Training as a Slime(64)
The bellied old man wiped droplets of perspirations off his forehead while he steadied his strides with the aid of the handrails. Cori, who was initially worried about the wellbeing of the rotund fatherly figure was eventually impressed by how agile he was; guessing it was mostly contributable to his good heart. "Here we are! Ho Ho Ho!" laughed Santa with a great sense of pride upon reaching the top of the stairs. Sensing the familiar laughter, the door to the vacuum room automatically unlocked itself. Cori was pleasantly surprised that even the sensors found Father Christmas's voice to be unique.
"Put this on," said Santa, handing the respirator to Cori, "And get ready for it." After the headmaster gave the respirators a quick final check, he spun the hatch to open the air-tight door. A strong gust of lavender haze filled the chamber with random whispers that could be heard with one saying, "Not this way, that way!" while another voice screamed out in horror, "Shake it off! Shake it off!"
"Where are we?" Cori asked as his words echoed simultaneously in the treacherous lavender haze.
"We are at the moat protecting the prison. It is easy to enter but leaving is the tricky part. The fog here has hallucinogenic effects so be a good boy and follow me closely, or else don't blame me if anything goes wrong." Santa warned.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternating between the reality and the dreamland, Sam was startled to find herself in the body of the first Saintess - Betty Willow.
Majorie: "Betty, the prince sent you this delicate bejewelled wedding dress! Look at how it shines."
"Isn't this the tale of the Heartbreak Prince?" Sam questioned herself upon seeing the familiar dress, knowing the saintess' demise on a cruel summer in the last great dynasty. As the saintess turned her head, Sam saw a forlorn-looking winged beauty staring back at her in the mirror.
"Oh my god! The first saintess was an angel and not a fae!" Sam realised with an awe-stricken gaze. Her heart shortly fueled with sorrows upon remembering the foreboding tragic love story awaiting them.
Majorie refilled her glass with champagne, "Problems will resolve themselves, I'm sure August will get over you. Everyone will forget about the rumoured illicit affair."
The saintess clutched her belly with a pained expression, her voice carrying hints of hesitation, "But this isn't right. The prince and I are merely friends."
"You need to calm down. Just remind yourself that it is for the good of the kingdom," said the Deer-kin, sprucing up the bride's hair.
Sam felt the saintess steeling her resolve with a heavy heart. As her handmaiden draped the royal cardigan on her, the saintess felt a deep sense of responsibility resting on her shoulders.
"For the sake of the kingdom," Betty said under her breath while stroking her belly, ready to stage the wedding to calm the civil unrest.
Sam: "She's pregnant... the historic records never state anything about rebellion..."
Feeling a tug, Sam found herself pulled back into reality. Her blurry vision faintly making out a slightly golden lump. "Cori... is that you?" Sam asked weakly.
"What is the diagnosis doctor?" the headmaster's voice rung in her ears before she trailed back into blank space.
Sam looked around her and found herself once again in the dream state. However, she was no longer the saintess, as the lady was right beside her and before her a priest.
Solemniser: "Do you, Prince Americana agree to take Saintess Betty as your lawfully wedded wife, constant friend, and faithful partner for better or for worse?"
Prince: "Yes I do."
"No, no I don't!" Sam cried in heart as her mouth mimicked the prince's vows. Before the saintess could exchange her vows, an angry voice exploded in the sanctuary, "You belong with me and not him!"
The knights lined both sides of the aisle immediately stood in formation to stop the man. "Isn't that the hero's legendary sword? The midnight rain?" an onlooker said in surprise. As the man clashed swords with the 22 knights, the prince readied his sword, "I knew you were trouble all too well. We will settle this bad blood today!"
August parried the slashes and thrusted his sword into the knight like cutting against butter. "This wedding, I can't tolerate it!" cried the crazed winged anti hero as his blade corroded another knight.
The bride shouted with resolution as she beared witness to the massacre, "We are never getting back together, you are not the 1 for me!" Using her enchanted artefact, she threw the mirrorball to cast an area of healing effect for the injured knights. Alas, she could not save those already on the brink of death nor could she save the knights from corroding into undead. She could only watched in horror how her blessings quickened the demise of the decaying knights. "Look at what you made me do!" cried the Saintess as her holy powers became corrupted with each life taken.
Sam who was witnessing the tragedies through the Prince's eyes, suddenly felt a knot of pain in her gut. The Prince caught the sight of a quivering arrow piercing through the air and noticed its trajectory aiming for his bride. In an attempt to save her from the attack, he shielded her with his body.
"Nooooo!" cried the bride and Sam in unison as the arrow pierced his heart.
August, who saw an opening, jumped into the air and swung midnight rain, doubling the blow to the prince's heart cursing him to eternal damnation with hatred. However, due to the area of healing effect, the Prince begun to disintegrate even before he could fully transform into an undead.
The saintess stared at the angel in anger and commanded the remaining guards, "Capture him and find the archer!"
As the prince breathed his last, his tears ricochet on her cardigan, "I love you..." Sam felt the pain he felt, her throat tightened gasping for air. As the scene blackened into nothingness, Sam fought to regain conciousness.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I think she is fully aware now," said the doctor noticing Sam's face turning a healthy shade of pink.
"Ho Ho Ho! That is good news! She darn well put up a good fight!" Santa laughed.
Ken: "Yes, none in the past had survived the curse. She's the sole survivor I guess."
Cori: "Sole survivor?"
Santa: "Yes vigilante, I think you saved her with your holy light. Doctor Ken, so were you able to find the mastermind behind this attack?"
"Karma works in mysterious ways, while I couldn't find anything maybe our sole survivor could," the gorgon said turning to face Sam whose tears were rolling down her freshly wakened eyes.
Sam wiped her tears and made up an excuse for her embarassing state, "Tis the damn season. Pollen ain't my style."