"Lurr, lurr..."
Lurvi's head tilted in confusion as she stared at the figure ahead, her spiky body tensing instinctively. The raven-winged armored man stood there like a dark omen, his black armor gleaming dully in the corridor's dim light.
"You're not here for the Princess?" Alfie asked cautiously, his feet sliding into a defensive stance as he moved forward with careful, measured steps. His hand tightened around his dagger's grip.
"Does it matter?" The raven-winged man's voice was flat, almost bored, as he walked forward with steady, purposeful strides. "I need that tool guy over there."
Alfie's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Hmm, I guess it doesn't matter—since YOU ALSO CAME HERE TO HURT OTHERS!"
WHOOSSHHH!
Alfie exploded into motion, roaring as he dashed forward with explosive speed. Lurvi shot past him even faster, her sleek body cutting through the air like a living arrow.
"I guess so," the man sighed tiredly, his shoulders sagging for just a moment before he broke into a run, charging straight at them.
"Lurrrrr!"
Lurvi suddenly veered sharply to the left, her trajectory changing mid-flight as she angled toward Little Princess, who was getting dangerously close to the sword woman's reach.
Hmm... The raven guy's eyes tracked her movement but he ignored Lurvi seeing her direction, his focus absolute as he punched forward aggressively with brutal force.
"Lurrr!"
With incredible agility, Lurvi twisted her sleek body in midair and turned back sharply, her spikes bristling as she shot at the raven guy from the side at a perfect perpendicular angle.
"Tsk, playing little games..." The man's voice dripped with irritation.
Alfie smirked wickedly and lunged forward, stabbing with his dagger aimed straight for the man's body, the blade gleaming with deadly intent.
Not wanting to take two hits at once, the raven man's hand touched his shoulder with practiced speed. Multiple metallic wings burst forth from his armor like deadly projectiles.
SHOSSH! SWWOSSH! SWWOSSH!
"Lurr!" Lurvi barely managed to dodge, her body twisting desperately as several razor-sharp wings grazed her spiky hide, leaving thin trails of pain. "Lurr..." She growled low in her throat, wincing as the stinging sensation spread across her body.
She watched as Alfie's dagger came stabbing toward the raven guy's chest with lethal precision. The man brought his right forearm up defensively, the impact ringing out as the blade struck his armor on arms. Then, with his other hand, he grabbed Alfie's smaller body in a crushing grip and—
WHOOSHH!
—threw him violently at Lurvi. She seeing this dodged gracefully, her body flowing around Alfie's tumbling form like water. Without missing a beat, she followed the raven guy with relentless speed as he broke into a sprint toward Tool Guy's hiding place.
WHOOSHHHH!
Alfie reacted instantly, his hand shooting out to grab a strap from his clothes. He whipped it forward, the fabric wrapping tightly around Lurvi's body mid-flight. She felt the strong force pulling against her momentum, slowing her down, but she fought against it. Her heart beat harder, faster, and she started flying forward again, now dragging Alfie behind her like a determined anchor.
At extreme speed, Lurvi suddenly slammed on the brakes, her body stopping with impossible precision. Alfie, still carrying all that momentum, flew forward like a human projectile straight toward the running raven guy.
The enemy's head whipped around in surprise. He tried to dodge, his body twisting desperately to the side, but—
THUUUMMPPPPP!
Alfie crashed into him at full speed, tackling him backward with bone-jarring force. Both men tumbled across the ground in a chaotic roll of limbs and armor.
BOOMBB!
They slammed into the wall together at different place beside each other, the impact sending shockwaves through both their bodies. The raven guy's back hit the stone hard, knocking the wind from his lungs.
"Lurrrrr!"
Lurvi didn't hesitate. With blinding speed, she dove straight at the raven guy's chest as he gasped desperately for air, his mouth open in a silent wheeze.
BOOMMBBBB!
She hit him like a battering ram, the impact trying to send him deeper into the wall. He staggered, his legs buckling beneath him.
"TSK! Little animal, don't be so rough!" The man's hand shot out, trying to grab Lurvi's spiky body as she recoiled from her own attack, struggling to float away from the impact's backlash.
TKKK!
Alfie suddenly appeared in front of him, positioning himself perfectly to be grabbed by the raven guy's hand on his chest saving Lurvi.
"Tsk!" The raven guy instinctively tried to throw him away, but Alfie was ready. He coiled his leg tightly around the man's arm like a python, refusing to let go. His muscles strained as he crushed down hard on the limb, cutting off the blood flow and making the man's fingers start to go numb.
"Luurr, luurrrr..." Lurvi circled around his face like an annoying insect, darting close and then away, never giving him a moment's peace.
The raven-cloaked man struggled violently, thrashing in a desperate attempt to shake off both Alfie and Lurvi, but they clung to him with stubborn determination. Suddenly, he threw his head back and screamed, "AAAAAA!"
THHHUUMMMPPP!
His free hand shot behind his back and pressed against a specific point on his cloak.
RUFFLE—RUFFLE!
In an instant, the lower edges of the cloak split apart. Nearly eighty percent of it separated into individual strips, each one unfurling and whipping through the air like living tendrils.
The man twisted his body and slammed his hand against his shoulder. At once, sharp metallic fragments burst forth and embedded themselves into the wall, forming a ladder that climbed upward.
"Heh."
The enemy smirked down at Alfie, who stared back in confusion.
THAP!
The man struck his cloak again.
SWWOOSSHH!
The cloak lashed out like a tentacle, snatching the metallic pieces and coiling tightly around them. Then—
WHOOOSSHH!
Using the cloak's segmented ends as leverage, he propelled himself upward along the wall.
Lurvi hovered in place, frozen in shock, her eyes wide as she watched him rise. Below, Alfie still clung stubbornly to the man's arm, even as the enemy glanced down at him with a cold grin.
Suddenly, the man leapt—higher than before.
With brutal force, he angled his body diagonally to the right, launching himself straight toward the Little Princess and the sword-wielding woman. Every ounce of strength he had surged through the cloak's ends, pushing him forward with terrifying momentum.
Midair, he twisted deliberately, positioning his body so that Alfie would be on the side facing the ground when they crash land.
"Agghh!!" Alfie saw exactly what he was planning, but still didn't release his grip. Instead, his leg tightened even more around the man's arm, squeezing so hard that the raven guy slowly lost all feeling in his hand.
"Agh!!" Both men grunted in pain and frustration as the ground floor rushed up to meet them, getting closer and closer with each passing second.
"Llrrrrrr!"
BOOOMMBBB! WOOSSHH! AAGGHHH!
The raven armored man suddenly felt a massive force slam into his back like a hammer, and he fell even faster, plummeting toward the ground. But Alfie had sent his scarf clothing strap flying upward, and it rolled around Lurvi's body just as she struck. Taking advantage of the enemy's momentary discomfort from the impact, Alfie released the man's numb arm and let his own body tilt sharply to the right, falling away from the collision course.
Then he said confidently, a grin spreading across his face, "You see, Lurvi is the fastest among us all. You can't outrun her, hehe."
As the words left his mouth—
BOOMMBB!!
—he drove a powerful kick into the raven enemy man's side, then used that very same force to propel himself away from him. Lurvi, after hitting the man's back with devastating force, use her whole body strength and flew upward, lifting the already falling Alfie away from danger like a rescue lift.
Then—
BOOMBB!
The raven man blasted into the ground, his armored body cratering the floor and raising a thick cloud of choking dust that billowed out in all directions.
"Huff, huff... thanks, Lurvi," Alfie panted, his chest heaving as he caught his breath.
Alfie and Lurvi slowly descended to the ground, Lurvi acting like a gentle floating rock, bringing him down with careful precision until his feet touched solid stone again.
"Lrr, lrrr..." Lurvi replied softly, her voice tired but pleased as she settled onto his shoulder, her small body warm against his neck.
"Good job! You're the best girl, hehe." Alfie patted Lurvi's spiky hair affectionately. The spikes smoothed down on contact, becoming soft under his gentle touch. Then he straightened up, his body tensing once more as he prepared for the next round. Both of them stared intently at the dust cloud, waiting silently for the man to emerge again.
.
.
"Tsk, she's getting away..."
The sword woman's eyes tracked Princess Natlia's retreating form, frustration burning in her chest. She dashed forward with aggressive speed, but—
SWWINNGG!
A speedy, sharp, pointy sword came slicing toward her face. She jerked backward instinctively and said irritably, her voice dripping with annoyance, "Little Princess, I don't have anything to do with you. Why not stand down? If not, today both of the princesses will die at the same time, leaving your Queen completely childless."
The sword woman grunted in frustration, her jaw clenching tight.
"Hmm, thank you for your concern," Little Princess replied calmly, her voice steady and controlled, "but no one is going to die today!"
Little Princess positioned her sword in front of her face, holding it straight and vertical with one hand placed gracefully behind her back. She stood like a sharp arrow, perfectly straight and still, her eyes locked on her opponent as she waited for the woman to make her move.
"Oh, such confidence toward your own sister!" The sword woman's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Well, you do look strong, so I can understand your situation, but your sister is weak. Why are you defending her? Don't you want to become Queen in the future? If your big sister becomes one, then you could never become one! Why not help us remove your big sister and then let's work together as a team? This city will be YOOUURRSS to control!!"
The sword woman spoke loudly, her voice echoing through the corridor as she smiled in dark anticipation, her eyes gleaming with manipulative intent.
Hearing this venomous suggestion, Little Princess's body shook—not with fear, but with barely contained rage. Her perfect posture suddenly trembled with anger as she spoke in a loud, fierce voice, "HUH! WHY WOULD I DO THAT? IT'S TRUE I AM STRONGER AND MORE SUITABLE FOR BECOMING QUEEN, BUT SHE IS MY BIG SISTER! WHY WOULD I DO THAT? NO, I CAN'T DO THAT!"
Little Princess's teeth gritted together fiercely, her jaw so tight it ached.
Seeing this reaction, the sword woman's expression shifted into a wicked smirk. She'd struck a nerve. "HEHE, SO YOU DO KNOW YOU'RE MORE SUITABLE AND MORE POWERFUL THAN YOUR STUPID, USELESS SISTER! YOU MUST BE IN A LOT OF PAIN, RIGHT? ALWAYS HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF HER STUPIDITY AND ACT PERFECT YOURSELF SO THAT PEOPLE WON'T LAUGH AT THE CROWN FAMILY! HEHE, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO LOOKS LIKE A TRUE PRINCESS, YOU'RE STRONG, AND CAPABLE OF BECOMING QUEEN!!! IF YOU DON'T MAKE A DECISION SOON, THEN YOU'LL ALWAYS BE CLEANING UP THE MESSES YOUR SISTER MAKES! KEKE, SO TELL ME, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF JOINING HANDS, PRRINCCESSS HANNA AULIFFEE!"
The sword woman started walking forward slowly, her steps measured and deliberate, her voice dripping with poisonous manipulation.
"Aghh! What do you know?!" Princess Hanna's voice cracked slightly. "I... I don't clean her messes! I CARE FOR HER! I LIKE HER! I DO WANT HER TO BECOME QUEEN! I... I..."
Princess Hanna staggered backward, her breathing becoming heavier and more ragged as she looked down at the ground. Her sword, once held high with confidence, now pointed downward in defeat.
"OF COURSE YOU LIKE HER, BUT DON'T YOU WANT TO BECOME A QUEENN?!" The sword woman pressed harder, sensing weakness. "SHE'S USELESS! SHE COULD JUST LIVE SOMEWHERE AS A BROKEN PRINCESS, BUT YOU—TRUE PRINCESS, THE WELL-BEHAVED PROPER LADY, ALWAYS PUNCTUAL, CLEAN, THINKING AHEAD—YOU SHOULD BECOME THE QUEENNNN!!!!"
The sword lady crept closer with each word, her voice rising persuasively, wrapping around Princess Hanna's doubts like chains.
"Aghh! You can't EVEN SCRATCH HER! WHY ARE YOU SPEAKING NONSENSE ABOUT KILLING HER?! YOU CAN'T EVEN BREAK THROUGH THE QUEEN'S GUARDS WITH YOUR PATHETIC FORCE!"
Princess Hanna's fist clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white, her nails digging into her palm.
"Oohh, don't worry," the sword woman said with dark confidence. "This is just an appetizer. We're just testing the water."
SNAAP!
She snapped her fingers sharply, the sound echoing through the space. Immediately, shadowy figures jumped down from above, landing with heavy thuds as they formed up behind her in an intimidating line. She continued with growing intensity, "Of course, even when testing water, we do need enough people to let them know that THIS PLACE NO LONGER BELONGS TO THE AULIFFEE CROWN FAMILY! BUT OF COURSE, IF YOU HELP US, THEN YOU WILL BECOME THE NEW QUEEN! EVENERYTHING WILL BE IN YOUR HANDS—YOU COULD CONTROL EVERYONE AND DO ANYTHING YOU WANT WITH ANYONEEE!!"
The sword woman's voice grew louder with each word, putting massive pressure on the young princess with all her people backing her up, their presence looming like a dark wall of force.
"Aghh!!"
TAANNGG!
A sword clattered to the ground with a sharp, ringing sound that seemed to echo forever. Princess Hanna's voice came out shaky and broken, "WHAT? WHAT?! SO MANY PEOPLE! I... I DO WANT TO BECOME QUEEN! I NEVER LIKED HER PLAYING WITH ME LIKE A FUCKING DOLL!!!! I DON'T WANT TO CLEAN HER MESSES! BUT... BUT SHE'S MY SISTER! HOW... HOW... I CAN'T..."
Princess Hanna's legs gave out beneath her as she dropped to her knees on the cold ground, her sword now lying there like a fallen soldier who'd given up the fight. Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes, blurring her vision.
"Hehe, it's common occurrence, you know," the sword woman said with false sympathy, her voice dripping like honey laced with poison. "For power, people kill each other's family members all the time. You'll be no exception, don't worry. They're just people with useless positions anyway. Come, join us, QUEEN HANNA, and rule this city together, heheh."
The sword woman walked closer and extended her empty hand forward for a handshake, ready to pull the broken princess back up to her feet and into their dark alliance.
"I... I..."
Princess Hanna slowly brought her left hand closer to the offered hand, tears now rolling down her cheeks freely.
TAP!
She grabbed the sword woman's hand firmly and shouted with sudden force, "I WILL BECOME THE NEWW QUEENNN!!"
SHE ROARED IN DECLARATION, her voice echoing through the entire corridor.
"Hehe, good, good..." The sword woman laughed triumphantly, her victory seemingly complete.
WHOOOSSHHHH! STAB!
"AGHH!!"
"TSK! I DON'T REALLY LIKE YOUR SKIMPY OUTFIT!" Little Princess's voice cut through the moment like a blade. "CAN'T A WARRIOR WEAR A DECENT PROTECTIVE OUTFIT?! WHY IS SO MUCH SKIN SHOWING IN YOURS?! AND I AM NOT PRINCESS OR A QUEEN—MYY NAAMEE ISS HAAANNAAA AUULLIIFFEEEE, AND I AM THE LITTLE PRINCESS OF THIS CITY OF EIRRRRSSSS!"
THUUMPP!!
Little Princess drove her blade deep into the woman's upper thigh where there was no armor protecting the exposed flesh, just below her crotch. The strike was precise and brutal.
"Aghhh!!" The sword woman's scream of pain tore through the air.
She staggered backward desperately, clutching at her bleeding leg as other people rushed forward to support her trembling body. She looked at Princess Hanna with wild, confused eyes and shouted in genuine disbelief, "WHY?! WHY??? AREN'T YOU BETTER THAN HER?? STRONGER THAN HER??? MORE INTELLIGENT THAN HER????! THEN WHY DON'T YOU DESIRE POWERR????!"
The sword woman's voice cracked with fury and incomprehension.
BOOMMMMM!!
Hmm...
Little Princess glanced diagonally forward, her eyes catching the sight of a man falling down hard into a cloud of dust. Then she looked right sideways at Alfie and Lurvi, who had started walking toward her position after watching the dust settle for a moment.
She straightened up again, bringing her sword back in front of her eyes with renewed purpose, and said firmly, her voice carrying absolute conviction, "Who said I don't want power? Everyone wants those things, but you see, my family and friends taught me that without positional power, you can also do many things in life that could change the world in countless ways. A small farmer can fill the stomachs of hundreds of families. An inventor can change the lives of billions. A warrior can save a whole kingdom. A single story can bring tears and joy to billions of people across the world. So tell me, what can a little princess like me do? You see, I already have lots of power in my grasp. And do you really think being a Queen is so easy? Just being proper, learning how to fight, and having some little knowledge will not make you a Queen. A QUEEN IS TRAINED FROM HER CHILDHOOD IN ALL KINDS OF FIELDS—FROM PROPER WALKING, LISTENING, SPEAKING, KNOWLEDGE IN EVERY SUBJECT, BEING PHYSICALLY STRONG, SKILLED IN EVERY ENTERTAINMENT FIELD FROM DANCING, SINGING, TO PERFECTING MOST INSTRUMENTS, HAVING A MILITARY MIND, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH MORE!! I've just scratched the surface! I never had to go through the things my Big Sister has gone through! Just because I look stronger? Hahahhaahahah!"
Her laugh was sharp and cutting.
"A TRUE LEADER'S JOB IS NOT TO BE THE STRONGEST, BUT TO LEAD THE STRONGEST PEOPLE! AND I AM PROUD OF HER AND WILL ALWAYS BE! AND I WILL NOT LET ANYONE TOUCH A SINGLE STRAND OF HER HAIIIRR!!!"
The princess roared at last, her voice ringing with absolute fury and unwavering loyalty as she stood tall and straight in front of the gathered enemies, her blade gleaming in the dim light.
"Kekek, aren't you amazing, Little Princess?" Alfie's cheerful voice cut through the tension.
"Lrr, lrrr..." Lurvi added her own approval.
Alfie came forward, ducking down into a fighting stance with his dagger held ready in his hand. He said with his characteristic grin, "Looks like that raven guy is in no mood to come back out. Why not let me join the fun here, Princess Hanna? Hehe."
"Lurr, lurr..." Lurvi flew over and licked Little Princess's face affectionately, then nudged her gently with her spiky head, silently telling her she'd done a good job.
Little Princess smiled warmly at both of them, her expression softening for just a moment. "Hehe, sure, sure! And I am Little Princess, you know."
"Sure, sure!" Alfie replied with a playful tone.
"GRR! I understand what you're saying—but what exactly is your role, Little Princess?" the enemy woman snarled. "How would you make this world a better place? Do you even have a path you can walk?"
She smirked confidently, drawing support from the people gathered behind her.
The Little Princess's eyes twitched as she glared back, saying nothing.
"Hehe… I thought so," the enemy woman chuckled mockingly. "You don't have an answer, do you? Keke. Kill these useless people."
With a sharp gesture, she issued the order to those around her.
Alfie and Little Princess both stood together side by side, their bodies tense and ready as they faced the charging enemies running toward them with weapons raised. Lurvi glared fiercely from Little Princess's shoulder, her eyes burning with protective fury.
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END OF CHAPTER
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Author Blabbering
People say that when one door closes, another opens. But no one tells us how to choose which door to walk through. Will it lead us to where we hope to be, or leave us stranded in the middle of nowhere? Will we spend another year of our lives only to realize it was never worth it?
How long are we supposed to keep walking? When do we finally arrive?
Even if something is possible, does that mean we can do it? Do we truly have the potential to reach where we want to go? These doubts live quietly inside us, constant and uninvited, and they stay as long as we are alive.
So how do we deal with them? How do we move forward when the road ahead is covered in dense fog, when we can't see what lies beyond the next step?
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