"I'm not a fan of that name," Calypso replied. She could not help the bubbling rage she felt deep within. She should feel guilty right now, at least remorseful. Cali killed Omelia and led Ellis down this path. Yet, the name still made her feel aggrieved. "What's with that look on your face? Someone killed your sister, too?" Ellis snickered. She followed Cali's movement over the years and caught up to her in Argost, the port city bordering Dalry.
The plan was to leave Cali in the desert. It would give the trio time to obtain the artefact and clash with Calypso. Then when the time came, Ellis would kill the trio, leaving Cali for herself. Everything was in place, yet Ellis could not deduce how Cali won against Omelia. Cali was a human with a meagre amount of magic. The chance of her winning against an elf was impossible! Cali could not use magic or martial arts. That's why Ellis recruited the deceased trio to test Cali's abilities and offered the artefact to them as extra compensation.
However, it was a waste of time and money. All Ellis got to witness was Cali dancing around icicles like a child. What power? It was tomfoolery!"I don't regret killing Omelia. She," The sentence did not get a chance to be completed. "Killed a few men?" Calypso made eye contact with the elf. "Of course, I knew! What am I? An idiot? Those men should be honoured to die by Omelia's hand." Yes, they should be honoured. The dirty pests always flocked to the nearest flower and did not care if she found them disgusting. Cali was no better than the rest. The siblings only thought of her as a helpful tool for resources.
Cali felt a bit relieved hearing this. Yes, it turned out that the two people she treasured were psychopaths who felt no remorse for the terrors they committed. However, Cali was in the clear. She could have spent the rest of her life carrying the guilt. Ellis being crazy was no one's fault! The relief did not settle all her emotions at once, but it would have to do! "Thank you."
Ellis did not verbalize the confusion she felt at that moment. A feeling of dread flooded her senses, along with a horrible stench. "Ellis, I will miss you." The elf, however, could barely pay attention to Cali. Ellis was on the verge of vomiting without the help of any potion. What a vile and familiar smell. The scent of death was easy to distinguish when so pungent. The ground beneath began to shake, and bones of all sizes began to appear. The bones shook and flew to a corner of the cave. "Ha," Ellis exhaled, unable to look away. "You lowly humans do not think twice before becoming a devil's little plaything."
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
The path Calypso chose led her to the heinous art of necromancy. It was a foolish last resort to save someone dear to her, but in the end, she gained nothing. Why wish for the impossible? No one could offer her a second chance. Calypso stood there with multiple rows of bones circling her body. Her eyes met Ellis' before she muttered an incantation. Ellis shivered with an unknown emotion. What the heck was this? She could not allow Calypso to finish whatever spell she was chanting.
However, Ellis waited a bit too long. The moment her hand reached out to cast, it got knocked back with tremendous force. She winced as the injury on her shoulder responded to the impact. Who told her to take the icicle attack head-on?
It all happened too quickly. An arched bone cemented Ellis' hand to the carven wall. As much as she struggled, Ellis could not break from the wall. Suddenly, pain surged through her entire body. The upper part of a half-decayed corpse had bit into her leg, tearing some flesh. Ellis began to shriek and kick at the reanimated remains. The corpse had not been deterred and still gnawed the flesh it could reach. Tears had already fallen from Ellis' eyes before she tried casting with her free hand.
A rush of euphoria filled her body but quickly faded. Just like the other, this hand was secured to the wall by a bone. More corpses made their way to Ellis' side with eerie murmurs. If they were to make it to her, it would be much more than a bitten calf.
Calypso had seen a lot, but she could not predict what came next. Ellis tore her arm from the walls. She twisted and pulled until a hand tore from her body. Calypso could not help it and took a step back.
"You will not take this away from me," Ellis whispered before her voice came to a roar. "This is not enough to take me down! I still-." Calypso had already regained her composure and sent another attack. The bone fastened itself around Ellis' neck and fixed her against the wall. Sounds of gagging once again filled the cavern. Ellis spat profanities as she extended her arm forward, trying to grab Calypso. That arm looked mangled, while the other wore a bloody pair of gloves. Ellis giggled in between bouts of coughing. Her evident exhaustion did not deter her from speaking condescendingly. "So, what now? Are you going to kill me?"
Even now, Ellis looked charming. She had her shoulder pierced, calf bit off, and hand torn, yet she had a certain magnetism. "I have other matters to attend to," Calypso replied. From her peripheral view, Albia's body rose. "However, I leave you with her company." Albia's body bobbed back and forth until turning to Ellis. Each step it took was uneven and laboured. Calypso struggled to keep in a snide chuckle while watching the scene.
Albia's head kept bobbing back and forth with its snapped neck while the person responsible for the injury became still. After being pointlessly held back, Calypso finally ventured deeper into the cavern. "You!" Ellis hissed. "Do not walk away from me!" The sounds of her voice drifted, replaced by painful howls.