Thuriya turned to face the attackers, gripping his sword tightly. He needed to buy as much time as possible for Maung Nyo and others to escape.
"Come at me, cowards!" he taunted, gesturing at the enemy with his sword to attack him.
An attacker lunged at Thuriya, who deftly parried the blow, twisting his wrist to counter with a precise strike to the opponent's chest. Another attacker approached from the side slashing his sword at Thuriya. He spun around just in time, narrowly dodging the blade. Using the momentum from his spin, he delivered a swift, powerful kick to the attacker, sending him crashing to the ground.
The pain from the poison coursing through his veins was overwhelming but Thuriya pushed through, shielding multiple opponents from attacking Maung Nyo who was concentrating all the thoughts he could to create a big enough distraction to escape with the King and the princess.
"So exciting, I couldn't help but crush your worthless efforts," Black Cat said. She leaped towards Thuriya and attacked him with her metal claws. Thuriya tried to block her attack but her claws phased through his sword and struck directly at his body.
"Nooo, uncle! Please help my uncle. Please..." the princess wailed as she pounded Maung Nyo's back with her small fists begging him to help her uncle. Maung Nyo clenched his jaw, unable to respond as he was urgently focusing all the Samādhi he could.
Black Cat twisted her claws, increasing Thuriya's agony as she did so. "Is that all you can do? You will have to do better than that," Thuriya growled, gasping in pain as the claw tore into him, holding her hand as tightly as he could with his remaining strength.
"Impressive!" Black Cat said. She channeled tejo (Fire) with her claws, cooking the insides of Thuriya. "Your hero game is over," she hissed, pushing him back. Thuriya staggered, blood dripping from his wounds, but he refused to fall.
With his last breath, Thuriya murmured, "Run, Maung Nyo, lead them aw..." He fell onto the ground lifelessly.
"Uncle!" the princess wailed, "Why didn't you help uncle? Why?" she complained.
Seeing Thuriya's desperate stand, Maung Nyo finished his concentration and hit the pressure point of the wailing princess, making her unconscious. He carried her with his hands and the king on his shoulders.
The rest of the remaining attackers were closing in on Maung Nyo.
"Thank you, mister Thuriya. Your sacrifice won't be in vain. I promise," Maung Nyo lamented.
Channeling vāyo (Wind), he blasted the wind as hard as he could, felling the trees and knocking up the dust between him and the attackers. With the vision obscured and the obstruction in place, he turned and ran, carrying the unconscious princess in his arms and the king on his shoulders.
"Squad leader, the targets are escaping. We need to... Urgh!" The Black Cat's squad member plea was interrupted mid-sentence as the black cat kicked him with her leg.
"Shut up! Don't disturb the moment I am enjoying." Black Cat scolded him.
"But it was the Flame demon's command..." The member's complaint was cut off by Black Cat's firm, murderous voice.
"Do you want me to cut you off and make you my enjoyment in this man's stead?" Black Cat questioned, pointing at Thuriya's body.
The princess opened her eyes to the night sky glittering with countless shining stars, their light casting a gentle glow over the forest. The cold air blew through the trees, sending a shiver down her spine and making her to wrap her tattered cloak more tightly around her shivering frame. Her gaze shifted to her father, who was sleeping peacefully with his arm wrapped in a crude bandage made of leaves. The flickering light of a small campfire danced on his face, creating a stark contrast to the surrounding darkness.
Nearby, Maung Nyo sat cross-legged, his eyes closed in deep meditation. His brow furrowed with intense concentration as he focused on purging the poison from his body. The surrounding forest was silent except for the occasional rustling of leaves and the crackling of the fire, creating a serene atmosphere, allowing the princess's thoughts to wander and reminding her uncle's death. Overwhelmed by her emotion, she began to cry softly, her sobs blending with the quiet sounds of the forest.
After Maung Nyo treated himself for poisoning, he noticed the princess crying but felt at a loss for how to comfort her, having been alone for so long. He lamented, What did Grandpa do when I cried? Memories of his grandfather's soothing words and gentle hugs came back to mind, but Maung Nyo struggled to find the right words.
"Hey," he finally said softly, his voice hesitant and unsure. "Here, I know it's hard to lose your loved ones but you still need to fill your stomach." He handed her a small bowl of leaf soup he had made from gathered leaves.
The princess looked at the soup, her eyes still wet with tears. Maung Nyo wished he could do more, but for now, all he could offer was a few clumsy words and a bitter soup.
The princess ignored the soup and continued crying.
"I will leave the soup here. Eat it up before it got cold." Maung Nyo said, placing the bowl gently beside her.
He stood up and walked a few steps away, giving her space while silently hoping she would find some comfort in the warmth of the soup.
"I wish I could have saved her uncle, Grandpa," Maung Nyo murmured, his voice barely audible over the crackling fire. The flames danced in his eyes, reflecting his weak self to him. "I was so sure I could save him, but in the end, he sacrificed his life to save me." His chest tightened with guilt and frustration, and feeling his failure, he sighed deeply.