At this point, the sun was halfway down the horizon. The earth was moist like a freshly watered garden, and the air carried a smoky fragrance from the burning wood mixed with the scent of a savoury soup.
And then it began. A thunderous hiss reverberated through the tense silence. One of the giant snakes slithered forward, its massive body coiling like an ancient force awakened from the depths of time. His jaws were wide open, exposing two razor-sharp fangs gleaming with venom.
Just when Meribella thought she had witnessed every horror possible, two large, muscular arms burst forth from the serpent's body, larger than any mortal's, and swords suddenly materialized in its grasp as if summoned from thin air. It lowered its tail and the back of its body, ready to strike as it moved forward.
"Oh god, NO! This can't be true. This must be my wild imagination." Meribella pinched her arm only to wince in pain. She cringed at the thought of being crushed by that massive body.
With fear coiling around her heart, she glanced at Raze, whose whole attention was on his opponent. She wanted to tell him not to leave her side because she was terrified. He had promised her safety, didn't he?
Celina was the first to act. She dashed forward, her blade held higher to strike, and her dark brown eyes turned to a deep abyss of black as adrenaline surged through her.
Without hesitation, the serpent swung its twin blades toward her in a rapid cross-cut, but Celina was faster. She ducked while the wind from the strike ruffled her hair as she slid underneath the attack. She spun on her heel and slashed upward, aiming for its scales. He moved gracefully and quickly despite his gigantic reptile body, and Celina missed.
The other eight serpent beasts launched attacks on the rest of the group. And when their swords clashed with the snakes', a loud clang echoed through the air, creating a shockwave like an explosion.
Meribella, caught up in the force, was thrown backwards from the rock she was sitting on. Her body landed hard on the dirt, impacting her limbs; white pain erupted throughout her body while knocking her breath out.
"I thought your kind never attacks for no reason!" Celina shouted as she blocked another strike, the sound of swords clashing ringing in her ears.
The serpent snarled, "Do you think we just got bored and decided to attack the seven lords out of all?"
"What do you want, then?" Celina demanded, dodging a blast of venom aimed at her eyes.
Celina quickly moved her wrist to push the serpent's sword away from her side. She struck back with a slash aimed at the creature's open side. The serpent pulled back as its scales broke under the force of her hit.
"A satisfaction of seeing the lords defeat," the serpent declared.
"We aren't that easy to defeat!" she taunted, a smirk on her lips as she dodged another venomous spit. She swung her sword in a wide arc, forcing the serpent to step back defensively.
"You'll see," it hissed, lunging again.
Raze Azkariel faced two at once.
The serpents moved with unnatural speed, their massive forms gliding across the ground with terrifying accuracy as if their body knew where to move and turn without colliding with another one.
One lashed out with its tail. The thick scales split the air like a whip, but Raze sidestepped calmly, allowing it to pass inches from his chest.
"Is this your best?" Raze asked with a taunting grin. He fought two opponents at once but seemed relaxed. They were not just snake-like creatures. They were ancient beings with fighting skills and magical powers.
"Do not be disappointed, King of Lords; consider this your chance for a warm-up," one of the serpents spoke among the two, only fueling Raze's rage further.
The other serpent lunged, its fangs aiming for his throat, but Raze moved first. His sword arced through the air, severing a few black scales from the beast's face. It shrieked, recoiled, and its long body twisted violently.
Both serpents spat venom toward him at once. Raze moved between them before the venom struck his eyes.
The thick, toxic liquid flew through the air like black oil and sizzled when it hit the ground. The grass where it landed shrivelled instantly and burned into lifeless ash.
Raze, with a single, fluid motion, drove his sword downward, narrowly missing one serpent to piece him into two as it darted back, using its incredible reflexes to avoid the killing blow.
Raze exhaled through his nose. 'Cunning Serpent beasts.'
Nearby, Draziel Void was a true tactician, he never wasted a movement. His sword clashed against the serpents' twin blades, the force of the impact sending vibrations up his arm and releasing in the air, hitting Meribella's fragile body once more.
All the lords were oblivious to Meribella's situation as if they had forgotten her entirely. They were caught up in the excitement of battle. Their eyes had turned pitch black, reflecting their frenzy for combats.
"You fight well," Draziel mused, sidestepping a sweeping attack meant to slice his ribs open. "But not well enough." He smirked confidently.
In a split second, he created a small rift in the air, a controlled burst of chaotic energy, forcing the serpent to lose its balance. The opening lasted only a heartbeat—but it was all he needed.
He moved in, striking hard and fast, his blade carving a deep gash along the beast's arm.
The serpent roared, its tail whipping violently in retaliation.
Draziel barely had time to leap back before the ground cracked where he had stood moments ago.
"We are glad for wonderful combat, Serpents!" Raze fired bursts of chaotic energy to disrupt their formations. This created openings for his allies to attack. He swung his sword through the air, aiming for the weak points of the serpents. He moved unpredictably to avoid their strikes.
While the lords were enjoying their fight, Meribella drowned in chaos.
The shockwaves from each encounter coursed through her delicate frame, causing her pain. She pressed herself against the dirt, curling into a ball to shield herself from the battle's violent energy.
Her breath came in ragged gasps, and her mind screamed at her to get up and run. But her body had been battered by the waves so many times that she felt almost paralyzed. Another wave crashed over her, and she coughed up blood. Pain wrapped around her limbs like heavy shackles, holding her down.
'I shouldn't be here. And Raze? He doesn't even remember that I exist despite promising to keep me safe. Is this my last moment? Is this how I am destined to die?'
Meribella missed her parents, sister and Edwyn, and wished she could meet them for the last time.
A lone tear slipped from the corner of her eye as she clenched her eyes close.
The lords didn't notice. They had forgotten her existence in their exhilaration, lost in the thrill of combat. And then, after what felt like mere seconds for Lords, the battlefield shifted.
Without warning, the black fog appeared, swirling like a living entity. The serpents hissed, their bodies rippling with tension. The wind howled through the trees as the darkness suddenly recoiled. A powerful force sucked them back into the shadows, vanishing them into the woods, leaving behind only silence.
"Damn, things were really improving. That cursed fog completely spoiled everything for me," Lyrith said with disappointment.
The lords stood breathless, swords held high, their bodies glistening with sweat. Their faces showed not weariness but excitement.
They had been given a true challenge, and they were grateful for it.
Slowly, they sheathed their weapons, collapsing onto the nearby rocks, chests rising and falling with heavy breaths. A small victorious smile lingered on the corners of their mouths- the satisfaction of a great fight and a win.
It was only when Celina finally turned her head did the dread settled in. The rock next to her was empty.
"Meribella!" She shouted with urgency.
All the lords turned their attention, their eyes scanning the clearing. Then, they spotted it and horror washed over their faces.
Raze's body tensed, his muscles tightening with the realization that their madness for battle had endangered Meribella. Her fragile body had endured all the brutal impacts of the shockwaves, and the weight of that realization hit him like a blow.
Celina rushed to where Meribella was and knelt down with enormous guilt overpowering her. She stretched her hand hesitantly to reach out. As her finger brushed against the bloodstained white fabric, a shiver raced through her. Gripping the piece of clothing tightly, she cursed herself.
A thick, eerie silence blanketed them.
"It was a distraction," Lyrith's eyes darkened as the realization sank in.
Their enemies had played them well. The serpent was right; they relished the defeat of the lords. The moment the lords took the bait to engage in battle, lured by their own madness and love for war and blood, they had fallen into a trap. The serpent beasts exploited their weakness to get to Meribella.
"Foolish Lords!" a man with long blue hair exclaimed, kneeling beside Meribella's unconscious body.