An Archer's Promise

Chapter 42: And so it begins Part 3

Beta read by Shigiya, Fluffy Slayer, Paragon of Awesomeness and DOOMRAIDER

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-Castle of Discordia-

Chaos reigned all over the castle. A cacophony of deafening screams harmonizing into a single hellish melody that would placate even the most sadistic of demons. Needless to say, the morale of the surviving Kuroinu had crumbled spectacularly. Gone was the triumphant mood of conquest and lechery, having now been replaced by the dread of death. It was agonizing for them to watch as the fruits of their labor withered away as this indestructible monstrosity came crashing down on them. Powerless and demoralized, their numbers were bled dry within seconds. Those who remained tried to put up a fight, but found themselves being brutally eviscerated as they screamed for their mothers. That is until the next set of screams settled in and drowned out their dying gasps.

Akin to bitter medicine, it wasn't long before they lost all sense of hope or self-preservation, the piling pressure causing some to dive headfirst into the mouth of the monster.

"Aaaargh!" One mercenary ran with his spear in hand straight towards the beast who'd killed hundreds if not thousands of his comrades at this point. Wearing the skin of a man but unable to see the indifferent gray eyes to the masses in front. This Kuroinu mercenary wanted to be freed from its hold on them, to escape this hell hole they got stuck in and just stay alive. But his action, emboldened by either foolishness or despair, was met with a tragic end as a result of a metallic flash of black and white.

He didn't know it yet, but it was far too late for him already. Blood gushed from his throat when he tried to scream, nothing but a gargled sound came from his mouth. The sensation of touch slowly left his body and it began to feel cold... far too cold for him to even attempt to move around. As his body touched the floor, no pain was felt, only his eyes remained open as he saw the white haired monster lay waste to those he once considered brothers. People he laughed with, shared drinks and whores with for years were now staring back at him with either soulless eyes or with half of their heads sliced off.

'Maybe if I close my eyes, I'll wake up back in the camp. Yeah... this can't be real, most likely another one of those scary nightmares.' And with that, he closed his eyes, drifting off forever into a slumber from which he would never wake from.

All of this happened in less than ten seconds. By then, a dozen other Kuroinu men had joined him as well.

"Use the fucking mages! Bring them over here and incinerate that guy right fucking now!" Further down the hall, one of the Kuroinu captains, Garn, shouted orders to stop this walking calamity from advancing any further. "Shut the doors or create a wall!"

"B-But, many of our men are still on the other-"

"I wouldn't fucking care if my own mother was on the other side, you idiot! It's either them or us, and I sure as hell ain't dying in this shithole of all places!" He grabbed one of the beaten dark elves in the group who were still alive from their initial attack. Her armor had been long destroyed, leaving behind her naked injured body. "You!"

Garn slapped her awake, pouring some of his water on her face, snapping the badly beaten woman's eyes open. Though before she could regain her wits, she was pulled by her hair and made to face the approaching threat to him and his men.

"Is this one of your reinforcements, you cunt!? Another Dark Elf from another kingdom you called to kill us!?"

Even in her weakened state, she could still see those blank gray eyes slaughtering men left and right. He couldn't be a dark elf, it was impossible... and he also couldn't be an ally from Nidavellir.