Shadows Over Arcadia Chapter 14: 14. Unbearable

Read chapter 14 of Shadows Over Arcadia by Zacheas on NovelPedia.

14. Unbearable I am Shadow, age 40 days, a golem imbued with a copy of Prince Ren Drakemore's consciousness. Right now, I am facing three bloodthirsty Mithril Fur Bears charging toward me and Miss Maribel. https://shadowsoverarcadia.com/api/storage/objects/uploads/51f2eb33-199c-4126-a5b5-1bea5c8fc16a Their resistance to magic is formidable; overwhelming them with spells alone isn’t going to work. That leaves us with only one viable option, physical attacks. I quickly place a hand on Maribel's shoulder to cast a series of physical enhancement spells. She flinches at the sudden touch, glancing at my hand with confusion and unease. Perhaps I pressed too hard in my haste. I ease my grip and begin chanting the spells aloud. Iron Hide Enhanced Speed Thought Acceleration Strength Magnification Lion's Heart The effects take hold immediately. Maribel’s eyes widen as she gasps, her whole body seizing as if plunged into icy water. Then, just as quickly, her expression shifts. A wide, feral grin spreads across her face, the rush of power flooding through her. Being under the influence of multiple enchantments can create quite the intoxicating power high. “Thank you, Shadow!” she blurts, her earlier fear swallowed by exhilaration. “To defeat them, we’ll need to bypass their fur’s magical resistance and strike physically,” I explain, my gaze locked on the bears drawing closer. “I’ll aim for their unprotected areas, like their eyes or any gaps in their armor.” Maribel unsheathes her twin daggers, each resembling a slender ice pick, and raises them with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. “ My Fatal Strike enchantment allows me to pinpoint their weak spots and guide my blades to hit them.” Her grin sharpens, the confidence in her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “If you keep their attention, I’ll strike from behind. Once I pierce their fur, they’re done for. My daggers are venomous.” Venom? That’s a detail I hadn’t known. I take a fraction of a second to activate my analysis spell, scanning her weapons. Sure enough, her daggers are coated with Nightshade venom, one of the deadliest poisons. “Yeah, I think that’ll work,” I reply, my focus snapping back to the advancing beasts. “Just leave the distraction to me.” Maribel nods once before dropping down through a portal at her feet. I sprint toward the lead bear. The earth trembles beneath my heavy steel frame as I close the gap, footsteps pounding the ground. The lead bear rears up, its massive claw raised to strike me down. Behind it, the other two begin circling, preparing to flank me. There’s no time to hesitate. I draw my paralyzing blade and dive under the bear’s incoming strike, using the momentum to kick off the ground and thrust my blade upward, aiming for the beast’s right eye. Its head jerks aside at the last instant, my blade missing its mark. Instead of piercing its vulnerable eye, my arm is caught in the bear's massive jaws. Teeth clamp down on my right arm at the elbow, trapping my sword in its mouth. With a furious growl, the bear slams me into the ground. The impact reverberates through the earth, a thunderous crash that leaves a crater beneath me. Its paw comes down hard on my chest, driving me deeper into the dirt as it strains to tear my arm free. The pressure is immense, but my reinforced steel frame holds. I am thankful I can't feel pain. I channel my mana and unleash a supercharged Fire Lance through the hand still clamped in its jaws. The explosion is instant and catastrophic. Plasma tears through the bear’s body, bursting from its eyes, ears, nose, and even its hindquarters. The shockwave hurls the charred carcass twenty feet back, where it crashes into the dirt in a smoking heap. “Shadow!” Maribel’s scream cuts through the chaos. She is still keeping the other two at bay, loosing poison darts from the miniature crossbow mounted in her gauntlet. Her concern is obvious as her eyes flick between me and the advancing threats. I pull myself from the dirt, patting ou