[Warning- R18+]

As the mayhem subsided, the rioters took charge of the situation with surprising efficiency. Seraphine and Hazel were still fighting the mages outside of town, leaving Alisha and her party to deal with the chaos within.

Seraphine and Hazel were so absorbed on fighting the mages outside the town walls that they had no idea what was going on within.

They had no idea how the mana in the town had already vanished, and Alisha was the only remaining survivor of their party.

*Arghhhhhhh.........*

Alisha's agonizing screams pierced the air, tears spilled down her cheeks, and her nose ran wild.

David's savage strike fractured her right elbow, and he took pleasure in the cry of her pain.

"Hey, shh shh shh... I haven't even started, and you already sound like it's the end of the world. We still have a lot of time, Alisha."

He softly took her hand in his and took his dagger, slowly and steadily removing her skin from her palm.

*Arghhh...Nooooo...."

"Now now, how would I be able to present you as a gift if you scream so much, huh, Alisha?"

Onlookers couldn't help but feel sorry for Alisha as David proceeded to abuse her. The rioters, on the other hand, appeared to enjoy the horror unfolding before them.

"You really like to use other people for your purposes. Just like how you and everyone else used me and Aizel that time. You guys even used small kids for your objectives."

David's hand crept towards Alisha's other arm, seizing it in his grasp with cruel and malicious intent.

"Now try to scream less, okay?"

*snap*

*Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......*

"Hahahahahha.... This is so much fun. Hey, guys, do you want in? We still have her legs intact."

"Y..You..asshole." David abruptly silenced Alisha's faint voice with a hand to her mouth, leaning in towards her face.

"I know what you want to say—Leah will avenge me; they will beat me to death or torture me again, or blah blah blah.

"Like I care... listen to me closely, Alisha." David clutched Alisha's hair, drawing her head towards him as he leaned in to murmur into her ear. "Everyone from Rosewell will suffer a fate much worse than you.historical

"Not only them, every single noble family along with the royals."

David let go of Alisha's hair and shoved her head down into the ground. He then took a step back, separating himself from her.

"What about the information, did you relay it?" He asked one of the mages who was standing near him.

"Yes, they will know soon enough." The mage replied.

"Good,"

David's hold on the blade intensified as he plunged it fiercely into Alisha's back, forcing her to scream in anguish.

His rage was driven by the sound of her screaming, which reminded him of Katherine's own screams. He let his wrath take over as he dragged the dagger down Alisha's back, all the way to the lower parts of her torso.

*Argh....*

"YEEESSSSSSS! Scream more fucker."

David became consumed with insanity as he repeatedly stabbed Alisha's motionless body.

The archer woman tried to bring him under control by pulling him away from her body, which was now covered with deep cuts and blood. It was obvious she had passed away.

"We should leave now, David; we don't know when those two women from the institute come back.

"We can't fight them now."

David's eyes widened as he realized the gravity of the situation.

He took a cylinder-shaped device from his pocket and shot it into the air, producing a bright red signal that lit up the sky.

His colleagues wasted no time and dashed to the carriage parked on the outskirts of town, headed for the back exit. They needed to get out of town as soon as possible before they drew unwanted attention to themselves.

The mages, who were engaged in a fierce battle with Seraphine and Hazel, noticed the red signal.

As soon as they saw it, they started to retreat. Despite being wounded, they let out a sigh of relief, grateful for the signal that marked the end of the battle. They had not anticipated facing a monster that could take on ten of them alone.

"Should we chase them?" Hazel asked, panting heavily as she stood beside Seraphine.

"No, let them retreat; it might be a trap for all we know; let's get back and regroup," Seraphine replied.

As they approached the town, their hearts sank at the sight of lifeless bodies scattered everywhere. Seraphine and Hazel's feet pounded against the ground as they ran towards the center, urgency gripping their every step.

The grim scene only worsened as they saw the familiar faces of Harry, Alisme, Nathan, and Alisha's lifeless bodies among a group of corpses.

"We were late," Hazel said as she checked them one by one.

Seraphine's gaze ran over the fallen individuals as they reached the pile of bodies, noticing not only the uniforms of their Rosewell family guards but also the distinguished robes of mages from other noble houses.

"Aren't these Gillies's family guards, what were they doing here?" She murmured.

"Look there," Hazel pointed towards a woman's body.

Seraphine approached the group of bodies and recognized one of them as Helen Gilles upon closer study.

"What was she doing here? Did she go against the Rosewell because of her daughter?" Seraphine pondered.

"We should wait for Leah and her guards to arrive," she said.

*****

In Strykewood town,

Harold Gilles was sitting in his study room when one of his guards brought news of a battle that had broken out in Ashford town.

The news had hit him hard, and he was pounding at his table in frustration.

Not only were some of his guards and mages among the dead but so was his wife, Helen Gilles.

"ROOOSEEEWEELLLLLL.. I will skin you alive..

"Oye, make everyone ready. We are heading tomorrow straight to Chestertown."

"But sir, what if someone else is also involved?" the guard replied.

"I don't care who it is, whether it is Rosewell or someone else framing them. I will get rid of everyone who crosses my path from now."