Crown of Envy (Beyond Mercenary Book 4) by M Guida & Michael Anderle

Author:M Guida & Michael Anderle [Guida, M & Anderle, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2024-08-23T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The moment my fingers brushed the cool surface of the Heartstone, the cave erupted into chaos. The whispers suddenly crescendoed into a deafening roar, making us instinctively cover our ears.

The retreating shadows surged forward, coalescing into a nightmarish form. From the darkness emerged a creature that defied description, a horror that seemed composed of living shadow and stolen stone.

Its body was massive, easily twice the height of a man, with a torso that looked like roughly hewn granite. But this stone wasn’t static. It shifted and flowed like liquid, revealing glimpses of faces trapped within, their expressions frozen in terror. I recognized some of them from the statues we’d seen earlier.

Where a head should have been was instead a writhing mass of shadow tentacles, each tipped with a glowing green eye that matched the Heartstone’s color. The eyes swiveled independently, fixing on us with an alien intelligence.

The creature’s arms were long and spindly, ending in hands with too many fingers, each digit tipped with a crystalline claw that glinted wickedly in the green light. Its lower body seemed to merge with the shadows on the cave floor, giving the impression it was rising out of the darkness.

As it fully materialized, an otherworldly energy that made my skin crawl charged the air. The creature’s presence seemed to distort reality, the cave walls warping and bending in impossible ways.

A voice, not heard but felt, resonated within our minds. “You dare to trespass in my domain? To steal what is mine? Foolish mortals. You shall join my collection.”

Damon managed to rasp, “I take it back. This isn’t a horror movie. This is way, way worse.”

As the creature loomed over us, its countless eyes gleaming with malevolent intent, I realized we were hopelessly outmatched. The Heartstone pulsed in my grasp, its glow intensifying as if responding to its master’s presence.

We had definitely made a mistake, and now we were about to pay the price. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat, each beat a reminder of our perilous situation.

Suddenly, the words of the mirror flashed through my mind, cutting through the fog of fear. We had to do this together. This wasn’t an individual quest but a team one. I didn’t know if this would work, but I summoned every ounce of courage I had left. Swallowing hard, I held my head high, meeting the creature’s numerous eyes. “We’re the Chosen,” I declared, my voice stronger than I felt. “You can’t defeat us.”

The creature’s laughter echoed through the cave, a sound like grinding stones that set my teeth on edge. It reached for Lisa with a grotesque, many-fingered hand.

“Join hands!” I shouted, desperation lending volume to my voice.

My team stood motionless, their eyes glazed as if falling into a trance. Panic surged through me. Moving quickly, I snatched Justice’s hand with my left and my brother’s with my right, sandwiching the amulet between my palm and Justice’s. The contact seemed to jolt them awake. Their eyes cleared as they blinked rapidly.

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