Chapter 72

Isadora's POV.

Amidst the chaos, I rushed forward towards Matamoros, desperately checking for any sign of life. But he was gone, and I erupted into tears as I shook him, hoping for a response.

Golem, sensing the imminent danger, yelled at me, "Isadora, now is not the time to cry! We don't have time for this; they're getting closer!"

Just as I turned around to reply to Golem, an arrow was shot at me, but Golem caught it with a swift motion.

The chief guard, accompanied by Lisa, ran over, both panting for breath. The chief guard managed to convey, in between gasps, "My lady, what do we do? They have taken down the gate."

Golem vibrantly responded, "The only way to fight fire is with fire, and the only way to fight a surprise attack is with another surprise attack."

Panicking, I impatiently responded, "What are you trying to say, Golem? Get to the point."

Golem explained, "You guys stand your ground and hold the defense from here. I will turn around and attack them from the air, from behind."

Curious, Lisa asked, "And how are you going to do that?"

"He's a dragon," I replied with a mixture of pride and urgency.

With that, Golem shifted into his dragon form, a burst of fire exploding through his chest, dropping the jaws of everyone around. I had never seen a dragon shift before, and it was magnificent.

The chief guard chimed in, bringing everyone's attention back to the reality of the battle at hand. "Hold your grounds, everyone!" Immediately, I and everybody present shifted into our wolf forms.

The battle raged on, and my fellow warriors and I held our ground, the clash of weapons and the cries of pain creating a chaotic symphony. It felt as if the Lycans multiplied with every defeat, and despite our determination, exhaustion crept in. Still, we pressed forward, adamant about protecting the castle from the looming threat of the Lycans.

As the fight wore on, weariness took hold, and we found ourselves drained of strength, surrounded by the relentless Lycans. Some of our Southern warriors succumbed to the overwhelming odds, fleeing the battleground in desperation.

The Lycan commander stepped forward, his voice cutting through the chaos, "All we want is the lady. Surrender her, and the rest of you can leave here alive."

Glances were exchanged among my remaining men, and a tense silence settled. I took a deep breath before responding defiantly, "You won't lay a finger on me. We'll fight to the end."

The Lycan commander chuckled sadistically, "Defiance won't change your fate, all our king wants is you, lady of the south. Surrender yourself, and we might spare the lives of your remaining men."

I clenched my jaw, refusing to show fear. "I'd rather die fighting than surrender to the likes of you and your miserable King Leonardis."

One of our exhausted and wounded warriors added, "Lady Isadora is our leader. We stand with her until the end."

The Lycan commander grinned, revealing his sharp teeth. "Very well. If you choose death, so be it. Lycans, attack!"

As the Lycan commander barked his orders, the chief guard turned to me with an oddly serene smile, given the dire circumstances. "It was a pleasure to fight and die beside you, my lady."

I remained silent, emotions swirling within me, and nodded in acknowledgment. The Lycans surged forward, and just as the impending clash seemed inevitable, Golem appeared from behind, majestic in his dragon form. He unleashed a torrent of fire upon the Lycan troops, reducing them to ashes within minutes. Relief washed over us, though some of our men, utterly exhausted, collapsed to the ground.

Golem transformed back into his human form with a nonchalant grin, asking, "What's up, people? Did I miss anything?"

I couldn't help but hit him on the chest, scolding, "What took you so long? A minute later, and we would have all been dead."

Golem chuckled, replying, "Good thing I arrived just in time. So, who sent them?" His eyes scanned the aftermath of the battle, awaiting an explanation.

"It was Leonardis, king of the North," the chief guard replied.

Golem's eyes narrowed as he absorbed the information. "And why would the North lay ambush on the South?" he asked.

"Personal reasons," I replied, meeting Golem's gaze. His next words were directed at me, "I don't understand, Isadora. What kind of personal reasons would make them do something like this?" Golem scanned the battlefield, his eyes falling on Matamoros' lifeless form. He moved closer, muttering, "Poor guy didn't even get a chance to fight for his life."

I ran towards Matamoros' corpse, breaking down into tears as the reality of the loss hit me. Golem joined me, his hand on my shoulder offering a silent comfort.

Golem said again, "Isadora, you're yet to make me understand. What kind of personal reasons would make the North ambush the South?"

I responded, meeting Golem's gaze, "He's my ex-mate, and he killed my friend Cassandra." Lisa, who was sobbing by Matamoros' corpse, heard that name and completely broke down into tears. Golem turned towards Lisa, then back to me, saying, "She seems very fond of you, Isadora. Who's she?"

"My best friend," I replied, wrapping an arm around Lisa.

"So let me get this straight. This Leonardis guy ruined my mother's burial and massacred innocent souls just for a personal beef he had with you?" Golem questioned with disbelief.

I nodded, and Golem, surprisingly, burst into laughter. I asked with a confused expression, "What's funny, Golem?"

"Nothing," he replied, his laughter fading. He turned his attention to the chief guard and asked, "How many men do we have left?"

The chief guard replied, "I don't know, Your Highness. I will have to do a census and get back to you."

"Make it quick," Golem responded, a smirk forming on his face.

Overwhelmed with curiosity, I asked Golem, "Why did you ask that, Golem? What's your plan?"

Golem responded with a distant look on his face, "Relax, sweetie. You'll soon find out."