CHAPTER 12 : LADY SERAPHYNE vs. LADY GEORGIA —THE ESCAPE

Lady Seraphyne hit Colonel Russell on the head, and he collapsed unconscious. She turned to face the scythe, which hovered in the air, glowing with a fierce purple hue.

"Come to mother. Did you miss me?"

It burst into purple flames.

"I missed you too," she whispered, grasping the weapon with both hands. "Now… let's check on Anna."

But just as she turned—

BOOM!

A cloud of green smoke exploded at the doorway. When it cleared, Lady Georgia stood with her arms crossed, her expression like stone.

"Going somewhere?" she asked, summoning her blazing sword.

"Yap. I was hoping you'd show up and show me the way," Seraphyne said with a smirk, twirling her scythe. "Shall we?"

"Yaaaaaaaah!" Lady Georgia screamed as she charged, leaping midair into a down-slash.

Seraphyne blocked with her scythe and dodged right. Georgia followed up with relentless attacks, hacking and slashing—but Seraphyne weaved left and right, deflecting with calculated grace.

Georgia skidded to a halt.

"You've grown weak since I left Umraterra," Seraphyne taunted. "Did you get this soft without me around?"

"You bitch."

Furious, Georgia roared and launched a slanted slash.

Seraphyne spun her scythe and parried the blade away with a twist of her wrist. The sword slipped from Georgia's grip and clanged to the ground.

"So disappointing," Seraphyne said, approaching like a predator. "Is that all you've got?"

She raised her scythe for the finishing strike.

Georgia screamed—her mouth opened wide in a sonic burst that blasted Seraphyne backward, sending her crashing into a stone wall.

Seraphyne hit the ground but quickly stood, brushing ghost dust from her shoulder like nothing had happened.

Georgia picked up her sword. It blazed anew—this time with green fire.

"How about that, Scythe Lord?"

"Now this is more like it," Seraphyne said, her eyes flashing red. " Let's dance like grown ups."She hurled a ball of dark energy.

Georgia leapt high, spinning midair with her sword ready to descend into undead flesh.

She sliced—miss.

Seraphyne vanished.

Then reappeared behind her.

CRACK!

A chaos-infused punch to the back sent Georgia flying into the wall. Again.

"I'll finish you."

Seraphyne summoned her scythe, now blazing with ghostly wrath, and glided across the room. She raised it for a death blow.

SLAM!

The scythe slammed down—

But hit the floor instead.

Lady Seraphyne froze.She turned around and —alas!

She was surrounded by hundred Lady Georgias.

Each one screamed in unison. Sonic waves pulsed through the chamber. Seraphyne winced in pain. Her hands trembled. Purple liquid began to drip from her nose.

Gritting her teeth, she grabbed her scythe.

Then—

BOOM!

She drove the hilt into the ground, releasing a circular shockwave of chaos.

The illusions shattered.

The real Georgia slammed into the wall once more and collapsed—unconscious.

Seraphyne stood tall, breathing heavily, and wiped the blood from her nose.

"Nice try," she whispered.

Then floated out of the room.

Behind her, Lady Georgia's body dissolved into green smoke and slipped out through the window.

---

Terra Stadium – Crowning Ceremony

"And now, ladies and gentlemen… we have the winner of the UmroAnnual Competitions—Brii…Annaaaa!!!"

The crowd erupted.

"Heir! Champion! Heir! Champion!"

"SILENCE!!!"

King Xalor's voice boomed across the stadium, silencing millions.

He stood.

"Esteemed guests, leaders, and citizens of Umraterra… how were the competitions?"

Cheers and roars of praise followed.

Once silence returned, he raised a hand.

"I now call upon the new Champion to state her prize. And I shall grant it."

Gasps swept through the crowd.

A portal opened in the arena. Brianna, still bloodstained but regal in her own wrath, walked through it and ascended to the royal stage.

She showed no emotion.

But just as she reached the podium—

BLOOOOOOO!!!

The town alarm went off.

Guards panicked. Spectators murmured. Something was wrong.

An elite ghost guard rode into the arena on a horned gryphon. He dismounted and rushed to the King.

"My Lord—Lady Seraphyne has escaped!"

"WHAT?!" Xalor thundered.

"It's true, my Lord. Her scythe is gone as well."

"Lock all gates. Seal all passages. Put the city under complete lockdown."

"Yes, my Lord!" The guard bowed and ran off with squadrons of elite guards.

When the commotion died down, they turned to face Brianna—

But she was gone.

Vanished without a trace.

Argghhhhhhh...

---

TO BE CONTINUED…