Chapter 30: Victory?
With that thought, he didn't want to waste any more time on these little girls. He prepared to vanish from their sight.
"Don't be too confident. I shall have the last laugh—even though right now you feel like you have me cornered," he spat coldly, then teleported away.
The girls merely shrugged and left as well. They knew well—the Shrouded One was not someone who accepted defeat. They may have had the upper hand now, but they dared not rest. He was unpredictable.
Back in his room, the Shrouded One sat deep in thought. He had to find another way to outsmart those little rascals, or they would defeat him again—and his Master would never accept failure, especially not from him.
Two days passed. A message arrived from the Master, demanding an explanation for why the mission hadn't started. Why were those girls still parading around like queens, when that should have been their position?
The Shrouded One simply replied that he needed to come up with a new strategy—one that would match the girls' unexpected growth in strength.
He knew this couldn't go on much longer. Not with the Master breathing down his neck. This time, he would strike—but smarter. He had learned the hard way once before, and he would not let history repeat itself.
Days later, the familiar tremble echoed across the land—but this time, stronger than ever. The earth shook with such force that even small huts crumbled. The villagers, long used to this signal, didn't waste time. They hid, waiting for the Chosen Ones to face it.
At their usual spot, the girls clung to a tree trunk, barely able to keep their balance.
"This is no fun anymore. I mean, can't he change his style?" Elara muttered sarcastically, annoyed by the familiar rhythm of heavy footsteps and trembles.
"I knew he couldn't keep calm for long. I'm glad he didn't disappoint," Ariella replied with a cheeky grin.
Then—silence. Like it had all been a dream.
The villagers cautiously emerged from hiding, thinking it had passed. But the Shrouded One was lying low. His beasts could never hide their tremble-inducing steps, so if the earth was quiet, something was off.
"Let's go see what new tricks he has this time," Ariella suggested.
They found him soon enough, seated on his two-headed beast, just as before.
"Next time, change the entrance style. We've gotten used to this one," Elara called out, her voice laced with contempt. "Oh, and by the way—I knew you wouldn't stay quiet for long. You never do."
The Shrouded One didn't waste time bickering. He flicked his hands—and in a flash, the girls were hoisted into the air. A machete appeared in his hands, ready to gut them. The girls were shocked to their core. By the time they came back to their senses, they were already on the brink of death.
They had to act—fast.
Grasping each other's hands, the familiar glow of blue and white light surged between them. So strong, it knocked the beasts into each other. Disoriented, they fled—leaving their master behind. For the first time, they abandoned him.
The Shrouded One stared after them, stunned—then turned his attention back to the girls.
But things had taken a turn.
That slight distraction had cost him. The girls now had the upper hand. They weren't going to give him another chance to escape. With a twirl of their hands, they lifted him into the air—and strangled him.
He was caught completely off guard. He tried to speak, but the words came out as incoherent mutters. The girls didn't care. They finished him off without hesitation.
And just like that, the mighty Shrouded One dropped to the ground—lifeless. A heavy thud marked the end.
Screams of joy echoed behind them. The villagers, having reached the scene, had seen it all unfold. A wave of celebration followed as they lifted the girls high in the air.
Uncle Jonathan, the village elder, stepped forward to speak.
"People of Village X, today we celebrate something truly remarkable. Our long-time enemy has been defeated. We saw it with our own eyes—his body dropped right before us. This is worthy of great celebration. Let us give offerings to our God for this victory!"
Cheers erupted. "Yayyyyy!" filled the air. The villagers danced in joy.
But amidst the celebration, unnoticed in the noise and excitement—the body of the Shrouded One vanished.
© 2025 Victoria Nakayenga. All rights reserved.
This story is my original work. Do not copy, repost, or translate without permission.