"Such fragility from an Eldora mystic... How disappointing!"
The words escaped his lips as he casually brushed the blood from Fiona's body, his fingers repulsively wiping away the remnants as if they were nothing more than dirt.
"Fiona!"
Aldrich froze, his eyes locked on the sight of Fiona crumpled on the ground, blood pooling around her.
A chill washed over him as he processed the horrifying image.
His body seemed to betray him, immobilized by the shock of it all.
Amid his momentary paralysis, Ian and Camelia, both more attuned to the situation, reacted swiftly.
Ian lunged toward the intruder, weapon drawn, while Camelia, with a flick of her hand drawing, summoned the earth to lift Fiona's body and gently carry her away from the immediate danger.
Aldrich snapped out of his daze, his feet carrying him to Fiona as her body floated toward him.
"Fiona!" he cried, his voice a mixture of desperation and fear.