The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 71

Chapter 71: 02/17- Fighting Over Aeliana

The air between Lucian and Skye crackled with tension, a storm of emotions barely contained within their opposing gazes. Lucian’s beastly transformation had receded slightly, but his rage still burned hot, his body trembling with the effort of restraining himself. Skye, in contrast, stood calmly, his signature smirk still present, though his eyes held a sharp glint—one that spoke of provocation.

Lucian’s claws flexed, his breathing ragged. “You think this is a game, Skye?” he growled, his voice carrying the guttural undertone of his beast form. “You think you can waltz in, kiss her, and walk away unscathed?”

Skye chuckled, rolling his shoulders. “Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Lucian. I simply took the opportunity presented to me. What? Did I touch a nerve?” His wings flared slightly, his draconic energy simmering beneath the surface.

“Enough.” Lucian’s patience snapped, and in a blink, he lunged. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he closed the distance, his fist flying toward Skye with terrifying speed.

Skye barely dodged, twisting his body just in time to avoid the full force of the punch, but Lucian was relentless. A second strike followed, then a third. Skye deflected them with his forearm, but the sheer force of the attacks sent shockwaves through the ground, splintering the stone beneath them.

“You’ve gotten stronger,” Skye admitted, leaping back and spreading his wings to gain some aerial distance. “But strength without control is just reckless fury.”

Lucian didn’t respond with words. Instead, he pressed forward, his speed increasing with every strike. He was a blur of movement, each punch carrying the full weight of his wrath. Skye countered with fluidity, twisting and weaving between the blows, his own hands moving in precise counters.

Then, in a split second, Skye’s tail whipped around, aiming for Lucian’s side. Lucian caught it mid-air, his grip iron-tight. With a vicious snarl, he yanked Skye downward, slamming him into the ground with enough force to send dust and debris flying.

The impact echoed through the ruins. Skye groaned but managed to roll away just as Lucian’s foot came crashing down, shattering the stone where his head had been mere moments ago.

Skye recovered quickly, exhaling as his hands crackled with magic. “Fine, if you insist,” he muttered.

With a flick of his wrist, a jet of fire roared toward Lucian, the flames twisting into the shape of a dragon’s maw. Lucian countered with a swift motion, a barrier of golden light erupting in front of him. The flames clashed against the shield, dispersing in a burst of embers.

“I see you still rely on your tricks,” Lucian said, his voice edged with disdain.

Skye smirked. “And you still rely on brute strength.” With that, he vanished in a burst of speed, reappearing behind Lucian in an instant. His claws slashed forward, aiming for Lucian’s back.

But Lucian was ready. He spun around, intercepting the attack with his forearm, the clash of magic and raw power sending another shockwave through the area. The force of the collision sent both men skidding back, eyes locked, neither willing to give an inch.

The battle was escalating. The ground beneath them trembled as their powers surged. Lucian’s golden aura flared, his beastly instincts heightening his reactions. Skye’s draconic energy coiled around him, his wings spreading wide as he prepared for his next move.

Then, Skye’s lips curled into a wicked grin. “You’re fighting for her, aren’t you?” His tone was mocking. “But tell me, Lucian—does she even want to be fought over?”

Lucian hesitated for a fraction of a second. And that was all Skye needed.

In that split moment, Skye unleashed a powerful gust of wind, his wings propelling him forward as he struck Lucian with a precise, devastating blow to the stomach. The force sent Lucian flying backward, slamming into a crumbling pillar.

Dust filled the air as Lucian struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth. His eyes darkened. “You talk too much.”

With a sudden burst of speed, Lucian appeared in front of Skye, gripping his collar and pulling him in close. His golden eyes burned with an intensity that made even Skye falter for a brief moment.

“If you ever touch her again,” Lucian growled, his voice low and dangerous, “I will break every bone in your body.”

Skye merely smirked. “Noted.”

Then, without warning, Lucian threw Skye across the battlefield with monstrous strength. Skye twisted mid-air, landing gracefully, but the impact still left a crack in the ground beneath his feet.

Both stood panting, neither backing down.

Kael immediately sprang into action, placing himself between Lucian and Skye. “Lucian, stop!” he shouted, pushing against Lucian’s chest with both hands, struggling to hold him back. The golden aura surrounding Lucian flared wildly, his beastly instincts still raging beneath the surface. He was running purely on emotion now, blind anger fueling his every movement.

“Aeliana, do something!” Kael called out, gritting his teeth as Lucian snarled, trying to push past him.

Aeliana stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Lucian’s shoulder. “Lucian, listen to me!” she commanded, her voice steady but urgent. “You just recovered from being poisoned. You’re not at full strength. If you keep this up, you’ll collapse!”

Lucian clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His breathing was heavy, chest rising and falling rapidly as his rage continued to simmer. He wanted nothing more than to tear Skye apart, to make him pay for what he had done, for the audacity of even looking at Leona, let alone touching her. But Aeliana’s words, and the way Kael was physically struggling to restrain him, forced him to take a moment to regain control.

“Breathe,” Aeliana whispered. “You’re not thinking clearly.”

Lucian exhaled sharply, but he finally stopped pushing against Kael. His golden eyes still burned with fury, but he took a step back, his muscles tense.

Meanwhile, Skye dusted himself off, his usual smirk faltering for just a second as he caught his breath. He had barely gotten his footing when Aeliana suddenly stormed up to him, her eyes filled with unfiltered rage. Before he could react, she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

The sharp sound of the impact echoed through the air.

Skye’s head snapped to the side, his cheek stinging from the force of the slap. For a moment, he was stunned—he hadn’t expected that. He slowly turned his head back to face her, touching his jaw with a hint of surprise.

“I am engaged!” Aeliana spat, her voice laced with anger and disbelief. “How dare you!”

Skye blinked, then quickly raised his hands in surrender. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it,” he said, his tone unusually subdued. There was no arrogance in his voice this time—only an awkward attempt at damage control.

Aeliana’s glare didn’t waver. “You did mean it,” she snapped. “And that makes it worse.”

Skye opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, Aeliana continued. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, Skye, but you need to stop. You don’t get to waltz in here, toy with people’s emotions, and act like it’s nothing.”

Leona, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up, her voice softer but no less firm. “Skye…why did you do that?” Her emerald eyes searched his face, as if trying to understand what had just happened.

Skye hesitated. He could feel the weight of their stares, the expectation for him to give some kind of explanation. But for the first time in a long while, he didn’t have a witty remark ready. Instead, he just sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, his usual confidence faltering. “It just…happened.”

Lucian, who had been watching the exchange in silent fury, clenched his fists. “It just happened?” he repeated, his voice dangerously low. “You don’t get to say that after what you’ve done.”

Kael, sensing that Lucian was about to lose his temper again, quickly stepped between them once more. “Alright, enough. No one’s dying tonight,” he muttered. Then he turned to Skye, crossing his arms. “You’ve already stirred up enough trouble. Maybe you should leave before Lucian decides he doesn’t care about his health anymore.”

Skye let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head. “Yeah, I figured as much.” He glanced at Leona one last time, something unreadable flickering in his expression. Then, with a dramatic bow, he said, “I suppose this is where I take my leave.”

He turned on his heel and began walking away, but not before throwing a glance over his shoulder. “See you all around,” he added, his usual smirk returning—though it didn’t quite reach his eyes this time.

Aeliana exhaled, shaking her head as she turned to Leona. “Are you okay?”

Leona nodded slowly, though her mind was still racing. She wasn’t sure what had just happened—why Skye had done what he did, or why he had looked at her that way before leaving. But something about it unsettled her.

Lucian, on the other hand, was still seething, his mind replaying the moment over and over. If Kael and Aeliana hadn’t been there, he would have torn Skye apart. And yet, deep down, something nagged at him—something about the way Skye had reacted. It wasn’t the cocky, arrogant Skye he was used to seeing. It was…different.

Kael sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well. That was dramatic.”

Aeliana shot him a look. “Not the time, Kael.”

Kael raised his hands in surrender. “Just trying to lighten the mood.”

Lucian didn’t respond. Instead, he turned away, his jaw tight. He needed to clear his head. Because one thing was for certain—this wasn’t over.