Boots hit the ground one after another, white capes shifting with the motion. As the fabric settled, the embroidery became clear.
Twin mirrored snow leopards, stitched in silver and blue, each holding a sword. No one needed to say the name— it's the Parveron Knight!
"Protect the Church. Spread into pairs. Search for survivors." The old man ordered, the command cut through the noise, sharp and certain.
The knights immediately mobilized.
His stern eyes roved around landing at Chief Rondor, his silver-threaded beard framing a hardened expression. He moved forward armor heavy, each step marked by the loud clang of steel.
Chief Rondor stood there, sweat streaking through dirt and blood on his skin. Something shifted as the man approached him. The man stood taller, his gaze fixed on him— sharp, absolute.
Chief Rondor stilled, every instinct pulling him into silence. The hell is with this man? He is far more dangerous than the beast from earlier. His thought remarked.
He inhaled deeply and composed himself. He placed his hand to his chest vertically and lowered his head slightly. "I greet the great sword of the Catdonia Kingdom." He spoke first. "I am Rondor Galano, Chief of the Oakwood Village."
"Stand down and gather with your people, from here forth my men will do the rest." His command instantly lifts the heavy load of uneasiness on Chief Rondor's messy mind.
When I prayed for help earlier, I never expected the crown's watchdog to come here personally. What are they doing here in the outer region? Chief Rondor thought wanders as he stares at the man ordering his men. Nah, this is much better, now I can breathe at ease for my people. We're safe.
The group of men that bravely volunteer for the mission cross his mind. "Commander, you came from the east woods, have you seen any of my men?" Chief Rondor asked. It was just between a minute, maybe there was a chance, maybe they were found and rescued by them— It's just a matter of seconds.
"I'm afraid we arrived too late for them."
Dismay etched Chief Rondor's face, feeling the sharp pang of guilt in his chest stabbing him. He shouldn't just agree to them coming with him. It was just a matter of a couple of seconds.
He inhales sharply and deeply, grimacing the lives that couldn't be saved. It is fate, what lost cannot be returned. He cannot mope, his people need him.
"Boy oh boy, we are going against the Captain's word." Two young men sneakily went behind their captain's back. The moment their captain looked elsewhere, they moved. Boots struck against a puddle as they wove through the wreckage. A fallen pillar lay ahead— They cleared it in one smooth leap, landing without pause. "We'll be facing his wrath once we return."
"We cannot just stay there and stand at the corner to observe." They turned around the corner near the river bank. A wolfhound, size as tall as they are, bare its fang towards them.
Five needles soaked in dried poison went flying accurately, pricking the vital points. Just a couple of minutes and the beast fell to its huge paw, foaming purple blood. "Dare I remind you, that we still are newbies, cadets, rookies— standing at the corner and observing is our job for the moment to learn."
"Screw that." He remarked with pure spite of venom. "If we remain as it is, we'll never make it to knighthood in the winter."
"Ehhhh~" His friend complained with a straight face. "I'm the Healer though, I don't need the knighthood." His friend shot him a dark and piercing glare. What a load I just felt in my shoulder.
***************************************************
Ruina sprinted across the open ground, slipping into the cover of thick smoke.
Something roared— A sudden blast tore through the air clearing the smoke, bursting beside them sending them flying separately. "Damn it, Anton!" Ruina immediately called.
The blast ripped her away, sending her crashing through houses. She broke through the first wall— then the next— until the third collapsed under her weight.
For a second she didn't move, catching the breath she's losing. Ruina staggered up, gripping a metal bar for support, her arm limp at her side. Her eyes, exhausted with them, looked for Anton. "Anton." She whispered her name.
There he is. Anton curled on the ground, whimpering and shaking while holding his knee. His feet caught on blast earlier as the skin was red and bleeding. Beyond him, was a five meter high beast in the form of the fastest cat, closing in.
"ANTON, RUNNN!!!" She roared. Snapping the metal bar with ease and throwing it at the beast's feet, stopping it midway.
The beast looked at her, menacingly.
"Do not touch him." Her voice dropped, cold and heavy. Face darkened, gaze stayed lowered glowing dangerously, as she stared at the beast through her lashes.
The beast was taken aback, feeling the threat embracing its body. It roared as a response to Ruina's warning.
Ruina instantly dashes towards Anton, grabbing a plank on the ground and smashing it to pieces on the beast's face when they meet. Ruina stood before Anton.
The fight isn't over yet, the beast lunges towards them at high speed, Ruina matches it, grabbing fist-size rock and showering the beast.
It didn't stop. However, it took hit after hit. The injury it obtain should slow it down.
Ruina's ear picked up the sound of fluttering, "Big sis, above!" Anton called. Move, you damn limb! He screamed at his legs forcing himself to stand up.
Ruina's eyes snapped upward. A massive moth hovered ahead, heat gathering at its mouth preparing for another blast. She hurriedly spun back to Anton— the second beast seized the distraction, claws out, lunging in fast.
These damn monsters— I won't make it! Ruina raised her arm, shielding Anton. The beast struck— its jaws clamping down on her arm. A rough grunt tore from her as the bite drove deeper into her bone.
Anton immediately reacted and grabbed a burning log behind him and swung it at the beast's face, beating its mouth repeatedly. "Let. Go. Of. My. SISTERR!!!" Each word matches the force he gave to his swings.
A sharp, piercing shriek tore from the beast. The scream struck deep as Ruina crumbled on the ground, too loud! She clutches her head as a sharp ringing swallowed her sense.
The beast's jaw snapped open, just enough for Ruina's arm to slip free. Anton didn't hesitate. He grabbed her hand and pulled her and bolted away.
They ran. Fire rained down behind them, one blast after another. Anton leads in front, teeth clench, breath coming short and sharp. The air was thick— too thick! Smoke is clawing at his throat. His eyes twitch in irritation and complete annoyance, there's not enough air!
His eyes roved from side to side, searching, dodging, never slowing down. There's two five meter beasts behind us. Big sis, can't fight two while protecting me. We need to get away—!
Anton didn't see it, the body beneath his feet sent them crashing forward as the last blast followed a heartbeat later. Ruina, still slightly disoriented, threw herself over him taking the blast head-on.
There's stillness.
Ruina collapses beside him, smoke rising faintly from her skin. "Big sis? Big sis— Ouch!" Anton shook to bring her to consciousness, but retracted his palm fast, she's burning!
"Why the hell did you do that?... Why?" Anton burst into tears.
"Anton… run…" Ruina managed to whisper. "Leave me here… and run." If she stays, the beast will focus on eating her and leave Anton be. The church is near, he can make it if he runs fast. He is smart, he knows how to hide himself. He'll be safe and will be reunited with his parents.
The thought of seeing them smiling together again made Ruina's dead heart wrapped in warmth. She'll be dead, but it's fine. Anton is safe, the Deggets are whole again, and she'll pay her debt.
It was a long seventeen years. A gift she was very grateful for. Because of them she was able to live another nine years when she was supposed to die that night.
"Why would I run away and leave you here?!" Anton claimed.
Eyebrows furrow at Anton's ridiculous words. Pain pulsing through her veins, sharp and unrelenting, stealing her breath, she snapped her head towards him. "Anton, do not be stupid, and go." She scolded him.
"Listen, if I live to reach another morning without you— I will never… I will never ever EVER forgive you till I bury you deep underneath, you hear me! NEVER!!" Anton shouted back at her, his voice breaking, tears streamed down big and nonstop.
Ruina stilled for a second, and blinked. She hadn't expected that.
Anton pursed his lips in anger boiling inside him. He doesn't want to be protected by the cost of Ruina's life. He doesn't like it. He will not take it. The regret and guilt— it will kill him.
He can't live after knowing his sister died because of him.
"So get up your butt, and let's run away together! You promised mother and father, we're gonna meet them at the church. And that's what we will do!" Gathering their fading strength, he slid his arm around Ruina to support her rise to her feet.
Ruina, affected by Anton's determination to survive together, pursed her lips tight, and swallowed every steering pain she felt for him as she tried to stand. Get up! Heal faster! Faster! You cannot be weak! You cannot become a burden! Come on. Come on. Come on! GET UP!!
Her desperation was answered.
She twitched. Frozen. Eyes widen in sudden pain and unknown terror. Her heart painfully throb the color of red spreading, she fell to her four limbs gasping deep and heavy for the sudden lack of air as sweats are building more trailing down her face. "Big sis, wha-what's happening?" Anton panicked. Ruina clutches her chest tight and harsh. My chest, it's hot… and burning!
Her heart suddenly felt alive. Beating a life, however, taking her ability to breathe, she felt as if for a moment she had died. She gripped harder to her chest, My heart— Why does my heart suddenly move? Why now? I can't be weak, I have to protect Anton.
Anton's attention is quickly taken by the snarling of two towering beasts across them. They haven't been able to escape them. And they're ready for another round.
Anton stood in front of Ruina, arms wide open, eyes determined yet fear still had him shaking. If they go down, they go down together. I'm sorry mother, father looks like we're going first.
In the church, the knot of the bracelet holding a moon and a clover-shape stone snapped and fell on the floor. Mrs. Degget immediately bent down and saw the clover cracked while the moon broke into pieces.
Silence reigns as anxiety looms in her heart. She picked it up and held it close to her chest. Please come here quickly.
Nightmares and memories flooded Ruina's senses, as if flipping the pages recalling them. Blood soaking her hand, bodies at her feet, Anton's blood soaking his clothes, flames licking her motionless body, as his eyes glowing hollow and empty of life. The screams for help, cries for mercy. The fire is hunting. The claws are catching. The world is burning.
Her eyes blinking crimson red back to peridot green, something sleeping inside her is throbbing to awake.
The beast lunged, claws raking and jaws gaping, eyes locked on the wounded pair.
Anton rooted his feet on the ground, unwavering.
In a flash, Ruina yanked him aside, switching position in a second. She seized the timber lying nearby, aimed it, and plunged the timber into the beast's open mouth, shoving it forwards more. Bone cracked loud, the monster's howl ended as the beam split its skull as silence followed. Blood bursts from the flesh and showers Ruina, bathing her purple.
The moth beast gazed at the land beast that had been struck down. Its obsidian eye shook maddeningly, until it let out a roared a loud cry.
Ruina collapsed on the floor, once again, limping. She stared at the beast. The beast… Is it… crying? Why? The beast she knew does not grieve its dead kin. So why does the beast look like it's crying? Confusion etched on her face.
Anton drew Ruina close, as if his arms alone could shield her from the upcoming attack.
Above, the moth beast unraveld— its movement erratic, wings thrashing as torrents of flame burst out of control, striking earth, stone, the wreckages, and air without mercy.
They both shut their eyes tight, waiting for the pain and impact to come.
Nothing came.
Instead of only smelling thick smoke mixed with blood lingers, Ruina caught the scent of lavenders and damp forest.
She opened her eyes slowly, then wide— Two young men stood before them. One holding a broken wooden door as a shield. And the other facing them with a soft smile plastered across his face.
"Hello."
"..." Both Ruina and Anton stared at him.
He only grinned wide.
Ruina and Anton, left frozen, and stunned at the sudden appearance of a stranger.
"You know, usually people respond when the other greets them."