Elizabeth trudged through the ruins of Lyria, her boots crunching over debris and dried blood. The air was heavy with death, and the eerie silence was broken only by the occasional caw of a crow circling overhead. The king's desperate message replayed in her mind like a haunting melody. King Alden hadn't just called her to slay beasts. He wanted her to be a beacon of hope, to remind his people that not all was lost.
But as Elizabeth surveyed the devastation, she knew this was more than a random outbreak of monsters. The attacks weren't isolated. They were planned, coordinated, like pieces of a puzzle slowly falling into place. This wasn't just about survival, it was a fight against an organized epidemic threatening to consume every corner of the kingdom.
After defeating the pack of werewolves in Lyria, Elizabeth began the long journey to the heart of Gama, the kingdom's capital. The roads that once bustled with colorful merchants selling their wares, children laughing, and carts creaking under the weight of goods were now empty. Fear had hollowed the land. Those few villagers who remained shuffled silently, their eyes darting to every shadow as if it might spring to life and devour them.
Elizabeth passed a family huddled by the roadside, their faces pale and gaunt. A mother clutched her child tightly, her knuckles white. The father held a pitchfork, a makeshift weapon against the monsters that lurked in the night. Elizabeth wanted to stop, to reassure them, but there was no time. She had a mission, and every second counted.
As she neared the capital, the sight before her made her chest tighten. The towering stone walls, once a proud symbol of Gama's strength, now seemed cold and foreboding. The majestic banners that used to flutter in the wind were tattered and stained. Inside the gates, the streets were no better.
The lively markets Elizabeth remembered were gone. Stalls sat abandoned, their goods rotting under the sun. The few people she passed moved quickly, their heads low and their voices hushed. Every sound, every creak of a door or scrape of a footstep sent them scurrying into the nearest shelter.
Elizabeth reached the castle gates, where she was met by two guards. Their uniforms hung loosely on their frames, and their faces were lined with exhaustion. These weren't the proud knights of Gama she had once admired. These men were shadows of their former selves, trembling as if holding their swords took all the strength they had left.
"Lady Elizabeth," one guard said, his voice thin and wavering. He seemed to recognize her by reputation alone, though his eyes held both awe and desperation. "The king is waiting for you."
The gates creaked open, revealing a castle that was a mere shell of its former glory. Once a place of light, music, and celebration, it now felt like a tomb. The air inside was damp and cold, and the faint smell of decay lingered in the corridors. Elizabeth's boots echoed on the stone floors as she made her way to the throne room.
When she entered, her heart sank. King Alden, the man who had once commanded armies with a booming voice and a fearless demeanor, sat slumped on his throne. His face was gaunt, his skin pale, and his eyes sunken with grief and exhaustion. His royal robes hung loose on his frame, and his crown seemed too heavy for his bowed head.
"Elizabeth," he rasped, his voice hoarse and raw, as though he hadn't spoken in days. "You came."
"I came as soon as I received your message, Your Majesty," she said, kneeling briefly out of respect before rising to meet his gaze. "What's happening here is worse than I imagined. But I'm here to help."
The king's lips trembled as he tried to speak, and he gripped the arms of his throne tightly. "It's... it's unbearable," he said, his voice breaking. "Every night, the wolves grow bolder. They come closer to the walls. They've taken villages, towns… entire families." He paused, swallowing hard as tears welled in his eyes. "And they've taken my daughter."
Elizabeth's breath caught. "Your daughter?"
Alden nodded, his grief written in every line on his face. "My eldest, Princess Evelina. They came into the palace. We thought the walls would protect us, but they were no match for those monsters. They took her. And when we found her body…" His voice cracked, and he buried his face in his hands. "They tore her apart. My Evelina…"
Elizabeth felt a sharp pang in her chest. She had faced horrors before monsters that tore families apart, villages left in ruins but hearing the king's pain made it all the more real. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty," she said softly, her voice steady but filled with empathy. "I can't undo what's happened, but I promise you, I will bring justice to those who did this. Gama will not fall."
Alden looked up at her, his eyes shining with both sorrow and a glimmer of hope. "We need you, Elizabeth. My people need you. If there is any chance of saving this kingdom, it lies with you."
"You have my word," she said firmly, gripping the hilt of her sword. "I'll find the source of this plague. I'll fight for your people and your daughter. This isn't just your fight, it's ours."
The king nodded, his expression hardening with resolve. "Then you have my full support. The city is yours to command. Take whatever you need. Just… save us."
Elizabeth gave him a determined nod before turning to leave. As she walked out of the throne room, her mind was already racing. The werewolf attacks were more than a plague; they were a war. Someone or something was orchestrating this chaos. She would have to uncover the truth and destroy it before it consumed Gama completely.
The road ahead was fraught with danger, but Elizabeth was ready. She wasn't just a slayer of beasts, she was a fighter, a protector, and a symbol of hope. And she wouldn't stop until the kingdom of Gama was safe once more.