Chapter 87: The Enemy in the Dark

The creature stood at the entrance of the chamber.

Its massive axe rested against one shoulder.

Behind it...

More figures slowly emerged from the darkness.

One.

Five.

Ten.

Then dozens.

The Black Dragon soldiers tightened their formation.

Steel scraped against leather.

Shields rose.

Darius stepped forward.

"Protect the prisoners."

Kael nodded.

"Nobody breaks formation."

The enormous creature stared at Kael.

"You are different."

Kael's eyes narrowed.

"From what?"

"From the others."

The creature pointed its axe toward the Imperial soldiers trapped inside the cages.

"They came here thinking we were animals."

Its voice was deep.

Measured.

Almost human.

"They attacked first."

Kael glanced at the injured soldier.

"Is that true?"

The soldier slowly nodded.

"We thought they were preparing an attack..."

"We struck first."

The creature's eyes hardened.

"Your soldiers entered our territory."

"They killed three of ours."

"So we took theirs."

Kael looked toward the cages.

"Then why are the villagers here?"

"They were caught between us."

The creature lowered its axe slightly.

"We did not kill them."

Kael studied him.

That wasn't what he expected.

A Dangerous Understanding

Darius leaned toward Kael.

"Commander..."

"I know."

Kael kept his eyes on the creature.

The monster army wasn't behaving like monsters.

They had rules.

They communicated.

They understood territory.

And most importantly...

They were afraid of something.

Kael looked toward the tunnel behind them.

"What are you running from?"

The creature didn't answer.

Kael continued.

"Your people are leaving the mountains."

"You've attacked villages."

"You've captured soldiers."

"Something is forcing you toward Imperial territory."

The creature's expression changed.

For the first time...

Kael saw fear.

Not anger.

Fear.

"There is something beneath the mountain."

The chamber became silent.

"What?"

The creature looked toward the ceiling.

"Something that should have remained asleep."

Suddenly...

A horn echoed from the tunnel.

BOOOOOOM!

The main Imperial soldiers had arrived.

The noble officer from earlier rushed into the chamber with nearly a hundred soldiers behind him.

"Prince Kael!"

He stopped when he saw the creatures.

"Attack!"

His soldiers raised their weapons.

Kael immediately turned.

"WAIT!"

The officer ignored him.

"Those creatures have taken Imperial citizens!"

"They're enemies!"

"Kill them!"

The first arrows flew.

Kael's eyes widened.

"NO!"

He slammed his foot into the ground.

Ice erupted across the stone floor.

CRACK!

The arrows struck the ice barrier and shattered.

The soldiers froze.

The monster warriors raised their weapons.

The chamber was seconds away from becoming a massacre.

Kael stepped between both sides.

"Lower your weapons!"

The noble officer shouted.

"Your Highness, move!"

"No."

"They attacked Imperial soldiers!"

"And your men just attacked again without understanding the situation!"

The officer's face reddened.

"They are monsters!"

Kael's expression hardened.

"And?"

The officer stared.

Kael continued.

"That doesn't make every one of them our enemy."

A few soldiers exchanged uncertain looks.

The officer clenched his fists.

"You are allowing yourself to be deceived."

Kael looked toward the prisoners.

Then toward the wounded Imperial soldier.

Then back at the creature.

"Then let's find out the truth."

The enormous creature slowly lowered his weapon.

"My name is Rokan."

Kael studied him.

"You lead these warriors?"

"Some of them."

"What are you?"

Rokan hesitated.

"An Ironhorn."

Kael had never heard the name.

The system appeared.

System Knowledge Updated

Ironhorn

Classification: Monster

Intelligence: High

Known Habitat: Crimson Highlands

Behavior: Territorial

Current Status:

Mass Migration

Cause:

Unknown

Kael frowned.

"Why are you leaving your territory?"

Rokan looked toward the deepest tunnel.

"Because the mountain is dying."

Kael's expression changed.

"What does that mean?"

"The stone beneath us..."

"...has begun to breathe."

A low vibration suddenly passed through the chamber.

Everyone felt it.

The walls trembled.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

The prisoners screamed.

Rokan looked toward the ground.

"It's awake."

BOOOOOOM!

The entire mountain shook.

A crack appeared across the chamber floor.

Kael immediately grabbed the nearest prisoner.

"Get everyone out!"

Darius shouted.

"Black Dragons!"

"Formation!"

The soldiers moved.

No hesitation.

No panic.

They began escorting the prisoners toward the tunnel.

Rokan's warriors did the same.

For several seconds...

Humans and monsters worked side by side.

The noble officer stared in disbelief.

His soldiers hesitated.

Kael shouted.

"Help them!"

That broke the hesitation.

The Imperial soldiers began moving.

BOOOOOOOOM!

The crack widened.

A burst of dark smoke erupted from beneath the floor.

Kael immediately felt something wrong.

His skin crawled.

The system appeared.

Warning

Unknown Energy Detected.

Source:

Below

Energy Classification:

Demonic

Kael's eyes widened.

"Demonic?"

The word barely left his mouth.

Then the entire chamber went dark.

Not darkness caused by the absence of light.

Something else.

Something unnatural.

The torches extinguished simultaneously.

The shadows on the walls began moving.

The Black Dragon soldiers froze.

Rokan raised his axe.

"What is that?"

Kael didn't answer.

He couldn't.

Because he could feel it.

Something beneath them was waking up.

Something that wasn't supposed to be here.

The others began retreating.

Kael stayed behind.

Darius turned.

"Commander!"

"Get them out!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

"That's an order."

Darius hesitated.

Kael looked toward the darkness.

"I'll catch up."

Darius finally obeyed.

"Everyone move!"

The soldiers disappeared into the tunnel.

Kael stood alone.

His sword remained in his hand.

The darkness surrounded him.

Then...

A creature emerged.

It wasn't enormous.

It wasn't armored.

It looked almost human.

But its body was covered in black veins.

Two curved horns emerged from its forehead.

Its eyes glowed crimson.

Kael felt an overwhelming pressure.

The creature smiled.

"Human."

Kael raised his sword.

"You're the reason they're running."

The creature laughed.

"No."

"I am the reason..."

"...they're afraid."

It disappeared.

Kael barely reacted in time.

CLANG!

A claw struck his sword.

The impact sent him sliding backward.

His boots carved trenches into the stone.

The creature appeared again.

Kael ducked.

A claw passed over his head.

He stepped forward.

Slash.

The creature twisted away.

Kael followed.

Second slash.

Third.

The demon blocked all three.

Kael jumped backward.

His breathing remained controlled.

"Fast."

The creature smiled.

"You are stronger than the others."

Kael tightened his grip.

"Good."

Night Aura ignited around his legs.

The creature's smile disappeared.

Kael vanished.

BOOM!

He appeared at its side.

His sword struck.

The demon blocked with its forearm.

Kael immediately changed direction.

His left hand opened.

Ice erupted from the ground.

The demon jumped.

Kael followed.

Light exploded beneath his feet.

He accelerated upward.

Sword raised.

The demon twisted in midair.

Their weapons collided.

CLANG!

The shockwave shattered several ancient stones.

Both landed.

Kael slid backward.

The demon landed perfectly.

Kael breathed slowly.

Ice formed around his sword.

Then Light.

Then a faint layer of Night Aura.

Three powers.

One weapon.

His body trembled from the strain.

But this time...

He didn't force them together.

He layered them.

Carefully.

Controlled.

The demon charged.

Kael stepped forward.

Their blades collided.

Kael redirected the strike.

Night Aura accelerated his movement.

Ice reinforced his footing.

Light sharpened his vision.

Blood magic formed silently beneath his sleeve.

One drop.

Two.

Three.

The demon didn't notice.

Kael waited.

Then—

He snapped his fingers.

Blood needles erupted from the ground behind the demon.

The creature turned too late.

SHNK!

Several needles pierced its back.

The demon roared.

Kael attacked immediately.

Slash.

The demon blocked.

Kael rotated.

Elbow.

Knee.

Sword.

Ice.

Light.

Every movement connected.

He wasn't simply throwing attacks.

He was forcing the demon into the position he wanted.

The demon finally broke away.

Blood poured from its back.

It looked at Kael differently now.

"You..."

"...learn quickly."

Kael's breathing was heavier.

"So do you."

The demon smiled.

Then the mountain shook again.

Much harder.

The demon looked downward.

For the first time...

It looked afraid.

"It is too late."

Kael frowned.

"What?"

The demon began retreating into the darkness.

Kael stepped forward.

"Wait!"

The creature smiled.

"You wanted to know what was driving the monsters away?"

Its crimson eyes glowed.

"Look beneath you."

The floor suddenly collapsed.

Kael's eyes widened.

CRAAAAASH!

He fell into darkness.

Far below...

Something enormous opened its eyes.

And somewhere above...

The entire Crimson Highlands began to tremble.