"What's happening?!" The dwarf clan leader shrieked, her voice barely audible above the din.
"We're under attack!" A harpy screeched, her wings fluttering in agitation.
"Protect the savior!" The elf commanded, her voice ringing with authority. "He is our only hope!"
As the dust and smoke began to settle, the scene that was revealed sent a collective gasp through the assembled demi-humans.
Through the gaping holes in the temple walls, they saw a sight that chilled them to the bone.
They were surrounded.
Hundreds of human soldiers and mercenaries, mounted on horseback, had encircled the temple, their figures casting long, ominous shadows in the fading light.
Their faces were grim, their eyes cold and predatory, reflecting a chilling intent to kill.
They were clad in gleaming armor, their swords, axes, and bows glinting menacingly in the dim light filtering through the smoke-filled air. They eyed the demi-humans with a chilling mix of disdain and bloodlust, as if they were already assessing the best way to slaughter them, their lives forfeit before the battle had even begun.
The air crackled with tension, the silence broken only by the snorting of the horses and the low murmur of the human soldiers as they prepared to unleash their fury.
Then, as the tension was at the highest, a figure detached himself from the mass of mounted soldiers.
A portly man, his face flushed with arrogance and self-importance, stepped forward. He was clad in ornate, if somewhat impractical, noble armor that strained to contain his ample frame.
He surveyed the scene, his gaze sweeping over the huddled demi-humans, his lips curling into a wide, predatory grin. He then let out a booming laugh, the sound echoing through the shattered temple, a sound that spoke of cruelty and ambition.
"It's true!" He bellowed, his voice thick with self-satisfaction. "It's really true! The rumors were right!" He chuckled, a sound like a boar snorting. "I heard from one of my scouts—a sharp lad, that one—that they spotted a suspicious ship traveling from the south...A small, insignificant vessel, they said. Nothing to worry about, they said. Bah!" He puffed out his chest, the buttons on his armor groaning under the strain. "They thought nothing of it, of course. But me? I'm not so easily fooled. I have a nose for intrigue, a keen eye for...opportunity."
He gestured dramatically towards the temple, his gauntleted hand nearly knocking over a crumbling statue of a rather voluptuous earth goddess.
"I was bored." He explained, as if addressing a crowd at a celebratory feast. "Bored of waiting for the rest of the fleet to decide how best to invade this...pathetic...continent. Honestly, their strategic meetings drag on for days. So, I decided to take a little detour, see what all the fuss was about. A little...reconnaissance, you might say." He winked, a greasy, self-satisfied gesture.
His grin widened, revealing a set of yellowed teeth that looked like they hadn't seen a toothbrush in decades.
"And look what I've stumbled upon! A veritable treasure trove! A gathering of all the important figures of the resistance! All in one place! It's like the gods themselves have smiled upon me! Or perhaps..." He added with a chilling chuckle. "It's more like they've delivered them all to me on a silver platter."
He threw his head back and laughed, a loud, triumphant sound that echoed through the ruined temple.
"With this...this glorious victory...this divine stroke of luck...I will surely rise in status! I will be celebrated! I will be known as the one who single-handedly crushed the demi-human resistance! My name will be etched in the annals of history! Songs will be sung about my valor! Statues will be erected in my honor!" He rubbed his hands together gleefully, his eyes gleaming with avarice. "And all thanks to a little...boredom. Who knew boredom could be so...profitable?"
The elf elder, her face a mask of fury, stepped forward, her regal bearing radiating an aura of barely contained rage.
"You...You despicable creature!" She hissed, her voice trembling with indignation. "How dare you desecrate this sacred temple, a sanctuary that has stood for millennia, a place of peace and worship?!"
"This is a holy ground, a place where even the humans, in their limited understanding of reverence, have traditionally refrained from violence!"
"...Your sacrilege will not go unpunished! The goddess will surely rain down her wrath upon you for this transgression!"
The other elders, their earlier fear replaced by a righteous anger, nodded in fervent agreement, their murmurs of condemnation echoing through the ruined temple.
The elf elder continued, her voice rising in righteous fury.
"Not only do you attack us by surprise, violating the ancient laws of sanctuary, but you dare to boast of your 'victory' over a handful of elderly women! You come with an army of over a hundred armed soldiers to prey upon a few dozen grandmothers! Have you no sense of honor? No shred of decency? No shame?!"
The fat man simply scoffed, his arrogance unshaken.
"Shame? Honor?" He sneered. "Those are for fools and weaklings. They won't win me titles and lands. They won't fill my coffers. They certainly won't make me a hero."
He then, with a lewd grin, turned his gaze upon the elf elder, his eyes raking over her form in a way that made her skin crawl.
"Well, well." He purred, his voice dripping with vulgarity. "An elf. I've only ever seen your kind in books. And just as the legends say...you are indeed a beautiful race. Though a bit...past your prime, perhaps." He added with a snicker. "Still...a beauty nonetheless. I wouldn't mind taking you back alive. A rare prize, indeed. I think I'd quite enjoy...keeping you as my little pet."
The elf elder's face contorted with disgust. "I would rather die a thousand deaths!" She spat, her voice filled with venom.
"Then die already!" The man roared, his patience finally snapping. He gestured towards the demi-humans with a dismissive wave of his hand, "Soldiers! Kill them all! Leave no one alive! Teat them into a million pieces and put their heads on pikes so that we can show their clans what happened to their beloved leaders."
The elf elder, seeing the human soldiers advancing with murderous intent, their weapons raised and their faces contorted with bloodlust, did not flinch.
Instead, she drew herself up to her full height, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination.
"It seems..." She declared, her voice ringing with a newfound strength. "...that the time has come to prove our worth to the goddess and to our savior!"
She raised her hand, her voice echoing through the ruined temple, reaching the ears of every demi-human present.
"We are the Grand Elders of our clans!" She proclaimed. "We are the keepers of our traditions, the guardians of our people! We have faced countless threats, overcome insurmountable odds! We have survived wars, famines, and even the loss of our magic! We will not falter now! We will not cower before these human invaders! We will fight! We will defend our savior! We will protect our home!"
"...Now, are you with me my fellow sisters?!"
Her words ignited a spark of defiance in the hearts of the other elders. They straightened their backs, their eyes hardening with resolve.
They had lived long lives, witnessed countless trials and tribulations. They had faced death before, and they would not shy away from it now.
"We will fight!" A griffin elder screeched, her talons scraping against the stone floor.
"We will defend our savior!" A dark elf elder roared, pulling out her daggers.
"We will protect our home!" A siren elder sang, her voice echoing with a haunting power.
The elders, their fear replaced by a fierce determination, reached for their weapons.
The elf elder drew her bow, the ancient wood creaking as she pulled back the string, an arrow nocked and aimed at the approaching enemy.
A centaur elder stomped her hooves, her spear held high.
A goblin elder brandished a dagger that was nearly as tall as herself.
Even the slime girl elder, her gelatinous form quivering with resolve, produced a small, surprisingly sharp knife from within her translucent body.
They formed a tight circle around Luca, their bodies a living shield, their weapons raised in defiance.
They were ready to fight, ready to die if necessary, to protect their savior, their hope for the future.
The air crackled with their newfound courage, their voices rising in a chorus of defiance.
"For the goddess!"
"For our savior!"
"For our home!"
But just as the peak of their bravery was reached, a voice, shrill and panicked, cut through the air.
"Wait a minute!" The fairy elder who decided to take a look at how their savioir was doing shrieked. "We're talking about protecting our savior so much...But where in the hell is he in the first place?!?!"
The elders froze, their expressions shifting from determination to confusion. They looked around frantically, their eyes searching for the one they were supposed to be protecting, only to fine that he wasn't stand in the same spot he was a second ago.
"He was just here!"
"Where did he go?"
"Did he run away?"
"No, he couldn't have! He's surrounded!"
"Maybe he's hiding?"
"He's not under my skirts!"
"Or mine!"
"Check behind the statue!"
"He's not there!"
The elders' voices rose in a collection of panicked confusion, their brave facade crumbling as they realized that the savior they were so determined to protect...was nowhere to be found.
But just as they were about to lose hope, a casual voice came out of nowhere.
"Don't worry, ladies." The voice said from behind them in a reassuring tone. "I haven't run away. I'm right here."
The elders whirled around, their eyes wide with disbelief, to see Luca casually strolling towards the incoming army.
He walked with a nonchalance that bordered on suicidal, his hands tucked into the pockets of his tattered trousers, his face a mask of serene indifference.
"Child, what are you doing?!" The elf elder shrieked, her voice laced with panic. "Come back! It's dangerous!"
"Are you insane boy?!" A harpy screeched. "Get back here!"
"We'd rather you escape than get captured kid!" A dwarf elder shouted.
The elf elder, unable to simply stand by and watch him walk to his doom, started forward, intending to physically drag him back, even if it meant risking her own life.
But before she could take a step, Luca raised a hand, stopping her in her tracks with a gesture that was both gentle and firm.
He chuckled, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "This feels familiar." He muttered to himself, remembering the firefighter he had stopped earlier that morning.
He then turned to face the elders, a warm smile spreading across his face, his eyes filled with a genuine affection that surprised even himself.
"To everyone before me, please listen to what I have to say." He declared which made all of them freeze and carefully listen to what he was going to say
"Let me start off with first saying that I haven't known you all for very long." He began, his voice soft but carrying. "I don't even know your names. And you don't know mine."
He paused, his smile widening.
"But what I do know is that you have welcomed me, a complete stranger, a human no less, with open arms. You have treated me with kindness, with respect, even though I look like...Well, like something the cat dragged in."
He continued, his voice gaining strength.
"You have shown me a level of care and compassion that I have never experienced before. In my entire life, I've never had...grandparents. I've never known what it's like to be...coddled."
"But in these few moments, you have given me a glimpse of that. You have shown me what it means to be loved, to be cherished, to be...spoiled." He chuckled. "And for that, I am truly grateful."
He looked at them, his eyes shining with a newfound determination.
"You have already done more than enough for me. You have risked your lives to protect me, a stranger. You have shown me a level of loyalty and devotion that I could never have imagined. And now...it's my turn to show you why the goddess sent me, and not an army of angels."
With that, he turned and walked towards the approaching army, his steps firm and resolute, his back straight, his head held high.
He walked towards the enemy, not with fear, but with a quiet confidence, a sense of purpose that radiated from him like a beacon.
Luca's heartfelt words resonated deeply with the elders.
They appreciated his sincerity, his courage, and the genuine affection he had shown them in such a short time, thinking of him as their own grandchild even though they barely knew him.
But even though he exuded an air of confidence as he strode towards the approaching army, a wave of protectiveness washed over them.
They couldn't, they simply couldn't, stand by and watch him face such overwhelming odds alone.
They were ready to charge, weapons raised, prepared to fight to their last breath to protect him, even if it meant certain death for themselves.
Their hearts were filled with a fierce loyalty, a desperate need to shield him from harm.
But just as they were about to surge forward, a voice, calm and reassuring, stopped them in their tracks.
"It's alright." Luca called out, his voice carrying across the distance. He didn't turn, didn't break his stride. "It's alright if you don't trust in my abilities...not yet."
"...But you should trust in the goddess. She sent me here. She chose me. Trust in her judgment. Trust that she knows what she's doing."
His words struck a chord within them. They froze, their weapons wavering.
He was right...They did trust the goddess.
They had to. She had never abandoned them before. Why would she start now? Why would she send them a savior who was destined to fail?
A wave of uncertainty washed over the elders.
They hesitated, unsure what to do. Their instincts screamed at them to protect him, to shield him from danger. But his words, his quiet confidence, gave them pause.
Could they truly trust in the goddess's wisdom? Could they trust in this...human...who walked so confidently towards what seemed like certain doom?
Finally, the elf elder let out a long, weary sigh.
The conflict within her was obvious. She desperately wanted to rush to his side, to protect him, but she also knew that second-guessing the goddess's will was a dangerous thing.
"I don't want to say this, but my sisters we...We must trust." She said, her voice barely a whisper. "We must trust in the goddess. We must trust in the human she has sent us."
The other elders, their faces etched with worry and doubt, slowly nodded in agreement.
They lowered their weapons, their resolve wavering, their hearts filled with a mixture of hope and trepidation.
And then, they closed their eyes for a moment, offering a silent prayer to their goddess, begging her to keep their savior safe, begging her to guide him, begging her to deliver them from this impending doom...