Capítulo 35: The Saint And The Hero.
Walking back with Diana and the Apparition, I was feeling sleepy. Today had been very exciting, and I am glad that we chose to come to this town.
Over the past few months, I have been getting familiar with this feeling. Mana is something that still feels a little alien to me. Using it for spells feels amazing, but I always feel like I can do more in the end.
I don't want to sleep. Ever since we left James and Mona behind, I have been having this weird dream. Before I met them, I saw a group of people getting further away from me the closer I wanted to get.
I was sure that they knew me, But I couldn't guess who they were. This happened every time I closed my eyes to rest.
I have to find them. And maybe one day, I will find them. That was the first promise that I made to myself.
But now, amongst the large group of people, I see two more familiar faces. Two people that were with me, taking care of me, not too long ago.
They now wave towards me, along with the girl and her group. The inclusion of their presence makes me want to leave everything to reach them. But deep inside, I feel like I know that I can never reach them. Not anymore.
Anna keeps lying to me. Diana isn't who she pretends to be. Both of them have secrets, yet both of them protect me because of my job.
Sometimes, it makes me wonder. If I was a random kid, would they treat my life in the same way?
I know that I am different from others. I am a hero, and nothing could change that. I try to keep all of this to myself and behave as any other normal child would. Fear keeps me from coming out of my false persona. I don't want to be alone. I don't want to be left out. I don't want to be an outcast.
These thoughts are the only truth.
"Natalie."
Diana stopped to look at the structure in the middle of the town. It was a pillar of some sort, but it was wide in length, almost as wide as a house. It also had a door, which opened as Diana called out to it.
"Is he the one?"
A woman identical to the apparition walked out of the door. She looked at me and said.
"Yes."
Diana answered.
"Come in."
The apparition disappeared. Diana took my hand and guided me into the structure.
It was a small room filled with drawings all over the walls. They were releasing mana constantly, and my fatigue started to go away.
It's happening again. My eyes are getting heavier by the second.
I am losing control over my body.
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Mana sword, aimed right at the priest's back.
"Die."
It took a split second. Diana didn't have a chance to react.
An ear-piercing crashing sound.
"Didn't take you long."
Natalie stood there, unharmed. The mana sword had been blocked.
She turned around, and raised her palm towards the entity.
"Too bad for you. This is my territory."
The power of the barrier surrounded the entity. It was trapped.
Diana was too shocked to speak. This was the entity that had been inside Vincent. It was stronger than she had first seen it.
Still, Natalie had frozen him in place without much effort.
"Human! Let me go!"
No matter how much it tried, the entity couldn't move.
"Fascinating..."
Natalie calmly moved towards the entity. She started to inspect it from a closer range.
"So this is a mana entity."
Continuous mana release, could attack opponents using purified mana, and strong when in contact with a host.
She snapped her fingers.
"Your greed for mana led to this. Everything inside this place works with me, and for me. Mana is no exception."
The limbs that had been created from mana disappeared.
"You Filthy Insect!"
The formation was sucking up his mana. He was back to his human form, but the eyes were still glowing. The entity hadn't disappeared yet.
"Thank you for your donation."
All the excess mana was being sucked out. The formation was getting stronger, and the pressure on his body was increasing.
"Stop! You can't kill him!"
Diana intervened. Vincent couldn't die.
"Why not?"
Natalie said. She was unfazed towards her pleading.
"Do you want to make an enemy out of the Kindred family?"
She sighed.
"Don't expect a recluse like me to know who they are. If it wasn't for the formation, my village would have been destroyed by him. You all are at fault for bringing him here."
'Vincent' was on his knees now. Only a fraction of mana was left in his body.
<<Golden Apocalypse>>
A loud burst of noise.
Anna didn't hold back.
Natalie raised her palm towards the attack. Outside the formation, a strong barrier formed, clashing with the golden mana sword.
"Let him go."
She said slowly.
The saint looked at the sword master with her scan.
"You have lost a lot of mana, while I have plenty to spare thanks to your hero. Why would I listen to you?"
The barrier formed around Vincent once again.
Anna was almost empty on mana, but she had a trump card.
"Formation Blocker."
The priest froze.
"W-what did you just say?"
"Let him go. Otherwise, this village will become a lost cause sooner than later."
She wasn't bluffing. Melida would definitely come in this village with everything she has. And out of pure vengeance.
"We will leave your village right now. If you continue to stall, I will retract my offer and you will regret that for whatever time you have remaining."
Natalie had no choice.
"Very well."
She sucked out the rest of his mana and dispersed the barrier. Before he could fall to the ground, Diana held him in her arms.
After a while, the door to the formation opened, and Diana carried Vincent out with her. Behind them, Natalie slowly walked out of the formation, staring at Anna.
After getting closer, she said,
"I wish to have a discussion with you."
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder