Blood and Sorcery: forbidden lineage

Chapter 9 – Trial by Blood

A cold wind howled through the shifting battlefield, carrying the scent of blood and scorched earth. Elyreina exhaled sharply, her breath misting in the frigid air as she tightened her grip around her sword. The blade felt heavier in her hands—partly from exhaustion, partly from the suffocating pressure of the monstrosity before her.

A monstrous feline, unlike anything she had ever seen, prowled toward her. Its jet-black fur shimmered unnaturally, absorbing the faint light around it, making it appear like a moving shadow given form. Eyes like molten gold locked onto her, exuding a primal intelligence. Its massive claws dripped with a black, corrosive substance, hissing against the cracked ground.

A King-Tier Beast.

She had encountered powerful creatures before, but this was different. Its presence alone sent a shiver down her spine, an oppressive aura pressing against her muscles like an unseen force. This thing was hunting her.

Her legs ached from hours of non-stop battle. Her mana reserves were dangerously low, and her body screamed at her to stop. But stopping meant death.

Above the battlefield, hidden behind a veil of magic, the observers watched.

Nobles, military commanders, and scholars sat in a grand chamber, gazing into hovering orb-like projections displaying various combatants. Some took notes, others whispered among themselves.

"Her form is exceptional," one man mused, stroking his beard. "A balanced mixture of agility and precision. She fights like a seasoned Magic Knight, but her mana control is unusual. It fluctuates… as if she's suppressing something."

"She has natural battle instincts, but against that creature?" A noble scoffed. "She's finished."

But Elyreina refused to fall.

The feline beast vanished, dissolving into the shadows. Elyreina's heartbeat spiked. She twisted on instinct, raising her blade just as dark tendrils erupted from the ground, trying to impale her. She leaped back, barely avoiding being skewered.

Then—pain.

A blur of black struck from the side. Claws raked across her ribs, tearing through her tunic and sending her sprawling across the dirt. The world tilted as she hit the ground hard, rolling to her feet, gasping. Blood seeped through her side.

The beast reappeared, licking her blood from its claws. A cruel intelligence gleamed in its eyes.

Elyreina gritted her teeth. She forced herself to focus. She had fought countless beasts, but this one… it was learning.

She couldn't just react—she had to anticipate.

Her mana flickered around her. Magic Knights like her channeled mana into their bodies, strengthening their speed, reflexes, and attacks. But her reserves were running low.

Above, an elderly scholar jotted notes.

"Her footwork is slipping. She's used too much mana enhancing her physical abilities."

A younger observer scoffed. "She fights as if she's desperate. What's pushing her like this?"

A woman clad in noble robes murmured, "She's stalling… waiting for something."

Elyreina's grip on her sword tightened. The beast prowled forward, slow, taunting. She let it come.

Then—it lunged.

She sidestepped at the last second, twisting her body with unnatural flexibility, her sword flashing in an arc of silver.

A clean strike—straight across the beast's side.

But the moment the blade met flesh, something went wrong.

The beast twisted impossibly mid-air, avoiding a fatal wound. Elyreina's strike, meant to cleave its ribs, barely left a deep gash.

A trap.

The beast lashed out with its tail, catching her across the stomach. She felt her ribs crack as she was launched backward, slamming into a boulder with a sickening crunch.

Her vision blurred. Her body refused to move. The taste of iron filled her mouth.

Move.

The beast prowled closer.

Move!

She forced her battered body upright. Her mana flickered erratically, dangerously close to depletion. But something within her refused to break.

She exhaled slowly, calming her mind, and then—she let go.

Mana pulsed violently through her veins.

Her sword—her lifeline—shuddered in her grip, crackling with raw energy. The beast stopped, sensing something different.

Observers leaned forward.

"She's… releasing everything at once?"

A suicidal tactic. If she failed, her body would collapse.

The beast charged, sensing the gamble.

Elyreina moved faster than ever before.

Her world narrowed—her focus absolute.

The beast's claws lashed out—she ducked.

Its tail whipped toward her—she twisted.

Dark tendrils erupted from the ground—she sliced through them.

In that fleeting moment, she saw the opening.

She thrust her sword upward, driving the blade into the beast's chest—straight into its black heart.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then—the beast shuddered violently, its golden eyes flickering with disbelief before its massive body collapsed.

Silence.

Elyreina stood over its corpse, breathing heavily, her vision swimming. She had won.

The observers watched in stunned silence.

The noble who doubted her earlier finally spoke. "...She killed it?"

A general smirked. "With sheer willpower."

The elderly scholar exhaled, closing his notebook. "She's someone to watch."

But Elyreina didn't care. She barely held onto consciousness.

As darkness crept at the edges of her vision, she knew one thing:

This was only the beginning