The snow-capped forest exuded an eerie silence broken only by the rhythmic crunch of snow under Steve's boots. His body ached with each step, the bruises and cuts from previous battles throbbing in protest. Injured and weary, he stood facing a formidable duo—a menacing dragon and its fearsome rider, his own daughter. The frozen lake beside them shimmered under the moon's ghostly light, casting an ethereal glow over the clearing where the impending battle loomed.
Steve's heart thudded in his chest like a war drum, not sure if it was fear or determination swirling in his mind. He knew deep down he had to save his daughter, to break the hold that some unknown force had over her. His gaze locked onto the wicked dragon, its bloodshot eyes ablaze with hunger and fury, while the beast, a creature of legend and terror, stood imposingly beside its rider, its colorful feathers ruffling in high alert.
Gripping his hammer with white-knuckled intensity, sparks of electricity crackling along its length, Steve braced himself for the imminent clash. His breath hung in the frigid air, a visible testament to the tension thickening the atmosphere.
"Alice!" Steve's voice cut through the tense silence, a plea and a battle cry rolled into one. Raising his hammer high, he prepared to shield and reach out to the daughter he once knew, hoping against hope she was still in there somewhere.
The dragon roared, a deafening sound shaking the ground beneath them, its fiery breath igniting the night with a blazing inferno as it readied to strike. In response, Steve summoned his shield—a shimmering barrier dancing with a life of its own, poised to deflect the impending assault.
With a menacing glare, the dragon unleashed a barrage of blue fireballs, a deadly storm hurtling toward Steve. The shield materialized in front of him like a spectral guardian, its silver sheen glowing as it intercepted the searing flames. The clash of elements filled the air, the heat licking at the edges of his defense, melting the snow and ice around him.
Alongside the dragon, Alice stood, her once warm gaze now holding an otherworldly intensity. A shiver ran down Steve's spine as he tightened his grip on the hammer, a sense of foreboding creeping over him. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as a burning heat churned in his stomach
Alice raised her hand, summoning a blue scythe gleaming like the crescent moon. Steve's eyes widened at the sight of his daughter wielding such a dangerous weapon, a pang of fear twisting in his gut
As the battle erupted, Steve focused on shielding himself against the dragon's relentless barrage, all the while keeping a wary eye on Alice. Her strikes were powerful, fueled by a whirlwind of emotions clouding her thoughts. The shield held, but beneath the surface, Steve felt the weight of his daughter's turmoil in each blow.
Tears streaked down Alice's face as she clashed with her scythe, her once gentle voice now trembling with anger and despair. "I hate you," she muttered, her words heavy with sorrow, cutting through the icy air.
Steve's heart clenched at her declaration, the pain of her words a sharp blade against his resolve. Yet, he knew he couldn't let them distract him. He had to stay focused, protect himself, and find a way to break through to his daughter. This was not the Alice he knew and loved.
"Tempus fugit, sicut nubes, quasi naves, velut umbra!" Alice's voice rang out, chanting a spell echoing hauntingly in Steve's ears. Shadows emerged, morphing into a myriad of clocks and watches dancing in chaotic disarray, a flood of memories washing over Steve as a sense of déjà vu clouded his mind.
"Help me!" Alice's desperate cry pierced through the chaos, her voice laden with desperation. Massive tree roots burst from the ground, thrashing wildly as they obliterated the clocks and watches around them.
Steve dodged and weaved, the roots slicing through the air with deadly precision, a constant threat to his safety. Simultaneously, the dragon's blue fireballs and Alice's anguished thrashings converged on his shield, testing its limits. In a moment of distraction, a root lashed out, leaving a deep gash on Steve's flank. Pain seared through him, his muscles protesting, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through, determined to find a way to reach his daughter amidst the chaos.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
Steve's heart raced inside his chest like a trapped animal as he faced the menacing dragon, its scales reflecting the fiery glow of its breath. The heat licked at his skin, threatening to sear him alive, but Steve stood firm, his resolve unwavering.
As the dragon unleashed a beam of red fire, Steve gritted his teeth and pushed through the inferno, feeling the intense heat singe his clothes and scorch his hair. The acrid scent of burning filled his nostrils, making his eyes water, but he pressed on, his focus locked on the massive beast before him.
With a burst of energy fueled by determination, Steve launched himself at the dragon, his hammer crackling with electricity, a powerful weapon in his grasp. The metal head of the hammer gleamed in the fiery light as he swung it with precision, aiming for the dragon's exposed jaw. The impact of the blow reverberated through his arms, sending a shockwave of force up to his shoulders as the dragon roared in pain, staggering backward from the strike.
But in the chaos of battle, danger lurked unseen. Alice emerged from the shadows with a scythe in hand, her eyes empty of any glow. Before Steve could react, she swung the weapon with bone-crushing force, the blade slicing through the air with deadly intent.
Agony exploded through Steve's body as the scythe connected with his side, the force of the impact knocking the breath from his lungs. A sharp, searing pain shot through him as his right arm snapped under the overwhelming force, a sickening crack echoing in his ears. Despite the pain, Steve's gaze locked with Alice's for a fleeting moment, a mixture of sorrow and regret passing between them.
Helplessly, Steve was propelled through the air by the sheer force of the blow, his body hurtling toward the icy lake shimmering in the distance. The brittle ice shattered upon his impact, sending a spiderweb of cracks rippling across its frozen surface.
The icy waters of Lake Tuoni closed in around Steve, enveloping him in a numbing embrace stealing his breath away. The frigid cold seeped into his bones, intensifying the agonizing pain radiating from his broken arm. As he sank deeper into the dark depths, a sense of despair washed over him, the weight of failure settling like a heavy stone upon his chest.
The warm blood oozed from the wound in his side, mingling with the icy water surrounding him. The bitter cold clawed at his skin, sending shivers down his spine as he struggled against the oppressive chill. In the murky depths of the lake, Steve's thoughts spiraled into darkness, the chaos of battle giving way to a profound sense of loss and defeat.
Memories of happier times flashed before Steve's eyes, a stark contrast to the grim reality of the present. The sound of Alice's laughter echoed in his mind, a bittersweet reminder of the bond they once shared. The image of his fiancée, now gone, flickered in his thoughts, a ghostly presence haunting him in his moment of need.
"I'm sorry. I failed Alice, just like I failed you," Steve's whispered words were carried away by the currents, lost in the vastness of the lake. The weight of his failure to protect Alice, to save her from the darkness consuming her, bore down on him like a heavy burden.
"I promised to protect her, to be the family she needed," Steve's thoughts echoed with regret as he struggled against the numbing cold. The guilt of falling short of his promise to Alice's mother weighed heavily on him, a burden he could not shake.
"I'm sorry," Steve's voice barely rose above a whisper, the words muffled by the icy water surrounding him. Emotions welled up inside him, a torrent of regret and sorrow threatening to engulf him in its icy grip.
As darkness enveloped him, the icy water seep into his soul, extinguishing the last flicker of hope within him. The numbing cold wrapped around him like a vice, squeezing out any warmth or comfort he had left. In the depths of the frigid abyss, he sought forgiveness, grappling with the weight of his failure pressing down.
The memory of his sister's voice echoed in his ears, a haunting reminder of past mistakes. "You've always been a fool," her words taunted him, adding to the heavy load of guilt and self-doubt he carried. With a heavy heart, Steve allowed himself to sink deeper into the icy embrace of the lake, the darkness swallowing him whole.
In that moment of surrender, as the cold waters of Lake Tuoni claimed him, Steve found a strange sense of peace. The turmoil and pain plaguing his mind melted away, replaced by a profound stillness surrounding him like a comforting blanket. With a final exhale, Steve closed his eyes, letting himself be carried away by the gentle currents, his body touching the lake’s bottom as he closed his eyes, lost to the world above.