The Explosion

Heat followed the explosion and Belialthorn clenched his teeth as the heat seared his back, burning his clothes and turning them to ash.

"Are you alright?" Belialthorn's eyes glowed red, replacing the blue briefly and a growl built in his throat but he repressed it.

Rota trembled where she cowered under Thorn's embrace, it was the first time he had been close to death. Even fighting monsters hadn't felt this close, she would be dead if not for Thorn.

"I'm alright," Rota said anxiously. "Are you alright Thorn?"

Rota tried to wriggle out of his hands to get a look at him, because when the explosion occurred all she saw was a flash of light and Thorn covering her from blistering heat. He had blocked the heat with his body.

"Are you hurt?" Rota tried again and his hand tightened almost painful. Was he hurt?

The explosion was destructive but most of it was more of light than fire. Belialthorn had some immunity to fire because of his Demon blood and with his regeneration, the wound was already healed.

"I'm alright." He released Rota and stepped back, dusting ash from his body.

Rota walked around him to look at his back, her eyes widening in shock, his cloth was burnt where the explosion had hit it but other than that his flesh was undamaged.

Nobody, except his father, had ever protected her like this before, and a level 1 caster just did it. She whispered, "Thank you."

Belialthorn shrugged, he couldn't be bothered to go look for another partner and Rota seemed the perfect warrior to bring up. "Forget about all that, I can't let you die."

He needed her to keep his cover.

"But you put yourself on the line!" Rota shouted, her grey eyes a mixture of confusion and amazement. Thorn had jumped in front of the explosion to save her.

Belialthorn didn't know what the big deal was. "I wasn't putting my life on the line, I wouldn't be that stupid."

"Thank you." She whispered again and for some reason, it got Belialthorn nervous when she locked her eyes on him. Nobody had ever thanked him before and he didn't know what to do with himself.

"So....what caused the explosion?" Belialthorn asked, changing the subject quick. It must be the metal band that glowed just before the blast.

"The metal band must have been engraved with explosive glyphs," Rota said.

Belialthorn looked at the small hole in the ground where the explosion had happened. "The Holy Church must have made it that it self destruct when the monster died."

Rota looked at him and grimaced. "So it wasn't me kicking it?"

"That's just stupid." Belialthorn with a dismissive wave of his hand and Rota's heart got lighter.

"The monster must have escaped somehow but how did it get here from over the town without being spotted?" Belialthorn raised his nose and took a deep breath but he could smell nothing but the normal smell of the mountainside.

"Maybe it escaped from around here?" Rota suggested, pointing vaguely around.

"Are you saying maybe they had an enclose outside town?" Belialthorn asked. "It's possible, it would explain how it got here without any Hunter seeing it. Or the guards at the gate."

Rota shrugged. "Maybe they saw it and are dead already?"

He shook his head. "It might be a largely abnormal Vore but it's nothing special. I doubt it could kill any Hunter hunting around here."

Belialthorn gave her a doubtful look. "I mean, you were the one that killed it."

Rota raised his spear. "Okey, okey. I know, you don't have to rub anything in."

"It is either they have an enclose around here or someone sneaked it out of the town," Belialthorn said.

"Or maybe it isn't even the Holy Church. It might be that someone was using their name?" Rota suggested.

From what Belialthorn knew of the Holy Church they didn't have to hide anything. It wasn't like people didn't know what the Church was up to with experiments. So why was it installed with self-destruct?

Belialthorn could only think of a few reasons. First, it wasn't the Holy Church. Or it was the Holy Church but another branch of the Church. Could it be that they were divided? Maybe another organization was doing an experiment and their monster escaped.

Belialthorn shook his head. "You are right. It might not be the Holy Church. Even if it was them we don't have to get involved. It's not like it's illegal to experiment on monsters.

Or Demons but Belialthorn didn't add this part. The fact that the Holy Church has Demon hidden in their building was a surprise to Belialthorn.

He was indifferent to it though, he had killed Cana because the man wanted Belialthorn dead and because the Alchemist had talked about using Belialthorn's blood. He had no sense of loyalty to the Demon kin or their flying City.

Rota reluctantly nodded. "Of course, we don't don't have to get involved."

Belialthorn raised his brows at her. "But?"

"But there are lots of small villages around here and they are mostly unclassified."

"How's that our business?" Belialthorn asked, genuinely surprised.

"What do you mean what's our business? They would get hurt if mutant monsters arw roaming around." Rota said with eager admonish.

Belialthorn shrugged. "Havenbrook is responsible for them and doesn't the city have patrols around the surrounding areas?"

"You and I both know how poorly those patrols are and that's why we still have a bounty for killing monsters close to Havenbrook." Rota reminded him.

"Still not our problem. Also, how are you planning on defending anyone with that level of yours?" Belialthorn was baffled.

Her eyes lit up. "We can probably do it. With your casting power and my..."

"You are level 4, Rota. And I am level 1. Have you forgotten?" That reminded Belialthorn of what he wanted to do.

"Well, we could..." Belialthorn didn't let her finish because with a lightning-quick reflexes his right hand blurred and smacked her on the neck.

Her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped, Belialthorn was there to catch her.