A Strange Creature
Chapter 62: A Strange Creature
The Green Lemon Restaurant emerged from the fog, its worn facade barely visible under the dim light of the crimson moon. The air was thick with an unsettling silence, the only sound being the distant crash of waves against the harbor. William signaled for Anna and Arthur to stay close as they approached the entrance.
"Unless the situation is urgent, we will just take the passengers with us and return." William sensed that Bansy Harbor was a much scarier place than what was said in the rumors. The head that had attacked them a few moments ago was obviously the least of their problems. "I will send a message to the Cathedral in Backlund to inform them."
When his two subordinates nodded, he finally knocked twice on the door of the restaurant, which seemed to be closed with no one inside.
"We're here to pick up some people; if you don't open the door, I'll break it down," he commented out loud, without shouting too much.
There were a few moments of silence and no movement was heard from inside. William's expression darkened.
"I'll give you five seconds," he sentenced.
Immediately, a click sounded behind the door, and it opened. There were several people inside, including several of the boat's passengers. There were also some very neat and refined-looking waiters. William could sense that there was something strange about all of them. All the people inside looked at the three of them.
"Something dangerous has happened; we will escort the passengers back." As he spoke, he deliberately let out a bit of his aura to reinforce his point.
His presence was magnified, and all the common people felt confident in his words. Of course, a Templar's holy aura radiated enough pressure to frighten even several sea-hardened men.
Several diners stood up instantly and approached them.
"Is this related to the Church?" a fierce-looking older man asked cautiously.
"It could be related, but for now, it's better that all of you come with us. The ship is safer." William glanced askance at the stairs leading to the second floor. "Is there anyone who has reserved a room?"
A slightly plump and sincere-looking man hurried to answer.
"No one, at least no one who arrived with us, sir," he explained.
William couldn't sense anyone upstairs, so he decided to accept it.
"Alright, let's go, then." Without further ado, the three Nighthawks left the restaurant with a dozen people behind them, leaving behind some silent waiters.
On the way, William could sense that several heads had begun to approach them, but they were quickly moving away before entering the visible area, beyond the fog.
'I'm not sure if it's me or this monster next to me...' He glanced at Anna.
She noticed and smiled mischievously at him, even winking at him. Once again, he was speechless and didn't know how to respond.
However, his mind snapped back into focus a second later.
"It seems there are some more daring ones..." William murmured.
He raised his hand slightly and Debris moved from his belt. Now that he had completely digested the potion, he felt that the connection with his sword had become a little deeper, and he was sure that there would soon be a qualitative change.
From the fog, a tall, dark figure emerged.
The figure walked as if drunk, as if it hadn't slept in weeks. Its face was hidden behind a black veil, but the rest of its body was scrawny and unnaturally elongated.
The men and few women who had followed them turned pale and took a step back almost as if they were one person, in unison.
"Take care of the civilians." William flicked his wrist and Debris let out an extremely faint ethereal blue glow. "I don't know what kind of creature this is, but it is quite powerful."
"Yes, Your Holiness!" Arthur acted quickly; he had been on guard the entire way.
Anna nodded and they both made sure that none of the passengers got lost trying to flee.
William squared off against the creature, his grip on Debris tightening as the air crackled with tension. The creature's form shifted and wavered, its hollow eyes fixated on him. Without warning, it lunged forward, its hands transforming into elongated, razor-sharp scissors that gleamed menacingly in the dim light.
William sidestepped with inhuman speed, the scissor blades slicing through the air where he had been just a moment before. He countered with a swift slash of Debris, but the creature melted into the shadows, evading his strike effortlessly. Reappearing behind him, it launched a torrent of black fire, the dark flames roaring toward him with terrifying intensity.
Reacting instantly, William dashed to the side, his movements creating a sonic boom that echoed through the foggy night. He surged forward, Debris trailing an ethereal blue light as he aimed a powerful strike at the creature's midsection. The blade met with resistance, the creature's body rippling as it partially merged with the shadows again, avoiding a fatal blow.
The creature retaliated with a flurry of scissor strikes, each one faster and more precise than the last. William parried and dodged, his enhanced reflexes allowing him to anticipate and counter each attack. The clanging of metal filled the air as their blades clashed, sparks flying with each impact.
Summoning more of its dark energy, the creature enveloped itself in a swirling vortex of black fire, the intense heat causing the air to shimmer. William leaped back, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. He could feel the oppressive weight of the creature's malevolent energy pressing down on him.
Deciding to end the fight quickly, William activated his Strength Aura. A surge of raw power coursed through his body as a golden glow surrounded him, his muscles bulging and his veins pulsing with energy. The air around him seemed to vibrate with the intensity of his aura.
In an instant, he propelled himself forward at a blinding speed, the force of his acceleration creating a deafening sonic boom. The creature barely had time to react before William was upon it, Debris slicing through the air with devastating precision. The blade cut through the creature's body, the ethereal blue light apparently devouring the dark energy.
The creature let out a horrific scream as it dissolved into shadows, its form disintegrating into nothingness. William landed gracefully, the power of his Strength Aura still humming through his veins.