Chapitre 29: Cowardice and Shame
Everyone piled into whatever shelter they could to get away from the creatures. It wouldn't help for long, the hellhounds could smell the townspeople like a buffet spread out just for them. Hellhounds weren't intelligent creatures but they knew that most things did not share their adaptivity for heat. Soon enough their prey would either flee to get away from the heat or die to it and be easy food. So all they had to do was wait and their heat would do the job for them.
Silvia and Albert were huddled in the pottery shop with Miss Payton the proprietress and tens of other people that were in the shopping square when the monsters appeared. It was quiet enough to hear pin drop as those at the windows could see the creatures closing in on the town. Miss Payton had already closed the curtain but Silvia could see through the tiny sliver of free space between the two purple streams of fabric. She saw a man she knew by name ripped apart and left to rot in the field of pale moon wheat. Tears streamed down her face but she couldn't turn away as she locked on to the creatures.
Then Silvia and many others saw something that no one expected. Willy and his team, the only Argonauts in the town at the moment, walked out into the street. They were a capable team with Willy himself being celebrated as a swordsman of quite high renown. He made a point to always have his team patrol Kilverstead in their down time between quests since it was Sashas' hometown.
The small team was grossly outmatched and they knew it. One hellhound would be an impossible task for them, the numbers they faced now would require a full mobilization of the military to handle in any meaningful way. Every second was precious as the temperature would only continue to rise until everyone in the town either fled or died.
"We will distract them!" Willy exclaimed, his voice hard and resolute. "Everyone evacuate! These creatures will not leave the village."
Despite being one man Willy's voice echoed around the entire town after being enhanced by a magic item he held in his hand. He got the attention of not only every person in the village but also the hellhounds who all turned to face the screaming man and his team that was walking towards them. Willy threw the magic item to the ground as he pulled out his sword. Hellhounds were not used to their prey approaching them. They were simple creatures and things that were out of the norm for them caused them to hesitate despite being far more powerful than the group of Argonauts.
Silvia looked at the group of people in the pottery shop with their terror across each of their faces. Her own face was flush red and streaming with tears and sweat. She took a dry audible gulp as she looked over to Albert who huddled himself in a fetal position, his head resting in between his knees with his hands cupping his head. She turned back to the window and saw Willy and his team that were now running towards the creatures and she took a deep but trembling breath, her body shaking feverishly from fear.
"Everyone!" Silvia said with as much courage as she could muster. "We have to go if we stay… if we stay then…" She got quieter as her bravery started to waiver under the eyes and terror of the people that turned to her. She steeled herself with another breath. "If we stay they kill us or the heat does! Willy is going to distract them. We have to leave through the back of the village and cross the bridge. If we move quickly we can get to the woods and flee."
Silvia looked down at Albert who turned even paler as his eyes rested on her. Silvia reached out her hand for him to take. He looked at her in disbelief then traced her eyes down her arm to the open hand. He stared at it for a minute before hesitantly reaching out to her. Silvia quickly closed the distance and pulled him up to his feet.
"We are getting out of this alive." Silvia stated as she hugged him.
Silvia took his hand and led him through the crowd of still shell shocked and terrified people. As Silvia and Albert took their first steps outside and started running they saw one by one as others did the same. Soon there was a monsoon of people vacating their homes and businesses following her as she approached the stone bridge. She ran until they came to the road that split off to the town hall and the temple. She stopped and looked at the town hall realizing that her grandfather and the elders would still be inside. She looked at Albert then the crowd that had followed her, her heart beating fast enough to fly from her chest.
"Everyone go to the woods and follow the road!" She yelled. "Someone help me get the elders! They are in the town hall." She looked at Albert and let go of his hand. "You have to go with them to the forest, Albert."
"Wait what?" Albert said as what she said began to sink in. "No, I am going with you."
"No, Albert, listen to me!" Silvia said as she grabbed his shoulders. "You will slow me down. Go with everyone to the forest. I will be there as soon as I can… so please. Just go. I will see you in the forest okay!"
She did not stop to hear him respond. Instead she took off her hat yet again and slammed it down on his head. Several people from the crowd joined Silvia as she ran off to the town hall. Albert stood there for a few moments watching her run off. He wanted to follow her; he really did. He though he could protect her like he did in the meeting with the elders earlier. However, following her now was leagues different from standing up to Grechid in some town meeting. This was actually life and death, if he didn't play his cards right he would be dead when the hellhounds saw him. He took one step towards the town hall and stopped and couldn't take another step knowing it would put him into further danger. He stood there watching her run off as tears streamed down his face.
"Albert, do it! Just take another step." He said to himself as closed his eyes and his breathing became erratic. "Come-on. Come-on!"
He tried with all of his will to move his body again. His heart thumping loudly in his head deafening all other sounds. Everything in him told him to run away, everything but his feelings for Silvia. How could she be so brave and he so weak? Despite feeling like hours passed as he struggled to follow her, only a few moments eked by. He cursed as he turned around feeling cowardice and shame wash over him as he joined the crowd of fleeing villagers.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone