After cleaning up the Ghoul wreckage in the square, the lingering rotten smell seemed to be stronger. Red led the team further into the dead village, and finally arrived at the core of the village - a relatively open small square.
The scene of the square is slightly better than that of the surrounding area, but only "slightly better". The houses surrounding the square have also suffered varying degrees of damage, with collapsed walls, broken doors and windows, and scorched marks everywhere. However, the stone church standing in the center of the square is intact like an island in the storm!
This is simply a miracle, or a disturbing anomaly. The simple spire of the church points directly to the gray sky, and the stained glass windows are covered with dust, but there are no cracks. The heavy oak door is closed tightly, as if it has isolated the disasters from the outside world. The surrounding ruins form a shocking contrast with its intactness, and even give people an illusion - as if there is some kind of power in the dark to protect this sacred place, or... this place itself is a core that refuses to be destroyed.
"The situation is more complicated than expected." Red looked around, frowning. He gave the order, "Now, we can investigate in groups freely. The scope is limited to the village, and no one is allowed to leave the village without permission. If there is an emergency, send out a magic signal or loudly warn immediately, and I will provide immediate support!" His voice echoed in the empty and silent square.
The students quickly dispersed in twos and threes, nervously and curiously, and began to carefully explore the surrounding ruins. Red took a few guides to a relatively intact roof on the edge of the square, and asked in a low voice and detail for more specific information.
Yavi did not join any group, and there was only Yennefer beside him. The two walked side by side, Yavi's sharp eyes swept over the destroyed roofs and torn walls And the blackened beams and pillars. He lowered his voice, more like he was taking a test. "Yennefer, based on your knowledge, what kind of monster can cause such... a combination of huge impact, tearing, and burning traces of destruction?"
Yennefer frowned slightly, looking at the wreckage with her purple eyes, and analyzed. "The huge impact and tearing... may point to large monsters, such as trolls, Basilisk, or even out-of-control earth elemental creatures. The burning traces range from fire magic or spell-like abilities to the remains of explosives..." She listed the possibilities clearly and clearly, showing a solid theoretical foundation.
Yavi listened carefully and nodded, but there was still a trace of doubt in his eyebrows. Yennefer's analysis was logically clear and covered most possibilities, but he always felt that some key point was missed, and a kind of intuition unique to the demon hunter was whispering.
Just then!
The School of the Wolf badge that had been close to his chest vibrated very slightly without any warning!
Yavi's body tensed up instantly! He stopped suddenly, and subconsciously pressed his right hand on the badge. The pair of cat eyes that turned brown due to the continuous opening, like the most sophisticated detector, immediately locked on the direction indicated by the vibration of the badge - it was the intact church!
However, something weird happened!
His Witcher Senses was running at full power, and his vision swept across the church and its surroundings - the cold stone walls, dusty glass, closed doors... everything was as usual. The air was filled with the common smell of dust, residual burnt smell and faint rotten smell common to ruins, but he did not detect any energy fluctuations unique to living creatures or powerful monsters!
Cold sweat oozed from Yavi's forehead in an instant.
The badge doesn't lie! Its response to chaotic magic and monsters is an instinct engraved in silverware! It can't be seen by the senses, which can only mean one thing - the hiding ability of that thing is far beyond his Witcher Senses detection limit! Or... it just woke up from some kind of deep sleep?
"What's wrong, Yavi?" Yennefer immediately noticed his sudden change in expression and tense body, and asked nervously.
Yavi did not answer. His eyes were fixed on the church, like a beast staring at its prey. He took the first step in the direction of the church. The vibration of the badge against his skin began to become clear and powerful as the distance shortened! One step, two steps... The vibration became stronger and stronger, as if a heart that was gradually awakened and full of malice was beating in his chest!
"Yavi!" Yennefer followed closely behind him, his voice filled with anxiety.
Yavi's heart sank, and a cold and dangerous thought emerged uncontrollably: Could it be that... the culprit who destroyed the village never left? It was hidden in the church that looked like a sacred sanctuary? Why did the badge not respond before? Is it because it was in a... deep dormant state near death? And the intrusion and exploration of their group of "uninvited guests" was like pebbles thrown into a deep pool, awakening a sleeping nightmare?
The closed oak door of the church, in Yavi's eyes at this moment, seemed like a huge mouth that was about to swallow everything.
Yavi and Yennefer approached the church with unusual concentration, and soon attracted several other groups of students who were exploring nearby. Several curious female apprentices also gathered around, their eyes wandering around the closed door, dusty stained windows and solid stone walls of the church, trying to use their limited knowledge to decipher the secrets behind this "surviving" building.
"Look at the door, it seems that it is not damaged at all..."
"Yeah, the glass wasn't even broken, that's weird."
"Is there some divine protection?"
They were talking in low voices, unaware of the fatal threat hanging above their heads.
Right now!
Inside the towering, shadow-shrouded spire of the church, a pair of inhuman eyes slowly opened in the absolute darkness. The pupils were like coagulated blood drops, cold, cruel, and contained no emotion belonging to living beings. The eyes instantly locked onto a young female student in the square below who was looking up curiously at the outline of the tower.
Silently, a figure covered with dark purple feathers, but with a vaguely distorted female silhouette, stretched out behind the narrow window of the tower. Its slender limbs covered with scales and feathers were full of strength, like springs compressed to the extreme, and the huge membrane wings clung to the rugged back bones.
Next second!
No warning!
"Wha--!"
The ear-piercing sound of breaking through the air tore through the dead silence of the square! The dark purple figure was like a siege shell thrown from hell, carrying destructive kinetic energy as it shot out of the tower window! Its target was extremely precise - it was the unsuspecting female student who was still looking up!
"What...?!" The female student felt that the light above her head suddenly dimmed, and a suffocating wind rushed toward her face with cold murderous intent! She didn't even have time to see the full face of the intruder. Driven by instinctive fear, she subconsciously wanted to raise her hand to build a basic protective shield.
However, it's too late!
The speed of the monster's swooping far exceeded the limits of her nervous reaction and magic power! As soon as she raised her hand, she couldn't even condense a trace of magic light between her fingers, and the face full of inhuman terror had already occupied her entire field of vision!