The Corrupted Syndicate

Every time she tapped into Gorgon's power, the looming threat of the ancient curse hovered over her. If she relied too heavily on it, Gorgon's mind could slip through the cracks, corrupting Mavislin's own and driving her toward madness.

In the present moment, time seemed to slow for the group as Lunaris released her sabre, bending her body backward until her hands touched the floor. Mattheos, having committed too much force into his strike, couldn't stop mid-swing.

His blade cleaved through empty air, leaving him exposed. In a fluid motion, Lunaris flipped and landed a solid kick to his chest, sending him stumbling back. At the same instant, Zenos found himself point-blank to a blinding beam of light that erupted from her mouth.

Before either male could recover or counter, Mavislin had already acted. In the blink of an eye, they found themselves on her shoulders, carried effortlessly to the far end of the arena, safely out of Lunaris's immediate reach.

The Viceroy quickly slid off her shoulder as Mavislin gently set the still-shaken rabbit down on the floor. Zenos glanced her way, his usual indifference faltering for a moment.

He instinctively reached out, then paused, choosing instead to silently assess her for any signs of injury.

To his surprise, the dragoness appeared untouched by the battle's strain. In fact, she seemed invigorated, as though she'd awoken from a long, restful slumber.

Her once neatly kept braid had unraveled, and the surge of power that had saved them mixed with Medusa's influence, leaving her hair wild and untamed. The violet tips of her silver locks, once subtle, now consumed a third of her hair, vibrant and unmistakable.

Her obsidian scales, horns, and wings remained intact, streaked with glowing purple cracks, yet her wings had subtly grown, larger and more formidable than before.

The Viceroy found himself uncharacteristically... content, perhaps even pleased. A faint flicker of something stirred within him as he noticed she still wore his coat, even here, far from the frozen tundra where it was first draped over her shoulders.

"If you've finished gawking, then I would urge you both to remain headstrong against Lunaris. Solaris' combat strength and tactics pales in comparison to the Commander so I would need you both to be at your best. Bring everything you've got to the table and I don't care how."

Zenos twirled his scythe effortlessly around his torso, the weapon a blur before he leveled it at Lunaris with menacing precision. Across the battlefield, Mattheos was already on his feet, charging headlong toward their foe, his movements swift and unyielding.

Mavislin, her eyes scanning the perimeter, crouched low. She shifted her stance, katana poised at her hip, the blade angled downward. With a measured breath, she placed her other hand against the flat of the sword.

As if in answer to her call, radiant streams of elemental energy swirled around her, each color weaving together in a harmonious dance.

The brilliant light gathered beneath her palm, infusing itself into the sword until the entire weapon pulsed with a luminous, otherworldly glow.

"Heed my call, O Air of the Skies. Whisper to me, O Waters of Cascadia. Shine upon me, O Flames of Helios. Unveil the Beauty of Gaia... By these sacred forces, I wield the Amalgam of Elements. Arise, O Four Crowns, and seal the gates to Annotolia!" chanted Mavislin.

"Impossible! How could... No, no... No! They should've been dead! Why do you utter such a vile name?! Everyone else perished so why do you still live?! No one should've slipped out from the Calamity!" screamed Lunaris, sending a huge torrent of light toward Mavislin.

The dragoness wasted no time, stepping forward with precision to unleash her attack. Yet, for a fleeting moment, a twinge of nostalgia stirred within her as Lunaris roared the words, "The Calamity." Memories tried to surface, but Mavislin crushed them, her focus unyielding.

With a cold resolve, she whispered the name of her spell, summoning its full power to counter the massive onslaught from the Commander.

"Crown of the Elemental Dominion!" roared the dragoness, her eyes flashing a brilliant green while her katana sent out a solid slash of black and purple toward Lunaris' greyish-blue attack.

The air quivered as the two opposing forces clashed, scattering flickers of light and shadow across the battlefield. As the brightness faded, the dragoness felt exhaustion settle over her, a throbbing headache creeping in, her mind still tangled in the echo of those haunting words.

Why do those words trigger me so much? Is it-

'No. I am not the one who recalls such things. It is probably one of your buried memories of the past,' answered Medusa.

One of her buried memories? She barely registered the giant glowing sword that was about to divorce her head from her neck.