This Wicked Fate (Realm of Monsters) by Amanda Aggie

Author:Amanda Aggie [Aggie, Amanda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2023-05-30T16:00:00+00:00

18

Eva

I lean against the rock wall, the rough stone a stark contrast against the smooth satin of my dress. The last of the hell flame dims and the orange crystals slowly flame to life. The magic causes the air to move like heat against the stone in the middle of the day, wiggling in waves. Slowly, the air comes to a stop and crystals lining the tunnel blaze to life.

It’s beautiful and terrifying all the same time. A rainbow of colors dance around the cave floor as Finn and I gear up to enter. Something hard nudges me in my side and I look down to find the dagger hilt pointing toward me. The sword weighs heavily in his other hand.

“Here. Since we both know you’re not going to let me remove that damn mask, I’ll feel better if you have this.” I hesitate and Finn drops his sword to thrust the dagger into my palm. “Jesus, Eva. If the curse exists, we’re already in the thick of it.”

He’s not wrong.

Finn bends to retrieve his discarded sword and together we venture inside Malodor, the remnants of a once-beautiful Elven city. The air grows colder, and the darkness becomes suffocating, but I’m not afraid. I’m with Finn, and that’s all that matters.

The tunnel winds until it opens into a colossal cavern full of light from the crystals lining the ceiling. The beautiful structures of homes and shops within what used to be a bustling dreamscape lie in ruins and decay. The buildings are crumbling, the streets are cracked and overgrown with vines and weeds, and the air is thick with dust and musky, as if it hasn’t circulated in years. Perhaps it hasn’t, with the entrance being sealed off.

Despite the desolation, there’s a sense of eerie beauty to the abandoned city. The intricate architecture of the buildings, with their delicate arches and artistic carvings, hints of a time when the dark elves were a thriving and sophisticated society.

We carry on, strolling leisurely through the city. Nothing moves or creaks as we shuffle through. So far, we’re alone. Skeletons litter the path, shells of who they used to be left behind by the curse. Glass windows are shattered, the wreckage still splayed through the cobblestone road like glitter. Doors are left ajar as if it was just yesterday that someone ran through them, desperate to escape. Signs of violence lie around every turn.

Coming to the city center, we find that the cobblestone road opens to a wide circle that bends around a grow of trees. They take on a wierd red hue, as if the trunks are infused with gems and blood stones. The leaves are nearly translucent, and the webbing within them takes on a monochrome color and texture. Milky crystal pillars rise stories high, surrounded by flat panes of mirror-like sheets. I’ve never witnessed anything like it.

“What is this…” I trail off, spinning around to see it all.

“It’s a stone henge. The elves believe making circular formations like this could enhance the properties of the crystals,” Finn says, staying close behind me.

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