Emily's screams had turned to ragged breaths as the lizard-like creature's tail, bristling with venomous spikes, constricted her waist. The stench of decay from its four-dimensional mouth made her gag, its fetid breath filling her lungs. She had struggled at first, kicking and screaming for help, but the higher they flew into the ominous, swirling skies, the more futile her resistance felt.
She glanced down at the darkened landscape below. Trees, buildings, and the familiar grounds of her school seemed like distant memories, their shapes distorted by the speed of the creature's flight. It's flying... she thought in disbelief. Her thoughts drifted back to her last moments in the dormitory.
The hideous creature had attacked without warning. Its grotesque form smashed through the window, sending shards of glass raining down as Emily and Slyvia had scrambled for safety. Slyvia, ever the protector, had leaped in front of Emily, shielding her as the beast lunged. Blood had splattered onto Emily's face as Slyvia was struck by the creature's claws, her cries of pain echoing in Emily's ears. The sight of her friend collapsing had made Emily freeze—long enough for the monster to wrap its tail around her and whisk her into the night.
A sudden roar jolted her from her thoughts. She looked up, her breath hitching as a dark vortex tore through the sky like a wound. Its swirling mass of shadows pulsated with an energy so malevolent it made her skin crawl.
"What the hell..." Emily whispered, her voice trembling. The lizard creature let out a guttural howl and dove straight into the vortex. The darkness enveloped them, its oppressive weight pressing against her chest, robbing her of breath. She shut her eyes as the creature hurtled through, the sensation of disorientation overwhelming her.
When they emerged, Emily found herself tumbling to the ground, landing painfully on her back. She groaned, clutching her ribs, and forced herself to look around.
The sight that greeted her stole the breath from her lungs. Rows of people—students, teachers, strangers—stood frozen in place, their faces etched with terror. The room was enormous, its walls adorned with grotesque symbols that seemed to writhe and pulse as if alive. The air was thick with the coppery scent of blood and the acrid stench of burnt flesh.
At the center of it all, on a grand obsidian throne, sat Abigail. Her long black gown shimmered like liquid darkness, and a crown shaped like a black swan perched on her head. Her sadistic smile stretched across her face, a chilling contrast to the screams of agony echoing through the sanctuary.
Behind her, the divine hunters were strung upside down, each suspended over containers filled with blue flames. The fire licked at their faces, melting flesh away and exposing bone. The sound of their tortured cries was unrelenting, a symphony of despair that seemed to feed the dark energy in the room.
Mrs. Anderson hung among them, her face half-melted, her once-proud demeanor reduced to pitiful whimpers.
"So my sacrifices are all ready," Abigail announced, her voice ringing with cruel authority.
The creatures surrounding her growled in affirmation, their monstrous forms a nightmarish blend of twisted limbs, fangs, and scales.
Emily's legs felt like lead. She couldn't move, couldn't scream, couldn't think. She watched in horror as Abigail surveyed the room, her eyes gleaming with sadistic delight.
"So beautiful," Abigail purred. "I know you all never thought a day like this would come—a day when you'd meet your end in such a devastating manner. But don't fret; as painful as it's going to be, I'll try to make it quick."
Abigail turned to the altar, snapping her fingers. The creatures scattered, their guttural growls sending shivers down Emily's spine. One by one, they began to attack.
The sanctuary erupted into chaos. Screams filled the air as the creatures tore into their victims with savage ferocity. Flesh was ripped from bone, blood splattered across the floor, and chunks of mangled bodies fell to the ground.
Emily's eyes widened in terror as she witnessed the carnage. A student near her was dragged by a creature with talons the size of daggers. The beast tore into the boy's chest, ripping his heart out with a sickening squelch. Another student tried to run, only to be pounced upon by a demon with a mouth that stretched impossibly wide, its teeth crunching through bone like dry twigs.
Emily wanted to close her eyes, to block out the horror, but she couldn't. The cries of her peers, the grotesque sounds of flesh being torn apart, and the overwhelming stench of death rooted her in place.
A massive demon with eight legs scuttled toward her. Its speed was unnatural, its movements jerky and erratic. Emily's heart pounded as it lunged, its grotesque face inches from hers—
"Noli tangere eam, dæmon stupidus!" Abigail's voice rang out, commanding and furious.
A burst of fire and lightning erupted from her hands, striking the demon mid-lunge. The creature let out a bone-chilling screech as the combined elements incinerated it, reducing it to nothing more than ash.
Abigail's eyes, now glowing with an otherworldly black light, turned to the lizard-like creature that had brought Emily.
"Who dared bring her here?" she demanded, her voice dripping with venom.
The creature crawled forward, its head bowed in submission.
"How dare you bring her here? Can't you see my mark on her? She is not to be harmed!" Abigail's fury was palpable. Her hands glowed with a blinding light as she raised them toward the creature. "For your disobedience, you will suffer a fate worse than death."
The lizard let out a guttural scream as Abigail's magic consumed it. Flames erupted around it, its agonized cries echoing as it was banished to the deepest pits of hell.
Emily stood frozen, her mind struggling to comprehend what had just happened. Abigail turned to her, her expression softening.
"Thank goodness you're safe," Abigail murmured, rushing to cup Emily's face in her hands. "You shouldn't be here. I'll have you taken somewhere safe. What's about to happen... you shouldn't see it."
Emily stared at her, bewildered. "Why... why did you save me?"
Abigail's eyes glistened with an emotion Emily couldn't place. Without warning, Abigail leaned in, her lips capturing Emily's in a kiss filled with passion and longing. Emily's heart raced as a surge of warmth spread through her, leaving her more confused than ever.
When Abigail pulled away, her gaze was intense. "you are the only friend that I have so far I can't bare loosing you, so stay safe Emily and we will soon be together, but I have to do this to destroy our enemies including your parents."
Before Emily could respond, Abigail snapped her fingers, and Emily felt herself being lifted by unseen forces, carried away from the sanctuary.