How did it come to this…
That was the only question that had been swirling in Liana Ashford's mind for the past several hours. Her last clear memory was of the carriage moving steadily along the road to Felnia. The mission assigned by her father to inspect the branch store here had seemed to be going well.
She had felt confident and a little excited about this important journey, especially with Ronan, her loyal and skilled guard whom she trusted, along with five other Level-Two Awakened, protecting her. Liana had been certain that with such tight security, she would reach Felnia smoothly.
But then…
"Watch out! Ambush!" Ronan's alert shout had suddenly erupted from the front of the carriage. Before Liana could even react, the sounds of battle cries and clashing swords exploded from all directions.
A group of figures in black, their faces covered, emerged from the woods on both sides of the road like demonic shadows. The attack was swift, precise, and ruthless. They weren't targeting the goods or property, but were clearly aimed directly at her carriage.
Ronan and his men fought back with all their might. The clang of metal echoed. She saw the powerful clash of bloodline users, creating a small-scale path of destruction. Ronan's furious roar still rang in her ears.
Liana tried to keep her wits about her, peering through the carriage window at the chaotic battle outside. Her guards were trying to hold off an enemy that was not only greater in number but also seemed to have been well-prepared.
What is this… this is no ordinary robbery, the thought flashed through her mind. They want me… Why? A business rivalry? Or someone in the family… She swallowed dryly. The thought of an internal conflict making her a target sent a chill through her heart.
Before she could reach a conclusion, the carriage door was yanked open. A man in black lunged in, a heavy wooden club in his hand. Liana screamed and tried to dodge, but it was too late.
Something struck the back of her head hard, and her consciousness faded…
When she came to again, she found herself being carried on the back of a horse that was galloping swiftly through the darkness and a snowstorm. Another man rode beside her.
The cold wind and sleeting snow that lashed against her face chilled her to the bone. She struggled, but was held down so tightly she couldn't move. Fear, confusion, and rage flooded her mind.
Ronan… the others… what happened to them? The worry for her escorts' fate was as painful as the fear for her own future.
They rode her deep into the forest for an unknowable amount of time before abandoning the horses and beginning to drag her on foot. Liana tried to observe the route and memorize everything she saw. Though she was terrified almost to the point of fainting, the intellect that had been well-trained told her she must try to find a way to survive.
She understood immediately that abandoning the horses was part of their plan to confuse anyone who might be tracking them.
They planned this well… they knew the number of my guards, and likely my travel route as well. This thought made her even more suspicious. Could there be a traitor among us?
And now, the snow continued to fall, worsening the visibility in the dense pine forest outside Felnia with each passing moment. The whistling wind mixed with the heavy crunch of snow under the boots of the two men who were dragging her deeper into the woods.
Her body trembled, not just from the biting cold of the snow on her skin, but from the fear that gripped her heart. Tears of confusion and anger welled in her eyes. Her small heart pounded as if it would burst from her chest.
But what could the strength of a fifteen-year-old girl, who had grown up in the comfortable environment of the capital, do against two burly men who held her arms in a grip like iron tongs?
Her fine clothes, which spoke of her status, were stained with dirt and freezing snow. Her reddish-brown hair, once tied in a neat ponytail, was now disheveled, falling over her pale face, which was beginning to show red marks from her struggles.
Her beautiful, golden-brown eyes darted left and right in desperation, trying to find an escape route or someone who might come to her aid. But all she saw were towering, dark pine trees packed tightly together and a relentless curtain of falling snow.
"They… where are they taking me… Father… help me," a faint murmur escaped her trembling lips. Mentioning her father was like a final refuge in a moment when confusion and fear gripped her heart, while questioning her destination was a desperate attempt to gather her wits and understand the cruel fate she never thought she would have to face.
"Hurry it up! That abandoned shack isn't far now!" one of the men holding Liana's arm barked, his voice coarse and filled with anxiety. He glanced left and right nervously, his eyes scanning the area.
Not far from where Liana Ashford was being dragged, a young man was following them, silent and struggling. Amidst a snowstorm that was beginning to rage more fiercely, the cold wind howled, stinging his skin like icy needles. The thick white snowflakes blew about, making it almost impossible to see the path ahead.
The roar of the wind sounded like the lament of a mythical beast, but James gritted his teeth and pressed on.
The dark cloak Elen had given him did a good job of camouflaging his body amidst the shadows of the pine trees and the thick curtain of snow. It offered some protection from the cold, but not enough to stop the freezing chill that tried to seep into his bones.
His heightened senses were on full alert. Every whistle of the wind, every damp scent of the winter forest, and every slight, unusual movement was processed quickly in his brain.
Though his heart pounded with fear and uncertainty about what he was about to face, the image of the reddish-brown-haired girl, her eyes filled with terror yet still shining with defiance, made it impossible for him to entertain the thought of turning back and saving only himself.
Finally, the group of kidnappers reached their destination. It was a dilapidated old wooden shack that looked like it had once belonged to a woodcutter or lumberjack, standing isolated in the deep woods. Its roof was rotten and piled high with snow, almost obscuring its original shape. Parts of the wooden walls had rotted away, revealing large holes that showed the dark, damp interior.
The atmosphere around the shack was eerily silent, with only the sound of the wind and the snow hitting the branches. It was unsettling and strangely terrifying.
James hid behind a large pine tree, its trunk completely white with snow. He wasn't far from the abandoned shack, close enough to see the events clearly.
He saw the two men shove Liana into the shack without mercy, causing her to fall onto the cold, decaying wooden floor.
Then, one of them followed her inside, leaving the other to stand guard at the entrance, which barely had a door left. He scanned the surroundings cautiously amidst the still-heavy snowfall.
James assessed the situation quickly. The man who went into the shack with Liana was likely the one whose bloodline information indicated a slow reaction. As for the one standing guard outside, he still didn't know his specific abilities, as he hadn't yet displayed any power.
Dealing with the one he had information on first seemed like the most logical choice right now. If he could take out the first man quickly and quietly enough, he might have a chance to handle the second one.
The thought of intervening made his palms sweat, despite the freezing cold.
His fingertips unintentionally brushed against the hilt of the short knife tucked into his belt. The knife Frey had lent him for self-defense…
The coldness of the metal pierced through the cloth to his skin. The thought of drawing it… the thought of using it to harm someone, made his stomach churn.
Even if those people were criminals. The image of blood… the image of the brutal fighting in Alvia… it was still too fresh in his memory.
Using a knife… means killing, a voice in his head reminded him. He wasn't sure if he was ready for that yet. The mind of a thirty-year-old man from a peaceful world still resisted the act of taking another's life.
In the end, his eyes quickly scanned his surroundings again before he decided to pick up several suitably sized rocks that were peeking out from the snow instead. It might not be the best weapon, and he didn't know how he could use it to kill someone, but it was something he felt he "could do" right now, without conflicting too much with his conscience.
At least for now. He bent down and picked up two or three suitably sized rocks as quietly as possible, gripping them tightly in his hand. His eyes were fixed on the man guarding the entrance to the shack. He was waiting for a moment… waiting for the most opportune moment to strike.
His mind raced. He had to find a way to distract the guard at the front, to draw his attention elsewhere, so that he would have a chance to deal with the other man inside with Liana—the man whose information said he was "slow to react."
He glanced around quickly. The pine forest around the abandoned shack was quite dense, with some low bushes covered in snow. The constant whistling of the wind through the pine branches might help muffle the sound of his movements.
James chose one of the rocks in his hand. He slowly crept around to the other side of the shack as quietly as possible, trying not to make any sound that would alert the guard.
When he was in a position he thought was suitable, with a clear line of attack on the man inside the shack…
He took a deep breath, as if gathering his courage and reviewing the action he was about to take.
In the moment the guard at the entrance turned to scan the forest warily out of instinct, James saw his chance! He didn't hesitate, quickly throwing the first rock he had prepared in the opposite direction from where he stood. The sound of the rock hitting a tree in the darkness went "Thud!" It wasn't loud, but it was enough to make the man startle and turn to look in suspicion.
"What the hell?" he muttered softly, then slowly crept towards the source of the sound, his hand gripping the hilt of the knife at his side.
This was his chance!
James quickly ran around to the other side of the shack where there was a hole big enough for a person to slip through. He peered inside and saw the second man (the one with the slow reaction) in the process of tying Liana's hands. His back was turned to him, and he seemed not to have noticed any disturbance from outside.
James gathered all his courage, shot through the hole as quickly and quietly as a shadow, raised the largest rock in his hand as high as he could, and brought it down on the back of the man's neck with all his might!
"Ugh!"
The man let out a muffled grunt, his body twitching slightly. His eyes rolled up before he slumped onto the rotten wooden floor of the shack, out cold instantly!
Liana, who was being tied up and struggling, jumped at the sudden event. She turned to look at James with her golden-brown eyes wide with a mixture of shock and disbelief.
A strange young man had appeared out of nowhere and knocked out one of her kidnappers right in front of her!
James himself was panting heavily, his heart pounding erratically. He hadn't thought it would be that easy. Perhaps the information about the "slow reaction" and the surprise attack had really helped. But he knew this wasn't the end. The other man was still outside…
"Hurry! Cut me loose!" Liana's voice was sharp and quick. Though her voice still trembled, it was laced with a decisiveness and a mind that had snapped back to focus with incredible speed. She wasn't crying or wasting time in shock. "His friend must know by now! We don't have time!"
Liana's words brought James back to his senses. He nodded quickly before rushing over to help untie the ropes on her wrists.
The short knife Frey had lent him was drawn for the first time… not to harm anyone, but to cut the ropes that bound the girl before him.