"Hey, Terresa, do you still have any mana left?" Moirai asked, preparing to attack.
With a proud tone, Terresa replied, "I have more mana reserves than you think, Rai."
"Huh... that's a relief," Moirai said, his tension easing slightly.
"Then let's finish this," he declared, readying himself to advance.
With swift slashes and a smoldering halberd, Moirai cut down the undead one by one. He stabbed at the neck of one of the creatures, and the fire at the halberd's tip illuminated the decaying flesh, reducing it to ashes. While Moirai busied himself with the relentless foes, Terresa used her magic to dispatch them with speed and precision. The undead fell with ease under their combined efforts.
Yet, as soon as one was defeated, more appeared, their bloodied faces emerging from the shadows.
"Sucks, these undead are endless..." Terresa muttered, her focus unwavering as she continued to control her magic.
Moirai swung his halberd tirelessly, cutting down the undead with each powerful arc. Despite his relentless assault, the horde showed no sign of thinning.
"Terresa, can you spread the detection magic you used earlier?" Moirai asked, fending off the encroaching undead.
"I've been doing that for a while now... The number of undead around us is in the thousands. We must retreat, Rai. There's nothing we can do," Terresa said, her voice laced with urgency as she continued to drop undead with her spells.
"No... I can't let them wander this world any longer," Moirai insisted, his voice filled with determination.
"What the hell are you thinking, Rai? There are thousands of them. Just the two of us can't possibly defeat them all."
"But I can't let them continue to be tormented, Terresa," Moirai said, raising his voice. "They can still feel the pain of their decaying bodies. I won't let them suffer any longer.
"If you want to go, go. I... I can't blame you... This is my decision... and the promise I made," Moirai said, his voice resolute as he prepared to charge deeper into the horde.
Moirai launched himself into the fray with full force. He swung his weapon with precision, each strike cleaving through the undead's heads. He didn't pause; a relentless series of attacks followed, swing after swing, stab after stab. The onslaught was unyielding until all the undead in his immediate path were cut down.
As he fought, the wounds that had begun to close reopened. Blood dripped from him, staining his armor with a mix of his own and the undead's rotten blood. Despite the pain and the blood loss, Moirai pressed on, his movements unwavering, his halberd a blur of lethal motion.
Suddenly, in the midst of the intense battle, small particles began to envelop Moirai. They floated and circled around him, forming a protective aura. The blood staining his armor disappeared, and his wounds, once gaping, began to close.
"Ugh... why are all priests always so stubborn..." Terresa muttered, focusing her magic to control the healing particles.
"If you go forward without a plan like that, you just cause trouble for others," she added, her tone a mix of exasperation and concern.
"You... thank you," Moirai said, a note of gratitude in his strained voice.
"It's not a problem. We should help each other out... Now, let's get a little serious here," Terresa replied, raising her staff with determination
Blue particles appeared from various directions, spinning and glittering as they converged on Terresa's staff. One by one, the spirals merged into a single glowing unit, forming a bullet that floated and aimed at the undead. The spiral spun at high speed.
"I will show you... a wonder of the world..." Terresa declared.
"Through the prowess of a mage..." she continued, her voice steady and confident.
The bullet shot out at high speed, leaving a trail of dazzling light in its wake. It punched holes through the undead's heads with precise, unerring accuracy. One and two undead fell, then three and four, each with a neat, fatal wound. Five and six followed, destroyed without a chance to react.
They continued to fight, and one by one, the undead began to fall. The burning fire from Moirai's halberd spread through the forest, consuming the undead. After a long battle, the horde was finally defeated. Terresa's magical light began to fade, replaced by the glow of the fire that burned over the corpses, now reduced to dust.
"Hoammm... it's finally over..." Terresa yawned, her exhaustion evident.
In contrast, Moirai continued to stare at one of the burning undead, his gaze blank, as if lost in the flames.
"Hey, Rai... are you okay?" Terresa asked, her worry clear.
"Yep... I'm good," Moirai replied briefly.
He raised his hands and began to pray. "I'm good..." he repeated, swallowing hard.
With trembling hands, he prayed softly, "Oh Goddess... in the name of your blessings... you give us the strength to walk in this world... live the destiny that has been determined by you... live the life that you have given... I beg you... oh my Goddess... forgive them... guide them towards the destiny that you have promised..."
Sparks began to rise from the blazing fire. Moirai sat down and waited for all the undead to turn to ashes. He mourned silently, as still as a statue. Terresa, seeing his sorrow, could only sit behind him, following his lead in quiet contemplation.
.
.
After some time, the undead turned to ash, and the fire faded, leaving the forest cloaked in darkness once more.
"Hey, Rai... why did you go this far? They... they killed each other..." Terresa asked, her voice tinged with confusion and frustration.
"Such humans don't deserve this kind of respectful treatment," she continued. "They are sinners."
"No... they are not like that," Moirai responded calmly.
"Look, Rai... what happened to my village... these two sides are no different from murderers," Terresa insisted, her voice trembling with anger and pain.
"No... they are not murderers. All beings in this life are bound by destiny, Terresa. Who is killed or kills, from the time you start walking in this world until you return to the arms of the Goddess, is all written in destiny," Moirai explained, his voice steady.
"That's why fate is so cruel. Some people are destined to become murderers... some people are destined to hate each other... some are destined to... do unacceptable things," Moirai continued, his tone somber.
"I don't understand... they have the consciousness to do that... they understand that," Terresa argued.
"And that... is their destiny," Moirai interrupted gently.
"Some people believe we can determine our own destiny, but in reality... the end of our story is predetermined," he said, looking deeply into her eyes.
"Tell me, Terresa... what does destiny mean to you?"
Terresa hesitated, struggling to find an answer. Moirai continued, "Your dream of becoming a mage... has been written in the pages of destiny, from the time you started your journey... until you met me... it was all written, Terresa."
Terresa was silent as she looked at Moirai.
"I don't forbid you to hate them... because it's the will of the Goddess that gives us emotions," Moirai said gently.
"Destiny may be cruel... but the Goddess, who created our story, will not allow the world to be filled with chaos. Every person, every soul, and every destiny we have... there will always be something good, no matter how small it is," he continued.
"'I give you the power to walk upon this world... with destiny bound... lead everyone to their promised destiny,'" he recited, his voice filled with conviction.
"We... humans... all living beings... provide guidance to others, because that is one of the purposes of our creation," Moirai explained, his eyes reflecting a deep, unwavering belief.
"No matter who or how we give instructions, no matter if that person is the worst or the most evil... in the end, they are just fulfilling their destiny written by the Goddess. That's why... at least give them a warm farewell before heading to their promised destiny," he concluded softly.
Terresa just bowed her head weakly at his words. She began to lie down on the grass, letting out a long breath.
"Then... Rai... who should I hate?" she asked, her voice tinged with resignation and confusion. "Should I hate the gods and goddesses?"
"It's up to you, Terresa. Whatever you choose is what you are destined for," Moirai replied with a knowing smile.
"Damn... You're the craziest person I've ever met," Terresa muttered, a hint of a smile playing on her lips despite her exhaustion.
"I know... everyone says that to me," Moirai responded with a chuckle.
"I take back what I said to you. If there are more people like you in this world, I don't know what would happen," Terresa admitted, shaking her head slightly.
"Well... you got a point, Terresa... you got the point," Moirai said, smiling warmly at her.