The High Priest could hear slowly approaching footsteps from the darkness outside his cell.
"Who's there? What do you want?"
The steps didn't stop but continued as a figure of a man began to take shape. The priest looked at the person in terror.
"Why are you here? This is the nation of monsters." His eyes widened as his mind ran wild with imaginations. "Don't tell me, you're with them? With the monsters? You would dare betray your own kind?! You'll regret... I'll make you pay!"
Giant church bells rang from the top of the grand temple. The loud noise it produced echoed throughout its chambers. It mixed with the sound of heels walking to the altar and distant murmurs from on lookers.
A long beautiful red dress embroidered with high quality jewelry. A facial expression that shone with authority. A beautiful woman knelt before the goddess' statue to pray.
Her every movement caught the eyes of everyone there. The way she put her hands together. The way she sincerely prayed wholeheartedly. Even hypocritical priests couldn't say anything negative about her.
She was the Empress of the Reunen Imperium. Wife of the Empire and second in command of the most powerful force in the continent.
Judging by her looks, you would say that she's a tyrant. A ruthless leader that rules with an iron fist. But that's not how she's described in the rumors.
Soft hearted and caring, is what she truly is. She detests any form of violence. Every time a war is about to happen, she always steps in to try and prevent it. She helps the needy by hiring people in various jobs according to skill. She speaks with respect to others. She considers the feelings of her subjects every time she enacts a new law. She sounds like the kind of leader my original world would use.
Everyone knows that she's a believer and loyal follower of the goddess. That she she prays regularly in churches and other holy grounds. But why would she be there, in another nation's temple? Its commonly known how she never visits another nation unless a war is about to happen.
Whenever one country is about to or has already declared war on another, even if it doesn't concern her people, she still visits the nation and tries to negotiate some terms or other peace related matters.
It didn't take long for rumors to spread around. 'The Holy Kingdom might be at war', became a very hot topic since her arrival was announced. It explains why the temple was so packed.
The doors suddenly swung open, startling a few of those present. A man, clearly disturbed by something, rushed to a room that was beside the altar, where some high ranking priests were preparing for the day's service.
"I come bearing news, your holinesses."
"What is it? Can't you tell how important this day is? It must go smoothly at all cost. Why cause such a ruckus?" One of the priests told him with a commanding tone.
"Please forgive me... But its important." Before he started speaking, a different kind of bell noises could be heard. Clearly one that means there's trouble, if you take into account the reaction of those who heard it.
Another man ran into the temple. "TROUBLE! There's trouble at the main entrance to the city!"
Everyone panicked and ran out, leaving the empress and her guards who were waiting for her to finish praying.
Something like an explosion could be heard from outside. Then distant screams pierced the guards' ears.
"Milady. We must leave. Now!"
She didn't respond to the request of the guard. She was completely silent, not focusing on any other noises.
The alarm bells kept ringing through the intense atmosphere in the temple when suddenly, it sounded like one of those bells became smaller and was rang right beside them. The guards looked at the direction where the sound was coming from were completely shocked by what they saw.
"Is it me your waiting for, empress?" It was me, holding a small bell in my arm and staring at her.
"Stop right there!" The guards drew their weapons and prepared to fight. "Don't come any closer! It wouldn't be good for you if you did."
"How did you know I was here?" The empress asked me with a smooth voice.
"I'd like to ask you the same question. I believe the two of us have something to discuss." I said while wearing a smile on my face. The empress did the same thing.
Outside the temple, Holy Knights had gathered around the threat, weapons out and aiming directly ahead. But before the battle began, one by one, they realized who they were facing.
"It's you! How are you alive?! Didn't his holiness, the High Priest use the goddess' blessing on you?!"
It was me yet again. I decided to not pay attention to them, so I didn't answer any of their questions. That's when it dawned on them.
"If your here, that means that the high priest failed... Where is he?! What did you do to him?!"
The one who said that became angry and charged at me with a spear.
"I'll kill you! You monster!" He shouted this while running at me. Then he added wind magic to the tip of the spear to make it sharper.
Once it came into contact with me, a great force of wind came out of it, covering the surrounding area with dust. When it all settled, you could only imagine the face of the knights when I caught the spear with my bare hand.
"What kind of idiot are you?" I asked. "You call me a monster because you know what kind of person I am, what I'm capable of, and yet you do that? Your too stupid for this world. All of you are. But don't worry," A smile grew on my face. "I can put your souls to good use."
"Huh?"
They didn't even get the time to process what they heard, when the one who attacked me suddenly fell apart, literally, into tiny little pieces. The others were shocked, some even began to ran away, but I wasn't going to let that happen.
A red magic circle appeared directly above the city, its shape signified fire. Then a meteor appeared from it and landed directly on some building to the side. It caused a great explosion that vaporized those close to it.
Then smaller pieces rained from it all over the city, burning everything and everyone they landed on. The holy knights watched helplessly as they were unable to do anything.
The small meteor shower continued for a few seconds when suddenly, the magic circle stopped producing them then shattered to pieces. That was obviously unforeseen.
"Hmm? That was relatively easy to dispel. You must be a rookie in the art of magic." That was the voice of an old man who was walking towards me.
"Don't underestimate him. He might have more stronger physical capabilities." This time, a woman, or rather, a manly woman. Tall and built like a tank with a face that described warrior.
"She's right. If even the high priest struggled with him, then he's a force to be reckoned with." A young woman with a sword and armor like those of the holy knights added.
All three of them were walking towards me confidently while the younger knight looked around angrily.
"He's been here for less than five minutes. Almost the entire city is already in flames. He truly is a monster."
"Don't worry about it, Grinda, he'll pay for his atrocities against the holy nation and mankind itself."
"The old man's right. Let's focus on the battle ahead."
"There's no need to focus. I know we'll win."
Pretty cocky for people I've never heard of. I thought this before noticing the on lookers reaction to their appearance.
They joyfully cheered for them, some even cried tears of joy when they saw them.
Interesting. Maybe they could put up a fight. Who wouldn't want to know how things will go on from there. My curiosity got the better of me. So I didn't notice the smile on my face as I anticipated the fight.
Meanwhile, at the same time in the temple, the empress finally stood to face me.
"Aren't you gonna run? This city is doomed to burn. you might get caught up in it." I asked her.
"It'll be difficult to do that now, after all, I have no one to protect me." As soon as she said this, all the guards suddenly turned to ash and dust right in front of her. "Was that the easiest way to get rid of them?"
"I just didn't want such a beautiful dress to get dirtied from all the blood." She looked at the bottom of her dress and particles of ash had gotten on it. "Oops. Looks like I failed."
"It's not a problem. After all, I have the money to go and buy new ones. That is, of course, if I get out of here alive."
"I get the feeling that I'll enjoy talking to you."
"So do I."