The midday sun burned the earth, making the air shimmer above the village roads. The fishy smell of blood mixed with burning wood smoke filled the air. People's screams shattered the chirping of birds that had disappeared somewhere.
"Ayra! Hurry!" Lyra shouted, pulling her younger sister's hand. Her small feet slipped on the ground slick with blood, but Ayra quickly pulled her up again, forcing them to keep running among the houses whose roofs had already collapsed.
Behind them, heavy footsteps pounded the dry ground, followed by the clear echo of clashing steel amid the screams. A Knight in full armor, his metal plates reflecting sunlight blindingly, stepped forward while dragging a sword still dripping fresh blood.
Every time those knights swung their swords, one life was lost. Ayra glanced back and saw an adult man who was none other than her own father.
The man tried to block with a wooden spear, a futile gesture. The sword slashed, the man's body split almost in half, and his blood splattered onto the dry ground, forming a red pool quickly absorbed by the dust.
"Father!" Ayra screamed hysterically upon witnessing her own father's death. "Sister, wait! Father... father is still there!"
Lyra herself kept running without looking back. She also didn't slow down her running speed at all; instead, she kept increasing her pace.
At the same time, she also remembered her father's last request.
"Run, Lyra! Run! Take Ayra with you!"
That was the last image of her father the girl remembered.
The girl bit her lip until it bled.
"Sis... I'm... tired..." Ayra's voice was hoarse, her eyes watery not only from fear, but also from her sweat.
Lyra pulled her into a narrow alley between two houses. "Quiet, don't come out," she whispered while hugging tightly her trembling sister's body.
The sound of steel footsteps grew closer. Through the crack in the broken boards, Lyra saw the flash of light from the Knight's iron plates as he turned, as if sniffing out their presence.
Lyra held her breath.
Suddenly—THUD!—the sword pierced through the wooden board beside her face, sending wood splinters flying and nearly injuring her eye. Ayra screamed silently, and Lyra no longer had any choice but to run.
They emerged from the gap, breaking through the road filled with dust and embers. In the distance, a cow ran in panic, its horns covered in blood, before its body fell due to a slash from another Knight.
Ayra and Lyra tried to circle around the village well to avoid the main road.
Her breathing grew faster, her heartbeat loud enough as if it wanted to explode, and her legs trembled violently. Before long, she would quickly become exhausted, and she would collapse and be unable to get up.
If she were alone, perhaps she would have already lost strength and given up.
However, she was holding her sister's hand. That gave her energy to run.
Actually, it was the great desire to save her sister that caused Lyra to keep running until now.
While running, she looked back again.
The distance between herself and her pursuer hadn't changed. Despite wearing armor, the man's speed wasn't reduced. The difference between a trained soldier and a village girl was very clear.
Sweat poured down Enri's back and her body grew colder. If this continued... she wouldn't be able to escape with her sister.
Before them stretched a wide wheat field that had turned yellow. The hot wind made the wheat stalks sway.
"Don't stop," Lyra hissed, though her breath felt like swallowing embers.
The sound of steel footsteps was heard again behind them. Not just one—several other Knights now joined the chase. The sound of their armor clashing against each other, a steady rhythm that pounded their ears like war drums.
Lyra pulled Ayra down the dirt path between the wheat, hoping the height of the stalks could cover them. However, the sunlight penetrating through the gaps still made their shadows clear on the ground.
Suddenly, a whistling sound came from behind and an arrow shot past, embedding in the ground just a few inches from Ayra's feet. The little girl screamed, nearly falling, but Lyra lifted her and forced them to run faster.
They saw the edge of the forest in the distance.
Just before they reached the trees, the sound of a horse's neighing echoed. From the right side of the field, a black horse galloped fast, its rider a Knight in a red cloak, different from the previous one. He leaned down slightly, holding a spear aimed straight at them.
"To the left!" Lyra turned sharply, forcing Ayra to break through the denser wheat. The stalks whipped their faces and arms, but that was better than becoming a spear target.
However...
Woooosshhh!
An arrow shot through, slicing the air, and embedded deep in Lyra's calf. The girl screamed shrilly before falling hard onto the dusty ground.
"Sister!"
Lyra turned around, eyes wide seeing blood seeping quickly from the wound. "Run! Run to the forest!" she shouted, though her heart rebelled.
"Bu... but... what about sister?! I don't want to be alone!"
Lyra tried to get up, but her body swayed, her hand reaching for support.
"Ayra, please... run..." the voice trembled, mixed with sobs. Tears ran down her cheeks, wetting her face reddened by dust and fear. "Find help and come back here, okay?"
***
In the Holy Empire, Basilica.
The young man stopped in the middle of the hall.
Before him, blue stained glass soared high, casting light that filled the room.
Five robed figures stood on the pulpit. They observed from higher ground, without speaking.
The man knelt.
The sound of his footsteps echoed, then silence returned.
A companion stood beside him, staring straight ahead.Blue light from the stained glass illuminated them.
In the next moment, one of the robed figures spoke.
"One of the members possessing the greatest power of the Holy Empire, Crimson Gospel, has been defeated by a dragon."
"Tarn the Unbent, was it? He was such a valuable asset."
"Yes, he was one of the cards we could use against Lorveth the Immortal."
"Truly regrettable."
"But that's not our main focus. We already know well how strong Tarn the Unbent and Lorveth the Immortal are. The problem is, how do we eliminate the creature that can kill both of them."
"What about Heo the Death Priest? Where is he now? Do you know anything, Reyga the Glory?"
The kneeling man raised his face. His black hair was somewhat long and disheveled.
"His whereabouts are still unknown. Currently, Jack the Hollow is still searching for him," the man answered.
"I see. In that case, Reyga the Glory, I hereby order you to search for information about this enemy. No need for direct contact. Just observe and watch from afar."
"Yes, Archbishop."
***
Ugh, how long have I been asleep?
And... I also feel very hungry.
When was the last time I ate?
Maybe that was half a year ago?
Wait, has my body grown bigger again? Ah, I hate this. The bigger my body gets, the bigger my appetite becomes too.
Considering my body size that can already cover the entire sky of a city, I can't imagine how much energy I need to move.
Ah, how lazy...
But if I continue like this, I'm worried I'll starve to death.
Ah, I don't want to die again either...
The moment when my soul was forcibly expelled from my body was truly painful. I clearly strongly refuse to experience that again.
Moreover, if I die and reincarnate again, who knows what I'll become next.
I might become an insect or a creature far worse than that.
Or perhaps if I don't have a chance to reincarnate again, will I go to hell? Or just eternal emptiness?
Whatever it is, I don't want to experience it.
Ah, but I'm really too lazy to go hunting for food with my body like this.
The food in this world isn't that delicious either.
The last food I ate, if I'm not mistaken, was a fish.
Honestly, it didn't look like any fish from Earth at all. From its shape to its taste, it was nothing like a fish.
Was it because I ate it raw?
Besides, since I came to this world, I don't think I've ever eaten anything decent and delicious.
Well, with my body like this, of course it's difficult for me to cook.
I also can't burn my food ingredients because the heat from my fire is too strong.
So I can only eat my prey directly.
If I had to say, the food that's truly still tolerable is beef.
However, with my current condition, who knows how many cows would be needed to make me feel full.
Ah, damn! I'm really hungry!
I'll think about that later.
Anyway, I'll look for something edible first.
Whatever it is.
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