Chapter 11 : The Baba Yaga's Riders

As Elena and her companions made their way through the forest, they couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The trees seemed to loom closer, and the shadows felt darker.

But they pressed on, determined to reach safety.

Suddenly, they heard a loud cackle behind them. They spun around to see the Baba Yaga perched on a tree branch, her eyes glowing with malice.

"Did you think you could escape me so easily?" she taunted.

Elena drew her sword, ready to fight. But the Baba Yaga simply laughed.

"You cannot defeat me," she said. "But perhaps you can entertain me."

With a wave of her hand, the Baba Yaga summoned her riders. They appeared from the shadows, mounted on skeletal horses that glowed with an eerie blue light.

The riders closed in, circling Elena and her companions. Their eyes were hollow, and their breath came in ghostly whispers.

Elena felt a cold sweat break out on her skin. She had heard of the Baba Yaga's riders before, and she knew that they were harbingers of death.

But she refused to give in to fear. She raised her sword, ready to face the riders head-on.

The riders charged, their horses galloping at an impossible speed. Elena swung her sword, but it passed through their spectral bodies as if they were made of mist.

Nikolai and Anna huddled together, their eyes wide with terror.

Elena could feel the riders closing in around her. She was surrounded, with no way out.

But then she remembered the lessons her mentor had taught her. She closed her eyes, focusing on her magic.

With a burst of energy, she summoned a powerful shield. It glowed with a bright light, pushing back the riders.

The Baba Yaga screeched, her face twisted with rage.

"You will pay for that!" she screamed.

She pointed a long, bony finger at Elena, and a bolt of lightning shot out.

Elena felt the electricity course through her body, but she refused to give up. She summoned all her magic, pushing back against the Baba Yaga's attack.

The two forces clashed, and Elena felt the ground shake beneath her feet.

For a moment, it seemed as though the Baba Yaga would triumph. But then, with a final burst of energy, Elena broke through her defenses.

The Baba Yaga screamed, and her riders dissolved into mist. She vanished, leaving behind only the echoes of her laughter.

Elena collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. She was covered in sweat, and her muscles ached from the effort.

But she knew that they had won a small victory. They were one step closer to escaping the Baba Yaga's domain.

As they resumed their journey through the forest, Elena couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She knew that the Baba Yaga would not give up so easily.

And she knew that they had not seen the last of her riders.