Steven staggered back, eyes wide with shock.
’How... How didn’t I sense the monster?’ he thought, panic rushing in as his instincts kicked to life.
Without hesitation, he launched a punch toward the creature.
But the figure vanished—melting into the shadows as if it had never been there.
’Huh? Where did it go?’
Then, a soft, childlike voice echoed through his mind, its tone unnervingly sweet.
"It’s a good thing you didn’t believe the boy..."
He felt the presence behind him. Cold. Inevitable.
He turned quickly—but before he could even finish the motion, his eyes caught a glimpse of the sky.
’I... didn’t look up.’
That was his final thought.
Because in the next second, his head hit the ground—separated cleanly from his body.
And in his fading vision, he saw it standing there.
Natasha and Henry saw it all.
It happened in an instant.
Their senior—Sir Steven—was gone.
Slain without warning, without a sound.
The creature responsible was still in midair, its sharp claws glinting under the moonlight—still outstretched from the strike that had taken his head.
Its sapphire eyes—cold and piercing—locked onto the two of them.
Natasha staggered back, breath caught in her throat.
’Sir Steven didn’t even put up a fight... How strong is this thing?’
Her hand trembled around the hilt of her blade.
She didn’t need anyone to tell her.
This wasn’t an opponent she could face—not and live.
And Henry felt it too.
The quiet, choking certainty of death.
But running? That wasn’t an option.
They’d seen how fast it was.
Even looking away felt like inviting death.
As if breaking eye contact would trigger its next move.
"Henry... what do we do?" Natasha asked, voice low, edged with panic—but also resolve.
Her eyes flickered with determination.
She wasn’t going to give up. Not without a fight.
She tightened her grip on her sword, steadying herself.
"Are you insane? Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking of fighting that!?" Henry hissed, staring at her like she’d lost her mind.
"We don’t have a choice," she said, eyes burning with resolve.
"It’s either that... or we die standing here."
She told herself the lie she needed.
’It caught Sir Steven off guard. That’s the only reason it killed him...’
Even though deep down, she knew it wasn’t true.
She just wanted to believe she had a chance.
’Shit... Kieran was right. This girl’s crazy.’
Henry glanced at her, her bright blue eyes blazing with courage—or maybe desperation.
He turned his gaze to the beast.
It hadn’t attacked yet.
But its eyes never wavered.
Still locked onto them.
"Don’t run. It’ll just make you an easy target," Natasha said firmly, inching closer to Henry. "We face it. Together. No openings."
Henry swallowed hard, weighing their slim chances.
’It moved through the shadows to kill Sir Steven... She’s right. If I run, I’ll just end up like him. At least this way, we might stand a chance.’
He gave a tense nod. "Alright... Let’s try."
But a doubt flickered in his mind.
’I can’t sense any energy coming from it... Can it really be that strong?’
From a distance, Amaya watched them curiously.
’Interesting... They didn’t run. That’s rare,’ she mused, a smile tugging at her lips.
Her gaze drifted to Steven’s headless corpse, still soaking in its own blood.
’Too bad I killed the last one. He might’ve had useful information. Luckily, these two can take his place. I’ll bring them back as ordered.’
Her sapphire gaze returned to the children.
Natasha raised her blade, eyes steady on the beast.
"What’s your talent?" she asked Henry.
He hesitated, looking unsure. Then slowly raised his hands.
From her peripheral vision, Natasha watched—and her eyes lit up in surprise as his ability took shape.
’An uncharted ability? Why would the Ravenhearts throw away someone like him?’ she wondered.
Energy began to swirl around his hands, tightening, compressing—until it took form.
A gun. Sleek, jagged, with glowing crimson streaks running through its body.
Henry stared down at it, conflicted.
’I just hope she doesn’t realize... and that I have enough energy to hold this.’ He gripped the weapon tightly, as if it carried more than just power—perhaps guilt.
Even Amaya’s eyes flickered in surprise.
’They’re actually preparing to fight me...’
She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or sigh.
It had been decades since anyone dared face her this directly.
Once she became the Prince’s beast, the weight of her title alone had been enough to silence any challengers.
Even without emitting energy, her status as the King’s Beast was unmistakable.
Still... something about this reminded her of a time long gone.
’Feels like the old days...’ Her smile widened.
Natasha didn’t miss it.
’Did... it just smile?’ she thought, unsettled—but there was no time to dwell on it.
He gave a small nod—uncertain, but willing.
That was enough for Natasha.
"Alright. Back me up. I’ll go in first."
Without waiting, she bolted forward.
Her blade aimed like a silver needle, her body a blur against the dark.
This was what all her training back home had led to.
"Severing Slash!" she roared.
Her aura surged outward, coiling around her like a storm. It condensed around her blade, crackling with power.
Henry, momentarily stunned, stood frozen at the brilliance of her charge.
She looked like a rocket—unstoppable, precise, lethal.
A voice echoed in both their minds.
"I don’t want anyone running... so I’ll start with the one in the back."
Natasha’s eyes widened.
She saw the beast sink into the shadows—vanishing from her path.
Henry’s heart dropped.
His hands were still locked forward, gun trained on empty space. But every hair on his body stood up.
The voice hadn’t been metaphorical.
’I’m the one in the back!’
His instincts screamed at him.
And felt the weight of death behind him.
His gaze locked with the sapphire eyes.