Gorgoyle's body creaked with the deafening snap of bones. Elara felt as if the air around her was tightening, holding her breath in suspense. Her eyes were fixed on the massive form that was beginning to stir. A sense of dread crept within her, far more terrifying than she had ever imagined.
"No... no!" she whispered, though fear had already seized her soul. Cold sweat trickled down her spine. Her body felt stiff, as if wrapped in an unyielding black cloth she couldn't break free from.
From within Gorgoyle's form, dark energy radiated, thick and menacing, like an unstoppable current. The energy spread outward, engulfing everything around it. A black mist enveloped Gorgoyle's body, while the world seemed to hold its breath, afraid to move. Elara stepped back, her eyes wide with shock and unease. Every fiber of her being screamed to cry out, yet no sound escaped her. What was happening? Why was she still alive?
"This... this can't be..." she murmured, her voice swallowed by the wind that devoured all sound. Her fear only grew stronger, and deep within her heart, she knew—there was no other choice. Gorgoyle, once helpless, now rose with terrifying strength. His wounded body grew larger, more monstrous. Coarse fur sprouted, covering his form like a natural armor.
But the most striking change wasn't just his body—it was his face. Gorgoyle, once resembling a creature of stone, was now darker, more horrifying. His face morphed into a twisted blend of man and wolf. His jaw elongated, filled with sharp fangs, ready to tear apart anything in his path. His red eyes blazed with a power that pierced Elara's heart.
"What... what happened to you?" she whispered, her voice barely audible, choked by the tension that seemed to strangle her throat. She stared at the creature before her, now more demon than beast. The world felt as though it had trapped her in a suffocating darkness.
Gorgoyle—or whatever now stood before her—laughed. His voice echoed, like a scream from the depths of hell. "You still don't understand, Elara?" His words dripped with venom, seeping into her very soul. "I am a force older than this world. No one can defeat me, especially not a witch like you."
With a movement impossibly fast, Gorgoyle slammed his foot into the ground. A violent explosion shook the earth, trees splintered, and fragments of earth flew through the air.
Elara had only moments to react. Before she could move, Gorgoyle leapt toward her, his massive claws poised to strike. Elara was stunned, stumbling backward, but the attack came too swiftly. The giant claws slammed into the green energy barrier she had conjured, shattering it in an instant. Elara was hurled backward, her body tossed like a ragdoll in the storm's fury.
Pain immediately enveloped her body. She was pinned beneath rubble, a large gash opening across her abdomen, blood pouring freely. Her shoulder was broken, and the blood clouded her vision. Every movement felt futile, as if her body no longer obeyed her commands.
But it wasn't just the physical wounds that tormented her—it was the dark energy from Gorgoyle seeping into her, making every injury worse. It felt like a fire had ignited within her, spreading throughout her body.
The world seemed to fall into darkness, hope slipping away. But Elara bit her lip, forcing back a scream of agony. There was no time for weakness. No time for tears. "I have to protect them," she thought, clinging to the last shred of her resolve. With what little strength she had left, she tried to rise, her body trembling, yet her eyes burned with determination. Fear, pain, and despair merged into one.
Gorgoyle, standing tall with malice in his eyes, watched her with a horrific grin. "You're still standing, huh?" His voice reverberated. "But this is the end for you, Elara. No one can defeat me."
Elara knew, deep down, she had to hold on longer. If she fell now, it would be over. The pain gnawed at her body, every second feeling like an unreachable future. But she understood—she had to keep fighting. For Ian. For Gerude. For a world that still held a glimmer of hope.
**
Breathing heavily, with her body on the verge of collapse, Elara felt the remnants of her strength burning like a tiny flame at her fingertips, fighting against the relentless darkness of the night. Every movement was a final struggle.
The dark power flowing from Gorgoyle gnawed at her body, making each breath feel like torture. Yet, within her, there was a spark of hope. She closed her eyes, attempting to sense the natural energy that once flowed so close to her. Now, it was shrouded in the black mist that controlled everything.
With trembling hands, Elara raised both arms, calling upon the natural forces that had always been her true companions. But the energy felt dead, suppressed by the darkness emanating from Gorgoyle. She opened her eyes, and despite her body nearly crumbling, her heart remained unyielding.
"Vernitharez! Aelorae! Luminathis!" Her voice rang out, a call that was more than just a spell— it was the cry of her heart. Yet, the natural forces only responded faintly. Gorgoyle's power grew stronger, and the darkness took hold of everything.
A black energy sphere flew from Gorgoyle's palm, its thunderous roar filling the air. Unable to evade, Elara felt its heat almost burn through her skin. Despair crept in, but within her heart, hope still lingered—a hope to protect the world she cherished.
With her breath almost gone, Elara summoned another incantation. "Thyronis! Yelathar! Cindrathis!" Her voice was barely audible, but the natural forces began to tremble. Yet, it was not enough. The ground beneath her shook, and Gorgoyle showed no mercy. Each passing second felt like it brought them closer to destruction.
As the energy sphere approached, Elara knew this was the final battle. With her body nearly crumbling, she raised one hand toward the sky and cried out, "Solusara, Latharun, Zaelar!" Her voice weakened, but her resolve never faltered.
The sky thundered as colossal tree roots shot up at an incredible speed, wrapping around the dark energy sphere that came at them. They fought to hold it back, but the force was too great. The roots began to crack, and the energy sphere pressed forward.
In excruciating pain, Elara knew that the natural power she had called upon was not enough to defeat Gorgoyle. Her body felt as though it were burning, her bones nearly shattered, and her breath grew more labored.
With one last, desperate push, the dark energy pierced through her defense. The explosion shook the earth, and Elara's body was hurled to the ground, her bones breaking upon impact. Blood poured from her wounds. She was engulfed in suffering, but in her eyes was an undying courage.
"Ian... Gerude..." Her words were barely audible, yet there was hope in her gaze. "Run... Save yourselves..."
Gorgoyle laughed, his voice echoing throughout the forest. "You are too weak for this world!" he sneered, casting a contemptuous look at Ian and Gerude. "No one can save you now!"
In her final moments, Elara knew she had given everything. Even if she were to fall, she knew that no sacrifice was in vain when it was made for the ones she loved. With her last breath, she closed her eyes, ready to face eternal rest.
**
Elara fell. Silence gripped the air, seeping into the cracked earth. In the darkness of the night, the battlefield felt like a hell awaiting a horrific end. The night wind whispered around Gorgoyle's body, creating flashes of purple light that danced, signaling the rise of dark power.
Gorgoyle's attacks grew more brutal, like a mindless storm. Waves of black energy shattered the ground, tore through the trees, and tortured every creature that came too close. Each strike brought devastation. He was like a terrifying shadow in the darkness, the greatest violation of the natural laws. The world seemed to fight back, fear overtaking every soul in its path.
Elara lay collapsed on the cracked earth, gravely wounded. Her eyes, once full of hope, were now tightly shut, her breath labored, carrying the weight of a world collapsing. In that pain, hope seemed to vanish, trapped in an ever-deepening darkness.
On the other side, Ian and Gerude stood frozen, their bodies trembling with the overwhelming fear. A growing sense of loss enveloped their hearts. Desperate cries echoed in their silence, their heavy breaths filled with hopelessness. Gerude felt her heart racing, as if her soul had been torn apart by the reality that Elara was nearly gone. Ian's eyes were vacant, no longer knowing what to do.
Gorgoyle stood, a dark smile crossing his face, like a mark of victory. His glowing red eyes stared at them, savoring the suffering he had created. "You who were so confident, now can only watch the destruction I have wrought," his voice echoed, brimming with arrogance.
But in the midst of the despair that shook them, the ground suddenly trembled. A great magical force flowed, turning the once-wild winds into an unexpected whirlwind. Something ancient, something greater than anything in this world, was approaching.
Gorgoyle turned. His calm began to slip, replaced by tension. Something greater than him, something that could destroy the dark power he wielded. A soft but majestic voice rang out, full of wisdom: "The balance you have shattered... will be restored."
Those words seeped into their souls, even Gorgoyle's. He searched for the source of the voice, but saw nothing.
"And the price you pay, Gorgoyle, will be higher than you can imagine."
Gorgoyle's eyes widened, his expression shifting from victory to vigilance. Something massive was approaching. And in that moment, a figure appeared, a woman of immense stature, radiating an aura beyond description. Each step she took carried an extraordinary dignity, as if the world itself bowed to her. She walked slowly toward them—toward Ian, Gerude, and the fallen Elara.