Destroyed

Abruptly, patterns of fire spread throughout the village, signaling them with a herald of death within moments. 

The people that were roaming mindlessly would lose their lives and the merest thought of it made them scream.

"No!!"

"We don't want to die!"

"Lord forgive us!!"

Upon hearing the screams, Zephyr also rose to scrutinize the situation only to find blazing letters forming all around, creating havoc.

"Tsk." 

Scoffing, he rested his hands in his pockets with a deadpan look, disliking where his one negligence let him.

"I should have beheaded him. Can you-"

He was about to turn only to find Azura was unconscious, failing to bear the poison surging through her body. 

"Leave that. Come here,"

Sighing, he shook his head and came closer to pick her cautiously so it won't stung her burns and left as well.

Leading her to the shelter foremost.

Azura noticed the movements, causing her to wince in pain as she saw the man with dead eyes taking her. 

"You…?"

"I will go and see Yor, fighting Lady- Shit!"

Gritting his teeth, his curse loudly.

He began to resent how smooth after knowing he used the term 'Lady' out of respect.

It pissed him off for failing to sink in the fact that she was not his Aunt rather an enemy, a threat they must eliminate.

 "I mean, fighting Aldina can be done later too," 

Muttering, he took her away from the range of the circle so it won't affect her. 

When Zephyr took her away, Aldina who was fighting with Yor and others noticed how Quint was fuming over his defeat and decided to ablaze everything.

"Oh, so he had activated his spell too? Great two at a certain time,"

She suppressed a laugh, looking down at the three men all in their bloody form yet failing to fight such a demonic lady.

Jay lost his eye. Marcus was all bloody due to wounds.

… And Yor had lost his left arm.

She smirked, looking down at them as if she considered them inferior- she did. 

To her, they meant mere dust before her powers. 

"I… won't let you,"

His gruff tone came, blood flowing from his head yet boring with the pain, he stood up.

"How exactly do you intend to repel it? Even your prince is not strong enough to absorb it too," She smirked, challenging the brave warrior who was fuming.

"This village will be burned along with all its villagers soon," She hummed, coming closer to confront his growling posture.

Just to take her amusement out of it. 

On the verge of losing consciousness but Yor remained standing.

"I will stop you," 

Lifting his gaze with an insane smirk, he released all his powers and jumped towards her. 

Using all his remaining power and magic onto his arm and attacked her. 

He grabbed her staff, and a dark flash surged. 

She was about to throw him away but he used his strength and held her by arms.

"What the-" 

"Let's die in the fire together, Lady Red," 

He smirked darkly, gripping her arm with all his power, refusing to move an inch.

Aldina endeavored to leave him but to no avail, he had refused to let go of her and in that moment, Zephyr arrived too.

"Yor!" 

Horrified by the sight where they were lost terribly, indicating that they were far from defeating an upper commander. 

"What are you doing here, Young Lord!?" Yor yelled.

That he was doing this to save him and he jumped right into danger.

"Leave him," 

Growling, Zephyr drew his sword to attack her, a fiery rage collecting in him. 

To leave the man closest to him away else he would be devastated in an irrecoverable way.

"This land will burn, run! All of us, hurry we must ourselves," 

Delvin also came securing Janessa who was wailing behind his back while warning the men. 

It was too late to save the villagers or anyone now. 

Those who could get away would escape else would be ignited with those empty houses.

"Then take him and run away, Delvin!" Yor ordered furiously.

Pushing Aldina against the wall so they won't move, enraging her for daring to burn her along.

Hearing it, Zephyr froze, the strength to hold the sword faded because the moment he saw his father flashed before his eyes.

How proudly King Hayden spoke- "Zephyr. Happy Birthday, My Son." 

Zephyr once again found himself where he once saw his father and it shattered him from inside. 

'What is my use when I cannot save anyone?'

His whole being stiffed, the ache rushed rapidly, turning him numb. 

The grief clasped his cognition into its claws, to manipulate him into further depression.

But, unlike before, he hissed, shaking his head in denial.

"No, no, I can't lose the man I admire the most, not him-"

Though he didn't want to die yet and watch them grow old, protection was his foremost duty that he fulfilled wholeheartedly with no regret.

"Go!!" 

Because he knew if he let Aldina go, she wouldn't let them escape.

Marcus grabbed Jay as Delvin grabbed Zephyr by his collar and dragged him away, far from this mess.

Followed by his scream echoing in the air, extending his hand out to Yor who smiled sincerely at his prince. 

"Take care, Prince Zephyr, I am sure you will become a remarkable king,"

Remembering the moment of him and his beloved son Katlan, sincerely desiring the best future for them.

"No…" 

A tear rolled down his cheek, lips quivering, losing his energy to react anymore. 

He was losing and losing, miserably, painfully, ruthlessly….

Within seconds, a ferocious fire rapidly burned everything in mere heartbeats.

Burning down the whole village with the souls of the all villagers being purloined.

Once again, one night, stole his beloved from him and everything fell apart, agonizing the nineteen years old boy endlessly.

When he saw how flames wrapped around the man he cared about the most from afar, he couldn't help but to release a wretched scream.

"YOR!!!"