Escape

Lumi watched as the man swung his blade at the charging templars. They were now running—headed to the golden gate which leads outside. But at the same time, the templars—which are highly trained knights of the temple—are now dashing in front of them at full speed. From behind, the templars are closing in, and at the same time, another group was charging toward them.

A knight which was thrown earlier lunged his sword at Lumi. Using her divine power, Lumi was able to repel the man's sword, sending it flying while he gets slammed to the wall with the mysterious man's large blade.

The mysterious man then took a sharp turn to an alley, undid his cloak, and then wrapped it to Lumi. As he did so, he easily picked her up with one arm as he jumped into one of the lower-leveled rooves.

"Hold still," the man said, pulling the hood to hide Lumi's face.

The two hid for a while before the man climbed a wall and jumped into the fortress.

"There they are! Shoot them!"

Lumi's eyes widened as the soldiers began to shoot arrows in their direction.

But she had no time to be surprised as the man threw her to the fortress, making her roll like a sack of potato flung into hard stone.

Lumi winced in pain as she lifted her upper body with her elbow and knee for support. Her blue eyes then darted towards the man, and as she was about to rise and pull him in an attempt to save him from the arrows—she suddenly heard painful grunts as the arrows directed at the man struck the guards who fired them instead.

The man walked atop the fortress, heading to the outdoor world. Lumi looked back at the temple one last time, before following a man whose name she doesn't even know.

**

The two arrived shortly in the forest which was next to the temple. The forest leads to the foot of a mountain that has a route that leads to Estela's border.

At least, that's what the map indicates.

"You told me you know where the numen is." The man said as he approaches Lumi.

Now that Lumi have regained her senses, she was able to fully observe the man's appearance. The man was wearing a faded dark-brown linen with hints of probable shade of sage green—which tightly hugged his muscular body. On one of his shoulders was a spaulder, which had leather straps that extended across his chest. He also had bandages wrapped tightly against his bicep.

His forearm had visible light scars. Lumi also noticed that he wore a leather gauntlet that covered the back of his palms and black gloves that covered up to the joints of his fingers. He also wore black pants and brown boots.

His black hair and grey eyes only added to his dangerous appearance, and the way he looked at Lumi made her feel as if she had to be on guard, or he will kill her anytime.

"The numen of the fallen god is under the care of Saint Hibton before she died," Lumi answered. "Saint Hibton is the northern realm's patron saint. She is born in Aclaria."

Aclaria was one of the three nations in the northern realm. Lumi has known this information due to her intensive education in the temple in preparation for her to be a 'catalyst'.

Lumi shook off her thoughts, reminding herself it was not the time to think about those things.

The man didn't reply, as if he was already satisfied with Lumi's vague answer.

Lumi clenched her fist. Did she really do the right thing, though? To side with this man who caused so many people to die?

A man whose name she doesn't even know.

Whose name… she doesn't know.

"Hey," Lumi said, walking towards the man. He was more than a head taller than her, with his physique incomparable to her frame. Nonetheless, she had to make it clear to them both.

"Do we have this deal, or not?"

The man was only silent.

"I will help you find the numen, but in exchange, you have to help me get into Hescurg."

Still no reply.

"Hescurg is where my parents are," Lumi continued, "if you don't help me then I—"

"I will." He replied shortly.

"…Then that's enough," Lumi said as she sighed in relief.

Although she cannot trust the words of this man—she can at least believe that he wouldn't be able to kill her since he needs her for the location of the numen.

"I believe we have to know each other's names. I can't keep calling you 'Hey'." Lumi said. "I'll start. I'm Lumi."

There was only silence that followed, and Lumi felt as if she was the only one talking to herself. She doesn't even talk much, yet she's making this much effort. After all, her life is at stake. She has to try at the very least. Before she could utter another word, she noticed his expression.

He has grown alert, looking left and right.

"We should move. I hear the footsteps of Estela's knights." Though he said that, Lumi can't hear anything but silence. 'Maybe he had a keener sense of hearing than me,' Lumi said to herself as she glanced to the forest which was only occupied by them, other than the critters and the crickets making noises that easily blend into the night.

She then began to walk, and as she trailed behind him, she fell preoccupied with her own thoughts. From here onwards, she has to guide him to the numen, then she will head to Hescurg and find her family who gave her to the temple.

Lumi felt at daze...

Until she felt her entire face bump into his back, which was considerably painful due to his physique.

"…Siegren,"

"Huh?"

"My name." He reiterated, not looking at her as he picked her up one-armed. Lumi's eyes widened as she noticed the templars appearing behind them. As arrows struck the trees and the ground around them, he gave a sideway glance.

Lumi saw the arrows being redirected to the men who fired them.

And the next thing she heard were screams of agony as they grew farther away, and then, just seconds later…

There was silence.