Caitlyn's POV
I sidestepped to evade the attack of the werewolf standing before me, masquerading as my father. Just then, a cacophony of noise erupted from outside the church, signaling that we had been part of their plans since the moment we breached in.
"You go first, I'll handle this," Bard commanded coldly, standing guard at the doorway with a stern expression. The heavy, blunt footsteps outside, akin to a horn urging me forward, sank my heart.
"Let's deal with the immediate threat," I urged. Seeing his failed strike, the werewolf in front of me grew annoyed and transformed into a wolf in the confined space. With a bloody mouth, it lunged straight at me. I even caught a whiff of the strong fishy odor emanating from its body.
"Go to hell!" I shouted. Just as I contemplated transforming into a wolf myself, Bard swiftly spun around and with a forceful blow, knocked the werewolf aside. It crashed into the hard wall, whimpering in pain.
"It must be Yone who planned all over it!" I seethed with indignation, clenching my teeth.
As I dealt with the werewolf, a horde of enemies had already gathered outside, led by the cold-faced Fandom. It seemed he still held a grudge from our last encounter, evident by the suppressed smile when he saw us in trouble again.
"You truly are as foolish as I thought. Merely by Yone's manipulation, you fall into a trap so easily. With your intellect, how dare you entertain thoughts of rebellion," Fandom sneered, towering over us.
In his eyes, we were mere lambs awaiting slaughter, with our fate sealed.
"I suspected Yone was involved," I muttered through gritted teeth, contemplating our escape. We had purposely snuck out to avoid Talon, making it unlikely for him to rescue us now, especially after my harsh words to him earlier.
Realizing the gravity of our situation, I exhaled deeply.
"Oh? I must defend Yone on this matter. We have no interest in associating with such a renegade," Fandom remarked dismissively.
Hearing me mention Yone's name, Fandom revealed a teasing smile before spitting venomously to the side.
"He believed he could gain our trust by feigning allegiance to the king, but we all know he was once the former king's subordinate? So, from the moment he volunteered to claim he wanted to capture Pantheon, I sensed something was amiss. As expected, he ensnared Pantheon, and he even falsely informed me that Pantheon had departed earlier," Fandom said slowly, narrowing his eyes.
I tried to decipher the truth behind Fandom's words, but his expression conveyed a genuine loathing for Yone. A twinge of guilt crept over me for doubting Yone earlier. Perhaps he initially imprisoned my father to help my father escape the king's pursuit, but now, witnessing Fandom's vehement demeanor, I feared my father truly fell into his grasp this time.
"This treacherous scoundrel! From the outset, I informed the king he harbored ill intentions. If only I had known it would come to this, I would have eradicated you all in the palace!" Fandom shouted hideously, his neck veins bulging with disgust at being deceived.
As Fandom roared, a legion of werewolf soldiers began to emerge from the tunnel, though the narrow passage provided temporary relief from their overwhelming numbers.
"Enough talk! Where is my father?" I confronted Fandom coldly, undeterred by his menacing gaze.
"No need to rush; you'll be reunited with your father tonight," Fandom replied coldly before departing with hands clasped behind his back.
To him, facing us meant facing an army of heavily armed werewolves, ensuring our capture. But neither Bard nor I were inclined to surrender, our resolve evident in a silent exchange.
"Caitlyn, I'll hold them off while you find a way out. Delaying further will only bring trouble," Bard whispered to me before unleashing a thunderous growl, transforming into an immense black wolf that nearly filled the room.
Bard's intimidating presence stunned the onlookers, prompting a wave of retreat as they faced this formidable adversary.
With a resounding roar, Bard unleashed a ferocious howl, shattering the church's windows with its force. The moonlight cast a sinister glow on Bard's fur as he stood, a terrifying figure amidst the chaos.
This scene also dealt the final blow to the hearts of the werewolf soldiers, eliciting panicked cries as they desperately fled. However, due to the narrowness of the tunnel, the overcrowding triggered a series of stampedes, filling the tunnel with the echoing wails of pain.
"Useless lot, calm down!" A commanding voice cut through the chaos, instantly silencing the werewolf team. It was Fandom who had issued the order, and they knew all too well the brutal consequences of disobeying him.
"I didn't expect Talon to bring me so many surprises. First, an unusually formidable elderly man, and now a natural killing machine. It's a shame it'll all be over after tonight," Fandom murmured with a hint of regret, shaking his head gently.
"What do you mean?" I asked, my alert gaze fixed on Fandom, a trace of doubt creeping into my mind.
Fandom's methods were usually decisive, yet from the moment Bard and I infiltrated the church until now, there had been significant casualties among the werewolf soldiers. If Fandom had intervened, these losses could have been avoided.
His inaction hinted at only one possibility: Fandom was also gravely injured during the altercation with my father and was now nearing exhaustion.
With this realization, a dangerously audacious escape plan formed in my mind.
"Bard, give me some time," I whispered to Bard, then slowly closed my eyes