No escape.

'How is this possible!? Is she teleporting around? No, that doesn't make sense; there's no traces of mana and no magic circles. What the heck is she!?' Lúthien's thoughts race as she faces off against an enemy who defies all her understanding of magic and combat. Gritting her teeth, she launches a barrage of attacks—pow, pow, pow, pow! Four jabs and three kicks are aimed with precision, a testament to her elven martial prowess. However, Nia, with a devilish glee, catches all the punches with an ease that belies the deadly dance they perform. When Lúthien's third kick comes, Nia grabs her leg, her lips curling into a mischievous smirk. "My my~ I can see why that dumb dog played for so long. Elven arts are interesting~"

With a cold glare, Lúthien demands, "Let go." In a fluid motion, she lifts her other leg, wrapping it around Nia's neck, and with a forceful twist, smashes her head sideways into a tree. The dust rises, and from within its cloud, a soft yet chilling laughter emerges, "Hmhmhm." Nia stands, pushing her hair back as blood trickles down her forehead. "Hmhmhmhahahahahaha!" Her laughter, half-mad and wholly unsettling, fills the air as she praises the uniqueness of elven techniques.

Then, caught off guard, Nia looks up to see a massive fireball descending upon her. She traces its origin to Ardalos, casting from a distance. With a nonchalant stride, she moves behind a tree for cover. "Hey, I'm trying to have fun with her, and it would be great if you fucked off~," she murmurs menacingly into Ardalos's ear, appearing behind him suddenly. Ardalos spins around, his eyes wide with shock, "How did she-" and attempts a counterattack. But before he can unleash his magic, Nia's hand connects with his chest, sending him flying with a visible shockwave. "Oooh~ That's my best one yet~" she boasts, her smirk broadening.

"Ardalos!" Lúthien's concern for her friend turns to action as she tries to reach him, but Nia is there again, materializing right behind her. "Now now, he's still alive~," Nia whispers, playfully covering Lúthien's eyes with her hands in mid-air. With no time to waste, Lúthien executes a backflip, her foot connecting with the top of Nia's head with tremendous force, sending her opponent crashing to the ground.

"Hmmm... how harsh~" Nia moans, splayed across the ground, an image of defeated mischief. Lúthien, fueled by a mix of fear and fury, demands, "Leave me the hell alone! Why are you all after me!?" Her frustration manifests physically as she stomps on the ground, leaving an imprint, a testament to her resolve.

Nia rises, dusting herself off, just in time to face Lúthien's renewed assault. Pow, pow, pow! Swoosh! Lúthien unleashes a flurry of eight strikes and five kicks, each one accompanied by a shockwave that nudges Nia back, step by step. Undeterred, Lúthien accelerates her attack, her teeth gritted, her focus absolute. She channels her energy into the ground, causing roots to shoot up towards Nia in a desperate bid for control.

As the battle rages, Lúthien's thoughts drift to the root of her predicament. 'Dammit! I know that man is responsible for this. Once I get out of here, I'm going to make it clear to everyone I will not marry their son,' she vows, clenching her fist with determination.

Nia, however, seems to thrive on the challenge. "Mmmm~ I love it when it gets feisty~," she taunts, grabbing Lúthien's arm mid-strike, pulling her closer, and twisting it painfully. "But you know, you shouldn't get distracted," Nia advises, kicking Lúthien's legs from under her and pushing her down into the ground, creating a crater with the impact.

Lúthien coughs up blood, the suddenness of the attack leaving her reeling. 'She's fast. I didn't have time to react...' she realizes, the pain sharp and all-consuming.

"Aww~ Does it hurt? I was trying to be gentle. I can't kill you, you know. Otherwise, I'll be sent back to that pathetically boring cell~," Nia taunts, brushing back Lúthien's hair with a gesture that could almost be mistaken for tenderness.

"L-leave Ardalos alone," Lúthien manages, her voice ragged with effort.

Nia's response is almost gentle, a mock sympathy lacing her words. "Aw, you poor baby. I would love to kill him, but I can't." She sighs, feigning sadness, then quickly shifts to business, pressing Lúthien's pressure points with precision. "The palm strike I used on him should leave him paralyzed for a day or two. We have no interest in him, so we'll just leave him here," she explains, picking up Lúthien with ease.

"Ah, you elves are so delicious~," Nia hums, her voice laced with a disturbing affection as she secures Lúthien, rendering her immobile. Leaning against a tree, Ri yawns, the sound cutting through the tense atmosphere. "Hmm... now that you have the girl, it's about time we find the human boy," he mumbles in his husky voice, a statement that sends a shiver down Lúthien's spine.

"Huh, h-human boy?" Lúthien manages to stutter out in disbelief, her heart pounding with a new wave of fear.

"Yup~ We were hired to kill a boy~," Nia says, her smirk painting a chilling picture of their intent. The casualness of her confession belies the gravity of their mission.

"N-no no! Leave him out of this! He has nothing to do with me!" Lúthien pleads, desperation coloring her voice. Nia leans in closer, her grin widening as she whispers, "Aw, you poor girl, we have no choice. He's our get out of jail card. I really don't want to kill him, but I have no choice~," her tone dripping with faux regret.

'No, no, no, it's my fault people think we're dating. Dammit! He can't die; I can't let it happen, but I can't move,' Lúthien thinks, her mind racing with guilt and frustration as she futilely attempts to move.

"Y-you're all criminals. I bet you entered the ceremony illegally. Once it's over, you'll be sent back to your cell regardless of what you do. B-but if you just stay put and do nothing, I can get you out. I-I'm royalty, you know," she stutters, trying to negotiate her way out of the dire situation.

"Girl, we're not stupid. There's no guarantee you'll do that. And we will get out, according to your elven customs, all criminals are given a chance to get out of prison if they're in this ceremony. It's a vow your elders made to Mother Earth, so they can't send us back in there," Ri mumbles, his ear twitching as he casually takes the lead, walking in a straight line.

"N-no, p-please this is unfair! I swear to Mother Earth, I'll get you out of jail!" Lúthien says, her voice cracking under the weight of her plea.

"Hmhmhmhm, I'm sorry, darling~ But the boy must go~," Nia replies maliciously, her words a stark contrast to the casual tone she maintains.

"That lazy mage is heading our way," Ri mumbles with an unmistakable yawn, the very picture of disinterest. Nia's eyebrows arch in curiosity. "Oh~ Do you think he found the boy?" she wonders aloud, tapping her chin thoughtfully. Inside, she muses about the mage's presence, 'That lazy guy doesn't seem very bright, but he gives off this weird vibe, similar to this guy,' her gaze shifting to the other man next to them, the nameless man.

"He doesn't have the boy, but I can smell two girls," Ri divulges, his senses sharper than his seemingly apathetic demeanor suggests.

"Tsk, are you telling me he's been playing with girls? What a perverted man," Nia comments, rolling her eyes in disgust.

"T-there must be some way to keep you from killing him," Lúthien mumbles out through the pain, desperation seeping into her voice.

Nia's response comes with a smirk, her interest evidently piqued. "Some way to keep us from killing him? Oh, there might be!" she exclaims, turning Lúthien around to make eye contact. Nia's pink eyes twinkle with a mix of malice and excitement.

"R-really? You won't kill him?" Lúthien's voice trembles, her sky-blue eyes widening with a glimmer of hope.

"Yup~ There is a way~ You want to hear it?" Nia nods, her excitement barely contained.

Ri gives Nia a skeptical look, wondering, 'What is this crazy woman doing?'

"Y-yes, w-what do you want? I can get you anything," Lúthien offers, her heart racing with a mixture of fear and slight relief.

"Hmhmhmhm, it's simple, you," Nia points at her, her voice soft yet chilling. "We won't kill him under the condition you kill him~ It's a perfect solution, wouldn't you agree~" Her smile is soft, but her intent is anything but.

"W-what?" Lúthien's heart sinks, the brief flicker of hope extinguished by Nia's cruel proposal. "Y-you fucking insane woman! I swear to Mother Earth you won't get to see the sunrise!" she yells, her voice strained through gritted teeth, her mind racing with thoughts of retribution, 'Once I move, I'm going to kill you myself!'

Ri, breaking his previous facade of disinterest, exhales sharply and grabs Lúthien by the hair, hoisting her over his shoulder with an ease that speaks to his strength. "Stop fucking with the kid," he says coldly to Nia, a rare moment of seriousness cutting through his usual apathy before he continues to walk.

"Hahahahaha!" Nia's laughter echoes through the air as she doubles over, clutching her stomach in mirth. "Hey, I'm being serious~ I gave her a solution~," she smirks, straightening up and sauntering over to the nameless man. Leaning in, she begins massaging his shoulders teasingly, "You agree with me, right, baby?" But in a blink, her surroundings shift dramatically, "Huh? When did this happen..." she mumbles, finding herself trapped in a peculiar rabbit hole.

'Hmhmhmhm, what a funny man~,' she thinks, a smirk playing on her lips even in confinement. "Stop biting me, you damn piece of meat!" she snarls maliciously before biting off a rabbit's head, spitting it out, and wrestling her way out of the hole. Licking her lips, she looks up to see her companions walking away. "Oi~ Hold up~ Hmm? It's that lazy mage and two..." she notes, her smirk widening, "they look delicious," she mumbles with an unsettling eagerness.

Boom! From the ground, a sharp, thin spike of earth shoots up just as Nia materializes behind Zelo. "Oh my~ that was close~ Are you trying to kill your best friend? My feelings are hurt~," he says, contorting his body to avoid the attack with ease.

"The next time you do that, I won't miss," Zelo warns with a yawn, rubbing his head, clearly unimpressed by the sudden ambush.

"Ah! What the heck!" Kaida jumps back, her mind racing. 'She just appeared out of nowhere!? She was right in front of us a second ago! What type of monster is she?' Unlike Kaida, Isadora remains expressionless, unfazed by the sudden turn of events.

"Look at you cuties~ Hmhmhmhm, one of you is weak and the other is strong~ What a great duo~ Did you have fun with your escorts~?" Nia teases, eyeing Zelo and the girls with a mixture of curiosity and malice.

Zelo exhales sharply, his patience thinning. "You fucking crazy bitch. I'm not into kids, you sick fuck. These two happen to know who the boy is," he retorts, stretching languidly, trying to maintain a semblance of control in the chaotic encounter. 'This woman is going to drive me insane. I'd rather not be her cellmate ever again. The boy needs to die or I won't be able to retain my sanity.' 

"The ugly boy is connected to these girls? No way~," Nia expresses in disbelief, her mind whirling. 'I confused that boy for a slave; how can he know these three cuties? Maybe he's their slave...? no that doesn't make sense. Could he have used some voodoo magic? No, the boy looks too stupid, I doubt he's capable of that.' she wonders, tapping her chin thoughtfully, her interest in the trio growing with every moment.