It was night, and it was incredibly cold.
The cold wind blowing out of the Misoda gorge almost had a chilling voice.
Milan took a pot of mashed herbs and slowly walked into the front of the temple. There were groans of pain from the wounded, as well as the comfort of Serena’s sister in a low voice. There was a smell of blood and disinfectant. There were bandages with blood on the ground. In the corner of the temple laid some wounded. The town’s guard captain, Mocard, was sitting under the temple’s stone pillar with a sword in one hand. There was a bloody wound in his left arm.
This was left by a Gnoll!
There had always been a group of Gnolls near Misoda canyon. They believed in the Demon Lord [Prince of Gnolls], Yeenoghu, on the 422nd level of the Abyss. These Gnolls were very difficult to deal with. Since the half-elf group moved here, their struggle with the Gnolls had never stopped.
That’s right. This was the town of the half-elves.
The people here seemed similar to the humans, but in fact, they were all half-elves with little elf blood. Most of the settlers here only had a quarter of elf blood.
“Damn those Gnolls!”
A town guard screamed bitterly because his wound cracked again. The caretaker who took care of him immediately told him not to move since the wound would not stop bleeding.
Milan, who was only 16 years old, walked on with her head down.
Because she was a half-elf, she looked very petite. She was only as tall as a 12-year-old human girl. But she was born with great Dexterity; many people in this town were good at it.
“Milan.”
A tall guard stopped wiping his weapon and went to the girl and said, “Go inside and have a look. See if your father has succeeded. ”
The little girl nodded obediently, put down the pot of herbs, and went into the temple.
The back of the temple was dead silent.
This place was dedicated to [Rogue and half-elf god] – Kester, who was the successor of [the God of Thieves] – Mask. Because the portfolio of shadow fell into the hands of the [Goddess of Darkness], Kester had to rely on his own race to include the weak field of half-elves into his own religious field. Since then, his faith had been widely spread among the half-elves, and his priests had become an important force within the half-elves.
Behind the temple was a praying room.
Milan cautiously walked closer and then went in.
Inside, a middle-aged man in a priest’s robe kneeled down. In front of him was a delicate shrine, in which stood a statue.
“My lord Kester!”
“You’re the guide of Rogues and the guardian of half-elves!”
“Your humble believer, Bernier Cassadik, prays for your response! I pray you to give me magic to help my people!… The Gnolls are raging in our home!… They believe in the demon lord of the Abyss, Yeenoghu, the Prince of Gnolls!… We had lost many men under the claw of the Gnolls!…”
“My great lord!”
“Your humble believer asks you to help us!… Your believers need your magic to heal and protect!… ”
“My lord Kester!”
“Your humble servant prays for your response!… If you hear my voice, I ask for your guidance!… Many people have fallen!… We ask for help from the temple in Autumnfall!… But we didn’t get any response from them!… We lack food, weapons, and soldiers! ”
“If you don’t answer your humble servant’s prayers, our world will be destroyed in fire!…”
The prayer had become a crying plea.
The middle-aged man kneeled in front of the statue and as though he had lost his faith.
“Father!…”
Milan’s eyes were a little red. She walked quickly to help the middle-aged man who was falling; her tears could not be held back.
Her father had been kneeling there for three days already.
He had continuously been praying, eating, and drinking nothing. However, there was no reply from the god.
There was no divinity, no response. Even the glory of the temple was gradually disappearing. The attack of the Gnolls had become more and more fierce. Uncle Bastan had been killed in the war; brother Borro had also been killed in the war. Even Uncle Kalado had been killed in the war. Her father, who once was powerful and saved many lives, had become an ordinary man. He could no longer use any magic, cure the wounded, or protect the town.
His father was in great pain!
Milan knew how much he loved the town he built. She knew that her father was willing to give everything for it, including his own life.
However, everything was going to be destroyed by the fire of war!
The relentless attacks of the Gnolls had made them suffer huge losses. The Orcs from the other side of the mountain were ready to move while huge footprints of Ogres appeared around the edge of the city.
They lost the protection of the god, and the priests had lost their divine powers.
Their losses in the battle had begun to multiply. They could only rely on herbal medicine treatments, but eventually, more and more soldiers would fall!
His father was suffering.
He had repeatedly prayed to the god, but there was no response.
“Milan!…”
The middle-aged man turned around and looked at his lovely daughter. His eyes were bloodshot. He raised his hand and stroked the long soft hair of the half-elf girl. Then he stood up unsteadily.
“Shang!”
Her father pulled out the long sword. Step by step, he went to the corner and put on a half armor made of steel.
He had not worn this armor for a long time.
Milan slowly walked over and carefully helped her father to put on the armor. She understood what her father wanted to do. As a powerful priest once, he could only rely on his fighting skills now that he had no divine powers.
“Tomorrow, you will leave with them and go to Autumnfall. In our capital, you will be accepted and protected.”
“I’ll stay and hold the Gnolls back!…”
Her father’s determined statement made her very teary.
Autumnfall, Bone Hill.
A group of fully armored half-elves was struggling. They made a camp-fire and sat around it with no spirit.
“Hold on!”
“Bakalor!… Hold on!… Don’t die!… Priest Fina will save you!… You must stay strong!…”
The fighter tried to hide the pain.
There was a faint smell of blood in the air. A wounded man was lying on the ground. His ribs were sunken in his chest, and his breathing was very weak. Such a serious injury could not be saved by medicine alone.
On the other side of the camp-fire, a half-elf woman with long blonde hair knelt on the ground, holding a lifelike statue in her palm, praying devoutly, “my Lord, Kester!”
“You’re the guide of Rogues and the guardian of the half-elves!”
“Your humble servant prays for your answer!… The fighter fighting for your faith is dying!… He killed six Gnolls by himself!… He has conquered the Ogres, Orcs, and vampires!… He fought bravely to protect your glory!… Now he’s dying!… Your humble servant, Fina, prays for divine power to heal him!… If you can hear my plea!… Please give me guidance! ”
Tears dripped down.
The groan of pain from the wounded fighter became weaker and weaker, and his breathing gradually disappeared.
The eyes of the young half-elf girl were full of tears. She stood up in a daze, looked up at the stars, and could not see any light.
Her faith was crumbling.
She came to the fighter who died, knelt down, and stroked his cold face; tears trickled down as she cried, “Brother!… Sorry… I’m sorry! ”
Surface world, Spider Forest.
“Ah!”
Soran suddenly sat up. He was sweating all over, breathing violently.
“What was that?!”
Soran had a strange expression. He put his hands on his temples and murmured, “Why is this happening? Why am I having dreams like this!… ”
“Why are the dreams so real!…”
