Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 160: Children of Mana, Part Forty-Three

The sun’s golden rays bathed the abandoned village in a warm glow as Lianna, Enverna, and Miss Taylor kept watch, their senses alert for any signs of movement.

Despite the eerie silence, tension hung heavy in the air, a palpable undercurrent beneath their quiet vigil.

Lianna’s mind raced with thoughts and speculations, her gaze occasionally flicking towards the horizon as if expecting trouble to materialize from thin air.

[What’s Jack planning?] She mused, her eyes looking around for the 100th time as if an enemy would finally appear. [Shouldn’t we have been attacked by now?]

"I don’t like this at all," Lianna murmured.

Enverna’s jaw tightened, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the surroundings once more.

"He’s got something up his sleeve," she growled, the smoldering embers of anger from earlier threatening to ignite anew. "But, it doesn’t matter. We’ll end him one way or another."

Miss Taylor, ever composed and calculating, observed the landscape with a trained eye, her thoughts hidden behind a mask of calm professionalism.

"Whatever it is, we must be prepared," she advised, her voice carrying a weight of experience. "Stay focused."

As the minutes ticked by, their anticipation grew with each passing second until the distant rumble of an approaching vehicle drew their attention. Lianna’s heart skipped a beat as she recognized the familiar sound of an engine, relief mingling with concern as the truck carrying Mel, Caroline, Xi, and Desmond rolled into view.

The arrival of their companions brought a mixture of emotions. Relief at their safety but also a gnawing sense of unease at the empty village before them.

"Huh? Uh, I guess the party hasn’t started yet?" Mel remarked, her eyes scanning the abandoned buildings warily.

Caroline, her expression a blend of curiosity and caution, stepped out of the truck, her gaze sweeping over the desolate surroundings.

"What’s the plan?" she inquired, her tone serious.

Before Lianna could respond, another vehicle’s approach interrupted the quietude, drawing their attention once more. Zura, Athene, and Vayn arrived, their expressions reflecting a mix of readiness and apprehension.

"Nothing yet," Lianna then said. "It doesn’t seem like anyone’s even here."

As the group gathered around, sharing glances of relief and concern, Lianna couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease gnawing at her gut.

She watched as each member recounted their experiences, their words a backdrop to her racing thoughts.

"Yeah, we were attacked," Zura said. "Nothing we couldn’t handle, though."

"If anything," Vayn added, "the attack almost came off as half-hearted."

[Half-hearted?] 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"It’s too quiet," Lianna murmured, her gaze fixated on the abandoned structures around them. Her mind raced through possibilities, scenarios playing out like shadowy vignettes in her imagination. "This is a trap. Obviously. But, why hasn’t he sprung it yet?"

Enverna nodded in agreement, her brows furrowed in concentration.

"There’s something we’re missing," she added, echoing Lianna’s unspoken concerns.

Miss Taylor’s expression darkened, her eyes scanning the horizon with a trained vigilance.

"We need to be prepared for anything," she cautioned, her tone edged with a sense of urgency.

Lianna’s thoughts swirled, piecing together the fragments of information they had about Jack, his motives, and his methods.

She replayed everything that happened in her mind.

One question cut through the fog.

[... Jack’s whole plan wouldn’t work if we just ignored that note on Prima’s body. So, what does he have in mind?]

"Wait," Lianna interjected, her voice cutting through the murmurs of discussion. "What if this isn’t the target?"

The group turned to her, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern.

"What do you mean?" Mel asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

Lianna’s eyes gleamed with a sudden realization, her mind racing ahead to connect the dots.

"Jack’s plan isn’t about this village," she explained, her words gaining momentum as she pieced together the puzzle in real time. "It’s about luring us away from Garriden."

Enverna’s eyes widened as the pieces fell into place, her anger momentarily forgotten in the face of this revelation.

"He’s using us," Lianna spat, her fists clenching at her sides. "Enverna’s family was just the bait."

Miss Taylor’s expression tightened, her gaze narrowing as she surveyed their surroundings with newfound suspicion.

"We need to move, now," she urged, her voice brooking no argument. "Back to Garriden, before it’s too late!"

Their urgency was met with the harsh reality of their situation as now, finally, cars appeared in the distance. As they made their was closer to the village, Miss Taylor and Caroline both received phone calls.

Lianna watched them both pick up, say a couple of words, and hang up.

"I take it you just heard the same thing I did?" Miss Taylor asked Caroline.

"Fiends have begun gathering outside Garriden," Caroline stated. "The raid is starting."

Lianna’s heart sank.

To reinforce this, a message appeared.

Quest Updated!

{Protect Garriden during the Fiend raid on the 29th of December}

{Reward: Love Rush (Instinct)}

[Crap.]

Members of the church, clad in their distinctive garb, poured out from the vehicles and converged on the group, their intentions clear in the set of their jaw and the gleam of fanaticism in their eyes.

Lianna’s hands tightened around her bow.

[DAMMIT! We should have seen this coming!]

"Stand together," Miss Taylor commanded, her voice steady despite the rising tension. "We’re going home, one way or another."

Enverna’s grip on her spear mirrored Lianna’s determination, her gaze fixed on their adversaries with fierce resolve.

"They won’t stop us," she declared, her voice a low growl.

Just like that, the battle began.

Lianna’s fingers deftly plucked an arrow from her quiver, nocking it on her bowstring with practiced ease.

[Hopefully, all this practice we’ve been doing pays off.]

Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the approaching church members. With a swift draw and release, the arrow sailed through the air, aimed true at one of their opponents.

However, her shot was met with a deft parry, the enemy deflecting the projectile with a well-timed block.

[Crap!]

"Keep them busy!" Lianna called out, her voice cutting through the din of battle. She shifted her position, her bow remaining at the ready as she sought out new targets.

Enverna was a whirlwind of motion, her spear a deadly extension of her will.

She lunged and parried, her movements fluid and precise as she engaged multiple foes at once. Her spear sliced through the air, forcing the church members to remain on the defensive as they struggled to match her relentless assault.

Miss Taylor’s dual swords danced in her hands, their gleaming blades a testament to her skill.

With calculated strikes and precise footwork, she weaved through the melee, her attacks finding their marks with lethal accuracy.

Her opponents fell before her, their fanatic zeal no match for her seasoned combat prowess.

Desmond found himself thrust into the heart of battle. The knife Lianna had provided him became an extension of his determination, his strikes swift and decisive as he engaged a church member who had strayed too close.

With a well-placed thrust, he incapacitated his opponent with a thrust from his knife straight through the opponent’s head.

Zura, ever stalwart, stood as a bastion of defense for her allies.

Her shield intercepted blows meant for her comrades, each impact ringing through her arm as she held her ground. She moved with purpose, positioning herself strategically to protect the more vulnerable members of their group, her hammer poised to strike at any opening.

Mel’s magic surged forth, arcs of crackling electricity leaping from her fingertips. She channeled her power with precision, sending bolts of lightning toward their enemies. The air sizzled and popped with magical energy as her spells found their targets, incapacitating several church members with each devastating blast.

As the battle raged on, Athene’s sword cleaved through the air with unstoppable force. With a powerful swing, she sundered an enemy in half, the blade cutting through armor and flesh alike with brutal efficiency.

Meanwhile, Xi tapped into her innate magical abilities, summoning crackling arcs of lightning to dance along her arms. The electricity coiled around her limbs, enhancing her strikes with lethal energy. With controlled precision, she surged forward, her lightning-wreathed arms moving like lightning-fast blades.

Each strike was a torrent of electrified fury, slicing through foes with shocking precision and leaving behind only scattered remnants of their adversaries. Xi’s mastery over her elemental powers was on full display, a dazzling and deadly spectacle amid the chaos of battle.

The combined efforts of the group turned the tide of battle in their favor. Their coordinated attacks and unwavering resolve proved too much for the church members, who found themselves overwhelmed by the skill and determination of their adversaries.

As the last of their foes fell, the echoes of combat slowly faded, replaced by the heavy breaths of exertion and the sound of weapons lowering. The group stood amidst the aftermath of the skirmish, a mix of relief and tension palpable in the air.

"We can’t linger," Miss Taylor declared, her gaze sweeping over the group. "We need to get back to Garriden before Jack makes his next move."

Lianna nodded in agreement, her expression determined.

"Right, let’s go!"