Chapter 81 - Meeting The Gorgons (1/2)
Versailles navigated through a horde of poisonous bugs, slithering and gliding through the mob as she advanced towards a gray stone fortress. The fortress was formidable, old watchtowers and fallen slabs of gray stone walls laying in fragmented pieces around the keep.
Thick miasma lingered on the gray stone keep, hindering the vision of lost wanderers.
This was the Ancient Fortress of the Gorgons, inside the depths of the Poison Fields.
As Versailles twisted about the crumbled stones, she spotted a crack on the stone wall and slithered inside. The inside of the fortress was just as fractured as the outside, what once were buildings and shelters, now reduced to rubbles.
Poisonous plants and corroded bones littered the damp ground, decorating the ghostly ruins. Without stopping, she moved deeper into the ruins, heading towards the furthest, tallest, and darkest tower.
'Will this place be good enough to build a force? Rebuilding the Ancient Fortress will not be a problem. I just hope the races will not fight among themselves.'
Versailles was anxious to build a powerful force. A force strong enough to confront the Dark Lord's shadow army. But she was also afraid.
She was afraid that in her haste to build up a force made up of the most unlikely races of the Nar realm, she would create a force that would not even stand a blow. A force that would eat itself from the inside out.
'No, I cannot think like this. I need to not only create a powerful, but also believe in the power I create. I need to believe in myself and make the impossible possible. Make the miscreant races of the Nar realm become one!'
She had no other choice. It was either do or die, and this time, Versailles was not going to die!
Her eyes firm with resolve, she dashed towards the dark tower.
She had a group of Gorgons to meet.
*
In a dark, damp cell, poison crickets cricked about as they flew around three hideous, snake haired females. The females leaned on gray stone chairs, murky dark liquid pouring over their heads, as they relaxed.
The viscous liquid had a greasy shin to it, slowly sliding down their body, dripping to the floor into a pool of black grease. The grease sizzled like burning acid, spreading into the air. The moment the poison crickets made contact with the liquid, they were reduced to a lump of black gas, dissipating into a hazy mist.
The poisonous mist flowed inside the damp cell, infecting other poisonous crickets and bugs, producing more black gas as they liquified.
”Sisters, did you hear the news from the Battle of Might? The Battle of Wit this decade will be conducted differently, with a serpentine facing against all the lesser races on her own.” The voice sounded muffled inside the damp cell, masking the tone of the speaker.
”Yes, I heard. Who is this daring serpentine that dared to challenge the combined races of the Nar realm?” Another muffled voice sounded out, the scorn in this voice obvious.
”Forget about who she is. What I want to know is, whether or not she has what it takes to come out victorious.” This voice was more clear than the other two, the anticipation clear in the hoarse tone.
” Victorious? Huh! I bet she is all talk and no might. Otherwise, why would she challenge all the races alone? She is just trying to find an excuse for her future failure. After all, which beast will dare to say anything if she lost against the combined races, alone?” The first voice pitched in with a screech this time, the dissatisfaction evident in the cold tone.
”I agree with you on that, sister. I bet I could bet with my eyes closed. Unfortunately, our group got disqualified in the first match. Otherwise, I would have taught her what not overestimating oneself meant.”
”Why would you bother, sister? I think that serpentine is not even worthy of facing us. I can send her screaming in agony in one strike.”
”Why one strike? I can send her crying in one hiss!”
”Hahahaha!”
”But seriously sisters, does she have any chance of even making through the first round?” The first voice asked again, this time more in curiosity.
”If you want to know, you can get a glimpse now. There is no need to wait until the Battle of Wit.” At this moment, a lighter, more melodious voice replied in response, breaking into the conversation of the three snake haired females.