Chapter 94 The Castle Lord [part 2]
With a burst of speed, Northern launched himself forward, his sword trailing a blazing arc of light as he unleashed a ruthless flurry of strikes.
His blade sang through the air, each slash punctuated by the crackling of energy as it clashed against an unseen barrier erected by the castle lord.
The towering being, shrouded in a mantle of swirling darkness, regarded Northern with an intense, menacing gaze then grinned and uttered in monster tongue:
"How futile."
Its fiery eyes burned with an ancient fury, and the very air seemed to crackle with raw power as it extended its clawed hand, unleashing a torrent of red macabre energy.
Northern deftly maneuvered through the bombardment, his sword weaving a deliberate dance as he deflected and parried the barrage of arcane blasts.
Embers and smoke swirled around him, the heat searing his skin—not that he could feel it—as he pressed his assault, determined to break through the maelstrom's defenses.
The moment Northern lunged at the castle lord, Night Terror's eyes widened. It was as if the insignificant human had shown outstanding courage.
Faced with a stronger monstrosity, it was inevitable, Northern had considered that Night Terror might not be able to even raise its head to look the castle lord in the eye.
Which was where he came in.
He didn't know what it was about Night Terror but the monster was different. It was a deviant and maybe he himself was a part of the reason why Night Terror turned out so.
It wasn't a surprise that there would be one or two monsters that defied the norms of what a monster should be.
Just like his death angel that died protecting him.
A very risky move he decided to take if that should happen and that move was attacking first.
However, since Northern did not know if attacking first would guarantee Night Terror being freed from whatever horror would consume him the moment he stood in front of the castle lord, he decided to send his clone.
Should things go south, he would just make a run for his life. And live to fight another day.
Deep down he hoped that Night Terror would not cower.
But his hope was useless. His fears were made bare to his face.
However, he was right to have depended on Night Terror's defiant nature.
Because the moment his clone lunged. Night Terror's eyes gleamed with a primal fury, overwhelming the horror that was slowly making him bow.
The monster suddenly disappeared in that instant while Northern (clone) attacked the castle lord.
As if waiting for the opportunity to arise, the castle lord reciprocated the attack and as Northern's sword relentlessly weaved through the energy blast—
From the shadows, Night Terror emerged, a hulking mass of muscle and scale. With a thunderous roar, the beast joined the fray, its massive claws raking through the air, leaving trails of scorched earth.
The castle lord turned its attention to the new threat, a frown drawing thin on its black face as its cloak billowed and unleashed a vortex of darkness.
Tendrils of shadow lashed out like whips, seeking to ensnare and constrict its foes.
Northern's clone seized the opportunity, his blade transforming blur of motion as he charged forward, weaving through the chaos.
His sword found its mark, slicing through the castle lord's ethereal form, yet the maelstrom made no sound.
Instead, the being recoiled, its red aura flickering as it summoned a vortex of energy, casting Northern back with a devastating blast.
Night Terror, undeterred, pressed its advantage, sinking its fangs into the castle lord's shadowy flesh, rending and tearing with primal ferocity.
The same thing happened and Night Terror struck into the wall, leaving the wall fractured as it slumped to the ground.
The darkness that surrounded the maelstrom monster began to recede, as though they were being called backward.
Its form began to solidify and get clearer.
Northern from the darkness he stayed hidden narrowed his eyes.
'The attacks didn't go through?'
It seems as though both of them attacks just now were just against a skin of darkness.
The cloak of darkness that overlaid the maelstrom's body was actually a mantle of protection.
'If that's the case, why is it being removed?' At least that was what this looked like to Northern who was observing through the eyes of his clone.
When the darkness had merged with the monster's body completely, a muscular, humanoid silhouette with elongated limbs and sharp, claw-like hands was revealed.
Its skin was pitch black and adorned with red complicated patterns and symbols that evoked a sense of archaism.
It was as if the monster itself was a fusion between a human and a beast. It looked nothing like the monsters it ruled.
The most striking feature was its head, which takes on a demonic appearance.
A pair of fiery, glowing red eyes pierce through the darkness, exuding an intense, menacing gaze that seems to bore into their soul.
Horns protrude from the being's head, adding to its fearsome and otherworldly visage.
The monster's thunderous voice rolled out:
"This is rather infuriating. Thinking you can fight me with a fake is extremely ignorant of you."
Now that the darkness was now shrouding most of its body, (except a baggy tunic that donned its lower body) the castle lord spoke with hand gestures.
Menace evident in its intimidating gaze.
It turned its eyes to Night Terror who was just standing. The bones of its neck cracked as its head turned left and right.
"You dare defy me, Koll, a chosen follower of the Blood Tyrant?" he bellowed, his voice laced with a mixture of contempt and incredulity.
Night Terror stood its ground, muscles coiled and ready to strike, undaunted by the castle lord's imposing presence.
A low, guttural growl rumbled from deep within the terror's chest, a primal challenge that resonated through the chamber.
Northern found the monster's defiance to be more amazing, Night Terror was exceeding his expectations of what a defiant should be. Even from where he was hiding, he could feel his heart tremble.
"Insolent whelp," Koll snarled, his clawed hands clenching into fists. "You have been granted power beyond your wildest dreams, and yet you squander it by aligning yourself with this insignificant human."
Northern's clone remained silent, his gaze steady and unwavering, even as the castle lord's scathing words washed over him like a torrent of venom.
"No matter," Koll sneered, his lips curling into a twisted smile. "I shall rectify your foolishness and remind you of the true nature of your existence."
With a sudden burst of speed that belied his immense size, Koll charged forward, his clawed hands aglow with a sickly crimson energy.
Northern's clone braced himself, his blade poised to deflect the incoming assault.