The village hall is a rustic stone building with a steeply pitched roof and large windows, allowing natural light to flood its spacious interior. A gravel courtyard stretches in front, with a few cars parked nearby. The exterior features weathered stone walls, iron railings, and a classic lantern mounted beside the entrance.
Inside, the high, timber-beamed ceiling adds grandeur, complemented by wooden paneling and vintage chandeliers. Rows of red chairs line the walls, facing an open floor ideal for gatherings. The atmosphere is warm and historic, a blend of tradition and functionality, perfect for community events and discussions.
Here all the residents of the village are gathered as instructed by the cloaked woman. The villagers are sitting on the floor, in the one corner away from the door. Even with all the villagers, the village hall is still spacious enough with plenty of space to walk around.
In the midst of all these, Russell lies separately from the rest of the villagers with his leg badly injured. His expression is one of ‘I told you so.’
Even though he was cunning enough to expect the occurrence of something like this. But even he was powerless in the face of a small army.
Vanilla is huddled close to Russell, ready to heal him within a moment's notice. But the constant surveillance of the attackers makes it not feasible and she is just biding time, waiting.
Vanilla's teeths are clattering, she is biting her nails, her face is filled with dread as she wonders where Unicus and Mellona and Lacia are. Are they safe? These worries consume her thoughts actively.
If my memory serves me right. Mellona, Unicus and Lacia must have gone out to the forest. Then that means they should be safe right? … If only I had my sword? I could fight back…
A bead of sweat trickles down her forehead as the feeling of dread increases with each passing second.
Vanilla stealing her resolve mutters, “Russell. I'm gonna try a suicide attack. Wish me luck. I'll definitely save everyone.”
Russell seems more surprised than anything, “Look. I get what you are trying to… but this can't be won, just with bravery alone. Don't do anything reckless.”
Vanilla is determined to do so, but at that moment the door is thrown open and a cloaked figure enters the fray. Her moments were feminine but also unusually loud. It's like her way of alerting everyone of her presence.
It actually works as people's gazes are drawn to her the moment she arrives.
“So have you found Airy's comrade? …”
Her question reverberated throughout the hall, her voice carrying an air of authority one could find from a trained soldier.
Most of the mercenaries gathered around her while some stood watching over the villagers.
“We have found the guy. We have sent him to take a bath and change his clothes in a house nearby…” says one of the mercenaries.
Hearing that a relieved expression comes over her face. “Wonderful ?. Then …” Then her expression twists into one of menace, “Now tell me who was the person responsible for capturing him?”
The mercenaries all point towards Russell. He realises how much of a grave mistake he had made and finds it unpleasant, Russell clicks his tongue, “Tsk. I should have been more vigilant.”
The cloaked woman walks over to Russell and kicks him in the face. Vanilla shields her husband, “Don't hurt him.” A single trail of tears falls from her eyes.
I should do something, even without my sword. I still have my skills as an adventurer. So is Russell, we can still turn this around.
Then the cloaked woman says, “Since you were cunning enough to capture my comrade. I'll let you witness despair.” Then she drags Vanilla, pulling her hair.
Vanilla for her part resisted pretty hard, “Hands off… take your hands off me…” She stabilized her footing, threw a punch towards her but she caught it with her palms.
The cloaked woman's hoodie falls in the midst of it, revealing her face. Her starry blue hair flutters slightly in the slight wind blowing in the village hall. Her eyes are one of pure crimson, menacing to whoever comes in contact with them.
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“You are pretty good for a village woman. But I'm a trained soldier. Of course those won't work on me. Did you know, Airy is one of the few who graduated with a D.E of 10, fully learning swordsmanship from the Crystal Agir Swordsmanship Academy.”
Hearing that Vanilla face twists in shock and fear. “That's impossible. Why would someone … who graduated from there would engage in something like this? …”
Right at that moment, another person entered the village hall, it was a young child possibly looking for his parents.
Airy asks, “Hey Airy thought all the villagers were already here. Then what is that child doing there? Airy wants answers.”
Vanilla's expression melts in relief to finally see Unicus unarmed but it immediately shifts into a question. Why? Why is he here?
He opened his mouth, “Hey woman. If you want to torture someone, how about me? Leave Vanilla out of this.”
A smile creeps into Airy’s face, “What a brave little Hero you are? Airy likes to torment little hiro’s like you. Airy will take you up, on your offer.”
She leaves Vanilla, walking over towards Unicus, “You know what? For an enemy you are quite the beauty and the beast. I mean it in the worst way possible. Never thought I would see both of them manifested into a person”
Airy smiles, “Oh ?. Airy feels honoured to be praised by an innocent child” she giggles in delight.
Suddenly someone falls in front of her. It turns out to be Mellona, she has fallen from the ceiling. Airy immediately takes 3 steps back, pulling her sword out.
Airy's face twists, noticing the sudden turn of events, “Oh ?. So both of you were trying to ambush me? Wonderful ?. Airy is happy that she evaded just in time”
But Mellona didn't waste any time, “Winds that race across the boundless sky, heed my command! Lend me your speed, your untamed might—carry me beyond reach, beyond sight! Let each step be as lightning, each strike as the storm’s own wrath—Gale Strike!”
She attacks shifting her focus towards herself. Meanwhile Unicus slides Vanilla's sword across the floor towards her. “Vanilla. take your sword. I want you to fight back now!”
Vanilla picks up the sword that's sliding towards her, “Mommy will do her best.” Fixing her clothes, she sprints towards the mercenaries.
Unicus for his part runs towards Russell, “Father are you alright?...” He checks up on Russell.
Russell, expression melts into one of relief, “Oh. I am fine. Just a bit injured that's all” he smiles at his son.
Unicus mutters, “I personally don't want to resort to this. But you need immediate treatment. So for now, …” takes a deep breath, "By light and thread, flesh restore, … Seal the cut, let pain be no more."
A faint bluish glow surrounds the wound as the skin knits itself back together, visually leaving no trace of injury.
Unicus says, “Well it might not be perfect. But it gets the job done. I remember that you were a town guard, weren't you? Get ready to fight.” Then turns his gaze to the other people, “Get ready folks we are defending our home. Now!!”
◇ ◇ ◇
Airy's face twists, noticing the sudden turn of events, “Oh ?. So both of you were trying to ambush me? Wonderful ?. Airy is happy that she evaded just in time”
But Mellona didn't waste any time, “Winds that race across the boundless sky, heed my command! Lend me your speed, your untamed might—carry me beyond reach, beyond sight! Let each step be as lightning, each strike as the storm’s own wrath—Gale Strike!”
Airy smiles at Mellona, “Oh ?. So you are a magic swordswoman? A wind based one at that? Interesting ?.” She blocked the strike pushing Mellona backwards. “Airy has to say it through… She fights against monsters like you … in fact she hates them ?. All the magic swordsmen ?. Man or otherwise”
Airy goes on the offensive, her strikes having the precision of a trained fighter. “What don't hold back now ?. Let's take this nice and slow ?.”
Mellona grinding her molars, parrying each of her attacks. One two three … the count goes on.
As she was countering, suddenly her leg slipped up, causing her to fall to the floor, Airy takes advantage of this by thrusting her sword towards her neck.
Oh shit. I knew she was strong… but this? It's getting ridiculous…
Mellona shields herself with her daggers, barely escaping death, using every ounce of her strength she pushes back, as the contact between the blades severed, she rolled around to the side.
Airy, with her gaze locked onto Mellona, she runs towards her, with her swords ready to slit her throat.
Mellona takes a seat on the chair nearby, breathing heavily due to sheer exhaustion, but her rest was ultimately cut short by Airy's strike, she quickly moves to the side dodging the blow, leaving Airy's sword cleaving the chair in half.
Mellona stands a few feets away from Airy, breathing heavily, “Do you enjoy tormenting your opponents?” her grip on her dagger weakening slightly, hoping to buy a few minutes to catch her breath.
Airy entertains her, “Wow ?. You've figured Airy out. But that doesn't mean a shit, Airy will prove it to you.” She immediately closed the distance between them.
What was that spell again? The one I rarely use… I remember now!
As Airy rapidly moves towards her Mellona's brain works in overdrive shouting a spell that she wouldn't normally use, "Winds of passage, step in my stead, Pull me back with gentle tread — Courteous Retreat!” A sudden gust of wind pulled Mellona a few steps backwards.
Airy looks surprised for a moment but ultimately charges forward increasing her momentum, Mellona feeling like she has no choice spins around, connecting each strike, in hopes of pushing her back.
It actually works, Airy's momentum was redirected and Mellona with determination filling her eyes pulls all the strength she has left and goes on the offensive shouting, “Ahhh!!”
Airy feels the intensity of Mellona's determination, she giggles in an eerie way, almost delighted at her bravery, “That's more like it ?.”
Mellona is charging forward this time, with both palms griping the daggers fiercely. Instead of just fighting with her hands, her whole centre of mass shifts to bring on the full force of her body's momentum crashing on Airy.
Airy still smiles and responds in kind, her hands weaving a complex arc of strikes, effectively creating a stalemate. But Mellona isn't done, she sees how much hard Vanilla is fighting against more than multiple people, effectively dodging and parrying in time, it ignites hope within her, that she is capable of achieving the same feat.
I should put my everything into this fight, if Vanilla, Russell and even Unicus is striving for change … then my presence should also bring forth change.
Airy's last strike sends Mellona reeling backwards but she uses that momentum, placing her foot on the walls, pushing herself towards Airy again. “I'll win this!”
With her whole body covered in sweat, she lunges forward, Airy expecting this turn of events with a smile, throws her sword towards the ceiling, she grabs onto her wrist and pins Mellona to the ground, a mouthful of blood spills from her mouth.
Airy laughs in victory, “Airy gotta say, you were a handful ?. But now you are down for the count ?.”
Mellona's eyelids slowly close, as she faints from exhaustion. Airy is still giggling, catching her falling blade, which perfectly lands a few inches above Mellona's throat.
“You've entertained Airy so far. But now it's time for your death ?.”
As Airy slowly inches closer towards Mellona's neck, the air in the room suddenly shifts. In a rapid moment, Airy's face was kicked back, causing her to stagger a few feets backwards.
“Who is it? Who is ruining Airy's finishing move ?.”
Her unfocused eyes catch the blurred outline of a man. As her vision sharpens, the details emerge—windswept brown hair, a pristine white lab coat billowing in the breeze, and piercing hazel eyes marked with a glowing bluish triskelion pattern. His stance is firm, right fist extended toward her, right foot forward, hips angled slightly to the side. With an air of indifference, he adjusts his glasses with his left hand and speaks, his voice steady and unwavering.
"That would be me."
