THE FALL OF THE FORTRESS CITY - PART 2

A white-haired, albino girl emerged, she was not wearing any clothing which made her skin look very detailed, it seemed to be tattooed with a crimson spider web that ran all over her body, added to this, marks were drawn on her face under her eyes.

The atmosphere was charged with energy, her power was immense as this aura materialized as a dense fog that began to take over the entire Fortress City, huge spider webs were woven everywhere, and in them were evil creatures in the form of eggs.

The lady gently approached the hatred of the girl who remained with her eyes closed and whispered to her: my virgin maiden, you spent a long time in your lethargy, but I have awakened you from your sleep, now serve me in your golden days, there is the cause of your misfortune... tell me what will you do!

Like a weak whisper that was lost in the breeze, the girl said: she must die!

A smile appeared on the lady's face, who thought to herself: "it seems that everything went well, making her emerge so abruptly could have made me unable to control her, a few months should be enough to make her come out of that chrysalis without me intervening, but how could I leave such an exquisite treasure to its fate?"

Annette! Said the dying Tarantil while everyone else watched practically paralyzed as the girl slowly approached the king, her intentions? Unknown to all! As she advanced her steps became firmer and a crimson dress was woven and taking shape on her body until she stopped in front of Tarantil, then an immense sickle was invoked in one of her hands, the poor old man guessed what his destiny was, because for him there was no forgiveness that was worth it, he had not even been able to save his daughter, the last memory of his great love, so he just closed his eyes saying FORGIVE ME DAUGHTER, I LOVE YOU!

UNFORGIVABLE! Annette screamed as she raised the huge sickle,

DON'T DO IT! – shouted Lili next to Lindel –

But they were stunned when the devourer that was holding Tarantil was cut in half, while the old man lay dying in Annette's arms.

FATHER! FATHER! Don't leave me, I heard everything, every word, every story, every adventure, every joke, and I even felt every tear you shed for me, now that I can see you and touch you, caress you, don't leave me.

Annette placed her hand on the mutilated parts of Tarantil's body, and little by little his wounds closed, as if she were knitting them.

This won't heal you completely, the pain will continue, but you won't bleed to death. It's time to give you back all the years you've taken care of me.

The dark crimson lady snapped her teeth, and her brow was furrowed in a sign of annoyance beyond belief, she bit one of her nails and instantly broke it, releasing blood to the ground and watering it with a sharp movement of her arm.

I know what you're thinking my little one, I know very well, power clouds our judgment, but I suggest you stop, what you know of me is just a grain of sand on the beach, you will not be able to defeat me, and I do not want to destroy one of my best creations, let this place rot and come with me, together we will be owners of the stars... my throne is more than dust and stone waiting to crumble.

Probably the lady was right in what she said because for her the girl was only a cocoon full of possibilities rotting in a remote corner of the universe which led her to think that Annette was euphoric at her new appearance, and her power under control, however, this was not the work of the power of the dark lady, but the result of hard work and the unconditional love of her father, at every moment, whenever he could, he was in the girl's bed reading to her, teaching her, talking to her as if they shared pleasant conversations although she did not respond anything at any time, the twelve years she had been in bed, she never spoke, and barely moved to do her needs because they kept her at the tip of magic, all the savings and everything Tarantil had was placed in her care without further ado.

Annette knew it, because beyond her illness, her power allowed her to see far beyond the borders of the kingdom, her clairvoyance was practically global, knowledge, arts, strategies, she had plenty of time to learn everything, her omnipresence in the world made her a prodigy who could not get out of her bed, it was the greatest irony because no one knew she was there and no matter how hard she tried, no one else could see or feel her.

Annette did not say a single word because she knew how dangerous the dark lady was since she had witnessed her unleashed power, she quickly touched the ground with her hand, an immense crimson net was drawn all over the place, and those fallen in combat got up, but they were not simple puppets, they even regained consciousness, confused and exalted, how were they alive even without their hearts?

Annette shouted with vigor in her voice, my warriors, my friends, my brothers, my knights, I Annette, daughter of Tarantil, your King, have awakened you from the shadows asking for your help, the enemy lies before us and threatens to destroy our home, fight by my side as your princess, as your sister.

The Dark Lady seemed a little impressed by what the girl was doing, and her interest in her seemed to increase. But there was something else, the Dark Lady noticed it instantly, her power was being suppressed.

"I'm tired of this seedy theater, I thought there was something better in this place, but I guess even I can be wrong" she said, then she raised her hand pointing at Annette, and said: It's time to say goodbye little one, it's a shame you tried to defy me, now die along with your pathetic mortal kingdom.

A dark energy began to channel into the air, it was dense like Annette's, but then Lili and Lindel ran next to the girl, and Lili raising her voice said: YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE, DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS!

From her hair she pulled out a flower that transformed into a staff and with it she formed a drop-shaped light that fell to the ground dispersing the dark spell.

The lady was surprised for the first time when she stepped back, but quickly felt that her feet could not move, was she tied to the ground, was the girl's power such that she was able to suppress her to that point? That was what she thought as she began to summon more devourers, but in vain she did so because her arms and her entire body were tied by crimson spider webs that sprouted from the ground.

"This is all you can do" she said smiling while her red eyes shone with exaltation, but she soon swallowed her words as all the fallen knights pounced on her, mercilessly piercing her again and again without mercy.

Annette turned her gaze to Lindel and Lili and hugged them saying, "finally, finally I can hug you, touch you, talk to you, I've been watching you, listening to you all these years, and finally I can be with all of you"

"This isn't over yet, they are distracting her, but that won't kill her, I don't really know if it's possible to do so, she is too powerful, I feel like her strength is crushing me, I don't know how much I can contain her and I need you to help me, but I would also like my father to leave here.

Tarantil interrupted the girl's request by placing his hand on her head, caressing her gently.

"I'm not finished, I can still fight by your side, don't worry so much about this old man... little one"

But father, you must be in too much pain, how can you move, you must retreat, I couldn't heal you completely, - replied Annette –

These scratches and scrapes are nothing – said Tarantil – besides, what's there won't fall easily, we have to do something quickly and for that I think Lili is the right one, you can invoke the power of light, the power of Gala.

HAHAHA! HAHAHA! This is really turning me on, and to think that you can make immortal soldiers with their own consciousness, although, I just have to destroy the source of immortality.

From among the soldiers impaling the dark lady, a ray of darkness came out that pierced Annette's chest, making her fall to her knees, but without giving in one bit because the knights continued to beat their enemy without ceasing, although without success since her wounds healed without more.

Suddenly the eggs that were everywhere began to hatch and from them spider monsters pounced on the lady while others threw webs to stop her movements.

A dark crimson sphere formed around her and began to repel all the attacks by undoing the spider webs and repelling the knights who were thrown in all directions. Lili launched a powerful beam of light towards her, but it was simply repelled. Tarantil, along with Lindel, attacked simultaneously, but it was in vain. Nothing seemed to make even a crack in the barrier as she walked unstoppably towards Annette, destroying everything in her path.

"How is it possible that she is still so strong even when I am cancelling her power with my spider web? She must have realized it from the beginning, but it is too much. I will have to bet everything on what I am going to do now," Annette thought as she watched the destruction approach step by step towards her and her family.

Come to me, guardians. Let your weapons be the punishment for this woman's foolishness for daring to destroy my domain! Annette shouted.

The air thundered and the dark lady felt a chill, something undoubtedly strange for her, at the same time she saw four flashes falling upon her, axe, halberd, sword and hammer were the weapons that hit her from all directions, their colossal and imposing size showed off their strength, immense shadows barely visible supported the destructive attack.

NOW IS THE TIME! Annette shouted in a choked voice as she held her arm barely raised directing the attack and with the other covering the wound she had received.

The barrier that protected the lady began to break making an opening for Lindel to cut her tendons and throat in a flash leaving her incapacitated for an instant so that Tarantil could pierce her heart from behind sticking the sword into the ground.

She could not react, for the first time in a long time she felt helpless because her wounds did not heal, she did not understand it, but with a quick look at the weapons of both she could see that they were bathed in a luminous magic, it was undoubtedly the same power as Gala, but with no more than being able to glide from the bowels of the earth an impressive energy summoned by Lili rose, because as a direct servant of the Goddess, she was determined to exterminate her once and for all.

The light enveloped the dark lady as it burned her in a spiral that rose to the heavens, making her disintegrate and bleed for real for the first time. Fear invaded her, and led her to think how it was possible that everything had transcended to that point. She was careless, she should have killed them from the beginning... that's what happens when you play with your food, she thought as her flesh was consumed in the column of energy... but... a scream came from the depths of her being, CONSUME THEM ESUR!

Everyone was frozen, feeling like something was watching them. In the sky, beyond the clouds, much higher up, they saw how immense eyes opened, judging by their size, the creature was larger than the entire kingdom.

Its jaws opened and it began to suck the power out of the place. Lili's attack, Annette's web, was consuming everything. The dark lady was free, but now she only wanted to reduce them to nothing. With his hand he pointed at Annette and descended from the heavens. It was a colossal worm, its open mouth looked like a spiral of teeth that seemed to have no end, and from it came a smaller one that fell on Annette and Lili who were together.

Tarantil and Lindel turned pale, but without delay they pounced on the creature that whipped them destroying many buildings and rubble in the process leaving them barely conscious and very injured.

The lady climbed onto the creature and began to ascend towards the sky, but something began to shine inside the beast's mouth and an explosion blew part of its mouth out, Lili was holding Annette in her arms who was badly injured with part of her abdomen missing. Without delay they began to fall, Lindel ran out dying and with one of his arms barely attached to his body jumping and barely supporting the fall of both into the rubble.

But far from ending there, the beast opened its jaws in a resounding manner and emitting a deafening roar vomited from the sky a green and viscous substance that burned even the rock and among it some spheres that began to break as soon as they stopped rolling on the ground.

BYE…I HOPE YOU HAVE FUN WITH THE FEW SECONDS YOU HAVE LEFT!

Run… Run, quickly towards the mausoleum! Tarantil shouted while dragging a broken leg. Lindel took his wife and Annette on his back and ran badly. From the spheres devourers began to emerge, hundreds, perhaps thousands that began to chase them.

While they ran Annette and Lili woke up already being near the doors of the building, there were many people who came out to meet them taking them running inside, but the huge doors could not be closed except with magic.

The monsters surrounded them, Lindel and Tarantil began to fight barely containing them at the doors, but they climbed over rubble and walls with great ease thanks to their multiple limbs, however, fear did not make people become intimidated. They all began to throw stones and sticks, some also had bows, but it was of little use because the creatures seemed to affect them little or not at all, in fact they became enraged.

Lili! Close the doors, take shelter inside, this has no end...we can't let them in, said Lindel as the monsters surrounded them, attacking with their paws and trying to get over them because the smell of blood and flesh made him go into a frenzy.

What are you saying Lindel, we will all survive... together... you promised me, how are you going to take care of me if you abandon me now... - said Lili with tears running down her cheeks as she imbued the colossal doors with the little energy she had left.

Annette stood up from the crowd that desperately went down the stairs trying to escape from the monsters.

She spread her web again, which was barely taking any shape, eliminating most of the monsters with the help of the fallen ones at her service. Shortly after, she collapsed completely, thinking that she had already fulfilled her task. Lili cried because they were safe, the doors slowly began to close and Tarantil and Lindel walked inside to take shelter from the few creatures that walked in the distance approaching at full speed.

Tarantil hugged Annette and kissed her forehead. Rest my princess! said the King as he knelt down caressing his daughter's head while she looked at him with her blurred eyes because she had lost a lot of blood.

Then Lindel turned pale, because suddenly Tarantil collapsed, a protuberance came out of his chest, from the darkness he had been pierced, there Lindel heard that sound that would mark him for his next years of loneliness. In a dim light they saw a horror lying in the catacomb, a gift that the dark lady had left them long before she left, her countless eyes shone in the darkness that surrounded her, and her legs like chisels in the rock made a dark noise, Tarantil was taken towards the creature's mouth, splitting him in half, ending his life instantly, bathing the place in blood, leaving the poor girl in shock, who crawled and managed to cling to the torso of her lifeless father.

People lost their minds, stepping over each other trying to get out through the doors that were about to close, but the massacre was imminent, Lindel ran towards Lili and Annette, his hand stretched out and barely reached her, he ran with them in his arms towards the exit. The poor girl with a distant look did not regain her sanity, and her crying flooded the place like a deep cry that resonated and echoed in the place orchestrating the bloody massacre that was occurring. The beast, sensing Annette and Lili's enormous magic, pounced on them, snatching them from Lindel's arms with its protuberances.

Lindel ran and threw himself at the creature, but it threw him hard against the doors, making him leave the chamber that was about to close. There he lost everything, only his eyes could see through the small strip of light that provided a view inside how the creature pierced Lili and Annette's abdomen.

I'M SORRY! It was drawn on Lili's lips while Lindel broke his arms trying to get back into the place, but the spell could no longer be undone, only someone with the same magic could open those doors again.

DESPERATION! Perhaps it was the simplest word to define the pleas and cries that could be heard faintly from outside until everything fell silent, a silence that would last until today.