Chapter 5: Aria’s Prologue (4)

Crash

“Gah!”

A blunt impact sent me flying. I tumbled head over heels, rolling uncontrollably until I crashed into a pile of debris.

“Ha… ha…”

Pain wracked my body, my vision blurred. A normal person would have passed out, but I couldn’t. I knew that if I lost consciousness here, I would die.

“Already done? Then I’ll just ki…”

Dash

I lunged before she could finish her sentence, aiming for a moment of vulnerability.

Bang

The same result. My attack was effortlessly deflected. She stood unfazed.

Whoosh

“Impressive for your age, but…”

Smack

“Ugh…”

“Not enough.”

She appeared before me in a flash, her fist connecting with my gut. They say you can’t speak when you’re in excruciating pain. I’d crossed my arms defensively, but the pain pierced through, momentarily stopping all thought. I could only gasp.

‘Of course it’s not enough…’

Is this really how a Legion Commander should treat a teenage girl…

“Giving up?”

“Gasp… gasp…”

I was only holding on because it was night, when my powers were strongest, and because she was clearly toying with me. If not for those two factors, I’d be either captured or another corpse on the ground.

“You did well to last this long.”

‘Just a little longer.’

She approached, completely unguarded. But not yet…

“Such a waste to kill you. I’ll take you as a playth…”

‘Now!’

Whoosh

I swung my blade as she came within striking distance. She anticipated it, sidestepping with a laugh.

“…That was close.”

“Damn it.”

Crash

“Ugh…!”

Another kick sent me flying.

“Cough…”

‘This… difficulty is insane…’

Stagger

My leg, which had been trembling, finally gave way.

Thump, thump

Ignoring the pain, I pounded my leg, trying to force it to work.

‘One last chance…’

I managed to stand, but I knew I couldn’t last much longer. This would be my final stand. Blood flowed freely from my wounds. I felt dizzy. Probably blood loss.

‘Think calmly.’

First, gather information on the enemy. My gaze shifted to the sword in her hand.

‘She hasn’t used it yet.’

She’d held the sword in her right hand, but only defensively. As if she didn’t want to hurt me, she’d only used her hands and feet to attack.

“Rested enough?”

Her voice. I had no choice but to play along.

“Looks like this is the end.”

She observed my condition. It was obvious, really.

“If you fail to impress me this time…”

‘Here goes.’

“You’ll really kill me?”

My muscles burned. My body screamed in protest, but I could still move.

Clang

I could move, but that was it. My attack, significantly slower than before, was easily blocked. But I was aiming for something else, a tiny opening.

Same tactic as before. Shadow chains erupted from the ground, attempting to bind her. Blades and thorns shot towards her, exploiting any perceived weakness. Every attack I had, launched simultaneously.

She deflected them all, as if she’d grown bored with my predictable moves. But I persisted, moving silently, searching for a weakness. Her eyes followed me.

‘Now!’

Clang

“Is that all?”

“No.”

My attack was blocked, again. She questioned me, but I didn’t answer. I twisted my body sharply.

Whizz

A jet-black dagger shot from where my head had been moments before. A delayed attack, launched as I’d lunged forward.

“What…?”

A near miss. If she’d reacted a moment later, it would have pierced her skull, not grazed her. I’d managed to surprise her. But she was a Legion Commander. Despite her surprise, she blocked the dagger with one hand.

But both her arms were now occupied, creating the opening I’d been waiting for.

Crack

I wreathed my left hand in shadows and grabbed her sword. Asmodeus’ eyes widened in shock as my hand began to disintegrate from the contact.

“Haaaah!”

Her grip weakened. With a grunt, I poured all my remaining strength into my right hand, unleashing a single strike. Just one! As sharp and precise as I could make it. Not a killing blow, not even a serious injury. Just a scratch.

Nick

The blade grazed her cheek. A faint sound of something tearing, followed by silence. I stared at the tip of my blade, coated in a welcome crimson liquid.

“I did it…”

Thump

My vision faded. My body, pushed beyond its limits, finally gave way.

Moments later, a golden wave of light erupted in the distance, like the rising sun.

Aria lay unconscious. Asmodeus, alone, looked down at the girl, then touched her cheek.

Swipe

Blood. A minor scratch, but the significance lay in the disparity between them. A teenage girl had managed to wound her, the Third-ranked Legion Commander of the Demon King’s army.

“This… is going to be embarrassing.”

The thought of that person, with her usual stoic expression, saying ‘Were you holding back, Asmodeus?’ annoyed her.

“Well… that’s not important right now. This is more… hmm?”

A light caught her eye. It grew into a pillar, then a wave, washing over the city. Demons screamed.

“Holy power… the army couldn’t have returned already… the Saint?”

A demon appeared behind her. Her lieutenant. He knelt.

“Lady Asmodeus, the Saint has awakened.”

“So this was the right place?”

“Yes. It seems…”

“I’m so lucky.”

Asmodeus chuckled, dusting off her hand. She picked up Aria.

“What are your orders?”

“…”

“Lady Asmodeus?”

She stared at the pillar of light, silent. Her lieutenant asked again.

“Beautiful.”

“Pardon?”

Her words were unexpected.

“That light. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“With all due respect, the Goddess’ miracle is repulsive to us demons.”

“True. But sometimes, destroying something beautiful creates even greater despair.”

“…I see.”

Silence fell again. Her lieutenant, baffled by her cryptic words, finally remembered their original objective.

“Lady Asmodeus, what are our orders now?”

“I’d love to crush that light, but we’ve accomplished our goal. Staying here would only mean needless deaths for the weaker ones…”

She turned, the burning city and the radiant light serving as a backdrop for her command.

“Inform all remaining troops to return to the demon realm.”

“Understood.”

“Oh, wait.”

“Is there something else?”

“Just curious. How many did we kill?”

“About half the city… less than expected. Without the other Legion Commanders, the lower-ranked demons struggled against the paladins…”

Her lieutenant bowed his head. Asmodeus, listening to his report, looked down at Aria in her arms, murmuring,

‘How interesting.’

‘Do the survivors realize that they owe their lives to this little girl?’

If she, a Legion Commander, had continued her assault, eighty percent of the city would have been annihilated before the Saint awakened. Whether Aria intended it or not, she was the reason for this outcome.

Asmodeus smirked, then turned and left. Only the remnants of battle remained.

Lucia had been knocked unconscious by the explosion. Separated from her sister, she ran towards the cathedral.

“Gasp… she’s smart… gasp… she must have evacuated…”

How long had she been running? Finally, she saw the cathedral entrance, and a familiar figure.

“Lucia!”

“Sister!”

She saw the nun who usually greeted them and opened her mouth to speak, but…

“Where is your sister?”

“…Huh?”

The nun’s question stopped her in her tracks. She stumbled back.

“Sh-Shouldn’t she be here?”

“Wasn’t she with you, as usual?”

The nun asked again, confused.

“Didn’t you see her when she arrived?”

“I’ve been overseeing the evacuation… there’s no way…”

The nun’s words made Lucia’s legs weak. She collapsed.

“No… no…”

Her hope shattered the moment she reached the cathedral.

‘No, it can’t be.’

She sat on the ground, muttering, her blood running cold, yet at the same time, a burning sensation coursed through her veins.

‘She can’t be dead.’

Her sister, always so mature for her age. She couldn’t have died so easily.

‘I need to find her.’

‘She must be hiding somewhere, waiting for me.’

She couldn’t stay here. She had to find Aria. She clung to the hope that her sister was still alive, somewhere out there.

Grab

“You can’t.”

“Let me go.”

The nun grabbed her arm, her expression filled with worry. Lucia struggled, but she couldn’t break free.

“Going out there is suicide.”

“Sister!”

“The city is overrun by demons…”

“My sister is still out there.”

Lucia continued to struggle. The nun could only repeat apologies.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? My sister isn’t de…”

“I’m… sorry.”

“…My… sister is still alive!”

Deep down, Lucia knew. A sense of dread had washed over her when she saw the magic attack strike where Aria had been standing. She’d simply refused to accept it.

“Ah… ah…”

Aria was unusually strong for her age, but a direct hit from a magic attack would have been devastating, if not fatal. Separated, injured, with an army of demons closing in…

“Ugh…”

Nausea overwhelmed her. Like Aria earlier, she clutched the wall, retching.

“Ugh… blegh…”

Only bile came up, her stomach twisting as if she’d swallowed poison.

Crash

The demons arrived before she could grieve.

“Aaaaagh!!!!”

“Help me!!”

Screams echoed around her. Lucia tried to stand, but…

“Lucia!”

‘Ar…ia…’

Thud

The sound of flesh tearing, followed by the warm flow of blood.