The earth trembled again. And then...
Crack!
A spear of wickedly sharpened stone burst violently from the ground.
It shot forward with terrifying speed, straight at Mira's exposed back.
Sera's eyes widened in horror. "MIRA!"
Mira began turning her head slightly, finally sensing danger, but it was already far too late to avoid the strike.
The spike pierced clean through her chest from behind, erupting from the front in a spray of crimson.
Time seemed to shatter. The world slowed to a crawl as everyone fell into shocked silence.
The crackling electricity in the air vanished completely. Even the wind died to nothing.
Everyone watched in frozen horror—the royals hiding behind distant trees, Sera frozen mid-motion in complete disbelief, Dorian with uncharacteristically wide eyes, even his followers standing motionless.
The stone spike had gone clean through her torso with no resistance.
Mira's body jerked violently. Her breath caught in her throat with a wet, choking sound. Her eyes widened, more shock than pain registering in her expression.
Then, slowly, her trembling hands dropped limply to her sides. Blood pooled rapidly beneath her knees, trickling down the spike that was now the only thing keeping her upright in that kneeling position.
She didn't scream, didn't cry out. Just blinked once, as if her mind was still struggling to process what had just happened.
"N-no... NO!! MIRAAA!!" Sera's scream tore through the silence.
She couldn't hear her own voice. Couldn't comprehend the reality of losing her closest person. Her sister. She didn't even register the agony in her broken ribs as she stumbled forward desperately, tears already streaming down her face.
"MIRA! WHY?! WHYYYYYY—"
Mira struggled to turn her head, barely managing the movement. A small, sad smile twitched weakly on her blood-stained lips.
"Run," she mouthed silently, no sound escaping.
Then she slumped forward, sliding off the spike like a discarded doll, hitting the dirt with a dull, final thud.
"Please—NO! MIRA!!" Sera collapsed to her knees beside her friend, hands shaking uncontrollably.
She grabbed Mira's face gently, lifting it with desperate care. Tears dripped down like heavy rain onto that pale, cooling skin.
She was still warm. Her eyes were half-open, fighting against eternal sleep. Still breathing, but so faint, like a candle flame guttering in the void.
"Mira! Don't leave me. Stay with me. Please..."
No response.
Sera's hands pressed frantically against the massive wound, trying desperately to stop the bleeding. But it wouldn't stop. Blood kept flowing between her fingers no matter how hard she pressed.
She looked up with wild, bloodshot eyes toward the Earth Mage.
He hadn't moved since the attack. Just stood there with a blank, emotionless expression.
Dorian's voice cut through the stillness, sounding low, dangerous, and carrying an edge that made even his own followers tense. "Who gave that order?"
Silence. No one answered. Evelyne remained perfectly still.
Dorian's sharp gaze snapped to her immediately.
She produced her trademark innocent, teary-eyed expression, perfectly practiced. "She was a threat, Young Master. To you. To all of us."
"I didn't order her death," Dorian said, each word coated in ice. "I said she had potential. That she was 'useful' to me."
"And now she's neutralized," Evelyne replied, stepping forward while wiping fake tears. "You said it yourself, untamed power. Do you truly want a Knight Guard who might lose control and incinerate you and your men while you sleep?"
Dorian didn't answer immediately. He turned away, pacing slowly back toward the clearing's edge with hands clasped behind his back.
His eyes settled on Mira's motionless form. He disliked losing valuable pieces from his collection. But the moment had passed. The board had changed.
"Clean this up," he said coldly, without emotion. "Retrieve the royals. Bring the archer to me alive."
He didn't look back.
Behind him, Sera wept silently, clutching desperately at what remained of her sister's fading warmth.
---
The guards moved efficiently, without hesitation. Three broke off immediately and circled the trees where the terrified royals cowered, dragging them out one by one.
Their protests were weak, fear had already broken them completely. They didn't resist as ropes were tied around their wrists and glowing magic seals were branded painfully across their forearms.
The remaining guards turned toward Sera.
She hadn't moved at all.
Her arms remained wrapped tightly around Mira's limp body, blood soaking completely through her leather armor and dripping steadily onto the ground.
Tears painted tracks through the dirt covering her face. Her eyes stared ahead blankly, seeing nothing and everything simultaneously.
One guard approached cautiously. He hesitated, shifting uncomfortably. He looked down at the two women, the broken one still desperately holding the dying one.
"Get up," he said roughly, trying to sound authoritative.
Sera didn't respond or even acknowledge his presence.
The guard glanced back at his companions. Another gave him a curt nod to proceed.
He reached out again, slightly gentler this time. "I said—"
"LEAVE US ALONE!" Sera screamed suddenly, clutching Mira even tighter. "She's still breathing! She's still..." Her voice cracked completely into wracking sobs. "She's still alive..."
The guard swallowed hard. For a brief moment his hand lingered in the air uncertainly.
He took a breath, irritation replacing hesitation. "We don't have time for this."
Sera remained unresponsive.
His patience snapped. He stepped forward, and slapped her hard across the face.
SMACK!
The sound echoed sickeningly.
Sera's head snapped violently to the side. Blood welled from her split lip and nose. But she didn't cry out. Didn't even look at him. She simply lowered her head further and clung tighter to Mira's body.
As if staying perfectly still might let death take them both together.
The guard growled in frustration. "Get up. Now."
Still no response. Sera didn't flinch or blink. Just lay there waiting, almost wishing for him to strike again.
His hand rose, fingers curling for another vicious blow.
But then it stopped.
Something gripped his wrist mid-swing with crushing force.
His eyes darted sideways in shock.
A figure stood beside him. Tall. Unnaturally quiet. The grip on his wrist was like steel, absolutely immovable.
The guard tried yanking his arm free. It wouldn't budge even slightly. Panic began creeping into his chest.
'How did he get here?' The thought screamed through his mind. 'I didn't hear anything. Not a step or even a breath.'
He looked up slowly.
The figure stood roughly six feet tall with a lean, athletic build. A long, tattered black cloak fluttered slightly in the breeze. Midnight-black hair fell just past his shoulders in slightly tousled layers, framing sharp, angular features that somehow balanced nobility and lethality.
But it was the eyes that truly froze him.
Dark silver. Eerily calm. And beneath that silver surface, a faint crimson glow flickered like fire behind tinted glass.
They weren't just calm, they were utterly unreadable. The kind of eyes that had witnessed death countless times and never once looked away.
The guard's mouth opened. "W-who—"
CRACK!
His question ended with a sickening snap as the stranger twisted his wrist backward. Bone broke loudly.
"AAAGHHHHH!" The guard screamed, crumpling to the ground and clutching his mangled arm.
Every other guard froze in place, hands moving instinctively toward their weapons.
Sera blinked slowly through her tears, vision swimming. When she finally managed to focus upward, she saw him clearly.
"...Kael?" she whispered hoarsely, barely believing.
Kael didn't respond. His silver eyes remained fixed on the assembled guards, looking cold and absolutely merciless.
He spoke, his voice quiet but carrying undeniable weight.
"Touch her again," he said with chilling calm, "and I'll kill every single one of you."