21 – The Smiles

Celia suddenly threw her spear and charged into the whirlwind. "Please, stop this, madam Hilda! We mean no harm!"

"I just want you guys to protect us." The priestess sobbed. "I want my people to be safe. I want them to be happy. They're a part of my life."

"What are you doing!?" Paul was about to grab Celia, but Alan tapped the scarred man on the shoulder.

"Leave her." The young man shook his head. "Madam Hilda regards me and Celia as saviors. She will not harm us. You know that too, right?"

With much struggle, Celia finally managed to hug the priestess's body.

"But..." Paul still looked hesitant.

"Enough, madam Hilda." Celia was also crying. "You don't have to suffer like this anymore."

The whirlwind disappeared. Hilda's chin slowly dropped. Her tears flowed even harder.

"How about you ask one of your people, madam." Alan walked up to that old woman. "Release your magic controlling them first. You must be aware of that, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't have gathered them for the speech."

Hilda closed her eyes, then a small child around ten years old approached her. At first, he smiled like the others, but a moment later, the corners of his lips drooped.

Alan could tell that Hilda had just removed the control magic's grip, even though the power that kept the boy 'alive' was still there.

"Please, free us, Madam Hilda." That boy also started crying. "Our place is no longer here. We need to rest."

Then, the other residents also started crying. Hilda looked at them with a trembling body. "Oooh, I'm sorry…. I don't know…. I just want to be with you all."

Alan tapped the priestess on the shoulder. "It's okay. I'm sure they understand."

The bodies of the people evaporated into black smoke one by one. But this time, something was different from before. The smoke turned white, then took the shape of a human. They floated through the air with their glowing bodies, illuminating the place.

The people who were previously exterminated by Alan and the others also flew over. Alan even saw James, the first person he killed. The tall man nodded to the young man.

"Now they are free." Paul smiled at the sight of the spirits, though tears streamed down his face. "Finally, they got closure."

Alan's eyes also began to tear up. This time, he felt that the villagers' smiles were genuine.

"You don't have much time anymore." Hilda released Celia's hug. The priestess' voice was hoarse. "This emotional event threw my mana flow into chaos. I can only keep this land intact for only a few moments. You have to get the crystal immediately before the deposit is destroyed and falls."

"Brunch, can you take me there?" Alan asked the wyvern, who immediately nodded. The young man then spoke to the others. "You guys are better off in our land. I can't take you guys because it will only slow Brunch."

"I have to stay here." The priestess smiled. "To make up for my big mistake, I must help you, the saviors. And indeed, it is my duty as a priestess to do so, according to what is written in the holy scripture."

"No! You must come with us, Madam Hilda!" Celia insisted.

"Thank you for your concern, but I have to do this," Hilda answered in a firm tone. "I'm old. Let me do what I think is good, or I'll regret it. Who knew this could help him save the world."

The ground started shaking, and the priestess flashed a smile.

"Please, pretty girl." She pleaded with Celia. "I don't intend to commit suicide. I will try to survive."

The female fighter bit her lips, then ran towards the island's outskirts.

"I'm not going to say goodbye," Paul said. "You must not die, madam."

The priestess chuckled, then the scarred man ran after Celia. Meanwhile, Brunch had ducked, and Alan had jumped onto her back.

The young man only got a nod from Hilda, then he and Brunch headed over to the deposit.

While the wyvern was flying at maximum speed, Alan kept his eyes on the ground's tremors that were getting more intense. Cracks also started appearing there, reminding Alan of the cutscene at the beginning of this game.

The wyvern looked left and right, discovering the villagers' spirits had just caught up with her.

"You guys want to take us to those crystals, huh?" Alan asked them. "Well, it belongs to all of you. You want those things to be used well, right?"

It didn't take long for Alan to see a large cave that led to the wind crystal deposit. But the damage on the land was getting worse. Alan and Brunch are yet to get there, but the island already collapses with a thunderous rumble, including that cave.

"Damn it!" Alan saw the ruins of the cave and what was around it crumbling. Finding those crystals among the large chunks of dirt and other objects would be very difficult.

Several spirits flew ahead of the wyvern towards that deposit. Alan immediately realized something.

"Follow them, Brunch!" The young man shouted. "They want to show us the place!"

The wyvern dived to chase those spirits, maneuvering around various kinds of objects. Occasionally she grazed those things, but that didn't stop her.

"Come on…." Alan hissed. Wind crystals were essential to him and his friends. He would have to look elsewhere if he failed to get it now.

From the information provided by Paul and Elaine, Alan concluded that it was a complicated thing. Those crystals are extremely rare and expensive.

Brunch avoided a giant tree the size of a car, then Alan found several spirits pointing at a glowing object in the distance.