Under the dim moonlight, Princess Elaria stumbled through the forest, her breaths ragged, her heart pounding like a war drum in her chest. Every step grew heavier, but she couldn’t stop—she mustn’t stop. Above her, the mechanical crow piloted by Ren continued to fly, guiding her through the darkness, but the sound of galloping hooves behind her grew louder, pressing her closer to the edge of panic.
Dark memories of her treatment at the hands of the humans haunted her. Their cruel eyes, the rough grips, the vile threats that cut at her dignity—she refused to fall into their clutches again. She would rather die than return to that hell.
"Haah... Haah..." Her breath grew shorter, pain flaring in her legs as it spread through her whole body, but she forced herself to keep going.
Eventually, her body gave in. Her unsteady step caught on a root jutting across the narrow forest path. She crashed hard onto the rocky ground, scraping her arms, nearly crushing the white cocoon she carried with her.
"N-No... Get up... I have to... keep running..." she whispered, struggling to lift herself back onto her feet.
But the horses were close now. The enemy had realized she’d escaped—and they were closing in fast. Torchlight flickered through the trees, casting long shadows that danced across the forest floor.
Elaria bit her lip, holding back tears. She had come this far. She couldn’t give up now. But her body wouldn’t obey—her legs trembled, and the stabbing pain made it nearly impossible to stand.
"There you are, little rat!"
A harsh voice rang out through the trees. From the shadows, a human soldier leapt down from his horse. He was broad-shouldered, clad in grimy light armor. His face twisted into a cruel grin, eyes gleaming like a predator cornering its prey.
Elaria tried to crawl backward, but the slippery ground and her weakened body betrayed her. "N-No..." she whispered, clutching the white cocoon tightly.
More soldiers arrived, two more dismounting while the others held their torches high, casting bright beams toward the fallen elf girl. One of them—a tall man with a scar down his cheek—stood with his hands on his hips, staring at her with a look of smug satisfaction.
"Hah! I can’t believe she really tried to run on her own. Idiot." He chuckled, resting his sword casually over his shoulder. "Little princess, did you really think you could get away?"
Elaria clenched her jaw, her body trembling. She knew if they caught her, she’d be dragged back to that nightmare—or worse.
The first soldier knelt in front of her, grabbing her chin with his rough, scarred hand and forcing her to look at him.
"Heh, you’ve still got that fire in your eyes." His voice was thick with mockery. "Your spirit hasn’t died yet. I wonder how long it’ll take before it breaks."
Elaria turned her face away, forcefully shaking off his hand, even as her strength dwindled. "I... won’t give in... to disgusting humans like you."
A harsh slap cracked across her cheek. Her head snapped to the side, but she didn’t make a sound.
"Bitch!" the scarred man growled. "We’re supposed to bring her back alive, but no one said she had to be in perfect shape. How about we teach her a lesson first?"
Another soldier laughed. "Sounds like a good idea. Who’s gonna care if the little princess is a bit damaged?"
Elaria’s heart pounded in her chest. Her muscles tensed in fear—but before the soldiers could take another step—
The voice was cold, sharp, and came from above.
Panic rippled through the human soldiers as a figure clad in black armor trimmed with yellow descended from the sky. Its glowing red mechanical eyes burned like embers, reflecting the silent menace etched into its steel face.
"I-It’s him! The Black Knight...!" one of the soldiers shouted, his voice trembling with fear.
"What...?!" Another took a step back, instincts screaming that the figure before them was no ordinary enemy.
On the ground, Elaria remained crouched, clutching the cocoon-wrapped Hornet princess tightly in her arms. Her eyes widened as she watched the figure descend with fluid grace. She hadn’t expected—no, she hadn’t even dared to hope—that someone would actually come to save her.
The desperate command shattered the tension. One soldier raised his sword and charged forward, followed by others. Their boots thundered against the earth, weapons drawn, rushing toward the still-hovering knight.
But before they could close the gap—
A sharp burst echoed as Ren activated his boosters, launching forward at blinding speed. In a flash, he was face to face with the lead soldier. His crimson eyes flared as his fist slammed into the man’s chest with brutal force.
The man’s body was flung backward like a ragdoll, crashing into a tree with a sickening thud before crumpling to the ground, motionless.
The others froze, but had no time to react. Ren spun, slamming a kick into the second soldier’s gut. Reinforced by his armored leg plates, the blow lifted the man off the ground and sent him tumbling with a strangled groan.
One of the remaining soldiers lunged from behind, blade poised to stab. But Ren merely tilted his body slightly, dodging the attack with effortless precision. In a motion as fluid as a dance, he grabbed the man’s wrist and twisted it violently.
A crack echoed in the night air. The sword clattered to the ground as the man screamed, just before Ren silenced him with a swift elbow strike to the temple, knocking him out cold.
The last soldier stood frozen. His hands trembled around his sword, eyes wide with terror. He’d seen enough to know—this wasn’t a normal human.
Ren looked at him, his red eyes glowing cold behind the helmet.
One word. That was all it took to crush the soldier’s resolve. Without hesitation, he dropped his weapon and sprinted into the darkness.
Ren turned to Elaria, who was still on the ground, breathing hard.
"You alright?" he asked, his voice still cool, but with a faint hint of concern.
Elaria looked up at him with tearful eyes. Then, with a trembling voice, she answered, "...Thank you."
She was still trying to catch her breath, her heart racing—not just from fear, but from a flood of relief and lingering shock. Her emerald eyes remained fixed on the armored figure before her, realizing just how extraordinary the one who had saved her truly was.
But Ren gave her no time to dwell in her emotions. "Come on. We can’t stay here long—they’ll call for reinforcements." His tone was firm, almost emotionless, yet steadying.
Elaria nodded quickly. "Ah, right...!"
Before she could say another word, she suddenly felt strong arms wrap around her waist. In an instant, her body grew light—and before she realized what was happening, her feet were no longer touching the ground.
A panicked scream escaped her lips as her body rocketed skyward. The cold night air whipped against her skin, and her silver hair streamed wildly in the wind as they ascended higher and higher. The jet boosters on Ren’s back roared to life, leaving a trail of faint blue light in the darkness.
Elaria clung tightly to Ren’s armor, her fingers digging in like her life depended on it. Her face went pale, eyes wide in terror. It was the first time she had ever felt such a sudden loss of gravity, and it terrified her.
"Just relax! I won’t drop you!" Ren shouted, his voice clear even through the rushing wind.
But for Elaria, the words did little to soothe her panic. She pressed herself closer to his chest, not caring how it looked—as long as she didn’t fall.
"I-I hate this...! I’d rather run...!" she muttered, her voice trembling.
Ren let out a soft sigh but didn’t respond. This was the fastest way to get them to safety. And even if the princess was shaking in his arms, at least she was conscious.
They soared above the treetops, leaving their pursuers far behind. The night sky became their cover, a dark veil to shield them from the eyes of the world below.