Chapter 11: A Failed Plan...?

The night wind howled in her ears. Lyne, carrying Kaega on her back, darted like a phantom across the rooftops, heading straight for the city gate.

Two fireballs hissed through the air, hurtling towards her. Lyne leaned, weaving through them spectacularly. Instantly, a Smiling Mask leaped from the shadows, his sword cutting a vicious vertical line. Lyne reacted in a split second; she coiled her body, the Dorgan dagger in her hand drawing a deadly arc. The living corpse's sword broke in two before the crimson blade sweetly lopped off his head.

– What?

Lyne was stunned by the dagger's power. It had become unbelievably sharp after being enchanted.

"Normally, an enchantment that increases a weapon's power by 30% is already a great success. But this... it's almost 100%."

Another fireball flew by, forcing Lyne to leap from the rooftops, landing on the chaotic street below. The moment her feet touched the ground, two other Smiling Masks rushed in from behind.

"Dammit, have to dodge!"

The thought had barely flashed through her mind before her body acted. Despite the heavy load on her back, she jumped with extraordinary agility, simultaneously throwing her last throwing knife.

Clang! The man parried it. Forced onto the main street, she no longer had the terrain advantage.

"Out of throwing knives... and there are too many on the rooftops..."

– Heretics over there!

– Oh, shit!

Behind her, the fanatics of the Faith Guild were charging forward. Ahead, the Smiling Masks were regrouping, and a little further away, the Crying Masks had begun their incantations.

– Kill them... – the growl of the Faith Guild.

– Great Karizanis, grant this humble servant... – the deadly prayer of the Silver Masks.

– "Leave him... you will survive." – the voice in her head whispered again.

Caught between two pincers, time seemed to stand still. Lyne's thoughts raced at a frantic pace.

"There's no way out. The only way... is to leave Kaega behind."

– "That's right, he's a burden... He is not worthy... OF... YOUR... SACRIFICE!"

"Right... from the beginning, he and I were nothing to each other... I followed him only because of the promise of revenge... In return, he also used me... If I had left from the start, it wouldn't have been wrong..."

Lyne's will began to waver. She wanted to give up.

Her left hand tightened around the Dorgan dagger, the blade trembling as she brought it back, intending to cut the rope that bound Kaega to her. But then, a warm, azure light suddenly emanated from her right hand. And a familiar, gentle voice echoed in her mind:

– "Believe in... yourself... My most talented child... You can do it."

Lyne's eyes snapped open. She could feel everything again. The left hand that was about to cut the rope suddenly pulled back, the dagger brought forward. She had made her decision.

"Break through the Silver Masks, let the two factions slaughter each other!"

Her eyes blazed. Time seemed to slow down, but in reality, she was charging... charging at an unprecedented speed towards the masked figures.

Fireballs rained down on Lyne like a deadly storm. But in her eyes now, everything was surmountable. She leaped up, running along a wall to dodge one, then slid down to evade an attack from a Smiling Mask, ducking under a horizontal slash and immediately counter-attacking.

Swish!

Another head rolled. But she didn't stop. Her speed was still increasing. Behind her, the two guilds had begun to clash. Lyne was like a swift black cat in the midst of the chaotic battlefield; she weaved through slashes, dodged fireballs, and gently counter-attacked when she had the chance.

– You little brat... Agh!

– Shoot her down! Kill the kid... Kae...

Lyne eliminated anyone who dared to get close, but human strength has its limits. She was overloaded. Although she had broken through the Silver Masks' encirclement, as they pursued, she stumbled. Not just from exhaustion, but from the accumulated lack of sleep and stress... She had pushed past her own limits, but it wasn't enough.

Clatter, clatter...

A few masked heads rolled to her feet. It seemed like a rescue, but it wasn't. It was Crambell, the corrupted Holy Knight. He stood there, his sword dripping with blood, his eyes watching her with amusement.

– Look here, a little black cat of the battlefield... Its way of running is so adorable...

– Ha... ha...

– Why are you panting like that? So pitiful. You must be very tired, little one...

He slowly approached Lyne, raising his sword high, his voice sickeningly sweet.

– Now, let me set you free.

"I guess this is it... I did my best, Kaega... Consider my debt to you paid..."

"At least I won't die at his hands..."

Lyne closed her eyes, accepting her fate.

The cold moonlight etched the moment the blade swung down...

SWOOSH!