Pushing through soldiers stumbling about with weapons in hand, Talia caught sight of several corpses crushed almost beyond recognition between the collapsed tents.

Fear twisted her stomach painfully.

But the thought that Varkas might end up like that made it impossible for her to stop.

She ran frantically across the camp, littered with scattered equipment and debris, trying to catch up to him.

Then a heavy thud echoed through the air.

Turning toward the sound, Talia's face drained of color.

A wyvern had landed not far away.

Before her eyes, it swallowed an entire soldier whole.

Blood spilled from the corners of its mouth each time its massive jaws moved, drenching its black chin.

The sight was so unreal that she could not even feel fear.

Staggering backward on trembling legs, Talia searched desperately through the chaos.

Then she spotted Varkas among a group of soldiers rushing forward with spears.

“Varkas! Varkas!”

She ran toward him with all her strength, like a child spotting a parent in a crowded marketplace.

Varkas, who had been issuing orders to the knights, turned toward her.

The instant their eyes met, his eyes widened slightly before narrowing again.

He looked furious that she had ignored his instructions and left the safe zone.

The sharpness of his gaze sent a chill through her, but Talia did not stop.

She continued toward him.

One thought filled her mind.

You have to stay somewhere safe with Varkas.

Don't fight.

Leave that to your subordinates.

You should stay by my side.

The childish, unreasonable thoughts tangled together amidst her ragged breathing.

There was no way he could have heard them amid all this chaos.

Yet Varkas strode toward her as though he somehow understood.

Talia reached out her hand.

Then a thin scream pierced the air.

“Varkas!”

Varkas immediately turned his head.

Following his gaze, Talia's eyes widened.

Aila stood alone in the middle of the chaos.

Separated from her escort in the confusion, she was stumbling desperately forward while a vast black shadow descended above her.

The moment he saw it, Varkas moved.

Without a moment's hesitation.

Watching him become distant in an instant, Talia stared blankly.

A miserable plea rose from her constricted throat.

Don't go.

Don't go to her.

A sob, molten as lava, seemed to burn through her throat.

Varkas seized Aila and pulled her into his arms, rolling away at the last possible second.

The monster, robbed of its prey, raked the ground violently with black claws and released a furious roar.

Drawing his sword, Varkas stepped in front of Aila, shielding her from the enraged beast.

But the creature had little interest in prey that had already escaped.

Its enormous head swayed from side to side as it sniffed the air.

Then its eyes turned toward Talia.

She froze.

A pair of glowing red eyes stared directly at her.

The monster's pupils widened with excitement as it found a new target.

Then, in the next moment, its massive body shot toward her like a serpent gliding across water.

It moved so quickly she did not even have time to scream.

Hook-like claws caught her body.

The world dropped away beneath her.

Looking down at the rapidly shrinking ground, Talia's eyes darted wildly.

She could still see the soldiers running about in confusion.

Even they became tiny within seconds.

Overwhelmed by terror, she struggled desperately.

Her arms and legs flailed wildly.

But the pressure crushing her chest only tightened.

At any moment, she felt those claws would pierce her flesh and tear her body apart.

Staring up at the monster carrying her away, Talia finally cried out.

“H-Help me...! Someone... please...!”

But even to her own ears, her voice sounded pitifully faint.

Gasping for breath, she forced her mouth open again.

Then something flashed through the bluish darkness. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Like a burst of firelight.

A wave of scorching wind swept across her face.

Talia screamed.

The wyvern carrying her let out a shriek and began thrashing violently.

The crushing force around her waist tightened so hard it felt as though her spine would snap.

Her vision went white.

Strength vanished from her limbs.

Then her body suddenly floated free.

The next moment she was falling.

Falling into darkness.

Several seconds passed.

A tremendous impact struck her entire body.

Everything sank into blackness.

She could not tell whether she was conscious or unconscious.

Perhaps she was dead.

But that thought was immediately denied by the overwhelming agony that followed.

Talia groaned and gasped like livestock awaiting slaughter.

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

Yet she could not even tell exactly what part of her body hurt.

“Hngh... ah...”

Instinctively trying to escape whatever was pinning her down, she crawled weakly across the ground.

The pain only grew worse.

Unable to endure it any longer, she pressed her forehead against the cold earth.

Then she smelled smoke.

With great effort, she lifted her head.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw the collapsed body of a wyvern.

Talia blinked in confusion.

The creature was dead.

One wing had been burned black and shriveled, as though consumed by fire.

Red embers still crackled across one of its massive hind legs where the scales had been stripped away.

She stared blankly at the sight.

Then she braced a hand against the ground and struggled upright.

That was when she noticed the large boulder and pile of earth crushing one of her legs.

She must have tumbled down a slope during the fall.

I have to get out...

Twisting desperately, she tried to pull her lower body free from the rubble.

The pain became unbearable.

She collapsed again.

Not only her trapped leg.

Her chest, shoulder, and arm all hurt as well.

There was not a single part of her body that did not ache.

Had every bone in her body broken?

It would not have been surprising.

In truth, she did not even ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) understand how she was still alive.

No.

Perhaps she was dying.

Her frightened eyes wandered through the darkness.

Night had fallen completely.

Was this what it felt like to be buried alive?

Breathing became more difficult with every passing moment.

She wished she could simply lose consciousness.

Instead, her mind became clearer and clearer.

Unable to withstand the increasingly violent pain, Talia clawed at the ground with broken nails.

Tears streamed endlessly down her face.

“It hurts... it hurts so much... Varkas...”

She did not know why she was whispering his name.

The image returned to her.

Varkas turning his back on her.

Running toward Aila.

She could never become someone important to him.

No matter the circumstances, the people he would protect were Aila and Gareth.

Never her.

Hot tears soaked her cheeks.

“No... that's not true... he'll come looking for me.”

She muttered the words as though trying to convince herself.

She was the Emperor's daughter too.

Varkas was a man burdened by duty.

Surely he would come looking for her.

Even if only to recover her corpse.

He would not leave her here.

Clinging desperately to that thought, she stared into the deepening darkness.

Before long, even the embers burning on the wyvern's corpse faded away.

The world became completely black.

No matter how long she waited, nobody came.

Her throat had become so dry it felt ready to split apart.

Forcing out a slightly louder whisper, she said,

“It's alright. It's alright. He'll come soon. Soon...”

But her voice was swallowed by a sob.

Talia bit down hard on her lip and covered her mouth with a trembling hand.

She did not want to cry.

If she cried, it would feel like admitting it.

Admitting that no one was coming to find her.

She forced the bitter wail of pain and despair back down into her chest.

Then she repeated the same words again.

If she waited a little longer, Varkas would come.

And just as he had once pulled her out of the mud, he would save her again.

He would.

Surely he would.

Surely... .