Chapter 3

It was a day like any other day.

Sebastian Argus and Andrea Argus are lovely old couple living peacefully with their only granddaughter, Aretha Argus.

Since the day their daughter entrusted Aretha to them, they had been raising the child with all they have and showered the child with the love that Aretha could not get from her parent.

It pained them to see their daughter died miserably in front of them. They do thought about getting revenge, but the little child that their daughter had entrusted to them was so tiny and frail. They could not leave the child alone.

Their heart ache for the child that would grow up without her parent. So they forgot about their revenge and raise the child with all their ability and teach the child everything they could, so Aretha will be able to live by herself when they gone one day.

They educate Aretha with all the knowledge they had. They also tell her about her family and advice her to live well instead of getting revenge.

They know Aretha is wise and has an ability to make a good judgement regardless of situation even though she is still young. However, they could not help but to worry about the child happiness.

When they detect the second pure mana energy within her soul, they understand that Aretha had been blessed by two Angels.

The fate of those chosen by two Angels are cruel. Those with two type of pure mana energy will bring misery and catastrophe to the people around them.

Sebastian and Andrea had already anticipated their death even though both of them have extraordinary strength. Which is why, they tried their best to make sure Aretha will never blame herself in the future when she learn about her 'Blessed Ability'.

Sebastian was gardening while Andrea was knitting a scarf for her granddaughter when a young man in his twentieth arrived in front of their house panting anxiously.

"Sir Bastian! Madam Andrea! Town! Intruders! Pirates!"

The young man struggling to explain the situation in a huffing and panting manner due to exhaustion from running and yet it is enough for Sebastian and Andrea to understand the situation.

"Tell the others to evacuate all the children to the safe house. My wife and I will go and assess the situation in the meantime."

The young man nodded and quicken his pace to do the task he had been assigned to. Meanwhile, Sebastian and Andrea leave their chore and grab their weapon. Sebastian bring out his sword that had accompanied him by his side since he was young, while Andrea packed some poison and potion to a small bag tied to her waist. Both of them walk hurriedly to the town hall where the pirates gather as told by the young man.

***

At the town hall.

"Brother Wayne. This village don't seem to have much valuable things. Does the client exaggerate when they say there are treasure at this village?"

The man scratching his head while looking at their leader for his insight.

Wayne had became the leaders of the group since he was twenty. He had been a part of the pirates for almost fifteen years ever since he was sixteen years old.

Wayne and his group are not just like any ordinary pirates. They also accept jobs like a mercenaries group. Because they are pirates, they mostly been commissioned job that involves killing, kidnapping and stealing.

Wayne grew up in an environment where moral value do not exist. The word sympathy and empathy does not exist in his dictionary. He grew up without knowing how to be loved and how to love. Thus, for him, killing is the norm in his daily life. He could kill even an infant without batting an eye. Furthermore, his life as a pirate that is out from the societal norm distance him from knowing the meaning of kindness and compassion.

One month ago, while they was in Yenem Kingdom, a man wearing a black cloak covering his face with the hood offered them a task to find treasure and burn down a village, in which they had accepted. The man instruct them to make sure not even one villagers must be kept alive. They were being paid in full payment even before they finish the task which left them with no choice but to execute the task quickly.

It took them the whole one month to arrive at the village. Coincidentally, the Baron who is the lord of the land, is currently absent, as he and his family were summoned to the capital city in Maxima Kingdom. Wayne took this opportunity to invade the village as instructed by his client.

After they got off from their ship, they stormed their way into the town hall to create a havoc with their arrival. By creating such chaos, all the villagers will come forward and they could just kill the villagers before they burn down the village.

Wayne patiently wait with his two trusted men in the town hall while the rest of his group brawling with some of the villagers. It was a few minutes later, a couple of husband and wife in their fiftieth walk into the town hall.

Their presence attract everyone attention and stop the fight between the pirates and the villagers.

The villagers beam in happiness and sigh in relief when they see Sebastian and Andrea arrived.

"Sir Bastian! Madam Andrea! You guys have arrived. Thank goodness."

One of the elders approach the old couple and explained the situation they were in just now. The pirates suddenly come into the town hall and demand all the villagers to offer all of our property. When few villagers refuse, they start to pick a fight with them.

The elders tell the couple that they did consider to let go all their property and settle in peace, but then, some were considering the possibility of being killed after giving their property to the pirates.

Andrea sense something was wrong with the sudden ambush by the pirates. The timing for the invasion is too perfect with the absence of the Baron. The security is lax and many knights had escorted the Baron and his family. Moreover, their village had no specialty or riches to become the target of theft.

Sebastian also has the same thinking as Andrea. He turn to look at all the young man on their side and noticed the young man that come to them earlier. Sebastian called out to the young man and ask about about the children.

The young man tell Sebastian that all the children had been hidden in the safe house but he could not find Aretha and nine other children. The young man come to the town hall to ask for the children whereabouts.

Andrea who had been listening to them interrupt them by telling the young man to find the remaining children beside the river on the hill. Andrea tell the young man to ask a lady to fetch the children in his stead. They must not attract any attention. Andrea instruct the lady to tell Aretha to bring the other children to their house's basement and hide at there.

Sebastian and Andrea look at the other villagers and breathe in relief when they saw that there are no wounded person on their side.

They look at Wayne and his group and give them a stern and sharp look. Their gaze bring shiver to Wayne's group, but not to Wayne and his other two trusted men, Cain and Mir.

From the moment Sebastian and Andrea step into the town hall, Wayne, Cain and Mir knew that the old couple are not ordinary people. They ponder if the old couple were the 'treasure' that the client told them to look for.

"Our village did not have much treasure or wealth that worth to be taken. It seem that our guest come here for nothing."

Wayne, had heard Sebastian remark, smirk.

"Oh, really? If there is no wealth worth to be taken, I wonder why would such a powerful people like you two would step out and stand here. It is as if you are protecting something or someone really important."

"We are simply villagers that depend on each other for a living. Plus, this village is our home. Of course, we will protect our home even without any reason."

"Hmm…"

Wayne and his group are pirates that destroy and never protect. They also never accept any jobs that require them to escort or protect anyone, so they did not understand the idea of protecting something.

"If I could ask, may I know what is our guest true intention coming here?"

Wayne know that Sebastian had already realize that they come not to rob the villagers but for other purpose. It is a pity that they had to kill the villagers including the old couple.

Wayne calculating in his mind whethe they should kill all the other villagers while keeping the couple alive and bring them into their group.

"I am not literate enough to play word with such wise man. I will be straightforward with you. I would like to have you and your wife in my group."

"I am sure that is not the reason why would our guest come here."

"True. But I took a liking on you and your wife. I could sense it. Both of you are not ordinary people. Why won't you just join my group. I will promise a lot of benefits for you."

"If my wife and I join your group, will you leave the villagers alone?"

"..."

"It seems like the answer is no. Then there is nothing to consider anymore. Both my wife and I will never join such a group."

"That's hurt. What is it 'such a group'. We are just trying to feed ourselves, you know. This is how the world move. Only the strong can be at the top. If you are weak, then you should just die instead of waiting to be trampled on."

Wayne stand up from his seat. He draw out his sword.

"I was trying to spare your life by inviting you and your wife to join my group. But it seem you would like to join the villagers to the afterlife much more. I have no choice but to kill all of you."

Wayne leap toward Sebastian pointing his sword toward the old man.

'Tang' the sound of the sword clashing ringing in their ears.