The hall, once a symphony of laughter and merriment, was now a chaotic canvas of cries and shouts. Panic-stricken faces scrambled for escape, their footsteps echoing off the walls. The air was heavy with fear, as if the very darkness itself had come to life.
"We're doomed! We'll never make it out alive!" a man in fine attire exclaimed, his voice trembling like a leaf.
"Gallows? But they're just myths, bedtime stories to scare children!" another man protested, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"You're in Aethoria, my friend," a bystander chimed in, "where ancient magic whispers through the wind. Anything is possible here. I'd believe it if someone told me they saw a dragon on their way to the ball!"
The ballroom was a scene of utter chaos. People scrambled to find hiding spots behind tables and chairs, while others dashed towards the doors, only to find them blocked by the beast's imposing frame. The music had stopped, replaced by the sound of shattering glass and splintering wood.
Aria and Kael stood frozen, their eyes fixed on the mayhem before them. "Well, this might just be the opportunity we've been waiting for," Kael said, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Aria's eyes narrowed. "I don't think this is an opportunity, Kael. People might get hurt."
Kael's smile was reassuring. "Relax, nobody's dying today. We'll get through this."
Meanwhile, a group of six individuals remained seated, unfazed by the pandemonium around them. They were the Order of the Black Oak, their faces lit by the flickering candles.
Lord Kaelin said to Lady Archane, "Was this your plan all along, my son was just a cover up." Lord Kaelin was a bit annoyed but regained his composure.
Lady Archane's smile grew wider. "Your son is still part of the plan, Lord Kaelin. He will fall into his role soon enough. But for now, let's all enjoy the show."
The others watched in silence, their eyes fixed on the chaos before them. The air was thick with tension, the only sound the heavy breathing of Gallows and the cries of the terrified nobles.
The ballroom was a scene of utter chaos and horror as the King's Knights clashed with the monstrous Gallows. The knights charged into battle with valor, but were met with a gruesome fate. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies decapitated and mutilated beyond recognition. The shock and terror were palpable as the crowd watched in frozen silence.
"Oh dear gods!" a noblewoman screamed, her voice trembling with fear. "This is madness!"
Some nobles wet their attire, while others stood frozen in terror, unable to move or speak. A young nobleman screamed in horror, "I'm still a virgin!" as if his untimely demise would be made worse by his unblemished state.
Just as the Gallows were about to pounce on the Knights guarding the king and his daughter, Kael leapt into action. With his arms crossed in the air, he blocked the attack, his eyes blazing with determination.
"I need a sword!" he yelled, and one of the King's guards tossed his sword to him.
The battle began, with swords clashing against the Gallows' rock-hard skin. Kael fought with precision and skill, but Aria was struggling to summon her sword.
"Aria!!" Kael shouted, his voice laced with urgency. "What are you still doing?"
"I'm trying to summon my sword, but it's not working!" Aria replied, her frustration evident as she held her hands up in the air, as if grasping for an invisible weapon.
"The power of the elements can fall in any weapon, in some cases it can even be in a person entirely," Kael explained, his breathing heavy from the battle. "So once it's in a weapon, that weapon is connected to the person, and if it's not with them, they can summon it. But it seems like your sword is being stubborn!"
The crowd watched in terror, their voices a chorus of fear and panic.
"This is the end! We're all going to die!"
"The monsters are going to kill us all!"
"Oh gods, save us!"
Aria's face contorted in concentration, her eyes closed tight as she focused all her energy on summoning her sword. Suddenly, a faint glow appeared in her hand, and her sword materialized with a burst of light.
"Yes!" Kael shouted, his sword clashing with the Gallows' skin. "Now let's show them our true strength!"
As Aria's sword materialized, Kael's eyes gleamed with a fierce intensity. He touched the ground with his left hand, his knees bending slightly as if conjuring ancient magic. In an instant, he vanished, leaving behind a bewildered crowd.
"What the...? Did he just disappear?" a man exclaimed, his eyes scanning the area in disbelief.
Pixie's gaze lingered on the spot where Kael had stood, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Wow, your friends know how to do some party tricks," she said, her tone laced with sarcasm.
Liam's calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the chaos around them. He watched the scene unfold with an air of detachment, as if observing a movie.
Pixie's eyes narrowed, her curiosity piqued. "Won't you help your friends?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of accusation.
Liam's response was nonchalant. "They can handle themselves alright."
Pixie's gaze intensified, her eyes boring into Liam's. "And who told you they were your friends?"
Liam's eyebrow rose, his expression unreadable. "Just then, a massive Gallow charged towards them. Pixie's eyes widened, her body tensing in preparation for battle. But before she could even move, Liam had already closed the distance, his speed breathtaking. With a swift motion, he ripped the Gallow's head off, his strength effortless. In the blink of an eye, he returned to his original position, as if nothing had happened.
Pixie's jaw dropped, her eyes fixed on Liam in awe. "That was...cool," she stammered, trying to sound nonchalant despite her obvious amazement.
Liam's expression remained unchanged, his eyes never leaving the battle unfolding before them. It was as if he had simply swatted a fly, his movements so swift and graceful that they seemed almost mundane.
Pixie's gaze lingered on Liam, her mind racing with questions. Who was this enigmatic figure, and what secrets lay hidden beneath his calm exterior?
Meanwhile...
Ryder Blackwood stood frozen, his eyes wide with shock, as the sudden outburst of chaos erupted around him. The sound of clashing steel, the scent of blood and sweat, and the cries of the fallen filled the air. But as the initial shock wore off, Ryder's gaze burned with a fierce determination. He spotted a sword lying nearby, its previous owner a Gaurd whose limbs had been ripped apart in the carnage. Ryder picked up the sword, feeling its weight and balance in his hand, and rose to his feet.
A burning gaze shone in his eyes as he surveyed the battlefield. His thoughts turned to Pixie, still sitting alongside Liam, and a surge of motivation drove him forward. "Well, it seems faith has woven a chance for me to show them what I'm made of, especially to a particular lady," Ryder said to himself, his eyes darting towards Pixie.
Ryder had not witnessed Liam's swift and deadly dispatch of the Gallow that had threatened them earlier, a feat only Pixie had seen. Now, Ryder saw an opportunity to impress Pixie and prove his worth. He joined Aria and Kael in the intense fighting, his sword slicing through the Gallows with deadly precision. With each beheading, Ryder's confidence grew, and he strode towards Pixie with an air of pride.
As he approached, his eyes locked onto Pixie, and he said, "My lady, why don't you come with me? I'll take you out of here to somewhere safe. Besides, the person beside you seems to be dead shocked, unable to even move from his seat, so he won't be able to protect you." Ryder's gaze directed towards Liam, his tone laced with mockery.
Liam, however, seemed oblivious to Ryder's jab, his attention fixed on the battle unfolding before him with an air of detachment, as if watching a marvel movie. Pixie, on the other hand, responded with a hint of sarcasm, "Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine where I am. And who told you I can't defend myself? Is it because I'm a woman?"
Ryder backpedaled, his face flushing with embarrassment, "Not at all! I didn't mean it like that. A woman like you, without even saying anything, I know is able to protect herself. I was just rendering a friendly gesture." Pixie's response was swift and decisive, "Well, thank you, but I'll pass. If you'll excuse me, you're disrupting my view here, so get lost!!"
With that, Pixie shifted her gaze back to the chaos, her attention focused on the battle. Ryder stood there, his pride wounded, his ego deflated, as Liam continued to watch the scene with an unnerving intensity.