A traitor. That had to be it. There was no way anyone could’ve known about my connection to Master, let alone Master’s nickname, and then linked it to me. Someone must’ve tipped her off. And whoever that was, they must’ve gotten their info from someone else. Somewhere in the chain, there was a traitor.
“Hm? Did you have some sort of epiphany?” Sara’s voice cut through my thoughts, a mocking lilt in her tone as I froze.
“I’ve just come to a realization,” I said.
“Oh, is that so? Well, good for you!” she shot back with a wicked grin, before lunging at me again. Her dagger flashed as she moved, slicing through the air with a deadly gleam. It wasn’t long, so she had to throw her whole body forward just to reach me. But she was fast, her movements a blur, and I had to react in a split second.
In an instant, I wrapped my body in the energy of my Guardian, feeling the familiar rush of power envelop me. I braced myself as she came at me, her blade carving through the protective barrier with a sharp crack, shattering it like glass. The impact sent a jolt through my limbs, but I grit my teeth and swung back, my fist glowing with Guardian energy as I aimed straight for her.
She darted away, just out of reach, her speed almost dizzying. My fist smashed into the ground, the force sending a shockwave through the earth and leaving a small crater where she had been standing just moments before. The ground trembled underfoot as I pulled my hand back, sweat starting to bead on my brow.
I quickly summoned the Guardian again, raising the shield just in time to block her next attack. She had leapt into the air, aiming to slash at my back. Her dagger clashed against the Guardian, a harsh clang echoing as it broke through, and her arm snapped back from the recoil. I spun, throwing another punch with all the force I could muster, but she disappeared, slipping through my grasp like smoke.
She was too fast. I could feel the strain building in my muscles, the fatigue gnawing at my focus. I’d always relied on my Guardian to defend me back when I was a magic knight, rarely using it like this, and the constant offense was draining me. And keeping that dome-like barrier around us—blocking out the mobs—was draining what little power I had left.
I’d never considered it before, but does the Guardian have a limit? I’d never pushed it this far; it was supposed to be unbeatable, unbreakable. But this cursed weapon—her power-dampening dagger—cut through it like it was nothing.
“Looks like you’re struggling,” she taunted, her voice dripping with amusement, her sharp-toothed grin widening. “It’s only natural, with you holding up that barrier. You’re standing your ground, but how long can you hold out? I can keep this up all day without breaking a sweat, and if I run low on energy, I’ll just suck some blood. Yours, specifically, since everyone else’s around here tastes like shit.”
“Don’t even think about it, you lunatic,” I snapped. “You really think I’m going down that easily?”
She laughed, her eyes gleaming with a sadistic light. “Yeah? That sweat dripping down your forehead isn’t doing much to back up your tough talk, you know,” she sneered, her grin practically stretching from ear to ear.
She was right. Reality was hitting me like a cold slap to the face: my Guardian had limits. I’d never thought it could be drained, never imagined it could falter because I’d never pushed it to the edge before. But now, it made sense. The Guardian wasn’t some invincible force that made me untouchable. I could still bleed, still feel pain, and when danger loomed, the Guardian would react—but it couldn’t protect me forever. It was my shield, a defense that could withstand hits, but it wasn’t infinite. Which meant that, even wrapped in this so-called unbreakable barrier, I was still prey to attacks.
“Well, looks like it’s time to wrap this up,” Sara purred, her grin stretching wide across her face. Malice glittered in her eyes as she surged forward, her dagger gleaming like the edge of death.
I channeled every drop of remaining Guardian energy into blocking her onslaught. My body screamed from the strain, my muscles trembling as I felt the energy ebbing away. The dome I’d formed with my Guardian power was sputtering, light flickering like a candle struggling against the wind, threatening to snuff out at any moment.
“Such a shame, really. I was hoping we could play a little longer,” she taunted, voice dripping with mockery as she lunged toward me with predatory precision.
In a desperate move, I shut down the failing dome, pooling the last shreds of energy into a barrier directly in front of me. It shimmered briefly, a thin shield against her strike—but it wasn’t enough. Her dagger cleaved through it with a sharp, satisfying crack, the force of her swing sending a jolt through her arm, but it barely slowed her down.
Her blade tore into my stomach, a searing line of pain slicing through my skin. It wasn’t deep, but the shock of it rattled through me. Warm blood spilled from the cut, wetting my hands as I clutched the wound, trying to hold myself together.
“Kuh…” I grunted, the sound rough and desperate, as I staggered back, my vision blurring around the edges.
“Hahaha! Finally, you’re at your limit! That’s more like it!” she cackled, her laughter ringing out like a twisted symphony. “I was wondering when your stupid ass barrier would give out, but I didn’t think it’d be this soon!”
I’d made a critical error, misjudged my own endurance. I should’ve known that the Guardian wasn’t limitless, but I’d been too confident, too sure it wouldn’t break no matter what.
But I couldn’t afford to die here. Not like this, not in this miserable, blood-soaked place. I still had unfinished business, a future I wasn’t ready to give up. I still dreamed of having children with Master, of a life beyond this battle. This was not my end, no matter how bleak it seemed.
Pain throbbed through my wound, but I gritted my teeth and forced myself back into a fighting stance.
