章 24: FAILED SHIELD

Faux could see the towering abomination barreling through the mesh of creatures and mindless knights, heading right for him in a demented frenzy.

Faux clutched his sword tightly as he waited to receive the black Cyclopes. But just then the sky quaked and soon like a red veil the orphanage's force field descended.

The battered knights and guards who fought valiantly to drive off the abominations immediately began to drag their injured men into the veil as it threatened to close up completely.

The abominations noticed this too and began to attack the turned backs of the knights as they retreated. Of course Julian wasn't going to sit there and take it he immediately rained down on the abominations with terrifying and rapid bolts of lightning.

Soon the veil closed and the men were safely behind the veil.

The giant one-eyed abomination struck the red force field with terrifying force and bounced right off.

Faux looked at the thing as it struck the shied with rage filled in one eye.

'Good job kid.'

Faux thought to Sebas as he went on his knees.

There was still a lot to get done. But he needed to catch his breath. They had to restrain the mindless knights they had made incapable of posing a threat while also finishing off the remaining abomination that had managed to make it past the veil.

Julian took care of the latter, he shot across the courtyard searching for abominations to decimate.

Faux watched his back as he ran off to the distant side of the courtyard where the abominations had rushed in from.

As he stared at the red veil Faux couldn't help but heave a quiet sigh.

'Haaa took you long enough.'

He couldn't deny that he felt a little bit worn out.

This wasn't even part of their mission objective, but they were still doing something of utmost importance which was preserving life. The reason he had gotten into all this in the first place.

Faux looked up at the roof trying to sight his lieutenant. It didn't take too long before he found him high above. But that wasn't the only thing he noticed though.

Arghhhhhhhhh!!!

A deafening howl resonated throughout the mountain shaking the very trees. As the abomination shrieked the force field seemed to flutter.

"Sebas?"

Faux called out as he turned to the one-eyed abomination. The creature seemed to have picked up on whatever was happening. It went a couple of feet away from the fluttering force field and waited.

'I have no idea what's going on Sir.'

Sebas stuttered.

Just then Faux saw the world through the eyes of his other incarnation and a deep frown lined his lips.

"What's going on over there Captain?!"

"…Dammit Sebas. Weren't done yet!"

Faux cried out to his men as he turned to face the abomination whose one eye was now placed solely on the fluttering force field.

The knights all groaned as they rose to their feet. They were still Challengers who had been fighting against the advent of Events. This much wasn't unusual to them.

They knew that the shield was bound to fall at any moment so they prepared making sure that the abominations would get a cruel welcome upon their arrival.

Soon the shield shattered and the abomination poured out in dozens. Aries streaked through the air with a barrage of Celestial Will.

There were hardly any Elemental Spells getting tossed around because these men were just Retainers and average Cardinals. Knights skilled in Will control were hard to come by. But there were still a few flames and whirlwinds getting thrown around.

Didn't matter much though. Even Faux was incapable of casting elemental Spells. But that didn't make him any weaker, in fact besides

Julian the dashing knight, no other knight here could really compare to him.

Which was why they had to split up. Currently the knight Sir Julian was engaging the enemy at the other side of the courtyard.

The abomination that had hungrily rushed into the veil was currently being bombarded with Spells and long-distance Gifted abilities. So far this approach was keeping the creatures at bay.

But as the mindless knights entered the veil the guards and knights had to hold their fire. Now they had no option but to engage in close quarters. Soon the courtyard was theming with the sound of steel and wails.

Faux could see the Dark Disaster barreling right through whatever stood in its way like a colossal siege ram.

Faux tightened his grip on his blade waiting to engage the abomination when suddenly he whispered a quiet curse;

"Shi–"

Almost instantly this incarnation of Faux melted into black smoke and was soon dashing across the lightless cloud-filled skies.

The knights that stood beside him all exchanged frightened glances as they alternated their gazes between their selves and the one-eyed Dark Disaster that was currently dashing towards them.

It wasn't planning on stopping and none of them could possibly hope to stop it.

Soon the Cyclops was right in their midst. One swing of his hand tore a mundane man in half, sending the man's body skidding across the battlefield.

It continued forward stumping on men and pushing further into the defensive line the guards and knights of the orphanage had formed.

The knights saw this and began to rush the Dark Disaster in hopes of stopping it before it could reach the orphanage building.

Sir Julian was on the other side of the battlefield so there wasn't much he could do from there even if he couldn't risk leaving his post.

Knights leapt into the cyclops his broad back trying to pull him all to no avail. The creature kept making strides towards the main building till it was only a couple of meters apart.

Before it could go through the orphanage like a ballista bolt a dark roots erupted from the soil and grabbed onto his hands and feet.

Then like an arrow Sebas descend, using his feet to hit the Cyclops square in the jaw. He landed with a roll and was already back on his feet. Just in time to see the Cyclops rip the roots of his body and stare at Sebas with malice.

Sebas had cautious look on, he could not possibly hope to slay a Dark Disaster but hopefully, he could keep it busy for long enough.

Before he could even finish his thoughts the behemoth was already on the move. If struck the earth splitting it dreadful blows.

Sebas tried using his wooden limbs to restrict the creature but it only ended with him getting launched into the air.

He kept pushing though, sending tendrils of wooden limbs while he struck the cyclops with all the force he could muster.

Unfortunately, he wasn't doing much. All he did was distract the thing with his sharp evasive maneuvers.

He dashed around the beast feverishly. All it would take for that thing to kill him was one well-placed punch, and it soon came.

The world darkened almost instantly, when he got himself he was sitting in the rubble of one of the orphanage's rooms, the Disaster had shot him through a window.

When he rose to his feet to find out where the beast was he suddenly saw something move past the window with a blur. The next moment the entire building trembled. Following that were the screams of children.

Sebastian's eyes suddenly darkened at the realization. When he left the room he was in he could see that the waiting room now had an open room concept. The large oak wood door that once sat in its centre had now turned to nothing but giant splinters.

The Disaster was currently in one of the mess halls, where the kids were asked to hide. It was already causing devastation when Sebas snapped.

He poured out his Will and it answered. Roots endlessly shot out of the wooden panels that floored the orphanage. Soon the Cyclops was assaulted by endless roots. It ripped them off but more shot out to replace them.

"Get the kids out of here!"

Sebastian yelled and soon the women in the cafeteria were leading the kids out to another mess hall.

While Sebas restrained the creature he rose the oak wood door that laid in pieces. The splinters were long and jagged, with pointed tips. Sebas rose them with his wooden limbs and soon sent them flying at the Disaster.

The splinters didn't go through the beast immediately, but Sebas didn't care in his rage he sent them dashing against the Cyclops's hide.

Wailed in hurt and anger trashing its fist about whenever it managed to break through the restraints that Sebas held it with.

Soon though the creature was nothing but a bloodied pulp, with multiple dark splinters sticking out of its body.

Sebas sat in the rubble, his eyes refusing to leave the corpse of the one-eyed abomination. When he finally looked away though he could now see the bodies that lay all around him.

Buried underneath slaps of stone was an old man with dark grey hair and a full beard. Sebastian recognized him to be the Dean. The old man's corpse leaned on a shattered wall with the collapsed part pressing against his skull and hidden under the man's arms were three dead children covered in dust and blood.