Silence reigned in the depths of the forest; only the distant howling of the wind and the gentle drifting of ash from the burnt town could be heard.
Devranna was attending to Sira's lifeless body. The muscles and reflexes of her new vessel were still unfamiliar and limited; unable to use her special powers, she was channeling only her physical agility and the battle intellect honed over years.
Just then, a shadow emerged with heavy steps: Rrnaun. His sword still bore the traces of the battle with Sira; wounded on his shoulder and physically exhausted, he was still ready for a fight.
Rrnaun's eyes widened when he saw Devranna; a mixture of confusion and rage reflected on his face.
Rrnaun: "An… Elder?! Here? Valerith had mentioned these to me… but… none of them were supposed to be alive; he didn't tell me this," he said, clenching his fists.
Devranna lifted her head slightly; she spoke in a low but cold voice:
Devranna: "Yes… I am an Elder. But you are lucky that my powers are still restricted. Come, show me what you can do."
Rrnaun gripped his sword tightly, his eyes bloodshot. His anger was mingled with curiosity; this was the bewilderment of facing an Elder for the first time.
Rrnaun: "Don't… try to ignore me. You don't know who I am. If you feel lucky that you aren't dead, rest assured, you won't feel that way for long," he said with a harsh laugh.
Devranna leaped back a few steps, moving out of the sword's range; yet her stance still held the resolve of a commander.
Devranna: "I need to tend to Sira first… but you cannot stand in my way either. Get ready, boy."
The first strike came from Rrnaun; his sword cracked the earth, releasing a massive wave of energy. Devranna leaped back with her reflexes, dodging the shadow of his blade and taking cover behind a small rock.
Devranna: "You are fast… but predictable."
Rrnaun laughed; he was tired but still powerful:
Rrnaun: "Predictable? I don't know how old you are, but your reflexes are rusty, old witch. I will present you to my Queen myself."
Devranna advanced step by step, steering Rrnaun's attacks with strategic moves; hiding her body's weaknesses, dodging attacks with her frail form, and using the power of his sword against him with every move.
Devranna: "You are still exhausted… yet you continue to attack. Interesting…"
Rrnaun shattered the ground with a few rapid strikes, trying to narrow the space around Devranna.
Devranna raised her sword, parried the blows, and with a short retreat, turned Rrnaun's speed to her own advantage.
Devranna: "Power cannot always defeat intellect."
Rrnaun tried to suppress the shock in his eyes; this was his first encounter with an Elder, and the person standing before him had gained experience over years of war. Every move she made was both dangerous and brilliant.
Rrnaun: "Are you… truly an Elder, or just a coward? Why do you keep running away?"
Devranna smiled faintly; with a slow but effective move, she forced Rrnaun's sword to change direction, threw him off balance, and pulled back.
Devranna: "I will teach you your place. Boy, you are just an ordinary person still growing in power; in my time, there were tons of talents like you."
Amidst the distant clamor, Lysera and Auren had begun to flee. As Auren ran with small steps, there were tears and fear in his eyes. Lysera was holding him by the arm.
Auren: "Sister… our big sister is back there… are we going to leave her too?"
As they ran, the white armor of the Luxaris guards gleamed behind them. The sounds of swords, shouts, and footsteps filled the night.
While the duel between Devranna and Rrnaun continued, the silence of both battle and flight had merged in the depths of the forest.
The depth of the forest was filled with darkness and a low hum. Lysera held Auren's small hand tightly, fleeing from the noise of the pursuing Luxaris guards. The metallic sound of swords and the soldiers' shouts filled the night.
Auren, despite the fatigue of his small body, quickened his pace in fear and panic. But he stumbled and fell. Lysera rushed to his side without hesitation; she scooped the fallen child into her arms. The shoes on her feet slipped off, but she didn't care.
Lysera (breathless, whispering to Auren):
"Don't stop… Auren, hold on to me tight! Tightly!"
Auren wrapped his small hands around Lysera, tears and fear in his eyes. Lysera continued to run, feeling the soil with her bare feet; every step was a combination of fear and determination.
The lights of the Luxaris guards shone through the trees; the sound of every movement echoed through the forest. Lysera changed direction using the forest's natural obstacles; fallen branches, sharp stones… everything was an advantage.
Auren (trembling but whispering):
"Sister… I'm scared…"
Lysera replied with a breathless but determined voice:
"I'm scared too… but I won't leave you. Hold on to me tight, okay? Just trust me."
Auren tried to hold back his silent tears, clinging to Lysera's neck. Lysera tried to keep her balance with the child's small body in her arms, adjusting her speed as her bare feet gripped the earth.
As the guards approached faster, Lysera leaped over a bush; she moved forward without falling, carrying Auren. Determination was in her eyes, while fear and pain mingled in her heart.
Lysera (internally, gasping for air):
"Just… a little more… hold on… almost there…"
In the depths of the forest, the darkness of the starless night concealed them; but the voices of the soldiers pursuing them never ceased. Every step, every breath had become the rhythm of escape and the struggle for survival.
Auren found safety in Lysera's arms. The trembling of his small body hurt Lysera's heart; but she had to stay strong. And Lysera continued to protect Auren with her bare feet, calculating every fallen branch, every sharp stone corner.
Lysera and Auren were running fast deep in the forest. Lysera's bare feet created a harsh rhythm as they struck the ground, while Auren shook in her arms with fear and exhaustion.
But one of the pursuing Luxaris guards was different from the others. He had adjusted his steps to be silent and deadly. His eyes were locked on Lysera; even his breathing was measured.
In an instant, he leaped behind Lysera with incredible speed. His dagger gleamed in his hand as he plunged it right into her back. Lysera straightened up in sharp pain, and Auren's small body slipped from her arms.
Auren was thrown from Lysera's grasp, tumbling a few steps forward. The sight of his small body flailing in the air was heartbreaking. Lysera fell to the ground in agony, the dagger in her back mingled with blood, her breathing raspy and painful.
Auren stumbled slightly as he landed but luckily stopped without hitting the tree roots. He gripped the soil with his small hands, his eyes filled with terror and fear.
Auren (crying, voice choked):
"Sister! Lyseraaa!"
Lysera was struggling to survive amidst the pain. Although the dagger was embedded in her shoulder, her eyes were still focused on Auren; her little brother had to be safe.
As the guard stood over Lysera, preparing to retrieve his dagger, Auren's scream filled the forest. The fear of his small body only magnified Lysera's pain.
While Lysera writhed in pain on the ground, the other Luxaris guards following them arrived quickly. The most terrifying among them was the man who had plunged the dagger into Lysera's back — Kaeltryn, the head of Luxaris's assassin unit, known for his ruthless and deadly gaze.
Kaeltryn grasped the dagger in Lysera's back with cold composure. His eyes shone like a killing machine devoid of empathy.
Kaeltryn (in a mocking, cold voice):
"Your struggling is in vain, child. Survival… is not on the table for you."
With a few movements, he pulled the dagger out. Lysera held her breath from the pain, squeezing her eyes shut. But Kaeltryn didn't care about her suffering.
Kaeltryn (eyes fixed on Lysera):
"Stand up… or I will have to leave you here."
Lysera forced her trembling legs, standing up in a near-fainting state. Kaeltryn hauled her up forcefully, then threw her into the middle of his soldiers. Lysera stumbled a few steps but was immediately seized by the soldiers.
The Luxaris guards surrounded Lysera; they all watched with ruthless discipline and harsh gazes. Kaeltryn, leaning back as if in total control, followed every movement of the little girl.
Kaeltryn (laughing mockingly):
"Welcome, the new game begins."
Lysera's eyes were filled with pain, anger, and fear. But there was also a small spark of hope; a way to escape, a reason to resist…
Seeing Lysera thrown among the soldiers, Auren leaped from his place in fear and panic. His small body might not have had enough strength, but his heart beat to reach his sister.
Auren (eyes teary, screaming):
"Lyseraaa! Sisterrr!"
His little feet began to pound the earth as he ran. He saw neither the soldiers nor the danger amongst them. All he saw was his sister trying to stand in agony.
Kaeltryn turned his head toward Auren. There wasn't a shred of mercy in his eyes; on the contrary, he viewed the approaching child like an insect.
Kaeltryn (with cold disdain):
"Stay away, brat."
Auren continued to run, ignoring him. Just as he was about to reach Lysera, Kaeltryn raised his leg without hesitation and delivered a hard kick to the child's chest.
The violence of the kick seemed to cut Auren's breath short. His small body was hurled back, flying a few steps before landing on his back. Soil and dry leaves scattered into the air.
Auren groaned in pain as he hit the ground. His chest burned, he struggled to breathe. Tears streamed from his eyes as panic set in when he couldn't find air for a moment.
Lysera (screaming, eyes wide with fear):
"AUREN! Don't touch him! Auren!"
Lysera began to struggle among the soldiers, but the two guards holding her arms gripped her tightly. Her legs trembled from blood loss, but seeing what was done to her brother, the pain in her eyes gave way to rage.
Kaeltryn cast another one of those emotionless, icy glances at Auren. He cleaned his dagger as if nothing had happened; as if kicking a child was an ordinary part of his life.
Auren had fallen and was struggling to breathe in pain. He clawed at the soil with his small hands, trying to crawl toward his sister. Every movement was filled with agony, but his heart beat to reach Lysera.
Thrown among the soldiers, Lysera was growing weaker from blood loss and pain. Her knees shook, her breath was short. Her hands reached into the void, struggling to see Auren. Tears streamed down her face as she screamed in pain:
Lysera (screaming, choked and exhausted):
"Auren! Don't be afraid! Come… come to me!"
Just then, a shadow emerged, breaking the silence: Darven Solmar, one of Rrnaun's loyal aides, entered the scene with brisk steps. His eyes were ruthless and sharp. His armor, gleaming in the darkness, was like a harbinger of death.
Darven Solmar (in a mocking tone, taking a deep breath):
"Ah… what a delightful mess. It seems you didn't want to miss the fun."
Lysera recoiled in horror upon seeing Darven arrive, but she could barely stand on her knees due to blood loss and fatigue. Her hands reached out into the void, trying to pull Auren, but the soldiers held her tight.
Auren continued crawling toward his sister. Every movement hurt, dragging his blood across the stony surface of the earth. His small eyes had begun to darken, but he flinched whenever he heard Lysera's voice:
Lysera (tired, almost a whisper):
"Auren… hold on… come to me…"
Darven smiled slightly when he noticed Auren. His steps approached silently but lethally. He was like a predator watching the child and the weary sister.
Darven Solmar (in a short and threatening tone):
"Little girl… you are lucky to have made it this far. But now… enough."
Auren held his breath in pain. As he crawled forward, a stone slipped from under his hands; he scraped harshly against the soil, continuing despite his tears. Lysera, her strength depleted, shouted:
Lysera:
"Auren! Come on! Come to me! Please, Auren!"
But Darven's steps were quickening; his shadow fell over Auren.
As Auren tried to crawl toward his sister, a heavy shadow suddenly fell upon him. Darven Solmar crouched rapidly, pressing his knee into Auren's back.
A sob broke from the child's slender frame; his breath was cut short. Auren's small hands dug into the soil, but Darven's power had him completely pinned to the ground.
Darven Solmar (with cold mockery):
"What an unfortunate child you are…"
He pressed his knee down a little harder; Auren moaned in pain.
Darven continued, his voice full of venom and mockery:
"Think about it… your brother Kaelrin will become one of us. He will turn into a loyal dog of Luxaris, and the only truth he will know about you is that you were killed by two traitorous Elder servants."
Auren's breath was stifled; his eyes widened. Lysera struggled among the soldiers, trying to scream, but her voice was broken.
Darven leaned into Auren's ear:
"And then… someone in your family turned out to be a traitor. Your sibling is crawling in this state… ah, poor Kaelrin would be heartbroken to hear this, wouldn't he?"
Auren tried desperately to move, but under the weight of Darven's knee, he could barely breathe.
Darven (as if enjoying himself):
"What was the last thing Kaelrin said? He asked something about your father… ah, yes…"
He smiled. His voice filled with icy pleasure.
Darven:
"Your father was already dead," he said, laughing.
"Those two dying dogs, hmm…"
(Referring to Thalos and Sira.)
Darven:
"We once thought of them as your family. Turns out they weren't."
Following his words, he delivered a hard kick to Auren's stomach. Auren's small body curled up in pain. His breath was cut off, tears gushed from his eyes.
Darven delivered a second kick. Auren slammed face-down into the soil, his scream coming out muffled.
Lysera (in pain and panic):
"AUREN! DON'T! PLEASE DON'T!"
But the soldiers held her, her knees trembling from blood loss; her voice was fading.
Darven Solmar delivered a third kick—
This time solely to knock the breath out of the child.
Auren was plastered to the ground, sobbing weakly. But his eyes were locked on Lysera, who was crying but trying to reach out to him.
Something was breaking in Lysera's heart. Her throat knotted, her breath came in short gasps. Her heartache was deeper than her physical pain.
Lysera:
"Auren… my brother… hold on… please… hold on…"
And Auren, trembling in pain, whispered:
Auren (forced, with a strangled breath):
"Sister… I'm scared…"