sacrifices

Thinking about his next move, the soldier of evil didn't have much time. He could either act or wait for another bag. He didn't want that, but it seemed the best option. Jumping into the unknown without any information would only make the target hide, but there would be another bag with another corpse. If necessary, he would make another sacrifice for the greater good.

He hoped he wouldn't have to. He wanted to move, he couldn't bear to see another innocent soul suffer, but he remained still, waiting with a shrinking heart. At last, the guards arrived.

A large shadow appeared before the guards, his cloak billowing in the steady wind. His black armor blended into the loneliness and darkness of the alleys. The dispatched soldiers unsheathed their swords, but their trembling hands weakened their grip.

Hal noticed slight movements in the bag. Perhaps the boy was still alive, but for how long? He didn't want to involve those guards, so he waited. Remorse overwhelmed him. He didn't know if the boy would be alive when he opened the bag. It would be so easy to draw his sword and kill those guards, but was that the right thing to do? He had said he would make sacrifices, but those guards had families, lives, something to fight for. To end it all just because he wanted to didn't seem right. But if he didn't do something, more bags would come on a regular basis.

He observed fear in the guards' eyes, though their helmets hid their gaze. Their body language was enough. They were afraid. He didn't know if the decision he was about to make was the right one. He drew his sword and made a decision.

In the blink of an eye, both guards were dead, with no time to react or say goodbye to their families. They were simply in the wrong place with the wrong person.

Hal said a small prayer for the fallen guards, feeling confused as thoughts bombarded his mind. But he didn't dwell on them. He had made a decision. The big man ventured into the darkness of the alleys, a bag in his hands and his thoughts scrambled. He hoped his decision was the right one.

Using the powers granted to him by the dark lord, he healed the boy. His palms radiated a green light, and the movements inside the bag ceased. He opened it to observe the boy. The boy seemed fine, but his eyes reflected the pain and fear he had experienced, something no child should have to endure.

"Where am I, I want to get out of here. It's too dark," a figure emerged from the shadows, startling the child. He stumbled and tried to escape. "It's all right. You're safe here," the big man's deep voice sounded reassuring and comforting, causing the boy to stop running, albeit with a hint of fear. "You're not going to hurt me?" the boy asked, his voice cracking. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want you to tell me who hurt you or give me any information," the boy nodded and shared all he knew. Before leaving him in a safe place, the boy asked him something, "What's your name?". "Eternum, call me that," the boy gave him a smile. "Thank you, sir, for saving me."

The soldier of evil felt a sense of happiness at his decision, despite lingering doubts about the guards' death. However, a sense of fatigue weighed on him for having used the power of evil. He felt exhausted, not knowing how much damage had been done to the boy or how much he had exerted his powers. However, that would not stop him from pursuing his goal: to protect the innocent souls of the children and to confront all the darkness in these alleys.