Half an hour ago...
*Whooosh*
Eliza and her brothers, along with most of Marcus's men, can barely register Arthur's movement as he dashes toward the young Master Drummond. He moves as fast as the wind, a blur of blonde hair with a gleaming sword in hand, cutting through the air toward his target.
*Shoosh*
But Marcus is no stranger to speed. As a Rank Four Champion, he easily matches Arthur's agility—far superior to the weakened mayor of Lakeview that Arthur had previously faced, thanks to his mother's interference.
'Don't underestimate him!' Nyx warns in Arthur's mind, fearing he might be too bold by confronting Marcus head-on, especially with the Champion's venomous lizard lurking close by.
'Don't worry, dear. I have a plan,' Arthur replies calmly, fully engaged in a direct fight with Marcus.
*Woosh* *Shooosh*
Arthur strikes rapidly with his sword, showcasing the superior skills of a Swordmaster, but Marcus, an experienced rogue, dodges the blows effortlessly, always retreating to maintain distance.
'Just as I thought—he avoids close combat...' Arthur had noticed Marcus's proficiency with the crossbow, suspecting he preferred ranged combat. Now, seeing the tension on Marcus's face as he tries to keep away, Arthur feels more confident, even against an opponent with a far higher power level.
However, Arthur knows that aside from Marcus's combat style and his willingness to ally with Aria, he holds few advantages. The disadvantages, on the other hand, are many.
First, there are the dozens of mercenaries surrounding Marcus, still hidden in the trees and nearby. If they were to attack Arthur and Eliza's group together, defeat would be inevitable.
Then there's Marcus's venomous green lizard, clearly a formidable combatant, far surpassing the skills of the Whittle siblings' birds and Nyx, who still doesn't fully understand her own abilities.
As he continues to strike at the elusive Marcus, Arthur remains focused on the fight, but his clever mind races to find a solution to deal with their enemies. No matter how ambitious Master Drummond may be, they are still enemies here, and Marcus's target is Eliza and her brothers.
'I need to find a way to keep Eliza safe and separate them to stand a chance...' Arthur shares his thoughts with Nyx, hoping for her insight.
Nyx quickly formulates an idea. 'One of the barrier talismans your mother gave you. Give one to Eliza—it'll keep her protected.'
'Oh, you're right!' Arthur realizes he's still not fully accustomed to using the magical tools at his disposal, especially with Aria gifting him so many enchanted treasures.
As Arthur continues to press Marcus, forcing him to retreat with quick movements and sword strikes, he notes that his opponent is also deep in thought—undoubtedly trying to find a way to secure an alliance while fending off the attacks.
Using his speed and skill, Arthur skillfully leads Marcus away from Eliza and her brothers, who are now under heavy assault from Marcus's mercenaries.
Preston and Tobias fight fiercely against Marcus's men, doing everything they can to defend Eliza with the help of their Astral Beasts, the large birds. But Eliza struggles to focus on the battle, her eyes constantly darting toward Arthur.
Her expression is a mix of apprehension and emotion—fascination and delight. Despite her deep worry for his safety, she admires Arthur's courage and his willingness to fight by her side, even with the complicated history between their families.
'Does he really like me that much?' The emotional thought makes Eliza hesitate at a critical moment, and the worst happens...
*Zaap*
A black arrow whizzes between her brothers and strikes Eliza's arm. Luckily, the arrow doesn't penetrate deeply but instead grazes her skin, leaving a long cut across her delicate flesh.
"AH!!" She cries out as sharp pain surges from the cold metal slicing through her soft skin. Blood splatters as she struggles to summon barriers to defend against the incoming hail of arrows.
"Eliza?!" Arthur hears her scream and immediately grows concerned, but he doesn't take his eyes off Marcus, not daring to turn his back on his enemy.
'She's alright, it's just a superficial cut,' Nyx quickly reassures Arthur mentally, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.
But her next words are far less comforting. 'However, she and her brothers won't last much longer under Marcus's mercenary assault. You need to give her the barrier talisman now.'
Arthur knows this too, but he can't simply turn his back on Marcus and rush toward Eliza. His only option is to create a distraction, enough to buy him a window of opportunity.
"Yeah!" Eliza exclaims, nodding obediently, her usual defiance melting away under Arthur's leadership, making him like her even more.
Preston, overhearing their conversation, can barely contain his jealousy. His heart burns with negative emotions as he struggles to comprehend that Eliza is already listening to Arthur like a devoted wife.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Preston shouts as he turns around, having just finished off an elite mercenary. A black arrow grazes his leg, leaving a cut and causing him to cry out in pain. "Arrgh!!"
Arthur ignores Preston and smiles at Eliza before gracefully leaping several meters back. Their eyes lock, and their lips curve into matching smiles. "Now!!" Arthur gives the signal mid-air, and Eliza quickly smashes the protective talisman beneath her feet.
*Boom-shaaaafh*
A powerful, shimmering gray barrier springs up, a few meters wide, enveloping Eliza and her brothers. It almost slices Tobias in half, missing him by mere centimeters. Fortunately, all three siblings are safely within the protective dome, and the arrows that rain down shatter upon touching the smooth surface of the barrier.
Preston, still nursing his leg, looks at the barrier in awe. "What in the world...?"
Eliza, standing inside the dome, smiles up at Arthur, admiration and gratitude shining in her eyes.
"Unbelievable!" Eliza exclaims as she realizes the barrier is far more powerful than she expected. "Not even a Master mage could break through this..." She wonders briefly, but when she glances back at Arthur, he's already vanishing into the shadows like a swift phantom.
"Who are you???" Marcus demands, his voice laced with both fascination and suspicion as he stares at Nyx, captivated by her beauty, just like his men.
Nyx only smiles, using her devilish charm to infiltrate their minds and hearts. Seeing their entranced gazes, she feels her inner energies stir, instinctively beginning to understand more about her own potential.
'Seducing men, women, and even Astral Beasts—this might be my greatest weapon... my way to be useful to my beloved Arthur,' she thinks excitedly.
Nyx has no intention of revealing herself physically to anyone but Arthur, nor touching another man. But if her natural beauty and a few smiles can keep these mercenaries entranced, it's perfect for Arthur's plan.
Arthur doesn't waste the opportunity, appearing from behind the mesmerized mercenaries, swiftly eliminating them.
*Whoosh-whoosh*
His sword slices through the air, and in mere moments, men are cleaved in half, throats slashed, and heads flying in a swift, bloody spectacle.
Marcus and his most skilled men quickly realize what's happening around them; Marcus also notices the glowing dome around the Whittle siblings and is impressed by Arthur's clever strategy.
"Stay sharp, he's attacking from the shadows!!!" Marcus shouts to his men. "Use full force to knock him out, but don't kill him!!"
The mercenaries quickly regroup, preparing to defend against Arthur's attacks, forcing him to retreat as their numbers overwhelm him.
'Time to run!' Arthur communicates mentally with Nyx as he dashes into the trees with agility, and Nyx vanishes in a puff of pink smoke, returning to his Nexus.
Marcus and his men can't react in time, only catching a glimpse of Arthur disappearing into the shadows. "Quick, after him!!!" Marcus orders as he turns his attention back to Eliza inside the protective dome.
Dozens of mercenaries chase after Arthur, who runs deeper into the darkness with incredible speed. Several meters behind, Arthur passes a large man kneeling over a body.
Arthur recognizes the body as one of Marcus's first men he killed, back in the trees when he made his initial appearance. The man was merely an elite archer, lying in wait to ambush Eliza and her brothers.
As Arthur passes swiftly, he notices the large man looking at him with the same agility as Marcus, a clear indication that this is no Elite Warrior but a Champion.
Arthur is surprised by this, but what catches his attention even more are the tears in the man's eyes—despite his brutal appearance, his sorrow is evident.
'His lover, most likely,' Nyx comments about the young man lying dead before the giant.
Arthur doesn't feel pity for the big man, but he respects his desire for revenge. With a slight, taunting nod, Arthur provokes the giant before vanishing into the darkness.
"I will kill YOU, BASTARD!!!" The man roars, standing to his full height and grabbing his massive axe.
Several other mercenaries arrive, and one man in the center calls out to the giant. "Come on, Silas! Boss wants the kid captured, not dead!"