Capítulo 26: Echoes of Vengeance
Hadrian groaned as he collided with the stone wall, the impact blasting the air from his lungs and sending white-hot pain searing through his entire body. The force propelled him through layers of crumbling stone, which shattered and scattered like broken glass around him, until he landed in a dark, shadow-laden room on the other side. His world spun as he lay still, his mind fogged by pain.
"Bloody... hell…" he muttered, each word tasting of copper as he struggled to breathe, each movement a jagged pulse of agony that throbbed from his bruised ribs and seared across his chest.
A shiver crept up his spine as he heard armored footsteps approaching, slow and menacing, the eerie glow of silver eyes cutting through the shadows like razors. Jin was coming, a figure carved from darkness and wrath, his obsidian armor gilded with golden and silver inlays glowing in an ethereal light. His helm masked his face save for two eyes filled with icy, violent rage—a hatred so palpable that even the darkness itself seemed to recoil.
"Cursed mongrels... Peverell filth!" Jin's voice was laced with venom, each word carrying an ancient grudge as his silver eyes bore into Hadrian. "I will cleanse this world of your taint!"
A familiar smirk ghosted over Hadrian's lips despite the pain wracking his body. "A knight aesthetic with a katana? Bit of a mix-up, don't you think?" he quipped, his sarcasm slicing through the tension, though his grip tightened on his wand.
Jin's eyes flared with fury, and without a word, he lunged forward, Bradamante cutting the air with a ghostly whisper. Hadrian twisted desperately, but the katana's edge still caught him across the chest. He gasped as searing pain flared, blood spraying from the wound and staining his clothes, his mind reeling as he stumbled back, clutching his chest.
Before he could catch his breath, a furious screech cut through the darkness. Hedwig, feathers crackling with electricity, launched herself at Jin, claws outstretched. At the same moment, Oryou sprang forward in her smaller form, winding around Jin's armor like a black-scaled whip, her fangs snapping dangerously close to his neck.
But Jin moved with deadly grace, his katana flashing as he struck them down with chilling precision. With a brutal swipe, he sent Hedwig crashing against the stone wall, her wings faltering as she fell to the ground. Oryou followed, her serpentine form thrown back with such force that she struck the floor in a dazed, slithering heap. Their pained cries echoed through the dark, stoking the fire of Hadrian's fury as he forced himself to his feet.
With a surge of desperation, he summoned Kanshou and Bakuya, the twin blades appearing in his hands with a shimmer. He charged forward, his movements fueled by sheer will. But Jin's expression remained unreadable as he parried Hadrian's strikes, each movement precise and unyielding. In one devastating blow, Jin shattered the twin swords, sending shards of metal scattering.
Hadrian barely had time to process the loss before Jin's armored hand shot out, gripping him by the throat with a crushing strength. He was lifted from the ground, his feet dangling as he gasped for air, his vision darkening at the edges.
Jin sneered, his voice a venomous whisper. "You and your cursed blood… nothing but a stain on the world."
With brutal force, he slammed Hadrian against the stone wall. Cracks spread like webs across the surface, and before Hadrian could react, he was thrown across the room, crashing into the ground with bone-rattling impact. Pain flared through every inch of his body, but still, he pushed himself up, the defiance in his gaze unwavering as he stared down the armored figure advancing on him.
While Hadrian struggled, Sieg was locked in a deadly dance with the Bone Dragon and Draugrheim. The undead dragon's bony tail whipped through the air, each movement a calculated attempt to crush him. Sieg moved with practiced precision, ducking and sidestepping, the muscles in his arms and legs straining as he fought to evade the onslaught.
Behind the creature, Draugrheim hovered like a twisted conductor, casting spells with a smirk as if Sieg were merely entertainment. "Dance, little dragon-spawn," he taunted, his voice a mocking echo that grated on Sieg's nerves.
Sieg's blood-red eyes narrowed. He knew he had to end this—and soon. His movements became more calculated, his strikes aimed not at the dragon but at forcing it into position, drawing it in line with Draugrheim. He ducked under a snapping jaw, feeling the hot, rancid breath of the undead beast on his skin as he maneuvered both enemies into place. Each dodge and strike burned with exhaustion, his chest heaving as he fought to keep his focus.
Finally, the necromancer moved into alignment behind his creation. Sieg gritted his teeth, planting his feet firmly as he raised Balmung high. A surge of draconic power roared to life within him, the blade glowing with an intense blue light as mana swirled around it like a storm.
"BALMUNG!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the chamber.
A wave of pure energy exploded from the blade, tearing through the Bone Dragon's form. The creature crumbled to dust, and the beam continued, racing toward Draugrheim. The necromancer's face twisted in terror, his hands rising to cast defensive spells, but each one shattered as the energy washed over him. His scream was cut short as he was consumed, his form dissolving into nothingness.
The chamber shook with the aftermath, the walls trembling under the force of Sieg's attack, as dust and debris cascaded from the ceiling.
In the other room, Jin held Hadrian aloft by the hair, his gaze filled with an almost unholy hatred as he raised Bradamante for the final strike. "Peverell scum," he spat, drawing back for the killing blow.
Suddenly, the ground trembled violently, Sieg's attack reverberating through the chamber. Jin staggered, his grip on Hadrian loosening just enough.
Seizing his chance, Hadrian grabbed the shattered hilt of Bakuya, its jagged edge still sharp. With a desperate yell, he drove it into the unprotected socket of Jin's eye. The knight roared in agony, his grip slipping as he reeled back, his silver eye now a bloody ruin.
Hadrian stumbled back, blood dripping from his wounds as he raised his wand, eyes blazing with fierce determination. "Ignis Diabolica!"
A torrent of cursed flames erupted from his wand, engulfing Jin in a searing inferno. The knight's screams filled the hall, the flames licking over his armor, melting away the dark metal, until he finally crumbled, leaving only charred remnants of his once-fearsome form.
Hadrian collapsed to his knees, his vision dimming as exhaustion took hold. Hedwig, bruised but determined, hobbled to his side, her wings fluttering weakly as she began to cry healing tears over his wounds. Each drop was a balm, mending cuts and soothing broken bones, though her gaze remained filled with worry.
Oryou slithered over, her scales bruised and cracked, her breathing ragged. She nudged against Hadrian's hand, her usual sass absent as she looked at him with concern.
Amid the ruins, where Jin had fallen, Bradamante lay gleaming darkly, its blade unmarred by the flames. A faint red glow pulsed from it, casting eerie shadows in the dim light, its aura both inviting and menacing.
Moments later, Sieg entered, his form slowly reverting to human as scales faded from his skin, his blood-red eyes scanning the wreckage. His gaze settled on Hadrian, now unconscious, with Hedwig tending to his wounds and Oryou keeping watch. Then he noticed the blade lying in the rubble—a weapon that still thrummed with dark energy.
Hedwig lifted her head, feathers singed but her spirit unbroken. "We need to leave… I can flash us out, but grab the sword and the remains of Kanshou and Bakuya," she said, her voice wavering but resolute.
Sieg nodded, quickly collecting the shattered pieces of Hadrian's blades. He then reached for Bradamante, its dark energy resonating within him as he grasped the hilt. For a moment, the blade pulsed in his hand, as if testing his resolve before settling into an ominous stillness.
Gathering around Hedwig, they braced themselves as she spread her wings. A golden glow enveloped them, the heat radiating from her feathers intensifying until it engulfed them entirely. With a flash, they vanished, leaving the ruined chamber and echoes of their battle behind.
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