The sound of clashing swords and the cries of battle echoed through the narrow alley as Creed fought valiantly against the hooded cult members. He was a force to be reckoned with, dispatching his attackers with swift and precise strikes. Bloodied and bruised, his determination shone brightly, and he made it abundantly clear to the cult that they had gravely underestimated the knight they had chosen to target.
"Boss," one of the hooded cultists said, his voice filled with doubt, "this guy is strong. What should we do?"
But Lysander, the cult leader, wasn't one to back down so easily. He shouted, "Don't hesitate! Surround him, men!"
Creed stood his ground, guarding Seraphina behind him. His resolve unwavering, he challenged the encroaching cult members, "Bring it on! You mess with the wrong guy, buddy!"
The cultists circled him, their blades glinting menacingly. The battle was fierce, and Creed found himself hard-pressed to keep up with their sheer numbers. He muttered through gritted teeth.
"Dang, these guys are fast!"
One of the cult members managed to outmaneuver Creed, landing a hit by throwing a knife from behind. It was a blow that took its toll on the knight. Seraphina, filled with panic and concern for Creed, couldn't bear to stand idly by. "Creed!" she cried out, trying to come closer to him despite the ongoing fight.
In the chaos of the battle, she was seized from behind by one of the cultists, who held her tightly. Seraphina struggled against her captor, shouting, "Let me go!... Creed!" But the cultist threatened her, raising his sword to her throat. "Don't come any closer, knight! It will be your fault that her head will separate from her body!" he sneered.
"Put down your weapons now! Or she will get it!" the enemy demanded, still holding his blade dangerously close to Seraphina's throat.
With no other option, Creed reluctantly complied, throwing his sword and shield to the ground and raising his hands. The cultist behind him delivered a swift kick, forcing Creed down onto his knees.
As the situation escalated, Creed's anger burned fiercely. "Who are you people? What do you want from her?" he demanded, despite the perilous circumstances.
Lysander, the cult leader, couldn't help but gloat. He stepped closer to Creed, revealing the sinister grin on his face.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lysander, and we are the Order of Nephirael. Our purpose is to bring forth our revered mistress, Nephirael, the queen of darkness and chaos. She shall reshape this world in her image, where the night reigns eternal, and the feeble sun shall be dimmed forever. You see, Princess Seraphina, of royal blood, possesses the key to awaken our queen. She will be the vessel for our queen, who will rule this land."
Creed attempted to rise once more "You Bastards!" his defiance unwavering. But he was brought to a halt by the cultist's blades, and Lysander leaned closer, his sinister laughter echoing in the dimly lit alley. "You can't stop us, knight."
Amidst the chaos and tension, a sudden burst of laughter emanated from Creed. Lysander, confused by this reaction, sneered and questioned, "Why are you laughing? We clearly have the upper hand here, knight! You can't defeat us!"
Creed, still catching his breath, raised his head and replied, "I know! But they can." As his words echoed, gunshots rang out, taking down the cult members one by one. Lysander's shock was evident as he saw his comrades falling. The cultist who had held Seraphina hostage suddenly dropped to the ground.
"What's happening!?" Lysander exclaimed in panic, his gaze darting around to find the source of the attacks.
When he looked behind him, Lysander saw Risky standing there, holding Seraphina's shoulder as if he had been protecting her. Risky flashed a smirk and spoke with a playful tone, "Sorry we're late, Cap. I brought the squad with me."
Creed chuckled, "Took you guys long enough."
Risky replied, "Yeah, we got worried that your date took too long, so Kyru tailed you and reported that you got ambushed."
Lysander clenched his teeth and threatened, "You dare to intervene with us! I'll have your head as well! Men!" However, their threats were cut short as a shot from above took down the two cult members who had held Creed. As the dust settled, Creed stood up, cracking his neck and knuckles, and pointed at Lysander. His eyes gleamed under his helmet as he menacingly declared, "You're in big trouble, my guy."
Without wasting a moment, Creed delivered a powerful blow to Lysander's face, sending him flying into a stack of wooden crates. He glanced back at the remaining cult members and adopted a menacing tone. "Now then, it's time to give you folks a good beating."
The cultists, trembling in fear, quickly picked up their leader and used some form of magic to teleport away, leaving a sense of relief and victory in the air.
Shiiyo arrived at the scene with a squad of guard knights, bringing Evelyne along to assist Seraphina. Evelyne had wrapped a coat around Seraphina and, with a worried expression, asked, "Are you okay, Lady Seraphina?" Seraphina, still recovering from the experience, responded with a faint smile, "Don't worry about me, Evelyn. I'll be fine." She then glanced at Creed, who was busy explaining the situation to the guards.
Once Creed had finished providing the details to the guards, he immediately walked over to Seraphina and Evelyn, concern in his eyes. "Princess," he said, "Are you going to be all right?" Seraphina rose and smiled at him, her appreciation evident. "Well, it's all thanks to you that I wasn't harmed." Creed nodded in response, his eyes filled with relief. "Take care now," he said, about to turn away.
However, as he started to turn, Seraphina reached out and grabbed one of his harnesses from behind, causing him to face her once again. He inquired with a gentle tone, "Is there something wrong?" Seraphina, her hand on her chest, replied softly, "Can... can you walk me home?"
Creed gazed back at his comrades, who were all grinning mischievously, clearly enjoying the romantic scene that had unfolded. They gave their captain a collective thumbs up, reveling in the heartwarming moment.
With a nod and a faint smile, Creed offered his hand to Seraphina, saying, "Alright, let's go, then." Seraphina accepted Creed's extended hand, and together, they walked away.
As the group strolled along, with Evelyn and the others following behind Seraphina and Creed, Kyru leaned over to Shiiyo and whispered, "Why isn't our captain making a move?" Shiiyo, equally puzzled, replied, "I'm no love guru, don't ask me." Risky chimed in with a grin, "I don't know about you two, but this scene seems just right. Let it play out for a while." Kyru nodded in agreement, and Evelyne overheard their conversation. She playfully teased them, saying, "You guys need to cut it out. Let's just support them from the shadows." She wore a smug, proud smile, savoring the heartwarming moment between Seraphina and Creed.
As they finally reached the entrance of the palace, Creed let out a relieved sigh. He turned to Seraphina and said, "Well, looks like this is the end of the line for me. Take care." He began to turn away when Seraphina called out to him once more, "Wait!" Her voice was filled with uncertainty as she clutched her chest. "Will... will you go out with me again one day after what happened?" She gazed at him with a worried expression.
Creed turned back to face her, his helmet concealing his expression. He reassured her, saying, "Yes, I will." Seraphina, her eyes almost teary, added, "But being with me might put you in danger again! I... I don't want that to happen." She closed her eyes as if bracing herself for his response.
Creed stepped closer to her and gently placed his hand on her head. "Don't worry about it. Things happen, and we can't do anything about it. Besides, I had fun today." Seraphina's worried expression turned into a soft smile. "Thank you for being with me today," she said with gratitude.
Creed, with a smooth tone, replied, "A thank you is not necessary, Seraphina. Whenever you need something, or you need saving, I'll be there, by your side, just to protect that smile. I will fight for what is beautiful in this world." Seraphina's face lit up, and her heart raced. She turned away from him, saying a quick goodnight and goodbye before walking quickly toward the entrance, clutching her chest as she went. Evelyne, who was initially surprised by Seraphina's reaction, offered a hasty apology to the four and rushed to catch up with the princess.
Creed was left puzzled by the sudden turn of events. He looked at his three comrades, and Shiiyo shrugged, saying, "I don't know." The group then turned and headed back to the Inn.
As they walked back to the Inn, Shiiyo gave Creed a stern look and said, "Really, Captain? That last sentence... you just took it straight out of Honka--" Creed quickly cut him off, saying, "Yeah, yeah."
Kyru joined in the teasing, "That was smooth, Cap!" Risky added with a grin, "Yeah, did you see her face all red? You're quite a killer with women!" Creed, annoyed by their playful teasing, responded, "Shut up, you two, or I'll fold you like a stick." They all shared a hearty laugh while continuing to walk together, the bond between them stronger than ever.