The red-head grip tight and strong to the wooden door, shielding them from the fire as the heat surged through the wood, burning his grip.
When the blast disappeared, he let out a hissed as he threw the now charcoaled door aside— the flying beast finally out of fuel.
"All run out, huh? This will be easy then." The redhead slowly approaches the beast, as it withdraws sensing the danger he brought.
A silent grin plastered his serious face, as his hand drifted to the hilt. A quiet pull— and steel caught the light.
"Felix, will you deal with that for a while? I'll just treat their wounds." The young man of gold locks told his companion. "I'll join you later."
His friend, Felix, only clicked his tongue, annoyed at the unnecessary reminder. "You don't even need to tell me. I have to defeat this thing alone to get my knighthood." He shifted his footing before bursting into quick speed launching forwards at the beast.
"Alright, now that is settled, let's treat those injuries."
Ruina, though weakened, shifted forward, her shoulder brushing Anton's as she moved in front of him. Her stance tightened, eyes fixed on the stranger, unblinking.
"Ah, that's right, where are my manners? Many apologies." He rose, straightening the lines of his posture. His hand caught the edge of his cloak and swept it aside— and there, stitched into the fabric, the insignia gleam against his chest. "I'm Cabel Lirica, Healer of Parveron Knight. Although I'm still a cadet, I have confidence in my knowledge. Nice to meet you." His long hair, bound in a low tail, slipped over his shoulder— catching the firelight, each strand glinting like threads of gold.
Ruina was enchanted, how can a man be so beautiful? He possesses such exceptional beauty, almost ethereal like dryads of forest. He smells like a forest. Ever since meeting him, the scent of the forest has been tickling Ruina's nose.
"Just so you know I'm a man." He awkwardly laughs, seeing the questions carved at Ruina's face.
Ruina flinched, realizing she'd been staring, and returned to being cautious of him.
He turned his head on the side, glancing at his red-head friend busy fighting the moth. "That guy is my friend, a cadet knight, he's Felix. We're here to aid you."
Cabel returned his eyes to the two. "Well, how's that? Will you let me treat you?"
Ruina was still wary. Mr. Degget told her a warning before, 'Do not talk to strangers. Especially if that stranger is a man.' That was after the incident of Ruina almost getting abducted by men planning to sell her in the slave market.
She refused to believe him. But the gentle scent…
A small tug in her shirt stole her attention— it was Anton. He noticed her wariness too. "It's alright to trust them, Big Sis. They are the men who protect the people of the kingdom."
She stared at Cabel, plastering a gentle grin
If Anton says it, then... she must not display doubt, besides, Anton's burn needs to be treated quickly before it gets infected. "Treat this boy first." Ruina hauled Anton on his feet and settled him on a stable wreckage. She shot a dark gaze at Cabel that immediately sent chill to his nerve but he maintained it cool to not show it. "If you pull any tricks to harm him. I'll kill you instantly."
"Absolutely. Well then, I'll begin." He still plastered his gentle grin hiding his real thoughts. What was that?! I had goosebumps everywhere on my body!
Ruina stared at the treatment, flinching at every whine of Anton, shooting glare at Cabel who applied the ointment. Anton only holds his hand to stop Ruina from interrupting the treatment as she obeys the word and stands beside Anton while she watches intently.
Across the chaos, Ruina's gaze drifted to the redhead locked in combat. His hair aflame in the firefight, eyes flashing like the depths of the sea, burned with focus— but his form strained, teeth bared as he drove himself against the beast.
Her fingers curled slightly at her side. That is to be expected, any normal person cannot defeat such a monster.
Her eyes widened, her heart beat once again— almost automatic, her body acted without her realizing. She struck the lumber on the wall of smoke behind Cabel and Anton, startling them, the wind blowing away the smoke revealing a human-size ant pierce in the heart with the lumber in her hand.
"Woah… I didn't see that one coming." Cabel mumbled, needles appeared between his fingers.
So does Ruina.
She never felt its presence, didn't smell it, didn't hear it— she just knew it was there.
What is happening to her? Her heart, though normally it should beat, however in her case, her heart is acting weird.
Cabel saw she was baffled too. The beast-ant moved, attempting to escape, Cabel struck a needle between its eye and gaster, shortly the beast-ant trembled and fell on the ground, lifeless.
"Are you done chatting there?" Felix yelled at them while crossing weapons with the moth. He pushed back as the beast spits acidic venom leaving a mark on the soil. "Why not give me a hand here?"
In an instant, Ruina dashes his way, Felix falls back to dodge the attack as Ruina charges forward.
Felix's eyes widen as they switch, seeing her incoming at his peripheral. What the?!
A large plank on her hand, she swings its full force at the beast creating a whirlpool of wind sending waves to the three.
The beast retreated, building another attack of acid.
Thin streaks of silver went flying, creating a momentary cover for Felix and Ruina to move away yet became useless the next second. A single sweep of the wings brushed backwards preparing to spit another series of acid.
So fast! How can she move like that? Cabel, stunned, stood still, carefully watching Ruina cautious of the beast.
"My sister is always fast… and strong." Anton explained at Cabel. "Her strength is what makes her our best hunter and helper around here."
Cabel didn't utter anything, only raised one of his eyebrows, confused.
"It's obvious you're asking how." Anton remarked.
"Swinging a plank on its face is useless." The words came flat, edged with impatience, annoyance, yet silently impressed. He stood beside Ruina, their eyes fixed on the beast.
Felix adjusted his stance, grip tightened at the hilt of the sword— then, without another word, he broke into motion and surged forward. "Strike all hearts and it'll finish the job!"
Hearts? Multiple? Her thoughts are instantly noticed by Cabel
"The wings— take the wings and limbs!" Cabel hurled the rebars breaking into a short stride. Ruin's hands snapped up, catching both with ease. "That's where its hearts are!"
An order. Ruina sprinted ahead, vaulting over the fallen pillar, into the air her eyes locked onto the wings.
A cluster of needles slices the air across the distance— only to be brushed aside by a single sweep of the beast's wings.
Ruina drew in deep breath, muscles coiling tight in her right arm, then she fired. The strike tore forward at blinding speed.
The beast lurches skyward, barely escaping— one leg dropped away with Ruina landed lightly, a faint click escaping her lips.
Another volley cut through the air, Cabel's needles slamming into the other lower legs. "Lower limbs down!" Cabel shouted.
The beast's massive head arched back, a guttural scream tore out of the beast's chest, as the toxin raced through its veins.
The beast lunged for the sky, its wings beating a desperate escape.
Felix instantly intercepted the attempt, his blades carved through the bones of its remaining legs in fluid motion as the beast collapsed into the dirt. As the puddle of purple ichor spilled beneath it.
Seizing the moment, Ruina launched her final iron rod tearing through the translucent membrane of the beast's wings.
"Planning on going somewhere… beast?" Felix asked the beast a menacing yet silently playful question with the tip of his sword at the chin of the beast.
Cabel and Anton rushed in beside Ruina as Felix raised his sword high. Silver light fared along its edge, catching in the beast's pitch black eyes as it drifted downward in slow motion.
A cry erupted.
Crashing over them like thunder, halting Felix mid-strike, sending Ruina's senses staggering.
She steadied herself. Death. There it is again. Her beats. Her head snapped behind, then slowly around them, watching closely.
The smoke twisted. Shadows gathered. Movement approaching. Lots of it. The ground shifted heavily beneath their feet.
"They're coming—!"
They came in flood— ant-like beasts swarming across the field, tearing the formation apart, surrounding the moth in a living wall.
"Anton!" The name cut through the chaos, but he didn't look back. His hand stayed locked in Cabel cloak, eyes fixed forward.
Cabel watches carefully on movement, needles glinting between his fingers.
Ruina dashed toward them— an ant dropped from above, spewing acids as it hissed against the ground near her feet.
Then one after another followed, tracking her dodges and direction, bodies jumping her way attempting to crush her.
She retreated fast, bumping against Felix's back.
Felix, sword dripping with poisonous blood, points them at the horde of beasts. "This becomes rather bothersome."