Chapter 15 - Burning City

Volhcard was currently healing Yuni in an alleyway as the others watched for anyone who wore the black armor. The atmosphere was this with the scent of smoke, ash, and blood as the buildings around them slowly fell one by one. 

"Do you think he's okay?" Aralia asked, a fearful look on her face as she tightly clinched both her hands.

Jae patted her back before replying with a little smile, "He's one of the best fighters I know."seeing the smile on Jae calmed Aralia just a bit only to hear the horrific cries of a woman calling out to their child.

Everyone except for Volhcard and Yuni went out of the alleyway to see what was happening. Aralia dropped to her knees as tears started dropping from her eyes down to her cheeks.

The heads of many races were attached to pikes including children but it was not only their heads but their limbs. The dark knights marched down towards the wall of Cerrix as some bearing torches in their hands burned down the buildings and people around them.

A horrific sight that was seeped into the mind of Aralia who trembled in deep sorrow as Jae held her tears back. Idol who had no emotion in this could feel the emotions of the two getting out of the control and brought them back to the alleyway.

"We need to get Yumi to a safe place like a tavern or something." said Volhcard who stood up wiping his hands.

Aralia looked over to the unconscious body of Yuni who looked dead from pale skin and to the dried up blood on her chest. 

Seeing the look in her eyes, Volhcard slapped her in the left cheek before speaking sternly, "Do not give her that pitiful look. You know damn well she would kick your ass if you did." he chuckled grimly as Jae smiled sadly.

Aralia felt the sting of the slap and the words of Volhcard struck her causing her to clench her hands tight. Before nodding and picking up Yuni's unconscious body bridal style.

From the burning carnival came out Theo, a wounds from cuts to burns were all around his body. Blood dripped down from his left arm while a cruel smile was on his face as he stared at the upper half of the horse beast as its lower half was burning inside the carnival.

"Leeet meee goooo!" it screeched as it used its tongue to crawl away all while Theo laughed and weakly followed it.

Before speaking in a raspy and pain tone, "Sure, I'll let you go."

It got quiet for a second as the horse beast laughed madly as if he had heard a stupid man's voice only to realize he could feel himself slowly vanishing to dust.

The horse beast had slowly died due to the lost of its Umbral heart which was inside its head and Theo had shot it. The only reason why the horse beast didn't hear the who was because of the fact that Theo used a Noise Cancelation Scroll.

Looking up the dark smoky sky, Theo laughed before passing out face first to the ground. From the shadows came a hooded man who took him on his shoulders as he walked away into the burning city.

"So the bearer of the Umbral Flame is here, as well as the Starborn and Atlas Vessel... How interesting." the man chuckled while opening a massive chest where he placed Theo inside.

Then, heavy footsteps were heard from the dark forest, and from that forest was black horse with fiery blue eyes with a many chests on it as the man got on the horse's back. He took a lamp that was strapped to his waist, and lit it up with a blue before grabbing the reins of the horse.

"He's here." said Volhcard as he opened the door to a run down tavern and where Aralia would place Yuni's body on a table.

Idol walked over to Volhcard massaging his shoulders while asking, "Who is here master?"

Jae listened to their conversation as well as Aralia as they awaited Volhcard's answer. Volhcard looked over to the doors of tavern being opened as the same cloaked figure entered.

"The Heaven's Herald, The Honorary God of Stories and Tales, Alfis." said Volhcard.

After hearing Volhcard introduced him the cloaked man known as Alfis laughed before dropping a large chest in front of them.

He twirled a silver coin in his hands before speaking, "You're friend is there, and do give me a good tale to tell the Gods." right after he walked away and before vanishing he turned his gaze back at Volhcard, "Sooner or later you'll have to summon Atlas, also heads or tails?"

"Huh? What the hell are you talking about?" asked Jae as he tried to walk over to Alfis only for him to vanish.

Aralia walked over to the chest and opening it was the unconscious body of Theo, and Idol quickly grabbed him and placed him on the table for Volhcard to heal.

"So what is Atlas?" asked Jae as she looked at Volhcard was twirling a ball of white flames which hovered over Theo's wounds.

"A being of ancient origin, a being older than the gods, known as the Harbinger of Judgment, and I was chosen as it personal owner and vessel. Only I can summon Atlas, and once I summon Atlas there is a high probability of me dying." he explained before pushing a gust of frozen breeze at the wounds of Theo.

Nodding, Jae went over to the storage room of the tavern to find something to eat while Aralia sharpened the many daggers of Yumi and her war axe.

The exhaustion had finally hit Volhcard causing him to fall on his back but was caught by Idol just before he hit the ground. The machine placed him on a chair wherein the machine went to the storage room. 

"There's only leftover beer, rum, and whiskey as well as some food." Jae said as she ate a bowl of noodles.

Idol nodded and took a few bottles of beer and walked back out to see Volhcard asleep and Aralia trying to wake Yuni up again.

"What are human emotions?" Idol quietly asked underneath his breath while trying to take a look on his memories.