CHAPTER 101 REACHING THE CASTLE
Not all Magical rank beast are the same. Some posses powers and abilities different from others.
The magical-ranked beast charged.
Its enormous claws tore through the stone where Roman had stood a moment earlier. Red lightning flashed as he evaded the attack, appearing beside its head with his katana raised.
SHRAAAK!
The red blade struck the creature's scales, sending sparks scattering across the cavern.
Roman landed several feet away, stunned.
His sword could almost cut through anything.
But the beast barely reacted.
It swung its tail.
Roman crossed his katana in front of him, but the impact sent him skidding backward across the stone.
Sylver immediately raised her shield.
A silver barrier formed around Roman just as the beast released a wave of strange energy. The attack struck the barrier, producing a violent shockwave that shook the cavern.
Sylver held firm.
Roman recovered his footing and glanced at her.
She nodded once.
He understood.
Roman surged forward again, red lightning erupting around his body. This time, he didn't target the beast's heavily armoured head. He moved beneath its sweeping claws, striking at the joints between its scales.
The beast roared and twisted violently.
Lunar appeared behind it in a flash of purple lightning. Both short swords struck the creature's hind leg before he sprang away from its retaliating claws.
Anya extended her hand.
The beast's weight increased abruptly.
Its front legs buckled, forcing its massive body downward.
That was Roman's opening.
He concentrated his red aura along the katana's edge. The blade blazed brighter, lightning coiling around it like a living serpent.
Roman leapt.
"BREAK!"
His katana descended in a devastating diagonal slash.
The red energy tore through the weakened section of the beast's armour, carving a deep wound across its shoulder.
The creature staggered.
Sylver thrust her shield forward, releasing a powerful surge of water that struck its head and forced it to turn away from Roman.
Lunar accelerated.
Purple lightning flashed around the beast's legs as he delivered a final series of precise strikes.
Anya released her hold on its weight.
The creature attempted to rise, but Roman was already moving.
He landed directly in front of it, both hands gripping his katana.
One final burst of red lightning illuminated the cavern.
BOOOOOOM!
The strike sent the beast crashing onto its side.
Its glowing markings flickered.
Then faded.
The cavern fell silent.
Roman lowered his katana, breathing steadily. After a moment, the weapon's red glow diminished, and he returned it to its compact dagger form before securing it to the strap on his thigh.
Sylver approached him, checking him briefly for injuries.
"I'm fine," he assured her.
She gave a small nod and remained beside him.
"I just realized something. What if any these beasts find their way to the surface in the city. It's not gonna end well"
Lunar said as he sheathed his swords.
Anya looked toward the beast, then at the tunnel beyond the river.
"We'll worry about that later"
She said.
Fury was already moving.
The battle was over.
They still had a mission to complete.
After carving out the crystal, Roman smiled and kissed it.
"This would make a good chest armor"
The group were special in their own way. No one would believe what had just transpired.
Beasts that gives knights and beast masters a hard time after most planning and time, were cleared by four individuals.
Anya was a hybrid with special abilities. And if she was to accept herself as she is, she would realize that theres more to being a hybrid than having animal like parts. She was still a Noble.
Lunar was a Beast Knight with the energy of a Demigod flowing through his dantian and cells.
Sylver had massive amounts of pure spirit energy. It was abnormal for normal beast masters to have such energy, but she could control it just fine. Her battle power was unmatched.
Best of all, they could utilize the power of ki.
Roman had an insane amount of ki. Others get their ki by training, but Roman got his by absorbing beast crystals. His ki was more refined and wild.
Roman can be considered as a beast in a boy's body. His strength was insane for his level.
---
The next passage was considerably narrower.
Its walls were lined with dark metallic panels, and the ceiling descended until even Roman had to bend his head. The air smelled of rust and damp stone.
They proceeded in single file, with Fury leading.
The metallic tunnel twisted several times, occasionally forcing them to squeeze through sections barely wide enough for their shoulders. Their footsteps echoed against the metal, travelling ahead of them into the darkness.
Eventually, the passage began to slope upward.
A faint breeze reached them.
Roman noticed it immediately.
They were getting closer to the surface.
Fury climbed a short metal ladder and stopped beneath a circular casing fitted into the ceiling.
He tapped it with his paws.
Roman joined him, examining the structure.
The casing was covered in soil and tangled roots. Through the narrow gaps around its edges, faint light filtered into the tunnel.
He placed both hands against the metal.
"Help me with this."
Lunar moved beside him. Together, they pushed upward.
The casing resisted at first, its hinges groaning after years without use.
Then it shifted.
A narrow opening appeared, releasing the fresh scent of grass and flowers.
Roman pushed harder.
CLANG!
The casing swung open.
Beautiful moonlit gardens stretched beyond the opening.
They had emerged beneath the King's garden.
Roman climbed out first, followed by Sylver, Lunar, and Anya. Fury scrambled onto the grass and shook the dirt from his fur.
For a moment, the group simply surveyed their surroundings.
The King's garden was magnificent.
Neatly trimmed hedges bordered winding stone paths. Fountains shimmered beneath the moonlight, while flowerbeds filled with colourful blossoms stretched toward an ornamental lake. Tall trees stood among marble statues, their branches swaying gently in the night breeze.
The palace rose beyond the garden walls, its illuminated windows glowing against the dark sky.
Roman turned back toward the entrance.
The metal casing lay beneath a thick arrangement of flowers. Their vines and blossoms concealed its edges so completely that, once closed, it would be impossible to distinguish from the surrounding flowerbed.
There was no visible entrance.
No suspicious marking.
Nothing to suggest that an underground passage ran beneath the King's garden.
Anya carefully replaced the flowers that had been disturbed during their emergence.
Sylver helped lower the casing, ensuring it settled flush with the ground.
Within moments, the entrance disappeared beneath the colourful blossoms.
Roman studied the palace in the distance.
They had crossed flooded caverns, fought a horde of beasts, and defeated a magical-ranked creature to reach this point.
Yet their real objective still lay ahead.
The King's library.
Roman pulled his hood farther over his face.
Fury climbed onto his shoulder, his perception already sweeping across the gardens and toward the palace grounds.
Roman glanced at his companions.
Then he stepped onto the garden path.
The tunnel journey was finally behind them.
Now they had to get inside the palace without being discovered.
TBC