Back In the Village:
Aurelian was in the middle of a game with his little sister Valentina, and their mother Lillian was seated nearby, watching them with a smile. Theodore was busy finishing his food in his high chair. Suddenly, they heard a loud noise on the door.
Aurelian instinctively went to open it, but before he could do that, the door was violently broken apart and pushed towards him. He braced himself with his four arms, using two to hold onto the door and two to shield himself. He saw five burly men rush inside, with cruel expressions on their faces.
The atmosphere in the room shifted immediately as Lillian sprang into action. She was a strong Earth Attribute Mage, and had been preparing for a moment like this. Without hesitation, she enveloped Theodore and Valentina in a thick earthen shell, protecting them from harm.
Aurelian, on the other hand, was already defending himself from the attackers. With his four arms, he was a gifted fighter, and had been learning to fight since he was 15 months old. He moved with fluidity and grace, striking out at the intruders with a skill beyond his years.
The intruders were no ordinary thugs. They were heavily armed, wearing dark clothing and masks that concealed their faces. They had come for Lillian, and they meant to take her by force. Their leader stepped forward, a tall man with a cruel smirk on his lips.
"Well, well, well," he said, his voice laced with malice. "Look what we have here. The runaway noble and her brood. We have been looking for you, my dear. And now, we've found you."
Lillian did not answer. Instead, she raised her hands, and a wave of Earth magic surged forward, knocking the intruders back momentarily. But they were determined, and they quickly regained their footing, moving forward to attack once again.
The other intruders are taken aback by Aurelian's skill, but they quickly recover and start attacking him from different angles. Aurelian uses his four arms to block and counter their blows, moving with a fluidity that is impressive for a child his age.
Aurelian continues to fight with all his might, landing blows on the intruders and fending off their attacks. But they are skilled fighters themselves, and soon he finds himself overwhelmed. One of the intruders lands a hard blow on his side, sending him reeling.
Lillian senses her son's distress and immediately begins to channel her Earth Attribute magic. She opens her eyes, which glow with an intense green light, and sends a powerful shockwave through the room. The intruders are thrown back by the force of the wave, and Aurelian is able to catch his breath.
The fight continues, but with Lillian's help, Aurelian is able to hold his own against the intruders. Slowly but surely, they begin to gain the upper hand, and soon the intruders find themselves on the defensive.
Finally, with a final burst of energy, Aurelian lands a devastating punch on the last intruder, sending him flying across the room and crashing into a wall. The room falls silent, except for the heavy breathing of Aurelian and Lillian.
Lillian quickly moves to the earthen envelope, releasing Theodore and Valentina from their protective cocoon. She embraces them tightly, relieved that they are safe. Meanwhile, Aurelian sits down on the floor, exhausted but triumphant.
Just as they thought they had won; the sound of crashing wood and shattering glass filled the room. Suddenly, a figure in black leapt through the hole in the roof, landing gracefully in the midst of the chaos. Lillian recognized him instantly, his name a curse on her lips.
"Bloodhound," she hissed, her eyes narrowing as she faced the notorious S Class Mercenary.
Bloodhound was a towering figure, standing well over six feet tall with broad shoulders and rippling muscles. His face was obscured by a black mask, leaving only his piercing eyes visible. He wielded two long blades, each one gleaming in the dim light of the room.
Lillian and Aurelian shared a look filled with fear and anxiety, knowing that Bloodhound was no ordinary opponent. He was one of the most feared mercenaries in the realm, with a reputation for ruthlessness and a list of successful contracts that seemed never-ending.
Without warning, Bloodhound lunged forward, his blades slicing through the air with deadly precision. Lillian and Aurelian dodged and weaved; their movements almost synchronized as they fought to keep up with their opponent's lightning-fast attacks.
Aurelian's four arms proved to be a valuable asset in the fight, allowing him to block and strike simultaneously. Lillian, meanwhile, called upon the power of the earth, sending waves of rock and soil crashing towards Bloodhound.
But despite their best efforts, Bloodhound was a force to be reckoned with. He moved with a grace and speed that belied his imposing size, his blades cutting through the air like twin streaks of lightning.
As the battle raged on, Lillian and Aurelian began to feel the strain of the fight. Bloodhound seemed tireless, his attacks relentless and unyielding. Lillian's muscles ached and burned, and Aurelian's four arms trembled with the effort of blocking and striking.
Just when it seemed that all was lost, a sudden explosion rocked the room. The force of the blast sent Lillian and Aurelian tumbling backwards, their bodies slamming into the walls.
When they looked up, they saw that the room was now filled with a thick cloud of smoke. Bloodhound was nowhere to be seen; his dark form obscured by the haze.
Lillian and Aurelian exchanged a wary glance, knowing that the battle was far from over. But for now, they were left with a moment of respite, their bodies battered and bruised but their spirits unbroken.
As the smoke slowly cleared, Lillian raised her head, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of their elusive foe. She knew that they could not let their guard down for even a moment, not while Bloodhound was still on the loose.
Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her side as she was thrown across the room. Bloodhound had reappeared, his eyes blazing with a fierce determination. He was a towering figure, with rippling muscles and a menacing snarl that made even the bravest of fighter’s tremble in fear.
Lillian knew that they were at a disadvantage. Bloodhound was a highly skilled mercenary, with years of combat training under his belt. He had been hired by their enemy specifically to take them down, and he was doing a damn good job of it. Lillian tried to push the pain aside and focus on the battle at hand.
Meanwhile, Aurelian was fighting fiercely, his four arms moving in a blur as he defended himself from the attacks of Bloodhound's henchmen. But the constant onslaught was starting to take a toll on him, and he was slowly losing ground. Sweat dripped down his face as he gritted his teeth, determined not to give up.
Lillian knew that she had to do something fast. She had been conserving her energy, waiting for the right moment to strike. But now, with Aurelian on the brink of collapse, she had no choice but to unleash her full power.
With a fierce cry, she unleashed a torrent of earth magic, sending rocks and debris flying towards their enemies. Bloodhound managed to dodge most of the attacks, but a large boulder slammed into one of his henchmen, sending him flying across the room.
Lillian continued to fight, her movements becoming more fluid and graceful as she tapped into the full extent of her powers. But Bloodhound was not easily defeated. He continued to dodge and weave, his attacks becoming more ferocious with each passing moment.
As the battle raged on, Lillian felt her strength slowly draining away. Her side throbbed with pain, and her muscles ached from the constant strain. But she refused to give up. She had come too far to let Bloodhound win.
Suddenly, she heard a loud thud, and turned to see Aurelian crumple to the ground. He had fainted from exhaustion. Lillian's heart sank as she realized that they were at a losing condition. She was tired, injured, and now, she was alone against Bloodhound.
Bloodhound grinned; his eyes alight with triumph. "It's over, Lillian," he growled. "You might as well give up now."
But Lillian refused to give up. She summoned the last of her strength and launched a fierce attack at Bloodhound, catching him off guard. For a moment, it seemed as though they might actually win the battle.
But it was not to be. Bloodhound had one last trick up his sleeve. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial of liquid. He uncorked it and hurled it at Lillian, who was caught off guard. The liquid splashed onto her skin, and she felt a sharp pain as her muscles seized up.
She collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony as Bloodhound laughed triumphantly. The battle was over. Bloodhound had won.