CHAPTER 28: who or whom?

As the guards, Nox and Drim, stood at the gate of the imperial palace, the buzz of excitement surrounding the second prince's wedding filled the air.

"Hey, Nox, did you hear? Today is the second prince's wedding," Drim remarked, his tone tinged with curiosity.

With an annoyed sigh, Nox replied, "Of course I know, you idiot. The whole kingdom knows that today is the second prince's wedding."

Drim chuckled in response, "Right."

But their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a strange voice that sounded from behind them. "Excuse me, is this the palace of the Kingdom of Verdía?"

Without realizing the danger looming, Nox responded without hesitation, "Yes, it is—" But before he could finish his sentence, a sudden blur of movement caught their attention.

In a horrifying instant, their heads were dispatched from their bodies, tumbling downward in a macabre display of violence. Shock and realization dawned on their faces too late as they met each other's gaze for the last time, their lives snuffed out in an instant by an unseen assailant.

As the alarm sounded throughout the palace, every guard sprang into action, converging towards the gate where the intruder stood. One of the leaders of the knight group shouted out, "Who are you?" His voice echoed with authority and urgency, demanding an answer from the mysterious creature that had breached their defenses.

But the creature remained silent, its strange smile sending a chill down the spines of all who beheld it. With a sense of impending danger looming over them, the knight leader barked out orders, commanding his men to attack.

"Hundreds of knights, get ready to attack!" he shouted, his voice ringing out above the clamor of the approaching confrontation. Swords were drawn, shields raised, as the knights prepared to defend their kingdom against the unknown threat.

But before they could make a move, a voice, cold and devoid of mercy, sounded from behind them. "I don't have time today," it said, dripping with malice. "So just die."

In an instant, chaos erupted as the creature unleashed its deadly power. With a deafening explosion, the air was filled with the sound of screams and the sickening crunch of metal against flesh as hundreds of knights were cut down in a matter of seconds.

Limbs were severed, bodies torn asunder, as the creature moved with inhuman speed and precision, its actions swift and merciless. In the blink of an eye, the once-mighty army lay decimated, a grim testament to the terrifying power of their assailant.

As the smoke cleared and the echoes of the massacre faded, the palace courtyard lay silent and still, save for the eerie presence of the creature that had wrought such devastation. With a cold, indifferent gaze, it surveyed the carnage before it, its smile twisted into a grotesque mockery of humanity as it prepared to unleash further destruction upon the unsuspecting kingdom.

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As I gripped my sword tightly, determination surged through my veins like a raging river. My gaze bore into Wishper, the ominous figure who had disrupted the wedding ceremony with his malevolent presence. "Why are you here?" I demanded, my voice echoing with a mix of defiance and apprehension.

But even as I posed the question, a whirlwind of thoughts churned in my mind. This was the worst possible time for a creature of this caliber to appear, especially with the king and commander absent. Where were they when we needed their leadership and protection?

Wishper's response was chilling, his voice dripping with malice as he spoke. "I came from the door, but some bugs tried to stop me," he sneered, his words sending a shiver down my spine. "But they just faced their demise."

His casual dismissal of the lives he had extinguished only fueled the fire of anger and determination within me. With a steely resolve, I tightened my grip on my sword, ready to defend my kingdom and its people against this monstrous threat, no matter the cost.

I laughed my towards that monster

As Roman struggled against the relentless onslaught of Wishper's deadly strings, the creature's taunting words cut through the chaos of battle like a chilling whisper in the wind.

"Well, well," Wishper sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "As I guessed, humans are truly nothing but weaklings."

The words fueled Roman's determination, igniting a fierce fire within him even as he fought to protect himself from the razor-sharp threads that threatened to ensnare him at every turn.

But despite the mounting odds stacked against him, Roman refused to yield. With a defiant glare, he pushed forward, his resolve unshaken by Wishper's mocking words. He knew that victory would not come easily, but he was determined to fight until his last breath, for the honor of his kingdom and the safety of his people depended on his unwavering courage in the face of adversity.

As the invisible strings manipulated by Wishper sliced through the air with deadly precision, frustration boiled within me. Each attempt to strike at the creature was met with swift retaliation, leaving me on the defensive and struggling to protect myself.

Amidst the chaos of battle, Wishper's taunting words echoed in my mind like a haunting refrain, exacerbating my frustration and fueling my determination. "Well, well," the creature sneered, its voice dripping with disdain. "As I guessed, humans are truly nothing but weaklings."

The words struck a nerve, igniting a fierce determination within me even as I grappled with the overwhelming odds stacked against me. I refused to succumb to the creature's mockery, steeling my resolve and pushing forward with renewed vigor.

But as the battle raged on, I knew that brute strength alone would not be enough to overcome Wishper's formidable powers. I needed a strategy, a plan to outmaneuver my opponent and exploit any weaknesses in its defenses.

With a steely gaze, I assessed the situation, my mind racing as I searched for a solution amidst the chaos. I knew that victory would require more than just skill with a sword—it would require cunning, agility, and a willingness to adapt to the ever-changing tide of battle.

Drawing upon every ounce of my training and experience, I formulated a plan, a daring gambit that would test the limits of my own abilities and push me to the brink of my endurance. With a deep breath, I steeled myself for the challenge ahead, knowing that the fate of my kingdom hung in the balance.

As I moved to execute my plan, a surge of determination coursed through me. Despite the overwhelming odds stacked against me, I remained undaunted, ready to face whatever dangers lay ahead with unwavering courage and resolve. For I knew that the honor of my kingdom and the safety of my people depended on my ability to overcome this formidable adversary and emerge victorious from the crucible of battle.

But just as I lunged forward to land my decisive blow, a searing pain shot through my hands, causing them to go limp and fall towards the ground. Agony tore through me, and a guttural cry of anguish escaped my lips.

"AAAAAHHHH! My hand, my hand!" I screamed, the words torn from me by the unbearable pain pulsing through my veins. Blood flowed freely from the wounds, staining the ground beneath me as I struggled to comprehend the extent of the injury.

In that moment, every fiber of my being screamed in protest, my mind reeling from the shock of the sudden attack on my body. But even as I writhed in agony, I refused to surrender to the pain, clinging to a flicker of hope that I could still prevail against the monstrous adversary that had inflicted such devastation upon me.

Wishper's playful voice cut through the chaos, a chilling contrast to the agony coursing through my veins. His taunting laughter echoed in the air, a cruel reminder of the dire situation I found myself in.

"Oops," he chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. "Now, let's end this."

With those ominous words, the deadly strings under his control surged forward, their razor-sharp edges gleaming in the dim light. With a sickening lurch in my stomach, I realized that I was defenseless against the onslaught, my injured hands unable to wield my sword or shield.

As the strings closed in around me, time seemed to slow to a crawl. Every movement felt agonizingly slow, each second stretching out into eternity as I braced myself for the inevitable impact.

With a final surge of determination, I summoned every ounce of strength I had left, preparing to face my fate with courage and defiance. But as the strings closed in around me, I knew that this battle may be my last, and that the outcome hung in the balance between life and death.

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To be continued