LIGHTNOVELONLINE The Night Raid: A Mothers Sorrow.
[Sulea Orphanage... 9PM...]
The children were asleep... in the past months, I had felt a growing protectiveness toward the eight of them... And aside from just after my Girls were born, I made a point to put them all to bed, And tell them good night... Lately, I'd even begun singing Lullabies to them... I didn't understand WHY, But when I asked Granny, And Miss Cheska, If they had any idea... I was shocked by their replies. At the same moment, they laughed... And an otherworldly voice came from Cheska, Speaking the same words Granny Said.
"You Are Behaving Like a Mother. Its Instinctive."
Then Cheska Returned to normal.
"Odd. The goddess usually dosen't use me as a Vessel... it must have been important... what did she say?"
As I was stunned a Deity saw fit to answer me, Granny Told Cheska what was said.
"Huh. Thats... Odd. Well, Milady, you ARE her Blessed one, and mother of her Chosen, So I guess it makes sense. A mothers Instinct... Well, You Are a good mother. Those Kids could do a lot worse, if you ask me."
"The poor Children Are unlikely to Be Adopted at this Point... All too old for Families wanting a Child, But too young to Care for themselves. I thank the gods Daily that They Saw fit to send you to me, Dear... the children need you... As do I. It's like you are my Actual Grandchild, despite the short amount of time... only a year since We've Really gotten to know one another... And a bit more than that since our first meeting. Yet you are irreplaceable to me."
I had tears in my eyes... And Swiftly Embraced Granny. She was beginning to have problems with her Joints, recently, So I was Extremely Careful not to squeeze too hard... when the door burst open... The door to the kids room Swung open at the same time...
And suddenly, Petra was there, A shining Sphere around her, repelling Black Tendrils. Then I saw who was in the door. It was Erik. But not Erik. His face was twisted, seemingly Inhuman, And the tendrils of Pure Miasma flowing off his body Proved he wasnt Actually A living Creature... he was like the Daemons, Miasma infected Animals...
"Kekeke! Fin... ally... found... youuu! Ein, Ein, Little Ein... Eina is what you go by now? Heh. Uninspired. I wanted you dead, So badly... and master... master wants you For his own... You... And your Children!"
Cheska Had left the room, into my room, And I saw a holy Shield formed over the doorway. She was protecting The girls... which meant I could focus on stalling... Surely The Miasma he puts off would trigger Julia's Miasmia Sense... And she'd be able to destroy this... thing.
"Why? Why do you hate me?"
"Because... you have EVERYTHING I wanted... A Filthy Orphan Had Friends, Someone who loved them as family, And Got to be protected. While I, A Nobleman, A Wizard, Had no-one who loved me, and had to face danger... it was unfair... but now? Now it's just Petty Revenge... First I kill you, Your Offspring, And any other living thing in this place... then I kill Seigfried... then Auron... then... I think I'll have some fun with Julia and her new body before I kill her..." he Attacked... But the attack was again repelled by the odd barrier Around Petra. I heard a voice in my head... it was telling me to say something... so I did.
"Pathetic Creature who knows nothing but Evil! Your kind Can Never lay a finger upon my children... ANY of them... While I still draw breath! Activating skill: Shield of Mothers Love!"
The light around Petra Grew Brighter...
"I See... A Protective Skill... Easily Dispelled... I just have to kill.... YOU!"
I Saw the Tendrils coming from the side... petra couldn't block them... I couldn't move in time... Then I was falling, A hard Shove knocking me Away... And I saw It... Eight Shadowy Tentacles made of pure Miasma... Piercing through Granny...
"NO! GRANNY!" I caught her as she fell... I heard Sound behind me, And knew someone else had joined the fight but...
"Granny!" Tears filled my eyes... my chest hurt... "Please Granny! Don't Die! Julia will be here, she can heal you... please!"
"Ei.. na... Relax. Its... Okay. I don't... mind. I'm old... Didn't have long left anyway... It really was... like... having a... grandchild... Take care... of the... little ones... Hack! Cough! I'm... Going now... Good... bye... Eina... i... love... you..."
She gave a last, Shuddering breath... And everything went Black... my mind was consumed by rage and sorrow...
[Just after The Assault began, Auron POV]
I arrived At the Orphanage just in time. My Elder Half-Brothef went to Fetch Julia from the mansion...
As I entered the room, I saw I was almost too late... then saw the old lady take the hit to protect Eina... I Drew my Greatsword, And Attacked...
Blessed by Julia, it cut right through the tendrils... but Erik was too fast... I couldn't land a hit...
The sudden Feeling of Dread that filled me made me flinch... And suddenly Erik was pinned to the wall by what Appeared to be a rabid Animal... Pieces of him were flying, And it took a moment to realize... it wasn't an Animal, it was Eina. She had his left arm in her hands, Beating him with it... it looked like it had been torn off... Her face Was Fillex with grief, And there was no Identity in her eyes... I'd seen this... A berzerker Rage... but More Controlled. Then She was Screaming.
"YOU YOU YOU YOU YOU YOU BASTAAAARD! YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED... YOU... DIE! DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!"
I'd never seen Anyone so Angry, So grief Stricken... And so Violent. The solid Miasma Tendrils Couldn't get close, She had some kind of Aura...
Julia arrived then... Alone. Apparently, Sulea was being attacked by A massive horde of undead, And the others Went to stop that.
"What's Going on? IDENTIFY!"
She used her skill... then looked around the room. The Orphan girl, Petra Was Holding The old lady and crying... The barriers over the occupied Rooms... And Eina, Who now had Words glowing above her head.
《A Mothers Grief, A maiden's sorrow, Rage Over Loss, Fates Retributuon:Erik. Warning! Low Mana, 15 seconds Until Rage begins burning life-force!》
"She has THREE divine Tier Skills active. We need to help end this fight."
"Wait. Eina has THREE Divine Skills? HOW?"
Julia glared at me.
"Right! Question that later."
I moved in to help but... As I did, I heard a sickening Squelching and tearing sound... And a scream of pain, blocked by a scream of pure Fury...
Erik's body fell... Just as Julia cast a purifying Circle... an otherworldly ScreamRang out...
"THIS ISNT OVERRR! I AM MIASMUSSSSS... I... WILL... KILL YOU... ARGGGGHHH!"
The light of Julia's spell burned away the miasma... And faded. Leaving Us with the sound of Strikes on flesh...
Eina was kicking Erik's body... His Torn off head held aloft like a trophy... but she wasn't Encased in that red Aura anymore... or screaming... Julia Ran up and hugged her... And Talked her into releasing the head... She looked at it, then threw it like the garbage it Is...
Then she collapsed into Julia's arms... i... I can't Relay What happened Next... I just...
[Julia POV]
It hurts... I held Eina while she cried, her Voice full of such sorrow it Hurt my Very Soul... I NEVER Want to hear someone i care about cry like that again... EVER. The old lady, Granny... she... In such a short time, she became Family to Eina... irreplaceable... Like I once was. And again, Erik is responsible for her loss. And this Miasmus Creature... I made a vow that night, a vow sworn upon the blood of an innocent woman, and the tears of the one person I see as family... I WILL Destroy that Creature... i will...
[Two days later. Petra POV]
My chest hurts. I've cried. The others have cried. We cant cry anymore... Mama Eina is... She's Broken... She's fallen into a deep depression, And only Eats when we remind her of Hope and Faith... but she seems hollow. Miss Cheska Says She'll be okay, Eventually... That she Isn't Quick to Love others, but once she does, That love is deep... Almost Too Deep.
We buried Granny in the Nearby Cemetary, Beneath a Big Tree... It was apparently paid for by the king, A special Burial Site and a big Marker... it lists her full name, something we never knew... And when Mama Eina Saw it, She started Crying... We all did, Even the boys... But Mama looked a bit more Animated... And I knew then, She would be okay...
[Epitaph: Here lies a woman who lived for the abandoned, Took in those too young to survive alone, And gave her all to raise them... for Seventy years, she lived here, in Sulea, but originally hailed from elsewhere. We name her Hero, Who died protecting A Young Mother, In the Midst of the Elimination of a threat to the kingdom. May her name be remembered for all time. Miriana Luris Sinclair, Hero of Sulea.]