"What are those?" Liora muttered, her brows furrowing deeply as her sharp eyes took in the bizarre sight before her. The surrounding reality itself seed to be cracked like fragile glass, fractures spreading in every direction.
From within those eerie cracks, tallic chains slowly erged, slithering into existence.
The tallic chains weren't like the Chains of Eternal Slave... No, they had a completely different feel. They were grey with a subtle hint of silver, resembling the smooth sheen of stainless steel.
"A-Aether?" Aria called out hesitantly, her voice laced with unease. She had a bad feeling about this.
Aether's sharp gaze darted around, his senses on high alert. 'Log? What the hell are those?' he questioned inwardly, his muscles tensing as he readied himself for whatever was about to unfold.
[Cut Maelona's source before they take her away!]
The mont Log's words echoed in his mind,
Clang... Clang...
One of the tallic chains suddenly shot forward, streaking through the air like a hunting predator—its target? Maelona, who was still trapped in the net!
Step!
Without a mont's hesitation, Aether flashed forward, appearing in front of Maelona just in ti to shove her out of harm's way.
Thud!
"Everyone, do not let those damn chains catch her!" Aether shouted.
The group didn't understand what was going on, nor did they have the ti to figure it out, but one thing was clear—Aether's tone carried a level of dread that sent chills down their spines.
This was bad... Really fucking bad!
Liora's body morphed in an instant, her form shifting into that of a massive wolf. Raven unsheathed her long, thin sword in a single fluid motion, while Thalia cracked her knuckles, the sharp sound of bone-on-bone echoing through the tense air as they all ford a protective circle around Maelona.
The tallic chains lunged toward them like striking vipers.
Liora growled and slashed out with her powerful claws, deflecting the chains with sheer force. Raven's blade moved so fast it beca a blur, slicing through the chains over a hundred tis in re seconds. Thalia, on the other hand, didn't bother with finesse—her fists hamred against the approaching chains with raw power, treating them like re punching bags.
The chains shattered upon impact, breaking apart as if they were nothing more than fragile twigs. Even though they had felt solid like tal, they crumbled like brittle glass under their assault.
However—
[Cut the source, Aether! No one can stop them otherwise!!]
Log's voice was practically screaming inside his head now.
Aether's eyes widened in shock as he watched in horror. The chains that had just been destroyed—shattered into countless pieces—began to move again. It was as if ti itself was reversing.
The broken fragnts reassembled, reforming into their original shape before launching toward them once more.
Aether clenched his jaw. This wasn't going to stop. 'Cut the source... What the hell is it?' he muttered inwardly.
His gaze flickered to Aria, who was slowly approaching Maelona with hesitant steps.
"M-Mom... It's ... Mom... it's ... your daughter... can you hear ?" Aria whispered, her voice trembling as she cautiously reached out toward her mother, whose sanity seed to be lost.
"Aria, don't touch her!" Aether barked, his voice sharp and urgent as he took a step forward, trying to stop her.
But—
"It's my mother... she wouldn't hurt ," Aria said firmly, her voice shaking slightly but her resolve unwavering. She didn't know what had happened to her mother... but no matter what, she knew one thing for certain—her mother would never harm her.
That was her mother.
Aria's fingers twitched as she slowly reached toward Maelona. "Mom... It's okay... Mom, no one is going to hurt you... Look at ," she murmured softly, her voice laced with desperate hope. Her hand inched closer, almost touching the net that trapped Maelona.
A sharp, guttural screech escaped Maelona's throat. "Scrrch!" Her body flinched, recoiling slightly as Aria's hand neared her. But then—
"It's okay, Mom... I'm right here. I am your lovely daughter, Aria... You know it's ... Aria," Aria whispered, her voice quivering, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. Seeing her mother like this... it was unbearable.
Aether kept his body tense, every muscle coiled, ready to act in an instant. His sharp eyes darted around, still searching for whatever 'source' he needed to cut. Log had been screaming about it, but what the hell was it? His gaze finally landed on sothing—sothing that stood out amidst the chaos.
The unruffled butterfly wings.
His mind reeled. This had all started after that butterfly and Maelona drank his nectar... and now, those very butterfly wings were attached to her, pulsing with soft blue energy.
Aether's stomach twisted.
'How the hell did Maelona beco stronger than a Sovereign just from drinking my nectar?!'
His eye twitched in frustration.
'Just what the fuck is wrong with my pee-pee?!' Aether ntally scread, baffled beyond belief.
His dick was apparently causing more miracles than even he could comprehend!!
"Mom... It's okay... I love you no matter what... Just calm down," Aria murmured, her voice gentle, soothing, filled with nothing but raw emotion.
"Scrhh..." Maelona groaned again, her gaze locking onto Aria's. Her pupils flickered, shifting slightly, as if sothing deep inside her was struggling to return.
She slowly leaned forward, her raised hand reaching toward Aria.
Aether narrowed his eyes.
Maelona's wrist had been severed earlier—Raven had cut it off—but she didn't seem to be in pain at all. There was no hesitation, no reaction. It was as if she didn't even acknowledge the injury.
Still, Maelona just stared at Aria, her remaining hand moving closer and closer.
"Yes... that's right..." Aria nodded encouragingly. But just as she felt a glimr of hope, Maelona suddenly screeched, her eyes darting toward the net she was trapped in. Her face twisted with fury. "No need to be afraid... It's okay... See?" Aria said gently. With a simple snap—
The net vanished.
Aether's entire body tensed... He had to stay on guard.
But seeing that Maelona wasn't making any sudden movents, he exhaled slowly. Aria was keeping her busy... This was his chance.
He moved carefully, quietly, positioning himself behind Maelona... He had to cut the source. That was the only way to end this.
"Nobody is going to hurt you..." Aria whispered as she inched closer. Her hand gently touched Maelona's bleeding wrist... Seeing that caused her even more pain.
The mont their skin connected, sothing unnatural happened.
Aria's hand darkened as if sothing was being drained from her. But she didn't flinch. She didn't even react. She simply held on, enduring the pain, forcing a soft smile onto her lips. "I'm not going to hurt you, Mom."
Maelona stiffened. A brief flicker of emotion passed over her face.
For a second—just a second—she cald. She leaned into Aria's warmth, her trembling form finally finding stillness.
Aether silently pulled a sword from his storage, his grip tightening as he carefully positioned himself, lining up the perfect angle to sever the butterfly wings. His sharp eyes locked onto the gap he needed to strike.... the point where the wings and her back flesh connected...
He raised his blade high—
Ssllcch!!
He slashed—
Or so he thought.
The mont his sword should have sliced through, a sudden resistance stopped it dead in its tracks. His brows furrowed in confusion. He tried to move, to push forward—but his weapon wouldn't budge.
A chilling sound echoed through the air.
Clink... Clank...
The source of the resistance beca painfully clear.
Chains.
tallic chains had wrapped themselves around his sword, tightening like a vice, rendering it completely immobile.
And it wasn't just his weapon—
Liora, Raven, and Thalia—who had been fiercely covering—were also caught. The chains coiled around them like living threads, weaving around their limbs, torsos, and throats with eerie precision.
They were bound.
Trapped.
Before, these chains had been easy to break. They had shattered effortlessly under their attacks.
But this ti—
They couldn't even move a finger.
As if saying, once it bounded... it would not break or sothing!
Crack... Shsfftttrrr!
The sound of shattering steel echoed through the air as Aether's sword splintered into countless fragnts.
Maelona's elven ears twitched at the sharp noise, her instincts imdiately alerting her to danger. She spun around,
"Hah... Hello?" Aether muttered, his voice strained.
"SSSCCRRRRRCCHHHH!!" Maelona's voice rang through the area as she flared her wings wide. Their radiance glowed even more as it fiercely flapped and shot towards the sky, her speed leaving behind a trail of shimring dust.
"MOMMMM!!" Aria scread, her voice thick with fear as she saw the chains lunging toward her mother, twisting and writhing like hungry beasts seeking their prey.
"Fuck!" Aether hissed, his body igniting with purple flas as he propelled himself forward with a powerful burst.
'Faster! Co on, faster!!' Aether's mind roared as he pushed himself to his limit, streaking through the air like a cot. anwhile, Aria seized Raven's thin sword lying on the ground.
"I need this," she muttered, securing it against her bow as she pulled back the string, aid at the sky.
Above them, Maelona danced through the sky, twisting and rolling in a desperate attempt to escape. The chains pursued her relentlessly, striking at her from all angles, their movents almost sentient, anticipating her every maneuver.
She banked sharply to the right, her wings curving elegantly as she barely avoided a lash of shadowed tal.
Sssssshhhhhhhh!
Her wings humd as she soared higher, reaching toward the vast sky where no fractures of reality marred the sky... But just as she was about to break free, the atmosphere itself convulsed. The sky groaned as cracks splintered through its fabric, an unseen force tearing it apart and shooting directly down at her.
From the ruptures, more chains erupted, piercing through space with unnatural precision.
She had no ti to react before one of the chains coiled around her throat, yanking her back with brutal force.
"SCCCRRRRCCCCCHHHHHHHH!!!" She shrieked in agony, her body thrashing as she clawed at the chain. The tallic grip burned against her skin, sending jolts of pain through her.... She flailed, trying to free herself, but the more she struggled, the tighter it beca.
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