Nova checked Emily's pulse and heartbeat. Unfortunately, she couldn't feel either. Despite her suspicions, she couldn't help but hope for a miracle.
"How is she?" Eric asked worriedly. By this time, Emily's body was already lying down, so he didn't have to support her.
But Nova's shaking head and sad face gave them the answer. Eric looked down at Emily's lifeless body with a complicated look. But there was sadness in it.
Arion just stared at them, already guessing Emily's condition. After all, with so much blood coming out and no further treatment, there was no way to save her life.
Zane and Rose fell silent and averted their eyes, disappointed that a life had been lost tonight. Noam clenched his fists tightly, his eyes angry and sad.
Nova approached Hana and gently hugged her. Arion tried to comfort Hana by patting her cheeks, which were wet with tears.
"Princess, let Emily go in peace." Nova said softly. Her hand gently rubbed Hana's back.
Hana bit her lip to hold back her tears, although a sob still escaped her lips, "Did you find out about Emily's daughter and granddaughter?"
Nova was silent for a moment before nodding slowly. She didn't want to drag the children into this. But Nova didn't have the heart to lie to them, especially not to Hana and Rose, who already knew the truth from Emily herself.
"Hostages?" Eric asked in confusion, as well as Noam and Zane. They didn't know that information existed all this time.
Nova explained more briefly, but covered important information to the three boys. They immediately fell silent, not knowing what to say after hearing Emily's real reason.
The three of them feel guilty, especially Eric, who had heard Emily's last words. He hadn't expected Emily to still care about him after Eric had called her a traitor.
Hana let go of Nova's embrace but clung to Nova's clothes. Her swollen and reddened eyes looked sharply at Nova, though there was still sadness in them.
"When all this is over, please tell us everything." Hana begged in a pleading tone that sounded shaky. Even though she tried to be strong, Emily's death still shook her.
Nova nodded firmly and took Hana's hand in her own, "I will, Your Highness."
Groans of pain from two different directions put them back on alert. Nova firmly ordered Hana and Rose to take care of the babies, knowing it would be difficult to stop the boys from joining the fight.
Arion shuddered in horror, 'They're monsters.'
Hans groaned in annoyance as his body could not be moved again, "Ugh, again..."
"Annoying old woman!" Herris yelled angrily as he tried to get up from the umpteenth lightning strike.
Dean grimaced in pain, "I was wondering where exactly you went when Hans and Herris left you for a moment. I looked everywhere and couldn't find you." He said with a chuckle as he slowly got to his feet.
Dean managed to dodge Nova's attack slightly, so the impact he felt wasn't as bad as Hans and Herris. He could even move. His body just felt a bit stiff.
"Surprisingly, all your wounds have healed." Dean checked and looked at Nova's body, which still looked dirty and covered in blood, but there was no sign of any wounds.
Arion looked at Nova, 'I'm curious too. Is there some kind of magic that can grow in a short time?'
Seeing that Nova didn't answer him at all, Dean hummed amusedly, "What are you and Emily planning?"
Nova's look became more serious as she tried to push the children away from the three enemies. Even though two of them were still immobilized, that didn't mean Nova was letting her guard down.
"Stay away, Your Highness." Nova whispered without taking her eyes off of Dean, who slowly walked past them with an amused grin to approach his two comrades.
There was no sign that Dean would attack as he passed them. He was just humming happily while playing with his two daggers.
Eric immediately grabbed Nova's hand, "I can help!"
As Nova looked at him, Eric showed a spark of blue lightning in his hand, which immediately made Nova's eyes widen in surprise.
"You awakened your magic?" Nova asked in shock. She hadn't known about it yet. Had her prince used it before?
Eric nodded firmly, "So let me help you!"
Although his body was still a bit sore, it didn't mean that Eric didn't want to join the fight. As long as he could still stand, he would never stop protecting them all.
Arion refrained from snorting, 'It's obvious that you're pushing yourself right now.'
Nova paused before shaking her head firmly, "No. Your body still cannot take it, Your Highness."
Even without being told, Nova knew that Eric was enduring the pain in his body. The information about her prince awakening his magic was indeed shocking, but that didn't mean she could rest easy.
Nova had to be extra careful if Eric remained stubborn about using his magic. His body was still too young and wouldn't be able to bear the weight of this magic for too long.
Noam nodded firmly, "She's right. Don't think we haven't noticed your exhaustion."
Eric gritted his teeth in annoyance, "Then what? Nova won't be able to fight them all alone, will she? We've seen the results before!"
The memory of Nova's body full of wounds and blood flashed through his mind and made him shake his head violently. Eric simply didn't want Nova to get seriously injured again. He didn't want any more casualties.
"I hate to say it, but Eric is right." Rose argued seriously, ignoring the shocked and disapproving looks the others gave her.
"Rose!" Noam shouted disapprovingly.
Rose clicked her tongue in annoyance, "Listen to me! What if one of them fights Nova, one of them stops her from coming near us, and one of them attacks us?"
They all fell silent. What Rose said made sense. Especially when they saw how Dean tried to get the other two back on their feet.
Dean kicked Hans' still immobilized leg, "Hey! Stop acting like a weakling and get up quickly. We have a job that needs to be done right now."
Hans groaned in exasperation, "Do you think I'm not trying right now?"
"Don't insult me!" Herris snarled angrily.
Unlike Hans, Herris actually forced himself to move, not caring that some of his limbs felt like they were going to fall off from being forced to move.
Dean chuckled, "Look. Even Herris managed to get up with just his anger. Can't you?" He taunted Hans, who was beginning to look annoyed.
"You piss me off!" Hans grumbled as he started to force himself to stand up as well. It felt as if his whole body would explode from the excessive pain.
Dean hummed happily as he saw his two partners finally able to stand up, "Good job."
Rose snorted sarcastically, "Look. The other two even got up. How can you block three at once, Nova?"
Rose glared at Nova, ignoring Hana or Zane who tried to stop her from speaking sharply.
"Not that I'm insulting you, but please consider this. You're the only one left who can protect us."
Before Nova could answer, Herris' scream made her gasp in shock.
"The boy is mine!" Herris shouted madly as he ran towards Eric.
Quickly, Nova used her lightning magic to stop Herris far from where Eric and the others were.
"Then I'll keep trying!" Nova said seriously as her hand filled with huge lightning sparks was ready to be released.
Unfortunately, Dean blocked it by throwing several daggers at it to break its concentration. Inevitably, Nova deflected them and didn't attack Herris.
Dean chuckled happily, "Don't be so hasty. Let Herris vent his anger. Otherwise he'll go even crazier."
Nova clucked her tongue in annoyance as Hans joined in and attacked her at close range. His face looked very sour at the moment, "This old woman is getting annoying!"
Rose let out a frustrated sigh, "I told you so!"
Seeing that no one was blocking her anymore, Herris grinned cruelly. He clenched his fist tightly before swinging it at the gathered children.
The fist caused an air strike that traveled hard and fast. Fortunately, before the attack reached the boys, Eric leapt forward and blocked it with his sword, already enveloped in his blue lightning sparks.
The collision of Herris' attack and Eric's sword pushed him back until he nearly fell.
"Eric!" His friends' cries went unheeded as he saw Herris eyeing Emily's stiff body.
"No!" Eric shouted in panic as he tried to run towards Emily's body.
Herris, already standing next to Emily's unguarded corpse, prepared to crush her with his fists, "I hate traitors!"
Eric unleashed his blue lightning bolt at Herris, who immediately jumped away when he realized Eric's attack.
But after unleashing that attack, Eric immediately fell to his knees beside Emily's body, coughing up blood. His forehead furrowed in pain.
Herris snorted lightly, "Even a corpse, you're still protecting it? How pathetic!"
Eric stifled a cough as he gave him a sharp look, "At least I want to give Emily's body a proper burial."
Hana's eyes glazed over, "Brother..."
Eric tried to get up but still failed, "So don't try to touch her!"
Herris laughed cruelly, "Then I'll destroy you!"
As he was about to attack Eric, a combination of two different magics hit him so hard that he crashed into some trees behind him.
They all gasped in shock before turning their eyes in the direction of the attack.
A red and blue aura enveloped them, ready to enter the fray.