Chapter nine
Elizabeth fights against a giantess
Smack!
The ground beneath shook asElizabeth woke in a startle. Hoisting herself up, she glanced around to find herself lying flat on the rocky ground.
She crumbled upright. Upon seeing what was happening, Elizabeth nearly screamed in fear, horror-struck.
Staring back at her was a colossal giantess, towering over them at least fifty feet tall. Her skin was a slick, greasy hue, and her teeth, yellowed and menacing, contrasted sharply with her cold smile.
“I’m Ymir, the giantess who guards the Well of Wisdom,” she said with a smirk, her voice echoing ominously through the clearing.
Beside them, Percy winced at the sight of a spear aimed directly at him, a cruel reminder of the danger that lay ahead. Blood stained his torn sleeves in dark patches, scarlet drenched over his skin, marking him as a target of the giantess’s wrath.
"Intruders, you can never get Odin's eye." Ymir snarled, her yellowish lips twitched.
"We can negotiate." Elizabeth pleaded.
"I don't make any compromise with a bunch of stupid adolescents." The giantess sneered.
"Please," begged Elizabeth, her hands shaky.
"Then, we fight with each other," laughed the giantess.
She shoved Percy aside with a fierce determination and barreled toward Elizabeth, her massive form a blur of motion. Grasping the heavy bag filled with glinting, sharp spears—each drenched in a thick, crimson liquid that resembled dragon blood—she heaved it onto her hulking shoulders.
Her enormous, grimy feet thundered against the earth, sending tremors through the ground. Penelope recoiled as Ymir, the giantess, reached for her. With an effortless flick of her wrist, she seized Penelope by the collar, her cruel sneer cutting deep into the air as she tossed her aside like a rag doll.
Penelope crashed against the stone wall with a sickening thud, sliding down into the cool shade. Blood cascaded from her split lip and pooled at her chin, while a jagged cut on her cheek sent crimson rivulets winding down her delicate neck. Dazed and beaten, she succumbed to unconsciousness, her body crumpling in the shade.
Dazed and battered, she slumped into unconsciousness.
“How dare you!” Elizabeth shouted, her voice ringing like a bell of defiance against the towering giantess. But Ymir merely guffawed, the sound a low, guttural rumble that reverberated through the air like distant thunder. The foul odor of rotting flesh wafted from Ymir’s breath, mingling with the acrid scent of noxious vapor twisting and curling upward from the ground where a rancid yellow liquid dripped from the corner of Ymir’s mouth, sizzling as it hit the earth.
In that moment of despair, Elizabeth closed her eyes, transported to cherished memories filled with laughter—the sound of her and her friends frolicking in sun-drenched fields, and Percy’s hearty chuckles echoing during their practice sessions. She shuddered at the thought of being devoured by this wretched giantess and steeled her resolve.
Suddenly, emerald flames erupted from her palms, crackling with raw energy and illuminating the manicured forest around her.
She felt an unfamiliar strength surge through her fingertips, an electric sensation that thrummed with potential. With fierce concentration, she commanded the trees to uproot themselves, their roots writhing as they lunged toward Ymir. The winds howled in response, swirling fiercely to buffet the giantess, whipping around in a desperate attempt to send the giantess sprawling.
But to Ymir, these efforts were akin to mere mosquito bites—a minor irritation that only stoked her ire. With a ferocious growl, she advanced toward Elizabeth, each step she took sending vibrations through the ground, her eyes fixed on Elizabeth with murderous intent.
“You shall bring no more pain!” Elizabeth cried, her voice firm as she brandished her frost dagger, its blade glinting coldly in the dim light, shimmering with icy blue magic as she charged forward. Dirt sprayed up behind her as she propelled herself forward, her braid whipping through the air as she aimed to drive it deep into Ymir’s flesh.
Ymir roared in anger as the dagger barely grazed her, forcing her to stumble back. But the giantess’s retaliation was swift—her spear pierced through Elizabeth’s chest like a bolt of lightning, the shock of impact driving her back. Elizabeth staggered, hands instinctively pressed against the agonizing wound, a hot, crimson tide cascading down her torso, the fabric of her shirt quickly soaked and marred in a bloom of deep red.
With desperation clawing at her heart, Elizabeth wiped smeared blood from her vision, but her shirt could hardly contain the flow. Channeling her energy, she summoned a bolt of crackling lightning from her fingertips, sending it surging toward Ymir’s heart.
The giantess faltered, yet her strength remained insurmountable, unfazed by the efforts of one young woman and her friends.
From the grip of her enormous hand, Ymir hurled a second spear toward Percy.
Elizabeth’s heart stopped.
Time slowed as she watched Percy's eyes widen in terror, his hands instinctively trying to shield his face.
Ignoring the agony radiating from her wound, Elizabeth threw herself over him, raising her palms skyward to create an unseen barrier. A violent jolt of energy rippled through her, and as she squinted upward, she realized she had conjured an invisible shield that shimmered faintly in the air. The strain of maintaining it drained her energy rapidly, and she collapsed next to Percy, blood dribbling down the side of her mouth in crimson streaks.
Percy, though weak and disoriented, reached out, his fingers trembling as they intertwined with hers. Elizabeth managed a faint, pained chuckle, and in return, Percy offered a small, encouraging pat on the back.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
Elizabeth's lips curled into a weary smile as his smile mirrored her courage. As Ymir loomed ever closer, a threat on the brink of destruction, Elizabeth, gasping for breath, thrust her hands toward the earth, unleashing a surge of energy.
A surge rippled through the earth beneath them, a deafening crack splitting the air as the ground opened wide, sending the giantess tumbling into the abyss. Her anguished roars echoed, her massive form thrashing wildly, but the earth refused to relinquish its grip on her.
With a final, thunderous crash, Ymir was swallowed by the earth, buried beneath layers of rock and debris.
When the chaos subsided and the ground stilled, Elizabeth felt a tender warmth envelop her, washing over her like sunlight filtering through a canopy. She marveled as her wounds began to mend, the blood cleaning away, soothed by the gentle breeze that enveloped her body. Once steadied, Elizabeth rushed toward her two friends, panic flooding her chest.
"Penelope! Percy!" she bellowed, racing to help Percy to his feet before sprinting to her fallen friend.
“Elizabeth, you’re magnificent—” Penelope murmured weakly, her eyes shimmering with gratitude, “You must retrieve the sapphire.” Their gazes locked in a silent exchange, a command understood without words.
Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth knelt by the well, her fingers brushing the cool earth, sensing something radiant buried below. As she dug, her hands uncovered an object glimmering within the soil, an ethereal glow radiating from it, entwined with swirling streams of golden and silvery liquid that danced in the light like living ribbons.
Sunbeams pierced through the canopy overhead, casting a warm glow that bathed the clearing in a warm halo. Flames erupted once more from her palms as she fought against a tugging sensation in her gut.
Dizziness crashed over her like a wave as tendrils of lightning snaked around her fingers—water gushed forth from the well, enveloping her in a divine glow. With a final pull, the well drained, and a magnificent sapphire floated upward, its brilliance outshining the sun.
With a delicate pop, it landed softly in her hands, pulsating with energy.
It was the most breathtaking jewel Elizabeth had ever encountered, its facets glimmering and swirling like a miniature galaxy in her palms.
But then, a strange phenomenon captured her attention. From the gash on Penelope's cheek, ethereal blue lights began to pulse and intertwine, casting an enchanting glow that filled the air around them, hinting at a deeper mystery waiting to unfold.
In the next minute, Penelope's eyelid flickered, she sat bolt upright and began to murmur,
"When danger seemed to calm, the real danger will be on her way."
"What?" asked Elizabeth tentatively, rubbing her hands together.
But the figure appearing out of the blue gave her the answer right away.
Someone was standing in the mists, and her cold laughter echoed through the cave…
A heartbroken scream erupted in the silence, making all of them jump in horror.
"Veronica—" gaped Elizabeth, clutching her chest.
Datura, the new counselor, was advancing on the three of them. She was dragging Veronica with her, who had her hands tied up behind her back and her mouth gagged.
"Thank you for getting rid of the giantess for me." She smirked.
"Release her!" demanded Elizabeth, raising her frost dagger to shoulder high.
But Datura was too quick for her; with a predatory grace, she snatched a gleaming knife from the dirt, its blade glinting ominously under the dim light as she pressed it menacingly to Veronica's throat.
“Hand over the Sagacity Sapphire,” she commanded, a malevolent smile twisting her lips, revealing her delight in the terror she had instigated.
“NO! Go! Just leave me and GO!” Veronica screamed, her voice piercing the tension-filled air, a raw mixture of desperation and fear. She shook her head vigorously, strands of hair whipping around her as the knife’s edge dug into her delicate skin, cutting deep. Blood began to trickle down her neck, seeping into the fabric of her shirt in vivid red streaks, while tears poured down her cheeks—not from the physical pain or the looming threat, but from an overwhelming desire to shield her friends from harm.
Elizabeth's fury ignited, a flame of righteous anger surging through her. With no hesitation, she unsheathed her dagger, its blade reflecting her determination, and lunged toward Datura, stabbing fiercely at her.
Datura, however, merely chuckled with a sinister glee, her laughter a chilling sound that filled the air. Elizabeth watched, frozen in disbelief, as the dagger passed harmlessly through Datura’s ethereal form, as if she were nothing more than a mirage. In seconds, the blade's passage left no trace of blood or injury; Datura appeared unscathed, her grin widening.
"You can't kill me, my dear," she taunted, her voice dripping with malice and arrogance. Elizabeth, spurred on by a furious need to protect, snapped her fingers with fierce determination, summoning the winds to her command.
Dark, swirling clouds began to gather overhead, churning ominously, while shadows cloaked the ground beneath them. Suddenly, rain began to fall, but it was no ordinary downpour; these drops were enormous, crashing down with the weight and ferocity of hailstones, each one aimed directly at Datura.
A flash of hope ignited within Elizabeth as she observed the unmistakable panic washing over Datura's face. Just as one colossal hailstone soared through the air, Datura gasped and instinctively loosened her grip on Veronica, who had been desperately dodging the lethal onslaught. In that moment, Elizabeth sensed Datura’s vulnerability—a fleeting glimpse of weakness hidden beneath the layers of her malevolence. Maybe, just maybe, her heart was the key to ending this nightmare.
Fueled by resolve, Elizabeth charged forward, dagger clenched tightly, honing in on Datura’s heart. But before she could close the distance, Datura snapped her fingers again, and an ornate sword materialized from the shadows, gleaming with deadly intent. In an instant, she seized it, poised to retaliate.
As Elizabeth finally recognized the weapon in Datura's hand, it was already far too late.
Datura unleashed a fierce punch directly between Elizabeth's shoulders, knocking the wind from her lungs and sending her sprawling to the ground in a heap. The chaotic storm ceased at once, the silence heavy and oppressive as Datura smirked in triumph.
With a sinister glint in her eyes, Datura raised her sword high, aiming for Elizabeth’s vulnerable stomach. Anticipation twisted like a knife in Elizabeth’s gut as she closed her eyes, bracing for the deep, searing pain that would follow.
But instead of the anticipated agony, she felt a sudden, forceful shove propel her sideways, saving her from the mortal blow. For what felt like an eternity, silence blanketed the scene.
When Elizabeth finally opened her eyes, a rush of horror flooded through her. Veronica knelt beside her, Datura's sword stabbing cruelly through her chest, blood gushing from the wound like a torrential river. Her complexion had turned ghostly pale, a stark contrast against the vivid crimson, her eyes glazed and unfocused.
Yet, despite the dire straits she was in, when she caught Elizabeth's gaze, a faint smile flickered across her lips.
“Good job, Eliza!” she whispered, her voice weak but filled with warmth.
Panic rose within Elizabeth as she stumbled toward her friend, tears cascading down her cheeks. “Veronica, no! This isn’t worth it! You shouldn’t have to sacrifice yourself for me!”
But Veronica shot back with unexpected ferocity, “Shut up!”
Suddenly, a sinister, echoing noise rang out overhead.
Datura was nowhere to be found; instead, a shimmering phrase glimmered ominously in the air, suspended like a ghostly apparition: “She and I shall bring death upon you all.”
That ominous declaration sent a chill down Elizabeth's spine—it was the very phrase inscribed in their living room, a line that echoed with unsettling familiarity.
A wave of dread washed over her as fragments of earlier conversations flitted through her mind, recollections of Datura's frantic attempts to expel her from the college. The threats, the deception—each piece fell into place.
Astral had intervened, rescuing her from the edge of expulsion, but who could have orchestrated such a malevolent plan from the shadows? The name Astral Soulblender echoed ominously in her thoughts, a figure her mother had mentioned in quiet, fearful tones, rumored to be captured on a ship above the churning waves.
Wait, could it be—no, not Victoria, not Victoria Vincent.
There must be something hidden behind the seeming chaos.