Vol. 2 Chapter 76: Elfrider

I mentally prepare myself, still trembling but determined.

I look at each of my women, their gaze now a mix of anxiety and determination.

"Get ready," I say firmly. "It won't be easy, but together we can face any challenge."

Luysia, still with the bitter taste of frustration on her lips, now grips her weapons with a new purpose.

Kanna, Rero, Bicrista, and Deedee position themselves, ready to fight by my side.

Each of them, despite their fear and uncertainty, shows a courage I can't help but admire.

I feel the weight of the situation bearing down on me like a mountain. 

The walls of the cavern seem to close in around us, and the cold, damp air of the place penetrates to the bone. 

I am the focal point of this group, their guide, and every decision I make could mean the difference between life and death. 

Deedee Lang, the green-haired ranger, summons her shimmering armor, a masterpiece that glows with a magical aura. 

Her bow, clearly a mystical weapon originating from the dungeon, bends elegantly in her hands as she notches an arrow. 

Her eyes, focused and determined, scan the darkness, ready to release her arrow as soon as the enemy reveals themselves. 

With agility and a leap that seems beyond human, she positions herself atop a ledge on the rock behind us, where she can take tactical advantage of the height with her ranged weapon. 

Rero and Luysia, with their swords drawn, position themselves in front of me, like two human shields. 

Rero, graceful and deadly, wields her sword with a grace that belies the ferocity of her strikes. 

Luysia, the former paladin, firmly grasps her blade, her icy gaze revealing an unyielding determination. 

Bicrista, the assassin, takes a more concealed position and clutches her kunai, the only weapons she has left. 

She moves with a fluidity that resembles a shadow, ready to strike where the enemy least expects it. 

Her figure blends into the darkness of the cavern, making her almost invisible. 

Kanna, the cleric and my faithful companion, stands beside me. 

Her hands rise in prayer, ready to cast healing spells. Her gaze on me is full of trust, but I know her lack of weapons makes her vulnerable. 

I vow to protect her with every fiber of my being. 

"Fear not," I say, trying to infuse courage into my companions. "Every enemy that opposes us will fall at our feet."

From the darkness, ethereal figures with long white hair slowly approach. 

They are the dark elves, sentient creatures moving with deadly elegance. 

Some ride giant spiders, monsters we have already faced before, but now, under the control of these elves, they represent a much greater threat. 

Their skin is a dark gray-purple, almost merging with the darkness of the cavern. 

Their white hair flows down their shoulders, and their long, pointed ears stand out like sharp blades against the dark. 

I can't understand their foreign language, but I can sense their hostile intentions in the sound waves that reach my ears. 

The elves wear armor of various weights, some so light as to allow rapid movements, others heavier, designed to withstand the most brutal attacks. Yet all seem to be made of silver and glow with an ethereal light, as if illuminated by the moon, despite us being deep in a dungeon. 

"Nauthui'amin il'quar, an'glor na'lotha Azharie aranalle!" one of the bolder dark elves shouts an incomprehensible phrase before charging forward. 

Rero, with her innate agility enhanced to extreme limits by the Master-Servant contract, moves among the opponents like lightning. 

She strikes with surgical precision, turning each of her movements into a deadly dance. 

Bicrista, utilizing her [SHADOW STEP] ability, teleports from one point of the cavern to another, striking the elves from behind with her kunai, damaging them before they can react or finishing off enemies already wounded by the other women.

Luysia, with her brute strength and combat skills, advances among the enemies. 

Each of her strikes is like thunder, every step an earthquake. Her blade cuts through air and flesh with equal ease, and the elves fall one after another under her slashes. 

The sound of combat fills the cavern, a symphony of steel against steel, cries of pain and battle. 

Each fallen elf is a victory, but I know that the battle has only just begun. 

The dark elves are not opponents to be taken lightly. Every movement they make is calculated, every attack lethal. 

For the moment, I decide not to join the battle and to strategically guide my Servants. 

I must remain vigilant, ready to defend myself and my companions. Our lives depend on the unity of our forces, our ability to fight as a single entity, a united and indomitable team. 

As they fight, I feel the bond between me and my women strengthening. 

Every smile they give, every battle cry they shout, every touch they share, gives me the strength to continue. 

I am their leader, their protector, their lover. And together, we face the darkness. 

The clamor of battle echoes throughout the cavern, weapons flashing dangerously in the dim light as we fight against the dark elves.

Each of the women relies on their abilities and skills to repel the enemy. 

Deedee's arrows strike with deadly precision, taking down both the elves and the spiders. 

I am almost incredulous to have survived a mortal encounter against her.

Rero moves like a panther, her sword slicing through flesh and armor with ease. 

Luysia's powerful strikes make the ground tremble under her opponents' feet, her strength a force to be reckoned with.

Bicrista, with her shadowy skills, appears and disappears like a ghost. Her kunai are like lethal claws that tear life away from the opponents with chilling coldness. Every time one of her knives finds its target, another dark elf falls in silence. Now that she is my Servant, she can take lives without feeling the weight of it, unleashing her homicidal potential. The responsibility for her actions is mine, and the same goes for the other women.

Rero, my agile warrior, flashes among the enemies with grace that leaves one awe-struck. Her sword cuts through air and flesh with equal ease, a storm of steel that leaves no escape.

Luysia, the icy blonde and indomitable warrior, advances unstoppably. 

A human wall. A tank that destroys everything in its path. 

The sound of her battle cry resonates in the cavern, a scream that instills fear in the dark elves and courage in us. 

Her sword moves in a dance of death, bringing destruction wherever she goes.

Kanna, with skill and experience, constantly keeps an eye on the party's health. When necessary, she casts spells that heal or buff. 

Despite the frenzy of the battle, she remains calm and composed, proving herself to be a veteran. 

I continue to observe the battle, ready to intervene if necessary, but this need does not arise. 

This group possesses unparalleled power. To reach perfection, we only lack a mage.

We are outnumbered, but the enemies fail to advance and continue to suffer losses, while we easily maintain our position. I begin to notice fear spreading in the eyes of the remaining dark elves. Then suddenly, a scream tears through the battlefield.

"Velkyn, ussta'balzh! Ilharil naut ulu phuul dosst natha qu'ellarin!" The enemies abruptly stop and begin to retreat.

"Stop," I command my women in the vanguard who would like to continue the assault.

Rero and Luysia return to their defensive position. 

Bicrista teleports beside me.

I hear the sound of many limbs scuttling and moving rapidly, a noise echoing through the depths of the cavern. 

Then, a melodic hissing, almost like a song, spreads through the air, creating an eerie atmosphere.

The dark elves shift, dividing and opening a path for someone or something that needs to pass.

From the shadows emerges a tall and menacing figure. 

The upper part is that of a dark elf, with long, wild white hair, eyes that change color hypnotically, and a mad smile on its lips. 

Its lower part, that of a giant spider, moves with terrifying lightness, its shiny limbs writhing and bending in unpredictable movements. 

Is it an elf or a monster? It's not easy to answer this question. 

"An Elfrider!" exclaims Deedee, recognizing the creature. 

Elfriders, creatures half elf, half spider. The meeting point between a sentient race and a monster. 

A dark elf likely transformed by magic. Certainly powerful and arcane magic, not within just anyone's reach.

"Yes, my queen, I shall tell them…" it murmurs like a madman talking to itself. 

The Elfrider stops in front of us, tilting its head in an exaggerated manner, almost defying the laws of physics. 

"Greetings, travelers," it says in a voice oscillating between a whisper and a shout. 

"I am Sylthrenn, humble voice of Queen Azharie Loree'Nahil, weaver of secrets and guardian of messages."

The creature shakes its head as if suffering from involuntary spasms and tics. "Yes, my queen…"

Sylthrenn disgustingly produces from its mouth a series of silk threads, creating a complex symbol in the air. 

"A message from the queen," it announces.

We are all perplexed and speechless at the same time.

"Vel'uss, phuul'orbb Qu'ellarth! Welcome, to the Underealm!"