Ansel's words hung in the air, but Heka's expression remained skeptical, disbelief flashing in his eyes. He didn't trust the warning, or perhaps he simply refused to recognize him.
Ansel's gaze shifted upward, and his breath caught in his throat. The roof above them groaned ominously, cracks spiderwebbing across the ceiling like a fragile glass about to shatter. Dust and small debris began to fall, signaling that the structure was on the verge of collapse.
He tried again. His voice was more urgent, more pleading. "Heka, get out of here, please. This building seems like it will collapse. Trust me."
But Heka still hesitated, caught between anger and disbelief.
Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the market as a large section of the roof began to give way. Without thinking, Ansel grabbed Heka's hand with all his might, pulling him away from the danger zone. His grip was fierce. it driven by a desperate need to protect.
The roof crashed down with a thunderous roar, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air.
Miraculously, Heka wasn't standing directly beneath it. The heavy rubble missed them by mere inches.
Ansel's mind raced. He hadn't brought Viorenving, his usual weapon. The knife and kitchen utensils were too far away to reach in time.
Panic surged through him. He was defenseless. Although he could control Crystal, his power was barely enough to fight Fayfiend, let alone protect both of them from a collapsing building.
Ansel's eyes widened as he realized the collapse wasn't accidental. On the roof, he saw a fierce battle unfolding. Fayfiend, the madness creature was locked in combat with someone else.
The figure was striking. He dressed in a flowing red robe, moving with a strength and confidence that commanded attention. The man was powerful. He fought Fayfiend with bare hands, delivering blows that sent shockwaves through the air.
Relief flooded Ansel's chest. He didn't have to face Fayfiend himself. This mysterious one was handling the threat, buying them precious time.
After the Fayfiend was successfully destroyed, the figure in the red robe slowly turned around. His eyes locked onto Ansel. Something was unsettling about the man. An aura of menace that made Ansel instinctively wary.
As the man approached, Ansel instinctively stepped back, placing Heka firmly behind him. He didn't trust this stranger. Something about him felt dangerous, even sinister.
Yet, despite the chaos of the roof collapsing just moments ago, the vibe inside the building was eerily calm. The other people around them moved as if nothing had happened. Their expressions were composed and untroubled.
It was as if the destruction were a mere illusion. Or perhaps they were simply too accustomed to such events. This only deepened Ansel's suspicion. The man before him was no ordinary person.
"Step aside!" The man commanded sharply.
But Ansel quickly realized the man wasn't addressing him. It was Heka who was the target of his warning. Despite the man's obvious strength and threatening presence, Ansel's protective instincts flared. He stepped forward and said firmly. "No."
The man's gaze shifted to Ansel, sharp and cruel, like a predator sizing up its prey. A sarcastic smile curled on his lips. He said with chilling amusement. "Don't blame me if I'm a little rude."
Before Ansel could react further, the man's power became terrifyingly clear. With a sudden, forceful motion, he threw Ansel aside like a rag doll. Ansel crashed onto the rubble of the collapsed roof, the impact knocking the breath from his lungs.
From the corner of his eye, Ansel saw the man striding toward Heka with deliberate menace. Gritting his teeth, Ansel pushed himself up and sprinted after them, refusing to let Heka face this threat alone.
Summoning all his strength, Ansel controlled Crystal's sword. He pointed it at the man.
But the man was quick to notice the attack. With a casual flick of his hand, he shattered the crystal weapon effortlessly, as if it were nothing more than glass.
Turning back to Ansel, the man swung his hand in a brutal arc aimed at Ansel's neck. Before the blow could land, he grabbed Ansel by the throat, lifting him off the ground with terrifying ease.
The man hissed, his voice low and menacing. "Listen, if you want to live. Don't try to fight me."
Ansel struggled against the iron grip, his vision blurring at the edges. The man's strength was overwhelming. The warning was clear. This was a battle Ansel was not prepared to win.
The man's grip tightened around Ansel's throat, and with a sudden, brutal motion, he threw Ansel aside once more. This time, the force was even greater. Ansel's body slammed against the rubble with a sickening thud.
Pain exploded through his limbs and ribs, and he struggled to catch his breath. His bones felt as if they were cracking under the impact.
Every attempt to stand was met with searing agony. And soon, he found himself unable to rise.
From his position on the ground, Ansel's eyes locked onto Heka. The sight was both heartbreaking and terrifying. Heka was completely under the control of the man. His movements were mechanical. His expression was vacant, as he followed the man without any resistance or concern for his own safety.
Ansel's heart sank. He had failed to protect Heka. All he could do now was hope that the man had no cruel intentions, that Heka would not be harmed.
As the man and Heka disappeared, the chaos of the collapsed building began to settle.
People around the market started to realize the gravity of what had just happened. Slowly, a crowd gathered, their faces a mix of shock and confusion.
One by one, they approached Ansel, who was still lying on the rubble, struggling to regain his strength. He murmured. "It seems that they just realized that the building has collapsed."
Ansel barely had the strength to respond when an elderly woman stepped forward and gently helped him to his feet. Her touch was steady and kind. She asked with genuine concern. "Are you okay?"
Ansel nodded, forcing a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Did you come here alone?" The woman inquired further.
Ansel nodded again, his body aching but his
spirit unbroken.
She said firmly. "I'll take you to the hospital. You must be seriously injured. Can you walk?"
"Thank you. I'm fine." Ansel replied. His voice was steady despite the pain.
Though he had been thrown hard and battered by the encounter. The sharp sting of pain seemed to fade, replaced by a numb determination. He was shaken, but not broken.
Around them, murmurs of frustration and disbelief grew louder. People asked, their voices tinged with confusion and fear. "How did this building collapse?"
Ansel looked around at the crowd, the ruined market, and the uncertain future ahead. Despite everything, he knew one thing for certain exactly what happened. Yet he chose to remain silent.
Even after the chaos had settled and the crowd dispersed, Ansel's mind remained restless. His thoughts were consumed by the mysterious man in the red robe. The one who had effortlessly overpowered him and taken Heka away.
Ansel's curiosity gnawed at him relentlessly. "What did he want from Heka? Why did he take Heka away?"
The questions circled in his mind like a storm, each one more urgent than the last. There was something about the man's presence, his strength, and his cold demeanor that suggested a deeper purpose. The one that Ansel couldn't yet understand.
The helplessness he felt weighed heavily on him. He had failed to protect Heka when it mattered most. The man was simply too strong, too formidable. Ansel knew that without the right tools, he stood no chance against such power.