Chapter 53
White Hart's attack came without warning.
A bolt of crimson lightning ripped across the arena, far too fast for Thorne or his companions to react. Before it could land, something black swept into its path.
The lightning burst apart with a sharp crack, scattering sparks through the air.
Thorne's eyes went wide. A jet-black scythe now hovered in front of him, its curved blade still humming from the impact.
"What..."
"Who's there?" White Hart demanded.
She turned toward the voice and found two Lords standing near the arena's tallest archway—a man and a woman. The woman had clearly been the one who intercepted her attack.
White Hart sensed immediately that the newcomer was no ordinary Lord. Rather than provoke an unknown enemy blind, she spoke with measured courtesy.
"Who are you, and why are you interfering in our dispute?"
Thorne, Bianca, and Brom followed her gaze.
Recognition hit all three at once.
"Lilith?" Thorne stared in disbelief. "And Giles..."
He had never expected to see them here.
The Three Blades Alliance could hardly claim to be close to Lilith, and Thorne had no idea why she'd chosen to save them. Still, her arrival offered something they hadn't possessed a moment ago—a chance to live.
If Lilith stepped in, the Beastkin Alliance might no longer hold the advantage.
"Lord Lilith," Thorne called, "if you're willing to save us, I'll give you this treasure and agree to any condition you name."
Minutes ago, he'd been prepared to die because there was no alternative. Now that a path to survival had opened, he had no intention of wasting it.
Hyena laughed from behind White Hart.
"You've lost your minds. You think two people can save you?"
White Hart didn't share his amusement. Thorne's reaction made it plain the two sides already knew each other—which likely explained the interference.
Lilith strolled toward them at an unhurried pace. She lifted one hand, and Waltz of Ashes flew back into her grip.
"I'm not doing this for the treasure," she said with an easy smile. "I just have a personal dislike for five people ganging up on three. Call it a weakness for lost causes."
White Hart's voice went cold. "So there's nothing to discuss?"
"Vice Leader, why bother talking?" Muskox roared. "We'll kill her too!"
Before White Hart could stop him, Muskox charged.
His enormous beastform was plated in thick natural armor. White light gathered along his horns as he accelerated, the force of his advance making the air shudder around him.
With his crushing aura locking her in place, Muskox was certain Lilith couldn't evade. One clean hit would leave her crippled, if not dead.
"Die!"
"Muskox, wait!" White Hart shouted.
Too late.
Lilith stayed exactly where she was, one eyebrow raised. "Where did this deranged bull come from?"
She lifted her left hand and closed her fingers.
Soulfrost Chains erupted from every direction and lashed around Muskox's limbs and torso. The restraints snapped taut, arresting his charge so abruptly that the floor cracked beneath his hooves.
Muskox stared at the chains in disbelief.
"What—"
He strained with everything he had. The chains didn't budge.
A black arc was already falling toward him.
"Watch out!"
White Hart teleported between them and lowered her lightning-wreathed antlers to catch Waltz of Ashes.
The scythe sheared straight through them.
White Hart reacted before the blade could carry on, unleashing a violent burst of crimson lightning that forced Lilith onto the defensive. She used the opening to drag Muskox clear—but blood streamed from the shattered stumps of her antlers.
The injury wasn't grave, yet the exchange left her looking far less composed.
More importantly, it confirmed her worst suspicion.
Lilith was extremely dangerous.
What White Hart didn't realize was that Lilith had yet to take the fight seriously.
Lilith's attention had already drifted to Thorne—or more precisely, to the ancient black book in his hand.
"I accept your offer."
Relief swept over Thorne's face. Lilith had agreed to save them.
Even so, he hurried to warn her. "They're the Beastkin Alliance—currently ranked tenth. Please be careful. We can support you and keep some of them tied up."
Lilith showed no concern.
Thorne supposed that made sense. She was the top-ranked Lord in the entire event. To someone at her level, the tenth-ranked Alliance might amount to little more than a nuisance.
He and his companions readied themselves anyway, only for Lilith to stop them.
"That won't be necessary. I can handle them."
The three stared at her.
Giles, watching from the arena's edge, remained perfectly calm.
The Beastkin Alliance reacted rather differently.
White Hart's last restraint snapped.
"You think you can beat us alone? Arrogant fool."
She had already tasted Lilith's strength and knew better than to underestimate her.
"All of us together. Kill her!"
The Beastkin Alliance moved as one.
Lilith vanished before any of them could strike.
She reappeared in midair directly in front of Bat.
His eyes bulged. He hadn't seen her move at all.
Bat had always served as the Alliance's aerial scout and ranged attacker. In beastform he resembled a massive winged predator with a wingspan of nearly twenty-five feet. Speed and flight were the advantages he trusted most.
Against Lilith, both proved worthless.
"You—"
Waltz of Ashes swept across him before he could finish.
The cut was so clean that no blood appeared at first.
Bat looked down.
A hair-thin line ran across his chest. A moment later it yawned wide, splitting flesh and bone as his enormous body crashed onto the arena floor.
Dust rolled out from the impact.
The four remaining members of the Beastkin Alliance froze.
"Bat died... in one strike?"
None of them could process what they'd just seen.
Bat carried the strength of a Tier 4 Veteran and specialized in speed—and he hadn't survived a single exchange.
Thorne, Bianca, and Brom were equally stunned.
"She's stronger than the last time we saw her," Brom murmured.
Bianca was speechless for several seconds before she finally managed, "Maybe this is what the top-ranked Lord is supposed to look like."
Thorne said nothing.
He knew only that the Beastkin Alliance had picked the wrong enemy.
Lilith didn't care who was watching or how shocked they were. The instant she landed, she launched her second attack.
Waltz of Ashes swept forward, wreathed in Deathfire, and collided with White Hart's crimson lightning.
The impact hurled White Hart across the arena.
She struck the wall with a heavy crash and barely kept her feet.
Even at full strength, she could only approach Tier 9 Veteran. Lilith had already traded blows with a peak Veteran Orc without being overwhelmed.
White Hart finally understood the gap between them.
She could not beat Lilith head-on.
Pressing recklessly would only end in disaster.
The Three Blades Alliance was still watching from a distance, and Giles remained untouched and ready. With Bat dead, both sides now fielded the same number of Lords.
But the Beastkin Alliance still held one advantage.
Its army.
White Hart steadied herself and shouted, "All Units, attack! Let's see how long she lasts!"
As long as Lilith remained within Veteran Rank, her stamina and mana had limits. Even a peak Veteran could be ground down and killed beneath a relentless assault.
The Beastkin Alliance still had a road to victory.
At White Hart's command, the waiting army surged forward.
Yet far from alarmed, Lilith looked more relaxed than before.
White Hart caught the change and glanced toward the Three Blades Alliance. Thorne, Bianca, and Brom were no longer tense. Faint smiles had crept onto their faces.
Something was wrong.
White Hart's instincts screamed at her.
"No," she breathed. "Wait..."