Helena’s heart thundered in her chest as the atmosphere shifted with sudden intensity. The tranquil morning light, so soft and golden just moments ago, dimmed to a chilling hue.
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Above, the sky burned with the eerie glow of dragons—one black as a void, the other blazing crimson.
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The forest trembled beneath their presence. Midnight, the black dragon, soared with an ominous grace, his wings casting long, undulating shadows.
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Ruby, the crimson dragon, circled beside him, her scales glinting with an otherworldly sheen, as if dipped in fire and blood.
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“Impossible...” The words clawed at Helena’s mind, each thought louder and more frantic than the last. Dragons... The Black and Crimson Dragons... How are they alive?
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A single shout broke through the suffocating tension. “Everyone, regroup!” Helena’s voice rang sharp and commanding.
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Her team, already scrambling into defensive positions, clutched their weapons, but the weight of the creatures before them sapped their courage.
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Xia stood a distance away, her silver eyes aglow with a calm yet unrelenting determination. She neither flinched nor moved as Ruby descended beside her, landing with a thunderous grace.
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The dragon folded her massive wings like a queen dismissing her court, her presence radiating both power and precision. Above, Midnight hovered, his piercing gaze locking onto the group like a predator assessing prey.
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“Xia, this is reckless!” Ruby’s voice, resonant and sharp, echoed in her mind. The crimson dragon’s tone was laced with a mixture of exasperation and pride. “We told you to call for us if you were going to leave the hut. You’re putting yourself in danger.”
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“We should leave before Baron Samedi becomes even angrier,” Ruby added.
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Xia tilted her head slightly, her voice calm but resolute. “No. I need answers from them.”
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The air seemed to shatter as Midnight descended, his landing shaking the ground and sending tremors through the earth.
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Helena staggered but quickly regained her footing, her hand instinctively tightening on the hilt of her blade. Around her, the forest seemed to shrink under the dragon’s shadow, his towering form a dark omen of their impending doom.
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“Stand your ground!” Helena barked, her voice sharp and unyielding. “We’ve faced worse than this!”
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But even as she spoke, her resolve wavered. Midnight’s presence was overwhelming, his aura choking the very air around them.
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Ruby’s arrival only compounded the dread that seemed to seep into every corner of the forest. Helena’s heart raced as she fought to suppress the growing fear gnawing at her core.
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From where she stood, Xia raised her chin, her voice cutting through the tension with a chilling clarity. “The princess of this empire,” she began, her words as sharp as the blade resting at her side. “I know you knew her well, Helena. Tell me—was she the Mother of Demons, Morah?”
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______
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The question hung in the air, heavy with implication.
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Helena froze, her instincts screaming at her to retreat, to flee from the overwhelming danger before her. But pride, coupled with an unshakable sense of duty, anchored her to the spot.
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Her raven-black blade glinted as she raised it, signaling her team to prepare for battle.
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“You have no right to speak her name,” she spat, her voice low and venomous.
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“So, it’s her,” Xia murmured, the words carrying a quiet finality. Her hand tightened around the hilt of her blade, and her resolve seemed to harden.
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Ruby unleashed a deafening roar, the sound reverberating through the forest, shaking the very core of the earth. Midnight flared his wings, his eyes blazing with unspoken fury.
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The clash was inevitable.
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As Helena steadied her stance, the forest seemed to hold its breath, bearing witness to an ancient and fearsome confrontation—one whose echoes would reverberate through its roots for generations to come.
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"Those dragons…"
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Her voice trembled, barely more than a whisper as her wide eyes remained fixed on the two colossal beings dominating the skies.
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"Impossible…" she murmured, her thoughts tangled in disbelief.
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Her gaze shifted between the celestial creatures, the weight of their presence pressing down on her like a storm. "How… how can she command such beings?" The words escaped her lips, barely audible, her mind reeling at the enormity of the revelation.
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These were no mere beasts—they were forces of nature, living embodiments of the divine. And yet, they obeyed her. It was unthinkable.
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"You call yourself a priestess?" Ruby sneered, her voice sharp and scornful.
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"A priestess whose soul is darker than Baron Samedi himself," Midnight added, his laugh dripping with malice, echoing through the trees like a sinister melody.
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"Are you Ruby and Midnight?" Helena asked, her voice calm despite the turmoil within her. Her gaze shifted to the majestic dragons, where Xia stood between them as though showing the world who was truly in command.
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"What’s your business with us, demon?" Midnight grinned, his teeth gleaming with mischief. "I can’t help but feel drawn to devour your broken soul. Tell me, who did you sell it to?" he added, his voice laced with cruel amusement.
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Helena’s expression remained resolute. "Tell Morah what you saw today. Tell her everything. I mean everything."
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As her voice cut through the tension, the willow forest stirred. Its movements were unnatural, like a shifting illusion. The air grew heavy with magic as Helena and her group found themselves moving farther and farther away from Xia, no matter how hard they tried to resist.
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