Luca could only look at the back of his father flying away towards an unknown enemy. He was really annoyed and frustrated about his dad just flying away without even a proper explanation. Also him giving Luca his precious necklace as if he was not gonna return...He didn't even want to think about it.
"Uhh...My head..."
"....What happened?"
Luca looked around and saw everyone waking up from their slumber.
'Right...This is not the time. We must first get to safety'
Right now, the best way he could help his father is to hide away without being caught.
Although he hated to admit it, he was just deadweight and a liability to his father. Only by keeping himself safe can his father fight without any worries.
"Everyone get up. We must first get to safety. There's a cave just a few meters ahead. We can hide there for the time being"
But nobody was listening to him. Being the kids they are finding themselves in an unknown situation, everyone burst into tears. Some started crying because of their wounds which were left even after Bruce's healing spell while others started whining for their parents.
"Wahhhh! Mom! Dad!"
"hic...it hurts...hic!"
"What's going to happen to us?"
Seeing this scene, Luca was at a loss as to what to do. He really didn't have time for this. There may be enemies lurking around and attack on them at any time.
They really have to get going but didn't know how to solve this.
"HOLY DOMAIN!"
Suddenly, the whole area was filled small specks of light attracting the attention of the children. Not only did it heal their wounds but also played with the children bringing a smile on their faces.
The source of this miracle was Elena casting a high level healing and all status cure spell, Holy Domain.
The people in its range would receive various buffs, their debuffs and wounds cured. A truly all-purpose support spell.
Elena may not have any significant attack power, but her healing and support spells were one of the best in the whole tribe even surpassing even some of the elders.
Luca who saw her was filled with awe. Elena who just stood there casting a spell looked as if she was the goddess of light blessing the ignorant mortals with her grace.
"What are you looking at?" Elena who had long noticed him starring at her asked with a charming smile.
Luca who saw this immediately started blushing and tried to deny it.
"N-N-Nothing!"
Elena looking at his reaction just smiled and approached the kids.
She hugged them one by one patting and assuring them that it's going to be fine. The kids too hugged her tightly scared that if they let go, she might disappear and leave them alone.
Slowly, she gathered all the children who had now calmed down and ready to leave.
"Now then, shall we?"
Luca could sigh seeing his all-in-one capable crush.
At this rate, he might just develop an inferiority complex towards her.
"Luca?... " Elenor called out.
Luca then snapped out of his daze and nodded at her.
'That's right. This is not the time to wallow in self-pity' thought Luca as they prepared to move.
#Creek#
Suddenly, they heard a twig breaking behind them. Everyone froze in their tracks as they started thinking about the worse case scenario.
Slowly, Luca turned to see only to find a familiar face looking at them from behind the bushes.
"Um... Hey guys??"
The guy said who looked the same age as Elenor but a bit taller and scrawny in build. He had green hair and eyes with a single horn,scales at some parts of his body and a tail on his back.
This was Zalack.
Like Luca, he was a half-blood but unlike him carried a snakekin bloodine in him.
To be fair, Luca didn't even know the race of his mother but it was definitely not snakekin.
These two were the old half -blood in the entire tribe.
But unlike the unbelievably popular Luca, Zalack was a quiet type. He didn't mingle much with others and him being from the snakekin type didn't really help who were one of the tribes in the vast forests and the self-proclaimed rivals of our tribe.
Luca sometimes spoke with him and he didn't seem like a bad guy. Just a guy who found peace in solitude unlike him.
Seeing that it was just him and not an enemy, Luca heaved a sigh of relief.
"Zalack! Bro, you scared the shit out of me. Don't sneak up on people like that" Luca reprimanded him.
"Sorry... I had to be careful lest the intruders noticed me" said Zalack scratching the back of his head.
"Anyway, follow us. We are hiding in a safe place till this ordeal finishes. We cannot afford being caught now" said Luca and signalled him to follow.
The group now with Zalack as an addition started moving leaving the battlefield which now had a eerie and suspicious atmosphere.
As per Bruce's instructions, Luca and the group moved east and soon found the cave.
If not for Bruce's instructions, they might have never found this cave.
One by one, all the children entered the cave and now only Luca, Elenor and Zalack were left.
"Let us enter too" said Luca and he also entered the cave.
Just when Zalack and Elenor were about to enter, they stopped in their tracks as if something had stopped them.
Luca noticing this asked "Is something wrong? "
"Oh... Nothing. We will hide the entrance and soon follow" said Elenor.
Although Luca found something amiss, he didn't dwell too much on it.
"Alright. But be quick. We can't afford to be spotted by the enemy" said Luca as he looked at Elenor.
In return, Elenor just did her usual smile. Luca then left for the insides of the cave.
As soon as Luca left, her smile disappeared as her face was filled with worry and distress.
Zalack also seemed to be panicking.
"I think you noticed it, right?" said Zalack looking at Elenor with a worried expression.
Elenor let out a sigh and said, "Yes... Many people are headed in this direction and they don't seem friendly"
With both of them being Ingrids who have cultivated their magic, their senses were extremely high. Right now, hundreds of enemies were heading in their direction and they don't seem weak.
If the suppression barrier was not there, the duo with their usual strength could deal with them.
But now...they were utterly helpless. If these people found them...Elenor didn't even want to entertain the idea.
Just when she was wondering what to do, Zalack started moving in the enemy's direction.
Elenor who saw this quickly held his hand and stopped him.
"What are you doing?"
"Go with the kids. I'll distract them. I am weak and won't be able to protect them. You on the other hand can, so go with them" said Zalack, ready to move again. But Elenor held him back.
"If someone has to act as bait, it should be me. I failed to protect them once. I can't afford to do that again and besides... " the face of a cheerful white hair boy smiling at her.
'I can't put him in danger!' She thought.
"Anyway, you're a researcher. With your supernatural sense and extensive knowledge, you can quickly lead them towards a safe exit" said Elenor as she knew about Zalack's skill.
Although he was not a fighter, he was a prodigy in the world of pen and knew everything about the tribe and the surrounding forests. She could trust him with leading the children to safety.
"But... " Zalack hesitated. He knew what she was saying was right and this was the most optimal solution. But his heart didn't agree a lone girl to risk her life to lead the enemies away.
"Don't worry. I will survive and besides, l can lead them towards uncle Bruce or other in other elders' direction who can deal with them" said Elenor trying to assure him. But even she was not confident in this plan. One slip up and she would be captured. Only hell await her after that.
'But if they can be safe... ' Elenor thought as she steeled her mind. But Zalack still seemed hesitant about this idea.
"Just go in already!" said Elenor as she pushed Zalack into the cave and started running towards the direction of the enemy.
She could Zalack calling out to her frantically but ignored it all and kept running.
'Don't worry Luca...I will protect you!'
*****
Bruce who had been flying for a while now finally his destination.
The scene there shocked him. Countless bodies of his clan members were on the ground, lifeless. Men, women, elderly etc. Even children were not spared.
Seeing this cruel scene broke his last string of sanity as Bruce started howling like a madman feeling immense pain and sense of loss losing so many of his tribe members in a single night.
Bruce was now frantically looking for the culprits of this massacre. Whoever it was, Bruce swore to make them suffer a paith worse than death.
"Seems like you have lost your sanity. No different than a beast, humph!" said a man in a robe mainly wore by mages floating in the air along with eight other people who were of different races and in different outfits.
Bruce when he saw this man was surprised but soon intense bloodlust started oozing out of him as he yelled, "Morius Windenlock, you two-faced bastard!!"
The man flying in the air was Morius Windenlock, the head imperial mage and strongest man in the Gothel Kingdom. He was the one who approached Bruce bringing up the peace talk and filled his head with the various benefits his tribesmen would receive by becoming part of the kingdom.
At first, Bruce didn't believe him. But after his repetitive efforts and consolation, Bruce finally gave in.
Today was the day peace talks would be held but who would have thought he would bring his people and massacre his entire tribe.
Among the eight people, he could see the tribe leaders of various tribes surrounding them. It was obvious that this was a thoroughly elaborated trap.
But this angered him even more.
"Why?! Just why did you do this?! What have we ever done to you?!" said Bruce as he demanded an answer. He won't be able to rest in peace without knowing the reason.
Seeing his desperation, Morius put on a wicked smile and said, "What do you think? Inferior beings like you should have stayed and crawled on the ground where you belong. Insects trying to reach God?! Blasphemous! All of you lot shall be exterminated from this world so that this pure world doesn't get polluted!" said Morius spreading his hands in the air as if he was a devout follower preaching the teachings of God. Just that all the words from his mouth was complete nonsense.
Bruce didn't understand. He really didn't understand what this psychopath was going on about. Insects? God? What does that have to do with any of this? Was his wish of giving a normal and steady life to his tribe members such a ctibe? Is happiness a crime? Did they really not deserve this?
EXCUSES!!!
They only needed a reason to destroy his clan. Nothing more, nothing less.
"Forget it. I can't listen to this nonsense anymore. But you've got one thing wrong..."
said Bruce as the huge amount of aura surrounded him. This aura gradually started to compress around his lance giving out a terrifying feeling as if the whole world was contained in it.
"...You can only kill creatures weaker than you"
as he said it, he threw the lance towards the sky. The weapon disappeared into the sky as thunder and wind started howling at the place.
Suddenly, the whole area went silent and a single spell was uttered bi Bruce.
"Secret art:Heavenly punishment! "
A huge pillar of lightning fell from the sky on Morius and his group drstroying the whole area with debris and rocks flying everywhere.
From the smoke, a lance flew out and went back to it's master.
This was one of the strongest spell in Bruce's arsenal which earned him the title of 'Twin Horned Battle God'. It was strong enough to destroy an army containing thousands of soldiers let alone these nine people. Even in his weakened state, Bruce was sure that Morius and his group had died.
....Or so he thought.
"Heavenly Punishment... Even in your weakened state, it still packs quite a punch. And your weapon Vajrayudha is one of the strongest weapon I have ever seen in my whole life. A pity...it's in the hands of such an inferior creature"
When the dust settled, Bruce saw Morius and his group standing there merrily. But what shocked him even more is that their body was half-destroyed and was restoring at a visible rate. This phenomenon made them look no different than monsters.
"Just.... What are you?" questioned Bruce as even he found this inconceivable.
"The foolish origins...ring a bell?" said Morius as a maniacal laugh appeared on his face.
Immediately, the expression on Bruce turned to horror but quickly hid it.
"It seems that I will die here today..." said Bruce and he laughed as if pitying the situation he found himself in.
"That you will" said Morius enjoying the expression Bruce had on his face.
Bruce then looked his hand. A bracelet emitting a mysterious aura which belonged to the ancient era. Resolving himself, he pulled it out and a horrifying and bloodthirsty aura came out of him strong enough to even bend the space as spacial cracks appeared around him.
Even Morius who was laughing just now had a serious expression on his face.
'Forgive me...son'
"Come at me, you fuckers! I, Bruce Darkbane, the twenty-seventh leader of the Ingrid clan swear on my bloodline to drag all of you bastards to hell with me"
Saying this, Bruce towards his enemies knowing he won't be getting out of this battle alive.
He was now ready to make his last stand as the clan leader.....No, as a father!
****
A girl was frantically running in the forest heading in a certain direction. She was sweating profusely and her white dress was now covered in it.
This was none other than Elenor who had left the group to distract the enemies in another direction.
'Alright...the ancestral grounds are just ahead. Although the elders don't like getting disturbed...this is a life-and-death matter for the entire tribe. I'm sure they would help!'
She kept running since she knew the enemies were still following her.
"You're here" a voice came from ahead which stopped Elenor in her tracks.
Seeing the person in front of her, Elenor was shocked to the core.
"How?.....you...." she questioned as she couldn't believe her eyes.
But before she could do anything, her vision was blinded as everything went blank....