TFSAWE - Chapter 266: Death Image

"If you want to see your sister alive, throw the scroll that the prince has!"

I turned to Leon upon hearing his words.

"Lina."

After hesitating for a moment, he spoke with a resolute expression on his face.

"Now, there is only one scroll left. We must distance ourselves from this place as far as possible before it becomes more dangerous. It is for Aslan and Latvan's sake."

Upon hearing those words, Carl shouted again.

"This is even better! Hurry up and throw it away!"

Carl's sword pierced Iris' throat. More blood flowed from Iris' neck than before. Iris glared at Carl, who held me captive, and shouted.

"No! Shed the blood! Run away!"

I felt my hand twitch at Iris' words.

"Evelina?"

Despite having already lost all control over my body, Evelina attempted to move. I didn't need to ask what she intended to do. She tried to grab the scroll held in Leon's hand. However, her efforts would be in vain. I could hear her silent sobbing in my mind.

Perhaps she wanted to beg for Iris' life. But a moment ago, she had given up her own body and told me that there was nothing she needed from it.

Evelina was afraid. Afraid that the moment she pleaded for Iris' life, I would turn away from her and leave this place.

"Release it!"

Carll shouted anxiously, looking at me standing still.

I looked up and surveyed the surroundings. Latvan and Aslan were fighting for their lives to protect me. Leon had also risked danger to come here and save me. Considering the efforts of these three individuals, it was only right for me to escape from this place immediately.

"But Iris..."

I remembered how much I had feared her appearance until now. For me, Iris was an image of death. I believed that everything would return to its original course once she appeared.

But now I knew that everything had changed. Moreover, she was Evelina's sister, not mine. Even if it wasn't the case, did I have a reason to endure the danger for Iris?

As Carl continued to look helplessly at my lack of movement, the moment arrived.

"Ugh!"

Iris turned her body and kicked Carl's leg.

"Let go!"

Without caring that the tip of the sword grazed her neck, Iris shouted with a trembling voice.

"You have to return the Divine Power to your sister! It's not even mine! The true Saint is your sister!"

With a groan, Carl staggered back and released the grip on Iris' hair. Iris' body weakly rolled on the ground.

"This is it!"

As if it no longer mattered, Carl raised the dagger in her hand high. At that moment, I reached out and snatched the scroll from Leon's hand.

"Lina!"

Leon shouted, but I didn't turn to look at him. Instead, I yelled at Carl.

"Here! I have what you want! So let Iris go!"

"Should have done that sooner."

Carl laughed as he looked at the scroll I was shaking and kicked Iris' fallen body with his foot. Then he spoke to me.

"Hurry up and throw it!"

In response to his words, I hurled the scroll towards Carl with all my might. The crumpled paper fell to his side, and he picked it up with a satisfied expression. As that happened, Leon and I found ourselves standing on the ground again. The time of magic had come to an end. Carl confirmed our presence and chuckled, saying, "Was that the last one?"

"Step away from Iris!"

"Of course. The so-called holy maiden who can't even properly wield her powers is no longer needed."

As Carl spoke, he tore the paper scroll into pieces. In that instant, his body seemed to float in the air. Carl smiled, confirming that the magic had been successfully activated.

"Carl!"

I shouted, and in that moment, he swept away Iris, who was just getting up.

"Aaargh!"

Iris screamed as she fell into a huge rift, where the ground was no longer visible.

"Iris!"

Unconsciously, I reached out my hand as I saw her falling. And my body, too, began to descend into the dark below. The image of Carl, laughing, quickly passed by, and the only thing in sight was Iris, who was falling into the darkness.

We will die. The moment we touch the ground, both she and I will die.

All the efforts I made to stay alive until now quickly filled my mind. All those things were ending so insignificantly. However...

Longing to return what doesn't belong to me, longing to save Iris, the sister of Evelina, who had taken away all my powers and led me to death, even in a moment when my life was in danger, I shouted.

I wanted to save Iris, who I met for the first time in such a critical moment.

Desperately, I reached out and grabbed Iris' hand, who was stretching her hand towards me. And with all my strength, I pulled her close.

In that moment, a massive blue light exploded in the darkness.