From a distance, both Aerin and Limen, who had been tailing behind, witnessed Theo's dire situation. Lorian, not too far from them, muttered a silent prayer. "Elven gods, please protect them."
Just when it seemed that all hope was lost for Theo, an unnerving smile, reminiscent of a demon's, graced his lips. The men's taunts died in their throats. That simple grin sent a bone-chilling cold down their spine, and even their mocking laughter stopped.
From within his golden vault, Theo retrieved a rolled black scroll and hurled it towards the encircling enemies.
Instinctively, they dodged and retreated a few steps. As the scroll hit the ground, a feline figure, roughly the size of a domestic cat but with an impressive mane, appeared from the scroll.
The kidnappers burst into laughter, looking at the cute creature.
"Is that your secret weapon? A housecat?"
"He expects us to be scared of that fluffy toy?"
However, Theo's instinct told him to retreat, taking several steps back from the creature.
Then, without warning, the little lion let out a deafening roar that reverberated through the entire forest, causing leaves to shake off trees and the very ground beneath them to tremble. Flames began to dance around its mane, paws, and the tip of its tail.
A blazing aura emanated from it, making everyone present – kidnappers, Aerin, Limen, Lorian – felt an overwhelming pressure from the small creature. It felt as though the air was being sucked out, leaving them gasping.
The leader of the kidnappers shouted above the roaring fire, "Don't be afraid! Get the child!"
However, his voice quivered showing his own fear. Just as they hesitated, weighing the leader's order against their survival instincts, the Blazing Lion roared once more.
This time, a torrent of fire spewed forth, engulfing the immediate vicinity. The Blazing Lion didn't stop there. It darted around, almost dancing amidst the kidnappers.
Screams of agony pierced the night as one by one, they were caught in its fiery wrath. The air smelled of singed clothes and burning flesh. It was as if the forest had turned into a hellish barbecue. And just as abruptly as it had started, after two long minutes, the blazing lion vanished into thin air.
The fires left behind by the blazing lion continued to rage, consuming the trees and underbrush.
When the smoke cleared, only the leader and a few of his men remained. Their eyes swept around horrifyingly, searching for Theo. They couldn’t worry about the spreading fire, threatening to engulf the forest as their main goal was to get the girl to the headquarter.
In the distance, they spotted him, already making a quick escape with Neria in tow.
Theo continued his escape with Neria on his back. The sound of rapid footsteps resounded through the night. With each step, he felt increasingly drained, the burden of Neria, his own heavy body and the accumulated fatigue weighing him down. He had already consumed all the stamina elixir he had gotten from daily quests of [The Weight of Destiny].
As he dashed through the trees, he risked a glance backward and saw the drastically reduced number of men tailing him. There were just five now, and he knew that if he continued running, he would be in no condition to fight them and might lose badly. Moreover, he had Lilith by his side whom he could ask for help if things became worse.
It was a gamble, but Theo made the decision to confront them. He came to a stop, turning to face the incoming threat head-on.
The enemies also halted. There were no more taunts this time, but a visible fear glimmered in their eyes. These remaining five men didn't know what kind of tricks this cunning boy had up his sleeves. They were wary, knowing that underestimating him again could be fatal.
*Crackle!*
Suddenly, thunder rumbled overhead, and raindrops began to fall, quickly turning into a heavy downpour that drenched everyone present. The rain's rhythm intensified, as if drumming up the ground for the impending battle.
Wiping away the water from his face, the leader shouted, "Take him down..."
On his command, three men started advancing toward Theo. But before they could close the gap, two shadows darted in from the flanks. Aerin and Limen intercepted the attackers and engaged with one adversary each.
However, seeing these two new allies that the leader hadn’t accounted for, he grew annoyed and went for Theo himself, but Aerin skillfully intercepted him while parrying the attack of the one she had been initially engaged with. Her movements were graceful as if she was dancing in the rain. But the leader was no pushover either as he clashed with the princess, who was now fighting two enemies at same time.
One of the remaining men charged at the devious boy, and soon Theo found himself dueling two of them at the same time. The clanking sounds of swords resonated throughout the forest.
With Neria clinging to his back, Theo defended against the two kidnappers with surprising maneuverability. Their blades clashed and sparked, but Theo moved like a leaf in the wind, sidestepping one attacker's strike and smoothly slicing through the other's defenses. It was as if he was taking a leisurely stroll in the park, his sword skills had an extraordinary level of finesse.
Even Aerin, Limen, and the leader were taken aback by how he managed to dodge, tire out, and outmaneuver his opponents. It seemed as though he knew their every move, predicting their strikes and countering them effortlessly.
The thunder roared and lightning flashed, casting momentary gleams off their weapons, revealing the growing fear in the enemies' eyes.
Suddenly, another sword appeared in Theo’s hand. Before anyone could react, he swung it and pierced the neck of the opponent Limen was battling.
Blood leaked out, painting the ground beneath as the foe dropped to the ground, utterly caught off guard. This sudden move shifted the balance of the fight.
Now free, Limen quickly moved to back up Theo, engaging one of the foes Theo had been holding off.
The intensity of the fight grew, and two glowing rings adorned everyone’s wrist except Theo's. It was a mystery how he could fight against so many while his own rank remained concealed.
Theo felt a bit nauseous after taking a life; it was his first time, and he couldn't deny the unsettling sensation. However, he had no time to dwell on it. It was a classic situation of fight or flight. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed another figure approaching – it was Lorian. Without hesitation, Theo kicked his current opponent away and handed Neria off to her brother.
As Neria was with Lorian, his face showed tears and sadness as the siblings shared a moment of relief and reunion amidst the chaos. Lorian hugged Neria tightly, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. But their brief union was interrupted by a scream - Theo’s blade had stabbed another enemy’s heart.
The leader's expression darkened with fury as he watched his comrades fall one by one. He soon cursed silently in his mind as he noticed that this demon was now advancing in his direction.
He sprang backward, his sword illuminating with a cyan glow. The air grew tense as dust swirled at his feet and his clothes billowed. With a forceful tone, he shouted, “Aero Slash!”
Four gleaming cyan strikes hurtled toward the princess, catching her off guard. Her eyes widened with surprise, but she nimbly moved and evaded three of them. Unfortunately, the fourth strike found its mark, slicing her leg. She crumpled to the ground, blood spouting from the fresh gash, her face twisted in pain.
Rushing to her aid, Theo deflected an incoming attack from the opponent she'd been battling. He outstretched his hand for her to take.
Grimacing against the pain, Aerin grasped Theo’s hand, and with his help, she managed to push herself up, locking blades with the now desperate-looking leader.
As Theo, wielding two swords, danced through the combat with surprising grace, Limen was fighting close. Their eyes exchanged a look for a second.
Suddenly, Theo turned around, thrusting his blades into the throat of the foe Limen engaged. In the same movement, Limen delivered a fatal blow to the enemy Theo had been fighting. It was as if they had planned this, but it was pure instinct.
With their respective opponent dispatched, Theo and Limen turned their attention to the leader. But instead of fear, a sly grin spread across his face. “They are coming… You will all perish.”
As the words left his mouth, his face darkened and he slumped lifelessly to the ground.
The unexpected twist had Aerin and the rest casting wary glances around. They had hoped the confrontation would end with the leader, but his ominous parting words hinted that the true threat was yet to manifest.
The forest was still ablaze even though heavy rain poured from the sky. The path from which they had come was now blocked.
Aerin, limping, quickly turned to her group, "This fire will attract unwanted attention. The threat that man spoke of might be on their way. We have to leave this place."
"But princess…" Limen began, his eyes darting to her wound which clearly hindered her movement.
“I'll be fine,” Aerin assured him.
Limen shook his head. “No, Princess. You all go ahead. I'll go back and find Commander Haldir and our carriage.”
After a moment's hesitation, Aerin nodded in agreement.
Limen didn't waste a second, turning to sprint in the direction of the burning forest. He avoided plunging directly into the blaze, opting instead for a side path.
After Limen left, Aerin turned to the trio, “We should move now.”
As Aerin limped ahead, taking the lead, Lorian and Neria deliberately matched her slower pace. They didn't want to leave her behind, nor did they wish to make her feel inferior by out-pacing her.
However, Theo had no time for such formalities. He quickly closed the distance between them, blocking her path. His gaze fell on her drenched body. She was shivering, a combination of the heavy rain and her painful injury. The rain had made her clothes stick to her body, showing her tantalizing curves in a way that was hard to ignore.
Caught off guard by his sudden presence, Aerin's eyes met his with a feigned annoyance. "Why are you blocking my path?"
Without a word, Theo knelt before her. Her protest started, "Hey, what are yo..." but trailed off as she saw a healing elixir potion materialize in his hand. It wasn’t just any ordinary healing elixir but a high quality one.
He gently guided her injured leg onto his outstretched palm.
In her life, no one had shown her such care, always seeing her as a pillar of strength, never allowing herself to appear vulnerable. It was unfamiliar territory for this girl. Always the strong one, she had never let anyone tend to her injuries, not even Elara. But today, it was different. Aerin allowed him to proceed.
She watched, almost mesmerized, as Theo poured the elixir onto her wound. Before her very eyes, the skin mended rapidly. In mere moments, there was no trace of the injury.
When Theo rose to his feet, he noticed a faint blush tinting her cheeks, her gaze filled with jumbled up emotions. The elixir might have closed her wound, but she still needed rest to recover fully.
Sighing, Theo turned and knelt down once more, beckoning her with a gesture. "Hop on."
Still reeling from the unexpected intimacy of his earlier action, Aerin quickly retorted, "I can manage on my own."
"You'll slow us down and we can't afford to wait ," Theo countered, clearly exasperated. "Besides, you helped us, got injured in the process. I'm not leaving you behind now."
From a distance, both Aerin and Limen, who had been tailing behind, witnessed Theo's dire situation. Lorian, not too far from them, muttered a silent prayer. "Elven gods, please protect them."
Just when it seemed that all hope was lost for Theo, an unnerving smile, reminiscent of a demon's, graced his lips. The men's taunts died in their throats. That simple grin sent a bone-chilling cold down their spine, and even their mocking laughter stopped.
From within his golden vault, Theo retrieved a rolled black scroll and hurled it towards the encircling enemies.
Instinctively, they dodged and retreated a few steps. As the scroll hit the ground, a feline figure, roughly the size of a domestic cat but with an impressive mane, appeared from the scroll.
The kidnappers burst into laughter, looking at the cute creature.
"Is that your secret weapon? A housecat?"
"He expects us to be scared of that fluffy toy?"
However, Theo's instinct told him to retreat, taking several steps back from the creature.
Then, without warning, the little lion let out a deafening roar that reverberated through the entire forest, causing leaves to shake off trees and the very ground beneath them to tremble. Flames began to dance around its mane, paws, and the tip of its tail.
A blazing aura emanated from it, making everyone present – kidnappers, Aerin, Limen, Lorian – felt an overwhelming pressure from the small creature. It felt as though the air was being sucked out, leaving them gasping.
The leader of the kidnappers shouted above the roaring fire, "Don't be afraid! Get the child!"
However, his voice quivered showing his own fear. Just as they hesitated, weighing the leader's order against their survival instincts, the Blazing Lion roared once more.
This time, a torrent of fire spewed forth, engulfing the immediate vicinity. The Blazing Lion didn't stop there. It darted around, almost dancing amidst the kidnappers.
Screams of agony pierced the night as one by one, they were caught in its fiery wrath. The air smelled of singed clothes and burning flesh. It was as if the forest had turned into a hellish barbecue. And just as abruptly as it had started, after two long minutes, the blazing lion vanished into thin air.
The fires left behind by the blazing lion continued to rage, consuming the trees and underbrush.
When the smoke cleared, only the leader and a few of his men remained. Their eyes swept around horrifyingly, searching for Theo. They couldn’t worry about the spreading fire, threatening to engulf the forest as their main goal was to get the girl to the headquarter.
In the distance, they spotted him, already making a quick escape with Neria in tow.
Theo continued his escape with Neria on his back. The sound of rapid footsteps resounded through the night. With each step, he felt increasingly drained, the burden of Neria, his own heavy body and the accumulated fatigue weighing him down. He had already consumed all the stamina elixir he had gotten from daily quests of [The Weight of Destiny].
As he dashed through the trees, he risked a glance backward and saw the drastically reduced number of men tailing him. There were just five now, and he knew that if he continued running, he would be in no condition to fight them and might lose badly. Moreover, he had Lilith by his side whom he could ask for help if things became worse.
It was a gamble, but Theo made the decision to confront them. He came to a stop, turning to face the incoming threat head-on.
The enemies also halted. There were no more taunts this time, but a visible fear glimmered in their eyes. These remaining five men didn't know what kind of tricks this cunning boy had up his sleeves. They were wary, knowing that underestimating him again could be fatal.
*Crackle!*
Suddenly, thunder rumbled overhead, and raindrops began to fall, quickly turning into a heavy downpour that drenched everyone present. The rain's rhythm intensified, as if drumming up the ground for the impending battle.
Wiping away the water from his face, the leader shouted, "Take him down..."
On his command, three men started advancing toward Theo. But before they could close the gap, two shadows darted in from the flanks. Aerin and Limen intercepted the attackers and engaged with one adversary each.
However, seeing these two new allies that the leader hadn’t accounted for, he grew annoyed and went for Theo himself, but Aerin skillfully intercepted him while parrying the attack of the one she had been initially engaged with. Her movements were graceful as if she was dancing in the rain. But the leader was no pushover either as he clashed with the princess, who was now fighting two enemies at same time.
One of the remaining men charged at the devious boy, and soon Theo found himself dueling two of them at the same time. The clanking sounds of swords resonated throughout the forest.
With Neria clinging to his back, Theo defended against the two kidnappers with surprising maneuverability. Their blades clashed and sparked, but Theo moved like a leaf in the wind, sidestepping one attacker's strike and smoothly slicing through the other's defenses. It was as if he was taking a leisurely stroll in the park, his sword skills had an extraordinary level of finesse.
Even Aerin, Limen, and the leader were taken aback by how he managed to dodge, tire out, and outmaneuver his opponents. It seemed as though he knew their every move, predicting their strikes and countering them effortlessly.
The thunder roared and lightning flashed, casting momentary gleams off their weapons, revealing the growing fear in the enemies' eyes.
Suddenly, another sword appeared in Theo’s hand. Before anyone could react, he swung it and pierced the neck of the opponent Limen was battling.
Blood leaked out, painting the ground beneath as the foe dropped to the ground, utterly caught off guard. This sudden move shifted the balance of the fight.
Now free, Limen quickly moved to back up Theo, engaging one of the foes Theo had been holding off.
The intensity of the fight grew, and two glowing rings adorned everyone’s wrist except Theo's. It was a mystery how he could fight against so many while his own rank remained concealed.
Theo felt a bit nauseous after taking a life; it was his first time, and he couldn't deny the unsettling sensation. However, he had no time to dwell on it. It was a classic situation of fight or flight. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed another figure approaching – it was Lorian. Without hesitation, Theo kicked his current opponent away and handed Neria off to her brother.
As Neria was with Lorian, his face showed tears and sadness as the siblings shared a moment of relief and reunion amidst the chaos. Lorian hugged Neria tightly, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. But their brief union was interrupted by a scream - Theo’s blade had stabbed another enemy’s heart.
The leader's expression darkened with fury as he watched his comrades fall one by one. He soon cursed silently in his mind as he noticed that this demon was now advancing in his direction.
He sprang backward, his sword illuminating with a cyan glow. The air grew tense as dust swirled at his feet and his clothes billowed. With a forceful tone, he shouted, “Aero Slash!”
Four gleaming cyan strikes hurtled toward the princess, catching her off guard. Her eyes widened with surprise, but she nimbly moved and evaded three of them. Unfortunately, the fourth strike found its mark, slicing her leg. She crumpled to the ground, blood spouting from the fresh gash, her face twisted in pain.
Rushing to her aid, Theo deflected an incoming attack from the opponent she'd been battling. He outstretched his hand for her to take.
Grimacing against the pain, Aerin grasped Theo’s hand, and with his help, she managed to push herself up, locking blades with the now desperate-looking leader.
As Theo, wielding two swords, danced through the combat with surprising grace, Limen was fighting close. Their eyes exchanged a look for a second.
Suddenly, Theo turned around, thrusting his blades into the throat of the foe Limen engaged. In the same movement, Limen delivered a fatal blow to the enemy Theo had been fighting. It was as if they had planned this, but it was pure instinct.
With their respective opponent dispatched, Theo and Limen turned their attention to the leader. But instead of fear, a sly grin spread across his face. “They are coming… You will all perish.”
As the words left his mouth, his face darkened and he slumped lifelessly to the ground.
The unexpected twist had Aerin and the rest casting wary glances around. They had hoped the confrontation would end with the leader, but his ominous parting words hinted that the true threat was yet to manifest.
The forest was still ablaze even though heavy rain poured from the sky. The path from which they had come was now blocked.
Aerin, limping, quickly turned to her group, "This fire will attract unwanted attention. The threat that man spoke of might be on their way. We have to leave this place."
"But princess…" Limen began, his eyes darting to her wound which clearly hindered her movement.
“I'll be fine,” Aerin assured him.
Limen shook his head. “No, Princess. You all go ahead. I'll go back and find Commander Haldir and our carriage.”
After a moment's hesitation, Aerin nodded in agreement.
Limen didn't waste a second, turning to sprint in the direction of the burning forest. He avoided plunging directly into the blaze, opting instead for a side path.
After Limen left, Aerin turned to the trio, “We should move now.”
As Aerin limped ahead, taking the lead, Lorian and Neria deliberately matched her slower pace. They didn't want to leave her behind, nor did they wish to make her feel inferior by out-pacing her.
However, Theo had no time for such formalities. He quickly closed the distance between them, blocking her path. His gaze fell on her drenched body. She was shivering, a combination of the heavy rain and her painful injury. The rain had made her clothes stick to her body, showing her tantalizing curves in a way that was hard to ignore.
Caught off guard by his sudden presence, Aerin's eyes met his with a feigned annoyance. "Why are you blocking my path?"
Without a word, Theo knelt before her. Her protest started, "Hey, what are yo..." but trailed off as she saw a healing elixir potion materialize in his hand. It wasn’t just any ordinary healing elixir but a high quality one.
He gently guided her injured leg onto his outstretched palm.
In her life, no one had shown her such care, always seeing her as a pillar of strength, never allowing herself to appear vulnerable. It was unfamiliar territory for this girl. Always the strong one, she had never let anyone tend to her injuries, not even Elara. But today, it was different. Aerin allowed him to proceed.
She watched, almost mesmerized, as Theo poured the elixir onto her wound. Before her very eyes, the skin mended rapidly. In mere moments, there was no trace of the injury.
When Theo rose to his feet, he noticed a faint blush tinting her cheeks, her gaze filled with jumbled up emotions. The elixir might have closed her wound, but she still needed rest to recover fully.
Sighing, Theo turned and knelt down once more, beckoning her with a gesture. "Hop on."
Still reeling from the unexpected intimacy of his earlier action, Aerin quickly retorted, "I can manage on my own."
"You'll slow us down and we can't afford to wait ," Theo countered, clearly exasperated. "Besides, you helped us, got injured in the process. I'm not leaving you behind now."
