POV'S EMILIA LANNISTER

Behind me lay Cassie, unconscious on the rocky ground. Without a word, I moved with supernatural speed. In the blink of an eye, my fist connected with the back of the one who had tried to take my Cassie, smashing him against the ground with such force that the impact created a small depression in the earth. Dark blood flowed from his broken mask as he lay motionless.

The four hooded figures that stalked me instinctively retreated at my sudden appearance.

Susan, observing the scene from the shadows, reacted instantly. With a silent gesture, the remaining four hooded figures reorganized into a perfect defensive formation: three in front and one in the rear, protecting their leader. I couldn't help but admire, much to my regret, the way they had instantly responded to a surprise attack, taking a formation to eliminate blind spots.

The orphanage children, my children, were hidden among the nearby rocks. I could feel their gazes upon me, a mixture of amazement and confusion. Their eyes, used to seeing me as an implacable authority figure, now contemplated me as an unexpected savior. Some of the youngest ones clung to the older ones, trembling not only from the cold of night but from the tension of the moment. My heart shrank at seeing them like this.

—Run now! Get out of this place!

I shouted while staring fixedly at Susan.

I watched as two older children knelt to help lift Cassie, while Reinhardt hurried to assist Arceus, who was notably limping after receiving a shot in one of his legs moments before I burst onto the scene.

—Emilia...

Susan's voice cut through the air like an icy dagger.

—What does this mean? Among all people... you...

I felt my gaze soften for a moment as I met my old companion's eyes.

—There's nothing to say, Susan.

—Do you understand the consequences?

Susan took a step forward.

—The Rulers don't forgive betrayal. You know that better than anyone.

—The parasites... —

I pronounced the phrase with contempt.

—They raised you, shaped you, turned you into their perfect tool. But today, for the first time, I choose to be a mother rather than their servant.

While pronouncing these words, I couldn't help but think about Susan's sad reality. She had been raised in a secret organization to worship the Parasites, whose training, symbolism, organization, and internal teaching methods were almost completely religious to obey and worship these in a blind and sick faith, almost like walking dolls.

Susan descended from a long line of caretakers who, sooner or later, ended up justifying everything with blind faith and absolute obedience. While these women seemed to be very kind, loving, and affectionate with the children, they were actually cold, calculating, and showed much detachment to the tragic fate of the little ones. Their mission was to maintain the facade of the orphanage and continue with their hard work or risk being killed. I couldn't feel anything but pity and sorrow for Susan, understanding that she must have suffered too much at the hands of those bastards.

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—Mother?

Susan let out a bitter laugh.

—Now you decide to be a mother? After everything you've done?

The hooded figures tensed, preparing to attack, but Susan raised a hand, stopping them.

While I was thinking, I saw how Reinhardt quickly organized the children in a circle as his hands unfolded the scroll.

My eyes met Reinhardt's as the scroll began to glow. It was a brief moment, but in his gaze I saw the recognition of something I had stopped seeing after discovering the truth: love. A pure and true love, without the distortions and manipulations that had always characterized my relationship with the orphanage children.

I smiled, a genuine smile that completely transformed my face. It was the smile of a mother saying goodbye to her children, knowing she would never see them again.

The scroll's light intensified until becoming blinding.

I observed Cassie, my little daughter, one last time as the group began to fade. I felt a single tear roll down my cheek, which shone like a diamond in the supernatural light.

—Sometimes...

I whispered, more to myself than to Susan.

—True love requires sacrifice.

An abyss of indescribable sorrow opened in my heart. For years, I had been the one who cared for and watched grow this forgotten generation, being the only maternal figure in an underground orphanage that stood in a kind of borderland between hope and decay.

I understood that I had no other choice but to kill, to survive I had no choice but to kill Susan here.

The moment the children disappeared, the environment changed drastically. A magic missile headed toward my face. The magical projectile whistled through the air at full speed, cutting the distance in a fraction of a second. With superhuman reflexes enhanced by my thunder power, I tilted my head just enough for the missile to graze my cheek, leaving a fine crimson line along with a trail of dust and small sparks.

The attacker, identified as the "sniper," carried an elongated mechanical arm that ended in the devastating form of a cannon; instead of a hand, there was a tube that imitated the mouth of a weapon, making clear the inhumanity of its origins.

Without hesitation, the group sprang into action quickly.

A rain of magical projectiles illuminated the night like shooting stars. Time seemed to slow down while I increased my body to its limits with a fine layer of golden thunder.

My body became blurry, a trail that left residual images in the air, while I moved from left to right in a macabre ballet, dodging the missiles that threatened to drown me by millimeters. Dust and earth rose in small explosions where the projectiles impacted, creating a chaotic pattern of craters around me.

—Your skills have improved, Emilia.

Susan observed each of my movements with attention.

—Thunder has made you stronger.

I didn't respond. Instead, I disappeared in a golden flash, reappearing behind the sniper and, with a high kick, impacted directly on the figure's jaw, sending it flying against the hard rocky surface of the underground shelter. The force of the impact created a trench in the earth before crashing against a rock formation, revealing my relentless power.

The other figures moved in unison. One appeared behind me, its fist directing toward my nape with lethal force. I turned my torso at the last second, the blow grazed my back while my elbow shot backward, finding my attacker's jaw with a satisfying crunch.

—Remember when we trained together, Susan?

I kicked the inert body toward another figure that was approaching.

—You always said teamwork was the key.

The hooded figure didn't hesitate to cut their fallen comrade in half with their twin daggers, revealing a coldness that made me clench my teeth.

—They're nothing but tools to you, aren't they?

—They are loyal. As you used to be.

—Blind loyalty is a form of slavery. Don't you even hesitate to kill your own?

I asked, my voice loaded with disgust.