章節 9: chapter 8

The howling blizzard outside the cave had been a constant, a sound that Lucien had tuned out while lost in his thoughts.

"The doubt is gone now," he murmured, his voice low as he stared into the icy expanse beyond the cave. "But... who is she?"

The image of Luna's golden eyes—the entity that spoke through her—flashed in his mind. A shiver crawled down his spine, though not from the cold. With a sharp shake of his head, Lucien forced himself to his feet.

"Enough. I need to move," he said, his tone resolute. But as he walk toward the entrance, something caught his attention.

The howling blizzard outside the cave had been his constant companion for hours, but now, the abrupt silence was deafening.

Lucien glanced around, his senses on high alert.

The faint echoes of his breathing seemed amplified in the void of sound.

The unnatural quiet sent a chill down his spine—one that had nothing to do with the freezing temperatures.

"This isn't right," Lucien muttered, gripping the hilt of his greatsword. His instincts, honed from years of battle, screamed at him to prepare.

And then it came.

A sharp whistle sliced through the air, and before Lucien could react, a shimmering projectile of water—a hydro blade—shot toward him.

He raised his greatsword in time, the blade clashing against the attack.

But something was wrong.

The hydro blade didn't shatter on impact as expected. Instead, it liquefied, drenching his weapon in cold water.

"What the—"

The liquid suddenly reshaped itself mid-air, reforming into a blade before Lucien could reposition.

With deadly precision, it slammed into his chest, the force launching him backward.

He crashed into the icy cave wall with a grunt, the impact knocking the wind out of him. For a moment, stars danced in his vision as the cold bit into his back.

Lucien gritted his teeth and forced himself to his feet, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. His breath was ragged, visible in the cold air.

"Show yourself," he growled, scanning the cave entrance. His voice echoed, but there was no response.

The silence pressed down on him again, thick and suffocating.

Lucien wiped the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth and steadied his stance. His eyes narrowed. "Whatever you are, you'll regret that."

The slow, deliberate clapping echoed through the cave, the sound unnervingly out of place amidst the icy stillness.

Lucien's grip on his greatsword tightened as he shifted into a defensive stance. His sharp gaze locked onto the figure emerging from the shadows, the faint trace of Abyssal energy growing stronger with each step.

"Abyss..." Lucien muttered, his voice low but filled with contempt.

As the figure fully stepped into the dim light, Lucien's suspicions were confirmed. Towering and clad in dark, corrupted armor, it wasn't just any Abyss being—it was an Abyss Herald: Wicked Torrents.

The Herald's glowing eyes focused on Lucien, and an unsettling grin spread across its face. "Quite impressive, mortal. To withstand my attack and still rise... you are stronger than most of your kind."

Lucien spat to the side, his disdain clear. "Save your flattery, Abyss filth."

Raising his weapon, he adjusted his stance, his instincts screaming for caution. "What do you want?" he demanded, voice cold.

The Abyss Herald tilted its head, glancing at the lifeless forms of two Abyss Mages crumpled near the cave's entrance. A low, guttural chuckle escaped it.

"What do I want?" The Herald's voice reverberated, dripping with malice. "It's simple. To kill you, human."

The Abyss Herald spread its arms, a surge of hydro energy swirling around it, forming deadly water blades at its sides.

Lucien let out a sharp breath, his eyes narrowing.

The Abyss Herald raised its arm, and a torrent of hydro blades spiraled toward Lucien with deadly precision.

Each blade shimmered in the dim light, slicing through the cold air like razors.

Lucien gritted his teeth and surged forward, determined to close the gap.

He knew that engaging the Abyss Herald in a ranged battle would only seal his defeat—especially without his firearm.

The memory of the earlier strike lingered in his mind, a bitter reminder of his mistake. 'No more meeting force with force,' he thought. 'This time, I'll turn its strength against it.'

As the first blade neared him, Lucien angled his greatsword with precision, deflecting the projectile to the side.

Another blade followed, then another.

Lucien twisted his body, narrowly dodging one while parrying another with a swift stroke.

The Herald's attacks were relentless, but Lucien had regained his rhythm.

Each step brought him closer to his enemy, each dodge and parry fueled by the fire of determination.

"Persistent, aren't you?" the Abyss Herald sneered, its voice cold and mocking.

With a flourish, it summoned a larger, more concentrated hydro blade, aiming to overwhelm him.

Lucien saw the attack coming, a massive crescent of water hurtling toward him. Instead of trying to block it outright, he sidestepped and used his sword to redirect the edge of the wave, slipping past its force.

The Herald snarled as Lucien broke through the barrage. With a final leap, Lucien closed the distance, his greatsword arcing toward his foe in a powerful strike.

Lucien's greatsword clashed against the Abyss Herald's weapon, sending sparks flying in every direction. The cave trembled under the force of their battle. Lucien pressed forward, delivering relentless heavy strikes, each swing more forceful than the last.

The Abyss Herald remained eerily calm, its glowing eyes locked onto Lucien, its movements precise as it parried the onslaught.

Lucien narrowed his eyes, searching for an opening.

When he spotted what seemed like a weak point in the Herald's defense, he shifted his stance. Feinting a downward slash, he twisted his body unnaturally, redirecting the blade in a swift arc aimed at the Herald's side.

But the Herald only chuckled, a cold, mocking sound that echoed through the icy cavern.

As Lucien's blade connected, it met resistance—not flesh, but a shimmering hydro shield that enveloped the Abyss Herald.

"Do you think I came unprepared?" the Abyss Herald taunted, its voice laced with disdain.

Lucien said nothing, his eyes narrowing as he poured more strength into his attack. The pressure of his greatsword against the shield intensified, the air crackling with tension.

*Pop.*

The shield shattered with an audible burst, catching the Abyss Herald by surprise. Before it could react, Lucien's blade struck true, slamming into the Herald's torso and sending it hurtling across the icy floor. It crashed into the cave wall with a deafening impact, the force shaking loose a cascade of icicles.

But even as Lucien landed the blow, the Herald lashed out. A hydro blade, conjured at point-blank range, slashed through the air faster than Lucien could react.

The blade struck him with brutal force, sending him flying backward. He hit the ground hard, rolling several meters before coming to a painful stop. Blood trickled from his lips as he coughed, struggling to regain his breath.

The Abyss Herald rose from the icy rubble, its movements slower but its malice undiminished. "You are persistent, mortal," it hissed, its tone now laced with anger. "But how much longer can you endure?"

Lucien, still on the ground, tightened his grip on his greatsword, his breathing labored but his resolve unshaken.

Lucien, his body trembling from pain and exhaustion, forced himself to his feet using his greatsword as a crutch.

The icy air stung his wounds, and blood dripped steadily onto the frozen ground.

Each breath felt like fire in his lungs, but he refused to stop.

His gaze drifted to the picture he pulled from his pocket—a cherished memory of him and Luna.

She was so small then, perched on his shoulders with a beaming smile, her tiny hands gripping his head for balance. Lucien's fingers trembled as he stared at the image, his resolve hardening.

"This... isn't where it ends," he muttered to himself.

With gritted teeth, he tucked the photo back safely into his coat.

His eyes burned with determination as he turned them toward the Abyss Herald, who stood in the distance, its weapon ready and its stance brimming with confidence.

The Herald sneered. "Done with your little sentimentality? Good. Then die like the rest of your kind!"

The Abyss Herald raised its blade, sending another volley of hydro projectiles hurtling toward Lucien.

But Lucien didn't hesitate. With a roar that echoed through the cavern, he charged forward, his greatsword dragging along the icy floor, sparks flying as it scraped against the frozen terrain.

The projectiles came fast, but Lucien's focus was sharper. He ducked and weaved, letting the blades of water pass inches from his body, his mind fixated on a single goal—closing the distance.

"Luna's waiting for me," he growled under his breath, his pace quickening.

The Abyss Herald's mocking grin faltered as Lucien closed the gap, the air around the warrior charged with an almost palpable energy.

"Then let's see if your desperation can match my power!" the Abyss Herald roared, meeting Lucien's charge head-on. Their weapons clashed once again, sending a shockwave through the icy chamber as man and monster fought with everything they had.

Lucien's greatsword struck true, carving a deep gash into the Abyss Herald's side. The monster staggered, black ichor seeping from the wound, staining the icy ground.

The Abyss Herald snarled in fury, its once-arrogant demeanor now replaced with rage. "Damn you, human!" it bellowed, its voice echoing through the cavern.

Lucien, though battered and bloodied, didn't falter. He steadied his stance, his breaths ragged but unwavering. "You talk too much," he muttered, gripping his greatsword tighter.

The Abyss Herald raised its weapon, the air around it swirling with hydro energy. "You'll regret this insolence!" it roared, launching itself at Lucien with blinding speed.

Another clash erupted, sparks flying as their weapons met.

Lucien gritted his teeth, pushing back with all his might.

The force of the collision shook his arms, but he refused to yield.

Again, they clashed.

And again.

The sound of weapon clash reverberated through the cavern, each strike a desperate bid for survival.

Lucien's eyes burned with fire. "I've faced worse than you," he growled, swinging his blade with a ferocity born from sheer willpower.

The Abyss Herald growled in pain as another of Lucien's strikes landed, slicing through its armor and leaving another deep wound. It stumbled back, glaring at Lucien with a mix of hatred and disbelief.

"You are nothing but a mere human!" it spat, clutching its wounded side. "How can you...?"

Lucien didn't let it finish. "Because I have someone waiting for me," he said coldly, charging forward once more.

"Human!!"

The Abyss Herald howled in pain and fury as it clashed against Lucien one last time. Their swords met with a deafening roar, sparks flying from the relentless strikes.

Both combatants were on the edge of exhaustion, bloodied and bruised from the long battle.

Lucien's breath was ragged, each movement slower than the last. But the Herald's attacks were growing weaker, its strikes losing it force.

As the minutes dragged on, Lucien's grip tightened on his greatsword. With every swing, he felt the weight of the Abbys Herald's presence begin to wane. One final strike—this was it.

But just as Lucien prepared to end the Herald's life, the ground trembled. A shadow loomed over them, casting an ominous chill that ran down Lucien's spine. His sword, already in mid-swing, was suddenly caught by another figure—something far stronger than the Abyys Herald before him.

The Abyss Herald gasped, relief and awe in its voice. "Your Highness, Prince!" it exclaimed, bowing before the newcomer.

Lucien tried to pull his weapon back, but it wouldn't budge.

His greatsword was trapped.

The chill in the air grew colder as the being stepped forward, a regal and terrifying presence that sent a wave of dread through Lucien's core.

He could feel the weight of its power pressing down on him, the very air around him heavy with an oppressive energy.

Suddenly, without warning, the Abyss Prince let out a cold snort.

Lucien's body was sent crashing into the cave wall, the force of the blow so strong that he left a deep indentation in the stone. Blood poured from the fresh wound in his chest as he slumped against the cold rock, dazed and struggling to stay conscious.

Through the blur of his vision, Lucien could barely make out the figure of the Abyss Prince, looming over him like a dark specter, its presence radiating an aura of cold cruelty.

The Abyss Herald, now standing with its head bowed low in deference, stared at the Prince with a mix of worship and fear. Lucien could barely hear their exchange, the ringing in his ears too loud. He gritted his teeth, fighting through the pain, but his body felt as if it were already giving up.

(A/n: This fic is sweet no knife trust.....just like all hoyo story <(￣︶￣)> 2.1k word)