The chamber shook as Tyratryx's huge form rose up, her enormous snake-like body reaching toward the high ceiling. Riviera and Ais looked on in horror at the monstrosity before them, their eyes filled with disbelief and fear.
The headless torso loomed over them, reaching a staggering fifty feet. From the gaping stump where Tyratryx's head once sat, a writhing mass of giant snakes emerged, their bodies contorting and coiling like tentacles. The chamber was filled with the snakes' sinuous movements, their scales shimmering in the eerie light as they slithered with a disturbing purpose.
Tyratryx's body had transformed into a horrifying serpent. Its enormous length slithered for miles outside the confines of the room. Like the stuff of nightmares, its body was twisted in endless coils.
On Tyratryx's right side, two retractable arms emerged from the scaly hide. One arm ended in a wicked, sickle-like claw, its curved edge resembling that of a snake's fang. The other arm had a hand, but instead of fingers, it was adorned with writhing snakes, hissing and snapping in all directions.
On her left side, Tyratryx unfurled five retractable, dragon-like wings on her left side, displaying her immense power. The smallest wing was at the bottom, while the largest cast a menacing shadow across the chamber with its expansive span.
The stump where Tyratryx's head should have been was a grisly sight, constantly spewing forth a gush of blood. As the crimson liquid pooled on the ground, it began to bubble and churn, giving rise to new horrors. Gorgon-Spawn and Gorgoneions emerged from the bloody depths, born ready to do their mistress's bidding and butcher all her adversaries.
Her scales were obsidian black with blood-red markings. Her muscles rippled with a strange mixture of power and litheness. Her long tail stretched out behind her like a python, ready to strike.
A peculiar, hypnotic quality to her appearance drew the eye and kept one mesmerized despite the ghoulish nature of her mutated form. There was an unmistakable beauty there, a sensual magnetism that made her captivating despite the nausea one felt.
"By the gods, just what are you?" Riveria bellowed at the immense creature before her.
Ais stood motionless, her body betraying her with its refusal to act. The monstrous form of Tyratryx loomed before her, and at that moment, she was no longer an adventurer but reliving the nightmare of her past. The overwhelming presence of the One-Eyed Black Dragon, the beast that had taken her father and shattered her life, seemed to merge with that of Tyratryx before her eyes.
Her breaths were coming in ragged, uneven gasps, each one feeling like a struggle for air. With each heartbeat, she felt the tremors reverberating through her chest, a relentless pounding that seemed to echo in her ears. As she fought to stay conscious, the world around her started to blur, and her vision became increasingly unfocused, making it difficult to discern the shapes and figures in front of her.
Her hand gripped her sword's hilt so tightly that her knuckles turned white, but she couldn't draw it. She could only stare in silent horror as Tyratryx surged forward to exact her vengeance upon her most hated enemies.
Ais stood rooted to the spot as Tyratryx's monstrous form raced toward her, unable to break free of the chains of her past.
The chamber seemed to close around her, the grotesque forms of the Gorgon-Spawn and Gorgoneions closing the distance, yet her feet remained rooted to the spot. Riveria, noticing Ais's distress, shouted over the chaos.
"Ais! Pull yourself together! I need your help! I need your strength!"
But Ais couldn't respond. The walls of her reality had already shattered, leaving her trapped in the horror of her memories. It was as if time had come to a halt, and all she could do was watch as the monster she feared most swallowed her whole.
Tyratryx's chilling laughter resounded throughout the space, a wicked sonata that seemed to mock Ais's fear. The immense serpentine body squirmed, and the snakes emerging from the headless stump hissed in unison.
Ais stood before the oncoming horde, her mind a swirling maelstrom of fear and panic. She was paralyzed with indecision, trapped in a prison of her own making. Her body shook, her heart raced, and her mind screamed to move, but she couldn't. Her fear had won.
The Gorgon-Spawn charged at Ais, their serpentine forms moving with a speed that belied their grotesque appearance. As they closed the distance between them, their fangs bared and their claws poised to strike, Riveria finally managed to break through Ais's stupor.
"Ais! Duck!" Riveria's voice rang out with a clarity that seemed to break Ais out of her trance. "My name is Alf! Wynn Fimbulvetr!"
Ais reacted with surprising speed, dropping to the ground just as Riveria unleashed a blizzard toward the oncoming Gorgon-Spawn, enveloping them in a cold fury. The monsters' cries of pain were cut short as their bodies froze solid instantly, their scales cracking under the sheer force of the ice magic.
With a final, shuddering breath, Ais forced her mind to focus. She was not that helpless child anymore. She was Ais Wallenstein, the Sword Princess, the Kenki, and she had a battle to fight.
"Ais! Go for the head! Kill the head, and the body will perish!" Riveria ordered from across the chamber, cutting down the hordes of Gorgon-Spawn swarming her, her staff in one hand, Harpe in the other.
"I know!" Ais shouted back, her voice finally breaking free from the grip of her fear. She frantically sought Tyratryx's severed head, but it was nowhere to be found. In that moment, her eyes fell upon it, standing out from the rest.
Suddenly, a wall of snakes materialized before her, barring her path to the head. They hissed and snapped at her, their fangs gleaming with venom. But Ais was not to be discouraged. She charged forward, her sword swinging wildly as she slashed through the oncoming wave of serpents.
But they distracted Ais long enough to allow the head to escape. With a sickening smile, it headed straight for Riveria.
"Riveria! Watch out!" Ais cried out in alarm.
Riveria spun around just in time to see the head bearing down on her at terrifying speed. She lifted her staff and braced herself for impact.
Tyratryx's mouth opened wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, her long, forked tongue flickering in a grotesque taunt. She lunged at Riveria, her fangs poised to tear into the elf's flesh. But Riveria was no easy prey.
But the head had faked her out: its target was not Riveria, but Tyratryx's body. The head crashed into the scaled chest with a sickening crunch, the snakes that comprised it tearing into the flesh of their host with an unnatural fervor.
The head twisted grotesquely as it embedded itself into the chest of the monstrous body, right where its heart should be. The flesh around the head pulsed and throbbed as if accepting the grotesque union. The eyes of the head opened wide, glowing with a malevolent, fiery light.
"You fools," Tyratryx's commanding voice thundered, echoing powerfully within the chamber. "Now you will feel the full power of Tyratryx."
The entire space blackened as her aura inflated. The jade-haired mage and the golden-haired swordswoman found themselves under suffocating pressure. Riveria clenched her staff, feeling the weight of Tyratryx's malevolent energy bearing down on her.
The snakes that writhed from Tyratryx's chest hissed in unison, and with a surge of energy, they lashed out at the high-elf and her adopted daughter.
Riveria leaped into action with a mighty howl, swinging her staff at the snakes. The silvery rod connected with the snakes' bodies with a sickening crunch. She hacked the snakes with Harpe. But no sooner had she made contact than she felt something coil around her legs.
She looked down to see snakes around her legs, their cold, scaly flesh constricting painfully. Her pupils dilated in horror as the snakes that were severed by her sword slithered up her arms, their fangs poised to strike.
Ais lunged at the writhing snakes, her sword slicing through them easily, cutting Riveria free.
Tyratryx's voice resonated once more, dripping with venomous glee. "You cannot pit your puny spells against me."
Riveria's eyes narrowed as she focused her energy. "We will see about that."
With a sped-up incantation, she unleashed Rea Laevateinn. The firey pillars struck true, but the monstrous form absorbed the impact with a sinister laugh.
"Pathetic," Tyratryx sneered. "You're the world's strongest mage? You Loki Familia think you're the greatest! You are nothing!"
Riveria's eyes flashed with anger, her face contorting into a snarl as she poured even more of her strength into the attack.
"It seems our guest has gone mad." Tyratryx cooed in a sickly, sweet voice. "Wouldn't you agree, my children?"
The snakes surrounding Riveria hissed in agreement, their cold gaze never leaving hers. Tyratryx's monstrous form loomed over Riveria, her aura beating with malevolent energy. A devilish grin spread across her face as she observed her foes.
"This is starting to bore me." Tyratryx's voice dripped with contempt. "I can destroy you with words alone."
Her gaze fixed on Ais, and her expression shifted, perfectly imitating Albert Waldstein, the legendary hero and Ais's father. Ais's eyes widened in shock as she heard her father's voice emanating from the abomination before her.
"Ais… Ais…." Tyratryx spoke, her voice a flawless replica of Albert's. "Why do you fight? Why do you struggle?"
Ais's grip on her sword faltered, her hands trembling as the familiar voice washed over her. Memories of her father flooded her mind, the pain of his loss still raw and aching.
"You haven't found your hero," Tyratryx continued, her words cutting deep into Ais's heart. "You'll never find your hero."
Tears welled up in Ais's eyes as she shook her head, trying to deny the cruel words. But the voice was so authentic and familiar that she couldn't help but believe them.
"Your hero will never come because nobody loves you," Tyratryx said, her voice still perfectly imitating Albert's. "You are alone, Ais. You always will be."
Ais's knees buckled, and she collapsed, her sword clattering beside her. Sobs wracked her body as she curled in on herself, the weight of her grief and self-doubt crushing her.
Riveria watched in horror as Ais broke down, her heart aching for the young woman. She turned to Tyratryx, her eyes blazing with fury.
"How dare you," Riveria hissed, her voice trembling with rage. "How dare you use her father's memory against her like that."
Tyratryx laughed, the sound a twisted mockery of Albert's warm chuckle. "Oh, but it's so effective, isn't it? The mighty Sword Princess reduced to a sobbing mess with a few well-chosen words."
Tyratryx's gaze shifted to Riveria, her eyes glinting with malicious intent.
"I can pull the same trick on you if you're so inclined."
"Riveria, you unruly girl," Tyratryx spoke, her voice a perfect imitation of the Larfarl Ljos Alf's, authoritative tone. "I have news for you."
"No…"
"Riveria… you left me behind…"
"Stop."
"Riveria, you tainted our line, you filthy whore…"
"Stop it!"
Riveria's heart raced, a sense of dread settling in the pit of her stomach. She knew this was a trick, a cruel manipulation, but her father's voice stirred a deep longing within her.
"I am dead. Your father, the High Elf King, Larfal Ljos Alf, is dead," Tyratryx said, her words cutting through the air like a blade. "He died hating you."
Riveria's world seemed to tilt on its axis, the words striking her like a physical blow. She staggered back, her staff nearly slipping from her grasp. It couldn't be true. Her father couldn't be dead. And yet, the certainty in Tyratryx's voice, the familiar cadence of her father's speech, made it all too real.
"You disappoint me, Riveria," Tyratryx continued, her expression twisting into disdain. "You turned your back on your people, on your heritage. You chose these lowly adventurers over your kind."
Riveria's mind reeled. Memories of her last conversation with her father before she left home came flooding back—the disappointment in his eyes, the tension between them. She had left the kingdom to forge her path, but had she indeed abandoned her people?
"Your father died alone, his heart heavy with the weight of your betrayal," Tyratryx said, her voice dripping with venom. "He never forgave you, Riveria. His spirit lingers. He never loved you. He resented you. He despised you. You disgust him. He's ashamed of you."
Riveria's composure crumbled, tears streaming down her face as she sank to her knees. The pain of her father's supposed death, coupled with the guilt and shame of his disapproval, overwhelmed her. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. All she could do was stare at the twisted visage of her father, the words echoing in her mind.
Tyratryx laughed, a cruel, mocking sound that reverberated through the chamber. "The great Nine Hell, the stoic matriarch of Loki Familia. The next Queen of the High Elves. Look at you now. No wonder your father is so ashamed of you."
Riveria couldn't respond; her throat constricted with emotion. She was utterly stunned, her world shattered by the devastating revelation. The battle, her companions, everything faded away as she drowned in the depths of her grief and despair.
Tyratryx's serpentine body coiled and uncoiled, her multitude of snake-like appendages hissing in anticipation. The chamber seemed to throb with her hostile energy, the oppressive atmosphere bearing down on Ais and her.
"Farewell, Riveria Ljos Alf," Tyratryx intoned, her voice dripping with dark glee. "I shall reunite you with your father—in hell! Knowing you failed to stop me, let your spirit find no rest there."
As she prepared to deliver the final blow, the massive sickle-like claw on her right arm swung back, poised to strike. The room's air crackled with the impending doom, a chill that seeped into the bones of all present.
Still kneeling, Riveria's spirit was crushed under Tyratryx's cruel words. She barely registered the impending danger. Her jade eyes were glazed over with tears, and her grip on her staff was weak and trembling.
Ais, still fighting the echoes of her past fears, gritted her teeth and forced herself to her feet. Then she thought of Bell, and in that moment, she found a spark of the courage that had always driven her forward. She wasn't alone in this fight; she had already found her hero.
"Never," Ais spat out through clenched teeth. She willed herself to focus on the person who mattered most to her.
"Bell... I can't let him down!" she shouted aloud, willing herself to snap out of her emotional turmoil.
Riveria, shaken from her stupor by the clash of steel and her adopted daughter's words, barely rolled away from the razor-sharp sickle-claw in time to avoid being half sliced in half by it. A flicker of hope ignited within her.
Riveria rose to her feet, drawing on the last reserves of her strength. She clutched her staff tightly, the familiar weight grounding her. Her eyes, though red and swollen, burned with renewed resolve.
Channeling her magic, Riveria cast a protective barrier around Ais and Bell, the shimmering light deflecting Tyratryx's attacks. The monstrous creature roared in frustration, her efforts thwarted by the combined might of the adventurers.
"You will not win," Riveria declared, her voice steady and filled with conviction. "We stand together, and together we will defeat you."
Tyratryx's eyes blazed with fury, her serpentine body writhing with rage. The battle was far from over, but the adventurers stood united, their bond unbreakable in the face of the monstrous threat before them.
"Come at me then, if you don't value your lives."