Part Two - New World - Chapter [030]

The demon invasion was fully underway. We took the faster route to the lobby - me following closely behind Arslan. He was able to push through those bad feelings and put on a brave face. 

We arrived at the lobby where the captain and warriors were already gathering, a barricade had already been set, and I could hear the demons shrill as they were trying to claw their way inside. They were already banging at the gate. 

The captain whom I remember Arslan calling Eve - was discussing what to do next with a group of soldiers. 

Drew and Ayleth were off on the corner, were they scared? Or were they trying to place a brave face like the rest of them? I couldn't know. Arslan walked up to the captain. And I was left alone for a moment. 

It was hard to make eye contact with people in the room, it wasn't until Dan, Arthur, and Kit approached me. 

"Sir Aiden!" they started. I wasn't one for titles. They approached me.

"What is it?" I said in a tone of voice that surprised even me. They were taken aback by it. But continued. 

"There are injuries, warriors that might use your help," said Dan. 

"We've all reached our limit, please," said Arthur. 

"Come with us, please Aiden - please," said Kit tugging at my arm. I pushed him away, physical touch was like the other person was stabbing me with thousands of needles. 

I didn't know how to respond, I couldn't look them in the eye. 

My face was still covered. I wondered how they recognized me with the oni mask and everything. 

"Aiden - we should help the injured!" Said Apollo inside my head. 

The medicine was supposed to help me think logically. Well, it wasn't exactly doing that - instead, I just couldn't make a decision. I didn't know what to do. My emotions guided so many of my decisions before - and now that they were gone, it was like my body couldn't move. I couldn't connect with any of them, right? 

"I - I don't think I can," I started in a low voice. 

"Huh? What do you mean?" Said Dan. "You looked so competent before, I was sure you could do anything, plus becoming inamorato with Arslan on your first day - he doesn't pick just anyone, please Aiden you gotta help us, we're all out of mana." 

I looked at Arslan at the mention of his name, he was using broad body language. Was he fighting? It wasn't until Captain Eve started screaming at him that everyone pushed their attention to them. 

"YOU GAVE HIM WHAT!?" He shouted and slapped Arslan. The captain was around the same height as Arslan so they saw toe to toe. 

"An Emetic Bezoar. Captain Everett, please." Arslan shouted holding back tears. "I don't to lose him too." 

I couldn't tell what was going through the captain's mind - but his face was fuming red.

"You're one big ARS! Isn't that right? It's in you're name! You're the most stupid - why did I ever make you second in command?!" 

Tension was high, Guild Master Everett was having a moment. 

"I took you in like a child - like my own son - and this is how you repay me?! You're selfish and you're brain is made of mush. This is the only way you'll understand!" 

Before anyone could do anything, the guild master started beating Arslan, beating him hard. 

In a moment Arslan was cowering on the floor in a fetal position. 

As the guild master beat the living crap out of Arslan, he shouted. 

"He's our best healer! I don't care if he gets poisoned by miasma, we need him, don't you understand! That's why I allowed your inamorato, even though you went behind my back!

And now you've gone and done this!" 

I couldn't look away, Arslan on the floor, bruises accumulating with every kick. His screams of disaster scream for help. 

I didn't know what to do, I couldn't do anything. There was no emotion to move me. 

At one point I knew I loved him - memories of our time together, of his smile, of his touch, the way he smiled and cared for others. 

He wasn't selfish. 

He cared - he genuinely cared - for his guild and those around him. 

The emotion associated with love wasn't present - but I knew I cherished him, more than anyone. 

And yet here he was being treated unfairly, for trying to act in defense of someone he loves.

For trying to protect one more inamorato. 

For not want to lose this one. 

"Aiden - don't!" I heard Dan's voice on my side. 

Drew and Ayleth with the help of Willmot were already grabbing The Guild Master by the armpits pulling him back. He was a big man, so even with 3 people it was hard to pull him away. 

The shouting became insistent, it was like static, I wasn't hearing what was happening anymore. 

Instinct took over. 

["At you're command -"] Apollo spoke.

One step was all it took - for me to cross the room. 

Silence took over the room. And just like that the beating stop. I turned around only to see blood pooling out of The Guild Masters's throat. 

I had slashed his throat in half, and now his blood was pooling above Arslan's face. 

Then finally a scream from Ayleth broke the silence. 

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Screamed Willmot. 

Everett clamped to the floor, wincing in pain and gurgling in his blood. Dan Arthur and Kit rushed to his side, Willmot pulled out a little glass vile, that hung around his neck, its color resembling milk.

Which Kit had to gulp down. 

I looked at the scene with disgust. 

Pathetic.

"HEAL!" Dan, Arthur, and Kit shouted, and within a couple of seconds the wound closed, and the bleeding stopped. 

However Dan pulled away and started coughing, Ayleth caught him and offered assistance. 

His arms were covered in black patches, his face was starting to look distorted.

"He's already suffering from miasma poison," said Ayleth, and drew came to her side. They both offered to help him lay down. 

"What do we do?!" Shouted Drew. 

But there was nothing they could do, it looked like were about to die. 

Dan's breath was ragged, and the black patches just continued moving, getting bigger around his skin. 

Arslan crooked his head and looked at me like I was a monster. 

I met his eyes, but my expression must have frightened him because he cowered away. 

I must have looked crazy, glowing blue eyes filled with magic, and a demon mask on my face. 

I turned around, only for the barricade to start moving on its own. 

"You're gonna get us all killed!" I heard Arslan from behind me. 

Maybe… Maybe I would in Another Timeline but not this one. 

I heard a charging scream coming from my side, a rouge warrior was trying to stop me charging at me. 

I pulled up my hand and stopped his blade in mid-air. 

He was comically confused.

Another warrior tried the same, and a circle of pilling men tried to stop me, all failing one after the other, unable to move their swords any further.

I moved in one quick motion, and a gust of powerful wind pushed them back, they screamed as they found their footing, no one was fatally injured.

Finally, the barricade opened up, and the demons behind noticed me. 

Red Goblins, orcs, a couple of centipede monsters, a snake lady, a weird umbrella-looking guy, an evil axolotl, zombies, skeletons, and a weird-colored cheetah all surrounded me. 

These were the demons they were so afraid of. 

"Kill them all," 

"Yes master…" said Apollo.

I raised my hand and knew what was about to happen next. 

"PUNISHMENT" I shouted with a commanding and booming voice. 

From behind me a shield made like a cross appeared, and with it, a shining so bright, it shone like the sun. 

The demons in front of me evaporated into black lines in the span of a second. 

The courtyard cleared of all demons faster than I could snap my fingers. 

I walked outside. 

The cross-shaped shield raised itself to the sky and multiplied itself until it formed a circle.

"DAYBREAK OF HEAVEN!!" I whispered. And the shield once again delivered a holy light spell all around us. 

The night turned to day as the armies of demons slowly evaporated one after the other, the sky started shining blue. 

The light above me looked like a solar eclipse. 

I opened up my arms and let my magic flow to the spell above me. 

I took a deep breath and relaxed. My body is the catalyst. The spell above the reactant. 

Demon screams were heard all around, they were suffering, and they were retreating. 

They were finally retreating. 

I felt how the flowers of Delphinium started to pull back into the sky, the little ones they could get back, the rest just evaporated as they burned up with the miasma.

The light bleached everything, the humans that had turned into monsters because of the miasma. 

And even Dan's black blotches. 

Everything was healed. 

Finally, the spell was done - night returned. 

I could feel how my magic had abandoned my body. 

I plummeted to my knees and noticed how heavy I was breathing. 

My arms felt strange. 

Finally, it was quiet - I removed my mask as there was no more miasma visible in the streets. 

The tingling sensation didn't go away - so I took a look, fearing the worst. 

A large blotch had appeared on my right arm. 

Fear snuck into me. 

That's weird - my emotions were coming back. 

"Good Job Aiden - seems like numbers on your empathy stat are returning to normal!" Said Apollo. "And you got rid of the demon invasion single-handedly. Congra-" 

I started vomiting. Purple vomit coming out of me. 

"Oh dear-" 

Like poison. I felt a hand on my back. And managed to look back at Arslan's face, still covered in blood. 

I smiled sheepishly at him. Probably looks the most disgusting I've overlooked. He just

reassured me that everything was okay. 

My mouth filled with vomit again, and I felt like my guts wanted to throw up too.