Taming the Dark Lord - Chapter 51

Chapter 51 – Seeking Refuge

“Rita!”

The loud screaming of Rita’s name strained Amelia’s throat, her eyes widening as Rita dropped to the ground like a ragdoll. And before she could fully comprehend what exactly happened, a sharp reverberating hiss sliced through the air as an arrow made its mark right on Amelia’s shoulder.

She heard how the sharp weapon tore through her flesh, and blood instantaneously gushed out, soaking her garments red.

Amelia’s breaths were knocked out of her as she stifled a cry, gasping breathily while clutching on her bleeding shoulder. She threw a glance where the arrow had come from and saw a middle-aged man walking towards her direction.

“Who are you?!” Debra gritted, voice laden with fear. “We are the Saints of the Light cult, how dare you attack us! This assault will never go unpunished, so if you are still in your right mind, leave right this second!” Debra forced the words out, and she hoped the man couldn’t hear the tremor in her voice.

The man grinned at the Saint’s remark, unfazed by the threat as he took a few steps forward, the mist behind him thick and heavy. There was a rotting skull under the black hood, and two green flames filled the eye sockets.

“Necromancer!” A knight shouted.

The arrow that was stabbed into Amelia’s shoulder gradually liquefied like wax, forming into drops of corrosive green liquid down to the gaping wound of her soft flesh, scorching her as she winced.

Amelia screwed her eyes shut, biting her lip at the excruciating pain. She was about to faint any second now. She shook her head and forced herself to stay awake, covering the bleeding flesh with one hand as she mustered the remaining energy that she had to heal herself with her magic. “Run!”

Too strong.

The power that exuded from the necromancer’s body was too overpoweringly extreme. It was mixed with all things vile; like wronged souls and skeletons rolled into one, so strong that it was unlike anything on this earth, unlike anything any of them ever witnessed. It was threatening enough that all they could do at this point was to scramble away from the unsettling being as fast as they could.

Amelia’s heart was about to pounce from her ribcage, and the pain she was feeling from her bleeding shoulder combined with the blood loss was all too great as she tumbled and followed everyone out to the city gate. She was seeing double, dizziness wanting to overtake her before Debra clutched her arm tightly, bringing her back to her senses.

“Rita is still there!” She cried, turning her head back and saw Rita’s lifeless body sprawled out on the pavement, growing smaller as they ran faster and farther away.

The necromancer stepped over Rita, stepping on her pool of blood and met Debra’s gaze. He tilted his head to the side, smiling cunningly as he raised the wand in his hand, flicking it and an arrow was produced from the tip, zippering fast like a bolt of lightning.

Puff!

Instantly, a knight dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.

It seemed like the skeletal arrow had its own way of tracking you down no matter how hard you tried to dodge it. It moved in a fraction of a second, in a blink of an eye, so fast that you wouldn’t know it would hit you until it finally did.

Seeing the necromancer raise his wand once again, the remaining knights tensed up, positioning their swords in defense as they blocked him entrance, protecting the Saints they’ve sworn to protect. “Run!” They screamed, veins bulging on their necks.

Debra couldn’t help but cry at the sight. They were surrounded by death around them, and they need to get out now. She grasped Amelia’s hand with hers, and dragged her to an alley nearby.

Black spots were appearing in Amelia’s vision and she was having trouble seeing her surroundings as Debra pulled her hastily. She peered at the skies above her, and it seemed like the blood of the slain knights filled the entire sky. The warm setting sun was like the heavy armor they’re dressed with, reflecting golden light spattered with blood.

“T-to the Church.” Amelia coughed, spatting out a mouthful of blood. “The blessing of divine light is there, and the dead will burn when they set foot.”

Why does the Church have to be so far?

Debra draped Amelia’s arm over her neck as they made their hasty escape. The footsteps behind them followed them like an inescapable shadow; sometimes it was close enough to grasp, sometimes far enough to run away from. It was obviously mocking them, taunting as if it was reminding them of its omnipresence, that they couldn’t outrun it no matter how fast they were….