❆ ❆ ❆ Chapter Thirty ❆ ❆ ❆

Saving Aela

Snow shoved Icebreaker into the rock before shifting over to her left. She was scaling the back of the huge cliff behind the black knight castle. This cliff was the hardest thing she has ever climbed. With almost no footholds or grips, one mistake and she would plunge to her death. Also, without Icebreaker acting as her armor she was exposed to the elements and her fingers were blistering. Fortunately for her though, this daring climb yielded an opening to infiltrate the castle. A large sewer pipe poked out from the cliff that had a skeletal leg dangling from it. Snow worked her way towards it and entered.

Snow took respite within the rusted sewer pipe to recover the feeling in her fingers before proceeding onward. There was a skeleton sitting opposite of her, with one leg dangling off the pipe. She took out the seal key and held up Icebreaker.

Icebreaker vibrated in anger.

“I'm sorry, Icebreaker. I know you don't like it, but we are within their fortress now.” Icebreaker made whatever magical noise would be the equivalent to a pout as its cage opened up. Snow slipped the key in and Icebreaker transformed into its evil shape. “You know what, Icebreaker? In this form, I will call you Nightbreaker.” Nightbreaker rattled, forming wings on its handle in approval. Snow laid her head back for one more minute staring at a skeleton sitting across from her. The skeleton's mouth was open agape giving resemblance to a laugh.

“What? Do you find this humerous?” She questioned the skeleton.

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After the short rest, Snow traversed through the sewer pipe and her nose picked up a peculiar dusty smell. The pipe led her to a vast pit of bones and skeletal remains. This unsettling mound of death, as scary as it was, was no deterrence. Snow clawed her way up the mountain of skeletons and pulled herself out of the pit that was their grave. This place was a catacomb, littered with skeletons and torture devices.

Snow began her search, she had to locate Aela first and foremost. Good thing there was no living being down here. Even still, this place was a maze. Snow's hair shifted, she felt a draft. After following it to the best of her ability she discovered a big set of stairs. The stairs curved upward seemingly endlessly. She began her ascent.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs Snow found herself in a cathedral style chamber. There was a grand altar at the front, long benches in the center and grand green doors in the back. A wide wooden bowl laid upon the altar and something was dripping into the bowl from above.

The source of the dripping blood was…

“Aela!” Snow saw her, she was strung up by a bunch of chains that were spiked through her body. Her body looked beat and broken. Her chest was rising and falling, she was still breathing, she was still alive.

Snow rushed out to Aela.

“Aela!” Snow called with a whisper.

Aela struggled to open her eyes, she looked disoriented.

“I’m getting you out of here!” Snow ran up to where the chain was stuck into the wall and attempted to pull it out. Her motions stopped when she heard the two voices approaching. She rushed behind the altar table to hide just as the grand doors screeched open.

Snow noticed an open hole in the ground behind the altar that emitted the same smell from the catacomb. That must have been the body dump for that massive pile of skeletons. If that's the case, then this was a ritual chamber.

Two black knights entered.

Horus should drink this one dry, I don't understand why he has to milk her!

The Lord Commander needs more power to reactivate the gateway.

They approached Aela and checked the ever-filling bowl that was underneath her. Snow was surprised these knights were even coherent in speech, considering they were monsters.

Aela grumbled. The knights looked up at her.

“What say you, frostblood? Oh right, you can't speak. Hard to do that without a tongue.” One of the knights mocked.

“The blood, how badly I want to lap my tongue in it.” The other knight made his desperation known.

“Do not. Horus would have your head.” The knight quickly snapped at his brother in arms who was trembling with a vampiric thirst. He checked the bowl, “She doesn't have much left.”

“She will succumb before daybreak I’d wager.”

“Horus should have enough energy to connect us to that refuge world. Damned Elves, if they weren't such failures we would have been free months ago.”

One of the knights stepped onto the altar and checked the walls where the chains were spoked in. He tapped each chain, a red rune lit up in response.

“Life taps are good, Horus’ crystal should be having a good feast from this one-’The knight swung around, drawing his blade towards the back of the Altar where Snow was hiding.

Nobody was there.

“What's the matter?” The other questioned.

“Sensed something. No matter. Let us go.”

The knights swapped the bowl with an empty one and left the chamber.

Snow was in the hole of the body dump pushing against the sides of the walls to keep herself up. She climbed out and saw the life taps those knights were talking about. Snow approached one of the spokes in the wall engaged with a rune. She placed her hand on the rune. Gold lines flashed on her hand. The rune in response flashed red and emitted a black flame. Snow quickly retracted her hand.

“Looks like I can't deconstruct these…” Snow shifted her focus to the ceiling where all the chains came together. That crystal they spoke of. She needed to destroy it before trying to release Aela. “Don’t worry Aela, I'll save you.”

Snow quietly exited the ritual chamber.

This castle was like a run down palace, fallen debris and furniture were everywhere, Snow used it to her full advantage, sneaking through and making her way to the upper level. She stood hidden as the sounds of clanking steps marched by. She didn’t even need to see them. She could feel the burning presence.

The knights were conversating while they walked.

“Horus believes the young one will give him all the power he needs.”

“If we can actually find her, but.. wait, you smell that?”

The knights stopped right next to snow.

“Yes. Hm. No, all I smell is that frost blood, oh I wish I could consume her, I haven't consumed Frostblood in years, I'm aching.”

“Do not worry, we will have our fill soon.”

They marched on down the rundown corridor.

Snow snuck around until she found the entrance to the upstairs chamber above Aela. There was an ornate red door before her. Snow hovered her hand over the doorknob just as it began to rattle. The door slowly opened. A black knight took one step out, Snow appeared from the doorway’s blind spot and rammed Nightbreaker into his gut, forcing both of them into the room.

The knight struggled against the Nightbreaker, but he didn't stand a chance and was absorbed in seconds. Nightbreaker grew an extra inch.

Now alone, Snow scanned the room she was in. The circular bedroom was centered with a pink anomalous crystal. The crystal hovered slightly off the ground with tentacles flailing out of it. The walls of the room were taken up by ancient bookshelves and the crimson bed that was in the opposite end had a long skeleton on it. The bowl filled with Aela’s blood was presented just in front of the pink crystal. Snow watched as the black tentacles wiggled towards the bowl and fed on it. This had to be the thing keeping Aela trapped.

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One good swing from Nightbreaker should shatter this disgusting thing. Before she would do that, Snow walked around the room, up to the crimson bed. Upon the bed right next to the skeleton was a green elven blade, Laura’s vinesword. Snow reclaimed the elven blade before turning her attention back to the crystal.

Snow took one step towards the crystal and the tentacles poised themselves against her, mimicking snakes.

Snow ran at the crystal and the tentacles began lashing out at her. Snow couldn't help but smirk. The lashing and impaling attempts did little to stop her approach. These tentacles paled in comparison to the strict regime that was Aela’s training. Snow dodged each and every one of them with nothing more than natural impulse. Nightbreaker spun in her hand before she swung it right across the crystal. The crystal cracked and shattered across the floor. A pool of black blood formed leaked from the shards.

Snow backed up and watched as all the black blood began to coagulate and slug its way toward the bed. Or more specifically, the skeleton on the bed.

Nightbreaker pricked her hand.

“Ow! What’s the deal, Nightbreaker?!”

Nightbreaker made a noise of warning.

“Alright, We’ll go.”

Snow darted out of the room.

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Snow got back to the chapel where Aela was and started prying the spokes off the wall with Nightbreaker. After Snow got two of them, Aela flexed her arms and pulled out the rest causing her to fall and crash onto the altar table, splitting it in half.

“Aela, are you ok?” Snow moved to assist her but Aela didn’t look good. She appeared, malnourished, and pale.

Aela opened her mouth but no voice came out.

Aela’s eyes flashed blue, her body started trying to regenerate while she ripped the stakes from her arms and legs, ice coated over the holes. She adjusted her jaw trying to say something until words finally came out

“We. Must. Leave.”

“WHO RUINED MY FEAST!!!!!!!!!!!!” a loud voice boomed throughout the castle, It was Horus, the black knight leader.

Snow tried to help Aela up but Aela could barely move, or stand, she just laid on the broken altar table.

“Just, save… yourself, Snow. I’m not going anywhere.” Aela struggled to say.

“THE SACRIFICE CHAMBER, THEY ARE STILL THERE, SUBDUE THEM! GO, NOW!” The voice boomed even louder and the clanking armor off all the knights could be heard swarming towards the ritual chamber.

Tar began leaking through the walls, pooling onto the ground, forming into several black knights.

“Snow please, go!” Aela pleaded.

“I’m not leaving you stupid!” Snow wrapped Aela’s arm around her neck and forced her up. “Get up! We are leaving!”

Snow dragged Aela back three steps. A draft could be heard just behind them. The way Snow came in was the way they were getting out.

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Snow popped her head up from the skeleton pile along with Aela. This mountainous pile of death preserved their lives. Now she could add free falling into the depths of a catacomb to the growing list of absurdities she was made to face. Snow took Aela’s arm over her shoulder and helped her out.

“Aela that pipe is an outflow off the ravine wall, we need to rock climb either up or down to get out from there.” Snow pointed to the sewer pipe that she had entered from.

They stepped into the pipe and a major issue was made apparent.

The end of the pipe was frozen. It was the dead of night.

They were trapped in these catacombs.

“Um, um, new plan. This way!” Snow dragged Aela up into the catacomb maze.

Snow tried her best to find another way out, but this underground catacomb went on forever.

“Snow, I'm exhausted.” Aela complained.

“I don't care, we walk until I'm satisfied.” Snow did not care, she would save Aela at all cost.

“I guess this is your payback for the training.” Aela weakly said.

They eventually found a huge chamber with spiraling pillars. The end of the chamber had stained glass windows that emitted artificial light. The windows had pictures of Humans and Angels together. “A window!” Snow dragged Aela to the stained glass wall at the end of the chamber. The windows were backed by stone. It was a dead end.

“Snow, this looks like the end of the line for us.” Aela sat hunched over with her back against the glass.

The chamber lit up, as the black knights marched in. The now illuminated chamber was strangely identical to the one underneath the lotus castle. Except this one had magical equipment that filled the corners of the room and in the center where the original portal was, was a cracked metal floor.

“Aela, would you hold your tongue already!” Snow looked at the black knights. They stood in line across the center of the chamber, waiting. Horus was standing behind them.

“Share your last moments together,” Horus declared, “Because your blood will be used to fuel the gateway in this chamber. The same gateway those Angels used to abandon us.”

Snow squeezed Nightbreaker.

“Aela, are we going to commit to a serious battle now? Or are you going to be a coward again?!”

Aela gave a half smile.

“Snow, I just wanted you to live. There is so much at stake, and still, you came here. Why?”

“I dont give a damn. It seems like no matter what choice I make I can't save everyone. So, If I can't save everyone, then I CHOOSE to save you! I have been used as a pawn, by my mother, by lazarus, and by regalia herself! The difference now is that I choose to be used. I want you to use me Aela! Your frost specialization is manipulation and creation. You cut down hundreds in the war! Use that experience, use your power, use me as your weapon, Aela. USE ME, TO CUT THEM DOWN!”

Silence filled the chamber. A subtle clap was heard from Horus.

“The best speeches are always given before a suicidal battle. Come, commit to your glorious charge, agent of Regalia.”

Aela's eyes flashed blue and Snow felt the stream of energy flowing into her. Aela said no words, but her gaze said it all. The concentrated gaze of an apex predator whose lived countless battles. Now, with their backs against the wall and everything on the line, they will have to throw forth everything they had. Snow felt her body twitch as she grabbed Laura’s vinesword with her other hand. Aela had taken control.

“I am weak, so you need to put in some work too. I’ll do all the attacking and blocking, try to focus on dodging and countering.” Aela demanded.

“Got it.” Snow casted a gaze flaming determination backed by strength of all her reserved anger onto the line of armored obstacles in front of her. The knights all drew their weapons simultaneously at this new beast before them.

“Give 'em hell.” Aela flicked her fingers forward.

Snow launched herself onto the grounds.

Their last stand had begun.

One by one, two by two, knights dashed at her from all sides. A horde of black blooded monsters, barely resembling their humanoid shapes. However, their forms did little to protect them from the flurry of attacks. Whatever fiends clashed with the vinesword were greeted by a splash of angry restraining vines, and whatever fiends were slashed with Nightbreaker were eaten whole. Slash after slash, a cacophony of torment filled the dungeon of this knightly stronghold. The torment of battle with the cost of souls. Nightbreaker couldn’t ask for more, it was a feast. The shadows that consumed the knight's blood began growing onto Snow, adapting, as the continuous stream of death coated her from the onslaught. The shadowy armor made Snow even faster, the feasting became envious, powerful, she was an instrument of death itself. Not a beat short, not a deflect missed, not a counter unexploited. A beautiful death blossom of splashing and spinning black blood. Snow was the body, Aela, the mind, Icebreaker, the weapon, and Laura, the defence. Snow stopped counting how many she slayed, they stood no chance. The onslaught ended with a new version of Nightbreaker.

Fatebreaker.

The weapon grew red eyes and smiling teeth. The hunger didn't just want knight blood. It was also eating hers. Her own blood dripped from the handle.

Horus stood with his arms crossed, spectating the theatrical display of tragedy as ALL of his knights were eaten in front of his very eyes.

“I will slay you myself, agent of Regalia.” He darted at her.

Snow had no words for her enemy. She put her swords up in an X before Horus slammed into them with his blade. The ground underneath both of them cracked. Horus twisted his blade, the twisting became unnatural when the blade made several rotations, more than a normal human arm would permit. The blade began spinning rapidly before he thrusted it forward grinding against her shadowy armor. Snow hopped back.

A stream of her shadows were feeding into him. He was siphoning her.

Two leeches of life clashed into each other, again, and again, and again. Fancy footwork be damned, no footwork mattered when both contestants have regenerative siphoning abilities. Snow and Horus slid away from each other. Each in silence, as two streams of darkness fed from one another.

Snow fell to one knee triggering Horus’s laughter.

“You have no idea how outclassed you are. I had to suffer thousands of years, forced to eat that wretched angel’s energy. Like a dog licking scraps of waste.”

“You do outclass me. I will admit. But, you don't outclass us combined.” Snow responded by tossing the vine sword up into the air, Aela caught it and descended down upon horus. Clashing and locking blades with him.

“If the other one can't manage, what say you can?!” Horus questioned Aela.

“Sword of the keepers bless my name, grant me the strength to subdue my bane!” Aela chanted and the sword radiated green. Then, an entire nest of branches grew around both swords. The vines wrapped around Horus’s blade, then his arms locking him in a tight bind.

“Damn, elven magic. You are human!”

“She is, but I'm not!” A golden ghost appeared behind Aela granting the sword extra strength.

“Snow, Now!” Aela yelled.

“Raaa!” Snow came in and stabbed Fatebreaker into Horus’s chestplate. The sword grinded against the shadowy essence fighting against it, eating through it before it penetrated and sunk deep within his chest. The seal key in the sword began to rapidly pulse red as the mouth on the sword started to gobble and eat away at Horus’s essence. .

“No! I will not go back. Why serve that monster?! For what purpose?!” Horus tried desperately to remove the blade while it was absorbing him.

The orb changed colour to blue. Horus fell to his knees.

“You… know not what you've done. With my soul, the orb has sufficient energy. Regalia will be unleashed. Thanks to you.”

“We aren't trying to unleash her?” Aela questioned.

“The orb is her… replacement.” Horus disappeared into the key. The key popped out from Fatebreaker, reverting it back to Icebreaker.

A familiar voice echoed from the orb.

“Spawn of my spawn. Thank you. For you were destined to free me, one way... or another.”

The orb flashed gold and disappeared. The ground began rumbling.

Snow and Aela gave each other a worried glance.

“Well, uh… At least…the knights are taken care of… right? Haha..” Snow tried to make light of the dire situation.