Harmonious Enchantress (2)

Back In The Dark Forest:

Boom! A massive explosion burst from the formation, unleashing a dense, ethereal sound that resonated within a 2km radius. Rasoul and Ragnar, resting at a distance of 2km, sensed an otherworldly energy briefly penetrating their minds. It felt like a sonic wave passing through their minds.

They promptly rose to their feet and directed their attention to the formation's location. There, they beheld a magnificent serpent-like beast, stretching a remarkable 8 meters in length. Its appearance was utterly mesmerizing.

Its sinuous body was adorned with iridescent scales that shimmered with ethereal colors, mirroring the emotions it sensed from its surroundings. The scales transitioned seamlessly from deep azure to radiant violet, producing a captivating display as it moved.

Crowned with a coronet of crystalline feathers, its head emanated an aura of regality. The eyes glowed with a gentle, calming light, while intricate patterns of arcane runes adorned its scales, pulsating with a soft glow. Feathery tendrils extended from the sides of the Harmony Serpent's head, adding to its otherworldly allure.

Its tail concluded with a series of flowing, ribbon-like appendages that trailed behind it. Each of these appendages was tipped with luminescent orbs emitting a soft glow. These orbs responded to the emotional currents in the environment, changing color and intensity accordingly.

They continued to gaze at the magnificent creature, jaws dropped in awe. They couldn't tear their eyes away from its splendor. As the beast moved, ripples of music echoed in the surroundings, entrancing Rasoul and Ragnar, momentarily robbing them of their will to reason.

It was only the chime of the system that snapped Rasoul out of his daze.

Ding...

[Creation complete]

[Harmony Serpent created]

[Name your Subordinate]

"Valkyrie Melodara," Rasoul named her. She then gracefully shifted into her human form, providing the watching duo with yet another captivating sight to behold.

Valkyrie's face is a canvas of serenity, framed by her elegant hair. Her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of iridescent blue, reflect the ever-shifting colors of the magical energies she harnesses. A delicate tiara adorned with miniature crystalline feathers rests gently upon her forehead, accentuating her enchanting gaze. Graceful, arcing eyebrows convey both wisdom and elegance, while her warm red lips hold a gentle, perpetual smile that brings a sense of calm to those who meet her gaze.

Her flowing white hair cascades like a waterfall, gleaming with an otherworldly white luminescence that rivals the purest snow.

She possesses a slender and graceful hourglass figure, framing slightly ample curves. Her movements echo the fluidity of her harmonic melodies. Her stature exudes an aura of mystical elegance, and every motion seems to be in harmony with the surrounding magical energies.

Her limbs are adorned with silver armbands and anklets, each engraved with ancient symbols. Soft, luminescent tattoos of arcane symbols grace Lyra's forearms, pulsating with a gentle glow.

Rasoul continued to gaze at her as she moved toward him, completely naked. The system, without any command, decided to clothe her.

The system equipped her with a cloth-like armor named "Harmony Veil," an angelic armor woven from enchanted threads that responded to her musical command. The ethereal fabric shimmered with ever-changing hues, harmonizing with her melodies. The veil enhanced her magical abilities, offering both protection and grace, symbolizing the symbiotic connection between the Harmonious Enchantress and the mystical forces she commanded.

"I am Valkyrie Melodara, the Harmonic Enchantress. I greet you, Master," she said when she finally arrived in front of Rasoul, snapping him out of his daze.

"I am Ragnar," he immediately said, attempting to divert Valkyrie's attention to him. She turned and smiled at him, a smile that alone sent Ragnar, a bona fide Viking, to a pink land full of butterflies. LOL.

"You look ama—" But before he could complete his sentence, one of the Semi-Saints tasked with protecting Princess Vina from the shadows messaged him telepathically.

'Master, Master... Vira has been kidnapped.'

But before he could reply, the communication crystal he gave to the Princess started humming. He immediately took it out, only to be met with the broken, scared, and defeated voice of the Princess.

"Rasoul, I beg you, help me! Vira has been abducted by individuals who attempted to harm me. I can't bear to lose her. Please. She spoke with tears in her voice."

'Sabrat, Rowan, Lara, Magnus, return quickly! We've got a problem.' Rasoul urgently summoned his subordinates who were out hunting in the forest.

Five minutes later, they hurried back. The gravity of the situation overshadowed their awareness, preventing them from noticing a new addition to their team. However, Valkyrie's face lit up upon seeing Lara.

Without any delay, Rasoul utilized the teleportation scroll he obtained after defeating the Saint-turned-Sage beast in the tomb. Activating it promptly, they were instantly transported back to Orange Field City.

He promptly contacted his Semi-Saint slaves to inquire about their whereabouts. Without wasting a moment, they quickly responded, updating him on their location.

=====

The Assassination Attempt:

Ten minutes prior, on the road leading to the capital, the four sages lay in wait, ready to ambush the approaching carriage. As the Princess and her entourage approached within 10 meters of the concealed sages, she sensed her life-saving necklace glowing, signaling imminent danger.

Upon noticing the glowing necklace, Vira swiftly shielded the princess, preventing a dagger from piercing her. The dagger penetrated her palm, halting just an inch away from striking the princess's forehead.

She forcefully kicked the princess backward and swiftly positioned herself as a barrier. Simultaneously, 14 semi-saints emerged on the scene. Ten of them immediately engaged the sages, while the remaining four grabbed the princess, sprinting away with the others following closely. Their mission was clear - protect the princess, yet they were unable to save her maid.

Frustrated by their failure to kill or capture the princess, the assailants shifted their focus to her maid. With a swift move, they rendered her unconscious and swiftly carried her away, harboring a single intention: to employ her as bait to lure the princess out.

======

The Four Sages:

"Damn it, damn it, damn it. That wasn't supposed to happen." One of the four sages cursed aloud as they reached their outpost. He realized things had gone awry.

"Where the hell did those 14 lowlifes come from?" Another one spoke, addressing the unexpected appearance of the 14 semi-Saints that disrupted their plan.

"We messed up. This is a huge problem. Now that the Princess knows someone is after her, she won't come out again," the third figure spoke, addressing their dire situation.

"That's not entirely true. I took her because the princess values her more than her own life. She'll come out once she knows her maid is alive but barely holding on," the last figure said, pointing at Vira's unconscious body.

"We have to inform him," the first figure said with a heavy tone.

"Yes, we need to inform him quickly and see if he can help us. After all, he also needs our help," the fourth figure said. He then picked up Vira's body, and they started moving toward the capital.

=====

Hideout: 

"Princess, please calm down. Master Rassoul will be here soon; he will know what to do," one of the semi-Saints, whom Rasoul had tasked to protect the princess, spoke in an attempt to console the pacing princess, who was bathed in her tears.

"I will calm down when Vira is back in my arms," Princess Vina spoke. Deep in her heart, she wished she could have been taken instead of Vira.

They arrived at this cabin not long ago. This place belongs to the Charles Family. Knowing it was unsafe to return to the capital or Orange Field City, they decided to come to this cabin and wait for Rasoul, their master, for the time being.

Utilizing the connection between him and his slaves, Rasoul, along with his subordinates, arrived at the cabin 50 minutes later. The Princess immediately burst into tears upon seeing the white-haired guy respond to her call for help with such urgency.

Rasoul left the consoling to Lara as he moved towards his slaves.

"We're sorry, master. We only managed to save the Princess but failed to save her maid," one of them said.

"Don't blame yourself, Oliver, you did your best," Rasoul said, addressing the slave who had spoken, using his real name. As a master, he knew all their names by heart.

"What can you tell me about them?" Rasoul asked, seeking more information.

"We saw nothing discerning that can be used to track them. They were covered from head to toe. All four are sages, maybe even Peak sages. They move very fast. If not for the princess's maid pushing her back in time, we wouldn't have had the split-second chance to save her," Oliver said, presenting himself as the leader of the group.

"But one thing is certain—they don't belong to this kingdom. I'm familiar with all the Assassins in our kingdom, and those four sages are not among them."

[System, mark all fourteen of them.]

[Way ahead of you.]

'Good.

He marked each of them, enabling teleportation in dire situations. While they serve him, it doesn't justify treating them as disposable trash.

"Sabrat, gather all fourteen of them and head to the Dark minions' base. Collaborate with them to detect any unusual activities from the other kingdoms. Additionally, take the chance to include the remaining members in the Slave seal," Rasoul directed Sabrat. He then shifted his attention to Lara and the Princess.

"Lara will remain with you for the time being. The rest of us will head to the capital and gather information," Rasoul declared.

'System, how many fire points do I have?' Rasoul inquired from the system.

[Fire Points: 430,003,730]

'Good. Purchase the same teleportation scroll I used an hour ago and seal the place from outside detection.

[That will be 10,000,000 fire points]

'Take it

Rasoul retrieved the scroll and passed it to Lara. "Use this to reach the capital once I get in touch with you." Lara received the scroll from him and then warned him.

"Be cautious. Avoid any reckless actions," She stated with a hesitant expression. Although she wished to accompany him, she recognized the importance of ensuring the princess's safety. All she could do was place her trust in him and believe that he would come through unharmed.

"I will. They're just sages; what could go wrong?" Rasoul replied a hint of arrogance in his tone. Yet, Lara could discern an undercurrent of fear.

Certainly, Rasoul was scared, but not for himself—rather for the Princess. She understood that if he failed to rescue Vira, his entire mission would crumble. There was no chance the Princess would ascend to the throne if her closest friend met an untimely end.

"I'll watch over him, Goddess," Valkyrie declared, her face radiating adoration towards Lara. "By the way, I am Valkyrie," she added.

"Thank you, Valkyrie. I'm Lara," Lara replied, then turned to Magnus. "Do whatever it takes to keep him safe."

Magnus gave her a slight nod, indicating the success of their bonding session in the forest.

Without further delay, Rasoul, Rowan, Ragnar, Magnus, and Valkyrie set out toward the capital, with only one mission in mind: to rescue Vira.