Arthur's POV
It was a long walk toward the necromancer's lair. The deeper we went into the forest, the darker and quieter everything became. Even the air felt heavy — the kind that made you want to reach for your weapon.
Alice broke the silence first.
"Shouldn't we check the village first? We might find clues about the missing villagers."
I shook my head. "No need. I had someone investigate it ahead of us. She confirmed it's the work of a necromancer. The lair should be just up ahead."
Jenny glanced at me. "Someone? You make it sound like you hired an assassin."
I smirked faintly. "Not exactly. Just someone… efficient."
It took us about an hour to reach the fortress. From the outside, it looked like a fortified cave — layers of bone and blackened rock forming walls that pulsed faintly with magic. As I was about to give the order to move, Sarah's voice echoed in my mind — calm, monotone, and unmistakable.
"The girls are safe. The necromancer's all yours."
That was all I needed to hear.
I turned to my team — Alice, Adam, Jenny, and Alex. "The kidnapped girls are safe. We storm the fortress now!"
We charged.
The skeleton army broke apart under our assault. Their weapons clashed and cracked, but they lacked coordination. Alice and Adam carved through the front line, Jenny's arrows flew with precision, and Alex slipped through gaps in their formation, striking from behind.
The skeleton knights offered a little more resistance, but even they were only around stage-three cultivators. My sword glowed faintly as I swung it in a wide arc. "Hero Slash!"
The radiant wave of energy tore through the undead ranks like wind through leaves.
We pushed deeper into the fortress, step by step. Then, suddenly—
Everything stopped.
The skeletons crumbled to the ground all at once, their bones scattering lifelessly across the floor.
I frowned, lowering my blade. "Sarah, what did you do?"
"you did killed the necromancer."
Her voice was flat, as if she were commenting on the weather.
"You're joking, right?" I asked.
"No. Officially, you killed him. You saved the kidnapped girls. You can share the credit with your friends if you want. Look at me — Arthur, the hero. For glory and justice."
I sighed. "You know, it's hard to tell if you're being serious or mocking me."
"Good. That keeps things interesting. Goodbye, Arthur. I have somewhere else to be. If anyone asks, tell them I'm your sister."
Her presence faded as quickly as it came.
Alice approached, brushing dirt off her armor. "Who finished off the necromancer? You didn't even swing."
I sheathed my sword. "My younger sister, Sarah. She's an archer like Jenny, but also trained as an assassin. She works alone."
Alice raised an eyebrow. "You never mentioned having a sister."
"She prefers it that way," I said simply. "She doesn't like attention."
We returned to Sunshine Village that evening. The kidnapped girls were safe, and the villagers were overjoyed. The mission was complete, and we decided to stay the night before heading back.
As I sat near the fire, I thought about Sarah. She was younger than me, yet she always acted like the older sibling — calm, composed, and constantly a step ahead. I was supposed to be the hero, yet she was the one who always finished things quietly, efficiently, and without praise.
The next morning, we left Sunshine Village and began the journey back to Ashbourne.
On the road, Alice asked, "Do you think we'll ever meet your sister?"
I smiled faintly. "Maybe someday. But don't expect her to greet you warmly. She prefers to stay hidden — though I'm sure she's been watching us this whole time."
---
That night's events stayed with me long after we returned.
Sarah's way was cold and silent, but it got results. My way — the hero's way — was loud and idealistic.
And for the first time, I wondered which one actually saved more lives.