The royal guards couldn’t go near her, not near enough to strike as they got pushed behind by Ban’s floating knives.

The knives circled around her, pointing at everything and everyone.

Ban walked slowly towards the guards who were forced to back away. Dave saw this and came in front of them, “Don’t be afraid!”, he looked back at them. Ban saw this as her chance to strike and did so by rushing at Dave. She points her hands towards Dave, as three of her knives fly towards him from three different directions.

“Sir Dave!”, Cess screamed, trying to take aim but the knives were too fast.

Dave knew what he had to do. He took his stance and span around in full force, parrying two of the knives that came from his left and right.

Cess saw his skills in awe, “Are you alright?”, she asked. Dave nodded and looked towards his back; Ban’s third knife had hit him right at his back. He smiled, “Just a minor wound...”, and grunted in pain.

Ban was faster than before, Dave realized that as soon as she flanked him and took out the knife from his back before throwing it in the air again and laughing. Dave fell to his knee and looked back at Ban. He was now at her mercy, and she couldn’t stop smiling.

Eric came near Cess who was readying her shot. “I have a theory...”, he whispered.

“What theory?”, asked Cess. “Hurry! We don’t have much time.”

“It’s just a theory...”

“It’s fine if it’s just a theory but what is it!”

Eric pointed towards the two knives on the ground, the same knives that Dave parried away. “Those knives aren’t moving anymore...”, he added while still whispering.

“Oh!”

“So, she can only control the knives if she touches it and loses control...”

“Loses control when it touches something else! I got you.”, said Cess as she shot her arrow towards the knife that was about to hit Dave.

Dave looked back at Cess and exclaimed, “Nice shot!”, before getting up and plunging his giant sword through Ban. He looked at her with sorrowful eyes, as he took out his sword. Only to find her still standing up and smiling. Dave jolted back and took his stance again.

“What are you?”, he asked in shock.

The royal guards tried to attack her from behind and managed to stab her in multiple places but to no avail. Ban started to walk away, still smiling as she laid her eyes on Cess. The royal guards couldn’t take out their swords out in time, but Ban did that for them as she plucked and threw each of their swords up one by one, now controlling them as well.

The royal guards jolted back in shock.

“What’s even going on?”, screamed Orph. “She couldn’t do that before...”, he added and pondered.

Ban sent one of her swords flying towards Cess and laughed. Cess tried her best to shoot it out but missed every time, “It’s hard when it’s moving around like that!”, she screamed as she tried to move out of the way. Eric tried to touch the sword, but it was too fast for him to even come near. Orph saw all this and shouted, “Come near me!”, he was ready with his sword as he ran towards Cess who ran towards him. He parried the sword coming right at her easily.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Cess dropped to the ground, panting and gasping for air. “Thank you...”, she said after catching her breath.

“Don’t worry about it.”, Orph replied, still having the fires of hatred burning in his eyes. He looked over at Cess, “Can you still shoot?”. Cess nodded. “Good. I’ll protect you.”, he added as he stood in front of Cess, ready to block anything that’ll come their way. Cess readied her arrows once again, putting all her faith in Orph. Knowing very well that he will protect her.

“HAHAHAHAHAHA”

Dave grunted and ran towards Ban, “Leave her alone!”, he screamed as he put all his force in his swing as he cut Ban in half. The smile on her face never left her, she didn’t cry in agony, she simply turned around her head as her body reattached to herself. She turned back towards Cess who shot an arrow that hit her right in the middle of her forehead, but she didn’t react and continued to smile before looking behind again now straight at Dave. It was as if her eyes were saying, “I see you and I haven’t forgotten you.”

Dave watched in horror.

Ban plucked the arrow out of her forehead and threw it at Dave’s shoulder as he grunted in pain, forcing him back to his senses.

“I’m sorry!”, screamed Cess.

“It’s fine.”, grunted Dave. “I’m fine.”, he added.

“This isn’t working...”, murmured Eric.

Orph pondered for a while, “It’s as if she’s not even alive...”

“What do you mean?”, asked Cess.

Orph looked at Cess and then at Eric who was already listening before sighing, “When I fought her... she spoke a lot.”

“Maybe she’s taking this really seriously now.”, Eric jumped in.

“Maybe...”, Orph pondered again before adding, “But the only thing common in-between her back then and now is her laugh.”

“She also didn’t have healing back then... it’s mainly how I managed to... kill her.”, he added.

“What’s going on here?”, asked Median, as he rushed in with Slav and Doug following soon after.

He saw Ogre standing in the background, still shocked. “Ogre! You’re alright, right?”, he asked as he touched him and made him come back to his senses.

“Ogre?”, asked Ogre. He realized that Median and Slav were with them and replied, “Ogre!”

“They’re here too...”, said Orph.

“Do you mind us being here?”, asked Median.

“No.”, Orph sighed, “I’m glad you all are free now.”

Median smiled, “I am glad too!”, he looked over at Ogre. “I am glad you’re alright as well! Let’s get out of here.”, he patted Ogre’s back.

“Is that you?”, asked Slav as she saw Ban smiling and walked towards her.

“Dit... He’s dead!”, she added and cried.

For a moment you could see Ban’s smile fade away before returning soon after.

“Interesting.” , said the voice.

Ban threw a knife toward Slav, who was too shocked to move away.

“Watch out!”, screamed Cess as she tackled Slav out of the way, injuring her foot with a knife plunged in it.

“Cess!”, screamed Dave and Orph, with Eric worried for her silently.

“I’m fine...”, Cess replied as she turned towards a crying Slav. “She’s not who you think she is...”, she said as gently as she could.

Orph ran towards them, “I hope this works...”, as he pulled the knife out and placed his hands on her wound before using his powers to cauterize it.

Cess held her tongue in pain and closed her eyes.

“I think it worked... Thanks.”, she smiled. Orph nodded and let her go. Cess looked over at Slav again, “Stay here and away from trouble.”, she smiled. “You’re finally free now.”

Median saw all of that happening and sighed in relief before looking over at Ban who was still smiling and laughing. He picked up the two of the knives lying around on the ground and looked over at Ogre, “Want to have some payback?”, he smiled.

“Ogre!”, Ogre replied.

“I knew you’d say that.”, he smiled again and walked towards Ban.

“I’ve always hated that smile of yours.”, Median sighed, “Feels so good to finally say that.”, he pointed one of the knives at her, “I have been waiting... no, dreaming for a long time for this.”, he smiled and rushed towards Ban.

Ban didn’t react but kept smiling as she sent her weapons flying towards Median who was no longer afraid to disobey her.