Heaven: A Maiden's Curse

18 - Breaking The Beast

Gordon's massive weapon swung through the air like a thunderstorm, and I barely managed to dodge, feeling the air ripple from the force. My body ached, but I couldn't afford to slow down. We were in the middle of a battlefield, and the ogre before me was a wall of rage and raw power.

"Tell me when you're ready," I said through gritted teeth, barely avoiding another swing.

The woman—her movements sharp and calculated—nodded. "Almost... Just a little longer."

From the corner of my eye, I could see Hyacinth watching us with her usual smugness. "You think you can stop him? Gordon, kill them already!" she shouted.

The sound of Gordon's bellowing roar rang out, making the ground shake beneath our feet. But he didn't strike immediately—he was still recovering from the last trap the woman set. His fury was only getting worse.

I glanced back at her. "You ready?"

She gave me a sharp nod, and without wasting any time, I charged at Gordon, aiming for his ankles. But the moment I moved forward, he spun around, his massive weapon coming at me like a meteor. I barely managed to roll to the side, feeling the heat from the impact.

I heard the woman's voice behind me, and I turned to see her throwing another explosive device at Gordon. It exploded right beneath his feet, sending shockwaves through the ground. His footing wavered, and for a brief moment, he seemed to stagger.

"Good," I muttered. "Keep it up."

The woman's traps were working, but Gordon was starting to recover faster than I'd hoped. He growled in frustration, swiping his weapon around wildly.

I grabbed the object—the one the red monster had left behind all those weeks ago. I'd almost forgotten about it. It had seemed like a pointless trinket at the time, but now... now it felt different. I didn't know why, but it seemed to call out to me, urging me to use it.

Without thinking, I attached it to my weapon and swung. The blade sank into Gordon's flesh with a sickening crack, cutting deeper than I'd expected.

I froze for a moment, looking at the object in disbelief. Was it the object? Did it just make my weapon stronger?

I couldn't dwell on it. Gordon roared in fury, and I had to move again.

I watched as his body began to change his skin bubbling and cracking, muscles stretching grotesquely. He was transforming, becoming more monstrous. His eyes locked onto something in the distance—the fragment, glowing faintly on the ground.

"No..." I whispered, realizing too late that the fragment was calling to him. His transformation accelerated, and his rage grew. The woman swore under her breath, her expression tightening.

"Hyacinth," she muttered. "She's making him worse."

Before I could respond, Gordon lunged at us, swinging his massive weapon with such force that it felt like the world was about to split in two.

We dodged and scattered, but it was becoming clear—Gordon was stronger than before. He was faster, more dangerous, and we were running out of options.

I aimed for his legs, desperate to slow him down. Each strike was a gamble, but eventually, we managed to bring him to one knee, his massive form teetering as he struggled to stay upright.

"Now!" I shouted to the woman. "We can take him down now!"

But Gordon wasn't done. He grunted and pushed himself back to his feet, his body trembling with the effort. His rage was too strong, and before I knew it, he slammed his fist into the ground, causing the earth to quake beneath us.

I felt the impact in my chest, knocking the air out of me as I struggled to stay on my feet.

"No, not like this," I muttered, trying to gather my strength. My vision blurred, but I kept my eyes locked on Gordon. He was still standing, though barely.

"Get up, Gordon," Hyacinth's voice called out from behind us, cold and commanding. "You're not done yet."

But then, something unexpected happened.

Gordon—his body still twitching with the remnants of his transformation—collapsed to his knees again. His breath was heavy, ragged. The woman and I exchanged a glance. It was our chance.

We moved in quickly, aiming for his chest—right where we saw the glowing crystal embedded deep in his skin. It was his weakness, and we both knew it. We needed to break it, or this fight would never end.

As we closed the distance, Gordon tried to rise again. His legs trembled, and his hands gripped the ground, but his strength was fading fast. He couldn't stand.

Then Hyacinth's voice rang out, sharp and cold: "Enough!"

With a flick of her wrist, she pulled the dark energy from Gordon's body. We watched in horror as the life seemed to drain from him, his muscles shrinking and his body deflating. The power that had once made him unstoppable was now consumed by her. The ogre fell to the ground, limp and useless.

Hyacinth stood over him, her eyes gleaming with cold satisfaction. "I have no use for weaklings."

I turned to the woman. "She... she killed him."

"Doesn't matter," she said, a fire in her eyes. "We have to finish what we started."

I looked back at the now lifeless body of Gordon and the fragment lying on the ground, but before I could make another move, I saw it.

In Gordon's chest, there was an object—a jagged, black crystal—glowing faintly. It was the real power, the source of his strength. It had to be destroyed.

But as I stepped forward, I saw Gordon twitch, trying to move again. His face contorted with rage, and I realized the battle wasn't over. We weren't done yet.

Hyacinth had seen our move, and she was already preparing her next attack.