Chapter 241 - Rudy Vs Grom ( Part 3 )

The underground tunnel had become a cemetery of broken stone.

The pillars were cracked and tilted at unbelievable angles like the bones of some kind of mythical monster. Broken weapons lay all over the floor – swords, spears, shields; all left behind by the soldiers who realized too late that they had chosen the wrong side. Crimson mana circulated through the walls, thumping like the blood that flows through the veins of a dying creature.

In the middle of this chaos was standing Rudy Kiss.

Her clothes were torn at the shoulders, revealing the bruised skin beneath. Her face was bloodstained because of the blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. One arm hung lower than the other one, either dislocated or exhausted completely.

Her legs were shaking.

Her breathing was uneven; every inhale was a struggle, while every exhale was a relief.

But she kept smiling.

Opposite to her Grom stretched his shoulders.

This movement was slow and meaningful. The preparation of the predator to kill its prey.

The Sixth Demon General looked at the blood spots on his armor. His fingers touched the scratches that Rudy inflicted on him. They were small in comparison to his injuries gained through countless battles during hundreds of years of warfare. But numerous and persistent. Annoying.

For the first time in this battle, Beast King didn’t look amused anymore.

"You’ve managed to survive longer than I thought."

Rudy wiped the blood from her mouth.

The gesture made the blood smudges appear on her cheek. But she didn’t notice it.

"That’s nice of you. You were thinking about me?"

Grom’s eye twitched.

"I will tear this mouth off your face."

"Well, see? That’s exactly the reason why nobody invites you to parties."

The aura of Beast King burst out.

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The tunnel shook violently. Cracks appeared in the floor and walls of the tunnel, spreading in different directions like lightning frozen in stone.

Crimson mana exploded from Grom’s body, bursting the remaining constraints of his armor. The metal plates protecting his shoulders fell apart because of the growth of his muscles, which had transformed into something else. His horns extended and curled back like the horns of a monster of primordial era. His pupils narrowed becoming vertical slits. And his teeth sharpened becoming rows of fangs.

His war hammer transformed together with him.

The black metal became even darker, sucking up all the light in its vicinity. Red glowing cracks appeared on the massive head of the hammer. The warmth emanating from it was distorting the air.

The suppression runes carved on the walls of the tunnel responded to this transformation.

Then they crumbled.

One by one, the crimson symbols exploded in sparks. The protective runes, weakening Rudy’s mark, started to be destroyed by the overwhelming power of the Beast King.

Rudy’s smile became slightly smaller.

Oh.

The pressure struck her one second later.

Her knees buckled. The floor cracked under her feet. And the air disappeared from her lungs. As though the whole world had suddenly become heavier – like the gravity itself wanted to press her into the stone.

Grom made a step forward.

The stone underneath his boot broke down.

"Look at the true power of the Beast King."

The next step.

The walls shook.

"I have slaughtered the armies. Broken fortresses. Crushed the warriors who believed themselves to be chosen by the gods."

Grom raised his hammer. The weapon was burning with crimson light. Its warmth was making Rudy’s skin tickle.

"And you think your silly tricks will help you?"

Slowly, Rudy straightened herself.

Her golden mark was glowing faintly underneath the clothes – it was weakened but it wasn’t extinguished yet.

She was afraid.

Of course, she was afraid.

Only a fool wouldn’t be afraid of the monster who could shake the whole palace just because of the release of its power.

Unfortunately, Rudy had never been a normal fool.

She raised her chin. Her golden eyes looked directly at the crimson eyes of her opponent without flinching.

"That was a very long introduction."

Grom’s eyes narrowed.

Rudy opened her arms wide, as if inviting him to strike.

"Are you going to fight me, or should I clap first?"

For a while, Beast King looked at her.

Then he swung.

The hammer descended.

Rudy reacted.

Not moving backwards.

Moving forwards.

She slipped through the hammer’s blow and allowed the head of the weapon pass over her shoulder barely touching her. The wind torn at her clothes. And the heat burned the ends of her hair.

Her right fist struck the ribs of the Beast King.

Her left elbow struck his jaw.

And then she drove her knee into his stomach.

Three blows within less than a second.

Each of them had the concentrated power of her Legendary Divine Mark.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The upper body of Grom staggered. Blood poured out of the split lips. His grip on the hammer loosened.

Rudy twisted, kicked the free hand of her opponent and flew back from him.

She landed on one of the broken pillars, sliding on the unstable surface.

Her smile appeared.

"Much better."

Slowly, Grom turned his head in her direction.

Blood was dripping from his mouth.

"You..."

Rudy winked.

"Still not your type?"

The Beast King roared.

And the palace started to break down.

Grom struck the wall.

Not Rudy.

The wall.

His hammer crashed into the enormous concrete-and-stone partition between the underground tunnel and the west part of the Imperial Palace.

KRAAAAAAAAAAASH!

The whole section burst.

Stones as big as a wagon flew into the air. Reinforced pillars broke like twigs and the ceiling of the tunnel fell in the thunderous avalanche.

For a second, Rudy saw the crimson sky through the enormous hole.

Then the remaining part of the wall fell down.

The dust filled everything.

Rudy put her hands in front of her face and ducked under the falling debris. One of the giant stones fell onto the ground next to her, knocking her against one of the broken pillars. Pain went through her shoulder and she gritted her teeth.

When the dust settled, the tunnel had turned into the huge gap under the west wing of the Imperial Palace.

Black towers rose above her, their spires piercing the crimson clouds.

The scarlet flags waved in the wind.

While dozens of demons were staring down at the destruction.

One of them pointed toward Rudy.

"INTRUDER!"

Another soldier raised his weapon.

"PROTECT THE GENERAL!"

Grom stepped over the ruins.

"Nobody interferes."

His voice shook the courtyard like a thunderbolt. The soldiers stopped, raising their weapons half-way while widening their eyes in fear.

Rudy dusted off herself.

For a brief moment, she thought about faking surrender.

But then she saw Grom.

He was looking at her.

She smiled.

"Well, this is embarrassing."

"What?" Grom asked.

Rudy pointed at the destroyed wall.

"You have destroyed half of your palace because one girl couldn’t sit still."

One of the soldiers nearby made a mistake and snickered.

Grom shifted his gaze.

The soldier instantly calmed down.

Rudy nodded understandingly.

"Yes, that is the disadvantage of being a boss. You must improve your reputation."

The beast king’s hammer raised.

"Kill her."

The command was silent.

The soldiers acted.

The first wave appeared in the courtyard.

Six demons rushed toward Rudy with weapons drawn, forming a circle around her. Behind them, the archers climbed to the destroyed walls, while the spellcasters started drawing the scarlet formations in the air.

Rudy breathed deeply.

Jennie, you owe me so much for this.

The first soldier thrust his spear in the direction of Rudy’s belly.

She shifted sideways.

The weapon missed its target.

Rudy grabbed the spear’s shaft under her arm, stepped forward, and hit the soldier in the face with her forehead.

His nose broke.

Before he fell, she took the spear from his hands and swung it in the opposite direction.

CRACK!

The wooden shaft hit another soldier in the neck.

Rudy released the weapon and crouched down.

A sword was slashed toward her head.

She tripped the attacker, grabbed his hand, and threw him at the third demon.

Both of them tumbled to the floor.

The fourth soldier attacked from the blind spot.

Rudy turned around.

Her palm hit his chest.

Golden energy exploded at the point of contact.

The soldier was flung backwards, hit a pillar, and fell unconscious on the ground.

The fifth soldier managed to slash her sleeve.

Rudy glanced at the torn fabric.

And then at him.

"That was expensive."

She punched him.

He did not stand up.

The sixth soldier hesitated.

Rudy tilted her head.

"Should we reconsider your choice of profession?"

He rushed.

She sighed.

"Not listening."

A second later, he joined his companions on the floor.

Rudy stood surrounded by the fallen soldiers, gasping heavily.

She received injuries, every movement was causing pain to her ribcage, and her damaged shoulder was losing its strength.

However, her opponents learned one thing.

She was not only fast.

But dangerous at close combat range.

During most of her life, Rudy was constantly compared to someone. Lisa, Leonis’s younger sister. The little girl who followed her brother everywhere. The reincarnated girl whose mark made her important to the Demon Empire.

For many years, other people decided how she should become.

Princess.

Sacrifice.

A pawn in some other game.

Rudy clenched her fists.

Not anymore.

The spellcasters released their spells.

Scarlet spears of magic descended from the sky.

Rudy ran.

She jumped onto the pillar lying on the ground, used it as a jump-off, and leaped above the incoming volley of magical bolts. One scarlet spear exploded behind her, filling the courtyard with hot shrapnels.

She landed on the ruined wall.

An archer turned to her.

Too slow.

Rudy kicked the bow out of his hands and struck him in the face.

Another demon drew a short sword.

She took his wrist, twisted it, making him drop his weapon, and hit his chest with her elbow.

He fell.

Rudy grabbed the fallen blade.

The second wave of attackers rushed.

This time, she did not wait for them.

She jumped into the circle.

Her blade flashed in the scarlet light.

One demon dropped his weapon.

Another was knocked to the ground with a hit to the knee.

A third one was thrown over Rudy’s shoulder and fell on two soldiers standing behind him.

She fought through the crowd like a golden flash, using their numbers against them, turning their attacks into openings, and turning their momentum into mistakes.

She struck quickly.

She struck precisely.

And when an enemy tried to turn around and run away, she was always there.

When the last soldier fell down, the courtyard grew silent.

Rudy stood amidst the destroyed weapons, holding the borrowed blade.

The blood was staining her sleeve.

Her golden mark was flickering weakly.

She looked at the remaining soldiers waiting beyond the ruined wall.

"Anybody else?"

Nobody moved.

Rudy smiled.

"Great. I was worried that you would be difficult for me."

Then a large shadow descended over her.

Grom finally stepped forward.

"Excellent."

The voice of the Beast King resounded across the courtyard.

Rudy turned.

Grom stood near the ruined wall, holding his war hammer on his shoulder. The monster’s armor was damaged, and the blood was staining his chest, but his monster aura became even more powerful.

"You have defeated my soldiers."

Rudy raised an eyebrow.

"They were not good soldiers."

Grom glanced at the unconscious demons.

"They were trained to fight against entire squad of human knights."

"Then maybe you should demand a refund."

The Beast King laughed once.

It was not a pleasant sound.

"You confuse my patience with weakness."

He lowered his hammer.

"I allowed you to entertain me long enough."

Rudy’s smile vanished.

The crimson energy surrounding Grom concentrated.

Instead of spreading all across the courtyard, it contracted, enveloping the body of the beast king like the second layer of armor. The cracks in his weapon glowed brighter, and the ground beneath him sank several inches.

The soldiers rushed back.

They knew better than to stay close to the beast king.

Grom lifted his head.

"Beast King’s Bloodline."

The air quivered.

"First form."

His pupils narrowed to slits.

"Predator’s Dominion."

The world was different now.

Rudy could feel that instantly.

Grom’s aura wasn’t pressing on her as a mountain anymore.

It was surrounding her like a cage.

No matter how she turned her gaze – he was there.

Not physically.

Through his killing intent.

Courtyard was a hunting ground and she was prey.

Grom disappeared.

Rudy didn’t even manage to blink when she felt the blow to her guard.

BOOM!

She found herself flying through the courtyard and smashing through the stone rail before crashing onto the ground.

Her lungs expelled all air.

She turned on her side.

The shadow appeared over her.

War hammer descended.

Rudy dodged the hit.

It landed into the spot where her head used to be, creating a crater that devoured the surrounding rocks.

She crawled away.

Grom followed.

Next attack came in the form of a knee to her chest.

She managed to cross her arms in time to get lifted into the air.

Before falling down, Grom grabbed her by the throat.

His huge fingers wrapped around her neck.

He raised her to the point when her feet were dangling in front of the crater.

"Where is your confidence now?"

Rudy scratched at his wrist.

Mark started to glow.

Grom increased his grip.

"You fight well for a little reincarnated princess, but courage can’t substitute the power."

Rudy started to see black spots in her field of vision.

She forced herself to smile.

Grom frowned.

"What?"

She opened her mouth.

"You’re..."

She tried to draw a breath.

"...standing..."

Right hand of Rudy slipped behind his wrist.

Golden lights appeared around her fingers.

"...too close."

She inserted her fingers into the broken joint under the armor.

Grom’s grip relaxed.

Rudy turned her body to wrench his hand away from her throat.

The moment she was free – she kicked his knee hard.

His balance was disturbed.

She landed and rolled under his hammer arm to strike her palm onto the ground.

Mark flashed brightly.

Golden chains of magical energy shot out of the cracked stone and encircled Grom’s legs.

He roared.

Rudy jumped back.

She choked hard, one hand grabbing her throat.

Then she looked at him.

"That..."

She drew in a painful breath.

"...was extremely rude."

Grom snapped through the golden shackles.

Rudy stood up.

"And for the record, I have power."

Her mark shone brighter.

"I just prefer not to use all of it at once."

The golden light filled the courtyard.

Rudy closed her eyes.

For a brief moment, she remembered those forgotten memories hidden deeply in her soul.

Young girl running through the palace halls.

A boy with silver-white hair turning around to make sure she follows.

Hand reaching out for her.

The memories belonged to Lisa.

But the woman standing here now was Rudy.

She didn’t need to turn into her previous self to know what those memories meant.

She didn’t need to emulate Leonis.

And she certainly didn’t need to let the Demon Emperor decide the value of her existence.

Rudy opened her eyes.

"So, Grom."

The Beast King growled.

"What now?"

She raised her chin.

"You keep saying power like it’s the only thing that really matters."

Golden lights appeared around her fists.

"Let me show you the difference between a fighter that gets ordered to fight..."

She took a step closer.

"...and a fighter that chooses to fight."

Mark glowed.

The last magical lights went out in the courtyard.

There was darkness for a heartbeat.

Then golden pillar burst up around Rudy.

The energy twirled upwards and created the faint image of a crown around her head. That light wasn’t crushing anything. It didn’t crush the ground nor it forced the soldiers to kneel. It was something else.

Precise.

Focused.

Impregnable.

Eyes shined brightly through the dust.

Legendary Divine Mark: Sovereign Resonance.

The power of her mark finally reacted not to the Demon Empire’s ritual but her own will.

Grom raised his hammer.

For the first time in their battle, the Beast King hesitated.

Rudy smiled.

"Now..."

She lowered into combat position.

"Let’s finish our date."

They crashed into each other in the middle of the ruined courtyard.

Grom attacked first.

Rudy dodged the hit and delivered her own to his ribs.

The impact shot golden light through his armor.

He retaliated by hitting her with his elbow.

She blocked it with forearm, grabbed his wrist and drove her knee into his stomach.

Grom staggered.

Rudy followed.

Jab to the jaw.

Palm to the chest.

Spinning kick to his injured shoulder.

Each hit pushed him back.

Grom snarled and swung his hammer sideways.

Rudy ducked under it, placed one hand on the ground and swept his legs.

The Beast King fell on one knee.

Rudy leaped onto his back, locked her arm around his neck and delivered three punches to his head.

Grom roared and threw himself backward.

Rudy released him and twisted her body before landing on her feet.

The Beast King crashed against the ruins of the wall.

Impact sent more stones falling into the courtyard.

Chest of Rudy was rising and falling fast.

Fists were bruised.

Shoulder was screaming.

But she was still standing.

Grom forced himself out of the debris.

He was covered with blood.

One of his horns was cracked.

His armor was falling apart.

And there was no smile on his face anymore.

"You..."

Grom growled in fury.

"You insignificant little..."

Rudy lifted one finger.

"Careful."

Grom froze.

She smiled sweetly.

"You’re about to say something embarrassing, and I would hate for our relationship to end on a bad note."

The Beast King roared so loudly that the last windows in the palace were smashed to pieces.

He charged.

Rudy charged as well.

Their fists met.

KRAAAAAAAAAAM!

Energy in crimson and gold colors burst in the courtyard.

The shock wave tore down the rest of the pillars and made a deep crack in the stone below their feet.

Neither moved.

Grom’s fist pressed against Rudy’s.

His giant form loomed over her.

She was smaller, wounded, and tired.

But her golden eyes were steady.

Grom snarled.

"YOU CAN’T BEAT ME!"

Rudy’s smile disappeared.

"Maybe not."

She shifted her weight.

"But I can make you pay for standing in my way."

She twisted his wrist, stepped in close to his body and hit the place where his damaged armor and his ribs were connected.

Golden energy gathered in the one point.

Grom’s eyes widened.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The explosion tore his armor.

The Beast King stumbled backwards, spraying the blood around the courtyard.

He lost his war hammer.

It crashed to the ground with a mighty roar.

For several seconds, Grom didn’t move.

He looked down at the huge wound in his chest.

Then he looked at Rudy.

"How..."

Rudy couldn’t breathe properly.

"You’re..."

She coughed.

"...really bad..."

Her knees were shaking.

"...at dates."

Grom fell to one knee.

The courtyard shuddered.

Rudy stepped forward.

Her fist raised.

For the first time, the Beast King showed fear in his eyes.

Not because Rudy was stronger than him.

But because she found the one spot that his monstrous strength couldn’t protect.

Rudy’s fist stopped several inches away from his face.

She could finish him off. One more blow, full of the rest of her energy, could kill him.

Grom looked up at her.

Rudy narrowed her eyes.

Then she heard Jennie’s voice in her mind.

Don’t die.

And she remembered why she was fighting.

Not to prove herself to be stronger.

Not to take revenge for the Demon Empire.

To give Jennie time.

To give Lilia a chance to get back home.

Rudy lowered her fist.

"You’re lucky."

Grom coughed the blood.

"Why...?"

"Because I have better things to do than babysitting your corpse."

She hit him in the face.

The Beast King’s eyes rolled back.

His gigantic body collapsed into the debris.

The ground shuddered under him.

Silence enveloped the courtyard.

Rudy was standing over the fallen Demon General, trembling from the effort. She defeated Grom. The Sixth Demon General. The Beast King.

And she did that without turning into some other person’s weapon.

Rudy slowly turned her eyes to the palace.

Her smile faded.

"Jennie..."

She pressed her hand to the sore ribs.

"Please tell me that you found her."

Deep below the Imperial Palace, Jennie and Snow reached the end of the corridor.

The door in front of them was opened.

On the other side of it, there was a great chamber lit with pale golden lights. Black pillars went up to the vaulted ceiling, and intricate crimson runes covered the floor. The chains hung from the walls and ended on the empty stone platform.

But the platform was not empty anymore.

Jennie stopped.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Lilia?"

A gentle voice called behind her.

"Jennie?"

She turned around.

Lilia was standing near the far wall.

Her hair fell on her shoulders, and her familiar eyes were looking at Jennie with exhaustion and relief.

For an unbelievable moment, Jennie forgot everything.

The Demon Empire.

The ritual.

The fight.

Rudy.

The only thing that was important was the girl in front of her.

"Lilia..."

She took a step forward.

Lilia smiled.

"You came."

Jennie broke down.

She rushed to Lilia and embraced her.

The Queen stood stock-still in shock.

Then she returned the hug.

For a while, they didn’t say anything.

Jennie put her head on Lilia’s shoulder.

"I’m sorry."

Lilia’s fingers clenched on her back.

"You have nothing to apologize for."

"I was too late in Seraiya. I should have—"

"Jennie."

Lilia pulled back a little to look at her.

Her expression was gentle.

"You came."

These words were hurting more than any wound Grom could inflict.

Jennie closed her eyes.

Then she smiled weakly.

"You’re impossible."

"And you’re late."

"I went across the whole continent to rescue you."

"Still late."

Jennie stared at her.

Lilia smiled.

Her familiar smile.

Her familiar voice.

Her familiar warmth.

Everything seemed to be right.

Too right.

Snow stayed near the entrance, watching the chamber with narrowed eyes.

"Jennie."

She glanced at him.

"What?"

"Something is wrong."

Lilia turned to the Divine Wolf.

"What do you mean?"

Snow flattened his ears.

"The restraints are broken, but the suppression formation is still active. Something is going wrong with the magical energies in this chamber."

Jennie looked around.

The chains were hanging loosely from the walls.

The platform was empty.

There were no guards.

No alarms.

No Demon General who was supposed to keep Lilia in captivity.

Jennie’s expression slowly changed.

"Lilia, how did you escape?"

The Queen looked at her.

For a moment, something flashed in her eyes.

Then it was gone.

"The chains weakened when my Sovereign Mark reacted to you. I managed to break free."

Jennie scanned her face.

"Did Morgatha come here?"

"Yes."

"Did she hurt you?"

"No."

"Did she tell you something about the ritual?"

Lilia shook her head.

"Nothing that matters."

She stepped closer.

"Jennie, we need to go. Right now."

Her voice was urgent.

Too urgent.

Snow put himself between them.

"Wait."

Lilia stopped.

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Jennie, come away from her."

The chamber was silent.

Lilia stared at him.

Then she turned her eyes to Jennie.

Something unusual crossed her face.

Confusion.

Hurt.

And something cold beneath them.

"Jennie?"

Jennie didn’t move.

The hair on Snow’s back stood on end.

"I can smell the magic."

Lilia’s face became serious.

"What magic?"

"The illusion covering you."

The golden lights flickered.

Jennie felt her heart freeze.

For one long, terrible second, she couldn’t breathe.

She looked at Lilia’s face.

Those eyes.

That hair.

The face that had haunted her dreams for weeks now.

No.

She stretched her hand out to Lilia.

"Lilia..."

The Queen’s face was transformed by an ironic smile.

"I’m sorry."

There was some movement, a flash of something in the air.

Jennie felt a sharp hit to her chest.

She looked down.

A dagger stabbed into her.

For several long seconds, she simply couldn’t believe her eyes.

Lilia was standing in front of her, one hand holding the handle of a black dagger that was sticking out of her chest.

Blood stained her clothes.

Snow howled.

"JENNIE!"

Jennie staggered back.

Her hand grabbed the hilt of the dagger.

She looked into the Queen’s eyes.

They were no longer blue.

They had become crimson.

Lilia’s hair started dissolving into strands of black shadow, her face distorting under the veil of dark magic.

Jennie stopped breathing.

"No..."

The figure pulled the dagger out.

Her blood sprayed all over the stone.

The illusion fell apart.

Before Jennie wasn’t Lilia KingHeart anymore.

It was Lokiar.

The Fifth Demon General.

The Lord of Illusions.

He smiled through the red light of the chamber.

"Welcome to the Imperial Palace, KingHeart."

Jennie fell to her knees.

Her five Divine Swords flickered around her, their light fighting against the suppressive formation of the room.

Lokiar crouched in front of her.

"You should have listened to your wolf."

Jennie’s fingers dug into the stone floor.

She tried to get up.

Her body wouldn’t obey.

Lokiar bent closer.

"Tell me, Jennie..."

His crimson eyes glittered.

"How does it feel to finally reach the person you came here to save and realize that you’ve been hugging your enemy?"

Jennie’s eyes burned with rage.

"You..."

Lokiar chuckled.

"Yes, me."

He rose up to his feet.

"And while you played the hero, the real Queen was somewhere else all along."

Lokiar looked towards the shadows.

"Bring her in."

The far doors opened.

Two demons walked in, dragging somebody with them.

Chains on the wrists.

Lilia.

The real Lilia.

She looked at Jennie.

Her eyes widened.

"No..."

Lokiar smiled.

"Now the real reunion can start."