A sharp blue light slashed across Suri’s eyes, forcing her to raise a hand to shield herself. After spending days deep underground, she had grown used to the dim, muted glow of the caverns. Now, the harsh artificial brightness stung her skin like a burn.
“Pshh… Beep…” The signal lured her, its eerie whisper cutting through the silence.
Squinting, Suri pressed her palms against the door, but quickly jerked them back, hissing through her teeth. “So cold.” A prickling numbness spread from her fingertips, seeping into her body. Her bracelet, once a light and familiar piece of jewelry, had grown heavy over the past hour. The skin beneath it was red and raw, irritated from her constant nervous touches. Or maybe it was the weight of what was coming.
“What am I doing?” she wondered. “But what else can I do? Whatever’s waiting in there, I have to try. The Judge will handle the rest.”
A faint smile tugged at her lips. “When did I start depending on others?”
She turned and cast one last glance at the group of hunters, her eyes searching for familiar faces. Sweet Cassia, wise Imber, unshakable Avalon. And then, the arrogant blood mages. Each of them represented debts left unpaid—hers and theirs. Some debts, Suri would collect in full. But for others, she hoped their bonds would only grow stronger. “My world has changed more than I ever realized,” she thought. “Now, there are people I can trust. Just as they’ve trusted me with their lives.”
Her gaze lingered on one warrior, standing apart from the others like a solitary rock in an open plain. His quiet confidence stirred a reckless courage within her, as if daring her to take that extra step. He gave her a brief nod, as if to confirm it.
With effort, Suri pushed against the door. It groaned and hissed, reluctantly sliding open just enough for her to slip through.
“Oh, heavens! Suri! Wait!” Imber’s voice rang out behind her as he rushed forward. But Maxat stepped in his way, blocking his path.
“Not a step further,” Maxat said, his eyes following the edge of Suri’s hunter’s cloak as it vanished through the opening. Only then did he continue, “Don’t forget your place, third rank. Blood mages don’t have special status for nothing.”
Imber’s fists clenched. “But she doesn’t have to go alone.”
“You definitely don’t belong there,” Maxat shot back, smirking. “Doubting the Judge, are we?” His mocking gaze dared Imber to make a mistake. “Or do you think she can’t handle it?”
Maxat’s sharp words cut through Imber’s resolve like a splash of cold water. Slowly, Imber loosened his fists. He couldn’t afford to lose his composure now.
With a satisfied grunt, Maxat turned away. Lowering his voice, he muttered mostly to himself, “Don’t disappoint me, dear sister.”
“Did the earth split open? Has the snake turned into a man?” Ide exclaimed, her voice dripping with sarcastic surprise. She had an uncanny knack for seeing and hearing things that Maxat preferred to keep hidden from the others. “I’ve never seen a puppet of the Council lose her temper. But she won’t stay silent, especially for her apprentice. If anything goes wrong, you’re the captain—it’s your mess to clean up.”
Without realizing it, she clicked her nails rhythmically.
Maxat rolled his eyes in irritation. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”
The woman shrugged indifferently, her attention still fixed on the door marked with peeling white symbols. “No,” she replied bluntly. “If he’s slipping back into his old ways, the needle must’ve eaten through his brain.”
Maxat’s gaze shifted to a lone figure sitting against the wall, his face hidden beneath a deep hood. Tilek idly twirled a dagger in his left hand, his right resting casually on his thigh.
“That would solve a lot of problems,” Maxat muttered, his lips curling as if he’d tasted something bitter.
“Hmph,” Ide scoffed. “You’ve been feeding his ego for years—now deal with the consequences. This isn’t about an ordinary hunter anymore. He’s dared to threaten one of us.”
Her dark, bottomless eyes sparked with lightning, a brewing storm of barely contained fury. That dangerous, smoldering gaze told Maxat everything he needed to know—she was on the edge.
The captain’s lips twisted into a smile. “Are you giving advice, or trying to tempt me?” His tone was sharp enough to cut through the thick tension between them.
Ide’s hand twitched, just as she’d expected. She had imagined tearing that smug face to shreds more times than she could count. His superiority grated on her nerves more than usual. “Better to choke on your own rot,” she snarled through clenched teeth, stepping back a few paces from his sneering face.
And, to her frustration, Maxat had once again managed to drag her off topic.
Cassia moved closer to Imber, her hand tightening around the hilt of her dagger as she watched the blood mages argue. One word was all it would take for the young huntress to spring forward like a loosed arrow. The energy inside her churned restlessly.
“We’ll wait,” Imber said quietly, placing a hand on his sister’s head. The simple touch was enough to extinguish the fire burning inside her. “It won’t harm her. It can’t.” Cassia knew his true feelings; she hadn’t missed the subtle tremble in his hand.
“If you hear anything, let me know,” Imber added softly.
The young huntress nodded as the artifact in her hand warmed under her fingers, responding to the energy she released into it.
Avalon didn’t approach, but gave Imber a brief nod, understanding the plan without the need for words. The warrior stepped back, quietly separating himself from the scouting group and moving toward the rear of the formation. The only path of retreat lay behind them—and he would make sure it stayed open.
The air crackled with anticipation. The strongest in Azur stood with their eyes fixed on the white door—a barrier no hunter had ever crossed and lived to tell the tale.
The Judge stepped toward the doorway where Suri had vanished. Shrugging off his cloak, his hands tightened around the hilt of his long blade.
“Don’t rush,” he said in a low voice. “Assess the situation first.”
A faint, muffled grunt was the response.
Suri had no idea of the tension brewing on the other side of the door. Her mind was consumed with anticipation, eager for whatever awaited her inside.
The light in the room was almost too bright, reflecting off the walls in an unnatural, distorted way. The air felt thick, as though it resisted every breath she took. Yet the room remained eerily silent, save for a faint hum that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. The source of the signal was nowhere to be seen. The hairs on the back of her neck bristled.
The room felt empty. But that illusion shattered when her gaze landed on the twisted creation before her.
For Suri, seeing it was like stumbling across an old, long-forgotten book—once cherished, now fragile and stained with the embarrassment of distant memories. Her thoughts raced, chaotic and unsteady. Her head throbbed as the present seemed to fade into the distance, leaving her with nothing but emptiness.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“What’s wrong with me? Why does it feel like something’s missing?” Suri’s head swayed as a growing sense of loss and uncertainty fueled her dangerous urge to approach the creation—to examine it more closely, to touch it.
Reaching out, Suri poured her energy into the Thorn. Time seemed to slow, thick and sticky, clinging to each passing moment. Her bracelet grew warm, yet the black mass at the center of the room remained unmoved, unchanged.
“The Judge couldn’t have been wrong. The Thorn should work. Maybe… I’m just too far away?”
“Beep… Shhh… Initiation… Transfer…” a synthesized voice echoed from the creature’s mouth. Suri froze. “It’s not just a monster… but what is it, then?”
A ripple of air danced around her—the only movement in this place where time itself seemed to have been forgotten. Pushing aside her doubts, she slowly approached the creation.
In both size and lethal appearance, the creature rivaled the Needle Queen. Its jagged spine was made up of countless segments, each crowned with sharp spikes. Its powerful front and rear limbs were armed with steel claws, and the back of its body ended in a crude, broken stump, bathed in the dim red glow of an emergency indicator.
The matte-black frame had been shattered, damaged by a force far beyond what it had been designed to withstand. Its form had melted and swollen, as though scorched by the touch of hellfire. The living alloy that made up the golem’s body reminded Suri of the core in the Archive, or even Shug’s illusion deep within Azur. Humanity had never known anything so resilient, capable of self-reconstruction.
“Who could possibly defeat something like this?” Without thinking, Suri knelt and placed her hand on the deformed head of the golem, comforting it as though it were alive, though she couldn’t understand the source of her emotions.
The warmth of her palm met the rough, slightly porous surface of the creature’s body. Slowly, the blinking signal light shifted to a dim but steady red glow.
The synthetic voice crackled from the creature, freezing the girl in place.
“You… Pshh… kept your word… Beep… Suri…”
Her heart raced as her mind struggled to comprehend the words. This voice… she had heard it before, often in those moments when her strength faltered, when her will to fight this world began to fade. It reminded her of the reason for her battle—the last promise she had made.
Could it really be…?
“Dad?” her voice cracked with disbelief. Her mind reeled, unable to grasp that she was hearing him again—here, of all places. Gripping the cold head of the golem, she listened desperately to the broken static.
“Pshh… What are you doing here? Beep. Beep. You were supposed to stay as far away from this place as possible.” Suri had never heard her father speak so sharply, so harshly. “The lab… Pshh… is compromised. Leave. They can’t be stopped.” His voice was distant, distorted by interference.
“I don’t understand!” Suri shouted, as if they were separated by distance alone. “Where are you? I’ll find you right now!”
“Don’t come near Level Zero… Pshh… He might return. Stay away… demon.” The voice repeated like a broken record. The creature’s limb twitched, but all Suri could see was the glowing red indicator flashing before her eyes.
“You’re at Level Zero? What’s coming back? Who are you talking about?” Suri’s breath quickened as a flood of questions overwhelmed her. The signal light near the golem’s head flickered, but only white noise came from the Guardian’s body now.
“All done?” A calm voice sounded behind her. Suri didn’t need to turn to know who it was. No wonder the hunters had gathered in the hall—she must have been shouting so loudly that her throat now felt raw and sore.
“Mm,” Suri responded absentmindedly to the voice behind her, ignoring the question. “I’m fine.” She was still waiting, hoping the interference would turn into something more.
The static grew louder—“Shhh…”—and then the indicator light behind the golem’s ear went dark. The transmission cut off.
“Damn it.” Suri slapped the floor with her palm, the force numbing her hand. “That was definitely my father’s voice. I didn’t imagine it. I couldn’t have,” she whispered to herself, clinging desperately to hope. Yet doubt gnawed at her thoughts like worms devouring the fragile fruit of her expectations.
One by one, the hunters passed through the white door. Their awestruck gazes swept across the room, settling on the blood mage and the defeated creature at her feet. The sight stirred something deep within them—a mixture of fear and reverence.
“Did the blood mage tame the beast?” voices murmured, blending into a collective shout: “Let Azur rise! Let the Heart rejoice!”
A wave of exhilaration and pride surged through the group. They were intoxicated by the belief that the Heart’s blessing—this weapon—had bonded with the young blood mage, allowing her to easily vanquish a foe no living hunter had ever encountered.
The loud voices broke into Suri’s thoughts. Her anger ebbed, replaced by confusion and uncertainty.
“Wait. I didn’t do anything…” Her eyes flicked toward the golem. “Something’s wrong…”
The creature remained still, but something felt off. It was too still, too patient, as if waiting for something. Then, without warning, its massive frame twitched—just once—but it was enough to send a wave of fear through Suri. The room seemed to hold its breath.
“Pshh… Carrier Shug… Clarification… Beep… target. Defensive mode… pshh…”
“Above!” Ide screamed. “Don’t try to block it!”
From the ceiling, a cascade of glittering stars fell, like a sudden, unwelcome rain of sparks. Ide’s lips turned pale as she bolted toward the exit. But it was too late. The door slammed shut in front of her eyes—this time, she was on the wrong side.
“Get a grip, you lunatic!” Maxat hissed angrily. “Everyone, form up!”
The hunters closed ranks, and Suri found herself wedged in the middle of the tightly-knit defensive formation. The solid presence of her comrades’ shoulders against her own gave her the courage to face any threat. The leather-wrapped hilts of their favorite blades creaked under the pressure of their grips, and the bowstrings hummed like a cat’s purr—taut and ready. One shared fear, one shared hope united the squad, forging an unbreakable bond.
The more experienced warriors moved to the front without hesitation, entrusting their backs to the newer hunters behind them. Where one would fall, the others would follow.
Amid the shower of falling sparks, a bright sun ignited. In a flash, the blazing light tore through a steel hammer and pierced the armor of one of the warriors. He took a deep breath, his eyes glazing over. The mighty warrior, whose strength could rival the charge of a full-grown Needle, collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.
“Dodge!” the captain shouted, quickly assessing the threat.
The stars rained down—on the floor, on the weapons, and on the people. The glowing fragments hissed as they scattered and disintegrated into nothingness. In their place, black, charred flowers bloomed, filling the air with the suffocating scent of burnt ashes. The beams ripened and, as if following an unspoken command, lashed out at the intruders. Too sudden to scatter, too fast to dodge, and too blinding to survive.
A protective dome unfolded above the hunters. Explosions cascaded along its boundary, but not a single beam pierced the shield.
Suri raised her hands above her head, her lips moving rapidly, though the blasts drowned out her voice. Her face flushed red as waves of heat and cold washed over her. Sweat drenched her back while her mouth went dry, and her strength drained rapidly. Her world shrank to a single word of True Speech—“Shield.”
She staggered, vision flickering from the bursts of radiance. Just a little longer… just a bit more, she pleaded silently, no longer caring where she was.
One of the many barriers shattered with a loud crack. Suri had no idea how many shields she was controlling, but she felt something inside her burning out, consuming itself completely.
Meanwhile, several hunters pounded on the sealed door, screaming in frustration. As long as the blood mage protected their every breath, they were determined to break through. Their steel weapons sparked with each strike, but one by one, they dulled, broke, and shattered, while the door remained pristine, untouched.
The first rank had risked their lives many times before, but for the first time, Maxat doubted their survival. His features hardened—he had made a mistake. And now, he couldn’t afford to admit it. Not for himself or his pride as a blood mage, but because he was their captain.
He rushed to the door, snatching the axe from one of his men, who had been preparing to strike. “Move aside,” he growled, shoving the exhausted warrior out of the way. The cold mask of composure cracked, giving way to raw anger. The air around him changed, the scent of burning deepening into something rich and sweet—like poison.
With a swift strike, the axe buried itself halfway into the door. Maxat yanked it free and struck again. Each blow came faster, more precise. Thin wisps of smoke rose from the cracks, and the breaches widened before their eyes, as if his axe was eating through the door. Hope flickered—until a beam struck Maxat from behind.
“Aaah!” the blood mage howled, spitting blood. Pain bent his body in half, twisting him inside out. The burning sensation spread from his shoulder, snaking down his back like thorns piercing deep into his flesh. Ide hadn’t lied—no torture could compare to this. His vision blurred.
“Back,” he rasped, swatting away a hand reaching out to help. He grabbed a piece of cloth from someone and, instead of pressing it to his wound, twisted it into a tourniquet and bit down. Heavy, ragged breaths escaped his lips, blood dripping from his chin. He couldn’t afford to stop.
With a roar, Maxat brought the axe down again, his body convulsing from the agony. His inner energy was in disarray, and every swing reminded him of the loss of one of his cores.
Behind him, the senior hunters barked orders, but as the sound of steel striking the barrier faded, so did their voices—growing quieter, more sporadic.
“This is the end,” Ide’s calm voice reached him like a prophecy. Maxat’s hand trembled at her words, and the axe slipped, carving a jagged line into the door. He turned, ready to snap at her, but couldn’t. There was nothing he could do—for her or for any of them.
Above their heads, the last of the shields burst one by one, with dull, echoing pops. As the final barriers shattered, crystal dust rained down like petals from funeral flowers.
“Pshh… termination… Beep… extreme threat level…”