Flames and Ashes

Before I could identify the voice of the person who called my name, the room was rocked by another explosion, followed by more in rapid succession, creating a spectacle akin to endless fireworks.

As the scene unfolded before my eyes, I struggled to comprehend the devastation. The once elegant room lay in ruins, everything destroyed, shattered, and charred. The walls and ceiling were darkened by fire, and the air was thick with the stench of smoke and death. Dead Ghouls lay scattered, their blood pooling around them.

Amongst the chaos, Emberocks were scattered throughout the room, and it took me a moment to recognize the knights who were engaged in fierce combat against them. My heart raced when I saw the uniform they wore—it was Ludwig's knights. Frantically scanning the area, I searched for Ludwig, but he was nowhere to be seen.

I gasped as I witnessed Hiyasmin strike Amethyst with her sword, aiming for her heart. However, Amethyst swiftly blocked the attack with her own blade. Despite Hiyasmin's slower movements due to her recovering legs, she compensated with strategic techniques and a gradual mastery of swordsmanship.

Hiyasmin attempted to choke Amethyst with her free hand, but Amethyst countered by attacking Hiyasmin's shoulder. This forced Amethyst to release her grip, and she took a step back. At the same time, Hiyasmin delivered a kick to Amethyst's side, resulting in only a minor cut and a small trickle of blood.

Amethyst launched an attack, feinting as if she was going to strike Hiyasmin's right chest. However, Hiyasmin deftly evaded by moving to the left, only to be met by a swift kick from Amethyst. This caused Hiyasmin's body to fly across the room, landing in an area engulfed in raging flames.

My heart sank as I watched Hiyasmin's body being consumed by the fire, and I let out a loud cry of her name. Despite my desperate desire to help her, I remained immobilized, unable to move.

I lost sight of Amethyst as the Ravager who had previously attacked me and Commander Rivalz approached. He grabbed the chains of my cage and effortlessly lifted it with me still inside.

As my body rolled inside the cage, my back was pressed against the bars. With a slight movement from the Ravager, my arm was now caught between the cage bars.

The weight of the cage pressed down on my chest as the Ravager let it fall to the ground, causing me to roll along with it until it finally stopped.

After a few seconds, I managed to control my breathing and attempted to move again. However, the restraints made it difficult, causing me pain with even the slightest movement.

The Ravager approached me again, but suddenly a long sword pierced through its massive belly. I felt my blood drain from my face as I watched the blood spill from the Ravager's wound, yet it continued to stare at me with an unsettling calmness despite the grievous injury.

With sinister eyes fixed on me, the Ravager turned around to face Liam, the one who had struck it. Liam's gaze was filled with murder as he confronted the Ravager, and without hesitation, he attacked. Using sharp water formed into a spear, Liam engaged in a fierce battle with the Ravager.

Before I could fully process Liam's movements, the cage I was in rolled once again, this time because it was struck by a Ghoul that fell and lost its life.

My cage rolled towards the burning section of the room, but just before I could be engulfed by the raging flames, Commander Leonel intervened, halting the cage's movement.

He was visibly exhausted, covered in blood, with a large wound on his cheek that was slowly beginning to heal. While his healing wasn't instantaneous, it was enough to stop the bleeding.

Commander Leonel attempted to open my cage, but despite his efforts to force it open or slice through the metal with his sword, the cage remained sealed shut. Undeterred, he resorted to using his blazing bare hands, but before he could make any progress, he was suddenly grabbed from behind and struck directly in the face.

Commander Leonel stumbled momentarily, but quickly regained his balance. Drawing another sword from his belt, he slashed it through the air, creating a wound on his opponent's arm as he attempted to force open my cage.

"Minister Ksaver..." Commander Leonel spoke the name with a mixture of determination and disdain. There was no surprise on Leonel's face, as if he had expected betrayal from the Minister.

Minister Ksaver possessed a muscular build and moved with precision, each step followed by a calculated attack. It was clear that Leonel was struggling against Ksaver's relentless assault, focusing primarily on defense and finding it difficult to mount a counterattack. While he managed to avoid being wounded by the enemy, he also couldn't inflict any harm. 

There was a sudden shift in Commander Leonel's demeanor. His eyes took on a sharp and focused gleam, an indescribable intensity. Despite being wounded by his attacker, he responded with a menacing laugh.

"It's no surprise why you hold the title of Minister of War. You know what lines not to cross," began Commander Leonel as he pulled out the sword embedded in his stomach. "But your tactics are outdated, unchanging. Your time has passed," he added before launching his attack.

Leonel's offensive stance seemed unorthodox and erratic, lacking a clear pattern. He moved unpredictably, shifting left and right, stepping back and then advancing, almost as if he were engaged in a dance.

His opponent, Minister Ksaver, appeared perplexed by this sudden change in Leonel's approach, furrowing his brow in confusion.

The sequence of events unfolded swiftly. Commander Leonel initially positioned himself to the left of Minister Ksaver, but as Ksaver attacked with his sword, Leonel deftly maneuvered to Ksaver's back. With his right arm, Leonel wrapped it around Ksaver's neck, while his other hand, wielding the sword, struck Ksaver in the side of his stomach.

As Leonel tightened his grip on Ksaver's neck and twisted his arm, the Minister attempted a counterattack. However, before I could witness the outcome, I was rolled away from the scene, propelled by Leaf who was now in front of me. Despite being cloaked, I recognized Leaf's presence as she manipulated the cage, causing me to roll along with it like a hamster wheel.

As I was rolled through the midst of the fire, flames licked at my surroundings, dancing dangerously close. However, Leaf remained untouched by the fire, the flames parting as she walked, a clear indication of her Fire Fae heritage.

Upon reaching the other side, I was met by Amelia. Despite the chaotic scene and the blazing inferno around us, Amelia appeared unscathed, her clothes pristine and her demeanor regal. Yet, her eyes betrayed the turmoil within, mirroring the destruction of the surroundings.

Just as Amelia reached for my cage, a swift arrow pierced through her wrist, halting her movement.

Leaf seethed with fury beside me as Hiyasmin suddenly appeared and grabbed her from behind, hurling her upwards towards the ceiling. Leaf's body became ensnared in the chandelier, her limbs entangled among the bulbs. However, despite this unexpected attack, Leaf quickly recovered, ready to face Hiyasmin once again.

Meanwhile, in front of me, flames erupted and something exploded in Amelia's vicinity. Surprisingly, neither Leaf nor Amelia seemed affected by the flames. Their bodies remained unharmed, although Amelia's dress was singed and charred at the edges, proving to be no hindrance to her movements.

Ludwig's sudden appearance from above filled me with a rush of hope and emotion. With incredible speed, he made a dash towards Amelia, but she countered his advance with her ominous black fire. The flames haunted Ludwig, forcing him to evade the assault and retreat from our vicinity.

Despite the intensity of the moment, a sense of relief washed over me. Ludwig hadn't abandoned me. He had returned.

My gaze remained fixed on Ludwig, observing his tired demeanor and noting the slight sluggishness in his movements. He was clearly exhausted, catching his breath as he tried to regain his composure.

Amelia's laughter echoed as she approached Ludwig. "You're weak, just like your father," she taunted.

The black fire controlled by Amelia forced Ludwig to make a decision—either move forward into the flames or retreat, with the wall providing no escape route.

Ludwig attempted to move forward despite the energy hindering his progress, but he was continuously pulled away from Amelia by some unseen force.

"No!" I couldn't contain my shout as Ludwig was enveloped by the black fire. The flames slithered around his feet, and the sound of his groan filled me with overwhelming panic.

Fire Faes were typically immune to fire, except when it came to the dark flames wielded by Amelia. Judging by the intensity of her fire, I could only imagine the excruciating pain Ludwig was enduring.

In an effort to escape the fire, Ludwig leaped and then flew away, but he was pursued by Amelia's relentless assault. However, Ludwig retaliated by unleashing his own flames, engaging in a fiery battle against Amelia's dark fire.

The battle between their fires resembled a clash of serpents, each vying to overpower the other. The black and blue fires entwined, struggling for dominance as they writhed and twisted in the air.

Ludwig pressed on, wielding his two swords with determination. He hurled one sword towards Amelia's face, and as the sword engulfed her in ash, Ludwig swiftly appeared in front of her, aiming to strike her neck.

Although Amelia managed to evade the attack, she was still wounded, albeit not fatally, with only a minor laceration.

Without giving Amelia a chance to recover, Ludwig launched another fierce assault. His movements were swift and calculated, his eyes ablaze with intensity and ruthlessness. Every strike was precise, leaving Amelia with no room to escape. 

As Ludwig cornered Amelia and inflicted wounds on her feet, he raised his hands, preparing to deliver a final blow to end the confrontation once and for all.

As Ludwig raised his hands, poised to deliver the final blow to Amelia, I was on the verge of shouting and stopping him. Despite everything Amelia had done—killing Ludwig's father, causing chaos in his kingdom, harming me, and being part of plans to conquer Earth—I couldn't bear the thought of witnessing my mother's death. Moreover, the idea of her being killed by someone I loved was too much to handle.

I realized that my feelings were irrational and defied logic. From an objective standpoint, Amelia's crimes were grave, and it could be argued that she deserved to face consequences. However, emotions and personal connections often transcend reason, and I couldn't bring myself to accept or support her death at Ludwig's hands.

As my voice echoed, Amelia suddenly disappeared from her spot, leaving us bewildered. Before I could grasp the situation, my cage swung open, revealing Amelia standing in front of me. She grabbed me roughly, pulling at my hair, and aimed her black fire dangerously close to my cheeks, its scorching heat palpable.

"Move even an inch, and my fire will swallow her alive," Amelia threatened Ludwig with impatience evident in her tone.

Ludwig stiffened, his gaze flickering between Amelia and me. I, too, was frozen in disbelief at the perilous turn of events.

Amelia's long, sharp nails dug into my arm, drawing fresh blood as I struggled against her tight grip. Despite the pain, I tried to focus on her face, which bore a serious expression as she stared directly at Ludwig.

In that moment, I tried to reassure myself. Despite all the harm she had caused me, physically, mentally, and emotionally, I couldn't believe she would actually harm me in such a way. She couldn't do that. After all, I was her daughter.

Ludwig remained motionless, his eyes reflecting seething anger. When he glanced at me, I felt rooted to the spot by the intensity in his gaze. Fear was evident in his eyes—not for himself, but for me. He seemed terrified of losing me forever.

I was frozen in shock, not even able to blink, when suddenly a wave of heat enveloped me, and in the blink of an eye, Ludwig was gone.

In the next moment, we found ourselves in a vastly different place altogether.