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Chapter 48: Old Rivals, New Enemies
Last Updated:
2022-09-17 14:06:05Related chapters
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
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The 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
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 1: A Fleeting Dream
Harsh winter winds blew freezing powder against the Nightblade Temple of the Serpent. In the temple's courtyard, Trainees shivered. The young men and women stood shoulder to shoulder in thick snow up to their knees. They were bundled in fur cloaks and hoods, and their lightweight leather armor stuck uncomfortably to their bodies with nervous sweat and sleet. Cold cut the trainees to the bone, and the enormous and twisting stone walls of the Temple of the Serpent did little to keep the weather out from the training grounds.As the Trainees huffed bitter air and watched their jagged breaths turn to mist in front of them, their leader, Master Titanoboa, trudged shirtless through the tall snow. Both of his muscular arms were covered with tattoos of large blacks snakes that spanned from the tops of his shoulders down to the bottom of his hands, where the snakes' mouths opened wide bearing a set of fangs by each of Titanoboa's palms. His braided brown beard fell to his chest, and he carried
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 2: Snakes Born in Flames
"If it's too cold out here, I'm sure there are potatoes that need peeling in the kitchen, Ronan," a Trainee cackled. "I think he'd slice his fingers off before he even finished skinning a single potato," another Trainee giggled. The Trainees clamored and looked at Ronan in disgust. "That's enough," Titanoboa said, not really wishing to protect Ronan but wanting to get on with his lesson. "Before you is a torch."Titanoboa paused at the torch closest to him, then waved his hand. A fireball sprung from his palm and ignited the torch. With his other hand, Titanoboa closed his fist, and the flame on the torch died out immediately. "If you want any chance of surviving outside of our temple," Titanoboa said, "then you must master the Serpent Nightblade magic of fire manipulation."The Trainees looked on at Titanoboa with eager faces despite the chill making them tremble. Titanoboa set a hand on his snake tattoo and said, "You all bear the Mark of Serpent, which means our fire magic
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 3: The Serpent Sorceress
When Ronan was finished polishing the swords and he had finally earned his measly half-bowl of soup, night had long since crept over the temple. The entire time he struck soot and ash off the weapons, cutting his arms and hands on the sharp blades, he had heard Trainee Robyn's celebration echoing up from many flights of stairs below him. As he coughed from the clouds of dirt and grime he pulled off the swords with the polish, he fantasized about his own celebration, and of performing a feat so stunning the other Trainees would shower him in love and approval. But Ronan didn't really care all that much about fame or glory. He didn't need to be idealized or have songs created about his heroic actions. He knew what it was like to live in a world of weakness and fear, and he wanted to protect others like himself. Ronan shifted on his stiff and uncomfortable straw cot, imagining a hot dinner of roasted pork ribs, steamed potatoes, and vegetables cooked over a blazing fire. He thought ab
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 4: Crystal Clairvoyance
Sensing the woman's immense power, Ronan noticed the silver snake tattooed onto her arm. It glimmered in the lantern's light. Beneath the snake were 12 tally marks, and if she had achieved Serpent Rank 12 on only one arm, that meant she was significantly stronger and more attuned to magic than Titanoboa. Ronan dare not look at the sorceress' other arm. He'd never been alone and trespassing before somebody so strong, and he knew he was not in the good grace's of the occupants of the temple.Ronan swallowed and said, "Sorry, Sorceress Yvette. I've been struggling to access my magic and hoped to find a book that would help me unlock my abilities."Yvette's smile grew and she said, "It was in your favor to not lie to me. I've been watching you each night, young Ronan. 74 days in a row you've entered here, and you've read twice as many books."Ronan remained silent, his knees shaking. He gave Yvette a small nod. "How do you purify a pond tainted by a Naiad?" the sorceress asked, leanin
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 5: Darkness Invades
The next explosion knocked Ronan off of his cot, and shook the fading oil lantern off its hook and to the floor. Glass shattered near Ronan's feet, and flames caught onto the furs and fleeces he was wrapped in. Ronan wrestled out of the fiery blankets. He shuddered at the sound of shrill screams just beyond the door to his room. "We're being attacked!" a voice shouted from outside and down the corridor before fading into a gut-wrenching gurgle. Ronan leapt up from the floor and away from the spreading flames, his mouth dry and heart hammering in his chest. He pressed his back to the door and trembled as his windowless little cupboard of a room continued to catch fire. What little he had and was given by Yvette was burning before his eyes. Feeling like he might be able to at least salvage something of great importance, Ronan reached over the rapidly growing flames for Yvette's purple crystal ball on his nightstand. Flames bit at his wrist, and the crystal ball cracked and fractured
Last Updated : 2022-09-17The Black Hellblade Chapter 6: A Hero's Sacrifice
Titanoboa ran in long strides down the opposite end of the corridor from which he'd come, leaving behind the bodies of the Trainees. He checked over his shoulder and gave Ronan a look that seemed to suggest a deep regret and disappointment, and Ronan tried to offer a silent agreement that while the fallen could not be saved, if there were survivors, he and Titanoboa would need to save them."What are these things?" Ronan asked, fighting to keep pace with Titanoboa. The two dodged debris as an explosion struck at the wall to their right. Amazingly, the sharp stone missed the two. "I don't know," Titanoboa confessed. "But they are in great numbers and are immune to our magic." Ronan was stupefied at this information, and Titanoboa had to grab the Trainee by the shoulder to get him moving again. At the end of the corridor was a staircase leading down to the dining hall, and the large, magically sealed doors to the library. Right at the tip of the stairs, Titanoboa collapsed to a knee
Last Updated : 2022-09-17
Latest chapter
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
