Zack grit his teeth and forced himself up, blood still dripping from his lips. He raised his bow again, his aura flaring despite the pain. Another arrow of condensed mana formed, glowing dangerously as he aimed it straight for Arvaris' chest.
Arvaris smirked.
"Still standing? Persistent brat."
Zack loosed the arrow, its whistle cutting through the battlefield. But before it could reach him, Arvaris' figure blurred—vanishing from sight.
The next moment, Zack's vision spun.
A cold hand gripped his head in midair. Arvaris slammed him down with monstrous force, the earth splitting beneath the impact. The ground cracked and cratered, blood spraying from Zack's mouth as his body trembled from the shock.
Arvaris pressed his boot firmly onto Zack's chest, pinning him like an insect. His eyes gleamed with cruel amusement as he leaned forward.
"Alright… party time's over. Weaklings." He pressed harder, making Zack cough blood. "Now… where's that witch?"
"Bastard!" Sheron roared, fury consuming him as he charged forward, staff blazing with fire. He swung it with everything he had, flames erupting in a storm meant to consume Arvaris whole.
But Arvaris didn't even flinch. His hand shot out, catching the weapon mid-swing. A crack split the air as he crushed the staff in his grip, shattering it like glass.
Before Sheron could retreat, something sharp and cold pierced through the silence.
A massive ice crystal materialized out of nowhere, impaling him from behind. His eyes widened, the light in them flickering, as blood dripped down his lips. His body went limp, collapsing forward before slamming against the dirt, unconscious.
"Sheron!" Zack's voice broke as he reached out weakly, his vision blurring. He clawed at the ground, trying to crawl toward his friend. "Please… hey… Sheron, answer me!"
But his strength failed him.
Arvaris crouched, gripping Zack by the shirt and yanking him up effortlessly. His gaze was cold, merciless.
"Pathetic. Tell me, boy—where are the villagers?" His voice was low, dangerous. "I'm certain if I slaughter them one by one… that witch will crawl out of hiding. And perhaps…" His lips curled into a sinister grin. "…that child, Leo, will appear too."
The scene shifted again.
Sara was perched high in the trees, her bow strung tight, arrows whistling through the air. Each one burned with fire, guided by her second magic for deadly accuracy. Knights of the Holy Empire fell one by one, but still they pressed forward. Below, the goblins were fighting tooth and nail—some already lying lifeless on the ground, others managing to drag down armored knights in a frenzy of claws and steel.
But Lili… Lili was different.
She moved like a storm tearing through the battlefield. Her laughter echoed like a haunting bell as she tore soldiers apart.
"Now I can finally test my power!" she screamed, her voice unhinged. "You dumbasses chose the wrong enemy! All of you—die, die, die!"
With every word, men were shredded by ice crystals bursting from the ground, their bodies crushed by the invisible weight of her gravity magic, others engulfed in fire. Knights tried to flee, but Lili's madness gave them no escape—her magic hunted them down, tearing through armor, through flesh, until the ground was soaked in red.
"Kill this bitch!" one of them roared, and a barrage followed—arrows wreathed in fire, boulders of stone hurled with magic, shards of ice raining from the sky.
But nothing worked. Lili darted through it all, eyes blazing, lips twisted in a grin. She danced with destruction.
BOOM!
An explosion ripped the battlefield apart, shaking the trees, leaving a crater where soldiers once stood. Dust and smoke swirled, the stench of burning flesh thick in the air. Lili lowered her hand, exhaling. For a moment, her voice softened.
"Hmph. Seems like everything's ove—"
She froze. Her eyes narrowed.
The dust cleared.
And from it stepped a figure. A knight, but unlike the others. His armor bore deep scars, his face twisted with anger, his presence so heavy even the air seemed to grow colder.
Ezo. The captain of the knights.
Lili didn't know his name, but the pressure he radiated made her chest tighten. This one was different. Dangerous.
Sara noticed it too. She tightened her grip on her bow, but Lili's voice cut through sharp and commanding.
"Sara. Get back to the village."
"But—"
"I said GO. I'll handle him. Check if the others are still alive."
Sara's teeth clenched. She didn't want to leave, but she trusted Lili. With a final nod, she leapt away through the trees.
Now it was only Lili and the knight captain.
Ezo's eyes locked onto her, hatred burning inside them. He remembered Leo. And in that moment, Lili realized—he wanted revenge.
They stood still for only a heartbeat. Then both of them smiled, wicked and sharp.
And then—BANG.
In an instant, they clashed in midair, moving faster than human eyes could follow.
"Die!" Lili hissed, her magic flaring.
"You bitch!" Ezo roared back, his sword gleaming as it met her power.
The battlefield shook again, but this time… it wasn't chaos. It was a duel.
The basement was dim, lit only by a few trembling candles. The air was heavy with fear, every loud crash from above shaking the stone walls, making dust and pebbles fall onto the frightened crowd.
A small child clung tightly to his mother's clothes, trembling.
"Mom… is everything gonna be alright?" he asked, his voice breaking.
His mother's lips quivered, but she forced a shaky smile. "Ye–yeah, my dear… everything will be alright. Don't be scared… Mom is here with you." Yet, her eyes betrayed the fear she tried to hide.
In the corner, a man knelt, holding a swaddled newborn who somehow slept through the chaos. Tears ran down his face as he whispered, "I'm sorry, my sweetheart… I couldn't save you. But I swear… I'll raise your child. I'll protect her for you." His sobs filled the room, echoing with the grief of many others.
Around them, goblins huddled together, their guttural cries of sorrow piercing the tense silence. Families mourned, some clutching the lifeless hands of those they'd lost, others holding onto whatever hope remained.
Lia sat quietly on the cold ground, hugging her knees. Beside her, Lyra stood stiff, her hands trembling, her wide green eyes fixed on the cracked ceiling above. The thunderous roars and explosions shook the entire basement, and each boom made the children scream.
Finally, Lia tugged at Lyra's sleeve with a trembling hand. Her voice was small, fragile, as if it might shatter at any moment.
"Big sis Lyra… is… is everything gonna be alright?"
Lyra's throat tightened. She was terrified—her legs wanted to give out, her heart was racing—but when she looked down at Lia's innocent, teary eyes, she forced herself to kneel and smile. Her voice shook, but she spoke with as much certainty as she could gather:
"Yeah… it's going to be alright. I'm sure of it. Leo will come. He'll come soon… and he'll help us."
But as the ground rumbled again, a deafening CRACK echoed through the chamber. The ceiling groaned, dust pouring down as fractures spread like spiderwebs across the stone above them. The people gasped, clutching each other tighter.
The basement was no longer just a hiding place. It was becoming a fragile cage—one that might collapse at any moment.
The basement trembled again as another boom echoed from above, dust raining down from the cracked ceiling. The villagers and goblins huddled close, clutching their children, whispering prayers. Fear thickened the air.
Suddenly, a woman's cry pierced through the silence. Everyone turned. She staggered forward, tears streaming, her husband holding her shoulders while their young son clung to his father's hand. Lyra hurried toward them, heart pounding.
"Madam, what's wrong?" Lyra asked, kneeling slightly.
The woman collapsed at Lyra's feet, clutching her clothes desperately. "Please… please save my child. She's still up there!" Her voice broke, trembling. "I—I tried to bring her with me but everything happened so fast… I left her behind. I'm a terrible mother!"
Her husband stepped forward, lowering his head in shame. "Please… I failed as a father. My first mistake was choosing to stay in this village. And now… I couldn't even protect my own daughter." His voice cracked, heavy with regret.
Lyra froze. His words cut deeper than she expected. She realized what many in the village must be thinking—because of Leo, this place isn't safe anymore. And in truth, a part of her knew they weren't wrong. But she also couldn't allow Leo to become a symbol of fear for the people he wanted to protect.
Taking a deep breath, Lyra knelt in front of the grieving couple, her eyes steady. "I'll go," she said firmly. "I'll bring your daughter back. I'll prove to you all that even without Leo, we can still protect each other. You're right… danger follows us. But that doesn't mean we abandon those who still need saving."
The woman sobbed harder, clinging to Lyra's hands.
But then a small hand tugged at Lyra's sleeve. Lia. Her wide, fearful eyes looked up at her. "Big sis Lyra… where are you going? Don't leave us. We need you here…"
Others quickly joined in.
"She's right," one villager said. "If the ceiling caves in, what do we do? None of us know advanced magic!"
More voices agreed, their fear rising. Lyra felt her chest tighten. They're right. If I leave… this place might collapse. But… that little girl…
Her thoughts tangled until suddenly an idea sparked. She straightened, her eyes sharp. Wait… I can protect them both ways.
Spreading her arms, Lyra summoned her mana. Cold air filled the basement as frost spread across the cracked ceiling, freezing the unstable stone in place. In moments, the entire chamber shimmered with ice, sealing them in. The villagers shivered as their breath misted in the frigid air.
"It will hold," Lyra said, standing tall. "If it's too cold, those who know fire magic can warm themselves—but only in short bursts. Don't overuse it, or the ice will melt."
She turned back to Lia, who looked on the verge of tears. Lyra knelt, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Everything will be alright, Lia. Stay here. I promise I'll come back."
"But… but…" Lia's voice wavered.
Lyra forced a smile, though her heart ached. "Trust me."
And with that, she turned and ran toward the exit, leaving behind the shivering villagers and the faint sound of Lia's trembling voice calling after her.