CHAPTER 33: WHAT IS IT WORTH? (1)

"Will!!" While I am still amazed by what is written on my status window, I hear Telestal and the others' voices.

While they are coming to me, I can see why their faces look like they are seeing an illusion, the ground around me is completely burnt. It's like I am standing around hot charcoal and my armor is almost completely gone as well.

"So you have done it then." Before them, Warren lands near me and starts tapping my shoulder gently.

"Yeah, well, sort o-"

Someone tackles me with all his strength while I am speaking. I land brutally on the ground with that person and when I look to see who it is, Sarah is crying on my chest like a newborn baby.

"Uwahh!! I was so scared!!" What were you scared for? You are the one who almost killed me.

Seeing her behavior, Telestal doesn't say anything as he comes. He simply looks at Emilia and she blushes like someone who could relate to what is happening. I am sure she has something to do with it.

"Can you get up now?" My body still feels a bit sluggish.

"Sniff…Sniff…" Sarah doesn't seem to hear me and she just keeps crying. Seriously, what was so scary about all this.

"Okay, I got it. Sorry for scaring you. Now, please, can you-"

"Impossible!!" Out of nowhere, the head priest's voice resounds everywhere in the courtyard.

By the time I look in her direction, she is already close enough to push Telestal out of the way. The soldiers and knights following her don't waste time as well and in a matter of seconds, we are surrounded.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot you guys had your little thing going."

I manage to make Sarah release me and stand up.

"It is impossible. Demons cannot survive the judgment of our god. Even more so when it is given by his apostle himself."

"Well, I am not a demon, so…"

"You are a demon!! You have killed people!! You have attacked me and you-"

"I attacked you? When?" Warren lands near me, inside the crowd holding their spears against me. You are a bold one, I must say.

"You have attacked me!! You and this man who sold his soul to the demons!!"

The head priest looks around at the soldiers as if to gain their approval and trust. What need is there to do that? It's obvious they trust you. But it is also obvious they are afraid right now.

"You claimed that we are demons but what about you guys?" Warren finally speaks and his chilly aura is released a little. His face is also relatively angry. "You guys torment us whenever you can, you tax us whenever you can, you force your faith on us, bringing us to despair, slaving us away, in the name of a god who has never shown any mercy, even to those who truly believe i-"

"Blasphemy!! What are you guys doing?!! Kill them already!!"

Under the head priest's order, the soldiers advance with their spears but they meet a wall of ice blocking them. I am really surprised, how come this guy is using…Wait, is it truly magic? Could he be doing something similar to me? Does it mean he is the heir of water? Or is it just a remaining magic from his demon's side?

"It is the people commanding this church who brought into a bottomless pit of despair a hundred and twenty years ago. Even now, I cannot believe that my blood, that the blood of my clan survived, to the point that a hero is even born with it." Saying so, he turns and looks at Sarah who looks back at me with a bewildered face full of surprise.

"I know nothing." Why does she look at me when I am not the one speaking.

"Everything you say is blasphemy!!" The head priest's voice resounds beyond the ice then the part where she is breaks with an explosion. While dodging the blocks that fly at us, I see her holding that same thing from before. "Heroes!! Now is your time to show your worth and courage!! Help us to destroy the heretics who have allied themselves with the demons!!"

This is going nowhere.

"Warren, let's go. This won't bring us anywhere."

"Are you sure? If you leave now, you won't ever see her." He points at Sarah who stuck to me, looking straight into my eyes without saying anything.

"If you have anything to tell me. Do it now. Because I will leave whether you like it or not."

"I…I love you, Will."

"Ah!!!"

"Orah!!"

David and Eleonor first arrive at us. While he is using his skill which makes him shine like a candlelight, she is using a weird one that seems to make her look more intimidating. I jump with Sarah still in my arms and when I land, she releases me on her own.

"I will wait for your answer." There is nothing to wait for.

"What you fe-"

"Don't run away now!!" David once again attacks, faster this time. As I raise my hand to block his attack, sparks appear around it, and right when our hands collide, an explosion sends him off.

"Gyaa!!"

It was an explosion powerful enough to dispatch even Sarah and create a huge smokescreen.

"I guess it is time to go."

I leave with Warren towards a gate at the end of the courtyard but before we reach that gate, the woman who is using the dance of wind lands before us. She immediately takes a stance to unleash an attack but sadly for her, Warren once again uses ice on her feet, breaking off her move. The wind that was gathering around her disappeared and we passed by her without resistance.

"Are you an heir now?" She asks me while I run past her. Wait, she knows.

"I-"

"Don't run away!! Coward!!" David's voice pierces through everything. I am not sure she heard me but whether she did or not won't change much, I think.

***

After the castle, we were able to run away from the town relatively easily. People were looking at me a lot while we were leaving though. Surely, it is because my clothes are inexistant. I only have my pants on right now and I wonder how they were able to stay without being destroyed as well.

"We can stop here, I think." After entering a nearby forest, I ask Warren to stop. I am sure there are pursuers behind but for now, just running away won't be of help.

"Yes, I think so as well. They must be organizing a party to chase us so we have some leeway before things start going south." He immediately sits down on the grass and lets out a huge sigh. "What a day…To think I would still be alive after encountering the apostle of the god of law and balance. I still can't believe it."

"Well, he is not that much, is he?"

"Not much?! Are you stupid? Haven't you seen what he did to you? Didn't he say you lost half of your life earlier?! Do you not realize how strong he is just from that?!"

"Hm…I don't think I lost it because of that." Normally, I am sure I would have died if it wasn't for Efreet.

"Then why?"

"I have become the heir of fire."

"W-what?" Warren's mouth almost drops when he hears that.

"I have become the heir-" This time, he doesn't let me finish that he falls on his knees. His face then goes to the ground with the position of the mist submitted man on earth.

"I apologize for my poor behavior towards the chosen. I hope you will forgive me."

"What are you doing?" After everything we went through, you are doing that now?

"I cannot stop. Even if you considered this a shallow act, the spirit of Fire, she whose anger wakes up volcanoes, will surely not forgive me for being rude to her chosen."

"Right. Anyway, can you stand up now, or I will really make sure she wakes up a volcano on you."

"You shouldn't joke about that, you know?"

"I am not joking." Warren finally stands back up and his face shows he has a lot to say. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just that I always thought a chosen had something more dignified to them. I never would have imagined that one would be walking around in his pants like a pervert."

I raise my hand and sparks start flashing around it like it is normal. This is really impressive, even for me.

"And I have a very good idea of who I can use it on right now." Warren slowly backs away and then starts running as if he can escape me from this distance. "Let's see who will be a pervert after I have burned down your clothes."

I don't know what is waiting for me now but at least, I am closer than ever to my goal.