"Forget the heart!" Adrian shouted, his mind racing as he fought to stay on the creature's back. "Aim for the throat of the goat head! That's its only weak spot!"
Lilith nodded, her focus narrowing as she quickly nocked another arrow.
The Chimera, enraged by the attack, lashed out with renewed fury, the lion's head snapping at Adrian while the serpent tail coiled around his leg, trying to drag him off.
Adrian gritted his teeth, the pressure on his leg intense as the serpent tightened its grip. He slashed at the tail with his sword, the blade sparking as it clashed against the serpent's scales.
The tail recoiled slightly, giving him just enough room to maneuver. He yanked his leg free and sent his fiery chains towards the beast, wrapping them around its legs and pulling tight.
The Chimera roared in fury, trying to shake off the binding chains, but Adrian held firm, digging his heels into the ground as he struggled to keep the beast restrained.
"Now, Lilith!" Adrian shouted, sweat beading on his forehead as he strained against the Chimera's immense strength.
Lilith drew back the bowstring, and an arrow made of pure light appeared, glowing brighter and brighter as she infused it with her energy.
With a steady hand, she aimed for the Chimera's throat, the only place they knew would be vulnerable.
"Hold it steady!" Lilith ordered, her voice sharp as she focused on her target.
Adrian grunted with the effort, his chains glowing brighter as he poured more of his energy into keeping the Chimera still.
The beast thrashed and roared, its three heads snapping and snarling as it fought against its restraints.
With an exhale, Lilith released the arrow, sending it streaking toward the Chimera.
The arrow struck the beast's throat with a blinding flash of light, embedding itself in the soft flesh of the goat's neck.
The Chimera's roar of pain was deafening, the sound echoing off the mountain walls. Black blood spurted from the wound, and for the first time, the creature faltered, its movements growing sluggish.
"Yes!" Lilith exclaimed, hope surging through her as she saw the effect of her shot.
But the victory was short-lived.
The Chimera, enraged by the attack, broke free of Adrian's chains with a powerful surge of strength.
The force of it sent Adrian stumbling back, his grip on his sword faltering as the beast charged at him with renewed fury.
Before he could react, the Chimera's massive paw connected with his chest, flinging him into the air like a ragdoll.
Adrian's world spun as he soared through the air, his body slamming into the rocky wall of the clearing.
He gasped for breath, the impact knocking the wind out of him as he struggled to regain his bearings.
The Chimera's roar echoed in his ears, the sound reverberating through his skull as he fought to stay conscious.
Lilith let out a cry of alarm, her eyes widening in horror as she watched Adrian crash to the ground. "Adrian!" she screamed, her voice tinged with panic as she rushed toward him.
But Adrian wasn't finished yet. Ignoring the pain that shot through his body, he summoned his fiery chains once more, the glowing tendrils shooting out to latch onto the rocky ceiling above.
With a groan of effort, he pulled himself up, using the chains to swing back toward the Chimera.
The beast snarled in surprise as Adrian propelled himself towards it, his sword raised high. He aimed for the Chimera's goat headed throat, hoping to pierce through the wound and strike a fatal blow.
But the creature's snake-headed tail was quicker, snapping up to intercept him.
The serpent's fangs sank into Adrian's arm, the pain searing as the venom burned through his veins. He gritted his teeth against the agony, refusing to let the Chimera gain the upper hand.
Before the Chimera could react, Lilith swung her dagger which was shining bright with her energy and sliced through the snake's head, severing it from the Chimera's body.
The Chimera turned away from Adrian and charges towards Lilith in rage.
Adrian's chains lashed out again, wrapping around the Chimera's limbs in an attempt to hold it back, but the beast's strength was formidable.
It yanked free of the chains, its eyes blazing with fury as it charged at Lilith, its deadly fangs bared.
"Lilith!" Adrian shouted, his heart lurching in fear.
Lilith scrambled to her feet, her daggers back in her hands as she tried to keao out if its way, last minute.
Adrian didn't wait, using the chains as springs, he shot himself towards Lilith, wrapping his hand around her as they made contact, and pushing her out if the way.
Before they hit the ground, he turned mid air and landed on his back, Lilith on top of him. She let out a breathless laugh as she sat up, her legs straddling Adrian's hips.
Her dark eyes sparkled with a mix of mischief and relief, even as the echo of the Chimera's enraged roar filled the air.
She glanced down at Adrian, a teasing smirk playing on her lips as she adjusted her position, her hips pressing down against him in a way that made his heart skip a beat.
"Well, well," Lilith purred, her voice low and sultry, "if you wanted me on top, Adrian, you could have just asked."
Adrian groaned, both from the pain in his back and the way Lilith's playful tone sent a jolt of heat through him.
His hands instinctively moved to her hips, holding her steady as he tried to catch his breath. "This… wasn't exactly the plan, Lilith," he muttered, though there was no real irritation in his voice.
Lilith's grin widened, and she leaned down, her face inches from his. "Plans are overrated," she whispered, her breath warm against his lips. "Besides, I think you're enjoying this more than you'd like to admit."
Adrian felt a flush rise in his cheeks, and he looked away, his heart pounding in his chest.
Lilith had a way of getting under his skin, of making him forget the danger they were in, if only for a moment.
But now was not the time for distractions, no matter how enticing they might be.
He cleared his throat, trying to focus. "Lilith, the Chimera—" he began, but Lilith cut him off, pressing a finger to his lips.
"Shh," she murmured, her eyes glinting with amusement. "The big bad Chimera can wait a second, don't you think? I mean, it's not every day you get to be…"
She had barely finished her sentence when they felt the heat of the fire from behind them. Quickly, Lilith rolled off, giving Adrian the space to roll out of the way too.
Upon seeing them, the Chimera roared and spat fire again at them. Adrian gathered his chains as shields in front of them, weaving them together to back the fire.
Taking advantage of the beast focused on Adrian, Lilith leaped onto the Chimera's back, her daggers flashing as she struck at the goat's throat again and again.
The creature bucked and thrashed, but Lilith held on, her attacks relentless.
Adrian, seeing the Chimera's strength waning and no longer spitting out fire, he shot out his fiery chains one last time.
They wrapped around the creature's neck, tightening with each passing second. The flames burned brighter, searing the Chimera's flesh as Adrian pulled with all his might.
The Chimera let out an ear-splitting roar as Adrian drew out his sword. "Lilith! Get off!"
Lilith did as told and Adrian threw his sword straight for the goat's throat, followed by three fiery chains.
The sword and chains shot through the goat's throat, cutting it off the rest of the body.
The Chimera groaned and collapsed to the ground, its massive body twitching.
Wanting to be sure it was dead, Lilith grabbed Adrian's sword from where it stuck to the ground. Filling it with her energy, she brought down the flamy sword in the lion's head, killing it instantly.
The clearing fell silent, the only sound the crackle of Adrian's chains as they released their hold and returned to him.
Adrian and Lilith stood over the fallen beast, their breaths coming in ragged gasps as the reality of their victory sank in.
The Chimera was dead. They had done it.
Lilith looked over at Adrian, a satisfied grin spreading across her face. "Well, that was fun."
Adrian chuckled, though his body ached with exhaustion. "You have a strange definition of fun, Lilith."
She winked at him, the playful light back in her eyes. "You love it."
Adrian shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Let's just get out of here before I start questioning my life choices."
"Let's grab the heads and get out of here," Lilith said, walking over to where the goat head was.
Adrian and Lilith descended from the mountain with the Chimera's heads in tow, their victory clear for all to see. The lion and goat heads were gruesome trophies, dripping black blood that stained the ground as they carried them through the desolate village they had passed earlier.
The eerie silence that had greeted them before was now filled with the echoes of their footfalls and the soft crackle of flames that still smoldered in the distance.
Lilith glanced at Adrian, her expression a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" she quipped, though the weariness in her voice betrayed the toll the battle had taken on her.
Adrian snorted, shaking his head as he hefted the lion's head onto his shoulder. "You and I have very different definitions of 'not so bad,'" he replied, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
Lilith's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Maybe, but you have to admit, it was exciting. And look at us now—heroes of the day, with two heads to prove it."
Adrian couldn't argue with that. Despite the danger, there was a thrill to what they had accomplished, a sense of triumph that was hard to ignore.
They reached the outskirts of the capital city as the first light of dawn began to break over the horizon. The massive stone walls loomed ahead, their shadow stretching long and dark over the land.
As they approached the gates, the guards stationed there noticed the grisly trophies they carried and their eyes widened in shock.
"Is that… the mountain beast?" one of the guards stammered, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Adrian nodded, dropping the lion's head at the guard's feet. "What's left of it," he replied.
The guard's eyes darted between Adrian, Lilith, and the severed heads, his expression a mix of awe and horror.
"Incredible… I thought it was impossible," he muttered, before quickly straightening up and saluting them. "Welcome back, my Lord, my Lady! The city will rejoice at this news."
Lilith flashed the guard a dazzling smile, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "I'm sure they will. Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to deliver these to the palace."
The guard nodded vigorously, signaling to his comrades to open the gates. "Of course, right away!"
As Adrian and Lilith entered the city, word of their victory spread like wildfire. It wasn't long before the streets began to fill with people, their faces alight with curiosity and excitement.
The crowd surged around them, people eager to catch a glimpse of the beast that had terrorized their lands for so long. Children pointed and whispered to each other, while adults cheered and clapped, their voices rising in a chorus of praise.
Adrian and Lilith kept their pace steady, making their way through the throngs of people with the Chimera's heads held high. The crowd trailed behind them, growing larger with each step they took toward the palace.
By the time they reached the grand courtyard in front of the palace gates, the crowd had swelled to fill the space, their cheers echoing off the palace walls.
"Did you see the way they just strolled in with those heads?" one man whispered to another, his voice filled with awe.
"It's a miracle!" an older woman exclaimed, her hands clasped in prayer. "The gods have surely blessed them!"
"Looks like we've gathered quite the audience," Lilith remarked, glancing back at the sea of faces that stretched as far as the eye could see.
Adrian barely responded to her, his gaze fixed ahead.
Lilith, ever the performer, played to the crowd. She tossed her hair back, a wicked grin on her lips as she lifted the goat's head higher for all to see. "Not so scary now, is it?" she called out, her voice carrying above the din.
The crowd roared in response, their adoration growing with every step.
Adrian, on the other hand, kept his mind on the son-to-happen conversation wwith the map maker, his expression one of grim satisfaction.
Though the cheers were welcome, he couldn't shake the sense of urgency still gnawing at him. The Chimera was dead, but their mission was far from over. The real work—the quest to find those responsible for the fall of Meridia—still lay ahead.
Lilith noticed his silence and nudged him playfully. "You're going to have to get used to this, you know," she teased in a light voice even as they navigated the crowd. "Hero's welcome and all that."
Adrian managed a small smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'll celebrate when this is all over," he replied, his tone tinged with resolve. "For now, we've got bigger problems to deal with."
Lilith chuckled, shaking her head. "Always so serious," she remarked, though there was a note of affection in her voice. "But that's what I like about you, Adrian. You keep your eyes on the prize."
As they neared the palace grounds, the crowd following them had grown to a size that could easily fill a colosseum. The noise was deafening, a chaotic mix of cheers, shouts, and whistles that reverberated off the city's tall stone walls.
It wasn't long before the clamor reached the ears of the king and his council, interrupting their morning meeting.
The queen, seated beside the king at the head of a long, ornate table, looked up from the scrolls laid before them, her expression one of mild irritation. "What is the meaning of this uproar?" She demanded, her voice carrying the authority of one accustomed to being obeyed.
One of the guards, who had been stationed at the door, hurried forward and bowed low. "Your Majesty, it's the outsiders—the ones who were sent to deal with the Chimera," the guard explained, his voice hurried. "They've returned… with the beast's heads."
The king's eyes widened slightly, his stern demeanor giving way to surprise. "They've killed the Chimera?" he repeated, as if the words were difficult to believe.
The queen, who sat beside him, her hands folded elegantly in her lap, allowed a small, satisfied smile to grace her lips. "It seems they are more capable than we anticipated," she said, her tone thoughtful.
Her gaze flicked to the nearest window, where the faint sound of the crowd could still be heard. "Perhaps we should greet them ourselves."
The councilmen nodded, rising from their seats. "Very well," the king agreed. "We will see them."
The queen stood as well, moving gracefully and deliberately. "This will be most interesting," she murmured, her eyes gleaming with a strange intensity as she made her way to the door.
Outside, Adrian and Lilith had reached the palace gates. The guards, who had initially seemed uncertain about letting the crowd this close to the royal grounds, quickly recognized the gravity of the situation and stepped aside, allowing the two heroes to pass through unimpeded.
As they entered the palace courtyard, the king and queen emerged from the grand entrance, flanked by a retinue of advisors and soldiers. The royal couple descended the steps slowly, their gazes fixed on the approaching figures.
Adrian and Lilith stopped at the base of the steps, bowing their heads in deference as they presented the Chimera's heads to the king.
"Adrian, Lilith," the queen called out, her voice carrying over the noise of the crowd. "You've returned… and you've succeeded?"
Adrian stepped forward, dropping the lion's head at the king's feet. "We have, Your Majesty. The Chimera is dead. Th beast will no longer trouble your lands,"
The king's eyes widened as he took in the sight of the severed heads, his mouth opening and closing as if he were at a loss for words. "This… this is extraordinary," he finally managed, his voice tinged with awe. "You've done what so many before you could not. You have my deepest gratitude."
Lilith stepped forward, her expression playful as she tilted her head to the side. "Does that mean we've earned our favor, Your Majesty?"
The king blinked, seeming to remember himself. "Yes, of course. You have more than earned it. But first… a celebration for our heroes."
The crowd erupted into cheers at the mention of a celebration.
Creation is hard, cheer me up!
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT