The battle raged on, chaotic and brutal. People fought with everything they had, whether it was a weapon or just raw determination. But the fae were still coming. They were relentless and only became even more so with the arrival of their queen.

  As the chaos continued to unfold in the streets, the wind shifted, carrying with it a strange, high-pitched hum that made the hairs on the back of Lorcan's neck stand up. He turned, his eyes scanning the sky, and saw a new figure appear—a massive shadow blotting out the streetlights. His heart sank as the creature landed with a heavy thud, sending a small tremor through the ground.

  [Tooth Fairy Monarch– Lesser Fae]

  This monstrosity was nothing like the tooth fairies James had seen up until now. It was far more terrifying. The Monarch resembled a gaunt humanoid, child-sized but impossibly unsettling. Its torso was unnaturally thin, stretched tight over bones that looked fragile enough to snap. The creature's legs, however, were far from fragile—its lower half was grotesque, resembling the segmented body of a fleshy insect, the chitinous armor gleaming in the light from the streetlamps.

  The Monarch’s face was a nightmare. Two enormous black eyes bulged from its narrow face, unblinking and devoid of mercy, while its mouth was a grotesque expanse of sharp teeth, surrounding a lolling tongue that flicked in and out like a serpent’s. It wore a crown made of humanoid teeth, each one jagged and yellowed, secured tightly around its head. In its clawed hands, it gripped a tooth-studded scepter, the wooden staff adorned with teeth from countless victims, some still dripping with saliva.

  It spoke—no, commanded—a harsh screech that silenced the battle below for a heartbeat. The remaining tooth fairies, who had been swarming and attacking pedestrians, fell into line, some straightening, some bowing, all submitting to the oppressive authority of their Monarch.

  Lorcan's heart pounded in his chest as he stood frozen, staring at the creature. A shiver of terror ran through him, but he forced himself to take a step forward, eyes scanning for any sign of movement from the creature’s numerous attendants.

  The Monarch raised its scepter, and with an unsettling swiftness, a pair of tooth fairies zoomed toward it, dropping their freshly ripped teeth into its waiting hands. The Monarch’s tongue flicked out to grab one of the teeth, slurping it into its mouth with disturbing satisfaction. The air around it seemed to thrum with some unnatural power as the Monarch absorbed the stolen teeth of its victims.

  And then, in a flash of movement, the Tooth Fairy Monarch turned its gaze toward the closest group of fighters—the man wielding a metal pipe and the woman with a broken bottle. The Monarch’s enormous black eyes locked onto them with predatory intent.

  Before anyone could react, the Monarch flicked its scepter toward them. A wave of magic rippled through the air, and the man with the metal pipe collapsed to the ground, paralyzed, his limbs locking up as though caught in some invisible vice. The woman shouted, rushing to his side, but she froze as the Monarch spoke again, this time in a voice that rattled the very air.

  “” the Monarch hissed, its voice dripping with venom.

  A second later, the Monarch’s wings—small and membranous, yet deceptively powerful—flared out behind it. The creature lifted into the air, gliding toward the group of people who had been bravely fighting back. They scattered, but James saw the Monarch’s tongue lash out like a whip, snagging one of the attackers by the ankle. The poor soul was yanked off his feet, a scream cutting through the air as the Monarch brought its enormous jaws down on him. The bite was swift and brutal, sending another shudder through the crowd as the man’s body went limp, his teeth ripped from his skull with horrifying ease.

  Lorcan’s stomach churned as the Monarch reared back, the teeth glistening in its mouth, its gaping maw splitting in a cruel grin. Then, with a sudden jerk of its body, the Monarch launched itself into the air once more, flying above the crowd with surprising agility. Its wings buzzed like a monstrous insect, and for a moment, it was nothing but a terrifying blur of dark motion against the dim sky.

  Below, people cried out, some trying to regroup, others too paralyzed by fear to act. James looked around, hoping to find any sign of resistance, but the Monarch had already begun its horrific game of dominance. With each pass, the creatures under its command became more organized, pulling teeth from their victims with cruel precision.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  And then, the Monarch spoke again, its voice a chilling command to its minions:

  “”

  The smaller tooth fairies zoomed down, eagerly collecting teeth from the fallen fighters, some even taking the teeth of the terrified onlookers who had fled to the corners of the street. They offered the spoils to the Monarch, who greedily devoured the offerings one by one.

  Lorcans mind raced. He knew what he had to do, but could he stand a chance against this creature? The Tooth Fairy Monarch was ruthless and cunning, and its abilities were far beyond what he had prepared for. The crowd had been thrown into disarray, but they weren’t all cowards. Some were still fighting back, launching rocks, pieces of broken wood, anything they could find to defend themselves.

  It wasn’t enough, though. The Monarch was a predator, and these people were nothing more than prey. Lorcan tightened his grip on the trash can lid, determined to survive, knowing that if they were to have any chance at stopping this reign of terror, they would need to strike at the heart of this monster—and pray they had enough strength left to fight back.

  Lorcan stomach churned, but he forced himself to focus. He cast around for something to fight with. The only thing in reach was a dented trash can lid. He supposed it was better than nothing. He could see the terror spreading through the crowd, people retreating as the Monarch hovered above them, its wings buzzing like a monstrous insect. If they broke now, it would be over. Someone had to do something.

  “We’re not done yet!” Lorcan shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. He stepped forward, raising his makeshift shield—the dented trash can lid—above his head. “It’s just another monster! They keep trying to kill us but we’re still here!”

  The fighters around him paused, their eyes darting between James and the Monarch. Some still looked terrified, but others straightened, gripping their weapons tighter.

  “Listen to me!” Lorcan continued, his voice rising with urgency. “We can beat it, but only if we fight together! Aim for the big one, distract it, and take out the smaller ones when you can! Don’t let it corner you!”

  The crowd stirred, murmurs of determination rippling through the ranks. A woman with a baseball bat nodded, stepping up beside Lorcan. A man with a chain followed suit, swinging it experimentally.

  “Together,” Lorcan repeated, his voice steady. “We can take it down.”

  The Monarch’s eerie, unblinking gaze settled on Lorcan. Its mouth twisted into a cruel mockery of a grin as it raised its scepter. The air around it shimmered, and Lorcan barely had time to dive out of the way before a bolt of golden energy shot toward him, scorching the ground where he had stood.

  The crowd scattered, forcing the Monarch to choose its targets. It hissed, its wings flaring wide as it unleashed another burst of magic. This time, the golden wave rippled outward, paralyzing several fighters where they stood. The smaller tooth fairies swarmed in immediately, their cruel pliers snapping as they pried teeth from the immobilized victims.

  “Stop them!” Lorcan yelled, rushing toward the nearest group. He swung his pipe with all his strength, knocking a tooth fairy out of the air. Others joined him, smashing and swatting at the creatures until they retreated, hissing in frustration.

  The Monarch shrieked, its voice a piercing wail that rattled the windows of nearby buildings. It lifted into the air, its wings buzzing furiously, and hovered above the crowd. With a sweep of its scepter, it conjured a glowing orb of light that pulsed ominously before exploding in a shower of golden shards. The fragments rained down, burning like acid wherever they landed.

  Lorcan ducked behind his shield, feeling the heat of the shards as they pelted the metal. Around him, others did the same, but some weren’t fast enough. Cries of pain echoed through the street as the shards burned into flesh.

  “We need to ground it!” Lorcan called out, his mind racing. He scanned the battlefield, searching for anything they could use. His eyes landed on a man with a shotgun, crouched near an overturned car. “You!” Lorcan shouted, pointing. “Shoot its wings! Bring it down!”

  The man hesitated, his hands shaking as he lifted his weapon. “I… I don’t know if I can hit it.”

  “You can,” Lorcan said firmly, locking eyes with him. “We’re counting on you.”

  The man took a deep breath, steadied his aim, and fired. The slug streaked through the air and struck the Monarch’s left wing, tearing through the delicate membrane. The creature screeched in fury, lurching sideways as it tried to stay aloft.

  “Yes!” Lorcan shouted. “Keep going!”

  The man fired again, this time grazing the Monarch’s abdomen. It shrieked again, its movements growing more erratic. Seizing the opportunity, Lorcan rallied the fighters around him.

  “Now! Hit it with everything you’ve got!” he bellowed.

  The crowd surged forward, throwing rocks, bricks, and anything else they could find. The Monarch hissed, raising its scepter to unleash another wave of magic, but its focus was fractured. A rock struck its crown, knocking it askew. Another hit its torso, and it staggered, its wings faltering.

  Lorcan charged forward, his improvised shield gripped tightly in both hands. The Monarch’s gaze snapped to him, and it lashed out with its tongue, the slimy appendage wrapping around his wrist. He cried out as it yanked him forward, pulling him off balance. The Monarch loomed over him, its massive jaws opening wide.

  “Not today,” Lorcan growled, twisting his body and swinging the trash can lid with all his might. The blow struck the Monarch’s scepter, knocking it from its grasp. The weapon clattered to the ground, its golden glow dimming.