Chapter 111: Seven arrival

Chapter 111: Seven arrival The second warrior attempted to leap aside, but Elena’s control was absolute. The ground rose to meet her mid-jump, hardening into a jagged stone fist that slammed into her midsection with bone-crushing force. *WHUMM—CRUNCH* Ribs splintered audibly, puncturing vital organs as the warrior was driven back to earth. *crack-crack-snap* She landed in a broken heap, blood pouring from her mouth as she tried unsuccessfully to scream through shattered lungs. *thud—gurgle* The third attacker managed to close the distance, blade thrusting toward Elena’s throat. The queen pivoted smoothly, one hand rising in a sharp gesture. Stone encased her forearm like natural armor, deflecting the blade with a metallic screech. *swish—scrape—crackle-clak—SCREECH* Her other hand plunged forward, fingers rigid, the stone coating extending to form deadly points. Her earth-enhanced hand punctured the warrior’s breastplate as if it were parchment, pushing through muscle, bone, and finally heart. *shrrk—CRUNCH—squelch—crack—squish* Blood spurted from the fatal wound, coating Elena’s arm to the elbow as she withdrew her hand with a wet, sucking sound. The warrior collapsed, eyes already glazing over as death claimed her. *splurt-splurt—schlooop—thump* Elena flicked her wrist, earth-energy scouring the blood from her skin and armor. Three more attackers lay dead at her feet, their corpses already cooling in the snow. *sizzle* "For Thornvale," she murmured, scanning the battlefield for her next engagement. Not far away, Queen Elysia demonstrated why the Moonlight Kingdom revered her as their sovereign. A squad of five black-robed warriors had coordinated their approach, attempting to flank and overwhelm her. Elysia’s expression remained impassive as she raised both hands in a fluid gesture. The air around her rippled visibly, compressing into near-solid barriers. Two attackers struck these invisible walls at full sprint, their momentum suddenly arrested. *vrrrmmmm—THUD-THUD* Before they could recover, Elysia clenched her fists. The compressed air surrounding each warrior contracted violently, crushing armor, bone and organs with equal indifference. Both collapsed in contorted heaps, blood erupting from every orifice as their bodies were compressed beyond endurance. *CRUNCH-SQUISH—thump-thump—splurt-splurt* The remaining three spread out, attempting to approach from different angles. Elysia responded by extending one finger toward each, precise gestures that belied the devastating power behind them. Concentrated spears of air shot forward with impossible speed, each finding a vulnerable target with unerring accuracy. *VZZZT-VZZZT-VZZZT* The first spear punctured a warrior’s throat, severing her spine and exiting through the back of her neck in a spray of blood and vertebral fragments. The second air-lance drove through an attacker’s eye socket, liquefying the brain before erupting from the back of her skull. The third penetrated armor, sternum, and heart in rapid succession, the warrior dead before she realized she’d been struck. *thwick-splurt—squelch—splat—ping—crack—squish* Five corpses surrounded Elysia, blood pooling beneath them to stain the snow crimson as the warm fluid melted ice crystals. She surveyed her handiwork with clinical detachment, already scanning for the next threat. *hisss* "For Moonlight," she whispered, the words carried away by the wind of her own creation. *whoosh* The battle raged across the courtyard, bodies from both sides creating grotesque sculptures in the bloodstained snow. Despite their superior numbers, Luna’s forces found themselves stymied by the ferocity and skill of the combined Moonlight and Thornvale defenders. Earth, air, water, and illusion worked in deadly concert, each element complementing the others in devastating harmony. *clash-boom-scream-thud* A panicked shout cut through the din of battle, drawing all eyes. *CRACK* "Queen Elena! Queen Elysia! RUN!" A lone Thornvale warrior sprinted toward the two monarchs, her armor splattered with fresh blood, her expression contorted with terror rather than battle rage. She had covered half the distance between them when her headlong rush faltered, her steps becoming suddenly unsteady. *crunch-crunch-crunch—stumble-scrape* "Something’s wrong," Elena muttered, instinctively raising an earth barrier before her and Elysia. *RRUMBLE* The warrior opened her mouth to shout again, but only a wet gurgle emerged. Her skin—visible on her face and hands—began to discolor, patches turning gray, then black. She staggered forward two more steps before dropping to her knees, hands clawing at her own throat as though fighting for breath. *hhgrghkk—shuffle-thump—crack—scratch-scratch* Before their horrified eyes, the warrior’s flesh began to dissolve. Not burn, not bleed—but break down, sloughing away in rotten chunks that steamed slightly in the frigid air. Her armor collapsed inward as the body within liquefied, bones visible momentarily before they too crumbled into oily dust. Within seconds, nothing remained but a pile of corrupted organic matter staining the snow with putrid fluids. *plop-plop-sizzle—clank-clatter—hisss—sizzzzle* Elysia’s air-sense detected movement beyond the immediate battlefield. "Elena," she warned, gesturing toward the ruins. More warriors emerged from the shadows—not charging to attack, but fleeing in blind panic. Like the first, they barely made it into the open before their bodies began to decay, flesh rotting and sloughing away as they ran. One by one they collapsed, their corpses dissolving into unrecognizable masses of corrupted tissue. *slap-slap-slap—squelch-plop—thud-thud-thud—hisssss* "Hold the line!" Elena commanded, her voice carrying across the suddenly silent battlefield. The fighting had stopped, all eyes drawn to the horrific spectacle unfolding before them. A figure emerged from between the ruined columns, walking with unhurried confidence. Unlike the warriors, her passage left no footprints in the snow—the frozen crystals blackened and dissolved beneath her boots, revealing bare earth that withered at her touch. *tap-tap-tap—sizzle-hiss* She was tall and slender, clad in armor of deepest black that seemed to absorb rather than reflect light. Her silver hair caught the dim illumination, creating an unsettling halo effect around features that might have been beautiful were it not for the corruption evident in her eyes—solid black orbs with no whites or iris, like windows into the void itself. Both armies instinctively withdrew, creating a widening circle around her as she approached. Even Luna’s elite guards stepped back, maintaining a respectful distance. *shuffle-shuffle-shuffle—step-step* The newcomer stopped a dozen paces from the two queens, studying them with her unsettling gaze. When she spoke, her voice carried clearly despite its soft volume, with an underlying vibration that made teeth ache and bones resonate. *hummm* "You’ve forced Veilwalker to complete the TUNA ritual with me prematurely," she observed, glancing at the battlefield with something approaching amusement. "Such impatience." Every warrior present stood frozen, weapons still raised but no one daring to advance. The silence stretched, broken only by the soft sounds of bodies still dissolving at the edge of the battlefield. *hisss-plop* The black-eyed elf smiled, revealing teeth too white and too perfect against her corruption-tinged skin. "I am Seven," she announced, her voice carrying an unmistakable note of arrogance. "Master of Decay." She raised one hand leisurely, fingers extended toward a group of nearby Thornvale defenders. The warriors didn’t even have time to scream before their flesh began to blacken and bubble, collapsing inward as internal organs liquefied. Bones showed briefly through dissolving muscle before they too crumbled to dust. *sizzle-pop—squelch-gurgle—crackle-hiss* Seven turned her attention back to the horrified queens. "Luna sends her regards," she continued conversationally, as though they weren’t surrounded by the evidence of her devastating power. "And extends an invitation to surrender. The alternative," she gestured toward the piles of corruption that had recently been living warriors, "would be... unfortunate." Elena and Elysia exchanged a brief glance, centuries of friendship allowing silent communication in that momentary eye contact. Together, they stepped forward, elemental energies gathering visibly around them. *crunch-crunch—humm-whirr* "We decline," Elena stated firmly, the ground beneath her feet trembling in response to her power. *rrrumble* "Most emphatically," Elysia added, air currents intensifying around her slender form. *whooosh* Seven’s black eyes widened slightly—the first indication of surprise she’d shown. Then she laughed, the sound echoing unnaturally across the battlefield. *ha-ha-HA-ha-ha* "How delightful," she purred, corruption-tinged power gathering around her outstretched hands with a sickening resonance. "I was hoping you’d say that."