Single Part
Ellen walked down a street lined with shops and merchant stalls. The breeze carried the scent of freshly baked bread and spices, and the murmur of people mixed with the sound of carriages and horses. Her heart beat faster as she approached a familiar house situated in the middle of the city.
Ellen's old home, with its wooden and stone structure, seemed untouched by time. The windows had curtains that were supposed to be white, and the front garden was full of dead flowers. Ellen stopped in front of the door, her hand hesitating before finally pushing it open.
Upon entering, she was greeted by the smell of homemade soup and dried herbs hanging from the ceiling. The living room was empty, with a dark wooden table and old tapestries on the walls. The sound of footsteps on the stone floor made her heart race.
"Ellen?" Her father's voice echoed through the house. He appeared in the kitchen doorway, his face full of surprise and emotion. His gray hair and wrinkles showed the signs of time, but his eyes now shone, unlike the cold and indifferent look they always had before.
"Father?" Ellen responded, her voice choked with emotion. She took small steps back, but he rushed to her and hugged her tightly, as if afraid Ellen would disappear again.
"I missed you so much..." her father said, his voice trembling.
"I have so many things to tell you, Ellen. I... I'm sorry. For everything."
Ellen pulled back slightly, looking into her father's eyes. Tears started to stream down her face. "I missed you too, father. And... I also felt..."
The two sat in wooden chairs by the weak fireplace, and her father began to speak.
"I was so cruel, so selfish. I never should have let you leave like that, never should have said those horrible things. You were always everything to me, Ellen. I was wrong and I'm sorry."
Ellen held his hand, feeling a touch long lost. "I understand, father. We both made mistakes. The important thing is that we can overcome this, together."
Ellen's father smiled, a smile laden with years of regret and hope. "Let's start over, my daughter. Let's make up for lost time."
As the two talked, laughed, and reminisced about good times, a feeling of peace began to envelop Ellen. But then, a small doubt started to grow in her mind. She looked around the room; something seemed... off. The perfection of the moment, the way everything was exactly as she had dreamed. It was almost... surreal.
She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to dispel the doubt, but when she opened them again, her father's image began to blur. The house's walls wavered as if made of mist, and the warmth of her father's embrace disappeared.
"It can't be." Ellen murmured to herself, feeling the ground begin to fade beneath her feet.
"All of this... all of this wasn't real."
Her father's smile turned sad, and he began to vanish like a mirage. "Ellen, my dear, never forget what I said. Even if I'm not real, my love for you is true. It always has been."
Tears flowed freely down Ellen's face as her father's image completely disappeared. She was back in the flower garden, the soft glow of the flowers contrasting sharply with the surrounding darkness. The sound of arrows being shot echoed in the distance, bringing her back to reality.
Lirian ran toward her, his face sweaty and tense. "You're awake, no time to explain! Attack the spider!"
Ellen turned quickly, seeing the enormous spider with its multifaceted eyes and hairy legs moving aggressively towards Lirian. Without hesitation, Ellen drew her daggers and advanced with the agility of a shadow. She delivered a precise blow to the spider's front legs, cutting off one of them and making the creature emit a high-pitched screech.
The spider turned towards Ellen, its mandibles clicking furiously. Ellen dodged a strike from its hind legs and jumped on top of the spider, driving one of her daggers deep into the creature's abdomen. A bright purple liquid gushed from the wound, covering the dagger's blade and dripping onto the ground.
The spider thrashed violently, shaking itself in a desperate frenzy. Ellen was thrown to the ground, her body hitting the earth hard. The spider, now wounded and bleeding profusely, retreated to a corner, where its mandibles continued to click menacingly.
Ellen got up, ignoring the pain pulsating in her muscles. She ran to Thalon, who was lying severely injured. "Thalon, can you hear me? Come on, wake up!"
Thalon opened his eyes with difficulty, his face contorted with pain. "Ellen... You're awake. I need... a moment." With visible effort, he gestured with his hands, and a soft white light enveloped his body, closing some of his wounds.
"Take me to Garen," he requested, still weak.
Ellen helped Thalon to his feet, placing his arm over her shoulders to support him. "Let's go, we need to move quickly."
***
Garen stood before the grand twisted throne of cold black steel, an imposing and terrifying structure that seemed to absorb the light around it. The throne was adorned with intricate details, sharp points, and hooks that gave the impression it could tear the flesh of anyone who dared to get too close.
Seated on the throne was the king, an imposing figure dressed in black armor that faintly reflected the glow of the torches around the room. He wore a golden skull mask, a sinister contrast to the darkness of his armor. The crown on his head was pure steel, simple but threatening, a symbol of his relentless power.
"You, Garen," said the king, his voice reverberating through the stone walls of the throne room.
"I choose you to lead the attack against our enemies. You are my most loyal and capable warrior. This is your mission. Lead our armies to victory."
Garen knelt before the king, his heart pounding with a mixture of honor and apprehension. "I accept, my king. I will fight to my last breath to honor your name."
The king looked at Garen for a few seconds. "Rise, Garen. Go now and prepare for battle. Bring me the heads of our enemies and show the world the true power of the King of Lyssandra."
Some time later, the war was at its peak. Garen led the front line with bravery and determination, his large shield and sword reflecting the lightning that cut through the stormy sky. The battlefield was a chaos of screams, clashing steel, and the sound of war drums echoing across the plain.
Garen was in the thick of the battle, his sword cutting down enemies with deadly precision. His soldiers followed him fervently, inspired by his courage and leadership. They advanced, pushing the enemy forces back, gaining ground with every moment.
The enemy, however, was tenacious. Archers on the hills shot arrows incessantly, and mages cast fireballs that exploded among Garen's ranks. The battlefield was a spectacle of destruction and bravery, with soldiers falling and cries of pain filling the air.
Garen fought like a lion, his armor stained with blood and mud, but his spirit indomitable. He delivered powerful blows, cutting through the enemy lines. In a moment of respite, he looked around, searching for his next target. It was then that he saw the enemy leader, a formidable warrior mounted on a black horse, his ornate armor shining in the lightning's glow.
"There is the enemy commander!" shouted Garen, pointing his sword towards the leader.
"Follow me, men! Defeat him and victory will be ours!"
With a battle cry, Garen advanced, his soldiers right behind him. The ensuing fight was fierce. Garen faced the enemy commander in hand-to-hand combat, their swords clashing with such force that sparks flew. Garen felt the strength and skill of his opponent but did not retreat. Each strike was an exchange of skill and brute force, a test of will and endurance.
Finally, Garen saw an opening. With a quick movement, he disarmed the enemy commander and knocked him off his horse. Before he could deliver the final blow, a spear flew through the air and lodged itself in Garen's shoulder, forcing him to drop his sword and fall to his knees.
The enemy commander, taking advantage of the distraction, got up and delivered a mortal blow. Garen felt the blade penetrate his abdomen, the intense pain almost paralyzing him. He fell on his back, his gaze turning to the stormy sky. Around him, the battle continued, but the sounds seemed distant, muffled by the pain that dominated his body.
"I... failed..." murmured Garen, feeling his life slip away.
"My king..."
***
Garen woke with a start, his vision blurred and senses confused. Seeing the great spider, he got up, grabbed his sword from the ground, and ran towards it. The creature, with its long, hairy legs, screeched upon seeing him approach and, with a quick movement, launched a thick, sticky web. Garen tried to dodge, but was caught in the middle, the web wrapping around his arms and legs, immobilizing him.
"Lirian, attack!" shouted Thalon, who was on the other side of the battlefield, trying to wake Broke.
Lirian, determination in his eyes, pulled an arrow from his quiver and infused it with magical energy. He aimed carefully and fired. The arrow, glowing pink with unknown power, zipped through the air and struck the spider directly, exploding in a burst of light that left the creature even more wounded and disoriented.
Meanwhile, Thalon knelt beside Broke, canceling the spider's illusion while gently shaking her. "Broke, wake up!"