Chronos was startled midmorning with a resounding kick to his door. Standing up in stunned silence he watched the assailant enter his room with careful movements.
Covered in dried blood, Claudina walked inside. Her eyes were devoid of any light and she clutched a bloody sword in her hand.
"...Claudina?..." Chronos carefully called out. He has never once seen her like this.
In despair.
She collapsed down. "Claudina!" He rushed forward. Her skin was cold as ice. "Claudina! What's wrong?" he asked, brows knitted in worry.
Claudina didn't speak and only leaned her head into his chest.
Quickly he checked for any injuries and he signed in relief that there were only minor scratches. But the blood on her hair and face…it didn't look like monster or demon blood.
…Rather it was human's.
Loud thudding footsteps stopped right in front of the door.
Without looking back, Chronos spoke in an emotionless voice. "Speak. What has made my Saintess like this?"
The paladin fidgeted in place.
"SPEAK UP!!" he shouted. As he did so the windows of his room shattered open and the heavy bookshelf toppled over.
The paladin flinched back in fear but quickly replied. "Yes! The Saintess…I am not sure either but…it just happened so quick…"
"...Chronos…?" Claudina slowly mumbled. Her heavy lids threatened to fall. Chronos quickly looked down. "Claudina ?! Can you hear me?"
"...I…" Not being able to speak she closed her eyes.
Chronos lifted her up. "The Saintess needs to recover first. Then,' he sided eyed the paladin. "Then you will say what happened earlier."
"...Yes, sir."
Chronos put her to bed. With a flick of his wrist the dried muddy blood disappeared and she was clothed in fresh clothing.
"Lead me where the rest are huddled like cowards." Chronos' robes swished out the door.
The paladin trailed after him. "But sir they are all outside!"
"So? The well being of my Saintess is of more importance than showing myself in the open. Now come!"
Helpless he led the way all the while the angry god bore holes into his skull.
The rest of the paladins were gathered out in the main lobby. The deacons and deaconess were fitting from one place to another like busy bees, cleaning the wounds, bringing spare bandages and more salve.
The hardened faces of the paladins all paled when they heard the familiar clacks of the god's staff.
Chronos fitted from one paladin to another. Nearly all of them were injured. It was then he noticed the paladin who guided him was walking with a limp and had his hand in a sling.
"Oh! Your Holiness!" he internally cringed at the high pitched voice. He glanced at the side.
The Head Pope flushed from running stood too close to his liking. Her mismatched eyes shook. "Had I known your Holiness would come out, I would have sent these bunch of unclean ones outside!" she spoke loudly. She turned to the deacon nearest, "Y-you! Send them away! They are running his Holiness' eyes!"
The paladins didn't move nor did the younger deacons.
"Di-did you not hear what I said?!"
"Silence human!"
The head Pope jumped back, quivering all over.
The infinity symbol on his head blazed with anger. "Leave! Do not show your face to me!!"
Heart in her throat she almost tripped over in a hurry to flee.
Chronos now turned to the paladins. "Where is your commander?"
A low gruff voice spoke from the side"...Right here, sir…"
The commander of the paladins was a tall brutish looking man with gray white hair and icy blue eyes. A large scar ran over his left eye while the right eye sported a bloody bandage. He had numerous other scars crisscrossed over his body with the most notables one being a scar large enough to cover his whole abdomen and the other on his right shoulder resembling a malevolent spider. His closely cropped beard had dirt and blood on it.
"Commander Siegfried what happened?"
He remained silent.
"Commander, I asked you a question; what happened?" His voice boomed in the tall cathedral. "It was an extermination in a neighboring country. What did you all face that has turned your condition as such?"
"...We…" Siegfried began. "...Gods where do I even start?!…" He signed. "...It's just as you said, Sir, a simple extermination. Only we were supposed to go but the Head Pope made the Saintess go along and thank the fates she did...We were just finishing up when…" He took a shuddering breath.
"...When that thing attacked us..."
Claudina sliced open the demon's head.
Brushing stray hair from her face, she let the paladins take care of the rest.
It had been a simple enough job, not one where she was needed but whatever.
At least it gave her an excuse to leave her desk for a while or two.
The town lay in shambles, but the menace that had terrorized it was no more. The paladins had swiftly moved to secure the town and help the wounded townsfolk, their relief palpable as the threat was quelled.
Bored, Claudina wandered off from the square and in the forest nearby.
But in the midst of their efforts, an unthinkable darkness descended upon them once more. The Great Evil, the sinister entity that had haunted their nightmares, materialized in their midst. The air grew cold, the wind howling as chaos ensued. The Evil moved with an unnatural swiftness, its malevolent intent clear. before they could think it struck with deadly precision, its bare hands claiming the life of a paladin in an instant.
Far away in the forest, Claudina could distinctly tell something was wrong. Turning on to her heels she hurried back as fast as she could.
Cloaked in snakeskin and worn leather, its horrifying red eyes traveled widely taking in the terrified spectacle with growing glee. It laughed or what sounded like a crude imitation of laughter. Before long it started to hack up one of its lungs. It's hands gave away the blood dripping out form it's mouth. It licked the blood from it's soot covered fingers.
It grinned, the specks of phlegm glinting on yellow teeth and black gums.
Regardless it rattled the bones of the bravest paladins. They know whatever they are dealing with is beyond their wit.
To an unsuspecting stranger it would appear as a mad person. But mad men don't kill armored humans with bare hands. Mad men don't attack Gods in their own country.
Mad men aren't supposed to be...It.
Nonetheless they gathered courage in their bones. Not for themself but for their fallen comrade.
The commander's voice rang out, rallying his troops to face this renewed threat.
Amidst the confusion and terror, Claudina stepped forward, her presence a beacon of strength. Glancing around she quickly took note of what had happened and took part in the fray.
With the Saintess in sight, the paladins gained more confidence. She had triumphed over the demon, and her mere presence infused the paladins with newfound resolve. As they locked eyes, Claudina's gaze bore into the commander's, a silent warning to not get in her way.
Taking her Holy Sword she wielded it with utmost grace. She didn't bother looking at the unknown monster. The humanoid shaped creature snarled, hands poised like claws and ready to attack her. It could sense that the human before it was stronger than any other creature it fought with. With a deafening hiss it leapt at Claudina but she was all ready and jabbed the creatures in its ribs.
Something ached in her heart as she saw how the creature clutched its side and let out the most piteous yelps. It wasn't even able to stand properly without whimpering in pain. '...Why am I feeling this way?...' Her eyes narrowed and rebuilt her crumbled resolve. 'Doesn't matter. The sooner this is over the sooner my feelings will come to rest.'
The battle raged, each clash of steel echoing a symphony of defiance.
The paladins provided support but they were attacked mindlessly by the Great Evil. Claudina couldn't focus on the attacks with how much the creature easily grabbed hold of and threw paladins at her drawn blade.
"Tsk! More work for me now…"
Iron clashed on crude leather gauntlets. Lips pulled into a snarl, she grunted at being slowly pushed back. She glared through her sweat matted hair and directly at the monster.
Claudina's green eyes blazed gold in the dim summer afternoon.
…It hesitated.
Seeing the chance, she landed a swift kick and side stepped. The monster staggered back, the hood of the snakeskin falling down to its shoulders. Shorn matted red hair poked out in strange angles and framed the lean face.
It felt like a bucket of cold water was dumped on her. Claudina's hands shook and she dropped her sword.
"....Y-you…" her voice trembled.
"Ophelia...!"