**Chapter 14:The Strand of Life**

  A Hall which is surrounded by nothing but darkness there’s only one light.The light is glinting like a hope in despair.

  The students who were in charge of distraction were bidden farewell by others.They all went to close to the guard in left corner prepared to flee the moment they get chance.

  Tavion and victor bummed their fist,apparently they already became a good friend.Third princess Elira as elegant as ever graced on the other side of Lucien.They both standing prepared Elira with her cold ice magic,She is also known as Ice Princess not because she was cold but She wields Frost or Ice magic which can even freeze azrael fire.

  On the other end,Lucien as sharp and as meticulous stayed humble with runes in his burned hands.The burn still hasn’t healed yet.He was suspended from rune smithy until his hands heals.They all focused on the mechanical puppet.

  Victor throwed some boulders ands rocks to get its attention.Tavion went head on to lure him from the gate.Surprisingly they both work like a team and the gap in them is filled by Elira and Lucien with their traps and ice magic.

  Even though magics doesn’t works on it but Elira already found its weakness.Its slow and bulky build makes it impossible to beat but if it gets trapped it will take time to get up again.Elira with her magic started to the hall's terran victor also helped her.They trapped it with their skills victor’s earth magic gets hardned by Elira's ice magic making it more sturdy than metals.

  Azrael watching the puppet gets trapped ordered to break the enchanting of the gates.The students who excels in theory intiated discussion among themselves.

  In the the meantime,The puppet already broke free from their shackles.The puppet noticing intruder in the gate charged at them.Lucien activates his rune traps like swamp and when it gets up again he blows them.They stalled it pretty well.

  Teachers watching all of this from the magical mirrors began chattering amonst them.They are deciding which students will get how many marks with their performance.One teacher assigned to three students.

  Azrael team already opened the gates successfully.He directed others to get moving.He turned to distraction team they still are stalling it pretty well.He manifests a flaming arrow and shoot it to the guard as a signal.

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  The arrow is really powerful.Even though it couldn’t scratch it but it made the puppet faltered.Watching the faltered puppet others running to the gate to flee.But the fate is cruel for someone.

  The Puppet which was knocked by azrael it triggered a rune bomb got blasted with Lucien who was also fleeing.Others looked back but no one dared to help him.Victor wanted to help but Tavion obstruct him.In the end he is nothing but a peasant there’s no reason to danger their life for a disposable.

  Others already left the room.Lucien who’s vision is blur saw nothing but a giant mechanical monster in front of him.It already got up after all machines doesn’t feel pain.Lucien gathered himself.The mechanical monster who was played like a toy before now seemed like a real monster.

  Monster—Lucien grinned.He haven’t laughed in a while.In front of real monster it is nothing special the difference is they have a soul,a life who can fell emotions who also has someone deared to him.The mechanical puppet who could not prevent its duty felt like he takes its anger out on the abandoned Lucien.It continuously attacks him without a rest.

  Lucien who hardly got up gets knocked by it again and again.It felt like he will die soon.All of his plans and preparation will go waste.His REVENGE will not be fulfilled.The thought altered Lucien,the dying Lucien finds its strength in that purpose.

  Lucien now standing straight even his every part of body screaming in pain.This pain is nothing in front of that he thought.The Puppet now charging for a attack—a fnal blow probably.

  The standing Lucien currently in a thought.The puppet competed its charging now it dashed for tackle.Lucien who is in a daze his body started wrapping itself into lightning.That lightning is not ordinary.It is neither yellow nor blue nor black it pure white.The puppet chargee through him in the opposing wall.The puppet scanning no traces of him considers order completed.

  To its surprise the vanished Lucien now levitating into the air like a storm full of chaos.Blood dripping from his head and body.He shouted, “Lightning magic—Divine javelin”.A javelin already has matrialised into his hand with nothing but pure white lightnings.He throws it towards it.

  The throwing speed is inhuman an insane speed.The kinetic power boost its power far more.The mechanical monster who is supposed to be immune to magic attacks gets struck by the javelin.The force shield appeared to protect its wielder gets destroyed again piercing its core by the lightning.

  Lucien found his compose attitude again he now walks toward the puppet.The guard who supposed to be guardian of the gate is now groaning like a dying dog.He walked rather slowly step by step then jumped onto its core and gauged it out.He is now resting now on top of it.

  Teachers didn’t paid attention since they went other room as all the students walked towards second challenge.Except one the professor Boyan who is supposed to be in charge of Lucien,Elira and Tavion.He watched all of this through the mirror silently not a single breath.

  In the hall,all of this unfolded in front of gaze of third princess Elira who came back to look for Lucien.She is rather scared than relieve.He is a utter monster.There’s no way a 16yrs old student can beat the mechanical wonder E -203 version 5.She was watching secretly and also soon run away in bamboozled.