Chapter 11: A Failed Plan...?

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

Two fireballs hissed through the air, hurtling toward her. Lyne leaned, dodging them spectacularly. Instantly, a Smiling Mask leaped from the shadows, his sword slashing down in a dangerous vertical arc. Lyne reacted in a split second, contracting her body as the Dorgan dagger in her hand drew a deadly curve. The undead's sword snapped in two before the crimson blade cleanly severed its head.

– What?

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

"Normally, an enchantment that increases a weapon's power by 30% is considered a great success. But this... this is 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 more Smiling Masks closed in from behind.

"Damn it, I have to dodge!"

The thought had barely formed when her body was already in motion. 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 advantage of high ground.

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

– The heretics are over there!

– Oh no!

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

– Kill them... – The growls of the God's Faith.

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

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

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

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

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

"Right... we were strangers from the start... I followed him only for the promise of revenge... In return, he used me... It wouldn't have been wrong if I had left from the beginning..."

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 binding Kaega to her. But then, a warm, blue light 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 hand about to cut the rope pulled back, the dagger now pointed forward. She had made her decision.

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

Her eyes blazed with light. Time seemed to slow, but in reality, she was running... running 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, 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 countering.

Slice!

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 nimble black cat in the chaotic battlefield, weaving through slashes, dodging fireballs, and gently counter-attacking whenever she had an opening.

– You brat... Agh!

– Shoot her! Kill the boy... Kae...

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

Clatter, clatter...

A few masked heads rolled to her feet. For a moment, she thought someone had come to her rescue, but no. It was Crambell, the corrupted Holy Knight. He stood there, his sword dripping with blood, 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 so? How pitiful. You must be very tired...

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

– Now, let me release you, little one.

"I guess this is it... I did my best, Kaega... I suppose I don't owe you anything anymore..."

"At least I won't die by that man's hand..."

Lyne closed her eyes, accepting her fate.

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

SWOOSH!