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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJ5jsBnRbZ
They had to find her. There was no other way.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3TG8ixHUi
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeuifvfL7m
“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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9OCku3eOy
“I don’t know,” he finally admitted quietly. “But we’ll try.”
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69tCcoEQrP
Kimoko nodded, feeling a fire of determination ignite in her chest.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVrYSjmUlU
“It’s all we can do.”
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpN9uFyjrN
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9Eza4d6M2
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmk2WWahIc
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRJA3iAvW5
Nikita’s voice rang through the air, cold and mocking, as always.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbG9bU0O9f
“Are you comfortable, Estella?” she purred.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsnR4PG6P7
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vpSj806mO
“I won’t tell you anything,” she said sharply. “You’re wasting your time.” Nikita laughed softly, stepping into her field of vision.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRJ1QqeED6
“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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiT9uIiAej9
“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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSM0HhVzV7
“We’ll see, right?” the demoness replied, her four hands delicately adjusting the hilt of the sword at her belt.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2UQjQKNKw
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXoRAXgSGZ
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ljGQjr01H
Kimoko glanced at the demon beside her, her resolve hardening.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZBqQqKZvA
“We’re close,” she whispered.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcl37WXxML
Kigami nodded, his gaze narrowing as he focused on the Keep.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9e8fy8Tg9
“We must act quickly.”
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxetlw22Ttw
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiquyuFolB
Kigami stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of the sword at his side.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfGDRfPb5w
“Let’s end this,” he said.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhrDmEwn2S
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx85ElnYlca
Kimoko narrowed her eyes.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNrYMkPgtm
“We won’t get there just like that,” she said quietly.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyYm2ceXLV
Kigami looked away from the fortress and at her.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcMqzTEdns
“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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXOx9SD6ai
“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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhT3kn6DDYv
“What if it’s a trap?”
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfpwxoDJMQ
“It’s still better than going in through the main gate and asking for death.”
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAuyr2CAaZ
The demon sighed heavily, but agreed with her.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdDBGEglub
“Fine. Let’s do it.”
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvphu3Q7iz
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv04wxmY22M
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAQbffUnDo
“You know, Estella, I wonder…” Nikita tilted her head, her crimson eyes gleaming in the semidarkness. “How long will you last?”
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDzQiYyYq3
Estella didn’t answer. Her lips were chapped and blood had dried on her chin, but anger still burned in her eyes.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYeC7UGQ8W
Her heart pounded. She couldn’t let herself be provoked.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCX2nuPI0cj
Nikita crouched in front of her, looking into her eyes.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZht75fj43
“But you see… I have time. You… not necessarily.”
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtAZIXVhui
Estella gritted her teeth. She had to think. She had to find a way…
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINeX839JjS
And then she heard something else.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wUK2ZLldo
A quiet, distant sound.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3sbC0am8q
It didn’t belong to Nikita.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdRzz81wR2
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhTn6a185J
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2hEZiCKCr
Kimoko leaned out carefully. It was empty inside. The stairs led down towards the interior of the fortress.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1D9ClkP4c
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCkg9jc8Fg
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkHZB4YF2J
“Do you hear anything?” Kimoko whispered.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TD2466P46
Kigami stopped for a moment and narrowed his eyes, then nodded.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbsn25Q3QE
“Guards on the lower level. Two, maybe three. If we continue down this corridor, we can bypass them.”
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvM7IlIyJxE
Kimoko looked in the direction he had indicated. There was a narrow passage between old columns, hidden in shadow.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHguWOBwiap
“We’ll try,” she said, following him.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhZJvGZykx
They moved cautiously, ready to spring into action at any moment if they were discovered.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeS74jNy0uT
Estella counted the seconds in her mind.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4p922owayI
She heard something.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdYCG2vhcY
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?
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHW3dduih8O
She couldn’t risk waiting.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTWHrGlzXV
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFQly2qC9Z
Metal creaked, and cold links cut into her skin, but Estella focused on one thing: free herself before it was too late.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMpYCBkVfa
The shadows in the hallway began to move.
And then she saw them.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJDeF6hCfw
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.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Cw1s2ce72
Kigami gestured for her to stay put while Kimoko pulled out a knife, ready to open her shackles.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wbkBAS7VF
They were here.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJv2kJh25Fm
They really were here.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXccswuSfAl
And then they heard the guard shout.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPcRNpxD9c
“INTRUDERS!”
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpjtayoSd2
Estella’s heart sank.
66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOslH7Q8Sd
Their time was up.
ns216.73.216.120da2
