Everything happened so fast and unexpectedly. No one could have anticipated it, so they were stunned and almost in disbelief when they realized that Torin had been knocked down by Vione’s sudden attack.
Vione was panting heavily. She knew her actions were tantamount to seeking death. But her mind was blank; she paid no attention to the risks when she realized that Usher was in danger. Usher could die, and she wouldn’t let that happen. Usher must not die, especially not while he was protecting her.
On the other hand, Usher got up quickly when Torin was thrown from him. He approached Vione with a look of deep concern. His heart’s desire was to get Vione out of there as soon as possible, but he realized that Torin had to be dealt with first.
Usher growled and then jumped. He attacked Torin who tried to get up. He gave Torin no chance to get up. He attacked Torin with all the strength he had left.
Usher’s claws dug into Torin’s body, tearing it apart and causing blood to gush out. He bit into Torin’s neck, blocking Torin’s movements as he tried to free himself. Usher didn’t let Torin fight back.
Usher’s breath grew heavy. His eyes shone with rage. His body trembled from the surge of adrenaline.
Torin tried to defend himself. He growled in anger as he felt Usher’s bite deepen. But Usher gave him no chance to fight back. Every movement was thwarted by increasingly brutal bites and scratches. He was being pushed back and Mireya was fully aware of it.
Mireya did not stand idly by. She would not let the momentum of the battle shift to Usher and the Frostholm Pack. So, she took advantage of Vione’s distraction. She attacked Vione, and her plan succeeded, breaking Usher’s concentration.
Vione’s howl of pain echoed. She was thrown, and Mireya’s claws sliced through her chest. At the same time, she saw Torin manage to escape Usher’s attack.
Torin retaliated against Usher while Vione endured the pain that engulfed her entire body. She tried to free herself from Mireya’s grip but couldn’t.
Vione’s vision began to blur. Her consciousness slowly faded as tears welled up. She was powerless, but she refused to surrender.
The horrible sounds of battle filled Vione’s ears. Growls of rage, screams of pain-they all mixed together, igniting a fire in her chest.
Vione clenched her jaw. With what little strength she had left, she decided not to give in to the pain. She gathered her remaining strength and bit Mireya’s leg.
Mireya was furious. Reflexively, she jumped to free herself from Vione’s bite. But what she hadn’t expected was that Vione didn’t intend to let go, but rather to attack her back.
Vione seized the opportunity. She held her breath and lunged at Mireya. Then she pressed Mireya’s chest with her unclawed paws and bit into Mireya’s neck with all her might.
Mireya howled. Her four legs kicked and struggled to free themselves from Vione’s grip. She struck with all her strength, her claws digging into Vione’s flesh and tearing it apart.
Vione’s chest was badly lacerated. Blood flowed endlessly. But she did not think about letting go of her bite on Mireya’s neck. On the contrary, she knew it was her only chance.
Vione growled. Pain mixed with survival instinct. She gritted her teeth harder and felt the warmth of Mireya’s blood flood her mouth.
Vione’s primal instincts flared with fierce determination. She shook Mireya’s body, trying to weaken her even more. Mireya howled loudly and Vione threw her to the ground with tremendous force.
Mireya’s movements became weaker. Her howls turned into faint whimpers as blood continued to flow from the wound on her neck. Her once fierce attacks began to slow, her resistance slowly fading.
Vione could feel Mireya losing strength, but she did not give in. Instead, she became more frenzied, attacking with greater ferocity. Her fangs shifted, targeting a critical area. Then she bit down, tearing at the flesh, and Mireya stopped moving. Mireya died, losing half of her neck.
Vione’s breath came in ragged gasps. Her body shook from the relentless waves of exhaustion and pain. The warmth of Mireya’s blood still lingered in her mouth, and as the seconds ticked away, she lifted her head to survey her surroundings.
The battle was still going on. Usher and Torin were still fighting. But of course, Mireya’s death had caused a pause.
Mireya’s death shook the Nimbria pack. All eyes were on Vione, who seemed to be swaying and struggling to stay on her feet.
Torin howled long and sadly. He glared at Vione with burning rage. Rage blazed in his eyes, but Usher would not allow him to reach Vione.
Usher jumped with astonishing speed. He blocked Torin’s view of Vione. Their eyes met, challenging each other in the tense silence.
Torin advanced. His muscles tensed, ready to strike. Vengeance coursed through his veins. Mireya’s death had to be avenged and Usher was his first target. His vow was to make Vione witness a scene similar to the one he had seen.
But Usher would make sure that would not happen. So, he summoned all his strength and effort to fend off Torin’s attack. He met every scratch and bite with an equally deadly counterattack.
The fight continued fiercely. Both packs pressed forward with unyielding force. But the momentum had shifted to the Frostholm pack. Mireya’s death and Torin’s despair fueled the Frostholm warriors’ spirit even more. They ignored their pain and fought with unwavering determination.
Torin realized that the odds were not in his favor. He could not afford to take any risks, especially when Phillip’s safety had to come first. He gave a long howl and a command, and the Nimbria pack began to retreat.
The battle was over, and Usher had no intention of pursuing the Nimbria Pack any further. His concern for the warriors was immense, and he also needed to check on Vione.
Usher ran. He approached Vione, who was lying on the ground in a terrible state. He carefully lifted Vione’s body and held it with indescribable fear. “Vione.”
Vione blinked weakly. She tried to look at Usher, but her vision was no longer clear. Tears and blood had clouded her vision. “U-U-”
Blood spilled from Vione’s mouth. Her words trailed off and her breathing began to slow.
Usher’s horror grew. Vione’s condition was truly heartbreaking; her body was covered in deep, severe wounds. Her chest and abdomen were ripped open, exposing fresh flesh and blood.
“I-I…” Vione tried to speak, also trying to raise one of her hands. She wanted to touch Usher’s cheek, but she had no strength left. “Y-you…”
Usher quickly took Vione’s hand and held it tightly. “Don’t speak, Vione. You’ll be all right. Please, hold on.” He could not hold back his tears as the fear of losing her overwhelmed him. “Hang on for me, Vione. Please.”
Vione smiled. She wanted to nod, but she did not move.
*