14 The Haunted Night

Anasthasia's golden eyes locked unto incoming projectile, only to be parried by a weapon that appeared in front of her. Her eyes traveled through its glint, down to its hilt coated with silver and an insignia engraved in it. It was Michae, with firm hands gripped, who held an ominous look.

"Nice saber—"

"Nightbane..."

Anasthasia nodded; ears perked up as she heard the twins rushed into the fray. She noticed shimmers that came from the same direction. Her eyes glowed, which erupted a thick wall of ice from the ground, enough to impede the incoming bullets.

The tranquil forest was overwhelmed by slashes of weapons that mused the very air. Every spark tinged the darkness in the area as sudden clangs and clinks were found on every strike therein.

The twins danced in the ruthless night, carefully dodged the erratic swings and thrusts from the enemies' swords and daggers. They parred their sword with the enemy's crude weapons from time to time and ensured none of them reached their flesh.

In the close distance, Levi dodged quickly. With each thrust on his rapier augmented with swirling winds. When parry came in, he disengaged underneath. Levi accompanied by a kick on the enemy's heel, which knocked him off to the ground and struck deeply right through his neck.

Liam slashed heavily in retaliation as he cut their flurry of attacks. He kicked the enemy to the side and spun to the next. This time, it was an enemy who held longsword, which gleamed alongside his as they clashed once more.

Their swords augmented with bright light, then traded off impactful blows. The man slashed with his sword.

Liam was quicker.

With that in mind, Liam turned swiftly and tripped him off. A blade of wind erupted from his sword, which cut deep and thrashed away to the tree trunk. He spun, with a reverse grip, and plunged the sword to the next enemy on his sight.

Levi was outnumbered, thus made Liam leap one of the enemies around him. The swashbuckler elegantly blocked among different daggers and sword lights with his rapier. He was calculative. When an opportunity permitted, he backed off and straightened his stance. From rapier's tip shot a deadly wind that struck the foes. Enemies continued to block with all their might but unfortunately blown away.

But things weren't on their favor; their blood ran cold when she declared the news.

"More of their reinforcements have arrived!" Anasthasia called out as she frantically leered around her. "I'll hold the line!"

'I need to finish the enemies from this side!' Time was precious and not wasted. She began to collect herself, just as she had learned for who knew how long before. Her hands whirled in midair, let the feeling of mana coalesced down her spine, with her breath slowed its descent through its diaphragm for a split second before it expanded to the ground.

'Magic is an art and a science.' She muttered to herself. Her awareness exuded outward, taken into consideration every detail she could manifest to her advantage.

She snapped her fingers, lumps of rocks hardened into a large thorn that started to spin so fast thus shot far and wide. Deathly screams and cries haunted the night. Drilled and punctured the enemies to the bone.

This magical power momentarily stunned the enemies, with their eyes widened in horror and convulsed out of fear, in such close distance.

Michael took the chance as he charged and swung his flaming sword at the feared enemies. Closing the gap, he successfully blocked an attack, then punched with stone reinforced on his fist. Caught off guard from the assault, Michael broke the opening with Nightbane through their bones.

It was coated in blood, which Michael's sword burned with passion. The prince became a ruthless predator at night. It didn't take long for him to shift his vision and went onto the next target.

"Not bad!" She smirked.

Michael swung wide that rendered sharp rock blade among the enemies, this toppled them down and vomited a mouthful of blood. His movements elucidate like one fluid motion. His dance came to a close as he overextended with his saber and lacerated the weak enemy.

Anasthasia saw that the enemies at her far side were attempting to escape this predicament. Sadly, the path of retreat was suddenly blocked by a protruding wall of ice. It emitted a shimmering blue light and frigid cold—The enemies futilely watched their reflection in horror.

'Deadly Icicle!'

In that glimpse, they saw how the woman lunged long spears of ice, skewering the bodies as they were glued to the wall. Now, the wall blossomed into a deadly flower colored by the crimson shade of blood.

"They need help." Michael swung and flicked his sword, which removed the excess blood coated in Nightbane.

"Let's go!" Anasthasia jumped and cast, 'Flash Freeze!' which turned the damp ground into a sheet of ice. She gracefully skidded as fast as she can.

Liam's thigh tensed when an incoming bullet marked his way. He rolled forward, but still met its inevitable strike. Anasthasia was quick in time to blast off a gust of wind and deflected it. She twirled at the end and landed safely.

"That was close!"

"Many thanks, Lady Anasthasia—"

"Keep your big as moving!" Anasthasia clicked her tongue when she tried as hard as she could to detect the sharpshooters' coordinates in the distance this time.

Levi had always dashed horizontally, he slashed the last dark-robed men in the area, with several, quick strikes. He swooped in to attack and pranced out as he disengaged. He eyed on the man who slowly fell on his knees, and a small thud echoed their ears.

'I need to do something—' She snapped her thoughts as sudden flash glinted from afar. Instinct began to take over as her senses welled up. She pushed her palms on the ground, which erected stone monoliths, thus blocked the incoming projectiles.

Anasthasia had closed her eyes, senses heightened once more, and noticed negligible mana fluctuations from the bullets' direction. She clenched her teeth.

It was such a breather, but things were far from over. Anasthasia's eyes loomed over them with sternness.

"What are they using?! Why I can't detect them this time?!"

"Lady Anasthasia, perhaps they're using a magic tool..."

'What? It's even foolproof for a person like me?!' She shook her head. Watched Liam with a cast of doubt, then turned to Michael with caution, "A magic tool?"

"Yes, the same as the navigator you saw earlier."

"That can't be!" She hissed so bad when Michael tried to affirm her concerns. Her thoughts swirled in chaos, 'How much have the humans improved regarding its technology?!'

"Then, there could be more of them lurking in the shadows!"

"Indeed," Michael nodded, "They must have purchased it somewhere."

"You mean, in your kingdom?"

"We don't have that, I'm sure it's from—" Michael gripped Nightblade firmly. They all crouched from the sudden impact. The monolith shook but not enough for it to crumble.

"They're coming closer," Anasthasia whispered, "Ready yourselves."

Anasthasia prowled her way out, her hand reached out to the area and cast 'Liquefaction!'

Men in dark robes rumbled in annoyance as they witnessed their feet swallowed by the liquid ground. Not an ounce of force exerted could remove themselves in a sticky situation. The ground soon hardened.

Anasthasia 'gave a nod', Michael and twins dashed forth and lunged towards the enemies.

One, two, three strikes—with every attack, Michael fueled Nightbane with anger and raw power. He then surged his way towards the trapped enemies.

On his command, Levi manifested to augment his movement, which sent him ricocheting between enemies and releasing an afterimage every after strike found. He bounced back and furrowed his eyebrows as he watched Liam slash at the ground with tremendous brute force, launching a flurry of rocks around him from the impact.

Levi supported his brother from the back—straightening his stance and shooting out bolts of wind, to intercept the incoming bullets.

Anasthasia could see that the two had themselves preoccupied in the fray.

More reinforcements have arrived.

A burly man came from the front and swung his sword with full might. Michael dodged the powerful blow by a hair's breadth, but it left his side exposed to the dangers. And right at that moment, a bullet rushed towards his side. He narrowly evaded it, but it made him lose control of his center for a hot second. As a result, he had to roll sideways to gain back his stability.

A barrage of bullets came to play and accurately aimed at Michael's vitals. But the last few shots had him standing by the death's door.

Her eyes widened from shock. 'No!'

Anasthasia had her hands busy with the barrages of all sides, but she overlooked this matter. She was complacent.

When those three bullets hit his legs and abdomen, respectively, he groaned in pain and then stumbled to the ground.

"Your Highness!"