Chapter 8.

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His words struck fear into their very souls. The knights tightened their grips on their weapons and retreated a few steps.

"You should really leave. This isn't a place for mortals," the man continued, smiling wickedly. "If you value your lives, go now."

With a dramatic gesture, he ominously pointed towards the exit behind them, shrouded in web, and urged them to move away from him.

"Go! Run! Before it's too late."

His voice echoed ominously through the vacant chamber, causing their hearts to race with fear. The knights looked at each other with anxious expressions, unsure of how to proceed.

"What are you talking about? What's happening here?" Reinhold asked cautiously.

The stranger laughed loudly.

"The Queen is already satisfied. You all are brave and entertaining. Although she is amused by your presence, she has found the entertainment enjoyable and is willing to forgive your intrusion. However, I'm afraid I cannot allow you to live. You are trespassing in my domain."

The knights looked at each other nervously, exchanging confused glances.

"HAHAHA, YAR domain, ya said." Thorin said, laughing loudly. The dwarf was always known to laugh at danger. "Listen here, boy. We ain't afraid o' ya. Yeh can take your threats and shove 'em where Drurin doesn't shine," he retorted. He then spat on the floor and crossed his arms defiantly, daring the stranger to challenge him.

"Yes, indeed, mine! I am the master of this domain, possessing all that lies within these walls and moutain, including you, since your father fled like a coward and became our indentured servant." His authoritative tone filled the chamber, echoing in their minds while he fixed them with a gaze of lunacy, his eyes ablaze with madness.

Thorin was shocked and angered by such a comment, but Reinhold placed his hand on his shoulder, silently ordering him to keep quiet and refrain from saying anything rash.

"What did ja' just say? Did ya call me daft, ya bloody twit?! Why I ought ta—" Before Thorin could proceed, Reinhold stopped him.

Reinhold then slammed the axe firmly into the ground and stepped straight forward, facing the person with a serious facial expression, his gaze ablaze with flickers of fire.

"You said you could not allow us to live?" The king boldly stated, his eyes glaring menacingly at the stranger. He then turned to Thorin and the other dwarves, addressing them sternly. "Head to the gates and handle the web; my knights will stand guard for you!"

The dwarf grumbled under his breath but complied with the order, leading the group towards the exit. As soon as they left, he turned back to face his opponent.

"So, you are claiming to have control over everything in this domain?" he questioned the mysterious figure standing before him.

The man's eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared directly into Reinhold's eyes.

"Of course. Who do you think you're dealing with?"

"By what right do you dare to speak in such a manner in my presence? Who has bestowed upon you the audacity to confront me face-to-face like this?" Reinhold demanded.

The man's eyes widened slightly as he realized who exactly he was facing, but he quickly recovered his composure.

"Why do you even ask, Reinhold von Lionheart? It has always been like this and always will be. Your people were born to serve--"

POW!

Without waiting for him to finish his sentence, Reinhold threw a hook straight into his adorable mouth. The blow landed with such force that he was sent hurtling into the wall behind, the impact reverberating through the room like thunder. The ground quaked beneath them, a physical manifestation of the sheer power behind Reinhold's punch.

"Oh wow, please continue to grace us with your infinite wisdom, oh mighty weakling who talks too much."

The man slowly pulled himself up off the rubble, his body trembling with pain. Rivers of blood cascaded from his gaping, jawless mouth as he desperately scoured the debris for his missing jaw.

"You bastard! How dare you ruin my distinguish face!" The man screamed in rage as he charged headlong towards Reinhold, his fists blazing in darkness.

Reinhold's smirk twisted into a cruel sneer as he effortlessly evaded the flailing attacks of the desperate man. With merciless determination, he unleashed a savage onslaught of punches, each strike more brutal than the last.

The man stumbled back, his cries of pain echoing through the air as blood splattered across his face. Reinhold showed no mercy, his relentless combo leaving blood spurting out of the man's face with each blow, painting his pale complexion crimson as it flowed freely down his chin.

"Oh, please, show me your mighty true form, master, as if I really care or something." Reinhold scoffed.

With a furious roar, the young man suddenly morphed into a monster resembling a spider; his eyes glowed a bright red as he let out a deafening screech, causing chaos and panic to erupt among the chamber. It was a terrifying sight to behold—a creature born of nightmares and dark magic.

The monster's monstrous limbs thrashed violently, and its long, hairy appendages reached out with malicious intent towards Reinhold. At the end of each limb, a cruel and razor-sharp claw glistened ominously, poised to strike at any moment.

"Is this all? HAHAHA! You disappoint me. And you call yourself the master of this domain?" Reinhold shouted in mockery at the monster before him, his voice booming through the vast chamber as he jumped back.

"Oh, are you quaking in your boots now? Better be aware of your feeble limits before facing my almighty presence or---!"

In a sudden movement, Reinhold closed the distance between him and the monster in a split second. His speed was so fast that he seemed to flash in mid-air.

His knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, feeling a rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. With a guttural growl, he landed a powerful blow straight down on the spider's head, the force of which reverberated through his entire body.

The impact was so powerful that the spider's head cracked under the sheer force of the blow. Its body lay glued to the floor, while its legs twitched in response.

Blood oozed from Reinhold's knuckles, where it contacted the monster's tough exoskeleton.

"Who are you?" Reinhold asked.

The monster emitted a loud shriek in a failed attempt to rise.

"What do you mean by who I am?" It cried out in agony, clutching its cracked skull with its front legs as it rolled around on the cold stone floor.

The creature continued to roll about, groaning in pain as it attempted to recover from its injuries. It looked at Reinhold with hateful eyes, his stare sharp like daggers at the man who had caused him so much suffering.

Suddenly, Reinhold seized his leg in a violent act and snapped it in twain, as though it were a mere twig in the hands of a vengeful god. The monster howled in agony, unable to comprehend what had happened.

"Answer my question!" Reinhold yelled furiously.

The monster's eyes widened in terror, realizing that he could never escape the wrath of such a powerful being. He began trembling violently, his body shaking uncontrollably as sweat poured down his forehead, stinging the open wound on his face.

Out of nowhere, he felt an overwhelming pressure engulf his entire body, a weight that seemed to crush his very soul. He knew, with absolute certainty, that the all-powerful queen was watching him, her piercing gaze bearing down upon him.

The weight of her presence bore down upon him like a heavy cloak, suffocating him. He knew then, in that moment, that his fate hung in the balance as he stood before the queen, his every breath now a testament to his loyalty or his demise.

"Oh majestic queen, I beseech you to dispatch a high executor to my aid! I vow to make it worth your while, my queen!" The monster begged pathetically.

Reinhold was taken back in surprise, having never seen this type of behavior from anyone before. It was quite pathetic. He couldn't stop laughing.

"Oh wow, how silly of you to think that your queen actually gives a crap about saving you. You're just a lowly worm in her grand army. And gosh, isn't it just shocking that no spider has come to your aid yet? How unexpected."

Reinhold chuckled darkly as he stared down at him with a mocking sneer, relishing his momentary victory. The monster trembled as he realized his fate was sealed; he had been abandoned by those he thought were his allies. In a desperate bid, he began pleading for his life, hoping to save his own hide.

"P-Please spare my life! I promise to be loyal to you and never disobey you again!"

He groveled at Reinhold's feet and begged pathetically, his voice quivering with fear as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"I do not make deals with the darkness. Especially their dogs."

Reinhold grabbed his hair as he lifted him from the ground, and he held the monster in the air with ease.

"YOUR NAME!" he commanded.

Struggling, the monster managed to speak through his sobs.

"L-L-Lucifer. Lucifer Morningstar," he stuttered fearfully. "And I'm no dog! I'm a king! A prince! The ruler of all creation before your kind came here!"

"My soldiers and those dwarves did not die to let a nameless dog like you claim to be the master of this domain." Reinhold stated angrily, the cloud of self-pity from before now chased away by the fire of rage burning within him. "Especially a dog without fangs."

The monster let out an angry roar and struggled against Reinhold's grip, trying desperately to free himself from Reinhold's grasp. However, the strength of the king's grip proved too great for him to break free of, and his struggles only served to further enrage the king.

With a blood-curdling roar, Reinhold's fist crashed into Lucifer's chest with a devastating blow, shattering his ribs and sending him sprawling to the ground. The sound of bones snapping and skin tearing filled the air as Lucifer gasped for air, his body writhing in agony before Reinhold's merciless presence.

"I'll ask you one last time. How did you and your queen awaken from the depths of ancient slumber?"

The creature's voice was barely audible as he wheezed painfully, blood pouring from his mouth.

"You're not the first one to ask me that."

The man coughed and gasped for air as he spoke, his voice raspy and weak. Blood oozed from his broken body, staining the stone beneath them a deep, crimson red as he writhed in a helpless dance of death. The scene was nothing short of a brutal, chaotic symphony of destruction.

A smile spread across Reinholds' face as he watched Lucifer suffer, enjoying every moment of his pain and torment. He savored the sight before him, basking in the glory of his conquest and reveling in his triumph.

"I guess we're both getting what we deserve."

With his last ounce of strength, 'Lucifer' glared at the victor with pure hatred and venomous spite. He damned Reinhold and his family to eternal suffering as his sight faded into darkness.

"Fire will consume you, erasing your legacy... I curse you and your family forever."

His last words rang in Reinhold's ears as he stood above the fallen foe, victorious yet empty.

'Ridiculous. Did she send a weakling here to anger me? Or is this simply entertainment for her?' Reinhold shook his head in disbelief, dismissing Lucifer's curse as nothing more than the desperate ramblings of someone who is afraid of death.

Reinhold's eyes narrowed in disgust as he looked down at his defeated enemy. His heart was heavy with conflicting emotions—anger, triumph, and sorrow—all tangled up together. He had won, but it didn't feel like enough. This victory meant nothing compared to the devastating losses he and his people had endured before these foul creatures.