Zhrak stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Lyra. "You have something that belongs to me," he said, his voice low and menacing.
Lyra stood tall, trying to hide the fear that was growing inside her. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, trying to sound brave.
Zhrak sneered. "Don't play games with me, Lyra," he said. "I know you have the tapestry. And I want it back."
Arianna stepped forward, her eyes flashing with anger. "You'll never have it, Zhrak," she said. "The tapestry is safe, and it will never fall into your hands."
Zhrak laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "We'll see about that," he said. "I have powers that you can't even imagine, Arianna. And I will stop at nothing to get what I want."
Lyra felt a chill run down her spine as she watched Zhrak. She knew that she had to get away from him, but she didn't know how.
Arianna seemed to sense her fear, and she reached out to take Lyra's hand. "Don't worry, child," she said. "I will protect you. Zhrak will never harm you while I am here."
Zhrak sneered again, his eyes flashing with anger. "You think you can protect her, Arianna?" he said. "You think you can stand against my power?"
Arianna stood tall, her eyes flashing with defiance. "I will do whatever it takes to protect Lyra," she said. "And I will not let you harm her."
Zhrak laughed again, and then he raised his hand. Lyra felt a surge of energy flow through the air, and she knew that Zhrak was using his powers to attack Arianna.
But Arianna was not defenseless. She raised her own hand, and a blast of energy shot out, meeting Zhrak's attack head-on.
The two energies clashed, creating a blast of light and sound that sent Lyra stumbling backward. She fell to the ground, her ears ringing and her eyes blinded by the light.
When she finally managed to sit up and look around, she saw that Arianna and Zhrak were facing off against each other, their eyes locked in a fierce stare.
"What's going on?" Lyra asked, her voice shaking with fear.
Arianna didn't answer. She just kept staring at Zhrak, her eyes flashing with anger and defiance.
Zhrak, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying the confrontation. He was smiling, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
"You're a formidable opponent, Arianna," he said. "But you're no match for me. I will win in the end, and I will claim the tapestry as my own."
Arianna's face went white with rage, and she raised her hand again. But before she could attack, Zhrak vanished into thin air.
Lyra stared at the empty space where Zhrak had been, her mind reeling with shock and confusion.
"What just happened?" she asked Arianna, her voice shaking with fear.
Arianna turned to her, her eyes still flashing with anger. "Zhrak has retreated for now," she said. "But he will be back, and next time, he will not be so easy to defeat."
Lyra felt a chill run down her spine as she listened to Arianna's words. She knew that she was in grave danger, and she didn't know how to protect herself.
But she was determined to try. She was determined to learn how to defend herself against Zhrak's attacks, and to uncover the secrets of the tapestry.
And so, with a newfound sense of determination and purpose, Lyra stood up and faced Arianna.
"Teach me," she said, her voice firm and resolute. "Teach me how to defend myself against Zhrak, and how to unlock the secrets of the tapestry."
Arianna smiled, a look of approval on her face. "I will teach you, Lyra," she said. "And together, we will uncover the secrets of the tapestry and defeat Zhrak once and for all."