"Sirus! Please answer me! I… I can't live without you! Please, answer me!"
Tears streamed down Sasha's gentle face, her heart aching with every frantic beat.
"Sasha, please, dear, ju—"
"I need to find Sirus, Ethan!"
She darted across the chaotic square, eyes scanning wildly, calling his name again and again.
Ethan took a deep breath and gently grasped Sasha's trembling shoulders, locking eyes with her tear-streaked face.
"Please... calm down. I'm just as worried as you are. But we have to stay grounded. Take a breath. Let's go ask the village chief."
He wiped her tears with a calloused thumb and pulled her into a brief, tight hug before leading her by the hand toward the village center.
The village chief's ears twitched as he heard Ethan's voice echo behind him. Turning, he blinked in surprise.
"Mr. Ethan?! What are you doing here? I told everyone to evacuate!"
"Have you seen our son, Sirus?"
Sasha grabbed the chief's shirt in desperation. "Please, Chief—where is my son? Don't tell me he's been hurt!"
She clutched her chest as her knees buckled, collapsing in grief.
"Sirus…?"
The chief scratched his cheek, trying to recall. "Wait… No. He couldn't have…"
He shook his head, then knelt in front of her.
"Miss Sasha, please. Go with your husband. Evacuate with the others. I promise—on my name—I won't let your son die. I'll return him to you, I swear it."
He rested his large hand on her shoulder before standing, nodding solemnly at Ethan.
"Sasha… Come on. We have to trust him," Ethan murmured, guiding her away.
Then—
Sirus's voice echoed across from the mountain top. "How do you like that, you miserable human scum? ARRGHH!"
[SWOOSH!]
"S-SIRUS!" the chief shouted, panic seizing him. "What are you doing?! Get down! You're no match for them!"
Snatching a nearby spear, he bolted toward the boy.
Ethan and Sasha's eyes widened as they spotted their son — standing defiantly with a bow nearly his own size, aimed at the approaching invaders.
Sasha lurched forward, but Ethan held her back, shaking his head.
"It's too dangerous," he whispered.
…
"What are you idiots afraid of? It's one demon with a bow! KILL HIM!"
[ZOOM—SWOOSH!]
"ARGHHH!"
A wizard dropped to the ground, an iron-tipped arrow lodged deep in his neck. His barrier incomplete, he died instantly.
"USELESS FUCKING WIZARDS!" the commanding knight spat. "I'll handle it myself!"
Dismounting, he summoned a golden, mana-forged bow in a flash of blue light. Arcane energy ignited along the string, crackling like lightning.
"Let me show you how it's done."
He closed his eyes, steadying his breath. A shimmering mana arrow appeared in his fingers.
[SHRII—SWOOSH!]
…
"Shit, I actually got one," Sirus muttered, stunned—then laughed, wild and breathless.
The glow of his mana shifted—from calm blue to a flickering crimson.
"Huh? What's that ligh—"
"SIRUS! GET DOWN!"
[SHHHHH—SWISH!]
"ARGH!"
[THUD]
"C-Chief?! What are y-you doing?"
Sirus stared in shock as the chief collapsed over him, a gaping, fist-sized hole punched through his shoulder blade.
"You alright, Chief?" he gasped, blood soaking through his clothes.
With a strained grin, the chief laughed. "This? Nothing. Had worse… Argh—haha… Damn arm's useless now."
He slumped to the side, groaning as his weight hit the ground.
"Your family's worried, boy," he rasped. "Go. I'll hold them off."
"No! You're coming with me!" Sirus screamed, trying in vain to drag the enormous man.
"FUCK! I just wanted to help! I missed almost every shot—I only took down one!"
"Sirus… It's alright. Leave me."
The chief coughed up blood, his breath shallow.
"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP THE CHIEF!"
Sirus's voice cracked in desperation, but before he could run, the chief grabbed his shoulder.
"Listen to me, boy. I'm the village chief. That makes every life here—yours included—my responsibility."
His eyes burned with resolve as he forced himself upright, gripping his spear.
"I order you to evacuate with your parents."
Without another word, he lifted Sirus and hurled him onto a wagon of hay.
"No! NO! What are you doing?!" Sirus shouted, tumbling into the wagon. He looked up to see the chief roaring, charging toward the army.
…
"Tsk. Missed," muttered Philip, lowering his bow.
Suddenly—
"DEMON! BRACE YOURSELVES!"
"That thing's huge!"
"It's not stopping—!"
A massive, three-meter demon thundered down the mountain, roaring with fury.
Philip turned. "What the hell are you yelling about? It's just one—"
Before he could finish, he saw the demon.
Mana arrows tore into the demon's body—legs, arms, chest—but still it charged, unstoppable. Even as one arrow pierced its thigh, it didn't fall.
Lowering his head, the demon's horns impaled two knights. With a violent jerk, he flung their lifeless bodies into the others, sending blood and armor clattering.
"Formation! Wizards, freeze spells—aim for the legs! Fire mages, target the upper body! Knights, shields up!"
As the army scrambled to obey, Philip prepared another mana arrow, growling with rage.
The demon chief—his body pierced and bleeding—pulled the impaled knights free and hurled them into the crowd. Then, with one final effort, he threw his spear.
[SHUNK—SHUNK—SHUNK!]
Multiple wizards collapsed in a heap. But the enemy's numbers were overwhelming—over thirty wizards, fifty knights… and two Holy Knights still untouched.
Coughing blood, the chief fell to his knees.
'This is all I could do. I'm sorry… Sirus. Become strong, boy. Stronger than me… I thought I'd killed all the humans bearing that flag… I was wrong.'
The light faded from his eyes.
The army hesitated.
"IDIOTS! BURN THE BODY! MAKE SURE IT'S DEAD!"
The volley of fireballs erupted. The flames consumed the fallen demon.
Philip laughed maniacally. "HA! Not so tough now, are you?"
But then, his face turned cold.
"I'll find every last one of you. I'll burn your corpses to ash."
Kane watched from behind, pale with horror.
'If I had known the Holy Knights were like this… I never would've joined.'