Healing magic, for humans, only some will be blessed by it for their personal magic. The rule that has been set is that whenever a person has healing magic, they automatically can use fire element magic. That is because healing magic is considered part of light, and the closest magic to light is fire.

In this world, there is no light magic. Nobody, literally nobody, not even from other races, possesses light magic. Even in the historical records, there is no mention of someone with light magic. 

And that is why fire magic, the closest thing to light, is considered the most sacred magic. It is the only element that can effectively eradicate the forces of darkness. Other elements can hinder darkness, but to deal meaningful damage, a fire element is required. 

After the loss of the blessing of the heir of fire, a healer or simply any fire magic user is considered a significant figure in the Zythera, the kingdom of humans.

And for that reason also why darkness hates them.

"Surrender the girl, and we promise you will not be harmed." Said Hars.

'Should I?'

"And why would I do that?" Eryas replied.

Hars who heard those started laughing.

"You do know how to make a joke." Hars sighed afterwards.

"Look all around you. There is nothing you can do. Only death awaits if you resist. Right now I'm offering you a deal to walk away from here… ALIVE."

Right after Hars finished talks. Suddenly, the cloud of dust behind him started to move, creating a vortex in the middle of the air. 

Then, the centre of the vortex opens up, revealing the bright sunny world behind it. Eryas and Clara were surprised to finally see the doorway out of this harrowing place. When the outside suddenly reveals itself to him, Eryas could again see the brightness of the day and the hot feelings it brings with it. 

Earlier, he felt gloomy towards it, but this time, he felt happy with it.

Hars continued.

"Besides, there wouldn't be any harm letting a manaless person like you alive. We don't have any grudges between us right, Eryas." Hars grinned widely.

Eryas locked eyes with Hars. His mind is thinking of every possible way to get out of this situation. At the same time, he could feel Clara's grip on his sleeves getting tighter, and he could not ignore the tremors as it was getting stronger. 

He could hear the trembling voice lightly behind his ears.

"Er-Eryas…"

It was a tempting offer. Indeed, Eryas should not fully trust a word from darkness creatures. But in this situation, where only death awaits, nobody would push away the opportunity to get out alive.

'Beside, she is just some random stranger that I met in this harrowing event. If I got out, I could go straight to find Helena. So giving off Clara is the right choice, right?'

After thinking for a while, Eryas closed his eyes and lightly sighed. He gazed back at both demons in front of him. A former human and a former harpy.

"It is a tempting offer," Eryas utters those words while he grabs Clara by the shoulder and brings her close to him, shoulder to shoulder. Clara was surprised by Eryas's action. He then continued.

"But you promise I will get out unharmed right?"

Hars just smiles, instead of replying.

"Well then…" Eryas pushes Clara forwards towards the demons. She was utterly stunned and tripped to the ground as her legs felt weak. Tears started falling from her eyes as she felt betrayed by Eryas's action.

Looking at what happened, Hars laughs hysterically.

"You humans, would sacrifice anybody, for your own life. Well I like that. You may go."

Vex, who was standing beside Hars with his arms crossed, looked at Hars with an angry expression.

"You're just gonna let him go like that?!"

Hars turns his gaze to Vex.

"You really don't know how to have fun do you? Relax."

Eryas slowly walks forward, his face unfazed by Clara's looks. Clara gazes, locked tightly, as Eryas walks past her. She felt so speechless. 

He did not even try to look at Clara as he walked past her. At the same time, Hars also moves; he walks forward, passing by Eryas and finally stands in front of Clara.

Hars bent down and took Clara by her neck. He choked her with tremendous force. Eryas could hear Clara struggling cries, but chose to completely ignore them. 

As he neared Vex, the demon harpy, he could feel an intense gaze directed at him. The amount of bloodlust the wing man gave is too much.

Eryas ignores it and walks past. Before he arrives at the gate outside, he needs to pass through the giant black bird that was killed earlier.

Clara's eyes turned red as her breathing was blocked by the immense pressure that was choking her. 

Hars's strong, greyish hand with its sharp, black nails pierced Clara's neck as he was choking her. Tears from Clara's eyes fell down from her face onto Hars's hand.

His expression turns grim as if he felt something disgusting touching him. Vex also moved closer to Hars and watched him end her life. Eryas was almost at the gate separating him from the outside.

Clara moves her hands and holds Hars's hand that was choking her, showing some kind of struggle. Her grip becomes tighter as if she tries to release the hand on her neck.

Then she tried something that no one has ever done. Her hands shine with bright white light, activating her healing magic. Right at the moment, Hars felt like his hand was burning from an intense heat and immediately let her go. Clara falls to the ground, coughing for air.

Hars was holding onto his burned hand, caused by the healing magic that Clara had used. Because Vex was so surprised by what happened, he didn't notice that someone was already sneaking up behind him.

Eryas holds the black knife in his left hand and stabs it right at Vex's neck, and immediately kicks him away. The dark Harpy falls and rolls on the ground. Then Eryas quickly turned and gave a direct blow with his knee onto Har's face.

Clara's hand was then taken by Eryas. Without wasting a single second, he pulled her from the ground, following him to the gate. As they were nearing the gate slowly closing, trying to prevent them from passing. 

Eryas clasps onto Clara's hand tightly, then, with all his might, he throws Clara directly towards the gate. Clara flew towards the gate and barely managed to go through it. As she lands on the ground on the other side, she manages to take a look at Eryas with a stupefied expression on her face.

"Eryas!"

Eryas, who was still inside, looked at her with just a smile on his face, while giving thumbs up to her. Right before the gate closed, Clara saw that Eryas was taken by the wing demon away from the gate.

"Eryas!!!"