Free Web NovelChapter 138: Aid From An Unlikely Source (1)
As Shinon plunged the Blade of Chaos into the Queen’s vulnerable form, a surge of energy pulsed through her body and then all around her.
"Rest in pieces."
The stolen skill, Queen’s Cry, had served its purpose, but its effects were now dissipating. As the Queen uttered a final scream, the connection between her and the insectoids was severed.
Suddenly, a shock wave washed over Shinon as he realised the swarm of insectoids surrounding them began to wither and die.
Once united under his command, the insectoids perished as their connection to the Queen was severed. Their life force extinguished, and they crumbled to the ground, their demise mirroring the fate of their fallen leader.
Gasping for breath, Shinon stumbled backwards, his strength waning. He had pushed himself beyond his limits, and as such, he had to pay the penalty for it.
"Fuck... every part of my body hurts..." Shinon mumbled, stretching his neck. "Let’s get Lova and get the fuck out of here before the undead catch up-"
Shinon might have planned to leave, but fate had something else in his mind when he realised he didn’t receive anything for defeating the Queen or completing the quest.
He quickly brought up his map, only to realise the Queen wasn’t dead. He hadn’t anticipated this outcome, his mind clouded by the illusion of triumph over such a dangerous foe.
The Queen, now free from the irritating swarm, rose to her feet, a malevolent smile etched on her face. As if things couldn’t have gotten any weirder, the Queen began clapping, impressed by Shinon’s wit.
"You almost got me, human. Which is quite a commendable feat, if I must say so." The Queen hissed, her voice dripping with malice. "You might have hijacked my swarm, but they were never yours. As such, I could do whatever I pleased with them... including killing them on my will."
"You killed them!?"
"Sometimes, a mother has to take drastic measures to teach the infants limits to their mischief."
Shinon’s eyes widened in disbelief. The wound he had inflicted upon the Queen, a strike he believed would be her demise, began to close before his eyes. The flesh knit itself together, leaving no trace of the grievous injury he had dealt her.
Shinon stumbled back, his mind unable to process the sight before him. The Queen, her regal form radiating with renewed vitality, approached him with an unsettling grace. Her eyes bore into his, a mix of amusement and malice dancing within them.
The Queen’s laughter echoed through the air. "Oh, how naive you are, Shadowbearer. You thought you could outsmart me, control me. But in the end, it is I who holds the power." freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
Rage burned within Shinon’s chest, but his battered body refused to respond to his will. His muscles trembled with exhaustion, and every attempt to rise felt like a futile struggle against an unyielding force.
The weight of his decision pressed heavily upon him as he cast a weary gaze toward Lova, who lay motionless nearby. A flicker of concern washed over him, but he knew the consequences of leaving her behind.
’Should I abandon her?’ Shinon’s mind wrestled with the dilemma, the logical side tempting him with the allure of self-preservation. ’No... losing half my stats is not worth it.’
In that fleeting moment of contemplation, Shinon’s resolve solidified. Despite his exhaustion, Shinon mustered the last remnants of his strength.
He gripped the Blade of Chaos tightly, ready to face the Queen one last time. His body screamed in protest, but his resolve remained unyielding.
The Queen advanced toward him, her insectoid limbs poised to strike. "You cannot defeat me, Shadowbearer. You are weak and vulnerable. Your defeat is inevitable."
Shinon ignored the Queen’s taunts, focusing solely on his next move. He knew there was no chance he would defeat the Queen like that, but if he was going to die either way, there was something he wanted to try first.
With a burst of shadowy energy, he launched himself at the Queen, his blade aimed at her heart.
But the Queen, her reflexes honed from countless battles, effortlessly dodged his attack. She seized Shinon by the throat, her grip tightening with every passing moment.
"Your resistance is futile," the Queen sneered, her voice laced with cruel delight. "I will end you here and now, and your precious life will crumble before me."
As Shinon’s vision blurred, he felt his strength waning. He couldn’t escape the Queen’s grasp, his body growing weaker by the second. Darkness encroached upon his consciousness, threatening to consume him.
However, a portal opened above the Queen’s head at that moment. Shadowfang, his loyal companion and guardian, had come to his rescue, sinking its fangs deep into the Queen’s hand.
The Queen let out a piercing screech of pain, her grip on Shinon loosening. Gasping for air, Shinon collapsed to the ground, his body aching and battered. He watched as Shadowfang continued its assault on the Queen.
Shadowfang, unrelenting in its attack, bit and tore at the Queen’s insectoid form. With each strike, the Queen’s strength diminished, her once formidable presence crumbling under the onslaught. Shinon knew this was their chance to turn the tides.
"It’s like I suspected... she is weak against Shadow energy!"
Shinon had realised it when Darkwing tore through the Queen’s armour with ease. Now that he had confirmed his hypothesis, he could act on it and hopefully escape.
Summoning his remaining strength, Shinon charged forward, his blade gleaming with a mixture of darkness and determination. He unleashed a barrage of swift and precise strikes, aiming for the Queen’s vulnerable spots with his Shadow-enhanced blade.
However, having drained himself, Shinon had difficulty keeping up with the Queen’s pace. Even with Shadowfang and Darkwing helping him, Shinon knew he was just a mistake away from everything crumbling down.
"Enough!"
With a savage snarl, the Queen seized Shadowfang and Darkwing by their throats, her strength far surpassing their own. Shinon’s companions struggled in her grip, their attempts to break free futile against her grasp.
Shinon’s heart sank as he witnessed the Queen’s display of dominance. Seeing his companions in her clutches ignited a fierce rage within him. He knew he had to act swiftly before the Queen could deliver a fatal blow.
Summoning every ounce of his remaining strength, Shinon lunged at the Queen, his blade poised for a strike. But the Queen, her attention diverted for only a moment, swiftly turned her gaze upon him.
With a cruel grin, the Queen released Shadowfang and Darkwing, sending them crashing. They whimpered in pain before disappearing, having been destroyed by her.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t all, as it seemed the Queen had absorbed their energy to heal herself as she got her vision back as soon as Shinon’s summoned creatures disappeared.
"Finally..." The Queen whispered, staring at her hands.
The next moment, the Queen shot towards Shinon. As the Queen closed in, she launched a flurry of strikes, her insectoid limbs slashing through the air with deadly precision. Shinon met each attack with a desperate counter, his blade deflecting the Queen’s blows with a resounding clash.
However, the Queen’s attack got faster with each strike he deflected. She swiftly overpowered his defences, her strikes landing with devastating force. Shinon staggered under the onslaught, his body battered and bloodied.
With a savage swipe, the Queen sent him sprawling to the ground, his Blade of Chaos slipping from his grasp. Pain seared through his body as the Queen’s sharp mandibles dug into him, her venomous bite threatening to paralyse him.
Shinon gritted his teeth against the agony, his mind racing for a way to turn the tide. He couldn’t let himself be defeated, for defeat meant death.
The Queen’s shrill laughter pierced the air, a chilling symphony of triumph and sadism. She loomed over Shinon, her form towering with grotesque elegance as if relishing in the taste of victory.
"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," the Queen taunted, her voice dripping with venom. "Look at you now, broken and defeated. Your futile resistance was nothing but a pathetic display."
Shinon gritted his teeth, his body battered and his strength waning. He wanted to fight back, but he... couldn’t. It was too much for him now... his body could no longer keep fighting.
The Queen scoffed, her insectoid mandibles clicking with disdain. "Such arrogance in the face of your impending demise. Allow me to put an end to your delusions."
The Queen raised a limb, preparing to deliver a final, decisive blow. But before she could strike, a voice echoed through the air, resonating with an authority that froze even the Queen in her tracks.
"Could you keep your hands away from the young ones?" A familiar rang through the room.
The air crackled with tension as a group of individuals, clad in rugged attire and bearing an air of defiance, approached the scene.
The Queen sneered, her mandibles clacking with disdain. "And who might you be, insignificant mortal?"
"The name’s Widow."
