Chapter 34: Arin Kills a Chimera

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Arin Kills a Chimera

BOOM!

Arin turned around.

"Seriously?"

A deep growl answered him. Arin stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned around.

Something was coming toward him from the darkness ahead. It was huge. A mass of dark fur covered its body, and two large horns came out from its head. Its arms were each longer than Arin’s body, and it had a massive axe in one of them. But something was wrong. It wasn’t completely Minotaur.

It had human features. Its face wasn’t fully that of a beast. It had human eyes. For a moment, Arin could see something in them.

Fear.

His eyes widened.

"You’re..."

The creature lunged at him, and Arin barely had time to raise his sword.

CLANG!

The axe slammed against his blade, sending him sliding backward across the floor. Arin gritted his teeth. "What kind of strength is that?!" The Minotaur Chimera lunged at him again, but Arin dropped to the ground. The axe nearly took his head off, but it instead hit the wall behind him, creating a huge dent.

BOOM!

Arin immediately jumped up and slashed at the creature’s arm. It barely reacted to the attack, and it turned back toward him. Arin barely had time to block another wild swing of the axe, and he was sent flying across the room.

He rolled to a stop and groaned, pushing himself back up to his feet.

"Ugh..."

The Chimera was already charging at him again. Arin’s eyes widened. "Already?!"

He jumped back, but the axe slammed into the ground where he’d been standing. Arin circled around the creature, trying to think of a way to attack. He couldn’t just attack blindly. This wasn’t just some mindless monster. There was a human inside it. He couldn’t forget that. Arin looked up at the creature’s face. "Can you hear me?" The Chimera roared and swung at him again. Arin jumped back.

"Listen to me!"

It swung again, but he ducked under the axe.

"I know you’re in there!"

The Chimera continued to attack, but Arin kept dodging its attacks. It was fast, but not fast enough. He just needed to find an opening. "Come on..." Arin muttered. The Chimera lunged at him again, but Arin sidestepped. It turned and nearly took his head off, but he jumped back again.

"This thing..." Arin growled, "doesn’t give me any room to attack!" The axe slammed into the ground next to him, and Arin rolled away. He immediately got back up and pointed his sword at the Chimera. "Mana Control!" Arin’s mana surged through his body, and he charged forward.

SLASH!

His blade cut into the creature’s chest, sending it flying back. Arin’s eyes widened in shock. "I got it!" He said. He prepared another attack, but the Chimera suddenly appeared and grabbed his sword. Arin’s eyes went wide. "What?" The creature yanked on his blade, and Arin was forced to stumble forward. He barely had time to pull his sword free before the Chimera’s fist slammed into his chest, sending him flying through the air.

BOOM!

Arin crashed into the wall, and he groaned in pain. He dropped to one knee, pressing a hand to his chest.

"GAH!"

His breathing was ragged, and he could barely keep himself upright. The Chimera slowly walked toward him, and Arin looked up at its face. He looked down at his own sword, which was still in his hand, and then back at the creature. It raised its axe, and Arin quickly rolled away from the attack.

BOOM!

The axe destroyed part of the floor where he’d been standing, and Arin scrambled toward his sword. He grabbed it and pointed it at the Chimera, but it was already charging at him again. Arin barely had time to block the attack, and he was sent flying backward. His sword bent slightly from the force of the impact, and his arms shook. "You’re..." Arin growled, "...too strong." The Chimera pushed him, and his feet slid backward across the floor. The creature’s axe slowly forced his own sword toward his chest, and Arin gritted his teeth.

"Stop!"

The Chimera roared, and Arin suddenly twisted his sword. The axe slid past him, and he moved underneath the creature’s arm.

SLASH!

Arin’s blade cut into the Chimera’s side, and it let out a furious roar. He stumbled back and looked up at the creature’s face.

"Please..." He said, "...I don’t want to kill you." The Chimera stared at him for a moment, and Arin could see something in its human eyes. Fear. Pain. Then it charged at him again. Arin’s eyes narrowed. He couldn’t keep running from it. The Chimera’s axe came down, but Arin jumped back. It swung again, and he dodged. Again. Again. Arin’s movements were slowing, and his breathing was becoming more labored.

Then the Chimera’s axe changed direction, and Arin barely had time to react.

SLASH!

The blade tore across his chest, and Arin’s eyes went wide. A huge gash opened up on his side, and he stumbled backward.

"AH!"

Arin dropped his sword, and his knees nearly gave out. Blood stained his clothes, and he looked up at the Chimera. His vision was starting to blur, and his hand shook as he reached for his sword. The creature raised its axe, and Arin grabbed his blade. He pushed himself up to his feet.

"Enough..."

The Chimera’s axe came down, but Arin moved inside its attack. He raised his sword.

"I’m sorry."

SLASH!

Arin’s blade pierced the Chimera’s chest, and it froze in place. Arin’s hands shook as he looked down at the creature’s body. Slowly, its massive body fell to the ground.

BOOM.

Silence filled the chamber, and Arin looked down at the Chimera’s body. He slowly lowered his sword. "I..." hey muttered, "...didn’t want to."

A clap echoed through the chamber.

Clap.

Clap.

Clap.

Arin’s eyes widened, and he looked up. A blue projection appeared above the chamber, and Arin’s eyes narrowed as he saw Zarl’s masked face. "Well done," Zarl said. Arin clenched his teeth. "You..." Zarl smiled. "You tried very hard not to kill it."

Arin said nothing. "But eventually, you did."

Zarl looked down at the dead Chimera. "You’ve learned something important." Arin glared at him. "What?" "Sometimes your ideals are not enough to save everyone."

Arin’s fists tightened. "Shut up." Zarl chuckled. "Three hours." Arin’s expression changed. "What?" "You have three hours remaining." Arin looked down at the mark on his hand, and he saw the timer.

[Time Remaining: 03:00:00]

His face paled. "Three hours..." Zarl nodded.

"Mira is still alive." Arin immediately looked up at him. "Don’t touch her." Zarl’s smile widened. "You’re angry." "Where is she?" "Still waiting." Zarl paused. "And she won’t be waiting forever." Arin raised his sword.

"I’ll kill you." Zarl laughed. "You just killed someone who was once human." Arin froze, and Zarl continued. "How does it feel?" Arin’s expression darkened. "Don’t compare them." "Why not?" Zarl looked down at the dead Chimera. "They were both victims." Arin’s grip tightened on his sword. Zarl suddenly turned his head. "Perhaps your friends should hear this.".The projection changed, and a magical image appeared in another part of the dungeon. Ayan and Saira suddenly saw Zarl’s projection.

"Can you hear me?" Zarl asked. Ayan’s eyes narrowed. "Zarl." Saira’s expression hardened. "Where is Arin?" Zarl smiled. "Your master is doing quite well." The projection changed again, and Ayan and Saira could see Arin. He was covered in blood, and the dead Chimera was on the ground at his feet. "Arin..." Saira whispered.

Ayan’s expression changed, and he immediately understood what had happened. Zarl spoke again. "He had no choice." Saira’s fists tightened. "What did you do to him?" "Nothing." Zarl looked amused. "He did it himself." Ayan stared at the dead Chimera. Then Zarl spoke again. "You should hurry." His smile disappeared.

"Three hours." Saira’s eyes widened. "What?" "Mira has three hours before the conversion begins." Saira’s expression became murderous.

"You..."

Zarl continued. "And if you don’t reach him in time, perhaps something similar to what happened to the previous Dungeon Master will happen again." Ayan froze, and the words struck him like a physical blow. "The previous Dungeon Master..." Zarl looked directly at him. "Yes." Ayan’s eyes widened.

"You know." Zarl smiled. "I knew them very well." Ayan’s expression became cold. "What did you do?" Zarl was silent for a moment.

Then he laughed softly. "I followed an order." Ayan’s eyes narrowed. "Whose?" "That is a story for another time." Zarl turned his attention back to Arin. "But I will tell you this." His voice became colder. "The previous Dungeon Master’s wife was turned into a Chimera."

Ayan’s entire body went rigid, and Saira stared at the projection in shock. "What?" He asked. Zarl continued. "It wasn’t my idea." Ayan’s eyes widened. "Someone asked you to do it." Zarl smiled. "Exactly."

Ayan’s expression changed completely, and the pieces fell into place for him. The strange Chimeras. The fact that Zarl knew about the previous Dungeon Master. His knowledge of the Mark. Everything made sense to him now. "You..." Ayan said, his voice dangerously quiet, "...were involved."

Zarl’s smile widened. "Now you’re beginning to understand." Saira’s aura suddenly flared to life, and the walls of the dungeon shook.

BOOM!

Zarl looked toward her. Saira’s eyes were glowing, and she stepped forward. "You hurt Arin." She raised her hand, and the walls of the dungeon began to crack. "You took Mira." The walls began to collapse around her.."And now you’re talking about the previous Master. "Saira."

Ayan called.

She ignored him, and her power surged outward.

BOOM!

The walls of the corridor were destroyed and she appeared by Ayan’s side, Ayan’s eyes widened. "Saira, control yourself!" He said. "No." She raised her hand again, and the entire corridor shook. "I’m done holding back."

BOOM!

The dungeon trembled, and Zarl watched the destruction from his projection. For the first time, his smile was genuine. "Now this is interesting." Saira blasted through another wall, and the artificial dungeon began to collapse around her. Ayan immediately followed her. "We need to reach Arin." Saira didn’t slow down. "I know." Another explosion rocked the dungeon, and Zarl’s projection flickered. He looked at Arin and then at the destruction.

He laughed.

"Three hours."

The projection began to fade, and his final words echoed through the dungeon.

"Tick tock, people."

Arin was left alone in the chamber, and he looked toward the darkness ahead.

"Mira..." he muttered.

He slowly got to his feet, blood trickling down his chest, and he pointed his sword at the darkness. The timer continued to count down.

[02:59:41]