All Chapters of The Black Hellblade: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

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

After thirty minutes of rest by a dying fire, Ronan stomped the embers out. Clove covered the charred sticks and kindling with torn thistle and brush, and Ike swept the leaves of a large branch over their footprints.Insects buzzed in the bushes, and the four heard no signs that they were being pursued. But they also knew that could change at any second.Maritza boarded the white horse, and this time Ike mounted the beige. "I'll lead us through Butcher's Bog," Maritza said, lacking the stern tone her voice usually carried. "There, our tracks should be hidden by the low waters.""And then," Ronan added with the map in his hand, positioning himself on the white horse behind Maritza, "We should take the tough trail of Loner's Crag, and cross around to the merchant path near Lover's Lake."Clove joined Ike and put her hands on his hips. He jolted with joy at her touch."At that point," Clove said, "We'll be near the Temple of the Seahorse, if it still stands to this day.""Or if

The three laughed as Ronan chewed like he had glass in his gums. After swallowing, Ronan perked up and said, "Wow, that's actually amazing. It's like pork rib!" Ike gave a small bow, and the group all shared a laugh. Green Essence surrounded Ike, and it entered his shoulder, filling the progress bar under his Mark of the Butterfly. The ladies enjoyed their cakes, and the men ate their skewers, and the horses hounded down a second pot of Ike's concoction. When they were fully restored, the group saddled up, and made their way down the rest of Loner's Crag. For a day, they traveled at a brisk pace, staying slow enough to not tire the horses, and fast enough to feel as though they were avoiding the Butterfly Nightblades, who they all believed had stopped pursuing them. It was the dead of night when the group reached Lover's Lake and felt the pangs of hunger in their stomachs once more. The Lake was huge and sparkled from the starlight, and small shadows could be seen swimming

Scindo slammed his lance to the dirt, and a geyser of sparkling water shot up in front of him. For a second, wind billowed in every direction as the vortex of white fire collided against the geyser until, finally, the two both dissipated. Scindo grinned for only a second before he raised the shaft of his lance horizontally by his chest, blocking the swing of Ronan's sword. Then, the two took off in a flurry of footwork that stomped the bushy grass beneath them flat. Scindo thrusted both blunt edges of his lance at Ronan, twirling his staff left and right. Ronan positioned himself sideways in a fencing stance he'd learned from Maritza at The Temple of the Butterfly. He kept his swordhand outright to hold Scindo at bay, and Ronan hacked away each of Scindo's attacks. Scindo taunted Ronan and said, "That Mark of the Butterfly keeps you moving quickly, huh?"Smoke from Ronan's markings plumed in Scindo's face, and Ronan's pace quickened. The sound of wood thudding against metal rang t

Morning had come but the celebrations didn't end. After Ronan and his friends had received more seafood than they could possibly eat, the four were led outside by Ilia. She took them down a path coated in seashells as rough as cobblestone, and down towards the beaches at the end of the cliffside. Ike and Clove were wobbling from the rum, and clinging onto each and laughing. Ronan and Maritza hadn't had as much to drink, and when bottles were passed to them, they mostly only held onto them for show. The two felt something toxic surging in the air, and knew they would need their wits about them. But, in a silent agreement, they both also knew that after all their treacherous traveling, they were in much need of rest.Besides, once Illia had gotten the Seahorses riled up on the topic of Black Blade revenge, she had shut the discussion down just as fast as she'd brought it up."Today," she said over and over again, "is a day to forget all our troubles and enjoy ourselves. Without s