Tragedy of Divinity

Chapter 33: The Beast Beneath the Earth

The forest around them was unnaturally quiet after the battle. The trees, which had once whispered in the wind, now stood still, like silent witnesses to the carnage that had unfolded. The tension in the air was palpable, each of them aware that their fight against the elven soldiers was not the end of their troubles. The world around them was filled with dangers, both known and unknown.

As the trio walked deeper into the forest, the sound of crunching leaves underfoot was the only noise that broke the silence. Quintin kept his head down, clutching his pack of food a little too tightly. He had never been involved in anything like this before, and it left him feeling small, out of place. Seraphine and Lucian walked ahead, moving like shadows, their expressions unreadable.

But as they ventured further, the atmosphere began to shift. The air grew thicker, and a low rumbling sound seemed to reverberate through the earth beneath them. It was faint at first, barely noticeable, but then it grew louder—like the distant growl of something far larger than any creature they had encountered.

Seraphine's senses were on high alert. She halted mid-step, her dagger already in hand. Lucian mirrored her movement, his eyes scanning the trees around them, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"What is that sound?" Quintin asked, his voice trembling slightly.

Seraphine's eyes narrowed. "Whatever it is, it's close."

Before anyone could respond, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. The rumbling intensified, and suddenly, the earth exploded outward with a deafening roar. From the dark depths of the earth, a monstrous creature emerged.

It was colossal—an enormous, insectoid creature, its body covered in jagged, obsidian-like armor. Its mandibles clashed with a terrifying screech as it crawled its way toward them, its massive legs digging into the earth, creating deep gouges in the ground. Its eyes were dark, soulless, and filled with hunger.

The creature let out a low, guttural roar, its massive, spiked tail whipping behind it, sending dirt and debris flying.

Quintin stumbled backward, his eyes wide with terror. "What the hell is that thing?!"

Seraphine's expression remained calm, almost as if she had anticipated something like this. She stepped forward, her posture graceful but ready for battle. "That is no ordinary beast. Stay back, Quintin."

Lucian, however, did not hesitate. With a swift motion, he drew his sword, the blade glinting in the dim light. "We'll take it down. Stick to the plan."

Seraphine nodded and, without warning, lunged forward, her movements fluid and precise. She dashed toward the creature, her dagger raised high. As she approached, the beast's enormous tail swung toward her, aiming to crush her under its weight.

Seraphine ducked just in time, rolling beneath the tail and coming up behind the creature. She slashed at one of its exposed joints with her dagger, leaving a deep cut. The creature screeched, its legs shaking in response, but it wasn't enough to stop it.

Lucian, seeing Seraphine's opening, dashed forward, his sword held high. He aimed for the creature's throat, but it was quick—its massive claws swiping at him with deadly precision. Lucian twisted, narrowly avoiding the attack, and retaliated with a powerful slash to one of the creature's legs. The creature shrieked in pain, but the blow only slowed it slightly.

Quintin stood back, wide-eyed, unsure of what to do. He had seen Seraphine and Lucian fight with skill and ferocity, but this was different. This was a beast like nothing he had ever imagined.

"Quintin!" Seraphine called out, her voice sharp. "Focus! Get to higher ground!"

Quintin snapped out of his daze, scrambling toward a nearby tree, climbing up the trunk with more speed than he thought possible. From his new vantage point, he could see the full scale of the battle unfolding below him.

Seraphine was relentless, her dagger darting in and out, finding weak points in the creature's armor with precision. Lucian's sword was a blur as he hacked at the beast's legs and body, trying to find an opening to deal a fatal blow. But the creature's size and strength made it an unstoppable force.

The creature, enraged by their persistent attacks, began to thrash violently, its tail sweeping through the trees, knocking them down with ease. One of its massive claws swiped toward Lucian, forcing him to jump back at the last second. He landed hard on the ground, his sword falling from his hand as he scrambled to regain his footing.

The beast turned its attention to him, its mandibles clicking menacingly as it closed in on Lucian. He had no time to react.

"Lucian!" Seraphine shouted, darting forward to intercept the beast. She threw herself into the fray, her body slamming into the creature's side, distracting it long enough for Lucian to recover.

But the creature was relentless. It swung its tail toward her with bone-crushing speed, and Seraphine barely managed to leap out of the way in time. The impact sent a shockwave through the forest, knocking several trees over and sending a cascade of debris flying in all directions.

Quintin's heart was racing as he watched the chaos unfold below him. He could see Seraphine and Lucian working together seamlessly, but it wasn't enough. The creature was too powerful, too large. He needed to do something.

Quintin scanned the battlefield, his mind racing. Then he saw it—the creature's underbelly. The armor there was thinner, less protected. If they could land a blow there…

Without thinking, Quintin grabbed one of the arrows that had been knocked loose from the creature's body during their fight. He looked around desperately for Lucian's bow, but it was too far away. Then, he remembered something from their earlier travels. He had seen a spare bow in Seraphine's pack.

With a burst of determination, he grabbed the bow and strung the arrow, aiming it at the creature's exposed underbelly. His hands trembled as he pulled the string back, trying to steady his breathing.

He released the arrow.

The moment it left the bow, time seemed to slow. The arrow flew through the air with precision, landing squarely in the beast's soft underbelly. The creature roared in pain, its massive body convulsing as it staggered back. The force of the blow caused the creature to stumble, and Seraphine and Lucian seized the opportunity.

Lucian's sword found its mark, piercing the creature's side, and Seraphine's dagger sunk deep into its neck.

With a final, earth-shattering roar, the beast collapsed to the ground, its body twitching in the last throes of death.

Seraphine stepped back, her breathing steady despite the intensity of the battle. She wiped the blood from her dagger and turned toward Lucian, who was panting but looking triumphant.

Quintin lowered the bow, his hands still shaking from the adrenaline rush. He had done it. He had helped.

Seraphine nodded toward him, a rare smile crossing her face. "Nice shot, Quintin."

Lucian, ever the stoic, merely grunted in acknowledgment, his eyes scanning the now-quiet battlefield. The danger had passed—for now.

But something inside Quintin had changed. He had faced fear, and he had survived. He wasn't the same scared kid who had been hiding behind a tree just moments before.

And this was just the beginning.

The trio stood amidst the wreckage, the silence of the forest wrapping around them once again, and for the first time since they entered the Nexus, the future felt uncertain.

They had won today. But who knew what lay ahead?

End of chapter 33.