7 Chapter 7 : the faceless specter
But why..." Ela started to ask again, her voice shaking.
"Now, now," Gregory interrupted. "You've had your turn to speak. It's time for me to finish what I've started."
A shiver ran down Ela's spine as Gregory rose to his feet, unsheathing his sword with the intent to decapitate Aerovind.
But before he could strike, a rock struck him on the head.
Ela began pelting him with stones in defense of Aerovind.
"You want to play it like this, girl?" Gregory growled, pushing Ela aside and drawing his sword. She fell back on the ground, scrambling away from him.
With a brutal kick, he sent her flying across the forest.
Her body crashed against the tree with a sickening thud, blood spurting from her mouth as she gasped for air.
Ela lay crumpled on the ground, broken and battered. The sound of bones snapping echoed through the air as she tried to move but only managed to writhe in agony.
It was a devastating sight, one that would haunt her forever.
As Gregory turned back towards Aerovind, he froze in fear at the sight before him.
Aerovind's eyes blazed with a feral red, the heat radiating off his body like a furnace on the brink of explosion. His once handsome face twisted into a grotesque mask of unbridled rage, making him look more like a demon than a man.
Gregory felt the intense heat wash over him, scorching his skin and igniting fear in his core. The air crackled with electricity as Aerovind let out a bloodcurdling roar and charged at Gregory with his sword.
Gregory braced himself for impact, but nothing could have prepared him for the searing pain as Aerovind's claws tore into his flesh and slammed his head to the ground with brutal force.
As he lay dazed and bleeding, he could see other knights emerging from the shadows, their weapons glinting in the hellish glow of Aerovind's wrath.
"Time to face your demons," Aerovind growled, his voice dripping with malice as he raised his hand to strike again.
Gregory's vision blurred as he tried to push himself up, only to be met with a booted foot that sent him sprawling back to the ground.
The other knights closed in, their faces twisted in fear and determination. But Aerovind was beyond reason now, his eyes burning holes into their souls.
"With every tear that graces the lord's visage, shall each sinner fall by flames, fall by metal... fall to eternal purity of the savior and father."
In a desperate attempt to buy himself some time, Gregory forced the words of the ancient incantation through his bloodied and swollen lips.
"For in you, I dedicate my mortal soul. Vanquish the sinners. Give me strength to best witches of the old. Silence the whispers of Mammon. Safeguard my body, And provide me wisdom to prosper and share your given name Radalong."
The ground beneath their feet shook violently as if the very earth itself was responding to the desperate plea for assistance.
The other knights halted in confusion and fear, unsure of what supernatural force they were facing.
Aerovind's maniacal grin faltered for a mere moment, a burst of red light emanating from his eyes before he regained control.
Suddenly, one knight saw his chance and lunged at Aerovind with his sword, aiming for the exposed neck.
But Aerovind was unfathomably quick, spinning around and deflecting the blade with a swift strike of his sword.
As chaos ensued, a spectral creature materialized behind Gregory with nine wings, a single piercing eye, and otherworldly white skin that seemed to glow.
It resembled an angel from hell, its presence alone enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.
The spectral creature raised its ethereal hand and pointed a long, slender finger toward Aerovind with a swift, fluid motion.
"My comrades whom I will lose in battle, that's why your souls are sacrificed for the great Radalong. May you take pride in knowing that your lives were devoted to a higher purpose."
Gregory's voice echoed through the air, his words ringing with a sense of finality that left the remaining knights momentarily stunned.
The knights stared in disbelief as their comrades' souls began to ascend towards the spectral creature, each one leaving their mortal bodies behind and entering its embrace. Their weapons clattered to the ground as one by one the valiant men were torn from this world and into ether.
Aerovind's red eyes darted between the spectral creature and Gregory, as the realization of what was happening slowly dawned on him.
With a roar, he lunged at the creature, but it simply vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a faint whisper of its passage.
"Foolish child... to think you could defeat me..."
Gregory spat blood mixed with saliva to the side as he struggled to push himself up onto his knees.
"You've been deceived by your arrogance!"
Gregory growled in pain, his voice filled with defiance. He reached for the hilt of his enchanted sword, his fingers curling around the cold metal.
Aerovind laughed darkly, a haunting sound that echoed through the empty chamber. "Deceived? No. It is you who has been deceived! Serving the wrong gods!"
With that, Aerovind lunged forward, his sword aimed straight for Gregory's heart.
But just as the blade was about to make contact, Gregory's body disappeared in a flash of white light.
Aerovind's sword slashed through the air, meeting nothing but thin air. He blinked in surprise, his eyes darting around the forest as he searched for his quarry. Gregory was gone, vanished without a trace.
But the forest around him was not silent. The rustling of leaves, the crying of souls in the dark, and a soft, ethereal whisper filled the air. Aerovind turned sharply at the echo of Gregory's voice.
"My lord shall be your downfall!"
Aerovind's eyes widened at the sight before him. Gregory stood tall, his figure bathed in a holy light that seemed to emit from his very being, making him look like a celestial apparition.
His sword glowed with an otherworldly light, its blade shimmering with an energy sharp enough to cut through the void itself.
The spectral creature loomed over Gregory, its form morphing and contorting in a grotesque display of power. With each word it spoke, its voice echoed like screams from the pits of hell.
No longer faceless, the creature now wore the twisted faces of those it had taken – a haunting array of eyes glaring with pure hatred at Aerovind.
