Tom's vision blurred instantly, and his ears rang loudly. He could barely make meaning of Ariana's words.

Ariana managed to fend off the person in front of her and, from the corner of her eye, spotted someone with a knife approaching Tom from behind. She shouted in alarm and rushed to shove Tom out of harm's way.

The sharp blade of the knife sliced into Ariana's arm, leaving a deep gash that started bleeding seriously.

She suppressed a cry of pain, her legs giving way, and she sank to the floor on her knees.

Tom spun around, his blurred vision gradually clearing. He saw Ariana's arm bleeding, which ignited a surge of anger within him.