The Winds of the New World-Chapter 42 - 39: The Confrontation with the Sleeper

The creature's roar filled the underground chamber like muffled thunder, making the walls tremble and small stones crumble from the ceiling. The air grew heavy, thick with the putrid stench of ancient flesh and corrupted magic. A cold shiver ran down Edmund's spine—this was no ordinary foe.

The entity emerged fully from its prison, its shattered chains clattering to the stone floor with a metallic clang. Its body was a grotesque fusion of blackened bones, withered flesh, and obsidian plates fused into its skin like natural armor. Its crimson eyes burned like living embers, and each step it took reverberated through the ground as if the temple itself mourned its awakening.

— This... this is no mere beast! — Kieza murmured, gripping the hilt of her sword, sweat dripping down her forehead.

— This is an ancient evil — Voss added, his eyes frantically scanning the creature, searching for any weakness.

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Edmund didn't reply. His mind was already working ahead, calculating possibilities. They had little time before the creature fully shook off the lethargy of its long slumber. If they wanted to win, they had to act fast.

The creature snapped its head with a dry crack, as if recognizing the intruders. Then, without warning, it attacked.

With impossible speed for something its size, the entity swung its massive arm. Edmund barely had time to roll aside before the claw struck the ground, cracking solid stone and sending a cloud of dust into the air. Voss and Kieza scattered, their survival instincts guiding their movements.

— Get it away from the altar! We can't let it absorb more power! — Edmund shouted, drawing his blade.

Voss charged first, his boots sliding over the uneven floor as he lunged in a swift attack. His sword cut across the creature's flank, but the blade met resistance—it was like striking raw iron. The creature roared, twisting its body and hurling Voss backward with a brutal strike. The warrior crashed into a column, letting out a groan of pain.

Kieza saw the opening and seized the opportunity. With agile precision, she struck at the creature's leg, aiming for one of the ancient chains still hanging from its body. The rusted metal gave way with a snap, and a thick jet of black blood spurted from the open wound. The monster roared, but its reaction was immediate—moving with an almost supernatural speed, it swung sideways, striking Kieza with enough force to send her flying several meters away.

— Kieza! — Edmund shouted, watching the warrior struggle to her feet, blood trickling from a cut on her forehead.

The creature raised its arms, and the shadows around it began to writhe, forming ancient patterns in the air. The old runes carved into the chamber walls began to glow in response, as if the very magic of the island was reacting to the monster's awakening.

— It's channeling something! — Voss shouted, spitting blood as he forced himself upright. — We need to stop it!

Edmund realized there was no more time to hesitate. Gripping his newly forged silver spear tightly, he sprinted toward the creature. It raised its claws to strike him, but Edmund slid beneath the blow, feeling the sharp wind graze his skin. With a battle cry, he drove the spear into the beast's abdomen, forcing the blade deep into its rotting flesh.

The monster howled, its voice reverberating through the chamber like demonic thunder. Its body convulsed, the shadows around it momentarily destabilizing.

But then, something happened.

Instead of weakening, the creature grabbed the spear and, with inhuman strength, snapped the shaft in two. The silver burned its flesh, but not enough to kill it. Edmund backed away, his heart pounding in his chest.

— Wounding it isn't enough... we need to destroy it completely! — he shouted to the others.

The creature raised its arms again, and glowing symbols began to take shape in the air. Another roar escaped its throat, and the hieroglyphs on the walls blazed with an eerie light.

The ground started to crack.

Shadows rose like wraiths, taking on grotesque forms around the group. Emaciated creatures with hollow eyes and corrupted bodies emerged from the darkness, their inhuman wails echoing through the chamber.

— It's summoning servants! — Kieza shouted, breathless.

Edmund clenched his fists. He knew they were trapped. If they didn't find a way to end this now, no one would make it out alive.

He took a deep breath and made his decision.

— We need to strike at its heart! If it was sealed with rituals, there must be a core of energy keeping it alive! — he said, his mind racing.

Voss nodded, wiping the blood from his lips. Kieza lifted her sword again, ignoring the pain in her body.

The battle was far from over, but they were ready to fight to the end.