XXVIII - The Dawn Wing Princess has Been Captured

The library become silent, the air grew heavier as Aurora's aura intense, her slitted pupils remain focus on the intruder, who'd squirming weakly against the strong strands of her hair that sending shivers through the crowds' spines.

Aria's ears flattened as she peaked behind Charlotte, her own mismatched eyes wide, didn't blinked, instead, she still silent without calling her out.

"Sis…ter?" she whispered, voice low with concern.

Charlotte glanced at her shoulder, her gauntleted hand flew on the top of Aria's head, stroking gently, trying to comfort the younger bakeneko despite she was taller than her older sister, the atmosphere remain in danger.

Professor Zamora adjust his spectacles, his weathered gaze darted between Aurora's hair as tendrils to caught the assassin without using her weapon.

Aurora… w-w-what is going on?

Aurora stepped forward, her movement more fluid and regal, her boots tapping against the wooden floor, her hair illuminate weakly in signature cyan, her hands remain on her side without using her fans.

She ignored the murmurs of her classmates, she didn't flinched when the assassin reached his dagger on his harness beneath his cloak, attempt to cut her hair, but it didn't budge, instead.

Aurora caught his wrist by commanding her hair to coiled like a living vines, stopping him from escaping.

"I said, who sent you here?!" she repeated, a low warning snarl slip from her lips. Her crimson eyes gleamed against his own.

The assassin coughed, struggling against the coils of her hair, still didn't softened, it tightened even harder if he didn't tell the truth. 

But he let out a strained, humorless laugh, despite he was caught, regret his own pride and action, he didn't care at all.

"You think—HahaHAHA!—do you think I'd just telling that?"

Aurora's gaze darkened, she tightened her hair to made him uncomfortable, her bangs afloat, revealing her thin, slitted pupils, fully regal and sophisticated.

"Wrong answer."

The assassin gulped nervously, his bravado demeanor vanished instantly, replaced in feign guilt and vulnerability playing on his face.

"A—hahaha! Why are you asking for, Dawn Wing Princess?"

"I said, WHO. IS. SENT YOU?!"

Her coils tightened even further, drawing a sharp, strangled gasp from the assassin's throat. Sweat began to beaded along his forehead, while he kept mocking her, even she wasn't joking around—she was in threatening mode.

"HAHAHA—! Do you even think that torture will destroy me?!" he mocked, laughing even harder, but cracked something into thinner, his bravado slowly vanishing, closer to panic.

"The prince is need you, Princess."

Aurora's grip loosen slightly, letting him proceed his words, brow furrowed in suspicion at the unfamiliar name.

"Who?"

"The prince, he's curious—very, very fascinating about the unique ability of yours."

"What prince? Are you manipulating me?" Aurora growled, her crimson eyes faltering back into mismatched ones for a brief second.

She leaned her face close to his level, pupils remain thin as thorn of vines, speak calmly with lack of emotions.

"Speak clearly, or I'm promised, there's no gentle, gentle—you will face the consequences."

The assassin just offered her a grin, wider despite he was officially caught by the furious, arrogant princess, but then he tell the truth, especially in front of anyone.

"Oh-ho, you must make sure to ask yourself, Princess."

"W-what do you say?"

"Because—laugh I'm not alone."

Before Aurora could press further, a familiar smoke bomb rolled at the chamber, releasing—a dense, suffocating anti-magic smoke lingers around them.

She looked down, her eyes instantly wide, she'd already recognize the scent already, starting to burning her throat, wiping her mana that answered her call as breathing.

It answered, nothing at all.

Students coughed, some scattered away from the room, books and scrolls forgotten, chairs scraping hard as the scream echoed through the chamber.

Quincy tightened her book, while she remain close to her partner, Sarah, who'd raised her hand to cast a barrier around themselves, shielding their breath from the acrid tang.

Whisper let out a high-pitched warning.

"Warning, warning, warning! Danger! Aurora is in danger!"

Sarah shift her gaze, passing from the scattered students, toward the trembled silhouette behind the smoke.

Aurora—!

Aurora coughed, her feral instinct banished, her hair loosened as its host starting to grew weaker due to anti-magic, her pupils dilated, staring at the three cloaked figure drawing closer toward her direction.

The assassin coughed, gasping for freedoms, pulling himself out from her grip, letting out a devilish laugh.

"Hahahaha… I'd told you, I'm not alone."

Aurora raised her head weakly, a low warning snarl slip from her lips as she stare darkly at him.

"You…"

"Take her." the assassin demanded, gesturing them to brought her to his master.

"As your wish, my lord." three cloaked figure said in unison. A tallest one lift the weak princess like he didn't feel her weight.

"Hmph, what a heavy sac of grain." he scoffed, a deep familiar guttural of his voice before placing her on his cloaked shoulder like a sac of grain with no sensation of pain.

Aurora thrashed violently, her feet kicking as she protest.

"Nngh! Let me go—!"

"Quiet, princess—you're coming with us now."

They laughed, stepping aside the frightening students in the hallway, their gaze didn't leave as they watch the princess has been caught by the wrong hands.

"Charlotte!" Aria called out, her voice cracked in panic as she watch her sister helplessly getting taken away from them, her tail bristling as her hand stretch, reaching toward her sister.

Aurora lift her gaze weakly, raised her own hand weakly, her eyelids half open due to dizziness.

"A-Aria…"

Then, her unconsciousness drain her energy.

"AURORA—!" Charlotte screamed, charging toward the intruder, furious but she forced to stop by the guards.

Aurora didn't heard their scream anymore, as the four of them taking her away from her village. Success their mission.

The Dawn Wing princess has brought by the wrong hands, heading toward the unknown path that nobody knows where she find—except their master is waiting.

For her arrival, using her Dawn Wing mana for his own selfishness and twisted plans against anyone who trespass on his fortress.

Charlotte collapse on the smooth floor due to anti-magic smoke weakening her strength, she raised her arm, gauntleted hand reaching toward the distance where four cloaked figures with Aurora now on their hands further away from her—not only her, away to the academy, away from her freedom with no avail to break free...

"AURORA!" Charlotte cried helplessly, coughing as her own vision grew hazy for a moment, tears streaming down on her face as she saw a dragon carrying a wagon fled toward nowhere.

Quincy flew her hand to her mouth, while Sarah turned away, clutching Aria's juvenile wyrm Vipera as comfort. Beside her, Aria's eyes red from tears, her ears drooping.

Her sister was gone, not death, but unconscious, she need need a plan to rescue her, no matter what they face. 

They refused to give up—not until Aurora was safe with no harm.

꒰ა ✦ ໒꒱

Aurora stirred from unconsciousness, her mismatched eyes were hazy and unconfused, darting around at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Nngh…where am I?" she whispered under her breath, a low groan slip on her lips.

What is this place?  she thought to herself, her regal posture not present, slowly sat up from the bed, clutching her temple.

She found herself in the chamber—the dream, Charlotte's heroic arrival, the mysterious man, everything.

Not magic examination—this place is more different than she dream before the academy orientation.

Her mismatched eyes finally widened in horror, realization hits her.

No… no, no, no no! This is just a dream. Let me go, this isn't true!

Her dream will become reality.