Zelal grabbed his collar when he saw his brother's placid temperament, he shook him and asked again, "Is that why?"

Usui gazed at him helplessly and Zelal could see the sadness, frustration, helplessness in his brother's eyes for the first time in his life.

Zelal released his hold as he tried to stop himself from bursting into tears. He sniffled as he asked, "How long?"

Usui sighed helplessly as he said, " Well, I don't know. Freya said I wouldn't last for another battle."

Hearing this, Zelal couldn't stop his tears from falling as he sobbed heavily. Usui hugged his brother tightly, at the same time hiding his pain.

...

Jinha peeked at Freya as they made their way to the gates, he quietly asked, "Was he -"

" Yes."

"So he -"

"Yes"

Jinha swiftly turned towards her when she answered his incomplete questions.

Liz asked her the question which everyone was keen to know, "How long did you know about him?"

Freya smiled, "I had my doubts when he battled in the first round but it got cleared when he fought against Jinha."

She probed, "And?"

Freya glanced at her team's curious eyes and sighed, "Well he was there when I encountered the intruders."

Everyone looked at her before Jinha and Liz smiled slyly.

"Ooh..Oh. so you guys were hanging out together, huh?"

Freya rolled her eyes at them.

Jinha nudged his horse to go near her and asked, "So what else happened?"

Freya kept on ignoring him as the rest had a smile hanging on their lips.

"A kiss? Did you guys kiss?"

Freya rolled her eyes as she asked, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Liz asked as she rubbed her chin, "Is he that slow?"

Hak laughed when he heard that even Zeno had his lips curled up.

Freya slapped her forehead at their antics helplessly as she kicked her horse slightly to gain speed.

Jinha laughed as he saw her running towards the soldiers.

Soon, they reached the soldiers awaiting orders before the gates.

Zeno stepped forward as he adjusted his spectacles and announced, "This is going to be a long battle. And, a difficult one. But, we will win this, like we won the previous battles."

Hak frowned as he mumbled, "The reapers can be quite troublesome."

Freya nodded as she knitted her eyebrows. She watched as the soldiers open the gate. Half of them walked in foot while the rest hopped onto their beast as they pa.s.sed through the gates.

Freya glanced at her team, who had turned serious, keeping aside their jokes and moved along with the soldiers outside the gates leaving Zeno inside with his 200 people.

As soon as the gate closed, Zeno turned to his archers and ordered, "Take your positions."

The archers ran towards the walls surrounding the gate and positioned themselves in two lines while Zeno took the middle position and waited for them to appear.

He looked down and saw the 400 soldiers creating a front line with their s.h.i.+eld in front while the rest waited patiently on their beast's back.

He looked at his team and found that Freya took the right side, Jinha took the middle while Liz and Hak took the back and left sides respectively.

Soon, Zeno saw the eight people in view, their intense aura leaking and shuddering anyone who came into contact. He sent a signal to Freya informing her while he ordered his men to focus.

But soon, his eyes widened as he saw the people behind those eight people, "No.. Noo.. it can't be!"