Evelyn looked at the ground and said, "My ankles are barely in shape, I can't do as much as walk."
" You two move ahead, I'll slow down the creature." The mage said, holding out her hands at the strange being.
Evelyn groaned as she tried to take another step forward and almost went crashing to the ground but Harry was able to draw her back up on time.
" Even if she keeps going, I highly doubt she'll last any longer." He thought, watching her grimace in pain while latched onto him.
The sun had set and it had long gone dark. Harry knew that continuing on at the pace with which they were currently moving would only slow them down, so without hesitation, he wrapped his right hand around her neck and lifted her feet off the ground with the other.
She gasped as she turned to face him with clear confusion written all over her face.
" Hold on tight." He ordered, dashing forward in pace.
A few meters away from the village gate they began to hear the screams of people, the scent of smoke pierced their nostrils and he could see it clearly.
Destruction had ravaged the entire village and almost all the houses in the area had been lit on fire.
The northern village gate had been completely destroyed and the guards were lying dead in front of it.
Evelyn had been gripping tightly onto Harry the whole time with her eyes closed but the scent of smoke along with the cries of people had caught her attention and as soon as her gaze turned to the face her eyes instantly widened in shock.
She struggled free out of Harry's arms and as soon as she got down she fell to the ground with her eyes filled with tears.
" I need to get in there." She said, amidst tears.
" I know how you feel Eve, but you have to understand that your safety takes priority, I'll save myself trust me on that." He said, reaching out his hand to help her up.
She didn't try to resist his help and after helping her up, Harry helped her to one of the trees a little farther into the forest to avoid being met by any passersby.
" Seems like there aren't any safe places outside the villages, will you be able to fare well on your own out here?" He asked, turning around in preparation to leave.
" Two slashes should be able to deal with the level of vale beasts around here," she said, grabbing a hold of his hand, " but don't tell me you plan on going in there."
" I know you want to help me but don't you have a family as well?" She added, after a slight pause.
He giggled for a slight moment, causing Evelyn to look at him in confusion, and said, " I wouldn't be here, had I known a place to call home."
She let out a slight gasp after hearing that and her grip on him significantly loosened causing him to instantly break free and run off to the distance.
Her hand dropped to the ground and tears filled her eyes as she gazed at the ground with her eyes fully widened.
He ran as fast as he could and when he got past the gate and into the village, he saw many bodies lying on the ground.
Each of them had a missing body part, some had their heads chopped off others had either missing arms or legs, and a few of them were chopped in half.
His heart skipped a beat at the bloody sight and he continued moving forward as fast as he could, the beat of his heart getting louder with each step.
" Please be alive." He mumbled under his breath.
After a long run, he made a slight turn to his right and could see a house that had smoke coming out of it, and lying in front of it was a lady.
He ran straight towards her and when he got there, he saw a white bone inserted into her right shoulder and that area of her dress was soaked red from blood.
" I should have a healing potion around me." He thought, dipping his hand into his pocket.
After a while of searching, he brought out a thin glass container filled with a blue liquid.
He then slowly and gently pulled out the bone that had pierced her shoulder and applied the liquid to the wound. It didn't heal her instantly but it stopped it from bleeding anymore.
" Are you alright kiddo?" A voice came from the side.
He had blonde hair and was about a hundred and seventy-nine centimeters tall but he stood at about a height of one hundred and eighty-two centimeters due to his silver boots.
" A royal knight." He gasped, gazing at the gold badge to the right side of his chest plate.
He had his helmet safety held in his right hand as he walked towards them both with an unwavering presence of confidence emitting from him.
" Let me carry her, my troops are just a little to the northeast from here you should get there as soon as possible."
" Your troops, why would troops stay back and let their captain wander into a danger as grave as this one, you're one heck of a terrible liar." He said, staring at the man with a serious look on his face.
For a moment it felt like he had blacked out and looking at the man now, he had turned into a skeleton with bright glowing green eyes.
It gave off a menacing presence and it laughed a sinister laughter as it raised its sword high above the both of them.
The sound of a strong gush of wind was heard and Harry stood there watching as the human skeleton went flying and his hair along with his coat and dust were blown along with it.
He raised his hand to his face to prevent the sand from making contact with his eyes and when he lowered them, he saw a man dressed in black robes along with three people, two men and a woman standing behind him and were dressed in the same attire as the man he saw earlier.
" It is just as I had anticipated, you three get those two civilians out of here as soon as possible, we're dealing with a skeleton king here." He ordered, turning towards the three knights behind him.
They did as they were ordered and immediately rushed to his aid, one of the men lifted the woman off the ground and along with him they both moved to the northeastern part of the village.
When he got there, he saw a large number of dead villagers lined up by the side, some had missing body parts and others had their bodies brutally disfigured.
He couldn't bear the sight and immediately ran off to the side. The knights just stood there and watched him as he got as far as he could and fell to his knees.
Now on his knees, he placed both of his hands on the ground and turned his gaze to the floor before beginning to empty up his stomach.
His eyes widened as he let out everything that he had yet to be digested inside his body and even after he was done vomiting, he didn't move an inch from his position.
That was a loud thump was heard and the ground slightly shook.
His heart skipped a beat at that moment and he began to tremble in fear as a certain person immediately crossed his mind.
*****
Back at the battleground, the man dressed in black robes placed both of his hands slowly and slightly together and the wind along with the dust and smoke around the area began to gather around it.
" Had it been a living being then this would have certainly been a breeze." He thought, as he turned the concentrated wind into blades and threw them at the skeleton.
It raised its sword and blocked the incoming attack before charging straight towards the old man at a great pace.
In less than three seconds it was already in front of him and just as it came close to the man, it swung its sword at him.
The sword was swung with great power and speed but right before the skeleton had even moved its hand, the man had propelled himself back with the use of wind.
He clapped both of his hands together and a great surge of wind blew from the tip of his fingers and onwards and sent the skeleton flying a great distance away.
Immediately after the skeleton got on its feet and dashed towards him the man quickly sent down his high raised open hand and about one hundred wind blades went flying towards the skeleton.
The attacks kept on hitting it consecutively and after it had taken all the hits some parts of it were left completely shattered and its left hand was gone as well.
A bright green glow began to emit from its broken parts and just as the old man prepared to launch another attack, a large swirling green portal appeared in front of it, and shortly after it came the shaking of the ground and the sound of a large thump on the ground.