[4 days later]
As the second trial on the flying island came to a close, back on Moxi Island, beneath Alcos City, Lora was thinking of a way to survive the predicament she was in right now. For days, she had tried every method she could think of to remove the anti-magic necklace that bound her powers, but nothing worked.
Just as she was about to try to break the anti-magic necklace again, the door to her cell opened. Two men entered, both wearing ominous animal masks. The first wore a black crow mask with a black feathered cape, giving him an eerie, bird-like appearance.
The second man wore a purple mask, his dark skin covered in tattoos that glowed faintly. Purple smoke seemed to emanate from his palms, curling around his fingers. He also wore a red hood and held a silver magic staff in his left hand.
The two men glanced around the room, seemingly unimpressed by their surroundings, before turning their attention to Lora.
"So they finally sent someone to torture me," Lora spoke trying to sound uninterested and show courage. "Do whatever you want, I won't tell you anything."
The man in the crow mask simply stared at her in silence, his gaze unnerving. Lora's heart raced with a mix of fear as the silence stretched on. Finally, the man spoke, but not to her. He addressed his other companion.
"It seems Boss Riss was right," Crow said, his voice calm and measured. "The girl doesn't know anything. Let's proceed as planned and deliver her to the client."
Lora's eyes widened in shock. "What?!"
The man with the purple smoke nodded silently, moving his hands as the smoke around him began to swirl toward Lora. She reacted instinctively, jumping away in a desperate attempt to avoid it, but the smoke was too fast. It wrapped around her, restraining her movements completely. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break free.
"Argh... Let me go! Arrghh!" Lora cried out.
Crow glanced at her dispassionately. "Just bring her. Let's get to the portal and teleport out of here before the higher-ups from the Adventurer's Guild branch get a sniff of this place."
"Okay," the man with the purple smoke, known as Purple, responded curtly.
These two are members of the first guild in the Black Market Alliance, elite assassins who worked directly under Riss. The one in the crow mask was known simply as Crow, while the other was called Purple Smoke, though he often shortened it to Purple.
As they began to move, Lora floated in the air, trapped within Purple's smoke. They exited the room and started walking through the underground base, which was hidden beneath the headquarters of the Lizard Company, one of Alcos City's most powerful entities. Unbeknownst to the public, the Lizard Company was a front for the Black Market Alliance, and all of its higher-ups were deeply involved in the underworld.
During the last few days, Lora had made several escape attempts because she knew none of the nameless titans were in the base, but none had succeeded. However, in one such attempt, she had managed to steal a small dagger from a guard, hiding it in a secret spot on her body. Now, as she was being carried toward the portal, she felt for the dagger, hoping it would help her escape.
When they finally reached the portal chamber, Crow approached the control screen to input the coordinates for their destination—the headquarters of the number one guild in the Black Market Alliance. Lora seized the moment. With a swift movement, she retrieved the dagger and hurled it at Crow with all her might.
Swoooosshhh
The dagger flew through the air, aimed directly at Crow's head. But Crow, with reflexes honed by years of experience, easily dodged the blade. It embedded itself in the screen instead. Crow turned back to Lora, and although she couldn't see it because of the mask, she he had a mocking smile on his face.
"Is that the best you can do?" he taunted. "I knew you had that dagger all along. I just wanted to see what you'd do with it. You should have targeted Purple—he's the one holding you, after all."
Lora remained silent, her head down as if in defeat. Her red hair fell over her face, hiding the sly smile that had formed on her lips. But Purple, standing beside her, noticed her expression and heard her mumbling something under her breath.
"I never intended to hit you," Lora whispered. "You weren't my target."
Purple's eyes widened in realization. He turned to look at the screen behind Crow and saw the damage the dagger had done—not just to the screen, but to the mana stone powering the portal.
"Oh no! Crow, watch out!" Purple shouted.
But it was too late.
Boooooommmmmm
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[Meanwhile, Above at Alcos City]
In the southern district of Alcos City, directly beneath the headquarters of the Lizard Company, a massive explosion rocked the ground. The blast was so powerful that it sent a shockwave through the city, causing the air to be filled with the remaining mana from the destroyed portal.
Woosh
Lora emerged from the underground base at high speed, inhaling the fresh air as she reached the surface. She looked back at the destruction she had caused and allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction.
"Fyouww, good thing I listened to Grandpa when he taught me about portals and how to destroy them," Lora muttered to herself. "Those idiots even put the mana stone behind the screen. Next time, I'll tell Grandpa that I'm strong enough not to be the 'rescued princess.' Fuckers, I'll make sure to take my revenge."
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Now, nearly a day after her escape, Lora found herself hiding in an inn in the west district of Alcos City. She had taken precautions to conceal her identity, wearing a hooded cloak to hide her face from any pursuers. The inn's VIP room offered some security, allowing her to meditate and regain her strength.
The anti-magic necklace that had suppressed her powers had been removed by a mercenary mage whom she payed by giving him the necklace. This made her able to regain her magic and focus on circulating her mana through her body, preparing for whatever came next.
Suddenly, Lora's eyes snapped open. She sensed a disturbance in the mana above her. She rushed to the balcony and looked up, her heart skipping a beat when she recognized the airship hovering in the sky. It was Edvard's airship, the one her grandfather had used on countless missions.
A wave of relief washed over her as she realized that Eldric had finally arrived. Her ordeal was almost over. But just as she was about to leave the room, a sense of foreboding settled over her. Something was wrong.
Wooosshhh
Instinctively, Lora jumped off the balcony and into the street below, just as a massive explosion tore through the room she had been in moments before. The blast burned everything inside, leaving nothing but ruins.
"Shit, they found me!" Lora cursed, breaking into a sprint. She headed east, toward the port, hoping to reach her grandfather before her pursuers caught up. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw several figures chasing her—members of the Lizard Company, no doubt.
One of them, who appeared to be the leader, shouted orders to his comrades. "Catch her! She's the one responsible for the explosion at the company!"
Lora ignored the shouting as she pushed herself to run faster. She knew Crow and Purple were likely among the group, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
As she reached the central district, where the Adventurer's Guild headquarters stood, she spotted a group of people who appeared to have just returned from a mission. Without hesitation, she shouted a warning, "Hey, you! Get out of here! There are members of the Black Market Alliance behind me—they're here!!!"
The group looked surprised, but they quickly assessed the situation and saw the truth of Lora's words. A young man among them, with a determined look in his eyes, stepped forward, his posture radiating confidence. He gripped the hilt of his sword and in one fluid motion, he pulled the blade from his back and raised it high into the sky.
Without hesitation, he run toward the enemies, his movements very fast. As he passed Lora, his eyes briefly met hers. Then, with a powerful leap, he jumped over her, landing in the middle of the enemy group. "Fiery Hell!" he shouted, his voice carrying the power of his intent.
The young man was none other than Saifon, and the others with him were Aiden friends and the other from the adventurer guild and also the second prince and George. They had come to the Adventurer's Guild for some rest after their recent incident, but when they saw Lora's predicament, they sprang into action. Saifon had been the first to move, his flames striking down the enemy with brutal efficiency.
His hands ignited with a powerful black-purple flames. The flames coiled around his black blade and the air around him crackled with mana, the heat emanating from the flames making the space feel suffocating.
"4th Form, Blazing Sword!" he spoke calmly, swinging his sword with a force that sent shockwaves through the ground. The dark flames surged along the blade, extending outward in black slashes. The first wave of flames engulfed the nearest enemies, the fire consuming them with a terrifying speed.
The flames clung to their bodies, burning through armor and flesh alike. The screams of the Lizard Company's members echoed through the streets as they were reduced to ash, the dark flames leaving nothing behind.
The young warrior didn't stop. He spun around, using another form, "2nd Form: Scorching blaze", his sword a blur as he unleashed arcing vertical slashs in an upwards motion. The flames followed the path of his blade, cutting through the air with precision. Each slash was a calculated strike, designed to incapacitate or eliminate, leaving no room for retaliation.
One of the Lizard Company's fighters attempted to attack him from behind, lunging at the young man with a spear. But Saifon was faster. He sidestepped the thrust with ease, bringing his sword down in a sweeping arc. The blade, wreathed in hell flames, sliced through the spear and the man holding it, leaving nothing but charred remains in its wake.
Within minutes, the entire group of Lizard Company members lay defeated, their bodies either burned to ash or lying motionless on the ground, the flames still flickering around them.
Lora, watching from a short distance away, felt a wave of relief wash over her. The young man had not only saved her but had done so with an overwhelming display of power. She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she approached him.
Suddenly, a man wearing a crow mask appeared out of nowhere, rushing straight for Lora. She had anticipated this, knowing Crow would wait for the right moment to strike. But his speed and still caught her off guard.
"You bitch," Crow snarled, his voice dripping with venom. "You made me search the entire city for you, and you even burned part of Purple's face. He told me to catch you so he can make sure he burns your face just like him."
He reached for her, his hand inches from grabbing her when a flash of steel blocked his path.
Swoosh Shing
Two daggers clashed with Crow's sword, stopping his attack. A man with bunny ears and red eyes stood between them—Abrat, had appeared beside Lora the moment Crow tried to reach her. Earlier together with Olenna and Konstantin and Gwen, they were the ones to leave early so they could reach the headquarters of the adventurer guild in the central area to help Kathy.
Now, he felt a disturbance outside the building and so he came out and see the situation and found out Crow about to strike Lora. Crow snarled, clearly frustrated by the sudden interference. "Tch, Of course, it had to be you, Abrat. Seems like I won't be able to get her after all."
He glanced at the situation unfolding around him—the members of the Lizard Company were either dead or burned and unable to move to continue the fight. "We failed this mission miserably. Boss Reiss will be furious".
Without waiting for a response, Crow swiftly retreated, disappearing into the shadows as Abrat kept his guard up, ensuring that no further attacks would come Lora's way.
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Nolan and the others approached Lora, who was still catching her breath after the intense chase. Saifon, his purple flames now extinguished, looked at her curiously. He didn't ask her anything though as he went back to the group and stood beside William
"So... who are you, girl? And why were they so determined to catch you? You seem pretty important to them," Nolan asked because of his curiosity.
Lora hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm Lora Julius, the third princess of Kederawen Kingdom. I was kidnapped a few weeks ago because they wanted to use me as leverage against my grandfather, Eldric Julius. I believe he's here in Alcos City—I've seen his airship earlier."
Nolan's eyes widened in recognition. "Wait... you're Sir Eldric's granddaughter?! Man, we were just with him on the ship. He went with Aiden."
Lora's heart skipped a beat, a mix of relief and longing flooding her. "Really? Please, can you take me to him? I need to see him."
Nolan nodded, understanding the urgency in her voice. "Of course. But first, I need you to stay here for a bit and tell me everything that happened so I can report it to the higher-ups."
Lora reluctantly agreed. "Alright... but please, after that, take me to my grandfather."
Nolan smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. These girls will show you the way. We'll make sure you're safe."
Lora's heart pounded in her chest as she realized that this nightmare was finally over. It won't be long before she reunites with her grandfather and so, the emotions she had kept buried began to surface. She had acted brave all this time . But the truth was, she had been terrified.
She had been so strong for so long, but now, the exhaustion of keeping up that strength was catching up to her. She was tired—tired of being brave, of being strong, of pretending she wasn't afraid. All she wanted now was to see her grandfather, to feel the safety of his arms around her, to finally let go of the burden she had been carrying.
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"Grandfather!" she cried, her voice choked with emotion.
"Lora!!".
She hadn't allowed herself to cry before. Crying would have been a sign of weakness, something her enemies could exploit. But now, the tears came a lot. She couldn't keep her emotions anymore and she run toward him hugging him immediately.
Eldric turned at the sound of her voice, his eyes widening in shock and then softening with relief as he saw her running toward him. He opened his arms, and Lora practically threw herself into them, clinging to him with all the strength she had left.
Eldric hugged her back just as fiercely, his eyes filled with relief and love. "I was so worried. I will never let you go away from me again. You're my only treasure in this world."
For a moment, she didn't say anything. She just held on to him, her face buried in his shoulder as she sobbed uncontrollably. All the fear, all the pain, all the exhaustion she had been holding back poured out of her in those tears. She was safe now, with the one person who could make everything better.
Nolan couldn't help but get emotional, sniffling as he watched the reunion.
Aiden who was standing earlier beside Eldric moved away to give them some space. He then watching Nolan's with teary eyes, chuckled. "Didn't know you were the emotional type, Nolan. Hahaha."
Nolan quickly wiped his face, trying to play it off. "Shut up! Can't I feel happy about a little girl finally reuniting with her grandfather? It's just like how I'd feel if Alexia ever disappeared."
Alexia, hearing her name, turned to Nolan with a raised eyebrow. "NO, IT IS NOT!"
Pam
Alexia's fist connected with Nolan's face, sending him flying toward the wall with a loud thud.
Aiden burst out laughing. "Hahahaha!"