The train car had become a cage of chaos. The panicked prayers of the passengers mixed with the grunts of combat and the clang of steel. Kaelen and Eli fought with the desperate grace of cornered animals, but the tide of bandits seemed endless. A lucky blow from a club sent one of Alicia's bodyguards crumpling to the floor, unconscious. The other fought on, his movements slowed by a deep gash on his arm.
Alicia watched, her fists clenched. For the first time, her noble bearing cracked, revealing raw, frustrated fear. She had the latent power—the rich, deep well of mana inherited from her lineage—but without the training to channel it, she was as helpless as a child.
This was the opening Godrich waited for. He strode forward, his silver aura parting the combatants like a shark moving through minnows. The remaining bodyguard lunged at him, but Godrich didn't even bother drawing his sword. He simply backhanded the man with a mana-reinforced fist, sending him crashing into the seats with a sickening crunch.
"Now then," Godrich purred, stopping inches from Alicia. She could smell the sour ale on his breath. "No more interruptions."
"My father will have your head for this," Alicia spat, her voice trembling despite her defiance.
Godrich's laugh was a short, ugly bark. "By the time the Marquess gets the news, my dear, you and I will be long gone, and his gold will be in my pockets."
From across the carriage, Ivan saw it all unfold. A surge of panic and anger overrode his fear. He didn't think. He just acted. Raising his hands, he focused every ounce of his will, every dream of being a hero, into a single point. A thin, wobbly beam of blue light shot from his palms—a pathetic spark compared to the auras around him. It flew straight for Godrich's head.
The bandit leader didn't even flinch. He tilted his head slightly, and the beam fizzled harmlessly against the wall behind him. He turned a mocking eye toward Ivan.
"A mosquito's bite would have more sting, boy."
But Ivan was smirking. "It was just a distraction."
Godrich's eyes widened as he turned back. In the split second he'd looked away, Alicia had gathered her mana. Her hands glowed with a brilliant, untamed gold light. She wasn't aiming for a precise spell; she was unleashing a raw wave of force point-blank.
"Get AWAY from me!" she screamed, thrusting her palms forward.
The concussive blast hit Godrich square in the chest. It wasn't skilled, but it was powerful. The air cracked, and he was lifted off his feet and thrown backward through the train's shattered doorway, landing in a heap on the gravel outside.
Alicia collapsed to her knees, gasping for air, the immense drain of the uncontrolled spell leaving her dizzy and weak. Ivan rushed to her side.
"Are you okay?"
She looked up, her face pale, but a flicker of her old haughtiness returning. "I… I had it under control. But… your timing was… adequate." It was the closest she would come to a thank you.
Their moment was shattered by a roar of pure rage. Godrich staggered to his feet outside, his clothes torn, his face a mask of fury. His silver aura flared brighter than ever, vibrating with murderous intent.
"YOU LITTLE BRATS! I'LL SKIN YOU ALIVE!"
He charged back through the doorway, a silver-bladed sword materializing in his hand. He ignored everyone else, his eyes locked on Ivan and Alicia.
Ivan, acting on pure instinct, jumped in front of the exhausted Alicia. He crossed his arms, recalling a basic defensive stance from his books. A faint, shimmering pane of light—a crude, untrained barrier—flickered into existence.
It held for less than a second. Godrich's sword didn't even slow down. It shattered the barrier like glass and the pommel slammed into Ivan's chest. Ivan cried out as he was thrown back against the seats, collapsing to his knees, a sharp, breathtaking pain radiating through his ribs.
"Ivan!" Alicia screamed, her eyes wide with horror.
Kaelen and Eli tried to disengage, but they were pinned by the remaining bandits. It was over. Godrich loomed over them, raising his sword for a final blow.
"A fitting end for a pair of meddlesome children."
But his victory laugh died in his throat. A new sound cut through the chaos—the thunder of hooves, dozens of them, approaching fast.
From the tree line, a squadron of knights on powerful warhorses emerged. They moved with terrifying precision, surrounding the train in seconds. At their head was a woman in immaculate silver armor, a crimson plume flowing from her helmet. Her face was stern, etched with the cold authority of someone who commanded absolute respect. Her aura wasn't just visible; it was a palpable pressure that settled over the entire area, a deep, thrumming gold that dwarfed Godrich's silver glow. This was a B-Rank, Platinum-class power.
"Bandit scum," Commander Celina's voice was like ice, carrying effortlessly without a shout.
"By the authority of Duke Edgar, lay down your arms and surrender."
Godrich's eyes darted around. He was surrounded by two dozen imperial knights. Desperation flashed across his face. Maybe he could take the commander as a hostage… It was a fool's thought.
He made his move, lunging at Celina with a desperate cry.
He never saw her draw her sword. There was just a flash of golden light. One moment Godrich was charging, the next, he was on the ground, screaming. His sword arm and one leg were cleanly severed. He hadn't even touched her.
Celina looked down at him, her expression one of cold disgust. "A Silver-rank thug, preying on civilians. You disgrace the very concept of power." With a final, swift motion, her blade ended his screams.
The remaining bandits dropped their weapons, fleeing into the woods in utter terror.
As the knights secured the area, Eli and Kaelen finally slumped against a wall, breathing heavily in relief. Alicia helped a wincing Ivan to his feet. But Ivan wasn't looking at his injuries, or even at Alicia. His eyes were locked on Commander Celina.
She had ended a threat that had nearly killed them all in the space of a single breath. The gap between his flickering wisp of mana and her controlled, devastating power was an ocean. The awe he felt was instantly eclipsed by a burning, insatiable hunger.
*This,* he thought, his heart pounding with a new purpose.
*This is what true strength looks like. I will get stronger. No matter what.*
***