"Thalia, stay behind me!" Kyros commanded, stepping forward to block her from the monsters with his body.
"Why the sudden shift?" Kiaan raised an eyebrow, still watching Kyros with a hint of suspicion.
The creatures didn't budge, their eyes fixed on the group, wide grins stretched across their faces.
"This is seriously unnerving," Kyros muttered under his breath, shivering slightly.
Kiaan quickly summoned his sword, swinging it toward the nearest creature. But before the blade could even make contact, the creature caught the sword mid-swing. It leaned in close, its grin widening unnaturally.
Kiaan's eyes locked with the creature's, just before it wrenched the sword from his hands and kicked him. He was sent flying, tumbling for what felt like miles before crashing hard into the ground. Several other creatures began to circle him.
"No!" Kyros shouted, his voice filled with urgency.
One of the creatures reached down to grab Kiaan, but before it could, its arm was cleanly severed and sent flying through the air. The other creatures paused, confused by the sudden turn of events.
Kiaan, covered in dust and blood, slowly sat up and wiped his face, the blood staining his fingers. "This place is starting to get to me," he muttered, narrowing his eyes as energy crackled around him. "Time to finish this."
With a blast of energy, a bolt of lightning shot from his body, striking down every creature around him. The air buzzed with static as the monsters crumpled, their bodies falling lifeless to the ground.
Kyros stared in awe. "He's fast... Way faster than I thought," he muttered. "I should jump in, but..." He glanced at Thalia, who was standing just behind him. "I can't leave her here."
He turned to her, his voice soft. "Can you go over to Yona?" he asked, pointing toward her. "I have to help."
Thalia nodded calmly, her eyes steady. "Yes, you go. You're needed."
Then, to Kyros's surprise, she reached up, cupping his face gently with both hands. His heart skipped a beat.
"Thanks for always looking out for me," she said, her voice quiet, before leaning in and placing a soft kiss on his lips.
Kyros's mind blanked. Wait, what just happened? His face flushed, his heart racing as he stared at her, confused and flustered.
Thalia pulled back with a smile, her expression bright. "Good luck," she said, her voice light.
Kyros didn't have time to process it before a powerful presence filled the air, an overwhelming sense of something far stronger than anything they had faced. The creatures froze, their eyes widening in fear as they turned to face Kyros.
With a growl, Kyros surged forward, faster than a blur. The creatures barely had time to react before he slammed his fist into one's head, crushing it into the ground. The others backed away, terrified.
Kyros stood over them, breathing heavily, smoke swirling around him like an aura. His eyes were cold, unblinking, and something about him radiated a chilling power. "I have her good luck."
"You won't leave here alive," he said, his voice steady and dark, before charging forward again, taking down one creature after another with terrifying precision. Fear rippled through the remaining monsters as they realized they were no match for him.
Meanwhile,
"So, how much do you stalk my sister?" Kaia asked casually, lounging with a smirk. The massive eye monster opened its mouth again, slowly moving in to devour her.
"Futile," Kaia muttered, her foot shooting out and sending the creature crashing into the ground, leaving a deep crater beneath it.
The eye twitched, trembling as it met Kaia's now-red eyes. Her expression darkened, her eyes glowing crimson as she ran a hand through her hair. "No mercy for you."
She launched herself at the creature, kicking it so hard it flew through the air. In the blink of an eye, Kaia was right there again, unleashing a barrage of rapid kicks that made even the speed of Kyros look sluggish.
The eye monster flailed, its once-confident grin faltering as Kaia continued her assault, moving so fast that the air crackled with her speed.
"How is she doing that?" Yona wondered, watching from a distance. She squinted. "Her eyes turned red... didn't they?"
But before she could think more on it, the ground suddenly trembled. A massive mouth appeared beneath her, threatening to swallow her whole.
"Huh?"
The danger rushed toward her, but just as quickly, she found herself on solid ground again—Kaia had appeared out of nowhere, holding her safely in her arms.
"Kaia… How did you get so fast?" Yona blinked in confusion, as Kaia gently placed her back on her feet.
Kaia was about to answer when—shing—a spear erupted through her back, its point piercing Yona's body as well. Both girls staggered forward, the spear ripping through them.
Kaia gasped, spitting blood. Her first thought was Yona—her heart twisted in terror. "Yona! Yona!" She screamed, frantic as Yona stood motionless, staring down at the spear.
"Yona, don't die on me," Kaia yelled, her voice thick with panic. Tears welled in her eyes. "I—I…" She stammered, trying to form words, but before she could speak further, a second weapon shot through the air. It sliced both of them in half with horrifying precision.
"W-What?" Kaia whispered, her vision dimming.
From a distance, Thalia's eyes widened in shock. "Kaia—"
The ground shook, and the dark figure of a monstrous knight on horseback appeared before them, its armored form gleaming like an abyss. The moment the knight's presence hit the air, everyone's gaze turned toward him.
Yona and Kaia, now barely conscious, held each other. But then Kaia's body began to regenerate—her wounds knitting together with astonishing speed. She stood, her eyes fixed on the armored knight who'd struck them.
"You," Kaia muttered, her voice low and dangerous.
Kiaan and Kyros, not wasting a second, began cracking their knuckles as they advanced toward the knight. "You're dead," they said in unison, their voices grim and full of intent.
Just as they approached, a spiraling red energy began to emanate from Kaia's body. The others froze in confusion, watching as Kaia's hand shot forward. In an instant, a blinding flash ripped through the battlefield. Half of the knight's body disintegrated before their eyes.
The monster didn't flinch. It regenerated almost instantly, the missing pieces returning like magic.
Kyros gaped. "What? How did she do that?"
He glanced at Kiaan, whose expression mirrored his own disbelief. "How the hell did she do that?" he asked, both of them equally confused and concerned.