Ch 22: Gray and Liza wrath attacks

"Hold on!" the Princess shouted, her voice piercing through the chaos. "You can't give up!"

The knight looked back at her, seeing the fear in her light brown eyes. It ignited a fire within him, a fierce determination to protect the life behind him. He could not fail her. Not now.

With a deep breath, he summoned every last bit of strength. He rolled to the side just as a bandit lunged forward, narrowly avoiding a potentially fatal blow. He could feel the heat of the sun above him, shining down as if urging him onward. Each ray felt like a reminder of hope.

"Get back!" he bellowed, finding his feet again, though his body ached with fatigue. "I won't let you take her in your cruel hands!"

The bandits closed in, their numbers overwhelming. He deflected another blow, gritting his teeth against the pain. "I won't let fear take me," he muttered to himself, his heart pounding furiously in his chest.