Once she assumed the coast was clear, the purple-haired lady made a run for the wall in front of her and hid behind it. She was no longer in the maid outfit she had previously worn to move freely around the palace.

She was wearing a skin-tight dark purple jumpsuit with her hair tied into a braid. Just then, she noticed the shadows moving towards her. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of air. She listened closely for their footsteps.

As soon as they turned the corner, the purple-haired lady materialized a dagger in her hand. Before the guards could even react, their throats were slit. Blood spewed from the gaping wound as she weaved through them.

She continued to make her way through the various passageways until she was out of the main building of the palace. Hiding behind bushes, carefully avoiding the patrolling guards as much as she could. After a great amount of effort, she was within reach of the exit.

A carefully hidden door that was usually used by servants to go in and out of the palace grounds. She bit her lip.

“Almost there, she muttered to herself as sweat trickled down her forehead.

Gathering up her courage as she tightened the grip on her dagger, the purple-haired lady made a dash for it. Just as she was about to reach the door, someone blocked her path. But by the time she saw him, it was too late for her to dodge out of his way.

Before she could even speak, she felt a hand around her throat. Her body was lifted off the ground by her neck. The hand tightened its grip on her neck, closing her windpipe.

“It’s been a long time, Cordelia,” Dante greeted her with seething anger.

“Your… yo… your majesty. You’re choking…me,” she struggled, trying to gasp for air.

He tightened his grip around her neck a little more.

“Indeed I am,” he replied swiftly, his burning gaze penetrated her skull, “I don’t intend on letting you die so easily.”

He threw her onto the ground with great force. Finally released from the chokehold, Cordelia gasped for breaths of fresh air into her lungs. She had not expected him to find her so quickly. But she was not about to let him hold her captive either.

Cordelia made a dash towards the door. This time, Dante grabbed hold of her arm just as her other hand was about to reach the handle of the door. He pulled her into the rose bushes and threw her onto the ground.

Before she even had the chance to stand up again, he kicked her down and leaned in close to her. He grabbed hold onto her collar, their faces were inches apart. Cordelia could feel a cold shiver going down her spine. She had clearly messed with the wrong dragon.

“I have to applaud you for your clever use of spells and incantations, Cordelia. Masking your scent to avoid my detection. But trying to take advantage of me? You’ve messed with the wrong dragon,” he bared his teeth at her with a menacing grin.

His dragon horns formed onto the top of his head as his eyes glowed dark sapphire blue. In a split second, the temperature around them dropped below zero. Cordelia could feel the chilling pain coursing through her body as she was slowly consumed by ice.

“Please… your majesty, you… you got the wrong person…” she whimpered as her breath turned into puffs of mist as soon as it made contact with the surrounding air.

Dante was buying none of her tactics. He knew she would try something like this.

“I got the wrong person, you say? Well then, let’s see your true form, shall we?” he challenged her.

Light blue runes began to form on Cordelia’s skin as her hands and feet turned ice blue. She cried out in pain, glaring deep into Dante’s eyes as she gritted her teeth.

“I’ll see how long you can last, witch,” he provoked.

Cordelia’s eyes began to water as she continued to whimper for pity and help. She claimed her innocence, but Dante was having none of it. He saw through her true colors. He knew exactly who she was.

As the runes began to burn even brighter than before, Cordelia let out a cry of pain and agony. The blue light that once colored the runes that etched on her skin turned purple. The dagger in her hand turned into a long staff that she tapped onto the ground.

The force of her magic sent a shockwave, destroying the magic runes that Dante had placed upon her. He took a few steps forward as all the ice that had encased her skin shattered. Her dark purple staff, with a floating amethyst crystal floating above it, served as her support as she got back up on her feet.

Cordelia dusted her clothes as she gave Dante a look of annoyance.

“Are you happy now?” She asked with a smirk.

Dante gritted his teeth as he lunged forward. His weapon of choice, a lance, materialized in his hands. He wanted to stab this evil witch in the heart and be rid of her. But Cordelia easily dodged his attack. She took to the form of a Violet starling and took to the sky.

“You’ve grown weak, Dragon King,” she laughed maniacally.

Dante was infuriated by her comment. His dragon tail formed behind his back as his scale-covered wings unfurled. In a split second, he too was in the sky. But Cordelia’s starling form was too nimble for him to catch. He breathed a breath of ice fire upon her. He hit his bullseye, causing her to fall to the ground.

Cordelia was forced back into her human form. The ongoing commotion alerted the people who were in the palace. Guards were being alerted too as they rushed towards the garden to aid their King. Marius could see the battle from the window. He immediately jumped off the ledge of the balcony and flew down to help.

“Is that all you got?” He asked as he looked down upon her from the sky.

Cordelia glanced to the side, she could see the guards rushing to aid Dante. She also saw Marius making his way over. There were too many people surrounding her. Plus, she was injured from Dante’s ice fire.

“While I would love to continue our little chat, Dante, I’m afraid it’s time for me to take the coward’s way out,” she announced with a theatrical flair.

Dante knew she was about to escape. He flew down to intercept.

“Till we meet again, cutie,” she winked at him seductively before tapping her staff twice on the ground.

Puffs of purple smoke burst forth from the amethyst crystal, enveloping Cordelia. By the time Dante got down, she was already gone. As the puffed of smoke dissipated into the air, the guards arrived and so did Marius. But it was all too late. She was gone.

Dante was livid. He had let her slip through his grasp, yet again. He knew Laina’s awakening would lure Cordelia out of hiding. But he had not expected her to show her face so soon.

“She escaped?” Marius asked he landed next to Dante.

Dante did not reply, he simply turned to all the guards assembled. He called for the leader of the Royal guard to step forward. The guards parted ways in the middle, allowing their leading general to walk up to the front. He saluted to Dante before taking the knee.

“My King. I, General Varcus of the Royal Guards, am ready to receive your command.”

Dante looked on at the platoon of royal guards standing before him.

He issued his imperial decree, “The scheming Supreme Witch Cordelia Nightshade is a wanted criminal. I, King Dante of Dracona, call for her immediate arrest. I want her captured alive, no matter the cost. Is that clear?”

The royal guards collectively stomped their feet, before placing their hands over their chests. They hit their chest twice before saluting Dante.

“Yes, your majesty!” They echoed in unison.