Chapter 173: Battle at the Coven

The winds screamed down into the valley, besetting its core with the odor of war. Witches' coven loomed in the hub of the world, spires piercing heaven showering starch light out into the moon's silver light. Reika loomed above them, queen commanding, and the witches danced about her on the edge of war. Magic pulsed in their temple of innocence, a secret power that energized the air. She never had any doubt that the day would come. Ariadne was not a pleasant woman. Finn followed behind her, sword strapped over his back, clenched jaw pushed forward into the darkness that appeared to pull in over them. "She's coming," he growled, barely audible. Reika nodded. "Let her." The witches resisted them, incantations on their mouths, foam of their magic curling into a shared spell. Earth under their knees shook with their power, its energy bent like taut bowstring to its full tension against theirs. There was no victory Ariadne and her coven would have there that day. The Coming of War There was a scream of walls of sound, and the chill of stinking claws on stone. The earth trembled below as Ariadne's army poured out, a dark tide flowing down from the hill in a wild procession of raven waves. Riding astride its head, Ariadne sat upon a titan beast whose black jet fur was darkness, whose red eyes blazed with wicked sheen. Her black obsidian armor, her raven tresses streaming to the winds as she swept the battle with wicked smile. "Reika!" Ariadne bellowed to the empty air in a voice that tore air asunder. "Fight me, coward!" Reika advanced onto the steps of the coven, her cold, frozen gaze fixed on the woman who had so long ago betrayed her. "Coward?" She breathed the word, low, but deadly. "You're the one who runs when she loses." Ariadne's smile falters, a red streak of rage flashing in her black eyes. "I will not be defeated tonight." She flung up a clawed hand, commanding. "Overwhelm them!" The werewolves rushed, their own cries climbing to a brimstone howl. Slaves of darkness dropped from the shadows, their twisted bodies distending human capability to encircle the coven. The witches braced themselves. Lightning blasted out of the witches' fingers and hit the werewolves at the front of the line before any of them had reached the halfway point on the stairs. The earth itself opened wide and swallowed several of the minions, and others were incinerated by flame that burst forth from the shield magic of the coven. Finn was a sword of steel, cutting Ariadne's men down with icy cold ruthlessness. His sword flashed silver in the blood moon light as he cut monster after monster to the ground, steel flashing in and out of view. Reika's thoughts had a single aim. Ariadne. She tore onto the battlefield like a storm, magic whirling about her in a whirlwind as she disarmed all of Ariadne's men. She killed them one by one, her own strength dwindling and starving out their strength. The werewolves growled in fury, claws ripping flesh from the air as they were drained of life by the air. Her minions were torn to dust as she ripped them in fury. Ariadne was appalled at seeing her minions torn to dust, her fury growing by the second. "No!" she thundered. She tumbled from her hellhorse, running headlong with clashing din as the ground beneath her foot collapsed into shambles. Her magic exploded from her hand as she brought a storm of shadow energy into being that blew up on Reika. Reika kicked her to the side with shockwave striking power rumbling the field. "You underestimating me, Ariadne, always," she panted. "That's why you're always losing." Ariadne growled and spat with outstretched claws. Fast—faster than the others—though faster than Reika, no. She skipped backward, spinning on the heel of one foot. She flung her hand across Ariadne's chest and shoved her away. Black sorceress skidded across the ground and crashed into a splintered boulder. She tried to struggle up, gagging. Her carefully constructed armor lay shattered on the ground now, her own magic shattered by Reika's. "This. this cannot be," Ariadne cursed, ruby blood foaming on her lips. Reika stood upon it, heel on the defeated enemy. "It is done," she announced. Ariadne was not defeated, however. She thrashed back onto the ground, fists balled in the dirt as she scrambled to her knees. Her eyes burned with evil rage. "Do you think that's a victory?" she snarled. "Do you think you've won here?" Reika stood strong. "You've lost everything. Your soldiers are dead. Your people are shards of shattering. What is left for you to do?" Ariadne's glare twists a madman's grin of smile. "Oh, Reika. I'll return. I'll return. And when I return I will be returning with all my warriors. You will be begging for mercy on your knees." Reika's mask face never changed. "Then I will wait." Ariadne let out a raw, rasping shriek and was ripped from the world in a tempest of darkness. The after-effect of her magic lingered briefly before that as well was quenched. She was dead. Aftermath of Battle The battlefield so silent now that she was dead. The witches remained where they were wounded, weary but unblinking. Finn wiped away blood and glared at Reika. "You let her get away." Reika shook her head. "She's not finished. She'll come back." One of the older witches stepped forward, gray hair and green eyes. "She grows weaker with each victory she wins. She can heal, but she cannot win." Reika smiled. "And we'll be waiting." The witches used magic to heal the wounded. Finn stood sword between him and danger, against his thigh. "Aye, then what?" Reika stood up and saw the last echo of Ariadne's tainted black magic disappear across the horizon. "We get ready," she said. "Next time… we get this one through." A Shadow Falls Ariadne was in her sanctuary, far out behind the war lines of walls, and returned. Her gasping tore as wide as her body arched halfway stopped in anger. She lurched forward, trying to reach for the edge of a rock altar. The loss burned, with all she had in the world to be turned into nothing more than ash. Something dark edged out from beneath her, and his voice snarled. "You lost." Ariadne stood tall but didn't turn yet. "It was just a setback." The man smiled. "A setback? Your men have been repelled. Your powers are waning." He advanced, his black form towering over her. "Perhaps you're not as powerful as you think." Ariadne's knuckles went white. "I will not be defeated." The figure bent his head. "Then demonstrate it." Ari's derisive drawl fell on her face. "Oh, I will. And this time I won't be playing games." She had no idea what to do. The War Wasn't Over Yet.