All eyes in the village center were fixated on the headless body sprawled out before them, a silence so heavy it seemed to freeze time. Amber, cradled in the arms of one of her grandfather's men, began to well up with tears, her emotions overwhelming her until she let out a piercing scream that reverberated through the entire village and beyond.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The deafening scream rattled the eardrums of those standing nearby, abruptly jolting them back to reality. Some fell to their knees, weeping uncontrollably, while others turned their furious gazes towards Dean, his bloodied sword still clutched in his hand as he stared at the lifeless body of the old man.
"Murderer!"
A woman's voice, dripping with anger, accused Dean, her eyes ablaze with fury. This accusation ignited a fire within everyone present, causing those armed with weapons to draw them and point them menacingly at Dean.
Dean instinctively flinched and took a step back, his two loyal friends swiftly stepping forward to shield him from the wrath of the enraged villagers.
"Please, everyone, calm down. This is a grave misunderstanding," Jasem pleaded, attempting to halt the vengeful mob and pacify their anger. Yet as the villagers continued to advance, he found himself rendered speechless, taking a few hesitant steps backward. He turned to Adam, standing beside him, and urgently prodded him in the ribs while whispering, "Say something wise."
Adam shot him a perplexed look, then sighed, diverting his gaze to Dean, who tightly gripped his sword while Luna stood resolute by his side, ready to defend. Adam leaned in and whispered urgently, "Leave now!"
Aware of the escalating danger his presence posed, Adam urged Dean to flee, hoping to defuse the situation himself.
With a nod, Dean swiftly turned on his heel and bolted, Luna at his side, while their two companions valiantly attempted to block the path of the furious villagers.
"He's running away! Kill him now!"
The shout ignited a frenzy of pursuit as the two companions struggled to calm the enraged villagers and impede their progress.
"Wait! We can talk and resolve this..."
"It's a misunderstanding!"
Their pleas fell on deaf ears as the horde overpowered them, trampling over their fallen bodies in their relentless chase after Dean, who disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.
As Jasem and Adam lay on the ground, still dusty from being trampled, they gazed up at the sky and exchanged words.
"Why didn't we run with him?" Jasem pondered aloud, his whole body aching from the ordeal. Adam remained silent for a moment, acknowledging his lapse in judgment, before posing another question.
"Can we leave him and go?"
Adam's suggestion resonated with Jasem, the pain coursing through his body making it an appealing idea. A bright smile crossed his face as he replied, "If you're up for it, count me in."
However, after a fleeting moment, they dismissed the notion, shaking it off as they sat up once more.
As soon as they did, their attention was drawn to Amber and her two sisters, seated beside their grandfather's lifeless body, tenderly cradling his severed head as tears streamed down their faces.
Adam and Jasem exchanged a somber glance, their hearts heavy with empathy for the girls and the old man who had met such a senseless fate.
With a shared sorrow, the two friends sighed and slowly rose to their feet, intending to approach the grieving girls and offer their apologies for Dean's actions.
Yet, before they could take a single step forward, two men materialized, brandishing their swords and halting Adam and Jasem in their tracks. The friends instinctively raised their hands in surrender, realizing they faced an even greater challenge ahead.
"What is happening here, gentlemen?" Adam inquired, his voice filled with concern, as he and Jasem faced the two men with furious eyes. The old woman, seated with the grieving girls, turned her attention towards them and spoke in a stern tone.
"Take another step, and both of you are as good as dead. You are our prisoners until we manage to capture that murderous friend of yours."
Adam and Jasem exchanged knowing glances, understanding the old woman's anger after Dean's reckless actions. Adam attempted to reason with her, his voice calm yet pleading.
"I understand your anger, but we can find a reasonable solution to this. We don't need to escalate the situation further."
Before Adam could finish his sentence, a fiery spell shot towards him, striking him directly in the face. He stumbled and fell to the ground, groaning in pain. Jasem quickly rushed to his side, concern etched across his face.
"Are you alright?" Jasem asked, his voice laced with worry, as he checked on Adam.
Nodding and rising to his feet, Adam faced the old woman once more. Although his face showed signs of burns, they quickly healed, leaving no trace of the impact.
"Please, listen to me. I am not your enemy. We don't want any more bloodshed. I am sure we can find a fair punishment for his actions," Adam implored, his voice earnest, hoping to bring reason to the situation.
But the old woman's frightened eyes widened as she stuttered, pointing at Adam after she saw how his wounds healed before her.
"Hero?"
Her voice trembled with fear, and those around her turned their gaze towards Adam, shocked expressions plastered on their faces. In a higher pitch, she exclaimed, "He is a hero from the Church!"
Adam's eyes widened in realization when he realized they were caught, he muttered, "Oh, shit!"
Understanding the gravity of their exposed identities, Adam swiftly turned on his heels, signaling Jasem to follow. They sprinted away, their hearts pounding, and soon the enraged villagers chased after them.
Jasem's voice echoed through the chaos as they ran, disappointment evident in his words with his freinds who were making one mistake after the other.
"You two are the most foolish people I have ever known!"
The two friends continued their hasty retreat, knowing that their hopes for a peaceful resolution had evaporated with the revelation of their true identities. They ran for a few minutes until they discerned the source of a loud commotion ahead.
"Dean, we need to keep running!" Adam tried to warn his friend, but the sight that greeted them made them slow down and come to a halt. Dean and Luna stood amidst a gruesome scene, their bodies drenched in blood, surrounded by lifeless forms.
"What the fuck did you do?!" Jasem exclaimed, shock evident in his voice, as he approached the blood-soaked duo.
Without a word, Dean and Luna continued their relentless fight, eliminating the last four remaining assailants. Dean discarded his sword, his expression cold and detached, as he started to walk away from the scene. Jasem rushed towards him, fueled by anger, and landed a punch on Dean's face.
"Did you have to kill all of these people?" Jasem questioned, his voice filled with a mix of disbelief and frustration, as Dean lay on the ground, clutching his face, which quickly began to heal.
"They wanted to kill me. What other choice did I have?" Dean responded, his voice lacking remorse or any emotion what so ever.
Jasem chuckled in disbelief, unable to comprehend Dean's simplistic reasoning. "So, it's as simple as that for you?"
"I had no other option. I'm sorry," Dean uttered while rising to his feet, pushing Jasem away effortlessly as the later tried to grab him by the colar. "Please stop, I'm not in the mood for your shit right now."
Jasem stood back, stunned by Dean's strength, and watched as Dean walked away, slumping down and placing his hands on his head. Luna sat beside him, offering silent support.
Realizing that Dean wasn't a cold-blooded killer but someone who had acted out of necessity, Jasem heaved a sigh. He decided to address the issue with Dean later and turned his attention to Adam, who was tending to the wounded bodies on the ground, hoping to find survivors.
As Jasem approached Adam, he suddenly shouted a warning. A villager emerged from the woods, swinging his sword at Adam, catching him off guard.
"Watch your back!" Jasem's voice rang out, and Adam, startled, managed to evade the attack, albeit with a slash to his neck.
"I killed one of the heroes!" the man proclaimed triumphantly, just before Jasem's fist connected with his face, sending him flying.
"Are you okay?" Jasem asked, concern evident in his voice, as he approached Adam, who tightly gripped his injured neck, attempting to stem the bleeding. Adam released his wound as it rapidly healed.
"Yes, don't worry about me now. Stay on guard," Adam replied, aware that the danger was far from over. Several villagers emerged,weapons in hand, accompanied by Amber, who was being carried by someone.
"You killed my people. Now it's our turn to kill you," Amber declared, her eyes filled with vengeance.
Jasem and Adam sighed, realizing that there was no escaping the impending confrontation. Their hopes for a peaceful resolution shattered, they prepared themselves for the battle that loomed ahead.