The cabin remained silent.
Draven held both infants securely in his arms.
Elenya rested peacefully against his chest.
Lucifer, meanwhile, continued absentmindedly reaching toward the black cat perched on Draven's shoulder.
The little creature had long since given up resisting.
Draven walked forward at an unhurried pace.
His footsteps echoed softly throughout the cabin.
Without taking his eyes off the children—
he asked quietly,
"...Have they eaten?"
Nia gave a gentle nod.
"...Yes."
"I fed Lucifer myself."
Draven glanced toward her.
Before he could respond—
Vaelith answered in her usual calm voice.
"They were fed not long ago."
"There is no need to worry."
Draven gave a small nod.
"...Good."
Then—
his head snapped toward the cabin wall.
His crimson eyes narrowed instantly.
"..."
Vaelith moved before anyone else could react.
She vanished.
**WHOOSH!!**
Appearing directly beside Draven.
Her hand shot forward.
A crimson barrier expanded around everyone.
**BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!**
The world exploded.
The entire airship lurched violently.
Metal shrieked.
Wood splintered apart.
The floor buckled beneath them.
An overwhelming force tore straight through the side of the vessel.
The crimson barrier trembled violently.
Cracks raced across its surface—
but it held.
---
Inside the control deck—
another crimson barrier erupted around everyone.
Lyriana's reaction had been almost instantaneous.
**BOOM!!**
The deck shook violently.
Control panels exploded into fragments.
Loose equipment crashed across the room.
Kaelira barely managed to catch herself.
"...What the hell?!"
Ryke gripped the controls with both hands.
Desperately trying to stabilize the listing vessel.
"...We've been hit!"
Aldric's expression darkened.
His crimson eyes swept across the darkness outside.
"...Did one of those bastards follow us?"
His jaw tightened.
"...Whoever attacked..."
"...is far stronger than the idiots we dealt with at the border."
Silence settled over the control deck.
---
Elsewhere—
there was no cabin anymore.
Only devastation.
The walls had vanished.
Furniture had been obliterated.
Splintered wood and twisted steel drifted through the air.
At the center of the destruction—
the crimson barrier floated completely untouched.
Slowly—
it faded away.
Vaelith moved immediately.
She grabbed Draven by the back of his cloak.
Her other hand caught Nia before she could lose her footing.
Without the slightest hesitation—
she disappeared.
**WHOOSH!!**
They reappeared within what remained of the corridor.
Or rather—
what had once been one.
The entire passageway had twisted under the force of the impact.
The floor now slanted at a steep angle.
Broken support beams hung from the ceiling.
Mana conduits sparked violently.
The entire ship groaned without pause—
as though it could collapse at any moment.
Vaelith never slowed.
Still carrying Nia—
while dragging Draven by the back of his cloak—
she sprinted through the ruined corridor.
"My Lord."
Her voice remained perfectly composed.
"...The attack was aimed specifically at you."
Draven's gaze hardened.
"...I know."
He had felt it.
The intent.
The precision.
That strike had never been meant to destroy the airship.
It had been meant to kill him.
Vaelith continued moving.
"The enemy is not weak."
She glanced toward the shattered hull, where moonlight poured through the enormous breach.
"...Judging by that single attack..."
"...I do not believe remaining aboard this airship is advisable."
Another violent shudder rippled through the vessel.
**KRRRRRRAAAAK!!**
One of the massive support beams snapped apart.
The deck tilted even farther.
Vaelith's crimson eyes remained fixed ahead.
"...Most of the ship has already been destroyed."
Her grip tightened.
"We should abandon it immediately."
The ruined corridor barely remained intact—
before the control deck finally came into view.
Or rather—
what remained of it.
Cracked walls.
Twisted support beams.
Sparking mana conduits.
The bow of the airship groaned loudly as it continued plunging toward the forest below.
Lyriana's eyes widened.
"Your Highness—"
She stopped.
Vaelith had already arrived.
One arm held Nia securely.
The other still gripped the back of Draven's cloak.
Draven himself stood perfectly calm.
Lucifer rested in one arm.
Elenya in the other.
Pythia clutched the spatial artifact tightly against her chest.
"My Lord."
Aldric immediately stepped forward.
"So..."
"...does anyone have the slightest idea what the hell is going on?"
"Who's attacking us?"
Ryke remained at the shattered controls.
Sweat streamed down his forehead.
He fought desperately against the failing enchantments.
"...Hey!"
he shouted without turning around.
"...Can we figure that out later?!"
"The ship's falling!"
At that exact moment—
Vaelith moved again.
Her crimson eyes narrowed.
Without saying a single word—
another crimson barrier erupted around everyone.
**BOOOOOOOM!!**
The entire control deck disappeared.
Wood.
Steel.
Glass.
Everything exploded outward.
The airship split apart.
---
Far away—
high above the forest—
a strange creature glided silently through the night sky.
It resembled a massive bird.
Yet instead of two wings—
it possessed four immense wings stretching from its body.
Standing upon its back—
was a lone figure.
Long silver hair was tied neatly behind him.
Pointed ears.
Cold golden eyes.
An elf.
He stood perfectly still.
A bow already rested in his hand.
Wind gathered around him.
First—
a gentle breeze.
Then—
a powerful gale.
Mana condensed around the bowstring.
An arrow of compressed wind slowly took shape.
The surrounding air screamed beneath the pressure.
His calm golden eyes remained fixed upon the burning, falling airship.
He drew the bowstring farther.
Farther.
His pupils reflected the crimson glow of the distant flames.
Without the slightest hesitation—
he released.
**TWANG!!**
The wind arrow vanished.
The night itself split apart beneath its terrifying speed.
---
From the opposite direction—
another arrow ripped through the darkness.
Crimson.
Violent.
Wrapped in strands of densely compressed mana.
**BOOOOOOM!!**
The two arrows collided.
The impact distorted the surrounding sky.
A massive shockwave erupted outward.
For a brief instant—
both attacks struggled against one another.
Neither yielded.
Then—
**CRACK!!**
The crimson arrow shattered.
The elf's wind arrow continued forward without slowing.
Aldric's eyes widened.
"...Dammit!"
---
Moments earlier—
just after the control deck had exploded—
a crimson sphere burst free from the collapsing airship.
Everyone was inside.
Protected by Vaelith's barrier.
Behind them—
the burning vessel continued its descent toward the forest below.
The barrier drifted only a short distance before—
**CRACK.**
Thin fractures spread across its surface.
One.
Then another.
Then dozens.
Finally—
the barrier shattered completely.
Everyone was thrown into open air.
They began falling.
Wind roared violently past them.
Far below—
the endless forest rushed upward.
Yet—
none of them looked down.
Lyriana stared toward the eastern sky.
Vaelith's crimson eyes narrowed.
Aldric's expression darkened.
Draven never even blinked.
All four stared toward the same distant figure.
Aldric clicked his tongue.
"...A damn elf."
Kaelira's wolf ears stood upright.
Blue mana gathered within her eyes.
She narrowed her gaze into the darkness.
"...Yeah."
"I can see him."
Pythia slowly raised one hand.
A spell circle appeared before her eyes.
Runes rotated endlessly.
Her vision sharpened.
She blinked once.
"...Huh."
A brief moment passed.
Recognition slowly appeared across her face.
"...I remember."
Her eyes narrowed.
"...He looks exactly like the puppet we encountered in Blackwater."
Aldric immediately looked toward her.
"...Yeah."
"I see it too."
"The same appearance."
"But..."
he narrowed his eyes at the distant elf.
"...Sorry to say it..."
"...this bastard isn't another puppet."
Without another word—
Draven moved.
He gently placed Lucifer into Vaelith's waiting arms.
Then Elenya.
The two infants remained peacefully asleep despite the chaos surrounding them.
Vaelith secured both children carefully against her chest.
Draven met her eyes.
"...Look after them."
Vaelith answered without a moment's hesitation.
"Yes, my Lord."
"I will protect them..."
"...as ordered."
"...No matter the cost."
For the briefest moment—
Draven's gaze lingered on the sleeping children.
*...If Vaelith hadn't raised that barrier...*
*Lucifer...*
*Elenya...*
*They might have been hurt.*
*...Or worse.*
Something cold settled deep inside him.
His hand slowly reached for his bow.
Mana surged.
Threads of crimson wrapped around the weapon.
One after another.
Layer upon layer.
Compressing.
Densely intertwining.
An arrow slowly took shape.
Its surface twisted beneath an immense concentration of compressed mana.
His crimson eyes locked onto the distant elf.
The surrounding air began to tremble.
Draven drew the bowstring.
His voice was quiet.
Cold.
Without the slightest trace of hesitation.
"...I'll kill you, bastard."