Reincarnated Without a Body

ch 27: reunited

"O holy maiden, please bless us with abundant harvest."

An old man prayed to me on his knees. His hands clasped together and his eyes staring at us with wonder.

Sigh.

I look around the small church's hall. We aren't even getting a quarter of the crowd we used to get before. And even less donations.

Apparently, this is the work of the Pope, the old man who came to Bear's mansion back then.

The Pope forbid us from using the cathedral, where most people went to. Then, they also spread rumors that Bear is mistreating and exploiting us, the Holy maiden.

Well, while we can't deny that, this situation is also not favourable to us. If this continues, it's going to take longer for us to buy ourselves out.

Because of all of that, our work load has multiplied. We now have to go to two or three different churches everyday, seven day a week to meet the minimum quota Bear were aiming for.

As I was looking around, I saw a tall man hunching around while slowly making his way towards us through the crowd.

He seems familiar...

Ah! His hat is similar to the one our dad have. And he is big enough that if he stands up straight, he might be as tall as our..

"Dad..!?" Emi whisper. Her voice is trailing with shock.

My eyes widen as I realize Emi is looking at the same man as I do. I take a closer look at the man.

He's a lot more dishelved and unkempt than dad usually was. I couldn't tell if it's really is Dad as the man is still too far, the hall is dimly lighted and his hat and untrimmed beards are in the way.

The man in question continue edging closer towards us. As the man get closer, there's no more doubt.

"Dad!"

Before I realize it Emi already start running towards Dad without a care of An and Jing, the two guards by our side. The two of them were too occupied with keeping the crowd away from us to react.

Dad push through  the last of the crowd. He get down on one knee and hugs us tightly. we hugs him back. He smells worse than what I remembered, but that doesn't stops us from snuggling into his embrace.

"Dad!" We both scream into dad's chest.

"Hoooongggg!"

A deafening sound echoed throughout the hall, disrupting our reunion. Suddenly dad lift us up and spun around.

"Bang." He kicks something hard.

I look out just in time to see a human flying into the wall. It's An. Dad sent him flying with one kick. But now we are surrounded by about twenty men. Half of them are Bear's men, while the rest are the church's guards. The bustling church is completely empty of any civilians.

Silence fall onto the church. Dad is standing still while his eyes frantically looking at the surroundings, taking note of their distance. The opposing party is slowly inching closer, tightening their net around us.

As if someone gave then a signal, they all rush at us.

"Hold on tight!" Dad whispered. His voice sounds hoarse and fatigued.

Two of them rush in from the sides with their hands extended out, clearly trying to grab dad's arms. Dad jump to the right, closing the distance with the enemy on the right while at the same time putting a bit of distance with the guy on the left. Dad sink his right fist into the poor guy's throat. The poor guy dropped to the floor.

Dad jump over the fallen guy and put his back against the wall. I've always listen to mother's story of Dad infiltrating into criminal's den to exact his revenge with a pinch of salt. It sounds exagerrated. But looking at his perfect execution, all of it must've been true.

But the danger is far from over. One, two, three...  seventeen. There's still seventeen men between us and the door. With his back to the wall, the door is on dad's left side, around ten meters away. And there's about ten men standing in between. Just like before, they all slowly inch closer in unison.

But this time, Dad doesn't wait for them to strike first.

"Bam!"

Dad jump towards the first person standing between us and the door. The guy went flying into two people behind him. Dad is making a beeline for the exit.

Figures. Running away is surely the best move, considering the enemy's number and dad have to fight while protecting us.

Reacting to dad's move, the enemy  from the right side rush behind dad's back, trying to get him from the blind spot.

"Dad, be.."

Before I could warn him, Dad stop dead in his track and deliver a back kick to the guy behind him with great accuracy as if he have eyes on his back. Again, another man is sent flying into another.

Dad did not stop. He swiftly move to the next target, punching his face in. Blood gushes out of his nose like tap water as he falls to the floor.

"Haaaah!" Another man scream loudly. I turn towards the scream to see a man jumping towards us with a flying kick.

"Flash!"

Suddenly a blinding light exploded out of his feet, taking my sight out.  Oh no. Dad was also looking straight at him. This can't be good.

I do not know what happened, but dad continues fighting off the group while I was blinded.

"Splash!"

Suddenly, there's a lot of water splashing around. our feet get wet by the freezing cold water that who knows where it come from.

My eye sight is gradually coming back.

"Whoosh!"

We are suddenly being thrown high up to the ceiling. My sight cleared just in time for me to see the beautiful church's chandelier up close.

"Beauti.." I admire the chandelier in the split second before I realize I'm falling back to the floor.

"Aaaahhh!" Emi and I screamed our lungs out.

Dad thrown us upwards and towards the mage who brought all these water into the church. The mage are freaked out and cover himself in a sphere of water to catch us. This guy must've been ordered by Bear to prioritize our safety over everything else.

Before I could feel bitter to dad for using us as diversion, he already sprint through the waist deep water and jump towards the mage. Dad brought his right foot forward and pierce through the water sphere with a powerful flying kick of his own. The mage put both of his hands in front of him to receive dad's kick. Ice formed between dad's leg and the mage's palms.

"Boom!"

The mage were sent flying out of his water bubble. Dad landed on his feet just in time to catch us in his arms.

It's over! We are finally freed.

"Crackles crackles..."

Just as the thought of home cross my mind, the water mage rise again, encased in a thick block of ice. Around us, tendrils of water creep up to the ceiling and covering the door and windows.

At this sight, Dad's expression changed as he drew a sword that I didn't know he have from his back.

"STOP!" A familiar voice bellowed from beyond the veil of water and beyond the door.

The veil of water split open as Kanan force his way into the church, followed closely by Bear.

Ah... Shit!