As Svenja and Ahina continued their journey through The Road of Dead Ends, the path narrowed and twisted, and the shadows around them seemed to grow longer, dancing to an otherworldly tune. The trees became even more menacing, their twisted forms like a silent warning to turn back. Svenja’s eyes darted around cautiously, the eerie atmosphere beginning to get to her despite her attempts to stay calm. The shadows and twisted trees seemed to move with a life of their own, closing in around them like sinister guardians of this dark place. Ahina, on the other hand, remained cool and collected. She didn't show any sign of being intimidated by the surroundings. Instead, she kept her pace steady, her eyes focused on the path ahead.
Suddenly, a loud, eerie howl echoed from the trees, the sound freezing them in their tracks. Ahina's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat.
"What...what was that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Svenja's eyes narrowed as she glanced around, her senses on high alert. "Dunno," she said in a low voice. "Could be a lot o’ things, but one thing’s for sure, it ain’t friendly."
Another howl echoed through the trees, closer this time.
Ahina's pulse quickened, her anxiety skyrocketing. The howl was more menacing than before, and the cold night air seemed to wrap itself around them like an ethereal shroud.
Svenja, unfazed as ever, remained calm. "Let’s keep movin’," she said. "We can’t stop here, whatever that thing is, is gettin’ closer.”
They began walking again, their footsteps quickening with a sense of urgency. The howls grew louder and more frequent, the sound seeming to follow them like a pack of ravenous hounds.
With each step, they could feel the malevolent presence closing in. Ahina’s heart thudded against her chest, her breath coming in quick, ragged gasps.
Svenja, meanwhile, kept her pace steady, her senses on high alert. "It's close," she whispered, her voice betraying a hint of unease. "Stay on ye toes.”
The path ahead grew darker, the trees thicker and more menacing. The howls seemed to come from all around them now, the eerie sound filling the air with a symphony of menace.
Svenja's eyes darted around, her body tense, ready for anything.
"We're surrounded," she said in a harsh whisper. "We ain’t alone anymore.”
Ahina's fear spiked, her eyes wide and darting around the encroaching darkness. The howls grew louder, more aggressive. It was as if they were being herded into a trap.
Svenja, despite her brave exterior, was also on edge. "Stay close," she muttered, her grip on her sword tightening.
Out of the blue, the sources of the howls jumped into view from the trees: a bunch of shadowy figures in the form of Evelynn. They mimicked her appearance down to a T, her wolf ears and tail, her tall, buxom figure, and her long hair. Only thing is, the figures are all pitch black from head to toe. The figures approached the two with quick steps, but both held their ground.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“Ah shit,” Svenja huffed. “I think these fucks are mockin’ Evelynn’s appearance.”
“Yes. These are known as ‘Shades’, creatures of darkness native to this place. They like to imitate the appearances of the people who reside here.”
“Oi, so that means Evelynn IS here, innit?”
“Yeah, but let's get rid of these guys first… Watch out, they also copy some of the Void Magic abilities and skills of the people they imitate.”
“So we haveta look out for ice attacks,”
“Yep. But you have your sword, I have my claymore and Volcanic Rage. So let's wipe the floor with these guys!”
"Right!" Svenja said. She got into a fighting stance, her legs spread and her sword held high. "Let's teach these bastards a lesson!"
Ahina chuckled slightly at Svenja's bravado, but she was ready to fight, her hands already glowing with the power of her magic. "You go for the ones on the front lines," she said in a low voice. "I'll take care of the rest."
Svenja grunted in acknowledgment, her eyes focused on the Shades in front of her. "You got it," she said before charging forward.
The Shades, seeing Svenja's approach, all attacked at once, each mimicking Evelynn's abilities in their own twisted way. They sent ice shards towards Svenja, but she was already prepared.
"Damn, they sure ain't holdin’ back," she said before dodging to the side, the ice shards missing her by a hair's breadth.
Meanwhile, Ahina was busy with the rest of the Shades. She hurled her claymore with reckless abandon, forcing them to keep their distance. She absorbed all of the damage she took from the ice shards, building up for Volcanic Rage.
Svenja continued her charge, her sword ready for action. She ducked and dodged the ice shards, her sword glinting dangerously in the dim light. Her mind was focused, her breath steady.
"Let's see how you handle this!" Ahina shouted before quickly unleashing her Volcanic Rage ability. The absorbed energy from the avoided ice attacks erupted from her weapon in a fiery explosion from the ground, searing the nearest Shades. The explosion took out several Shades, leaving them as smoldering piles of charred blackness. Ahina took a brief, satisfied moment to watch her handiwork before turning her attention back to the remaining Shades.
Svenja, on the other hand, was dealing with her own set of enemies. She was holding her ground, her magical attacks hitting their marks and taking down Shades left and right.
"How's it goin’ over there?" Ahina shouted to Svenja as she sent a blast of fiery aura towards a nearby Shade.
"Eh, y’know, jus’ takin’ out the rubbish!" Svenja yelled back, her sword arcing through the air and slicing through a Shade.
Despite her casual words, Svenja was feeling the strain of the fight. The Shades had proved to be a tougher foe than she had anticipated, and she was growing tired. Still, she gritted her teeth and fought on, fueled by her determination.
Ahina, noticing Svenja's fatigue, worried for her friend's safety. "Don't push yourself too hard," she called out, her voice laced with concern.
"I'm fine," Svenja grumbled, deflecting an ice shard with her sword. "Jus’ focus on ye own damn fight.”
Ahina knew better than to argue with Svenja when she was in her stubborn mode. She let out a frustrated sigh and decided to focus on her own battle, trusting Svenja to take care of herself.
The two women continued fighting, their efforts slowly turning the tide of the battle in their favor. The Shades, although powerful, were no match for their combined skills and determination.
Just as it seemed that the Shades were being driven back, more of them appeared from a nearby cave, their numbers seeming endless. "Bloody hell, how many of these things are there?!" Svenja exclaimed, her arms growing tired from swinging her sword.
Ahina shared Svenja's frustration at the never-ending onslaught of Shades. "We gotta do something," she yelled over the din of battle. "We're getting outnumbered here."
The two continued fighting, their energy quickly depleting. Svenja's sword grew heavier in her hand, and Ahina's aura grew weaker. This was bad.
Just as things were looking grim, suddenly, from the cave where the Shades emerged, a figure appeared. It was a young woman, seemingly human, though there was something otherworldly about her.
She was tall with long silver dreadlocks, heterochromic pink and blue glowing eyes, pure black skin, and multi-colored neon tattoo-like markings all over her body that glowed in the dark just like her eyes. Her presence alone demanded their full attention. She stared down Ahina and Svenja, her gaze intense and focused.
Ahina and Svenja, seeing the woman approach from the cave, froze in their tracks. They had no idea who this new arrival was, but they could sense her intense aura. The Shades, too, seemed to react to the woman's appearance, their movements growing hesitant. It was as if this woman held some authority over them.
The woman stepped forward, his gaze flickering between Ahina and Svenja. "You two have proven yourselves quite a nuisance," she said, her voice light, yet sharp and commanding.
Ahina and Svenja exchanged a glance, both sensing the danger the woman represented. Without a word, they stood shoulder to shoulder, ready to face this new threat.
“You can drop your weapons,” she ordered, her voice leaving no room for argument. “You won't be needing them.”
Without warning, she raised her hand, and the nearby Shades stirred, their movements jerky and unnatural. It was clear that they were under this woman's control. "...Retreat," she commanded.
The Shades scurried back into their caves, leaving Ahina and Svenja alone with the new face staring them down.
“Who are ye…?” Svenja asked in a quieted tone, her eyes transfixed on the unique young woman before them.
“...Hmph,” she replied unamused as she took in the two women's appearances before answering, “You may call me…Kurovika.”