CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The Fierce Battle
The dense forest…
Nina and Zoa continued their journey without any problems. Nina's cheerful plays and teasing had managed to lighten Zoa's mood, and they chatted and laughed together as they walked.
However, their joyous moment was interrupted when they reached a T junction, unsure of which path to follow. None of them had been to Yoma before, and the unfamiliarity of their surroundings crammed them with uncertainty.
As they stood contemplating their next move, their fears were realized when they suddenly came face to face with Ingo, Chief Cody's ruthless assassin, more fierce than Zoa. Chief does not use him regularly on assignments unless it's as important as this mission. Ingo doesn't fail; he makes sure his tasks are completed.
Zoa and Nina's eyes widened in fear and shock as they recognized the menacing figure before them. Zoa's suspicions were confirmed – Chief Cody wouldn't have let them go free so easily. He was a little scared of ingo but he couldn't let it show. He was also trained.
Ingo's gaze bore into them with cold intensity, his presence radiating a cloud of dread over them. Zoa's instincts screamed at him to flee, but he knew that they couldn't outrun Ingo's pursuit. So he urged Nina to go.
"Nina, we have to go now! Run and don't look back. Just have it in your heart that I Zoa once loved you," Zoa whispered urgently, his voice trembling with fear. "Make sure you never come back to Yitta, else, Chief Cody will kill you. Be safe and protect your child, now go!."
Nina's heart pounded in her chest as she nodded in agreement, her eyes darting nervously between Zoa and Ingo. She could feel the level of impending danger bearing down upon them, and she knew that she had to act quickly if she were to escape unscathed.
But before they could make a move, Ingo stepped forward, his expression cold and calculating.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" he sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "It seems that you two have been causing quite a stir. Chief Cody isn't too pleased with your little disappearing act, Zoa."
Zoa's grip tightened on Nina's hand as he stepped in front of her protectively, his eyes blazing with anger. He knew that ingo was stronger than him and outmatched, but he refused to back down without a fight.
“I won't let you hurt her, Ingo," Zoa spat, his voice ringing with stubbornness. "You'll have to go through me if you want to harm her or her innocent baby."
Ingo's lips curled into a cruel smirk as he reached for the weapon at his side, his eyes glinting with malicious intent.
"Very well, then," he growled. "Let's see how long you can keep up that brave façade."
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As the fierce battle began between Zoa and Ingo, it was a fierce battle. At first, Zoa seemed to gain the upper hand, his determination driving him forward with relentless power. But it soon became apparent that Ingo was merely toying with him, allowing Zoa to test his luck against the skilled assassin.
Meanwhile, Nina stood frozen in fear, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched the brutal confrontation unfold before her eyes. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she cried out Zoa's name, her voice filled with anguish and desperation.
"Zoa, please be careful!" she pleaded, her voice trembling with fear. "Don't let him hurt you!"
But Zoa's attention was solely focused on the fight at hand, his every movement calculated and precise as he battled against Ingo's relentless attack. Despite the odds stacked against him, Zoa fought with a ferocity born of sheer will, refusing to give up even in the face of overwhelming danger.
As the struggle continued, Nina's cries grew louder, her pleas falling on deaf ears as the intensity of the battle reached a fever pitch. She couldn't bear to see Zoa in harm's way, her heart breaking with each blow exchanged between the two adversaries.
But amidst the fight and cries, Ingo's dangerous voice cut through the air like a knife, his words dripping with venomous malice.
"You see, little girl," he taunted, his eyes narrowing with cruel satisfaction. "Your brave protector won't be able to save you for long. Soon, you'll be joining him in the afterlife."
Nina's blood ran cold at Ingo's chilling words, a shiver coursing down her spine as the full weight of their dilemma settled upon her shoulders. She knew that she couldn't stand idly by while Zoa fought for their lives, but she felt utterly helpless in the face of such overwhelming danger.
But even in the midst of the disarray, Zoa's voice rang out clear and tenacious, his words filled with relentless determination. He still couldn't let anything happen to Nina.
"Nina, run!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Get out of here while you still can! Run and don't look back."
Nina just couldn't leave, her eyes were filled with tears, “Please, ingo, don't kill him. Leave him alone. We didn't do anything to you. Zoa only had pity On me and my unborn child. Please leave him alone. I beg you ingo.” Nina tried to appeal to Ingo’s conscience. She thought that it would work but ingo was not the kind of killer who had compassion, he had no love in his heart. He was trained not to have mercy. And that's what he is going to do to the both of them, no mercy.
But Nina couldn't bring herself to leave Zoa behind, her heart torn between the instinct to flee and the overwhelming desire to stand by his side. She knew that she couldn't abandon him to face Ingo alone, even if it meant risking her own life in the process.
As the battle raged on, Nina's mind hardened, her fear giving way to a newfound determination to protect the man she loved at all costs. With tears streaming down her face, she stood her ground, ready to face whatever fate had in store for them.