[BL] Guardians of Fate
Chapter 87 - 21: An Unexpected Savior [1]

Chapter 87: Chapter 21: An Unexpected Savior [1]

An uncanny feeling settled in Luke’s stomach as he trudged upstairs.

Before he left, he found an empty bag that he could use and began to take some books with him. Even though he was allowed into some of the archives thanks to the priestess’ influence and orders, those of his status weren’t allowed into the sections that he really wanted to visit.

Like those areas that contained books and tomes about the Otherworlders.

Luke’s only knowledge of the Otherworlders was the facts presented in the history books. How the intruders were seen as harbingers of destruction, individuals who carried a curse that affected those around them. That they had to be isolated, arrested, or eliminated so they wouldn’t hurt anyone else.

But he wanted to know more about them, so during his errands and travels on the priestess’ orders, he tried to explore the church archives, even the sections that were off-limits to those without permission from the higher-ups. Some sections were accessible to Summoners, but only to those who had completed the final ritual.

It made him feel depressed because there was little to no information available. On the other hand, the government made sure that the Otherworlders and their kind were seen as the cause of destruction.

Besides, the Book of the Otherworlders was now like an extinct text in this world. Hardly anyone could find another copy since they had all been destroyed years ago by the victims and their families.

Maybe the royal family had a copy in their secret archives, but Luke would never set foot in a castle and ask for permission. It was like asking for death, especially if they found out that he was the Summoner of an Otherworlder.

Since there’s a possibility that this house might be destroyed, it’s better to just take what I need, Luke thought as he grabbed a few books with intriguing titles from the shelves and put them in the bag.

For a moment, he considered taking the priest’s journals just to see if he could glean any more information from what the man had learned about the Otherworlders.

But in the end, he decided against it. He didn’t want to read any more of the priest’s contempt for the Otherworlders and those associated with them.

After zipping up the bag and reducing its size, Luke placed it in one of the inside pockets of his cloak.

It was then that he noticed the front clasp was missing.

What? He blinked. Where did it go?

He searched the room for it, but to no avail. He couldn’t find it, and he had a hunch that he hadn’t dropped it somewhere around here.

Did it fall off while I was running? Or worse, back at the Church?

He felt his heart sink at the thought. Of course, it would be ridiculous to go back to that place just to look for the clasp. Anyone with half a brain would realize that it was an idiotic idea.

Still, it made him feel a little depressed. After all, his sister had bought him the clasp as well as this cloak. He had wanted to treasure it for a long time, but now...

She’ll understand, he thought with a sigh as he trudged up the stairs, not even glancing back at the basement. Although this was technically a safe place for him to be, he couldn’t quite ignore the nagging feeling in his heart.

He was afraid, but also curious. What was happening outside, and how long had he been unconscious? What if the battle was over now and he still had time to escape?

Also...

What happened to the Otherworlder?

Luke pushed down the worry in his heart and opened the door slowly, creaking it a bit. He peered out of the crack and was surprised to see that everything was still fine. He had wondered if part of the roof had collapsed after he had fainted or if the walls had crumbled.

But the house was completely intact and untouched.

Luke got out and closed the door behind him, his whole posture stiff as if he was preparing for someone to jump out and attack him.

Another thing he noticed was that everything was quiet. Eerily quiet, in fact.

This made him feel even more tense, because just before, the monster had been wreaking havoc, destroying buildings here and there.

What in the world happened? Luke wondered. And why is it that so much always happens whenever I’m unconscious? This is like a bad joke at this point.

Cautiously, he approached the window, his footsteps echoing in the strangely quiet room. He hesitated for a moment, his hand resting on the windowsill, before summoning the courage to peer through the partially closed curtains.

His eyes widened as he saw the extent of the destruction outside. The once vibrant city now lay mostly in ruins, with only a few buildings miraculously intact. Houses were reduced to rubble, some decorations were swaying lifelessly with the wind, and shattered wood rolled through the empty streets. A thin layer of dust lingered in the air, visible in the bright sunlight.

It’s day out, he realized. Not long before, dark gray clouds had invaded the blue expanse, giving the illusion of nighttime.

But now...

He opened the glass windows, feeling a little braver than before. The distant echoes of the battle had faded, replaced by an unsettling silence, broken only by the occasional creak and falling debris.

He strained his ears and eyes, searching for any sign of life or movement, but he could find none. He couldn’t even find a person from this area.

What the hell?

Should I go outside and confirm?

He could tell that the Calamity wasn’t here anymore since the colossal demon was no longer visible. However, he couldn’t tell if it had been successfully sealed away or not. If so, that would be good news.

But if it wasn’t...

Luke shook his head vehemently and moved away from the window, the gravity of the situation slowly sinking in. This was probably his chance to escape. He couldn’t stay here in case the soldiers returned, or worse, the priest might come back and see him here and then reveal his identity to everyone. Luke couldn’t let that happen.

Whatever did happen, it’s none of my business now. The people will take care of it. I’ll take care of my own life.

When he finally stepped outside, Luke squinted against the harsh sunlight, shielding his eyes as he gazed at the remains of the once-beautiful city. A deathly silence hung over the area, the wind swirling dust through the rubble-strewn streets. The air was heavy with the smell of ash and lingering magic, something that made his stomach sink.

Seeing it for himself right out here in the open was worse than he thought. This was a devastating sight.

One of the popular tourist attractions of Elfroien... reduced to this.

His eyes scanned the area, looking for any sign of movement or survivors just in case. He didn’t want to miss anything.

At that moment, he heard a sudden moan and turned just in time to see a nearby building crumble under the weight of its foundation. It must have swayed from the initial onslaught and only collapsed because it couldn’t stay in place any longer.

I gotta get out of here, Luke realized, his heart racing as the adrenaline slowly filled his veins. If the structures were in a fragile state now, there was no telling when this house or a nearby building might collapse on him at any moment. It was best to escape as quickly as possible.

He turned his gaze to the city gates which were located at a distance. If he ran, he could probably make it just in time before everything collapsed.

I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to run, though... he thought, entire posture stiff as he made his way towards the miraculously intact bridge. Let’s just walk cautiously. I don’t want to get caught up in anything troublesome.

But just as he was about to reach the bridge, something caught his peripheral vision.

He turned his head to see a lone figure approaching from a distance. Due to the harsh sunlight, he couldn’t make out the person’s appearance since it was too bright, so he could only squint his eyes.

For a heartbeat, Luke tensed, ready to flee or defend himself.

But then he had this strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, a fluttering sensation that made his heart race for some reason.

Wait a minute...

Dazed, Luke continued to stare at the figure, his heartbeat drumming incessantly in his ears, and it was the only thing he could hear. It was as if the world was suddenly moving in slow motion and he couldn’t bring himself to move.

That is, until the figure suddenly raised an arm and waved wildly at him.

Almost as if warning him.

Huh?

The sound of an urgent scream finally reached Luke’s ears, confusing him.

He turned just as an explosive crack echoed overhead. He looked up to see the looming tower behind him suddenly collapse under its own weight.

In that instant, it slowly dawned on him what was happening.

Luke froze, his mind instantly going blank. He watched with wide eyes as a cascade of massive stones came crashing down, dimly aware of the stranger’s voice being drowned out by the noise.

Reflexively, Luke threw up his hands and closed his eyes, internally apologizing to Zach for being so reckless and also for suddenly leaving him behind without warning.

He’s going to curse at my grave for this, Luke thought bitterly before everything turned black.

Soon the debris swallowed everything as the tower collapsed where he stood.

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