I peeked through the window, curiosity and unease swirling in my chest.

Then, familiar faces emerged.. Lloyd, with his ever smug smirk, and the village chief trailing behind him.

-- Sir Llyod, this is the house where the elf resides, -- the chief said, his tone hesitant but submissive.

-- Oh, I see, -- Llyod replied, his smirk widening as his eyes landed on Stella.

-- Miss Stella, I've been informed that an elf is hiding under your roof. That elf killed a considerable number of my soldiers, injured many more, and now we're here to arrest her. -- His voice dripped with arrogance.

Behind him, a group of villagers began to gather, clutching makeshift weapons—knives, sharpened metal rods, and crude spears.

-- I told you all! That elf brought catastrophe to this village! She's the one who lured the goblins! My daughter... she's dead because of her! -- one of the villagers shouted, his voice trembling with grief and anger.

The village chief stepped forward slowly, his eyes filled with conflict as he addressed Stella.

-- Miss Stella, we owe you and your husband a great debt. You've both helped this village grow and prosper. But now, all we ask is for the elf. Hand her over, and we can avoid unnecessary conflict. --

Stella didn't flinch. Her voice cut through the murmurs of the crowd like a blade.

-- ishla has done nothing wrong! Without her warning, this village would already be a goblin nest! Listen to me, people this man right here, Sir Llyod, and your so-called king are in league with demons! --

The villagers erupted into murmurs.

Demons?

Demons??

What is she talking about?

Llyod sneered, his tone dripping with condescension. -- What nonsense, Miss Stella. Are you so desperate to protect your murderous friend that you'd spread baseless rumors about the king? We even have reports that your elf friend hasn't just killed humans but also slaughtered farm animals. --

-- Diether... Lord Diether, whom you introduced to me, is a demon! -- Stella proclaimed

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

-- Impossible! Lord Diether was a generous man. He donated vast sums of his family's wealth to help this village thrive! -- the chief exclaimed.

Llyod's smirk faltered for the first time, though he quickly recovered.

-- If what you're saying is true, Miss Stella, then bring Lord Diether here. It's a bad habit to slander someone behind their back. --

-- I can't. He's already dead. -- Stella's voice was firm, carrying the weight of undeniable truth.

The crowd froze, stunned into silence.

Even Llyod seemed taken aback. His eyes narrowed, but the cracks in his composure were evident.

-- Who killed him? Tell me, -- Llyod demanded, his voice strained.

-- I did. -- Stella claimed

The village chief's face twisted in disbelief. -- Miss Stella, you don't have to take the blame for your elf friend. We'll believe you if you say the elf killed Lord Diether. --

The villagers waited, their collective gaze fixed on Stella.

-- i ' m the one who killed that demon. -- Stella Claimed.

Llyod's eyes darkened, and a malicious grin crept onto his face.

-- If that's the case, arrest this woman for the murder of a nobleman! -- Llyod barked.

-- Slow down, Sir Llyod. Maybe we can talk this through with Miss Stella, -- The village Chief suggested, gently touching Llyod's armor.

Llyod turned on him with a cold gaze. -- Don't touch me! -- he snapped, brushing the chief aside without a second glance.

Two soldiers stepped forward, weapons drawn, advancing toward Stella.

With a sharp motion, Stella summoned a strong burst of wind, sending the soldiers sprawling. Despite the situation, it was clear she was holding back her power, mindful of the innocent villagers watching in fear.

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Another batch of soldiers moved to surround Stella.

Llyod gestured sharply, signaling for more soldiers to encircle the house. Stella's sharp eyes noticed their movements immediately.

I rushed to open the door, determined to help her, but Stella saw me and acted swiftly. She conjured a golden chain that shot out and coiled around the doctor to block the doorway.

-- STAY INSIDE, LEON! -- Stella's voice boomed, filled with both authority and desperation.

In that moment, Stella was more terrifying than the soldiers threatening her.

She cast a shimmering barrier that enveloped the entire house, making it impossible for anyone to enter.

The villagers stood frozen in shock, murmuring among themselves.

- This entire scheme seemed too calculated to be a mere coincidence. - I whispered to myself.

I' trying to open the Door, desperate to help her, but the golden Chain and the barrier left me powerless.

Suddenly, a man emerged from the crowd, walking toward Stella with heavy, confident steps.

-- WEAK, PUNY SOLDIERS! YOU CAN'T EVEN CAPTURE A WOMAN! -- the man roared, his booming voice commanding attention. He was a massive figure with a thick mustache. -- MY NAME IS EDWARD! LET ME SHOW YOU HOW A REAL SOLDIER DOES THIS! --

One of the soldiers hurried to Llyod, whispering something into his ear.

Llyod's face twisted in fury.

-- WHAT? DRUNK? CALL HIM IMMEDIATELY AND TELL HIM I ORDER HIM TO BE HERE WITHIN TEN MINUTES, OR I'LL CUT HIS HEAD OFF PERSONALLY! -- Llyod bellowed, spittle flying as he shouted.

The soldier scrambled away at once.

Edward unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Stella.

-- Are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way? -- he asked, his voice dripping with confidence.

Stella's piercing gaze locked onto Edward, but she gave no response.

With a growl, Edward charged, sword raised.

Stella floated into the air, casting a protective barrier around herself. She summoned a flurry of fireballs, hurling them toward Edward.

Edward stabbed the ground with his sword, summoning a sphere of earth to shield himself from the fiery onslaught.

-- You're not the only mage here... -- Edward taunted, smirking.

To my surprise, I hadn't expected that hulking man to be a mage. It shattered my stereotype of what a mage should look like.

He swung his sword in a wide arc, releasing a powerful gust of wind aimed at knocking Stella out of the sky. But Stella countered with an even stronger burst of wind, nullifying his attack.

She began chanting, her voice calm but commanding. Roots erupted from the ground, snaking toward Edward and the soldiers, binding them in place.

Llyod and the remaining soldiers slashed at the roots with their swords, trying to free themselves as the tendrils crawled up their bodies.

Local militia arrived on the scene, their leader rushing to the village chief. The chief appeared to be explaining the chaos to them, his hands gesturing wildly.

Edward gritted his teeth and crouched low. With a mighty push from his powerful legs, he launched himself into the air, trying to reach Stella. But he fell short, landing heavily back on the ground.

Llyod barked out more orders, his fury unrelenting.

Some soldiers began hammering at Stella's barrier with mallets, their strikes echoing through the tense air.

Stella began chanting again, her voice resonating like a hymn of destruction. Thunderclouds formed ominously in the sky above, crackling with raw energy. From the dark clouds, ethereal butterflies emerged, their wings shimmering with electric light. As the butterflies descended and touched the soldiers surrounding the house, a powerful surge of electricity coursed through their bodies, cooking their internal organs. Agonized screams filled the air as they collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

Llyod's face twisted in rage, his fury bubbling over.

On the ground, Edward struggled. He launched weak magic projectiles toward Stella, but her barrier remained unyielding, nullifying every attack with ease.

Frustrated, Edward slammed his fist into the earth, stabbing his arm deep into the ground. As he pulled it back, the earth clung to his arm, forming a massive gauntlet made of stone. With a roar, he charged toward the house, his stone fist smashing into Stella's barrier with immense force.

Each punch reverberated like an earthquake, causing visible cracks to form in the barrier. Stella noticed the strain immediately. Acting swiftly, she summoned a pillar of rock beneath Edward, striking him square in the face. The impact hurled him backward, his body crashing into the ground with a sickening thud.

Wasting no time, Stella propelled herself toward Edward at lightning speed, her barrier still shimmering around her. Like a meteor hurtling from the heavens, she descended upon him with unrelenting force. The collision was catastrophic. Edward's bones shattered under the impact, his body crumpling like a ragdoll. Blood and entrails splattered across the ground.

Soldiers as long as the villagers, are stunned by what they seen, like a painting of a gruesome picture of her devastating power.

Now the villager face are both anxious and confused, looks like they become more convince that stella are the villain here.

Stella recast the barrier on the house, reinforcing its protection, and floated into the sky once more, her presence radiant and commanding.

Inside, Ishla struggled to her feet, her movements shaky but determined, and approached me.

-- Where's Stella? What's happening now? -- she asked, her voice laced with concern.

She's outside, fighting those soldiers, - I replied, glancing toward the window.

-- Is she okay? We need to help her! -- Ishla said urgently, her worry growing by the second.

- She looks like she's winning, though, - I answered, trying to sound reassuring as I peered outside.

But Ishla's expression darkened. -- No… they have soldiers who hold curse petals. Not just one… a whole squad of them. --

Before I could react, a man stumbled into view, looking disheveled and drunk. It was the captain from yesterday.

-- You're late! -- Llyod shouted, clearly irritated.

-- Oh, sorry! I didn't know we were attacking today, -- the captain replied lazily, scratching his head.

Suddenly, a squad of twelve cloaked soldiers emerged, surrounding Stella and the house. Llyod barked orders, commanding the rest of his soldiers to encircle the house as well.

Ishla's eyes widened in panic. -- It's them!! -- she exclaimed, then vanished in a blink of light. She reappeared outside, right in front of one of the cloaked soldiers, and drove her blade into his neck with precision.

The villagers noticed her immediately, and chaos erupted. The chief yelled for the militia to capture her, and one of the villagers screamed, -- There's the elf! Capture her! --

Stella's gaze snapped to Ishla, her expression shifting to terror.

-- ISHLA, GO BACK INSIDE! BOTH YOU AND LEON, TELEPORT AWAY FROM HERE!! -- she shouted desperately.

The cloaked soldiers pulled back their hoods, revealing grim faces as they began chanting in unison, their hands raised, clutching cursed petals. Red essence shot from their amulets, striking Stella.

Meanwhile, the captain, Anthony, moved with inhuman speed toward Ishla, his eyes gleaming with malice.

-- Oh, we meet again. Still alive, I see, -- he taunted, his smirk sinister.

Stella's barrier began to waver, blinking erratically, before finally shattering. The golden chains locking the door dissolved into nothing. Stella collapsed to the ground, vulnerable.

The soldiers wasted no time, plunging their blades into her back.

Panic surged through me. I burst outside, casting a powerful wind blade that cleaved the soldiers around Stella in half.

Stella tried to summon her magic, but her mana refused to respond. Blood poured from her wounds, pooling on the ground. I rushed to her side, using ice magic to freeze her injuries and stem the bleeding.

Her breaths were shallow, but she forced a smile. -- Don't worry, Leon. They didn't hit any vital organs. I can still fight. Now, go to Ishla and tell her to teleport you both out of here. I'll stop that man, -- she assured me, her voice unwavering.

Within seconds, Stella regained her magic. A powerful gust of wind erupted around her, throwing everyone nearby off their feet. She recast her barrier and charged toward Ishla, slamming into Anthony with the force of her shield, sending him sprawling.

-- Ishla, go to Leon and get out of here, please! -- Stella pleaded, her eyes shimmering with desperation.

Ishla blinked toward me, landing by my side. She immediately began casting a teleportation spell, a complex magic circle forming beneath us.

Stella turned to look at me one last time, tears glistening in her eyes.

Before the spell completed, Anthony rose, smirking as he pulled out another cursed petal. The essence struck Stella again, and she staggered, her strength faltering.

Anthony drew his sword, charging toward her with deadly intent.

Time seemed to slow as panic overwhelmed me. My heart raced, and in a desperate gamble, I poured a massive amount of mana into my bloodstream. The searing pain of it pierced my chest, but I didn't care.

Stepping out of Ishla's magic circle, I reached for Stella, my mana surging into the space around her. Commanding it with all my will, I bent the very fabric of reality, pulling her toward the magic circle.

The moment Stella reached the edge of the magic circle, Ishla murmured softly, -- Dark magic… --

Stella's eyes widened as realization struck her. Before she could protest, the spell activated. She and Ishla vanished in a flash of light, leaving me behind.

Our eyes met for one final moment. I smiled at her, hoping to ease her worry, before they disappeared.

-- Now, it was my turn.

It was time for the counterattack --