39. The Stone Bastards Just Won’t Die

Chapter 39: The Stone Bastards Just Won't Die

The moment the first gargoyle lunged, I knew this was going to be a pain in the ass.

For one, my sword—my beautiful, trusty, ominous black blade—bounced off the bastard's rocky hide like I was swinging a goddamn wooden stick at a mountain. Second, there were four of them, all with those glowing eyes and chipped fangs, and third—oh yeah—there was a giant dragon perched above us, exhaling hot gusts of death like it was some kind of divine executioner.

And yet, here I was, dodging through the storm of claws, stone limbs, and incoming fire like a man who really didn't want to become an overcooked meal.

"Hey, Neralia!" I shouted as I slid between the legs of one of the statues, avoiding a claw swipe that could've taken my head off. "Tell me again why we had to come this way?"

"Less talking, more dodging!" she shot back, her hands already glowing as magic circles flared to life before her.

The first spell came fast. A bright blue First Tier water circle manifested just above her open palm—small but intricate, humming with magical energy. A second later, a spear of water shot forward, slamming into one of the gargoyles' faces. Unlike my sword, the liquid didn't bounce off—it sizzled against the stone, cutting through the years of wear like acid.

"Oh, so that works," I muttered before flipping backward to avoid a tail whip.

The gargoyle I had been fighting didn't even hesitate. It charged right after me, its stony features twisting into something eerily close to amusement, like it knew I was screwed. Its fist came down in a hammer-like motion, aiming straight for my chest.

Nope. Not happening.

I twisted my body mid-air, barely missing the blow, then kicked off the bastard's wrist to launch myself toward the next one. The impact was enough to throw me toward another gargoyle, which meant I was now pinballing between these things like some kind of demented game of 'Who Wants to Die First?'

The second gargoyle greeted me with a swipe of its claws. I barely had time to twist my sword in an upward block. Metal met stone, and—yep—my arms rattled from the impact.

"You ever heard of soft spots, big guy?" I growled as I shoved against it. "No? Figures."

I pushed off, landing in a crouch just as Neralia sent another burst of water magic at one of them. This time, her spell came from a larger, more complex Second Tier circle—a shimmering disk of glowing runes that hovered in the air beside her. Water surged from its center, forming a high-pressure whip that wrapped around a gargoyle's leg.

With a sharp motion, she yanked her hands back, and the gargoyle actually stumbled.

"Now, that is what I like to see," I smirked.

The problem was, that stumble wasn't enough. The gargoyle barely took a second to regain its footing, and its gaze locked onto Neralia like a predator spotting fresh prey.

"Neralia, move!" I shouted, dashing toward it.

It pounced.

I pushed my ki into my legs, ignoring the burning sensation as my body responded with a burst of speed. My black blade came up—not to slash, since we already knew that wasn't working—but to intercept.

At the last second, I flipped my grip and slammed the flat of my sword against the gargoyle's head with all the force I could muster. The impact cracked through the air, sending a tremor up my arms, but the stone bastard actually staggered. Not much, but enough for Neralia to roll out of the way and—

Fwwoooosh!

The dragon above exhaled again, and the whole room was bathed in red light. A wall of fire erupted from above, slamming into the battlefield like the wrath of a pissed-off god. I barely had time to dive before the heat seared past my back.

"OH, COME ON!" I groaned as I hit the ground.

The fire didn't just burn—it melted parts of the stone flooring, turning them into molten pools of 'Don't Step Here Unless You Want To Die.' It also had the added bonus of making the gargoyles even more terrifying since now they were glowing with streaks of molten heat along their limbs.

"Okay, I hate this," I muttered as I pushed myself up.

One of the gargoyles immediately took advantage of my momentary stillness. It lunged again, claws outstretched, eyes glowing like embers.

I twisted. The world blurred as I flipped to the side, my foot catching the ground just enough to redirect my momentum. As I spun, I brought my blade down again—not in a slash, but in a precise, pinpoint stab aimed directly at the creature's eye.

The black steel screeched against stone, but this time…this time, it stuck.

The gargoyle let out a deep, rumbling noise—almost like a groan—as my sword lodged itself into the glowing socket. Its body seized, twitching, before it reeled back violently.

Unfortunately for me, my sword was still in its face.

Which meant I was still attached to my sword.

"WELL, THIS SUCKS!" I yelled as I was whipped through the air.

The gargoyle thrashed, trying to shake me loose. I twisted the blade harder, but before I could get a proper grip—

*SNAP!*

The blade popped free, and I went soaring through the air like a particularly unfortunate ragdoll.

I crashed into the ground, rolling twice before coming to a stop near Neralia.

"Okay," I gasped, still flat on my back. "New plan. Let's run."

"That's not a plan," Neralia replied dryly, already forming another magic circle—this time a larger Second Tier one. The water within it churned violently, taking shape into several javelins that hovered ominously in the air.

"Fine. New, better plan: you keep melting these bastards, and I'll keep stabbing them in the eyes until one of them finally dies."

Neralia gave me a look. "You're insane."

"Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know," I grinned, flipping back to my feet.

The gargoyles were regrouping. Their molten streaks glowed brighter, their claws sharper. And above us, the dragon's throat rumbled again—meaning more fire was coming.

I spun my blade, rolling my shoulders. "Alright, round two, you stone-faced assholes. Let's see if I can make you crack."

And with that, we charged.