I leaped straight toward the priest, my dagger and black aura cutting through the thick flames of his, ready to end him.
His laughter erupted, wild and menacing, echoing against the cracking walls. "Hahahahahaha!" His deep voice carried the weight of madness and defiance.
"Keep laughing as it's your last enough anyways you filthy piece of shit." I said, focusing all my focus and aura towards him.
"You think I'll let them go?" he snarled, his fiery eyes gleaming with absolute insanity. "This will be my final offering to Lord Malokos!"
Before I could close the distance between us, he tilted his head back, opened his mouth wide, and unleashed a torrent of plasma fire into the air. The large beam of fire tore through the roof of the church, blowing it apart.
The flames surged toward the sky, their heat scorching everything in the vicinity. The entire church began to tremble violently as massive chunks of stone and debris started raining down.
The priest stood in the center of the destruction, his grotesque form illuminated by the hellish light of his flames.
"Hahahahaha! Ahahaha! Hahahaha! Bwahahahahaha!!!" His laughter grew louder, echoing through the collapsing structure as though he had already prepared for his own death.
The heavy rocks fell around him and even on him, but he didn't flinch. He stood still, ready to be buried alive, his insane laugh reverberating like the last hymn of a devil.
I gritted my teeth as the realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. The destruction wasn't just for him—it was a final trap for everyone inside.
I turned sharply toward the exit. "Hina!" I roared, my voice cutting through the chaos, and without wasting a moment, I dashed toward her with all the speed I could muster.
Hina and the children were running toward the church's exit, their feet stumbling on the uneven ground as the earth trembled beneath them and debris started falling around. Dust filled the air, making it hard to see, and the sound of falling debris was deafening.
"Keep going! Don't stop!" Hina shouted, her voice firm despite the panic gripping her heart. She kept an eye on the children, ensuring none of them were left behind.
But just as they neared the exit, a massive piece of debris crashed down, sending shockwaves through the ground. The impact threw the children off their feet, and dust swirled around them, obscuring their vision.
Hina coughed and scrambled to her feet, shaking off the disorientation. "You guys okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
The dust began to settle, and her heart sank. Two of the children—one of them the little girl who had called her cute—were trapped beneath the rubble.
Hina's eyes widened in horror. The girl was crying, her small voice trembling. "Sister... help me... it hurts..."
The boy, tears streaming down his face, echoed her cries. "Yes, sister... please..."
She turned to the remaining five children. "Go! Run outside! Don't stop until you're safe!"
The five children hesitated, fear etched on their faces, but when Hina shouted again, they obeyed, stumbling toward the exit.
Hina turned back to the trapped children, her hands trembling as she began trying to lift the heavy debris. "Hold on!" she cried, desperation lacing her voice.
The rubble was impossibly heavy, and her fingers began to bleed as she clawed at the stone. "Please... get up!" she begged, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face.
The girl whimpered. "Sister... it hurts..."
The boy's voice was faint. "Please, sister..."
Hina's body trembled with the effort, her aura flaring around her in a desperate attempt to summon more strength. But it wasn't enough.
The flames from the priest's attack began surging toward them, a wave of hellfire ready to engulf everything in its path. Hina turned, her eyes wide with terror as she saw the flames closing in.
She screamed, releasing her aura in one final attempt to save the children. "Please... someone... help!"
The flames were upon her when a black blur shot through the air.
I appeared like a shadow, my aura slicing through the oppressive heat as I dashed forward. Without hesitation, I dashed on Hina's stomach that lifted her over my shoulder.
"No!" she screamed, pounding her fists weakly against my back. "The kids! Take the kids as well—"
Her voice broke as the world seemed to slow around her. Time froze for a moment as she saw the trapped girl and boy reaching out their hands toward her, their small hands stretching desperately.
"Sister!" they cried, their voices drowned out by the roar of the flames.
Hina stretched her arms toward them, tears streaming down her face. But the flames erupted, engulfing them in an instant. The massive debris fell, cutting off her view as the fire consumed everything.
I dashed through the collapsing church, the flames licking at my heels as I carried Hina out. The heat was unbearable, the destruction closing in from all sides.
The moment I burst through the church's door, the flames followed, erupting outward in a final, violent explosion.
I stumbled as I hit the ground outside, the force of my momentum too fast. We skidded across the dirt, finally coming to a stop a few feet away.
"Arghhhh..." I groaned and pushed myself up, dusting off my clothes. My body ached from the exertion, but I showed no emotion. My face remained calm, though my heart felt heavy.
Ahead of me, Hina on her knees, her shoulders trembling. Her eyes were wide, tears flowing freely as she stared at the burning church.
The remaining five children stood behind us, their small bodies trembling but unharmed.
I glanced at her but said nothing. There was nothing I could say.
The church continued to burn, the flames consuming everything within. The priest's laughter had stopped. The crackling of fire and the distant cries of the wind carried the surrounding.
I stood silently, watching the flames, as Hina's sobs filled the air.