Elizabeth happily stepped out of the Vampires' blood, her head carefully covered to keep her identity hidden with a little purple blanket Zeldris had in a closet. She was carrying a little basket as she was going for a grocery run to fill up on ingredients like Zeldris had instructed. A few hours had passed since Zeldris and Melascula left to free Estarossa from prison and she had made sure to do her part while they were away. She began to make her way to Dalmally, grateful that it wasn't too far away from the tavern.
After a little while of walking, she finally set foot into town and began looking around for a nearby shop. As she walked through the streets, she couldn't help but take everything in. "Life for everyone is so different here than how it was in the palace..." She muttered to herself with a peaceful smile. As she stepped up to the market, she read the shopping list and picked out all the ingredients she needed. Her happy mood was suddenly crashed with a loud "HEY!" from a terrified villager. "EVERYONE! Get the Holy Knights! There's a giant snake nearby!" He screamed. Giant snake?! Had Zeldris and Melascula managed to break out Estarossa?
BOOM! The giant snake herself crashed through a nearby cliff, causing many residents to jump in shock. Elizabeth dropped the grocery basket with horror creeping in. "M... Melascula?" Elizabeth muttered to worry. A figure walked up to the beaten snake but it was hard to see from so far. Elizabeth squinted but recognized the signature black and red suit. "Zeldris?!" Elizabeth squeaked in confusion. Melascula swiftly tried hitting him with her tail, only for him caught it and he slammed her into the cliff again. What had happened to where Zeldris and Melascula to suddenly fight? "Everyone! Get away from here! The collateral damage will kill us all." A old man cried out. Everyone in the town rushed to get away, grabbing the confused and frightened children and even some going to find their nearby families. Elizabeth had no idea what to do!
Zeldris didn't want her to get involved for her safety's sake but her friends are in trouble! However, her attention was then caught to a man and a boy in the field near the cliff. Both looking to be shepherds with their clothing, the boy's staff that likely to used to guide the sheep, and the sheep running in fear. The man suddenly fell with the boy rushing to his side, he seemed to have sprained his ankle. She looked around, desperate for someone's attention. "Wait! Someone! There's a family over there!" She called out but everyone wasn't listening in the midst of the evacuation. Elizabeth looked back at the scene ahead of her with panic...until a new feeling came through. Elizabeth knew Zeldris would most likely be upset with her but she couldn't leave the man and his child to get killed! She ran as fast as she could into the field to go help the two villagers. Whatever was happening to Zeldris and Melascula, she prayed this wouldn't end badly for either of them.
"Sir, are you okay?" She cried out to the man. "M...My foot..." He groaned. "My daddy's hurt! Please help him" His son right beside him begged. Melascula's tail suddenly wrapped around Zeldris' foot and she threw it to the side. He crashed by Elizabeth's feet, causing her to jump a little. "Z... Zeldris! What's going on? Why are you and Melascula..." Elizabeth kept asking questions but Zeldris' gaze didn't even flinch at her voice. As if he couldn't hear her. Zeldris hopped up and ran to fight Melascula once more. "C...Can he not hear me?" She asked herself, heavily confused.
"No. He can't." A feminine voice spoke. Elizabeth turned to see a holy knight wearing a pink suit of armor, designed to match that of an insect. "Sorry, Princess but we can't have you or these two interfering with our work." She said bluntly. A chill ran up Elizabeth's spine, knowing that wouldn't end well for anyone in this situation with this woman keeping them captive. "Leave us alone!" The boy cried out, tears filling his eyes. "Hmph...Noisy little boy." The holy knight muttered with bitterness at the child's demand. She takes out a whip from the belt she wore and slams it to the ground, erupting a loud CRACK. Suddenly, various insects began flying towards the Holy Knight. All surrounding her to show her as the threat she is. The man and the child both shook in fear but to the woman's surprise, Elizabeth stood tall with a brave expression.
"I won't let you hurt these two. Leave them be." She said boldly. "Oh..." The woman muttered in shock, she wasn't expecting her to stand up to her with the little strength she had. The boy suddenly ran in fear of the many bugs ahead. "AHH! Don't let them get us!" He screamed in terror! "Robert, NO!" His father yelled, struggling to get up with his injury. "Don't even try." The holy knight said harshly, cracking her whip. All of the bugs went to attack the child, forming a tornado like state. "AHH!" Robert screamed. Elizabeth was horrified, this cruel woman was just going to torture a little boy?! "What's the matter? To stand there after your big words? I suppose they were just bluff after all." She said coldly with a wicked tone.
"...I have power that's needed by others." Melascula's words that were said to her suddenly replayed in her head. "It takes strength to fight but it takes bravery to do for others what they can't"...Lady Elizabeth, I will fight for you...so don't worry about us, okay?"
Elizabeth slowly stepped into the insect storm, making her way to the child. The bug's claws and bites slowly start to rip her outfit and injure her...but she kept moving.
"I'm fragile...I'm clumsy...but I can move."
"I'm naive...I'm a crybaby...but I can be brave and caring."
"I'm weak...but I can help how I can. I can save this little boy."
She finally managed to reach the child, slowly helping him up. "I'll...protect you." She said with a smile, even with the pain she was in. Suddenly the boy snapped his fingers. "Thank you, Freesia. That'll be enough, I've had my fun." He said.
Freesia cracked her whip again. The bugs dispersed, leaving only Elizabeth and the boy. "Wha...?" Elizabeth muttered in high confusion. "Heh...So you would really sacrifice your own life for a boy like this one?" He said, ringing the bell on the staff he was carrying. His form started to change, right in front of Elizabeth's eyes. Robert, the shepherd boy was only an illusion. The whole time it was a Holy Knight with the staff for a weapon. The man towered over her in size with a rather bulky physique, his suit shiny and blue with a yellow mask on the helmet. His staff was as tall as the man himself, with the mysterious bell hooked it in the center. "Ruin, did you really have to drag it out that much?" Freesia asked, annoyed at Ruin's stupid act. "Oh, just a little fun. No big deal." He said with an arrogant chuckle.
"...Zeldris and Melascula...fighting...Was that your doing?" Elizabeth asked, barely able to stand with the many scratches on her body. Ruin turned to her slowly, looking down on her like a speck of dirt. "You'd be correct. With my magical power, I'm able to lure my opponents into a hypnotic trance. Both of them don't even realize they're fighting each other, thinking it's me instead. A fight to the death later and we'll simply exterminate the one who remains." He said, clearly proud of his scheme. "Hahaha, two birds with on...huh?!"
Ruin's attentions was caught by Elizabeth's tugs at his staff, trying with all her strength to free Zeldris and Melascula from his spell. "Let...them...go this instant!" She cried out. "Hmph..." Ruin huffed, grabbing Elizabeth by the hair. He easily pried her hand off his staff before brutally kneeing her in the chest. Elizabeth immediately spat up blood with the feeling of pure torture on a few of her now broken ribs. He casually drops the heavily wounded princess but to his annoyance, she slowly picks herself up once more. "Annoying bitch..." He said before hitting her in the head with his staff, knocking her back several meters. "Hmph...It'll do you good to know your place and stay do..." He started before he suddenly noticed his staff was missing his bell.
A little smirk was plastered on Elizabeth's face as she spat it out. She had managed to steal the bell away with her teeth. If she was going down, Ruin wasn't going to win the day either. "You...little...wench!" He muttered in pure anger as he lifted up his foot to then stomp her flat until...
"AH!" Freesia was suddenly whipped from behind and then pinned down with Melascula's snake tail. "No..." Ruin muttered, before hearing the footsteps in front of him. It was Zeldris with a horrified expression at the beaten up Elizabeth. Melascula was near tears as she then saw the sight, even her own injuries. "Elizabeth..." She muttered.
"Mela. Take Elizabeth back to the tavern. Now. I'll take care of the rest." Zeldris said with a tone Melascula hasn't heard in a very long time. Melascula's body transformed back into her human form and she quickly grabs Elizabeth and began flying off. "You're not going anywhere..." Ruin stated before Zeldris grabbed his arms, his fingers physically making dents in the suit. His eyes filled with a sensational fury. "No...you aren't. Because now..." With a single twist, Ruin's arm was broken as it was completely bent. "AHHHH!" Ruin screamed, his yells echoed through the air.
"I'm going to break you."