Chapter 43: The Face Off

Third Person's POV

Several hours went by, and the stream of departing students started to decrease. Only a few stragglers remained, and the sky was beginning to darken.

The classroom lights gradually turned off, signaling that there were no more students inside.

Armann anxiously checked his watch and glanced back at the school.

"Could she have missed where I am?" Armann wondered aloud, his curiosity tinged with concern.

With no more students in sight and the school appearing deserted, Armann decided it was time to leave.

Armann felt worried and uneasy but he couldn't stay there. He started to walk, leaving the place. Praying that Astra already went home and safe.

"What if she hasn't gone home yet?" he asked himself again.

He continued walking, thinking deeply until he heard a faint voice coming from somewhere.

'Please, anyone out there, help me!' a woman of a voice echoing around, confusing Armann.

Because of this, he felt a bad feeling. Armann sensed that Astra was in danger. He immediately tried to find the source of the voice, but it was too faint and unclear.

He walked around in circles, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from.

It took quite some time until he heard the jingling of keys.

"Mr. Armann," Astra whispered.

Even though Astra's whisper was soft, to Armann it was clearer than the brightest ray of the sun.

The bracelet he had given Astra, which only he could see glowing, began to shine brightly into the sky.

Armann instantly vanished from where he was standing. Like a smoke, blinding in the air and teleported to the location where the light was calling him.

In the distance, Armann saw a group of men laughing. In the middle of them was a woman who looked familiar to him.

"Astra!" he angrily murmured, clenching his fist.

He anxiously noticed that one of the men who's holding a lit cigarette, was about to set the paper and wood around Astra on fire.

Immediately, Armann used his powers to stop time. Every living thing around froze in place. The cold wind seemed to disappear. The rustling of trees and plants went silent as if they were being muted. Everything stopped.

From a distance, Armann's silhouette appeared like a monster slowly descending from the sky. With each step he took, the atmosphere grew heavier. The full moon behind him shines, guiding his way.

Slowly, he descended. Accompanied by classical music, Armann walks dramatically down the small hill. His clothes waved gracefully with each step he took.

As Armann drew closer, and closer, the silhouette gradually took on a human form. The weight and fear in the air intensified with every step.

His piercing violet eyes, releasing a glowing mysterious light, were focused solely on one person. The person who mattered the most to him at that moment, the one behind Astra.

When he finally reached her, Armann's anger immediately faded away as he saw her face. She was so scared, shivering in her position.

Armann swiftly brushed away the lit cigarette that had fallen onto the pile of papers, preventing it from igniting and spreading. He approaches and helps her.

Standing confidently in front of Astra, Armann's presence was commanding. Despite her closed eyes, the fear was evident in her actions.

"You're safe now," Armann said calmly.

Recognizing the familiar voice, Astra's trembling began to subside. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw Armann confidently standing in front, like a hero, gazing down at her.

Confused and startled that everything is frozen but relieved that she is safe now. Astra watched as Armann began to untie the ropes binding her. The ropes seemed to melt away under his touch, and Astra was finally free from her restraints.

Armann gently helped her to her feet.

"Mr. Armann," Astra whispered as she began to cry again, releasing the fear she had felt moments before. She thought it was the end for her, but Armann had arrived just in time to save her.

After Astra had cried out all her tears and start to calm down, Armann turned around to look for the man who had been speaking behind her, but there was no one there. Confused, he examined the area but found no one else.

Armann then turned his attention to the men who had tried to harm Astra. He approached the man holding the cigarette and lightly touched him. At that moment, the man began to hallucinate.

Armann continued to touch each of the men with a look of anger in his eyes. He wanted them to feel the same fear that Astra was about to experience.

With a single gesture, Armann return everything to normal. The birds resumed their flying free, and the trees swayed again with the cool night breeze.

The men were also able to move again, but they suddenly fell to the ground.

"I'm burning!" screamed the man who had been holding the cigarette, panicking as he rolled on the ground, trying to put out the imaginary flames.

"What was that?" one of the men asked himself.

"Terrifying!" exclaimed another.

They all looked pale, as if they had seen a ghost. On the other hand, Astra doesn't have any slight clue about what is happening now.

Realizing that what they had seen wasn't real, they turned to look at Astra.

Just as one of the men was about to speak, he recognized the stranger standing in front of Astra.

'He was not there earlier. Where did he come from?' he asked himself.

While trying to connect the dots, the place suddenly becomes cold.

Unexpectedly, five Grim Reapers appear, making the area even colder. Their presence is chilling, with dark cloaks and scythes that glint menacingly in the dim light.

Alarmed, Armann quickly raises his hand, putting Astra behind him to protect her. He had anticipated the Grim Reapers' arrival but didn't expect so many of them to show up.

The group of men become even more terrified, look around in panic. The eerie sight of the Grim Reapers, with their scythe and silent movements, sends them into a frenzy. They stumble over each other in their haste, tripping and scrambling to get away from the frightening scene.

Instead of thinking to take revenge for ruining the plan, the feeling of fear is the one they feel the most. To be killed by someone who has unknown ability is scary.

They hurriedly ran away from the place while crying and asking for help. Astra was puzzled by this reaction.

The only ones left in the area are the Reapers, Astra, and Armann, all staring intensely at each other.

"If only you hadn't arrived, we wouldn't have needed to interfere!" the Reaper in the middle says with emphasis.

Armann stands firm, his eyes locked on the Reaper.

"I won't let you get her," he replies, his voice steady and strong.

Astra, still behind Armann, feels the chill in the air. She looks at the Reapers, their dark cloaks flowing in the cold wind, their faces hidden in shadows.

The Reaper in the middle steps forward.

"Just give the missing soul to us," he says. "We need to restore balance," he added, fiercely.

And the battle of five Reapers against one Armann begins. The fight is intense, and none of them want to give up.

Summoning his bow, Armann blocks the attack of one Reaper. He pushes it back with all his strength, but then the other Reapers rush at him one after another.

Astra watches from a distance, seeing Armann fight for her life. Her heart breaks because she can't do anything but watch, not knowing how to help. She thinks she might just get in the way if she tries to assist Armann. So, even though it hurts her, she stands on the side, doing nothing.

The reaper launches a black mist and blends with it. He attacked Armann to his blind spot and successfully hit him, causing him to fall down.

Armann looks up, determination burning in his eyes. He gets up quickly and fires an arrow of light at the Reaper, forcing it to step back and remove the mist.

The Reapers regroup and circle around Armann, their dark forms blending into the night. Armann stands firm, his bow ready, eyes flicking between his enemies.

Astra's hands clench into fists at her sides. She feels helpless, but she tries to think of a way to help without getting in the way.

One of the Reapers lunges at Armann again, but he dodges and counters with a swift arrow, hitting the Reaper squarely. The creature hisses and falls back.

Despite his skill, Armann is tiring. The Reapers notice and press their advantage, their attacks becoming more coordinated. Armann blocks and counters, but it's clear he is being pushed to his limits.

A Reaper attacks from the side, causing Armann to lose his balance. He falls to the ground once again and uses his hand to support himself.

"Mr. Armann," Astra whispers in worry.

Astra is shocked and scared for Armann. She wants to go to him but is frightened by the Reaper, guarding her.

"You can't do anything now," the Reaper says while pinning Armann into the ground.

The Reaper guarding turns its attention to Astra, making her even more frightened. She trembles as she steps back, the Reaper slowly advancing toward her.

Her heart pounds rapidly. Astra glances at Armann behind the Reaper. He is too exhausted and severely injured. Astra knows she can't rely on him anymore.

She feels helpless. With each step backward, her knees shake. Cold sweat begins to drip from her forehead.

Confused and scared, Astra tries to think of a way out. Meanwhile, Armann struggles to stand because of the Reaper pinning him down by the shoulder with its scythe.

Armann fights back harder to remove it, but the Reaper just pushes its scythe deeper. He made a silent growl because it hurts. The scythe is sinking deep in his heart that made him powerless.

He is on the verge of giving up when he hears a soft voice.

"Mr. Armann," Astra calls weakly.

Her voice isn't begging for help or pleading for rescue. Instead, it is filled with gratitude.

Armann immediately turns to Astra and sees that she has accepted her fate. Astra forces a smile one last time, accepting that maybe it's about time. She decides to stop running and face whatever comes next.

Seeing this, Armann thinks that maybe it is the right time to let her go. Perhaps it is better this way. If Astra is gone, he can return to his job as the messenger of dreams. Besides, he doesn't care if his mission failed or not. He didn't like it in the first place.

But then, an unfamiliar feeling stirs in Armann's chest. It feels like his heart is being pierced over and over.

Because of this feeling, Armann sets everything aside. All he can think about is that he must save Astra. It is not the time for them to give up yet.

Summoning all his strength, Armann decided to save her one last time. He grabs the Reaper's scythe. His hand burns from the touch, but he doesn't care. The Reaper is shocked by Armann's incredible strength. Slowly, Armann lifts the scythe and, with a powerful shove, throws the Reaper into the distance.

Armann's determination gives him the strength to continue. He won't let Astra face this alone. He won't let her give up when there is still a chance to fight.

The other Reaper is just inches away from Astra. She stops moving when she feels the tree in her back. The Reaper raises its scythe to strike Astra, but luckily, Armann appears between them.

Armann saves Astra from certain doom.

Astra watches in horror as the scythe sinks into Armann's back. He uses his own body to shield Astra, just like a hero who's willing to do anything to save the one they love most.

Despite the wound in his back, Armann manages to turn and attack the Reaper, sending it flying away. He immediately falls and Astra, filled with worry, catches Armann and helps him sit down.

"Mr. Armann! Why?" Astra cries, unable to take her eyes off her wounded savior.

Armann, struggling between life and death, lies in Astra's arms. His breathing is labored, but he looks at Astra with unwavering determination.

Because of this event, the remaining three Reapers become alert and raise their weapons again.

Armann is running out of ideas and growing weaker, but he cannot die. There will be no one to save Astra if that happens.

Only one option remains to save at least one of them.

Hesitant and something he never thought he would do, Armann realizes he must act. To keep Astra alive, they need to escape and ensure her safety.

Armann doesn't think about himself. His only concern is Astra's safety.

Without thinking anymore, Armann grabs Astra's hand, and they both vanish. Though he hates the idea of running away, Armann is willing to do anything for Astra.

~ To be Continued ~