The heavy door closed behind Iskandaar, leaving Lilian and Solara to face the cold night air. Lilian stared, her eyes glinting, and the atmosphere seemed to chill her bones even through her transformation.
Her arms and legs were covered in fur, muscles bulging underneath, and her gaze stayed locked on the figure standing ahead—Bastian Frostbane, a Sixth Ascension warrior whose aura radiated cold power. His expression was calm, almost indifferent as if he couldn’t be bothered to break a sweat against someone like her. How arrogant.
His underestimation was painfully clear, but Lilian wasn't one to cower. She was going to take advantage of that.
“Your master left you behind to fight alone?” Bastian sneered, his voice a low rumble. “How pitiful.”
“Oh, shut it,” Lilian’s lips curled back, revealing her sharp canines, her red eyes glinting with excitement. She cracked her knuckles, her voice a low growl as she met his gaze. “You’ll learn real soon why he left me. Dog of Victor Seraph.”
Solara moved beside her, her eyes focused, her wings folded behind her. “I’ll take on the others. I’ve heard Bastian is really strong, so you’ll have your hands full,” she said as they faced Victor’s goons—seven of them altogether, Bastian the strongest by a long shot.
Lilian nodded in agreement, and Solara squared her shoulders, darting her gaze toward three of the minions that were moving toward her. They’d have to take them down fast; otherwise, this situation would spiral out of control.
“Let’s take them out quickly,” Solara called to Lilian, her voice edged with nerves. “We can’t afford a drawn-out battle!”
Lilian nodded once, her eyes fixed on Bastian as she stepped forward. The muscles in her legs tensed, and the fur covering her limbs rippled as she prepared herself, her wolf instincts kicking in. She had to move quickly and end this fight and help Solara before those idiots overwhelmed her. Solara was barely 3rd Ascension, while the six minions should be far beyond her. Even with her recent body strengthening and cultivation, she couldn’t be their match.
The minions fanned out, spreading across the dark courtyard, their eyes gleaming with confidence. Their mistake. Bastian moved first, closing the distance between them with a single leap, his mana-infused fist swinging toward Lilian’s face.
The sheer force of it made her instincts scream, her body twisting just in time to evade the blow. The stone wall behind her cracked loudly as his punch landed, frost spreading across the shattered rock, freezing it in place. He wasn’t just strong—his Ice Affinity made every strike a lethal one.
Lilian hissed, her gaze locking on Bastian’s outstretched fist. “Little snowflakes can’t hurt me,” she muttered, a growl rumbling in her throat.
Bastian smirked, his eyes cold, like shards of ice. “You’ll find out soon enough.” He lunged again, his footfalls heavy against the ground, sending shards of ice shooting up from his boots.
Lilian snarled, her body responding instinctively, her legs moving before her thoughts caught up. She activated her [Class] for once. [The Warden of the Moon].
Her feet seemed to lose weight as her partial transformation enhanced, her entire form growing lighter as if it wasn’t the gravity of the earth that pulled at her but something lesser. The world shifted around her in slow motion as she activated [Moon Walk].
She stepped into the air, leaping over Bastian, her claws extended, ready to tear through his defenses. Her attack was quick—aiming for his neck—but he reacted just as fast, his arm coming up, his own dagger in hand, blocking her strike with the flat of the blade. Ice spread from the point of contact, cold biting into her claws. She hissed, kicking off him, landing lightly a few feet away.
Bastian tilted his head, his smirk widening. “Interesting. Strong for a mere maid. But you’ll need more than parlor tricks to win this.”
Lilian’s growl turned into a roar. He thought this was just a game, a fight he could win easily. He was so wrong. Her body trembled as the fury built up inside her, her fur-covered arms flexing as she braced herself, her blood boiling with rage.
She wasn’t just another servant. Just like her grandmother, the Warder of the Wild, she too was a Warden, and she wasn’t going to lose to someone who wanted to hurt someone she promised to protect.
The air screeched as Bastian lunged again, his fist covered in frost, ice forming around his knuckles. Lilian moved to dodge, but he anticipated her movement, shifting his direction at the last second, his fist crashing into her ribs.
Pain erupted through her side, and her vision blurred as she was sent flying, slamming into the wall of the mansion. Her body crumpled to the ground, her head spinning, stars dancing across her sight. The man wasn’t weak by any means. Whatever [Class] he had elevated his strength beyond his levels.
The pain in her ribs sharpened as she struggled to her feet, her vision clearing just in time to see Bastian stalking toward her, his aura suffocating, his steps deliberate.
“Hargh…” Her growl turned into a snarl, her muscles trembling as her fury built. This wasn’t the time to cower. She could win if she dragged this out, but if she dragged it then Solara would lose. And then she’d be fighting all seven of them by herself. So she needed a temporary boost in power… She had to push herself into that.
She let out a roar, her body convulsing as she pushed herself, the change ripping through her as she went for a full transformation. Fur spread across her body, her muscles bulging, her claws lengthening, her teeth growing sharper.
She felt her strength multiply, her senses heightening as her full werewolf form took over. The pain of transformation was fierce—tearing through her, making her want to howl—but the power it brought was intoxicating. Jet-black fur covered her arms, but from there, the color began to fade as bright silver covered the rest of her body.
“W-what… You’re a werewolf?!” Bastian asked, somehow having not guessed that from the get-go. She couldn’t blame him, she’d never managed to achieve a full transformation before, but the desperation today made her succeed. She grinned, even as murderous thoughts filled her head, and locked her glowing red eyes on Bastian.
Bastian hesitated, his cold eyes narrowing, realizing too late that this wasn’t the same opponent he had been fighting.
Lilian lunged, her body moving with a speed that startled even her. She crashed into Bastian, her claws tearing at him, her fangs snapping at his face. He managed to bring his dagger up, blocking her teeth, but her claws were already digging into his side, ripping through his defenses. He let out a grunt, ice forming around his body in a desperate attempt to ward her off, but she didn’t relent.
“Think you’re gonna freeze me?” she growled, her voice far deeper, more guttural, the words barely audible through her snarl.
She raised her clawed hand and slashed at him, her strength sending him stumbling backward. Bastian’s face twisted in shock, his gaze meeting hers, and for the first time, she saw fear in his eyes.
In desperation, he stomped hard on the floor, and spikes of ice rushed at her. It was such an intense technique that it might as well have been a Mage’s spell, but he managed to use it anyhow. It was like towers rising from the ground and rushing toward her. If she dodged it, this Skill might as well destroy the mansion behind her!
Lilian howled, her voice echoing, and then she activated [Lunar Howl], a burst of sonic energy rippling through the courtyard, stunning Bastian and the men behind him.
He stumbled, his men screaming as they bled from their ears, while his guard dropped for a split second. She didn’t waste the opportunity. She launched herself at him, her claws raking across his chest, her fangs tearing at his shoulder.
Bastian tried to retaliate, but her speed, her power—it overwhelmed him. He swung his dagger, but she caught his wrist, her claws digging in, and with a powerful yank, she twisted his arm behind him, pinning him down. His body hit the ground hard, his face smacking against the stone, and she didn’t hesitate. She brought her clawed hand up, slashing across his chest, breaking through his mana shield, her claws leaving deep, bloody gashes.
Bastian let out a strangled gasp, his body convulsing, his aura faltering. She could feel his energy dissipate, his strength leaving him as he crumpled under her. His eyes rolled back, and for a moment, there was nothing. No movement, no sound, just the cold air and the weight of victory.
Lilian stood over him, panting, her chest heaving, her eyes glowing with a fierce red light, her fur matted with sweat and blood. She could hear Solara behind her, her friend still struggling against the remaining minions. Lilian turned, her full werewolf form tall and imposing. The minions hesitated, their confidence faltering as they watched Bastian fall, fear overtaking their determination.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“Who’s next?” Lilian growled, her voice carrying across the courtyard.
The minions exchanged glances, their courage crumbling as they backed away, quickly grabbing Bastian’s unconscious form. “F-fuck…!” One of them cursed under his breath, his gaze darting between Lilian and the others. They were outmatched, and they knew it. Without their leader, they had no chance.
“Fall back!” one of them called, his voice trembling. They turned, retreating into the darkness, dragging Bastian away with them. Lilian watched them go and then changed her mind. She rushed ahead, her speed a blur, as she hit them on the back of their necks, sending them to sleep.
“Phew,” Lilian said. “Can’t let them return. They know our location. They might come back with a larger group.” She said, and Solara nodded as she stumbled toward her.
Lilian’s body trembled as the adrenaline began to fade, her transformation taking its toll. She breathed slowly, forcing herself to calm down, the wild energy inside her slowly receding.
Solara’s wings drooped, her face streaked with sweat and dirt. She was breathing heavily, her eyes wide, a mix of awe and relief in her gaze as she looked at Lilian. “You… you did it,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.
Lilian nodded, her fur receding, her form shrinking as she reverted to her human state. Her body ached, every muscle protesting as she fought to stay standing. She met Solara’s gaze, her lips curling into a weary smile. “No. We did it,” she replied, her voice soft, “you held off quite well.”
The fight was risky and dangerous, but for now, they’d bought Iskandaar and Nebula at the time they needed. And that was worth any risk.
Lilian glanced toward the entrance of the mansion, her gaze lingering on the closed doors, her heart still pounding. “Let’s go. We need to make sure they’re okay.”
Solara nodded, saying, “Let’s tie these guys up first and then drop them in some nearby alley.”
Lilian agreed. A bit later, they made their way toward the mansion’s door, the echoes of the fight still ringing in their ears. They just hoped all this wasn’t for naught and that both Iskandaar and Nebula were right.
****
They made their way down the long corridor, Lilian leading, her heightened senses still on alert, though more for reassurance at this point. Solara opened her mouth, "I don’t know how vampires work, but I think Nebula was losing her mind.”
“I know how vampires work very well, and she was definitely losing her mind,” Lilian confirmed, making the girl look at her for a second.
“If that’s the case… she might attack him. Knowing Iskandaar, he’s probably trying to play hero again," Solara said, making Lilian grunt.
"Hero? More like trying not to get himself killed. You think he’ll harm his dear fiance if she starts attacking him, even if she was out of her mind?" She walked ahead, and Solara rubbed the back of her head.
“Honestly, yeah.”
“Really? We’ll soon see, then,” Lilian said.
The air felt cooler as they delved deeper, the echo of their footsteps filling the empty halls until they finally approached the door to the special chamber. As he’d said, they couldn’t sense any form of energy from inside the room. So they couldn’t be sure if something had gone wrong inside.
They slowed their steps as they approached the door, a heavy wooden thing that looked ancient, bearing scars of past fights and time. Lilian paused, her hand hovering over the handle. But just as she was about to reach out, something made them stop.
While they couldn’t sense any energy from outside, they could… hear the sound.
A muffled noise drifted through the thick wood. It sounded strangely like a moan.
Solara blinked, her wings giving an involuntary flutter. She exchanged a look with Lilian, her brows arching in confusion. “Did you hear that?”
Lilian’s ears perked, and a faint red flush crept up her neck. She listened harder, her eyes narrowing, her ears twitching as she focused her hearing here rather than keeping it spread around. There it was again—this time, clearer—a low, soft moan, followed by another sound that made her pause. A whisper.
It didn’t take long for her to recognize the tone.
“What the…?” Solara’s voice trailed off, her eyes widening. She turned to Lilian, who had an equally stunned expression. “Are they…?”
Lilian swallowed, her gaze snapping back to the door, her hand pulling away from the handle like it was burning her. “Oh… my moonlit ancestors…”
The muffled sounds continued—moans, soft gasps—and it wasn’t hard to piece things together. Lilian could feel her face heat up, her ears twitching as she tried to make sense of what she was hearing. She cleared her throat, turning to Solara, whose eyes were now wide with what could only be described as a mix of shock and disbelief.
“I… uh…” Solara struggled to find the words. Her cheeks flushed a bright pink. She shook her head, her feathers ruffling with the movement. “Are they really—? Now?!”
They were doing that while she and Solara were fighting for their lives?! Crazy.
The two girls went silent, staring at each other, before looking away. “Uhm…” Solara managed, holding her hands up, her shoulders shaking with disbelief. “Maybe it was the only way to calm her down… yeah… let’s assume that… and let’s just go back for a bit? Give them some privacy?”
“Privacy?” Lilian scoffed, but she started backing away, her ears still twitching with every sound from beyond the door. “They owe us an explanation after this.”
Solara nodded, her smile widening. “And a thank you, at the very least.”
“A huge one.” Lilian turned, her face still a bright shade of red.
They both turned, making their way back up the hallway, the muffled sounds fading behind them. The awkward tension still hung between them. They had fought off enemies, braved dangers, and here was their brave hero… getting caught up in a completely different kind of struggle.
Returning to the living room, they could still hear the sounds. It’d grown far too loud. “...We should get some fresh air,” Solara suggested, her expression barely controlled.
Lilian nodded. “Yeah… fresh air sounds good.”
****
Nebula slowly blinked awake, her head still foggy from exhaustion. She was on the floor, her body draped in robes too large for her slender frame. “Mhm…”
The cold stone beneath her was a contrast to the warmth of the fabric, and it made her shiver, even though the room wasn’t particularly chilly. “Where is this…” She yawned, sitting up and looking around, her mind hazy as she tried to piece together the fragments of memory that danced on the edge of her consciousness.
The chamber was dim, a gentle glow from the rune arrays still pulsing faintly on the walls. Where was she? What had happened last night? Her brow furrowed, and she rubbed her eyes, trying to chase away the grogginess.
While doing so, she realized she was wearing nothing beneath the robe—only the overcoat wrapped loosely around her body. Her heart skipped a beat, and her eyes widened as she realized the coat wasn’t hers. Then the memories came flooding back.
“...Oh gods,” she muttered, her face growing hotter by the second, the blush creeping up from her neck to her cheeks. The rush of emotions, the hunger, the sheer madness of what they’d done. She buried her face in her hands, groaning. “I’m crazy. I’ve actually lost it.”
She could still feel his warmth, his presence, and the very memory of it made her toes curl in embarrassment. She was a noble, a lady of standing. How could she lose control like that?! And to… to do that on the floor, in a room that didn’t even have a bed! What was crazier was that he wasn’t here anymore. Sitting alone in this abandoned mansion, she was left with nothing but his overcoat. She wanted to dig a hole right here and bury herself in it.
Suddenly, a knock echoed against the heavy door. Nebula jumped, her head snapping up. “No! Don’t come in!” she called, her voice cracking in her haste.
There was a moment’s silence, and then a familiar voice came from the other side. “Young lady, it’s me, Mirella.”
“Oh…” Nebula stared at the door for a moment and then let out a long sigh, sagging against the wall. “Come in,” she said, her voice quieter this time. She quickly adjusted the robe, making sure it covered her properly.
The door creaked open, and Mirella stepped inside, balancing a tray of food in one hand and a set of clothes in the other. There was a curious smile tugging at the edges of her lips, a glint in her eye that Nebula did not miss.
“Good morning, young lady,” Mirella said, her tone light, almost teasing, as she set the tray down on the ground beside her. “I’ve brought breakfast… and something a bit more appropriate to wear.” Her eyes flicked to the robe, amusement clear in her expression.
Nebula cleared her throat, tugging the coat tighter around her. “Oh, you sly old woman, do not give me that look! What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, to ignore the way her cheeks were still burning.
Mirella just smiled knowingly. “Lady Solara found me this morning. She said that Young Master Iskandaar instructed her to bring me here. Her face was red, and she seemed in quite the hurry.”
Nebula swallowed. There is no way. Solara… Lilian… they both know? Dammit. She looked away, trying to ignore the teasing note in Mirella’s voice. “I see,” she said. She cleared her throat again, her voice softening. “Where is I-Iskandaar?”
Mirella’s smile widened as she spoke. “He’s still in the mansion, in the living room. He cooked this,” she gestured to the tray she was carrying. “He wanted to feed you himself, but the other two girls’ reaction made him stop. I’d have been really worried seeing you have such intense competition if not for the fact that you’re engaged.”
Nebula stared at her and then at the food. She cleared her throat and nodded, pulling the tray closer. “...They aren’t a competition,” she said slowly, as the scent of the warm meal hit her senses, reminding her just how famished she was. She opened her mouth to say something, to tell Mirella she wanted to see him, but her maid was already setting the clothes down beside her, her expression softening.
“Eat first, my lady. You need your strength,” Mirella said, her tone gentle but firm. “He’ll be sad if you don’t eat the food he so lovingly cooked.”
“....” Nebula sighed, picking up the spoon. She knew there was no arguing with Mirella when she used that tone—the same one she’d used since they were children, back when she’d insisted Nebula finish every last bit of her dinner before she could go out to play.
She ate in silence, her thoughts drifting, her heart still pounding with embarrassment.
Embarrassment wasn't the only thing in her mind, though. There was also gratitude. For everything he did.
When she was finally done, she stood up, and Mirella helped her dress. The familiar routine brought a small comfort in the midst of everything that had happened. Nebula stood, smoothing out her dress, and took a deep breath. It was time to face Iskandaar.
With her head held high, she left the chamber, Mirella trailing behind her. She wasn’t sure how she would act now—how could she face him and the others after everything that had happened? But even as her face burned, Nebula walked with a cheerful thrum in her heart, for her sickness was gone, and she was feeling better than ever.