PactBound

Klein's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. "Liz, get back!"

He shoved Elizabeth behind him, his sword flashing upward just in time to meet Lancer's claws. The clash sent a deafening *clang* reverberating through the room. The force jolted Klein's arms like a hammer strike. He staggered back, boots scraping against the wooden floor, the soles squealing in protest.

Lancer didn't pause.

He surged forward, a blur of unnatural speed, his claws slicing through the air with a high-pitched *whistle*. Klein ducked, the rush of air from the near-miss brushing his skin. He countered with a sweeping strike, the blade biting into Lancer's side with a wet *thunk*.

But Lancer didn't flinch.

Instead, he let out a guttural roar—more animal than human—and slammed his fist into Klein's chest. The blow sent Klein crashing into the wall. The planks groaned under the impact, and he slumped to the floor, gasping for air. His vision swam, but Elizabeth's scream pulled him back.

"Klein!" Her voice was raw with panic.

He looked up just in time to see Lancer charging toward Elizabeth, claws raised, their tips glistening with an oily sheen. Elizabeth's hands shot up, her fingers trembling as she began weaving intricate patterns in the air. The air around her shimmered, distorting like heat waves, but Lancer was closing the distance fast—too fast.

"Come on, come on…" Elizabeth whispered, her voice trembling as she struggled to complete the spell.

Lancer was almost on her, his claws slashing through the air with a vicious *snarl*. Just as he lunged, Elizabeth's hands glowed with a faint, silvery light, and with a sharp *whoosh*, a torrent of wind erupted from her fingertips.

The blast caught Lancer mid-air, hurling him across the room. He hit the wooden wall with a sickening *crunch*, the planks splintering under the force. Dust and debris rained down as Lancer slumped to the floor, momentarily stunned.

"Girls, out the back door! Go to Aunt Jen's!" Elizabeth shouted, her voice trembling but firm. She stepped between Lancer and her daughters, hands raised, ready to summon another spell.

Emily and Anna clung to each other, their faces pale with fear. "Mommy…" Emily whimpered, her voice barely audible.

Elizabeth didn't look back. "Go!" she commanded, her voice breaking.

The girls hesitated for a heartbeat before scrambling toward the kitchen, their footsteps a rapid *patter* against the floor. Klein pushed himself to his feet, his sword trembling in his hands as he moved to stand beside Elizabeth.

Lancer was already recovering, his body twisting unnaturally as he pulled himself upright. The wound in his side oozed a dark, viscous liquid that sizzled as it hit the floor, filling the air with the acrid stench of burning wood. His glowing eyes locked onto Klein, and he let out a bone-chilling scream that rattled the windows, the sound so piercing it made Klein's teeth ache.

Gritting his teeth, Klein tightened the grip on his sword. "Stay behind me, Liz," he said, his voice low and steady.

Elizabeth nodded, but her hands were already moving, weaving intricate patterns in the air. She had no combat experience—her training had been purely theoretical, confined to the halls of the Royal Academy. But she couldn't just stand by and watch her husband risk his life without doing anything. She had to help.

Lancer charged again, claws slashing through the air with a vicious *snarl*. Klein met him head-on, their blades clashing in a flurry of sparks. The sound was deafening—a rapid *clang-clang-clang* that echoed off the walls. Klein's arms burned with the effort, but he didn't dare falter.

Elizabeth watched, her heart racing. She thought she saw an opening—a split second when Lancer's guard dropped. Her hands glowed with swirling currents of wind, the air around her fingertips sharpening into a razor-thin edge.

She let out a sharp cry, slashing her arm forward and sending a crescent blade of wind hurtling toward him with a piercing *whoosh*.

But her timing was off. Lancer twisted, ducking beneath it with inhuman reflexes, the air distorting around his movement. His eyes snapped to her as his focus shifted from Klein to her, and before Klein could react, he was already upon her, claws slashing through the air in a blur.

"Liz!" Klein screamed, lunging forward—but he was too far. Lancer closed the gap in an instant, the distance between them meaningless.

Elizabeth raised her hands to defend herself, but Lancer was too fast. His claws tore through the air in a vicious downward strike, severing both her arms at the elbows. Blood sprayed the walls in a crimson burst, droplets splattering like rain. Elizabeth let out a piercing scream as she crumpled to the floor, her severed limbs twitching where they landed with wet *thuds*.

"No!" Klein's voice was raw with anguish as he charged at Lancer, his sword raised high. There was no plan, no strategy—only blind, reckless fury driving him forward. He swung the blade with all his strength, the steel biting into Lancer's shoulder with a sickening *crunch*. The force of the blow drove Lancer to one knee, but the creature barely seemed to notice.

Lancer's head snapped up, his glowing eyes filled with rage. With a speed that defied logic, he lunged at Klein, claws slashing through the air.

Klein raised his sword, but he was too slow. The claws raked across his face, the pain blinding. He stumbled back, blood pouring from the wounds, and Lancer was on him in an instant. The man's weight pinned Klein to the floor as he tore into Klein's chest with a sickening *rip*.

"No!" Elizabeth screamed, her voice filled with desperation. She tried to crawl toward Klein, but her limbs trembled, her body growing weaker by the second. The pool of blood around her stretched outward, swallowing the floor beneath her as her world blurred at the edges.

Klein gritted his teeth, struggling against Lancer's weight, but his body refused to obey. Elizabeth's screams rang in his ears, distant and distorted, but he couldn't see her—only the growing void pressing in around him. He could only hope the girls had made it out.

As his consciousness started slipping away, one final image burned into his mind—Lancer's glowing eyes, filled with a hunger that wasn't human.

The room fell eerily quiet, the only sounds the ragged breathing of Klein and Elizabeth and the faint *drip-drip* of blood pooling on the floor. Klein's head lolled to the side, his gaze landing on Elizabeth. She lay motionless, her arms severed at the elbows, her face pale and lifeless. Tears welled in his eyes as he realized she was gone.

Then, a soft voice broke the silence.

"Mommy? Daddy?"

Klein's heart froze. He knew that voice. It was Emily.

"No…" he whispered, his voice barely audible. "No, no, no…"

He tried to move, but his body felt heavy, unresponsive. Pain radiated from his chest, every heartbeat sending a fresh wave of fire through his ribs. His arms wouldn't lift, his fingers barely twitched against the blood-slick floor. Even breathing felt like drowning, each inhale shallow and wet.

Still, he had to look. He had to know.

Maybe he was imagining things. Maybe his mind was slipping, conjuring her voice in the haze of pain. But as his vision dragged slowly toward the kitchen, his eyes finally landed on the doorway—

And then he saw her.

Emily stood at the edge of the kitchen, her small frame trembling, wide eyes reflecting nothing but fear. Her blonde hair was tangled, streaked with dust and sweat. Tears carved pale lines down her cheeks, her lips parted as if she was about to say something—but no words came.

She clutched her doll tightly to her chest, her tiny fingers gripping it so hard her knuckles were white. The red twine hair of the doll dangled limply, swaying slightly as she shifted on unsteady feet.

Klein's pulse pounded in his ears.

She was still in the house.

She had seen everything.

"Emily…" Klein croaked, his voice weak. "Run…"

But it was too late. Lancer's head snapped toward the sound, his glowing eyes locking onto Emily. She let out a piercing scream as Lancer lunged, his claws slashing through the air.

Emily ducked under Lancer's swing, her small frame just slipping out of reach. Off balance, Lancer crashed into the dining table, shattering it under his weight. Wood splintered, dishes shattered, and chairs toppled as debris flew across the room.

"Emily!"

It was Anna. Her voice came from the other side of the kitchen, trembling but clear. Emily didn't hesitate—she sprinted toward her sister, her doll slipping from her grasp with a soft *thud*.

"Anna, run!" Emily screamed, grabbing her sister's hand and pulling her toward the back door.

Lancer let out a guttural roar and gave chase. The sound of the back door being flung open echoed faintly through the house, followed by the girls' fading screams.

"Help! Someone, help!" Emily's voice carried through the night, desperate and shrill.

"Please! Help!" Anna's cries joined her sister's, their voices growing fainter as they ran.

Klein's heart shattered. He had failed them. He had failed his family. Tears streamed down his face as he lay there, helpless, the sound of his daughters' screams haunting him.

"Please…" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Anyone… anything… I don't care what you are."

"Please… save my children."

The darkness closed in, and the last thing Klein heard was the sound of his own heartbeat, slow and fading, as everything went black.