Hellbound Heart

Chapter 392  Light and Darkness - Part 10

Zeke's lips lifted in one corner. "As you wish, goddess."

Obediently, Zeke moved away gracefully from her and sat atop the piled-up corpse of the centipede-like monster he had killed earlier. He settled there like a king on his throne, legs parted, resting his elbow on one knee and his chin in the palm of his hand.

"I'll stay here and watch, Alicia," he continued, gazing gently at her.

Alicia turned her attention to the approaching threat, her glowing form a stark contrast to the encroaching darkness. The monstrous shrieks grew louder, but she stood her ground. The fact that her man was watching gave her an extra surge of strength.

The monster emerged from the fog, grotesque and menacing, its many eyes reflecting the eerie light of Alicia's glow. Alicia was almost taken aback because well… this was nowhere near 'a little big'. This monster was huge!!! Bigger than the ones they had encountered before!

Still, Alicia didn't falter. She'd seen Zeke killed one this type of monster. And she definitely wouldn't want to let her man watch her getting intimidated!

And so, fiercely, Alicia launched herself into the monster. Her movements were a blur of grace and power, each strike precise and devastating. The glow around her intensified, illuminating the battlefield and pushing back the ashen fogs.

From his vantage point, Zeke watched as Alicia fought with a ferocity. She was a force of nature, a warrior goddess in her own right. His warrior goddess.

The monster fell.

Alicia retrieved her blade and then turned back to Zeke, her glow slowly fading. She was breathless but triumphant, a victorious smile on her lips.

"Impressed?" she asked, walking back to him.

"Always," Zeke replied, still sitting there like a king.

Despite knowing that what she showed him wasn't even close to his battle prowess, the way he looked at her as he said that one word was more than enough to make her feel like she was truly amazing. To be praised by this man was just truly indescribable!

Her blade flew like lightning.

It travelled mere inches past Zeke's face, slicing through the air with a sharp whistle before striking the monster that had appeared behind him. The force of the throw was so powerful that it blew his dark hair back, yet he didn't even blink or flinch. Instead, he smiled as the monster behind him tumbled to the ground.

"Perfect aim," he commented and Alicia couldn't stop herself from grinning.

"So I finally managed to impress you for real, it seems," she replied, a playful twinkle in her eyes.

Zeke bit his lower lip, a soft laugh escaping him. "There is no single moment you stopped impressing me, Alicia. But I have to admit, watching you fight and protect me so lovingly is a bliss I didn't see coming."

"There is no single moment you stopped impressing me, my queen. But I have to admit, watching you fight and protect me so lovingly is such a bliss I didn't see coming."

Alicia lifted her chin, pride radiating from her. The look in his eyes made her entire world pause for a moment. Now she understood what he had been talking about just a while ago. To be the object of that gaze of his… good lord… she'd willingly risk her safety to see it again!

The moment she retrieved her blade, Alicia clenched around the hilt as she felt the atmosphere shifting to something more ominous.

"I think I need to show off a bit more," she said, causing Zeke to move his hand to cover his lower lip.

But she could tell he was smiling because of the twinkle in his eyes.

"By all means, my wife," he replied. "I'm all yours to impress."

Just as Alicia turned to face the darkness, another monster appeared.

It was so huge it towered like a coiling mountain before her. It resembled a centipede, but this one was way much bigger than the one Zeke had killed. And its skin was grotesque, resembling the slimy, segmented body of a worm.

Alicia couldn't help but freeze. She had never encountered such a collosal foe, not even in her wildest nightmares. Intimidation crept over her, and she unconsciously looked back at where Zeke was. Only to see him smiling at her. He was still as calm, as if the size of the monster before her didn't matter to him at all.

Somehow, Zeke's unbothered reaction was like magic to her, magic that gave her absolute confidence, assuring her that there was nothing she couldn't defeat.

And just like that, Alicia's power flared around her as she faced the towering monster again. The air around her shimmered with her energy, a radiant glow that contrasted sharply with the monster's dark, slimy exterior.

The fact that her powerful husband was right behind her, watching her was more than enough for her. As long as he was right there, there was no way she'd get scared of anything or be defeated without a fight.

Spreading her hands wide, Alicia's twin blades lengthened, their light flaring like the wings of a white phoenix engulfed in fire. She floated in the air, like a descending white star, as the coiling monster before her shrieked, its horrific cry echoing through the desolate clearing.

The creature's body twisted and writhed, seemingly preparing for something. Alicia focused on the beast, ready to strike, when she heard Zeke's voice, low yet clear, reaching her as if he were whispering in her ear.

"Babe…"

"Hm?" Alicia responded, her eyes never leaving the monster.

"Do you need a little advice?" His tone was as calm and intimate as when he whispered sweet nothings to her in the early morning.

"Sure." She could almost feel his steady presence beside her.

"Aim at nothing but its legs."

"Is that all?"

"Mn." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Got it." Alicia smirked back at him, confidence surging through her. And in an instant, she vanished from her spot, moving like a lightning towards the monster.