On the other hand, Sibel was making a run for it, Xiaolan clinging tightly to her back.
'Ho, never thought we are this far from the capital,' Sibel thought, her breath coming in quick bursts.
"Are you okay?" Xiaolan asked, voice muffled against her shoulder.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Sibel replied, forcing a reassuring smile. She gathered her focus and channeled more wind magic to her feet, feeling the surge as she sprinted even faster through the moonlit woods.
Back at the fight, Orin and Toby launched themselves at Gendry in perfect sync.
Orin's fists blazed with fire as he darted forward, swinging a burning punch at Gendry's side. At the same moment, Toby slammed his earth-covered fist down, aiming to break Gendry's guard.
Gendry's eyes narrowed. He shifted his stance, sword scraping the ground. 'Two at once. They're getting bolder.'
He twisted, parrying Orin's fiery blow with the flat of his blade. Heat scorched the air, but Gendry pressed on, using the sword's momentum to deflect Toby's attack. The ground shuddered as earth magic collided with steel, sending sparks and dust flying.
Orin grinned, flames licking up his arms. "Not so tough now, are you?"
Toby circled, fists clenched and ready. "Let's see you handle this, knight."
Gendry smirked, rolling his shoulders. 'They're not bad. But they'll have to do better than that.'
'But I have to finish it,' Gendry thought grimly, steeling himself against the onslaught. With a sudden, decisive move, Gendry leaped back, creating some distance between himself and his attackers.
Seeing Gendry leap back, Toby's eyes lit up. 'Looks like knights aren't all that strong after all.'
"Toby!" Orin called out, glancing at him with a sly smile.
"We can beat hi-"
Suddenly, a sharp slice cut through the air, and Orin's head dropped to the ground. It was Gendry's sword.
Toby stood frozen, shock rendering him speechless as Orin's lifeless head rolled across the dirt.
They were wrong. They can't take a knight and never will.
Toby's breath caught in his throat as Orin's severed head rolled to a stop. The cold gleam of Gendry's sword still hung in the air like a death knell.
For a moment, Toby stood frozen, heart hammering against his ribs. 'This isn't some reckless knight. This is… something else.'
The fire in Orin's eyes was gone, replaced by an eerie stillness that sent a chill down Toby's spine.
He glanced at Gendry-calm, unshaken, the very image of lethal precision. The knight's smirk wasn't just confidence; it was a promise of merciless wrath.
'All this time, I thought I was ready to give my life for Xiaolan,' Toby admitted silently, voice trembling in his mind.
'But if it means facing this… this monster? I don't know if I'm brave enough.'
His fists clenched, earth magic crackling faintly around his hands. The weight of his choice pressed down heavier than any spell.
Gendry stared coldly at Toby, his sword dripping with Orin's blood. The crimson gleamed in the moonlight, a silent warning.
Toby's hands trembled as he shakily returned to his fighting stance.
With a swift motion, Toby threw a handful of dust at Gendry's face.
Gendry barely flinched-he swiped the dust away with a casual flick of his hand.
But Toby was no longer where he'd stood.
'He's gone,' Gendry muttered under his breath.
Toby's heart pounded wildly. 'Damnit, I'm scared. I can't do this. I'm sorry, Orin, Sibel, and Xiaolan. I still value my life.'
'Damn it-'
A sudden, wet cough interrupted him-a spatter of blood escaped Toby's mouth.
Gendry had seen him run and caught up with terrifying ease.
Before Toby could react, Gendry's blade found its mark.
The fight was over.
Gendry stood over Toby's fallen form, the crimson blade still slick with fresh blood. For a moment, he allowed himself to rest, the weight of the fight settling into his bones. His breath came steady, eyes scanning the dark forest beyond.
"Tsk," he muttered, a flicker of impatience in his voice. "I can't reach them after all."
"I should just tell my lord directly," he mused, voice low and cold. "Tsk. Now, where are the horses?"
Meanwhile, on the other side, Sibel had been running for nearly an hour. Even with her wind magic, her speed was limited-none of them were truly trained. Their magic was basic, born of poverty and desperation.
'How about that,' she thought breathlessly, 'I actually fell asleep when I was sent to guard here.'
"I think you're tired. You should rest," Xiaolan suggested softly, her voice filled with concern.
"No, don't worry about me, okay?" Sibel answered firmly. She pressed a hand to her mouth and conjured a breath of air, consuming it directly.
'Seems the plan wasn't perfect,' she admitted silently, 'but we're already this far, and I'm not planning to fail.'
Sibel pushed herself to her feet, the rough stones of the road digging into her worn boots.
The faint glow of the capital's walls shimmered ahead, promising safety and sanctuary-but also new dangers. Every muscle screamed in protest, her breath shallow and uneven.
'I can't stop now,' she told herself, though her legs wobbled beneath her. 'Not when we're this close.'
Xiaolan shifted on her back, eyes blinking open. "Sibel?"
"Almost there," Sibel whispered, voice hoarse. She swallowed hard, the dry air burning her throat.
The wind magic that had carried her this far now felt like a distant memory. Her fingers trembled as she brushed damp hair from her face. The weight of the mission, the fear for Orin and Toby, and the burden of protecting Xiaolan pressed down harder than any blade.
'They're out there,' she thought, 'fighting, risking everything. I have to make it-for them, for Xiaolan.'
But as the buildings grow larger, the exhaustion slammed into her like a wave. Her knees buckled, and she sank to the ground, gasping for breath.
'I'm too tired,' she admitted, head spinning. 'But I'm not giving up. Not yet.'
The sun hasn't risen yet, but the skies are slowly losing their darkness. A faint glow edges the horizon, softening the night's shadows and hinting at dawn's approach. The air is cool and still, filled with the quiet anticipation of a new day just beginning to stir.
'I think we should rest a bit,' Xiaolan suggested again, her voice soft and gentle against the quiet dawn.
"We can't, Xiaolan. Not now," Sibel gasped, voice trembling with urgency. "That knight-he's probably already telling his lord what happened. Or worse, he could be right behind us." As Xiaolan's words echoed in her mind, desperation surged through Sibel. She forced herself into a burst of speed, even as her legs threatened to buckle.
'She's still just a kid. I can't let her go through what I did. That kind of trauma-it nearly destroyed me.'
As she ran, the memories clawed their way back. The slums of Aurelia, where she, Orin, and Toby had scraped by with nothing but each other. No family, no education, no real magic training-just survival.
She remembered that night, lost in a filthy alley, searching for the boys. The two men who cornered her, rough hands pinning her arms, reaching for places no one should. She tried to scream, but fear strangled her voice.
All she could do was cry-until Orin and Toby found her. They fought the men off, saved her, held her while she sobbed. She hadn't been raped, but the terror and shame lingered, haunting her every step.
Now, with Xiaolan's small arms clutching her shoulders, Sibel's fear twisted into something fierce. 'I won't let that happen to her. Never.'
Her mana was nearly gone; every step was agony. The city walls loomed ahead, but she was slowing, stumbling. Panic gripped her. 'What if I fail her? What if that nightmare finds Xiaolan, too?'
A sudden surge of mana flared within her-a final, desperate wind spell. She shot forward, faster than ever, leaving even Xiaolan wide-eyed. But the magic faded quickly, and Sibel's strength ebbed away. By the time they reached the capital gates, she was spent, her eyes hollow and lifeless.
Xiaolan slipped from her back, voice trembling. "Are you okay?"
Sibel forced a weak smile. "Of course. I'm just… a bit tired." She fumbled in her pocket and pulled out a crumpled newspaper.
"Can you read?"
"Ohm…" Xiaolan nodded, tears welling up.
Sibel pointed to a name and address. "Go here. Find this man-Rethrus. He'll help you."
"Are you going to be okay?" Xiaolan's voice cracked.
Sibel brushed a tear from Xiaolan's cheek, her own eyes shining. "Don't cry, okay? Me, Orin, and Toby-we'll visit you there. I promise."
She pressed the paper into Xiaolan's hands. "Now go. I'll rest right here."
Xiaolan hugged her tight. "Thank you so much."
Sibel smiled, warmth flickering in her tired eyes. "You're welcome."
She slumped against the city wall, watching Xiaolan disappear into the waking city. The sky was pale now, the sun just beginning to rise, golden light kissing Sibel's face.
'Ha. What's this feeling? I guess… we did it. We really did it.' Her eyelids fluttered. 'I wonder where Orin and Toby are now. I hope they find me here…'
But as the city stirred and the first rays of sunlight brushed Sibel's face, there was no movement-no gentle rise and fall of her chest, no flicker of her eyelids. The warmth of dawn could not reach her anymore.
What she'd thought was a final surge of mana, a desperate wind spell to save Xiaolan, had not been magic at all. It was her life force, burning away in a single, selfless act. She had given everything-her hope, her strength, her very soul-to carry Xiaolan to safety.
Sibel's body rested peacefully against the city wall, lips curved in the faintest smile, as if she were simply sleeping. But her spirit had already slipped away, carried on the morning breeze.
The city awoke, unaware of the sacrifice made in its shadow. Xiaolan, clutching the newspaper and Sibel's promise, hurried into the crowd, never knowing that the price of her freedom had been paid in full.