The Corrupted Syndicate

Meanwhile, Lunaris sat patiently on her ornate throne, the opulent hall around her steeped in shadows and flickering greyish-blue light. She awaited her precious guests—those brave enough to confront her twin sister and emerge victorious.

However, she certainly hadn't anticipated their entrance through the ceiling.

As the dust settled from their unexpected arrival, a flicker of amusement danced in her eyes, though her face remained an emotionless mask. With a graceful leap, she descended from her throne, the air around her charged with an unsettling calm.

The echo of her landing reverberated through the chamber as she regarded her uninvited guests, curiosity piquing beneath her composed exterior.

The three intruders swiftly assessed their surroundings, weapons drawn and ready to confront the final enemy lurking within the underground bunker. To Mavislin's surprise, the chamber was far grander than she had anticipated.

It was a vast, circular room illuminated by the soft glow of dusty blue mana stones embedded in a dozen towering stone columns that lined the walls, casting ethereal patterns of light across the surface.

As she shifted her weight, the dragoness felt the coolness of the shallow pool of water beneath her feet, only half an inch deep but eerily reflective.

When she squinted, Mavislin noticed the imposing figures between each column—giant statues of ancient warriors, intricately carved and frozen in time, each wielding a different weapon.

Their expressions were fierce and determined as if guarding the secrets of this place and ready to spring to life at any moment.

The atmosphere was thick with tension, the air buzzing with magic, and Mavislin felt her heart race as they prepared for the inevitable confrontation. She then finally got a chance to look at her main opponent of the day; Lunaris, Commander of the Night.

Lunaris stood tall and graceful, embodying an aura of tranquility and power. Her flowing hair, a cascade of luminous silver and white, fell down her back like liquid light, occasionally shimmering with delicate pastel hues.

Her striking eyes, deep blue and crystal-like, reminded Mavislin of the ice within the Wendigo's cave. Draped in flowing robes adorned with intricate celestial motifs, she blended seamlessly with the light that surrounded her, enhancing her ethereal presence.

It felt profoundly unfair for an enemy to resemble a beautiful goddess while she harbored a monster within her. Gorgon stirred in anger and frustration, but Mavislin swiftly suppressed the tumultuous emotions threatening to rise.

As for the others, Mattheos remained largely unfazed, though he instinctively took a step back, awe washing over him. He hadn't expected to confront a moonlit goddess on a Thursday.

Zenos, as always, remained utterly indifferent. Mavislin couldn't help but wonder whether his lack of reaction stemmed from a warrior's single-minded focus on battle—or if he didn't care in the slightest about so-called 'beautiful' beings.

Either way, his stoic demeanor left her wondering if anything could truly stir him. Without hesitation, Zenos pointed his scythe directly at Lunaris, then vanished in an instant, reappearing to unleash a powerful slash of black and ashen blue.

But the attack was halted mid-air by Lunaris's enormous silver sabre, its black handle and golden hilt gleaming in the dim light. The blade flashed brilliantly, a burst of white blinding the Viceroy for a split second.

Seizing the moment, Lunaris swung her sword with terrifying force, sending Zenos hurtling backward. He grunted in frustration, slamming his scythe into the shallow pool's floor to halt his momentum, the water rippling beneath him.

Before he could fully regain his composure, Mattheos leaped into action. The rabbit's eyes narrowed with focus as he harnessed his strength, dodging the crescent-shaped slashes Lunaris sent his way, his movements swift and precise.

Mattheos channeled a surge of mana into his legs, propelling himself into the air with a forceful leap. He landed on Lunaris's blade, his weight driving it down with such force that the once-immovable sabre clattered flat against the ground.

The Commander of the Night found her weapon pinned, momentarily trapped. Seizing the opportunity, Mattheos moved in for the kill, his blade flashing toward her exposed neck.

At the same moment, Zenos, eyes cold and focused, aimed a devastating strike at her back, the two attacks converging with deadly precision. Mavislin felt a chill as she saw Lunaris smile.

"Watch out!" shouted the dragoness as she felt Medusa's instincts kicked in.

Though Gorgon was often depicted as a lumbering mythological figure, reliant on her pet snakes, Medusa was different. Agile and deadly, she hadn't yet succumbed to the madness of the curse, making her a formidable fighter.

Using Medusa in battle was always the dragoness's preferred strategy—her agility and combat prowess allowed for more finesse. However, the damage dealt was only half of what she could unleash in Gorgon's form. The real risk, though, was far more insidious.