The Unseen Hand

Outside in the courtyard, Will and Nerys continued their tumultuous battle. The fiery fury of Will's lava armor clashed with the dark deception that Nerys had become. The air was alive with their clashes, every strike reverberating with an otherworldly intensity.

Amidst this chaotic dance of elements, Balder slowly regained consciousness, his vision blurred. As he blinked and tried to focus, an eerie presence caught his attention. Before him stood an old hag, her appearance gnarled and ancient, like a withered relic of a forgotten time. Her eyes gleamed with an uncanny light that spoke of knowledge beyond mortal comprehension.

The old hag, her voice a haunting whisper, spoke of dire urgency. "Balder, you must gather your strength. Midori and Will are in grave danger, and only you can save them."

Balder's groggy mind struggled to process the situation. "Who are you? What's happening?"

The old hag revealed herself, her presence a flicker of ethereal energy. "I am a Night Hag, a High Fae. I have watched over your group, spoken to Will, and been a silent observer. Now, the time has come for you to intervene."

Balder, still bewildered but sensing the urgency in the hag's words, pushed himself to his feet. He knew the bond he shared with Midori and Will was worth whatever challenges lay ahead.

As Balder moved towards the source of the commotion, his heart pounded with anxiety. He could hear the battle growing more intense. Midori, impaled and bloodied, lay on the ground, fighting to cling to consciousness. Her life force slowly waned, her labored breaths the only testament to her ongoing struggle.

Balder reached Midori's side, and his Cryomancy came to life, icy tendrils snaking over her wounds, sealing them with a frosty embrace. The magic slowed her bleeding and alleviated some of the pain, but her condition remained precarious.

As he worked on Midori, his gaze was drawn to the brutal clash between Will and Nerys. Will's lava armor had transformed him into an unrecognizable force, and the relentless ferocity with which he attacked Nerys was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

He couldn't help but notice the sinister changes occurring in Nerys. Her skin melted away, revealing something grotesque beneath. The more her form shifted, the more eldritch and nightmarish she became.

Balder's heart sank as the realization dawned. Nerys, the girl they had trusted, was no longer herself. She had morphed into something otherworldly, a creature composed of tentacles, shadow, and formless horrors. Her human guise was nothing but an illusion to mask her true nature.

The courtyard echoed with the violent crescendo of the battle, the fiery clashes and otherworldly roars of Nerys echoing through the air. Will's relentless assault pushed Nerys back, and with each punch, more of her nightmarish visage was unveiled.

Balder had to act. He couldn't let Midori and Will fall to this eldritch abomination that had once been their ally. He conjured a wall of ice and stone to separate Will from Nerys, giving himself a brief window to intervene.

His voice, filled with an urgency born of desperation, rang out. "Will, we need to retreat and regroup. Nerys isn't herself. She's something... something else."

Will, his lava armor smoldering, hesitated for a moment, his fiery gaze locked onto Nerys. The transformation had unveiled the unimaginable depths of deception and the peril that now loomed over them.

Just as they began to move back, Nerys's nightmarish form surged. Her tentacles lashed out, grasping at Will and Balder. It was as if reality itself rebelled against her very existence.

The chapter ended on a horrifying note as Nerys's eldritch form expanded, growing into a monstrous, nightmarish entity composed of innards, tentacles, and other indescribable horrors. The courtyard was plunged into darkness as the abomination of Nerys loomed large, and their peril had taken on a form that defied comprehension.

Amidst the chaos and terror of the eldritch abomination that Nerys had become, when all hope seemed lost, the old hag appeared once more, a solemn expression on her ancient face. She spoke softly, her voice filled with regret. "I'm sorry, I couldn't save the city. My power is not enough to contain that Sluagh, but I could save you."

Before their eyes, Nerys grew larger, consuming house after house as if she were a ravenous entity, and the city crumbled before her insatiable hunger.

Then, in the blink of an eye, they found themselves in a black, empty room, separated from the nightmarish chaos outside. The old hag appeared before them once more, her voice a somber whisper.

"I'm sorry for what you've witnessed. Nerys, or rather, the Sluagh, is the embodiment of gluttony among the Fae. Her hunger knows no bounds, and her true form is beyond comprehension. It seems she was sent to eliminate you, Will, for the illegal pact you forged with the Salamander. She has been corrupted, and there is no way to bring her back."

The old hag's words weighed heavily on their hearts, but they knew that they couldn't afford to dwell on despair. The hag's expression grew determined, and she waved her hand. The room transitioned from darkness to blinding light.

They found themselves in a small, wooden shack. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and earth, and the shack was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the eldritch horror they had just witnessed.

Balder and the old hag quickly turned their attention to Will and Midori, who were both unconscious and in dire need of care. Will's lava armor had subsided, leaving him battered and fatigued. Midori's life force was faint but still present.

Balder's Cryomancy took form, his magic cooling and soothing their wounds. He worked diligently to mend their injuries, sealing cuts, and reducing swelling. The old hag, with her mystical knowledge, assisted Balder in their healing efforts.

As they worked, the hag spoke softly, "You need rest, both of you. The Sluagh has been unleashed, and you are entangled in power beyond mortal comprehension. It will take time to recover your strength."

Will's eyelids grew heavy, and he could no longer resist the pull of sleep. As the darkness enveloped him, the events of the night swirled through his mind, his thoughts fragmented and haunted by the eldritch nightmare that had been Nerys.

Balder and the old hag continued their efforts to heal and protect their companions, but the road ahead was uncertain. The witch knew more about the dangers they faced than she had initially revealed. The battle against the Sluagh was far from over, and their next steps would be crucial..