The Queen Who Stopped Running
1051 Words
Chapter 15
The underground chamber fell silent.
The hunters had spread out in a half circle now, their torches casting wild shadows across the ancient carvings on the walls. The stone queen carved into the pillars seemed to watch the scene with cold amusement, as if she had seen battles like this before.
Selene stood in the center of the chamber.
Still.
Her breathing slow.
The black veins beneath her skin pulsed like living shadows.
Darius smiled.
“There she is,” he said softly.
“The famous queen.”
Selene’s eyes narrowed.
“You talk too much.”
Darius shrugged.
“It’s a bad habit.”
He lifted his blade lazily.
“But I’m about to break it.”
The hunters moved.
Three rushed Kael.
The rest came for Selene.
Kael met the first attacker head on.
Steel clashed in the darkness.
He moved like he always did—precise, fast, brutal. One hunter lunged. Kael twisted sideways and drove his sword into the man’s chest.
Another swung from the side.
Kael ducked and cut low, dropping the man before he even finished his attack.
But there were too many.
Selene saw the other hunters closing in.
Her heart pounded.
The serpent hissed around her wrist.
“Do not hesitate.”
Selene lifted her hand slowly.
The veins across her arm burned brighter.
“I’m not.”
The first hunter swung his blade toward her neck.
Selene didn’t move.
The power inside her moved instead.
The air exploded outward.
The man flew backward like he had been struck by a giant hammer. He slammed into one of the stone pillars and collapsed instantly.
The other hunters stopped.
Just for a moment.
Long enough to realize what they were dealing with.
One of them whispered.
“The blood…”
Selene stepped forward.
Her voice was colder now.
“You should have stayed above ground.”
The serpent lifted its head proudly.
“She begins to understand.”
Darius didn’t look impressed.
He stepped forward through the fallen hunters calmly.
“Parlor tricks.”
Selene glared at him.
“You keep underestimating me.”
Darius smiled.
“No.”
His eyes flicked briefly toward Kael fighting two hunters across the chamber.
“I’m underestimating how long he can keep you alive.”
He moved suddenly.
Faster than Selene expected.
His blade came straight for her chest.
Selene reacted instinctively.
The power surged again.
But this time—
Darius didn’t fly backward.
He slid only a step.
Then another.
His boots scraping across the stone floor.
Selene’s eyes widened.
“You’re resisting it.”
Darius grinned.
“Venom hunters train for that.”
He lunged again.
Selene barely dodged in time.
The blade sliced across her sleeve.
Darius laughed softly.
“You’re powerful.”
He circled her slowly.
“But you’re still human.”
Selene backed away.
Her breathing quickened.
Across the chamber Kael finished another hunter.
Two bodies hit the floor.
But three more still pressed him.
Kael glanced toward Selene.
“Don’t let him close the distance!”
Selene nodded.
Too late.
Darius moved again.
His blade flashed toward her throat.
Selene threw up her hand.
The power burst outward again—
This time stronger.
Darius slammed into the wall behind him.
The stone cracked under the impact.
For a moment he didn’t move.
Selene stared.
“Stay down.”
Darius laughed.
Low.
Dark.
Then he pushed himself off the wall.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
“Now that,” he said slowly, “was interesting.”
Selene’s stomach dropped.
“You’re insane.”
Darius wiped the blood away.
“Probably.”
His green eyes burned brighter now.
“But I’ve hunted monsters longer than you’ve been alive.”
Kael suddenly appeared beside Selene.
Two more hunters lay dead behind him.
Only three remained standing.
Darius.
And two others.
Kael’s voice dropped.
“We need to finish this.”
Selene nodded.
The serpent whispered.
“The blood grows stronger.”
Selene raised both hands this time.
The power inside her surged.
The air trembled across the chamber.
The torches flickered violently.
Darius’s smile faded slightly.
“Oh…”
Selene’s voice echoed strangely in the stone room.
“You wanted the queen.”
The ground beneath their feet began to shake.
Cracks spread across the ancient carvings.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Selene’s eyes glowed faintly now.
“Now you have her.”
The power exploded outward.
The two remaining hunters were thrown across the chamber like broken dolls.
One smashed into the wall.
The other crashed into the stone queen carving and collapsed.
Only Darius remained standing.
Barely.
He stared at Selene.
For the first time—
There was fear in his eyes.
Darius took one slow step backward.
“You’re waking too fast.”
Selene’s voice had changed.
Lower.
Stronger.
“Good.”
Darius sheathed his blade slowly.
“Another night then.”
Selene frowned.
“You’re running?”
Darius smiled again.
“No.”
He began backing toward the tunnel.
“I’m surviving.”
Then he vanished into the darkness.
The chamber fell silent again.
Kael exhaled slowly.
“Well.”
Selene lowered her hands.
The power faded slightly.
“That was new.”
Kael glanced around at the bodies.
“You handled yourself.”
Selene looked down at her glowing veins.
“They’re getting stronger.”
The serpent nodded.
“The queen rises.”
Selene wasn’t sure if that was good news.
Kael sheathed his sword.
“We can’t stay here.”
Selene looked toward the tunnel where Darius had escaped.
“He’ll bring more.”
Kael nodded.
“Yes.”
Selene looked back at the ancient carving of the serpent queen on the wall.
The stone queen seemed to stare back at her.
Like she had been waiting.
Selene turned to Kael.
“Where do we go now?”
Kael’s eyes darkened slightly.
“There’s only one place left.”
Selene frowned.
“Where?”
Kael looked deeper into the tunnels.
“The place where the first queen was born.”
The serpent lifted its head slowly.
“The Serpent Temple.”
Selene blinked.
“That sounds dangerous.”
Kael gave a small smile.
“Everything about you is dangerous.”
And far above them…
The kingdom of Vareth had begun preparing for war.
- Writer
