Lyria lay on the cold ground, her body paralyzed by the poison coursing through her veins. The three thieves circled her like predators closing in on their prey. She glared at them, her eyes burning with anger, but her body refused to move. She could feel her magic, but it was distant, as though it had been locked away.
The thieves smirked as they loomed closer. One of them, the leader, taunted her. "So, this is the great Lyria? Helpless, broken, and angry. You'll make a fine addition to our collection."
Lyria clenched her fists, her anger building. She wanted to fight, to burn them to ash, but her body betrayed her.
Just as the leader reached for her, a sudden gust of wind whipped through the battlefield. The ground shook as an explosion of light and smoke filled the area. The thieves stumbled back, shielding their eyes from the brilliance.
When the smoke cleared, the moonlight illuminated the figure of a woman standing tall amidst the chaos. Her long hair shimmered under the light, her sword gleaming with an aura of power.
"Giselle.....…" Lyria whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of shock and disbelief.
Giselle said nothing. Her icy gaze locked onto the thieves, her presence radiating an authority that froze them in place.
The leader sneered, masking his unease. "You must be the famous elder sister. How touching. But you're just another obstacle to remove."
Without a word, Giselle surged forward, her sword cutting through the air. The thieves scrambled to defend themselves, using every dirty trick they could muster.
One conjured a thick smokescreen to blind her, but Giselle anticipated the move. She spun and slashed through the haze, her blade finding its target. The thief fell to the ground, lifeless.
The second thief attacked from behind, aiming for her blind spot, but Giselle twisted mid-air, parrying the blow effortlessly. With a swift motion, she plunged her sword into her chest, ending her life in an instant.
The leader, now alone, snarled in frustration. He lunged at Giselle, using a flurry of attacks meant to overwhelm her. Giselle matched him strike for strike, her movements fluid and precise.
"You should've stayed in the shadows where you belong," Giselle finally said, her voice low and steady.
She disarmed him with a swift kick, sending his weapon clattering to the ground. With a single thrust, her sword pierced his chest. The thief gasped, his eyes wide with shock, before crumpling to the ground.
Giselle stood over the bodies, her chest rising and falling heavily. She wiped the blood from her blade before turning to Lyria.
Lyria averted her gaze, her lips pressed into a thin line. Her anger hadn't subsided, and the sight of Giselle brought back the sting of betrayal.
Giselle approached cautiously, her voice soft. "Lyria…..... are you hurt?"
Lyria didn't look at her. Instead, she spat, "Why do you care? You've already taken everything from me. You're a cheater, a shame as a big sister."
Giselle flinched at the words, but she didn't defend herself. She stood silently, her expression pained.
"Say something!" Lyria snapped, her voice trembling with anger and hurt.
Giselle's shoulders sagged, and tears welled in her eyes. She finally broke, her voice cracking. "I.....… I loved him too, Lyria. Mike meant everything to me."
Lyria froze, her mind reeling. She hadn't expected Giselle to admit it, let alone show such vulnerability.
Giselle continued, her voice thick with emotion. "Do you know how hard it was for me? Watching you smile with him, laugh with him....… knowing I could never have that because you're my sister? I tried to stay away, but I couldn't help it. I loved him too."
Lyria's anger wavered as she saw the raw pain in Giselle's eyes. For the first time, she realized the depth of her sister's feelings.
Giselle wiped her tears and forced a weak smile. "But….... is it okay for you to share Mike with Elara and the others, but not with me? Am I so undeserving?"
Lyria opened her mouth to respond but found herself speechless. Her anger ebbed, replaced by confusion and guilt. She wanted to argue, to tell Giselle it wasn't the same, but she couldn't find the words.
In her heart, she knew Giselle wasn't wrong. "It's okay for a king to have multiple partners," she thought, her resolve softening.
Just as Lyria was about to speak, a shadow moved behind her. The leader of the thieves, whom Giselle thought she had killed, staggered to his feet, bloodied but alive.
"Lyria!" Giselle shouted, her eyes widening in horror.
Before Lyria could react, the thief lunged, his dagger aimed straight for her heart.
Giselle didn't hesitate. She threw herself in front of Lyria, taking the full force of the blade. The sharp tip pierced her chest, blood spilling onto Lyria's face as Giselle shielded her sister.
Time seemed to freeze. Lyria's eyes widened in shock as Giselle crumpled onto her, her body trembling.
The thief collapsed moments later, the last of his strength spent.
Lyria caught Giselle as she fell, her hands shaking. "Giselle!" she screamed, her voice raw with desperation.
Giselle smiled weakly, her blood staining Lyria's clothes. "I….... couldn't let anything happen to you. You're my little sister….... my everything."
Tears streamed down Lyria's face as she cradled Giselle. "Don't you dare leave me! You're supposed to stay! You're supposed to fight with me!"
Giselle's hand reached up, brushing a tear from Lyria's cheek. "I'll always protect you…... even if it's from myself."
Lyria sobbed, holding her sister close as the moonlight bathed them both, her cries echoing into the still night.