Blood and Loyalty

Chapter 19 : Shadows In The Wild

The path down to Evernight Manor was peaceful, infact the journey had been almost too peaceful.

Devorah rode slightly ahead of the royal carriage, the cool night air brushing against her face as the forest whispered around them. The moon cast silver streaks through the dense canopy, illuminating the winding path. Sean rode beside the carriage, occasionally glancing at her, but she ignored him.

The rhythmic gallop of her horse beneath her, the distant hum of nocturnal creatures, the scent of damp earth—it was calming.

But peace never lasted long.

A sudden, unnatural stillness fell over the forest. The usual rustling of leaves and chirping of insects vanished. The air grew heavier. Devorah’s grip on the reins tightened. Instinct prickled at her senses.

Then—

A blur of movement.

An arrow whizzed past her shoulder. Before she could react, shadows burst from the trees—figures clad in dark armor, their weapons glinting under the moonlight.

"AMBUSH!" a soldier shouted from behind.

Devorah was already moving. In one fluid motion, she abandoned her horse, flipping backward through the air as Lithor materialized in her grasp. The blade sparked with lightning, illuminating the pathway with a crackling blue glow.

Sean had leaped off his horse before it could fully stop, his crimson eyes flashing. His hand reached for the sword strapped to his back—a sleek, deadly black longsword with deep red engravings along its hilt. With a single motion, he unsheathed it, the blade reflecting the moonlight.

An attacker lunged at him. Sean dodged effortlessly, twisting his body as his sword slashed in a precise, controlled arc. The enemy barely had time to react before Sean’s blade cut cleanly across his chest. He staggered back, clutching the wound, before collapsing.

Another came at him. Sean sidestepped, catching the attack on his blade. With a powerful twist, he disarmed the attacker, sending the enemy’s sword flying into the air before delivering a sharp spin kick to his ribs. The force sent the man crashing into a tree.

Devorah barely had time to register Sean’s skill before another attacker lunged at her. She met him head-on, Lithor shifting into twin daggers in her hands. She ducked under a wild swing, twisting behind her opponent and slashing across his back. Electricity surged through the wound, forcing a strangled cry from his lips as he collapsed.

She barely turned in time to see another enemy charging at her from behind.

Without thinking, she lifted her leg in a swift, arcing motion—a perfect swing kick. Her foot slammed into the attacker's skull, sending him crashing to the ground with brutal force.

Sean, mid-swing, caught the movement from the corner of his eye, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Not bad."

She didn’t reply. Another enemy lunged at Sean, swinging a massive battle axe. Sean met him with terrifying ease, parrying the axe’s heavy swing with a sharp clash of his sword. Sparks flew as metal scraped against metal.

With a sudden burst of speed, Sean pivoted around his opponent, dropping low before slashing upward in a single, fluid arc. His sword cut through armor, sending the enemy reeling.

Devorah, mid-parry, caught herself watching him for a second too long.

"Tch," she clicked her tongue, snapping her focus back. Not the time.

More enemies fell, but just as quickly, more emerged from the trees. This wasn’t some random attack—it was an organized ambush. Someone had planned this.

One of the enemies made a mistake—he hesitated before lunging. Devorah took full advantage. Lithor reshaped into a spear, and in a blink, she drove it through his chest. The crackling energy sent violent tremors through his body before she yanked it free, spinning on her heel to face the next foe.

Sean, now dual-wielding—his black longsword in one hand and a dagger in the other—moved like a shadow. He parried, dodged, countered with deadly precision, his movements a blend of sheer power and sharp technique.

One final attacker tried to flee.

Sean let him run for a moment before raising his sword. With chilling accuracy, he threw his dagger. The blade pierced the enemy’s shoulder, pinning him to a tree with a sharp cry.

The last few remaining enemies hesitated.

Smart.

Sean stepped forward, exuding an eerie calm. His clothes were slightly ruffled, but he looked utterly unbothered. "You have two choices," he said smoothly, cracking his knuckles. "Run. Or we break every bone in your body before sending you back to whoever sent you."

The attackers exchanged uncertain glances. Then, as if in silent agreement, they scattered into the trees, vanishing into the darkness.

Devorah exhaled, Lithor shifting back into its default sword form. Sparks still danced along its blade. "Cowards," she muttered.

Sean rolled his shoulders. "Or smart."

She turned to face him fully now, her royal blue eyes scrutinizing him. "You fight well," she admitted, albeit reluctantly.

Sean smirked. "Was that a compliment?"

She scoffed. "Don’t get used to it."

His laughter was quiet but genuine. "Noted."

The tension still hung in the air, but the immediate danger had passed. Yet, as Devorah looked around at the scattered bodies and the lingering crackle of energy in the night, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only stranger than normal.