No Mercy Left

Aelira stepped out into the streets of Eagle's Perch City, searching for the Great Knights. One by one, she summoned them to the room where her mother, Lyria, was waiting. She offered no explanation, only telling them that someone important needed to see them.

Without hesitation, they obeyed, following Aelira into the chamber.

As they entered, they expected to find a noble of the Bloodstone family or perhaps a high-ranking official. Some dared to hope, for just a fleeting moment, that it might be Lyria herself. But they dismissed the thought just as quickly. They had seen the ruins of Windwalker City. They had witnessed its utter devastation. Nothing could have survived that.

Unlike ordinary citizens, the Great Knights truly understood Lyria's strength. She was powerful - immensely so. Yet, after witnessing the destruction of Windwalker City, they had believed she was lost. The force that erased Windwalker from existence was not the work of men or armies. It was something far beyond human comprehension.

Yet when they stepped into the room and saw her standing there, very much alive, shock flashed across their faces. Then, excitement overtook them. Their astonishment turned to joy. One by one, they bowed deeply, eyes gleaming with admiration. To survive such devastation - Lyria had proven, once again, that she was far from ordinary.

The Great Knights who had served under her were more than just soldiers. They were the most devoted of her followers, handpicked and trained under her direct guidance. Their loyalty was absolute, unwavering - even in death, they would not betray her.

It was this unshakable bond that had given Lyria confidence in leaving Aelira, an ordinary person, in charge of Eagle's Perch City during her absence. Normally, such authority was granted only to those with great personal power, like the Great Knights. An ordinary person in a high position could be easily threatened, manipulated, or overthrown. But Lyria had no such fears. She trusted her knights, and because of that trust, she knew Aelira would be protected.

The Great knights remained kneeling, not daring to lift their gaze. Lyria studied them for a moment, her expression unreadable, before she finally spoke.

"You've impressed me," she said, her voice calm but firm. "Your loyalty is unquestionable. For that, I thank you." She paused, letting her words settle. "Thank you for your unwavering service."

She took a breath before continuing. "But now, we must discuss our next move. The events at Windwalker City have changed everything."

The Great Knights and Aelira focused their attention on her, waiting for her to continue.

"First of all," Lyria began, her voice steady, "I do not believe the Bloodstone family or even the king himself can solve the problem of the monster."

After hearing Lyria's words, Aelira and the Great Knights were taken aback. She was the only person who had seen the monster with her own eyes - the only one they trusted completely. And yet, if even the king, a legendary knight, couldn't handle the creature…

Did that mean they were all nothing more than lambs waiting to be slaughtered?

A wave of unease spread through them. Until now, they had clung to the hope that the Bloodstone family would handle the threat.

The six Great Knights present weren't as shocked as Aelira, though. While they had also expected the Bloodstone family to step in, they had witnessed the destruction of Windwalker City firsthand. They knew the monster's power might exceed even the golden rank.

As Great Knights, their judgment wasn't precise enough to distinguish the true difference between golden-rank and legendary-rank destructive power. But in the end, it didn't matter - whether it was golden or legendary, they stood no chance against it.

The reason the Great Knights had taken turns traveling to Windwalker City was, of course, to search for Lyria. If she had survived but was injured, they needed to be there to aid her. Right now, six of the eleven Great Knights of Eagle's Perch City were still out there, scouring the outskirts of Windwalker. They were scheduled to return in two days. The knights had gone in shifts because they couldn't afford to leave the city completely defenseless.

Unlike them, Aelira hadn't seen the aftermath of Windwalker's destruction. That was why she had still held onto the hope that the Bloodstone family could deal with the monster. But now, knowing even they weren't a match, disappointment and fear gripped her.

Lyria's voice broke the silence.

"Second of all," she continued, "let me make one thing clear. From now on, our only concern is survival. Stop thinking about the kingdom, the people, or anything else. We no longer have the luxury of mercy. We must focus solely on ourselves."

She paused, letting her words sink in.

"I'm already making preparations to find a ship. We're leaving this island for good. I want everyone to gather everything of value from the treasury, store it in spatial rings, and be ready to move.."

A heavy silence filled the room. Aelira and the knights exchanged uneasy glances, absorbing her words.

"It will take us two weeks to reach the docks," Lyria continued. "Once we arrive, we'll need money to secure spots on ships that can take us to another island. Ideally, I'd want us to reach the Flicker Empire. But that isn't possible - not with the resources we have. Passage to the Flicker Empire is too expensive, and even if we could afford it, there may not be a ship capable of making the journey."

Her gaze darkened.

"The sea route to Flicker is long and treacherous. Only a mythic-grade ship could make the voyage. A lower-grade vessel wouldn't survive. But for the closer islands, we might be able to secure passage on a legendary-grade ship. They aren't as safe as mythic ones, but they're far better than ordinary ships. There's risk involved - but at least we have a chance of affording a spot on a legendary ship. A mythic ship, however, is beyond our reach."

The Great Knights wore expressions of resolve, but Aelira's face was clouded with bitterness. She couldn't shake the weight of what was about to happen - leaving so many innocent people behind to face certain death at the hands of the monster.

If they abandoned the island, those left behind wouldn't survive.

They would die.

The monster would eat them.

The thought shattered Aelira's heart.

"Mother," she said, her voice trembling with sorrow. "Isn't there any way we can save them? There has to be something we can do."

Lyria's expression remained cold and unyielding.

"There is no way," she replied. "It's only us - the Great Knights, a few proven knights whose loyalty is absolute - and you. We can't afford to take anyone else. The seats on the ships are too expensive."

Aelira's fragile hope faltered as Lyria continued.

"I have a few million silver, and with everything we can gather, we might reach a hundred million. But that's all. From what I've heard, a single ticket costs at least two to three million silver, even for the nearest island. That means we can't take more than thirty or forty people. You, the Great Knights, a handful of knights I trust, and myself - that alone takes up nearly all the spots."

Lyria's eyes sharpened like steel.

"So listen carefully. Forget about saving anyone else. We cannot save them. Only the strong have the luxury of saving others. And right now, we cannot even save ourselves. Mercy is a luxury we no longer have."

Aelira lowered her head, her heart heavy with guilt and frustration. She had no choice but to accept it. She was too weak to change anything. Instead of lamenting those she couldn't save, she should be grateful that her mother was saving her.

She was a burden - she had no strength, no power. How could she even think about carrying the weight of others?

Lyria's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Now, go and make the necessary preparations. We leave in two days, once the remaining Great Knights return from their search."

The Great Knights bowed and left without a word. Aelira lingered for a moment before turning to leave as well, her steps slow and heavy.

...

As Lyria had commanded, preparations began immediately.

Tens of millions of silver coins, countless treasures, and valuable supplies were gathered and stored in spatial rings. They packed as much food as they could, though most of it couldn't be stored within the rings. Only non-perishable goods - like salt and extremely dry provisions - could withstand the environment inside. Any fresh food would spoil, so they had no choice but to carry it themselves.

That, however, wasn't a major concern.

The Great Knights, along with most of those making the journey, were seasoned warriors. Lyria herself was a Silver Knight. With twelve Great Knights among them, hunting along the way wouldn't be an issue.

The real problem was water.

They ensured they packed as much as they could carry. Strength wasn't a limitation - Great Knights could bear enormous loads, and even the regular knights could carry far more than an average person.

Everything was set into motion. The countdown to their departure had begun.