Dust and debris from the crumbling palace of Aethelgard billowed behind Lyna's rapidly fleeing horse, leaving a trail of despair across the blood-stained ground. In her arms, the two infants nestled, fragile beacons of hope amidst the catastrophe that had befallen the kingdom. Lyna glanced back, witnessing the flames devouring the once-majestic towers, the silhouettes of valiant warriors now just heartbreaking memories.
As she reached the partially collapsed outer gate of the palace, Lyna drew a shaky breath of relief. The trees of the distant forest appeared like a verdant embrace, promising sanctuary. However, that hope was swiftly extinguished.
Suddenly, the grey sky above was torn apart by swift-moving darkness. Five terrifying figures with wide, leathery wings beat the air harshly as they swooped down from the heavens. The demons, with their glowing red eyes and outstretched, razor-sharp talons, headed directly for her. A low, menacing growl echoed through the air, shattering the silence after the din of battle.
Lyna's heart plummeted. They were pursuing her. Though her horse was fast, the winged demons were clearly swifter and held the aerial advantage. She knew that fighting in the open with two infants in her arms was tantamount to suicide.
Without the slightest hesitation, Lyna spurred her horse towards the edge of the forest. The dense trees offered the only chance for concealment and perhaps, just perhaps, escape from the clutches of those monstrous creatures. She ducked low, shielding the two babies as tightly as possible as her horse plunged into the forest's gloom, leaving behind the burning light of the palace and the pursuing threat. Leaves and branches whipped at her face, but Lyna didn't slow her pace. She had to go deeper, hoping the darkness and the thick foliage would swallow her tracks and hide Aethelgard's last hope from the grasp of darkness.
Lyna spurred her horse onward as fast as the animal could manage, her heart pounding in time with the beat of wings behind her. Five winged demons easily kept pace, their talons outstretched like the barbs of death. Attacks from afar began to strike the trees around them, sparks quickly blossoming into flames, transforming the once verdant forest into a raging inferno in an instant.
Thick smoke choked the air, and the heat seared her skin, yet a miracle unfolded. The two infants in her arms remained calm. The blue-eyed baby even giggled merrily, as if the horrifying scene around them was but a play of light. A faint smile touched Lyna's lips at their innocence.
"You two are so precious," she whispered softly, "I hope you'll spread smiles to everyone. Because of that, I won't let you get hurt, not even a little."
However, Lyna knew her escape wouldn't last. Her horse was tiring, and the increasingly difficult terrain slowed their progress. Fighting five winged demons while protecting two babies was an impossible task. As if fate itself was mocking her, a steep chasm yawned before them, ending any hope of further flight.
With a swift decision, Lyna yanked the reins, halting her horse at the cliff's edge. She quickly dismounted and concealed the two infants behind a thicket of bushes beneath the shelter of a large tree. There was no other choice. She had to face them.
The sword in her hand felt cold but offered a sliver of resolve. She stood tall, facing the five demons who now landed before her, fire blazing in their eyes.
"Hand over the prophesied child, weakling," the first demon hissed, its voice heavy with arrogance, "and we might spare your life."
"Why negotiate?" another demon sneered, its grin wicked, "Just kill the human. The weak have no right to make decisions anyway." Harsh, guttural laughter echoed among them.
Lyna took a deep breath. Well, as you know, villains always lose because they talk too much.
With a swift movement, Lyna drew her sword. The twilight filtering through the gaps in the forest fire's smoke glinted sharply off its blade. She stood firm before the tree where the two infants were hidden, her body their last shield.
"You think I'll just surrender?" Lyna hissed, her tone resolute despite the icy grip of fear on her heart as she took in the size and number of her enemies.
The first demon, its hulking form supported by wide, leathery wings, lunged with razor-sharp talons extended. Lyna moved quickly, evading the brutal attack with a lithe spin of her body. Her sword slashed out, leaving a crimson gash on the demon's scaled arm. A roar of pain and fury erupted from its maw.
The second and third demons attacked simultaneously from above. One spewed small but rapid fireballs that forced Lyna into a zigzagging retreat. The ground around her blackened and smoked where the attacks landed. The other attempted a dive with a pointed bone spear. Lyna parried the spear thrust with her sword, sparks flying as metal clashed against bone.
The remaining two demons kept their distance, watching and occasionally launching globules of dark energy that hissed through the air. Lyna realized she had to contend not only with physical attacks but also dangerous ranged assaults.
She used her agility and the surrounding trees as cover. Leaping from one trunk to another, she tried to close the distance with the demons attacking up close. Each movement was swift and efficient, honed by years of royal guard training.
However, their numbers were overwhelming. A demon's claw tore across her shoulder, ripping through her leather armor and sending a searing pain through her. Lyna bit her lip to stifle a groan. She knew every injury made it harder to protect the babies.
With burning resolve, Lyna managed to slice through the wing of one of the diving demons. The creature lost its balance and crashed heavily to the ground, screeching in agony. Seeing their comrade wounded, the other demons grew even more ferocious.
Fireballs slammed into the trees around her, intensifying the blaze. Thick smoke limited her vision, yet she remained focused on the movements of each enemy. She knew she had to create an opening, find a way to escape or at least hold them off long enough.
In desperation, a daring idea flashed through Lyna's mind. She glanced at the chasm behind her. It was a last, perilous resort, but perhaps her only chance for survival...
Finally, Lyna found a desperate solution. She knew that by sacrificing a part of herself, she could temporarily amplify her strength.
"I'll make you bastards regret this!" Lyna growled, her eyes flashing with fury. She sliced her palm, dark crimson blood dripping onto the scorched earth. She prepared to perform a forbidden blood ritual, but before a single drop could soak into the ground, a terrifying growl echoed through the forest, emanating from the darkness of the chasm behind her.
Unbeknownst to Lyna, her blood had broken an ancient seal, awakening a monstrous being imprisoned in the chasm's depths for millennia. The once-arrogant demons instantly trembled with fear, sensing the presence of a malevolent power far beyond their own.
"Hmm... Blood of a pure-hearted human," a horrifying voice boomed from the chasm, its sound like the scraping of tombstones and the howl of a midnight wind. "Finally... the accursed seal of those foolish heroes is broken. Hahahahahaha... Ten thousand years I have waited... Finally... Finally hahahahaha..." Its laughter was so chilling that every living creature in the burning forest froze in terror.
A pitch-black figure slowly crawled out of the chasm's darkness, its eyes glowing red like embers. It fixed a terrifyingly curious gaze upon Lyna.
"Human," it said, its voice now calmer but no less menacing, "because you have freed me... I shall grant you one wish."
The five demons froze in their places, their bodies stiffening like petrified wood before the looming presence of Xarthos. Not a single muscle dared to twitch, their leathery wings folded with unnatural rigidity, their razor-sharp talons extended in a gesture of utter helplessness. Their eyes, which moments before had burned with a malevolent, murderous intent, now reflected a pure and all-consuming horror, a terror that transcended mere physical fear and touched the very core of their dark existence. The cacophony of roars and hisses that had filled the air moments ago abruptly vanished, replaced by a chilling, profound silence, as if the very fabric of nature held its breath, cowed into submission by the presence of a far more formidable, primordial entity. The oppressive aura radiating from Xarthos washed over them like a tangible wave of dread, pressing down with an irresistible, crushing force, utterly stripping them of their will, their defiance, and even the primal instinct to fight or attempt to flee the inescapable doom that now stood before them. They were ensnared in an invisible, intangible web of pure terror, utterly helpless prisoners of an ancient power that had stirred from its millennia-long slumber, its awakening heralding a new era of dread.
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Lyna was a young woman with hair the soft white of pasta, a gentle contrast to her fair skin. Her eyes held a captivating beauty, the clear and deep blue of sapphires, giving an impression of serenity while also hinting at an inner resolve.
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"I would really appreciate it if you would share your reactions or thoughts about this part of the story."