In Pyra Empire,
“ROOAAARRRRRRRRR!!!!!”
“Shit!!” the first hooded figure cursed as she twisted her body mid-air, narrowly avoiding the scorching flames that shot toward her. She dashed across the rooftops, leaping from one building to another with effortless agility while the dragons’ fire rained down, scorching everything in its path.
BOOOMMMM!
A massive explosion erupted as the buildings collapsed under the sheer force of the dragon’s breath. Debris flew everywhere, sending shockwaves through the already ruined city.
“Fuck this bastard!” the first hooded figure spat, her voice laced with frustration. She shot a quick glare at the second hooded figure, who was sprinting ahead, carrying Raven over her shoulder like a sack of grain.
“We can’t outrun them forever! We need to divert them!” the second hooded figure shouted, her tone urgent as she picked up speed.
The first hooded figure gritted her teeth before glancing at the small orb in her hand. The hazy surface flickered, and her master’s face appeared. His sharp gaze settled on her as he asked in a calm yet authoritative voice, “What about the subordinates that went with you?”
“They were eaten…”
There was a brief silence.
“Huh?”
“That fucking Drakharis ate all of our subordinates! It’s a damn miracle we even managed to escape from the palace with Raven in the first place!!” she snarled, panting slightly as she dodged another blast of fire.
“Hmm…” The Master let out a thoughtful hum before responding, “I will send reinforcements to handle your situation. Until then, do not—under any circumstances—lose Raven.” With that, the connection cut off.
The first hooded figure exhaled sharply, frustration clear on her face. She turned to the other one.
“I’ll handle them. You take her and get the hell out of here!” she ordered.
The second hooded figure hesitated for only a second before nodding.
Without wasting another breath, she picked up speed, dashing away with Raven, while the first hooded figure skidded to a stop on the edge of a crumbling rooftop. She turned to face the incoming horde of dragons, their glowing eyes locked onto her as they let out deafening roars.
A wicked grin spread across her lips as she flicked her wrist. In an instant, two sleek metallic blades extended from her sleeves, glinting under the orange glow of the burning city.
“Alright, you oversized lizards…” she murmured, shifting into a stance. “Time to paint these rooftops with your damn blood—Wait, what?”
Her confident smirk faded into confusion as she watched the dragons suddenly change course, soaring past her without so much as a glance.
“H-Huh?! What the actual fuck?!” she blurted out, utterly dumbfounded.
Meanwhile,
The second hooded figure, still carrying Raven, suddenly halted mid-stride. With precise movements, she leaped off the rooftop, flipping through the air before landing silently in a dark alley. Pressing her back against the cold wall, she watched as the dragons flew past, completely ignoring them.
After a tense moment, she exhaled. “Tch… Looks like that worked.”
Then, without warning, she grabbed Raven and unceremoniously tossed her off her shoulder.
“Enough with your damn act,” she muttered.
The moment Raven’s body left her grasp, her eyes snapped open, revealing sharp heterochromia eyes. She landed gracefully on her feet, dusting off her clothes before tilting her head at the hooded figure with a small, knowing smile.
The hooded figure sighed before pulling back her hood…. Marisandra Naiadia. Her piercing eyes scrutinized Raven with an expression caught between irritation and curiosity.
“You… You let yourself get kidnapped, didn’t you?” Sandra accused, her tone flat but sharp.
Raven blinked, feigning innocence. “Oh? What makes you think that?” she asked, a playful lilt in her voice. She was pretty sure she had played the part of an unconscious captive flawlessly. ‘Where did I slip up?’ she wondered.
Sandra’s expression didn’t change as she deadpanned, “I’ve never seen anyone drop unconscious before I could even knock them out.”
Raven’s lips twitched.
When Drakharis had suddenly roared in anger over his disturbed slumber, Sandra had taken the opportunity to knock Raven out quickly. But before she could even strike, Raven had dramatically collapsed on her own.
Even an idiot would have found that suspicious.
Much less Sandra!
“Noted… I will do my best next time,” Raven nodded to herself as if mentally taking note of this important lesson.
Sandra’s lips twitched at the sight. “What’s your plan?” she asked, stepping closer to Raven. A suffocating pressure radiated from her, pressing down in an attempt to force Raven to submit, forcing the air to feel heavy and thick. However—
“Yaaa~” Raven let out an exaggerated yawn, stretching her arms lazily as if this entire situation was nothing more than an inconvenience. Her eyelids drooped slightly as she rubbed her eyes. “Can we take a break for now? I’m exhausted. You guys barged in during the middle of the night… I was having such a peaceful sleep, and now look at me, all groggy and annoyed.”
Sandra’s eye twitched violently, ‘She talking a lot for a silent girl’ she thought but then frowned, ‘I’m sure I’m using my pressure, but why isn’t she—’
As if reading her thoughts, Raven smirked, tilting her head slightly. She slowly met Sandra’s gaze, her eyes gleaming with quiet amusement and something far more unsettling—complete and utter confidence. “You’re in my territory now,” she murmured, her voice holding a strange finality, “Here, I am the ruler of everything, Marisandra Naiadia.”
They stood face to face, neither flinching, neither backing down—both unwavering in their stance.
Sandra’s gaze darkened, her patience beginning to thin. “So… you’re just trying to delay your inevitable death?” she asked, her voice cold, measured, and filled with mild irritation.
Raven tilted her head playfully, her lips curving ever so slightly. “Death?” she echoed as if the very notion amused her. “No one’s dying here, Sandra. Not today, not tomorrow, and definitely not me.”
Sandra narrowed her eyes, watching her closely.
Raven took a slow, deliberate step forward… Then, she leaned in just enough for her breath to brush against Sandra’s ear, her voice dropping to a near whisper. “It’s just a game of cat and mouse,” she murmured.
“Huh?” Sandra frowned, instincts flaring as she suddenly lashed out, gripping Raven’s neck in a vice-like hold.
“I don’t know what kind of sick game you’re trying to play, but it ends here,” Sandra spat, her grip tightening with each passing second. “Do you think I can’t escape from here?” Her voice dropped lower, venom dripping from every word, her fingers pressing against Raven’s throat. “I will kill whoever stands in my way. You included.”
But then—
Raven vanished from her grasp.
Sandra’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. ‘Fast!’ she thought, snapping her head around just in time to spot Raven now leaning casually against the wall at the exit of the dark alley.
Raven’s gaze drifted toward the street beyond, her expression unreadable as if she was merely admiring the scenery. “I know you can kill anyone,” she murmured, almost absently, as if stating a simple fact rather than a warning. “You are the strongest one here. I mean… you did kill two of the Chosen Ones, after all.”
Sandra’s eyes flickered dangerously, her fingers twitching. Yet, there was no fear in Raven’s tone, no hesitation—only quiet acknowledgement, as if it didn’t concern her in the slightest.
“Then you should know it’s in your best interest to come with me, silent—”
“However,” Raven interrupted smoothly, finally turning her blank, indifferent gaze toward Sandra. Her finger lazily pointed toward the alley’s exit… The streets!
Sandra followed her gesture, and her pupils shrank ever so slightly.
A restless crowd had gathered outside… Men, women, even children—each one bearing an expression of barely restrained fury, their eyes scanning the streets as if searching for something. No… someone.
Sandra’s jaw clenched. ‘Even the civilians are looking for her?’ The realization was unsettling.
Raven’s soft voice broke through her thoughts, carrying an eerie weight with every word.
“Indeed… We dragons are one,” she murmured as if reciting an unbreakable truth. “You cannot even pull a single strand of my hair, Sandra. Go ahead—kill as many as you want. But listen carefully…”
“They don’t know who the culprit is,” Raven continued, her tone light yet disturbingly calm.
“They’re searching for me blindly, nothing more. However…” A slow, eerie smile crept onto her lips, her eyes gleaming with something unreadable,
“The moment the world learns the truth—when Drakharis announces it for all to hear—your Naiadae Empire will face the wrath of dragons that have remained silent for thousands of years. And trust me, when that day comes… it will be nothing short of catastrophic.”
Sandra’s expression stiffened.
Raven’s gaze never wavered.
“Are you threatening me, woman?” Sandra hissed, her voice dropping into a dangerously low whisper, the air turning icy as her irritation flared.
Raven merely shrugged, her posture completely relaxed, as if she wasn’t the least bit concerned about Sandra’s reaction.
Sandra frowned, her gaze narrowing on Raven, who stood there far too calm—like she didn’t care about a single thing happening around her.
‘It must be part of Aether’s plan, but what is he really trying to achieve?’ Sandra thought to herself. She knew he was trying to save her but the current plan seemed to far from saving her thought…
She had to admit, she was slightly unsettled.
She knew that in order to fulfil her own mission, she needed Raven, but taking her out was far more complicated than it seemed… Every corner, every street was filled with people desperately searching for this one woman. Sandra couldn’t even understand why they were looking for her so fervently. It wasn’t like they had kidnapped an emperor or anything of that magnitude.
The entire city seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for something. The whole situation felt off—far more complicated than she had originally anticipated.
‘Was it because Aether being became their pride?’ she wondered.
Suddenly, Sandra’s hand shot out, and she pulled an orb from beneath her cloak. It was similar to the one the first hooded figure had held earlier, and as she activated it, the orb flashed to life.
A voice crackled through the air as the first hooded figure spoke urgently.
“I found a place we can stay until reinforcements arrive… Come here now!!” she called out, her tone sharp with a sense of urgency.
Sandra’s lips curved into a grin. Her plan wasn’t over yet—she had options, and she would make sure Raven was part of them, whether the woman liked it or not. She moved quickly toward the glowing orb, ready to put her next move into action.