The two guards circled us, their swords gleaming, ready to strike. My throat tightened as I followed their every movement, heart pounding. Beside me, the Queen wasn’t as hesitant. Without warning, she surged forward, her blade slashing down toward one of the guards. He raised his sword just in time to block, sparks flying from the impact. But the Queen anticipated this—she drove her elbow into his jaw, the crack echoing in the tense air, and unleashed a powerful fireball straight into his chest. The spell sent him staggering backward, his armor scorched and smoking.

Just as she prepared to drive her sword into his chest, the other guard crouched low, his palm slamming into the ground. The earth beneath us quaked violently, the ground rippling like water. The tremor sent both of us tumbling, our balance completely thrown.

The injured guard seized his chance, lunging at the Queen and pinning her to the ground with his hands locked around her throat. She gasped and clawed at his fingers, her face reddening as she struggled for air. My instincts screamed at me to run—to disappear into the second building while they were distracted. After all, this Queen had thrown me into a dungeon, mocked me, and threatened innocent people. But leaving her now would label me an accomplice to her murder—and two gold coins as a reward could go a long way.

“Damn it,” I muttered before yelling, “Stop!” as I rushed toward the fight.

Before I could intervene, the second guard grabbed me by the hair and threw me to the ground with brutal force. His boot came down on the back of my head, grinding my face into the dirt.

“Stay out of this, kid,” he growled. “Watch as Nu’tar is freed from her tyranny!”

I struggled against his weight, my fists pounding the ground. “Stop! You don’t have to do this!”

“No. For the greater good… we have to.”

The Queen, still locked in her attacker’s grip, sank her teeth into his hand. He howled in pain, jerking back and loosening his grip. She seized the opportunity to punch him hard—once, twice—before delivering a fierce kick that sent him sprawling. Wasting no time, she scrambled to her feet and drove her blade straight through his neck. Blood spurted as he gurgled and collapsed, lifeless.

I barely had time to process this before the second guard’s boot collided with the back of my head. Stars exploded in my vision as I stared up at the sky. The sun, momentarily peeking through the dark clouds, felt unbearably bright. My vision blurred, each blink stretching into an eternity as my body wavered on the brink of unconsciousness. Gravel bit into my skin, and the metallic tang of blood mixed with dirt in my mouth.

“Ugh...” I groaned, spitting out the foul mixture. “Shit…”

The guard stood over me, sneering. “You leave blood and destruction wherever you go, Queen. This country will be better off without you!”

The Queen, her chest heaving, glared at him with unyielding defiance. “You don’t understand what I’ve seen. You don’t know what the elves have done.”

“Don’t make excuses!” he shot back. “You treat non-humans like dirt, tax them into poverty. Is that what a Queen should be?”

“Nu’tar is a human kingdom,” she retorted, her voice sharp. “When we rose against the elves’ domination, no other race stood with us. This country was built with the blood and sweat of our people.”

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“Lies,” he spat. “You wrap your cruelty in patriotic nonsense. Nothing but lies.”

Before the argument could escalate, the sharp hiss of an arrow cut through the air. It landed inches from me, embedding itself into the ground. My eyes widened in panic as I struggled to push myself up, but my head spun and I collapsed again. Another arrow whizzed past, grazing my ear and making me flinch. The third struck me square in the back of my shoulder. I screamed, the searing pain shooting through my body. Before I could catch my breath, a fourth arrow pierced my lower back. My legs gave out, and I collapsed behind a bench, clutching my wounds.

Peeking out from my makeshift cover, I spotted figures perched elegantly on the rooftops of the school building. Their hoods cast shadows over their faces, but their poised stances and masterfully crafted bows were unmistakable. They moved with a precision and grace that chilled me to the core.

“Elves,” the Queen hissed, batting away an arrow with her sword. “Of course. Bastards!”

Arrows rained down from the rooftop as I swore under my breath, hurriedly yanking the shafts from my body. Each removal sent jolts of pain up my spine, but thankfully none of them had sunk deep enough to cause serious damage. My movements remained steady for now, though I knew when the adrenaline wore off, the pain would cripple me.

Five elves leapt from the rooftop with ease, landing as gracefully as cats. If I tried something like that, they'd scrape what was left of me off the ground with a shovel. These elves were no amateurs---they were professionals.

“Uh-oh…” I muttered, eyes widening as one elf approached, bow drawn and ready. “Don’t! Please!”

She didn’t hesitate. The arrow whistled through the narrow gap in the bench, finding its mark in my arm. I cried out, the force of the shot throwing me backward. The impact drove the arrow deeper into my flesh, and a wave of dizziness washed over me. Blood trickled down my arm, warm and sticky, and the world around me began to dim.

With trembling hands, I snapped the arrow and yanked it free, gritting my teeth against the pain. Then, scrambling like a desperate animal, I threw myself behind the Queen, who had conjured a barrier spell. Arrows ricocheted off the shimmering shield, but her arms quivered with the strain of holding it up, her legs visibly shaking. The spell wouldn’t hold much longer.

“What do we do?” I asked, panting as I forced myself to stand. “They’re going to kill us.”

“Then we die on our feet,” she replied, her voice resolute but tinged with exhaustion.

“Any chance of a plan B where we don’t die, Your Highness?” I pressed.

“If you come up with one,” she said, offering a strained smile, “let me know.”

Before I could respond, an arrow struck the barrier with explosive force, shattering the spell and sending both of us flying. I landed hard on the second row of arena seats, rolling to a stop with my head spinning. Coughing through the smoke and debris, I pulled myself upright, using a chair for support.

A sudden whistle filled the air as an arrow struck the seat in front, the tip grazing my throat. My breath caught as I flung myself backward, clutching my neck to make sure I was still intact.

“Too close…” I whispered, my voice trembling.

I crawled a short distance away, the rows of chairs obscuring their line of sight. My mind raced. I needed a stronger spell—something big enough to shift the tide. My thoughts turned to the fireball I’d conjured against Mr. Poley, the overwhelming force I’d felt surging through me that day. It had hurt, sure, but it worked.

“Come on, Ax. You’ve got this.”

Heat began to build in my right hand, growing hotter with each passing second. Sparks danced in the air, and my palm throbbed with a searing pain. The magic was reaching its limit, just as it had before. All I had to do was let it loose.

But before releasing it, I tried one last time to reason with them.

“Stop!” I shouted, leaving my hiding spot. “Please, you don’t have to do this!”

“He’s still alive?” the guard sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. “Kill that bastard.”

“Great. So much for diplomacy…”