Enigmas

Hilia closed her eyes, despite the axe descending onto her and she inhaled in a deep breath, muttering out gibberish words under her breath. It was a chant, like a prayer to those above.

"Barrier." Hilia whispered to herself, pushing her spiritual energy outwards to form a thin layer of transparent bubble around her. The axe which was inches away from her head flew backwards, along with the attacker, due to the impact. Heaving out a heavy breath, Hilia lifted her head up, her violet eyes brighter than usual and her pupils transforming into a mystical shape, similar to a flower.

"Don't ever touch me again." Hilia hissed dangerously at her attacker, her voice sounding unearthly, due to focusing all of her spiritual energy onto herself. The attacker felt a chill down his spine, the shape of Hilia's pupils along with the otherworldly aura rolling off from her body unsettled him, including her voice. He was rooted to the spot, unable to move even as Hilia escaped from him.

Hurrying off, Hilia headed towards her grandmother and on the way, she found some villagers getting attacked, helplessly waiting for their deaths as they squeezed their eyes close. Gritting her teeth, she felt her a surge of emotion rush through her body, an emotion she rarely felt.

Rage.

Her eyes glowed again as she transferred her spiritual energy towards the helpless villagers, surrounding them in a transparent bubble as their attackers flew back from the impacts of their weapons landing on the barrier. Hilia panted, knowing that she would be sapping a lot of energy from herself, but she didn't care about that, she would do anything to save all these people.

Grandmother, everyone

Please, hang on, just a little more.

Hilia panted heavily, sprinting towards her grandmother and she finally reached her house, which was on fire like the other houses in the villages. The beautiful houses that were made from bricks or clay were being engulfed in fire, along with the street stalls, leaving a dreadful sight of charred buildings behind.

Hilia spotted her grandmother fending off two attackers on her own, like Hilia, she was also using the barrier to fend them off. However, Hilia noticed that the barrier was slowly weakening and without hesitation, she transferred her spiritual energy onto the barrier, strengthening it again. Her grandmother immediately shot her head up, relieved at the assistance.

The attackers didn't notice the change, swinging their weapons on the barrier, putting their utmost strength into their attacks. The moment their attacks connected, they were blasted away and Hilia summoned her wooden staff, imbuing the tip of her staff with spiritual energy. She aimed it at the two ruffians, who cursed to themselves, scurrying away.

In the land of Aeriola, priestesses were formidable and scarce, and if they expanded their pool of spiritual energy, they were omnipotent. Fighting one was feasible, but fighting two would prove to be difficult. The attackers knew that their efforts would prove to be futile, and retreating would be the best method.

No one informed them that this village held two priestesses!

After they disappeared, Hilia ran towards her grandmother who collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

"Grandmother! Are you okay?"

"I'm…fine…just a little tired…"

"No, you aren't. You are pushing yourself too much, your energy is completely gone." She frowned at her grandmother, giving her grandmother her staff back and helping her up.

"Don't worry…you have to help the others…"

"Yoan is already doing that, I have to escort you to safety first!"

"No, I'll just prove to be—a burden." Her grandmother gasped and Hilia shook her head firmly.

"You won't, grandmother. Please, come along with me!" Hilia pleaded with her grandmother, who just offered her a gentle smile before proceeding to slam her staff into the ground.

"Grand-grandmother?! What are you-" Hilia asked, surprised at her grandmother's actions only to be cut off when she started a familiar chant.

Lives of the many, lives of our world, lives of Aeriola.

By Sielia, goddess of the War.

Grant me the body to protect the innocent.

Grant me the body to stop the killing.

I call upon thee.

Hilia widened her eyes, recognizing the chanting and she gasped. "No, it can't be…"

She's going to…

"GRANDMOTHER!" Hilia shrieked out, desperation in her eyes as she reached out to grab onto her beloved grandmother.

"Hilia, Yoan and everyone," her grandmother only turned her heads towards her granddaughter, giving her a kind smile. "I love each and every single one of you."