After the sun rose the next day, Lirin awoke feeling a strange kind of comfort…
a comfort she hadn't known for a long time.
She opened her eyes slowly, then turned to her side.
There…
Freela was sleeping in a very funny way—
one leg thrown over the pillow, her hair messy, and one arm hugging the air as if clutching a fleeing dream.
Lirin froze.
She stared at her for several long seconds.
Then she smiled…
a small, faint smile, but a sincere one.
Lirin (whispering):
"You're sleeping peacefully… this is the second time you've made me smile and feel at ease."
She reached out and gently pulled the blanket over Freela, careful, as if afraid of waking her.
Lirin (to herself):
"Even though you resemble my sister… you lived a dark life, unlike ours."
…
Lirin (thinking):
"I wonder… if I carry out this mission properly, would my little sister still be alive?"
…
But at that very moment…
Lirin felt something.
A light pressure in her chest.
Not pain… but a warning.
She stiffened.
Quietly, she stood up and walked toward the window.
The moment she opened it…
Everything changed.
The air was heavy.
The sky… was not as clear as it should have been.
Dark clouds were gathering unnaturally, moving in a slow circular motion… as if they were coiling around the city.
Lirin:
"He has started approaching… even though he still has eight days before reaching the kingdom."
Suddenly, Freela woke up in fear, sensing something strange.
Freela:
"Nini…?"
Lirin turned immediately.
Lirin (feigned calm):
"Don't be afraid. Stay here, and don't open the door no matter what happens."
Freela sat up quickly, her eyes trembling.
Freela:
"Why do I feel such overwhelming fear?"
Lirin paused for a second.
Then she stepped closer, knelt in front of her, and placed her hands on Freela's shoulders.
Lirin:
"Don't be afraid. Your big sister will take care of it."
Freela swallowed hard, then nodded forcefully.
Freela:
"Please… don't die."
Lirin:
"…"
Lirin:
"I won't. I promise you."
Lirin put on her coat and headed to the commanders' meeting to warn them of the coming great catastrophe.
The city alarm blared again—longer this time, sharper.
The hall's windows shook, and dust fell from the ancient stone ceiling.
The ten commanders stood up at once.
---
Cyril Dantas
He stepped to the front of the table, tall, his sharp eyes scanning the maps as if analyzing the battle before it even began.
Cyril Dantas:
"This is not a normal scouting attack.
The way the clouds are forming indicates an organized external energy pressure."
---
Valera Crist
She slowly raised her hand, the dark energy around her fingers trembling unstably.
Valera Crist:
"I feel an unnatural distortion…
Not a single monster, but the trace of a higher power manipulating those beneath it."
---
Galin Tork
He slammed his fist against his armor, his voice booming through the hall.
Galin Tork:
"Enough analysis.
If they're coming, we'll crush them at the walls."
---
Eleanor Vale
She looked at him with eyes glowing dark green.
Eleanor Vale:
"Raw power alone isn't enough.
If they breach the defenses, the city will become a trap for all of us."
---
Drakes Haron
Standing in the shadows, his voice emerged calm and cold.
Drakes Haron:
"Their movements are irregular…
Which means some entity is observing us, testing our reactions."
---
Marisa Lind
She stepped toward the map and pointed at specific locations outside the walls.
Marisa Lind:
"This area…
Monsters always appear here before the real attack.
But this time… there's no clear pattern. And that's troubling."
---
Thalor Green
He folded his small wings behind him, a faint flame slipping from his mouth.
Thalor Green:
"If it comes closer, I can track it from the air.
But if the energy pressure rises any further… flying will be a serious risk."
---
Kyra Mace
She placed her hand on the table, water droplets condensing around her palm.
Kyra Mace:
"The currents are changing.
Even the nearby sea is no longer stable…
The attack may not be limited to land."
---
Neron Valdin
He silently tested his bow, then spoke without lifting his head.
Neron Valdin:
"Give me a clear target, and I'll bring it down before it gets close."
---
Selena Thorne
With a sharp, cautious gaze.
Selena Thorne:
"But the most important question is…
Who exactly are we facing?"
---
At that moment, the hall doors opened.
Lirin entered, disguised in the princess's attire, her steps steady, her voice confident despite the weight in her chest.
Lirin:
"It's Chimera."
Silence fell.
A heavy, suffocating silence.
All eyes turned toward her.
She stepped forward.
There was no hesitation in her eyes.
Lirin:
"He's coming to the city.
And I believe he's realized that I escaped."
The silence returned, this time laced with unease.
Selena Thorne:
"How do you know?"
Lirin:
"Because this is what happened before his arrival eight days in advance.
And the aura only grows stronger with each passing day."
Galin stepped forward.
Galin Tork:
"Then we strike him before he strikes us."
Lirin calmly raised her hand.
Lirin:
"No."
Some were taken aback.
Cyril stepped forward slightly.
Cyril Dantas:
"Explain."
Lirin took a deep breath and spoke firmly:
Lirin:
"Chimera is not a conventional monster.
I'm certain the Black Knight has already told you—
every direct confrontation grants him something…
information, an ability, a fighting style."
Valera's gaze shifted uneasily.
Lirin:
"If we focus on attacking, we'll reveal our abilities one by one.
And he'll learn them faster than we expect."
She pointed to the map.
Lirin:
"Defense gives us a different advantage.
We force him to approach on our terms.
We limit his experiments.
And we prevent him from seeing all our cards at once."
Eleanor stepped forward.
Eleanor Vale:
"So the fortifications… become a weapon, not just a wall."
Lirin nodded.
Lirin:
"Exactly.
We exhaust him.
Restrict his movement.
And when he thinks he's understood us…"
She paused.
Then continued in a low, lethal voice:
Lirin:
"I will be the one to face him."
A heavy silence followed.
Then it exploded.
---
Galin Tork
He stepped forward aggressively, his voice filled with anger.
Galin Tork:
"This is madness!
You're not an ordinary soldier—your very presence is a balancing factor.
If you fall… we lose more than just a battle!"
---
Valera Crist
She clenched her fist, dark energy flaring.
Valera Crist:
"Even if you're the strongest…
Chimera learns.
A solo fight gives him a perfect chance to analyze you."
---
Cyril Dantas
He advanced calmly, but his gaze was firm.
Cyril Dantas:
"Your decision is militarily unacceptable.
We do not place the cornerstone in a direct confrontation with such an entity."
---
Drakes Haron
His voice cut from the shadows, cold as a blade.
Drakes Haron:
"And what if it's a trap?
A duel isolates you from all support…
That's the worst-case scenario."
---
Marisa Lind
She slowly shook her head.
Marisa Lind:
"Even ancient beasts…
are never faced alone.
This goes against everything we know about hunting."
---
Thalor Green
He flicked his tail nervously against the ground.
Thalor Green:
"If you fall, no one will be left who can stop him."
---
Kyra Mace
She looked at Lirin with genuine concern.
Kyra Mace:
"You're not just a fighter…
You're a keystone."
---
Neron Valdin
He finally lifted his head, gaze direct.
Neron Valdin:
"This gamble cannot be calculated."
---
Selena Thorne
She tightened her grip on her bow.
Selena Thorne:
"We won't allow it."
The objections closed in on her from every direction.
But Lirin…
did not step back.
Instead, she calmly raised her head.
Her gaze was not defiant…
but fully aware.
Lirin:
"I know everything you're saying."
She took another step forward.
Lirin:
"And that's exactly why…
I won't fight him with my abilities."
Everyone froze.
Cyril Dantas:
"What do you mean?"
She answered without hesitation.
Lirin:
"A purely physical duel.
Weapon against weapon.
No energy.
No special techniques."
Whispers rose.
Valera Crist:
"That… puts you in even greater danger."
Lirin shook her head.
Lirin:
"On the contrary.
It deprives him of his greatest weapon."
She pointed with her finger.
Lirin:
"Learning."
She paused, then continued:
Lirin:
"If I face him with my full power,
he'll leave the battle having understood me."
Lirin (to herself):
"And let's not forget that bastard placed a collar that prevents my powers from being released."
She stepped forward, her voice clearer.
Lirin:
"But if I face him without my abilities…
he'll see an incomplete version of me.
And he'll think he's understood me."
Eyes began to change.
Eleanor Vale:
"But it's still risky… he'll surely learn from our abilities."
Lirin:
"And who said you'll be using your abilities against him?"
Silence filled the hall…
but this time it wasn't denial.
It was contemplation.
Cyril moved slowly, clasping his hands behind his back, his eyes never leaving Lirin.
Cyril Dantas:
"Continue."
Lirin looked at everyone, then said calmly but decisively:
Lirin:
"I'll duel all of you—without abilities, of course—so you can adapt.
But know this: it won't be easy, because you're not used to fighting without your powers."
The silence lingered, every gaze fixed on Lirin—some shocked, some hesitant, but curiosity and unease prevailed.
Galin Tork raised an eyebrow sharply:
"Dueling you… without abilities? That means we fight you as if you're an ordinary enemy?"
Lirin nodded calmly:
"Exactly. Weapon against weapon, physical strength, strategy, movement—everything natural. No energy, no special techniques."
Neron Valdin set his bow aside, hesitant:
"This… will be harder than you think. We rely on our abilities. You're asking us to struggle without any support…"
Lirin smiled faintly, sharply:
"That's the point. I want you to learn how to rely entirely on yourselves—on skill, reaction speed, and true enemy analysis."
Valera moved lightly, concern in her eyes:
"But what if you make a mistake? Or if your opponent discovers something about your style?"
Lirin replied with lethal confidence:
"I won't use my power… but I'll teach you something more important: how to fight without supernatural strength. How real combat feels. Every step you take here will prepare you for the real assault on Chimera—how to surround him, restrain him, and exhaust him without him realizing."
A long silence followed, then Eleanor stepped forward:
"So this is practical training… but extremely dangerous."
Lirin raised her hand, her expression growing serious:
"Exactly. I'm not asking you to risk yourselves without reason. I want you ready for true combat before the greatest threat arrives. You'll fight me as if I were a normal enemy—and feel the pressure that abilities can never replicate."
All eyes gathered on Lirin, their expressions slowly shifting from worry, to understanding, to restrained excitement.
They understood the message.
This was not mere training…
This was a lesson in survival before the decisive battle.
Lirin:
"And don't forget… I also have a solid plan—
and it will most likely succeed."
To Be Continued…