The sounds of hurried footsteps broke through the forest as two figures moved along the narrow path, one pulling the other back as they argued.
"Ansley! What are you doing? Let me go!"
"My lady, I can't. We need to go back," Ansley said, his grip firm.
Alteraz, stubborn as ever, struggled against him, twisting and pulling.
"Ansley, I'm telling you, we need to go! Zhangxuan… Zhangxuan can't handle that!"
Hearing her mention the Grandmaster again unsettled Ansley. It wasn't her urgency, but the casual way she used the name without any respect that caught him off guard. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"My lady, forgive me for doing this," he said, lifting her effortlessly and turning her back toward the inn.
Alteraz's vision flipped upside down as frustration boiled over. She pounded on Ansley's back, but he didn't even react.
After a few minutes of struggling, Ansley finally noticed that she had gone quiet behind him.
"My lady?"
THUD!!
Before he could react, Alteraz suddenly pushed herself upward, throwing them both off balance. She flipped midair, grabbed a handful of dirt, and flung it into his face. Blinded, Ansley instinctively covered his eyes, giving her just enough time to break free.
"Lady Alteraz!" Ansley called, but she was already running deeper into the forest.
Branches scraped against her arms and legs, but Alteraz didn't slow down. She kept running until she felt she had put enough distance between herself and Ansley.
The forest around her was dark, making it hard to see the path. Soon, she noticed faint lights between the trees and moved toward them without hesitation.
She was so focused on the lights that she almost missed the edge of a cliff. She stopped just in time, but before she could fall, a strong hand grabbed her and pulled her back.
"If you think you can escape just like that, you're mistaken," Ansley's voice came from behind her ear.
"Ansley!" she gasped as she turned toward him.
"Tell me, young miss, what do you intend to do?"
Looking at him, she knew Ansley's loyalty to Zhangxuan was absolute. He trusted his master's strength above everything, even her warnings.
"He'll die!"
"And what makes you think he will die?" Ansley asked, a knife gleaming in his hand as he stepped closer cautiously.
"My master… you know him. Even when people stand against him, he still pushes forward. What happened earlier won't just be ignored," she said, pressing her point.
Ansley paused, conflict showing in his eyes. For a brief moment, he wondered if the grandmaster truly needed his aid elsewhere. In the end, his loyalty prevailed. The thought of Zhangxuan facing danger without him left no room for doubt.
"Fine," Ansley said at last. "I'll go… but I'll leave you here. Go back, and I'll handle the rest."
"Leave me? Are you insane? You can't—"
"I'm telling you, it's for the best," he interrupted, already moving.
"No! If you're going, then I'm going too! I don't even know the way back. Bringing me along won't slow you down—it'll save time!"
Ansley hesitated, clearly wanting to argue. Nevertheless, he swallowed his objections and gave a reluctant nod.
"Fine… but stay close. One step out of line, and I will drag you back myself."
Alteraz let out a relieved breath and followed as they moved through the forest.
The forest blurred as they ran, branches brushing past them. Ansley then began casting a spell that bent space itself, and in an instant, they were transported inside the palace.
What they saw shocked Alteraz.
The halls, which had only recently been repaired, were already in ruins again. Nobles fled as gates stood open and dust filled the air. In the grand hall, two figures were fighting. One was bound in glowing chains while the other attacked fiercely, while smoke and scorched wood filled the space.
"Zhangxuan! To threaten a Celestial in his own domain is a grave crime! You are courting death!" Elshmir's voice thundered through the hall.
Zhangxuan broke free of his restraints and charged at Elshmir. Their clash shook the entire hall. Palace mages scrambled around them, some attempting to bind Zhangxuan with spells while others reinforced protective barriers. Each impact sent shockwaves through the room, making the barriers flicker under the strain.
Alteraz could only watch, fully aware that the battle was far beyond her level. Even the combined efforts of the mages were barely containing the destruction.
Soon, Zhangxuan's exhaustion became obvious. Every spell he cast drained him further. She was about to call for Ansley when he moved first, cutting through the mages blocking his path.
Zhangxuan's attention shifted briefly to him, and then to Alteraz kneeling at a distance. That moment of distraction was enough. Elshmir struck Zhangxuan hard in the ribs.
A sickening crack echoed through the hall. Zhangxuan staggered, blood slipping from his lips as he forced himself upright.
Alteraz froze, unable to process what she had just seen. Then her eyes snapped to the chandelier above. She immediately grabbed a shard of broken glass and began cutting through the rope holding it, blood running down her hands as she ignored the pain.
"Come on… come on…" she muttered, before letting out a strained gasp as she fell back after finally cutting the rope.
The chandelier came crashing down, but Elshmir didn't even look up. He stepped aside as it exploded against the marble behind him. A heavy silence settled over the hall.
You've got to be kidding me…
I just sliced my hands open for that?!
He tilted his head, the corner of his mouth curling into a dangerous smile.
"Ah… look what we have here. The mouse finally shows itself to the cat."
Elshmir lunged forward, aiming to strike Alteraz before she could react. She closed her eyes briefly, wishing desperately for another reincarnation, but nothing happened. Zhangxuan countered instantly, sending Elshmir flying several meters back.
"Dane Zhangxuan De Florencia! Do you truly wish to make the entire Kanzakh Kingdom your enemy?" Elshmir roared.
"Master… what does he want? Why has it come to this?" she asked, her voice filled with worry and disbelief.
Zhangxuan did not answer, but Elshmir's words revealed everything.
"Hand over your disciple, and your sins will be pardoned… for the sake of your family's name!"
Zhangxuan's eyes narrowed. "And why should I follow you?"
Enraged, Elshmir unleashed a massive spell, a surge of energy that shook the entire hall and threatened to destroy everything in its path. The mages tried to restrain him, but the attack still surged forward.
We're going to die, Alteraz thought in panic. Then she felt something strange in her chest.
Zhangxuan was about to push himself further when Ansley saw the spell rushing toward them. Surrounded by mages and unable to intervene, he shouted, "Master!"
Before Zhangxuan could act, Alteraz placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. She stepped forward instead, standing between him and the incoming attack. Her eyes glowed red as she raised a trembling knife against the approaching destruction.
"Zhangxuan… you truly are an ignorant master," she said calmly.
Zhangxuan's eyes widened slightly before a sly smile appeared, as if he had just understood something.
The blade in her hand transformed into Accsentia's true form, and with a single strike, Alteraz cut through Elshmir's spell. A blinding light filled the hall.
When it faded, she stood again before Zhangxuan, looking confused and unaware of what had just happened. Breathless, she helped him up, steadying him, unsure how she had ended up in front of him.
She slowly turned back, remembering the attack, but there was nothing left to see. They were both still alive.
Across the hall, Elshmir's gaze lingered on her before he suddenly appeared in front of them. Alteraz held her breath, while Zhangxuan stepped forward protectively.
"Calm down, calm down. How about we settle this with a wager?" he said.
A wager? Alteraz inwardly questioned what she had just heard.
"If your disciple can defeat mine," Elshmir continued deliberately, "She will be free. However, she will only have one month to prepare."
One month against a Celestial's disciple?
I can barely cut a chandelier rope!
She opened her mouth to refuse. "I… I can't—there's no way I could possibly—"
Zhangxuan stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. He said nothing, only gave a slight nod, as though answering Elshmir on her behalf.
Her eyes widened. Wait… what?!
Elshmir's smile deepened. "Ah… so it seems your master accepts on your behalf. Excellent."
Seeing the two agree without even considering her opinion, Alteraz could only helplessly accept her fate.