Elena and Keilander raced out of the woods towards the residential area just a short distance from the riverbank. Elena's heart raced as she kept pace with Keilander, their only goal to reach safety. Keilander felt a wave of guilt wash over him, knowing that Elena was now in harm's way because of him. With a sense of urgency, he pulled her along, his mind still reeling from the sight of armed men pursuing them in the woods just moments before.
As they fled the trained soldiers of Eldoria, the rush of adrenaline fueled Elena and Keilander's desperate escape. These men were ruthless killers who followed orders without question, their only goal being to eliminate anyone who stood in their way. Keilander was tired, exhausted from the constant evasion of his pursuers, but he knew he had to keep running as long as there was a glimmer of hope. And right now, Elena was his beacon of hope, the reason he would keep running, pushing himself to the limit to keep them both safe.
"Ahh!...Keilannn!" Elena cried out as she tumbled to the hard pavement, her face contorted in pain from the impact. Keilander's heart skipped a beat as he saw her fall, his concern for her well-being overwhelming him. Without a moment's hesitation, he rushed back to her side, kneeling down to assist her.
"It's okay....it's okay, I've got you," Keilander whispered, his breath coming in heavy gasps as he maneuvered to lift Elena gently, sliding one arm under her knees and the other supporting her back. With a deep breath, he hoisted her into his arms, determination etched on his face as he prepared to flee with her. Elena winced in pain, her knees scraped and bloody from the fall. Despite his desire to keep her safe, Keilander knew the odds were stacked against them. His heart pounded as he abruptly halted in his tracks, locking eyes with one of the men standing just a few feet ahead.
"Fuck!" Keilander cursed internally in disbelief as he took in the sight of the man brandishing a gun. Elena caught a glimpse of the revolver, her heart seizing with fear as she realized the danger they were in.
"He...he has a gun!" Elena stammered, tears welling up in her eyes. She gripped Keilander's coat tightly, her last glimmer of hope fading as the harsh reality of their situation sunk in. Everything seemed surreal until now, but the sight of the gun made it all too real for her.
"Look...it's me you want....please, just leave her out of this!" Keilander pleaded, his voice echoing loudly as he faced the three men closing in on him. His eyes were wide with fear and concern, dreading the thought of any harm coming to Elena.
"Oh, Prince Keilander! How delightful to hear your voice once more!" one of the men exclaimed, his eerie smile fixed on Keilander. Elena let out a soft gasp as the man's attention shifted to Keilander, her wide eyes flickering between them. She observed Keilander's unpredictable and pragmatic nature, recognizing his noble lineage in the way he carried himself. Despite the tension of the moment, Keilander's gaze remained steadfast on the men closing in around them, his focus unwavering as he assessed the situation.
"Commander Sullivan! I beg of you, spare this woman's life! I offer myself to you without resistance," Keilander proposed, but Elena frowned at the thought of him sacrificing himself for her.
"No!...what are you saying? Kelan...don't do this!" She protested vehemently against his proposal.
"Stay quiet! You have no say in my decisions, Elena! This is not your battle, it is mine! You must stay out of it," he stated firmly, his demeanor unwavering. His cold and resolute tone sent shivers down her spine, revealing his determination to protect her at any cost and face the danger alone.
"Agreed! Now tell her to leave!" Commander Sullivan ordered sternly, motioning with his gun for Elena to go. Keilander gently set her down, noticing the pain she was in due to her injured knees.
"Kelan, please... I can't just leave you here with them! Please!" Elena pleaded, tears in her eyes as she tugged harder at his coat, trying to shake him to his senses. Keilander couldn't resist any longer and suddenly pulled her into his arms. He kissed her passionately on the lips as if it could be their final embrace. Elena was taken aback but responded to the kiss before he reluctantly pulled away.
"Please, don't make this any harder for me," he whispered against her lips before he was forcibly pulled away from her arms.
"AHHH....KELANNN!" She cried out, her sobs echoing as she watched him being dragged away by the men with their weapons.
"Make her shut up, this is getting annoying!" Commander Sullivan ordered, frustrated by the scene unfolding in the open where anyone could stumble upon their kidnapping.
"Huh...don't... please... don't do anything to her! COMMANDERRRR!" Keilander exclaimed in agitation as he watched one of the men approach Elena from behind. Despite his desperate pleas, seconds later Elena collapsed onto the cold, hard pavement, unconscious and defenseless.
"NOOO.....YOU ARE ALL DEGENERATE BASTARDS!" Keilander shouted at the men, his voice filled with rage and defiance. The next moment, he felt a sharp blow to his stomach, knocking the breath out of him.
"Be grateful that she's still alive, your majesty! I am a man of my word, and I will spare this woman's life in exchange for yours! Is that not enough mercy?" He taunted arrogantly, gripping Keilander's jaw tightly and forcing him to meet his gaze. Keilander gritted his teeth and defiantly spat in the commander's face.
"The same mercy you showed my father, you impudent bastard?! I will never forget the day you stared him in the eye and pulled the trigger! You betrayed my father, your King, and for what? To maintain your miserable position as commander? What did you even gain from your betrayal? You're despicable!" Keilander spoke with dark eyes, filled with all the hatred in the world as he glared at Commander Sullivan. The commander scowled in displeasure as he wiped his face with the hem of his jacket, casting a murderous gaze at Keilander.
"Guess what, little Prince? As soon as I hand you over to my superiors in Eldoria, I will be promoted to Colonel of the Army! So, pulling the trigger was never a regrettable decision, because I am about to become what you have most feared!" He stated with a smug grin on his face that sent chills down Keilander's spine.
"Get him out of my sight!" Commander Sullivan ordered callously, watching as his men forcibly dragged Keilander towards the waiting van. Keilander's eyes frantically searched for Elena's unconscious form, a sense of worry washing over him as he caught a glimpse before being taken away.
Everything changed in an instant as a loud gunshot pierced the air. Keilander, startled, was quickly pushed against the car by the soldiers, who swiftly drew their weapons in defense.
"RELEASE HIM IF YOU DON'T WANT US TO OPEN FIRE ON ALL OF YOU!" A man shouted as a gang of approximately twelve men approached the car, catching everyone off guard.
"Lance?" Keilander mumbled in disbelief as he saw the most unexpected person stepping in to help. Commander Sullivan stood there, seething with frustration as the situation turned against him.
"This is none of your concern! Let us leave with our prisoner!" Commander Sullivan demanded of the man who appeared to be the leader of the gang.
"Yes, it does! That prisoner of yours lives in this neighborhood, which means you and your men are not welcome here! So, stop the nonsense, old man, and get yourself and your men out of here before things turn deadly! I'm feeling generous for now, but that won't last long!" Lance said with a smirk on his face, his gang members aiming their guns at the soldiers. Commander Sullivan sighed in frustration, seething at the situation unfolding before him.
"Release him! Let's get out of here!" Commander Sullivan ordered his men, quickly heading towards the van. Keilander was roughly pushed aside and they vanished from everyone's sight within seconds.
"Lance? I'm at a loss for words, all I can say is thank you!" Keilander said in disbelief as he watched Lance approach him.
"I may not like you, priest boy, but you're one of us in this neighborhood," Lance stated as he gave Keilander a friendly tap on the shoulder. Keilander sighed, his thoughts immediately turning to Elena. He left Lance and sprinted towards Elena's unconscious form.
"Elena, please wake up!" Keilander pleaded as he cradled her head in his lap, gently tapping her cheeks in an attempt to wake her. Suddenly, Keilander felt Lance's presence nearby.
"Who were those idiots, and why did they attack you two?" Lance asked as he observed Keilander tending to Elena's unconscious state.
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