Music recommendation: Sacrifice by Christophe Beck on Spotify.
Everywhere you go, death follows.
Those were the words that rang in Lyra's mind. Her heart shuddered, and dread shook her to the core. She clenched her chest as she widened at Anna. The woman who formerly wore a comforting smile and would offer solace in her warm embrace was now replaced with disdain and anguish.
Anna resembled a broken woman who had lost all sanity. Her body was covered with wounds, and she was dressed in a crumpled beige dress with a cloak to cover her thin frame. Her face was void of life as her bones were visible through her sunken face. She would've toppled over by a small gust of wind.
"You're wrong…" Lyra trailed, clenching her chest. Self-doubt crept into her mind. Was she the cause of everything? Her family's demise? The death of countless lives? She staggered, feeling faint. She felt trapped and cornered as her options for escape were nowhere in sight.
Troy chuckled as he stepped closer to her. His figure towered over her petite frame and questioned, "Have you found the role you were meant to be in this cosmic game, dear Lyra?"
He gleamed as he noticed the faint flickering of her eyes, as blackness inked the sclera. The vessel's power was surfacing, and it would be a matter of time before she submitted to him.
Lyra heard him clearly but couldn't respond, as if she had closed herself off from the world. She glanced at her hands and shuddered as if they were stained with blood. Her breathing was labored as her anxiety went up a notch, and Anna kept hurling hateful words at her.
"This is all your fault! You have brought nothing but suffering and destruction upon—"
"I think that's enough chatter for once. Won't you agree, Lyra?" Troy cut Anna off, and with a snap of his finger, Anna collapsed with her neck in a disfigured angle.
Lyra broke from her thoughts as she saw Anna collapse in front of her. Bile rose to her throat, threatening to vomit.
All the color drained from Lyra's face as she stood frozen like a statue. Yet another person died before her very eyes, and she couldn't help but stare at the lifeless eyes that unblinkingly fixed on her.
The nauseating feeling began to swell within her, that familiar ominous sensation before she blacked out from torture at the fortress. Her whole form shook as she felt dreadful, and she clenched her arms together as if she had fallen into a frozen lake. Black inky wisps peeked out from her shadow and coiled around her.
Troy was thrilled to see her reaction as the black tendrils began crawling around them and their surroundings. His lips pulled into an enthusiastic smile.
"Yes, Lyra! Embrace your true nature," Troy exclaimed, reveling in the chaos around them. The air thickened with a crackle of energy as the black tendrils extended, weaving through the fabric of her dress.
Lyra's eyes, now entirely consumed by the inky darkness, radiated an ominous glow. Her body quivered involuntarily as the newfound power coursed through her. Black-rooted veins peaked from the corners of her eyes.
Seemingly unaffected by the chaotic energy, Troy approached her with a triumphant expression. "You hold power bestowed by the true King, Lyra. Embrace it, this is your destiny."
Lyra, caught in the throes of her transformation, struggled to comprehend the magnitude of the power she now possessed. Her thoughts were a turbulent storm, torn between resisting the darkness and succumbing to the seductive whispers that promised her blissful paradise.
Troy reveled in the spectacle. He placed his hands on her cheeks, forcing her to peer into his gleaming red eyes. "There's nothing left for you now. You belong to me, Lyra," Troy coaxed, his voice alluring as he held her possessively.
Like a veil has been lifted, Lyra's inner turmoil reached its highest peak. Her memories from her past, the lives she had taken, the destructive force she caused, and the figure in her cell she met all merged into a chaotic maelstrom within her mind. Then, the image of Leo formed in her memory, his warmth as he carried her, his remarks, and his voice, which held conviction in protecting her. She closed her eyes as tears spilled from them, and her heart called out to the one who would save her.
"Leo…"
"Get away from her!"
A snarling voice broke through as a fist landed squarely on Troy's jaw, sending him to the ground. In the disrupted moment, Lyra regained consciousness and fought against the overwhelming power.
Troy's expression shifted to annoyance, wiping the blood from the corner of his lips, "Damn mutt, that hurt," Feigning pain, his eyes held in contempt.
Viktor straightened as he glowered at Troy, clenching his fists as his eyes glowed bright.
"I should tear you apart!" Viktor growled, baring his canines.
Lyra whimpered and staggered against the brick wall, trying to focus on Viktor, "Viktor…?"
Viktor glanced at Lyra before his focus fixed on Troy and spoke apologetically, "Sorry for the delay."
It took longer than expected due to the intruders who kept him busy. He had a few scratches and wounds on his chest and arms, but nothing life-threatening. His claws elongated as they were drenched in blood.
Lyra tried to hold back her tears, letting them fall continuously. The black veins from the corner of her eyes receded, but the black void in her sclera remained—the shadowy tendrils, still present, riled in protest.
Troy bellowed in a fit of laughter, "What?! A mutt in a shiny fur coat has come to rescue the damsel?" He scoffed, "Ha.... Don't make me laugh," he grinned menacingly, revealing his fangs.
Ten more of Troy's underlings jumped from the rooftops of the buildings above them. Surrounding Viktor with their swords, they brandished. To make matters worse, a few more arrived, blocking his exit from behind.
Viktor scanned the snarling creatures. He counted roughly forty to one as he was clearly outnumbered. He held an air of confidence with a smirk, and that irked Troy.
"Is this the remnants of your small army, Demon? I guess Leo took care of the rest," He jabbed at Troy, mocking how useless it was to go head-to-head with his pack and Leo. "Let me remind you who the fuck you messed with in Evrax," he growled threateningly.
Viktor dug his claw into his forearm, drawing blood. He inscribed runes across his chest before drawing a crescent shape on the paved floor. He muttered incoherent words before the runes began to emit a faint light, and the surrounding area was bathed in a bright flash. The walls of the surrounding building cracked, and debris fell around them.
Lyra covered her eyes as she slumped to the floor; when she opened them, she was awestruck. Troy and his warriors were stunned by the colossal size of a white wolf with a golden crescent mark at the center of its forehead—Artemis.
Viktor, who wore a cheeky grin, stared at Troy's shocked look. He looked up to Artemis and thanked the guardian for aiding his call on summoning. The white wolf growled at Viktor in annoyance but decided to take his rage on the delectable offering before him. The alleyway was rather cramped due to his size; he leapt into it before crashing down on the demons and buildings as collateral damage. His massive mouth swallowed two demons whole before he chomped them to smithereens, splattering buckets of blood as he bared his fangs. The creatures were disposed of as the guardian trampled over them like insects.
Troy watched as he saw his underlings torn to pieces by the guardian of Evrax. He didn't see this coming. His plan had gone up in smoke, and he gnashed his teeth in frustration. His eyes flared, and he glanced at Lyra. He would need to flee with her and return to Ozend.
"Don't even think about it," Viktor growled at Troy in his face. He kicked Troy in the gut and sent the man flying to the wall with a powerful force. The impact cratered the wall behind him, but he looked unfazed.
Troy grumbled, "You're starting to get on my last nerve, mutt."
Troy jumped to his feet, dusting the dirt off his clothes. With a crack of his neck, he flexes his lean arms as black vein roots spread from the corner of his eyes and two spiked horns sprout from his forehead. His straight, jet-black hair flared as he conjured fire from his fists.
Before Viktor could launch another blow at the menace before him, Troy appeared before Viktor, slashing him with his flaming claws. Viktor howled in agony. The archdemon was fuming with rage at the distraction he's been receiving and wanted to end this swiftly.
Viktor slumped to his knees, holding his wound as he grimaced. He glowered at Troy as the archdemon raised his hand in an arch. However, he sensed the glare of the guardian as he peered out to where his warriors were busy. The massive wolf growled threateningly at him. All his underlings perished and strewed about in a heap of flesh.
Fuck.
Troy knew when to call it quits to a losing battle, but the war had yet to be won. He glanced back at Lyra with a haunting smile and bid a parting word,
"Till we meet again, my dear," Troy snapped his finger, and he vanished in a whirlwind of flame and smoke.
Viktor relaxed on his back, heaving a sigh. It was finally over. He knew he would need to assess the damages the intruders caused, but resting a bit couldn't hurt. He closed his eyes in relief.
Artemis approached him and peered at the injured alpha in disappointment.
"Bah, don't give me that look, Artemis," Viktor grumbled. Artemis flared his nostrils, causing dust and hot air to blow at his face; Viktor coughed. "Yes, thanks for the lecture. You don't need to remind me."
The guardian deity faded out of existence with a side glance at Lyra, a hint of pity in his eyes. Artemis felt a connection, a sense of familiarity, before he vanished entirely.
After a moment of peace in the air, Lyra grimaced as she clenched her chest, gasping for air. Viktor tried to crawl to her, but his insides were wrecked from the fight he encountered, and the cost of summoning Artemis took a toll on his body.
"Lyra!" Viktor stretched out to reach her. He winced as he held his searing wound that started to bleed.
Lyra squinted toward Viktor and saw blood streaming from his wounds. Her heart ached and started to spiral in turmoil. Haunting whispers grew into jumbled voices, and she felt her skull would shatter.
'This is all your fault!'
'Wherever you go, Lyra, death follows.'
'The true King would reshape it to his image.'
'You brought the calamity upon this realm!'
'Why did you leave us to suffer?'
'Embrace your true nature.'
'Child of Prophecy.'
'This is your destiny.'
'Trust me…'
Lyra felt strong arms envelop her in comfort, and warmth shone over her like a beacon, chasing the darkness away. The sense of security and assurance was all her soul felt from this presence. His musky scent and hint of mint wafted through her nose.