A scream tore through the silence—cut short instantly.
Another followed.
Then a third.
Hidden figures burst from cover—desperate—
too slow.
The constructs pierced them mid-motion.
Through throat.
Through heart.
Through eyes.
Bodies slammed against the walls, pinned in place before they could even fight back.
One tried to crawl.
Begging.
A single needle drove through the back of his skull.
Silence returned.
Absolute.
The constructs hovered for a moment longer—
then stilled again.
Waiting.
Lyriana did not look at the bodies.
She did not need to.
Instead, her gaze returned to the cages.
Hundreds of eyes stared back.
Wide.
Terrified.
Some clung to each other.
Some pressed themselves into corners.
Some did not react at all.
A child whimpered softly.
A man lowered his head—
as if waiting for death.
Lyriana stood there.
Still.
Watching.
Evaluating.
A faint crease touched her brow.
Not confusion.
Consideration.
Because this—
was not a battlefield.
Not enemies.
Not threats.
Just people.
Broken.
Used.
Discarded.
Her gaze lingered on the chains.
The locks.
The wounds.
Then shifted toward the open doorway.
Toward the burning port.
Toward where Aldric had gone.
Her thoughts moved.
Cold.
Precise.
Efficient.
They have seen us.
The conclusion came easily.
They have seen the blood… magic.
Her fingers twitched once.
Behind her, the constructs responded instantly.
A subtle shift.
Barely noticeable.
But enough.
If they leave…
Information spreads.
Routes.
Strength.
Exposure.
Her eyes hardened slightly.
His Highness cannot be exposed.
The thought settled.
Heavy.
Decisive.
For a moment—
it nearly ended there.
A clean solution.
A simple one.
But then—
her gaze shifted again.
Not across the crowd—
but through it.
Past the fear.
Past the panic.
To something else.
Chains.
Bruises.
Starvation.
Children too weak to cry.
Not witnesses.
Cargo.
Her gaze stilled.
They were already taken.
Already removed.
Already broken.
Another thought followed.
Slower.
And they don't even know who we are.
No names.
No meaning.
Just survival.
Her eyes flicked once more toward the entrance.
His Highness is not even here yet.
They have not seen him.
That mattered.
More than anything else.
The constructs shifted again, awaiting the final command.
Kill.
Or not.
Silence stretched.
Then—
Lyriana exhaled softly.
"…Irrelevant."
The word settled into the space.
Not kind.
Not cruel.
Final.
Her hand lowered.
The constructs relaxed.
Not disappearing—
but no longer poised to strike.
Her gaze swept the cages one last time.
"…You didn't see anything."
Her voice was quiet.
Flat.
But it carried.
Every single person heard it.
Understood it.
Even if they did not fully grasp why.
She turned.
Already done.
"…If you leave," she added without looking back, "then leave far."
A pause.
"…And forget this place ever existed."
No threats.
None needed.
The bodies behind her—
the blood in the air—
said enough.
Lyriana stepped out of the warehouse.
Leaving them alive.
And a silence heavier than death.
Because now—
their survival—
was their own burden.
---
The ship loomed above the ruined dock.
Massive.
Silent.
Its dark hull scarred—but intact.
Aldric rose over the edge of the deck, landing without a sound.
His boots met polished wood.
Cleaner than the chaos below.
But not untouched.
Crew.
Workers.
Guards.
All frozen.
All staring.
Because he had come from the sky.
And brought destruction with him.
Aldric did not waste time.
"…Inside."
One word.
Flat.
But it moved them.
Not obedience.
Fear.
They scrambled.
Quick.
Disordered.
No one argued.
No one resisted.
They had seen what happened below.
He followed.
Not chasing.
Not rushing.
Just there.
And that was enough.
Within moments, they gathered in the main hold.
Dozens of them.
Pressed together.
Silent.
Aldric stepped in last.
The door creaked faintly behind him.
Then stilled.
His crimson eyes swept across the room.
Slow.
Measuring.
One by one, they lowered their gazes.
No one wanted to be seen.
No one wanted to be chosen.
Aldric tilted his head slightly.
"…Alright."
His voice echoed faintly.
"…Which one of you is the pilot?"
Silence.
Thick.
Unmoving.
A man flinched.
Another looked down harder.
Someone's breath hitched.
No answer.
Aldric's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…Don't make me ask twice."
The air grew heavier.
Pressure settled.
A reminder.
A woman stepped forward.
Slow.
Hands trembling.
"…I… I am."
Her voice nearly failed.
She swallowed.
Aldric looked at her.
Briefly.
Then nodded once.
"…Good."
A pause.
"…You're going to fly this."
No room for refusal.
None given.
"…Y-yes…"
She nodded quickly.
The hold did not move.
Not until Aldric turned.
Casually.
Away from her.
Toward the rest.
His fingers lifted slightly.
That was all.
Blood answered.
Thin strands.
Then threads.
Then—
spears.
Dozens of them, suspended in the air behind him.
Perfectly still.
Perfectly aligned.
The room broke.
"…WAIT—!"
Someone stumbled forward.
"PLEASE—I—"
Another dropped to their knees.
"I won't say anything—!"
A third tried to run.
Did not make it two steps.
Aldric did not look at them.
"…There's no use for the rest."
Flat.
Final.
His hand moved.
Slightly.
That was enough.
The spears fell.
Not chaotic.
Precise.
Each one found its mark.
Through chest.
Through throat.
Through skull.
The sound was short.
Wet.
Bodies jerked.
Collapsed.
Some never finished their screams.
Some never began.
In seconds—
it was over.
Silence returned.
Heavy.
Thick with blood.
The pilot stood frozen.
She had not moved.
Had not breathed.
Because she understood.
She was not spared.
She was needed.
Aldric lowered his hand.
The spears dissolved.
Breaking into droplets—
then nothing.
He stepped forward.
Boots passing through the aftermath without pause.
Without care.
He stopped in front of her.
Close enough for her to see it clearly.
The red in his eyes.
Not a glow.
Depth.
"…You're still here."
Not a question.
She nodded quickly.
"…Y-yes—"
Her voice shook.
Aldric held her gaze for half a second.
Then turned.
Already done.
"…Then go."
A pause.
"…Get it moving."
He walked past her.
Like nothing had happened.
Like the bodies on the floor—
did not exist.
The woman moved immediately.
Fast.
Out of the hold.
Toward the controls.
Because now—
—
there was only one thing left to do.
Fly.