Auren's attention snapped to the sound of distant horse hooves clanging against the icy ground. His instincts kicked in, and without a second thought, he turned to Eirlys. "Wait here," he said, his voice carrying a hint of urgency. Without giving her a chance to respond, he dashed off toward the town, his feet kicking up the snow as he hurried toward the source of the noise.
As Auren reached the town square, the scene before him made his blood run cold.
Villagers stood frozen in fear, some cowering, others weeping. In the center, two knights in polished armor had Eirlys' mother by the hair, yanking her forward as she struggled. Her simple clothes were torn at the shoulder, and the look of fear in her eyes ignited something violent in Auren's chest.
Another knight leaned lazily on his steed, sneering. "You said she was the pretty one. Let's see if she's worth bringing back to camp."
The laughter that followed was short-lived.
Auren stepped forward, his face darkening like a stormcloud.
"...You picked the wrong town."
A faint crackle of static shimmered around his fingertips.
"You can insult the weak, mock the poor, and even scare a village... but the moment your hands touch someone innocent—"
He raised his hand slowly.
"—is the moment you stop breathing."
The knight, leering with a sick grin, chuckled and sneered, "Oh, wise words," as his hand inched toward Eirlys's mother, his eyes greedily focused on her exposed body. His grip tightened as he smirked, clearly oblivious to the impending danger.
Auren, his calm exterior barely containing the fury inside, watched the scene unfold. His muscles tensed as the wind around him began to stir.
"You're about to learn what true fire feels like," Auren muttered under his breath, his voice like a low growl.
With a speed that defied the human eye, Auren leapt forward, his right hand already charged with energy. A quick Flame Shot erupted from his palm, scorching the knight's chest, sending him stumbling back in shock as the fire spread across his armor, searing him.
Before the knight could react, Auren was already in motion, his hand snapping upward. A bolt of Lightning shot from his fingertips, piercing the knight's chest with shocking precision. The knight screamed in pain as the electrical surge coursed through his body, locking his muscles in place.
Not giving him a moment to recover, Auren's foot moved like a blur, connecting with the knight's side with a Gale Slash. A burst of compressed wind shot from his leg, sending the knight crashing against a nearby rock. The knight gasped for breath, barely holding onto consciousness.
Auren wasn't done yet. His hand glowed with an intense heat as he summoned Inferno Bloom, an explosive fireball erupting beneath the knight's feet, knocking him off balance and throwing him into the air, his body seared and charred.
"You're not worth my time," Auren muttered, his eyes glowing with a fierce energy as he approached the fallen knight.
He snapped his fingers. With a flicker of lightning, Storm Fangs arced out from his hands, striking the knight in quick succession. Sparks flew from his body as he convulsed from the strikes, his scream drowning in the electric chaos.
Auren's movements were a blur, a symphony of destruction. He aimed his palm at the knight's face, his power gathering in a burst. Searing Pulse shot out in a brilliant flare of fire, setting the knight's face ablaze. The knight screamed in agony as his face burned.
With one final movement, Auren slammed his hand toward the ground, summoning a Tempest Crash. The wind pressure shattered the earth beneath the knight, and he was slammed down, crushing into the dirt.
Auren stood over the knight, who was now barely able to move, his body broken, charred, and battered. "Next time, keep your hands to yourself," Auren said coldly, his voice like ice.
The remaining knight, terrified, backed away, his eyes wide with fear. Auren turned to him, the air around him crackling with anticipation.
The knight's laughter faltered as Auren's eyes narrowed, his body tensing. Without a moment's hesitation, Auren's fist erupted into flames, the intense heat surging around his knuckles. With a vicious snap of his arm, his fist slammed directly into the knight's face. The force of the blow left the knight's skin scorched and singed, sending him staggering backward, smoke rising from his skin.
Before the knight could recover, Auren spun on his heel, delivering a lightning-charged roundhouse kick that sent a shockwave through the air. The knight's body jerked violently, his legs giving way as he was knocked off balance, spinning helplessly through the air.
Auren wasn't done yet. He darted forward and struck with a punch that felt like stone. The knight's guard shattered with the impact, his body flying off the ground as Auren's fist collided with his chest. He crumpled, gasping for air.
With a growl, Auren summoned a whip of fiery energy, striking the knight's limbs. The flames wrapped around him, pulling him toward Auren. As the knight struggled, Auren didn't give him a chance to escape. He lunged forward, his body moving like lightning.
The knight barely had time to react as Auren crashed into him with a headbutt charged with electricity, sending a jolt of energy through the knight's skull, stunning him. His body twitched, disoriented, unable to resist Auren's next move.
Grabbing the knight by the shoulders, Auren lifted him off the ground and slammed him into the earth with crushing force. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the dirt, rattling the knight's bones and leaving him dazed, barely clinging to consciousness.
Auren's palm glowed with intense heat as he moved in for the final strike. The air around him distorted with heat, and his hand shot forward, delivering a blast of flame directly into the knight's chest. The explosion of fire consumed the knight's body, leaving him burning and paralyzed, unable to move.
Auren stood over him, watching as the last of the knight's strength left him. "That was your last mistake," Auren said quietly, his gaze cold as he wiped his hand of the ash.
Auren stood over the defeated knight, his chest rising and falling with controlled breaths. His gaze shifted back to Eirlys' mother, who was still trembling from the earlier chaos. His heart softened as he approached her, the anger in his eyes slowly dissipating into concern.
"You're safe now," Auren murmured, kneeling beside her and gently placing a hand over her chest. A soft, warm light emanated from his palm, swirling with the power of healing as he restored her to her normal state. The pain in her face eased, and the fear that had gripped her faded. She blinked up at him, her eyes wide, grateful yet confused.
"Thank you... for everything," she whispered, her voice shaky but full of sincerity.
Auren offered a small, reassuring smile. "No need to thank me. Just keep safe."
With the knights dealt with and her injuries healed, Auren carefully swept her up into his arms, lifting her with ease in a princess carry. As he stood, he took a moment to gaze at the horizon. The wind whispered around them, the sky clear and wide.
"I won't let anything happen to you," he said softly, his voice filled with unspoken promises.
The ground beneath them rumbled slightly, and with a snap of his fingers, the air around him shifted. His form lifted off the ground, the winds swirling around them as he flew toward their home. As the village shrank below him, he muttered with a wry smile:
"Well, this certainly isn't how I imagined my day going."
As Auren flew through the air, holding Eirlys' mother gently in his arms, the wind rushing past them, she looked up at him, her expression soft but curious. She shifted slightly in his hold, her voice playful as she spoke.
"You know," she began, her tone teasing, "you've been very kind to me, but I can't help but wonder… Do you hate older ladies like myself?"
Auren blinked in surprise, looking down at her. "Hate?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Why would you think that?"
She smirked, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she shifted in his arms, making herself more comfortable. "Well, most young men have their preferences, don't they? And I can't help but notice the way you keep your distance from me. I thought perhaps it was because of my age." Her voice held a light teasing lilt, clearly enjoying the playful banter.
Auren chuckled, his face a little flushed from the sudden shift in the conversation. "If I hated older ladies, I wouldn't have just spent the past few minutes saving you, would I?"
She laughed softly, the sound light and full of warmth. "True. But I'm just making sure I don't become a burden, dear."
Auren smiled down at her. "You're not a burden. And besides, age doesn't matter when someone's in need of help."
She sighed with a mock dramatic flair, then glanced up at him again, her teasing smile never faltering. "So, you really don't mind an older woman like me?" She gave a sly wink. "My husband long left me, you know. And I'm afraid I've been alone for quite some time now."
Auren's eyes widened a fraction, but he maintained his composure, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable. "I... didn't know. But I'm sure your husband was a fool to leave someone like you."
She chuckled, the sound light and carefree. "Well, he was a good man once. But it's just how things go sometimes, I suppose. Anyway, I'm just trying to make you feel at ease. I can tell you're not the type to appreciate awkward situations."
Auren shifted his gaze ahead as they approached their destination. "You're not making me uncomfortable. It's... just unexpected. You don't see this kind of lighthearted conversation much after everything that's happened."
"True enough," she said, her voice softening. "But we all need to laugh every once in a while, don't we? Life's too short to be serious all the time."
Auren let out a breath of laughter, feeling more at ease. "I agree with you there."
She smiled up at him, her tone playful yet full of sincerity. "Well, I'm glad you're not afraid to handle a woman with a little age on her. I was beginning to worry about myself there for a moment."
Auren couldn't help but grin, the lightness in the air easing his tension. "I'm sure you're still more than capable of taking care of yourself."
She winked at him, her voice filled with amusement. "Only when I'm not in the arms of a handsome young man like yourself."
Auren's cheeks flushed, but he gave her a half-smile, unsure how to respond. "Let's just focus on getting you home, alright?"
Her laughter rang through the air, and she relaxed further in his arms, feeling a bit of the weight of the world lift from her shoulders.