All I did was run.
I didn't know where I was going, but all I knew was that maybe I was needed somewhere, that maybe right now I could save one more life.
"Funny enough, am I not the reason behind all of this in a way?"
I muttered under my breath, as I ran through the road. Looking for any monster lurking around.
"Back off—!"
"Hurry, Dammit!"
Shouts came from another corner. Hearing them, I hastened my steps. Wind passed through my hair making it flutter, my breathing finally seemed to calm down as I stopped.
Two people stood there–Wrapped in Morgana's ability, an orange glow evoked from both of them.
They were Templar knights.
Both of them stood in front of three newborns. One has a big cut over his face, as it bleeds down profusely, while the other two monsters seem to have been pushed back.
Both knights took a step back and turned their heads to see me and visibly frowned.
"Who are you?!"
One of them shouted pointing his sword towards me, the other kept his eyes on the monsters.
They were wary of me.
Who wouldn't be? Seeing a grown man wearing a mask in the middle of the night, covered in a cloak from head to toe.
Luckily they didn't call me a clown or even I would have taken an offence.
"I would have loved to exchange some words of pleasantries... But I don't think we have the time to do so." I called out, moving forward ignoring them.
One of the monsters in the back moved, its scythe-like arms ready to strike the knight ahead.
"Dammit!"
My eyes widened in surprise as the knight raised his sword, a metallic sound resounded in the air as they both clashed. Small sparks of electricity flew through the knight's blade pushing the monster back again.
"Let me help." Saying that I took my sword out, and dashed ahead.
"Wait—!"
One of them shouted to stop me but I couldn't waste time anymore.
These creatures were only rank 1 monsters, it would be more helpful if I helped in killing beasts instead of lower rank.
Slowing them down through Kairosflow, I raised my sword.
The monster swung its arm, but the blade met only air as I sidestepped its attack with a graceful twirl. I brought my sword down in an arc, aiming for the creature's unguarded neck. A flicker of panic in its yellow eyes was all I saw before the steel sliced through flesh and bone, and the creature fell to the ground, lifeless.
Not stopping I moved to the next one. The sword crackled as it broke into a sword whip, with a strong twist of my hand I threw it toward the monster afar, the one with a fresh wound over its face.
Even though injured it took the blunt force of the attack, its chest opened up as the whip did the damage. A purple wound came over it as it tried to run away, taking three steps back it fell and started crawling as poison filled the monster's body, making it shiver and twitch in agony.
Ignoring it, I moved for the next monster, the healthier of the two. It was a beastly creature, almost twice the size of a man with sharp claws and teeth that could rip through metal.
The knights had done their best to hold it back, but the fear in their eyes was palpable.
I could smell the adrenaline in the air, the scent of sweat and blood mixing with the stench of the monsters.
Not giving it any chance to move, I froze its time.
Standing still like a statue, the monster looked harmless. But I knew what needed to be done.
I jumped stepped mid-air, and landed a kick with all my weight on it. Simultaneously I stabbed it, the blood clotted instantly as the monster time again started moving forward.
Unde my sudden weight it lost balance and fell back. My sword pierced its deeper with a roar it tried to get up, moving its small hand to reach his stomach.
But it was of no use, purple lines formed over its chest. The poison spread fast, making foam come through its mouth.
After some seconds of struggle, it finally went limp, its hand fell to the ground with a loud thud.
The monster has finally died.
The knights stared at me in shock. Their eyes were wide with a mix of fear and amazement. The one who had been fighting the creature with the sword, let go of his weapon as it clattered to the ground. He stumbled backward, his hand shaking as he reached for the cross necklace around his neck.
I turned my head to look at the monster with the injured face, it had left a trail of blood during its crawl to escape but it also was not moving anymore.
The wound I gave was not that deep, he had suffered because of the poison coming from the sword of Repose.
Seeing its struggle I clicked my tongue in frustration.
"Looks like I underestimated the potency of that poison," I murmured, sheathing my sword.
I put my right hand over my heart and lowered my head toward the monster, seeing me the two knights opened their mouths only to close it.
The silence was deafening, they probably wanted to refute what I did just now. But remembered that these monsters were former humans, just like them.
They had been turned into horrendous beings due to a twisted turn of fate. We can't give them a proper farewell, but I hope to respect them as human beings for the last time.
The two knights were still silent as they saw me approach them. The one who hadn't talked yet was young, probably new to the field. His eyes were full of questions, but his mouth remained shut.
"I wanted to respect the dead, even if they are no longer humans... This is the least we can do."
Saying this I walked past them, they had not asked me the reason, but I felt it was necessary to give words to my feelings just now.
The young one nodded in understanding, his gaze softening as he watched me. The older knight, however, still had his guard up. His hand hovered over his sword hilt, unsure of what to make of my words.
"... Yes, you are correct." With a small pause, the older knight said, seeing my back he did a small bow to the monster's directions who now had returned to nature's embrace.
The younger one looked at his partner, and then back to me. "What is your name, Sir?"
I didn't answer for a few moments as I continued to walk, he seeing my silence lowered his head in disappointment.
"...Reaper, just call me that for tonight."
I didn't bother turning back. I had no intention of forming attachments here, not when this city was falling apart.
Boom—!
A strong wind stopped me, and the rubbles from the shockwaves flew in all directions. We looked up at the source of the loud noise.
Morgana stood above her swords, flying above the city, her swords moved efficiently and ruthless manner creating shockwaves in the air, as more than twenty of them descended piercing the monsters below her.
It was like witnessing a meteor shower itself, as the orange lights filled the night sky and fell down.
"...So flashy, When will I get some kind of offensive abilities myself."
I muttered, watching Morgana in action from a distance. She was indeed powerful, a force to be reckoned with.
Now that I think about it, how old is she?
According to Liber's words to ascend forward many factors are needed. Time was one of them. It took people more than two years to become awakened from awakener, or even after two years it was not guaranteed they would become one.
But she was not an awakened but rather a Transcendent, a true force of nature.
Unlike me who somehow became awakened in the span of one month, she must have taken a considerable amount of time, to reach her status.
I should ask Franz, next time I get the chance. Asking about her age to Morgana would be way too rude.
As these thoughts passed through me, a deafening roar echoed behind me.
I turned back and ran toward the sound the other two knights nodded to each other and followed behind me.
There it was a beast, a swamp-like monstrosity, it blended with one other beast beside it, eating him away as it grew in size.
Before I knew it was already reaching the size of a house as it spread around, someone gulped, his teeth chattering.
But no one could scold him for it, this beast after all looked untouchable.