The cavernous chamber pulsed with an unholy rhythm, the void-carved walls throbbing like a living heart. King Soris clutched the sword, its hilt warm and humming in his grip, as if it recognized him—or rejected him. The blade's faint glow cast jagged shadows across his blood-streaked armor, and the weight of his father's legacy pressed heavier than the steel in his hand. Behind him, the monstrous guardian loomed, its gelatinous form writhing with countless tendrils, each tipped with a sapphire eye that burned with malevolent hunger.

"Keep it distracted!" Soris bellowed, his voice echoing over the chaos. His knights, battered but resolute, tightened their formation, shields raised against the lashing tendrils. The succubi, uneasy allies for the moment, darted through the air, their claws slashing at the creature's amorphous bulk. Mirelle D'Agraval hovered above, her crimson eyes blazing with a mix of fury and fear.

"You dare touch that sword, mortal?" Mirelle's voice cut through the din, sharp as her claws. She dove, slicing through a tendril that lunged for Soris, her wings kicking up a gust that rattled his armor. "It's not yours to wield! It belongs to the Otherworld!"

"Then why are you so afraid?" Soris shot back, ducking as another tendril whipped past his head. He gripped the sword tighter, its energy coursing through his veins like fire. "If it's yours, come take it!"

Mirelle snarled, her wings flaring. "Fool! You'll doom us all!" She spun midair, her claws raking across the guardian's surface, drawing a guttural roar that shook the chamber. The creature's eyes swiveled, locking onto her, and a dozen tendrils surged upward, forcing her to twist away in a blur of motion.

From the shadows, Shennong's voice rose, frantic and edged with desperation. "Sasa, no! You weren't supposed to awaken like this!" He stood at the chamber's edge, his tattered cloak blending with the pulsing walls. His hands glowed faintly, tracing arcane symbols in the air, but the magic flickered, unstable. "Soris, you idiot! The sword's power is feeding it!"

"What did you do, Shennong?" Soris roared, sidestepping a tendril that slammed into the ground, cracking the stone. He glanced at the pedestal, now empty, the sword's absence leaving a void that seemed to pull at the air itself. "You planned this, didn't you? To drag us all into this hell!"

"I planned for control!" Shennong snapped, his voice cracking as he dodged a tendril that grazed his shoulder. "The sword was supposed to bind Sasa, not unleash it! You've ruined everything!"

"Bind it?" Mirelle laughed, bitter and mocking, as she tore through another tendril, black ichor spraying across her wings. "You mortals and your arrogance! You thought you could tame a guardian of the Otherworld? It's devouring us!"

"Enough!" Soris shouted, his patience fraying. He raised the sword, its blade flaring with a light that stung his eyes. "If this thing wants the sword, it'll have to go through me!" He charged forward, slashing at a tendril that lunged for a knight. The blade cut cleanly, the severed limb dissolving into a puddle of shimmering goo. The guardian roared, its eyes blazing brighter, and the chamber shook violently, dust raining from the ceiling.

"My king!" a knight cried, his spear embedded in the creature's side. "It's not slowing down!" Another tendril wrapped around his leg, yanking him off his feet. He screamed, clawing at the ground as the guardian dragged him toward its maw—a churning vortex of liquid darkness at its center.

"Hold on!" Soris yelled, sprinting toward the knight. He swung the sword, severing the tendril, but more surged in its place. The knight scrambled back, pale and trembling. "Form ranks! Protect the wounded!"

The knights rallied, their shields locking into a tight wall, but the guardian's attacks were relentless. Tendrils lashed out, smashing shields and tossing men like ragdolls. The succubi fared little better—Mirelle's sisters screeched as they were caught, their wings pinned by the creature's grip. One succubus fell, her body dissolving into ash as the guardian's touch drained her essence.

"This is madness!" a knight stammered, his shield trembling. "What is this thing?"

"It's Sasa," Shennong muttered, his voice barely audible over the chaos. He backed toward the wall, his eyes darting to the sword in Soris's hand. "My creation… my mistake. It was meant to guard the rift, not become it."

"Your creation?" Mirelle snarled, landing beside Soris, her claws dripping with ichor. "You built this abomination? For what? Power? Glory?" She gestured at the writhing guardian, its form swelling larger, filling the chamber with its oppressive presence. "Look at it! It's beyond you!"

Shennong's face twisted, a mix of shame and defiance. "I wanted to harness the Otherworld's power, to bridge our worlds! The sword was the key, but Soris—" He pointed a trembling finger. "You woke it! You broke the balance!"

"Stop bickering!" Soris snapped, his shoulder throbbing where Mirelle's claw had torn through his armor. He could feel the sword's energy pulsing, urging him to act, but its whispers were chaotic, unintelligible. "If this thing's tied to the sword, then we use it. Tell me how, Shennong!"

Shennong hesitated, his eyes flickering with doubt. "The sword… it can seal the rift. But it demands a price. Blood. Will. A life." His gaze locked onto Soris, cold and calculating. "Are you ready to pay it, king?"

Soris's heart sank. His father's face flashed in his mind—his madness, his obsession with the Otherworld, the warnings he'd ignored. "I'll do what I must," he said through gritted teeth. "But I'm not dying here. Not yet."

Mirelle's eyes narrowed. "You're a fool to trust that blade. It's cursed, mortal. It'll consume you, just like it did your father."

"Silence!" Soris roared, his voice raw. "If you want to survive, help me!" He pointed the sword at the guardian, its tendrils now coiling toward the center of the chamber, as if drawn to the pedestal's lingering energy. "We need to drive it back to the rift!"

Mirelle hesitated, her wings twitching. "You're insane," she muttered, but she nodded. "Fine. For now, we fight together. But don't think this makes us allies."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Soris growled, his lips twitching in a grim smile. He turned to his knights. "Hold the line! Buy me time!"

The knights shouted in unison, their spears and swords striking at the guardian's tendrils. The succubi joined the fray, their claws and wings a blur as they tore into the creature. Mirelle took to the air, her voice ringing out. "Sisters, focus on its eyes! Blind it!"

Soris sprinted toward the pedestal, the sword humming in his hand. The rift's glow pulsed brighter, a sickly light spilling from a jagged tear in the chamber's center. The air grew colder, heavier, as if the Otherworld itself were clawing its way through. He could feel the sword's power tugging at him, urging him closer, but doubt gnawed at his resolve. What if Shennong's right? What if this costs everything?

"Soris!" Shennong's voice cut through his thoughts. "The rift! Drive the sword into its heart!"

Soris skidded to a halt before the rift, its light blinding. The guardian roared, its tendrils surging toward him. He raised the sword, its blade flaring with a light that burned his eyes. "For Sturgon!" he shouted, plunging the blade into the rift.

A scream tore through the chamber—not human, not demonic, but something ancient and primal. The rift pulsed violently, its light swallowing the sword's glow. The guardian thrashed, its tendrils flailing, smashing against the walls. Knights and succubi alike dove for cover as the chamber shook, stones crumbling from the ceiling.

"What's happening?!" Mirelle shouted, landing beside Soris. Her wings shielded them from falling debris, her eyes wide with panic. "What did you do?"

"I don't know!" Soris yelled, gripping the sword as it vibrated in his hands. The rift's light intensified, and a wave of energy surged through him, memories flooding his mind—his father's laughter, his mother's tears, his own vow to end this curse. "Hold on!"

The guardian's form began to dissolve, its tendrils collapsing into pools of shimmering liquid. Its eyes dimmed, and its roars faded into a low, mournful hum. The rift pulsed one final time, then collapsed in on itself, the light winking out. The sword fell silent in Soris's hand, its warmth gone, leaving only cold steel.

Silence fell, broken only by the groans of the wounded and the panting of survivors. Soris staggered back, his vision swimming. The knights stared, their shields lowered, while the succubi hovered warily, their claws still raised.

"Is it… over?" a knight whispered, his voice trembling.

Soris looked at the sword, its blade dull and lifeless. He glanced at Mirelle, who watched him with a mix of suspicion and exhaustion. "For now," he said, his voice hoarse. "But this isn't the end."

Shennong stepped forward, his face pale. "You sealed the rift… but the Otherworld won't forget this. The sword's power—"

"Enough," Soris cut him off, his eyes blazing. "You've done enough damage, Shennong. You're coming with me. Sturgon will decide your fate."

Mirelle laughed, sharp and cold. "You think you've won, king? The Otherworld is patient. It'll come for you—and that sword."

Soris met her gaze, unflinching. "Let it try."

As the knights rallied and the succubi retreated into the shadows, Soris felt the weight of the sword in his hand. His dream of breaking it, of freeing himself and Sturgon, seemed further than ever. But for now, he'd survived. And that was enough.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.