The dense forest swallowed the three figures as they fled for their lives. The sound of snapping dry twigs underfoot and their heavy, ragged breathing filled the air. They knew "Eagle," that ruthless and composed hunter, was not an enemy who would easily let his prey escape. Fear still gripped their hearts, but the primal instinct for survival propelled them forward relentlessly.
"Brother!" Kiana yelled to Ryu, her voice still trembling with a mixture of panic and confusion. Though some of her strength was returning, the image of the archer-assassin was seared into her mind. "What in the world was that thing back there?! Where did it come from? And how did you get here? The village?! Is everyone safe?!" Questions poured from her, revealing her concern for both the immediate threat and the fate of Ashwind Post, the village they had left behind.
Ryu, who was leading the way, glanced back briefly at his sister and Da Vinci. His expression was grim but resolute. "Calm down, Kiana! We can talk about that later. Right now, we need to get out of its attack range!"
But before he could explain further!
The scene abruptly cut back to "Eagle," still standing serenely near the entrance of the Athenaeum of Embers. He gazed in the direction where the three had disappeared into the dense woods, his amber-yellow mechanical eyes glinting as if calculating something. He raised his black metallic bow high once more. The tip of the special arrow nocked on its string began to glow with an increasingly brilliant golden light; immense energy was gathering at its point!
"Filthy rats... thinking you could escape me so easily," Eagle murmured, his voice cold, before it rose slightly in power. "Divine Judgment Arrows! Let them fall like a deluge! Rain of Retribution!"
As his words ended, Eagle loosed the arrow into the sky! The single golden projectile soared high, almost to the clouds, before exploding mid-air, shattering into hundreds, even thousands, of smaller golden arrows! They shimmered and sparkled like a constellation falling from the heavens, then began to arc downwards, descending upon the earth below like a furious, indiscriminate storm! Their target was the precise area of the forest where Da Vinci, Kiana, and Ryu were desperately fleeing!
Eagle watched his devastating handiwork with an impassive expression before slowly lowering his bow. "Maximum effective range, then..." he said to himself. "My mission is to guard this place, not to engage in a senseless pursuit." He turned and slowly walked back into the shadows of the ruins before the Athenaeum, leaving the fate of the three under the golden arrow rain.
Cutting back to Da Vinci's group, they were still running at full speed through the undergrowth when Ryu suddenly yelled out a desperate warning!
"Everyone! It's not over! Brace yourselves!"
Looking up, they were horrified to see a sky filled with countless golden glints, an arrow storm about to descend upon them!
"This is insane! How can it attack from this distance?!" Kiana swore, a mixture of shock and fury in her voice.
Ryu let out a fierce cry, drawing his beloved katana once more, his eyes blazing with determination. "Second Form: Thunderstorm Wind Wall!" He swiftly created a swirling barrier of wind around their small group! The invisible but tangible force of the wind deflected and lessened the impact of the first waves of golden arrows, buying them precious seconds. Though the wind wall wasn't permanent and began to weaken under the relentless barrage, it was a vital reprieve.
As some arrows began to pierce through the weakening wind barrier, Ryu switched to his lightning-fast and precise swordsmanship, deflecting or slicing through the projectiles aimed at critical points. "Shadowless Sword Dance: Arrow Sever!" His blade became a blur, the clang of metal on metal echoing incessantly.
Kiana, too, fought valiantly. She used her twin swords to parry the arrows that slipped past Ryu's defenses or those aimed where he couldn't reach. Her swordsmanship was still sharp and powerful, but the earlier exertion of her fiery power had left her fatigued, her movements a fraction slower, her concentration slightly compromised.
Thwack!
"Ugh!" Kiana cried out in pain. A single golden arrow had managed to break through her guard, embedding itself in her left upper arm! Bright red blood began to seep from the wound. Though not critically deep, the pain made her stumble for a moment.
Seeing Kiana injured and Ryu struggling to fend off the overwhelming assault, Da Vinci knew he had to do something. The desperate desire to survive, to protect those beside him, reawakened a surge of power within him. He gripped the golden paintbrush tightly, his eyes fixed on the unending rain of arrows.
"We must survive! I must protect them!" he thought with fierce determination.
He swished the brush with rapid, successive strokes! Golden ink – still faint, but perhaps a shade more vibrant than when he first created the shield – flowed from its tip, materializing into a "Golden Shield of Will" of moderate size, appearing to overlap or reinforce Ryu and Kiana's defenses at the most critical points!
Clang! Clang! Thud!
Several golden arrows slammed violently against Da Vinci's light shield. It shuddered heavily, cracks appearing rapidly across its surface. After taking about seven to ten hits, the shield shattered into nothingness!
But Da Vinci didn't give up! The moment the first shield broke, he swished his brush and created another! And another! He "drew" shield after shield in rapid succession. Each one lasted only a short while and drew heavily on his energy, his face growing paler with each creation, but his actions significantly lessened the burden on Ryu and Kiana. It allowed them to focus on defending themselves and deflecting the most dangerous of the incoming projectiles.
At long last, after what felt like an eternity, the golden arrow rain ceased. It left behind a scarred forest floor, pockmarked with craters and littered with broken branches, and the three of them utterly exhausted.
Da Vinci collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. The brush in his hand felt duller again, though not entirely lifeless as it had been before. He sensed a faint, almost imperceptible connection between his intense will and the brush's responsiveness.
Kiana and Ryu were also scratched and their clothes torn from the fierce battle. Ryu immediately rushed to Kiana's side.
"Kiana! Are you badly hurt?!" Ryu asked, his concern evident. He and Da Vinci were both alarmed to see her wounded, but upon a quick inspection, they found the arrow had mostly grazed her, not embedding too deeply. Relief washed over them, though first aid was still urgently needed.
"I... I'm mostly alright, Brother," Kiana managed, trying to offer a reassuring smile despite the pain.
Once they had a moment to breathe and had hastily bandaged Kiana's arm, Ryu began to explain.
"I was able to follow you because Elder Eldrin ordered it," Ryu began, his expression serious. "Just before I left the village, 'Bacchus' and 'Taurus' had just returned!"
"Bacchus and Taurus?!" Kiana repeated their names, a mixture of surprise and a flicker of relief in her voice. "They're really back?!"
"Yes," Ryu nodded. "When they reported the external situation to the Elder, and he learned that you two were heading this way, he had a strong premonition of danger. Even though he didn't know someone like 'Eagle' was guarding this place, he always reads situations with uncanny accuracy. He immediately tasked me with following you, deeply concerned for your safety... The Elder truly didn't become village chief by mere luck."
Ryu's words filled Da Vinci and Kiana with a renewed appreciation for Eldrin's foresight and sharp judgment. The return of "Bacchus" and "Taurus," who were presumably significant assets to the village, was a beacon of hope.
With this new information, Kiana's injury, and everyone's exhaustion, the decision to return to Ashwind Post seemed the only logical course of action. They couldn't risk another encounter with "Eagle" or re-entering the Athenaeum in their current state.
"We need to return to the village and regroup," Kiana stated, her voice, though weary, carrying the authority of a leader. "Inform the Elder and everyone else about this, and prepare for whatever threat may follow."
Ryu and Da Vinci nodded in agreement.
Their mission to uncover the secrets of the Athenaeum of Embers remained unfulfilled, but they had learned a harsh lesson about the strength of their enemies and the pressing need to become stronger themselves.
The three of them began their journey back to Ashwind Post, moving cautiously. Though their bodies were tired and their spirits still shaken, the news of new reinforcements at the village offered some solace. The afternoon sun cast long, dappled shadows through the trees, as if guiding them home... towards the new battles that undoubtedly awaited.