The hall echoed like an abandoned temple. The floor was cold, forged of ancient metal and carved with fractures that bled faint, bluish light.
At the center, two colossal statues towered side by side, imposing warriors, each gripping a sword that touched the vaulted ceiling. Their expressions were serene, yet something within them seemed to pulse, almost alive.
Lucy approached with a calm stride and a curious gaze, her fingertips brushing the hilt of the blade at her hip.
She tilted her head, studying the carvings. The veins etched into the marble. The battle scars. The subtle gleam in their eyes.
Suddenly, a deep voice boomed through the hall, shattering the silence.
One of the statues shimmered, its eyes glowing white as it spoke:
"Look, brother! It took centuries, but we finally have company!"
The other statue's eyes flared with a sharp, violet glow.
"I can see that."
The white-eyed statue replied, almost delighted:
"We must give our guest a proper welcome!"
"You're right. Hosts should be… impressive," the violet-eyed one agreed.
The white-eyed statue asked:
"And what do we do?"
"How should I know?" the other snapped, stone vibrating with irritation.
"We need something… unexpected!"
Lucy crossed her arms and let out a long, impatient sigh, a mix of boredom and provocation.
White Eyes gasped:
"Brother, the guest is sighing!"
Violet Eyes stiffened.
"A SIGH? What is a SIGH?"
White Eyes began,
"Well, a sigh is when—"
Lucy cut him off with another sigh, sharper this time.
"Enough. How long are you two going to babble?"
She arched a brow, irritably.
"Let me spell it out. Your guest wants to pass."
The ground shook.
Violet Eyes spoke first:
"Our duty is to guard this gate."
White Eyes nodded:
"Exactly! We cannot let you through!"
The cracks around the statues widened, the marble splintering, concrete falling away like shedding skin.
Beneath them, two colossal Yetis emerged, fur a stormy gray, bodies knotted with muscle. Each raised an elemental blade, one crackling with lightning, the other spinning with slicing currents of wind.
Lucy rolled her neck and smiled.
"Two against one? Now that's a proper welcome."
She flicked her coat aside, sword in one hand, Baruk's mace in the other.
The air vibrated. The Yetis roared and charged.
The Wind Yeti struck first, sweeping his blade in a wide arc. The displaced air ripped across the floor, shattering pillars like twigs. Lucy vaulted over the attack, twisting midair and landing on the creature's back. She drove the mace into its shoulder, purple energy cracking through the beast's flesh.
The Thunder Yeti followed, slamming its blade down. The impact sent a wave of electricity ricocheting through the columns. Lucy slid beneath it, firing both pistols as she glided on her knees, the bullets sparking uselessly against its armored hide.
"Big, loud, dramatic…
You remind me of my last boss," she muttered, prepping her next move.
The Thunder Yeti snarled and unleashed a bolt of lightning. It struck Lucy squarely, hurling her back. The scent of ozone and scorched hair filled the air. Her muscles seized, but her vampiric regeneration tore the paralysis away with a raw scream.
Lucy planted her sword into the floor, channeling the stolen energy and whipping it into a blazing arc that slammed into the Wind Yeti. The shockwave rattled the entire hall.
Wind surged as the first Yeti spun, conjuring a tornado. Lucy smirked, lifted Baruk's mace, and slammed it into the ground. A violet shockwave burst outward, shattering the cyclone and throwing both monsters back.
She leapt, spinning with deadly grace, and drove her sword straight through the Wind Yeti's chest. The creature roared, a sound that shook the ceiling and burst into shards of flickering light.
The Thunder Yeti remained, eyes sparking with rage. Lucy landed lightly, twirled the mace, and hurled it at the creature's head. The blow shattered its bone-like helm, exposing a skull of raw electricity.
Lucy grinned.
"Time to cut the power."
She crossed her pistols and fired.
The Yeti erupted in a blinding flash before dissolving into drifting static.
Silence returned, broken only by the faint crackle of dying electricity.
The elemental blades, the white one curved and feather-light, the purple one serrated and buzzing like a living transformer, dropped to the ground, still humming with residual power.
The gate groaned open.
Lucy exhaled, adrenaline still rushing hot in her veins, and stepped forward, only to pause as a soft whisper rose from the weapons.
White Blade:
"Wait!"
Purple Blade:
"Yes, wait! We've been expecting you for so long!"
White:
"So very, very long…"
Purple:
"For someone stronger than us."
White:
"Someone who can wield us."
Lucy approached, studying the glowing swords.
White:
"My name is Gnu."
Purple:
"And mine is Fritz. We must accompany you."
Both in unison:
"We can be of great use to you!"
Lucy raised a brow, eyeing the blades.
"Fine… but I have one rule."
Gnu brightened:
"And that is, madam?"
Fritz echoed eagerly:
"Tell us. We obey."
Lucy pointed at both with exasperation.
"Do. Not. TALK."
Both blades vibrated anxiously, then replied in perfect sync:
"We shall honor your request."
Lucy sighed, picking them up by their hilts.
The moment her fingers closed around them, the air trembled, wind and lightning spiraled together, raising her hair and painting the walls with white and violet fire.
She swung them experimentally; trails of wind and thunder crackled behind every arc.
The swords began to vibrate, preparing a grand pledge of eternal loyalty.
"O mighty master! We are humb—"
CLANG!
Lucy slammed the blades together, sparks exploding between them.
"Rule number one," she said, eyes cold.
"No. Talking."
Gnu and Fritz dimmed with a sad buzz but obeyed.
"Rule number two: if you talk again, I use you both to unclog the office toilet. Clear?"
The swords blinked once in terrified agreement.
"Good," Lucy muttered.
With her new weapons shining in her hands and a feral glint in her eyes, she stepped through the open gate.
Darkness awaited her, alive, pulsing, full of promises and danger.