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Chapter 42: Submerged
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The Black Hellblade Chapter 43: Dark as the Seafloor
In the following weeks, Maritza wasn't the same. The blank, absent expression never left her face, and along with looking pale, she had lost fifteen pounds. Ronan had tried talking to her but it was to no avail, and he'd given her plenty of space to process her near-death experience, though he couldn't hide his concern any longer. Maritza was in her usual spot in their bedroom, sitting in front of the vanity mirror shaped like an opened seashell, staring at her own white face. The plate of grilled fish and green beans that Ronan had left beside her for dinner the previous night was still right where he had set it down, untouched, and beginning to stink from remaining out all night. Ronan's nose scrunched and he removed the plate, set it aside, and tripped on an empty rum bottle at the feet of Maritza's chair. He never saw her eat, and the only movements he ever did witness were when she poured a stiff drink and occasionally sipped at it. Ronan's heart sank, and he couldn't remember
The Black Hellblade Chapter 44: Silver Rum and Silver Tongues
Scindo rubbed his chin, entertained by Clove's playful question."Well," Scindo said, "I suppose the last good gulp of water I had was earlier this afternoon, to hydrate after a morning of loading a ship with crates of tea to be shipped out East."Clove smiled and raised a brow. "Tea?" she asked, in a charming yet prying sort of manner."Yes," Scindo grinned. "Tea, though I far prefer rum."Clove nodded and swiftly replied, "Ah yes, your rum! I've had quite a few bottles of the stuff you brew myself, and I must say, it's quite good. And I'm sure a natural seafaring man such as yourself has tried many different rums, and has quite the advanced palette, has he not?""Flattery, my dear Ms. Clove, will get you everywhere. I've had my share of fine rums, from as dark as a puddle of mud to as gold as the sands on our beach."He set his hands on his hips and laughed. "All have gotten me a good bit drunk. Now aren't you supposed to convince me to buy that jar of water?""I'm glad you'
The Black Hellblade Chapter 45: Nightmare Celebration
At that night's celebration of the Merchant exams, Maritza slow-danced with Ronan by the rumbling fire pit. She inspected him for the first time in a while; black stubble peppered his face, chin, and neck, and his hair had grown out to almost touch his eyes. He matched the Seahorse Nightblades in size and strength, and on his left arm were three black markings— first and foremost a snake, and coiled on each side of the snake was a butterfly and a seahorse. Beneath each marking was five tally marks.Maritza suddenly felt overwhelmed with guilt. She couldn't even recall when the last time he'd received a new rank, or what his progress had been since she had retreated to their room. She had been enveloped in such a cloud of darkness that she had not been there for him to support him through his training, or to celebrate his accomplishments.In the light from the fire pit, Seahorse Nightblades twirled and spun their partners around, clacking mugs of beer and glasses of rum together. Ike
The Black Hellblade Chapter 46: The Order of Thirteen
Ronan's head ached like he'd woken from a nightmare that had stolen precious hours of sleep. He drew the Hellblade in a fast black arc as he saw that the sleeve of Scindo's trench coat was torn by blade slashes. Blood trickled from Scindo's arm and down to his fingers, then to the grass beneath by his feet.Ike snatched a lance out from the ground near the fire pit, and Clove pulled a dagger from a leather sheath on her lower back. From her hip, Maritza drew her father's curved sword. Ronan put his hand on her wrist and said, "You're not going out there. You need to sit this out." Maritza tugged her hand away and snapped, "Like Hell I am!" Scindo cut between the two and added, "The Black Butterfly is needed. It's her that they want." Ike rolled the sleeves of his tight white shirt up and asked, "Who's they?"The ground shook and the Nightblades were put off kilter by a roar that exploded into the air. Bright orange flames the size of a lake shot into the air, and even from
The Black Hellblade Chapter 47: Dragon's Fire
Both doors to the main gate swung open, and Ronan was nearly face to face with a gray-scaled dragon. It was as tall and wide as the giant burning tapestries illuminating its jagged, black teeth, each one as large and wide as Ronan's own body. The dragon exhaled thick mounds of soot from its nose, the force of which blasted back Ronan's hair and made him need to ground himself. Martiza tugged at his arm. "Run! Come with me!"Ronan shook his head and held his sword outright. It gleamed a black so strong even the dragon winced. "Go with Illia and take out Wallace," Ronan said, not casting his glare away from the dragon's deep, dusty red eyes. From the corner of his mouth he added, "I know you can defeat Wallace."Without another word and without wasting another second, Maritza dashed off with Illia through the left hatch. Ronan could hear Scindo, Ike, and Clove beckoning out orders as the three dozen Seahorse Nightblades rushed to the grassy fields. Just beyond the dragon and it
The Black Hellblade Chapter 48: Old Rivals, New Enemies
Maritza heard Ronan shout for her as she rolled backwards, then regained her footing in a standing position. The Shroud's Runes coated half her body, and along with one of her eyes becoming black, the large black butterfly wing had protruded from her shoulder. She had saved herself by amplifying her Butterfly magic with The Shroud, but she was feeling the weight of using such power. Already, she wanted nothing more than to fall to her stomach and pass out, or allow her knees to buckle. She panted, and the smokescreen her marking had created started to clear. "Ronan!" she called out. "I'm okay! Finish off the dragon."Ronan stood past the clearing smoke, his sword raised with both hands. He got a clear look at Maritza, safe, then darted off towards the dragon circling the sky overhead. That left Maritza with only her opponent. The rest of the smoke dissipated, and Wallace was kneeling in a small crater from where he had landed with his hand around his sword. His sword's blade t
The Black Hellblade Chapter 49: Ronan's Will
Clove and Ike stood back to back, watching through their panting breaths as Maritza transformed to her next level in The Shroud system."What the hell just happened to her?" Clove asked. The more and more she saw of The Shroud, the less trusted it and its demonic aura.Ike thrust his lance at one of the six remaining Order warriors, keeping the cloaked figure at bay. "I've got no clue," Ike said dismissively. "But it's Maritza. We can trust her. Be glad she's on our side."Clove let out a timid grunt, before using her dagger to parry a blow from yet another Order warrior. There were too many dead Seahorses to count, and as much as Clove thought she might be able to lead these warriors into battle, she was doubting if she would even make it out alive.Above them, the sky shook as the dragon roared. Ronan was on its tail, his hair whipping in the wind, as it flew around. Ronan stabbed his Hellblade between the scales and climbed the spikes lining the base of the dragon's tail."Ro
The Black Hellblade Chapter 50: True-Self
Somehow, Illia had the sense to leave her quarrel with Wallace and stand in front of Maritza. Alfred's bullet went right into the back of Illia's neck, and she choked on her blood as she fell to her knees. Maritza then noticed Alfred and put up her sword to his next shot, as if that might protect her.But Ike, grabbing his dominant and bloody arm, hurled his lance at Alfred. The lance's impact on Alfred's shoulder took his arm clean off, and his arm holding the gun fell in front of him. Blood gushed from the socket and Alfred hyperventilated. Scindo went to Illia's side, trying to put pressure on her bleeding, but in turn only taking precious seconds of air out from her lungs. "No, no, no," Scindo repeated. "Illia, please." Wallace started to laugh, and he went for Scindo next, but Maritza stopped the strike with her own sword. Ike hovered over Clove, who was twitching in a pool of her own blood. "Even if you defeat me," Wallace chuckled playfully, "none of you will have a
Latest chapter
- The Black Hellblade Chapter 50: True-Self
- The Black Hellblade Chapter 49: Ronan's Will
- The Black Hellblade Chapter 48: Old Rivals, New Enemies
- The Black Hellblade Chapter 47: Dragon's Fire
- The Black Hellblade Chapter 46: The Order of Thirteen
- The Black Hellblade Chapter 45: Nightmare Celebration
- The Black Hellblade Chapter 44: Silver Rum and Silver Tongues
- The Black Hellblade Chapter 43: Dark as the Seafloor
- The Black Hellblade Chapter 42: Submerged
