Chapter 855: They Won't Save You |
Ravina ran with every ounce of strength her small body could muster, her dark golden eyes wide and shimmering with terror, sweat soaking the tiny makeshift robe wrapped around her petite frame.
The dense canopy overhead blocked most of the moonlight, making the air even more chilly.
The forest around her was dark, unfamiliar, and filled with strange noises—the occasional rustle of leaves, the distant howl of a beast, and the unsettling whisper of the wind through twisted branches.
She panted heavily, her chest heaving with every desperate breath, but she didn't dare stop. Her tiny feet hit the ground with such force that each step sent tremors rippling through the earth, cracking the soil beneath her and sending small stones skittering away.
"Mama... Mimi…" she whimpered breathlessly, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks as she ran, her little heart drumming like thunder within her chest.
The darkness seemed endless, oppressive, suffocating—but she had to escape, had to find her way back home, back to the warmth and safety of her mother's embrace.
She felt exhausted, her legs aching, and her body pleading for rest. Yet, her fear propelled her forward, the thought of those evil people who had tried to hurt her and take her away from Mimi pushing her onwards relentlessly.
Suddenly, the path ahead opened into a small clearing lit by pale crimson moonlight, and Ravina skidded to an abrupt halt, eyes widening in shock and dread.
Standing before her, their bodies silhouetted menacingly under the eerie glow of the crimson moon, were several men clad in dark armor. Their faces were rough, scarred, with cruel, draconic eyes that glinted sinisterly. They held sharp, gleaming blades, their edges stained red from past battles.
"Well, what do we have here?" One draconian guard sneered with a twisted smirk and surprise, his voice cold and rasping as he stepped forward, twirling his sharp blade casually.
"That child…" another murmured, his eyes narrowing sharply, glowing faintly as they studied her closely. "Those eyes... She's got eyes just like the Bloodburn King."
The guards exchanged startled, cautious glances, their sinister grins fading into wary scowls and confusion.
"The Bloodburn princess," one soldier muttered uneasily, his grip tightening on his sword. "This must be the child our king is after!"
"How can that be possible? Isn't she supposed to be a newborn?" Another asked in confusion though his glimmering eyes never left the little girl.
Ravina trembled at their words, her small fists clenched tight as she fought back tears. She stood her ground bravely, trying her best to emulate the courage she had seen in her mother's eyes.
"D-Don't come closer! Leave Ravina alone!" she cried out, her voice small yet fierce, echoing defiantly through the clearing.
One soldier laughed cruelly, mocking the trembling little girl who dared challenge them. "Look at this brave little runt," he jeered, stepping toward her, his eyes glinting with cold amusement. Even if it seemed very strange and odd that a newborn could be this big and old, he still felt his king would like to see her personally, "Do you really think you can stop us? Come quietly now—"
Before he could finish, Ravina thrust both her small palms forward in a desperate, instinctual shove. "Stay away!" she shouted with a sudden surge of strength and fear combined.
An invisible force, powerful beyond imagination, erupted from her tiny hands, slamming into the soldier with devastating impact. A violent shockwave burst forth, tearing through the clearing with a deafening boom.
The guard's eyes widened in shock as his body was hurled backward through the air like a ragdoll. He smashed brutally into the thick trunk of a large tree behind him, a sickening crunch filling the air as his body exploded upon impact, staining the bark and earth in a gruesome, dark-red paste.
An eerie silence settled over the clearing, broken only by Ravina's rapid breaths. The remaining draconian guards stared in shock and horror, stepping back instinctively, their eyes filled with fear.
"W-what the hell?!" one of them stammered, glancing nervously around at his companions. "She…she killed him with just a push!"
"H-How can a child be this powerful? She isn't even half the size of my legs," another hissed in terror, gripping his sword defensively, now wary of this small girl who could so effortlessly obliterate one of their own.
Ravina stared in confusion at the bloody remains, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't understand what had happened or why the bad man turned into a paste.
But she noticed how scared they looked now and realized—whatever she did, it worked. And even got rid of that bad man.
She drew a trembling breath, attempting to sound brave, "L-Leave Ravina alone, or…or Ravina will do it again!"
Yet, before the terrified soldiers could respond, the bushes parted heavily, and the sound of armored footsteps echoed ominously. A massive figure emerged from the shadows, towering and imposing, clad in dark, heavy armor that gleamed sinisterly under the crimson moonlight.
The soldiers immediately straightened up, visibly relieved, and quickly made way. "Commander Yurus!" they exclaimed respectfully and in relief.
As a peak Soul Devourer, he should be able to handle this little monster.
The towering draconian commander stepped forward, his body broad, muscular, his armor spiked and intimidating.
Dark tattoos adorned his dark grey skin, and his scarred face held a cold, merciless expression. Two dark red eyes pierced through the shadows beneath his helmet, narrowing as they settled upon Ravina.
The commander halted, disbelief flickering briefly across his stern features, his eyes shaking, "You…," he began, voice deep and thunderous, "A tiny brat like you is already a low-level Soul Devourer? Impossible..."
Ravina swallowed nervously, stepping back slightly, her small fists trembling as she stared up into the terrifyingly calm face of this much scarier man. She could feel that he wasn't like the other bad people she had come across.
This one seemed to be much more dangerous to the point she felt as if she couldn't scare him away.
But the commander's shock quickly twisted into a sinister grin, his teeth flashing cruelly as he chuckled darkly. "Interesting," he murmured in a chilling voice, eyes gleaming with satisfaction, "His Majesty is going to be very excited. If you are lucky, he might just keep you alive for good reasons, haha, and I will be generously rewarded for bringing you in."
Ravina's heart sank deeper as fear and uncertainty wrapped tighter around her. She desperately wished her Mama was here, wished she could hold her tight, protect her.
But she was alone—frightened yet determined, her tiny heart still fighting to resist the overwhelming dread.
Her wide, dark golden eyes shimmered with tears that spilled down her flushed cheeks, yet she bravely mustered all her courage, her tiny fists clenched tight at her sides.
"S-Stay away! You're a bad, bad man, and my Mama won't let you hurt me! She will punish you if you don't go away!"" Ravina cried out fiercely, her childish voice trembling yet resolute.
Commander Yurus paused momentarily, looking down at the fragile child with a scornful, amused smirk curling across his scarred lips.
A harsh laugh rumbled deep within his chest, echoing through the clearing.
"Your Mama?" he sneered, eyes glinting cruelly. "You mean that defeated and broken queen? If not for those werewolf bitch, our king would have owned her nice and easy. But now, she's just a toothless beast. You think she's coming to save you?" His voice dripped with contempt as he mockingly shook his head, "She won't, little princess. Even if you're her daughter, she doesn't have the strength or the courage anymore. No one is coming for you."
His soldiers joined in, their cruel laughter surrounding Ravina, pressing down upon her fragile heart, making her flinch and tremble as if physically struck. She bit her lip hard, fresh tears blurring her vision, yet beneath the fear a spark of anger ignited within her small chest.
"Don't say that about my Mama!" Ravina shouted defiantly, her voice high-pitched and shaking yet filled with unexpected fury. Her tears kept flowing, but her dark golden eyes burned fiercely as she glared at Yurus.
"My Papa is the strongest in the world! He'll also come and punish you! You'll see!"
Yurus's amused expression twisted into disgust as he spat contemptuously, "That alien rat? The so-called Immortal King?" he mocked bitterly, his voice rising harshly. "Pathoo!" His spit landed heavily, the sound sharp and degrading. "He was the first one to run and hide like a scared little rat even before the moment we started tearing your precious kingdom apart."
The draconian soldiers erupted into laughter again, echoing Yurus's derision. The clearing filled with their cruel, mocking voices, piercing deep into Ravina's young heart.
"How pitiful," Yurus taunted coldly, stepping closer with a malicious grin, relishing every moment of torment he inflicted. "You truly believe your Papa is coming to save his wee little daughter? That coward couldn't even save his kingdom! What a joke! I can't believe we were worried about him before the war, heh."
His cruel words struck Ravina like knives, slicing painfully into her innocent beliefs. Her small body trembled violently with despair, humiliation, and rage. The warmth of tears flowing down her cheeks intensified, blurring her vision, yet she refused to back down.
"No! You're lying! Papa is not a coward! Mama isn't weak!" Ravina shouted desperately, her voice breaking with emotion. Clenching her small fists tightly, she reached deep within herself, summoning the power that her Mama had taught her.
A dark green flame flickered into existence between her tiny hands, swiftly growing into a fireball swirling with eerie energy. With a desperate cry, Ravina thrust it forward, launching it at the commander.
Yurus briefly raised his brows in surprise, momentarily impressed by her tenacity, before casually swinging his heavy sword upward. The dark green flame collided with his blade and dispersed harmlessly, leaving behind only faint, smoky embers that dissipated into the air.
However, he briefly furrowed his brows upon noticing the charred mark left on his sword, stirring disbelief at how such a delicate little thing could unleash enough power to bruise his sword made out of the toughest steel.
But, of course, this level of power was nothing to worry him about.
"How cute," Yurus chuckled darkly, his contemptuous smirk widening, "Already learned to throw a fireball? You're full of surprises, little princess." His laughter grew colder, more menacing as he took another slow step toward her. "But that pathetic fireball isn't going to save you."
Ravina's small shoulders heaved with exhaustion, the tiny flame of hope dwindling in her eyes as dread surged through her veins. Her chest tightened painfully, her breath hitching in despair as she watched the evil man approach, his shadow stretching ominously over her.
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