Reincarnated as the Villainess’s Unlucky Bodyguard

Because if Liria wouldn't stop walking toward her then Enara would be the one to make her.

That thought echoed in her mind, quiet yet razor-sharp, as the battle unfolded in an explosive cascade of magic and violence. From her vantage point atop the battlements, Enara watched the Demon Kingdom's first volley of crimson and violet fire slam into the approaching army, the resulting shockwave shaking the stone beneath her feet. Dust and smoke plumed upward, obscuring the battlefield in a haze that shimmered in the unnatural twilight.

Azael's forces didn't halt their advance, didn't even falter. Like marionettes pulled forward by invisible strings, they marched steadily closer, emerging from the smoke one by one. Enara could now see them clearly: monstrous, twisted forms born of nightmare, armored in shadow and wreathed in dark flame. Their eyes those terrible, hollow eyes burned pale silver against the inky darkness of their visages, devoid of mercy, devoid of hesitation. They moved in terrifying unison, a single wave of ruin crashing toward the castle gates.

The first line of defense stood firm, the elite Reavers arrayed in precise formation along the obsidian walls, black-armored warriors who had defended the kingdom for centuries. Their horns gleamed fiercely in the glow of enchanted runes etched along their massive blades. Beside them stood mages, their wings unfurled, arcs of mana crackling between outstretched fingers as they chanted ancient battle hymns, their voices resonating deep and strong, like a choir welcoming the apocalypse.

And still, Liria walked forward steady, calm, and painfully familiar in a way Enara could hardly bear.

Azael stood behind her army, hands clasped gently behind her back, serene as though she were attending a pleasant afternoon tea. The Demon Queen's eyes, molten gold and pitiless, watched with amusement as her creatures began their assault.

"Hold positions!" Verida's voice thundered from above, commanding and resonant, cutting through the chaos like a blade through silk. Enara glanced up briefly to see her mothers high above, wings beating fiercely, their combined presence an impenetrable wall of power. Verida's massive sword burned with crimson flames, Nyssara's violet energy shimmering in rhythmic pulses, wrapping around the battlefield like a cocoon of protection.

Enara raised her own hand, feeling her magic surge, black lightning dancing along her fingertips, eager and restless.

Below, Azael's twisted soldiers surged forward, an ocean of darkness crashing against the first wave of defenders. The clash was deafening, a symphony of screaming metal and howling shadows. The Reavers met them head-on, wielding blades that sang through the air in arcs of deadly elegance, carving through shadow-flesh with precise, brutal efficiency.

Blood-black ichor sprayed upward, sizzling where it landed, burning holes into stone and armor alike. But for every enemy cut down, two more rose, reforming from smoke and shadow as if death was nothing more than an inconvenience.

"Shields up!" Enara shouted, releasing the lightning she held in her palm. It sliced through the air, jagged and furious, striking a cluster of enemies with explosive force. Bodies shattered into smoke, yet reformed moments later, relentless in their advance.

"Damn it!" she growled. "Their numbers aren't falling. What kind of magic is this?"

Daena stepped to her side, gripping a massive, rune-carved warhammer. She swung it experimentally, muscles rippling beneath her obsidian skin, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "The worst kind," she replied dryly. "The cheating kind."

Ananara hopped onto the ledge of the wall, glaring down at the chaos below, leafy crown quivering in outrage. "This is what happens when you don't listen to my brilliant tactical advice! Just point me at them I'll make fruit salad of their bones!"

Enara stared blankly at her. "You don't even have arms."

"Details!" Ananara snapped. "I have attitude, and that's worth ten swords!"

Daena snorted softly. "Can we toss her first? Call it strategic deployment."

"You wouldn't dare!" Ananara shrieked indignantly.

Their banter was cut short as the battlements shuddered again, this time violently. Enara caught herself on the wall's edge, gaze snapping downward. Below, something massive had emerged from the smoke a hulking beast formed entirely of twisted shadow, easily twice the size of a dragon, its body shifting and unstable, flickering in and out of solidity as it slammed its enormous limbs against the gates.

"It's breaking through!" shouted a Reaver from below, panic edging into his voice. "We can't hold it!"

Enara's heartbeat quickened, her mind racing through strategies that dissolved before fully forming. She clenched her fists, teeth grinding together in frustration. "Fall back and regroup! Now!"

The soldiers obeyed swiftly, pulling back in practiced unison as the gate splintered apart, shards of reinforced obsidian scattering like leaves in the wind. The beast lunged forward, massive claws gouging deep furrows in the earth, roaring defiantly, a sound that made the ground itself shudder.

But before it could advance further, a shadow streaked down from above Verida, blazing with crimson power, slamming her burning sword deep into the beast's monstrous skull. Fire exploded outward, illuminating the battlefield in violent shades of red and gold, the creature screaming in agony before collapsing into a heap of dissolving shadow and smoke.

A cheer erupted from the defenders, brief but fierce. Enara felt pride swell in her chest, but it was quickly smothered as she spotted Liria again, closer now, unflinching amidst the chaos, her dual-colored eyes staring directly up at her.

"Don't lose focus," Nyssara's calm voice echoed from above, serene yet steely. "This battle is far from over."

Indeed, from behind Liria, more figures emerged these distinctly different, each radiating immense power. Azael's elite soldiers, warriors clad in dark armor etched with silver runes, wielding weapons that hummed with malevolent energy. Their faces were obscured by helmets carved into twisted visages, each movement precise and confident, radiating deadly purpose.

The first stepped forward a towering figure wielding twin blades, one in each hand, each crackling with violet lightning. Without hesitation, he leapt upward, clearing the distance to the battlements in a single bound, landing with a crash that shattered the stone beneath him.

"Pathetic insects," he growled, voice echoing ominously through his helm. "Prepare yourselves."

Daena stepped forward immediately, grinning wickedly as she twirled her hammer. "Oh, I was hoping someone would volunteer."

He lunged at her, blades spinning in dizzying arcs. Daena met him head-on, sparks flying as their weapons clashed, each impact ringing out like thunder.

More followed swiftly one armored figure soared directly toward Enara, wielding a spear that gleamed sinisterly, its tip radiating cold energy that made the air around it crystallize into ice.

Enara steadied her stance, feeling her magic rise in response, shadows curling around her like living things, eager to strike. "Bring it on," she snarled, releasing a torrent of darkness that slammed against the attacker with crushing force.

But her enemy held firm, absorbing the attack with barely a stumble, advancing relentlessly, spear thrusting forward in lightning-fast jabs. Enara dodged instinctively, weaving through the strikes, heart pounding with adrenaline and fury.

Around her, the battlefield descended into chaos Reavers battling elite warriors atop the walls, magic and steel colliding spectacularly, explosions of color and sound erupting constantly, creating a vivid, violent tapestry of war.

Ananara shouted from somewhere behind her, voice shrill with fury. "Left! Dodge left, you useless heiress!"

Enara obeyed without thinking, narrowly avoiding a spear-thrust that would have pierced her heart. Instead, it grazed her shoulder, searing pain erupting instantly.

"Not helpful!" she hissed through gritted teeth.

"You're welcome!" Ananara shot back irritably. "Don't make me save you again!"

Daena's laughter rang out suddenly, loud and fierce as she sent her opponent crashing into a wall, shattering stone upon impact. "Less talk, more stabbing!"

The fighting intensified, waves of Azael's soldiers continuing their relentless assault, seemingly endless, their strength unwavering. Enara felt herself pushed back slowly, her breathing ragged, magic ebbing with each attack she fended off.

Yet throughout it all, her eyes kept finding Liria still standing silently, watching, waiting. Her friend her betrayer stood there unmoving, expressionless, eyes locked onto Enara as if waiting for something.

What exactly, Enara couldn't say but she knew this battle was only the beginning, that Liria's stillness was far more ominous than anything else unfolding around her.

And as the castle shook again beneath the weight of yet another attack, Enara knew with grim certainty:

If this was only the beginning then gods help them all.

A thunderous crash split the air as another of Azael's monsters slammed into the western wall, sending a rain of stone down onto the courtyard below. Screams followed—shouts of pain, of orders, of desperation barely masked by the roar of magic and steel. Enara's arm throbbed where the spear had grazed her, her blood warm against the inside of her sleeve, but she ignored it. Pain was a luxury she couldn't afford, not now.

The elite warrior pressed forward, relentless, his strikes faster now, more precise—he'd started to understand her rhythm, and that made him dangerous. Enara pivoted, twisting under the sweep of his spear, and with a flick of her fingers, summoned a spike of shadow from the ground. It erupted beneath his feet, slicing through armor, forcing him back with a hiss of pain.

She used the moment to breathe, chest heaving, sweat stinging her eyes.

And still, Liria did not move.

Their gazes locked again Enara's blazing with fury, Liria's unreadable.

"You're going to stand there and watch while your queen destroys everything?" Enara whispered aloud, voice trembling not with fear, but grief.

Liria didn't answer. Didn't blink. Didn't flinch.

She just watched.

And the silence hurt more than the spear.