Tragedy

Moonlight spilled over the clearing before Crossroads Inn, illuminating the two mortal enemies before them. Xia Lin stood behind his companions, one hand on his sword hilt, his eyes fixed on the two figures ahead.

Bang!

The bursting shockwave kicked up dust from the ground.

Linor moved with incredible speed, her figure flickering through the air like a phantom.

Sirian charged with a roar. The werewolf's massive claws howled through the air, every blow strong enough to tear steel apart.

But Xia Lin quickly noticed that something was wrong.

Sirian's attacks were savage and powerful, but whenever his claws were about to strike Linor's vital points, their angle shifted at the last instant.

It was not Linor dodging. Sirian himself was veering away.

Linor's counterattacks were just as deadly, yet her claws always grazed Sirian's neck instead of piercing straight through it.

Something's wrong... Xia Lin frowned. They're fighting, but...

"Watch out!" Kade suddenly shouted.

Linor was swept away by a heavy blow from Sirian, her body tumbling backward out of control.

Behind her stood a wooden stake, its sharp tip snapped and exposed by the aftershocks of battle.

At her current speed and angle, she would crash into it directly. It would pierce her heart—a fatal wound for a vampire.

But at that very instant—

Roar!

Sirian let out a terrified roar. His huge body burst forward at a speed that defied his size, pouncing toward Linor.

It was not an attack. It was protection.

He used his own back to shield Linor from the stake.

Squelch.

The sharp stake plunged into Sirian's back, spraying blood.

Linor crashed into Sirian, and the two fell to the ground together.

The clearing fell completely silent.

Linor lay on the ground and raised her head, trembling as she stared at Sirian, who