"What? You've gotta be kidding me! You did this on purpose, didn't you? I will tear you open and rip your intestines out!"
Riona launched herself at Lisbeth with a scream. But before she could reach the princess, a Nightwatch stepped in, his sword flashing in the dim light.
Hissing like a feral cat, Riona's eyes locked on Lisbeth with murderous intent. She went as far as to let the blade cut deep into her flesh just to press forward.
Dark liquid dripped from the wound. The sting was sharp, but nothing hurt more than knowing that Lisbeth had successfully interfered with her plan.
"B-blood…" the Nightwatch was startled by the unintentional cut he had made.
Riona glared at Lisbeth. "You like that? Vampire blood makes everything more dramatic, doesn't it? You're the one who loves theatrics, so tell me, is this grandiose enough for your twisted show?"
Unfazed, Lisbeth didn't budge an inch. Her eyes dared Riona to come closer, taunting.
The sound of clashing steel and shouting filled the air as more Nightwatch swarmed into the area. They urgently directed everyone to evacuate.
Amidst that, stood Thorin, looking about as useful as a garlic necklace in a vampire coven. Little Florian clung to his pants, trembling violently.
"My Lord, you must leave immediately. It's too dangerous here, especially for him," Sir Kai said urgently but politely.
"Can you take him? I'll stay. She might need me," Thorin insisted. He was ready to play the hero, again.
"I'm afraid that's not possible, My Lord. As a Nightwatch, it is my duty to handle security matters. Please, let me do my job," Sir Kai responded, almost as if he knew that Riona wouldn't appreciate Thorin's display of gallantry.
If Riona hadn't been so consumed by her rage–she was practically breathing fire like a furious little dragon, she might have caught the comical showdown between Sir Kai and Thorin.
It was like watching two peacocks strutting their feathers in a contest for the title of Riona's knight in shining armor.
But perhaps, it was all for the best. Sure, Sir Kai was somewhat bearable compared to Thorin's over-the-top heroics, but let's be real, spending time with the Nightwarden's golden child wasn't exactly a walk in the park either.
In the end, because of Florian, Thorin had no choice but to make his exit. As he left the scene, he kept throwing glances over his shoulder like a sulking pup denied another piece of fresh meat.
Meanwhile, Riona found herself combating a squad of Nightwatch, who were guarding Lisbeth like she was the last piece of the most sought-after Blood Velvet Cake after the bakery went bankrupt.
And let's be real, Lisbeth might as well have been the crown jewel of Eira with her perfect combo of looks, brains, and brawn.
But being the belle of the ball doesn't give her a free pass to stomp on everyone else's dreams.
Riona dashed forward, hurling punches and firing red arrows as she moved. The Nightwatch squad pushed her back with their coordinated attacks and defense.
Amidst the battle, Riona calculated their movements. There must be a pattern. Those who moved in groups always gave way with their patterns.
She only needed to find the slightest hint of weakness.
There! Like a predator stalking its prey, Riona locked onto her target: the Nightwatch whose blade bore the damning stain of her blood.
If she couldn't find an opening, then she just had to create one. With the precision of a seasoned shooter, Riona seized the moment.
Her foot moved to the left to mislead the Nightwatch into thinking that she was heading left.
She noticed that the Nightwatch had been monitoring her foot movement, probably because Sir Dusan taught them that people's next move was spoiled through their feet.
But as the whole squad prepared themselves for that point, Riona maneuvered to the right, planting a huge red arrow on her target's shoulder.
Her target crumpled to the ground. His cries of pain echoed around the tall cliffs and trees. Riona seized her opportunity, focusing like a laser. She extended her palm, wrapped in a crimson aura, towards Lisbeth's chest.
Startled by the sudden turn of events, the princess narrowly evaded the attack. She raised an eyebrow at the unexpected twist.
"I won't hold back this time, Princess. Prepare to taste the bitterness of your own medicine. It's called 'consequence'. But you wouldn't know, would you?"
The Nightwatch attempted to intervene, but Riona had become so entangled with Lisbeth that targeting her was like trying to thread a needle in a hurricane.
Accidentally hitting the princess seemed a little too much like a career-limiting move.
Riona wouldn't let Lisbeth get too far away from her. Every dodge, every leap, Riona was there, probably whispering sarcastic commentary under her breath.
Lisbeth directed her frustration toward the Nightwatch, which was supposed to be a group of elite knights.
"What are you waiting for? Take care of this fangless nuisance, will you?" she snapped.
The Nightwatch closed in on Riona from all angles. Meanwhile, Lisbeth slipped out through the opening that the squad made just for her, leaving the dirty work to the underlings.
Surrounded by the Nightwatch, Riona found herself in a tight spot. Her attempts to flee were all unsuccessful. Every time she tried to make a break for it, they were all over her like a bad rash.
She was subdued, and as she was wrestled to the ground, Riona could feel the coldness of the black, icy ground beneath her cheek.
"Hey, weren't you being too rough with her?" Sir Kai protested from the side.
"She's dangerous, Captain. Would you wish for us to get hurt like Arnold, instead?"
Arnold. That must be their unfortunate colleague who got shot by Riona's arrow.
"Let me go! We're not done here. Come back, Lisbeth! I said, let me go!"
Riona thrashed around, her legs flailing in the air as she shouted. She tried to escape the Nightwatch's grip, but the weight of ten armored bodies proved effective in holding her down.
The princess turned into a bat and took flight. "Bye, for now, Fangless. I'll see you in the training hall."
As Lisbeth taunted her from above, Riona tried to stop her, though her words were lost in the wind as the princess flapped away. "No! Come back! I'm not finished."
Riona grew desperate as she refused to let the princess escape unscathed. There was a sudden power surge in her, driven by the urgency of the situation.
Within seconds, she exploded with a level two. No–it was level two and a half.
No wonder she blacked out immediately.