Chapter 30

  The moon fell, and the waters climbed high. Darkness took the land, as Castle Kalidros sank, settling into the gloom. And from the abyss, the great serpent rose. A wyrm, born of deep waters, cold and still. Slithering up, out of the black depths to twist itself around the steps of the dais.

  In the shadows, it waited. Pale skin stretched thin over a tapered skull. Its split jaw cracked in half to reveal rows of glistening fangs.

  Its eyes had been savaged, and the dim light of her orb revealed only gaping pits where they had once been torn. The wyrm was blind. Its forked tongue flicked in and out, tasting the wind, searching for their scent. It was so close. Looming over them as strings of saliva poured from its maw.

  And the waters rose.

  Cari. Fia shot the young girl a glance. She stood on the dais, eyes wide, gripped by fear, frozen, as she watched the snake coil.

  Slowly, she inched towards her. Holding a finger to her lips as she crept up the stairs. Cari was shaking, arms wrapped tight, desperately trying to hold herself in place as she convulsed.

  She was almost there. Fia held out her hand, reaching for the girl, and above the snake grew still. Cari threw out her hand, eyes pleading for rescue. But as she did, her pack fell, it slipped from her arm, splashing into the dark waters.

  “Cari!” Fia screamed. And the snake struck.

  Her shields flashed as its jaw slammed into the aureate light. There was a clap like thunder, and the waters roared as the shock of their clash sent waves crashing against the walls of the room.

  Pain. Stabbing pain. She let out a gasp as her shoulder went numb. The shield had not held. The serpent’s fangs had pierced through it, and the tip of a large canine had caught hold of her.

  “Go!” She pushed Cari away as the snake reared back, tearing the last of her shield from the stone and crushing it between its jaws.

  Cari froze, “I…”

  “Go! I’ll be right behind you!”

  She stared back, petrified.

  “Do as I say! Fia bellowed

  Cari flinched at the sound, torn away from the fear that had gripped her. And she dove into the water as the snake struck again.

  Fia threw herself up the stairs. Away from Cari. The snake’s head whistling by her as it crashed into the steps, splintering stone.

  “Ella!” She cried out, and her veil shimmered into the air, illuminating the night.

  Ella rose, flying to face the serpent. And the room began to glow. Sparks filled the air, little golden fireflies floating on the wind. For a moment, they lingered, dancing on the waves, and then, all at once, they pulled together—

  —Whoosh—

  The air screamed, and Fia staggered as the breath was ripped from her chest. She fell, gasping to her knees, throat straining for air that was no longer there.

  And the room went white.

  —Thoom—

  The world shook, vibrating in a deep hum. And as the white light faded, Fia saw a golden spear. It was as large as the wyrm and had come crashing down through the rooftop to skewer the beast. In the sky above, distant stars blinked faintly.

  But the serpent was not slain.

  The waters churned as it fought against the stake. Twisting and writhing, pulling against the nail. But it could not break free. And yet it was not harmed. Caught in a snare, infuriated by a simple trap, frustrated by a being so far beneath it.

  Ella fluttered in the air as the snake lashed out at her. But always she stayed out of reach, sending small rays to nip at its scales, enraging the beast as it struck blindly in the dark.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Where was Cari? Had she made it out? The girl was a strong swimmer. She had cut through the waves, gliding along the surface out of the throne room, but Fia had lost sight of her in the light. She could not escape the dream, but hopefully she would be safe outside until Ella had dealt with the wyrm. But with the waters rising, how long could they last?

  Fortunately, Ella’s assault had drawn all of the Leviathan’s focus. So intent was it on crushing her that all memory of its original purpose was forgotten, abandoned to a sudden madness.

  How could she help? She could not join Ella in the sky, and what little mana she had left leaked from her shoulder, dripping onto the stairs. There was something in her blood. And the more she bled, the more tainted it became, bright flecks of topaz, glimmering as they swirled in scarlet rivers.

  She felt faint, her heart pounded in her ears as the world spun.

  —Crack—

  There was a sickening crunch as her head hit the stone, and the waters grew warm around her.

  Her eyes began to blur, but through the fading light, she saw Ella, caught in the serpent’s jaw. Hanging off of its closed fangs, melting back into gold. And the great lance faded, vanishing from the world and releasing the monster back into the waters.

  It returned to the dais, wrapping its great trunk around and around as it pulled tight, seeking to snare Fia in its coil. It twisted over each step, thick muscled wire, scraping against the stone as it climbed.

  And Fia could do nothing. It was the snake’s venom, it must be. She was too weak to move. Incapable of fleeing from the slow winding, advancing to take her.

  Black spots filled her sight, and with each blink, they grew larger, and the world darker. And the snake moved ever closer.

  Her breath grew ragged, and her heart slowed as she passed in and out of knowing. One moment, Cari would be climbing the steps, and the next, her eyes would open, and all she would see was the great ouroboros twisting into knots around her. What would happen if she died? Was the dream even part of her loop? Could Sophie’s magic pluck her from the realm of a goddess? Would she be leaving Cari behind? Trapped in this nightmare?

  And there she was again. Crawling through shadow, slipping between coils, the three-pronged spear held tight against her.

  Fia opened her eyes. The great serpent lay at the top of the dais, its head resting upon the throne. In the pit of its empty sockets, a fire burned. The snake leaned in, unhinging its jaw, stretching wide to devour her. And her vision faded as the black abyss of the serpent’s gaping maw swallowed all.

  “Hey!” A voice squeaked. Then again, “Hey!” It screamed. Louder, more powerful.

  It was Cari. In her hand was the Trident. The snake turned at her voice, and its fire fell upon her. But she did not waver, and as it swung its head to face her, she screamed again, thrusting the bone spear into its eye.

  The wyrm recoiled, shrieking, its body shook as it writhed, whipping into the air before slamming down into the dais. The steps crumbled under its weight, breaking apart as it collapsed, sending them all careening towards the waters.

  But instead of hitting the waves, they passed through the waters into a void. They fell, spinning through space, lost in the darkness, until finally, they came crashing down onto cold stone. It was black marble, the throne room.

  The waters had left it, and the dais still lay in ruins. In its center, sat upon the cracked throne, was the Lady of Kalidros. She was pinned to her seat, the Trident cut through her, gouging out her eyes as she slumped over.

  “R’lectha,” she whispered, “Where have you gone? For what purpose have you abandoned the faithful?” Then she shuddered, and her body grew small, weathered by age and sadness. She let out a deep sigh, her breath whistling through the empty halls, like the last winds of an ocean storm. And she spoke no more.

  “Fia! Fia, are you alright!” Cari scrambled over to her, shaking her desperately.

  “I’m dying…” she mumbled weakly.

  “No!” Cari shook her again, “I’m going to save you! I’m going to be a hero! Just tell me how!”

  “My bag…”

  “Yes,” she began tearing through it.

  “Careful.” It was getting so hard to focus. “Don’t spill anything…”

  “What am I looking for?” She plead.

  “A painting… my shop…”

  “A painting?”

  “Just find it…”

  She riffled through the bag, pulling the rolled-up parchment from its bottom.

  “Here!” She cried, holding it out, “What now?”

  “Spread it out.” It would be so much easier to die here. It would be quick, and she would wake up in her bed, the pain gone. But the dream had not faded. The snake was dead, and still it lasted. The Lady could not have been the dreamer, and she could not leave Cari behind to face whatever horror truly ruled this nightmare.

  “Fia,” the young girl whimpered, “Please don’t go.”

  She took Cari’s hand, squeezing it, “I won’t,” she promised. “Now help me to the painting.”

  Cari was small, too tiny to lift her. So, they crawled, together, onto the parchment, slipping through the paint. “Hold on to me,” she whispered, and Cari wrapped herself around Fia, clinging to her waist.

  And they were home, back in the shop, safe.

  “Cari, go into the back room. There’s a shelf of potions, bring me a golden one.”

  She nodded, running behind the counter and disappearing towards Sophie’s room.

  She could die now. They were safe, and Cari would be fine without her. She was out of the dream, so when the loop reset, she would go back to… had lifted Cari from the dream only to doom her to an even worse fate? But there was nothing she could do...she couldn’t save her. She never saved anyone.

  “Fia!” Cari came rushing out of the back, tears streaming down her face. “Fia, the door won’t open!”

  “Oh…right,” she mumbled. No one else could get in there, not even Timor…even with all the changes he had made, no one could get in.

  She was fading. Cari was calling out to her, but she was so far away, and it was warm here. The pain was gone. If she came back, it would hurt. She would feel better when she woke…It was time to sleep…

  WAIT!

  Cari was in the shop. She was in the shop!

  Oh no.

  Darkness.

  Cycle: Timor 8-2

  Guild Mage: Apprentice [Slow Burn Progression Fantasy]