After Sam left, Chloe surveyed her room, and the destruction hit her like a brick. Shattered chairs, broken tables, and splinters of wood littered the floor. Everything that once adorned the room now lay in ruin, leaving the space looking like a battlefield.
"Well… this is embarrassing," Chloe muttered, rubbing the back of her head with an awkward chuckle. "Note to self: maybe meditate outside next time."
Her eyes shifted to Jane, her loyal bodyguard, who was sprawled on the floor. Sweat poured down Jane's face, her chest heaving as though she'd just run a marathon while carrying a mountain on her back. She looked utterly drained.
Chloe knelt beside her. "Jane, are you okay? I didn't mean for—"
"I'll… be fine," Jane managed between labored breaths, though her trembling limbs told a different story. She tried to sit up, only to collapse back with a frustrated groan.
"Stop," Chloe said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don't push yourself. Just rest here. Once you feel a little better, head to the training hall. The energy there will help you recover faster."
Jane nodded weakly, too exhausted to respond with words.
Chloe's expression softened as she shifted her attention to the baby nestled in her arms. Alex, her precious little boy, slept peacefully despite the chaos surrounding him. His tiny face was serene, blissfully untouched by the destruction.
"At least you're safe," she murmured, her tone tender as she kissed his forehead. "You really are something, my little one. Sleeping through all this like a champ."
Her brief moment of peace was interrupted when her sharp instincts picked up on something—an oppressive wave of energy rippling through the estate. Her gaze snapped toward the window, her playful demeanor vanishing.
"What the hell?" Chloe muttered under her breath, her voice hardening.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the estate, Zelda stood alongside Lara, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon.
"Chloe and the baby are fine," Zelda said, her tone as calm as ever. "Sam handled it."
Lara let out a frustrated sigh, crossing her arms. "That girl is unbelievable. Meditating with power like hers? In her room, of all places? She's going to get herself—or worse, someone else—hurt one day."
"She's alive, the baby's alive, and the estate is still standing," Zelda replied matter-of-factly. "No point dwelling on what didn't happen."
Lara opened her mouth to argue but froze as an overwhelming, murderous aura crashed down on the estate like a tidal wave. It was suffocating, a force that seemed to chill the air and set every nerve on edge.
"What in the—" Lara started, but Zelda silenced her with a sharp gesture.
"Focus," Zelda said, her tone clipped. Her eyes shifted skyward, locking onto the source of the pressure.
High above the estate, a man hovered in the air. His raven-black hair was streaked with blood, matching the crimson stains on his battered armor. A sword rested at his hip, and his aura radiated a raw, menacing power that made the air feel heavy.
Lara's hand instinctively went to her sword, but recognition flashed in her eyes, and she hesitated.
"Zelda," she said cautiously, "please don't go overboard this time."
Zelda's lips curled into a wolfish grin, her eyes alight with excitement. "Overboard? Me? Never."
"That's exactly what I'm talking about!" Lara snapped, her tone rising.
"If he's as strong as he feels, I won't have much choice," Zelda replied, her grin widening. And with that, she vanished in a blur.
"Of course," Lara muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Why do I even bother?" She disappeared moments later, following Zelda.
Across the estate, elders and seasoned fighters appeared in the air, their auras flaring to life like blazing torches. At the forefront was Zelda, her gaze locked onto the intruder with predatory intensity. Behind her, an army of defenders formed ranks, ready for battle.
Sam reappeared nearby, his sharp eyes scanning the scene. Lara materialized beside him, her expression grim.
"Can you shield the estate?" Lara asked urgently.
"I'll try," Sam replied evenly, his gaze flicking toward the man facing Zelda.
"You'd better. When Zelda fights, collateral damage isn't a concern for her," Lara said, frustration lacing her words. "And I'll be damned if my grandson gets caught in the crossfire."
Sam smirked faintly. "Don't worry. With him here, I doubt that'll happen."
Lara frowned. "What do you mean?"
Sam's smirk deepened. "Let's just say a little birdie told me something interesting about him."
"Care to elaborate?" Lara pressed, her tone sharp.
Sam shrugged. "Not now."
"Fine. But if anything happens to Alex, you'll regret it," Lara warned, her voice heavy with menace.
Sam closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them, they glowed silvery white. A ripple of invisible energy spread outward, forming a protective barrier around the estate.
"There. That should hold," he said calmly.
Back in her room, Chloe felt the shift in energy as the barrier enveloped the estate. Her sharp senses honed in on the oppressive aura above, and her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Who dares disrupt our home?" she murmured, her tone icy and dangerous.
Cradling Alex closer to her chest, she cast a wary glance out the window. Through the walls, she could feel the gathering of powerful auras: her mother, her father, the Matriarch, and the other elders. They were all converging on the man in the sky, and from the sheer weight of their energy, she knew this was no ordinary intruder.
In the sky, Zelda's eyes glowed silver, her aura spreading outward like a storm. As she unsheathed her sword, her surroundings transformed, embodying the essence of a land ruled by the blade.
"Are you sure the barrier will hold, Sam?" Lara asked.
Sam glanced at his overprotective wife and smiled. "Yeah, it'll hold. Not that it'll matter—he's not aiming for it."
The man, who had been facing Zelda moments ago, vanished and reappeared directly in front of her. Zelda's eyes widened in shock.
The spectators, including the elders, Lara, and even Sam, were stunned by the speed he displayed.
Without hesitation, the man unsheathed his sword and slashed down at Zelda.