The gasping breaths of a man echoed through the dark, his body suspended in the grip of an unseen figure, barely clutching at the hand that gripped his neck with an iron strength. "Do you take me as a fool?" The voice came from the hidden figure, its tone deep, resonant, and filled with an eerie power. It was the kind of voice that could command armies or terrify kings, each word laced with authority. "N-No sir, TW, I would never think such a thing!" The man stammered, his voice choked with fear as he tried to appeal to his captor.
"Yet you attempt to swindle me out of my money? That's the kind of thing you'd only try on a fool," the mysterious voice continued, his tone sharp enough to cut through any feeble excuse. As the businessman trembled, his face frozen in terror, two gleaming blue eyes pierced through the shadowy veil, intensifying the hold of fear squeezing his heart. They were strikingly luminous, like sapphires ignited by an eternal flame, an uncanny stare that made the businessman feel as though his very soul was being unraveled thread by thread.
"I swear on my life, I would never do such a thing!" he sobbed, his pleas spilling out in a desperate cascade as tears rolled down his cheeks. Each word hung in the stale air, burdened with panic and raw fear.
"Such a sad thing…" The grip around his neck tightened, like a vice turning ever so slowly. "Your life means nothing to me." The unseen figure's eyes flared brighter, their ghostly blue glow intensifying as if feeding off the man's terror. The businessman's skin began to sag and gray, his once-plump cheeks hollowing out, as though something intangible was draining him. His body shriveled, becoming frail, thin, until he was almost skeletal—until, with a final gasp, he turned to dust.
The figure sighed, looking down at the pile of gray powder on the floor. "Ah, it seems your lies have caught up with you, Matt," he murmured, his voice both casual and dismissive, his words a mere farewell to a life that had just crumbled before him.
Breaking the silence, a small child's voice chirped with playful impatience, "Strength! Pick me up! I wanna go on a walk!" A towering figure emerged from the shadows, disheveled and rugged, yet gentle as he lifted the child onto his shoulder. He emitted a series of guttural grunts, almost as if speaking an unknown language to the child. The child's demeanor shifted, eyes narrowing as a powerful, ominous voice emerged from him that was entirely unlike his own.
"We shall never allow these pigs to deprive us of our money," he said, his words venomous yet strangely controlled. Standing on the giant's shoulder, the child crossed his arms, his face barely visible beneath the mask he wore. His eyes, however, shone through, vast and cerulean, filled with the look of someone much older—like staring into a cosmos beyond time.
Across town, Erenyx looked up from her phone, her brow furrowing as she regarded Loretta. "Hey, Loretta," she started, crossing her arms with a serious look. Loretta set down his weights, flexing his fingers as he stretched. "What's up?"
Erenyx hesitated, her gaze intense. "What's up with people trying to kill you?"
Loretta's expression darkened. He rubbed his temples, his posture sagging slightly. "You ever heard of The Order of The Sun?" At her shake of the head, he continued, his voice low and almost bitter. "In simple terms, it's a militia group. And I'm their leader's son. I was part of them once." He paused, his eyes haunted as he stared at the ground. "We slaughtered hundreds, maybe even thousands. Entire clans and tribes wiped out, just because we could. I have blood on my hands, Erenyx—innocent people's blood. So, if people want me dead, I understand why."
His words lingered, heavy and raw, while Erenyx found herself stunned at the depth of his tone. She had never imagined Loretta, who seemed so lively, could harbor such grief. "Were you forced to?" she asked, trying to soften the weight of his words.
For a long moment, he just looked at her, a memory seemingly overwhelming him. "There was a guy, mayybe a little older than me at the time, actually. Could barely use his Essentia when I met him." His hands began to shake as he continued, his voice cracking. "He had these…purple eyes. Freaked me out." He laughed bitterly, hollowly. "I killed his family, and then… I let him live. I couldn't stand looking into those eyes. I thought someone else would take care of it, but they didn't." His voice trembled. "I'm not innocent."
Erenyx placed her hand on his shoulder, her expression unreadable. "Honestly, I can't really console you here. You're…pretty much fucked."
Loretta gave a dry chuckle, waving off the moment as though it hadn't happened. "Yeah," he said, a hint of his usual humor returning. "You're probably right." Then, he straightened up, his eyes sparkling with something different. "But I want to do something. I want to conquer the devil's thumb."
Erenyx raised a brow, her voice deadpan. "The hell's wrong with you? Are you trying to die?"
"Even if I'm not strong enough…" His eyes glinted with a challenge. "I know you are." Erenyx sighed, crossing her arms and smirking. "Which hand?"
"The left," Loretta responded, a small grin tugging at his lips. "I'm not dumb enough to try the right."
Erenyx scoffed, almost amused. "So, you want us to face Eldryis? The Mother Gorgon?"
Loretta's expression turned deadly serious as he nodded, and Erenyx couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement mixed with dread. "Fine," she replied, her voice firm. "Tomorrow?"
He grinned, his fist clenching with anticipation. "Tomorrow."
As the two settled in, Erenyx disappeared into her hotel room's bathroom, while Loretta laid back on the couch, a faint smile on his face. Conravia's twin moons rose high in the sky, casting their ethereal glow over the bustling city. Stars glittered against the black canvas, larger than usual, dancing slowly across the heavens, as if they were alive. The rings encircling Conravia added to the splendor, shimmering like a crown of icy jewels that made the planet appear as if it were glistening.
The next morning, as they prepared their weapons and packed supplies, Loretta summoned his sleek, black motorcycle from a vortex of fire. Erenyx whistled in admiration as the sun glinted off the polished metal. Without a second thought, she hopped onto the bike behind him, and they roared off, leaving the city of Arystel behind.
Their journey led them through vast deserts where the sun beat down mercilessly, making the horizon waver like a mirage. The bike's wheels left trails in the soft sand, which was quickly swept away by the ever-shifting dunes. They pressed on through dense forests, weaving around towering Crystal Bears whose glossy fur sparkled with natural prisms, creating rainbow flecks with every shaft of light. Loretta skillfully maneuvered through unseen roots and low-hanging branches, each twist of the throttle sending them hurtling toward their destination.
Finally, the terrain changed. The ground began to crack beneath them, dark and dry, as if even the earth itself had been drained of life. Massive stone pillars, jagged and twisted in unnatural ways, stretched toward the sky. The air grew heavy with a feeling of sorrow, thick and cloying.
"I think we're close," Loretta muttered, slowing the bike as he took in their surroundings. Erenyx nodded, swallowing nervously as she felt something watching them from within the shadows, cold, predatory eyes hidden from sight. She summoned her weapons, Gin and Kin, as rocks and water converged in her hands, solidifying into her twin axes. "Show yourself!" she yelled, her voice firm despite the sweat gathering on her brow.
Loretta, despite his focus, could sense nothing, yet he readied himself, his locs starting to float and twist, crackling with fire as he tried to see what had Erenyx so rattled.
A low, rumbling thump reverberated through the earth. They both froze, hearing the approaching steps, slow and deliberate. A hissing noise filled the air, sending a shiver down Loretta's spine. "Eldryis?" he asked, voice barely a whisper.
Erenyx shook her head. "She's not that big."
The creature's head appeared from behind a towering stone, serpentine, its ashen gray scales dull but thick. Fire dripped from its maw, sizzling as it hit the ground. It looked worn and scarred, its head barely lifted above the ground as it slithered forward, dragging a colossal blade behind it, the jagged weapon as damaged and ancient as the beast itself.
"I… shall… end… you… here…" Its voice was slow, rasping, filled with venom.
Loretta swallowed, glancing at Erenyx. "What the hell is that?"
"It's a Fire Wyrm… but this one is… different. They don't speak." Erenyx's voice was tight with fear, her grip on her axes white-knuckled.
Loretta chuckled nervously. "It'll be a fun fight, right?"
Erenyx shot him a glare but couldn't stop the smirk creeping onto her face. "Right."
The Fire Wyrm advanced with an agonizing slowness, its massive body winding through the desolate landscape, scales scraping over rocks with a sound like nails on metal. Each slither drew it closer, the ground quaking beneath the weight of the ancient creature. Its single eye, glowing faintly like an ember on the verge of dying, narrowed on them as if assessing its next meal.
"You… will… perish… to… Kaneth…" the Wyrm intoned, each word a guttural growl that rattled the stones nearby. Its name hung in the air with a primal weight—Kaneth, The Elder Fire Wyrm, a name that carried dread and finality. There was an unearthly power to Kaneth's voice, so old and raw that it seemed to seep directly into their bones.
Kaneth's body rippled, a hiss escaping his maw as his sinewy form tensed, his massive, ragged wings unfurling and snapping outwards. With an immense surge, he launched himself into the air, wings beating furiously, each stroke sending a wave of searing hot air toward Erenyx and Loretta. The massive blade was hoisted high above his head, poised to strike with unrelenting fury.
Erenyx acted swiftly, slamming her hands into the ground. The earth responded in kind, a gigantic stone pillar surging upward, its jagged face speeding toward the beast's flaming maw. The force of the stone hitting Kaneth sent cracks spiderwebbing across its surface, but Kaneth's weight was unrelenting. His hulking form crashed through the pillar, shards of stone exploding outward as the column crumbled under his might. Erenyx and Loretta leapt to the side, barely escaping as fragments of rock and molten debris rained down around them, the impact sending tremors through the ground beneath their feet.
Kaneth landed with a resounding crash, his blade slashing through the air as it struck the ground. Shards of molten rock erupted, spraying in all directions, forcing Erenyx and Loretta to shield themselves as embers singed their clothes. The air grew thick with the acrid scent of burning earth and the oppressive heat that radiated from the Elder Wyrm's hulking form.
"You… will… not… reach… Lady Eldryis…" Kaneth's voice echoed, more a growl of defiance than a threat, the words seething with ancient rage, yet calm at the same time.