107. Elaina's Cry! Xiling's Arrival
Although the witch's stamina was quite good, constantly jumping across rooftops was still too difficult for her.
The girl stood opposite her, looking at Elaina with disdain.
"Hey, I say, Mage, with your spineless legs, don't let those 'mutated disease' patients snatch you up as a snack before your supposedly incredibly powerful friend even finds you!"
"Huff...huff...you...you... talk like it's so easy..." Elaina gasped for breath, sweat trickling down her temples. She secretly vowed that she would definitely make physical training a priority when she got back! Of course, that was a matter for later.
Elaina took a deep breath, suppressing her churning lungs and aching legs, and suddenly leaped! Her slender figure drew a less-than-graceful arc in the air, landing precariously on the opposite side, swaying twice before barely regaining her balance.
The girl finally showed a hint of barely satisfied expression.
"Alright, almost there, it's not far ahead. Just a little longer..."
Upon hearing this, Elaina almost cried tears of joy.
This rooftop sprint had exhausted more energy than she had in the entire past year!
Just as Elaina was eagerly anticipating collapsing to catch her breath—
BOOM!!!
A deafening, terrifying roar, seemingly capable of ripping apart the entire town's silence, suddenly erupted from not far away! The source of the sound seemed to be in the direction of that cluster of buildings!
The rooftops beneath her feet trembled slightly from the explosion!
The girl ahead froze! She abruptly turned, staring intently in the direction of the roar. Her usual disdain and impatience vanished instantly, replaced by a near-dull, utterly incredulous astonishment!
"No...impossible!!" she gasped, a distorted cry escaping her throat.
The next second, she sprinted to the edge of the roof, gripping the rickety iron railing tightly with both hands, leaning forward desperately, craning her neck to look towards the church.
When her gaze finally focused on the chaotic battlefield in front of the church—
The girl whirled around, her face contorted with disbelief.
"Ah!" The girl seemed to see the most horrifying sight, staggering back two steps, her footsteps shattering on the rubble, losing her balance, about to fall backward!
"Watch out!" Elaina, quick like lightning, disregarding her own exhaustion, rushed forward and braced herself against the girl's back, preventing her fall.
In that instant of catching the girl, Elaina's gaze also involuntarily fell upon the chaotic battlefield—
Just one glance!
A powerful visual shock and a wave of physical discomfort washed over Elaina like an icy tide!
In the empty square before the church, a gigantic, grotesque monster was rampaging wildly! Its form was so grotesque it defied description; its main body vaguely resembled a humanoid silhouette clad in tattered, heavy plate armor, its size swollen several times its original size. However, the lower half of this humanoid form was strangely fused with a warhorse, its flesh and blood flowing freely!
It wielded a chilling weapon—a sword of flesh and blood, woven from countless writhing flesh and bone spurs!
At this moment, the monster was frantically attacking a group of…knights clad in rusty, dented armor!
Several knights, wielding massive tower shields, stood at the forefront, the ground beneath their feet cracking with each slam of the flesh and blood sword!
Several agile warriors, wielding long spears, leaped onto the monster's back, plunging their sharp spears deep into its flesh!
However… their attacks were utterly ineffective!
No matter how deep the spears pierced, the monster seemed completely oblivious to pain! Its movements showed no hesitation!
It let out a deafening roar, a cacophony of human screams and horse neighs, and swung its flesh-and-blood greatsword in a sudden, violent sweep! The force instantly sent several shield-bearing knights flying!
A huge, grotesque hand covered in tattered arm armor lunged at its back! One of the attacking warriors reacted with lightning speed, tumbling off his horse at the last second!
"That…what kind of monster is that?!" Elaina, suppressing her discomfort, asked the pale-faced girl beside her.
The girl clearly recognized this terrifying creature!
The girl stared at the battlefield, her lips trembling, filled with immense sorrow and unbelievable fear:
"Brother...Captain...he...he was once the commander of the Guardian Knights of our Moonlight Town...Captain Orton..."
"Captain? But why did he become like this! He's completely different from the other patients."
The girl shook her head violently.
"We...we don't know! After the disaster broke out, the captain was always the most steadfast and reliable person! He led the remaining conscious people to establish a base, searching for food and water...until one day, we found him alone at the entrance to a dark, damp sewer, his body...beginning to change... a terrible change had occurred on him..."
Her voice was filled with pain and confusion:
"He realized it himself! He ordered us to find something to block the sewer entrance! He said... don't go near him... just let him stay there forever... forever... until he completely turns into a monster..."
"For three years! The captain! He's never come out! Not even once! Why? Why now of all times! Why did he come out? Why is he attacking the church? What is going on?!"
Unfortunately, Elaina couldn't answer the girl's question. She didn't even know what was happening, and she felt she should focus on another issue.
"I want to ask, can your people defeat him, the captain?"
Elaina pointed to the situation below, her expression not particularly friendly.
Faced with Elaina's question, the girl shook her head firmly.
"Absolutely can't."
Huh? Don't be so certain at a time like this! Hey!
Facing Elaina's astonished gaze, Maya took a deep breath, forcing herself to explain with clearer logic, "Brother... no, Captain Orton... he was originally the only tier 4 knight in Moonlight Town! The strongest guardian here! And the mutation disease... although it robbed him of his sanity, it... It transformed his body into a monster with monstrous strength! Facing the current captain, even the Church's Knights at their peak wouldn't be a match for him, let alone now..."
"Doesn't that sound like it's over?!" Elaina rubbed her forehead, but just then, the girl beside her moved, leaping directly from the edge of the roof several meters high! Landing, she rolled to dissipate the impact and sprinted towards the church!
"Hey!! What are you doing? Come back!" Elaina cried out in alarm; this was blatant suicide!
The girl seemed not to hear her cries, merely waving her arm without turning her head.
Elaina saw Maya grab a broken spear from the ground as she ran, heading towards the enormous monster. Elaina stood frozen on the edge of the rooftop, her gaze fixed on the hellish scene below. The surviving knights struggled futilely beneath the monsters' feet, while the girl who had just dismissed her for her poor physical abilities, like a moth drawn to a flame, recklessly rushed towards the flames of destruction.
Behind the broken windows of the church, Elaina could even vaguely see many terrified and desperate faces—what awaited them once the defenses collapsed?
A bloody massacre!
"What to do…" Elaina's body trembled uncontrollably.
"What should I do…"
Elaina instinctively gripped her wand, but for her, who was unable to use magic, the wand in her hand was no different from an ordinary twig. What was the difference between her, who was unable to use magic, and an unarmed, ordinary girl?
Her mother's gentle yet stern admonitions echoed in her ears:
1. In dangerous situations, try your best to run away.
2. Don't think you are special.
3. You must go back.
Reason screamed in despair:
Escape! Now! Immediately! While everyone's attention is on the church, there's still a chance! This disaster is far beyond her capabilities; forcibly intervening would be tantamount to suicide! She should stand idly by...
However, another thought flashed through her mind...
"I, Xiling, here I proclaim with my life and honor! Whether it's a mountain of knives or a sea of fire, or an ancient god about to fall, as long as I haven't breathed my last, I will absolutely not allow your noble feet to be stained with even a speck of dust! Your safety is the highest meaning of my existence!"
Elaina gritted her teeth, as if she had made a firm decision!
"Xiling, if you're lying to me, I'll haunt you even in death!"
Before the words were finished, Elaina took a step forward without hesitation and leaped from the edge of the high roof!
The impact of her landing left her legs throbbing and numb with pain, but she gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stand. Dragging her unsteady steps, she charged with all her might towards the blood-soaked, dust-filled battlefield of the church.
In the center of the battlefield, several valiant knights lay dead on the ground. A few remaining knights, clutching their broken weapons, stood blocking the path to the church doors, their eyes filled with a numb resignation to their fate.
Everyone understood that when this once-strongest captain appeared as an incomprehensible monster, the end was sealed—the last stronghold of Moonlight Town was about to be destroyed.
Just as the monster was about to launch another attack, a shout came from behind it.
"Hey! Monster! You ugly trash! Look here!!!"
A piercing scream filled with sorrow rang out!
The girl's voice drew the monster's attention, and also the attention of everyone inside the church.
"Maya! Why is she outside?" a knight shouted, struggling to his feet.
"Maya, run! The captain doesn't recognize anyone anymore!"
However, the girl seemed rooted to the spot.
She watched the figure slowly turn around, facing her directly, and began to move. The horse's hooves advanced step by step towards the girl, each step feeling like it was crushing Maya's heart, so heavy it made it hard to breathe.
A smile more painful than tears appeared on the girl's face. She tilted her head back, facing the inhuman monster, her voice choked yet rising in pitch, "Hey, brother, you always... always complain that I'm too obedient, saying it would be better if I were a little more rebellious... then you... You could discipline me like a real brother... regain some of your elder brotherly authority, right?"
She took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress all her fear and sorrow, her voice carrying a stubborn defiance:
"Now... am I... rebellious enough, brother?"
Before the words were finished, Maya suddenly turned, using all her strength to try and run away from the church! She wanted to lure the other party away.
However, she overestimated her strength and underestimated her brother—or rather, this twisted monster— terrifying, inhuman speed!
She had only taken two steps! Just two steps!
A massive shadow loomed over her! The next second, the monster blocked her path, cutting off all her escape routes!
The sound of hooves rang out again, clatter...clatter...clatter... This time, it was slower, closer, like the countdown drums from hell.
Maya, shrouded in shadow, stared at the sword raised high.
It's over… she thought in despair.
Brother…
Just as the massive sword of flesh, whistling through the air, was about to mercilessly strike at her—
A clear, girlish voice suddenly rang out!
"Hey! You ugly, stitched-together monster! Are your eyes crooked? Look here!"
The monster's movements abruptly stopped! The massive sword, poised to strike, hovered in mid-air.
Its grotesque head slowly turned towards the source of the voice!
At the edge of the monster's gaze, Elaina stood, her long, grey hair swaying slightly. Her slender figure appeared as small as dust in the immense shadow. She gripped her wand, temporarily devoid of magic, tightly in both hands, pointing it like a sword at the terrifying presence before her.
Looking at the monster, Elaina wore a self-deprecating smile.
"Hmph… if Mom knew I was doing something so stupid, she'd be furious! A good scolding would be inevitable, and maybe… she'd even hit me."
Elaina felt she must be going crazy. Could it be just because of a seemingly joking remark from Xiling that she had acted this way?
Perhaps that was possible, but… Elaina felt there must be something else that had led her to stand here facing this terrifying monster, but she couldn't remember what it was.
As if receiving a command, the monster turned completely around, shifting all its terrifying pressure and killing intent entirely onto Elaina. The heavy hooves of its horse approached Elaina step by step.
This time, it was Maya's turn to panic completely!
"Hey! Stranger! What are you daydreaming about?!" she screamed hoarsely at Elaina, "Run!!! Run!!!"
Maya struggled to rush forward, trying to stop it!
However, the fear of having just brushed with death erupted instantly. She took only one step, her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground!
"Move! Move!!" Maya frantically pounded her uncooperative legs, but they remained numb and powerless.
She could only scream at the enormous monster with its back to her:
"Hey! Brother! Orton!! You bastard! Bastard!! Look at me! Look at me!!! Have you forgotten me?! You idiot!!!"
However, no matter how much the girl shouted, the monster didn't turn around. Its gaze was fixed on Elaina, like a hunter who had found its prey.
"Run!! What are you still standing there for?!" Maya's voice was hoarse, looking at Elaina with despair.
Did Elaina not want to run? She desperately wanted to! But her legs were trembling; the continuous high-intensity run had already drained her strength.
The thought of running was incredibly tempting, but her body was incredibly honest—overcoming fear and standing upright instead of collapsing to the ground was already the limit she could achieve by gritting her teeth and using all her willpower.
Don't make things too difficult for a young witch who usually only uses a magic broom for transportation!
Watching the monster approach step by step, Elaina closed her eyes. She took a deep, deep breath.
The icy air rushed into her lungs, carrying the stench of blood and the putrid smell of the monster.
When she opened her eyes again, all fear receded like a tide, leaving only unwavering determination in the depths of her deep blue eyes!
The wand in her hand was no longer a cumbersome branch, but an extension of her conviction!
She raised it high, then slid it down like a sword, aiming it at the monster about to swing its greatsword!
"Come..." Her voice was barely audible, yet carried a strange power.
Just as the giant sword of flesh shrieked through the air, mercilessly slashing down at the tiny Elaina—
Elaina, with all the strength she possessed, cried out that name—the name that held all her hope, all her trust, all her desperate courage—like a final prayer, a final magical incantation!
"Xi-ling—!!!!!"
The sound tore through her throat, carrying a desperate, all-or-nothing resolve!
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
The grotesque blade of the flesh-and-blood greatsword was less than an arm's length away from Elaina's head! The fierce wind pressure even ripped a few strands of silver hair from her forehead!
However—
Faster than that sword of death…
It was a light!
A white sword light!
Just an instant! Only an instant!
The flesh-and-blood greatsword, along with the monster's massive, twisted body, was sliced apart! Finally, it fell to the ground.
Dead silence!
Absolute dead silence enveloped the entire battlefield!
The survivors stared in disbelief, completely unable to comprehend what had just happened.
The knights stopped groaning. Maya forgot to pound her legs; her mouth gaped open, staring blankly at the massive wreckage instantly cleaved in two, then her gaze snapped to Elaina, still holding her wand aloft at the edge of the pool of blood.
The figure remained in a spellcasting pose, sweat streaming down her pale cheeks, her body trembling slightly—the result of exhaustion and the shock of surviving a near-death experience.
Then, under everyone's breathless gaze, Elaina swayed, murmuring in a voice only she could hear, "...Xiling."
Elaina's vision began to slowly fade into darkness, her body collapsing towards the ground...
However... just before losing consciousness, she felt herself enter a warm embrace.
And a comforting voice.
"Thank you for your hard work, Witch."
At that moment, a slow smile spread across Elaina's lips as she completely lost consciousness.