Shadows of Betrayal

They regrouped once again outside the lavish library now known as their group's archrival, dismal weariness fully etched upon their faces. The prince rested against crumbling remnants of a gigantic wall, breaths shallow, and hands trembled from the strain of breaking the sigil. Nyx hopped onto Liam's shoulder, and his sharp eyes scanned the vicinity."That laugh," the prince suddenly said; silence broke. "She knew that we were here. She's been watching us."Kael frowned, his gaze staring far away. "It's possible. The sigils tie with her power-altering ability, so breaking one could well alert her immediately.""There's no time for halting now," said Liam, now sounding authoritative yet placid, "If she knows we come, she will seek to ensure the other fortifications. We have to go faster."They had not received the chance to open their mouths when a low growl echoed backward through the streets. The group froze as their eyes began to dart about.Nyx bristled, his claws digging into Liam's shoulder. "We have company."From the shadows of the alleyways, emerged figures; humanoid, but twisted and grotesque; their flesh blackened, eyes sickly green laced with a slight glow, and their movement with twitchy jerks-like puppets on invisible strings."Corrupted soldiers," Kael muttered. The grip on his blade tightened."These are people basically," uttered the prince as if in horror. "She has turned them into monsters.""Not people anymore," Liam said as he drew his sword. "Stay sharp. Don't hesitate."The corrupted soldiers - baying like wolves, bloodthrists - began to charge, moving incredibly fast. Liam advanced with his sword - faintly glowing with moonstone's energy - and met the first soldier head-on. The blade cut through the creature, and its body dissolved in a noxious black mist, forcing him to leap back."They're leaving a poison cloud behind!" shouted Kael, slashing at yet another soldier."Don't let it touch you!"Neph thrashed about the battlefield, slinking low with black wings unfurled, claws tearing fiercely with stunning slashes into soldiers' legs to bring them kneeling to the ground. "They're not such a big deal if you keep your distance!"But for every soldier they brought down, two always emerged from the shadows."This is endless!" the prince shouted, panic edging his voice."Get to higher ground!" commanded Liam. "We can't fight them here."Nodding with Kael, the two of them led the prince toward a nearby watchtower. Liam and Nyx held the line, buying them time as they climbed the crumbling stairs."Clear run to next sigil from here!" shouted Kael from above to Liam.Glancing up after cutting through another soldier with his sword, Liam said: "Then go! We'll hold them off and catch up!"There was a moment of hesitation, but Kael then yanked the prince's arm and dragged him off. "C'mon. Can't waste this chance."A Sinister RevelationWhen satisfied with Kael and prince's escape, Liam and Nyx dove away from the fight into a narrow alley. The corrupted soldiers could not follow but snarled and clawed at the walls before scampering into the shadows."Too close," Nyx muttered, licking a cut on his paw. "We can't keep doing this. They're endless.""I know," answered Liam, his tone grave. "But we have no choice. To finish this."But winding streets led them down a hidden passageway underground that emitted a faint purplish glow."Another sigil?" Nyx asked, tilting his head. "Or a trap?"They moved downwards, wary, and the glow increased. At the bottom, they found themselves in a dimly lit chamber, filled with statues of ancient crumbling. In the center was a bright orb pulsing with energy, dark like the sigils."It's not a sigil," Liam said, examining it. "But it's clearly connected to her magic."Nyx sniffed the air. "It smells of her corruption."When Liam got close to the orb, he found faint runes carved into its outside. They weren't the same as the sigil markings-these were older and more elaborate."This is one of those surveillance orbs," Nyx said softly. "She watches over the kingdom through it."Liam's face hardened. "If we break it, she won't track us anymore."But as he raised his sword, a sudden voice filled the chamber-cold and mocking."Clever, isn't it, Liam?" said the voice from the orb-the Princesses voice. "But not clever enough."Liam stopped in his tracks and tightens his grip on his sword. "Show yourself!" he roared.The orb blinked; a hazy image of the intolerable princess flickered in and out. Her formerly fair face was now twisted with dark magic. Her eyes, glowing with a hint of malice, would only reveal a cruel smile on her lips."You have indeed caused much trouble for me," she said. "But it ends here."And suddenly the statues in the chambers began to move, their stone forms cracking and breaking as they came to life."Oh, go ahead," sneered the Princess. "Try to destroy the orb. Let's see if you can survive long enough even to reach it."The Battle of the StatuesThe heavy statues shoved into action, their stony fists smashing down onto the earth as Liam and Nyx avoided their strikes. The confined space of the room made it all the more dangerous, with no real chance of hiding away from the constantly attacking statues."Liam!" Nyx shouted. "We need a plan!" Liam was really thinking very fast. The statues had too strong forces to take down one by one, while the orb had a barrier of dark energy within which it was secured."Nyx, create a distraction!" Liam shouted.Nyx darted in and out between the statues, going with such speed that no matter how much effort the statues put into it trying to catch Nyx, they couldn't. At this very moment, Liam focused on the runes carved around the orb on the floor."These runes are powering the barrier," Liam muttered. "If I can disrupt them..."He slash again at the runes, and the effect makes the barrier flicker and become weak. But statues continue attacking him more geometrically, as if they had sensed his act."Liam, hurry up!" Nyx said, barely avoiding being crushed.With one last strike, Liam completely destroyed the last runes. The barrier around the orb collapsed, and the image of the Princess flickered."No," she screeched, her voice full of fury.But Liam was not delayed. He shoved the sword into the orb, the energy of the moonstone battling the ominous magical phenomenon. The orb blew open in a flash of light, destroying the statues, severing the connection of the princess to the kingdom, and caused the chamber to shake violently.The AftermathAt last, the dust settled, and both Liam and Nyx staggered out of the chamber alive but battered badly."That was... too close," Nyx panted.Liam nodded with a grim face. "She will know what we have done. And she will come for us.""But she cannot track us anymore," Nyx pointed out.Upward, Liam gazed at the sky, from which dark clouds still swirled over the kingdom. "This was only the beginning. The next sigil will probably be even more heavily guarded."Nyx flicked his tail. "Then we'd better be ready."Far away in the castle much inside, the princess stood before another orb, her face contorted in rage."They think they're winners," she hissed. "But they have an idea of what is coming,"There was a shadowy silhouette behind her: "Prepare the Summoning; this is the time to stop it," she ordered."I can't believe that they have one over on us," she spat. "But even the long itching to happen will be coming on them."And with a wave of her hand, she made her way. Turning, she looked into the face of the person, hung-back behind her, just like a hidden figure in the hollow space from which they both had just come."Prepare the summoning," she ordered. "It is time to end this.""They shouldn't think they've won," she hissed. "But what awaits them is beyond their imaginations."To be continue...