"Keep up, everyone! Push forward!" Lucas's voice rang out, sharp and commanding, cutting through the chaos of the night. His steps were swift yet controlled, his black eyes glinting with a cold, unyielding intensity. He charged toward the knights closing in around them, his sword gripped tightly, ready to carve a path through the enemy.
"Thud, thud, thud…"
His pace quickened from cautious steps to a brisk jog, the cobblestone streets of Moth City slick beneath his boots. Lucas's senses were razor-sharp, his mind processing the subtle warnings his instincts fed him—movements in the shadows, the glint of armor, the rhythm of approaching footsteps. His sword danced in his hands, its blade a blur as he wove through the knights, each swing leaving a trail of crimson in its wake.
"Pfft… pfft… pfft…"
In an instant, four knights fell, their throats slashed or chests pierced by Lucas's relentless strikes. Four kills in a single breath—this was the limit of his current physical prowess, a staggering leap from the days when he could barely manage two. The air was thick with the metallic of blood, and the ground grew slick with gore as bodies crumpled around him.
Behind him, Freya froze for a split second, her eyes wide with awe and a touch of fear. Four kills in an instant? The speed of his sword, the precision of his strikes, the sheer calculation required—it was almost inhuman. In all her years of combat, she'd never seen such a display. At her peak, she could manage two kills in a flash, and only if luck was on her side or her opponents were weak. Lucas's skill was a revelation, a glimpse of a level she hadn't yet touched.
"Don't just stand there—move!" Mina's lithe form darted past Freya, her cat tail flicking as she shadowed Lucas's every step. Her loyalty was unwavering, her movements a perfect complement to his, like a blade's edge to its hilt.
"Right!" Freya snapped out of her daze, her eyes blazing with renewed determination. She made a mental note to challenge Lucas to a sparring match once they returned to Sedona City. His skill was a beacon, a spark that reignited her drive to grow stronger. With a flick of her wolf tail, she surged forward, her greatsword swinging in wide, lethal arcs. Each strike was precise, felling a knight in one or two blows, guarding Lucas's left flank with unwavering focus.
"Get out of my way, you bastards!" Ayesha's hair whipped through the air as she spun, her hands gripping the haft of her two-meter-long Overlord Spear. She moved like a whirlwind, the spear's massive weight nothing in her hands as she swung it with devastating force, smashing into a knight with the fury of a charging bull.
BANG! The knight was hurled backward, his body tumbling across the ground in a series of bone-rattling rolls. When Ayesha unleashed her full strength, she was a force of nature, a berserker whose power rivaled the legends of demonic warlords. Her raw might sent a shiver through the remaining knights, their courage faltering in the face of such overwhelming destruction.
"Swish! Swish!"
Elisa, the elven sharpshooter, had unlocked a new realm of devastation with the compound bow in her hands. The weapon was a marvel, its specially crafted steel arrows tearing through knightly armor as if it were cloth. Each shot was a death sentence, the arrows claiming lives with merciless precision. For Elisa, it was as if the bow had awakened something primal within her, transforming her into a goddess of retribution, reaping knights with every pull of the string.
With Lucas, Mina, Freya, and Ayesha carving a bloody path ahead, Elisa's deadly arrows providing cover, and the War Wolves delivering precise follow-up strikes, the team's advance was unstoppable. They surged through Moth City's streets, their momentum carrying them out of the city and into the forest's far side just before the knights from the outer woods could converge. The timing was perfect, their escape a testament to their skill and coordination.
"Huff… huff… huff…"
Lucas leaned against a tree, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. The others were no better, their faces flushed and their lungs burning from the grueling melee. Cold steel combat was a brutal test of endurance, draining even the strongest warriors in minutes. The forest around them was silent, save for the rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of night insects, a stark contrast to the chaos they'd left behind.
"Thud, thud, thud…"
Footsteps approached, and Numbers Seven and Eight, the rearguard, emerged from the shadows. Their arms ached from wielding the compound bows, their muscles strained from the effort of drawing the reinforced strings. These bows were designed to fell beasts like rhinos or elephants, and their power came at a cost.
"My lord, they didn't pursue," Number Seven reported, his voice steady despite his fatigue. "The knights have retreated."
"Retreated?" Lucas's brow furrowed, a flicker of suspicion crossing his face. He turned to Mina, his tone sharp. "Go back to the cave and check if Bonnie's escaped."
"Yes, lord!" Mina nodded, her cat ears twitching as she oriented herself toward the cave's direction. Without hesitation, she set off, her movements swift and silent. Freya followed close behind, her greatsword at the ready. If trouble awaited, the two of them were more than capable of cutting their way out.
"Elisa, are you okay?" Ayesha asked, her voice softening as she hefted her massive spear onto her shoulder. Her eyes scanned the elf for any signs of injury. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"
"No," Elisa replied gently, shaking her head. Her emerald eyes lingered on the bloodstains splattered across Ayesha's armor, a stark reminder of the violence they'd endured. Her throat tightened, and her eyes stung with unshed tears, though she couldn't quite name the emotion welling within her.
"Heh, good to hear!" Ayesha grinned, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. With a dramatic toss of her head, her long locks cascaded behind her, her wild, untamed aura shining through. In that moment, the horned girl was a vision of fierce, unapologetic strength.
"Is everyone alright?" Lucas's dark eyes swept over the group, noting the War Wolves's shakes of their heads—confirmation that no one was seriously injured. His gaze settled on Elisa, who stood at the center of the rescued elves. The others huddled behind her, their eyes wide and wary as they watched the bloodied warriors before them.
"We're fine, my lord," Elisa said softly, her voice steady but laced with emotion. She bit her lower lip, her heart a tangle of gratitude and guilt. The one person she'd never expected to come for her—the lord of Sedona City—had risked everything to save them. It was almost too much to bear.
"Good. Rest for a moment, then we head back to Sedona City," Lucas said, turning to Chris. "Set up sentries and start cooking. Use the compressed rations."
"Yes, lord!" Chris replied, ignoring his own exhaustion as he assigned two squad members to keep watch. The rest began preparing a quick meal, the faint clatter of pots and the crackle of a small fire breaking the forest's stillness.
As Chris worked, Elisa approached Lucas, her hands cradling the compound bow. She held it out to him, her posture respectful. "My lord, this bow is incredible," she said, her voice tinged with awe. "I can't thank you enough for coming to our rescue."
Lucas didn't take the bow. Instead, he tilted his head, his dark eyes studying her. "Do you want it?" He asked, his tone casual but probing.
"What?" Elisa blinked, caught off guard. She glanced down at the sleek, powerful weapon, its strange design unlike any bow she'd ever wielded. Her heart stirred with longing, but doubt crept in. After a moment of hesitation, she shook her head. "I… I can't accept it."
Lucas rolled his eyes, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Seriously? You're not following the script here."
Elisa caught the playful glint in his eye and smiled despite herself. "My lord, this is a divine bow," She said, her voice earnest. "I'm not worthy of it. You should find someone stronger, someone more skilled to wield it."
"I already have," Lucas said, his voice calm but firm. "You're the one I'm talking about."
"What?" Elisa's breath caught, her cheeks flushing as she met his steady gaze. "You… you mean me?"
"Yes, you," Lucas said, pushing the bow back toward her with a light chuckle. "The elves are the finest archers in the world. Come back to Sedona City with me." His eyes flicked to the other elves standing nearby, a spark of ambition in his gaze. In his mind, they were the foundation of an elite sharpshooter unit, armed with compound bows—a squad of otherworldly snipers capable of striking silently from impossible distances.
"I… I…" Elisa's head bowed, her heart racing. The offer was tempting, a dream she scarcely dared to entertain. But her identity—the White-Haired Enchantress, a fugitive with a thousand-gold-coin bounty—loomed like a shadow. "I can't go with you, my lord," She said, her emerald eyes dimming with sorrow. Tears welled, and she stepped back, her hand covering her mouth as her voice broke. "I'd bring disaster to Sedona City. Thank you—thank you so much for saving me, all of you. I'm sorry… I've let you down."
Her heart ached with the delorde to say yes, to return to the safety and camaraderie of Sedona City. But her exposed identity made it impossible. The bounty hunters would come, and Sedona City would pay the price for her presence.
"Elisa, what are you going on about now?" Lucas's voice cut through her despair. He flicked the last of the blood from his sword, sheathing it with a smooth motion. A wry smile curved his lips. "A thousand gold coins? That's nothing. I'll just buy you."
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