Behind him, Astra stared with wide eyes, filled with awe.

  From behind, hurried footsteps approached. A group of soldiers in metallic uniforms appeared, led by Kennedy, a man with greying hair at the temples and a thick mustache.

  – What the hell are those things? – asked Kennedy, head of the special forces.

  Arthur threw his spear over his shoulder and replied calmly:

  – Seems like we’re dealing with an insect invasion. Get the girl to safety. I’ll join you shortly.

  – Understood!

  Kennedy gave a sharp command, and two of his men quickly escorted Astra away.

  But the remaining dragonflies weren’t planning to retreat.

  Tonya, one of the creatures, stepped toward the ashes of their fallen comrade, clenching her fists.

  – You’ll pay for what you did to Eros! Come on, Viktor!

  The two launched at the same time.

  Arthur narrowly dodged their claws, leaping back and raising his spear.

  – Tsch... they’re fast.

  Tonya tilted her head, her cold gaze analyzing him.

  – Hmm... you move well for your species. But let’s see how you handle this!

  In a flash, Viktor wrapped his chitinous tail around Arthur’s leg and hurled him into a tree. Arthur crashed to the ground but quickly got up, wiping a trail of blood from his cheek.

  – That’s all you’ve got?

  Tonya laughed.

  – That was just the beginning.

  They joined their tails together and spun toward him in a spiraling attack. Arthur lifted his spear and, with a swift movement, entangled their tails with it. With immense force, he slammed them into the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

  He jumped onto a tree branch for a better vantage point. As the dust cleared, he saw no one.

  His eyes narrowed, sensing movement behind him. He turned quickly but not fast enough—Tonya slashed his face with her claw, and from the opposite side, Viktor lunged to bite him.

  Arthur reacted instantly, placing his spear between himself and Viktor to block the attack.

  With Viktor held at bay, Tonya tried to take advantage of the opening. Seeing the incoming attack from both sides, Arthur deliberately dropped from the branch. Viktor, still gripping the spear, lost balance and fell too. In that moment, Arthur twisted mid-air and kicked Viktor with full force, sending him flying into Tonya.

  Arthur narrowed his gaze, his spear held at the ready. The two dragonflies slowly got up, trembling with rage. Their chitinous bodies began healing, but their labored breaths betrayed their exhaustion.

  Tonya bent her hind legs, preparing for another charge.

  – This won’t end so easily, human!

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  Arthur smirked slightly, ignoring the blood dripping down his cheek.

  – Then let’s see if you can still fly after this.

  Viktor and Tonya spread their wings in a rapid flutter, kicking up another cloud of dust. In a blink, they vanished from sight.

  – They’re faster than before, Arthur thought, feeling the wind around him grow more violent.

  A sharp metallic whistle passed by his ear. Arthur barely had time to raise his spear before Viktor struck from the right, smashing him with his tail. The impact sent him skidding across the ground.

  – They’re more aggressive... he muttered, quickly getting back to his feet.

  Tonya came spinning from behind with dizzying speed. Arthur dodged just in time, but her sharp tail scraped his arm.

  – You already tried that move once. Are you really that predictable?

  The dragonflies zoomed around him, creating a mini tornado that trapped Arthur and flung him into a river.

  He slowly rose from the water, watching as the two charged at him again. Arthur extended his arm downward into the river, summoning a powerful air current that launched the water upward, slamming the creatures into a nearby rock. Soaked, their wings now useless, they couldn’t fly.

  – You’re pathetic. I’m almost sorry I wasted my time on you.

  Arthur lifted his spear and began spinning it rapidly, creating a mini-tornado that pinned them against the rock. He then pulled out four knives and threw them into the swirling wind. The blades caught the current, accelerating wildly until they pinned the insects like specimens in a display.

  Before they could react, they found themselves face-to-face with the blade of Arthur’s spear.

  He stepped toward them slowly, his voice cold:

  – Tell me what you are and why you’re after that girl.

  Tonya, trying to steady herself, spat on the ground, the fury still burning in her eyes.

  – We’d rather die than tell you anything!

  Arthur raised an eyebrow and drew his spear back.

  – Fine. I’ll grant you your wish.

  He charged at them, his speed boosted by his control of the wind.

  At the last second, Viktor and Tonya slashed off their own wings with their tails, shedding chunks of chitin. Arthur struck with full force, but only managed to cleave through part of the rock behind them.

  The creatures vanished in an explosion of dust, using their final trick to escape.

  As the dust settled, Arthur stood alone, breathing heavily. He looked around at the battlefield.

  – Huh... what were those things?

  He slung his spear over his shoulder and began walking back home, knowing the answers would come soon enough.

  But what he didn’t know was that meeting Astra would change the course of his destiny forever.

  In a dimly lit room, with cold concrete walls and a single yellowish lamp buzzing overhead, Astra sat on an uncomfortable chair, visibly tense.

  In front of her stood Kennedy, dressed in his officer uniform, his badge gleaming in the dull light. Though he smiled, his eyes held something unsettling, insincere.

  – Come on, girl, no need to be so quiet, he said with a fake-friendly tone. I pulled you out of a tough spot, didn’t I? You should be grateful...

  Astra stayed silent, her hands clenched in her lap. Every second in that room felt wrong. Kennedy’s stare grew heavier, and then, in a gesture that made her skin crawl, he placed a hand on her knee. His thick fingers pressed lightly, yet with unmistakable intent.

  – Tell me... who were those creatures? Don’t be afraid. I’ll take good care of you...

  His voice dripped with something vile, his grin wide and revolting.

  Astra felt a knot in her throat. She tried to pull her leg back, but Kennedy gripped harder, as if trying to assert dominance. Her breath quickened—every instinct screamed at her to run.

  Before she could act, a sharp, cold blade touched Kennedy’s neck.

  A firm, commanding voice broke through the room.

  – I’ll take it from here.

  Kennedy froze.

  He swallowed hard, his eyes darting between the blade at his throat and the figure looming over him.

  Arthur.

  – I... I was just trying to... Kennedy stammered, grasping for a quick excuse.

  – I don’t need excuses, Arthur replied coldly. Take the girl to my office. Now.

  Kennedy, sweating, nodded and stood up with shaky movements. He slowly pulled his hand off Astra’s leg and stepped back, gaze dropped to the floor.

  As they exited the room, Astra still felt uneasy. But for the first time since arriving there, in Arthur’s presence, she felt safe.