Rena would spend her days watching her underlings; she sensed a slight fear in them regarding the people.
Marcus had helped her to increase her combat skills. Fighting was his specialty.
Salma and Oceania were a calm pair who kept to themselves. When Rena looked among them, she believed one was missing, and there were five or supposed to be. Where was the other? Who was the other?
Rena shot forward when she saw a leathery beast swipe down, grabbing a child. Before she could act, a bust of air blew her down to the ground.
She believed each of her Knights, which she called them, sprang into action. Rena and Marcus leaped up like they had done this a thousand times before.
Salma and Oceana gestured for the villagers to enter the town hall, the most prominent building among their homes.
Rena slashed at the creature as bolts of electricity sparked to live. Marcus onto the beast, burning its eyes as it screamed an unholy scream. It flapped frantically, destroying houses as another set of animals raced towards the town hall.
These creatures were of two types; one was built slim with spiky red skin, a sharp triangular tail, solid horns, and sharp claws. The other was a hairless teal color with sharp white claws, teeth, and bright green eyes.
The air pushed them away as Marcus and Rena fought the flying creature. Marcus managed to stir the beast away from the village, but the damage was done. He burned at the creature's bat-like wings until it hit the ground, and then Rena finished it. It was a living creature, but it was different from the people. They were like other people she used to protect in the past she knew.
These creatures weren't natural; they were curses that should be allowed to exist. Marcus sped over to the town hall as Rena slashed at the ground creatures. The burst of wind revealed itself as a female. They fought together, much like the others. She was the missing member of her Knights.
When each creature was killed, Salma sensed more approaching; Marcus and the wind girl had gone in that direction, Marcus forming a bird of flames.
" Rena," Winslow said, " are you okay?"
She nodded, " The monsters are coming," she said, " you have to leave,"
Winslow shook as he ran back into the town hall and informed the villagers. The people raced out, collecting what they could give to those who lost their homes. It was quick as if they were used to moving often.
It took a few hours until the entire village was ready and waiting for Rena and her Knights to lead them to safety.
~
Marcus and the wind girl, Haizea, took to the skies to protect them above. Along the way, the creatures she called Malice killed many villagers. Salma has figured out how to use the mutated plant creatures he called Ushi, who were watching them from both sides as Oceana the rear.
Rena walked with the head family with Elijah on her shoulders and his parents on either side. Winslow spoke of a walled kingdom called Terra.
The Kingdom was taking in refugees from all over who desired to escape the horror of these monsters.
Rena frowned as the sun set into its gray color. The guards at the gate were pushing people away.
She began to hear the cry of the Malice from a distance; the gates were closed, and the people were banging. Bird-like Malice flew in clusters. It was too late, but she hoped to get the children within the walled city.
Haizea and Salma did as she asked; they scooped up the children from the different villages, who were screaming in fear as they were taking them. The screams died down when they realized where they were going. Oceana, Marcus and Rena sprung into action as she realized that all those souls would not make it even if she fought to her death.
She whipped her torn away as frightened people were trapped as they tried to flee. The people ran in different directions. Some were trampled, screaming and crying as they tried vainly to reach their feet as a few people ran, crushing their skulls like a smashed watermelon.
Her eyes widened as she tried to stay calm; she wasn't used to seeing so many lost souls. Some were picked up by bird-like Malice called Malo, screaming at the sudden change. The villagers and other villages ran as fast as they could, scrambling to safety, ducking as Malo flew overhead, picking up screaming victims. The victims had their necks snapped as the Malo threw them into the air, catching them like a bird with fish.
What Rena did need to be more; there were too many people and only five. Malice made the mistake of grabbing at her; Rose grabbed its mouth and slammed it down head first.
A few slashes here and there with her Knights by her side. Malice tackled a man as it ate at him, but it was too late; his Essence had disappeared.
Rena ran and jumped towards the Malo, pushing through them and jumping on a few before falling on a Malice lunging at a woman. Haizea grabbed that woman along with the others who still had Life Essence left. The Malice exploded, causing purple-coloured blood to fly out of her, and then she nodded in thanks.
With the amount of Malice and Malo, she killed twice the people who died, even with her Knights. She felt the anger and hatred welling inside her heart; she felt her body start to burn, but it didn't hurt. She knew what was happening; she saw a Jade-coloured light emanating as a wave blasted from her chest, vaporizing everything in its path.
She fell to the ground; Rena stood up; she had seen this color before when she touched Salma. Her Knights landed next to her, and they looked at her.
"What you choose to do, we will help you?" Oceana said
" Do everything you can," Rena ordered, " even if.."
She tried offers, but her Knights understood. Together, they stood firm for a final victory. She knew now she was the Goddess of Protection, Althea, and she needed to protect them. They were innocent; they never desired this pain, this death at every corner.
Salma and Oceana created a rocky, iced barrier to protect thousands of people. The Malo and Malice slash and snarl at the wall, trying in vain to get at the people. Haizea blew the Malo into the wave of fire. Marcus throws a heated blast around the barrier, incinerating the Malice.
Rena tried to gather the power she could never call out. Marcus and Haizea were pushing everything into protecting the people, and she was going. She saw the barrier thin as Oceana and Salma were done; her Knights had nothing to protect the people.
As the world slowed, they screamed as Malice and Malo shot toward them. She felt an electrical current pass through her, but it was familiar. As if it was changing like a battery all this time, it was now charged and ready to go.
Rena, no Althea, the Goddess of Protection, felt herself turn into pure energy, and then she closed her eyes. She knew what was going on and she didn't care. She preyed on the Souls entering Nox that they were safe now. No more sacrifice, no more pain.
"Thank you for fighting next to me, my friends," Althea said, "giving your all for them,"
Her Knights were weary but smiled, "It was a pleasure to fight with you," they said
With a tear falling from her face, the world began again, just as she used everything she had. Althea allowed herself to put forth a blast covering the entire Terra continent, incinerating every last Malice. She hoped it was enough; she could no longer sense Essence so dark.
~
Oceana cried as she saw her leader fall to the rock ground, her charged body crumbling away. Haizea tried to capture the ashes, but it was gone.
She glanced at the Knights, who sensed nothing, but Marcus picked up a white orb.
He held it out as they all wiped away their tears, "Althea is a Goddess of Protection as long as Terra needs protecting," he announced as the people gathered around them, "she will come, and we will be fighting by her side,"