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Chapter 23: The Novice Exams
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2022-09-17 14:06:05Related chapters
The Black Hellblade Chapter 24: Unleashed Beasts
Ronan's Mark of the Butterfly glowed white, and he jumped twenty feet in the air to the right. Even though he moved fast, the hairs on his arm were scorched away by the dragon's fire. Fireballs smashed into the ground where he had been, setting the ground aflame in a warm blaze. The fires grew so large they were like a wall, and they separated Ronan from Clove and Ike, who had also only narrowly dodged the dragon's attack. "Are you alright?" Clove shouted out over the crackling flames. The dragon lifted its gray nose before getting too close to the fire, then flapped its wings upwards and headed back to the sky. Smoke gushed from its nostrils as it angrily roared. "I'm okay!" Ronan shouted. "We're alright too!" Ike exclaimed. The edge of one of his long muttonchop sideburns was cindering, and Clove patted it out for him. She held his face in her hand for a moment, and Ike felt empowered. Ronan got as close to the fire as he could and explained, "The dragon is missing his left
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 25: Moonlit Festivities
The celebration was epic. Clove and Ike were escorted by Elders to a private bathhouse deep inside the temple, where the two scrubbed off the thick amounts of dragon's blood from under their skin and nails. They were brought sparkling wine by the bottles, and heaps of expensive, exquisite food. Once they were clean, the two feasted in a natural hot spring outside the temple by a lush garden. Ike dangled a grape bundle over Clove's mouth, and she nibbled one grape for each of Ike's questions about herself that she answered. With the warm, refreshing waters of the hot springs around them, Clove and Ike discovered through their elated conversations that they both viewed the world quite similarly. Both wanted to use their new position as Novice to help those who had succumbed to inner-weakness, just as they had once before. If the perception of the Butterfly Nightblades were arrogant, pretentious aristocrats who hid away treasures in a big temple, then they agreed to prove themselves
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 26: Trust and Love
Ronan was ushered away from Maritza the second he stepped through the door. Clove and Ike, both well into their cups, each grabbed Ronan by one of his hands and led him to a feasting table. He enjoyed a goblet of fine red wine along with a heaping plate of roasted steak and potatoes.As he bantered with drunken Trainees too intoxicated to hold a proper conversation, he exchanged the occasional glance with Maritza, who was seated at a large table overlooking the banquet. She was seated beside Lord Wallace and his slicked back black hair and cold, smug face, along with several Elders in hooded, purple cloaks. Kneeling before the table of Masters was Alfred with his hand over his chest. The leather strap securing Alfred's white mask to the back of his head slid up and down as he spoke. Whatever he was saying was making Maritza's lips curl in disgust. "Don't look so grim," Ike slurred with a laugh. He wrapped his arm around Ronan, and Ronan caught him before he toppled to the floor. F
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 27: A Hero's Welcome
Ronan took a hearty sip of coffee, nudged his head towards the map, then said, "If I'm not mistaken, Farrier had mentioned that this was a Norovir?"Maritza's eyes were a little less bloodshot after a few bites of fried eggs, and she said, "Yes. That's right. I've forgotten that you're as well-educated as you are keen."Ronan couldn't conceal his grin, though he wanted to remain professional. "Norovirs," he said, sliding down on the bench and getting closer to Maritza, "are blue lizard looking monsters with two long, five-fingered hands and the tail of a fat snake."Martiza wiped her mouth with a napkin and unfolded a torn page from an old tome. The monster inked beneath the page's old, scriptive text depicted a creature just as Ronan had described. Ronan scarfed down his breakfast while Maritza continued her briefing. "It would seem," she said, pointing to a series of four wells spread closely together through the several city streets on the map, "that the Norovir is travelin
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 28: The Well Mission
"On guard!" Maritza shouted. The second giant, blue clawed hand emerged from the well, destroying its entire basin. More murky water gushed out of the well's hole, and the two monstrous hands pressed against the ground to lift up a massive, reptilian body. On the body's stubby end was a reptilian mouth covered in dirty lapis scales, and a pair of unblinking, sludgy green eyes stared wildly at Maritza and Ronan. "This is unlike any Norovir I've ever read about," Ronan remarked, shifting his feet on the low stone wall. Already, the toxins in the brown water were beginning to sizzle the rocks away. He could only wonder what such a terrible substance would do to his skin. "It's triple the size of Norovirs I've defeated in the past," Maritza said. "It must be Corrupted by The Hellsworn."Confirming her suspicions, the Norovir's serpentine mouth slid into an open smirk, revealing a set of unnatural black fangs. The fangs gleamed, and drops of purple poison fell into the disgusting w
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 29: Hellsworn Power
With The Shroud strengthening him, Ronan flipped backwards into the air. He avoided the Norovir's slash against the upper ledge of the building, and big stones of debris crashed into the murky water beside the Norovir's wriggling blue tail. While in the air, smoke steamed from Ronan's Mark of the Butterfly as he spun his body to avoid another jet of poisonous water from the Norovir's mouth. When Ronan landed safely at the other edge of the building, he saw the people of Augustate hurrying to their own roofs, escaping the ever-rising levels of poisonous water through shouts and screams. Ronan's grip on his sword tightened. In a final passing glance, he saw a poor family of five trembling in filthy tunics on the roof of their house. They sobbed for the few belongings they had that had been lost to the acid water. Even if Ronan defeated the Norovir, what would be left for these people? The Norovir hissed a large red tongue through its black fangs, and Ronan knew he couldn't weigh
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 30: The Chopping Block
Ronan was forced roughly to his feet by the two hooded men. Ronan scoffed and asked, "Surely this is some mistake."Lord Wallace raised his nose to the air."There is no mistake," he declared, "that from the moment you arrived at the temple, horrific monsters followed with you."Maritza headbutted Wallace in his pompous nose, and he recoiled both hands to his face."Ronan has nothing to do with the Hellsworn," she shouted. Wallace's blood dripped from the edges of her blonde bangs and onto her forehead. Wallace shuddered, collected himself, then wheezed, "Seize her! Tie her slanderous mouth shut if you need to."Ronan wrestled with the hooded figures, but one stuck a scythe to his neck while the other approached Maritza with a bundle of rope."You can't silence me," Maritza yelled with a scowl. "I'm a Master. I outrank you, Wallace! You'll be killed for this."Ronan's forearm panged with heat, and he wondered if he might be able to burn the ropes off his wrist. "Not yet,"
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 31: Judge, Jury, Executioner
As Wallace swung the scythe, Ronan roared and shot black flames from the palms of his tied hands. The fire caught Wallace's legs and feet, and he danced as the flames burned viciously. They crackled with such strength that Ronan couldn't hear Wallace's anguished cries of pain. Ronan sprung from the chopping block and thrusted his foot to Wallace's chest, pushing him into a filthy puddle in the alley. Still, even rolling about and screaming in the water, the fires climbed up Wallace's legs and to his torso. With his hands still strapped behind his back, Ronan ran over to Maritza and the two purple-cloaked Nightblades. Maritza kicked one between the legs, and in a deep cough he was lifted several inches off the ground. As he regained his footing, Maritza bit the lobe off the man's ear. He shoved her away then wildily barreled his scythe towards her, but she spun around, held out her hands, and allowed the scythe to tear through her rope bindings. Before the second Nightblade could
Last Updated : 2022-09-17
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The Black Hellblade Chapter 50: True-Self
Somehow, Illia had the sense to leave her quarrel with Wallace and stand in front of Maritza. Alfred's bullet went right into the back of Illia's neck, and she choked on her blood as she fell to her knees. Maritza then noticed Alfred and put up her sword to his next shot, as if that might protect her.But Ike, grabbing his dominant and bloody arm, hurled his lance at Alfred. The lance's impact on Alfred's shoulder took his arm clean off, and his arm holding the gun fell in front of him. Blood gushed from the socket and Alfred hyperventilated. Scindo went to Illia's side, trying to put pressure on her bleeding, but in turn only taking precious seconds of air out from her lungs. "No, no, no," Scindo repeated. "Illia, please." Wallace started to laugh, and he went for Scindo next, but Maritza stopped the strike with her own sword. Ike hovered over Clove, who was twitching in a pool of her own blood. "Even if you defeat me," Wallace chuckled playfully, "none of you will have a
The Black Hellblade Chapter 49: Ronan's Will
Clove and Ike stood back to back, watching through their panting breaths as Maritza transformed to her next level in The Shroud system."What the hell just happened to her?" Clove asked. The more and more she saw of The Shroud, the less trusted it and its demonic aura.Ike thrust his lance at one of the six remaining Order warriors, keeping the cloaked figure at bay. "I've got no clue," Ike said dismissively. "But it's Maritza. We can trust her. Be glad she's on our side."Clove let out a timid grunt, before using her dagger to parry a blow from yet another Order warrior. There were too many dead Seahorses to count, and as much as Clove thought she might be able to lead these warriors into battle, she was doubting if she would even make it out alive.Above them, the sky shook as the dragon roared. Ronan was on its tail, his hair whipping in the wind, as it flew around. Ronan stabbed his Hellblade between the scales and climbed the spikes lining the base of the dragon's tail."Ro
The Black Hellblade Chapter 48: Old Rivals, New Enemies
Maritza heard Ronan shout for her as she rolled backwards, then regained her footing in a standing position. The Shroud's Runes coated half her body, and along with one of her eyes becoming black, the large black butterfly wing had protruded from her shoulder. She had saved herself by amplifying her Butterfly magic with The Shroud, but she was feeling the weight of using such power. Already, she wanted nothing more than to fall to her stomach and pass out, or allow her knees to buckle. She panted, and the smokescreen her marking had created started to clear. "Ronan!" she called out. "I'm okay! Finish off the dragon."Ronan stood past the clearing smoke, his sword raised with both hands. He got a clear look at Maritza, safe, then darted off towards the dragon circling the sky overhead. That left Maritza with only her opponent. The rest of the smoke dissipated, and Wallace was kneeling in a small crater from where he had landed with his hand around his sword. His sword's blade t
The Black Hellblade Chapter 47: Dragon's Fire
Both doors to the main gate swung open, and Ronan was nearly face to face with a gray-scaled dragon. It was as tall and wide as the giant burning tapestries illuminating its jagged, black teeth, each one as large and wide as Ronan's own body. The dragon exhaled thick mounds of soot from its nose, the force of which blasted back Ronan's hair and made him need to ground himself. Martiza tugged at his arm. "Run! Come with me!"Ronan shook his head and held his sword outright. It gleamed a black so strong even the dragon winced. "Go with Illia and take out Wallace," Ronan said, not casting his glare away from the dragon's deep, dusty red eyes. From the corner of his mouth he added, "I know you can defeat Wallace."Without another word and without wasting another second, Maritza dashed off with Illia through the left hatch. Ronan could hear Scindo, Ike, and Clove beckoning out orders as the three dozen Seahorse Nightblades rushed to the grassy fields. Just beyond the dragon and it
The Black Hellblade Chapter 46: The Order of Thirteen
Ronan's head ached like he'd woken from a nightmare that had stolen precious hours of sleep. He drew the Hellblade in a fast black arc as he saw that the sleeve of Scindo's trench coat was torn by blade slashes. Blood trickled from Scindo's arm and down to his fingers, then to the grass beneath by his feet.Ike snatched a lance out from the ground near the fire pit, and Clove pulled a dagger from a leather sheath on her lower back. From her hip, Maritza drew her father's curved sword. Ronan put his hand on her wrist and said, "You're not going out there. You need to sit this out." Maritza tugged her hand away and snapped, "Like Hell I am!" Scindo cut between the two and added, "The Black Butterfly is needed. It's her that they want." Ike rolled the sleeves of his tight white shirt up and asked, "Who's they?"The ground shook and the Nightblades were put off kilter by a roar that exploded into the air. Bright orange flames the size of a lake shot into the air, and even from
The Black Hellblade Chapter 45: Nightmare Celebration
At that night's celebration of the Merchant exams, Maritza slow-danced with Ronan by the rumbling fire pit. She inspected him for the first time in a while; black stubble peppered his face, chin, and neck, and his hair had grown out to almost touch his eyes. He matched the Seahorse Nightblades in size and strength, and on his left arm were three black markings— first and foremost a snake, and coiled on each side of the snake was a butterfly and a seahorse. Beneath each marking was five tally marks.Maritza suddenly felt overwhelmed with guilt. She couldn't even recall when the last time he'd received a new rank, or what his progress had been since she had retreated to their room. She had been enveloped in such a cloud of darkness that she had not been there for him to support him through his training, or to celebrate his accomplishments.In the light from the fire pit, Seahorse Nightblades twirled and spun their partners around, clacking mugs of beer and glasses of rum together. Ike
The Black Hellblade Chapter 44: Silver Rum and Silver Tongues
Scindo rubbed his chin, entertained by Clove's playful question."Well," Scindo said, "I suppose the last good gulp of water I had was earlier this afternoon, to hydrate after a morning of loading a ship with crates of tea to be shipped out East."Clove smiled and raised a brow. "Tea?" she asked, in a charming yet prying sort of manner."Yes," Scindo grinned. "Tea, though I far prefer rum."Clove nodded and swiftly replied, "Ah yes, your rum! I've had quite a few bottles of the stuff you brew myself, and I must say, it's quite good. And I'm sure a natural seafaring man such as yourself has tried many different rums, and has quite the advanced palette, has he not?""Flattery, my dear Ms. Clove, will get you everywhere. I've had my share of fine rums, from as dark as a puddle of mud to as gold as the sands on our beach."He set his hands on his hips and laughed. "All have gotten me a good bit drunk. Now aren't you supposed to convince me to buy that jar of water?""I'm glad you'
The Black Hellblade Chapter 43: Dark as the Seafloor
In the following weeks, Maritza wasn't the same. The blank, absent expression never left her face, and along with looking pale, she had lost fifteen pounds. Ronan had tried talking to her but it was to no avail, and he'd given her plenty of space to process her near-death experience, though he couldn't hide his concern any longer. Maritza was in her usual spot in their bedroom, sitting in front of the vanity mirror shaped like an opened seashell, staring at her own white face. The plate of grilled fish and green beans that Ronan had left beside her for dinner the previous night was still right where he had set it down, untouched, and beginning to stink from remaining out all night. Ronan's nose scrunched and he removed the plate, set it aside, and tripped on an empty rum bottle at the feet of Maritza's chair. He never saw her eat, and the only movements he ever did witness were when she poured a stiff drink and occasionally sipped at it. Ronan's heart sank, and he couldn't remember
The Black Hellblade Chapter 42: Submerged
The clear sea water was pitch black from the night's raging storm, and he could only briefly see whenever lightning struck.Then, several little yellow glowing seahorses swam past Ronan. They glittered and glowed near a crimson coral reef, and there Ronan saw Maritza, tangled in thick vines of kelp. He swam further below and towards the seahorses, who all started squeaking and trying to pull the kelp away from Martiza. A flash of lightning and a whip of thunder frightened the tiny seahorses away, and Ronan was left once more in the dark. He stuck his hand out and felt Martiza's arm, then tugged and yanked and pulled. He was running out of air, and he felt his lungs start to ache. Finally, he tore Maritza free. The tips of long kelp leaves itched at Ronan's chest and legs as he pulled Maritza to him. In the darkness of the seafloor, he could see nothing, but he knew Maritza to be unconscious. Her body was limp in his arms, and he choked as his heart raced. He couldn't hold hi
