"You really don’t know what surrender ans, do you?" Frank says, stepping forward confidently.
"Look at you. A general of the fearso Scarlet Army, crawling on the ground naked like a worm, covered in blood and shit from head to toe. Pathetic. I hope you understand now what happens to those who stand against . Go on — put that dying dog out of its misery."
Philip and Cassian don’t need to be told twice — they rush in at once.
"Y-You said it yourself... I’m a general of the Scarlet Army... it’ll take a lot more than this to bring down!"
Levreeshka tries to get back on her feet, but she’s reached her limit. Her legs tremble beneath her, and pain rips through every muscle.
The blow is imminent. They’re a step away from striking her down — she can’t defend herself anymore — when...
"Elental Invocation ● Earth: Stone Wall!"
A massive wall of rock erupts upward, halting the charge of Frank’s two henchn.
"W-Why didn’t you run, you idiot?! You had plenty of ti...!" Levreeshka rasps, her voice tight with pain and exhaustion.
It’s only a matter of seconds before they break through Alexander’s defenses. But then...
"...Stone Wall!"
Another wall rises in its place, replacing the one just destroyed.
"Didn’t you hear , brat...? D-Did you suddenly go deaf...?! The deal was simple — I give the orders, you obey. Rember? This is an order — get out of here...!"
"No."
"W-What do you an no?! You’re too weak to fight them... they’ll kill you!"
The wall shatters again — and Alexander instantly raises another. Again and again. Every ti one falls, another takes its place.
"If I run away again and leave you to die, I’ll just be proving them right — all those who’ve always called a coward! I abandoned my sister, I abandoned my cousin, and so many others before them. Every ti soone was in danger, all I could do was run. But no more. I... I don’t want to be rembered as a coward anymore!"
Each ti a wall is destroyed, another rises in its place — but slower than the last.
"L-Levreeshka... I don’t know how much longer I can hold them off... please, go!"
Her eyes well with tears, thin streams tracing down her blood-stained cheeks.
"W-Why are you doing this...? Why would you sacrifice yourself for ...? It doesn’t make sense! We’ve only known each other a few days, and I’ve treated you like shit... why?!"
"I-I could ask you the sa thing. You were ready to die just to let escape. Seeing you fight tooth and nail against those three... that’s what gave the courage I needed. You were already barely standing before it even started, and still — you didn’t run. You faced them head-on, just like Rudeor or my sister would have! I want to be like them too... like you! And if even one person rembers as brave, then my spirit can finally rest in the Realm of the Dead! So please... save yourself. Just rember as soone who wasn’t a coward. That’s all I ask..."
"A-Alexander Azuralis... you..." she sobs, her voice breaking with emotion. "...you’re the bravest man I’ve ever t!"
Levreeshka drags herself to his side.
"P-Please... tell where your family is from."
"The Azuralis are from Flumarx Town — a small settlent on the borders of the Kingdom of Kristalia, on N’Raeth... w-why are you asking...?"
"Alexander Azuralis of Flumarx Town... as soon as I get out of here, I’ll go straight to N’Raeth and tell all of House Azuralis about your courage! Your spirit will rest easier if everyone knows what you did today — not just !"
"D-Do you an it...? You’d really do that...?"
"I-I swear it on my honor!"
"T-Then... check my right pocket."
Levreeshka reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small golden shield the size of a coin, engraved with a blue lion.
"T-That... is the Azuralis emblem. Give it to the head of our house — Julius Azuralis — so he can have it set into my grave..."
"I will, Alexander. I’m sure they’ll be proud of the strong, brave warrior you are."
Then, suddenly, she pulls him into a tight embrace from behind and... smack!
She plants a long kiss on his cheek. The red imprint of her blood-stained lips lingers on his skin.
Alexander flushes bright red, a wide, determined smile spreading across his face.
"Now that’s exactly what I needed! I can hold those bastards off for another hundred hours!"
"We’ll et again in the next world, Alexander."
"Well, try not to join too soon... or what the hell am I sacrificing myself for?" he chuckles, half amused, half terrified.
Levreeshka nods firmly, and after one last, heartfelt farewell, disappears into the darkness of the sewer tunnels.
"Perfect. Now it’s just you and , traitor!"
Alexander stops raising walls. Now nothing stands between him and them.
Frank takes the lead, with Philip and Cassian just behind him.
Not far away, Joe has shifted back into his human form to remove the heel lodged in his ankle. He sits on the ground while Clarissa kneels over him, using healing magic to nd the deep wound.
"Don’t tell you’re about to get yourself killed just to save that damn vampire?" Frank says, genuinely surprised. "Looks like you’ve finally grown a pair, kid. Better late than never."
"We’ll see about that! Elental Invocation ● Earth: Monolith!"
A massive pillar of stone erupts from the ground and rockets toward Frank. It slams into his chest, piercing him clean through.
But instead of blood, green sparks of energy burst from the gaping wound. They instantly reconnect, restoring Frank’s body in the blink of an eye.
Alexander grimaces, frustration and resignation written all over his face.
"I’d have much rather fed my divine artifact on that vampire’s life force... but it seems I’ll have to settle for yours. Oh well — better than nothing."
The erald-like gem on Frank’s ring flares to life, and a massive serpent of energy bursts forth. It rockets toward Alexander at full speed.
"Elental Invocation ● Earth: Stone Wall!"
But nothing happens. Protecting Levreeshka has drained his mana completely.
Elisabeth, Mom, Dad... I’ve missed you so much... but now, at last, we’ll be together again — forever this ti...
The serpent’s jaws snap shut around his arm, tearing it clean off and devouring it in a single bite.
A fountain of blood erupts from his shoulder, splashing across the wall beside him.
Alexander collapses to his knees, a piercing scream tearing from his throat and echoing for miles — so sharp it reaches even Levreeshka in the distance.
She freezes, a stabbing pain gripping her chest. She struggles to keep from breaking down into desperate sobs when Alexander’s screams suddenly stop.
Nothing remains of him but his clothes and the mory he left in her heart.
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