Royal capital.

The meeting had already lasted for several minutes in the royal castle. The army of soldiers of the kingdom had now finished gathering.

"Let's not waste any more time thinking my king. Let's throw ourselves into the battle to save our fellow citizens." (Zem)

"You're right, let's leave right now." (King)

The royal army with the few quick preparations was now marching in the capital towards the teleportation gate. The noises woke up some citizens of the city who were watching this worried show. Not knowing what could mobilize the king himself and his army.  As they now stopped in front of the teleportation portal of the capital.

"Have you contacted the Adventurers Guild!" Zem asked.

"It's not worth it, offering a reward to the adventurers for their help would be a waste of money. Especially since we had already offered a very large amount of money to close this dungeon. And apparently they were unable to do so." (King)

"With respect my king, this is a bad decision.  And I don't think it's the adventurers' fault."  (Zem)

"Dare you question the words of your king!" He said sternly as blood began to flow from Zem's nose.

"No...  My king..."  (Zem)

"In that case, let's go."  (King)

So the army went through the gate, but what they saw was a desolate sight. The whole city was completely destroyed, the night that was black was now tinged with red. Offering a spectacle akin to hell. Numerous corpses were strewn on the ground, among the burning rubble.

The men present were all bewildered and petrified by this spectacle. The bodies of soldiers, women and children could be seen. Atrociously mutilated and dismembered spread out in various directions, some knights being even taken of nausea by seeing this spectacle.

Suddenly, a noise alerted them, something was coming towards them. A shadow taking shape in this red-tinted landscape, until they could distinguish what was approaching as the seconds passed.

A man with shattered armor, his body riddled with holes and wounds and burns was advancing toward them. It was even a miracle that he was still alive and to be able to stand.

The man walked slowly toward them before falling to his knees in front of Zem and the king's horse.  Zem rushed to him, dismounting his horse to hold the man in his arms.

"Nooo...Élias what happened?" Said Zem, emotion in his eyes.

The two men seemed to have known each other for a long time. Élias, his face bloody and his body on the verge of collapse, coughed as his blood fell on Zem's armor. To free his throat to allow him to speak but with difficulty.

"A Lich has appeared..." (Élias)

The knights were confused by this news. .A lich is a monster of rank A or S under certain conditions, whereas the dungeon of Perlaìs was only supposed to be of rank B.

"I did everything to hold her and the monsters back I swear.  My men all gave their lives valiantly." Said Élias, his face tense, his breathing getting weaker and weaker.

"Stop talking... Get a priest for God's sake!" Zem shouted in distress.

A priest rushed to begin treatment, but alas, the wounds did not heal.

"It's too late, I should have been dead a long time ago, a chance was just given to me." He sighed before spitting out blood again.

He clutched at Zem clutching him with his bloody hands, tears beginning to stream down his face.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect all our citizens... I'm sorry Zem... I am sorry..." (Élias)

"De quoi tu parles, tu en as déjà fait assez." (Zem)

"No, I could have... I could have done more... My brother can you do me one last favor..." (Elias)

"Of course!" (Zem)

"Save...  Save my daughter... And tell her...  Tell her that her father loves her..." He sighed, his arms loosening their grip on Zem.

The face in tears, the last gleam of life in the eyes of Elias was extinguished. Zem then closed his eyelids and gently laid his body on the ground.

"You can count on me!" (Zem)

While another life ended, others continued to fight for their lives.

"Evacuate, run without stopping!" Mélodie shouted as she helped an old lady to stand up.

Mélodie's group, as promised, helped with the evacuation. The mass of people fleeing the city as fast as they could as they had seen this fireball burn the city to the ground. And a gigantic wave of fire rose into the sky.

"Laurence, did you set your traps?" Mélodie asked addressing another girl in her group.

She was a young woman as well, with a bulky body and yellow hair.

"Yes, we should know if the monsters this..." (Laurence)

"Boom!" 

"Don't tell me that..."  (Melody)

"Yes, it was one of my traps!" Laurence confirmed in panic.

Mélodie could see the mass of monsters in the distance closing in on them. Spotting the Lich in the distance leading the black mass towards them. Half the body burns from Élias' attack. As the traps set by Laurence exploded one by one.  Throwing bodies of monsters shredded by the explosion.

But then a black smoke would bring them back to life and he would start hunting again.

"Damn it!" (Mélodie)

Mélodie watched the people trying to flee, but the monsters were moving much faster than they were. And they would eventually catch up with them without a doubt.

"Mélodie!"  (Jack)

"I know!"  (Mélodie)

But before Mélodie could come up with a plan. Giant bolts of lightning struck the crowd. Killing, injuring and tripping many people.

"Ahhh! Mom!" Fell several meters away the little girl.

The mother came to her senses and took a look at her legs, after experiencing pains. They were bloody, she could no longer walk. As the lightning continued to rain down on the people who continued to flee. The young girl had been separated from her mother and had lost her stuffed animal in the shock.

"Cinthia..."  (Mother)

She had never taken her eyes off her child. How could she, she watched her daughter standing still, shouting her name in the middle of the crowd fleeing for her life.

She saw her daughter's stuffed animal and picked it up, then began to crawl. Crawling with all her strength only with her trembling arms with the only purpose to join her daughter. Meter after meter with legs in tatters. 

While Jack erected a gigantic wall to hold back the monsters. Melody was already starting to kill the monsters that were too close. The rest of the group trying to block the Lich's attacks while helping the population.

"Mélodie, we can't do any more we're going to have to leave the wounded and the stragglers behind." (Jack)

"Jack no, we can't do that!" (Mélodie)

"You think that makes me happy!  We don't have a choice!" (Jack)

Mélodie hesitantly watched the monsters already attacking the wall. Resigning herself to retreat with Jack.

"If that son of a bitch was alone, we could have taken care of him!" Mélodie shouted in rage.

As the mother had finally reached her daughter with bloody hands.

"Mom!  Mom!" She moaned.

"Cinthia, I want you to run as fast as you can." She said as she handed her stuffed animal to her.

"I wouldn't leave you here... Somebody help me! Somebody help my mom!" She shouted.

But no one would come to save them and the mother knew it.

"Cinthia! Please listen to your mother. I need you to run away, can you do that for me?" (Mother)

"Yes..." Said the girl herself resigned seeing that no one was coming to their rescue.

The mother then kissed her daughter one last time on the forehead addressing her last words:

"I love you."

The young girl then ran with all her might, tears streaming down her face clutching her soft toy.

The mother left now alone and the monsters this inevitably go to her, she turned to look at the sky. Far from the red complexion of the burning city, just a beautiful starry sky bordered by two magnificent moons.

"I will join you my love." (Mother)

As the beasts now began to devour her.  Strangely, there was no pain, no cry, just the tears of having to leave her child. She herself was surprised to die without the slightest pain while observing this starry sky. The red moon illuminating little more than the blue.

<The painless skill has been granted to you. You feel no pain.>

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