Evolution begins with an ant colony

The church dedicated to Velora loomed before Kaldarix and Mellin, an imposing structure of dark stone and stained glass. The towering spires seemed to reach for the heavens, mocking their fallen kin with each inch. Kaldarix's eyes burned with a cold fire as he approached, his senses sharp, his muscles coiled and ready.

Before they began their massacre, they enveloped the church in an illusion barrier, one that would make the structure appear normal and prevent sounds from leaking out as they wreaked chaos.

Mellin, standing by his side, felt a chill run down her spine, but it wasn't the familiar feeling of her frost magic. It was the weight of their mission. They had spoken of vengeance, plotted it, but now it was here, real and about to unfold. She drew a deep breath, as she hardened her resolve.

As they neared the entrance, two knights in gleaming armor stepped forward, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords. Their eyes, hidden behind visors, sparked with suspicion. "Halt!" one of them yelled. "State your business!"

Kaldarix chose to remain silent. In that instant, he lifted his hand, outstretching his palm towards them. Suddenly, the ground erupted, and molten gold floated up to the surface and hovered in the air before solidifying into golden spikes. With a sudden burst of speed, they shot forward, impaling the knights in their chests through their armor.

They barely had time to react before the spikes were pulled back, their bodies collapsing to the ground along with their shattered chest plates, bleeding.

Mellin moved in sync with him, her hands drawing magic spell patterns in the air. Frost formed at her fingertips, spreading out in a mist that covered the remaining knights rushing toward them. With a flick of her wrist, the mist solidified into icy shards that pierced through their armor, freezing their blood and shattering their bones.

The sound of cracking ice and flesh filled the air as the knights fell, their bodies lifeless on the cold ground.

Meanwhile in the church, the silence was broken only by the quiet murmurs of prayer.

Suddenly, the doors banged open, and the priests and priestess turned in shock, their eyes widening in disbelief.

"What's happening?" one of the priests exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear.

"Who dares to disturb our sanctuary?" another cried out, his hands tightening around his holy symbol.

The priestess gasped, their faces pale as they realized the gravity of the situation.

"Are those... intruders?" one whispered, her voice barely audible above the chaos unfolding around them.

Panic spread like wildfire through the church as the reality of the situation sunk in. With wide eyes and racing hearts, they braced themselves for whatever horrors awaited them.

Kaldarix wasted no time. He raised both arms, and from the ground, thick, golden spikes erupted, piercing through the stone floor and skewering the priests where they stood. The church's ancient stone floor cracked and shattered under the force, sending debris flying. Blood sprayed the walls, mingling with the flickering candlelight and staining the sacred tapestries.

One priest, standing before the altar, began to chant a spell, his voice trembling with fear. "Oh goddess, grant me strength so—" he pleaded, his voice quivering.

"Your prayers will not reach your goddess," Mellin interrupted him. She extended her hand, and a burst of frost surged forward, encasing the priest in a block of ice. The cold seeped into the air, causing the wooden benches to creak and the stone walls to glisten with frost.

"P-please, no!" the priest cried, his breath fogging the ice as he shivered in terror.

Mellin stepped closer, her blue dragon eyes cold, glowing intensely with her mana. "Your god cannot save you," she said. With a single touch, she clenched her fist and shattered the frozen priest into a million pieces, his body exploding in a shower of icy fragments that scattered across the altar and floor.

The remaining knights within the church rallied, their swords drawn, faces wearing grim expressions. "Form a line! Protect the altar!" one knight commanded.

"Stand your ground!" another shouted.

Kaldarix and Mellin kept moving forward, their attacks blending seamlessly. Kaldarix gestured, and a wall of golden spikes shot forward, impaling the first line of knights. The spikes tore through the ornate stone pillars and carved intricate patterns into the walls, leaving a trail of destruction.

"Retreat! Fall back!" one of the surviving knights yelled, desperation in his voice as he swung his sword.

But Mellin was already behind them. "There's no escape," she said coldly. She conjured a storm of frost, the temperature dropping rapidly. Ice formed on their blades, freezing their hands to the hilts. The cold permeated the air, causing the stained glass windows to crack and the floor to become slick with frost.

"My hands! I can't move them!" one knight screamed, panic rising in his voice.

Mellin kicked him in the chest with frost-infused mana. "Too late for regrets," she muttered as he crashed into the wall, his frozen body shattering on impact. The icy shards embedded themselves in the walls and floor, adding to the church's devastation.

"Oh goddess save us," another knight whispered, backing away.

"No one will save you," Kaldarix said, his voice echoing through the church as more golden spikes erupted from the ground, the spikes demolished the knight.

Kaldarix spun, his hands molding the golden metal into a massive hammer. He swung it with brute force, crushing more knights and priests alike. The sound of bones breaking under the weight of gold echoed through the air, mingling with the cries of the dying. The hammer's impact shattered wooden benches, splintering the wood and sending shards flying.

Statues and relics toppled, crumbling under the slaughter.

"Is this all Velora's chosen can muster?" Kaldarix taunted, his voice dripping with disdain. "Pathetic."

Mellin followed closely, her hands weaving through the air as she created deadly frost whips. They lashed out with a crack, slicing through armor and flesh. Each strike left her enemies frozen in mid-scream, their bodies shattering into icy fragments that littered the stone floor.