The Chamber of the Ultimate Lizard General
The group stepped into the dark chamber, their footsteps echoing ominously. The air was thick with tension, and the dim light from Lydia's glowing staff barely illuminated the space. At the center of the room stood the Ultimate Lizard General, a towering, menacing figure covered in jagged green scales that shimmered like polished stone. In its clawed hand, it held a massive, obsidian-like sword that seemed to radiate malevolent energy.
It turned to face them, its golden eyes narrowing with a predatory gleam.
Aaron's voice cut through the silence, steady yet filled with warning. "Stay on your guard. This one's different."
Without a word, the General roared and charged, the ground trembling beneath its weight.
The General swung its colossal sword with lightning speed, aiming to cleave them all in one strike. Livia leapt forward, meeting the blade with her Zeren Sword. Sparks erupted as metal clashed against metal, the sheer force of the blow pushing her back a few steps.
Livia grit her teeth. "It's strong—no holding back!"
The others scattered, taking positions.
- Claudia vanished into the shadows, reappearing behind the General to strike with her kunai. The blade pierced its scales, but the creature twisted, slamming her into the wall with its tail.
- Liam charged forward, crafting a massive war hammer mid-stride. He swung with all his might, the weapon connecting with the General's side. The impact staggered it briefly, but it barely flinched.
- Aaron, daggers in hand, summoned a radiant Metra spirit that enveloped him in a golden aura. Light surged from his blades as he darted in, slashing at the creature's legs.
The General roared, raising its sword and slamming it into the ground. A shockwave of earth erupted, jagged spikes shooting out in all directions.
Livia's voice rang out as she sprinted back. "Move!"
The group scattered again, narrowly avoiding the deadly spikes. Lydia stumbled, her staff clattering to the ground as she scrambled to keep up.
The General snarled, lifting its free hand. Its scales began to shimmer unnaturally, and with a sharp motion, it fired razor-sharp scales in every direction.
Livia dove forward, her Zeren Sword flashing in the dim light as she deflected the projectiles aimed at Lydia with precise, rapid strikes.
"Stay behind me!" Livia commanded.
Claudia, still in the shadows, managed to evade most of the scales, appearing briefly to deliver swift strikes to the General's back. Her movements were quick but becoming more frantic.
"It's defenses are insane! I can barely cut through!" Claudia muttered, frustration creeping into her voice.
Aaron shouted over the noise, his voice determined. "If we keep the pressure, it'll crack!" His Metra-powered blades surged as he unleashed a flurry of light-infused strikes at the General's legs.
The General roared again, slamming its sword into the ground and causing the chamber to shake violently. A massive fissure opened, and Liam lost his footing.
Before he could recover, the General lunged, its obsidian sword flashing. The strike cleaved through Liam's leg, blood spraying across the chamber as Liam let out a piercing scream.
"Liam!" Livia's voice rang out, panic creeping in.
She rushed to intercept the General's follow-up strike, their blades clashing in a blinding display of skill. Livia parried and countered with rapid, precise slashes, forcing the creature back. Her movements were fluid, each strike a masterful blend of offense and defense.
Meanwhile, Lydia hurried to Liam's side, her staff glowing as she summoned healing Metra to patch his wound.
"Stay with me, Liam! Don't close your eyes!" Lydia urged, her voice trembling with the strain.
But the General wasn't done. With a guttural growl, it fired another volley of scales. Claudia, still reeling from her earlier impact, couldn't dodge in time. The scales tore through her arms, severing them at the elbows.
"A-Aaron…!" Claudia gasped, her breath shallow. She collapsed, blood pooling around her as Aaron rushed to her side, his Metra aura flickering.
"Aaron!" she managed, gasping for air.
Aaron's voice was filled with urgency as he dropped to his knees beside her. "Lydia, help her!"
Lydia hesitated, torn between helping Liam and Claudia, but knew she had to act fast.
As chaos erupted around her, Livia became a whirlwind of motion. The Zeren Sword glowed brilliantly in her hands, cutting through the scales the General launched at her. She weaved between its attacks, each movement calculated and precise.
With a sudden surge of energy, Livia lunged forward, her blade slicing deep into the General's side. It howled in pain, but its retaliation was swift. It swung its sword horizontally, the force behind it enough to shatter the walls of the chamber.
"Aaron, keep Lydia safe!" Livia shouted as she pushed forward.
"What about you?" Aaron asked, his voice strained.
"Just do it!" Livia's voice was firm, her eyes locked on the General as she prepared for another round of brutal combat.
Despite Livia's efforts, one of the General's stray attacks found its mark. A massive chunk of earth erupted beneath Lydia, throwing her into the air. She crashed hard, blood trickling from her mouth as her staff rolled away.
"A-Aaron…" she whispered weakly, her breath shallow and ragged.
Aaron's eyes widened in horror as he sprinted to her side, but it was too late. Her breathing was slow, shallow, and her eyes barely opened. She reached out weakly, her voice barely a whisper.
"I'm sorry… I couldn't… keep up…" Lydia gasped, her hand falling limp as her light faded.
"No…" Aaron's voice cracked, desperation filling his tone. "No!"
With a furious roar, Aaron charged the General, his daggers glowing brighter than ever. The Metra energy surged through him, each strike carving chunks from the creature's armor-like scales.
Livia, now covered in cuts and bruises, fought alongside him. Her Zeren Sword shone with an almost ethereal light as she struck with unmatched precision, targeting the General's weak points.
"It's weakening! Aaron, now!" Livia shouted, her breath ragged but her resolve unshaken.
With a final coordinated attack, Livia drove her sword into the General's chest as Aaron's Metra-infused daggers pierced its neck. The creature let out one last, earth-shaking roar before collapsing, its massive form hitting the ground with a deafening crash.
The chamber fell silent, save for the ragged breaths of the survivors. Aaron dropped to his knees beside Lydia's lifeless body, his hands trembling.
Livia, bloodied but standing, surveyed the scene. Liam lay unconscious, his leg severed. Claudia was barely alive, her arms gone.
Aaron's voice was strained with pain and sorrow. "We won… but at what cost?"
Livia tightened her grip on the Zeren Sword, her expression hardening. " Wait this isn't over? The Ainslif is still active."
The chamber crumbled around them, dust and debris falling from the ceiling. Aaron's gaze was fixed on his fallen comrades, but the pain in his chest intensified with every second. His tears welled up, a river of sorrow he could no longer contain.
Claudia had been crushed by a falling brick, her body motionless beneath the rubble. Her once-quick reflexes had been too slow to save her. Blood pooled beneath her, and her arms were no longer a part of her body.
Liam... Liam had been a pillar of strength, but now his life force was draining away, his face pale from the blood he lost. As he raised his arm, struggling to speak, Aaron's heart clenched.
Liam's voice was faint, but filled with meaning. "Make sure you survive, my friend…"
Before he could finish, the air above him split with a sharp crack, and a massive stone fell, crushing Liam's head with a sickening sound. His body went limp, lifeless.
Aaron's breath hitched as he let out a strangled cry. His body trembled as he looked at his fallen friends. The world seemed to close in around him, the walls of the chamber pressing tighter and tighter. His tears flowed freely now, his chest heaving with raw, agonizing grief.
"Why? Why did this have to happen?" Aaron choked, his voice raw with pain.
"We were so close! We were supposed to make it through together... They were all I had. They were the only family I had left, and now they're gone... All because of this damned Ainslif!"
Livia stood at his side, her face stone cold, but her eyes betrayed the guilt gnawing at her. She had known this would happen, she had sensed the danger from the start. But she had never spoken up. She had let them in, let them take part in something she knew was far too dangerous for them.
In her mind, guilt spiraled. *I let them in. I didn't stop them. I was so selfish, thinking I could handle this on my own. And look what happened... They're dead, all of them, because of me...*
Aaron's voice cut through her spiraling thoughts, sharp and filled with venom.
"If they're dead, then there's no point in me living..." His words were laced with bitterness. "And Livia, it's your boyfriend's fault. If only he had helped... If only he had been here, this wouldn't have happened. But... I thank you, at least, for your help."
Livia's heart clenched at the mention of Ichio, but before she could respond, Aaron raised his dagger. The light in his eyes had dimmed, replaced by an emptiness that made her heart ache.
"Goodbye, Livia. It's over. I'm sorry. I can't keep going on... I have nothing left."
With that, he slashed the dagger across his own throat. Blood poured from the wound as Aaron crumpled to the ground, his body spasming. The life quickly drained from him, and Livia froze, the weight of his words and actions hitting her like a tidal wave. She reached out, but it was too late. He was gone.
Livia collapsed to her knees, her chest heaving as the world around her blurred. The guilt, the grief, it was all too much. She was alone now, and the thought of facing Ichio, of explaining everything, seemed unbearable.
Meanwhile, in Alcyn, Ichio sitting in one of the rooms in the inn, his hands working meticulously on a new gun, the steady click of the tools a calming rhythm. But then, a familiar voice broke through his concentration.
"Master, something has happened," Nyx said, urgency in his voice.
Ichio looked up, brow furrowing. "What? Did they finally make a move?"
"No, master," Nyx replied, his tone urgent. "I think you should go and find the mistress. She is in a lot of trouble. If you don't hurry, she might end up taking her life. I can smell it, master. She's having thoughts she shouldn't be having. If this continues, she may end everything."
Ichio's heart skipped a beat.
"Where is she?"
"Go east, master. You will find her in the ruin forest."
Without another word, Ichio set down the gun and rushed out of the inn, his mind racing with worry. He had to get to her before it was too late.
[I was listening to 'Die with a smile' when I was reading this]
CHAPTER END.