299: 6.59 Take Cover!

6.59 Take Cover!

"Protect the citizens!" Bassil hollered as he directed the Duchy's soldiers. "Bring the wounded inside the manor. Anybody who has adequate medical skill, I beseech your help to apply first emergency treatment!"2

People were running back and forth along the street. The gate to the Duke's manor was wide open for the first time in decades. Bassil had gone through something like this once before. At that time, the land was plagued with civil wars and the Old Master still hadn't been bestowed by a noble rank yet. He was just a powerful General who led thousands of armies to protect his home country whilst offering his own house for a shelter. 

People first, yourself second. This was the principle that had been taught in the Lacrosa Family for generations. 

Even though Bassil was no General, he was still a member of the Lacrosa Family. As long as his brittle bones could still move, he would fight until his last breath!

His eyes took in the utter mess in front of him. Houses covered in flames, streets littered with corpses, blood soaked through the snow and painted it crimson. The repulsive stench of thick smoke, burning flesh, desperation and fear filled the air. Screams and cries intermingled with the terrifying crack of collapsing buildings. It was like Hell itself had descended on the land.

Bassil rode his horse down the street, guiding the women and children toward the stationed guards who would take them to a safe place. His chest was heaving and his breaths laboured. "Young Master…" he murmured in frustration. "Where are you? Please return soon…!"

"Bassil!"

The head servant snapped his eyes toward the direction of the voice, heart rising in hope before it abruptly crashed down when he realized that the person who was running toward him was none other than Miss Maia! Shock wasn't even adequate to describe what Bassil was feeling right now. "Miss Maia!" He jumped down from his horse and rushed to the woman in bewilderment. "What are you doing here?!"

"I'm here to help you!" She declared in determination. "Please tell me what I can do!"

"Miss Maia…" If the situation wasn't so urgent, Bassil wanted to shake the woman's shoulders and demanded what was actually running inside her head. As of now, all Bassil could do was to hastily lead her to a safer place. "You are His Royal Highness' betrothed! This is not a place where you should be!"

"So what if I am Hayden's fiancee?" Maia skidded to a halt and under Bassil's widening eyes, ducked through a burning door and emerged a few moments later carrying a toddler in her arms. Her cheeks were smudged in ash, but the brightness in her eyes could rival the raging flames. "I will still do whatever I can!"

"Miss Maia!" Oh goodness, he almost got a heart attack! How could she be so reckless?! "Please leave such dangerous things to the guards!" He pulled them away right before the house collapsed, head throbbing and knees weak in fright. He looked around to see that the street was empty save for the two of them. Helpless, Bassil could only take himself up for the task. "If you're adamant on helping… please tend to the injured in the Duke's manor. Let's go, this humble servant will lead you there!"

The horse galloped down the scorched street, leaving trails of ashes on its wake. Maia soothed the crying toddler, murmuring soothing phrases whereas Bassil secretly heaved out an exhausted sigh. Fortunately, the distance to the manor wasn't that far. They exited toward the main road where many citizens and soldiers were still around. 

The toddler was finally reunited with his father who was sobbing his heart out in relief, and when he asked Maia about her wife, Maia merely shook her head solemnly. She had seen the mother's corpse hugging the toddler to her chest and protecting him from the fire. Alas, it was already too late by the time Maia arrived on the scene. "My deepest condolences." Maia offered with a heavy heart.

After making sure that the father-son pair had settled down, she started to walk back and forth to offer help to the injured.

On the other hand, Bassil was busy rushing to the front line, asking every single person he met, "Have you seen the General yet? Has the General shown himself?" The answer he received made his heart sink more and more. No one had seen Jillian for the entire time. It couldn't be… Bassil shook his head. Jillian would always be the first person who arrived at the scene of the chaos. What could have delayed him this time?

Bassil's worry and anxiety was soon replaced by horror when he finally saw the… creature they were fighting against. 

"What is that…?" He gasped tremblingly.

It wasn't human, nor was it an animal. It was standing on two bulky legs and had four arms. Its entire skin was crimson, the same shade as the blustering fire around. And that face… that face was definitely a human face, save for the two pairs of crimson eyes with slit pupils and mouth that was filled with inhumane jagged teeth still dripping in blood. Corpses laid on its feet, some were still twitching on their last breaths. 

  Shock jolted through Bassil's entire body and a word popped up in his mind. "Demon!" He hissed. "It's a demon!"

Swords were ineffective against its sturdy flesh and spears could only inflict a thin graze on its skin. Reinforcement from His Majesty soon arrived but it was to no avail. Even their latest weapon, lead and steel bullets that could pierce through walls, could only do so much damage. When they thought that they had managed to fire holes into its body, the bullets were spat out and the wounds closed up almost immediately. 

How…? How could such a creature exist?! Everything was useless against him. At this rate, they would just send more lives right into the demon's mouth! Everyone's face was pale, tinted with despair and helplessness. What should they do…?

A delightful laugh echoed out of the demon's mouth, the sound so jarring to their ears like the sound of forks scraping against plates. "Hahaha! You won't be able to get rid of me, you pretentious bastards! You are the one who has driven me to such a corner. Now you should reap what you sow!"

The demon opened its mouth, wider and wider, until it was huge enough to fit a whole adult man's head inside. Bassil watched in horror as flickers of light began to gather inside. It swirled and swirled into a light sphere that kept increasing in size, much like a snowball that rolled down the hill to become a massive boulder. 

"Take cover!" Bassil hollered against the ear-deafening rumble and pinpricks of heat that stabbed into his skin. "Protect the children and the injured!" He only had time to pull a few people behind a collapsed wall when his eyes spotted someone who went against the crowd. Someone familiar. Bassil's heart almost jumped out of his throat and fell to his feet when he realized that it was Miss Maia, again! 

Bassil was a certified gentleman who loathed cursing as it was undignified and unbecoming of the head servant of Lacrosa Family. But just this time, please forgive him for doing so. 

—What the fuck was she doing there?! 

If something happened to Miss Maia, then everyone would be held accountable for causing the death of the future Queen! Not to mention that Young Master Jillian would definitely be dragged into the muddy water by those aristocrats who had always wanted to see him fall!

Bassil gritted his teeth and was ready to dash out again when he heard Maia's scream, somehow sounding so clear amidst the chaos. "FATHER! What are you doing, Father?! Please…. PLEASE STOP THIS!!!"

Wait… what?!

Bassil's eyes flew open in shock and he was sure that every single soldier around the area was also secretly perking their ears up. Father…? Had Miss Maia just called that demon as 'father'?! Much to everyone's astonishment, the demon actually stopped its attack and swallowed the light sphere back into its mouth!

"Maia…" There came the grating voice. Bassil couldn't believe his ears. Miss Maia's father was the demon…? What in the world was going on right now?! "My precious daughter, Maia. Have you come to help your father exact his revenge on them?"

Maia shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Father, please don't do this. I beg you… These people are all innocent. They are not to blame for what has happened to you, Father!"

The demon's crimson eyes glowed. "So… who do I have to blame?" He drawled out almost casually. However, the air around him was sizzling and Bassil could even feel the heat from where he was. Oh no, this didn't look good. "Tell me. Who do I have to blame, Maia? We could have lived in wealth and prosperity. We could have achieved what our ancestors couldn't; to settle down in one fixed place and lived our whole life peacefully there. But no… because of your cowardice, your irrational fear and nonsense, you have successfully destroyed everything. Everything we could have had!" 

Maia shook her head again and again. "No…" She forced out amidst her sobs. "No, Father. Those things are not ours and they won't become ours, ever! It's not right to build what we have above others' suffering and pain!"

"ENOUGH!" The demon barked out. Black smoke sizzled out of his lips and the four eyes on his face glowed eerily. "I have had enough of your nonsense! If you're insisting on standing in my way, then I won't hesitate anymore, you ungrateful wench!"

Unbeknownst to them, Bassil had flitted from one place to another, getting closer and closer to Maia and her demon father. When the demon initiated another attack — and this time the light sphere was definitely twice as large and would no doubt burn everything to crisp — Bassil readily threw himself toward Maia and covered her body with his own. He squeezed his eyes shut as the scorching heat blasted behind his back.

He didn't fear death, but he regretted the fact that Young Master Jillian would return to find nothing, not even his corpse.

I apologize, Young Master. Bassil tightened his hold on Maia and braced himself for his demise…

…when he suddenly felt himself — along with Maia — being lifted somewhere else. Bassil snapped his eyes open when his feet touched the ground only to see a familiar back wielding a familiar sword. The wind fluttered against his cloak, making it look like an impenetrable shield that covered Bassil's entire body. 

Bassil had witnessed Young Master Jillian growing up and he wasn't ashamed to admit that in his mind, Young Master Jillian was still the same child who had sought him out because of nightmares after his parents' death. This was the first time Bassil had seen the shadow of the Old Master in him. Dependable, strong and brilliant. 

His Young Master had truly grown up, Bassil thought in daze as relief flooded his chest and he could finally let go of Miss Maia. As long as Young Master was here, then everything would be fine. Bassil trusted him.

"I'm sorry for being late, Bassil." Jillian said without turning to look at him. Bassil's eyes suddenly watered for some reason. He wanted to reply if not for the lump on his throat. "Now tell everyone to back away. I will handle this one."

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