The night sky was ablaze with the distant glow of fires, the once tranquil town of Holt now a battleground of chaos and destruction. Derrick and Edward soared through the air, carried by the power of Edward’s flight magic.

Beneath them, the castle's walls were engulfed in molten rock and searing flames, the result of their deadly assault. There were no traces left of the soldiers who had tried to stop them—only smoldering ruins remained.

Edward, his expression a mask of steely determination, was the one casting the flight magic. The plan had been carefully crafted in advance: Edward, with his vast reserves of mana, would take charge of this crucial task. His ability to replenish his mana at will made him the ideal choice for sustaining such a demanding spell.

In his arms, he cradled the fragile body of his little sister, Lizzie. Her breathing was shallow, her small form battered and bruised, yet she was alive. That was all that mattered to him now.

As soon as they burst out of the castle, Edward’s sharp eyes caught sight of a bright flare in the sky—the signal for their retreat. It glowed brightly against the darkness, a beacon guiding them to safety. Edward took a deep breath, steadying his nerves.

After quickly getting his bearings, he adjusted their course and flew directly toward the secret camp hidden deep within the forest. Derrick clung to Edward, his eyes scanning the landscape below, ever vigilant.

"Hold on tight," Edward said, his voice strained but resolute. "We’re almost there."

Meanwhile, high atop the castle tower, Rick had been keeping a watchful eye on the scene below. Seeing his brother and Derrick flying away safely, he knew it was time for him to make his move.

Without a moment's hesitation, he leaped from the tower, his body twisting gracefully in midair. He landed with a soft thud on the shoulders of an unsuspecting soldier, quickly slitting the man’s throat with a swift, practiced motion. The soldier crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Rick barely had time to wipe his blade clean before another soldier lunged at him, sword raised. Rick's instincts took over, and he performed a quick backflip, creating a safe distance between himself and his attacker.

He knew all too well the dangers of engaging in a direct fight with someone of a higher weight class. But before the soldier could close the distance again, a sword pierced through his chest from behind, silencing him forever.

Rick’s gaze shifted to the source of the attack. It was Elena, her eyes cold and calculating as she withdrew her blade. A small, almost imperceptible nod passed between them—a silent acknowledgment of their shared understanding. They didn’t need words; their mission was clear.

"Let’s move," Rick said, his voice steady.

Elena nodded, and together, they began to navigate the maze-like streets of Holt. Each of them had spent countless hours memorizing the layout of the town, studying every alley and corner to ensure their escape would go smoothly. They knew exactly where they needed to go—one of the secret escape holes they had painstakingly dug over the past two months.

As they moved through the town, they could hear the shouts of the watchmen and garrison troops growing louder behind them. The remaining No-Names were still being pursued, but one by one, they seemed to vanish into thin air, disappearing around corners and leaving their pursuers baffled and frustrated.

Outside of town, in a secluded field near the forest, the ground suddenly shifted as if coming to life. Rick and Elena emerged from a hidden tunnel, their breaths heavy from the exertion. They quickly set to work, filling the hole with dirt to erase any evidence of their escape.

But before they could relax, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air. An arrow flew past Elena, narrowly missing her before embedding itself in Rick’s shoulder with a sickening thud. Rick gritted his teeth against the pain, his face contorting as another arrow followed, aimed directly at his heart. But before it could reach its target, Elena’s hand shot out, catching the arrow in midair with a fluid motion. She dropped the arrow to the ground, her eyes narrowing as she scanned their surroundings.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"We're completely surrounded," Elena muttered, her voice grim. "They were waiting for us in ambush."

Rick’s breathing was labored, the pain from the arrow lodged in his shoulder nearly unbearable. He clenched his jaw and drew his dagger, slicing through the shaft of the arrow before slowly pulling the tip from his flesh.

Blood seeped from the wound, staining his clothes as he tore a piece of fabric from his tunic to bind it.

"Can you stand?" Elena asked, her tone calm despite the urgency of the situation.

Rick nodded, though his movements were stiff. "I can try, but the pain… It’s beyond comprehension."

Elena’s expression softened for a brief moment, a flicker of concern crossing her features. "Then it’s pretty bad," she said quietly. "But we have no choice. We need to keep moving."

Rick forced himself to his feet, swaying slightly as he adjusted to the pain. He looked around, trying to spot their attackers, but the forest was eerily quiet. The only sound was the faint crackling of flames in the distance.

Suddenly, an arrow whistled through the air, aimed straight at them. Both Rick and Elena dodged to the side, the arrow narrowly missing them. Rick let out a shaky laugh, his voice tinged with a mix of fear and defiance.

"Only God can save us now," he said, his eyes flashing with a grim determination.

In other parts of the forest, the No-Names who had managed to escape Holt were also under attack. As soon as they appeared, they were assaulted by their enemies, the battle quickly becoming intense. But the No-Names were outmatched, their numbers dwindling as they fought desperately to survive.

High above, Derrick and Edward watched the scene unfold from their vantage point in the sky. Derrick's gaze was fixed on the ground below, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation.

"Young master," Derrick said, his voice carrying a note of urgency. "How much longer can you hold out?"

Edward, his expression strained, replied, "Another two hours, and that’s it. We need to finish this quickly."

As they reached the secret camp, Edward gently laid Lizzie on a makeshift bed, brushing a lock of hair from her face. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, his voice soft and filled with unspoken promises. "I’ll be back soon. Wait for me."

Without wasting another moment, Edward grabbed Derrick, and they shot back into the air, their silhouettes fading into the night sky. The cold wind whipped against their faces as they flew, the forest below them a dark blur. When they reached the outskirts of Holt, Derrick signaled for Edward to stop.

"Hold here," Derrick instructed, his voice low and commanding.

Edward complied, hovering in place as Derrick began to make a series of complex hand seals. His mana surged, the air around them crackling with energy.

As Derrick chanted an incantation, the space below them began to distort, the landscape warping as if being pulled into another dimension. Slowly, the ground beneath them turned pitch black, the darkness spreading like an ink stain.

Derrick’s voice grew louder, more intense, as he made another set of hand seals. This time, the space below burst into dark blue flames, the fire spreading rapidly through the forest, consuming everything in its path.

On the ground, Elena winced as she pulled an arrow from her right thigh, her face pale with pain. But she didn’t let it slow her down. She nocked another arrow, her movements precise despite her injury, and released it with a sharp twang. The arrow flew true, striking one of her assailants in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground.

"young master, they’re closing in!" Elena warned, her voice strained.

Rick turned, but before he could respond, the surrounding forest erupted into flames. The intense heat washed over them, and the sound of wails filled the air as their enemies were consumed by the fire. But Rick and Elena remained unharmed, their bodies glowing faintly with runic marks that protected them from the flames.

One of their attackers, his clothes ablaze, rushed toward them, screaming in agony. But before he could reach them, an arrow pierced his skull, dropping him instantly. Rick lowered his bow, his face grim.

"We need to move, now," Rick said, urgency lacing his words.

They sprinted through the burning forest, the smell of charred flesh and wood thick in the air. Rick fought back the urge to vomit, his stomach churning at the sight of the smoldering corpses they passed. But there was no time to linger—they had to reach the secret camp before it was too late.

When they finally arrived at the camp, they were greeted by an unsettling silence. Edward and Derrick were there, the latter leaning against a tree, his face pale as he coughed up blood. Elena’s eyes widened with concern as she rushed to his side.

"Derrick!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling.

Derrick managed a weak smile, though it was clear he was in pain. "I’m… fine," he rasped, though the blood staining his lips told a different story.

Elena’s guilt was evident in her eyes, but before she could speak, Edward stepped forward. "We wait here," he said, his tone decisive. "The others will join us soon."

And so they waited, the night growing darker around them as they braced themselves for whatever came next.