### Chapter 105: Light and Dark (Part 2)
Well, well…
Was that a signal from Margaret? Has she already entered the city?
It’s to the north… If I remember correctly, that’s where the church is… The golden glow seems to be rising from near the church—
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a whirling sound erupted from below.
A flaming fireball came zooming into my peripheral vision, hurtling straight toward me. I jolted slightly, quickly reacting by waving my flaming wings to send the fireball flying away with a loud “whoosh.” As sparks and scorching waves splattered, I glanced down at the end of an alley where a shadow darted off the rooftop.
I furrowed my brow.
Where did that mouse come from…
Looks like there are some civilians down there… Forget it, I won’t hold it against you this time.
The black flames churned restlessly in the city beneath my feet, countless soldiers being swallowed by the terrifying flames of d*ath, turning to dust and bone as the living screamed like crazy. The cacophony of voices, once filled with bloody determination, had turned into sheer panic as fear spread rapidly among the soldiers, and the city center was thrown into turmoil.
Most of the garrison began to scatter and flee. Some tried to maintain order, but at this point, it was a lost cause. Occasionally arrows flew up from somewhere below, but they missed by a mile—I didn’t even need to dodge.
To the south, the defenders holding the palace seized an opportunity in the chaos. The commanding officer quickly reacted, and numerous soldiers stationed in the square and courtyards—some even at the palace gates—launched a countercharge. Cavalry led the way, infantry following closely like a steamroller. A new cycle of brutal slaughter was about to unfold, with the smell of bl**d already detectable from afar.
The golden light shooting into the sky gradually faded.
I cast another glance toward the direction from which the shadow had vanished. With a wave of my left hand, the burning black flames billowed upward, climbing my left arm and vanishing into my body in an instant. The moment the flames coiled around my left hand disappeared, I quickly steadied Victoria’s head, flapping my flaming wings and shooting toward the signal’s origin like a released arrow.
That lingering sensation still hung in my body.
It felt like a rush that could make my whole scalp tingle.
Just a little more…
Just a little more…
A fierce desire stirred deep within, but a flicker of remaining reason reminded me that my priority was to ensure Victoria’s safety. Everything else could wait.
Hold on…
Just hold on a bit longer…
Then I can feast.
There are so many people in the city…
Whoosh—
The wild wind howled like it wanted to tear through my eardrums.
I gradually descended, retracting my wings and beginning to glide. The street scene below slowly expanded in my view—there were far fewer soldiers in shiny armor on the streets, just a few clusters lying in wait at corners and in low buildings. As I soared over, their heads all popped up to take a look.
But they could do nothing; by the time they realized what was happening, I had already zipped by.
Before long, the solemn and sacred church came into view.
Finally…
Where’s Margaret?
Wings flared back open, I flapped them again.
Whoosh—
My body dove down, scanning the surroundings below, peering into the nearby chilly alleys and densely packed low buildings, trying to find that familiar silhouette.
Where are you…
Where are you…
“Marg…aret! Cough cough!”
I couldn’t help but yell out loud, only to realize how incredibly stupid that was. The wind howled so fiercely that as I opened my mouth, the gust filled it entirely. I coughed a couple of times, my cries swallowed by the roaring wind, making it hard for even me to hear my own voice.
Gotta stop for a moment…
I quickly spread my wings, controlling the black flames to flap in the opposite direction. A gust of wind rushed back, drastically slowing my flight as I hovered on a roof beside a street.
Then I descended slowly, my feet touching the tiled roof with a light sound.
The church stood proudly behind a row of houses not far away. The northern block was relatively calm compared to the city center; soldiers weren’t fighting here. Or perhaps Victoria’s men couldn’t get in, having retreated back to the palace to hold their ground. In front of me, there were still sporadic groups of people, some fleeing, others lingering, all of them looking at me with fearful eyes and gasping in shock.
“Ah—”
“Deity…”
“What is that… what is that!”
“Looks like a person… a girl… she’s holding someone…”
“Forget it, run!”
Oops, I think I scared them… It’s so noisy…
…but kinda fun.
In the next moment, the flaming wings on my back flickered a few times before the black flames rapidly sank into my body.
I glanced at the sleeping face in my arms, listening calmly to Victoria’s breathing. Her rosy lips were slightly parted, and though her breaths were weak, they were stabilizing. I felt a slight relief and adjusted my arms for a better hold, just as I was about to raise my left hand again to signal, suddenly, a squad of guards burst out from the street corner on my right.
Looked to be about twenty of them, seeming like they were on patrol or something, rushing into the street. They barely stopped before their leader, a young man, glanced around and suddenly froze upon spotting me atop the rooftop.
I frowned.
Then I heard one of the soldiers behind him shout, “Gold hair… look! Is that… is that Her Majesty the Queen?!”
“Why is she here?!”
“Who are you?!”
With a “clang,” the leader drew his sword from his waist, signaling to the others as they ran to quickly encircle the house I was standing on. Civilians scattered in panic, and amidst the chaos, someone pulled back a bow, aiming an arrow straight at me.
Are they enemies…?
Boom!
In the next instant, the cobblestones in front of the house exploded, the soil flying as several large chunks of rock came hurtling toward me.
Crackle—
I reacted swiftly, summoning an ice wall that erupted from the ground, blocking all the flying stones. Then I turned to the side and spotted a fleeting shadow pass by a nearby window.
I fumed.
With a light flick of my left arm, a black fireball shot out like a cannonball. With a loud “boom,” it blasted the window along with half of the wall to smithereens, bricks and debris raining down as the dust mingled with black mist, and a figure darted away from the wreckage.
Who was that…
Whoosh—
A gust of wind came rushing at me.
I sidestepped, dodging an incoming arrow, my eyes locking onto a terrified soldier whose hands were shaking uncontrollably.
“I…”
He didn’t seem to mean it…
…but who cares about that?
Anyone who could stay safe here was an enemy.
“Draw your bows! Keep going! Capture her!” someone shouted.
In the next moment, my flaming wings flared out behind me again, suddenly driving down against the ground.
In an instant of flying debris, I vaulted into the air again, clutching Victoria and chasing after the direction the shadow had fled. As I soared above the soldiers, I swung my right wing down lightly, unleashing a torrent of black flames that incinerated more than half of the soldiers along with the road beneath them.
“Ah—”
The screams were only partial.
I didn’t look back; I zeroed in on that shadow about to turn the corner, speeding past and dropping down to block its way.
A few wisps of white smoke entered my body at that moment.
“Ha…”
I trembled, letting out a breath.
“Where do you think you’re running?”
The shadow was cloaked, the style reminiscent of those two corpses I’d seen back home. The loose hood covered half of its face, making it hard to discern their features.
You guys are the ones who brought the fruit trees down… Whatever you look like…
I’ll figure that out after I eat!
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—
The air swirled, and black blades shot out. The figure suddenly dove to the side, trying to evade my deadly strike. Their reflexes were quick, but the speed of the black blades wasn’t something they could dodge. They barely avoided a fatal blow, but their legs were severed, and their body rolled away from the impact.
“Uh… ugh…”
They grunted in pain, grinding their teeth.
I slowly approached, planting my foot on their head and applying a bit of pressure.
“Ah…”
They let out a muffled, pained scream. I didn’t care; I pressed down harder, the black mist beginning to spread from beneath my foot.
Then I noticed the legs that had been neatly severed were still spurting bl**d—flesh at the wound was slowly regenerating, as if healing.
I froze for a moment.
Then it hit me: “The Gate of Truth…”
The next moment, I heard a timid voice from not far away.
“Pei… Peilo…”
Who is that?
I instinctively turned my head.
Across the street, a little way away, Sophia, her long skirt swaying, was covering her mouth, looking at me in disbelief.
