4 Hatred and Destruction

The poor girl now can only surrender and wait for what happens to her. She had given up hope and didn't expect someone to save her.

Alicia was now standing on the altar with her hands and whole body tied with ropes to the pillar. There was nothing she could do but hope that her next life would be better than now.

'Perhaps this is the best way... Maybe what the guards say is true that I will be the luckiest girl because soon I will meet father and mother in the afterlife.'

"Dragon God, this month we really feel happy. All of our agricultural products have been harvested, water is abundant, and this Holy Kingdom is free from criminals. We hope that with the gifts we give, next month, our livestock and trade businesses will also be in smooth it out."

She started to lose consciousness as the coldness of the mountain peaks pierced her bones. She even had trouble hearing Sir Cassius's speech in front of altar and witnessed by the citizens.

After Sir Cassius's speech finished, she felt that the earlier chill was now slowly starting to warm up. Still, in contrast to the air of the bonfire, it actually had a burning sensation. Before she realized she was being burned, she heard loud screams from the residents.

'It's clear they're cheering.'

Before she completely lost consciousness, she felt her body lifted by something with big, furry hands.

'It's really nice and warm.'

___

"Theo, please take care of Alicia. No matter what happens, you both must survive."

"Dad, where are you going? Where's mom? What do you mean we have to survive?"

"There's no time to explain. I'll try to contain the beast as long as possible. Now just follow your elder brother's words."

*Brakkk*

A loud sound came from the entrance. From the sound, it seemed that the entrance had been broken. The loud sound was also accompanied by the terrible howl that made anyone who heard it run away in fright.

But, not for the middle-aged man who had just advised his 2 children. He instead immediately took the sword hanging on the wall and immediately headed towards the voice.

The girl tried to stop her father, but her elder brother's hand was faster to grab her wrist.

"Why did you stop me?! If we join the fight with father, surely father can also survive." The girl's ignorance about the creatures that attack their village makes her brave to fight with her father.

"Don't be stubborn, Alicia! Didn't dad tell you?" Theo looks angry with his sister's behavior.

She felt pain as her elder brother tightened his grip on her wrist. "Aww, that hurts. If you don't want to fight, then let me fight with you. You cowardly brother!"

"Alicia! You just can't hold a sword. Well, I'll just help dad, but listen to what I have to say. You hide in that cupboard. Wait for me until I pick you up." Theo was confused for a few seconds before deciding to fight.

She who heard that her elder brother would help her father felt happy and nodded.

Theo drew the sword on his hip and immediately ran to the end of the burning hallway.

Inside the wardrobe, Alicia could see out through the small gaps.

"W-what kind of creature is that?!" Alicia got goosebumps when she saw the creature that attacked her village. It wasn't a beast on a rampage, but it was a beast that was about 3 meters tall.

Because it was dark, she could not see the color of the creature. It was clear that the beast had a pair of horns on its head, blood-red eyes, and large hands with long claws sharper than a sword.

In just one blow of the beast's hand, she saw her father's sword broken and directly tore her father's body.

"F-father!" Even though he was severely injured, she could still see that her father continued his fight. When her elder brother caught up with her father, it seemed that her father was angry, but in the end, they fought together.

They had managed to injure the beast, but of course, they were no match for the beast. His elder brother ran over and immediately picked up Alicia.

"Alicia, are you okay? We can't fight that beast."

"Yeah, I'm fine. How about dad?" She looked at her father, who was still trying to restrain the beast's movement.

"Alicia! Go!" His advice didn't change. He still asked Alicia and Theo to leave. From a distance, she saw that her father smiled as if it was a farewell smile.

There was nothing Alicia could do but follow Theo. He immediately grabbed her sister's hand and ran out of the house through the window.

The state of their previously prosperous village and lots of greenery had now turned into a sea of ​​fire. The whole house was destroyed and burned, including her house.

"Why did that creature attack our village?" While running away from the village, Alicia cried because they ran away without her father and mother.

"Do beasts need a reason to have fun?" Theo, who was focused on continuing to run, immediately answered her question with a question.

Alicia couldn't answer that question. It was true. She had heard that beasts would often destroy a village or town as entertainment for them.

Their escape was stopped when they arrived at a hut deep in the forest. "We should be safe."

"When should we return to the village?" Even though they just managed to escape, Alicia still thinks about her parents. She hoped they would survive.

"Tomorrow morning, the beasts should have left the village by then." While walking into the hut, Theo suddenly fell.

"Elder Brother!" Alicia immediately ran and tried to turn his body.

She was surprised when her hands were covered in blood when she touched his chest.

"Y-you are seriously injured!" Alicia immediately took off his clothes, and saw 3 large scratch marks had torn her brother's chest. Blood had also soaked his clothes.