Aengus pondered hard before deciding to let them go.
“Okay, you can go. You’re free,” Aengus said indifferently.
He turned his gaze to Aria, then to the human corpses and quickly stored them in his Spatial Bracelet.
“Let’s go, Aria. It’s getting dark. You need some rest and treatment,” he said gently, touching her face, which was little scarred with scratches.
His heart ached, and he promised himself not to let Aria bear such burdens alone in the future.
Aria, though tired, smiled happily at his care. Aengus effortlessly lifted her in his arms like a princess, making her blush. She held onto his neck for support.
Ryann and Tina exchanged relieved glances.
As they watched Aria and Aengus walk away, they suddenly panicked.
“Hey, kind sir, please wait!” Tina and Ryann shouted abruptly.
Aengus glanced back.
“What is it now?” he asked impatiently.
Tina and Ryann quickly came closer.
“Please, don’t leave us alone, sir. We would die if we stayed in these woods at night. We can’t even go back right now. Please take us along. We promise we’ll leave by tomorrow morning.”
They sounded desperate, their helplessness clear. Tina’s eyes were full of hope as she glanced at Aengus.
She didn’t care how cold-blooded Aengus seemed, knowing it was a common trait in this world.
Asking the same man who nearly killed them might seem unwise, but it was the best option they had in their current situation.
Aengus sighed, his impatience growing, but he could see the desperation in their eyes.
“What makes you think I owe you anything to hep you?” he asked coldly.
Tina and Ryann exchanged nervous glances, their hope flickering but not completely extinguished. There was still hope.
“We don’t expect anything from you, sir,” Ryann said, trying to remain calm. “We know we were wrong, but we’re just asking for a chance to survive. The woods are too dangerous, specially at night, especially for us duo. We are not strong like you two sir and Madam. ”
Tina nodded fervently, “Please… we won’t cause any trouble. We just need protection just for one night.”
Aengus glanced at Aria, who shrugged slightly. She seemed indifferent, but there was flickering sympathy in her eyes.
Seeing this, Aengus sighed once more.
“Fine, but don’t try anything stupid. If you cross the line, I won’t hesitate to finish you off.”
Though scared, Tina and Ryann both nodded vigorously.
“Thank you, thank you, Mister,” Tina whispered, her voice full of gratitude.
“Let’s go,” Aengus said, turning back toward the path. With Aria still in his arms, he started walking.
Tina and Ryann cautiously followed behind him.
—-
They quickly found a relatively peaceful area, far away from any nearby beasts.
Aengus gently placed Aria under a large tree, its aerial roots forming an umbrella-shaped shield capable of withstanding thunder strikes and heavy rain.
Ryann and Tina settled down on one side, reflecting on the day’s ups and downs.
Aengus pulled out some synthesized potions for Aria to heal quickly. The potion was deep red in color, indicating its incredible potency.
Before arriving here, they had gathered some potions, and Aengus had synthesized them for her father and relatives. Fortunately, they came in handy now.
Aria’s wounds were quickly regenerating, and Aengus sat beside her, relaxing his mind.
He began to think about their plans for tomorrow—how to speed up the process. At this rate, it would take months to finish their goal. He thought of using himself as bait once again, but too much risk could lead to disaster. He needed to control the flow of events somehow for successful “fishing.”
It wasn’t an impossible task; it just required some extra effort.
“Ethan, are we going to spend the night on the ground?” Aria asked suddenly, drawing everyone’s attention.
Aengus looked at her with a slight smile. “Do you want to show me something?” he guessed.
Tina and Ryann, confused by the conversation, also turned to look at them.
Aria smiled brightly. “Yes, let me make some houses for us,” she said, eager to show off her power at just the right time.
“Sure,” Aengus agreed, letting her do as she wished.
Though he could create shelters himself, he allowed her to take the lead.
Tina and Ryann watched in awe as Aria’s hands glowed with a mystical green light that spread across the surrounding trees. With nightfall already upon them, the sight became even more magical.
Supported by the light of the small bonfire, Tina and Ryann heard the rustling of trees, which startled them. Then, something astonishing happened.
Under some mystical command, the branches of the trees twisted and moved, forming two houses out of branches, vines, and leaves.
One house was placed at the very top of the trees, while the other on the slightly lower side.
Aengus found the sight beautiful. The tree houses were well-crafted, illuminated softly by fireflies. The entire scene was magical, almost the pinnacle of nature’s beauty.
Tina and Ryann were mesmerized, finding it nearly unbelievable.
Aria spoke to them, “You two can take the lower one. It’s mostly safe, but scream if you encounter any danger.”
Her voice cut through the silent atmosphere, snapping them out of their fascination.
“Oh, okay. Thanks, madam,” Tina responded politely.
Aria shrugged and then turned to Aengus.
“Ethan, do you want to come with me now?” she asked impatiently, eager for some romance despite the situation they were in.
Aengus smirked.
“Don’t you want to eat first?” he asked with a sly smile.
Aria, slightly embarrassed, nodded meekly.
Aengus smiled, acquiescing to her request. He calmly picked her up in his arms and spread his Blazing Dragon Wings.
The pair of wings looked destructive, but they didn’t hurt Aria in the slightest.
“Let’s go, Miss Silvermoon,” Aengus said as he gave a powerful thrust of his wings and leapt into the air, piercing through the dense canopy of Darkwood within seconds.
Aria, who had expected him to enter the house, sulked slightly. However, as she gazed at the beautiful moon and the forest below them, she felt blessed in his arms.
“They’re so powerful! A perfect match,” Tina commented in fascination with a twinge of jealousy.
“Let’s go, Tina. We need to enter the house; we can’t roam freely like them,” Ryann said, leading the way to the stairway above the ground.
