Mamir staggered, his back burning from the deep wound where the serpent's fangs had pierced him. The venom spread through his veins like fire, every step heavier than the last. Yet he did not let go of his sword. His breath was ragged, his vision blurred with darkness, but his will still stood unbroken.
From the shadows, Medmaran slithered forth. Her serpentine body coiled around the stone floor, while her upper half bore the beauty of a woman. Her glowing eyes narrowed, and a thin smile curved her lips.
— "You are weak, prince," she whispered. "The venom is eating away at you. Soon your soul will bow to the darkness."
She lunged with terrifying speed. Her fist crashed into Mamir's face, the impact echoing through the cavern. Blood dripped from his mouth as he fell to his knees. Then Medmaran sank her fangs into his neck. The venom poured into his veins like ice, and his entire body convulsed. He could no longer move.
Her laughter echoed through the chamber.
— "Now I will watch your end. Neither you, nor your friends, nor your kingdom will ever escape this darkness."
But in Mamir's mind, another voice rose. His sister Seiren's words, long ago:
— "Protect them, Mamir…"
Ener's loyalty… Runya's love… The people waiting behind him… All of it flared within him. Even on the edge of death, his will did not break.
With the last of his strength, Mamir clutched his sword. A roar burst from his chest as he drove the Elven Lightblade upward, piercing beneath Medmaran's ribs, straight into her heart.
Her eyes widened in shock. For a heartbeat her beauty shattered, twisting into a monstrous scream. Light burst from her chest, and her serpentine body writhed and unraveled. The chains of her dark magic shattered. All around them, the countless black serpents shrieked and scattered, freed from her spell before fading into nothing.
When silence finally fell, Mamir collapsed to his knees. Ener stirred, blinking in confusion. Runya awoke and rushed to Mamir's side, tears streaming down her face.
Her voice trembled as she whispered:
— "It seems you've saved us again…"
Her hands cupped his bloodstained face, her tears mingling with his wounds.
— "The hero who has saved me—saved us—time and time again…" she said, her voice breaking with love and despair.
Then she pressed her lips to his. A long, trembling, desperate kiss. Mamir kissed her back, and for a fleeting moment, it felt as though all venom, all darkness, had vanished.
But then his body convulsed. His knees buckled, and he slipped from her arms, collapsing onto the cold stone floor.
— "No! Mamir!" Runya cried, her tears falling freely.
Ener rushed to his side, but there was nothing he could do. The venom still coursed through Mamir's veins.
And in the depths of the underworld, silence returned once more.
---
"If you enjoyed it, adding this book to your collection would make me really happy, my friends."