Kill Her!

Eva grabbed Kael with surprising strength and tossed him onto her back as if he weighed nothing.

"Hold on tight!" she ordered, her voice cutting through the air as she began running toward the purple pillar of light.

Kael, still a little dazed by the speed of events, obeyed without question, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Eva's speed was astounding. Each step seemed to devour the ground beneath them, and the trees blurred around them.

"What's happening, Eva?" he shouted, trying to maintain his balance as she leaped over roots and dodged low-hanging branches.

"The Princess of the Dark Elves," Eva responded without stopping. "If she's really who the mercenaries were after, that means much bigger problems than I thought. And if Sylphie is who I think she is… we have to get there before it's too late."

Kael tightened his grip around her, his heart racing. "But... how? Sylphie is just a child! How can she be a princess?"

"You really think the title of 'princess' is just about blood?" Eva retorted, her tone full of frustration and urgency. "What matters is the power she possesses. And from what I felt coming from that pillar, her power is awakening... or being forced to awaken."

Kael felt a shiver run down his spine. He knew Sylphie was special, but he never imagined something so grand – or dangerous.

As they neared the source of the pillar of light, the air began to change. The magical pressure was almost suffocating, as if every particle around them was charged with pure mana. Even without advanced training, Kael could feel the density of the energy, and it made him uneasy.

Finally, they reached an open clearing. In the center, Sylphie stood, surrounded by a vortex of purple energy spinning around her. Her eyes, usually sweet and innocent, now glowed with an otherworldly intensity, as if another force had taken control of her.

"Sylphie!" Kael shouted, trying to dismount from Eva's back, but she held him in place with a firm hand.

"Don't move, boy!" Eva ordered, her eyes quickly scanning the scene.

Around the clearing, shadows began to emerge. They weren't normal shadows, but creatures formed by the energy of the pillar, grotesque and shapeless, but clearly hostile. They moved slowly, like predators stalking their prey.

"Protect the princess," a guttural voice echoed from somewhere, as if the forest itself were speaking.

Eva unsheathed her blade in a fluid motion. "Kael, listen carefully. You'll stay behind me, and if any of these things get too close to you, use what you've learned. Even if it's little, it will be enough to defend yourself."

Kael nodded, but his attention was still on Sylphie. "Is she alright? What's happening to her?"

Eva didn't answer immediately. She advanced, slicing through the first shadow that tried to get close to Sylphie. The creature dissolved into black mist, but others quickly emerged to take its place.

"Her mana is out of control," Eva finally said, her voice strained as she fought the shadows. "If she keeps this up, she'll consume herself completely... or attract something much worse."

Kael looked at Sylphie again, his heart tightening. He knew he had to do something, but what? He wasn't like Eva, strong and experienced. But at the same time, he couldn't just stand by while his friend was in danger.

"Eva, I'm going to try talking to her!" he shouted, running toward Sylphie before she could stop him.

"Kael, no!" Eva shouted, but it was too late.

Kael crossed the energy vortex, feeling the pressure of the mana almost crush him. Each step felt like a challenge, but he kept going. When he finally reached Sylphie, he grabbed her by the shoulders, ignoring the force that nearly knocked him down.

"Sylphie, it's me! It's Kael!" he shouted, trying to meet her gaze.

Sylphie's glowing eyes blinked, and for a moment, Kael thought he saw a flicker of recognition.

"Kael…" Her voice was weak, but there was something eerily different about it.

"You need to stop this!" he insisted, feeling the energy around them grow even stronger. "You're strong, but this is going to hurt you if you keep going! I know you can control this!"

The shadows around them roared as if reacting to his words, but Sylphie finally started to respond.

"I... I can't..." Sylphie murmured, tears streaming down her face as the energy around her fluctuated violently, threatening to spiral out of control.

"Yes, you can!" Kael shouted, holding her shoulders firmly, ignoring the heat and pressure of the mana burning against his skin. "You're not alone, Sylphie! I'm here. Eva's here. We'll help you!"

But before he could say anything more, a cold, unfamiliar voice sliced through the air like a blade.

"Not today, boy."

Before Kael could react, a brutal impact struck his stomach, sending him flying backward like a ragdoll. He hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind out of him as he rolled across the ground before finally coming to a stop.

Eva, who had been eliminating the remaining shadows, immediately turned at the sound of the blow, her expression hardening when she saw the new figure that had appeared.

A woman now stood in the clearing, casually positioned between Sylphie and Kael. She wore an ornate purple kimono, embroidered with patterns of flowers and clouds, which swayed lightly in the wind. Her features were distinctly Asian, with narrow, penetrating eyes that seemed to stare into the soul of anyone daring to meet them. Her jet-black hair was tied in a traditional Japanese bun, with a perfectly aligned fringe covering part of her forehead. A katana rested in her right hand, the blade reflecting the residual light of the mana still lingering in the air.

"Who the hell are you?" Eva growled, instinctively positioning herself between the woman and Sylphie, her blade already in hand.

The woman smiled faintly, but there was no warmth in the gesture—only the promise of danger. "Call me Faen. Not that it matters much to you."

Kael, struggling to catch his breath, tried to rise, his eyes wide as the pain pulsed through his body. "Who... who are you? What do you want with Sylphie?"

She took a few slow steps toward Sylphie, who was still kneeling on the ground, her unstable energy flickering like a flame about to go out.

"This girl is more important than you think," Faen said, her voice calm but laden with authority. "And for that reason, she's coming with me."

Eva narrowed her eyes, getting into an offensive stance. "If you think I'm going to let you take her, you're sorely mistaken."

Faen let out a soft laugh, but there was a hint of mockery in it. "Typical. You think you can stop me, Global-Class Bounty Hunter, Eva Sparda?"

Before Eva could respond, Faen moved. Her speed was surreal—in one instant, she was still; the next, she was right in front of Eva, her katana slicing through the air in a perfect arc.

Eva blocked the strike with her own blade, but the impact was so powerful that her feet slid backward on the ground. Faen's smile widened.

"Interesting. You're not as useless as the others."

Kael, watching the scene with his heart racing, tried to stand again. "Sylphie! Wake up! You need to control this!" he shouted, his voice full of desperation.

Faen glanced briefly at Kael, her eyes glowing with disdain. "The boy is persistent, isn't he?" She lifted her katana again, but this time Eva was faster, attacking with a flurry of quick strikes that forced Faen to retreat a few steps.

"Kael, take Sylphie and get out of here!" Eva shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos around them.

"But—"

"Don't argue! Now!"

Kael hesitated, but he knew Eva was right. He ran to Sylphie, still unstable and lost in her own energy, and pulled her into his arms.

"You'll be fine, Sylphie. I promise," he said, holding her tightly as he began to retreat from the clearing.

Faen watched them, but didn't seem concerned. "You can try to run, but that will only make the hunt more interesting."

Eva seized the distraction and attacked again, aiming for Faen's flank. The blades collided, sparks flying through the air as the two women exchanged blows in a deadly dance.

"You're not touching them," Eva growled through gritted teeth.

Faen laughed, her voice like sharp silk. "Ah, dear, you don't understand. I'm not the predator here. I am the hand of fate."

The battle between Eva and Faen intensified, every movement a burst of strength and technique. Faen, with her katana, moved like a shadow, cutting through the air with lethal precision. Eva, on the other hand, was a storm of blades and quick reflexes, blocking each strike but feeling the weight of Faen's superior abilities. The sound of their blades clashing resonated in the clearing, a deadly symphony echoing through the mana-charged air.

Eva tried to press forward, aiming for a weakness in Faen's stance, but the response was immediate. Faen used Eva's own strength against her, deflecting and pushing her back with a precise strike that almost made Eva lose her balance. Her eyes burned with frustration and determination.

"You're not stopping us," Eva shouted, dodging to avoid another deadly strike. She was starting to realize she would need more than skill to win this battle. Faen seemed to anticipate every move before it was made, as if reading Eva's mind.

Meanwhile, Kael, with Sylphie in his arms, was at the edge of the clearing, watching the chaos unfold around him. The energy around Sylphie was dense, almost tangible, and he could feel the pain and inner struggle she was facing. The power of the mana enveloped her like a storm, and he knew it would only get worse.

"Sylphie... please..." Kael whispered, holding her against his chest. The energy vibrated around them, making his own bones and skin feel like they were burning, but he didn't care. He couldn't let her be consumed by this force.

With a cry of effort, Kael forced himself to rise, even as pain shot through every muscle in his body. He felt the pressure of the mana around them, the weight of the power trying to drag them toward destruction. But he wouldn't give up. Not with Sylphie so close.

"You'll be fine, Sylphie! No matter what happens, I won't let you go!" he shouted, his words firm despite the pain. He didn't know where he was drawing so much strength from, but instinct guided him. He knew if he didn't do something now, Sylphie would be consumed by the energy.

He held her with all his might, trying to keep her as close as possible, not caring about the pain the mana was causing him. The pressure of the energy around them became almost unbearable, as if the air was being sucked from their lungs. Every breath was a struggle, but he didn't care. He had to keep Sylphie under control.

"Hold on to me, Sylphie! I won't let you go!" Kael shouted, pulling the girl with all the strength he had, trying to move her away from the mana storm that threatened to consume everything around them.

Sylphie, still lost in the energy, looked at him with cloudy eyes, her expression twisted by pain and the internal struggle. She felt as though something greater than her was pulling her essence into an abyss. But hearing Kael's words, something began to change. It was as if he were an anchor, something solid that prevented her from being consumed by the storm.

"Kael…" she whispered, her words broken but full of a faint flicker of awareness. The energy around them seemed to falter, as if hesitating between swallowing them up or receding.

Kael, feeling the shift, seized the opportunity. He pulled her closer, his determination renewed. "I'll save you, Sylphie. No matter what happens. You're my friend, and I'll protect you!" He dragged the girl with him, his steps heavy as he tried to pull her away from the heart of the magical chaos.

---

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