CHAPTER 9 - THE ONLY THING I CAN DO

The night is bright but still full of terror. The smell of burnt wood and meat mixes with the humid air.  Flames are raging everywhere, singing songs of doom to whoever witnesses this tragedy.

The pile of corpses right in front of my eyes is fresh. Almost all of them suffered from mutilations, but some sustained stab wounds. I saw from one adult corpse that he has these three parallel scratches on his back, akin to a claw mark.

“Mama! Mama!”

As soon as the pool of blood crawled at the tip of my shoe, I was awakened by the sudden realization that I heard a child’s cry. I looked left and right, but I couldn’t locate the kid. There’s already too much smoke in the area to make of the surroundings.

“Raawr!”

A bone-chilling roar echoed in the surroundings. A big fire cackled, and I also heard the sound of the falling debris. My ears also received a shriek, albeit it was cut short. After that, the cries of the kid can no longer be heard.

A cold chill jolted my spine. I have to get out of here. I have to get out of here. That’s what my brain says. But where to? This village is surrounded by plains on one side, and grassy hills on the other side. It would take at least two hours on foot to reach the city proper. There’s no public transportation during these wee hours of the night.

I looked around and saw that the castle of the Treenity House was on fire. I finally remembered that my betrothed is in there, and she hasn’t come back!

“Raynevere!” I cried out loud as I bolted towards the burning citadel.

As I rush towards my destination, I heard a strong flapping in the air. It was so strong that the flames on the west side of the burning village spread out. I saw a silhouette of the source of the flapping noise.

It has a humanoid body filled with bluish muscles, horns like an ox, wings like a dragon, and an arrow-tipped tail. Its face is a white skull and its eye sockets are glowing crimson.

“A Cyberdemon?” I muttered to myself as I tried to catch my breath. 

I have heard on the news that there were Cyberdemon attacks in the northern part of the city. However, this village is located in the east part of Saltside. What the hell is happening here?

No matter whatever is taking place here, I have to be careful. Cyberdemons are failed specimens of the mystical nanomachines, so it means that they have superhuman strength, speed, and even intelligence. The nanomachines on a Cyberdemon’s body, however, are infected by a virus that also affects the brain. Ordinary people, even equipped with guns or rockets, will not be able to defeat it.

There’s only one choice for me if I ever met one: hide. But since the Cyberdemon is too far away to notice me yet, I have to do what I can do. I will save Raynevere first and get out of here.

<>

After five minutes of running, I finally arrived at the foot of the castle.  At the very entrance of the castle was my very objective.

“Raynevere!” I cried.

“M-Mister Elzane…” Raynevere answered.

I am glad that I easily found her, but it’s not good news at all. She’s lying on her stomach, with more than half of her body pinned by fallen bricks and burning wooden posts. The left half of her beautiful face was covered in blood, and she can no longer open her left eye.

“O-Ow. Owowow.” Raynevere softly cried. 

Her crooked right hand tried to reach out for me, so I immediately caught it. I tried to locate her other hand, but I saw that it was quite far away from her position. I can also see her bones coming out from her right arm.

Seeing her in a pitiful state makes me want to cry. She already lost a lot of blood. I’m no doctor, but in the situation she’s in, her death is certain and imminent. She’s just trying hard to cling to her dear life.

“Raynevere! Stay with me!” I hollered.

“D-Don’t leave me, Mister Elzane. I… I don’t want to die. I’m scared of dying alone.” Raynevere smiled, but tears came out of her eyes.

I sat in front of her and tried to warm her warped hand with my rough hands. This is the only thing I can do to the woman I secretly have a crush on. This is the only thing I can do to the woman who ought to be my future wife. 

At least she’ll have me until she takes her last breath.

At least she’ll not be lonely on her death.

I can’t do anything more than this.

“...”

No.

I can do something. I can gamble for a miracle and fight against fate itself. The flames of hope lit anew in front of my eyes.

A few meters away from me, I saw an old Kaiser Gauntlet.