Chapter 29 – The Cursed King
After a night of restless sleep, Adrian and Cordelia stood before the final gate — the last threshold between them and the ultimate challenge.
The corridor that led to it felt suffocatingly silent, the air thick with anticipation as if the very walls held their breath. Flickering torches burned with unnatural blue flames, casting twisted shadows that danced eerily across the ancient stone.
"It's… golden," Cordelia whispered, eyes fixed on the massive door forged from pure gold.
Every inch gleamed with divine craftsmanship — intricate carvings of angels locked in battle with monstrous beasts adorned the surface. The symbols pulsed faintly, as though alive, beating like a distant heartbeat from another realm.
Adrian's gaze never wavered. "Whatever's behind this door… it's a whole other level from everything we've faced so far."
A heavy silence fell between them. Then Adrian's voice cracked, a rare tremor betraying his usual calm.
"I'm scared," he admitted quietly. "We barely survived the last fights… and this one will be worse."
His hands trembled, the weight of the looming battle pressing down on his chest heavier than any armor.
Cordelia reached out, her fingers warm as they clasped his. Her smile was soft, steadying.
"Together," she said. "Just like always."
Adrian met her gaze, drawing courage from her calm. He inhaled deeply, tightened his grip, and placed both hands on the gate. It was cold and smooth beneath his palms.
With a roar of effort, he pushed.
A deep rumble echoed through the chamber as the golden gate swung open.
Inside, a familiar sight awaited: a spiraling staircase bathed in golden light, more magnificent and imposing than the ones before. Each step glimmered faintly beneath their feet, as if responding to their presence.
They climbed in silence, breath slow and steady. Every footfall felt like the ticking of a countdown — to fate, to destiny.
The chamber at the top was vast beyond words.
A colossal golden throne dominated the center, surrounded by shattered pillars and murals worn almost to oblivion by time. Seated there was the king of the castle.
Unlike the monsters before, he retained a human form — yet his skin was deathly pale, streaked with dark blue veins that twisted like cursed tattoos. His eyes were voids of lifelessness yet burned with bitter malice. His face, almost human, radiated a suffocating, malevolent presence that left no doubt: this was a monster beyond imagining.
Cordelia's chest tightened under the crushing spiritual pressure. Her breath hitched.
"Adrian…" she whispered, voice trembling. "His power… it's off the charts. He's on the brink of the Heroic Realm."
Adrian swallowed hard, eyes locked on the cursed king.
"I knew he'd be strong… but this is insane."
In a blink, the king vanished from his throne.
Suddenly, he materialized in front of Adrian, his grip crushing as he seized Adrian's face and hurled him across the chamber. Adrian slammed into the wall with bone-shattering force — the stone cracking beneath him.
The impact echoed like thunder.
Cordelia gasped, instinctively reaching for a spell — but a brutal kick to her gut sent her flying before she could even react. She coughed up blood as her body slammed against the opposite wall, collapsing onto the cold floor.
Adrian slid down the cracked wall, blood dripping from his lips. Pain surged through every fiber of his body. His vision blurred.
"I didn't even see him move... Is the gap really this huge?"
A sickening thud drew his attention. Cordelia was thrown against the wall again, her body bouncing with a sickening crack.
"CORDELIA!" Adrian screamed, desperation fueling his broken limbs as he forced himself upright.
The king sneered, amused.
"I expected the one chasing Jesus' legacy to be stronger… not two weaklings like you."
Cordelia struggled to stand, knees trembling but refusing to give way. Blood stained her lips.
"Who… are you?" she gasped.
The monster laughed — a deep, chilling sound that seemed to freeze the very air.
"Forgive my manners… I am the king of this castle."
With a surge of resolve, Adrian lunged from behind, sword clenched tightly. He poured every ounce of his remaining strength into a surprise strike.
The king dodged with effortless grace, then delivered a crushing kick to Adrian's chest, sending him crashing once more.
"AAARGH!" Adrian grunted, wind knocked out of him. Cordelia caught him before he hit the ground, her hands shaking under his weight.
"Are you alright?" she asked, eyes wide at the blood covering him.
He nodded weakly, wincing in pain.
The king's disdainful gaze swept over them.
"Interrupting my tale… how rude. Next time, you won't hear a word before you die."
His steps echoed slowly through the golden chamber as he continued, voice heavy with bitterness and ancient sorrow.
"As I said… I am the king of this castle. When Jesus began protecting humanity, kingdoms finally flourished. I was chosen among those kings."
His eyes dropped, lost in haunted memories.
"But when I saw beings with immortal power beyond comprehension, envy poisoned my heart. Why did they have such power… and I could not?"
Madness flickered in his eyes as he clenched his fists.
"In desperation, the Great Lord of Hell appeared. He offered me absolute power… in exchange for guarding this legacy. To prevent anyone from ever reaching it."
A thick, black smoke of aura swirled around him — a storm of whispers and agonized screams.
"And now that you know the truth… none leave this place alive."
With deadly intent, the king advanced.
The final battle had begun.
---
---