Sabatsday, 18th of Maia, 470th Year of the Fifth Era

Hesekiel and Sadrach had quickly pivoted sideways as the demon's long clawed hands reached down to strike them. Loud bangs could be heard as its hands crashed against the wet ground of the paddies. Its speed was quick despite its size. The demon gave Hesekiel no room for breathers as it looked intent on targeting him.

Moments later, the Begu Ganjang's attention was drawn away from Hesekiel. Sadrach had launched several orbs of flames towards the demon. All of the blasts hitting the demon in its head and neck. Hesekiel didn't bother to see if Sadrach's attack affected the demon much before he rushed in for a strike.

Hesekiel slashed one of the demon's legs with his sabre. Unfortunately, the aura-less attack didn't do much towards the demon as it felt like striking against air, hitting nothing in particular. Hesekiel didn't expect this as he immediately moved to readjust his unbalanced footwork. Unfortunately for him, it didn't take much longer than a few seconds for the demon to strike him with his other hand.

Hesekiel was blasted away several yards, landing into the wet and muddy paddy. He was submerged in it, his lungs feeling like they had collapsed for a second after getting hit by a whole wagon. Without air and only pain. This demon was something else. Hesekiel needed a few seconds to gasp for air as he felt his mind and stomach was churning.

Despite the pain, Hesekiel could only grit his teeth as he forced himself back up. The demon looked like its attention was now placed squarely upon Sadrach who was still running around, throwing all manners of magical attacks at it. This gave Hesekiel a little bit of time to recollect himself as he was finally standing - though still wobbly.

Hesekiel had spread the aura mana from within his body's core to help stabilise his condition. As his breathing became less ragged and his focus somewhat returned, Hesekiel finally held his spear as he started concentrating all his aura on it. He raised his left arm to help aim at the monster's head. The monster was constantly moving as it seemed focused on eliminating Sadrach. It was a difficult shot to make, but he had to at least try.

The aura surrounding the spear grew larger and larger as sparks could be heard sizzling away. Finally Hesekiel found his mark and in that instant he held his breath. He put all his focus onto the monster. The next moment he had flung the spear with all his might. His muscles had ached as he threw it, but he didn't care.

The spear flew with bullet-like speed as it resembled a white flash. Hearing the incoming projectile, the monster had turned around to face Hesekiel. It was a grave mistake on the monster's part. As it turned its face, the spear had pierced one of its crimson eyes. The Begu Ganjang unleashed a high-pitched screech as it held its eye.

There was no blood to signify the damage done to the demon. Instead, what was the demon's left eye was now an empty see-through socket with black smoke coming out of it. As the demon continued to screech, it started flailing wildly, destroying its surroundings.

Hesekiel had seeked to capitalise on the damage he had dealt and was preparing himself for another charge as he started gathering aura on his saber to attack the demon. However, it looked like fortune wasn't on his side at that time.

The demon had released its hold of its left eye and in the next instant, both crimson shades could be seen once more. Now glowing darker and brighter as it seemed to glare down upon Hesekiel. Its full attention was on him now. It only took the demon less than a minute to heal the damage it had received.

Hesekiel spat as he saw the demon now moving towards him with more gusto. It was roaring once more as both a growl and a high-pitched screech could be heard coming from it at the same time. It's long winding tongue drooling black and blood-coloured liquid which disintegrated the ground it was dropped on.

Hesekiel was no fool. He knew that there was no way in hell he could hope to damage the demon in any meaningful way, let alone defeat it. His course of action was clear. He needed to escape.

"WE RETREAT!!" Hesekiel shouted to Sadrach as he rushed towards the demon. He had used his full concentration to quickly avoid the demon's unceasing attacks on him. Despite its intensity though, Hesekiel did notice the demon was moving ever so slightly slower as compared to before Hesekiel had hurled his spear at it.

Parrying the demon's clawed arms with his saber, Hesekiel had rushed through the space between its legs as he headed towards Sadrach. Sadrach himself wasn't just idling around as he too had gathered an obscene amount of mana in front of him before outstretching his arms towards it. In fact it wasn't just the mana visible, but Sadrach even looked like he had encapsulated himself with a warrior's aura as well. And this aura was much brighter than what a second-star aura user's should look like. He had grown to the third star.

In the next moment, an intense shower of flames had extended from Sadrach, hitting the upper part of the demon's body. The intensity of Sadrach's flame must've been intense as even the giant lumbering demon was slightly staggered away from them. It was an impressive display indeed, especially from someone who's only been truly training his third-circle magic for as briefly as Sadrach. However, all this did indeed have a cost as Hesekiel could notice Sadrach's face growing paler and paler.

As Sadrach was still busy blasting away at the demon, Hesekiel had finally reached him. Immediately, Hesekiel had grabbed Sadrach and proceeded to carry him over his shoulder while running away from the demon. Away from the rice fields. All the while he was carrying him, Sadrach continued to shoot out intense flames.

Hesekiel refused to look back as it risked them slowing down. He didn't care about the fact that he was almost out of breath. That his stomach was that close to emptying itself. That he might as well have collapsed then and there. All he had plastered on his mind now was 'run'. And so he ran with all his might. But as he ran, he noticed that there was no longer a sound of flames coming from Sadrach. The body he was carrying now also felt like it had lost all strength.

"Lae! Lae!!" Hesekiel called out to the man he was carrying but there was no response. "FUCK!!"

Hesekiel had quickly dropped Sadrach in front of him and checked for a pulse. The pulse was still fast and strong. His retracting chest also showed that he was still breathing. But Sadrach was clearly out of energy. Expending all of his energy like that, he would be out for at least a day or even more.

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Hesekiel immediately looked behind him as he saw the towering demon slowly but surely still approaching them despite half its body still covered in Sadrach's flames. The bastard was persistent. It let out another screeching roar as it picked up its pace in approaching them. It would seem that he no longer had any choice.

Drawing his saber once more from his scabbard, Hesekiel had to make a last stand against the monster. If his calculations were correct, one more human sacrifice should be enough to quench the demon's thirst for at least another day. That would be plenty of time for the warriors to dispatch the monster and for Sadrach to escape safely.

Hesekiel had other younger brothers who he was sure were more talented than he was. The Rapmasari would be at a loss for nothing. Safira was one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid his eyes on. She'd easily gain another lover after him. It was much better for her to lose him than her brother. He'd be sacrificing himself now, but he'd be damned if he had just given up without a fight.

It was strange. Facing the monster who was approaching ever closer, he did not have any fear in him. In fact, he felt peace. As if a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. His life would be a short run, but it would be a good run all the same.

Hesekiel made the sign of the cross as he knelt to pray. The vibrations he felt from the ground from the demon's stomps did little to deter him from his convictions. As he said, "Amen", he felt a newfound vigour within him. His aura was increasing as he could feel his aura core expand. Hesekiel could only giggle at that. He had become a third star. The last of his close friends to do so. And it would be at the end of his life when no one would know.

Regardless, he knew it. And that was enough a reason to thank God for.

With his newfound aura, he gathered all of what he had left of it to surround his sabre as he raised his saber. He never did it before personally, but it seemed like the appropriate time to do so. He gathered his breath in his chest before bellowing loudly, "HAMATEAN!! (DEATH!!)". As the monster roared and ran towards him as it was prepared to strike him, Hesekiel charged forth.

As his blade was about to parry the monster's strike as it opened its fanged maw as if to devour him, a bright blazing light had shone past him with such a force that it made the air around ripple. Hesekiel's head had been pushed to the side by the sheer force of the projectile that passed him.

When he focused once more to the monster, the bright projectile had hit it in its neck. The bright projectile soon exploded into a bright and shining explosion. As if a small sun had bursted, granting light to the darkened sky. The demon let out a pained shriek. Hesekiel finally turned around to try and see where the projectile had come from.

In that very moment, a warrior riding a large tiger beast holding a spear had charged forth towards the demon. He had gathered his energy into the spear before he threw it. The spear turned into a burst of pure light as it was hurled unto the demon. In that instant, it appeared as if its entire left shoulder was disintegrated into a black mist.

"STAY AWAY FROM MY SON, BUJJANGINAM!!" Lord Hasudungan had shouted before he charged towards the demon. Following closely behind him in the charge were the other five-star warriors, all hurling their javelin-like spears towards the demons. Soon enough a cascade of elemental projectiles had been hurled towards the demon. A hail of storm, ice, fire, and wind had been levied against the Begu Ganjang.

From afar, a succession of three more arrows like thunderbolts were also pelting the demon. Upon a greyed tiger, an equally old woman was holding a great warbow. She had immediately loaded three more arrows upon it before sending loose another barrage.

"I don't care what foul hell you spawned from, demon!" The woman screamed as she continued loosing her arrows towards the monster like a madman "I will destroy you for daring to hurt my grandson!"

Hesekiel could only stand in awe as he saw the elders had arrived just in the nick of time to save his hide. In that instant, a feeling of gladness and relief had overcome him as he felt like he lost all the strength in his legs. He dropped to his knees as tears started to flow from his eyes. He had immediately folded his arms in prayer as he could only mutter these words with a sob, "Thank you Lord! Thank you Lord!"

He had nothing else to say. Though he tried to put up a brave and indifferent front; though he tried to convince himself that he would be relieved at facing a glorious death; Though he had thought he was prepared to be welcomed into the everlasting kingdom. Hesekiel's final prayer before he had faced the beast. 'Lord, please save me.'

The great demon was a powerful foe indeed as it managed to withstand the attacks of several five-star warriors at the same time. For a while at least. Despite its great strength, there was still a limit to the demon's power, especially now that it was in the mortal realm. The demon's fortunes had run out. It would face oblivion soon.

Eventually, the mighty warriors of the Halak had managed to fell the great demon as it bursted into dark mist and fog in a pained screech. As for the final finishing touch to the destruction of the demon, Hesekiel saw as Reverend Steinmann and Reverend Timotheus had arrived at the scene to unleash a pure display of light magic upon the demon.

It didn't take long after that for the demon's body to fully disintegrate. With the destruction of the demon, it was as if a veil over the land had been torn. The chilly night had warmed ever so slightly. The dark clouds over the skies had parted as the beautiful waning moon could be seen shining along with the stars.

The storm had passed and the land was free of any foul or dark influence.

Hesekiel could only continue muttering the three words he had running in his mind. "Thank you Lord…" He muttered under his breath beneath his sobs.

Without him noticing it, Hesekiel had finally felt a warm embrace come over him. His father was already in front of him on the ground, hugging him. And he wasn't the only one sobbing now.

"My son! My damned stupid son!!" Lord Hasudungan sobbed as he held Hesekiel close to him. "Lord, I thank you for saving my son! I thank you that I was able to make it in time…!!"

Soon enough, another warm presence had embraced Hesekiel from behind him. The familiar scent of his grandmother had draped over both him and his father. Hesekiel had never before been so overwhelmed by emotion as much as that night. So many things had happened.

"...Father, I reached the third star…" Hesekiel said as he held his father, hoping he would be proud of him.

"I don't care… I don't care about that, son! Your life is worth far more than any star in the sky or in your soul…" Lord Hasudungan said as he held Hesekiel's face. "I am proud of any achievement you make. I would still be proud even if you were the most useless creature upon the earth! This stunt you pulled! I would've never forgiven myself if anything had happened to you!"

"Your father is very proud of you, bang…" Ompung Ester said as she caressed Hesekiel's head "I'm bloody proud of you as well. And until these old bones wither away to dust, I would still be proud of you… Lord, thank you for sparing my grandson!!"

Hesekiel had no more words to say at that point. His eyes felt puffed and his nose was clogged. He had shown far too much emotion than he'd like in that one night. He was severely tired.

But still. Hesekiel couldn't help but calm down in the embrace of his two elders. Being loved did indeed feel nice. Words could not explain how thankful he had felt that night. There was only one thing he asked of his father and grandmother that he would like to see kept. "Please keep this a secret from my mother…" Hesekiel said with an exasperated tone.

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