Evelyn's eyes followed it, and then—
BAM!
Her fist connected to its head. Its skin rippled as it flew back, crashing on the ground. Dead.
Wind whooshed around her fist as she rose from the ground. Her mechanical gear was detached from her arms.
She twisted her wrist, massaging it.
"That took a while." She raised an arm to cheer. "I'm okay!"
Killian halted, and let out a sigh of relief.
Juda looked at the battered rabbit, and then back at Evelyn. He couldn't believe she just did that.
Suddenly. CRACK!
The holes on the ground widened.
CRACK! CRACK!
Three figures leapt out from the cracks, and charged in front of Evelyn, separating her from the other two trainees.
In the middle, stood a human-like girl, with her hair held up like rabbit ears. She wore normal clothing, a white dress, and small blue shoes. Her inner iris was rainbow-coloured while the outer part blue.
Her skin was pale, delicate, and she looked at most five years, in human age. She turned to the two, crouching down like a rabbit, ready to pounce.
Killian locked eyes with the human-rabbit girl.
"You."
His brows knitted together. It could talk. "Me?"
"You all!" She spat. "Monsters!!"
As she screamed, all the other rabbits acted unusually. They once again charged manically at the trainees, yelling out a battle cry.
This is really shit.
I don't want to need my shadows either.
He gripped the bat once again. "Concentrate and use your fists. Any other explosions and I'll batter you too."
Juda swallowed hard, looking at the blood-stained bat. He agreed with a nod. They both stepped forward.
Killian met the first attacker with the bat.
Crack!
The bat connected cleanly, and its body dropped instantly. There was no hesitation now. He needed to end it quickly before he ran out of stamina.
"Stop!" the human-rabbit yelled. "Please!"
Killian was mid-swing. Evelyn ran towards them. Juda reached to grab one.
But they all stopped.
Vines materialized, connecting from the human-rabbit's fingers to a rabbit, about to be smashed by Killian's swing. She pulled the rabbit towards herself.
The other rabbits scurried back, encircling the human-rabbit like scared children.
Killian lowered his bat, an odd emotion forming in his eyes.
What am I doing? I feel like a scum. A bully.
These rabbits didn't act like monsters. Instead, they seemed intelligent and didn't attack first, and only wanted to protect themselves.
This isn't the time to think logically. We have a mission to kill them. I should just do that.
"Just to let you know, I do not enjoy the Earth Element as much as the other elements. So you don't have to go through this. There will be other monsters here."
Well, this isn't about you.
"Then, what did the creatures of Daln do to deserve this massacre?"
Killian looked away from the human-rabbit glaring at him.
I don't ask questions.
"You should. They aren't powerful to be a threat, so why control their population? Do they look like they would attack humans? Aren't you the one infiltrating their realms? They are only being the 'Wardens' of their own realms. While you are being monsters."
Killian frowned, hearing those words. He wasn't one who cared to follow rules and regulations, but so far, controlling realms for peace and efficiency always made sense.
However he could see why the argument couldn't hold water with these rabbits.
They weren't much as a collective to be deemed a threat to humans.
He looked around the once grassy field now covered with blood, limbs, and the inner parts of a rabbit. This must be traumatic for these 'monsters'.
"I feel conflicted." He started.
Evelyn's eyes shifted to the human-rabbit, she strolled to the other two, folding her arms.
"So, what do you want to do? I also didn't expect cute rabbits even if the announcer warned—"
"They are not cute." Juda said firmly, interrupting Evelyn.
"I heard about the creatures of Daln. Don't you wonder how one of them looks human? They evolve because of their closeness to our realms' magic. Soon enough, they'd evolve to were-rabbits. Will you still see them as cute rabbits then?"
Nonsense. My point remains.
"Shouldn't we control their realm when we have reason to?" Killian asked him. "Do people get arrested and killed because of a potential crime they'd commit?"
Also, how does being close to human realms make them evolve to were-rabbits?
There are some humans who will never have enough mana to be Mages or Wardens, or even flicker a WLog, or gain a drop of affinity to any element. Normal people. Nulls.
Why doesn't that theory hold up for them?
"Holes. Holes, I tell ya."
Killian breathed out. He kept the bat on his shoulder, relaxing his posture and dropping his guard completely.
"You two can go ahead with it. I'm done here." He marched back, being careful not to step on the corpses scattered around.
Evelyn watched him leave, then returned her eyes to the human-rabbit.
"I killed some when I blasted the ground. That's why you trapped my gear in, right?" Evelyn asked.
"Just tell me how many are left to get to ten kill counts, and bring sacrifices, then no one has to die unnecessarily."
Those words leaving Evelyn's lips made Juda shudder, but Killian only smiled. He was used to it. Also, it was pragmatic. She wanted to win.
"Juda, you handled a lot too before the explosion. You can sit it out." Killian said.
He saw the human-rabbit getting angrier at how they discussed her family like they didn't matter.
However, at that moment, they really didn't.
Their lives were in their palms and even if it would take a while, it would still be easy to quench.
But Killian had a heart and while he still wanted to exercise mercy, they should think fast.
"Yeah." Juda sighed. "My mana is already drained. I'd sit it out too, I guess."
Evelyn nodded, and faced the rest. She pursed her lips slightly. "Five more. And we'd let you guys go."
Silence.
Then the human rabbit stepped forward. "I probably have more points for your game. Take me."
Killian's expression softened. Just like that worm, she might be D-Rank and have at least 15 points.
But he asked, "Why you?" It was never easy to sacrifice oneself for others.
She looked down at her hands. "I am an anomaly, so maybe… I should die."
Killian's lips twitched on hearing that. His heart grew heavier. Anomalies are unregistered creatures. I don't read much but those manuals definitely had no were-rabbits.
To die for the simple reason of being an anomaly.
It was a curse given to her from birth. His anomaly was a blessing given to him at the lowest point of his life.
If a strong Mage tried to wipe out his family just because of his odd fate, then he would do anything to fight back, just like these rabbits had done.
At the end, he could see how twisted the concept of controlling a realm would be if the right reasons weren't given out.
Unlike the troublesome Goblin and Direwolves realms around theirs, these creatures were being exterminated because of their potential to evolve.
It was sickening.
Yet. It wasn't unreasonable.
She was a D-rank creature but being able to use the special element, Plant/Vine Element fusion is a rare feat on its own.
These rabbits have the potential to be a threat.
Or ally.
"You heard her." Juda folded his arms. "Kill her now because more trouble will come if evo—"
The other rabbit lunged forward immediately, trying to attack.
"Stop!"
The rabbit was suspended mid-air.
She gently pulled the rabbit back, and it returned to her arms. She squeezed it in a tight hug.
"Please, let them take me," she sobbed, tears streaming down her eyes.
"Just only me."