Golden Protectors

Chapter 31:Golden Protectors

Lirian was focusing on keeping her horse steady when something hard shoved into her side.

 She yelped as she was thrown from the saddle, hitting the cold ground with a thud. 

"Ouch! Damn it!" 

A burning electricity went to her back and arms. 

Before she could sit up, two people loomed over her.

"What are you even doing here?" one of the knights sneered, looking with disgust. 

"You don't belong in this hunt, Duchess."

"More like a fake Duchess," the second knight added with a laugh.

 "You're useless. Even your horse doesn't want you."

Lirian's chest tightened, but she bit back the urge to respond. 

Instead, she looked at her horse, which had bolted a few feet away, neighing wildly. 

Its reins were tangled on a branch, and it thrashed, nearly breaking free.

"Hey!" she shouted, ignoring the knights as she scrambled to her feet. "Easy, boy! Calm down!"

She stumbled toward the horse, her legs wobbled, when one of the knights stuck out a boot, tripping her again. 

She hit the ground hard, dirt clung to her dress.

"Why are you worried about the horse?" the first knight mocked, crossing her arms. 

"Shouldn't you be worried about yourself?"

Lirian pushed herself up, glaring. "Touch my horse again, and you'll regret it."

The first knight smirked, stepping closer. "Oh, really?"

Lirian didn't hesitate. 

She stood and slapped the knight hard across the face. 

The sound cracked through the air, leaving a stunned silence.

The knight's eyebrows lowered and twisted in rage as her hand flew to her cheek. "You little—"

Before Lirian could react, the second knight grabbed her arms, holding her in place.

"Let go of me!" Lirian shouted, moving against the knight's grip.

"Not so tough now, are you?" the first knight snarled again, stepping forward. 

Her fist slammed into Lirian's stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

Pain flared through Lirian's side as the knight's next punch landed near her healing wound. 

"Ah!" White-hot agony shot through her, and she cried out, her vision blurred and blinded her.

"Stay down, Duchess," the first knight ordered, aiming another blow.

Lirian's eyes closed involuntarily, her body trembled from the pain. 

Then, something stirred deep within her—a faint hum, like wings fluttering?

Suddenly, golden butterflies came from her body, shininh like sunlight as they swarmed the knights.

"What the—?!" one of them screamed, stumbling back.

The butterflies were illusions, but they felt real. 

Acid dropped from their wings, hissing as it hit the knights' skin. 

The two women fell to the ground, writhing and clawing at their faces.

"No! Get them off!"

"It burns!"

Lirian opened her eyes slowly, blinking as the golden swarm hovered around her protectively. 

"My skin!"

"My eyes! Aaaagh!" 

The knights were down, groaning in pain.

Her horse neighed loudly, breaking free from the branch and trotting back to her. 

Its wildness seemed to have vanished, and looked replaced by a calm obedience.

Lirian didn't waste time. 

She spotted two rabbits tied to the knights' saddles. 

Quickly, she grabbed them and tucked them into her bag before mounting her horse again.

She didn't ride back to the arena immediately. 

Her body screamed for rest, but her goal was focused on a different thing. 

The wish was too important to give up now. 

She needed to win, no matter what.

The forest seemed endless as she searched for the last rabbit. 

Hours passed, and frustration kept boiling inside her. 

Her heart pounded with every move she wasted.

Then, a voice called from behind her. "Lirian!"

She turned to see Daria trotting up on her sleek white horse, her face glowed with an irritatingly kind smile.

"You look like you're struggling," Daria said, pulling something from her bag. 

"Here." She held out a rabbit, its small body limp in her hand.

Lirian stared at her warily. "Why are you giving this to me?"

Daria shrugged. "I already have my three. Consider it a favor."

Lirian hesitated, her instincts telling her not to trust her…But she needed that rabbit. 

Slowly, she reached out and took it.

"Thank you," she said cautiously.

Daria smiled, but there was something in her eyes that unsettled Lirian. 

"Good luck," she said sweetly before turning her horse.

Lirian mounted her horse quickly, placing the rabbit in her bag. 

Daria was already moving, her horse started breaking into a sprint toward the arena.

"Oh, no, you don't," Lirian muttered, urging her horse forward.

The race back to the arena was relentless. 

Daria's horse was fast, its hooves thundered against the ground like a drumbeat. 

But Lirian's horse, though wild earlier, now moved with surprising speed and power.

The two women pushed their horses harder, their breaths kept coming in sharp gasps as they raced side by side.

 The trees blurred around them, and the wind whipped at their faces.

There was no way Lirian was going to let her win…not after the things she did. 

"You won't beat me," Daria called for her.

"Watch me," Lirian yelled back, narrowing her eyes.

Their horses jostled against each other, their sides brushed as they tried to gain the lead. 

Daria leaned forward, urging her horse faster, but Lirian didn't let up.

The finish line came into view, the arena gates just ahead.

 Gabriel was at the edge, looking at the two of them.

Daria's horse veered slightly, bumping into Lirian's with enough force to make her lose balance for a moment.

"Really?" Lirian snapped, tightening her grip on the reins.

"All's fair in the hunt," Daria replied with a grin, thinking she was going to win.

Lirian gritted her teeth, leaning forward as her horse surged ahead. 

They were neck and neck, the arena just feet away.

"Come on," she urged, her heart pounded like crazy…

Lirian thought it was going to stop.

This meant a lot to her. 

She needed to prove her power, her intelligence, and her abilities. 

She had no mana, so riding a horse should've been different for her. 

"Come on! Please, horsy, help me!" She kept whispering to the horse…

And when she urged one more time, the horse reached Daria. 

"You bitch! You're not going to win!" Daria shouted, but it didn't bother Lirian.

'I will!'

Daria pulled her horse and pushed Lirian's horse with its head, "Gabriel is mine!"

Lirian gritted her teeth so hard, she thought she would break them, leaning forward as her horse surged ahead. 

They were neck and neck, the arena just feet away.

"Come on!"

With one final burst of speed, their horses leapt ahead, crossing the line together.