"Here he comes!" yelled one of the cloaked guards, a human line coming into view as I appeared on the horizon.
"Shields!" roared another, a wall of steel defenses forming. I electrified my body, dematerializing as I became a bullet of lightning.
BOOM
I crashed into the battalion like a living meteor, a massive crater appearing on the point of impact as the entire force was wiped out immediately. The weak cough of a single survivor caught my attention. I approached the decimated guard, looking down on him with disgust.
"Where is she?" I asked.
The guard simply smiled, eyeing me as if I had already been defeated. I remained silent, plunging Phoenix into his heart as I continued westwards. The Liech family's primary goal in this endeavor was to transport Asthia to Dwarven territory. As long as I headed in that general direction, I was bound to run into the main group that was still in possession of the girl.
I understood what the betrayal of the Liech family meant for the overall survival of the human empire. A close ally of the royal family had betrayed the kingdom without a second thought, capitalizing on an opportunity as a means of guaranteeing their own future.
If the other noble families acted similarly, it would mean a complete collapse of the government, effectively rendering the kingdom of Imania unable to wage war. The Liech family was paving a path towards the isolation of the Dragons against two powerful enemies, without the support of its main ally.
My mind returned the reality as I spotted the small silhouettes of humans running at full speed, their enhanced speed surprisingly fast. I identified five hostiles ahead, one of them occupied carrying Asthia.
My internal bind was probably at one-quarter of its full potential due to my constant upkeep of bind circulation, and I doubted I'd need much more to dispose of four armed guards.
"!!"
One of the guards froze, sensing the approaching aura of darkness as he turned around slowly. His eyes shook in horror as I dashed right past him, my arm moving delicately as his throat slit open.
The other two escorts engaged immediately, leaping at me from both sides. My eyes glanced briefly at Asthia, her current physical state suggesting that she hadn't been hurt during the escape. I sighed a breath of relief, refocusing my attention on my two opponents as I blocked each strike with one of my weapons.
"You..." muttered one of the guards in a rage, "you're human! Why would you defend these fucking dragons?"
"I'm not the one who betrayed humanity," I responded calmly, pushing both of my oppressors back with a gust of wind. The bind around me immediately electrified as I dashed between both guards in the blink of an eye, the two men dropping dead.
I approached the final survivor of the Liech family, all that lay behind him being the dead bodies of his compatriots.
I watched as the guard settled Asthia on the ground gently, an act I appreciated greatly. I felt my hatred soothe ever so slightly, my desire to massacre no longer consuming my mind.
"Do you still want to fight?" I asked, giving the guard one chance to escape the fate that awaited him.
"Yes. I will not run away after my friends have been killed," he responded confidently, unsheathing his sword as he prepared himself.
The final member of the Liech escort launched himself at me, his speed underwhelming compared to the effects of lightning. I sidestepped, easily avoiding his trike as I swung my arm outwards, midnight slicing right through his neck as his head disconnected from his body.
There was nothing that made me regret my action. He had wanted a fight till the bitter end, regardless of the outcome.
I looked down at Asthia, my entire body relaxing as my mind began processing the levels of fatigue that were plaguing my physical strength.
Getting the girl to a healer was my top priority, but I had to remain realistic. There was no way I'd be able to carry the girl back to Eloria in my current state, and the best course of action was to find a suitable location to rest for a bit.
I picked up the dragon princess in my arms, looking around as I spotted a small cabin not too far from our current location.
What were we supposed to do after this?
My mind pondered on the possible situations that Auroria would be faced with following what had just transpired. Was the best course of action to report the treason to the royal family, effectively destroying the Liech family and officially starting the war?
Was remaining quiet the most effective way to prepare for the upcoming battle?
I knew Selena would prioritize logic over emotion, but how would King Roy react to the betrayal of his indirect family?
The cabin finally came into view once again as I passed through the thick vegetation, my senses attempting to identify whether or not the house was abandoned. I was unaware of our current location, but judging by the silence of the area, it was probably uninhabited.
I walked through the voluminous space accentuated by the presence of large door frames, allowing for air to freely circulate throughout the building. The first floor of the cabin was completely open to its surroundings, with the second floor seemingly closed off as to not let the chill of the night enter the rooms.
I settled Asthia down on the only bed in the house. A huge sigh of relief escaped my mouth as I sat next to her, thankful that the double-sized bed had enough space for me to at least relax. The girl's breaths were barely audible, her serene expression seemingly undisturbed by the potion that she had been given.
My entire body shuddered in pain, all the cuts and bruises that I had received finally registering within my mind.
The answer regarding what Asthia and I were supposed to do after this still eluded me. No matter how I thought about it, there were always consequences that came with whatever decision we picked.
Then again, I wasn't going to decide anything on my own.
I looked over at Asthia, putting my hand over her body as I focused my bind. Wind bind could still be used for analyzing an individual's overall health, and its regenerative abilities were way above mediocre.
I frowned, realizing I probably should've practiced a bit with healing techniques to make sure I was prepared for situations like these. The more versatile I was, the better I could carry out my goal of protecting those I cared about.