Chapter 31: The Depths of War

Chapter 31: The Depths of War

Silvia's POV

The underground air was thick, damp, and alive with unseen movement. Every step Silvia took sent echoes rippling through the tunnels, warning whatever lurked in the dark that they were coming.

She kept her magic on edge, fire simmering just beneath her fingertips, ready to ignite at the first sign of an attack. Around her, their fighters moved in a tight formation, silent and focused. There was no turning back now.

Tarren's voice was a hushed whisper. "We keep moving. No unnecessary noise."

Silvia nodded, but her gut told her it didn't matter—they were already being watched.

Dragon, walking beside her, shifted uneasily. "I hate this place."

Silvia smirked, though the tension never left her chest. "What, the looming death doesn't do it for you?"

Dragon grinned, but it was strained. "I like my battles where I can actually see my enemy."

A distant scraping noise made everyone freeze.

Silvia tensed, her fingers twitching toward her dagger. The air shifted, as if something massive was moving just beyond their sight.

Tarren muttered a curse. "We need to pick up the pace."

The Ambush

The attack came fast.

One second, the tunnel was empty. The next, the walls erupted with movement.

Shadowed forms lunged from the darkness, claws glinting under the dim torchlight. They were fast—too fast.

Silvia barely had time to react before one of them was on her, a hulking shape of blackened scales and jagged teeth. Instinct took over.

She thrust her hands forward, fire bursting from her palms in a bright, searing wave. The creature screeched, its body igniting, but another lunged in its place.

Chaos erupted around her.

Blades clashed. Gunfire rang through the cavern. Shadows darted between their fighters, ripping through armor and flesh.

Tarren's rifle cracked as he took down one of the creatures, but three more swarmed toward him.

Dragon moved like a shadow, daggers flashing as he cut through their attackers, his expression deadly and precise.

Silvia dodged another strike, twisting beneath a clawed swipe before slamming her dagger into its throat.

Blood sprayed, black and steaming.

They were outnumbered.

Silvia's breaths came in quick gasps as she took in the chaos. There were too many of them, their movements too coordinated. These weren't just monsters—they were hunters.

Tarren's voice cut through the madness. "We have to regroup! Fall back to the ridge!"

Silvia barely registered his words before another beast lunged at her from the shadows. She dropped to one knee, sweeping her leg out and knocking it off balance. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a burst of fire through its chest. The beast let out a final, gurgling snarl before crumpling into a smoking heap.

Dragon spun beside her, panting. "Any idea how many of these things there are?"

Silvia wiped sweat from her brow. "Too many."

Tarren's men were struggling. Some had been pulled into the shadows, their screams cut short. The rest were barely holding the line.

And then—the ground shook.

A massive figure stepped from the shadows.

The Titan Emerges

Silvia felt the power before she saw it.

The creature was different from the others. Taller. Stronger. Its glowing blue eyes locked onto her, and a slow, eerie smile stretched across its monstrous face.

It wasn't just a mindless beast.

It was intelligent.

The commander's voice echoed from behind it. "I told you, Earthstar. You cannot fight what you do not understand."

Silvia's chest tightened with fury.

Dragon stepped up beside her, daggers ready. "This one feels different."

Silvia's flames burned brighter. "Then let's end it."

The Titan charged.

And Silvia met it head-on.

Their collision sent a shockwave through the cavern. The Titan swung a massive arm at Silvia, and she barely managed to dodge, feeling the wind of the strike as it shattered the stone beside her.

Silvia countered, hurling a concentrated fireball directly at its chest. The Titan staggered, but instead of burning, its flesh absorbed the flames.

Her eyes widened. "That's not possible."

The commander chuckled from the shadows. "Oh, but it is. My warriors have evolved, Earthstar. Your magic is useless against them."

Dragon narrowed his eyes. "Let's see how they handle cold steel."

He vanished in a blur, his daggers flashing as he slashed across the Titan's side. The beast let out a guttural roar, stumbling back, its glowing eyes flashing in pain.

Silvia didn't hesitate. She summoned a different kind of fire—one laced with her will, her fury. The flames weren't just heat; they were pure destruction.

She launched herself forward, driving a burning dagger straight into the Titan's core.

The creature screamed.

Dragon leapt, bringing both daggers down into its back. The Titan convulsed, shuddered—and then crumbled into a pile of ash and bone.

Silvia gasped, stepping back as the heat faded from her fingers.

The commander's voice, still calm, echoed in the tunnel. "Interesting. Perhaps you are more than just another soldier."

Silvia's fists clenched. "I'm more than you'll ever be."

But before she could take another step, the shadows around them shifted. More creatures began to emerge, dozens upon dozens of glowing eyes peering from the darkness.

Dragon groaned. "We just killed the big one, shouldn't that mean we win?"

Tarren reloaded his rifle. "Not even close."

Silvia exhaled sharply, lifting her hands. She was tired, drained, but she wasn't backing down.

She turned to her fighters. "We hold the line here. We push forward, or we die trying."

Dragon smirked, standing at her side. "Now that's the Silvia I know."

She glanced at him, heart pounding. "Stay close."

He nodded. "Always."

The monsters rushed forward.

Silvia lit up the darkness.