Just as the man was sitting up, clutching his healing wound, the palace walls were in disarray. While more arrows rained down upon the palace.

“Enemies attacking!”

“Defend!”

“Don’t let them get through!”

The palace gates banged loudly as the enemy tried to blast it open. Meanwhile, there were also enemies that were scaling up the wall. Our men tried driving them back, but there were others that got through. Our knights and the church members engaged with the enemies atop the walls. Magic spells were thrown all over the place.

The number of enemies here in the main gate, on this north side, were quickly increasing. And this was just one side. I could only wonder how it was on the other sides. The enemies were likely attacking on the north, east, and west. They could also attack the south, but do they have enough manpower for that? Flanking us on both sides should do fine than thinning out more of their forces. Unless they have other ideas.

More and more enemies climbed up, and some even began jumping down the wall, only to fight the enemy in front of them. The area was filled with loud voices, taunting and shouting, and along with it were blades and magic clashing violently.

We have more than half a hundred men on this side. Counting the normal soldiers as well. We were not prepared for this kind of assault, especially at this time. The rest of our knights were sent to help with the war preparation. I imagine they were fighting in the city somewhere too.

They breached the gate with a flash of magic. With that broken down, they tried breaking through the barricade. It wouldn’t hold out long. From the looks of it, however, the enemies here were roughly the same number of forces we have. But the imperial knights looked strong. They easily cut through the normal soldiers. Our knights and church fighters were fighting well, but how long would that last?

“Heneis!”

The dark clothed man suddenly shouted towards the sky. I glanced at him suspiciously as I grabbed a dagger in each hand under my cloak. The enemy was fast approaching.

“Stop hiding and fight! My people! Protect the Goddess! Enough with the games!”

An enemy knight came rushing towards us, his sword shining with magic.

“Daughter, behind me.”

My father stepped in front, his sword raised forward, while Rogan stood beside me, holding his spear firmly. But then, before the enemy got to use his magic, a dark fog suddenly slammed into him. He halted and looked at the fog in utter confusion. As the fog engulfed him, a hand formed from behind with bony blades as fingers. And the claws stabbed the knight from the back.

The fog turned into a man completely covered in cloth. With his claws embedded into the knight, the stranger lifted him up as blood crawled down the repulsive-looking hand. The knight yelled and writhed in pain, but the stranger slammed him into the ground.

“Blood, thirsty!” it was a weird growly voice, and it chuckled sadistically.

He forcefully removed the knight’s helmet. The knight’s expression of confusion was laid bare. The stranger pulled down the lower cover of his face. I couldn’t properly see in this darkness, but I think I just saw a disturbingly great amount of teeth, sharp monstrous teeth.

And the stranger bit into the knight’s neck. The latter’s face contorted into horror while blood spurted out of him like a fountain.

“Aaaah! Wha— Get the fuck off me!”

The knight squirmed to be free. However, the claw embedded into his flesh kept him in place.

What the fuck?

Where the hell did these monsters come from?

It was not only him. Looking up, there were more fogs moving around. Several landing here in the area, while others moved in to stop and intercept the incoming arrows nearby, using themselves as shields. I was quite confused, but thinking about the first guy, they might be alright. The other fogs, on the other hand, flew in other directions.

But, what the fuck? Are they enemies or not?

Fogs slammed into the spreading enemies swarming the front yard, and they feasted. Like we’re in a banquet or some shit, except the guests strictly drink blood. Like fucking vampires.

“What the hell are they?” Rogan muttered as he looked on with wide eyes.

Before we knew it, the arrow bombardment had stopped. It was then that a particular fog landed beside the first stranger that shielded me from an arrow.

“Go and kill some humans.” The newcomer grabbed the man and threw him far away into the enemy crowd.

“Damn you, Heneis!” he shouted before disappearing into the group of knights.

And the new stranger continued on towards us.

“We are on your side. Our goal is to protect the princess.”

Father pointed his sword at him. “Who are you?”

He ignored him and only looked at me. “Do you remember me, Princess? We’ve met.”

“Where?”

“I warned you some time ago, in the city.”

“Oh.”

So that’s why his rough voice sounded a bit familiar. He was covered all over, so I was incredibly wary. Just how ugly are they behind the covers? Somehow, I don’t wanna know. You know what they say, ignorance is bliss. And how blissful it truly is sometimes.

He seemed to glance at the king for a moment before turning back to me.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“My forces are spread thin and utterly distracted, the number of enemies are overwhelming. You need to flee from here, Princess. I can’t tell if we can completely hold the enemy off for very long.”

Distracted? Did he mean how those guys seemed to enjoy drinking all the blood of their victims? Even from here, I could see a lot of them sitting on the floor and drinking blood. One knight tried stabbing a draped one, but the latter merely ignored the sword in his chest and kept on sucking the river of all lives. Freaky.

“I don’t trust them,” said my father as he looked at me. “But you need to go. Rogan, protect her with your life.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“What about you, Father?” I asked with concern.

“I need to go back to the throne room. Now that the enemy has gathered here, it’s a chance.”

“What chance?”

My father merely smiled. “Go. Protect your mother, okay?” He pulled up my cloak’s hood to cover my head.

I pursed my lips before nodding. “Yes…”

With a pat on my head, he quickly stepped back, pointing at a couple of knights to come with him to the palace. The fog man, meanwhile, disappeared into the darkness.

“Let’s go, Rogan.”

We made a run for it, going for the paths on the side of the palace. Enemies and allies were spreading all over the place, their battles chaotic. Unlike what I would see in a battle in the world I was from. Here, magic was thrown everywhere, people with superhuman strength smashing everything around them. While others kill inhumanely.

As Rogan and I ran side by side, an enemy pointed his sight at us. He sprinted and fired slashes of light in our direction. I conjured my crimson shields to block the slashes, while Rogan followed in to shoot a powerful wave of lightning. Electricity engulfed the enemy, and Rogan immediately tried swinging towards his neck as we went our way.

However, the enemy blocked his lightning coated spear. So I swiftly moved beside the enemy knight and stabbed him in the armpit.

“Agh!”

Rogan took the chance to land the killing blow, casting a blast of lightning at point zero. The knight was blown away while smoke emitted from all over his body. Upon landing back on the ground, he no longer moved.

With that guy done, we continued on our way.

And then I saw something that broke my heart. In the ember filled surroundings, flames stretched and spread to the beautiful flowers which were once glowing with a beautiful purple hue. A sea of fire danced and cackled at the colorful flowers that bloomed brightly at the grace of day. That special place was being devoured by the flames. The garden.

Damn those bastards, I’ll make them fucking pay!

They’re destroying what I valued. I’ll fucking kill them!

Looking around, the enemy had more or less breached the palace grounds from all sides. Our knights were being slain, soldiers, all dying. The enemy knights sent here were strong. Even the Wisterian knights that I knew were elites were struggling.

An enemy got in our way, and Rogan promptly engaged. At the same time, another came running for his flank. I threw a magic filled dagger at the latter enemy. However, the knight used his blade to instantly deflect it, and my dagger was flung away before my swirling slashes triggered, hitting nothing.

I frowned, displeased. I was preparing to use my magic when a black fog moved in and pushed the enemy knight away. The knight swung his magic coated sword at the fog and it made contact. A humanoid figure formed, and was cut on the torso.

“What the hell are you?!” The knight slashed the stranger in the torso again, causing a fatal wound.

However, the stranger grabbed the knight in the arm.

“I am the monster you fear in the night! HAHAHAHAHA!” The monster gripped the knight’s head and slammed him into the ground. “So many blood bags to drink from tonight!”

The monster overpowered the knight pretty easily, and he feasted.

Meanwhile, Rogan parried his opponent’s weapon, and he quickly flipped his blade to readjust it. But the enemy cast a shield to block the incoming attack. Rogan clicked his tongue. To save time, from the enemy’s flank, I shot out a firebolt, successfully hitting the knight. Rogan quickly struck the man through the chest as the latter was staggering, and the crackling of electricity followed.

Rogan pulled out his spear and turned towards me.

“I could have taken him. Princess, refrain from using your magic. We still need you in a good condition.”

I frowned. “I will use it when necessary.”

He sighed. “... Very well. Let’s go.”

We continued on. But then a moment later, a man suddenly landed in front of us.

Fucking knew it these guys are here.

It was an elf.

“You’re two are strange. You must be important, hooded one.” The elf tilted his body to the side and grinned. “Red eyes. Princess. Found you, at last.”

Shit, now we got the enemy's big gun here. And this was just one! There could certainly be more out there. And I was trying to keep a low profile too. That’s why I didn’t try to fly and took my chance here on the ground where everyone was busy, not only because I was minimizing my use of magic.

Elves were big trouble, it will be extremely difficult to get past him.

The elf brandished his own spear.

Rogan then whispered to me. “Princess. I’ll hold him off. You get out of here.”

“... Are you sure?”

“It’s the only way.”

I stared at him for a moment and nodded. “Don’t die, Rogan.”

He grinned widely. “Who do you think you’re talking to? I don’t die that easily.”

“I’m serious.”

“... I won’t die,” he softly said, voice full of sincerity.

I faintly nodded. “Alright.”

I stepped back. And as Rogan moved in to charge at the enemy. I made my move, rushing to the side.

“I won’t let you get away!”

I propelled myself with my wind, and before the elf’s spear could reach me, Rogan parried his weapon away.

“No!” the elf shouted.

I successfully went past him. I glanced back, and as the elf was about to chase me, Rogan kicked him sideways, slamming him into the palace wall.

I continued onward, avoiding every enemy knight that was in my way. But then, I sensed danger coming my way. And thus, I cast my shield, just in time to block a blade coming at my face. It was from another elf. While feeling so annoyed and frustrated, I quickly leaped away.

He was holding a pair of long daggers in each hand, and he glared curiously at me.

“So that’s why he tried to stop you. You’re Her.”

Goddammit, these elves don’t let up!

He charged towards me with the full intention of killing me. I fired a lightning bolt, but he skillfully evaded it. Halfway to me, a dark fog suddenly came in between us. As a figure formed, it tackled the elf and was about to stab him in the chest. But the elf slashed through the stranger and got free.

When he continued towards me, the stranger grabbed the back of the elf’s clothes and threw him far away. The strength these monstrous people possessed was worrying.

The stranger chased after the elf.

And then another foggy figure appeared in front of me.

“Princess.”

“You.”

“Please, call me Heneis.”

“Hm.” I was wary.

“You are not safe here, Princess. Come with me, with us. We’ll bring you to safety.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“We want to keep you safe.”

“That’s it? No way. I don’t even know who you are.”

“Please, Princess of Blood, we don’t have much time.” He extended his hand forward, presenting his palm. “We will protect you. You will be safe with us, I promise you.”

“Absolutely not. I don’t trust you.”

There’s something shady about this guy. Just want to keep me safe? No damn way that’s the only reason. They want something from me, I feel it. Everyone, every stranger, wants something from me. Especially my life. They cannot be trusted. Only I can trust myself.

“Stay away from me.” I moved to continue onward.

“... Princess. I will take you away from here, even if I have to force you to.”

“What?” I paused and turned around, only to see him covered in fog coming at me. “Bastard!”

He grabbed me and we flew upwards. In my annoyance and anger, I stabbed him with both my weapons. But he was fine, he took it like it was nothing.

“Unhand me!”

“No, Princess.”

Quickly, we ascended and were moving away from the palace. The chaos was more apparent from up high. And every second, we were getting higher.

“Damn you!”

I will not let him! I have someone to protect. I can’t let him take me away.

I discarded my daggers in his flesh and gathered a ton of mana in my hands. And then, a thunderous lightning erupted, blasting him away with a fiery streak. With the sheer power of my magic, he was sent hurling so far away he immediately disappeared from sight. Not only that, I noticed his body being extremely decimated. But considering what I have seen, he’ll recover soon enough.

I cast my wind and propelled myself back to the palace quickly. I stand out too much here.