Chapter 4

“Watch out!” Lyra’s sharp warning cut through the air.

Ignoring the searing heat burning her palms, Lyra leaped into the center of the devastated village. Wooden houses lay in ruins around her, structural beams snapped in half, and the ground of Mistwood Vale—which had only just bloomed with spring grass—was now buried under debris and raging flames.

A barrage of massive sword slashes coated in high-tier fire magic swept forward relentlessly, targeting a crowd of cornered villagers trapped against the corner of a collapsing building.

Lyra spread both arms wide. The Moon Witch energy coursing through her veins surged violently, responding to the imminent danger. A burst of silvery-blue aura erupted from her fingertips, soaring high to form a dense barrier right in front of the terrified, screaming villagers.

CLANG!

A deafening impact shattered the air as the flaming slashes slammed into Lyra’s lunar shield. The gravitational pressure was so immense that rooftops in the vicinity collapsed like dry leaves in autumn. Lyra’s feet were pushed back several paces against the dirt, leaving deep trenches as she absorbed the full weight of the colossal strike alone.

Her temples glistened with cold sweat, and a single droplet of blood trickled from her nose from forcing her magic past its limit. Yet, her jet-black eyes burned with unyielding fury.

Not far away, Caelum was down on one knee, sheltering a young child who had nearly been struck down. His collar was slightly displaced from his swift movement, briefly exposing a mark he had intentionally kept hidden.

Lyra’s eyes flared with intense rage. There was one thing no one in this world was allowed to do, harm her favorite man and defenseless civilians.

“Is this really all the great King of the Sun Tribe has to offer?” Lyra taunted, her hands spinning as she gathered fresh power to strike back. A smirk curled the corner of her lips.

“I heard you lead armies to hunt down witches, but your fighting style looks more like a desperate street bandit!”

“How dare you insult me, you wretched whore!” King Valens snarled from atop his majestic black steed. The burly, middle-aged man’s face flushed red amid the smoking ruins of the village. He swung his golden sword once more and barked orders to his men. “I want her head! Bring it to me right now!”

Dozens of golden-armored soldiers lunged forward simultaneously from behind the blazing flames. Their weapons were cloaked in searing fire magic, capable of piercing through the magic haze of the spring air.

Lyra drew a deep breath. She blasted a sudden burst of blue magic at the soldiers' feet. A massive explosion erupted, sending them flying far from the King’s mount.

She no longer clenched her fists in panic as she used to during her winter training. Lyra tilted her head back, raising both palms toward the sky.

“Down. Now! Dooown!” Lyra commanded in a cold, absolute tone.

Instantly, a crushing gravitational force slammed into the ruined village. Waves of silvery-blue light cascaded downward rapidly, creating a vacuum vortex that pinned the soldiers’ feet to the earth. Horses neighed hysterically as their bodies suddenly felt impossibly heavy. The fiery weapons raised by the soldiers extinguished in an instant, neutralized by Lyra’s pure lunar magic.

After being spun around in the howling vortex, the Sun Tribe soldiers collapsed one by one onto the ground, which was now pulsing with electrical arcs of lunar magic. They groaned and begged for mercy under the oppressive weight of Lyra’s spell.

King Valens stared in utter shock, his jaw nearly dropping. The power radiating from the blonde girl before him was so pure, elegant, and overwhelmingly dominant for someone who was supposed to be a helpless fugitive.

“You ... you are no ordinary witch,” King Valens hissed, struggling to withstand the magic pressure forcing his horse to its knees. His crimson eyes glared at Lyra with deep hatred and hidden dread. “This isn't over, Witch! I will return with the full armada of the Solaria Kingdom! Your home will be reduced to ash!”

With what little strength and troops he had left, King Valens yanked his horse’s reins, fired a protective flare, and ordered a full retreat from Mistwood Vale.

“This is only temporary!” King Valens spat as he spurred his horse forward, burning with unbearable humiliation at being bested by a female witch.

The smoke and dust of battle gradually settled among the ruined homes. The gentle spring breeze returned, carrying a soothing calm.

The magic radiating from Lyra’s fingers ebbed away as soon as the threat vanished. Her body went limp as the backlash of the massive energy expenditure hit her consciousness. She panted heavily, her chest heaving violently. The fear she had briefly forgotten now crept back, suffocating her chest twice as hard.

Lyra froze in place. She slowly turned her head, gazing at the dozens of Mistwood Vale villagers huddled in fear among the rubble.

It’s over, Lyra thought bitterly. My identity is completely exposed. This village was destroyed because of my presence. They will surely stone me, call me a monster, and then burn or banish me.

Lyra lowered her head, wiping the blood dripping from her nose due to overusing her magic. Trying to calm the turmoil in her heart, she clenched her fists tightly, bracing herself for the angry shouts of the villagers. However, someone stepped forward and whispered words that slowly dispelled her anxiety.

“Thank you, Lyra!”

Lyra gasped and crossed her hands behind her back, concealing her panic. The District Warden of Mistwood Vale—an elderly man with a white beard whose own house had been reduced to rubble—approached her with tear-brimmed eyes. Behind him, dozens of villagers stepped forward. Not a single one held a weapon or looked at her with hatred.

“You ... you aren't afraid of me?” Lyra whispered softly, her voice catching in her throat. “I am a Moon Witch. A witch hunted by the Kingdom! Because of me, your village is ruined!”

“We don't care whether you're a witch or not!” A middle-aged woman shouted from the crowd, clutching her child tightly. “Last winter, you held back the blizzard to save our village! Today, you stood against the flaming attacks of that tyrant king to protect our children!”

“She’s right!” Other villagers chimed in one after another. “That Sun King is nothing more than a corrupt noble who destroys our homes and extorts our crops! You are the one who has risked your life time and again to save us!”

Lyra stood frozen, her eyes moistening in disbelief. The high defensive walls she usually built around her heart felt as if they were ready to crumble that very second.

A large, warm hand suddenly slipped into her trembling fingers. Lyra turned her head and found Caelum standing right beside her. The broad-shouldered man offered a subtle, deeply reassuring smile, squeezing her hand tightly as if affirming that she would never stand alone.

The District Warden took a few steps closer and knelt on the ruined ground before Lyra. His action was immediately followed by every single resident of Mistwood Vale.

“King Valens has been a tyrant ruining our land and our homes for far too long.” The District Warden declared in a loud, solemn voice. “Mistwood Vale has no need for a hot-blooded tyrant. We need a leader who is willing to stake her life for her people.”

The District Warden pleaded with sincere devotion. “We, the people of Mistwood Vale, beg of you, Lyra ... Become our Queen and leader to fight against the cruelty of the Sun Tribe!”

Cheers erupted into the air, the villagers chanting Lyra’s name with deep hope amidst the ruins of their village. Lyra’s heart fluttered warmly, beating fast like a war drum.

This sudden nomination was no mere title. Becoming Queen meant stepping out of hiding, abandoning her dream of a quiet life, and leading an open war against the formidable Kingdom of Solaria.

It also meant exposing the dark secrets of her past. More than that, taking up the mantle of leadership meant dragging Caelum—a simple man she loved dearly—into the frontlines of a dangerous battle with no guaranteed outcome.

Lyra glanced at Caelum beside her. He didn't look afraid. Instead, Caelum offered a firm nod, placing his absolute trust in whatever decision his wife would make.

Fear and immense responsibility warred within Lyra’s mind. Her naturally blood-red lips trembled slightly, even as she tried to pull them into a smile.

The District Warden held out an intricately carved wooden staff—the symbol of the region's leadership—looking up at Lyra with hopeful eyes. “What is your answer, our future Queen?”

Lyra clenched her trembling fists, drew a deep breath, and slowly opened her mouth to give her answer.

***