Chapter 27 – Soldiers and the General
Adrian stood before the towering fortress, cloaked in a dark aura that pulsed with ancient, malevolent power. The black castle loomed like a monument to despair, its three colossal gates stretching skyward as if holding back the heavens themselves.
"What do you think?" Adrian asked, eyes fixed on the structure.
Cordelia narrowed her gaze. "It feels like a trap. Each gate… it's not just an entrance. It's a trial."
Above them, a swirling vortex of darkness spun atop the tower, exuding a pressure that made the air itself feel heavy.
Adrian clenched his fists. "Even if the strongest presence is up there, the ones guarding the path won't go down easily."
Cordelia activated her divine possession. Her body radiated with sacred light, her hair flowing as if caught in an unseen wind.
"From this point on, there's no turning back," she said. "Once those gates close behind us, it's either victory… or the end."
Adrian took a deep breath, then nodded. "Let's end this."
They approached the first gate. Adrian braced himself and shoved it with both arms. The ancient wood groaned in protest, but eventually gave way, revealing a shadowed corridor ahead.
They stepped into silence.
"No monsters?" Cordelia asked cautiously, scanning the darkness.
Adrian pointed upward. "There. A spiral staircase."
Step by step, they ascended. The metallic clang of their boots echoed through the void until they reached the upper chamber—and the nightmare awaiting them.
A legion of armored monstrosities stood ready. Dozens of dark knights lined the room, their soulless visors locked on the intruders. At the center, towering above them, stood the general—twice as tall, his armor jagged like blades, a greatsword crackling with shadow in his hand.
Behind him loomed the second gate.
Adrian stepped forward. "If we want to reach the next floor, we'll have to go through all of them."
Cordelia gritted her teeth. "Then let's make it count."
Adrian launched himself forward.
"Sonic Punch!"
His fist tore through the air with thunderous force. A shockwave exploded outward, obliterating ten enemies in a single blow.
Cordelia followed, radiant with fury.
"Kick of the Divine Lamb!"
Her foot struck the ground, sending a golden pulse across the floor. Twenty knights shattered in mid-charge, their armor flying in molten fragments.
"How many left?!" Adrian shouted, dodging a sword blazing with black fire.
"Seventy!" Cordelia called back, flipping over a spear's thrust.
Adrian launched into the air, twisting in a tight spiral.
"Sonic Guillotine!"
He slammed down like a falling meteor, his heel generating a sonic blade that split the room in two, leveling the ground beneath.
Cordelia used the chaos as cover, sprinting between enemies with glowing fists.
"Punch of the Divine Ram!"
She struck the floor with both hands. A pillar of radiant energy erupted, vaporizing the knights around her in a halo of golden light.
Then—silence.
Adrian's eyes narrowed. "Where's the general—?"
A shadow moved behind him.
The greatsword fell like divine judgment.
"Damn it… I won't dodge in time—"
He threw his fist up instinctively.
"Sonic Punch!"
The collision echoed like thunder. The force flung Adrian across the chamber, smashing him through two pillars before he crashed into the wall.
Cordelia spun at the sound.
"Adrian!"
He staggered to his feet, coughing. "That thing… he's on a different level. Last time, we only beat him with a direct strike."
He called out, "Cordelia! Keep him busy!"
Without hesitation, she charged the general, weaving through slashes with divine speed. Her blows were relentless, pushing him back—just enough.
Adrian sprinted behind the general, gathering momentum.
"Cordelia, now—MOVE!"
He leapt high into the air and brought his fist down.
"Sonic Quake!"
The ground cracked open beneath the general in a roaring explosion. A fissure spread like a spiderweb, destabilizing the entire chamber.
"Cordelia! Finish it!"
Cordelia's body glowed with blinding energy. She clasped her fists together, her aura blazing like a sun.
"Divine Lamb's Double Strike!"
She dove into the crevice, her strike igniting the core of the quake. Light erupted from within the earth, and a massive shockwave rippled outward, shaking the foundations of the castle.
When the dust settled—the general was no more.
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Gasping for air, Adrian collapsed to one knee.
"That… was brutal," he muttered, trying to catch his breath.
Cordelia dropped beside him, equally exhausted. "I thought my heart was going to explode..."
They laid side by side on the cracked stone floor, staring at the ceiling in silence.
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Scene Change: The Orphanage
Back in the orphanage, Theo and Noa tugged at Maria's sleeve.
"Miss Maria, what's a 'heir'?"
Maria smiled and sat with them, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"A heir is someone who carries the power of ancient legends—those who lived and died performing miracles. With that power… anything is possible."
The children listened wide-eyed as she continued, her voice soft and full of wonder.
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Back at the Castle
Adrian sat up slowly, wincing from the pain.
"We should rest here for a bit."
Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "Here? What if something else comes?"
He gestured to the sealed second gate. "The door hasn't opened yet. That means we still have time. And if we rush into the next fight like this… we'll die."
Cordelia hesitated, then nodded.
"You're right. Let's rest… Then we finish this."
Adrian leaned back and closed his eyes.
"Yeah. Let's end it—together."
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