Kimoko and Kigami moved quickly through the dense forest, the tension between them almost tangible. Each step felt heavy under the weight of what was at stake. Kimoko’s thoughts raced, one after another, circling Estella’s kidnapping and the unknown horrors she might now be experiencing. Despite her haste, she couldn’t help but glance at the demon beside her. His sharp features remained impassive, but in his eyes she saw something else, a silent storm raging beneath the surface.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS61tTZETpz
They had to find her. There was no other way.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKUHwzI4zY
The sun had risen fully now, casting long shadows through the trees as they approached the Valley of Shadows. The cool morning air bit their skin, but neither of them slowed. If Estella really was in this stronghold, their mission would take everything they had.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrkISVNvk7
“Do you think we’ll make it in time?” Kimoko asked, her voice confident despite the fear that was slowly building inside her.
Kigami didn’t answer right away. Instead, he quickened his pace, lost in thought. The truth was, he didn’t know. Nikita was a demoness like no other, merciless, cunning, and unyielding. And yet, something inside him wouldn’t let him give up. Estella had always been more than just an ally. She had become family, in a way that went beyond blood. And he wouldn’t let her fall into Nikita’s hands.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVgWIURg6T
“I don’t know,” he finally admitted quietly. “But we’ll try.”
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yPfbitQar
Kimoko nodded, feeling a fire of determination ignite in her chest.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnegOrNxiC
“It’s all we can do.”
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWoKjIMNuM
Meanwhile, within the cold, stone walls of the Keep, Estella sat motionless, leaning against the wall. Her wrists were raw from the chains that bound her. The silence around her was oppressive, broken only by the distant howl of the wind as it squeezed through the cracks in the fort. Nikita had left her for now, perhaps preparing for the next stage of her sick game. Estella’s thoughts were racing. Every second spent in this place made her chances of escape less likely. But she wasn’t going to give up. Not without a fight.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yGReoOVpW
She could feel the sting of her bloody fingers as she gripped the chain links tightly. Her body ached, but she refused to show weakness. She had survived worse. She would survive this.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWDxSbzPTy
Then she heard a soft sound, the soft clicking of heels on stone. She tensed, but didn’t look up. She knew who it was.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrw5THYq9IY
Nikita’s voice rang through the air, cold and mocking, as always.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkF546e8qg
“Are you comfortable, Estella?” she purred.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6mXlvQYTF
Estella clenched her jaw, anger flaring inside her despite her fatigue. She refused to acknowledge her, even though she could feel the demoness’s gaze piercing through her.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMatyi2eroB
“I won’t tell you anything,” she said sharply. “You’re wasting your time.” Nikita laughed softly, stepping into her field of vision.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUgrBcdfKc
“Oh, I’m not wasting anything. You just don’t realize how much more you have to lose.” Estella lifted her chin, though her breath caught in her chest.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLG8dmj3pr
“Do whatever you want. I’ll never give you what you want.” Nikita’s crimson eyes flashed, and for a split second Estella thought she saw something more than simple malice in them.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AubOzDtdS
“We’ll see, right?” the demoness replied, her four hands delicately adjusting the hilt of the sword at her belt.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ439rx1SwUG
Estella gritted her teeth, bracing herself for what was to come. And yet, deep inside, she felt something new, a spark of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there was still a way out of here. She just had to hold out long enough.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppW4QYTbCB
Kigami and Kimoko reached the edge of the Valley of Shadows as dusk fell. The landscape before them was as ominous as its name suggested ,dark, twisted trees seemed to lean over crumbling stone paths, and in the distance, the Keep loomed like a dark sentinel against the sky.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVbEDWO8vF
Kimoko glanced at the demon beside her, her resolve hardening.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJEprxdNmw
“We’re close,” she whispered.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7KljpWtIU
Kigami nodded, his gaze narrowing as he focused on the Keep.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WVXgDBTMG
“We must act quickly.”
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aG6ZwojoG
They both knew what dangers awaited them within. Nikita was no ordinary foe. But they also knew they couldn’t leave Estella in her hands.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavKE8XukT4
Kigami stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of the sword at his side.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmFKGnJH2k
“Let’s end this,” he said.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu50mlzU8Gk
Kimoko and Kigami stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the grim keep. The stone walls, covered with vines and shrouded in mist, seemed as inaccessible as Nikita herself. Faint torchlight’s could be seen moving along the walls amidst the darkness – guards.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dK1suFz36
Kimoko narrowed her eyes.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrqxQnI69G
“We won’t get there just like that,” she said quietly.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2O5O8QNuc5
Kigami looked away from the fortress and at her.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGtOH1mtd4
“Do you have a plan?”
Kimoko bit her lip, analyzing the terrain. There were few possible paths. The main gate was out of the question – too well guarded. Climbing the walls? Risky, but possible. But something else caught her eye. To the left, in the shadow of large rocks, she noticed a smaller side tower, with a partially collapsed roof.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UGrbY2GBB
“There.” She pointed. “We can try to get inside through that tower. If we move carefully, we can get in.” and if everything goes well, we’ll bypass most of the guards.’’
Kigami frowned.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoZ6TJbbPR
“What if it’s a trap?”
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQjuBjxtS8
“It’s still better than going in through the main gate and asking for death.”
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xuhWWIOVS
The demon sighed heavily, but agreed with her.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGijBHXjUz
“Fine. Let’s do it.”
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtE50BlzVc
Estella felt time slow down. Every second spent in the dark dungeon was torture, but not just because of the wounds. Nikita had been toying with her, waiting, testing her limits.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgqTXrzpzQ
Now the demoness stood before her, playing with the ring on one of her fingers. Her four hands moved lazily, but any of them could reach for a weapon at any moment.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXeTPe8Vtv
“You know, Estella, I wonder…” Nikita tilted her head, her crimson eyes gleaming in the semidarkness. “How long will you last?”
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6KxzAfTdv
Estella didn’t answer. Her lips were chapped and blood had dried on her chin, but anger still burned in her eyes.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrieLWgivf
Her heart pounded. She couldn’t let herself be provoked.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXrluhNLC3
Nikita crouched in front of her, looking into her eyes.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYrm7aReLv
“But you see… I have time. You… not necessarily.”
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5g6mKV4V16
Estella gritted her teeth. She had to think. She had to find a way…
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9HCHMuYR9
And then she heard something else.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMpEuP1fSU
A quiet, distant sound.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntczTG85hW
It didn’t belong to Nikita.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMb8JncHo6
Kimoko and Kigami moved in the shadows, keeping close to the walls. The guards were moving, but their attention was focused on the main entrances. This gave them an advantage.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRE3zPvsKv
Climbing up to the collapsed roof of the side tower was more difficult than they expected. The stones were slippery, and some cracked under the pressure of their hands. But eventually they reached the edge.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszqQlJuoaJ
Kimoko leaned out carefully. It was empty inside. The stairs led down towards the interior of the fortress.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKapHqSbJA
Kigami looked at her and nodded.
“Let’s begin.” They set off silently, ready for anything.
The stairs creaked softly under their feet as they slowly descended. The air smelled of damp and old stone, and shadows danced across the walls, quivering in rhythm with the crackling torches. Kimoko tried not to think about what they might encounter. She had one goal – to find Estella and get her out of here.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4YurOM5KN
Kigami walked ahead of her, his silhouette almost completely blended with the darkness. The demon moved silently, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His senses were strained to the limit, ready to detect even the slightest movement.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvauMlzxWgW
“Do you hear anything?” Kimoko whispered.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtN6NK3tRI
Kigami stopped for a moment and narrowed his eyes, then nodded.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzCVS2biBq
“Guards on the lower level. Two, maybe three. If we continue down this corridor, we can bypass them.”
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvSJAN0bKw
Kimoko looked in the direction he had indicated. There was a narrow passage between old columns, hidden in shadow.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1K6LqKLb9f
“We’ll try,” she said, following him.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXsCIWys3R
They moved cautiously, ready to spring into action at any moment if they were discovered.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8Ok2zkLvt
Estella counted the seconds in her mind.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUQ5YOKALk
She heard something.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDzxaCvOzj
The sound of footsteps—light, careful, completely different from the heavy, military boots of the guards. Her heart began to beat faster. Could it be possible?
If this was a trap, she had little left to lose. But if it was… them?
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3zq1yPyyI
She couldn’t risk waiting.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIfH6pgZUR
For the past hours, her hands had been shaking with pain, and the chains had been nearly impossible to break. But now, with a new spark of hope, she gritted her teeth and tried again.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MC1uNulfz
Metal creaked, and cold links cut into her skin, but Estella focused on one thing: free herself before it was too late.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPusBFxA1V
The shadows in the hallway began to move.
And then she saw them.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKOkNpYJOp
Kimoko and Kigami.
Estella’s eyes widened, but she didn’t make a sound. Her friends moved quickly and silently, and as soon as their eyes met, she knew—they had a plan.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHgk7C9f7H
Kigami gestured for her to stay put while Kimoko pulled out a knife, ready to open her shackles.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xuiDF4VgU
They were here.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRWMP3Xsua
They really were here.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrTwkVYpYa
And then they heard the guard shout.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzyLR2NZxg
“INTRUDERS!”
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXJRF60j3l
Estella’s heart sank.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdYBlXy7pD
Their time was up.
ns216.73.216.206da2
然後按「加至主畫面」