Aeryth's teeth creaked. She rushed. The man stabbed. Aeryth tilted her head slightly. It missed. If she had not, it would've taken her eyes. The flat base of the lance planted into his guts and twisted, ripping both flesh and cloth alike. He fell. Screamed in agony. The lance spun, smashing into another woman's side of the head.

"Move!" She screamed. They froze in their place.

We can't let the mob form.

Sera's words echoed in her ear. She smashed the lance in each of them before rushing forward.

Their groan echoed in her ears. She was not trained to do this. To fight people. She knew how to kill monsters, and that too swiftly and smoothly.

Her stomach rolled. She wanted to vomit as their screams reached her ears. Clenching her teeth, she continued.

She looked behind her. People were chasing her. Their shouts felt so far away compared to how close they were.

She grabbed the arrow and yanked it out of her shoulder. Pain flared once more. Tears streamed down her face, but she was back inside her body, and the screams were now as close as the people were.

"Why?" She muttered under her breath. Why couldn't it have been simpler? It made no sense. This is unnecessary and cruel.

A young boy, no older than her, rushed out of the crossed door.

"Come back in, Drew!" The boy's mother screamed.

He shook his head, sword pointed at her. His eyes were filled with greed. "Drop the weapon, or prepare to die!" He screamed and rushed at her.

Aeryth stopped. Kicked the boy's knee. He dropped. Her fist clenched. She punched his face, knocking him out in one swift movement.

"Shit..." She muttered as she saw the mother broke down crying.

She wondered how many of these closed houses had similar situations.

Don't think. They are enemies.

She continued. There was a last row of buildings. The mob was growing even bigger.

She focused on the path ahead. A door snapped open. Aeryth stopped.

"Found you!" Finlay screamed. She stumbled out of the door.

Finlay was much faster. She was in front of Aeryth in a blink.

"Wha..." Aeryth moved back as Finlay's fist hissed through the air. Stumbled over the brick.

"Shit!" She turned and began running in the other direction.

Where's Sera? Is she alright? The battle couldn't have taken so long. Right, she must be exhausted. Yes, that is it. She is safe. Just hurt. She will be fine. What if...

Finlay ran behind her. "You sneaky little rat, I will kill you!"

Aeryth looked back, striking her shoulder to ground her mind to the present. She had no time to worry about Sera, even if she was more about Sera's well-being than her own.

Aeryth grabbed the door handle and hauled it open as she ran. Finlay clashed with it. The door splintered, yellow dust filled the air. She even heard the scared shout from the house. Aeryth didn't have time to imagine what they were going through at this moment.

She pulled out her sword that was sheathed on her back.

Goodbye, my expensive weapon...

The lane ended. She stopped and flung her sword at Finlay. Despite herself, Finlay ducked. The ground was too rough to slide on. She came to a complete halt. Blundering forward, face first into the dirty street.

Aeryth gritted her teeth. She rushed into one of the houses, kicking the door in.

"Ah!" The woman inside screamed.

Aeryth cast a sideway glance and rushed past her onto the stairs. Up and up. She heard people gathering. Finlay screaming.

It was fine. She could go to other buildings through the roof, and escape.

She skidded to a halt. Opening the door roof door, breathing heavily.

An arrow whipped past her. She moved her head back, feeling the air thrill past her face.

Her head snapped on the other side. Of course, the crossbowman was here already.

Almost there...

The church was merely a few buildings away.

Finlay also got on the roof. The roof was open; made of earthen tiles. Aeryth picked one up and flung it at the crossbowman, breaking into a sprint toward the church.

"That was fun," Finlay grinned. The wheel saw chased Aeryth and closed in on her in a blink.

Aeryth dodged, almost slipping off the earthen roof tiles.

The wheel saw catapulted at her head. As did Finlay.

Aeryth ducked. And stabbed Finlay with the flat side of the lance.

Finlay moved her shoulder slightly and grabbed the lance.

Aeryth tugged it back. Finlay stumbled forward. Planted her right foot, smashing through the tiles.

Finlay pulled harder. Aeryth stumbled toward her. A foot came as her breast. Aeryth grabbed it. Clenched, fingers digging into her flesh. "Again," Finlay groaned. Aeryth tried to hurl her, but she couldn't. "You think I'll fall for the same trick twice?" Finlay winked.

Aeryth pushed back Finlay's leg. They both used one hand to play tug of war with Lance. Finlay gave up hope of landing a strike with her fist and grabbed the pole with both her hands.

Aeryth let go of the lance. Finlay almost fell back. Aeryth grabbed her leg with both hands and wrenched it.

"Ah!" Finlay screamed.

Aeryth kicked Finlay's injured thigh. Another strike on the ankle, knocking Finlay off balance. She grabbed back the lance and yanked it toward her. Finlay jerked forward with it. Aeryth smashed her forehead on Finlay nose. Let go of the lance, grabbed Finlay's tunic, and elbowed her face into the tiles.

The lance came free on its own. Aeryth didn't know why Finlay wasn't using her magic, but she was not complaining.

"Shit, that hurt." Finlay groaned. Aeryth slowly moved away from her. Slightly tired and in a lot of pain. For some reason, the crossbowman hadn't shot at her. "I guess... I cannot win by pure skill," her voice was filled with mirth.

Finlay threw a broken tiles at her. Aeryth evaded a few, but there were too many. One struck the side of her head. Her vision darkened.

Still, at this point, she was committed to running. Slowly, she picked up the pace. Reaching the dead end, she jumped over, barely managing to catch the ledge of the building on the other side. The last building between her and the church. Somehow, she clobbered herself up on the roof. Beyond this was a road, and across that road, the hill.

Aeryth pushed herself up, eyes searching for Finlay. "Playtime is over. Hey, shoot her down."

The arrow hissed through the air. Aeryth moved away in the nick of time to dodge. Then came the second and the third. The third pierced through her shin.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Ah!" Aeryth stumbled and continued, falling off the roof. Muscle spasming. Her back hit the ground. Her enhanced constitution allowed her to still move. Though, much of her was broken at this point.

She pushed herself up. Sat on the ground. Her entire body was covered in blood. The passive skill of mana blood transfusion allowed her to stay conscious, despite the blood loss.

Finlay jumped down. She could hear people's voices. They were going to swarm her at any moment now.

Despair welled up in her eyes. After coming this close, she had lost. Her jaw clenched, teeth grounding in anger as she glared at Finlay.

"Woah... Hey, Advisor, look at this glare. Is this what being stared at by primal hunter feels like?" Finlay mused.

Finlay jumped back as a bolt shot at her. She looked up.

"That's my prey. Move aside, kiddo."

He was the same man Aeryth had stabbed with the knife. An arrow shot at his head from the side, and he fell.

"What a bummer."

Aeryth couldn't locate the source of this voice. He must be the Advisor, Finlay talked about.

"Now, will you give me the lance like a nice girl, or do I need to take it from you."

Aeryth held on to it. "You'll only take it after killing me." She uttered.

"That sounds so cool if your voice was not a shaky mess. Is that anger? Or fear?" Finlay mocked.

At least Sera is okay.

I have to make one last try.

Aeryth pushed herself up, using the lance as a support.

"You still wanna fight?" Finlay groaned. "Hey, Advisor, should I kill her? We are in the city. Will that cause us problems?"

"Heck, if I know! That pyrogirl incinerated the entire lane, along with that assassin, so it should be fine."

"But..." Finlay scrunched her brow, "Isn't she like some bigshot's lapdog? We don't have backing like that. If anything, I think the old mayor will use this girl as an excuse to kill us and steal my treasure. Whatever, we'll go to Krestia if need be."

The wheel grew blades again.

Aeryth pulled out the sphere from her pocket and clenched it tightly. It broke like a brittle rock. Shone like a morning sun. Steams came off the stone, covering the entire place in smoke.

"Shit!" Finlay jumped back.

Aeryth ran to tap the lance to the right. The wheel hummed in that direction. Slowly gathered up the strength to walk straight.

The pain coursed through her entire body, as she dragged her feet toward the hill.

The smoke screen would work for some time. "Where the fuck is she!"

Yet her breathing and footsteps gave away her location by the time.

Finlay tackled her.

The smoke vanished. Aeryth was on the ground, knife pressing against her throat. "Advisor, kill her!" Finlay shouted.

"Uhm, he's been matched, unfortunately." Sera's voice echoed.

"Fine, I'll do myself." The knife sunk deeper into Aeryth's throat, still not enough to kill her. "Let go!" Finlay hissed.

Aeryth almost did. Dying for it was not worth it.

At the same time, the mob rushed at them. Like muddy water out of jumped pipes, they fell on the street from the alley. Stumbling, clawing, they hurried toward them.

"Shit!" Sera jumped off the roof. She was covered in blood. The veins on her exposed shoulder glowed like lava was flowing through them instead of blood. She turned toward them.

Aeryth's hurt sunk even further. Sera's face was covered in blood, gaunt, like she was burning off her flesh to keep moving.

Sera turned to Finlay. "Drag her inn!" She pointed at the grass.

"Tract."

The ground beneath Aeryth grew hot like it frying pan. She pushed herself up as soon as Finlay moved.

A barrier of flame manifested around them. The mob clashed with the barrier. Their flesh seared. They screamed, yet the one behind them pushed them deeper into the frying barrier.

"Hurry!"

Aeryth continued. The ground beneath them shook. The echoes of horses' hoofs clattering on the street chimed in unison, halting Aeryth in her place. Aeryth's heart shivered like a serrated cold claw of the devil slowly sliting it open.

The horse sprawled the street, sandwiched between the buildings and the church's ward like ants. They didn't have space to pursue her.

"Charge!" The commander screamed. It was not Truman. The knight charged. Like the mobs were their enemies, animals to be hunted, they charged. The sound of their blade leaving the sheath with a metallic 'Shiing' sound overpowered the screaming mob but for a moment.

Aeryth couldn't breathe. Tense. The horse. The echoes. The screams. All of it reminded her of that night. That was under the moon, and now, this was under the sun. Instead of the death knights, it was just knights. And they didn't hold back either. They shoved and crushed the mob as they pursued them.

"Wha..." Finlay whispered in utter horror.

One man, half burned, carrying the hammer, throve past the barrier. Darted past Sear, whose hands were tied to the barrier.

He flung his hammer at Aeryth's face. Finlay used the wheel to knock him off.

At the same time, a lightning bolt fell from the sky and ripped the flame barrier open from the up. Sera fell to her knees.

Aeryth bit her tongue. The pain pulled her back to reality. She hurried toward the path of grass.

Another fellow made it past the weakening barrier. Aeryth raised her lance to defend, but the man never made it past the church's barrier.

"That would be enough. Fighting inside the church grounds is prohibited." Followed by a loud clap to get their attention. Not just theirs. Of everyone that was here.

"What if we kill you-" Before the half-dead man could finish, a gust of wind rattled him.

"That is inadvisable. Holy Mother's blessings usher me to condemn those who seek to breach the peace of her Garden." He made his way down, calmly. He wore a slightly blue mostly slate grey colored coat, which was buttoned from the top to bottom. It reached just below his knees. His pants were of matching color. The man was in his thirties. Brown-colored hair fluttered in the air, as his dull black eye took in the situation.

"How'd you like my genius plan!"

Sera shouted gleefully. Her flame barrier wore off, and she jumped on the church ground. "Safe!"

"You've grown into quite a troublemaker," the man said, looking at Aeryth. He stopped beside her. The people coming out on the street stopped. "You may not know me. I'm head priest, a caretaker of this garden, Herbert."

Aeryth nodded. She had heard his voice, he talked with Grace most of the days when she left after attending Aeryth, asking about her condition. His voice was always sad when hearing about her situation.

The mob gathered up on the ward. Striking with everything they could. Hurling curses and rocks as well.

Just a meter away from Aeryth, people half burned, screaming in agony, clawed toward her. Aeryth her hearth thumped, audible in her ears.

Aeryth looked a little distant. The street colored in red. The white horse turned crimson wet.

The head priest waved his hand, and the ward changed slightly. Taking a different shade. Knights swung their swords at the ward. Hundreds of small-scale spells fell on it.

The knights spread and circle the entire stretch of the ward.

The priest clapped his hand over his head. It reverberated higher than all other sounds combined.

"I do not wish a bloodshed on this ground. For that reason, no one bearing a weapon shall enter this sanctum any further."

"Why can she!" Someone shouted from the crowd.

"Because she seeks shelter. There's no blood lust in her eyes, neither is it wrong to claim a treasure awaiting to be claimed. Same, I cannot say for you people. The lust and greed reeks thicker than the miasma that corrupts this land."

He looked at Finlay, "You've sustained injuries. If you make your way to the church, there's someone who can heal you."

Finlay scoffed. "I am fucking off of this place. You're a pretentious bastard!"

She pushed herself up and left. "I am not gonna hear the end of it. Fuck! It's your fault, Ruyi! I know you're hearing!" She screamed but didn't dare to approach the ward.

Greed.

The reason for the sight before her. A sight too similar to the night she lost everything. And yet, at that time, at least one side was vile, dead, and accursed. What excuse did this place have?

The smell of blood smelled the same here, as did the burnt flesh.

Aeryth squeezed her eyes shut. This sight had rattled her entire core.

To burn their flesh for something they didn't know, to recreate immortal undeaths' doing in broad daylight, she didn't know anymore if the undeath knights were worse than these knights. They would've slaughtered these people if not for the priest behind her.

She felt hollow from exhaustion.

I need to get up.

"You're injured. Let me heal you first." The priest said, crouching in front of her.

Aeryth nodded. His hand glowed. Aeryth felt a stabbing pain, like a red hot rod pulsing inside her stab wound. Her teeth creaked as she tried to rein in the urge to scream.

"My apologies," He stepped away. "Your body rejects my healing as if it is poison compared to the power you possess."

This is the first time I heard of that. Light healed me just fine. She was too exhausted to focus on that part right now.

"I'll heal on my own," Aeryth tried to stand. Her limbs protested, but that was all they could do. She forced herself to stand.

"Let me cast a pain-numbing spell in that case."

Aeryth shook her head. "I don't need those. These pains are not even close to making me feel anything truly painful."

She stood on her own feet. Herbert nodded, looking at the mass of flesh clawing up the church's wards.

"I'll have sisters get you inside. Don't push yourself."

"No. After coming this far, I'd rather walk the rest on my own," Aeryth said.

His lips slightly curled up. "That's an admirable trait... if practiced mildly. Still, you're safe and sound. No one shall hurt you as long as you stay within the church."

"Is Grace here?" Aeryth asked. She could already imagine her reaction to seeing her like this.

"Why don't you go up and find out?" Priest Herbert chuckled.

Aeryth nodded and began walking towards the exit. She could already imagine the reactions of most people.

"Aeryth! That was fun, right?" Sera's grin was as infectious as ever.

Aeryth smiled. "It was. Because we won." She added.

"I let you win," Finlay stepped in, though she tried nothing. "This is not over."

"Of course, we did. I took out two strong opponents," Sera made a V sign with her finger. "I can't wait to tell Lady Sia about this."

Aeryth nodded. Her leg throbbed as she walked up the grassy heal. The scent of flowers was calming and nice. At least Sera is alright. She was not the price. It couldn't have gone better.

"Then I'll go up," Sera waved her hand. "She'll be fine, right?"

Herbert nodded, "She will be, but you're not going anywhere until I am sure you've not sustained a life-threatening wound."

"I am fin..." her voice grew smaller as Herbert walked over to her. "Stop treating me like a child!"

"That is all you are. Now, with me."

So they made their way up. Sera tried to help Aeryth but had to give in to Aeryth's stubbornness.

Finally... I can buy Lightning Bone Marrow. I can grow stronger, and learn magic.

As they stepped inside the main church building all the screams and protests vanished.

She looked at the knight slowly dispersing.

I want to go back to the village. This place is ugly.

The first thing she saw was Grace, looking irritated. Her eyes landed on Aeryth. She rushed towards her.

"Hello, Grace." Aeryth tried to smile.

"Oh mother, what the happened—" Grace stopped staring at the lance. "I can guess." She sighed. "I had not expected to meet you again like this," A smile blossomed on her face, "But I am happy to see you again and lively."