Chapter 38
38 Chapter 38 Violence Written In
Bone
Faye’s POV
There are moments when you witness something that changes everything you thought you knew about a person. Watching Hardy transform into something beyond human comprehension was one of those
moments.
I had heard whispers about Lord Hardy. Stories of his ruthlessness. Tales of how death followed in his wake. People spoke of his kills in hushed tones, describing a man who took lives without mercy.
But stories pale in comparison to reality.
The way he moved through his enemies wasn’t just deadly. It was art. Each strike flowed into the next with a precision that made it seem natural, as if violence was written into his very bones. What disturbed me wasn’t the killing itself. It was how comfortable he looked doing it. No hesitation. No regret. Just pure, controlled destruction.
“Should we… should we do something?” Kim whispered from beside me. We were both pressed low behind the massive boulder, watching the carnage unfold before us. His voice cracked with uncertainty as Hardy cut down another enemy with devastating efficiency.
“Those are Raven Deons,” a small voice spoke behind us. The girl was just a young child, her face pale but her eyes sharp with recognition. “What could we possibly do against them p>
She was right. I had no answer. Hardy fought like something inhuman, but even through the blood and mud coating his body, I could see the signs. A weapon had found its mark. The dark stain spreading across his side, the slight favor he was giving his left leg. Something was wrong. The poison would work its way through his system soon, and when it did, even his supernatural abilities wouldn’t keep him standing.
I looked back at Kim and Jeffrey. “Keep them safe. Don’t move from this spot p>
Kim opened his mouth to protest, but something in my expression stopped him. He nodded reluctantly, and Jeffrey immediately positioned himself between the
younger ones and any potential threat.
Fighting wasn’t my strength. I knew enough to defend myself, but these creatures were beyond anything I
had faced. Still, I had one advantage they didn’t know about. Poison couldn’t touch me. And more importantly, I might be able to keep Hardy conscious when his body started failing him.
I tightened my grip on both weapons and pushed myself forward, boots sliding in the bloody mud as I ran toward the chaos.
The smell hit me immediately. Blood and smoke created a thick cloud that burned my throat. The Raven Deons’ cries echoed off the trees, but their movements had changed. They weren’t hunting anymore. They were desperate, attacking with a frenzied violence that spoke of fear rather than predatory instinct.
Hardy stood at the center of the storm, his blade painting red arcs through the air. His chest rose and fell heavily now. His movements, while still deadly, had lost some of their earlier fluidity. I could see the tension in his jaw, the slight tremor in his left hand.
The poison was working.
A Raven Deon broke away from the main fight and charged me. I barely had time to raise my sword before its claws scraped against the steel. The force of impact sent vibrations up my arms, but I held firm. I spun away from its next swipe and drove my dagger deep into its ribs. It screamed and stumbled backward, giving me just enough space to pull the weapon free.
Before the creature could recover, Hardy appeared beside me. One swift movement of his blade separated its head from its body. He didn’t speak, but his eyes found mine for a brief moment. The red glow that usually marked his anger was still there, but
underneath it, I saw something else. Acknowledgment. Perhaps even gratitude.
We fell into a rhythm without planning it. I stayed close, using my speed to cover his blind spots while he handled the larger threats. When a Raven Deon tried to circle behind us, I was there. When two attacked me at once, his blade cut through them before they could overwhelm me.
One creature launched itself from a fallen log, aiming
The poison was working.
A Raven Deon broke away from the main fight and charged me. I barely had time to raise my sword before its claws scraped against the steel. The force of impact sent vibrations up my arms, but I held firm. I spun away from its next swipe and drove my dagger deep into its ribs. It screamed and stumbled backward, giving me just enough space to pull the weapon free.
Before the creature could recover, Hardy appeared beside me. One swift movement of his blade separated its head from its body. He didn’t speak, but his eyes found mine for a brief moment. The red glow that usually marked his anger was still there, but
underneath it, I saw something else. Acknowledgment. Perhaps even gratitude.
We fell into a rhythm without planning it. I stayed close, using my speed to cover his blind spots while he handled the larger threats. When a Raven Deon tried to circle behind us, I was there. When two attacked me at once, his blade cut through them before they could overwhelm me.
One creature launched itself from a fallen log, aiming
for my back. I never saw it coming. Hardy’s hand closed around my wrist and pulled me against him hard enough that I could feel his heartbeat through his chest. The Raven Deon’s claws missed my face by inches, and I felt the heat radiating from Hardy’s skin. The poison was burning through him.
“Stay alert,” he said, his voice rougher than usual.
“I am,” I replied, pressing my palm against his chest while his arm still held me close.
The healing energy flowed from me into him, not enough to cure the poison completely, but sufficient to steady him. The tremor in his hands stopped. His breathing evened out slightly.
Another enemy charged. He released me and stepped forward to meet it, his blade crushing through bone and muscle in a single devastating strike.
My own breathing was becoming labored. Ash and sweat stung my eyes, but I forced myself to keep moving. When another Raven Deon tried to attack from our left flank, I dropped low and swept my sword across its legs. As it fell, Hardy finished it with a kick
that sent its body flying into the darkness beyond the
trees.
The clearing fell quiet for a heartbeat.
Then I heard them. More footsteps. Many more. They came from different directions, fast and irregular, like a hunting pack that had caught a scent.
“How many are there?” I gasped, dodging another set
of claws.
Hardy’s response was a low, dangerous sound that might have been laughter. “Does it matter? We kill them all p>
Morh Lucia Fresh chapters posted on (.)net
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.