Pride

Yuki ON:

- Stop playing in the service, this thing is not normal. - Lilith's voice comes out of the device again in our ears, in a serious voice, maybe a little worried about the situation. - Yuki, follow the plan and take care of the little ones, don't worry if any of them get through, I'll cover you.

- Roger that. - It was not a time for ease, I leave that inert and hopeless state and advance to have a better aim against soldiers with green and grotesque skin.

I start running and walk away from the group, while they take care of the commander, focusing my eyes only on the entrance to the monsters' den. I try not to look away for even a second, avoiding even blinking. When I reach a safe distance from that dark hole, where I would not know when the horde of goblins would rise to the surface, I try to stay steady with the situation by breathing long and deep. Gradually, I start to put my head to work and, little by little, I come up with different strategies that can be effective against them.

- Since they are just goblins, I will not have so much trouble. - I mean getting ready completely. Little by little I start to remember how easy it was to kill the goblins, with Ren and Leo, giving me a certain hope. The only problem would be... - Quantity... so I need to manage my mana carefully... aff, I know I said I wanted to help, but not fight an army alone...

As I complain, I start to hear an excruciating, high-pitched sound from the den. It begins to enter my mind, as if laughing at my relief, like the sound of a rat's nest grunting in despair and hunger. Even though I feel that almost nauseating sound enter my ears, I try not to despair and prepare myself for combat. I keep my hands ready and the clear image of lightning in my mind, soon the purple sparks begin to dance on my fingers and come together in a single sphere between my palms. Tension is in the air when I see the first head rushing out of the den, with its hairless head and pointed, grotesque-looking ears, sharp fangs and its eyes that glowed a dirty, terrifying yellow. Gradually more goblins start to come out, almost identical and with their green and wrinkled skin. I am the first thing they see, having all of their pupils open and wild towards me. I feel a slight chill down my spine for being the center of attention but at the same time I was grateful for that, with them focused on me, Helena's group can fight without problems.

Almost as if they were anxious about my presence, they all crack a sinister smile and sample all their teeth, while some just leave a red stained tongue and dripping saliva out. The monstrous flock finally moves with their short legs, running towards me showing their sharp nails and some carried poorly made and primitive clubs and spears. The sound of small footsteps and wild grunts dominates the field in front of me. I try my best to isolate that disturbing sound from my mind, with the sound of electricity.

I focus completely on the purple electrical charge in my hands and finally release the energy. Deforming its round shape and forming the long electrified whip advancing against the goblins running towards me. Hitting the middle of the group of monsters, going through several of the small bodies and making pieces of burnt flesh fly. Not giving a damn about the life of their companions, the other goblins continue running without fear of death and even passing over the green corpses that gave small spasms for electricity. Seeing that unrestrained advance, I don't waste the moment, I don't undo the electricity and I hold the long electrified line tightly and trying to resist the pain of lightning. Touching the purple line, I can feel my mana starting to control the electric current and decreasing the pain in my fingers. Now regaining control, I start making long, strong movements with my arm, cutting the flesh of the little monsters that touched my electricity.

Attacking without stopping, I continue to cut the air, until I realize that all the monstrous noises cease completely. Watching that scene with the burned and sliced bodies, which only let liters of blood spill over the floor. When no other body moves, I release the tension from my fingers and that lightning of incandescent purple glow dissolves in the air. I feel my arm tremble a little in the middle of my heavy breaths, move my hand closer to my face and just see my fingers trembling and my palm a little burned. I close my fist and try not to care about the pain in my hand.

- Good job, kid. - I hear Lilith's unsympathetic voice ring in my ear, through my breaths to lessen the pain of the burn.

- Thank you, but I'm not done yet. - I say taking a last breath looking at the sky, watching a little of the starry night, before I turn again to the den and find the new wave of armed goblins.

Seeing that scene, with the twenty little hungry monsters ready to go. I just smile a little when I feel a strange feeling of energy running through my veins and spreading through my body, that was not electricity but adrenaline. That strange feeling of excitement warms my body, making me addicted at that moment. In this second batch of goblins, I just watch those ugly things as if they were nothing... I felt incredible.

- Let's have fun, ugly little monsters. - I say confident. Almost as if they were instigated by my words, they attack me with fury and savagery, swinging their rudimentary weapons from side to side.

I waste no time and crouch, placing my two palms on the gray cement floor and ignoring the burn on my hand. Even though I feel the hard and uncomfortable feeling on my skin, I keep pressing the asphalt. Hearing the sound of small and numerous steps towards me, but I try to keep a single fluid thought in mind, I begin to feel the force of the wave of water that comes out of my hands and dominates the floor around me. Following my will, the water invoked goes towards the new group of goblins. Now, that long wave of water filled with white bubbles passes over the corpses of the monsters of my first attack, until it reached the ankles of my enemies, who did not stop. I take advantage of that animalistic idiocy and with my hands covered by the water I close my fists. As an order to harden, the watery veil stops flowing and stiffens, cooling the air and forming a thick layer of ice that holds green and angry beings, struggling in desperation and extreme confusion.

Just seeing those things caught in my trap, I slowly start to get up. As I rise, I take my hands out of the frozen water with ease and feel the pieces of ice come free from my palms. My breath releases a thin white smoke, due to the temperature, while I couldn't take my eyes off those helpless goblins. I've seen these things at work and their wild and unapologetic actions, I can't feel even an ounce of pity about these things... maybe I'm starting to get used to this job... I put my palms together in a sign of prayer and start channeling my sparks. When I get enough charge, I open my hands and create a small purple screen of pure electricity. I envision my complete attack, causing the electric screen to split into several long, sharp needles. As I still didn't have so much practice, I could see that some of them were twisted and deformed. I try not to bother with my poorly made electrical creations and focus on the group of enemies trapped in the ice magic.

Making a quick movement of my arms, I throw all the needles. Cutting through the air, they go with fury and speed, successfully piercing goblins desperate to escape. Being very easy to target my immobilized enemies, my incandescent electricity hits the head in full and they make holes in their skins or hit any other limb and caused small explosions of blood and flesh. Even though it was not enough to kill them, they screamed in pain and in a short time they stopped dying, I don't know if they died or just succumbed to pain.

- Phew ... was that all? - I say in a low voice and looking around me for any trace of life, observing that ice floor I had created.

As soon as I see absolutely nothing, I turn my eyes to the hole from which these green mice came out. I keep my eyes fixed as I move my hand to pick up one of the green healing potions ... after the adrenaline subsides, the burning pain in my palms starts to increase ... I manage to reach the potion in my pockets and take it out of that dimensional space, taking it out its cork with its teeth and I already start drinking the liquid. Feeling that bitter taste pass through my tongue and run down my esophagus.

- Argh, I think I understand when they say that the most bitter medicine is the most efficient. - I say, feeling my hand tingling or rather the cells in my hand, which started to work at an absurd speed and healing that burn as if it had never happened. - I think it's worth the bad taste, now let's see... I killed forty... forty-two, I don't know if I have enough mana to beat the three hundred.

With that fact in mind, I keep the empty glass in one pocket and then take my magic dagger in the other. I look closely at the magic weapon and notice the similarity it had to the one I used on the night hunt in Kyoto, making me a little more at ease with how to use it. I hold your cable tightly and stay in a defensive position.

"I don't want to go ahead, the best thing is to wait, let them out and I kill them"

I keep that thought firm, in just holding on to your strength until Helena and the others are finished, until I hear a noise close to me. I think I had left some alive, but it was not a grunt of anything alive, but the sound of the ice breaking with fury. My surprise at the cracking ice makes it take me a long time to react, I just jump back when a small shadow with a pointed object advances against me. I try to move my torso to avoid being punctured, but I am not left unharmed and my left arm is targeted by the surprise grazing attack. I don't think about attacking or reacting, I just take another long jump and walk away from the icy ground and carefully land on the hard asphalt.

- Shit! - I complain feeling the force of the impact of the floor in my sudden retreat, beginning to feel the liquid blood starting to seep from the cut on my arm. It wasn't something to worry about, but I can't help but say it was close. With my right hand, still holding the magic dagger, I try to stop the blood a little with the back of my hand.

My heart is beating fast and my blood is racing through my agitation. I raise my eyes to the shadow and gradually I can make out the silhouette of the small being carrying a spear. With the moonlight helping to reveal more details of his ugly face, I see him watching me anxiously and giving a sinister smile, showing his sharp teeth. I get disgusted by the smiling expression of that thing, I want to cut off his head in anger, but I know I can't move forward without thinking ... this thing basically got off the ground, it's the first time I've seen a mole goblin.

- Moles... - I repeat that adjective and a bell rings in my head, illuminating my thoughts. - Earth magic.

"Helena-san said that they had used this to create the shelter... but she didn't know it could be used like that."

I have my answer as to how he was doing that, but it still wasn't enough to offer me a way to resolve the situation. I continue to think carefully, but again I hear the ground breaking, this time from both sides of me. The cement succumbed to the two new goblins who jumped out of the ground, pointing their stone blades at me. With all my strength that I was able to gather in that second and I squat down, leaning my knees hard against the asphalt, seeing those two little bodies flying over me. Even with my aching knees, I ignore the pain and give another push back and stand a safe distance from the three goblins, who were looking at me with the same sick and disgusted expression.

- What, can't you fight alone? - I say with a sarcastic smile and ready.

- Hahahahahahahaha!!!!

They just give a sinister, hysterical laugh. While underneath each of them, a circle of little brown luster appears with thick strokes. Under the influence of magic, they seem to be sucked into the ground, which seemed to be soft in that moment like mud.

- If they are using earth magic, then there really is a wizard nearby ... - I say noting that none of them recited any words or even noise to invoke any spell, reinforcing my idea of a wizard among them.

When they hide completely in the ground, I immediately raise my guard and prepare my legs for any sudden evasion. I try to concentrate on any sound coming from below that would indicate the location of the three monsters, but it seems that they had disappeared completely from the map, without any sound or movement. As the seconds pass, I feel a certain tension and even fear of a new piercing attack. Even though I was confident before, I didn't know what to do. Every time I fought with monsters I at least knew where they would attack me, now ... I start to feel a terrifying emptiness in my mind, not knowing what to do or how to react in that situation. I plan on starting to launch a large area attack, but I would have to spend a lot of resources for just three goblins. The idea of asking for help from Lilith or Helena runs through my mind, but I just see that big goblin attacking the knights with wild fury.

"They already have too many problems. But even if I ran to ask for help, the goblins would only attack me."

I need to move carefully, but I feel my legs shaking with nervousness, almost making me fall to the floor. I try to act professionally, but my lack of combat experience finally hit me. The anguish of not being able to predict the enemy's direction causes the worry to dominate my nerves and I begin to lose my focus little by little. I hear the smallest sound of stone moving behind me and I aim the enchanted dagger in that direction, quickly.

- Ice Thorn! - I say in a loud howl and shooting that thick thorn of ice, from the sharp tip of my gun.

The ice travels at an absurd speed and hitting the ground hard, making the concrete pieces fly. I try to calm my breathing, hoping that I will be able to see at least a drop of blood from the goblin and thus gain some hope of victory, but I see nothing but the broken and burnt cemented floor. I hear the same sound again, now it came from my opposite side. Ready to launch another cold shot, I hear the same sound coming in all directions.

Desperation begins to take complete control of me, with that repetitive and accursed sound, being a harbinger of my death. I point nervously and with my dagger shaking, not knowing if it was an attack or not. They were playing with me, like cats playing with food before they smashed it with their claws. I can't take it anymore, putting my dagger aside and putting my hands together to use lightning or anything else that could stop that damn sound. I know it was a bad idea, but I was desperate. I prepare myself to form the sparks, when once again the sound of soil and stone moving happens behind me. I imagine it was more of a bluff and I completely ignore it, but... the moment I go down just ignoring it, I have a dark feeling going through me, like a cold touch on the back of my neck, telling me to move. I was so scared that the only movement I could make was to turn my head and look over my shoulder. When my eyes can see my back, I see only the disgusting, skeletal body of the goblin flying from the ground and coming towards me with hunger and malice. As if the world were in slow motion, I realize that that cold hand was that of death. I cannot order my body to move at least to deflect or make it reach a non-vital part of my body, but I cannot move any muscle, all of them had been overcome with fear.

I can't even close my eyes, to at least have that false feeling to reduce my own pain. As soon as I felt all my hopes were completely gone from my mind, I see an intense light in the corner of my eye, I start to think that I was seeing the heavenly light of paradise ... but little by little I realized that this yellow light was getting more and more more intense, and suddenly a concentrated and strong ray of light passes right through the goblin. The light disappears next to the green body of the monster, vaporized by the luminous and deadly attack. It takes me a while to understand what had happened, I can't even get out of that static state of fear and nervousness.

- It will be stuck there forever newcomer! - The call coming from Lilith's communicator causes me to be pulled by force back into reality. My nerves seemed to be calmer, along with the girl's loud voice.

- So-sorry. - I say stuttering a little, feeling ashamed for having acted in such a shameful and careless way.

- Aff... if they are using magic, then there must be some trail of mana on the ground. Use it to find these ugly things and then find the wizard. - The military voice of the young armed blonde resonates in my mind, making me feel in the presence of a military commander... but when I hear her request, I feel a certain nervousness...

- The plan is good, but... there's a little problem. - I try to find somewhere to hide from Lilith's shots before saying what was wrong.

- Hmm? - A grumpy grunt from someone who really didn't want to know about explanations or anything.

- I... I don't know how to track mana .. - I say embarrassed and wanting to hide under the earth with the goblins. - I haven't had that class yet...

- ... - Silence is the only thing I hear in response, giving the impression that I would be the next target for your shots.

I just stand there waiting for a help response or even something with negative feelings along with a few bursts of light ... at least in the second option, it might hit the goblins while I try to dodge.

The sound of rocks breaking around and I remember I was in battle. Beside me a pile of earth and cement rises and from it the sharp point of stone comes towards me, being held by the green and disgusting arm of the angry goblin. The small but cunning monster strikes in my direction, taking advantage of the fact that I am distracted.

- Back. - I hear the voice coming out of the device again in my ear. Following your orders strongly, I use all the muscles in my leg to the maximum to push the ground and jump away.

Following the command, I see the monstrous green figure with a pointed nose and ears jumping into the air, like a dolphin jumping into the sea. He focused only on me and on hurting me... but unfortunately I am not the worst threat here...

I feel the light reflecting beside me, approaching with speed towards the monster, who appreciates only to have understood now that I was not alone. Cutting through the air, the beam of golden, shining light is between me and the attacking goblin. I smile with a small smile of satisfaction at the extermination of the target.

- Shit, I missed. - But it seems that I'm not so lucky. After the beam of sharp light disappears, I can see the green and warty face of that goblin again, a very unpleasant sight.

He was standing back and frightened by Lilith's surprise attack, while holding his charred spear and without its stone tip ... it must have been scorched with light. He looks at the floor and sees the big burnt stone mark where the brilliant attack touched, making those disgusting giggles and even his anger disappear. In a sign of seriousness, he makes no sound, just goes back into the earth, where he should have stayed.

- Phew... - Relief comes back.

- What do you mean, you didn't learn to read mana? !! - The relief is gone. Her voice seemed to hit me hard, like a wave of disapproval at my amateurism ... wasn't it Jax who should be getting this scolding? - Whatever ... I will help you, follow what I say!

- Yes ma'am. - I say almost saluting her, but I'm afraid of being shot if Lilith thinks I'm making fun of her face.

With the conversation over, I turn to the field with a few pieces of broken concrete and overturned earth. But now I was finally calm and with my head without any kind of frustration. With my eyes attentive to any movement, I wait for Lilith's words to be passed through the device. Picking up the magic dagger again and getting ready to act.

- They are coming. - I hear the words of the guide, getting me ready with my dagger and ready to cast a counter attack spell. - One is coming from the right and the other is going from behind.

- Which one is closer ?!

- The one on the right, get ready.

As ordered, I prepare myself for the attack at my side. At the same moment, one of the goblins with the spear in hand seems to slide across the land, heading towards me. His speed was impressive, but it doesn't scare me anymore. Confident and prepared, I point the magic blade in that direction.

- Ice Thorn! - I recite the known spell of that blade, invoking the thorn of ice that is fired almost instantly.

The thick shrapnel of ice manages to get close but does not hit the monster, which was still surfing towards me with fury. I don't mind, I shoot three more spikes without hesitating or taking my eyes off target. The new shots of ice follow the same course as the first, showing that my aim was not high enough for me to hit the nail on the head. Looking more excited about my mistake, the goblin increased his speed, confident that he was victorious.

- Shit, get down... - Lilith tries to intervene worried, but I manage to cut her speech in time.

- Don't worry, it will work.

Without stopping, I almost felt the monster's breath, with its macabre smile and sharp teeth. But unfortunately, I have other plans.

- Bye-bye. - I push the blade with all my strength into the ground and go through the concrete, using my tired muscles to the maximum, feeling my veins almost exploding with so much force. - Ice Shild! - According to my words, the dagger begins to emit an intense light blue light and from it a thick and long wall of massive ice emerges from the floor and stays between me and the goblin, which hits that thick and icy wall with everything, leaving a great blood stain on that opaque ice.

- Wow ... - Not even Lilith expected this ... much less me ... it was a lucky shot, which I really don't want to repeat so soon. - Incredible, but it's not yet time to celebrate, the next one is coming!

Knowing it wasn't over, I turn my body over and release the handle of the magic blade that remains stuck to the floor. As soon as I turn my torso, I already see the second goblin already leaping from the earth and advancing against me in a wild way. Since he was without a gun, he steps forward with his claws and teeth ready to cut my throat. Unlike the one that hit the ice face, this one didn't seem to care how it moved, it just came towards me like a real uncontrolled animal. With this thoughtless advance of the goblin, I easily dodge and at the same time grab the knife I had stuck to my leg. I feel the sturdy handle of the sharp weapon in my fingers, next to the weight of the metal without magic. The instant the green, dumb creature passes by my side, almost touching its body against mine, I move the Blade and pierce the goblin's chest. Feeling the weight of the flesh slicing, I take the impulse of that monster's reckless attack and keep going through his skin and muscles, feeling a few drops of hot blood touch my face.

My little enemy finally falls to the ground, with his flesh open and releasing an absurd amount of blood through the gray concrete and letting some of his red-soaked organs come out. I look at my gun and my bloody hand with the reddish, smelly liquid. I feel a little disgusted, but it was nothing I could not bear. Finally I sit on the floor, even though it is not the last fight, I take advantage of those calm moments to catch my breath.

- Aff... two minutes, that's all I ask ... - I say almost begging the goblins to take a break.

- Not bad, I would deduct some points for the lack of technique and the emotional lack of control earlier... a grade of 7.5. - Lilith's detailed and analytical voice impresses me... I feel like she's doing some surprise test.

- I accept that...

- It will become an 8 when you finish killing that one.

- Hã? - The sound of something sharp touching the ice.

I turn tiredly and without patience to the ice wall, while I see a small hand holding the ice with its sharp and slightly broken nails on the icy surface.

- You're kidding me. - He was more angry than anything, seeing the goblin coming out from behind the wall. The monster staggered from side to side, and its face and torso were all bathed in blood.

He came towards me at a slow pace, without giving up trying to cut me with his claws. I was really out of patience with these goblins to the point where I went in my pockets and picked up one of the long flasks with the bright red liquid hitting inside the glass. I haven't had a chance to use it yet...

- Hey, get it. - I say in a relaxed way, throwing the bottle in the direction of the goblin, who just watched the object flying in the air and slowly approaching his face. When I see the thin glass break over the monster's head, the liquid seemed to create a small spark on its own, soon covering the small body with a cloud of fire that caused a small explosion. - Wow...

I just watch the fire little by little generating a thick, gray smoke. Gradually the red and the yellow incandescent begins to consume completely and disappears, leaving only the dark and black mark of the explosion, next to the black corpse of ashes.

- It was cool, but I'll discount it because you used a bomb against a nearly dead goblin. - The young woman's harsh words hit me hard, but at the same time I was so tired that I pretend not to care.

With her words in the background, I slowly move my hand into one of my pockets and take one of the healing potions out of it. I carefully open the stopper of the small, long bottle, subtly placing its open edge on my lips. Without even hesitating with the taste, I start drinking the green liquid and trying to resist the bitter taste of the potion. When I can finally feel it going through my throat, I can go back to the field. Gradually I can feel the effect of its quick and effective healing, which ended my tiredness with some small scratches on my body.

Ready for the next round, I stand up again and start worrying about my opponent.

- Okay, now that those things are gone, the damn wizard is missing. - I say thinking about my next step, watching the horizon of the battlefield, hoping to find him with the naked eye... a complete failure. - Yeah... not even the monster is so stupid as to show up after that...

I think about asking Lilith for help, but I see that now she was focused on the commanding goblin. Aiming her big weapon at the giant, still being targeted by Marcus and Harrold's attacks... making it look easy, while I'm suffering with these here.

When I see that I will not have help for now, I focus only on finding the wizard before the other goblins decide to participate in the fight. In a quick thought, I start to think of something to deal with the wizard. If more goblins come with the support of his earth magic, I'm dead... and you still have the possibility of having more than one hidden wizard.

- Aff... read the mana, right? -I say thinking about what the blond-haired girl said, while she criticized me angrily. - I know Jax's theory of classes, but he did not delve into the subject...

Basically it was the ability for you to be able to visualize and locate objects or living beings that have a certain amount of mana within them. In Jax's words: "focus your mana on the optic nerves in your eyes, allowing physical objects to be ignored and only those with mana to reveal themselves."

"That's the theory, but... if I do shit, I'll probably go blind."

In the midst of my worrying about my vision, I begin to hear that repetitive and disgusting noise of a flock of rats crowding. I look at the distant den, where those noises were concentrated and gradually increased their volume constantly. On the other side of the battlefield, I spot Harrold going upwards using a golden shield, while Marcus continued to attack from above. If Helena is right, the hobgoblins will wait for their leader to die and fight ... honestly just the idea of fighting one of those again scared me, imagine a squad. Unfortunately I don't have time to worry about risks, I'd rather be a little blind than die in the clutches of an ugly goblin... besides... there's an idiot waiting for me at home.

I close my eyes resolutely and start to focus on Jax's words, even if only a few. I try to do like my spells, I start to imagine the same river, flowing from my abdomen and going to my head this time. Gradually I try to divide this mana for my eyes, carefully, passing them to my optic nerves. I felt like it was a certain electric current behind my eyes and little by little I felt that energy manifesting and spreading through my eyes completely. When trying to reopen them, I feel tremendous pain all over my head. Intense and sharp, I felt like my eyes were going to pop out and my brain to explode. It was so strong that it makes me stagger a little to the sides, holding myself up so I don't fall completely on the floor. I move my hand quickly, covering my right eye, in a useless way of trying to lessen my pain.

- Ah ... shit, I didn't know it would be so intense ... - I say recovering little by little, but still suffering from the pain that took some time to stop.

Seeing that it wouldn't work, I just release my mana. When I felt the energy slowly dissipating, the pain seemed to subside together. With my hand still over my eye, I start to breathe deeply, with my heart beating fast with fright. At the same time, the background sound of the goblins' lair did not stop, mixing my sudden pain with worry. In the midst of my strong and deep breaths, I don't waste time and try to retrace the inner path with my mana, but in the first second that I redo the process, the pain returns. Curving my body as a reflection before the return of that sensation. Even though I want to continue, I can't keep it up for so long. With my hand covering one of my eyes, I look out at the slightly cloudy field with half my field of vision.

With my impaired vision, I get a little break in a sign that my body needed time to recover from that pain. Keeping my hand covered over my right eye, I spend a few seconds looking at half of that cemented field. As my neurons went back to normal, that scene in the world in half starts to give me an idea, causing me to arch my eyebrows.

"If I can't do both, we'll go with just one."

With that half-assed resolution, hoping to work. Even feeling my skin, afraid to feel that deep pain again, I put my will ahead of my concerns and on a third time, I redo the process. I take a last breath before concentrating my mana again, this time I recreate the great river that runs through my body, but I do not create any partitions. Just taking it carefully to my left eye, while keeping the right covered with my hand. Feeling the electricity in my head and just waiting for any sign that the pain will resonate inside me. I am a little afraid, but when I feel that everything is fine, I take the mana up to the optic nerves, behind my eyes. Feeling that begins to envelop my eye, I feel as if something enters it, like a speck.

When I blink, to try to get rid of that sensation, the moment I reopen my pupils, I was not seeing things normally anymore. It was as if the world had lost its color and only the white outlines showing the objects around me; from trees, shrubs and even the great lair it seemed only with an insignificant outline. I move my neck, keeping my hand on my face without moving an inch, catching sight of my companions or at least what appeared to be them. Three figures with a bright yellow aura, one of which stood out for carrying something that emitted a distinct emerald green glow... probably Helena with her artifact. While his enemy, however big, seemed to gradually lose his energy, and the amount of mana inside that massive body was gradually decreasing.

Seeing that it was working well, I started to cover the perimeter around me in search of my target. Expecting him to be behind some tree or stone, I turn to the more forested area hopefully and with my free hand ready to attack. A few meters away, I feel a large volume of mana right under a nearby tree.

- So that's where you are. - I mark the location in my memory and retrace the mana path, now going from my chest to my hand.

Closing my eye and opening it afterwards, I no longer see that colorless world and return to my normal vision. Not losing focus, I look closely at the magician's location and see the big tree, with some of its roots sticking out and a humble lawn around it. Quickly, a new lightning bolt forms around my fingers, shaking in my hand. Even with little time, I was already getting the hang of using lightning attacks for the large amount of repetitions. Worried that he will flee when he feels my attack, I don't wait another second and release that raw and intense electricity towards the ground in front of me. Launching, I see the energy molding itself into a large, runaway lightning bolt illuminating the place with its blinding purple glow. A few centimeters before reaching the greenish soil, I see a well-known grotesque and eared shape carrying a poorly made staff of dark wood and wearing a kind of dark and torn mantle. The little goblin was in a panic and frightened by his impending death, trying futilely to escape my attack.

When my lightning hits the ground, a big explosion happens and causes a big cloud of gray smoke, along with a few pieces of grass, wood and a few drops of blood. As soon as I see the big dirty cloud dissipating in the air, I start to feel something burning in my arm, an uncomfortable sensation in the hand in which I shot the lightning. The burnt skin on my fingers, my burnt sleeve and a little sickening smell of burnt flesh. Even though it is uncomfortable, I don't care or better... I can't care, I feel the effect of reading the mana affecting me... I really shouldn't have tried it without thinking. My movements were delayed and I can't move much, just below my arm burned by uncontrolled electricity and my fingers giving small spasms.

- Aff ... I just realized that I hate goblins. - I say in a total sign of anger and discomfort against the kind of monster.

I was tired feeling my muscles slowly failing, I try to move to at least reach my last healing potion, I still have a lot to do... I can't just fall here.

- AAAAAARGHHH !!

The shrill sound makes my nerves soar. The scream from the smoke makes me force my neck to move where I hit it. Gradually, the gray cloud disappears completely in the air, revealing the damage of my lightning: the burned roots of the tree, a large hole where there was a bleeding torso and fidgeting with fury. The furious goblin was left with nothing below his waist, just hanging pieces of burnt meat, with his torn black cloak and no longer holding his staff. He was showing his fangs and looking at me with anger and savagery, with blood starting to come out of his grotesque lips. I get scared, still unable to move, with that scene of a monster struggling to death. Looking at me deeply with those yellow and dark eyes, as if they could see through my soul, hungry to disembowel me.

In a last sign of resistance, he raises his arm with difficulty and from his fingertips a small brown magic circle, with the same coarse strokes that the mole goblins used to enter the land. That sight of having a new attack coming and I don't have the strength to deflect, makes me try to move my muscles more desperately. Not giving me time to think, the beast about to die lowers its arm fast and almost breaks the ground with what is left of its sharp claws.

As soon as the circle in his rough hands touches the paved ground, almost all destroyed by the battle and the goblin finally takes his last breath, putting out his long, gooey tongue. At the same moment I see the circle entering the ground and following the last order of the grotesque magician, a new circle appears quickly behind me with the same design, and from him a long and sharp spike made of stone advances against my back. The quick projectile of chipped stone advances at an absurd speed and the only thing I could do was watch the long skewer cut through the air and then my flesh, piercing my lung. In an instinct of fear, I just close my eyes hoping it would be less painful.

Prepared to feel the magic stone spear go through my skin. But instead of the sound of flesh being pierced, I just hear the metal tinting against something very hard. I open my eyes again, in a strange sensation of confusion and relief. Being able to see the light again, I just look at the direction in which I had seen the stone spear, but at the moment the sight of that pointed weapon disappears and I only see the broad back of a man in armor in a defensive position carrying that great sword.

- Harrold-san? - I say in surprise to see the older knight defending me, but at the same time I turn my eyes to the rest of the group that should be fighting the commanding goblin. My fear of being disrupting their performance by forcing Harrold to defend me and leaving the others behind worries me. - Wait and the others...

- Yuki, we're done. - My concern only disappears when I finally see Helena and Marcus walking quietly towards me, with the big corpse behind them.

I can't say anything when I see that scene, I just get speechless with the efficiency of the group belonging to the church.

- But you're doing better than I expected boy. - Harrold says again in that deepest, thickest voice, but at the same time welcoming, like that of a teacher watching his student.

- Define "best". - I still say with my body tense but at the same time calmer because my life is no longer in danger.

- I thought you would die in the first goblin. - He slaps me on the back, so hard he can get me out of that position and oddly enough, I was managing to move again... maybe he hit something that made my muscles go back to normal.

Then Helena approaches me and extends her hand delicately to my face. From her palm, a light golden light begins to emanate and gradually enters my skin. Running through my veins and nerves, I feel that heat run through my body and little by little I started to heal a little of my wounds and even a little of my tiredness.

- It's the most I can do now, but it should be enough. -She says in a soft and welcoming tone, stopping emitting the celestial light from one of her hands. - Marcus, how many are left?

Following the request of the brown-haired priestess, the young man steps forward, looking for the first time really tired.

- Of course, ma'am. - He says in a worn voice, as if he just wants to sit somewhere and not move. Raising your hand and making a circle with your index finger and thumb, placing your eye close to the improvised circle as if it were a spyglass. - Let's see... one hundred and seventy-five normal goblins and 7 hobgoblins, strangely little.

- Strangely... extremely little, a nest of this size should house some three hundred goblins. - Lilith is the first to say something about the number of enemies. Surprised and even a little confused, while I was quite upset... by the fact that I was convinced that I would have to fight three hundred such monsters. - Are you sure it counted right?!

- Shut up brat, I counted all the goblins that are alive. - Marcus speaks in response to what Lilith had said.

- Alive? - Helena says very concerned with his speech, totally caught unnoticed by that situation. Even Harrold looked confused and even with his years of experience he couldn't understand.

- They are eating each other. - Marcus says something sinister, not undoing that signal with his hand and looking deeper into the den. - It has several bodies of goblins in the deepest part: some in pieces and others only with the bones.

- Cannibalism? - I ask confused, while I was able to get up with Helena's help.

- Monsters have a different process to evolve, devour beings with large amounts of mana or eat other monsters. - He says apprehensive and at the same time scared to be seeing that bloody scene. - But that is far from everything I've ever seen ...

- That explains the reason for having hobgolins and a commander in a nest that should be classified as something safe. - Harrold finally says something in his deep, serious voice, showing his thoughts on the situation. - So it is a good sign, we will not have to deal with so many.

- Wait a moment Harrold-san, I am not finished yet, you have done your part but I have not finished mine yet. - I say lifting my back and looking seriously in the direction of the rider.

- Stop saying bullshit boy. - He does not raise his voice, just keeps it in a calm tone but at the same time so serious that he could put some pressure on the air. - You are all in pieces and almost without mana, you did very well but your part is over ... leave the rest with us - He walks forward and passes me, without looking in my direction.

I feel cold all over my body, when I see the muscular silhouette covered by cold, golden armor passing me, not allowing me to turn my head back. I saw my teeth hard, almost cracking them. I feel frustration wash over me and reality hits me hard. I realize my situation: I was just there for an easy mission, I almost died when stronger monsters appeared, I was playing hero when I was fighting the weak goblins and I still needed Lilith's help... I clench my fist tightly, almost cutting my palm with my nails, in a way to try to calm down or better accept that and let them finish the job. I try to keep my feelings in check, Harrold was totally right, in my situation I couldn't do anything, so why do I feel so angry with myself? After all... can't I really do anything?

Gradually, the flashbacks of fear and death that haunted me return and like a broken record, I seem to go back to that situation where I just die and let the people around me die, but... next to that, like a flower in the middle from the dark mud, memories of light, joy, laughter begin to come into my mind, perhaps love... both from my living family and from the mansion of lust.

Releasing my fingers and slowly relaxing my jaw, I feel my nerves calming with the resolution I have reached. In a quick movement, I grab Harrold's wrist, who turns to me in surprise. I see his mouth opening to try again to convince me that I had done what I could, but I cut him off.

- Harrold, as a member of the House of Lust, I would only bring dishonor to my side and to my general if I allowed a church member to finish my service. - I say with determined eyes and my speech serious and thick, ready for anything. - So please, step aside and let me finish what I started. - The older man seemed to be intimidated by my eyes and my words, unable to say anything at all.

- It's all right. - Helena's feminine and calm voice dominates the air and at the same time dissipates the tension between me and Harrold. - You can go Yuki.

- But Helena...! - I can hear Lilith try to say something in protest, but the brown-haired leader just holds her staff tighter and takes care of the situation.

- Don't worry Lilith... Yuki, we will not meddle, but if we show any sign of mortal danger we will intervene. - Her serious and military voice reverberates in the air, leaving me surprised to know that it was the same Helena who was talking to me, but I don't lose my will and I remain firm. - You used these recovery potions, so your mana is stable, but your body will suffer later if you use them too much.

I nod seriously and start walking forward, past Harrold and Marcus, surprised by my attitude. As the sound of my steps and the disturbing sound of the goblins' lair are the only noises that dominate the field. The group moves away a little, but at the same time they were prepared to act at any time. The sound of things coming out of the hole intensifies, but now I didn't bother anymore. I take a deep breath and try to devise an efficient strategy, now calmer I managed to think of something with the things that Jax taught me in his class.

- Okay, I hope this works out. - I say in a low tone and seeing the first hand coming out of that hole.

This time an entire platoon of goblins comes out of the den, with a large number of small ones in front and seven hobgoblins in the back, seeming to wait for the moment to act.

- They will all come together this time then, what a boring bunch. - I give a confident smile, putting one of my hands in my pocket and leaving my other hand free for my plan.

They do not even expect any order from the evolved beings and just advance with everything on me, some armed and others only with their claws. I don't leave the place, even with that sudden approach, I just hope they get closer. When they were about ten meters from me, I grab the contents of my pockets tightly and already throw all the arcane stones towards the stampede goblins. As soon as the little blue purples collide on the ground, they instantly create a large cloud of smoke that covered the entire field until the lair and I just hear the confused and frightened sounds of the goblins trapped there inside the big blue curtain.

- Seriously boy ...? After all that talk about pride. - Lilith says through the device in my ear with some disapproval. - They can't see you, but you can't see them either. What are you going to do, shoot without thinking and hope it works?

- I know that Lilith, but these stones are not just to obstruct the view. -I begin to explain the plan, not being discouraged by Lilith's harsh words and gradually remembering my class with Jax and managing to remember her words. - These arcane stones create a very interesting type of smoke, made of a gas colored with metallic minerals with the outline of stones condensed with magic that explode when cracking.

- Ah... yes and with the mana current connecting to these minerals, like a web and keeping this smoke screen for longer, this is general knowledge for beginners when we study magic... so what...? - Lilith continues my sentence and gradually seemed to understand my plan.

- Normally gases are insulating, but as this one has a large amount of metal in its structure, along with a current of mana that connects all these molecules in a single network. - I keep carrying the electric energy in my hand and getting ready to launch. - Normally, it would not be possible with metallic particles so small ... this is where the mana factor comes in ... if a magic attack hits everything with a chain of this size, there will be a big reaction ... and the magic of lightning in particular ...

- It will cause, in addition to an elemental explosion, it will also transform all the smoke into a large cloud of rays due to the metal in the structure. - I hear the young blonde almost choke with surprise at the development, which she had thought was stupid before.

- Yes... magic is incredible. - I say with a last smile, before pointing my arm with the electric sphere at the big blue smoke, where the goblins were still confused.

"I can't use much energy, I don't want to cause such a big explosion."

I think carefully to handle the electricity on my fingers and gradually I am able to shape the size of a soccer ball. Finally ready, take one last deep breath and launch the electric sphere, which cut through the air and penetrated the great cloud of blue smoke. It doesn't take long for you to get the reaction I expected.

- AAAAAAAAhhhhh

The agonizing scream was the first to come, after a great light that passed all the smoke, as if they were veins running through the body. It seemed that I was seeing a cloud of lightning thundering violently in front of me, amid the sound of sparks and the screams of pain of the goblins trapped there. Gradually that light intensifies and the electric veins seemed more charged than ever.

- Bum. - I say in a low voice, seeing the purple and blue explosion. A gust of wind happens and hits my body hard, almost making me retreat and bringing some of the smoke that now covered my surroundings. I start to hear a loud, high-pitched sound inside my ear... maybe I should have blown it farther away from me.

But even with that high-pitched sound disturbing my hearing, I could hear the raw sound of footsteps coming towards me. Of course, I would need more than a makeshift explosion to end all of them.

- I still have four explosive potions, five sleeping potions and one healing. - I mean counting my battle gear. - My magic dagger... I can no longer use it and my emergency dagger, I don't think it will be useful against them.

I feel and hear movements around me, as I was in the midst of smoke neither I nor the hobgoblins knew each other's location. But even with that advantage, it was still outnumbered and with little equipment. I'm not sure if I managed to kill any of them in the explosion, so I will assume that I am fighting seven hobgoblins. I try to stay crouched and holding one of the explosive glass in my hand, ready to attack any suspicious movement.

"This time I'm going to let them get closer, I don't win against their strength, so it's backing up and attacking little by little."

In the midst of my thinking, I feel steps closer and to my right, the dense wall of blue is crossed by a big purple fist and a coarse and irritated face, with its fangs out. The hobgoblin doesn't think twice about advancing against me, but this time I don't despair. Even though I was attacked to kill, I gently release the vial at the spot where I was crouched and take a big jump back. Being able to get a safe distance, I see that big purple-skinned humanoid monster hit its fist on the gray asphalt I was on, but instead of breaking the ground it breaks the small flask with the bright red flammable liquid. In the first crack the ignition takes place. Giving him no chance to scream and the fire consumes the hobgoblin's torso. The monster doesn't seem to understand the flaming attack and I don't even allow it, I try again to add electricity to the tip of my index and middle fingers, firing without thinking in the direction of the head of the burning purple being. Through the flesh weakened by the fire, my electric shot manages to pierce the skin and skull of the beast, which falls on his knees shortly thereafter.

I feel a certain satisfaction inside me and at the same time a personal victory for being able to kill one of those things. I hear more heavy footsteps coming from both sides of me.

"They must have heard the explosion."

I think, starting to retreat backwards, spreading some of the broken asphalt with my impulse. Finally I manage to get out of the cloud of smoke, getting my vision back. I am a good distance from that gas curtain, which gradually seemed to disappear into the air, wasting no time. I already grab more explosive flasks with my right hand and sleeping potions with my left. Holding the long glasses with liquid and colored content tightly and steadily, I watch anything that indicates the location of the hobgoblins in the smoke. Then my little purple and blue colored explosion begins to disappear, leaving only a few small clouds in the air around the piles of burned skin goblins' bodies and some that gave small spasms because of electricity, while four hobgoblins were standing apart and looking directly at me, two on my left and two on my right.

I sharpen my eyes and I can see that further down, close to the lair, two hobgoblins fallen and in the same situation as the goblins caught in my explosion. An even bigger smile on my face, even though it is strange that I feel this when killing a living being, I cannot undo this feature of mine.

- Now that I have the attention of all of you, we can begin.

The same instant I say that last sentence, the furthest to my right begins to run towards me in a frantic and animalistic way, almost cracking the floor with each step due to its strength and weight. While the other three stood still, as if they were just waiting for the right moment, still with their big dirty yellow eyes glazed over me. I try to keep my eyes on them all, but I can't help the instinct to focus only on what was attacking me. When he reaches about four meters from me, I don't think twice about throwing the potion of blue liquid in a short movement of my wrist, making the glass spin in the air with little speed towards the hobgoblin's face. Realizing my strategy, he grabs the flask with his big purple hand with long fingers and sharp nails and breaks it into pieces with extreme ease, throwing the pulverized fragments of glass and what is left of the potion away. But at the same moment I throw the second bottle in my hand, with more strength and precision to the monster's face, taking advantage of its low defense through my first bottle. The hobgoblin looked confused by the new object coming towards him. As expected, the glass breaks as soon as it touches the surface of your warty cheek and explodes. I take another step back and reach out my hand ready to fire another electrified shot.

But before I can even create a spark, I hear the heavy, repetitive sound of footsteps on my right. I try to turn my face to see what it was, but when I notice the hobgoblin coming to attack me it was already too close. With his fist ready, he attacks me brutally and with an absurd speed towards my abdomen. Almost as if in an action of pure reflex, I feel my mana run to my stomach. A thick, clumsy layer of massive ice begins to spread from my navel to my right shoulder without much control. I don't have time to care about refining my defense, I feel a big push coming from my stomach, along with the sound of the ice breaking with pure muscular strength. I start to feel my feet come off the ground and when I realize I was flying backwards only due to the impact of the hobgoblin's fist against my ice defense.

"How could I not see this animal coming? I only heard his footsteps when he was on my... side..."

While I had that little flight, I can see the hobgoblin I attacked before I took that punch, the smoke from the explosion was dissipating and from the middle of his burnt face I see a smile, something evil and at the same time mocked me. That expression makes me extremely uncomfortable, reminding me of the other goblins I killed earlier.

I look back and see myself quickly approaching the paved ground and badly damaged by constant struggles. I brace myself for the impact, feeling my backside touch the hard surface, making me roll across the floor until I can slow down and get on my knees next.

"That bastard didn't mind being caught in my attack, he knew I was going to use the explosive and he used the explosion so I wouldn't hear the other approaching. These things have a frightening learning ability, just watching me... that's why did not want to participate in the fight. "

The moment I manage to lift my torso with the ice still stuck, breaking slowly, a huge shadow appears in front of me and I feel a kick in the same place that I took the punch. The ice breaks even more and some of its fragments are lost in the air, and again I am thrown like a rag doll in a fight between children. I start to roll again, rubbing my face on the asphalt and hitting my head a few times. I stop moving confused, trying to get up slowly, but on my first move I feel the blood in my throat and I can't hold it. I smell the ferrous smell in my mouth, almost giving me nausea mixed with my slightly blurred vision...

- I think I hit my head. - I move my hand to my face and I feel the uncomfortable sensation of the scratches on my face along with a few drops of blood running down them. - You monsters really like to rub my face on the asphalt. - I say trying to make fun and moving my eyes to the bastard who kicked me.

Without moving my head, I see the big, muscular hobgoblin with his face all burned, with a little ice and blood on his foot.

- Sorry, but your face was already ugly, I didn't know you would care if I screwed up a little more - I smile in his direction, with a little blood running down my lip and giving that disgusting metal taste.

- Yuki! - I am almost knocked down by the shrill sound of Lilith's voice in my ear. I am quite surprised that the small communicating device is still intact after I have been thrown to one side and the other like a tennis ball. - Get out of there, let's cover you, you are not able to continue, it's crazy !!

The young woman's voice of concern, makes me happy while feeling the hot sensation in my abdomen... I think I broke some rib.

- Don't meddle. - I say in a low tone, getting up carefully and constantly holding where I took the sequence of blows, with some pieces of ice stuck to my clothes.

- But...

- Please.

Having managed to fully lift my spine, I see my ugly opponents coming together without breaking the eye contact of my injured body. I take a small breath and see that everything is normal with my breathing, I don't feel any difficulty.

- Phew... at least I didn't puncture a lung. - I say in a strange tranquility that I certainly did not expect to come from me. It doesn't even look like the same boy who cried with any scratch in his childhood. But at the same time, I don't mind this change ... I think I even prefer to be like that... I just step forward, staggering a little, even if my body wants to give up, I just force it to keep going. I don't even think about the fear of losing an arm or another limb, I just decide that I won't stop, I can't stop...

"You really don't think about anything, do you?"

I hear a female voice ringing inside my head. I think it was Lilith again, asking me to give up, but I notice that I'm someone older.

"You need to focus more on your internal flow and not just shoot fireballs without thinking."

I don't know who it is but it looks like I pissed that person off. I am lost in the middle of those words of strangers in my mind, leaving me even more in doubt of who they were. Even though it was something unknown to me, I listened to those words, they helped me before. While I was in the middle of that conversation with myself, the hobgoblins look at each other and seem to be preparing for a breakthrough, parting a bit and attacking from various angles.

"If you want to do that, at least make a complete magic circle to set it on fire."

- I don't know who it is, but the teaching methods are a little wrong. - I say having that strange feeling of conformity that sloppy tone of voice.

"Remember the steps in the execution of the magic circuit and maybe I will forget what happened."

The monstrous figures advance, not as fast as before, but come running towards me. I just squeeze my eyes and see the four monsters run against me, a scene that would scare anyone, but I don't feel any of that. Gradually I feel a light breeze and a certain sweet smell entering my nostrils, replacing the fiery smell of my own blood. Gradually the sound almost dries up around me, not even hearing the animal sounds of the furious and hungry hobgolins or even the voices of Lilith and the group of concerned knights.

I felt the relief and at the same time a comforting nostalgia that those harsh words brought me. Seeming not to care about my own life, I close my eyes for a moment and focus as much as I can on that sensation in the middle of a bloody battle, beginning to feel a strange feeling in my mind. I felt the relief and at the same time a comforting nostalgia that those harsh words brought me. Seeming not to care about my own life, I close my eyes for a moment and focus as much as I can on that sensation in the midst of a bloody battle, beginning to feel a strange feeling in my mind. Like a computer receiving data, information starts to pop up in my head and shake all my nerves. I see only the words and steps that are complicated but at the same time simple for me, along with another handful of new images, but at the same time memorable.

I open my eyes again and see the same scene of a world without sound with only the four monsters coming towards me in slow motion, slowly resuming normal speed. They don't think to stop, much less me.

"Release your mana at a specific point."

- Release your mana at a specific point. - I repeat in a calm and calculating voice, without dropping another drop of blood or sweat. Extending my firm arms forward, totally ignoring the pain, and opening my hands as far as possible, extending my fingers and turning your palms inward. For having done this a few times, I feel the mana running through my arms and going to the center of my hands with ease, but this time I don't think of lightning or ice, I just let two balls of energy come out of each hand and slowly joining into one.

"It is not you who draw the arcane circle, it is the mana who draws. Let him be the artist for this canvas, you are just the person who observes, appreciates and lets be influenced by it."

- Let the mana be the artist, you are just the observer. - Following, I let the little ball of light act. As if the little sphere knows what to do, it begins to move in a subtle and delicate way. Starting to create several ornate branches that divided more and more and gradually many of their tips curved beautifully and finally forming a brilliant circle in a blinding light blue, with a small empty circle in the middle of the refined ornaments.

I just watch stagnant, with my cheeks a little flushed from doing that.

"Now your favorite part... creation."

As if the whole world stopped for a few seconds, or just in my mind. I see the hobgoblins, surprisingly in front of me with their claws almost around my neck. But even though I have that feeling of almost death and the horrible smell of the skin and the breath of the monsters, I try to focus only on that so-called "creation".

- What should I do... lightning, fire storm or even a dragon. - I keep whispering aloud the ideas that could easily kill these goblins, while remaining in that almost frozen reality. Until I feel a flash of light overwhelm my vision completely.

I don't know what it was, I just get confused, just feeling like my mind is moving away. As soon as the clarity ceases, I can get my vision back.

"Hey, boy."

I hear a male voice calling me, unlike any I've heard before, making me raise my head and open my eyes wide. Almost feeling my pupils tear with so much force that I was putting on, I can see the figure that called me: a young man, taller than me, slightly muscled body and wearing dark clothing. I cannot describe his clothing in great detail due to the intense light that came from behind him, nor his face that seemed to just hide in a mysterious fog. He was in an entrance of a kind of garden, with ornate walls and two large shrubs with beautiful roses with a deep red one on either side of that opening.

"I have nothing for now, but how about this gift."

The man's warm, soothing voice makes my nerves calm down and my pupils loosen more. He gently moves his hand and takes the rose closest to his chest, carefully removing each thorn from the stem and then handing me the flower, overflowing a feeling of warmth and care for me with each movement.

"Red looks great with your white hair, Yuki. Save it for when we meet again..."

I can't even pick up the flower, one more flash appears and I just go back to my reality. But little by little I realize that time slowly returned, with the almost imperceptible movements of the monsters in front of me, continuing its search for my head. I notice the circle between my hands shining more and more, seeming to wait for my order.

- Roses...

My eyes are now serious and precise, using all the energy I have, I invoke my creation.

- Crystal Rose Garden.

Time comes back, but before the hobgoblins can make a move, long and fierce pointed ice branches are released by the circle. Sweeping through all the enemies that attacked me and even the corpses of those I had already defeated, the large, pointed and spiked whips spread across the battlefield, crushing all the flesh and bones of the goblins. Stretching and growing until it covered the entire lair, which was now only part of that field covered by the delicate and powerful branches. Gradually, several buds start to appear along all the thorny and dangerous extension and without me saying anything, thousands and thousands of roses bloom in front of me, with their paper-thin petals and so bright reflecting the moonlight, looking like a great garden of stars .

When I realize that there were no more monsters alive, I just undo the magic circle and relax my arms, tired from the tension. I stand there just watching that big rose bush covering the signs of battle, the bodies and all the blood with its thorny branches of ice and its beautiful flowers fully blossomed. In the background I start to hear the sound of footsteps coming towards me, I don't have enough strength to move my numb body, so I just try to move my neck as much as possible and identify who is approaching me. My breathing was calm, even though I was hurt I couldn't feel the pain, almost as if I was so tired that my nerves didn't want to report my injury to my brain. Even with my tired eyesight, I can make out the three human figures approaching me, Helena in the front running worried and the two men behind her following the woman's feeling. I feel a certain satisfaction growing inside me when I see her faces, even if worried like that, they did not intrude and let me fight. I can't contain it and I smile happily in their direction.

- I said I could... - These were the last things I said before my eyes closed and my vision was sideways, hearing only a few unrecognizable murmurs in the background and finally losing myself in the dark.