The Scarlets glared at the young women, inching closer with low growls and bared fangs.
"Margott, any ideas?" Claire called out, her grip tightening around her sword, ready to strike.
"With just my bow, I won't do much damage. You'll have to distract them!" Margott replied, raising her weapon and scanning the beasts, trying to predict which one would attack first. Claire's sharp gaze landed on one Scarlet—its left eye flickered purple before shifting back to its usual crimson.
Interesting...
"Fine. Stay close, I'll be the bait. HIMMLISCHTER BRUSTPANZER!" Claire shouted, and in an instant, her energy armor materialized over her body. Without hesitation, she charged forward.
"You're insane! Don't do it!" Margott screamed, but it was too late—Claire had already launched herself into battle.
Margott swiftly repositioned and shot an energy arrow. As it soared, it split into four, creating a blinding explosion that disoriented the Scarlets. Seizing the moment, Claire spun through the chaos, decapitating two of them in a single motion.
"Move, Claire!!" Margott yelled.
A Scarlet had circled behind Claire, slashing at her with a vicious swipe. The impact shattered her energy armor, sending her soaring through the air—her sword slipping from her grasp.
"Claire!!" Margott's heart pounded as she tried to reach her friend, but two Scarlets blocked her path, exhaling waves of blue fire. Margott barely managed to shield herself with her cape, leaping away just in time. She retaliated, shooting a powerful energy arrow straight into the open jaws of one of the beasts.
Meanwhile, Claire lay helpless on the ground, her body refusing to move as the remaining Scarlet loomed over her, jaws ready to snap shut.
"Claire!!" Margott screamed.
Just as the dragon's fangs descended, a massive fist of energy obliterated its head, reducing it to nothing but mist and gore.
Stunned, Claire turned her head—her twin brother, Kiett, had arrived with his squad.
"Kiett!!" Claire gasped, tears welling in her eyes.
But there was no time for relief. Kiett remained on high alert; more Scarlets were closing in.
"Get up, Claire!!" he commanded.
Beside him stood Marth, Lucas, and two other warriors—one of them critically injured.
Claire quickly retrieved her brother's sword and invoked, "ROTE DOLCH!" Four crimson slashes cut through the air, severing the necks of several Scarlets. But for each one that fell, more emerged from the mist…
MEANWHILE, IN AVERFORD...
A battalion of Legionnaires prepared for deployment, donning their armor and unsheathing their swords. From the great gate, Queen Fiora Windham, First Princess Liliam Bright, and Commander Elias emerged.
"Legionnaires, prepare to jump!!" Fiora commanded as she mounted her mare, Prime Bathus.
"Sentinels, activate the rune!!" Elias ordered.
Three mystical scholars, known as the Sentinels, hurried forward, inscribing glowing runes into the air. The symbols read: Celestial Path. Moments later, the Arcane Gate flared to life, a swirling blue vortex forming before them.
"This is an absolute order. This is what we live for. No mercy for those damned dragons!!" Fiora declared.
A thunderous war cry erupted from the Legionnaires as they charged into the Arcane Gate.
From the balcony of her chamber, Sonia watched as the army vanished into the portal.
"Be careful, Mother… come back to me," she whispered, clutching her hands to her chest.
The people of Averford gathered, watching in anxious silence. Many of them had children training to become Legionnaires, some others are now marching into battle…
BACK IN THRENAFELL...
A barrage of energy arrows rained down upon the Scarlets—Margott's handiwork.
"Run!!" she shouted, and no one hesitated.
Claire mounted Kiett's horse, while Margott leaped onto Marth's steed. They galloped through the forest, desperately searching for an exit—but none revealed itself.
Guided by Grislett's instructions, Rivett led the group through a dense underbrush until they stumbled upon a hidden cave. They rushed inside, desperate for refuge.
"Silence!!" Kiett ordered.
Outside, the Scarlets' heavy footsteps and guttural growls grew distant until… nothing.
"They're gone," Claire exhaled, relief washing over her. She turned to hug her brother, but Margott beat her to it, throwing her arms around Kiett and kissing him deeply.
Claire grimaced. "That's disgusting."
"I thought I'd never see you again!" Margott said, voice trembling with emotion.
"I'm fine. But you shouldn't have come!" Kiett scolded.
Claire finally yanked Kiett away from Margott and hugged him fiercely.
"Let me have my brother for a second!!" she snapped.
"Claire—you're crushing me—can't breathe!" Kiett wheezed. Margott chuckled.
Their moment was interrupted by Lucas.
"We need help!! Grislett's bleeding out!"
The group rushed to the injured girl's side. No matter what they did, the bleeding wouldn't stop.
"We must get her out of here now. She won't last much longer!!" Rivett cried.
"But we're trapped," Marth pointed out grimly. The rain poured outside, and night was falling fast.
Rivett attempted a healing spell, but it failed.
"Kiett, we have one option left!" Margott declared.
Everyone turned to her.
"What are you suggesting?" Kiett asked.
Claire smirked. "I bet it's something reckless—I like it."
Margott took a deep breath. "We need to use ROTES SCHICKSAL."
Stunned silence.
"You've lost your mind," Claire snapped, gripping Margott's shoulders.
"Believe me—it's the only way to make an opening!" Margott insisted.
"She's right," Rivett agreed. "ROTES SCHICKSAL found us before. It might work again."
"But… none of us cast it," Marth pointed out. "So who did?"
The realization hit Claire like a hammer.
"Montecristo… He must have entered Threnafell after you Claire." Margott said.
"This is insane, but it's the only way to distract the Scarlets so we can try to escape!!" Kiett exclaimed.
"I hate to admit it, but you're right. It's completely suicidal… but if we do it right, we'll buy ourselves some valuable time!!" Rivett agreed, giving Margott's plan his approval.
"Alright, how are we doing this!?" Kiett asked. Everyone felt silent, thinking of a way to carry out such a risky plan.
"I have an idea!" Marth exclaimed. Everyone turned to him, intrigued and desperate to get out. Despite the healing spell, Grislett was still losing blood due to the Scarlet venom.
"You're not going to like this, but one of us has to cast ROTES SCHICKSAL while the rest make a run for it and get out of Threnafell!!" Marth declared.
Everyone froze, stunned. They hadn't expected that.
"That's insane! No way—we're all getting out of here together!!" Claire shouted, but her brother interrupted her.
"Marth is right. We must split up!!" Kiett said.
Lucas called for help, and Rivett rushed over—Grislett was getting worse. She was coughing up blood now.
"Grislett!!" Rivett cried, tears in her eyes. Her friend was getting closer to death with every passing second.
"Help me! Strengthen the healing spell, please! We can't lose her!!" Lucas pleaded desperately.
"Please, we need to get Grislett to the kingdom's sentinels now!!" Rivett shouted in despair.
Marth, Claire, Kiett, and Margott quickly came to an agreement—they had to decide who would be the bait.
"Alright, are we all in agreement!?" Kiett asked. But Claire and Margott weren't convinced.
"Why does it always have to be you? Do you want to become a martyr so young!?" Claire snapped, furious that Kiett had decided to be the one to cast ROTES SCHICKSAL.
"Why do you always put yourself in danger!?" Margott exclaimed, grabbing Kiett's hand. The young man was visibly irritated.
"This isn't the time for questioning—it's time to act. We don't have a choice. Grislett is dying, so we'll do what needs to be done." Kiett responded firmly.
Marth stepped in to calm the girls.
"You're not going alone, Kiett. I'm coming with you!!" Marth said, shocking everyone.
"What are you talking about!?" the girls demanded.
Marth explained the new plan. Claire and Rivett would lead the group. Margott would carry Grislett, and Lucas would cover the rear while he and Kiett cast the spell to lure the Scarlets in the opposite direction.
"If there are two of us, we have a better chance of making it out alive!!" Marth insisted.
Kiett nodded. "It's a good plan. Let's do this now!!" he declared.
Marth and Kiett mounted their horses and rode toward the cave's exit. It was still daytime, but the heavy rain had darkened the sky.
"Wait until we cast the spell! Don't leave before—once you start running, don't stop!!" Kiett called out.
The two young men halted right before exiting the cave. Fear and nerves were written all over their faces. Kiett glanced at his friend.
"I'm scared, man. I want to see mom and dad again. I don't want to die…" Marth admitted, sorrow clear in his eyes.
"I'm scared too. If you looked at me right now, you'd see I'm trembling. But we're getting out of this!!" Kiett exclaimed.
With those words, Kiett and Marth launched into their suicidal mission.
OUTSIDE THRENAFELL...
Montecristo, Alistar, and the surviving recruits had made it out of the cursed forest, though many had perished. The wounded were tended to as best as possible.
"Montecristo, are you alright?" Alistar asked.
Montecristo didn't answer. He stood, staring at the ground, fists clenched. Then, suddenly—
"DAMN IT!!!" he roared, slamming his fists into the earth. Again. And again. Blood seeped from his knuckles.
"Joel, stop!!" Alistar shouted, rushing to restrain him.
And then—the ground shook.
A massive battalion of Legionnaires arrived, led by none other than Queen Fiora Windham and First Princess Liliam Bright.
The Queen dismounted from her mare. Alistar and the others knelt in Fiora's presence, but she gestured for them not to.
"Do not kneel. Keep tending to the wounded!!" Fiora commanded as she walked among the legionaries, recruits, and hunters, all gravely injured. She approached Montecristo, who was still on his knees.
"General, what happened here? My recruits!!" Fiora asked, kneeling in front of Montecristo. The general couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze. Fiora gently took his chin and lifted his face.
"Joel, speak to me!!" she urged.
Montecristo finally looked her in the eyes.
"I failed!!" he choked out, his voice breaking, tears welling up.
Fiora's eyes filled with deep fear, her expression twisting in terror. She stood up, scanning the scene—countless recruits lay gravely wounded, and lifeless bodies lay covered across the battlefield.
Her gaze landed on Liliam, who was holding her son, Lon, tightly in her arms. The rain showed no sign of stopping. Fiora looked up at the sky—the black clouds refused to part, smothering the sunlight. Then, suddenly, the air was filled with shouts. Everyone snapped to attention, their voices rising in alarm.
A soldier pointed to the sky. "My Queen, LOOK!!" Fiora's gaze snapped toward Threnafell. Another colossal ROTES SCHICKSAL illuminated the heavens.
"There are still people in there!!" Fiora whispered, a flicker of hope in her eyes.
TO BE CONTINUED...