DAMAGE COUNT

When they finally embraced the light of day, being outside the cave all the soldiers were shocked and wondered who was that armored beauty that had appeared, comments like: "there was someone like that among the adventurers sent by the church" or "Look, certainly the sorceress and the priestess are beautiful, but that black haired girl is just a full stop" and also "do you think she's human? I have never seen such a beautiful girl."

The adventurers accompanying the knight had remained silent until now, but they looked at each other until they could no longer maintain their silence.

Saria who trudged while leaning on Rose stared at him while stroking the silky black hair and said "You've played us ugly, I thought that behind that hideous helmet there would be a handsome man, I was even already thinking! falling in love with you!!!!... what courage to fight in that way to protect us, you had already pierced my heart with an arrow of love... what a disappointment"

She blushed and without saying a single word she put on the helmet all destroyed and her long hair still stood out, she could no longer sustain the lie.

- Hey, take that off.

And Franz yanked it off again.

- I feel like a fool treating you as superior all this time, I thought you were some types of those that you find in the corners of that Cathedral so devout and disgusting and that I have here a warrior maiden? don't fuck with me!

- Jummm you have filled with courage Franz, surely you want to talk to me like that, I will not treat you delicately.

Releasing that sentence the girl cut a lock of hair from the pointy ears with a flick of the sword.

But beyond being annoyed by the aggressive gesture, Franz seemed delighted, "how can a girl like that be so strong" he thought.

Saria gave him a cane that sent him into the dust with which she added

- Franz… you are going to drool, stop playing the fool and walk.

- Ahhhg hey, don't hit me like that all of a sudden.

And they all burst out laughing as Franz spit up dust and choked on a cough like an old dog.

-Miss, excuse my boldness, could you tell us his name?

- Rose, there's nothing to apologize for, I know yours, so I'll tell you mine, since you know I'm a girl, there's no problem if you know, you can call me Liria.

The others smiled as they looked at her, "it's a nice name" they said.

-But Miss Liria, why does she hide her face under that helmet?

-Even more important than that Rose, how come her voice sounded like a man's?

Saria replied.

Everyone turned to look at him and Tylos, intrigued by the situation in the distance, stopped so as not to get to where they were arguing, since he certainly wanted to know the reason for such behavior that was quite suspicious.

- Uhhhhjummm... well I just didn't want to be pushed aside when going to the front lines for being a woman, so I've hidden that fact for several years, ever since I found out that knights could only be male, and the way my voice was listen like this it's because the helmet is enchanted, that's why I always carry my armor on top, until that ruffian destroyed my helmet.

Liria gave him a look that could pierce him from a distance, Tylos nodded "sorry" while crouching as if he had dodged a powerful spear.

Soon the town could again be visible on the road to them, smoke could still be seen coming out of the place, and seeing this Liria ran out together with the other adventurers "shit, it's not over yet" Franz yelled, as they quickly passed through the guards who went before them, once they passed the door, were astonished because there were only mutilated monsters everywhere,

"What is this? What the hell is this? There are many, tens, hundreds, who made it?"

Colt got off the horse and step by step he got to where the four of them were, who stared at him with intrigue.

- The one who did it was that boy...

Then he pointed his index finger at Tylos and added to the comment:

- We could barely do anything, those monsters took us by surprise, if it hadn't been for him, all of us here in front of you and the people hiding in the church would have died.

Liria felt so bad about the situation that she bit her lip until it bled, "we should have gone back, but I simply risked everyone's lives", the other three bowed their heads

- We did the best we could… and we saved many people is what matters, OK?

- No, it's not good, we didn't do anything, we almost died in there because of me, I thought we could do it and they almost killed us… I just… I'm sorry.

-Wait Liria, wait, don't go... listen to him.

- Leave it Saria, this is not the time.

- But Franz, she just wanted to do the best.

- Leave her

Observing the situation in the distance, Tylos felt a little sorry for the young maiden who had fought with all her might to save the village, so he decided to follow her out of sight of the others.

Paying no attention to those who disappeared in the blink of an eye, everyone set out to look for any survivor who was not inside the church, however, they did not find anyone else, they only found pieces of limbs in some of the houses …

Tears did nothing but fall down the cheeks of the relatives of these people, their loved ones were taken from them without knowing why or for any reason.

A feeling of guilt was invading the small group of adventurers, and like Liria, they began to carry the weight of the lives that were claimed in vain, no one pointed at them, no one blamed them, not even an angry look and perhaps that it was the reason that caused them so much sorrow, that even at a time like this, these people continued to be kind to them.

Colt, realizing what was happening, approached them and said: "Many times we won't be the heroes, maybe other times we will become villains, but you know? There are no good or bad decisions, only decisions, we will never know which was the best option or the best path to follow and there is little point in regretting what has happened and thinking about "perhaps if I had done this or that" they would have done what as best they could, and that these people are still alive is proof of this, if they had not come, if no one had helped, there would not be a single person standing here at this moment, so go rest and meditate on what I have told you."

Without saying a single word to Colt or the villagers they marched towards the church, and on the way there Saria Asked:

- Aren't we going to look for Liria?

-She will know how to find us, after all she is a brave knight, she is not going to get lost there, she just needs time.

- I understand... then we will have to wait for him to return to leave.

- That's right, now let's rest...

- See you tomorrow, Franz, Rose…