After last night, when the northern and southern continents were attacked by the invading demons, this time, the west became their next target.
Harres ran with all his might from the pursuing demons, holding Aleeora tightly in his arms.
His wooden house stood right before him. He took a brief glance before rushing inside.
Harres quickly packed what he needed to pack, his steps hurried. Just as he was about to leave, a bright green light flashed at the corner of his eye.
He had almost forgotten the most important thing. He swiftly grabbed it and hurried out once more. He threw a pouch of shimmering dust, making the wooden house vanish as if it had never existed.
"Harres…" Aleeora called softly. Just from that one word, Harres could tell she was filled with fear.
"Don't worry, Aleeora," he said, gently brushing the top of her hair. "Everything will be fine. I'm here with you."
He kept running, increasing his speed.
Harres could hear strange rustling sounds from the surrounding grass. He didn't care — whatever was out there, all that mattered was getting out of the forest alive.
"This will be difficult," he panted, "even if I run with all my strength, I won't be able to get out of this vast forest anytime soon."
As Harres ran through the bushes to his left and right, one to three demons leapt out, revealing themselves.
Harres glanced briefly to assess the situation. He tried to ignore them and kept running.
But his escape wouldn't be easy. One by one, the demons began attacking, throwing whatever they could at him.
Harres dodged, weaved, and deflected arrows and iron spikes flying toward him. However, there was one attack that managed to injure Harres' left hand.
"So troublesome," he muttered, turning around. With a powerful swing, he hurled his sword. "Take this!"
The blade spun clockwise, slicing through the demons brutally before returning to Harres's grasp.
He exhaled heavily. "Uliona Lukio."
Harres swung his sword far ahead; in an instant, he vanished and reappeared where his sword had landed.
Up in the trees, someone had just landed among the branches — a figure watching Harres run at a speed comparable to a galloping horse.
The figure wore a cloak marked with yellow lines that ran from the hood down to the hem. On the back, a bright sun emblem burned with a fiery pattern. His blonde hair swayed gently with the wind.
He smiled faintly, then stepped off the branch, dropping silently to the ground.
Meanwhile, Harres stayed focused on his run, eyes scanning left and right, anticipating another demon attack.
He forced his legs to keep running with all their strength — the forest's edge was almost in sight.
"Aleeora, we're almost there. Don't worry."
There was no reply, not even a nod. Harres looked down to check on her — and his eyes widened.
Her condition was far from good. Most likely, she was having a severe panic attack, gasping for breath. Harres had to get out quickly.
But his desperate sprint came to a halt. A group of demons blocked the path, laughing mockingly, their killing intent clear.
"Harres…" Aleeora's voice trembled — she was in danger.
Harres brushed her hair gently. "Hey, it's okay. We'll be out soon. You don't need to worry."
Then his eyes shifted to the group ahead. They sharpened, and his grip on the sword tightened — ready to cut down anything standing in his way.
Before Harres could move, thick smoke suddenly burst forth, confusing both him and the demons. The smoke grew denser, enveloping them.
The demons panicked, swinging their weapons at the mist, trying to defend themselves — but it was useless, they looked like fools attacking harmless fog.
The smoke herded them into one spot, forming a defensive circle.
Then, from the left, a hand reached out from within the smoke, grabbing a demon by the leg and pulling it in. Its companion tried to follow — but never returned. Gone.
Panic spread. Their weapons trembled in their grips. One by one, they disappeared, dragged into the thick smoke.
Only three demons remained, shaking violently.
Then one of the three transformed — revealing the same cloaked figure who had stood atop the tree.
He grabbed one demon's head and snapped it cleanly. The others turned, their arrogance replaced with raw terror.
With a smooth motion, the figure lifted his hood, revealing piercing blue eyes that seemed to stare straight into one's soul. His short blond hair shimmered faintly under the dim light.
Before the demon could react, the man was suddenly behind it — a blade piercing gently through its chest. Blood spilled from its mouth as its body crumpled lifelessly.
Slowly, the smoke began to fade, revealing the aftermath.
Confusion filled Harres's mind. He tried to guess who this person was — an enemy? Or an ally? Either way, he couldn't lower his guard.
When the smoke finally cleared, lifeless demon corpses lay scattered on the ground.
"Are you both alright?" the man's voice was calm. "I heard screams from this direction, so I came to check."
"I'll get straight to the point," Harres said, raising his sword. "Who are you? Are you a spy from the enemy?"
The man chuckled softly. "Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner." He bowed slightly, one hand placed over his chest. "I'm Leah Vesmith. A pleasure to meet you."
"If you don't mind," Leah stepped closer, his hand glowing faintly, "I'd like to help calm your daughter down."
He was right — Aleeora was in poor condition. Harres knelt down, allowing him to tend to her.
Leah's fingers brushed gently through Aleeora's hair, soothing her. Her expression eased little by little.
With one final touch, Leah pressed his fingertip to the center of her forehead. Aleeora instantly fell asleep. He smiled softly, still brushing her hair with care.
"Thank you," said Harres.
Leah replied with a warm smile. "By the way, how did you end up being chased by demons?"
"I'm not sure," Harres sighed, standing up. "But thank you for saving us." He bowed his head.
Leah noticed Harres's hand was injured — cut from the earlier fight.
"Is your hand alright?" he asked, reaching out. But Harres pulled back.
"It's fine. I'm okay."
"Where are you heading, then? If you don't mind, there's a nearby church where you can rest," Leah offered.
"No, thank you," Harres declined politely and turned to leave — but Leah's voice stopped him.
"Shouldn't you rest and think with a clear head? Your daughter needs some rest too. I'm worried about her condition."
Harres paused, exhaling heavily. The man had a point — Aleeora truly wasn't doing well.
"Please, show me the way," Harres said at last.
Leah smiled brightly. "Then it's settled. Follow me."