The townspeople complied with Harold's plan and showed us to an open area where he could get rid of the undead all at once. If only there were a way to do this for the entire nation.
I stood by the corner, prepared to kill anyone that got away while Harold prepared the barrier. The undead began flooding toward the townspeople because of the noise they were making. They stepped back, disorganized by fear. The herd drew nearer, and the people panicked. Someone turned and ran in the opposite direction, where another herd was coming from.
"What are you doing?" I shouted. He fell to the floor and stared at the undead approaching him relentlessly. Using magic now wouldn't be wise because Harold would find out, and I didn't want to have to explain.
"Hey, help him!" the arrow boy shouted. I'm trying to think here.
I sighed and drew my sword, running toward him. An arrow whizzed past me and hit one of the undead in the chest, which was obviously a useless attack.
"Hit the head!" I yelled. He shot more arrows and hit the ones that were closer. *Is that aura? So he's not useless after all.*
I reached the boy on the floor and pulled him up. He was in a daze and didn't make a move.
"Snap out of it!" I shouted, but he just stared at the undead in horror. "Do you want to become dinner for them? I'll leave you here if you don't get off your butt," I threatened, and he snapped out of it.
"D… don't, please," he said, grabbing my hand. This person is going to cause trouble for others someday.
The undead were already close, within arm's reach. He shouted and pushed me as he fell back, running away and leaving me in the midst of the herd.
I didn't know today would be that day.
I grabbed the head of the one that was about to bite me and stabbed through it. I tried to get away from them to put some space between us, but I was surrounded. I just had to try to avoid getting bitten.
From my periphery, I saw Alvin yelling something. He's so useless. In the end, I can't count on anyone but myself.
I shouldn't use this, but… "From my core to the…" I didn't finish the chant before an explosion destroyed the space around me. The undead got distracted by the noise and moved toward it. I looked up and saw Harold hovering over us.
I seized the opportunity to get away from there; the other herds were already coming toward us.
I ran to the people, planning to stop any undead from nearing them before the barrier was completed, but there was no barrier. I looked up and saw Harold watching as the undead neared us. He moved down, grabbed me and Alvin, and pulled us away from there.
"What the… what are you doing?" I asked.
"Those people—I don't think saving them is a good idea," he said.
"They are civilians," I informed him.
"They will do anything to survive, even if it means hurting others. I can't risk it," he replied.
"Just because one person got scared and ran?"
"No… you won't understand," he said, turning to leave.
"You can't leave them!" Alvin exclaimed.
"I don't get what you're saying, but I am not allowed to leave innocent civilians who haven't committed any form of treason, especially if there's a chance to save them," I said, shoving past him to go back.
"I'm always right. I told you before I have good intuition," he said, and I shook my head and kept walking.
There was a commotion when I got back. Luckily, no one had been bitten, but someone was sure to get bitten soon with how disorganized they were.
"From the top of my head…" I was saying as I ran, but Harold beat me to it and destroyed everything in his path.
I shook my head and stepped back. Mages are the biggest show-offs. There are a billion and one ways I could come up with for him to assist, but he just had to show off.
He followed through with the original plan and burned down all the undead around us.
I don't trust Harold. I know he's reliable, but I don't trust him. I couldn't help but think that he planned this from the beginning—that he wanted to kill these people all along.
"You left us, didn't you? You were going to leave us!" a woman yelled at Harold.
"Why would I do that?" he asked, that smile still plastered on his face.
I don't trust him.
"Wait, let's thank them for protecting us first," the old man from earlier said, stepping forward.
I honestly understood what Harold was saying: these people are obviously harmful to themselves and others. But someone once said it's best to help someone and find out the extent they'll go or if they'd change.
I'm going to be out of this town first thing in the morning, so it won't matter whether they are good people or not.
"When everything plays out, I'll be telling you I told you so," Harold whispered in my ear as we walked back.
We did a quick sweep of the town to make sure no one was left.
...
I lay facing the ceiling, having a hard time sleeping, especially because I didn't feel safe or relaxed.
I stood up to take a walk but stopped when I heard the sound of an argument.
"They saved us, and that's how you want to thank them?" I heard the arrow boy's voice.
"What if this place is flooded again? It's not like we're hurting them. Doc will do a small hypnosis, and that's it," the old man said.
These people really are something. As someone experienced in hypnosis, I know that it's dangerous. Depending on the caster's skill, if someone tries to fight it, it could lead to insanity or death.
I should have let Harold kill them.
"I told you so," I heard Harold's voice from behind me, and I almost stabbed him. "Why is your knife the first thing you reach for?" he asked, letting go of my hand.
"Let's leave. I don't want to deal with that," I said.
"It's late; we can leave in the morning," he said.
Mages are show-offs. He just wants them to try so he can show off.