“Assassin attack!”

The sounds of metal clashing against metal reverberated down the hallway. A garbled cry for help reached Saffron Merryster. It took her a moment to register what was going on, and at that point, her sister and Zin Norwood were already turning the corridor alongside an entourage of maids and guards.

The young noble blinked and faced her friend. The Salvos clone was just standing idly, a bored look on her flaming face— as if she’d rather be somewhere else than here.

“What are you doing, Salvos? Help them!”

Saffron ran forward, gesturing for her to follow. For whatever reason, it took a moment for the Salvos clone to react. It almost seemed like she was about to teleport away, but after much internal debate, she relented and followed.

The fighting was happening right at the entrance of Norwood Keep. Roman Crimsonfang and his bodyguards had barely stepped into the gates of the castle when they were assailed by a single shadowed figure.

All the guards— those of both the Norwood and Crimsonfang Families— had been quickly dealt with even before Zin or Mons Merryster arrived at the scene. The only reason why Roman was still alive and standing.. or, well, cowering on the ground in fear, was because Feirdun Merryster had been present.

He managed to hold off the assassin for just long enough before Zin arrived. The Level 134 [Druid] raised a staff, peeling off all the moss from the cobbled walls of the keep, and turning it into a vibrant wave. It washed over the assassin, knocking him back and stopping him from finishing Feirdun off.

“Stop, assassin. You dare threaten my guests in my lands? Leave now and your life may be spared.”

The former Matriarch of the Norwood Family declared as she slammed her staff on the ground, a crackle running through her body. Saffron came to a stop right before Zin and stood protectively over her sister. Her gaze landed on her other sibling— Feirdun.

He was bleeding and injured, lying curled up on the ground.

“R-run, Saffron..”

“Brother—”

She started forward, but the Salvos clone stopped her. Zin’s eyes flickered as the deluge of green moss slowed.

“I advise you to stay back, Saffron Merryster. This is no ordinary assassin. I will ensure your brother’s safety, but try not to put yourself in harm’s way.”

Blinking, Saffron turned to the assassin who was wading through the [Druid]’s attack. His robes were being ripped off, revealing dark orange skin with red blotches splashed across his body. A single horn sat on his head as he cast four sable eyes at the young noble. Her eyes widened as she stepped back.

“A.. Demon?”

No— it wasn’t just an ordinary Demon. Saffron quickly used [Identification] on him, and a prickling feeling ran down her spine.

[Arachne - Lvl. 131]

An Archdemon. One that was above even Salvos in level. He was lower-leveled than Zin, but that didn’t matter much— not when Demons were naturally superior to Humans.

He smiled as eight scything legs protruded from his back, stabbing onto the ground so that he was not washed away.

“There’s no point in running, Human. You are my prey, and the rest of you are all already caught in my web.”

Zin blinked as threads appeared at her feet. It whipped her by the legs, smashing her into the ceiling. The [Druid] managed to protect herself, landing into a cushion of flowers and thorns, but her transformation was interrupted. Her deluge desisted, and the [Arachne] stepped forward.

“Ah, a rather sturdy Human. You’re the first one I’ve met since I’ve gotten here. Tell me— how long do you think you’ll be able to last before you’re eaten like the rest of them?”

His thread yanked her forward, ripping her from her vines holding her back. Zin yelped, but before she reached the [Arachne], the Salvos clone caught her and sliced the thread in twain.

He narrowed his eyes.

“You are.. an apparition? No— what are you?”

His [Identification] would’ve shown her for what she was— a flaming clone made by a Skill called [Salvo of Vanity]. Who or what she wasn’t wouldn’t be known by him. Not even her level.

“No matter. I will deal with you all the same.”

The [Arachne] lashed out as the Salvos clone created a scythe made out of golden fire, parrying his attack. They clashed in battle as Saffron just watched from the side, unable to help. She was a student of Mavos Academy. She was supposed to be trained to be able to hold her own in combat situations such as this.

And yet, she was frozen, unable to even protect her sister. Mons Merryster grabbed the young noble, breaking her from her stupor.

“Sister. We need to get out of here, now.”

Saffron returned to reality as the [Arachne] bounced along the walls, chased by the Salvos clone. Vines grew out of the ground, catching him off guard and slowing him as Zin pointed. The Salvos clone slashed at him—

But he tugged at one of his legs. A flurry of needle-like threads pierced the Salvos clone, forcing her to a halt. The threads shot out past her and headed straight for Zin Norwood. But this time, she was ready. She’d finished her transformation. Her body was now covered in fur— she stood tall, nearly ten feet in height. With a pair of burly clawed arms, she swiped through the threads and tore them apart with ease.

[Onyx Bear - Lvl. 134]

[Identification] no longer showed her as a [Druid]. Instead, she’d become the Species of the monster she’d taken the form of. A bear with obsidian-like fur that jutted out of her body like crystals. She moved faster now, taking over where the Salvos clone left off and pressuring the [Arachne].

Saffron looked on as Mons tried to pull her away from the fighting. The Merryster sisters were further down the hallway, neither of them able to do anything to help either the Salvos clone or Zin here. And while they could barely keep up with what was going on, it was obvious that their side was losing.

“We need to help them.”

The young noble spoke, clenching a fist. Mons shook her head.

“We can’t. If we interrupt—”

A loud cry interrupted her from finishing.

Zin leapt in front of Roman Crimsonfang, protecting him from a blade of wind that cut straight through the enchanted walls of the keep. She groaned as her transformed body flickered. Before the [Arachne] could follow-up with a scything slash, the Salvos clone crashed into him from the side as her wings spread wide.

“That Archdemon is using the injured as bait to force their guards down.”

It was obvious to Saffron, but Mons wasn’t a combatant and didn’t notice this. The young noble ran forward as the Salvos clone flew the [Arachne] out of the keep, locking into battle with him mid-air.

“Lady Zin, please let me help you escort my brother and Lord Roman away from the area.”

The man— and he was quite the young man, barely fifteen years of age— shrank back as Zin turned her bestial gaze his way. She nodded and picked him up, speaking in a guttural voice.

“Take them and run.”

Nodding, Saffron scooped up Roman Crimsonfang who was sputtering, confused and afraid of what was going on before running to her brother.

“What was that thing? Why is it attacking us?!”

“It’s a Demon, Lord Roman. It is here for your life.”

Even if Saffron was older than him, she deferred to him by his Title. After all, he was the second heir to the Crimsonfang Family. Saffron didn’t know why she even bothered with it— the politics of it annoyed her, but she did it anyway.

Saffron reached Feirdun shortly before Mons. Both Merryster siblings tended to their brother, helping him to his feet.

“Can you stand?”

The young noble asked, lips pursed. He groused and stood with a groan. They supported him by his arms, helping him stumble away from the fighting along with Roman.

“I.. thank you.”

He rubbed at his head as they ambled forward. The four of them reached the end of the hallway right as the Salvos clone was knocked back. The [Arachne] somehow jumped in the air, propelling rapidly for them.

“Oh, none of you are getting away.”

Saffron glanced back with wide eyes as he closed the distance in an instant. He tore through the vines Zin Norwood conjured up, ripping through the tough thorns as he aimed for his mark. In a moment of foolishness, the young noble thought she could protect Roman from the Archdemon.

“No—”

“[Tempest Blade].”

She raised an arm, only to realize it was her life the [Arachne] was after. He said it, didn’t he? I am his prey.. She had thought it was a figure of speech. That he’d been referring to everyone in the room. But he sped straight for Saffron and only Saffron, slicing for her head.

Her eyes grew wide as his scythe-like arm was overcome with a flicker— some kind of Skill— and tore through her Aura of Greater Protection. The amulet that was protecting her flashed before dimming and winking out.

“What an annoying artifact.”

It protected her, but Saffron still found herself lying on the ground, dazed and unable to react. The spell she had been casting was long forgotten, and the [Arachne] loomed over her. Maybe she could’ve held off the Archdemon for a moment if she’d remembered to use her magic. Maybe Zin or the Salvos clone would’ve stopped him in time from finishing her off if she hadn’t frozen up.

Instead, she closed her eyes, accepting her fate as he grinned.

“Goodbye, Saffron Merryster.”

The Salvos clone screamed a silent scream as she burst forward. Still, she wouldn’t make it in time. The blade came down swiftly as Mons cried out.

“Sister!”

Saffron braced for it, accepting her demise. Regnorex was at the gates, and she was one of his first few victims. Humankind’s reign was finally coming to an end, their downfall their own complacency.

“It’s almost ironic..”

She chuckled. Then she blinked. Wait, I’m still..? Her gaze snapped up as she took in her surroundings, fully expecting to be in some sort of afterlife. But, no. She was still lying in the destroyed hallway, fallen over as her sister and brother rushed over.

“How am I alive?”

Even the Archdemon was still there, standing over the young noble. Except— there was one difference now. A gold and silver figure had caught him mid-swing and saved Saffron’s life. A familiar figure.

Saffron’s savior.

“...Salvos?”

And yet, that wasn’t right. It was not Salvos herself standing over Saffron, but the Salvos clone. The young noble had almost mistaken the fiery figure for Salvos because of how real she seemed now. The golden fire of the Salvos clone, while clearly there, was never really defined beforehand. It had been a roiling flame— one that wisped wildly and roughly took the shape of a person.

The Salvos clone had always been shrouded in a curtain of misty flame. It obfuscated her body, making it quite clear that she was some kind of apparition of sorts.

But now, her body was solid. Still made out of fire, but only flaking the occasional mote or spark. She wore a faux jacket made of silver fire, burning more intensely than the rest of her golden body. Her hair, too, blazed in the same way as the fake clothing and weapons. She exuded a cool heat. She was fake, yet she appeared real.

All eight of the [Arachne]’s eyes widened in surprise and confusion at the Salvos clone as she held him in place, gripping tightly onto his scythe-like leg.

“What.. is this? What just happened?”

The Salvos clone was confused too. She glanced back at where she came from— at the trail of multi-colored flames left behind that scorched the earth— and shrugged.

“How are you doing this? You—”

The Archdemon assassin was utterly befuddled, but the Salvos clone didn’t bother contemplating it for more than a moment. She ripped off one of his legs, and he screamed. He leapt back, sending a flurry of needle-like threads at her, only for the attack to be burned away with ease. He came to a halt as he clutched at his limb bleeding black blood.

“You weren’t this strong just a moment ago. This is ridiculous. What in the Demon King’s name just happened?”

His questions were answered by an explosion of thorns at his feet. They tangled onto him, holding him down as Zin appeared at his back. She slammed him into the wall and turned to Saffron.

“Are you alright?”

“I-I’m.. fine.”

Mons helped Saffron up as the young noble stared at her friend.

“What happened to Salvos? Why is she..?”

The Salvos clone was still in the middle of inspecting herself in wonder, and Zin nodded approvingly.

“Such a boost in power— it can only be the effects of a Grand Skill.”

With a soft chuckle, the [Druid] turned to the Archdemon who was caught in even more vines and thorns now.

“It seems your friend has achieved what many only attain at the level of an Elite. Assassin, I suggest you surrender now— you have lost.”

He hissed, tearing his way out of his bindings.

“You have not won. I will have my prey’s life for I am Aristides the W—”

And the Salvos clone appeared before the [Arachne], grinning wide. Zin sighed.

“I told you.”

He lashed out, only to be caught in a blast of gold and silver flames. His scream echoed throughout Norwood Keep as he was turned into nothing but ash. Saffron’s breath caught in her throat, watching her friend deal with the assassin— the Level 131 Archdemon— like he was nothing.

“...amazing.”