as a consequence for their actions. They must pay the price for their wrongdoings, as stated by the First Elders of the Divine Empire. Now then...' Turning his attention back to the bandits, who stood awaiting his next move, Casius straightened up.

Then, without any warning, he ran forward, weapon raised, wings outstretched, and a look of pure determination etched across his face.

'Let us duel, Mortals!'

* * *

Moments later, Casius was holding one of the bandits by the neck of his shirt. Even Erin couldn't help but feel a little sympathy when she caught sight of the man's bruised face, which hovered inches from the angel's.

'M-many apologies, sir!' the bandit whimpered. His legs had long since given in, causing him to crumple in a battered heap the second Casius released him.

Erin took one look at the three bodies of the defeated bandits which surrounded her and sighed. 'Wow. And Mak thinks I have anger issues. He should see what you can do when someone pisses you off.'

Casius ignored her and instead turned his attention to the bandit leader, who appeared to tremble whilst he looked around, taking in the sight of his fallen comrades. His arm shook with heavy reluctance as he raised the sabre, the same weapon he had attempted to kill Erin with.

'W-what are you...you creature?' he whispered, eyes wide with terror.

'I am Casius, servant and rightful citizen of the Divine Empire,' Casius proclaimed. He pointed towards the sky. 'I come from the highest regions in search of a goal, a goal that will enable me to return to my home world.' He then stabbed Millennial in Erin's direction. 'And this here is my ally, a considerate Mortal who has offered to help me in my task and to ensure I succeed. Those who dare harm her or speak ill of the angelic race shall pay!'

The bandit leader's shaking showed no sign of stopping, even as he boldly replied, 'what a load of bull! Angels don't exist! How stupid do you take me for?'

Ohh, boy...

His insensitive remarks only served to enrage Casius further. Before Erin could even think to stop him, the angel ran forward, Millennial in hand. The mysterious sword was but a single silver line as Casius brought it down on the bandit leader, who leapt back to avoid a blow that would have torn his skull in two.

Sparks flew every time the two weapons clashed, producing a series of high-pitched noises which sought to rip through Erin's eardrums. The magus' hands instinctively reached up whilst the two men continued to fight, exchanging a series of fast-paced thrusts and slashes which forced the other to dodge, parry and deflect.

Casius hurried forward, chasing after his opponent and doing everything in his power to close the distance. Suddenly he lunged and thrust with his sword. The polished steel tip barely missed the bandit leader, who threw himself aside at the last second, avoiding an attack that would have punctured right through his stomach.

The other man was quick to retaliate, raising the sabre above his head and bringing it down. Erin watched as the sword came plunging towards Casius, whose oversized wings pushed out, pulled him away from the sword's trajectory. He flew back, his feet skidding against the dry ground, bringing him to an abrupt stop several meters away.

A few moments passed, and neither of them made any attempts to attack. Why? Erin's brows furrowed when she noticed the two men staring at one another. They each seemed to be examining the other, perhaps as a way of sussing any potential strengths or weaknesses.

What is he thinking? Erin wondered. Casius stood, rooted to his spot, his gaze fixated on hooded man several feet away. Why doesn't he just attack?

She opened her mouth to scream, to urge him to simply charge forth and disable the fool, but quickly decided against it. Being a magus, she had only ever fought using enhancement crystals along with the spells she had managed to master, but never had she wielded a proper weapon before (well, other than her staff. It turned out she could whack her opponent round the head if she put enough strength into it).

Erin shook her head, knowing that it was not in her place to give orders to a swordsman as experienced and determined as Casius. She sought comfort in the idea that he would never allow someone as common as a petty street bandit to get the best of him.

'Well?' The bandit leader raised a brow in question. 'Aren't you going to attack? Or does his holiness need another minute to recover?'

'Hmph!' Casius took the opportunity to ruffle his wings. 'Angels such as myself do not need to "recover". Our stamina levels allow us to compensate for several days' worth of fighting before we are required to recuperate.'

'You mean to say that you could clash swords for several days and nights before collapsing from exhaustion?'

'Indeed.' A devilish smirk pulled at the corner of his lips. 'I believe that a vast majority of Mortals only house enough stamina to compensate for a few hours worth of vigorous activity before they are forced to give in.'

Erin deadpanned at that last sentence. She certainly wasn't going to stick around for hours just to witness the leader get his arse kicked. While it was indeed something she wanted to witness, she had better things to do than watch two guys fight for hours on end.

Like what? an inner voice curiously inquired. What better things do you have to do, besides listening to Mak's insensitive comments about your small breasts, or seeing how it long takes you to run around the library ten times? Yes, those things you absolutely can't miss! Open your eyes, dummy, and look at what's right in front of you!

She sighed. Fine, maybe you've got a point. I guess this is better than having to put up with Mak saying, "Why don't you try learning one of those flourishing spells? Then maybe you can get rid of that concave chest of yours."

'Pah! Let's just see how much angelic crap you're spouting once I cut off your head!' The bandit leader took a step forward and raised his sword, preparing to engage in battle once again.

Casius responded by lifting Millennial. The curved steel blade reflected in the presence of the mid-afternoon sun, casting forth a series of blinding white beams in various directions.

The two men stood, gazing at each other, possibly daring the other to make the first move. Erin clutched her staff, using its long metal handle to support herself, and stared whilst trying to determine who would strike first.

Just as the bandit leader looked set to move, Casius stirred. But before Erin knew what was happening, a massive gust of wind shot outwards in a wide circle, pushing into her and almost causing her to fall flat on her backside. She stumbled in a bid to keep her balance, though the dazing aftereffects of the sudden attack were what caused her to wonder what in great spirits had just happened.

Then she saw it.

Casius had managed to close the distance, travelling up to twenty metres in a matter of seconds. He now stood, wielding Millennial so that its wide blade was touching against the leader's throat.

The bandit leader's eyes narrowed. 'Bastard...' he growled.

'Villain.' Came an instant response.

Erin watched, her eyes wide with disbelief, as the bandit leader dropped his sword and raised his hands, announcing his intent to surrender. Casius acknowledged his actions by withdrawing Millennial before turning and retreating back over to where she was.

A satisfied smile pulled at her lips and she opened her mouth to commemorate him for sticking to his word, for not slaughtering the men, when she noticed something glisten behind him. Panic consumed her from within when she saw what it was and she ran forward, staff raised, eyes wide with terror.

'Casius!' she said, her voice a shrill, startled cry. 'Behind you!'

The angel took note and glanced back in time to see the bandit leader's sword come plunging towards him. Erin was but steps away when he twisted round and lashed out with Millennial, retaliating with a swift, direct cut. The lightening speed, combined with the sheer strength he put into the single attack, was enough to slash right through the tenacious steel of the other man's blade.

Erin came to a staggering halt when the sound of shattering glass rang out, echoing with clarity through her mind. But there was no glass to be seen. Instead, she watched, wide-eyed, awestruck, as the bandit leader's sabre erupted into a series of metal fragments, which rained down before him.

The man stumbled back, clasping the hilt of his deformed weapon. His eyes wandered to the pile of scrap metal at his feet, then back up to Casius, whose blade hovered inches from his throat. Outnumbered and without a proper weapon, Erin knew that all he could do was surrender. For real, this time.

And that was exactly what he did.

Dropping his weapon, which clattered uselessly in front of him, the leader collapsed to his knees, hands raised above his head. He stared up at the angel towering over him, his eyes wide with undisguised terror. Relief flooded through Erin when the bandit leader finally yielded. However, the relief quickly turned into concern, then into horror when that same sword-wielding angel raised his weapon.

The realisation of what he was about to do sunk in, prompting Erin to tear forward. 'Casius! Wait!' She grabbed a hold of his free arm and attempted to pull him away, but despite his average height and broad-shouldered build he refused to budge, leaving her to rock uselessly back and forth on her heels. 'Please! Look...you said you wouldn't kill him. You can't!'

'This Mortal is an abomination,' Casius proclaimed. 'It is my civic duty to abide to the rules set down by the First Elders of the Divine Empire, which state that all forms of corruption must be eliminated without exception.'

'Oh, yeah? Well, I also have a civic duty, a moral obligation, even, to let the Krusaders deal with people like this!'

'Krusaders?' The angel's gaze wandered, but still his sword never moved.

'The law enforcers who govern and overlook the kingdom's laws. Trust me, you let the Krusader's apprehend this freak and he'll get everything he deserves. I promise.' When Erin picked up on a sign of hesitation she moved, placing herself between Casius and the man. 'I promise,' she repeated, her voice stern.

Moments passed before Casius gave in and lowered the sword, much to Erin's relief. After gifting him with a smile that more or less portrayed her satisfaction, she looked round at the bandit leader, who shot her a look of contempt.

Folding her arms across her chest, she more than matched his despiteful expression. 'Alright,' she began, 'I'm going to ask you one question and one question only, and whoa betide if you try to deceive me. What were you asked to steal?'

The man said nothing. Instead, he reached for the small leather satchel hanging from his belt, opened it up and reached inside. He spent a few moments fishing through the satchel's contents before withdrawing his hand and holding it out to Erin.

'This.' His fingers uncurled to unveil a large, brown and silver key. The magus' brows knitted together when she saw it held a series of strange marks and engravings, though they were barely visible beneath the dense layer of rust.

She took the key from him and held it up to the sunlight so she could examine its potential value further. 'This?' she asked. 'Really?'

'Yes. We were told to retrieve it and deliver it to our superior in exchange for some extra money. A simple job, but risky nonetheless.'

Erin dismissed the bandit's words with a light snort. 'Of course it was,' she muttered. Slipping the key into her pocket, she straightened up. 'So who is this superior of yours?'

'I thought you said you were only going to ask one question,' the bandit leader said, almost mockingly.

The magus' fingers curled when she noticed the corner of his lips twitching. 'Don't test my patience! Give me a name!'

'Javier.'

Erin raised a brow. 'Javier?'

'I'm on it, boss!'

'What the-'

Both Erin and Casius looked round in time to witness one of the other bandits struggle to his feet. Knife in hand, a callous grin pulling at his bloodied lips, Javier drew his arm back and took a second to secure his aim. Instincts kicked in, and Erin forced her way past Casius, thrusting with her staff. Before she could open her mouth to cast forth Contego, however, she felt something slam into her leg and looked down to find the same knife lodged in her upper thigh.

She could almost feel the cold steel burying itself within her flesh, although the actual pain did not emerge until she caught sight of the blood trailing down her leg. Her blood!

Erin collapsed to the floor and reached out with trembling fingers, swearing and cursing, screaming words she wasn't even aware she knew whilst fighting to retrieve the weapon stuck in her leg. Tears unwillingly streamed forth from her eyes, mixing in with the beads of sweat which trailed down her forehead, marring her face and soaking her blanched skin. Her fingers curled around the hilt of the knife and she pulled.

The knife tore free and Erin was left gasping, overcome with shock, as an intense burning sensation fell over her, causing her entire body to shake and convulse. Her gaze fell to the blood-stained weapon, though her eyes widened when she noticed a strange green liquid mixed in with the glistening crimson.

Wyverix Poison!

Wyverix Poison was a rare substance which could only be obtained from the Wyvern - a winged, two legged creature said to have originated from the dragon family. Famous for their barbed tails, very little people were aware that the spiked points contained a deadly, fast-acting poison that could take down even the most powerful of magicians.

Erin felt a hand against her shoulder and looked back to find a concerned Casius leaning over her. He opened his mouth, but no words emerged. The only sound she registered was the intense beating of her heart as it hammered within her chest, pulsating rapidly while causing the multiple veins in her temple to beat in retaliation. Still, it was a reminder that she was still alive.

Her gaze wandered and she turned in time to see the bandits' scramble to her feet, although she was helpless to stop them as they took off, fleeing into the woods, allowing the dense foliage to swallow them up.

The moment they disappeared, abandoning their swords and pistols in exchange for their lives, panic sank in. Erin forced herself to stand, taking into appreciation every fast-paced, shallow breath she could muster. Her vision blurred, transforming the world into a collection of hazy, moving colours, although she wasn't even aware she was falling until a pair of arms caught her, halting her rapid descent.

A calming warmth consumed her from within, forcing aside the feelings of fear and worry, and Erin allowed her body to go limp. She fought to smile when she saw Casius looming over her, a determined expression plastered across his face.

'W-we need to retreat,' she said, though her voice was barely audible.

Casius nodded. His features hardened when he noticed her eyes drooping. 'We must get some form of urgent treatment!' he said. 'Please, just hold on! I have to...'

The fatigue washed over her body, consuming her from head to toe like a tsunami crashing down on a vast metropolis. Whilst doing everything in her power to keep the darkness at bay, Erin remembered someone who could help, someone with the appropriate skills needed to ensure her own survival.

'Killian...'

The angel's eyes narrowed at her hushed response and he looked down. 'What?' His voice was laced with a particular softness, one which was soothing and reassuring and...so...so sleep inducing...

'Killian. Laurus Killian. He lives the outskirts, on the...East of...Bayloch. Find his manor...' Despite her efforts to stay awake, Erin's body quickly yielded in favour of sleep - a sleep from which she would never awaken. But surprisingly, there was no pain. Only a feeling of satisfaction and peace.

The last thing she registered before she closed her eyes and succumbed to the power of darkness was the desperate echo of her own voice.

'Find...Killian...'

* * * *

Don't tell me I've got to splash some of my virtual cash on a character funeral already. We're only four chapters into this story! Okay, calm down...there's still a chance Erin could survive if she - or, well, Casius - finds this Killian, whoever he is...

Now we've had a proper glimpse of it, any thoughts on Casius' fiercer side? If so, comment below!

And if you enjoyed this chapter, please don't forget to vote!