The clearing fell into a stunned silence as the weight of Isolde’s revelation settled over them. Franc’s blade lowered slowly, his eyes still fixed on the pale white hair that now cascaded over her shoulders like frozen moonlight.
Bianca’s hands trembled, the remnants of her spell sputtering and dying in her palms. Her voice came out in a small, terrified whisper.
"Th-The real Vampire Queen...? You’re the real one...?"
Lilith let out an exaggerated sigh, her threads retracting around her fingers like sleeping serpents. Her voice carried a note of theatrical disappointment.
"Ehhh? Since when did you become so soft, Isolde? I thought you’d be eager to sink your teeth into them. They’re right there, warm and full of blood." She paused, her crimson eyes gleaming with mischief. "Are you sure you don’t want a taste?"
Bianca let out a sharp, terrified squeak.
"Hiiii—!"
Isolde’s eye twitched. Her voice dropped to a cold, warning edge as she shot Lilith a flat look.
"I’m not going to do that. Don’t ruin my reputation, you shameless spider. Just stay quiet and wait for Adam to wake up."
Lilith’s pout deepened, her voice carrying a note of mock hurt.
"How mean. I was just offering you a snack."
Isolde’s crimson hair had returned, the white fading back into its usual shade as if the transformation had never happened.
Franc’s voice came out rough, strained.
"Then... what do you want with us? If you’re not going to kill us, why stop us?"
Isolde’s pale blue eyes met his, calm.
"Because you’re not enemies. And because if Lilith had her way, you’d be dead by now." She glanced pointedly at Lilith, who was still pouting. "I don’t need the trouble of explaining to Adam why I let his spider kill a bunch of Melium soldiers."
The Melium soldiers let out a collective breath of relief, their shoulders sagging as the immediate threat of death receded. But Reith’s jaw remained tight, his blade still half-raised, his eyes fixed on Isolde with cold suspicion.
"I still don’t trust her," Reith said, his voice low and sharp. "She could be lying. This could be another trick."
Franc’s hand shot out, pressing down on Reith’s sword arm, forcing the blade lower. His voice was firm, carrying the weight of command.
"Lower your weapon, Reith. That’s an order."
Reith’s grip on his sword didn’t loosen. His eyes blazed with stubborn defiance.
"We can’t afford to be fooled again, Franc! She could be waiting for us to let our guard down before she strikes! I won’t be tricked again!"
Lilith’s voice drifted over, smooth and amused, her crimson eyes gleaming with predatory delight.
"Oh? It seems you’re eager to continue fighting. Do you have a death wish, little knight?"
Reith’s face flushed with indignation, a sharp, frustrated sound escaping his throat.
"Kgh—!"
Franc’s voice cut through, sharp and final.
"That’s enough, Reith. This is an order. Don’t make this situation worse than it already is."
Reith’s jaw tightened, his knuckles white around his sword hilt. For a long moment, he didn’t move. Then, slowly, he lowered his blade, the motion stiff and reluctant.
"...Fine."
Franc’s shoulders eased, just slightly. His gaze shifted to Isolde, his voice carrying a note of cautious acknowledgment.
"Forgive my subordinate. He’s been through a lot."
Lilith’s smile widened, her voice carrying a note of dark amusement.
"I do love when prey tries to play predator. It makes the hunt so much more satisfying."
Isolde shot her a flat look.
"Lilith."
Lilith’s pout returned, her voice carrying a note of theatrical innocence.
"What? I’m just being honest."
Bianca stepped forward, her voice still shaky but carrying a thread of composure.
"We’re soldiers of Melium. We had formed an alliance with the demons, but they betrayed us. We barely escaped with our lives. Our commander stayed behind to hold them off so we could flee."
Lilith’s crimson eyes gleamed with mock sympathy, her voice dripping with theatrical sorrow.
"Oh, what a tragic tale. How heart-wrenching." She tilted her head, a sly smile curving her lips. "Isolde, don’t you want to help them? It would be such a noble gesture."
Isolde’s eye twitched. Her voice came out flat, edged with barely contained irritation.
"Can you be quiet for a moment?"
Franc’s voice cut through, low and urgent, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.
"We need to return to Melium as soon as possible. We have to bring reinforcements. But the worst-case scenario..." He paused, his jaw tightening. "Our commander might already be..."
Reith’s hand shot out, grabbing Franc’s shoulder with a sharp, desperate grip. His voice cracked with fierce denial.
"Don’t say that! The commander is still alive. We have to believe that." His eyes blazed, his grip tightening. "We need to catch up to Gilbert."
Bianca shook her head slowly, her voice carrying the weight of grim reality.
"That’s not possible. Gilbert is the only one who memorized the path. Without him, we’d be wandering in circles."
Isolde’s pale blue eyes studied the soldiers for a moment, then she inclined her head toward a narrow path winding between the jagged rocks to the east.
"If you head that way, you might reach the main road. From there, it’s a straight path back to Melium territory. After that, what you do is your own business."
Franc’s shoulders eased, a flicker of genuine relief passing through his eyes. His voice carried a note of gratitude.
"That’s... more than we expected. Thank you."
Before anyone could respond, a familiar pressure washed over them—a dense, suffocating aura that pressed against their senses like a physical weight. It carried a presence they recognized, cold and sharp.
Then the voice came, echoing through the clearing like a blade scraping against stone.
"Don’t run away just yet. Are you really so heartless that you’d abandon your comrade behind?"
Reith’s breath caught. His voice cracked, barely a whisper.
"Commander... is she...?"
Franc’s jaw tightened. His hand shot up, a sharp, commanding gesture.
"Run!"
But it was already too late.
From the shadows between the rocks, figures began to emerge—demon soldiers, their armor gleaming dully in the dim light, their eyes fixed on the group with cold focus. They moved with synchronized precision, forming a tightening circle around the clearing.
And at the front, Celine stepped forward.
Her blade was still drawn, its crimson edge dripping with fresh blood. In her other hand, she dragged Seraphina’s limp form across the ground—her armor cracked, her body covered in wounds, her breathing shallow and ragged. Blood pooled beneath her, dark and thick, staining the earth where she was dragged.
Celine’s smile was cold, sharp as the blade in her hand.
"Well, well. Look who we have here. I thought I’d find you scurrying through the shadows like the rats you are."
She released Seraphina’s body, letting her crumple to the ground with a heavy, wet thud. The sound echoed through the clearing, and the soldiers’ faces went pale.
Franc’s voice cracked, raw with barely contained fury.
"Commander—!"
Celine’s smile widened, her voice dropping to a silken murmur.
"Don’t worry, she’s still alive."
Reith’s vision went red. The world narrowed to a single point—Celine’s mocking smile, Seraphina’s broken body crumpled on the blood-soaked earth.
"YOU BASTARD!!!!"
His aura exploded outward—silver and raw, untamed, a shockwave of pure, unfiltered rage that sent dust and debris scattering in all directions. His boots slammed against the ground as he shot forward, his blade already in motion, the steel singing with the weight of his fury.
Celine’s smile didn’t waver. If anything, it widened.
"Ah. There it is. The predictable rage of a loyal dog."
She raised her blade, the crimson edge catching the dim light as Reith’s strike descended.
CLANG—BOOM!
The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the clearing. Reith’s blade met Celine’s, and for a moment, they hung suspended—silver fury against crimson malice.
Reith’s voice was a snarl, raw and desperate.
"Get away from her!"
Celine’s eyes gleamed with cold amusement. Her voice was light, almost playful.
"Make me."
She twisted her wrist, and Reith’s blade was shoved aside. Her foot swept out, catching his ankle and sending him stumbling. Before he could recover, the flat of her blade slammed into his ribs, driving the air from his lungs.
He hit the ground hard, gasping, but forced himself upright.
Celine’s gaze swept over the gathered soldiers, her smile sharp and predatory.
"Any other dogs want to play?"
She didn’t wait for an answer. Her blade carved a devastating arc through the air aimed directly at Reith’s throat.
Before it could land, a silver thread wrapped around her wrist, stopping the blade mid-swing. Celine’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise passing through them as her momentum was halted by an unseen force.
Lilith’s voice drifted from the edge of the clearing, smooth and amused, her crimson eyes gleaming with dark delight.
"I don’t usually interrupt other people’s fights, but..." Her gaze drifted to Seraphina’s fallen form, then back to Celine. "You’re being rather rude, suddenly making a mess around here."
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