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"Samael!" Liliana called out, her voice laced with urgency as she hurried to meet us. "What happened?"

Lily winced slightly but managed a weak smile. "It\'s... It\'s nothing, just some troublemakers. But Samael—" she glanced at me with a soft gaze, "he protected me."

Sionna, standing beside Liliana, narrowed her eyes. "Who dared to hurt her?" There was an edge to her voice, an unspoken promise of vengeance. Her indigo hair shimmered in the dim light, and her fists clenched tightly by her sides.

"I handled it," I said, my voice firm but calm. "They won\'t bother us again."

Raven stepped forward, his golden eyes sharp and calculating. "Handled? I hope you left them with a lesson they won\'t forget."

I nodded, meeting Raven\'s gaze evenly. "They know better now."

Nyxara purred softly on my shoulder, her presence a silent reminder of the threat that still lingered beneath the surface. Despite the calm in my voice, the fury from earlier still simmered, a slow burn that hadn\'t quite extinguished.

Liliana gently placed a hand on Lily\'s shoulder, guiding her toward a bench. "Let me take a look at that bruise." She carefully examined Lily\'s cheek, her touch tender but efficient. "Samael, we should have one of the healers look at this."

Lily shook her head quickly, her hand covering Liliana\'s. "No, really, I\'m fine. It\'s not as bad as it looks."

I stood back, watching the way Lily winced despite her words. The protective instinct I had felt earlier still pulsed through me, but I forced myself to stay calm. She was safe now, and that was all that mattered.

Sionna looked at me, her eyes softening. "Thank you for protecting her," she said quietly, her earlier anger replaced with gratitude.

I gave her a small nod, feeling the tension slowly ebb away. "She\'s part of our family now," I said, glancing at Lily, who smiled faintly in return. "No one touches her without facing the consequences."

Liliana finished tending to Lily and stood up, brushing a strand of her blonde hair away from her face. "Let\'s go sit somewhere, I will take a look at her bruise."

"Follow me, My team for the labyrinth are good people... they are just ahead, preparing for the next trial," I said, glancing at the group. "We\'ll regroup and make sure Lily gets the care she needs."

Lily nodded softly, still clutching my hand. Her eyes, though filled with remnants of fear, held trust—trust that I wouldn\'t let anything happen to her again.

Liliana gave a slight nod, still casting a concerned glance at Lily\'s bruise, while Sionna\'s protective stance relaxed, but her eyes remained sharp, scanning the area for any lingering threat. Raven folded his arms, a smirk playing on his lips as he glanced between Samael and Lily.

"I suppose they learned not to cross a dragon then," he muttered under his breath, but there was a note of approval in his voice. brought-to-you-by-NovelFire

As we walked towards the camp, I could feel the tension slowly leaving my body. But there was something else too, a weight that had settled inside me after the confrontation. The need to protect my loved ones, to guard them from the dangers of this world, had never felt so personal, so consuming.

Nyxara, perched on my shoulder, nuzzled against my neck, her warm presence grounding me. It wasn\'t just about fighting anymore—it was about control. Control over myself, my power, and the people who tried to take away what mattered to me.

Lily walked beside me, her steps a little slower, still recovering from the shock of the attack. I could feel her hand tightening around mine, a silent affirmation that she felt safe with me. She glanced up, meeting my eyes, and for a moment, her pain and fear seemed to fade, replaced by something softer—trust.

"Samael! I was going to look for y— Woah~ you have quite the harem here~" Alina exploded with a toothy grin on her face as soon as she saw me but the grin faltered when she noticed Lily\'s bruised cheek. "What happened?!"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Just some troublemakers. But we dealt with it."

Alina\'s expression shifted from playful to serious. "You didn\'t—"

"I said we handled it," I interrupted, trying to keep the irritation from my voice. "Lily\'s safe now."

Alina\'s eyes flickered to Lily, who offered a small, reassuring smile despite the lingering fear in her gaze. "I\'m okay, really," she insisted, though the tremor in her voice suggested otherwise.

Erik who was looking at us smiled and said, "Alina, at least let them have a sit and drink some water to cool off. You\'re not helping with that wild imagination of yours."

Alina rolled her eyes but nodded, gesturing for us to sit on one of the benches near the campfire. "Alright, fine. But I still want to hear the whole story later."

As we settled in, I could feel the warmth of the fire mingling with the cool evening air. Liliana poured some water for Lily, her expression softening as she did so. "Drink this. You need to stay hydrated, especially after everything."

Lily accepted the water gratefully, taking a few sips before placing it down beside her. "Thanks, Liliana. I appreciate it."

Raven leaned back against the bench, arms still crossed. "You\'ve got to be more careful, Lily. You can\'t trust everyone you meet out there."

"I know," she replied, a hint of frustration in her voice. "But I didn\'t think—"

"That\'s the problem," Raven interjected. "Thinking can get you into trouble."

I shot her a warning look, but she shrugged it off. I could see the tension still hanging around Lily, the remnants of fear not fully dissipated. "You won\'t have to go out alone again," I assured her, my voice steady. "We\'ll stick together."

"Anyways, I am Alina, Fire Affinity. Nice to meet you all. You all are Samael\'s \'companions\', right?" Alina said with a suggestive smile, trying to lighten the mood.

Lily blinked at her, a mixture of surprise and amusement on her face. "I guess you could say that. I\'m Lily."

"Nice to meet you, Lily!" Alina beamed, her energy infectious. "You\'re definitely in good hands with Samael. He\'s a dragon in more ways than one," she teased, casting a knowing glance at me.

I couldn\'t help but roll my eyes. "Let\'s not exaggerate too much."

Erik chuckled, clearly entertained by the banter. "Just be careful, Alina. You know how protective Samael can get."

"Protective is an understatement," Sionna chimed in, her tone teasing but affectionate. "He\'s practically a walking fortress."

Lily\'s laughter broke through the tension, lightening the atmosphere. "I\'ll keep that in mind. But I think I\'d prefer the fortress approach for now."

"I am Erik, Earth Affinity. It\'s nice to meet you all." Erik stepped forward making a dramatic bow trying to be charming. "Just remember, if you need anything sturdy built, I\'m your guy."

Lily smiled at Erik, the warmth of the moment lifting her spirits. "Thanks, Erik. I\'ll keep that in mind."

"Zara, Introduce yourself," Erik said to Zara who hadn\'t spoken a word till now sitting in the back of the group, her presence quiet but strong.

Zara looked up, her violet eyes sparkling as she spoke softly. "I\'m Zara, Barrier Affinity. I create protective shields and barriers. It\'s nice to meet you, Lily." Her voice was gentle, but there was a firmness to it that hinted at her confidence in her abilities.

Lily smiled warmly at Zara, her eyes brightening. "Thanks, Zara. That sounds really useful. I can definitely see how that would come in handy."

"It looks like it\'s our turn now," Liliana said while making a courteous bow, "I am Liliana—"

"Oh! Oh! You are the Pure Vampire from the talent evaluation, right?" Alina interrupted, her eyes wide with recognition. "I heard about you! Your performance was amazing!"

Liliana smiled, a hint of pride in her expression. "Thank you, Alina. Yes, I have a unique affinity for blood magic and healing. It helps me protect my friends."

Erik\'s eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Blood magic? That sounds... intense."

"It can be," Liliana admitted, her tone thoughtful. "But I use it to heal and shield those I care about. It\'s about balance, really."

"I am Raven and before you ask it. Yes, I am a pure-blooded demon with Dark Affinity." Raven said while her eyes gleamed with a purple glow.

"I am S-Sionna, Water Affinity." Sionna\'s voice trembled slightly as she introduced herself, her cheeks flushing under the attention. "I can manipulate water and create barriers with it."

"This is my family and companions, Erik. Sionna, Lily, Liliana, and Raven they all are my treasures." I said with a broad smile on my face.

"B-Baka! Who said I-I am y-your t-treasure! Baka! Baka!" Raven\'s face flushed with a healthy blush as she stammered, trying to mask her embarrassment with playful anger. The sight was amusing, and I couldn\'t help but chuckle at her reaction.

"Treasure or not, you can\'t deny that you\'ve got his back," Alina teased, winking at Raven. "That\'s a bond worth celebrating!"

Raven crossed her arms, her blush deepening as she turned her gaze away. "It\'s not like that!" she insisted, though the hint of a smile betrayed her true feelings.

Sionna also blushed but she drove herself into my arms to hide her face as she buried her head in my shoulder. "You\'re all ridiculous," she muttered, but I could feel her smile against my arm.

Liliana too blushed but she stood her ground and even kissed my cheek to reassure me. "We all appreciate you, Samael," she said softly, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "You\'re the glue that holds us together."

I felt a rush of emotion at her words, my heart swelling with affection for this incredible group. They each brought something unique, and their support felt like a lifeline. "I just want to keep everyone safe," I replied, my voice steady. "That\'s what matters most."

"Hey! That\'s cheating," Raven said as she stopped her way to me and kissed my other cheek despite her earlier claim, her cheeks still tinged with embarrassment. "You can\'t just steal all the compliments, Samael!"

I laughed, the atmosphere around us brightening. "I\'ll share the spotlight, I promise. But let\'s be real—without all of you, I wouldn\'t even be here."

I felt Sionna puffing her cheek and lifted her head looking at me, "Mine!" And stole a kiss from my lips as she licked her lips for aftertaste and murmured, "Sweet~"

I chuckled, feeling the warmth spread through me as Sionna claimed her moment. The playful tension in the air lightened, the laughter and teasing flowing easily among us.

"W-Where\'s mine?" I heard the meek voice of Lily cut through the laughter, her cheeks turning a shade of pink.

I turned to her, surprised yet amused. "I suppose I owe you a kiss for saving you from those troublemakers," I said, my voice light and teasing.

Lily\'s eyes widened, a mix of surprise and anticipation flickering across her face. "You don\'t have to—"

But I leaned in closer, my smile warm. "I want to," I reassured her, my gaze steady. With a gentle press of my lips against hers, the world around us seemed to fade away for a brief moment.

When I pulled back, Lily was smiling softly, the remnants of fear replaced with a spark of joy. "Okay, maybe I like this idea," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

The group erupted in playful teasing, Alina laughing loudly. "Look at you two! You\'re adorable!"

Raven rolled her eyes but couldn\'t hide the smirk creeping onto her face. "Fine, fine, but don\'t get too carried away. We still have trials to get admission in the academy."

"Attention Participants, The last phase of the Selections is held at Arena No.28. Please make your way to the arena immediately. The trials will begin shortly. Good luck!"

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[To Be Continued]

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