I was roaming around the temple.
Honestly, it's a huge temple with a parameter of 2008 meters.
There was a lot going on here. The palace was full of locals and it was crowded heavily, maybe because of the charity feat they held every last Saturday of month.
During my walk, I come across few temple few servants. They were carrying big containers.
I could smell something for them.
๐๐ช๐ค๐ฆ, ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ, ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ต๐ช... ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ช๐น๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ท๐ฆ๐จ๐ฆ๐ต๐ข๐ฃ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ช๐ง ๐'๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ.
๐๐ฉ, ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ธ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ต ๐ด๐ค๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ณ!
It seemed to me that it was free food they serve to people who visit temple.
I followed them and end up at a massive hall.
There were mats on floor as 100s of people sitting on them in rows.
๐ ๐ธ๐ข๐ด ๐ณ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต... ๐๐ต'๐ด ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ.
Everyone was having their meal.
People were served freshly cooked meal on a leaf plate as they enjoyed it.
๐๐ต ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฏ๐จ๐ณ๐บ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ...
There I spotted a young man, serving people their food with tender and gentleness in his eyes.
The same brave young lad I become acquainted with few days ago at underdeveloped region of market. The time when he beat down those thugs and Baldy.
Now that I was done with my curiosity, I turned my heels.
As I turned around, I saw young man looking in my direction. Though he wasn't looking at me. Or maybe, he did noticed me for split second.
I made my way back to reunite with Lucia and Reena that's when I felt something.
"!"
๐๐ถ๐ค๐ช๐ข ๐ช๐ด ๐ค๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ.
At the same time I heard noises.
๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ช๐ด๐ฏ'๐ต ๐ณ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต. ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ๐บ ๐ถ๐ฑ.
As kept moving forward, noises started getting louder.
"What theโ?!"
I arrived at the scene. It was all mess.
People runninng for their lives. A huge fire?
"AHahaha! Run, run for your lives you insects!"
I looked above me and found demons covering the sky.
Armed with bows, they shooted arrows at humans.
Some even threw fire form mouth.
๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ช๐ด ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฅ. ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ช๐ด ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฅ. ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ, ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ? ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ?
I tried to search for Lucia and Reena but they were nowhere to be found.
I closed my eyes and focused.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ช๐ณ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ ๐ญ๐ช๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ. ๐๐ต'๐ด ๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐บ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ถ๐ช๐ด๐ฉ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ต๐ธ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ญ๐ญ...
๐๐ฉ! ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ!
I rushed to direction I sensed Lucia.
It was a bit open area where Lucia and Reena were holding their own against demons.
Both had their back against eachother as they glared at demons surrounding them. 15 of them.
Lucia held a sword in hand while Reena was armed dual daggers.
"Finish 'em!" A demon yelled.
All of demons rushed at same time as Noble Ladies showed their class.
With swiftness, Reena made her way through demons and aimed for the one standing at the back, giving orders.
"Whโ?!" Demon was surprised as before he could react, his head fell on ground followed by his body sooner.
Unable to understand, rest of demons turned to check as Lucia used this distraction to chop few heads of with her sword.
๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฆ๐ข๐ฎ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฌ.
"You know what they called me, a prodigy. Ahh, those were the days." Reena claimed as if she was a 60 years old.
"We aren't done yet so don't you dare to get distracted!"
But Lucia warned her as both of them annihilated rest of the demons.
๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฝ! ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฝ! ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฝ!
For praise, I clapped as I walked to ladies.
"I was worried about you... But it seem that it was for nothing."
"A-Ah, Allan... Yes, even we are capable to protect ourself to some extent," Lucia said, bashful.
Reena, on the other hand, lectured me.
"You know what? Shame on you! Leaving such gentle ladies by themselves. Shouldn't you be more protective?!"
"...Gentle?"
"What?! You got a problem with that. It's a disgrace that we even have to lift weapons. Just be grateful that you're fortunate enough to see such a magnificent sight."
"That, I think..."
๐๐ฐ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต, ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ฆ๐ณ๐ต๐ข๐ช๐ฏ๐ญ๐บ ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐น๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ช๐ฐ๐ณ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต. ๐๐ถ๐ต ๐ช๐ต ๐ธ๐ข๐ด๐ฏ'๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ข๐ช๐ด๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต๐ฉ๐บ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ช๐ณ ๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ต๐ถ๐ด.
"Still, how did they even entre temple without us noticing?" I questioned to myself.
"That's what we have been thinking about. It's not like they could even enter city without anyone notice, more suspicious how temple..."
"Maybe โ!? Watch out!" Reena warned us
It was an ambush.
An arrow, aimed for Lucia. Stopped, an inch before her face.
Lucia was immobile for few moments but when she regained control over herself. She to a step back in reflex.
Lucia touched her check.
Then she looked at her finger tips, it was blood.
She then lifted her head slowly and looked in front of her,
"...A-Allan!,"
"Y-You alright,"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"B-But!"
Since I wasn't able to react on right moment, the only way to protect Lucia was to obstacle between her face and arrow.
Blood dripped from my palm and drops fell on ground. To protect Lucia, I threw my hand in path of arrow.
Arrow half past my hand but eventually lost all movement. It was now stuck in my hand.
"I said it's fine, no need to worry about such thing." I stopped both girls by raising my other hand infront.
Then I clenched my fist as arrow stuck, broke in half and fell on ground.
๐๐ถ๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต ๐ธ๐ข๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ.
"Whaโ?! Al-Allan!"
"What you doing?!"
I pulled both girls close and forced them on ground, as I stood straight.
After that, I felt sensation of blood dripping from my body through numerous source.
My back on attackers, and numerous arrows hit my back. Somehow, this time I managed to sense next attack and then only was I successfully able to protect Lucia.
"A-Allaaannn!"
Immobilise, I stumbled on my feet as I saw fear on Lucia's face.
๐ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ข๐ง๐ณ๐ข๐ช๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ...
She rushed to support me as held my immobilised, falling body.
"A-Allann! Stay with me! You hear me!"
I tried, but my lips weren't moving.
"Hey. You hear me?! Please don't die on me. Please!" She begged. But...
My body didn't respond. All of my body, she was carrying it by herself.
๐๐ฐ๐ช๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ...?
"W-What in the worldโ Where are guards?!" Reena complained.
"They are not coming,"
!
Somehow, I was still able to keep my eyes open, barely.
In the sky, there was an army of demons!
There were more than 50 of them armed with bow and arrows.
"We already have them as our feast. To be honest, they weren't taste that bad but I'd still like to have a taste of you."
"...What?!"
"Tch..."
๐๐ฉ๐บ ๐ช๐ด ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ?
Somehow... Someway, I was able to lift my arm as I aimed it at demon whose seem to be leading.
"A-Allan, stay still! You're bleeding so much, don't force itโ"
Before Lucia could complete, I shoot a charged attack at demons. Though they managed to dodge it by scattering.
"Hoo, you still have some life left. Don't worry I'll squeeze it out myself." As demon signaled his men.
I wanted to say ,"As if..." but I couldn't so I just glared at him.
"Y-Your eyes, I Don't Liked Them at all... Take position!" On command, all prepared their bow as they take aim at us.
...๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ฐ?... ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ฐ? ๐๐ต ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฏ'๐ต ๐ต๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ...
"Now, Fire!"
More than 50 arrows aimed for me, showered upon us.
Lucia, who had held me until now... I could feel her arms tighten as she closed her eyes. Reena too, did the same.
But...
"What Theโ?!"
A single arrow, out of nowhere, exploded right between invading of arrows, destroying the threat.
"Who dare toโ!?!"
Before demon could finish, numerous arrows aimed for demons, struck whole demon force.
As many of the demons fall dead from sky.
"What's going on...?"
Lucia and Reena witnessed this sight clueless.
An arrow emitting blessed aura, aimed for demons, shattered and released 100s of arrows.
They were all aimed brilliantly, as almost each one of arrow hit vital parts of demons.
Demons who covered sky until now, were immobilised in a moment.
"H-How...?!" Demons fel as their leader just starred this moment in absolute fear.
He then turned his attention to me,
"No matter what, I won't let you live. I'll take you down with me!"
Demon, in high speed, made his way to me. He pulled out a sword from scabbard on his waist, ready for kill.
Fortunately, I regained enough of my strength to stand and land one killer blow.
I moved to prepare myself but Lucia didn't let go of me.
"NO! You're not doing this, you hear me?! You have done enough for today soโ," But I, lightly pushed her aside and put myself together.
Unfortunately, before I could land a finishing blow, I kill was stolen away from me.
As demon approached me, he was struck by an arrow.
An arrow out-of-nowhere, hit back of his neck... as I body fall on ground, motionless. Though, movement of arrow was enough to separate his head from his shoulder as the head rolled near my feet.
๐๐ฆ๐ฉ, ๐ด๐ต๐ถ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฅ...?!
I felt a sudden drain over my body as I collapsed on ground.
I could see Lucia and Reena, worried, advancing at me.
I could hear nothing. Just vividly the faces.
From distance, I saw Red-Hairs and Leon approaching with knights backing them up.
Lucia, on her knees, shook me... trying to a get response.
๐๐ต'๐ด ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด... ๐ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ'๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ ๐ข ๐ด๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ด๐ค๐ญ๐ฆ, ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ต๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ๐ถ๐ฆ.
The last thing I saw was the arrow, that struck on the ground near demon's head.
"... As...Tra...?"
As I mummerd those words. My eyes opposed my will, and shut down.
I lost all my consciousness.
. . . . .