Then Lyralei stepped into the clearing, and I understood what true mastery looked like.
The Keeper's form seemed to expand, luminous skin brightening until it hurt to look directly at her. Her hands moved in patterns too complex to follow, and reality bent.
Soldiers charging the western flank found themselves running in place, legs pumping as distance stretched infinitely before them. A volley of arrows reversed mid-flight, striking the archers who had loosed them. Three men wielding torches discovered their flames had turned solid, weapons now fused to hands that wouldn’t open.
Lyralei walked forward, and with each step, the enemy line fractured.
"Regroup!" an officer's voice cut through the chaos. "Mages, counter-cast! Infantry, hold formation!"
They adapted. Of course they did. Aeron wouldn't have sent an ordinary force. I recognized the crimson-robed figures pushing to the front: royal battlemages, trained specifically to break supernatural defenses.
Their magic hit Lyralei's barriers like siege weapons. Geometric shields cracked. The Memory Keeper staggered, caught herself, wove fresh protections even as blood trickled from her nose.
"Lyralei!" a Fae defender called out. "Fall back, we'll, "
"No. Protect those still trying to escape." Lyralei's voice carried desperate clarity. "I’ll handle the incoming forces."
A blade erupted from her shoulder. She had been so focused on the magical assault she hadn't seen the soldier who hadgotten back up from an earlier attack, closing to melee range while she countered spells.
Lyralei didn’t flinch. Instead, she tore his body apart into pieces using the Veil.
I screamed. Despite my protest, Daemon continued to pull me back.
“Get a hold of yourself! Look at everyone fighting! Lyralei isn’t protecting you just because she cares about you! This is how your people survive! You must get out of here now and fight another day!”
Daemon’s words cut deep. I knew he was right, but it didn’t ease the suffering of powerlessness. I couldn’t take my eyes off Lyralei.
Then, Kane broke through the enemy lines with brute force, bodies flying in every direction.
“Where are the others?” Daemon asked, his shadows still wrapped around my wrists.
"Fighting." His jaw set. "They’ve flanked us. They’re coming from three directions. Kael's holding the northern approach. Zephyr's covering the eastern passage."
Daemon cursed under his breath.
We were surrounded.
While he was distracted, I used the Veil to break free.
By the time I reached Lyralei, she had stopped the bleeding using healing magic. Though clearly struggling, she forced herself to stand.
But before I could help, Kane’s thick arms wrapped around me.
"You can't stay here." I struggled against Kane's bulk. "I’m sorry, but we have to go.”
I fought against his strength, but he didn’t budge.
Kael appeared out of thin air and launched himself into enemy forces, moving through their lines like flowing water. Hewas too quick for them to react, leaving a trail of slit throats before reaching us.
Zephyr came from the direction of the eastern passage, creating a wall of wind to give Lyralei a brief moment of rest.
But more kept coming.
“The civilians have been evacuated! We’re the only ones left!” Zephyr was out of breath,
"Seris." Lyralei hand settled on her shoulder, surprisingly gentle for its size. "You have to go. Now.”
"No… " I wanted to argue, but a single word was all I could manage. The rest came out stifled with the free-flowing tears.
