Everything in sight burned away as the fire spread rapidly. The sand melted into glass, and those who stood on it were fused to it while slowly incinerating. Screams and cries of men, women, and children reverberated throughout.
Was it just to slaughter them all? Was killing the young ones the optimal decision? Such questions did not enter Sylvester's thoughts, for they were unnecessary. The children were fated to be cannibals and perish in a fire he'd create one day. It was the decree of destiny to which they and Sylvester were bound.
The fateful meeting with Solis had made it clear. Every sinner is born with the fate to accomplish that sin. And if he kills that sinner, it's his fate to kill. Everything is decided before one even takes their first breath—even death.
The odor of burning flesh, death, and blood permeated the scorching field. It was a slow demise for them as they shrieked, collapsed, incinerated, their skin liquefied, and their eyes fell from their sockets. Unable to breathe, scream, or stand, there was nothing to do but die.
Woosh!
Like a god of fire, Sylvester watched the land burn all around him with him in the center. Unbothered, every time he gestured in a direction, a powerful gust of fire spewed forth, reducing to ashes anything in its path.
Like the conductor of an orchestra, Sylvester's arms swung in various directions, causing fiery pandemonium in a radius of hundreds of meters. If someone cried out, they were given the mercy of a swifter death.
The firestorm raged for an hour, and in the end, nothing remained standing on the ground. From the camp structures to various tools, everything was incinerated. The bodies had completely vanished, turned to ashes.
Finally, Sylvester took a deep breath of serenity. The halo subsided, and the fire vanished from his body. But he still lacked a leg, so he had to hop toward the little girl he made certain not to burn. She was sitting in a daze, looking around.
"Xylena Sor Blackhart, that is your name, isn't it?" Sylvester asked as he sat down beside her.
She had an innocent, thin face, dark ashen hair, teal eyes, and a delicate frame. Having witnessed the hardships she had faced, Sylvester knew the trauma she held in her young mind. Thus, he tried to be gentle with her.
"Princess of the Sorrow Kingdom," Sylvester continued. "But it's not sorrowful anymore. I killed the Grand Duke of Patch and unified your Kingdom. People are now happy and are gradually rebuilding your Kingdom."
Xylena moved her head and looked at his face. Her eyes had tears that slowly dripped down her cheeks. Her body was still smeared with strange red paint and sand, however.
"Let's get you cle—"
Bam!
She lunged at him and hugged his neck tightly before bursting into loud wails. Then, she mumbled incoherently while letting her tears flow.
Hearing her cry, Sylvester remembered all the visions he had seen about her. Being merely seven during her escape from the Sorrow Kingdom, she had endured mental and physical abuse and hunger for two years. She had worked for chump change cleaning dishes in taverns and had been betrayed by a holy man and sold to cannibals.
Considering she was a pampered princess before, the fact that she survived that long was a testament to her strong will to live.
And it was something Sylvester respected immensely.
He softly hugged her tiny frame back and caressed the back of her head. In response, she cried even louder, as if finally finding some warmth and comfort with someone she knew wouldn't abuse her.
"I…I saw you in my dreams…I saw you so many times," she finally spoke with some control. "I was scared…"
He patted her back. "Easy now. Everything will be alright."
She sniveled on his shoulder and bobbed her head. It was a strange understanding between them, which made them comfort each other even though they had never met before. Through years of visions and dreams, they had come to know much about each other.
"Why didn't you help earlier?" She stepped back and asked him.
Sylvester sighed and gazed down at his absent limb. "I was lost. But now, I am back on the righteous path. So do not fret."
'Burn it all for the greater purpose—that is the only way.' he remembered the worlds of Solis.
He had learned his lesson. Merely scheming and plotting would not be enough. Overwhelming strength was also required to back his claims—enough power to crush any opposition under his thumb.
"Let us clean you first," Sylvester said, conjuring water in his palm using magic. Although he still felt weak, it was nowhere near as weak as before.
'I must also find clothing. And where is Chonky? Did he escape during the conflict?' Sylvester pondered silently while helping Xylena clean her face and body. It was hard to remove the peculiar red pigment, but they eventually managed to almost remove it.
"You are not bald anymore?" she inquired after her lengthy bath.
Sylvester touched his hair with the same bewilderment. 'I do not understand what happened either. Why did I not burn? How did I control that fire so adeptly?'
"It appears to be the case."
Clank!
Woosh!
Sylvester suddenly heard a sound and hastily pulled the girl closer. He raised his arm towards the noise, ready to blast whoever or whatever it was.
"Maxyyyyyy!"
"Chonky?!"
Sylvester looked around, but there was no chubby white cat in sight. "Where are you?"
"Look up!"
Sylvester did as he was told, and his jaw dropped to the scorched floor. Like an angel from heaven, the ball of fur was hovering in the sky. Two white wings protruded from its back, fluttering smoothly and gracefully.
"Y-You…Grew wings!"
"Maxyyy!"
Bam!
Miraj dove straight at Sylvester and slammed into his chest. "You're alive! I was so scared, Maxy…I thought they would eat you…I went to find help and…"
"Shhh…" Sylvester stroked Miraj's fluffy head and soothed him. Though he could not help but notice the peculiar golden ornaments on Miraj's wings. "Are you hurt, Chonky?"
Miraj shook his head cutely and looked up while hugging Sylvester's chest. "I'm sorry…I could not bring help earlier. T-They…Bad people took your leg."
"It's alright. People without eyes have become Grand Wizards, so I can manage without a leg too. Now, can you please give me a few pieces of clothes, Chonky? It's a bit cold here." Sylvester requested, noticing confused Xylena shivering.
She could not see Miraj, after all. But she remained silent and did not ask anything. Questions things used to get her in trouble in the past when she worked for other people.
"Uwaaa!"
Miraj vomited and threw out a bunch of clothes. They were all too big for Xylena, but Sylvester made them work. He tore them from a few places to shorten them for her.
"Here, wear these." He handed Xylena the clothes.
Then Sylvester looked back at Miraj, wanting to hug him more. "So, how far did you fly? Did you find someone to help?"
"Yes!" Miraj bobbed his head and looked back. "Come out, you two! Maxy won't hurt you!"
At Miraj's command, the sand in the distance moved, and from under it came two figures. One was an older man with shoulder-length white hair and a full beard. He had a stern look on his face, further accentuated by the age lines. He wore full-body leather armor with a shoulder steel plate. On his chest, he had a few throwing knives, while on his back were a bow and arrow. He also held onto a sword.
Then there was the little girl, likely the same age as Xylena. But she looked far from innocent. With ashen hair, she had hazy blue eyes that seemed to lack any emotion. Her face was also spotless, with no age lines or pimples. Wearing brown clothes and a shawl, she had a small dagger around her waist.
Sylvester felt strange about them, especially the girl. The way she looked at him was not normal.
"You don't appear like the cannibals." Sylvester indirectly asked for introductions.
The older man spoke in a hoarse majestic voice. But his accent was something Sylvester had never heard before. "I am Hozin Suez, and this little one is Kimino Suez. We are the last of the Moonwatchers who still walk this ancient land."
'Moonwatchers? The cannibals were talking about these two.' Sylvester remembered.
"So it's you who those cannibals feared. You can speak and tame Dragon Snakes?" Sylvester asked them, trying to gauge their minds through scents.
The man, Hozin, spoke, his voice rather monotonous as before. "We can speak with Dragon Snakes. It is the reason Moonwatchers went extinct, respected apostle of light."
'They know me already. I sense no fluctuation in their mood either.'
"Can you see Miraj?" Sylvester asked them. He reckoned it was impossible to come to aid unless they could see Miraj.
"Meow!" Miraj voiced while sitting in the Moonwatcher girl's arms. "Only she can see me, Maxy. But she never speaks to me."
'I knew there was something different about her.' Sylvester had all his focus on her from that point on.
"Thank you for coming here. I will be returning to the Holy Land, so you may join me and start a new life in the convenience of green lands. I shall also reward you with gold for your service." Sylvester offered them graciously.
"Cannot," the Moonwatcher girl suddenly uttered, striding up to Sylvester before reaching out to grasp his hand.
Then, she lifted her gaze to meet Sylvester's and locked eyes with him. She continued to stare for a few moments, her expression as blank as a plank of wood.
However, when she spoke again, Sylvester felt the earth tremble beneath his feet.
"The stars are aligned. The time has come. The Core Temple awaits us, Johnathan Colt Westerling."
