Chimaera's Conquest: The Legend Of The Devourer
Chapter 154: Dishonoured One (1)

Chapter 154: Dishonoured One (1)

Adrian stepped out of the steaming shower as water droplets trailed down his toned physique, highlighting the outlines of his muscles. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Sophia glanced up and smiled at him.

Adrian had never been in a ’bad’ shape per se, but now his physique was on a different level. He wasn’t buff, but just the body she had always desired.

Noticing her gaze, Adrian turned around and asked, "Is there something on my face?"

Knowing she had been caught, Sophia blushed and quickly came up with an excuse.

"I was just looking at your hair," Sophia mumbled, a smile tugging at her lips. "You kinda need a haircut."

"Yeah, it’s been a while," he admitted, running a hand through his damp hair. "I’ve been too caught up with everything else to worry about it."

With only two rooms available, A’Mila and Amelia were to share one, leaving Adrian, Sophia, and Fenris in the other. A’Mila tried to object but was silenced by Amelia, who ushered her into the adjacent room, leaving Adrian and Sophia, the two former lovebirds, in a room.

Amelia had hoped that Adrian might remember something by being near each other. Once again, she was willing to sacrifice her feelings for them to be happy.

Besides being an honourable elf, even if she wooed Adrian in his state, she would never be able to forgive herself for it. She cared about Adrian more than anyone, but like her, she wanted him to choose her when he was complete, with his unfractured memories and all.

"You still look good, though. Better than you did after... well, you know," Sophia said, falling on the bed. "After what Victor did to you."

Adrian’s expression darkened at the mention of Dr. Victor, the mad scientist who revived him, only to turn him into a monster. But some part of him was glad about it. Had it not been for Victor and his goons, he would have never had an opportunity to get his revenge.

"Yeah," he muttered bitterly, tracing the scars and ugly skin patches that once marred his body. "Those weren’t the best times."

"I can only imagine," Sophia mumbled, walking up to the window and gazing into the night sky. "You told me about it when we were in that instance dungeon together."

"I did?" Adrian asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. "I remember the dungeon, but I don’t remember being around anyone..."

"Yeah, you opened up about it one night after defeating the Trolls," Sophia smiled wanly, a bit sad that he forgot about their time together.

’How can I blame him when I did the same...’ Sophia thought, shaking her head.

Meanwhile, Adrian tried to remember every detail about the dungeon. Strangely, talking with Sophia brought something back to his mind.

He always thought he had been alone in the dungeon, but now he remembered the silhouette of a woman accompanying him. However, with that feeling came a crucifying headache.

"Argh!" Adrian grunted in pain before grabbing his head.

"Adrian!" Sophia’s voice sounded distant, muffled by the throbbing headache. "What’s wrong?"

"My... head..." Adrian spoke through gritted teeth as if something was tearing his mind apart, trying to break through a barrier.

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he felt himself swaying on unsteady feet. His peripheral vision turned dark, slowly consuming everything.

"You’re pale as a ghost! Sit down!" Sophia tried to push him towards the bed, chanting a healing spell, but it did not affect him.

Even Fenris rushed to help as if she was aware of her master’s pain. But none of it mattered as Adrian’s feet buckled beneath him, and then, with a final, agonising throb, the pain became too much to bear as he crumpled to the ground.

***

Adrian’s eyes fluttered open, but he couldn’t see anything. It was too dark wherever he was.

"What is this place?" he mumbled, trying to ease his stiff body while looking around. "It looks like a maze of sorts."

Confused, he struggled to remember how he had ended up here. After all, the last thing he recalled was sitting in the inn, chatting with Sophia. Now, suddenly, he was in a place he didn’t know.

"Did an instance dungeon open or something?"

Before he could ponder any further, he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. Adrian spun around, and in an instant, the surroundings shifted, changing into the dungeon’s dimly lit corridors where he had faced the Minotaur.

But that wasn’t all—the place where Minotaur’s corpse should have been had been replaced by something grim. His friends—Vesper, Sophia, Amelia, Seraphina, A’Mila, Akila, Fenris and many more—all lay lifeless, their bodies strewn across the cold stone floor.

However, unlike before, Adrian didn’t lose his mind over it. In fact, it was then he knew he was in a dream. No one could have killed them so viciously. Moreover, Akila wasn’t even with them, so how could he have died?

"This damn mind of mine... playing tricks on me."

With that thought, Adrian shook his head and pinched himself, but nothing worked. He was still in a dream-like state. Just then, the scene changed again, replacing the dungeon with a rundown throne room.

"No, it’s... the Church," Adrian mumbled, recognising the place.

But that wasn’t all. Someone was sitting in the centre of the rundown place on top of a throne made of skulls. Adrian stepped closer, only to realise it was him, but he looked different.

His skin was tinged with an unnatural red hue, and horns protruded from his skull like twisted branches. Two draconic wings emerged from his back as he stared at him. Beside his demonic self was the bloodied Minotaur’s sword, waiting to be fed more blood, more chaos, more death.

The twisted faces of his friends didn’t shake him like seeing himself like that did. His demonic self noticed him standing there and scoffed.

"You dare show me your face again?" he said, grabbing the sword. "Leading your friends to death wasn’t good enough for you?"

"...who are you?" Adrian asked, retrieving his sword.

But the mere action made the demon before him laugh.

"You want to know who I am?" The demon snorted, then suddenly vanished, grabbing Adrian by the neck when he reappeared. "I’m what’s coming for you. The end of your pitiful existence."

With those words, the demon threw him towards the throne, such that Adrian ended up sitting on the throne, his head bleeding.

"Live wisely, dishonoured one, for the life you’ve lived till now pales in comparison to what lies ahead."

Adrian heard the demon mumbling before passing out yet again.