Rise of the Rejected Deity from Chaos

The demon's desperate attempts ceased, hand falling limply as his body slumped forward lifelessly—held up by the woven trap his dimensions hadn't fully consumed.

From above, Seiya's staff appeared like it had been pushed out of an unseen premises, falling to the ground with a clanging sound and rolling about.

The demon's crushed heart slipped from Seiya's hand to the ground, his sword following as he fell to his knees. Tired, the woven rattan undid themselves, letting the demon slump to the ground.

One of Seiya's hands rose to his eyes, fingers brushing gently over them as blood seeped from both, trailing down his cheeks. He had overexerted his eyes, and the backlash was now taking its toll—causing searing pain in addition to the blindness.

Kaeliyus transformed to himself, squatting near Seiya immediately.

"Are you alright, my Lord?" He asked, clueless what to do to help. Though the bruises and wounds marring Seiya from the battle were plain to see, he refrained from mentioning them. Not wanting to rub it in that Seiya procured so many wounds from fighting mere demons who weren't supposed to be his caliber.

Furthermore, to speak of his Lord's suffering felt too bold, too presumptuous—but the gaping wound on Seiya's chest, he could not ignore.

"I'll heal you at once," he said, his resolve firm. With a swift motion, Kaeliyus summoned several phials, their contents shimmering as he applied them to Seiya. He made sure not to go near his eyes because that would only aggravate his condition.

Seiya's body mended, every bruise and wound vanishing beneath the touch of the healing potion—all but his face that Kaeliyus dared not approach, unwilling to risk the potion coming into contact with Seiya's eyes. But despite the restoration of his body, the weight of fatigue and the lingering backlash from his overexertion remained.

"I'm sorry, my Lord," Kaeliyus murmured, his voice soft, tinged with regret that he could not help relieve his young Lord's suffering any further. "This is all I can do. I fear that any further attempt will only worsen your condition."

"You need not worry, though it hurts, it isn't unbearable," Seiya responded calmly, bringing down his hand from his eye.

"Then my Lord, do you need me to tear a piece of my garment to make a blindfold for you?" Kaeliyus asked, worried.

"That won't be necessary. It's still night, and there's no harsh light here," Seiya replied calmly.

Kaeliyus bowed in silent acknowledgment, though Seiya could not see the gesture. It had become second nature—a habit born of reverence, performed without thought.

Shifting a little to the side, Seiya extended his hand and called in a soft, weary voice. "Come to me, Ibyu."

A moment later, Ibyu came shooting through the air at an impeccable speed, racing past Seiya's waiting hand and colliding with his chest. Kaeliyus' eyes lit up with sparkles of admiration seeing Ibyu once again.

{Waa! Sei! Why did you leave me out for so long?}" Ibyu squeaked, its tiny hands pattering anxiously against Seiya's chest. "{I thought I was done for when the woven seal you kept me in unraveled, and the cold breeze came crashing down on me!}

Since fatigue was taking its toll on Seiya, his abilities naturally came undone because he couldn't maintain them anymore. Ibyu's woven seal had naturally came undone with all that Seiya had contructed.

"Yes, yes, but you're not dead," Seiya sighed, patting Ibyu gently. He wasn't ready to entertain Ibyu's dramatic bicker as he craved rest more than anything. He picked Ibyu up with two fingers like he was picking up a toothpick, and extended it over to Kaeliyus.

Seiya could neither see nor hear Kaeliyus' heartbeat but he knew Kaeliyus' exact position because he had spoken earlier and his sharp breaths were all drifting into Seiya's ears.

Ibyu's head snapped around, its dramatic moment cut short by Seiya's insensitivity. It hadn't noticed Kaeliyus' presence and was a bit shocked when Seiya peeled it away from his chest, handing it over to Kaeliyus.

Kaeliyus swiftly took Ibyu into his hands, a swell of pride washing over him. Once again, Seiya had entrusted him with something so precious, and the weight of that trust filled him with joy. Admiration stirred within him as he gazed at the small being.

Ibyu's face tilted upward, its eyes meeting Kaeliyus' in a silent exchange. For a moment, they simply stared—until Kaeliyus offered a warm smile. Ibyu, however, only let out a weary sigh, its tiny hand rising to its head as if nursing a headache from the strain of the battles and the overwhelming attention Kaeliyus had lavished upon it. With a resigned huff, it nestled against his chest, and Kaeliyus cradled it tenderly, his touch careful and reverent.

"Kael," Seiya's calm voice cut through the night's silence.

"Yes, my Lord," Kaeliyus responded immediately, darting his attention from Ibyu who rested against his chest, drifting into a slumber—to his young Lord who called.

"I have overexerted my eyes beyond their limits, it seems," he said softly. "They might take long to heal so I need you to guide my way."

"Absolutely! Without question, my Lord," Kaeliyus responded, helping Seiya to his feet with one hand while the other remained cradling Ibyu.

"Just a moment, let me get your staff, my Lord." Kaeliyus hurried over to where Seiya's staff had rolled, picking it up and rushing back with haste—for he didn't want to keep Seiya waiting even for a minute.

"Let us depart now, my Lord," he said, stepping beside Seiya and reaching for his hand. Though his hands were full, he tried to squeeze the staff into one, but Seiya stretched out his hand, silently demanding it be passed to him.

Without protesting, Kaeliyus complied, handing over the staff to Seiya who let it hang beside him as he walked, guided by Kaeliyus—hand in his.

As they walked, the cool night air, now growing colder as it edged toward dawn, washed over them. Seiya, whose clothes had been reduced to tattered rags, felt the biting chill press against his skin more sharply.

Kaeliyus, ever mindful, refrained from hurrying, guiding Seiya with gentle care down the uneven path. They passed silently by the remnants of the battle, the wreckage and carnage a grim testament to the violence that had unfolded.

"You should undo the barrier keeping the villagers in once we get there," Seiya commanded softly and Kaeliyus responded with a quiet, "yes."

As they got to the village, expecting not to meet anyone outside, they however, met two figures.

Kaeliyus' brow wrinkled together, eyes narrowing with lips twisted into a faint grimace as he muttered under his breath. "Humanity Saviors."