Chapter 60: The Attack 2
Huge vibrations beneath the castle intensified.
Something was moving beneath the stones.
It wasn’t the tremors of collapsing structures—it was alive.
Lirian pressed herself against Gabriel as he coughed violently, clutching his chest.
The air in the sealed corridor had grown thin, and the dust from the crumbled ceiling made it worse.
His normally steady breaths were ragged and shallow.
"Gabriel!" Lirian gasped, gripping his arm. "You’re not okay. We need to get out of here!"
He waved her concern aside, though his hand trembled.
"I’ll be fine. We need to keep moving. If we don’t find a way out soon..."
He didn’t finish. They both knew the truth.
"Listen."
Gabriel’s voice dropped, and he tilted his head toward the floor.
At first, Lirian only heard the muffled sounds of destruction from above.
Then it came—soft, almost rhythmic—a slithering sound, like scales brushed over stone.
"What...?" Lirian whispered.
Gabriel stiffened, his eyes scanning the low lighted hallway.
"Stay behind me."
The sound grew louder, echoing all around them. Lirian gripped the dagger at her side.
She wasn’t a warrior, but she wasn’t about to stand defenseless.
Then, as if the walls themselves split open, they saw them—dozens, no, hundreds of snakes.
Their bodies looked like liquid obsidian, red eyes pierced through the dust and gloom.
They poured out of cracks in the walls, the floor, even the ceiling.
"Snakes?!" Lirian exclaimed, stepping back instinctively.
But something was off.
These weren’t ordinary snakes.
They seemed coordinated, deliberate.
They surrounded Gabriel and Lirian, forming a shifting barrier of scales and fangs.
"Not just snakes," Gabriel murmured, his grip tightening on his sword. "They’re being controlled."
"Controlled by who?" Lirian demanded.
Before Gabriel could answer, a voice came through the air, so soft and commanding.
"Stand down."
The snakes halted, their heads raised.
The slithering stopped. A person stepped into view from the far end of the hallway.
"Daria," Gabriel breathed.
Lirian turned, and her breath caught.
Daria’s dark robes seemed to ripple with an unseen wind, her blond hair glowed faintly in the dark.
She held a staff, its tip pulsee with an ethereal green light that seemed to echo in the eyes of the snakes.
"I told you I’d come when you needed me," Daria said calmly.
Gabriel straightened, though he swayed slightly. "We’re running out of time. The air—"
"I know," Daria interrupted.
She tapped her staff against the ground, and the snakes parted, creating a clear path. "Follow me. Now."
"Can we trust her?" Lirian whispered as they moved, keeping close to Gabriel.
"We don’t have a choice," Gabriel replied in a hoarse voice.
The snakes moved with them, hypnotically.
Lirian couldn’t decide if they were protecting or herding them.
"What are you doing here, Daria?" Gabriel asked, his voice strained.
"I came to fulfill my end of the bargain," Daria replied, not looking back. "And because the Crown..."
Gabriel stopped, his eyes narrowing. "The Crown?"
Daria finally turned to face him.
"Yes. The Crown knows what’s happening, Gabriel. They’ve told me to ensure you survive."
"That doesn’t sound like them," Lirian muttered.
Daria arched an eyebrow.
"Times have changed. The Crown has enemies on all sides, and you, Gabriel, are a necessary piece on their board."
Gabriel scowled but didn’t argue.
They resumed their pace, moving deeper into the winding passages beneath the castle.
As they walked, the walls began to shimmer faintly, the stones glowing with runes that pulsed softly in response to Daria’s staff.
"What is this place?" Lirian asked in a hushed voice.
"An old escape route," Daria explained. "Built centuries ago, forgotten by most. But it won’t hold for long."
Before Lirian could press for more answers, Gabriel stumbled, clutching his chest.
"Gabriel!" Lirian cried, catching him before he fell.
"I’m fine," he rasped, though his pallor told a different story. "Just... keep moving."
Daria frowned, stepping closer. She placed a hand on Gabriel’s forehead, her expression darkening.
"He won’t last much longer without fresh air," she said grimly.
"Then do something!" Lirian snapped.
Daria’s eyes met Lirian’s, unflinching.
"I am." She raised her staff, and the snakes surged forward, clearing rubble with surprising speed.
The ground shook again, this time more violently. The air grew colder, sharper.
"They’re coming," Daria murmured.
"Who’s ’they’?" Lirian demanded.
Before Daria could answer, a roar filled the passage.
From the darkness behind them, massive claws scraped against the stone.
"Monsters," Gabriel muttered, his grip tightening on his sword.
The snakes turned, forming a wall between the group and the approaching threat.
"Go!" Daria shouted. "I’ll hold them off!"
Lirian hesitated, looking between Daria and Gabriel.
"Go!" Daria barked again, her staff glowing brighter. "If you don’t, he’ll die!"
Eventually, Lirian obeyed, helping Gabriel as they stumbled forward.
"Daria..." Gabriel began, but she cut him off.
"Don’t waste this chance, Gabriel," she said, softer now. "You have a purpose. Fulfill it."
They moved quickly, the snakes guided them through the winding tunnels.
Lirian could feel Gabriel growing weaker with every step.
"Stay with me," she urged him. "We’re almost there."
Finally, they emerged into a vast cavern, its ceiling was open to the night sky.
The fresh air hit them with a strong wind, and Gabriel collapsed to his knees, gasping.
"We made it," Lirian said, relief flooded her voice.
But their relief was short-lived.
The ground trembled again, and from the shadows of the cavern, more monsters emerged—hulking beasts with evil eyes and jagged claws.
Gabriel struggled to his feet, raising his sword. "It’s not over."
Before they could be overwhelmed, a blinding light filled the cavern.
A person descended, cloaked in golden light, they saw a crown on top of his head.
"The Crown..." Lirian whispered in awe.
The king raised a hand, and the monsters froze, their snarls silenced immediately.
"You’ve done well to survive," the king said with authority. "But the battle is far from over."
Gabriel straightened, his strength returned as if annoyed by the Crown’s presence.
"Why are you here?"
"To guide you," the king replied. "And to remind you of who you are, Gabriel. Your fight is not just for revenge—it’s for the future of this world."
Gabriel’s jaw tightened, but he nodded.
Lirian, watching these two and gasped immediately.
’The king dies here by Gabriel’s hands...’