CHAPTER 604: CHAPTER 605: FIRST TASTE OF WEAKNESS

Ishana was not about to stay down when Lilith was in danger. Pulling the young girl in her arms she kicked down the carriage door.

Coming out to find chaos.... the smell of blood heavy in the air.. magical attacks flying everywhere.

The earth was upended and mud and dust mixed with blood.

Lilith’s hands trembled however Ishana clutched her hand tightly pulling her down just in time to avoid a stray attack.

The knights were engaged in a battle with men draped in black robes some of them in armor.

Ishana didn’t need to even think too much she could identify their technique just from watching.

This was the Temple’s death squad.

This group of people were sent with one mission kill and die.

They were not expected to return from the moment they were deployed they would not stop until they had fulfilled their objectives.

"They’re here to kill...."

They didn’t come alone; she saw a few Templars.

Ishana watched as the forest was leveled in the chaos of battle the knights were losing ground dying in the ambush..

Taking a deep breath she pulled Lilith who was quiet as a mouse.... towards the trees. Her hands signaled to a knight who was already trained for this situation. With a sword in his hand he impaled one of the men in black...

Jumping off his dragon horse he kicked away one of them nodding at Ishana as the horse sped towards her....

Ishana knew that this would be the last time she saw these men.... they had stayed to die....

"Shields.... defensive formation...."

They rushed breaking their already chaotic formation just so they could create a safe opening for Lilith.

Ishana pressed her head down holding the reins and Lilith who gritted her teeth knowing she was helpless and powerless to do anything.

This was Lilith Astranova’s first taste of helplessness.. this was the moment she gained awareness of her own weakness and how little she mattered in the world.

Her status did not mean anything to men who did not fear death.

The dragon horse galloped into the dark woods straying for the safety of the golden roads....

"After them.... kill the girl if you must.... we need the woman alive.. if not bring her head as well."

Ishana kicked at the forest urging it to gallop past the trees and head deeper into woods....

The knights threw their own bodies against the enemies their armors breaking their tower shields forced to endure the more powerful foes.

Ishana gritted her teeth.

They had to make it into the Valtheron border before the enemies caught up....

"Hold on tight Lilith.... hold on...."

She called out to Lilith who had just watched her knights get slaughtered right before her eyes each of them staying back to protect her.

Her emerald eyes locked onto those black figures that slayed her knights with a dazed and pained expression.

"If we cross from here we can make it close enough to use the signal artifact.... we can summon your grandmother the duchess to help.... hold on...."

Her words were mostly lost in the wind but Lilith understood what she was trying to say.. if they made it to Valtheron she could use an artifact that sent her coordinates to her grandmother.

With her power she could teleport such a vast distance and save Lilith.

Arrows were shot through the forest aimed at them the hunters far away but still using magical arrows.

Ishana gritted her teeth urging the dragon horse to take winding paths through the trees, its hooves smashing trees.

She kept her mind focused on the path ahead as a silver arrow followed her path using homing magic to track and follow her.

Waving her hand she destroyed the arrows with her magic.... the explosion blowing up several trees....

However it wasn’t over.

"Isha...." Lilith called out.... the silver shrapnel from the arrow glowed and flooded Ishana and Lilith becoming new arrows.

She gritted her teeth.

"Its a skill...."

There was no time to dodge so she hugged Lilith tight letting the arrows hit her to protect the girl.

Her defensive magic slowed the arrows however the last barrier she had behind her shattered with an arrow stabbing her.

She made no sounds even so Lilith still sensed the impact on her flesh.

"Isha..!" She called out.

"Hold on my lady, I’m fine...."

Ishana felt the land begin to rise up into a hill and the side allowed her to see a distant white light that cut through the horizon....

"The white barrier...."

Gritting her teeth it had been worth it as long as they got close enough to the white barrier they would be within empire’s territory allowing the magical artifact to send a signal.

However time wasn’t on their side. The temple’s people came faster surrounding them as they ran from tree top to tree top like shades.

Ishana forced the horse to gallop even more the wind brushing past her.

"Eliminate the heretics and bring that demon back alive...."

A shaded figure commanded his eyes cold as he held a spear in his hand watching Ishana and Lilith riding up the long highlands.

"Killing the girl is fine.... as long as we bring the demon alive or even dead we can isolate the duke...."

Raising the spear in his hand it gleamed softly.

"He would never denounce his daughter and we can use the demon hiding in his household to weaken his power...."

The man gritted his teeth.

"How dare you go against the will of the high Templar now your daughter will be ours.... and we get to spin the narrative...."

If he accepts then his daughter becomes a victim of the evil demon woman.... and if he refuses his daughter becomes a heretic brainwashed by a demon.

Luckily the temple intervened and saved her....

That could be by killing her or using that as an excuse to take her to the holy city and using brainwashing, magic and indoctrination.

Ishana knew how they operated this possibility flashed through her mind.

"Yah yah...." she urged the horse forward.

Before Ishana could make another sound she heard a boom in the air in that instant she turned the horse barely, however it was too slow a sharp projectile smashed its body exploding the powerful beast in a fog of blood tossing Ishana and Lilith into the ground.

Gritting her teeth Ishana knew she had to save Lilith so she gave them confirmation of what they already knew.

If it came down to it she would play the villain and die for her lady.

Bat-like wings spread from her back and she grabbed Lilith soaring into the air.... the silver arrow on her back causing her pain.

Then she laughed. Soaring into the air in the direction of the white barrier.

"Ahahahah.... you caught me, humans.... now I shall take this lady as my hostage and destroy her...."

Lilith watched stunned from both pain and disbelief.

"Isha...." she whispered, seeing her in pain.

Ishana gritted her teeth all she could do with damaged wings was glide.

Gliding was not flying.... It was a steady fall.