Seal of Light - Enlightened novel Chapter 7

Sneaking out of the woods, Mat dashed closer to the whirling black pillar of energy located at the north side cliff of the mountain, where he could see the silhouette of the human figure inside it.

The pillar stands three meters high with a diameter size enough to fit a single person.

Mat wandered his sight around the area. It seems that no one is guarding the pillar. He was expecting a horned creature or at least someone with sharp teeth and a huge pair of bat wings, but his anticipations failed him, at least to keep him safe from trouble for the moment.

"Now, how can I get this person out of this thing?" Mat asked while running his hands around the black pillar.

The person inside could have sensed Mat's presence and started thumping the pillar’s wall.

Mat felt a slight burning sensation as the fish symbol on his right arm slowly lit up. His left hand also lit up immediately after.

Finally, a sign, OK Seal of Light, I hope what I'm thinking is possible. With his left hand now fully lit up, Mat tried to push it through the pillar. He successfully made it with ease. He felt the person inside grab hold of his hand. With a couple of deep breaths, Mat forcefully pulled the person out, withdrawing it from its captivity. The pillar turned into a solid concrete as the person tumbled on the ground after letting go of Mat's hand.

"Thank you, whoever you are, thank you," the person said while trying to regain his poise. He was fixing his monk-like attire and made a huge stretch of his arms.

"No way,” Mat said in a very surprised voice while patting his cheeks. "Rigs?" He yelled. He really could not believe he just saw his friend in this very unlikely place.

"Mat?" equally surprised Rigs replied. "Mat, it is you!"

"How did you..." Mat was interrupted when he felt the presence of another person nearby, he quickly scanned around as he posed for a defensive stance. "We got company."

Another person instantly appeared in front of them as if he was teleported there. He tripped Rigs and quickly swung a full winded punch to Mat.

Mat was able to evade it and moved out of range. He quickly maneuvered and made a counterattack. His strike made a hit and followed quickly by another one.

“Another human being, I was expecting a humongous beast or a winged demon?”

The new comer caught Mat's fist and strongly pressed it, pressuring Mat to his knees.

"That was a very unfriendly-friend-welcome Mat Adam."

"E-Ethan?"

"Ethan, you're here too, but why are you attacking us?" Mat uttered in surprise.

The young man didn't answer. With a fast circular motion, he landed a spinning kick, bringing Mat kissing dirt on the ground. He was still on hold of Mat's fist.

Rigs quickly moved closer and slipped his hands behind and through the arms of the opponent, giving him a locked position resting his palms to his head.

Mat got freed while Rigs tried to wrestle down Ethan.

"What are you doing Ethan? What is this fight about?" Rigs asked.

Countless black colored veins started to crawl on Ethan's skin. His eyes turned all black and his aura became heavy and dark. He pulled Rigs by the hair from behind and tossed him away like a weightless rag.

Rigs rolled and reached the edge of the cliff. He almost fell. Ethan dashed forward with the full intention to push him. Mat rose to his feet and reached just in time to spear Ethan away. Rigs moved quickly to a much safer spot away from the cliff.

"Well Mat, I hope your time spent training with Navi'Sai could save you now." Ethan said, but it seems like the scary and dark voiced tone was not his anymore.

Both Mat and Rigs felt the sudden change of dark aura around Ethan.

The evil presence somehow awakened Rigs' seal to manifest. A symbol on his right arm started to emboss and glow. He took a deep breath as he felt a slight pain then turned to Mat,

"The seal of the Crux Anzata."

A cross drawn out of a thin line with an oval head, it is also known as the Ankh or the handled cross. It symbolizes life and great strength, both of them recalled.

A strong force rippled out from Ethan. "Carriers of the seal, too bad the both of you won't live long to benefit from it."

"Wait. That's it. Rigs, what is this great weapon that Master Navi'Sai told me about awhile ago, he said that you would tell me what it is?"

"Master Navi'Sai is here too?"

Ethan started moving and launched a flurry of jabs alternately to Mat and Rigs. Each jab could have knocked any of them if it only made a clear hit. The two danced away from the attack and thought of something to answer this action.

"Yes, he is here, whatever weapon it is that you are carrying, I think this is the right time to use it," Mat yelled.

"I-I don't know what you are talking about, I just got out of the pillar, I was inside of it the whole time since I woke up."

Ethan's continuous attack forced Mat and Rigs to move back to edge of the cliff.

"Tsk. Oh great," Mat said while looking at the far bottom ground. A fall from this height would certainly kill them.

"Mat, do you remember the first and only time we defeated Master Navi?" Rigs worriedly said while posing for a defensive stance.

"Yes, why, don't tell me..."but just before Mat finished talking, Rigs rolled forward and tied both his feet against Ethan's.