Lucian sighed in relief when he noticed that the backdoor, which led to the basement of the inn, was not locked. It did make a creak sound due to the old wood, yet he was able to go inside the basement. Lena, who was quite good at keeping a lookout for her surroundings, kept her stare here and there for any potential presence of a living being. Yet there was no one, because obviously, who would decide to take a stroll past midnight. Lena carefully closed the door behind her with an attempt to not make much sound as her companion had made previously.

"See," Lena began with a smile of triumph on her face as she locked the door behind her, "It was not that hard—"

When the girl turned around, she was unable to finish her sentence. Lucian was there, held to the ground by two men, while the other glanced over at Lena with furious eyes.

Lucian was caught and so was she.

His orbs soon moved to the logo on the uniform they were wearing.

"Run!" Lucian shouted desperately at Lena, who it seemed, was frozen on the spot. There was no point in running whatsoever, given the girl's lack of agility skills. Her breath quickened and mind turned blank completely, blocking every logical or probable solution she could have thought of.

"We are not Dragonesians," Lucian spoke desperately, while trying to move himself away from the clutches of the two brawny men, "We are humans, just like you."

"Liars and trespassers are not tolerated here," the man who was standing right in front of Lena, chuckled evilly, displaying the thick, hard stick in his hand, "The logo on your uniforms is enough evidence what species you two can be."

"Please," Lena whimpered, as she stepped back with a shaky pace. Fear was once again taking control over her, "Please believe us."

"Ah, they are so annoying," with that being said, the man let go of the stick, to Lena's relief.

However, that was not the end. He strode forward and pulled the girl's hair in a tight grasp, before whispering into her face, "I didn't know that Dragonesians could show fear? Guess, they can."

"Let go of her, asshole!" Lucian screamed only to be kicked hard at the corner of his waist.

"Let's take this bitch." Lena's scream increased due to the intense pull she felt. And the next moment, she was on the ground, getting dragged somewhere.

Lena hated herself. She was often envious of her co-trainees back at the Dragonesian Castle, because of their great strength and deftness, along with quick thinking ability. Lena was nothing but a fragile and feeble girl, who could not even muster up the courage to protest against injustice. How could she then dare to think about escaping?

Lena found the beaten up Lucian being dragged along with her as well, to the unknown destination. Due to all the commotion, slowly visitors and travellers, who were resting in their respective rooms, came out to witness the burning of two young Dragonesians.

Alana didn't want to go with Cynthia and find out who these Dragonesians were. She could not understand how these Dragonesians had managed to come in here, when it was odd for them to look in the rural and almost desolate areas. Alana's first thought was that they were probably there for her. To take her away and turn her into whatever personal weapon she was, for them.

Leon looked over to Alana with a raised eyebrow when he felt no movement from the girl. It was not like the girl to hesitate before doing anything.

"You two coming?"

Cynthia's voice made a visible sigh leave from Alana's lips. At least she should go and see what the actual matter was before cowering away with uncountable assumptions. And so, Leon and Alana followed the sixteen-year-old girl out of the inn and into the barren and infertile land, located just behind. The three of them could make out several people gathering around and protesting against something quite violently. The people who were at the front even held fire torches in their hands as they yelled profusely.

Cynthia was the first to push through the crowd after leading the two eighteen-year-olds towards the swarm of people. It seemed like some people, whose houses were situated not so far away, had or were joining the group.

"Die monsters!"

"Stop torturing us and go back!"

"Burn these monsters until they die!"

"Kill them."

"Kill them."

"Kill them."

The crowd began chanting while Alana tried to see who were tied to the wooden stakes in the front, but it was hard to sneak a view when tall grown people were in front of her. Leon was just beside Alana and since he was much taller than the girl, he could easily witness what was happening. Alana's eyebrows furrowed in confusion when she watched Leon's face crinkle with bewilderment.

"They are not Dragonesians. They are humans," Leon muttered, loud enough for Alana and Cynthia, who was standing on the other side, to hear, "They cannot be Dragonesians."

Alana's eyes widened. Yes it was cruel to burn Dragonesians alive but they would not even go through a scale of third-degree burn. The minor injury would be falling unconscious for four hours. And as for humans, it was an entirely different story. There was no chance that whoever they were, would survive the fire.

Alana immediately pushed more through the crowd, exerting upon extreme force, for she could not let two innocent humans get killed because of a stupid misconception. That also when Alana was aware that they were not Dragonesians. Leon followed suit while Cynthia failed to move forward, given her thin, fragile body, formed due to lack of sufficient food consumption.

There they were. The two humans, tied against two wooden stakes while the inn owner, with his wife and other companions, seemed as if they were giving a speech. A violent speech, with fire torches in their hands.

Alana could not believe her eyes when she saw who those humans were.

"Lena, Lucian," Alana breathed out in disbelief, as she staggered forward with fast steps. "Stop!"

Complete silence prevailed in the crowd, as they contemplated who this girl was to command them to stop.

"And why should we?" the inn owner's wife asked. It was a question full of sarcasm, rather than a question of curiosity.

Lena burst out into silent tears when she saw Alana whereas Lucian could only smile a small grin feebly, due to his several wounds and bruises.

The girl on the other hand clenched her fists seeing the uniform of Lena ripped apart on the right side of her shoulder, exposing her skin. And Lucian, who really needed immediate medical attention, only poured fuel upon Alana's anger. However, she refrained from permitting her emotions to take dominance in such a situation. Rather, she let someone else do the talking.

Cynthia, the pursuer.

"It is clear that they are humans," the teenage girl began, "Can you not understand by seeing how physically weaker they might seem from Dragonesians?"

While others whispered and murmured among themselves, the inn owner, who had a specific grudge against Cynthia, could not have him put in the wrong place. Not at least by a sixteen-year-old, black girl.

"What knowledge do you have, Cynthia?" he sniggered at his own question, "You have never even attended school."

"That is true," Cynthia admitted, a grin taking over her poker face soon, "But my sister for sure did. And she is very knowledgeable when it comes to Dragonesians."

Alana and Leon shared expressions of sheer divertissement at the girl's sudden urge to speak up. They could guess that it was perhaps the taste of freedom, or the mere thought of being able to escape and have their happily ever after, that was pushing her to finally speak.

"They are wearing uniforms of Dragonesians," now the wife of the inn owner stepped forward to place her argument, "What do you have to say about that?"

"Did you hear their side of the story?" Cynthia asked, a threatening calmness dripping from her tone, "No, right? What if they turn out to be humans? Would you be able to live with the guilt of killing two humans, without having done proper research?"

Not a single soul could speak even one word. The inn owner seemed visibly frustrated for being at a loss of words in front of individuals who were much younger than him. He opened his mouth to put forward another illogical reply. But he could not, hearing Alana's final statement.

"I know them," she said, a silent anger igniting out of her, while her eyes buried deep into the soul of the inn owner who seemed to look everywhere but at the intimidating girl, "They are humans. The crimson blood oozing out of the boy, you and your goons have beaten up is enough evidence. Oh right, you might even not know such a basic information.

Also, the situation forced them to wear the uniforms. And their business is none of your business, so," a chuckle, that resembled death's cackles, erupted out of Alana's throat, "Release them. Now."

The inn owner seemed to want to argue more, but was stopped by his wife eventually. The wife, who did not like Alana's threatening attitude one bit, could not risk their only source of income, the inn to close down and the visitors to badmouth behind their backs. It already seemed like the crowd had begun to whisper amongst themselves more, as they lowered their respective fire torches.

And soon enough, after much contemplation, Lena and Lucian were freed.