The night market, known for its "exotic" merchandise, burned in flames. A full-scale battle was unfolding, with guards struggling to contain the chaos that had formed. The purebloods, though many were weak or wounded, proved to be a great threat as their numbers kept multiplying with every warehouse evacuated. The kidnapped captives fought like madmen against their abductors.
The battle became more suffocating with every passing moment. Then a shadow flew across the battlefield and slammed a strike into the ground. Upon impact, flames erupted outward in every direction, killing and wounding a handful of the purebloods fighting for their freedom. It was Vargas, who immediately turned and unleashed another blow that sliced another group of them in half.
— Vargas is strong. This little rebellion will end as quickly as it began — said the woman as she watched the conflict.
The men holding Elyandra lifted her up, though they still gripped her tightly.
— Tell me, Valemortis, do you think they stand any chance?
Elyandra heard the question and remained silent. The difference between the groups was merely numerical. On one side were weak and injured people; on the other, inexperienced and disorganized men, but still stronger and in good condition. The fight seemed over before it had even begun.
The girl faced that harsh reality with a sting of nervousness. "I already knew they wouldn't be a match for that guy, but this is insane. At this rate..."
Her thoughts were interrupted almost instantly. One of the men holding her was struck in the head with a club and fell to the ground. The other, noticing the attack, turned to draw his sword, but it was already too late—he was struck in the face as well, collapsing unconscious onto the dirt.
Elyandra quickly turned her head and came face to face with the boy with whom she had shared the cage.
— You took your time — said the girl, grabbing the dagger from the man who had fallen and running beside the boy. — But you arrived at the right moment.
The two stared at the woman in silence. She did not even turn to look at them, yet somehow seemed completely calm about the situation.
— It seems pigs crawl out from every direction... — said the woman while watching Vargas fight.
— So you're the one behind this place, the one ordering them to kidnap these people... — said the boy, pointing the club at the woman. — It's almost cynical to wear a mask while doing things like this. Who are you?
The woman raised a hand to the surface covering her face and slid her fingers over the mask's eyelids, tracing them down to its lips.
— I haven't used names in a long time. It isn't as though I need one. As for the mask, it is nothing more than an accessory.
— Really? I'd love to see your face.
While the boy confronted the woman, Elyandra was startled by the impact of another one of Vargas's blows, which sent part of the crowd flying aside.
— He's a monster... we can't just stand here, now we need to— — The girl turned toward the woman, and her eyes widened. She saw the woman drawing a weapon adorned with a crystal attached to what looked like a kind of cylinder. — Watch out!
The boy, who had turned his attention to Elyandra, quickly looked back at the woman. The sight of the weapon pointed at him was accompanied by a gleam that reflected a gunshot. His eyes widened in shock when the magical bullet struck his club, destroying it. The impact shoved him backward, his feet scraping across the ground. He stared at the remains of his broken weapon in his hands, and then the sound of another shot rang out.
— Move! — shouted Elyandra as she threw herself against the boy, knocking him out of the bullet's path.
The impact sent both of them tumbling to the ground. Elyandra quickly rose, and the boy followed just as fast. The two dove behind a stack of crates while shots from the masked woman's weapon rained down on them.
— Damn it... what is that thing she's using?! — asked the boy while shielding himself from the shots.
— ...That is a Veridian weapon.
— A Veridian weapon?
Elyandra then tried to peek over the crate and barely dodged a bullet that passed through strands of her hair.
— It's a weapon made for negative conductors... it works by consuming the user's mana to create, of course depending on the type of weapon, either a bullet or a magical attack.
The woman stopped firing as the crystal on the weapon turned red. She looked at it and let out a light sigh.
— It would be better to give up, young Valemortis. As long as I have this weapon, you have no chance of doing anything against me.
"What coward invented something like a firearm in a medieval magic world? That should be a crime!" the girl thought. She paused and began considering her options. She looked around and remembered the dagger in her hands.
— Boy... what is your name? You still haven't told me.
Elyandra's voice drew the attention of the boy, who was trying to watch where the masked woman stood.
— This doesn't seem like the best time to talk about that.
— Well... I kind of don't know if we'll have another chance, so... it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Elyandra Valemortis. Some know me as the Saint, others as the heir of House Valemortis — said Elyandra, extending her hand to the boy.
Watching the gesture, he reached out and took her hand in a subtle handshake.
— Well... my friends call me Oswin.
— Oswin, that is a graceful name. Now then... how good is your aim?
The boy's eyes became somewhat uneasy. Meanwhile, the masked woman saw the crystal turn blue once more. She looked upward and lightly tapped the weapon against the lips of the mask.
— Tick... tock... your time is up, Valemortis. I would rather not have to kill you. — The masked woman then aimed the weapon toward where Elyandra and the boy were hiding and began approaching slowly. — But I do not need the other boy. If you surrender, I will let him walk away.
The woman's eyes were surprised when small hands rose from behind the crate. She then saw the girl step out from behind the boxes, surrendered, with a serious expression.
— Very well... just stay calm, I'm unarmed, let's negotiate — said the girl with open hands and her head slightly lowered, facing the woman.
— My terms have already been given, little Valemortis. There is no negotiation here.
The masked woman then turned her weapon toward where the girl stood and fired several shots into the crates.
— What are you doing?!
— I am merely making sure you understood the message. — She stopped firing and aimed back at Elyandra. — I doubt he was hit by any of those shots anyway.
The girl then looked to the side and noticed the turmoil calming, with some of the captives surrendering.
— It was an interesting show, but you didn't get very far, did you? — said the masked woman, looking at the chaos just as Elyandra did. — It seems that in the end, nothing changed. Still hiding some trump card?
The little girl then clenched her fists and faced the masked woman again, who did the same, still pointing the weapon at her.
— ...I still haven't lost.
— What do you mean? — said the masked woman, tilting her head with curiosity.
A blur moved out from behind the crates, on the opposite side from Elyandra. His speed was modest, but swift. Oswin emerged from the masked woman's blind spot, gripping the dagger by the tip of its blade. His eyes locked onto the woman. She noticed the sudden move and turned to aim the weapon at the boy, but he was faster and hurled the dagger toward her.
— I got you! — shouted the boy.
The dagger shot toward the woman, who, though she turned quickly, was not fast enough to shoot him nor even dodge the blade.