Chains of Vengeance

Chapter 83: Appreciating the Gift

Narinder arrived at the entrance of Shamura Temple. The air was thick with tension, and Narinder could sense danger lurking.

In front of him, the grotesque figure of Hauras, the great corrupted scorpion, emerged. His black hood was torn, exposing his black and red eyes, which dripped with pure hatred towards Narinder. The spikes protruding from his body and the dried blood stains on his face, along with the black ichor covering his claws, made him look like a beast from nightmares, completely consumed by corruption. Hauras' tail, with its mouth full of sharp teeth, writhed and whipped the ground, as a hiss of venom dripped to the ground.

Narinder knew that this battle would not be like the previous ones. Not only did Hauras represent Shamura's power, but he also nursed a deep hatred towards him, as if every fiber of his being wished to destroy him.

The fight began brutally. Hauras, with unexpected speed, launched his large pincers at Narinder, trying to crush him with a blow that would have split any other enemy in two. Narinder barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side and quickly taking out his sickle.

"You're not going to stop me!" Narinder shouted, as he cut the air with his weapon, trying to make his way towards the scorpion.

Hauras hit the ground with one of his pincers, creating a shockwave that threw Narinder backwards. As he fell, the scorpion released a burst of poison, spraying the entire battlefield with its corrosive substance, burning the earth and stones. Narinder got up, barely avoiding the pools of poison that sizzled dangerously close to his feet. The poison filled the air with an acidic stench, making it difficult for Narinder to breathe.

Narinder spun with agility and launched a precise slash with his sickle, managing to tear one of Hauras' legs. The scorpion screamed in pain, a hellish sound that reverberated throughout the temple. However, it did not retreat; instead, it launched its tail in a lightning motion, seeking to impale Narinder.

Narinder, with calculated coolness, deflected the tail strike with his sickle, but the impact sent him reeling. The scorpion's claws closed once more, striking the ground and creating cracks beneath his feet. It was a struggle of endurance, a long and dangerous battle, where a single mistake would mean death.

The air was thick with dust, poison, and overwhelming pressure, but Narinder did not relent. Every strike he threw was a combination of precision and fury, the glint of his sickle reflecting his determination to win. The corruption in Hauras seemed to be weakening him, and Narinder knew it. He had to seize this moment.

With a swift maneuver, Narinder dodged another of Hauras's lunges and, with a cry of fury, leapt upon it, attacking the back of its shell with a series of devastating blows. The sickle dug into the scorpion's corrupted flesh, releasing a jet of black ichor that stained its robes.

Hauras screamed in a final roar of agony, and with one last blow, Narinder severed the beast's head, ending the fight. Hauras' body collapsed heavily to the ground, flailing its limbs one last time before becoming completely still.

Narinder, panting from the effort, walked over to the scorpion's body and picked up the Tear of God, a small orb that glowed with an ethereal light. With the tear in hand, he closed his eyes and teleported back to his cult, leaving the temple silent with only the remains of his battle.

It was now almost nighttime at the cult. The sky was turning a reddish hue, marking the end of a long and grueling day. Narinder walked calmly through the grounds, his eyes tired, but his determination still firm in his chest. He snapped his fingers, wiping away with his magic the sweat and ichor that still covered his body after the brutal battle with Hauras. His robes, now spotless, fluttered gently as he walked forward.