Chapter 8 - .

As he said those words, I felt a surge of fear and anger.

I couldn't let him do this to me.

I couldn't let him take me to the king.

I couldn't let him torture me.

I had to fight.

I had to escape.

I had to live.

But I had no chance.

He was too strong.

He was too cruel.

He was too evil.

I was doomed.

The knight smiled at me.

"Good. You finally gave up. You finally accepted your fate. You finally realized that you're nothing but a toy for me."

He tightened his grip on me and said.

"Now, let's go to the king. He'll be delighted to see you. He'll be delighted to play with you. He'll be delighted to break you."

He looked at me with a wicked grin and said.

"And so will I."

He leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear.

"You're mine, Ryuu. And I'm going to torture you."

As he said those words, I felt a surge of pain and despair.

I couldn't bear it.

I couldn't endure it.

I couldn't survive it.

I was dead.

The knight laughed at me.

"Ha ha ha! You're so pathetic, Ryuu. You're so weak. You're so worthless."

He lifted me up and threw me over his shoulder.

"Hey! What are you doing? Put me down!" I protested weakly.

He ignored me and mounted his horse again.

He then rode away with me, leaving the forest behind.

I didn't know where he was taking me.

But I had a bad feeling about it.

But then, as we were riding, something happened.

Something unexpected.

Something miraculous.

Something magical.

A man appeared in front of us.

He was wearing a dark green cloak and a silver pendant. He had short brown hair and hazel eyes. He had a handsome and friendly face. He had a confident and charismatic aura. He had a ring on his finger and a dagger on his belt. He looked like a magician.

He was a magician.

He raised his hand and pointed it at us.

"Stop!" he shouted.

The knight stopped his horse and looked at him with confusion and anger.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" he asked.

The magician looked at him with contempt and justice.

"I am Leon, the leader of the rebel alliance. And I want you to release that girl. She is not yours to take. She is not yours to harm. She is not yours to kill."

The knight looked at him with disbelief and mockery.

"Leon? The leader of the rebel alliance? Don't make me laugh. You're nothing but a traitor. A rebel. A criminal. You don't have any authority here."

The magician looked at him with courage and determination.

"I do have authority here. And I'm here to stop you. You are the traitor. You are the rebel. You are the criminal. You work for the king. The king who is corrupt and tyrannical. The king who oppresses and kills the people. The king who must be overthrown."

The knight looked at him with rage and hatred.

"How dare you speak of the king like that? He is the rightful ruler of this land. He is the supreme authority of this world. He is the one who gives me orders. And he ordered me to bring him this girl."

He looked at me with greed and lust.

"She is a beastman. A rare and exotic one, at that. She has ears and tail as a cat. She has eyes and hair as a human. She has a body and soul as a slave."

He smiled wickedly and said.

"She is mine, Leon. And I'm going to torture her."

The magician looked at him with disgust and pity.

"You're sick, Gustav. You're twisted and evil. You don't deserve her. She is not an object to play with. She is not a slave.

He looked at me with admiration and respect.

"She is a person. A brave and beautiful one, at that.