Chapter 25: Banquet of Massacre

In less than a second, the hovered lance lashed towards the wolves.

And then, the first bloodhound fell, as a weaponed clock-hand struck its head away, leaving a mangled body to be astray and fall aside.

The wolves howled upon their brethren's demise as they darted towards the will o' wisp, their bloodied paws bounded with such frenzy that the ground shook once more with the fall of their steps, for they numbered in thousands.

Many of the bloodhounds approached, and many of the bestial creatures fell, as each of her gilded spears sprang from the ground once they were met with it, only to redirect themselves towards another enemy.

The gilded steel whistled through the air now damp, burning with fury and desire to finish every single beast that might approach her contractor. And how easy it was to slay them, pierced with such keen accuracy that no movement was wasted, and no creature that drew near was spared.

A web of metal spun by her, enclosing the battlefield so as to be her territory. And the strings gleamed in the twilight, sparks that flew towards the assailants.

Another attack of hers, quite strange, as the wolves were branded in blue when the embers shrouded them. And burn they did.

It truly was beautiful.

The battle that ensued beneath looming trees, a symphony of light and sound; a splendid sight to see. All performed by the blinding luminosity.

Still, her efforts only meant little to their ever-increasing numbers.

The bloodhounds; it were as if all of their kind converged upon the clearing the two were situated in, attracted by some sort of greed or craving that made them give no regard for their lives.

A beast in name, a beast in mind. That was all they would ever amount to be, insignificant if fought in shallow counts.

The situation did not allow her to funnel them one by one, for there was little space to be made use of and to maneuver and sheperd the foolish mutts.

Though beasts they were, their countless numbers; a legion if seen from above, already neared the one she'd attempted to protect.

And if they were to further those maws close to him, he would be wounded again. And if he bled, oh...

It would be a tragedy.

The bloodhounds were magical beasts, whose hide and flesh was used by the common populace for what they were worth. They posed little threat when fought alone, for killing one would be quite easy as their skin was easily pierced by bronze weaponry.

Such a monster was commonly used by novice adventurers as targets to be struck, and the ease in which they could be slain led the act to be a familiar practice among them.

A monster effortlessly pierced by the lowest of armaments, a convenient critter to kill. If fought without a pack, they never became a threat alone.

A conditional 'if' arose, especially with the inconvenient location where the two had been attacked.

The Twilight Forest, a place deemed dangerous enough to have a domineering fortress built near it, warranted attention from the civilization that the forest bordered, and even countries from beyond the lines found it within their interests to keep the accursed place at bay.

And their worries were not without merit as centuries ago, a horde of monsters fled from within the forest, with many cities overrun as a result. Such damage did not only occur towards the bordering country, as the entire continent suffered.

Although, the blue-flamed queen's kingdom did not suffer much as she was there to shield her subjects, and those who came to seek refuge from outside her kingdom's ground were welcomed with open arms.

But that is a story for another time, as the truth of the matter; of how the deviation in their behavior occured, was never unearthed.

The cause for this behavior among the monsters was not known, nor could it ever be discovered. As afterwards, the dangers posed by the accursed woods only rose since then.

And now, the forest serves as a home to the bloodhounds, with it having the highest concetration of such creatures among everywhere else.

So, to be be bled dry by a single bite here, it would truly be a tragedy.

☼[But this many...]

Though her troubles did not end there, as there was much more to for the wisp to deal with.

Mainly, how did such a horde form, as even the fattest of pigs bled dry would attract so many of the bloodhounds. At most, there would be tens, if not dozens of them.

But for there to be hundreds...

☼[It doesn't make any sense!]

The swarm of monsters continued in their demise, only for the dying ones to be replaced by a living hound.

A lance and ember flew, and each would move in two. Entwined, aligned, one caused a blaze, and the other would raze. She truly did her best to fight them.

But, there was no end in sight, unless she could fell them in one swoop.

Such a thing was possible for her, yes, but it would mean exerting much of the power she grasped through her vessels, and it would not last long if she did so. Her current strength would wither if she moved with no concern to the stores of energy that she had.

But did she have a choice?

She did not.

Not when through the corner of her view, and through unraveled sapphire strings, did a single hound escape her attacks.

And then, the creature bit him.

And her companion bled, and bled, and bled some more.

Whilst the creature responsible for his injury now burned in blue, her contractor continued to bleed, and then the world came to a crawl, just as she willed.

As time itself ceased to be.

The gilded spears and burning flames failed to move, the bloodhounds suspended in place. All that moved in this stopped time was the wisp itself, as she was the one responsible for why everything halted before her.

Quite a heretical ability, no wonder.

☼[You utterly repulsive, loathsome mangy beasts...] With a voice quite guttural, now void of its silvery tone, she bared her anger towards the gruesome beasts. [Greedy and selfish in not allowing him peace...]

And that single mistake of hers, one that could've been prevented had she paid attention, now worsened their already fragile circumstances. The both of them would no longer survive.

Unless she were to finish them all at once, with a fusillade of flame and metal that combined both her capabilities to extinguish everything.

She had no choice, for the dusk was already upon them, and the tide of wolves would soon consume him. A wolf that escaped her grasp, had now bitten the shrouded youth, as the wounds that previously healed bled once again.

If she were to do such a thing, then her current strength would only last for a few more minutes, before eventually fading away.

Ah, but she still had to do so, regardless of what the wisp might stand to gain or lose. To wait for a miracle; a gleaming possibility that somehow, everything might turn well in the end.

But that wouldn't happen, not with the chaos that ensued before her, as another choice remained.

And to her inaction that may lead to an unsalvageable state where there was little else to do.

As such, she made her choice, for there would be no other path to take other than complete annihilation of her enemies. A raw, unfiltered calamity that she would soon unleash towards the beasts.

To protect the both of them.

☼[CHRONOMIA!] A single word uttered, pertaining to time itself.

Everything was bejeweled with her signature blue; azure flames that acted upon everything she wished to suffer. Her flames harmed none but the filthy dogs.

Neither the trees nor the fallen leaves caught aflame, for the Will-o'-the-wisp only wished those monters harm.

Charred and burnt and singed as they stood in place, incapable of escaping her wrath. Though as they burned, golden charms that took the form of gilded rings, bearing the same appearance as her spears, began to surround the beasts.

Precious gyres that entwined upon one another, a weave of metal imprisoning the creatures within. Though they could no longer escape, the golden halos would serve her another purpose; a rather brutal task entrusted to them by the executioner.

First, it were the bloodhounds near the pair that showed such a strange sight, the cirque steel manifested to cage them.

Then, the beasts further beyond were soon captured, as the oddity caught up from beyond mere meters, with those affected now among tens.

But as things progressed further, the terrifying number soon rose by the dozens for it was clear that she would spare none.

Through a moment though brief, yet was found with quick respite, hundreds now followed their kin with their golden shackles. Bent and restrained by time and cold steel, even as they burned in silence.

And finally, as the blue flames burned blue, and the rings gleamed gold, thousands had now been enslaved by her; bound towards their gruesome fates.

☼[I, Willow... as I bear the title as Queen of the Wisps-] She began what may have been words that had been spoken many times before, for they carried no emotion.

Time remained frozen as she spoke out, though it did not matter to her. It simply remained her mission to mete out punishment to her adversaries untoward.

And while she may have been a wisp that burned, her flames were blue, and frigid with distant apathy.

☼[-Hereby decree that the beasts before me... these filthy mongrels that harmed my contractor... and foolish monsters that cannot be reasoned with...]

And with a monarch's indifference, the sovereign of blue flames became judge to what would soon be mere corposes before her, as each of the circlets spun and turned.

It were a pirouette of crowned gold that made the blaze burn brighter, as the hounds now smoldered with beryl fire roused by what occurred. If this sight were for the crowd to see, they might remark on how the burning wolves glistened like the stars.

☼[I send you to your deaths.]

This beautiful sight mattered not, for the frozen world was an execution ground. The forest would soon be paved with red, and what once gleamed would bleed for her. For this were the fate of those that opposed the Queen.

☼[And so...]

And their fate was...

☼[Perish, the whole lot of you.] She muttered aloud, as everything began to move once more.

With a sudden shift, the ringlets locked themselves into place, for their movements ceased as soon as time graced the world again.

But the moment her words reached their conclusion, and by the time the rings had stopped, she had extinguished the flames of every wolf; beasts now gleaming like imprisoned suns.

As held in place by each ring were a gilded spear; a golden lance of the same make as what she would usually, but now they had pierced through the heads of every bloodhound that dared approach the pair of light and darkness.

The beasts that craved blood, those that weaved between the evertrees, and the ones that yearned to arrive, had now fallen into eternal slumber.

In what might have been no more than a mere glance when seen by the naked eye, an event of calamitous proportions had ceded their claims of destruction, and it was done by a single wisp.

Of the legion that could've felled a country into ruins had they approached the boundary of trees, everything perished. None of the bloodhounds survived, and no miracle would save them. Nothing of the sort would happen, as she'd already finished the job.

A deed unbefitting of such a kind creature, if seen by anyone nearby. Done by the very same will o' wisp that accompanied the sable, forlorn creature.

And then, silence prevailed. If before, the ground shook at the wolves that lunged, there would be no noise to resound anymore. All was really still, as a river of blood now burst forth from the dead.

☼[Oh no...] The one responsible for what may have been thousands of dead beasts found a soft sigh escape her. [I've only ten minutes left...]

Such a fearsome attack cost her a large portion of the energy she'd stashed away within one of her vessels. And now, a mere portion remained of it, though many things could still be done with what she had.

If Willow were to be frugal with the time she had left; to ensure that she would do no more than what was necessary, then she would still be able to fulfill many goals.

However, with only the two of them left within the forest depths, there could only be one thing of note left for her to do. And it tied with a new dilemma that arose from her mass execution of the lupine creatures.

☼[O-oh dear.] She found herself staring at the terrible sight before her, where hundreds of remains were scattered, and thousands more hidden between the evertrees. [What would Nonary say about me if he saw this mess?]

Their fated executioner seemed to have found another problem to face, though its severity was far less than that of the monster tide.

How would she explain to Nonary the countless bloodhounds that lay dead on the ground, when she would be the only creature awake near him?

The youth still found her untrustworthy, even if his image of her had already improved. And such a sickening view would only terrify him further, or so she thought. Such a troublesome complication arose as soon as she solved her previous one. Indeed, it was not a very good day for the wisp as Lady Luck seemed to detest her presence at the moment.

She quickly thought of a way to hide the things she'd done to protect him, as though her intentions may be pure of heart; with a desire to shield him from harm, the end result would beg to differ.

Thousands of corpses lay before her, and anyone that showed awareness of the world would soon notice of how gruesome the sight was.

☼[I've still ten minutes of time... I can do this... I hope...] As if to prompt herself into action, she spoke what seemed to be a poor attempt of assurance. [I can bring the bodies toward that place.]

As for what place it were, she was referring to a spacious glade that the wisp herself once passed through, before she arrived to cross the accursed fog. A large, extensive clearing that could house the innumerous cadavers of beastly origins.

She simply couldn't let the corpses rot in such a manner as scavenger beasts would soon appear if they were to be left alone. A swarm of vultures that left nothing, be it fragile bones that saw no use among civility, or the foul scented coat, in its wake of greed.

Simply gluttonous were these birds, as such revolting creatures would even devour meat that none of their normalized selves would. Even meat that already seemed foul towards normal vultures would seem appealing in their eyes. Compared to their mundane counterparts, these carrion hunters were far worse.

And once their feast was done, the scent left by the slumbering youth clad in black would rouse them to search for the pair. The vultures were scavengers only in name, a far cry from what could be considered as normal behavior.

They would peck at his flesh, tearing piece by piece through nothing less than sheer brutality. It would be an act of torture, even for him. To be devoured alive, it would even scar Nonary who'd suffered many things.

Because, who is to say that these monsters never deviated from the path laid for mere animals? This place was the Twilight Forest, where only the greediest of beings could live. There would be no chances to take then, as the very trees were cursed to affect the surrounding fauna.

It wouldn't even be the worst of her worries for there were problems far too many to be dealt with.

The scarlet flowers that preyed on the living, and they bloomed once people were exposed to its horrid pollen that would be scattered about in certain places. Only banal in its appearance, an unsuspecting traveler would be caught unwary to such a harmless looking plant. Then, they would simply fall asleep, to their deaths.

The process itself did not take too long to finish, as within hours would the stricken ones fall prey to the deviousness of their affliction, and within their left eye would the curse be contained. A budding red flower upon their faces and soon, would their bodies bloom scarlet too.

This very curse would lead anyone to a flowery grave, though none would dare to visit those inflicted with it, as the curse could be spread through the dead too.

And it couldn't be tended to; not even by the highest of healers.

Although, if a Replicator were to interfere, it would be a different matter entirely. She'd already succeeded in healing those who suffered under such a thing, though the process was not without complications.

Once a flower had bloomed on their left eye, the situation could no longer be reversed. Not by her, who carried the highest authority of mending, nor anyone else. Anyone to have already showed such symptoms have long passed the point of no return.

And that wasn't all, of course.

A strange disease that would rouse the dead from their sleep, an affliction that seemed to affect only those of lower intellect; mainly the magical beasts prowling within the forest. An ashen appearance took to those enslaved by it, grey and dull as the stones found on the forest floor.

Whatever withered pride the beasts once had during their life, it would soon vanish so long as the curse acted on their remains. Uncaring of the world, the strange curse drove them to move without hindrance.

And like a puppet, tied and hung up; perhaps even tightly bound to someone's will, the corpses would shuffle and shamble themselves towards the blackened mist. No matter the state in which the corpses were, the dead marched on, dyed with ashen color.

Even when struck down, their journey continued. So long as the creatures could move, they would not linger in place. And once they reached the end of their journey; that is, once they've arrived to face the Black Fog itself, the bodies would simply crumble to ash... to add towards the mist perhaps.

But... anyone who carried the scent of blood would be quickly found overrun by them. Then, their stride resumes, with those that have already died none the wiser.

If not for a certain scholarly individual noticing such behavior firsthand and fleeing at the perfect chance, then he would never have gotten away with his life. The man's wounded companion was left to fend for themselves, yes, but their sacrifice necessitated that this information of such usefulness was found intact in the form of a babbling fool.

If it not for Willow healing the aggrieved man's cognizance, then perhaps this knowledge would've never come to light. Snotfaced and filled with tears at the restoration of his sanity, the survivor recounted on the sight's he'd seen; of how the entire farce unfolded before him.

It was this insight that revealed the cause behind the disappearance of many. That people would vanish deep into the woods, and never again did they return.

Perhaps it was by sheer luck that the scholar evaded the vultures, flowers, and even the ashen dead. Or maybe there was a methodical manner in which he eluded the grasp of the countless threats. Although him returning as a frenzied person did clear him of the suspicion.

And lastly, the most distressing of these frightful anomalies.

Deep inside the Twilight Forest, found only within certain fields, were these pools of typic appearance. Shallow bodies of water, inconspicuous ponds that would seem to be of little importance, these indistinct basins were to be given wide berth as they were anything but harmless.

Just a single gaze at one's reflection; a simple look at how one might appear on the watery surface, was enough to grant those who gazed upon it with eternal slumber. This innucuous act of turning one's eyes to face their likeness on the waters would plunge anyone into a deep sleep.

And so far, none of those affected ever woke up. Its victims, varied between the stout dwarves and prideful dragons, of the elvenkind and steel golems- no race was spared from this eventuality. Any living thing with a degree of sentience was affected equally. Even Willow was incapable of discerning how such a thing existed in the first place.

But thankfully, the pond's influence extended only to those reflected within it. If one were to gaze at the basin from afar, then it would not affect people at all. Even viewing it from above never seemed to manifest the effect as everything shown would remain blurred.

Although, at a certain distance, aptly referred to as the kill zone, it mattered not what the circumstances where. To observe one's face clearly was enough for the anomaly to demonstrate itself.

And the distance required was a mere nine meters, an anomalous number seemingly related to a certain legendary being. And theis youth before her called himself 'Nonary', a connection formed with the fabled numeral, but he wouldn't be deemed a threat in the meantime.

As she was here to protect and guide him, not lead him astray into whatever wartorn path he might undertake. As his guiding light, this was her duty.

☼[Now this might seem like a cruel thing to say, but I hope your slumber lasts you awhile...]

Willow beckoned the sleeping figure before her, and she held this opinion close to her, that Nonary might lie dormant for quite some time.

☼[I don't want you to see what I've done, Nonary.]

She couldn't leave such repulsiveness for him to be waked at, as these were the consequences of her actions. Her act of brutality might scar her contractor for life, a natural reaction to violence, and she simply couldn't allow such a thing to occur.

Not a day has passed since they first saw each other. And yet, the pair had already been met with threats far beyond what could be dealt with, had she not acted in time. It was her failure to account for these factors that led to him being harmed.

The least she could do was spare him the gruesome sight and instead, make their journey far more accomodating for him.

☼[I'll burn everything so that no trace remains.] She confided into him, aware that the boy would never respond so long as he still slept. [The blood, the wolves, and scattered bones, I'll burn them all to ashes.]

Nothing, not even a single drop of blood, would remain if she willed her flames to destroy everything. To erase any evidence of her doing, with what little time she had left, it was possible. It could be done by her, so long as everything remained in place.

That her contractor would continue to sleep peacefully, that there would be no beasts to attack her, and that her powers would be enough to rid herself of the bodies she slew.

This banquet of massacre was her responsibility. And as such, it fell to her sapphire flames that the spectacle may disappear from his eyes.

☼[Please do not worry and sleep until then, okay?]

And with a gaze of worry, she set off towards the spacious glade, with a thousand corpses that trailed her; held together by the very strings that once tugged at her gilded spears.

Dragged along the mildewed soil, dust and dirt moved aslant the bodies under her sway.

Marching onwards, the headless beasts journeyed towards wherever the will o' wisp might bring them. Though the beasts would not mind, as they were already dead. And her will was to lead them to utter destruction, where there would be no fragment left to find.

She feared what the boy might say of him, that he might regard her as a threat to his existence. And with his paranoia, although a faint vestige of trust was found between the two, it would be impossible to rid himself of such thoughts.

She could only wish that his rest might linger, and that her slaughter remain locked behind closed doors, with Nonary none the wiser.

☼[I'm here to protect you, so that everything will be alright.]