Free Web NovelChapter 40: Chapter 40- Shackles
Chapter 40- Shackles
"Now the fight seems more equal." The man said with a crazed grin on his face. "After all, you didn’t say I can’t bring my friends with me."
The chief clenched his teeth as he stepped back. All around him, the fire spawns started marching in unison toward him. Their bodies swayed left and right as if they were infants trying to learn how to walk. They look clumsy and stupid, like dolls being controlled by someone.
However, that idea quickly faded when they suddenly sprang into motion and dashed forward at immense speed, taking the two by surprise. The waves of fire spawned attacked from every angle.
"Dammit!" Cipha cursed under her breath as she unleashed her sword and swiped her lightning power all over the blade before she slashed with it, cutting one of the spawns before it could attack. The fire dissipated, and embers of it fell on her shirt, almost burning through her skin. Cipha quickly killed the fire before it could spread as she found herself being attacked from every angle.
Using her sword, she dashed forward, slicing through two as she tried to get out of the trap. However, she found herself overwhelmed instantly.
’There are too many!’ She thought as she dodged one of the spawns as it stretched its hand to catch her. Then, she quickly turned around and sliced another one’s head off. However, several more were attacked. Cipha tried to get out of the way, but one of them was able to grab her arm.
"Agh!" She groaned in immense pain as she felt the burning fire wrap around her flesh. So, she quickly kicked the monster away and stabbed it in the chest. "Hah... Hah... Shit."
Looking at her arm, a massive burn was visible. It was so bad that her skin started visibly melting. She cursed and looked up at the army that was about to attack her. She was completely surrounded.
But she clenched her teeth and stood up. Then, using her sword, she started cutting everything that came close to her. Her arms moved wildly around. She didn’t care what was in her path.
’I have to get out of this, or I will be burned alive!’ She cursed. ’But, I can’t. Every time I kill one of these, another one attacks me!’
*Swish*
As she tried to cut a path through, another monster was able to dodge her flurry of attacks and grabbed her shoulder, burning through her clothes with ease. Cipha quickly tried to push him away. But another grabbed her foot. Each touch felt so hellishly painful that Cipha felt like she was going to lose her mind.
Cursing under her breath, she panickedly looked for a way out. The monsters were approaching, and the temperature around her rose to horrifying degrees. She felt every part of her body burning, and even the air hurt her lungs when she tried to breathe.
"Shit, shit, shit..." She cursed as she tried to counter this march. Using her lightning, she sent electric currents through the waves of monsters, killing a few with ease. However, it didn’t change much about her fate.
Cipha quickly found herself under the burning touches of the monsters. They all extended their arms to grab her while she tried to protect her vitals with her arms as she crouched down. Her skin was burning horrendously.
At that moment, under the burning fire, Cipha could only clench her teeth. She couldn’t even think properly. Even the thought of death didn’t come to her mind from the sheer pain.
She stared through the green fire into the outside world as her eyes grew hazy. It was all coming to an end. She didn’t feel anything but pain in every inch of her body.
However, as that pain increased and turned into numbness and as escape became more and more far-fetched, she suddenly saw a silhouette emerge out of the green fire. The silhouette carved a path through the fire as it approached her rapidly.
’Huh?’
"Cipha!!"
A familiar voice spoke to her that instantly snapped her back to reality as she felt someone pick her up and leap in the air.
"Cipha! Are you ok?! Can you hear me?!"
"Zen?" She muttered as she looked up just to see his face staring back at her. The temperature had dropped rapidly, and the cold air hit her body, cooling her down.
"The situation is completely out of control."
Landing outside of the circle of fire spawns, Zen dashed into the distance, trying to create some space. Luckily, he was much faster than the spawns even when they were very fast themselves. After running for a while, he finally stopped and put Cipha down.
Checking her condition, his face became grim. ’She suffered severe burns in almost every part of her body. This is really bad.’ He cursed before he turned around and then tore his shirt off.
"We need to stop the bleeding for now." He said as he wrapped pieces of the shirt around the most gruesome injuries.
"You can’t move from here. I will take care of this matter." Zen said.
"Huh? No, I won’t let you fight alone."
"You are injured, Cipha. You can’t do that."
"No," Cipha replied. "I can still fight. These burns won’t stop me."
"You will die, for god’s sake!" Zen snapped when he heard her. That took her by surprise, and a second after, Zen also realized what he had done before he looked away. "Listen, you can’t fight. You will only put your life at risk. I have a plan to take him down."
"..." Cipha looked at him. "The only way you could stop me from going back there is if you knock me out. So, do it."
"Huh?"
"Hit me as hard as you can and knock me out."
"..."
"If you can’t, then don’t pretend that you can just fight him on your own. I know you can’t." She said with a cold look on her face. "I have dedicated my life to this, and I don’t plan to run or hide just because it hurts. If I can help in any way, then let me help. That would be far more bearable than running like a coward."
Staring into her eyes, all Zen could see was a burning fire... One so deep that it shook him to the core. He had forgotten for a moment who he was talking to. This was Cipha Heavensoul, one of the strongest Hunters to ever live and someone who changed the world forever with her own hands.
Even if she was his wife and the person he loved the most, he can’t just stop her from doing what she dedicated her life to. He knew more than anyone else that this was a matter of life or death for her.
Clenching his teeth. ’Zen, you idiot. What are you even trying to do? This isn’t how you protect her. Not by shackling her and stopping her from fighting. I’m only ruining everything right now.’
"I’m sorry... It’s just..."
"I know," Cipha replied. "I don’t want you to die either."
"..."
"So let’s do this as a team. We either win or go out together." She said as she stretched her hand to grab his. Zen looked at it, his eyes flashing with a myriad of emotions, before he nodded his head and pulled her up. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
"So, what’s your plan?"
