The Damned Demon

Silence fell over the scene, the finality of the confrontation settling like dust. Arthur stood firm, his staff still humming with residual energy while the people who were watching this from afar still had their jaws slack just like Borin's.

But this tenuous silence shattered explosively, "Kill all humans and leave!" one of the orcs barked, drawing the attention of his fellow terrified orcs who witnessed their lord getting annihilated in just a single move.

"No!" The word burst from Arthur as more than a denial—a clarion call of defiance and worry for the hostages inside. With a swift raise of his staff, a powerful white beam of frostfire erupted from its tip, striking the first orc that lunged toward the bank's entrance. The beam then split sideways, a radiant spiderweb of icy flames that enveloped the other orcs in a gruesome spectacle. They exploded instantaneously, frozen shards of flesh scattering like gory confetti in the violent aftermath.

"Kid, don't worry about me and save the hostages!" Borin's gruff voice cut through the turmoil, his focus determined even though his arm wasn't fully healed.

Fuelled by urgency, Arthur darted into the bank, his heart pounding yet his mind focused on saving the hostages.

But the interior scene gripped him with a chilling realization, making him freeze his movement immediately and let his feet settle on the floor.

Dozens of hostages, each with glowing blue rings clamped around their necks, were looking at him with looks of despair, hope, and fear.

"You Hunter come forward, and humans all die," a lone orc threatened, his menacing face twisted in a grimace as he held a trigger button tightly with a trembling hand.

The pressure of his finger against the button was palpable, each millisecond a stretch of unbearable tension, "I take me finger off this button, boom!" he growled.

The hostages flinched, their faces etched with fear as the orc mimicked the sound of an explosion, the potential reality of it a looming nightmare over their heads.

Arthur, his initial shock morphing into a steely resolve, scanned the grim setup. When had these brutish creatures become so cunning, so deadly in their tactics? He hadn't expected such a sophisticated threat from the orcs.

Usually, they would scatter once their leader died.

"Don't worry, everyone. Nothing bad is going to happen to you guys," Arthur reassured the hostages with a soft smile, his voice soothing the nerves of the terrified hostages.

They didn't know who this young Hunter was, but his words, his demeanor, and the powerful yet pure aura he was emanating gave them hope.

Yet, Arthur's sharp eyes remained locked on the orc with the trigger, calculating, weighing every possible move. His mind raced—how could he neutralize this new threat without jeopardizing the lives of the innocent?

Arthur then attempted to negotiate with the growling orc, whose hand clutched the deadly trigger, "Calm down. I will let you leave back to your world as long as you let these people go," Arthur offered, his voice steady but his heart pounding with the uncertainty of the orc's response.

Just then, a portal swirled into existence a few feet away, a gateway to hell, offering the orc a chance at escape. Arthur's heart sank, "No!" he cried out, desperation seeping into his tone as he watched the orc bolt toward the swirling vortex, the lives of the hostages hanging precariously in the balance.

As the orc sprinted, the reality of the situation crystallized for Arthur—he could neither kill the orc nor let him escape with the trigger, as either action could spell disaster for the hostages.

What should he do?? He wasn't sure if he could kill the orc without risking the lives of these people.

But in a twist of fate, just as the orc was about to step into the portal, the ground beneath him transformed. The solid floor morphed into a grasping mass of earth that shot up, ensnaring the orc with terrifying speed.

"Urrmmghh!"

His growls of escape turned to muffled cries of terror as the earth enveloped him completely, sealing him within an earthen tomb.

Amid the shock and awe of the hostages, a figure descended from above with the grace of a falling leaf. A stunningly beautiful woman with chestnut brown hair and heroic brown eyes, clad in silver armor with blue accents and a flowing brown cape, approached the scene. In her hand was an elegant silver rod about two feet long and topped with a glowing brown orb, which she wielded with an air of solemn authority.

She landed deftly before the now-immobilized orc and, with a gaze as cold and focused as the depths of winter, grasped the orc's trigger hand while the orb turned from a glowing brown to a radiant blue.

Without a moment's hesitation, she plunged the sharp end of her rod into the spot over the orc's heart.

"Wait!" Arthur, who had started forward to intervene, stopped abruptly as the earthen figure encasing the orc dissolved into water, leaving no trace of the orc or the trigger. His eyes darted to the hostages, relief washing over him as he saw that the glowing blue rings around their necks had ceased their ominous luminescence.

A collective sigh of relief swept through the room as the hostages realized their savior's identity, "The Elemental Maiden saved us!" some exclaimed, their voices a chorus of gratitude and awe.

"Lady Amelia, thank you!" echoed through the bank as one by one, the hostages voiced their thanks.

Amelia, her face breaking into a humble smile, responded with a gentle shake of her head, "Please don't thank me. I only did my duty," she said, her voice soft yet carrying the weight of her profound commitment.

As the dust settled and the imminent threat dissipated, a squad of police officers, crisp in their uniforms, burst into the bank. Their movements were swift and coordinated as they began the delicate task of escorting the shaken but unharmed hostages to safety, their professional calm a balm to the nerves frayed by terror.

Arthur, still processing the whirlwind of events, watched in awe as Amelia, the famed Elemental Maiden, received the thanks of the hostages once again as they passed by.

He knew people called her the Elemental Maiden in admiration due to the fact that she had the rare and powerful ability to control all prime four elements combined with meta magic to transform any one element into another, a signature ability of her family.

But he had no idea she had become this good so quickly already. He had seen her so many times and also knew that she was a good friend of his sister.

He approached her with a respectful smile, gratitude lighting his features, "Thank you for coming in at the right time, ma'am. I was at a loss, and I was afraid that people were going to get hurt."

Amelia returned his smile with a gentle nod, her eyes reflecting the calm after the storm, "Well, thanks to our new Combat Advisor, I was able to make it here in time. You must be Arthur Evangelion..." Her voice trailed off as a shadow of recognition passed over her face, and she murmured with a complicated look, "...You look just like her."

Confusion flickered across Arthur's face, "I am sorry? You mean my..."

"Yes. Your sister. I knew her very well. That's why it saddens me that she left us all with no explanation," Amelia's tone hardened slightly upon remembering what Aira did to Asher in his past life.

Feeling the depth of Amelia's disappointment, Arthur lowered his gaze, his voice tinged with conviction, "I am sorry, but I believe my sister wouldn't have left us without a good reason. She isn't that kind of person."

"I want to believe that too..." Amelia said, her lips pressing together in a thin line, her eyes distant.

"You almost let the hostages die, Arthur Evangelion."

Startled, Arthur turned to find a tall, muscular man striding toward him, his presence imposing.

The man's tucked half-sleeve white shirt and black pants contrasted sharply with the attire of a tall woman who accompanied him, dressed in a black blazer and white low neck shirt, her attire rounded off with a short black pencil skirt. Both wore rectangular spectacles, their expressions severe and cold.

Arthur's attention, however, was momentarily caught by the man's striking golden eyes, a detail that triggered a fleeting memory of another face,

"Your impulsive decision could have jeopardized everything. You should have gone for the hostages first," Asher continued, his tone brimming with disapproval as he casually slipped his hands into his pockets while standing before Arthur.

But as his eyes locked with Arthur's, he was surprised to see his hazel eyes which was a mirror picture of that woman's eyes and even his appearance resembled hers, making Asher unconsciously clench his fists.

He had already heard from Rachel that Aira had a little brother who was surprisingly hidden from the world. He couldn't believe it since he had known the Evangelion Family for so long, especially Aira's father.

But now the man standing before him made him realize maybe he didn't know them as well as he thought. How the hell did he not know Aira had a little brother all this time? Or did she purposefully hide it from him? That wouldn't be surprising since this guy was being groomed to take his place.

Still, how could somebody who was no older than 25 reach the peak of S Rank without anybody knowing? Just his frostfire ability would allow people to easily recognize which family he belonged to even if he masked his identity unless his father and Derek desperately went around cleaning up after him to keep him hidden until it was time. That does make sense if they didn't want anybody to specifically target Arthur while he was growing up.

Yet Arthur's eyes seemed so gentle and pure that Asher's anger brimming within him faltered for a brief moment. What was this strange feeling? Asher couldn't believe that the woman still had this sort of influence on him even without being here.

Amelia, standing to the side, watched the interaction with a sense of trepidation. She felt worried, knowing Asher might get upset to see someone who reminded him of Aira.

Arthur reeled in his thoughts upon seeing this tall, intimidating person admonishing him, recognizing him as the new Combat Advisor, Ash.

Gathering his courage and recognizing the gravity of the situation, Arthur cleared his throat, "I-I am sorry, sir. I... I saw Hatchet Hero in trouble, and he was about to get killed by that Orc Lord. So I had to intervene, even though I was planning on saving the hostages first," he explained, his voice conveying the urgency of his decision at the moment.

Asher's expression remained stern, his brows knitting together in frustration, "That's not an excuse. Hatchet Hero knew what he was signing up for when he accepted the quest. Every Hunter knows they might not come back after accepting a quest. But the ones who stay true to their duty know that their priority is, and always should be, the safety of the people they vowed to protect. So, you ask yourself...Is it your duty to save the hostages or Hatchet Hero?" he challenged, pressing Arthur.

Arthur looked down momentarily, absorbing the weight of Ash's words, before raising his eyes again, his resolve strengthening, "I wanted to save them all, sir, just like what we did now," he responded, his voice a mix of determination yet acknowledgment of the lesson being imparted.

"That was only possible because of Amelia. If not, this day would have been a disaster. As a Hunter, you have to be prepared to make the hard decisions in the nick of a second," Asher continued, his tone stern as ever.

Feeling the sting of the critique but accepting its truth, Arthur bowed his head and mumbled apologetically, "I am sorry. I will do better."

Amelia, sensing Arthur's distress and recalling her own challenges as a young Hunter, intervened with a supportive, albeit awkward, smile, "Ash, please go easy on him. It's his first day on the job," she urged, her voice soft, aiming to make sure Asher doesn't unconsciously reveal his own feelings.

Asher let out a sigh, his stance softening as he nodded in reluctant agreement, "Fine. But next time, you work with the team instead of going off on your own. Only then can you save them all as you want."