Back near the Molten Rocks, the group stationed to the east noticed a subtle shift in the environment. The once oppressive mist had begun to weaken, and the air became less suffocating. The change felt unnatural, prompting wary glances among the crew.
The unknown woman, standing apart, felt it too. Her eyes narrowed as a realization dawned upon her, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Parthena... Impossible... she was struck down?" Her gaze turned toward the distant Murky Woods, where the fading silhouette of its eerie canopy dissolved into the foggy horizon.
This woman was Viessa, one of Yipsiv's three prized "winners," individuals whose extraordinary luck had kept them alive and elevated within his ranks. A rare survivor of his cruel games, Viessa gritted her teeth, the weight of the situation pressing on her. "So, it's just me and Celosia now...," she muttered, clenching her fists. "And she's stationed on the opposite side of the island..."
A storm of frustration and urgency swirled in her mind. "This changes everything. If Parthena's down, the mist will continue to weaken, and the island's balance will shift. Worse yet, someone might reach Celosia...," she thought, panic creeping into her calculating demeanor.
She took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. "No... I can't let that happen. If they've come this far, I'll have to take them out myself, here and now. No more waiting."
With a grim determination, Viessa's gaze turned to the group before her, her sharp eyes calculating every move they made. The air grew heavy, not from the mist, but from the presence of an enemy who was now fully prepared to kill.
Viessa spread her arms wide, and with an ear-piercing clatter, black chains erupted from the ground, shooting skyward in a violent display. The harsh metallic sound echoed through the air, catching the group off guard and forcing them to step back in alarm.
"Bad news, friendos," Viessa sneered, her curly hair and ponytail whipping in the wind like an ominous banner. Her presence shifted, growing darker, more oppressive. "You've come too far. Now that you know the truth about the Blooming Tree, there's no way I'm letting you leave alive."
Kyora and her allies froze momentarily, their gazes locked on Viessa's glowing yellow eyes, which burned like twin torches in the mist. Her sinister transformation left them shaken.
"You must be one of the three sisters," Joker stated, gripping his marotte tightly as he stepped forward. His jester-like composure remained, but his tone carried a sharp edge.
Viessa scratched her jaw casually, her grin widening as her yellow eyes flared. "Correct. I'm Viessa. Won the roulette, got the prize, and all that. Lucky me, huh? But enough introductions. I'm not here to bore you with details..."
Her arms suddenly flung outward, and a dark, oppressive aura exploded from her body. The air itself seemed to shudder as she screamed, "...I'm here to take you all out!"
The ground rumbled violently as more black chains burst forth, snaking around the battlefield. They wrapped and coiled into deadly, twisting barriers, sealing the group inside a nightmarish maze. The sheer force of the wind generated by Viessa's unleashed power tore at their clothes and hair, pushing them back as if trying to force them to kneel.
"She's not just strong... she's dangerous," Elliott shouted, his voice barely audible over the metallic clanging of chains and the gale whipping through the area.
The scene was chaos. The chains formed a shifting, living deathtrap, cutting off any escape routes. Viessa stood at the center of the storm, her grin widening as she watched the crew grapple with the overwhelming force. This was no ordinary opponent—they now faced an enemy whose strength and malice dwarfed the horrors they encountered at the Frozen Abyss.
"Who let the dogs out?! They bark too much!" Tarot bellowed, whipping his staff off his back with a theatrical swing. He stretched one arm outward, a wide grin plastered across his face.
"You guys... leave this to me." He planted his staff in the ground and leaned forward, his stance brimming with an unusual confidence. His crew exchanged puzzled glances, clearly unprepared for Tarot's sudden burst of bravado.
"Seriously? Where was that confidence when we needed it most?!" Kyora snapped, her frustration bleeding through as she gestured sharply at him.
Tarot merely chuckled, waving her concern off like an annoying fly. "No worries, my friend. Elliott's too bruised up to fight, Joker's running on fumes from tangling with that marine, and you, Kyora, should focus on keeping us moving forward. I've got this."
Kyora stared at him, unimpressed. "You sure about that?"
"Absolutely!" Tarot struck a pose, spinning his staff dramatically. "I think you've been seriously underestimating my talent as a Cloud Jumper. Gotta earn your trust and respect somehow, don't I? Besides..." He smirked, tilting his head as if to punctuate his point. "I'm not alone."
With that, Tarot let out a sharp whistle, and thick clouds began to form around him. They swirled and stretched, taking shape until several identical figures of Tarot materialized from the mist.
"See? Even my clouds think I'm cool," he quipped, adjusting his staff with a flourish. His duplicates mirrored his every move, their grins just as wide and cocky as his own.
"I can take care of myself, not just as the delivery guy... but as a fighter. Sit back and watch the show, crew. The Tarot special's about to begin."
The trio supporting Tarot exchanged weary glances, sweat forming and trickling down their foreheads. Kyora, however, narrowed her eyes and nodded. For once, she understood the importance of letting him prove himself—not just as their shipwright or the crew's comedic relief, but as a warrior. They also had a mission to complete, and time was running thin.
"You've got this, Tarot," Kyora said firmly, stepping forward and gesturing to the others. "Let's move!"
Without hesitation, Joker and Elliott nodded, following Kyora as she darted toward the edge of the Molten Rocks.
Viessa, standing in the center of her swaying chains, snarled. "You're not going anywhere!" With a crackling screech, one of her massive chains shot out like a striking serpent, aimed straight at the retreating trio.
Elliott, unfazed, immediately drew his katana, the blade humming with raw energy. In an instant, violet lightning coiled around the steel, dancing and sparking with terrifying intensity.
"Not today," he muttered, twisting his grip. With a calculated spin, Elliott channeled the storm along the edge of his blade, sending a pulse of energy through the air. The chain collided with the spinning arc of lightning, shattering into fragments as the electric current overpowered its dark, metallic strength.
The scattered shards rained down harmlessly as Elliott turned and flashed a playful smirk back at Viessa, sticking his tongue out. "Better luck next time!"
Kyora and Joker had already reached the edge of the rocky terrain, but Elliott wasn't done. With a flick of his wrist, he grabbed their arms and tightened his grip.
"Hold on, team. Godspeed!"
In an instant, a crackling burst of purple lightning engulfed the trio, sending out a blinding flash that left the area trembling. In less than a heartbeat, they vanished, reappearing as nothing more than a fading trail of sparks far beyond Viessa's reach.
Viessa froze, her chains swaying in the now-empty space where her prey had been. The sudden burst of speed left her momentarily stunned, her yellow eyes wide.
"What the...?" she hissed, her voice laced with disbelief. Her gaze darted back to Tarot, whose confident grin hadn't faltered for a second.
"Looks like it's just you and me now, chain lady," Tarot said, twirling his staff before suddenly stopping, his face mock-serious. "Don't worry, though—I left my autograph with Elliott. If you survive this, you can ask him for it later!"
His cloud clones burst into exaggerated laughter, as if part of a rehearsed bit. "Now," he continued, crouching into a ready stance with a theatrical flourish, "let's see if you can keep up with the king of bad ideas!"
To be continued...