The small family engulfed in despair, stared at Michael, whose icy voice had announced their inescapable fate. No turning back was possible, no escape presented itself. The silence that followed his harrowing proclamation seemed to weigh on them like a leaden cloak.

"What a waste, Michael!"

Henry suddenly interjected, shattering the silence. He carefully studied Yulia and her daughters.

"I've seen what this woman is capable of, and her daughters... they could be sold for a king's ransom."

Michael furrowed his brows, considering Henry's audacious suggestion. His order was clear, but he was also a pragmatic man. If there was a chance to profit from this desperate situation, it was worth considering. After a moment's hesitation, he finally nodded, remembering one should never turn down an opportunity to earn some extra coin.

"Sylvia,"

He then commanded, turning to a woman standing apart, a mysterious aura surrounding her.

"Send the signal."

Sylvia nodded, her serene face striking a brutal contrast with the tense atmosphere. Closing her eyes, she entered a state of intense focus, her lips whispering an incantation barely audible. Around her, the air seemed to shiver, charged with an unseen energy that made the few remaining leaves on the ground crackle, giving the impression they were vibrating in anticipation.

When the spell reached its breaking point, the Archmage opened her eyes, revealing two fiery pupils, glittering with an inner fire. She raised her hands, and with a precise and measured movement, conjured a trail of blazing flames from thin air. They rocketed into the night sky, creating a swirling spiral of light that tore through the darkness.

The fire rose, radiating an intense heat that enveloped the assembly. The smell of sulfur mingled with the fresh night air, and the rumble of the inferno echoed like a drumroll, a warning of their presence to anyone daring to approach.

Under the infernal glow, Yulia's face contorted in horror. Her wide eyes, mirroring the frightening flames, were fixed on this divine display. They were exposed, their position revealed to all. They were doomed.

Believing himself safe after the light explosion, Michael dropped his guard and started to move towards his mount, preparing to await the band of brigands. He could not fathom what was about to happen next.

Hidden in the shadows, Tom had observed the situation with a predator's patience, waiting for the ideal moment. And that moment had come. Silently, he cocked his crossbow, aimed, and let loose a bolt with deadly precision. It sunk into Michael's back, eliciting a scream. Surprise and pain brought him to his knees, leaving an opening for another attack.

Immediately, Tom targeted Sylvia, the magician. She was the most dangerous; he needed to neutralize her as quickly as possible. However, as he was about to fire, an arrow split the air, embedding itself in the blacksmith's shoulder. Tom's bolt flew off slightly, but still struck Sylvia, anchoring itself in her shoulder. The force of the impact toppled her from her horse, a cry of pain and surprise escaping her lips.

Ignoring the pain of the arrow lodged in his shoulder, Tom attempted to prepare another attack, but Yazé was already on the move. With a swift and precise shot, she cut the string of Tom's crossbow, rendering it useless. The man grimaced, his weapon now futile in his hand. The events had taken an unexpected turn, and they were far from over.

A searing pain was creeping into Michael's back, an arrow cruelly embedded in his flesh. His face twisted in rage, his eyes flashing with fury. However, he directed his attention towards Sylvia, his concern momentarily overtaking the acute pain.

"Sylvia! Are you okay?!"

He growled, his voice trembling.

The answer was a string of curses, proof that the magician was very much alive, albeit seriously injured. Her voice was rumbling with pain and anger, she was mainly annoyed at having succeeded in killing a demon but having been injured by the first yokel that came along.

Meanwhile, Yulia couldn't take her eyes off her husband. Despite the despair engulfing the scene, she had never felt more admiration for him. She envied his courage and determination in the face of this desperate situation, he had given his all.

"Yulia…"

He said, his voice laden with regret.

"I fear my journey ends here."

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The young woman began to tremble uncontrollably as the reality of his declaration hit her full force. He continued nevertheless, with his voice full of tenderness.

"I wish I could have given you more than the life you've led up to now..."

In the distance, riders were beginning to form on the horizon, drawn by Sylvia's signal. Their arrival would mark the end of their escape. Tom turned to his daughters, his eyes filled with heartrending tenderness. He pulled them into him, wrapping them in his arms for a final embrace.

"Listen to me!"

He murmured, his voice breaking.

"No matter what happens, stay strong. Don't seek to avenge me... Survive, at all costs."

He paused, the look of each daughter etched in his mind.

"I love you. All of you."

At the same time, Sylvia, with fury gleaming in her eyes, had gotten up. She painfully made her way towards the cart, her able arm extended forward, and her staff pointed at Tom. The man's face hardened at her approach, ready to fight to his last breath. He stood and, planting his only able leg on the edge of the cart, lunged at the magician, a crossbow bolt in hand.

But before he could take a step, his body began to float in the air, torn from the ground by an unseen force. Sylvia's eyes were lit with a malevolent glow as she unleashed her magic, leaving Tom helpless in the face of her power. The man's courage was evident, but his desperate gesture seemed futile against the magician's overwhelming force.

Yulia watched the scene unfold with heartbreaking helplessness. She pulled her daughters into her, hugging them tightly, shielding them from the nightmarish spectacle before them.

With a fierce expression, Sylvia summoned a devastating power. Flames coiled around Tom, illuminating his floating body with a terrifying glow. The brutality of the spell was unprecedented, and Tom, in an ultimate act of bravery, issued no cry of pain, turning into ashes that slowly fell to the ground.

A piercing scream erupted from Yulia. She couldn't believe her eyes, the cruelty of this act leaving her speechless. Losing all sense of reality, she broke free from her daughters' embrace and dashed toward Sylvia, indifferent to the danger she was running into.

Before she could reach the magician, a dark figure emerged from the surrounding darkness. Adam had sprung from the shadows like a hawk swooping down on its prey. With terrifying precision, he slid a dagger against Yulia's tender neck, forcing her to halt her vengeful charge.

"Have you already forgotten your husband's words?" He murmured, his voice low and ruthless.

The long-awaited reinforcements finally arrived, mounted and armed to the teeth. They observed the chaos that reigned on the scene with momentary surprise before regaining their composure. One of them, who seemed to be their leader, pointed at the three girls and ordered his men to take them away.

The children's piercing cries shattered the night, echoing with such intensity that Yulia could almost feel them vibrate in her heart. They struggled with desperate fury but to no avail. Their captors were far too strong.

"Alice... Chloe... Lily!"

She cried out, her voice breaking under the pain.

"Where are you taking them? They are my children!"

Her cry went unanswered as her daughters disappeared into the darkness of the night, carried away by men she did not know. A brigand then approached, binding her hands with a thick and rough rope. As she struggled against her bonds, her gaze met Sylvia's, who was being treated by Henri with an air of cold indifference.

Yulia then raised her head, planting her resolute gaze into the adventurers. She gritted her teeth so hard it hurt her jaw, containing her hatred, her anger, and the tears threatening to flow.

"I swear…"

She began, her voice betraying the determination that drove her.

"I will survive. And I will hunt you to the ends of the earth if necessary. I will kill you all... with my own hands."

Sylvia, still seated and being treated by Henri, turned her gaze to Yulia upon hearing her threat. A taunting smirk twisted her lips as she retorted,

"Oh, you'll survive? Well, if you make it that far, dear, remember how your husband died. A simple snap of my fingers... and you'll be reduced to ashes, just like him."

Yulia was then hoisted and mounted onto a horse, her bonds tied to the saddle in a brutal and indifferent manner. She cast one last look back, towards where her husband now lay, reduced to a pile of ashes. A pang in her heart seized her as she promised herself to return one day to offer him a decent burial.

She would survive. She would find her daughters. And for every person who had played a role in this tragedy, she would kill them. She had always believed in peace, in compassion, but she would not uphold that promise to Tom. This thirst for revenge, this anger, would serve as her fuel to confront the grim future that was unfolding.