Elara felt her stomach knot as the noble in crimson drew nearer, his blade glinting ominously in the firelight, a cruel smile playing on his lips. Her hand shook around the dagger, feeling utterly useless against his armor, his confidence, his malice. Behind her, Seren tightened her grip on Elara's sleeve. "Run," she urged in a hushed tone, but Elara knew they were out of time.
Then, out of nowhere, a mysterious figure in black armor moved like a flash. One step, two steps, and suddenly he was standing between them. The noble lunged, his silver blade flashing dangerously. Sparks erupted as the stranger deflected the attack with an ease that left Elara breathless. She could barely process the whirlwind of motion, the clash of metal, or the fierce determination in the stranger's storm-grey eyes.
"Run!" he shouted, grabbing Elara by the arm and yanking her back. The force of his grip sent her stumbling, but it was the only thing that kept her from the noble's next strike.
"Who…who are you?" she gasped, her voice laced with urgency.
"Names don't matter," he replied, his tone low yet commanding. "Just keep up, or you won't make it."
Without waiting for her to respond, he pulled her along, and Elara had no choice but to follow, darting through the garden's charred paths, dodging falling debris and the frantic cries of those still trapped. The noble in crimson cursed behind them, his armor clanging against the stones as he chased after them.
Her legs burned, her lungs gasped for air, but the stranger Kai, as he had finally introduced himself, moved with an effortless grace, as if he were part of the shadows. He took her hand again, guiding her through a collapsed fountain and into a narrow tunnel that snaked beneath the crumbling palace walls.
The air in the tunnel felt cool and damp, tinged with the sharp scent of smoke. Elara coughed, covering her mouth with her hand, struggling to process everything that had just happened. Her father was gone, her home lay in ruins, and now she found herself sprinting through hidden passages she never knew existed, led by a man she barely trusted.
"You have to tell me something," she said, her voice thick with frustration. "Why save me? Why now?"
Kai's jaw clenched. "Because if you die tonight, Eldoria dies with you. I won't let that happen."
His voice was steady, resolute, but doubt gnawed at her inside. Is he really my protector, or is this just part of some twisted game?
The tunnel opened up into a concealed courtyard, wild with weeds and wildflowers, untouched by flames but scarred by chaos. Moonlight danced on the scattered stones, revealing the remnants of a statue which was once a proud symbol of the royal family, now toppled and cracked.
"Elara," Kai said, stopping abruptly, "we need to move fast. They won't stop looking for us."
As she followed, her mind raced. The noble in crimson, he was no mere foot soldier. The way he carried himself, the confidence, the precision in his strikes… he was trained, powerful. And he wanted her dead.
"We can't keep running forever," she said, panic bubbling up. "They'll catch us. Who are you working for?"
Kai's expression turned steely. "No one you'd trust. But that's not important right now."
A sudden rustle from the overgrown garden made them both freeze. Elara's heart sank into her chest. She instinctively raised her dagger, though it felt inadequate in her grip. From the shadows, figures emerged. hooded and silent, their intentions were clear. The Shadow Guild.
Elara's breath hitched. She had heard whispers of them in court, a secret order of assassins, loyal to no crown or noble house. Their presence meant one thing: her life was far from safe, even in hiding.
Kai shifted his stance, blade drawn. "Stay close. Don't show fear."
The assassins moved with a chilling precision, surrounding them, their knives glinting in the soft moonlight. Elara's mind raced. This is it. I'm finished.
But then, out of nowhere, Kai sprang into action. His movements were a blur of deadly skill, each strike deliberate, each parry lethal. Elara barely registered his speed; she just felt the space around her clear. With a single, brutal motion, he knocked the nearest assassin out cold, then grabbed Elara's hand and yanked her behind a low stone wall.
"Run!" he shouted.
They took off again, the moonlight stretching their shadows as they dashed through the outer courtyards. Elara could hear the furious curses of the Shadow Guild behind them, but Kai's expertise kept them just out of reach.
They finally reached a crumbling tower at the edge of the palace grounds. Kai leaped onto the parapet, pulling Elara up after him. From this vantage point, the full extent of the destruction was laid bare, the palace was a smoldering wreck, the heart of Eldoria ablaze, loyal soldiers scattered or lifeless, and the noble in crimson still searching.
Elara felt her knees threaten to buckle from a mix of exhaustion and fear. "How…how can anyone survive this?"
Kai's storm-grey eyes locked onto hers, unwavering. "We do what we must. We survive."
A sudden scream from below made her flinch. Kai's head whipped around at the sound. "They found Seren," he muttered, urgency lacing his voice along with something deeper, something hard to pin down.
"Elara, stay here!"
"No!" she shouted back. "I can't just leave her!"
Kai's jaw clenched. "Then stay behind me!"
He jumped down into the chaos below, his dagger glinting in the flickering torchlight. Elara hesitated for just a heartbeat, then plunged after him, her heart racing in her chest.
The courtyard was a nightmare of fire, smoke, and shadows. Figures darted in every direction, some fleeing, others hunting. And in the center, a lone figure was struggling against two hooded assassins.
Seren.
"Elara!" the girl cried, her voice slicing through the roar of the flames like a knife.
Elara charged forward, dagger raised high. Time seemed to slow, every heartbeat echoing in her ears. She didn't know if she could save her friend, if they could escape, or if the palace, or her life would last another minute.
Then Kai was beside her, a wall of steel and fury, and together they clashed with the assassins, fighting not just for survival, but for the fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, Eldoria could rise again.
Yet, even as they battled, a thought pressed into Elara's mind like a brand: This is only the beginning. The ashes of the crown are nothing compared to the secrets still lurking in the shadows.