3 Hunted

While a shining beacon of hope can rally and band together Paladins, Knights and Soldiers to unite against a common foe, unfortunately, this one only attracted the attention of guardsmen.

"Halt! Make way for the Vericia Garrison Guard! Cease your gathering and return to your abode!"

One after another, city guards donned with silver plate and chain mail armor came rushing towards the plaza from all directions to investigate the phenomena.

Without hesitation I carried the little girl into my arms and ran as fast and as far as these fragile little legs could get me.

Sprinting through the back alley and maze-like slums, a rather desolated pathway showed itself.

Suddenly, a flashing glint of silver caught my eye at the end and I immediately sped up.

"Close your eyes Francesca." I whispered to the scared girl and held her tightly.

Reaching the end of the pathway, the surprised guardsman turned towards me.

Flash, small concentrated blinding rays of light entered the man's eyeballs and it burned his cornea. He screamed and fell.

I took a good look at the man before me, while it would be imperative to grab a hold of his weapon, a long-sword would be to heavy for my current body. Not to mention I wouldn't have the luxury of looting him either, his scream probably attracted the attention of the others.

Once we're caught, it'd be all over.

"Search for him! Don't even bother taking the brat alive anymore, those Light Disciple bastards will pay!"

"I knew we should have killed every trace of those witches! We shouldn't spare children anymore!"

Curses and shouts filled the air as search parties renewed their vigor to search for the criminals. Fear continued to grasp the child I was holding.

"It'll be okay, you've got me after all." I reassured her calmly.

"Un." She nodded with gleaming eyes of trust.

Where will we go? How will we feed ourselves? Those thoughts had continued to plague me everyday for the past 4 years. While we had been living at the nearby orphanage, that no longer became an option.

I'm confident at escaping those guardsmen, my body was strengthened by Light particles and my muscle fibers have grown much stronger compared to a fourteen-year old. Though the main problem laid with Francesca, she hasn't 'woken' up yet. While I have been biding my time and staying in close proximity to her, nothing has changed so far, her body is as frail as a ten year old, though she's the same age as me.

Her height and physical age resembled a much younger age than her real one. What exactly happened to us?

Enough with the thoughts for now, escape!

Reaching a dilapidated house far from the city, I laid Francesca down on the bed.

She was fast asleep. This was as expected. At such a young age she was exposed to such violence and hatred. She was covered in scratches and bleeding so I patched her up with what little cloth this house had left.

Its windows were barred and it was reminiscent of a haunted house, it was a one-story house I managed to find in the past 4 years of preparing. I called this my own personal hide-out or 'storage', it wasn't too shabby despite the terrible condition the house was in.

I sat down on a not too far couch that was stripped of its cushions and was merely a frame of its former self.

My body was covered in blood and my clothes were torn.

While it wasn't my blood, I'm sure those guardsmen wouldn't be missing them. They're most likely recuperating due to the healing properties of those Water Disciples that dominated Vericia.

The World isn't as it should be anymore.

People who reminded them of anything pertaining to Light were hunted and persecuted. It was said that the Goddess of Light had bright scarlet hair. Alongside her stood a young valiant man who protected and served her loyally.

The once prospering, mighty and famed Light path is no longer as it is viewed.

I clearly understood this and knew it well for the past four years. Thus the reason as to why I haven't revealed my ability to wield it.... Until I saw her being surrounded.

Now they're simple targets in an unfair crusade calling for their own Justice.

What happened?