The air in the chamber shifted, the weight of unnatural silence pressing against Vivienne’s senses. The dim, flickering glow of the soul wraith illuminated the space in ghostly hues, casting long shadows that danced across the crumbling walls. Its body was ethereal, pale, and translucent, the sigils carved into its form pulsing like the beat of a dead heart.
Vivienne instinctively recoiled, feeling that same tug at the edges of her consciousness, the one she had become all too familiar with—an invitation to consume, to feed. But this was different. The wraith wasn’t an aetherbeast. It wasn’t made of aether at all.
She could feel the void in it. A presence, not quite a mind, not quite a soul. A thing made of something far more elusive than flesh or energy, something that twisted at the boundaries of reality itself.
Rava, on the other hand, seemed entirely unfazed by the wraith’s ominous presence. She stopped a few paces ahead of Vivienne, her ears twitching as she assessed their foe. “That thing isn’t like the rest,” she said, her voice calm but laced with an edge of concern. “It’s not an aetherbeast. I don’t even know why this would be here.”
Vivienne hissed in frustration, her tendrils flexing around her form. So no dinner tonight, she thought bitterly, even as her hunger gnawed at her. She could feel the wraith’s energy radiating from it, almost inviting, yet completely out of her grasp.
The wraith tilted its head, its glowing eyes narrowing, studying them with an unnerving sense of awareness. Then, without warning, it moved, the unnatural angle of its limbs folding in strange patterns as it advanced toward them.
Rava took a slow step back, the muscles in her legs coiling. “Don’t let it get inside your head,” she warned, her voice low, eyes flicking to the wraith’s eerie, pulsating form. “It can corrupt a mind, bend it to its will if you let it. You need to block it out.”
Vivienne nodded sharply, her form shifting slightly as she prepared for whatever was coming. It’s not an aetherbeast, she thought again, but it’s still a threat. And I won’t let it control me.
The wraith didn’t need to close the distance to feel its influence. Vivienne could already feel its presence inside her mind, pressing against the edges of her thoughts like fingers tracing over glass. A quiet, oppressive pressure that seemed to turn her thoughts into static. Not today. Not this time.
It was then that Vivienne heard Rava’s sharp intake of breath, her gaze fixed on something ahead.
Vivienne followed Rava’s line of sight, her many eyes narrowing to focus through the flickering gloom. The soul wraith wasn’t alone. The faint shimmer of another figure emerged from the shadows—a second wraith, smaller but no less unsettling. Its translucent form mirrored the first, sigils glowing faintly along its elongated limbs, but its presence felt… sharper, more invasive. The weight pressing against Vivienne’s mind doubled, an almost unbearable cacophony of whispers clawing at her thoughts.
“Two of them,” Rava muttered, her tone grim. “Brilliant.”
Vivienne hissed low, her heads writhing with agitation. She didn’t respond immediately, focusing instead on holding her ground against the oppressive mental force. Every instinct screamed at her to lash out, to attack, but something about these creatures demanded caution. The soul wraiths did not have the same taste as her previous meals. They felt alien in comparison, like they were made of the same stone of the fallen ruin that served as their prison.
“They’re trying to push into my mind,” Vivienne said, her voice a fractured cacophony of growls. “I can feel it.”
Vivienne’s many hydra heads shifted uneasily, snapping at the empty air. The whispers clawing at her mind weren’t words but feelings—waves of despair and disorientation, hollow yet overwhelming. She gritted her teeth, or at least the approximation of them in her current form, and forced the invading sensation back.
The larger wraith tilted its head, sigils flaring briefly as if in response. Its movements were slow, almost deliberate, but the oppressive energy around it began to intensify. The smaller wraith stepped forward, its elongated limbs folding unnaturally as it drifted closer. The pressure in Vivienne’s head spiked, making her recoil instinctively.
Rava crouched low, her golden eyes narrowing as her claws flexed. “They’re forcing you on the defensive. Don’t let them,” she said, her voice steady despite the tension radiating from her. “Use what you have. That hydra form—those heads of yours. Keep their attention scattered.”
Vivienne snarled, one of her heads snapping toward Rava in irritation. “I know,” she spat. She let her tendrils flex, her hydra heads curling back like striking vipers. “Just… don’t die, alright?”
The wraiths moved suddenly, as if responding to some unseen signal. The smaller one darted forward, its limbs contorting unnaturally as it lunged at Vivienne. The larger wraith remained where it was, its sigils pulsing in rhythmic waves, amplifying the mental pressure.
Vivienne met the smaller wraith’s advance head-on. Two of her heads shot forward, jaws wide, split vertically, but the creature twisted impossibly, its translucent body slipping between the snapping maws like smoke. She lashed out again, one head striking low while another came in from the side, but the wraith evaded with inhuman fluidity.
“It’s too fast!” she snarled, frustration bleeding into her voice.
“Distract it!” Rava called, her voice rising as she darted to the side, circling the chamber. “You’re not trying to hit it—keep it busy! I’ll handle the rest.”
Vivienne growled but didn’t argue. She let her heads lash out in a frenzy, snapping and coiling like serpents around the smaller wraith. Each movement forced the creature to twist and contort further, its form flickering faintly under the strain.
The larger wraith, meanwhile, began to move, its flesh-carved markings flaring brighter as it advanced toward Vivienne. It did not rush, it crept forward slowly but methodically. The whispers clawing at her mind grew louder, more insistent, and she staggered briefly under the weight of its presence.
To her left, Rava began chanting once more, her whole body arcing with electricity, licking the ground with singing sparks.
Vivienne didn’t look over to her, trusting Rava to make good on her word. Two more of her heads lashed out at the smaller wraith, forcing it to twist and dart away, its movements more frantic now. It wasn’t invulnerable, she realised, but it was agile. Even scoring a single hit on it was proving to be a tall order.
Then, out of the corner of her vision, she saw Rava sprint toward the larger wraith, her nude, lightning-wreathed form crackling violently with aetheric energy. “Alright, you pale bastard,” Rava muttered under her breath. “Let’s see how tough you really are.”
The chamber erupted with light and sound as Rava charged, her body a streak of crackling aetheric energy. Each step sent arcs of electricity skittering across the floor, her movements precise and unyielding. The larger wraith’s sigils flared in response, a deep, pulsing rhythm that seemed to ripple through the air.
Vivienne focused her attention on the smaller wraith, its form darting unpredictably around her snapping hydra heads. Her frustration mounted, but she pressed on, forcing it to keep moving, weaving a deadly cage of writhing tendrils.
If I can’t hit it, I’ll trap it. She let her heads extend further, creating a barrier around the wraith and closing in, leaving as few gaps as she could manage.
The larger wraith, meanwhile, turned its hollow gaze toward Rava as she closed the distance, a sharp battle cry tearing from her throat. The moment her fist connected with its shimmering form, the chamber was filled with a deafening crack and a blinding flash of light.
The force of Rava’s blow sent a shockwave rippling through the chamber, loose debris raining from the fractured ceiling. The larger wraith staggered but did not fall. Its translucent form absorbed the brunt of the attack, its markings flaring brightly as if in defiance. Rava didn’t relent; she pivoted on her heel, delivering a second electrified strike to the wraith’s torso.
Vivienne took advantage of the chaos, her hydra heads weaving a lattice of dark tendrils around the smaller wraith. It darted left, right, up, and down in a desperate bid to escape, but Vivienne adjusted with unnerving precision, her movements tightening like a noose. The creature hissed, a discordant sound that sent shivers through the air, but its eerie agility was beginning to falter.
"Rava, watch your flank!" Vivienne’s guttural shout echoed as the larger wraith lashed out with a limb that split into jagged, claw-like tendrils mid-strike.
Rava ducked, rolling out of range, but the wraith adjusted its attack with an unnatural grace. One of the tendrils grazed her side, leaving a faint, shimmering scar that pulsed with dull light. She hissed in pain but pushed forward, her next strike aimed at the creature’s head.
The blow landed with another crack of thunder, but the wraith didn’t stagger this time. Instead, it leaned into the impact, its sigils pulsing so brightly now that it cast an ethereal glow over the chamber. Rava’s lightning danced across its surface but dissipated before reaching its core.
“Tough bastard,” Rava muttered through gritted teeth. She danced back a step, already preparing her next move.
The smaller wraith seized the moment, slipping through a narrow gap in Vivienne’s hydra cage. It moved faster than before, its own markings flaring as if drawing energy from its larger counterpart. Vivienne roared in frustration, her heads snapping toward the creature in unison, but it twisted and darted with an almost taunting fluidity.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“They’re feeding off each other!” Vivienne snarled, her voice a discordant growl.
Rava glanced at the larger wraith, now surging with renewed strength. “Then let’s starve them!” she called, her voice tight.
The two moved in tandem without needing further words. Rava darted toward the smaller wraith, her sudden approach startling it just enough for Vivienne to react. A hydra head slammed down from above, pinning the wraith’s flickering form to the ground. It writhed violently, its flashing markings doing little to deter her. She pressed harder, the shadowy tendrils eruption from her necks, constricting the aberration tighter and tighter..
At the same time, Rava turned her attention back to the larger wraith, dodging its elongated limbs with quick, calculated movements. She feinted left, drawing its focus, then surged right, landing a direct hit to its leg. A pulse of lightning rippled through its translucent body, the creature’s sigils dimming for the briefest moment.
Vivienne grinned through her many mouths, sensing a shift in the battle’s rhythm. “We’ve got this!”
But the wraiths weren’t finished. The larger one raised its limb, and the eldritch markings on both creatures flared in unison. A wave of energy rippled outward, slamming into Vivienne and Rava with a force that sent the warrior skidding back and Vivienne’s heads thrown off the smaller creature. It made a mad dash towards the larger creature, hiding behind it like a scared child.
“Gods damn it,” Rava hissed, her breaths heavy.
The wraiths stood together now, their sigils pulsing in sync. The whispers clawing at Vivienne’s mind grew deafening, and she staggered under the weight of them. They weren’t just fighting their strength—they were fighting their sanity.
“Stay sharp!” Rava shouted, wiping blood from a shallow cut on her lip. “They’re not done yet.”
Vivienne steadied herself, her hydra heads coiling back into formation. “Good,” she snarled, her voice dark and eager. “Neither are we.”
The chamber seemed to pulse with the wraiths’ energy, an oppressive rhythm that resonated in the very air around them. Rava and Vivienne didn’t exchange a glance—they didn’t need to. Their movements began to synchronise, a wordless understanding forming between them.
Vivienne surged forward, her hydra heads darting in alternating strikes, forcing the larger wraith to react. Each time it twisted to evade, Rava slipped closer, her steps precise and deliberate. Lightning still crackled faintly around her fists, a reminder of the raw energy she could unleash if given the chance.
The smaller wraith darted out from behind the larger one, lunging toward Vivienne’s flank. She caught the movement with one of her peripheral eyes and lashed out preemptively. A tendril-like head coiled around the creature, stopping its attack mid-air. It writhed and twisted, but Vivienne’s grip tightened, her shadowy form absorbing the strain.
“Focus on the big one!” she barked, her voice reverberating like a low growl.
“Already ahead of you,” Rava shot back, her tone sharp but not without a trace of camaraderie.
The larger wraith lunged, its limb splitting into jagged tendrils that struck toward Rava like a net. She didn’t falter. She ducked low, sliding beneath the attack, and came up with a burst of speed. Her fist struck the wraith’s torso again, but this time she didn’t withdraw. She followed through, driving the creature back with a flurry of rapid, electrified blows.
“Keep it moving!” Vivienne called, sensing Rava’s rhythm. She twisted her own form to intercept the smaller wraith’s attempts to rejoin its counterpart. Each time it tried to slip free, one of her hydra heads lashed out, forcing it to retreat.
The synergy between them began to tilt the battle. Vivienne’s relentless aggression kept the smaller wraith isolated, while Rava’s precise strikes prevented the larger one from regaining its composure. But the wraiths were far from beaten.
The larger wraith suddenly shifted tactics, its glowing sigils pulsing in a rapid, chaotic pattern. It emitted a shrill, resonant scream that sent shockwaves through the chamber. The smaller wraith seized the opportunity, its form becoming more erratic as it surged toward Rava’s exposed back.
Vivienne roared, her hydra heads coiling in unison to intercept. She slammed one down, striking the smaller wraith with enough force to send it skidding across the chamber floor. It flickered violently but recovered, its markings brighter than ever.
The chamber trembled under the wraiths’ combined fury. The larger wraith’s sigils now blazed like a maelstrom, pulsing erratically in time with the screeching vibrations that filled the air. Rava’s ears rang from the wave of sound, but she didn’t flinch. She crouched low, lightning crackling around her limbs, her focus sharpened to a razor’s edge. The larger wraith’s arms twisted and warped into jagged blades, and it struck with all the fury of a storm. Rava blocked one, but the force of its blow sent her reeling, the edge of its limb catching her across the ribs in a sickening crack.
She gritted her teeth against the pain, but the sharp ache of injury was already spreading. Blood welled beneath her skin, her breath coming ragged. “This is getting old,” she muttered through clenched teeth, her voice strained but fierce.
Vivienne’s rage burned brighter as she saw Rava stumble, and her focus shifted in an instant. The smaller wraith had recovered, its erratic movements growing more pronounced, as though feeding off the chaos in the air. It darted toward Rava once again, faster than before, but Vivienne was already in motion. Her jaws snapped forward with terrifying speed, catching one of the wraith’s limbs in her grip. She wrenched it back with brutal force, the creature screeching as it flickered and flared in a desperate attempt to break free.
The small wraith tried to coil, its form becoming insubstantial, slipping through Vivienne’s hold, but she anticipated the move. One head lashed upward, its sharp, claw-like teeth sinking into the wraith’s form. The creature’s essence bled out in a stream of shattered shadows, but it wasn’t finished. It whipped its other limbs out, striking Vivienne across the face, its shadowy appendages cutting through the air with brutal precision. Her skin burned where they touched, but she didn’t give ground.
Behind her, Rava’s eyes blazed with fury. She twisted, her form a blur of crackling electricity, and once again surged forward. Her fist collided with the larger wraith, a burst of energy that cracked the air, sending the creature staggering back. But it wasn’t enough. The sigils on its body blazed even brighter, and a pulse of raw energy rippled outward, striking Rava square in the chest.
She screamed, the force of the impact knocking her off her feet. Her body slammed hard into the stone, electricity arcing wildly from her skin. She lay still for a moment, but Vivienne could see the twitch of her muscles, the way her breath started to return. A warrior through and through.
Vivienne was already closing the distance, her jaws snapping at the air with ferocious speed. She needed to finish this now.
The larger wraith shrieked again, its form rippling with chaos as its strange energies spiralled in on themselves. It lunged, but this time Vivienne was prepared. Her hydra heads twisted in a synchronised pattern, slamming down one by one, keeping the wraith’s arms at bay. With a growl of fury, she whipped her tail out, wrapping it around the larger wraith’s leg, throwing it off balance.
Rava, now back on her feet, charged again, her body crackling with aetheric power. More electricity lashed from her body into her surroundings, the cracks of thunder picking up pace, each bolt a snap of ozone. Rava let out a primal roar, an alien sound from her husky voice, then she launched herself at the larger wraith, her limbs blurring in a series of rapid strikes. Each hit was a thunderclap, each connection sending shockwaves through the creature’s form, each strike coming faster and fast. Its eldritch markings flickered, dimming with every hit, but still, it fought. Its limbs lashed out wildly, striking Rava across her shoulder, leaving a trail of sizzling marks where the wraith’s energy bled into her skin but she relented, shrugging off any counter blow the creature offered.
Rava did not harness the tempest— she became the storm itself. Furious, untamed, powerful.
Vivienne’s hydra heads hissed with frustration, snapping at the smaller wraith, keeping it tethered to the ground with brutal force. But it wasn’t enough to contain it for long. The wraith struggled, writhing violently, its sigils growing brighter as it fought against the constricting coils of her tendrils. Each twist of her body brought a satisfying, sharp crack as the smaller wraith’s form was forcibly bent. Yet the struggle was relentless, its body flickering and reforming faster than she could fully crush it.
With a frustrated growl, Vivienne lashed out again, her heads darting forward to bite down with a ferocity that shook the chamber. The smaller wraith screeched, a high-pitched wail that reverberated through Vivienne’s skull, rattling her concentration. She winced but pressed harder. She could feel it weakening. Its form was shuddering, its sigils dimming as her relentless assault finally began to wear it down.
Meanwhile, Rava’s strikes grew more frantic as the larger wraith pushed her back, its limbs lashing out in a desperate attempt to break her momentum. One of its tendrils wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the ground and slamming her back into the stone with a sickening crack. Rava’s breath left her in a sharp grunt, but before the wraith could finish its attack, she rolled with the momentum, twisting herself free.
Her skin burned with pain from the contact, but it only fueled her rage. Her fist crackled with aetheric fury as she slammed it down into the wraith’s face, the shockwave from the impact radiating outward. The creature staggered but it recovered almost immediately, its twisted form contorting as it snapped at her with jagged, sharp limbs. One of its claws grazed her thigh, leaving a deep burn. The searing pain made her hiss, but it also lit the fire inside her. She couldn’t back down now.
Vivienne, sensing the shift in her ally’s state, pushed harder against the smaller wraith, her form becoming more jagged, her movements sharper. Her tendrils wrapped tighter, her heads snapping down with inhuman precision. The wraith screeched in agony, its body beginning to fragment.
Then, just as the smaller wraith seemed to be on the brink of dissolution, the larger one unleashed its final, desperate tactic. Its trio of eyes flared with violent intensity, releasing a burst of blinding light that knocked both Vivienne and Rava back, the force so strong it felt as though the very air had been torn apart.
Vivienne’s hydra heads recoiled, disoriented by the shockwave. Her tail whipped out wildly, barely managing to keep her balance. Her vision swam, and the roar in her head grew deafening as the malevolent whispers gnawed at her. She gritted her teeth, refocusing. She couldn’t let up now.
Rava, her body crackling with barely-contained power, shook off the disorientation, her chest heaving as she staggered to her feet. Her body screamed in protest, but she pushed forward. This battle was almost won. She wasn’t about to let the wraiths take that from her.
The larger wraith’s markings flickered erratically, its form twitching with failing energy. It tried to lash out one last time, but Rava was already in motion. With a furious yell, she surged forward, landing a punch directly to its head. The energy rippled outward, causing the wraith’s form to collapse inward on itself. A final flash of dark light filled the chamber as the creature crumbled into shadow, its sigils collapsing into nothingness.
Simultaneously, Vivienne’s tail lashed around the smaller wraith’s form, squeezing it tighter and tighter until its body buckled under the pressure. With one final, earth-shattering snap, the wraith shattered into a cloud of dark particles that evaporated into the air.
The battle had ended. The two warriors stood amidst the remains of their foes, breathing heavily, battered but triumphant.
Rava wiped the blood from her lips, a grin curling at the corners of her mouth despite the pain radiating through her body. “That... that was something else.”
Vivienne, her many heads panting, let out a low growl of satisfaction. “We make a hell of a team.”
Rava chuckled, the sound rasping in her throat. “Never thought I’d find myself fighting alongside a nightmare.”
Vivienne’s heads turned toward her, the eerie, otherworldly gleam in her eyes softening for a moment. “How about side by side a friend?”
“Yeah, I could do that.” Replied the exhausted lekine with a smirk. This rapidly turned into confusion when Vivienne collapsed to the ground in a dull thud, her heads split open in a cacophony of otherworldly laughter.
The chamber fell silent, the remnants of the wraiths dissipating into the air, leaving nothing but the crackling remnants of their resonant energy hanging in the air. They had won, but neither of them spoke of the toll it had taken, at least not yet.
The storm was over— for now.