John steadied himself, determination burning in his eyes. "This mistake will be your defeat!" he declared, raising his sword. Hercedera Meracoras sneered and taunted him to move forward. Responding to the challenge, John charged at full speed, striking Hercedera with all his strength. However, to his astonishment, Hercedera remained unmoved even after several powerful hits. In a swift counterattack, Hercedera struck John in the stomach, sending him flying through the air. With a resounding crash, John collided against the wall formed by the shield of Hercedera's army. Gasping for breath, John struggled to rise from the ground as Hercedera gloated over his fallen form. "John! You were powerful within the confines of your kingdom, with your wife, Amena. But this is my domain, and alone, you do not have the power to touch me. I once feared your strength, knowing Amena's love was with you. But now..." Hercedera's voice trailed off as he raised his magical staff, conjuring a greenish power that took the shape of hands gripping John's neck and lifting him off the ground.

Meanwhile, Amena, filled with fear and worry, grew increasingly anxious as she heard the sound of someone breaking the lock on the door that John had locked. In a moment of quick thinking, she grabbed a long piece of cloth from her balcony and tied it securely, fashioning it into a rope. Despite her pregnant state, she summoned all her strength and began descending down the makeshift rope, inch by inch. Just as she was making her way down, the door burst open, revealing four Magmodean soldiers who scanned the area in search of her. Spotting the rope, they shouted, "Hey, Queen! Stop!" and swiftly cut the rope. Fortunately, Amena was only a few meters above the ground at that moment, and the sudden drop caused her to experience a jarring impact. Though shaken, she managed to withstand the fall.


© Abhijit: A hardworking writer