Heavy chains forged from adamantium wrapped tightly around the woman's delicate wrists. Red abrasion marks appeared on her tiny wrists. Going higher, the rust-red links of metal, like a snake strangling its prey, clamped tightly around the young elfess' pale neck.
Strands of the woman's sky-blue hair, under the influence of scarlet blood, clung to her blue and swollen face.
" Don't drag your feet. " One of the guards leading the elfess jerked the chain with brute force. The links tightened with a loud rustling sound, dragging the woman behind him. A mocking smile appeared on his face.
Boom
Losing her footing, the elfess fell over. A burning pain originating in her knees spread throughout her body. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. However, contrary to the guard's expectations, she didn't burst into tears.
For a brief moment, a deadly gleam appeared in her golden eyes. The woman hated the person in front of her with all her might. He was responsible for the death of the elfess' companions.
She stared with hatred at the face of the man, who was clad in dark green armor. Raising her head, she spat in the direction of her tormentor. The viscous and scarlet liquid stuck to the man's heavy boots.
" Tsk... stupid bitch. "
Crack
The man approached the helpless woman with contempt written all over his face. A massive boot clad in thick metal met the elfess' petite body. Her pupils constricted, and her mouth opened involuntarily. Like a thunderbolt, the characteristic sound of cracking ribs pierced the petite elfess' body.
The woman lay on the ground, panickedly clutching her chest. She struggled to catch air, but to her misfortune, she felt immense pain with each breath. Small amounts of saliva, mixed with blood, foamed at the corners of her mouth.
The woman's body involuntarily trembled in pain.
With a sadistic smile on his face, the man grabbed the elfess' sky-blue hair. Not caring that the woman was in pain, he lifted her by her hair. Her face, twisted in agony, was at his eye level.
A hideous smile appeared on the man's face, revealing rows of ivory-white teeth. The soldier's heart was beating like crazy. The amount of dopamine he received from bullying a member of the royal family was enormous.
His hatred for the woman was justified. It was because of her that the person who gave meaning to his life committed suicide. It was because of her that everything ended.
So what if he could never have this woman for himself... So what if she had a husband whom she loved with all her heart... It was enough for him... to admire her beauty from the shadows... He didn't ask for much... He just wanted her to live. He always believed in her even when heinous accusations were made against her.
The man had wanted revenge for a long time, but he had no good reason, but now... everything has changed. A few days ago, the king gave the order to bring the princess to the palace. There was only one condition... she had to be alive. However, the monarch said nothing about the condition in which she was to be delivered.
Having known him long enough, the soldier knew he had a free hand. His restless soul could finally experience blissful peace.
" Was it worth it... princess? Be an obedient bitch... and don't cause any more trouble. Someone like you should be grateful for the opportunity to breathe the same air as His Highness Xander. " The cold whisper sent shivers down the elfess' spine.
Buzz
Buzz
She lifted her hands with difficulty. Her trembling hands caught the man's leather glove, trying to loosen the grip around her sky-blue hair.
The woman closed her eyes, telling herself that this was just a dream... If she managed to wake up... everything would return to normal... As always... she would get up early in the morning and have breakfast with her friends... Yes! It's just... It's just... a terrible nightmare...
However, the reality was extremely brutal for Caera. It wasn't a nightmare. It was the sad truth... No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't deny the truth in front of her.
" Tsk. Pathetic... if you can't walk... don't blame me for that. "
The man threw the elfess' body like a rag doll to the side. The woman rolled several times on the shiny marble surface. A suffocating pain around her neck stopped her from going further. Unable to catch her breath, her face turned red.
Rasp
Clank
The chain links tightened wildly with a clatter. The unconcerned man pulled on the metal object with all his might. With a confident step, he walked towards the massive gate guarded by two guards in shining armor.
Behind him, a beaten Caera was dragged on a taut chain. On the beautiful and shiny marble floor, she left behind bloody footprints mixed with urine. The woman, unable to bear the pain any longer, emptied her bladder. The stench that lingered in the air was awful.
The faces of the guards guarding the massive gate twisted into grimaces. Even from this distance, they could smell the hideous stench. It reminded them of a familiar battlefield. It was an indispensable part of it.
" Open the gates. I have a gift for his royal Highness Xander. "
One of the guards hit the floor with a massive sword. His body was covered in a golden aura, and thanks to the silver armor he wore, he resembled the sun hanging high in the sky.
Crackle
Rasp
Bang
The massive gates moved with a loud bang. The soldier in charge had to close his eyes. The brightness that emanated from inside blinded him.
A few seconds later, everything returned to normal. When he lifted his eyelids, a breathtaking sight appeared before his eyes.
He was looking at a massive throne room with two richly decorated thrones standing in the center. They were made entirely of twisted branches of the soul tree. On the larger of the two sat a blond-haired man. Although he looked young, his sharp and tired facial features gave him the aura of a grown man.
His eyes, black as night, looked disdainfully at Caera being led on a leash.
The image of the battered elfess was reflected in the gleaming walls and pillars of the throne room. The elves who witnessed the horrible scene looked at the woman with contempt. She was a disgrace to their king and ruler. Just looking at her made them nauseous.
Behind Xander's figure stood three handsome men. By human standards, they looked about twenty-three years old. All three were extremely handsome and remarkably similar to Caera. None of them showed even an ounce of compassion for their younger sister.
Their cold eyes expressed contempt and disgust.
In front of the king, the soldier knelt down on one knee. His hand went to his heart, and his eyes gazed at the marble. He dared not insult the king without showing him the proper respect in the presence of his subjects. Taking a deep breath, he began.
" Your Majesty, as ordered, I have brought the former princess. " His words, like an executioner's axe, silenced all whispers inside the hall. Feeling Xander's gaze on him, drops of cold sweat gathered on the soldier's back. With difficulty, he swallowed the liquid accumulating in his mouth.
" You did a good job, Lucian. When this is all over, you will be lavishly rewarded. "
" It is an honor, your Highness! Now, if I may... "
As if chasing away a fly, Xander waved his hand reluctantly. Lucian, noticing this out of the corner of his eye, retreated, leaving the dying Caera in the lion's den. As he walked away for the last time, he threw her a disdainful glance. His only regret was that he couldn't kill her himself.
" Get ready for the ritual. I want to finish this as soon as possible. "
Xander's words caused panic among the subjects. A group of heavily armed soldiers moved dynamically, drawing multi-level magical formations in the middle of the room.
~~~~~~
In the middle of the richly decorated throne room lay a naked woman. Around her delicate limbs were wrapped massive chains attached to massive pillars.
A huge pool of her dark red blood had collected beneath the elfess. The scarlet liquid slowly but effectively filled the deep patterns carved into the marble floor. Numerous lines merged into a magical formation that covered an entire room the size of a football field.
The soft moonlight enveloped the body of the barely alive elven woman like a fluffy blanket, weeping over her fate. The ruler and herald of the night himself shed tears, averting his eyes from the suffering of his poor child.
The woman who lay in the middle of the room was Caera. Her father... Xander... had decided to sacrifice her to Nenneke. To this end, for ten days and nights, she had to lie in a pool of her blood and suffer cruel tortures.
Every night, the priestesses in charge of the preparations visited Caera. With blunt instruments, they carved bloody runes into her delicate body, disfiguring it.
To be worthy of attaining the " majesty " of the goddess, she was stuffed with drugs that intensified the pain. It was only through a deep-seated desire for revenge that Caera was able to maintain her sanity.
However, everyone has its limits. The elfess with one foot was already standing on the other side of the Styx River. Her chapped lips parted slightly in an attempt to catch the slightest breath. Her misty eyes stared hard at the full moon. From this perspective, it seemed strangely familiar to the elfess. It was as if there was someone important there... someone who was waiting for her...
Tears of blood gathered in the corners of her eyes, which were as golden as the most beautiful bullion in the world. In its own unique way, this combination was captivating, but it came at a terrible price. It is said that a person sheds bloody tears when his heart and spirit are broken.
Ten figures emerged from the dark corridors as Caera's fate hung in the balance. Each of them held a smoldering branch of the Spirit Tree in hands as slender and delicate as silk.
A light breeze blew the heavy and muddy cloaks off their shoulders. To the eyes of the world, ten young women appeared, each a true beauty among her kind.
On their delicate bodies, moved by the wind, flew light and see-through dresses.
The ten women stood in a circle around Caera. With the above human synchronicity, all at once, they slit the thumb finger in their right hand. Drops of scarlet liquid gathered over the smoldering twig.
Ssss
With a quiet hiss, a drop of blood fell into the embrace of Prometheus' gift. The merrily dancing flame that devoured the delicate and fragile twig turned blood red under the influence of the scarlet liquid.
Within a short moment, the atmosphere in the room became heavy. An ominous wind blew down, tearing the women's clothes from their bodies. Their white skin glistened in the cold moonlight.
The women's small and delicate lips moved, uttering a soft chant. In response to the voice, the blood-red flame stirred. The blood in the magical formation moved, filling every nook and cranny. A moment later, the red liquid boiled and bubbled.
" Mother of creation, mother of existence,
mother of the universe, mother of life,
mother of death.
Grant this child, your grace,
Receive it into your embrace.
Save her poor soul,
May she serve you faithfully for all time. "
A religious song echoed through the dark room.
The figure of a blond-haired man emerged from the dark corridor. A ceremonial robe hung freely on his body. It was made of an extremely rare and fragile material. Strands of bright green fabric hung freely from the moving Xander's body.
In his right hand was a richly decorated dagger. Red jewels like dry wine, embedded in the weapon's blade, shimmered in the soft moonlight. Runes carved into the acacia wood handle moved dynamically but orderly.
All of them, as one, headed for the scarlet stone located in the handle of the dagger.
When the moon was directly over the victim's body, Xander raised the ceremonial dagger high above his head. Under the influence of the man's movement, the magical formation accumulated astronomical amounts of mana.
Crackle
Crackle
Space, unable to contain such large amounts of energy, bursts. Suddenly, like mushrooms after rain, an intimidating number of spatial cracks filled the throne room.
Xander felt the accumulated mana crushing his body with every passing second. Energy particles like atoms undergoing a process of disintegration bombarded his body. Using internal mana, he directed the energy particles toward the glowing dagger.
Tick Tock Tick Tock
The quiet ticking of the clock resounded in Xander's ears. Behind the man's back, the image of a blindfolded woman materialized. In one hand, the figure held a chain with a small pocket watch hanging from it. On the other hand, she held a simple scale used in ancient times.
Feeling the presence of a higher existence behind him, Xander thrust a dagger into Caera's throat. The blade of the weapon slowly sank into the woman's body. The magical formation in the center of which Caera lay lit up. All the blood rose into the air, heading for the weight of the mysterious being.
The woman who represented a higher existence threw the clock toward the dying Caera. The object stopped over the elfess, spinning in the air.
Crackle
Crackle
Numerous cracks appeared on its surface, emitting intimidating amounts of blinding light.
Boom
The object exploded with a loud bang. Along with it, space collapsed. For a brief second, time stopped. The mythical figure moved, distorting the space around it.
Its slender, ashen hands wrapped around Caera's body, lifting her up. The inert body of the elfess lay freely in the arms of the mysterious figure.
The eyes beneath the band of cloth glowed, emitting a bright blue light. A moment later, the two women disappeared, along with a huge flare, and time returned to its proper course.
~~~~~~
Two figures shrouded in darkness sat facing each other in an unknown place or world. Between them stood a chessboard made of an unknown material. The pawns on it were shrouded in a thin layer of luminescent material that shimmered in the glow of purple light.
A figure with the shape of a woman moved the pawn forward. Her hand pointed to her temple, and her head tilted slightly to the side.
A melodious voice, distorted by the raging wind, caressed the ears of the figure, whose features matched those of an elderly man.
" Let's finish it this time."