I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy
Chapter 429

Chapter 429

Lucia blinked—just once.

"Yog, why aren't you saying anyth—" Lucia began, turning her head, but the words died in her throat.

It struck her then. She hadn't heard a single whisper from Yog since they'd left the fortress. She didn't exactly know why or how, but one thing was clear: Ian had sealed it away, locked in that unseen space.

Biting her lip hard beneath the mask, Lucia turned the rest of the way and fixed her gaze on the head of the procession.

The Wolves had parted to either side, revealing the Black Lion kneeling on one knee, her warhorse standing guard beside her. Seren's head was bowed, almost as if in prayer.

Lucia finally let out a breath of relief and stretched her hand forward. "I'll explain later. For now, we need to hide Sir Ian. Help me, Diana. ...Diana?"

Frowning, Lucia lifted her head. Diana was still staring up at the sky, eyes wide through the slits of her mask—so wide they looked like they might tear.

Lucia followed her gaze—and instantly understood.

The sky's darkness, now unnaturally close to the point of discomfort, had begun to writhe like sticky tar. The ash-gray vortex at its edges spun faster, deeper, and more vividly than before. It felt like a massive, unseen eye was staring down at them.

Snort! Neigh—

A commotion erupted up front. Lucia snapped her head toward the sound. The warhorses were rearing, howling, and thrashing their heads wildly. The ones that had spread out alongside the Wolves had suddenly begun to riot.

Grrrhhh...

And Diana's warhorse was no exception.

"What the hell?" Snapping back to her senses, Diana flung the reins aside and launched herself from the saddle—one arm pulling Lucia into a protective hold.

Even as they hit the ground and rolled, Lucia's eyes stayed fixed on the warhorse. It was stumbling forward, thrashing like it was in the throes of a seizure.

Creak, crackle—

Its veins and muscles pulsed grotesquely beneath its skin, twitching and swelling. Its ash-gray mane thickened visibly by the second.

"It's mutating! Draw your weapons!"

"We have to take it down before it's done—go for the head! Aim for the head!"

The Wolves' shouts echoed in chaos as their tumble slowed.

"What the hell is the Lion doing? Fuck!" As Diana cursed and pushed herself off the ground, Lucia shook off her arm and scrambled to her feet.

"What are you doing?! We need to move, now! Lucifer!"

Ignoring the cry behind her, Lucia ran toward Ian.

He was still standing there, motionless—like he was blind to the chaos unraveling around him. His eyes shimmered faintly in violet. It was as if the chaos within him was resonating with the energy of Inaskurgl, the archdemon who had shaped this place.

Perhaps even Sir Seren is also...

Lucia's steps slowed. She stopped short when the black horse—still blindfolded—suddenly stepped in front of her, blocking the way. It lowered its horned head and let out a low, threatening growl.

"Move. Now." Lucia's voice dropped to a chill, her eyes flickering with a faint red glow of magic. Beneath her cloak, her right hand closed tightly around the handle of the flail strapped to her back.

"Wait—" Diana grabbed her from behind and lifted her clear off the ground. "Stop, Lucy! We need to fall back! That thing's about to go berserk and eat us!"

"Let me go, Diana. Sir Ian is completely defenseless right now. He's going to wake up soon—I have to protect him until then!"

"What are you talking about?! That thing is protecting him!" Diana shouted, tightening her hold around as she quickly continued. "Look closely. That thing's completely fine. It's a fully matured form—its mutation is complete. It's protecting Ian! Anything that approaches, it sees as an enemy!"

Lucia finally stopped resisting. Diana was right.

Diana turned sharply, glancing back over her shoulder. "And that Lion bitch? Something's wrong with her too."

Lucia's eyes widened as she followed Diana's gaze. Seren's warhorse—still mid-mutation—was now surrounded by Wolves, weapons drawn, rushing toward their own mounts.

"This whole mess is probably connected—maybe even to whatever's going on with Ian. Honestly, I don't care why," Diana said, setting Lucia down. "You said Ian's going to wake up soon, right? Then all we have to do is hold out until he does. He'll take care of the rest. Isn't that right?"

"Yes. You're right, Diana," Lucia replied at last.

Diana exhaled—short, sharp, and heavy through her mask—then finally let Lucia go.

Lucia stepped forward and drew her flail. "Then we just need to take down one of them. Cover me."

"What?"

"We can't just stand here and do nothing."

Without waiting for a response, Lucia darted forward.

Diana watched her cloak flutter as she ran—and in an instant, she understood. Lucia was going after her warhorse. Just like the other Wolves, she was trying to kill it before the mutation finished. The fact that it had already swollen to the size of a bear didn't seem to faze her at all.

"What the fuck is all this!" Diana hissed through clenched teeth, yanking the horn bow from her shoulder and taking off after her.

"Go for the crown! Hit the crown of the head—"

"Captain! Where is the Captain?!"

The battlefield had devolved into pure chaos. Their shouts grew louder, more frenzied with each passing second. The Wolves were fighting dangerously, almost recklessly. Most of them had left their spears strapped to their saddles, forced now to face the mutating, rampaging warhorses with nothing but short swords and knives.

Crunch! Crack!

Some managed to climb up the beasts' necks, driving their blades deep into their heads or throats. A few were lucky enough to bring one down by breaking a leg. They darted between flailing heads, striking wherever they found an opening.

Of course, not everyone was so fortunate.

Crash! Clang!

Those struck by a warhorse's head or legs were hurled through the air like cannonballs, slamming to the ground.

"Shit!"

Some coughed up blood between their masks; others clutched at broken arms or legs, staggering to their feet.

Grrrhh...

At last, the beasts that had completed their mutation calmed down. There were only four of them, but each one had grown even larger than before, manes now thick and bristling.

Sniff, snort—

The ones fused with their blindfolds twitched their noses, while the others emitted a gray light from their eyes. Jagged horns jutted from their foreheads or snouts. Their jaws, filled with ashen breath, revealed rows of gleaming, razor-sharp teeth. These were no beasts a normal human could handle—especially not in the heart of an archdemon's territory.

"Buy some time! Don't face them head-on!"

"Come on, then! You ungrateful bastards!"

Despite the warning, some Wolves had already spread out wide, shouting with reckless bravado. Between the slits of their masks, streaked with sweat and blood, their eyes gleamed with a blend of tension and wild excitement.

Raargh! Grrh!

The beasts howled almost in unison, and without warning, each charged in a different direction.

The Wolves, targeted by the sudden charge, dove to the sides, rolling across the ground. Three of the beasts circled back, but one didn't slow—it had locked eyes on a target ahead, someone down on one knee.

Rargh!

Just then, another warhorse lunged from the rear—charging at the beast that had broken off. It was smaller, but there was no hesitation in its attack.

Boom—

The two collided and tumbled to the ground, snarling and thrashing. Jaws snapped and horns swung wildly as they grappled.

Crash, crunch.

The remaining beasts launched another charge, and again the Wolves scattered. But not all of them made it this time. A Wolf with a broken leg was struck head-on, unable to escape in time.

"Mark!" A nearby Wolf screamed his name, but when the dust cleared, there was no sign of him left behind.

And then there he was—hanging from the charging beast's raised head. A jagged horn pierced through his torso, jutting out from the middle of his back.

Blood streamed from his abdomen, soaking the beast's head—but he neither screamed nor cried out in pain.

Crunch— Crack!

He simply kept striking the creature's skull with his clenched blade, over and over, as if refusing to die alone. The Wolves had only a moment to watch their comrade's final stand as he disappeared with the beast.

"What is that?"

At that moment, a few of the Wolves narrowed their eyes. Beyond the thick gray fog and the sparse black trees, dim, flickering gray eyes were drawing closer—without a sound.

"No way..."

"Are the shadow beasts... already here?"

It was then that a blue-tinged darkness seeped in from beyond the tangled mass of beasts. The Wolves—frozen in shock—turned their heads in unison. Even those who had just evaded the charging monsters paused to look back.

Seren was slowly rising, her sword lifted above her head. A blue darkness billowed from her blade and armor, spreading outward. It passed beneath her warhorse, trampling the beasts, and reached toward the Wolves behind her.

A moment later, she staggered. The darkness that had been expanding faltered, and a jet of pitch-black blood spurted from between the slits of her mask.

"Captain?"

Just as one of the Wolves let out a breath of despair, Seren steadied herself and raised her sword again with a trembling hand.

"For... His Highness the Crown Prince!" Her voice rang out, strained and hoarse. The darkness howled with her, sweeping over the Wolves.

Swoosh!

The shadow didn't fully penetrate their layered armor, but even the slightest touch was enough. Their glowing eyes darkened to a deep blue, and the blades they held dulled with shadow.

"For His Highness the Prince!"

"Glory everlasting—"

Weapons in hand, the Wolves howled and charged the beasts.

"Glory, my ass," Diana muttered, standing with her back to a tree blackened like coal. Her eyes tracked the side of a beast that had passed Lucia, fingers tightening around her horn bow.

It was the size of a bear now, and even with one side of its head caved in, it was still alive—still running.

Neigh—

If anything, it had grown more feral, rampaging wildly, its one remaining eye locked onto the one who had done this to it.

"Phew, phew..."

Of course, it was Lucia. Clutching her flail, she panted heavily, but her eyes never left the beast. In fact, she stood her ground as if daring it to come closer.

"What the hell," said Diana.

Where does that kind of courage even come from, in such a small body?

Even as Diana wondered, she hurriedly pulled a fresh arrow from the quiver strapped to her thigh.

Thud, thud, thud—

The beast had turned—and now it charged straight at the girl.

When Lucia dodged, Diana intended to bury an arrow right into that one remaining eye. However, contrary to her plan, Lucia had no intention of moving.

Her gaze remained locked onto the monster, unmoving, as if she'd made up her mind. The red magical energy that had been burning at the center of her eyes was now spreading, flooding her eyes entirely.

Rumble...

Just as flames flared to life in her left hand, the sound of hooves—so heavy they seemed to shake the very ground—drew near.

Lucia's eyes snapped wide as she turned her head. A beast was nearly upon her, yet she didn't even flinch.

She didn't have to.

Rumble!

The black steed had already reached her—and it was even closer than the charging beast.

Crash!

With its head dipped low, the horse slammed into the creature's side with full force. The beast's body twisted violently, lifted clean off the ground by the impact. As its momentum faltered, the figure atop the black steed came clearly into view—Ian.

Whoosh—

Ian, both hands gripping his battle hammer, swung with all his strength.

Crack!

The hammer struck the side of the beast's head, caving it in. The creature went flying, limp and lifeless, tumbling across the ground.

Clatter...

The black steed came to a sliding stop, its hooves skidding across the dirt. It staggered slightly as it turned, adjusting its stance. Ian's cloak, which had been billowing behind him, fell still against his back.

Lowering the battle hammer he had raised at an angle, Ian finally turned to face Lucia, who stood frozen in place.

Looking down at her glowing red eyes, he moved his lips. "Put that away, Lucy."

"...Okay." Lucia blinked, then clenched the hand she'd been holding out. The blazing fireball vanished without a trace.

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