20 August 47
Around one in the morning, when the moon and the stars were still the main lights in the sky, Clusius and his family woke up after hearing loud screams from their neighbors. The cries shattered the silence of the night and pulled the villagers from their deep sleep. They quickly opened the door and looked outside.
"What is happening?!" Axel shouted at Marley, who was peeking through the gap in the window. Her face was pale, drained of all color.
"This is bad! Our deme is under attack! We have to hurry to the evacuation area!" Marley's hands trembled as she spoke. Through the window she could see flames beginning to spread across the neighboring houses.
"Clusius, come with me to the warehouse. We'll take some equipment from there. Marley, grab whatever you need. We're leaving this house immediately!" Axel ordered as he directed his family.
Clusius and Axel ran toward the warehouse. From outside, Clusius could see massive flames devouring much of the deme. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky, blocking the starlight and suffocating the air. Their footsteps were accompanied by the screams and cries of the villagers and children, along with the distant clash of metal from battles happening somewhere in the darkness.
Covering his ears with both hands, Clusius followed closely behind his father.
"I'm scared… very scared… I hope this disaster ends soon," he murmured softly. Sweat streamed down his forehead.
Axel glanced back at him. "Stay focused, Clusius. Do not let fear stop your steps."
He then opened an old chest and took out the Golden Star sword, handing it to Clusius.
"Why are you giving this sword to me, Father?" Clusius asked, his voice trembling.
"If someday I cannot return to you like I always do… protect your mother and your sister with this sword."
Clusius fell silent, not fully understanding the meaning behind his father's words. He gripped the sword tightly.
"Even if you didn't ask me to, I would do it anyway."
Axel looked at him with a faint smile.
After gathering everything they needed, Axel and his family hurried toward the evacuation area.
When they arrived, the knights who had gathered there immediately ordered them to board the evacuation carriages. But suddenly a woman ran forward, her face soaked with tears and sweat. Her voice was weak and her breathing ragged, yet one word came clearly from her mouth.
"Help."
"Please… I beg you! My child is still in the village! We got separated while running to the evacuation area! Please find him!" She fell to her knees in front of the knights, clutching the ground in desperation.
"We can't! If we don't leave now, we'll all die here!" one knight shouted.
Axel looked at the woman, then at the carriages that were preparing to depart. His heart was moved.
"Sir knight, leave it to me. I'll go back into the deme and find the child."
"What?! Are you crazy? We need to leave this place immediately!" the knight protested.
But Marfin, the commander of the unit, patted his shoulder.
"We can delay our departure a little longer. Leave one or two carriages for us. The rest will go ahead. We'll help those still trapped inside the village escape safely."
"Are you sure, sir?" one soldier asked, uncertain about the decision.
"Why not? That is our duty as knights—to protect the world!" he said firmly, striking his right fist against his chest.
Marley looked at Axel, uneasy about the choice he had made.
"Dear… your body hasn't fully recovered yet. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Axel smiled faintly.
"Don't worry. I'll catch up with you soon."
He looked at Clusius, who seemed close to tears. Axel gently patted his head before walking back into the deme.
"Your father will return. Until then, be a good son."
Those words sank deep into Clusius's heart. He gripped the Golden Star sword tightly, trying to hold back his tears.
Several knights, including Axel, rushed back into the deme while the evacuation carriages sped away from the sea of flames.
The streets were filled with rubble and several corpses already burned by the fire. Axel searched through every alley and house. The smell of blood filled the air. Several times he encountered demons, but with only the sword in his hand he managed to cut them down one by one with great difficulty.
"Mom… heeelp!!!"
The cry of a child echoed across the village.
Axel turned quickly. "A child's voice?"
He ran toward the sound and found a young boy cornered by a horned female demon.
"Ohhh, such a cute little boy. There, don't cry. I'll take you to meet your mother soon," the demon said with a gentle smile.
"Really?" the innocent boy asked.
"Yes… but in hell!" The devil laughed loudly in front of the child.
The demon removed her mask, her gentle smile instantly turning into something horrifying.
She swung her sword made of blood, but Axel blocked the attack with his blade.
"Run, kid!"
The boy stepped back, tripped, then ran away as fast as he could.
"Don't try to play the hero! Your presence won't save a single life from my hands!" the demon shouted.
"Blood Rain!"
Dozens of blood crystals rained down from the sky, stabbing into the ground and nearly piercing Axel's body. He quickly jumped backward.
"Earth Wall!"
A wall of earth rose from the ground, blocking part of the attack.
But the demon sneered.
"A layer of grave soil won't save you! Multi Blood Spike!"
Axel's defense shattered, and he was thrown to the ground. The demon approached slowly, her sword glowing crimson.
"You wasted your life, human."
But Axel slammed his hand onto the ground and chanted a spell.
"Earth Punch!"
A massive mound of earth burst upward and slammed into the demon's body, knocking her back and making her spit blood.
Axel charged forward, fury burning in his eyes.
"Your time is over, vile creature!"
With a powerful swing, he cut off the demon's head, sending it flying through the air before it crashed onto the ground.
But before he could even breathe in relief, the world seemed to stop.
He turned around.
Blood poured from the neck of a young boy. That other devil was choking him, ending the life that had barely begun.
"Y–you… DAMN DEMON!!" Axel roared in rage.
He lunged forward with his sword.
But before the blade could reach the demon's dark skin, the creature smiled coldly.
"Blood Tentacle."
In an instant, blood tentacles burst forth and slammed into Axel's body, throwing him across the street. He crashed into a house wall, wood and bricks shattering along with the bones of his left arm.
Thick dust covered his body as he lay there weakly.
"I… must… protect them…" he muttered while struggling to stay conscious.
The demon slowly approached, preparing to crush Axel's throat.
"Life Root!"
A magical root wrapped around the demon's leg and hurled him backward, smashing him into a building.
"Seriously… are there still humans trying to ruin my day?"
A woman dressed in green emerged from the mist. She approached Axel and helped him stand.
"Thank you… you… why are you still here?"
"Because I got trapped in a complicated battle! I also want to leave this place!"
The demon stood up and cracked his neck.
"Tch… how troublesome. Now I have to fight two people. That's not fair… how about a hundred against two?"
A horde of goblin monsters and skeletons emerged from the fog, surrounding them with almost no escape.
"Go fight that demon. I'll deal with these small fry!" Axel ordered the woman.
"Then stay alive!"
She dashed toward the demon. When she reached him, she swung her axe with full force, but the demon blocked it.
She stepped back, preparing for the counterattack.
"Blood Tentacle!"
Dozens of tentacles shot toward her. She managed to destroy most of them, but one pierced her left arm, forcing her to cast a healing spell.
"Heal One."
But the demon did not wait. He rushed forward and slashed her right eye.
She staggered back several steps. Her vision blurred and her head spun from the prolonged fight. Through her hazy sight, she looked at the demon's face.
The line in his left eye reminded her of the demon who killed her younger brother, the only person who stayed with her after their parents died. It also reminded her of Clusius's swollen face after she had kicked him several days ago.
"You creatures… the only thing that satisfies you is destroying the lives of others. Truly disgusting beings!"
From afar, Axel could see she was struggling. But he was struggling as well. Even weak monsters became overwhelming when they appeared in large numbers.
Seeing an opportunity, the demon shifted his attention to Axel and launched an attack.
"Blood Sword!"
A sword formed from blood shot toward Axel. His reflexes were not fast enough. He froze, unable to react.
"Wind Boost!"
The woman rushed toward him, trying to block the attack with her axe.
But she was not fast enough.
Her axe fell to the ground as the sword pierced the left side of her chest, and she collapsed.
"LEONAA!"
Axel ran forward and caught Leona's falling body. Blood flowed from her mouth, clear proof that she did not have much time left.
"A… Axel… If you meet your son… Clusius… tell him… I'm sorry…"