I tried again to push away my bad thoughts. If there was anything, this was only a small problem that could be resolved quickly. Grelmure immediately approached me.
"Let's go home now..." said Grelmure with a smiling face that looked forced.
I was still confused about when I should ask Grelmure what was happening right now. But it seemed he wanted me and the others not to know it yet.
"Is there a problem, Sir Grelmure?" asked Mendicore suddenly.
It seemed Mendicore could not suppress its curiosity like I did.
"It's nothing serious, Mendicore. Commander Gruzhnil will handle it soon. All of you don't need to worry."
We left the palace toward the go-kart again. The sky looked slightly cloudy and the air around became windy, contrasting with the event on the grass field earlier which was so scorching and hot even though a shelter tent had also been built.
On the way, I was still thinking about the expressions of Gruzhnil and Grelmure which felt quite strange to me. Usually they would be open and immediately tell me about the events that happened. Grelmure remained silent while focusing on driving, not a single joking remark that he usually made.
What about Hellraider? He was still there when we were asked to go home by Gruzhnil. Was he planning to bring Hellraider somewhere important so that we were not allowed to know? But for what reason would it suddenly be kept secret? Would that not make it even more suspicious?
After some time we arrived at the house. Grelmure looked at us with a facial expression that still seemed to hide his concern.
"Commander Gruzhnil said that all of you should not go anywhere for now! Follow his orders! If you need anything, please call me first!" said Grelmure in a slightly firm tone.
"O-Okay Sir Grelmure, we will stay here..." I said slightly shocked because it was the first time Grelmure spoke to me in such a tone.
We all gathered in the lounge. Mendicore and Sherubiel also looked silent after Grelmure's words earlier.
"Do you feel that something was odd with the behavior of Commander Gruzhnil and Grelmure earlier?" I finally said breaking the silence.
"To be honest that was the strangest thing they have expressed..." said Mendicore.
"You didn't happen to hear what that military officer said to the commander or what Grelmure heard from Commander Gruzhnil?" I asked to confirm.
"I could not eavesdrop on what that officer said but I did hear some parts of what the commander said to Sir Grelmure, which were 'Take them' and 'Don't tell them'. That is all I could catch, Johann..." answered Mendicore.
Ahhh... I had guessed they would do that without wanting me to know at all.
"When walking out of the palace, could you still detect where Sir Hellraider was? Did the commander bring him as well?" I asked again.
"Yes, I suddenly remembered him. When I tried to scan the entire palace location again, the Commander brought Sir Hellraider to a secret place under the palace and then I could no longer see inside it." said Mendicore.
"I'm not sure about all of this, Mendicore. I'm afraid what we worry about will happen again even with Sir Hellraider here." I said worriedly.
"Johann... It doesn't matter what possibilities will happen later. But don't let this disturb your peace. Keep thinking positively." Mendicore advised.
I just smiled at Mendicore's effort to calm me. Sherubiel took the remote and turned on the TV. She seemed to search for certain channels. I tried to guess what she was doing.
"Are you trying to find a channel that reports today's strange events?" I asked.
"Yes, that is right Johann. If we cannot find out, we can look for it through news channels. Maybe there is breaking news that is important and related to what they didn't tell us." said Sherubiel.
"But I feel that television channels will not broadcast it, Sherubiel. We are the people closest to the military elites right now. They are reluctant to tell us, let alone the public." I said.
"Hmmm... You are right, Johann." said Sherubiel while scratching her head.
"Can you secretly find out what they are dealing with right now?" I asked Mendicore.
"I don't want to take risks, Johann. You already know what High Heaven did to me. Even though they are only humans, whatever happens later if I do that, we might not be together like this anymore." said Mendicore.
I fell silent at his words and understood his concern if he did that. Why did I even ask Mendicore to do something that violated that order just to satisfy my curiosity?
I immediately apologized to Mendicore. It said I didn't need to feel guilty about it.
The time still showed afternoon, but the sky outside looked like it was already almost night. Clouds filled the sky as if it wanted to rain. But strangely, there was no lightning seen or heard anywhere as far as my eyes could see.
"Mendicore, why is the sky like this today??? Will a big rain really come? I don't even feel like it will rain." I asked while standing in the yard.
"That's right, Johann. This is an unusual sky phenomenon. But there are no signs of a storm today. I have analyzed that the cloud layer is not as thick as storm clouds in general, but the strangest thing is that the clouds are somewhat dark. Maybe that is what makes the sky look like night even though it showed afternoon time." explained Mendicore.
I went back inside the house so as not to think further about things that made me even more worried. Sherubiel was still in front of the TV searching for news that matched today's situation. Then I accidentally glanced at one of the news channels where Sherubiel seemed focused watching it.
"The Grivendal Meteorological Agency stated that they will further analyze the unusual sky conditions today. Previously they stated that there was no possibility of a storm occurring. However the agency urges all Grivendal citizens to remain vigilant and not hold events that create crowds..." said the news presenter.
"We and the people of Grivendal were just having fun and being happy since yesterday. Why does today feel gloomy instead?" asked Sherubiel.
I looked at Sherubiel with mixed feelings of confusion and worry. Then I didn't answer her question and tried to give her a faint smile.
The clock showed it was already night. I looked again outside through the window. This time the sky looked completely pitch black without a single star decorating it. I closed my eyes and took several breaths while hoping nothing would happen until tomorrow. Mendicore and Sherubiel still seemed busy with the TV channels.
I decided to sleep earlier.
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While sleeping soundly, I experienced something strange as if I had woken up again. With my eyes still closed, I felt the air around me becoming hot, almost like being very close to a fireplace. I moved my body and it felt like I was lying on rocky ground. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the sky still pitch black but with smoke everywhere.
I was suddenly shocked and woke up sitting. I looked around me, my eyes widened, my mouth gaped, my breath rushed uncontrollably at the sight before me.
I was in the middle of the Capital, but everything had been destroyed with massive flames blazing. The people around me, both Graendall soldiers and civilians had died horribly. Their bodies were torn apart as if eaten by monsters. I immediately remembered the condition of my hometown when it first experienced such a catastrophe.
Oh nooo...!!! Have the hell monsters already invaded Grivendal...?!?!?! Why did all of this happen so quickly...?!?!?! Is this just my nightmare...?!?!?!
When I tried to stand and confirm everything, suddenly from the sky I saw someone descending floating to the ground. I looked closely at who it was when he was close enough in front of me.
That person had large black wings. His body posture was tall and big with pale white skin like a corpse. Both of his eyes glowed blood red. His hair was short straight golden. He wore armor typical of a hell ruler dominated by maroon-red with ornaments that looked like they were burning.
I was horrified knowing who that entity was. He was Ruciphar, the supreme ruler of hell.
Was he the one who caused this massive invasion...?!?!?! But why did it suddenly happen like this...?!?!?! Why was I the only one left alive...?!?!?! Was it intentional so that Ruciphar could meet me...?!?!?!
Ruciphar landed on the ground while staring at me sharply.
When I wanted to start speaking to him, suddenly an earthquake shook strongly until I fell again. Then I heard a loud growl echoing throughout the city coming from behind me.
I tried to turn my head trembling in fear toward the source of the sound. When I saw clearly what creature it was, my breath became even more uncontrollable from fear.
That creature had a gigantic posture, its body muscular with blazing red skin like cracked magma—as if lava flowed beneath its surface. Most of its body was covered with sharp black spikes that looked like wild-growing obsidian.
Its head resembled a demon dragon, with a wide jaw filled with large curved fangs glowing like embers. From its face and mouth radiated intense firelight along with its eyes submerged in heat glow.
Two pairs of large horns curved upward and downward from its head, glowing like molten metal. On its back spread large wings shaped like burning bones, with fire running along its structure.
In its right hand, it gripped a massive black sword with glowing red cracks, as if the sword was forged directly from the core of hell. The sword looked heavy, brutal, and made to destroy, not merely to fight.
Its posture was slightly hunched forward, like a predator ready to pounce. Its feet clawed into the ground that cracked and melted beneath it, indicating that its mere presence was enough to turn the environment into hell.
Once again I couldn't believe all of this. That was Azkerath, one of the most brutal territorial hell rulers!
Both of them stood facing me as if I was their last prey.
But the peak of all the horror was what Azkerath held in his left hand...
Hellraider's lifeless body lay there, blood still dripping from it.
My tears began to flow and I cried sobbing. My mind could no longer describe all of this.
Azkerath then swung his left hand toward his mouth...
Hellraider's body went straight into his jaws, Azkerath chomped it apart and then swallowed it.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....!!!!!!" I screamed as loud as I could while crying and reaching out my right hand.
I cried loudly while repeatedly calling Hellraider's name.
While still crying, I turned my head again toward Ruciphar. He still stood staring at me intensely. He began to speak to me.
"YOU... SHOULD NOT BE HERE...!!!" shouted Ruciphar at me.
Before I could process what he said, suddenly another quake happened and made me collapse.
When I looked up, I saw Azkerath already right in front of me. He then held his massive sword with both hands, raised it and aimed it at me.
My body went completely stiff, my tears had all run out, only my life time remained just for a moment longer. Azkerath immediately thrust his sword at me. I screamed as loudly as possible while closing my eyes.
"AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH...!!!!!!!"
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"Johaaannnn.... Johaaaannnnn.... Heeeyyy.... Wake up...!!! You are screaming uncontrollably...!!!!" said someone who sounded like Mendicore.
My eyes immediately opened and I woke up instantly in a sitting position. My breath rushed again rapidly. My body was completely drenched as if I had just bathed without drying.
I saw beside my bed there were Mendicore and Sherubiel holding my right arm while still worried about what had just happened to me.
I looked at the clock in the room and it already showed dawn time.