When Good Loses Its Grip {Grishaverse Big Bang 2021}

Chapter 17

Leoni stared ahead. 

Volcra's corpse lay on a stone slab. Malice writhed, slithering out from his chest. That wasn't what caught Leoni's attention though. What caught her attention was an enormous, green hand latching onto Volcra's chest, that spiralled up the ceiling. Green text read in Zonai script, 'THE LEADER HAS BETRAYED US'. 

Leoni gulped, looking around.Any moment now. She stepped forward. 

Nothing happened. 

One. Two. Three. Leoni walked to the corpse, then stared down at it. "What do we do?" she asked into the silence. 

"I'm glad you asked." 

A very familiar voice had the triforce of wisdom's head snapping up to meet the gaze of the voice's owner. Her breath hitched when a figure with dark eyes and white hair stepped out of the shadows. 

"You," Leoni whispered. 

"Hello, Leoni." The fortune teller took a step towards her. Immediately Dimitri moved in front of Leoni, sword pointed at the fortune teller. 

"Relax, triforce of courage. Two triforce owners are all I need." 

"All you need for what?" Dimitri asked. Leoni grabbed his arm. She froze as her light burst forth, eyes widening. No!

"Dimitri-" 

Suddenly, the Malice that writhed on the ground moved upwards, some of it making its way into Volcra's chest. The green seal that had been holding Volcra down came free. The rest of the Malice slammed into the ceiling and began to push upwards. 

Before Leoni could push Dimitri out of the way, the green light of the seal struck him. Dimitri cried out, shielding his eyes. He stumbled back to the end of the clearing. 

"DIMITRI!" Leoni screamed, rushing towards the knight. She shot light towards him, hoping to save him from the cliff's edge. The princess's power wrapped around Dimitri's waist and pulled him towards her.

Suddenly, there was a sickening crack, and Leoni spun around, hand to her chest. 

Volcra's eyes came alive. His skeleton hissed at her. Then, Malice overtook him, forming his skin. 

In the corner of her eye, Leoni saw the fortune teller flick their wrist. Oh no, she thought, eyes wide. A dragon's roar sounded through the chamber. Before Leoni could turn around, the ground gave way beneath her feet. 

Suddenly, the green hand, the seal itself, grabbed her wrist. Leoni was left there, hanging in the air. 

The fortune teller was watching the scene, a strange smile on her face. From Leoni's viewpoint, she could just see Dimitri sneaking up behind the fortune teller. Before they could teleport away, he grunted and tackled them off the cliff. 

The seal's grip slipped. Leoni's wrist slipped from the seal, and then she was again falling through the air as the clearing crumbled around her. 

Everything felt like it was in slow motion. Leoni screamed. Out of the corner of her eye, the princess saw Dimitri reach his hand out to her as he fell through the air, green glowing power on his fingertips. She shot her arm out, and her light connected with Dimitri's. 

As Leoni and Dimitri neared the ground, everything went white.