novelraw Chapter 49: Her Ever-Burning Soul
Chapter 49: Her Ever-Burning Soul
Raphaëlle followed the Minotaurkin figures down the dark corridor. After a long chase, she suddenly realized the sound of footsteps ahead had completely vanished—only faint echoes remained.
As she charged forward, the tunnel abruptly widened into a massive cavern. The space was packed with dull-eyed Minotaurkin—male and female alike—all sharing one trait: their horns had been sawed off.
To either side of the cavern were large pools filled with a pungent liquid. Upon closer inspection, Raphaëlle realized the liquid on the Minotaurkin's bodies smelled exactly the same as what was in those pools.
What is this...?
She looked around in confusion, only to see Nana sitting atop the shoulder of a burly Minotaurkin, directly in front of her. Behind them, Larr and the others had been captured and were now restrained in the rear of the cavern.
“You think this is possible, Raphaëlle?” Nana said with a mocking smile, covering her mouth as she pointed at her. “Who would've thought—the darling of the Northern Branch Tribe’s chieftain, captured by humans. And you, too... fell in love with that human, didn’t you?”
She giggled, “It’s wonderful, isn’t it? Humans are so warm. Even demi-humans and humans can have children together. Do you know what it feels like to have a child? You can feel them so clearly... right here.”
Her face flushed as she gently stroked her lower belly—where the treasure of her world was growing. The life born from her union with Mr. Fieron, the fruit of their love.
“Shut up! Where is Larr and the others?!”Raphaëlle ignored her completely, frowning as she scanned the area warily.
“Tch. So dull. Just like that human, Fischer...” Nana sighed. “Raphaëlle, stop struggling. Give up on your friends and stay here quietly for a bit. Once Fieron and Fischer are done, I’ll send you back to the Western Continent. There’s no room left for demi-humans in the South.” With a wave of her hand, the emotionless Minotaurkin all turned to look at Raphaëlle. The pools beside them began to bubble, and other demi-humans—just like the Minotaurkin—emerged from them.
These were all materials left behind from Fieron’s experiments—just perfect for Nana to use.
“If you don’t behave, I won’t be as gentle as your parents were. Don’t cry when you get your *ss beat.”
Raphaëlle stood frozen, shocked by the vacant stares of the demi-humans around her. They still breathed... but there was no life in them.
These... these are all...
Her eyes swept over the Minotaurkin, recalling something—every one of them had golden hair. She had suspected it before: this hair color only existed in a certain Minotaurkin tribe in the South. Nana and these Minotaurkin were from that very tribe.
Her gaze suddenly caught sight of a Dragonkin with a blue tail hidden among the vacant faces. Her eyes widened.
“Naal!” she cried out, rushing forward and gripping his shoulder. His body bore no wounds, but his grayish skin lacked the heat of a Dragonkin. No matter how she shook him, he stared blankly at her.
“You... what happened to you? Say something!”
“Don’t bother, Raphaëlle. He won’t answer you.”
The warm smile was gone from Nana’s face. She stared coldly at Raphaëlle.
“His soul’s already been sold off—probably burning away in some human factory. Just like those Minotaurkin.” Raphaëlle’s scales bristled, steam hissing from her body. She turned toward Nana, voice shaking with fury.
“They were your people! Your tribe! How could you do this? How could you help a human massacre your own kin?!”
“People?” Nana let out a twisted laugh and jumped down from the shoulder of the Minotaurkin. Her once-gentle face distorted into a terrifying grin as she pointed to the broken horn on her right side, covered in golden ornaments.
“You know what my beloved tribe believed? That status should be based on horn size. If your horns were small, you weren’t even treated like livestock!”
“You have any idea what kind of life I had in that tribe? I tried to escape and got dragged back—they sawed off my horns! You think I just happened to know so many other demi-human languages? My tribe bullied me, and you Dragonkin looked down on us too! You think everyone’s so kind? Stop dreaming, Raphaëlle!”
Her crazed smile twisted further as she kicked the Minotaurkin next to her hard in the side. His body swelled from the impact, but with no soul left, he remained emotionless.
“You, Raphaëlle—daughter of the Northern Branch Dragonkin chief—treated like royalty your whole life. Of course you’d feel grief and hate when humans captured you! Ha! But me? After my tribe was conquered by humans, my life got better! Hahaha!”
“I’m going to slaughter every last one of those d*mn Minotaurkin, saw off every last one of their proud horns, and make them suffer a fate worse than death! The more beautiful and grand the horns, the more I want them—including yours!”
“My tribe was destroyed because of the intel I gave the humans. In exchange, I got all those d*mn Minotaurkin!”
Nana’s crazed laughter halted abruptly. As if flipped by a switch, she became calm again, her voice icy as she looked at Raphaëlle.
“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll saw off those damned horns of yours and keep them. Kill her.”
The golden ornament on her broken horn glowed faintly. At her command, the emotionless demi-humans around her began to move, launching themselves toward Raphaëlle.
She gritted her teeth and raised her claws like blades. Just as she was about to strike one of the Minotaurkin, its face twisted suddenly into a look of despair.
“Wait! Don’t kill me! My body’s not under my control! Help me! Please!”
“BAM!”
Raphaëlle flinched. Her claw froze mid-strike—and that moment’s hesitation allowed the Minotaurkin to land a heavy blow.
From afar, Nana watched silently, arms crossed, sitting calmly on a Minotaurkin’s shoulder.
Yes—those bodies were already dead. The only reason they moved was because of the Ancient Relic – The Puppeteer, mounted on the ornament of Nana’s broken horn. It had once been her tribe’s treasure, but after the humans overran them, she killed the chieftain and stole it.
The relic was meant to control corpses wandering the wastelands. But Nana discovered that even soulless husks with living bodies could be manipulated—capable of far more vivid performances. Just like now.
Foolish little Raphaëlle.
Nana was already imagining how she’d saw off those magnificent horns—nice and slow with the coarsest blade, making sure Raphaëlle felt every bit of the friction.
Of course, she didn’t know that ordinary tools couldn’t even scratch Dragonkin horns.
But Raphaëlle was in dire straits. Just like Nana expected, she couldn’t bring herself to attack those whose faces mimicked grief and despair. Blow after blow landed on her. Her expression blurred, and hot blood trickled down her forehead.
Her anger and frustration threatened to consume her—but rage couldn’t solve anything. It only burned her from the inside.
“Raphaëlle, calm down.”
Ha... even as the beating continued, her eyes suddenly widened. Was it a hallucination? She thought she heard that familiar, emotionless voice—Fischer’s, repeating the same words he always said.
“Anger and impulse won’t help you. Only icy calm and clear analysis will get you out of this. Think, then act!”
His silhouette seemed to appear before her, even though he wasn’t here. But just that vision brought her clarity. Through the chaos, she spotted the glint of the ornament on Nana’s horn.
They’re all dead... they’re dead, Raphaëlle!
Fischer was right—this blind rage would only get her and her friends killed!
You must stay calm.
Clenching her teeth, Raphaëlle unleashed a blast of steam, knocking a sorrow-faced Minotaurkin flying. Her claws extended again—unrestrained this time.
“Miss, I’m—”“Raphaëlle, save me!”
She opened her eyes. Her fury began to cool—but her movements didn’t slow. Fist after claw, she tore through the wave of attacking demi-humans.
“Raphaëlle...” a soft voice cried.
She reached Naal. His face, so similar to Larr’s, was streaked with tears—but she didn’t hesitate. After a deep breath, she placed a clawed hand on his head and snapped his neck.
Naal...
The further she walked, the calmer her fury became. It hadn’t vanished—it had simply turned to ice. And that cold, focused wrath was far more terrifying.
Her stride grew stronger. Silently, she walked through the cavern, until she reached Nana.
Nana’s expression twitched. She motioned for the largest Minotaurkin beside her to block the way, but before he could even move, Raphaëlle sliced him in half with a single strike.
“You... you really are a monster...”
Sweat trickled down Nana’s brow as she watched Raphaëlle approach, expressionless.
“Where’s Larr and the others?”
“Relax. I haven’t had time to deal with them yet—they’re still alive. But aren’t you getting a bit too cocky, standing so close to me?”
Raphaëlle’s expression darkened. In a flash, Nana lashed out with her gloved right hand—but Raphaëlle was faster. Her claw caught Nana’s wrist like lightning.
Her eyes went cold. She squeezed.
CRACK.
The bones in Nana’s gloved hand snapped audibly.
Nana’s face turned pale, but her eyes gleamed with manic laughter—as if pain no longer registered.
“Hahaha! Die!”
Raphaëlle’s eyes narrowed. A sudden electric jolt surged from Nana’s palm, shooting into her arm and heading straight for her mind. Her body trembled.
She hadn’t expected Nana to have a hidden weapon that activated on contact. She should’ve severed her arm right away—but it was too late now.
The shock clouded her vision. She felt like her soul was being forced from her body. She tried to let go—but the electricity created a suction that held her hand in place.
No... my soul...!
The glow faded from her horns. Her crimson soul, radiant and blinding, began to separate from her body.
“Hahaha! Fool! Your soul is—eh...?”
Even as Raphaëlle writhed in agony, Nana’s eyes widened. That blazing soul looked right at her—with a fury so intense, the heat and pressure overwhelmed Nana’s mind.
This was the first time Nana had ever seen a soul like this—searing hot, blinding like the sun.
In an instant, her entire hand evaporated—yet she felt no pain.
The flames didn’t stop. The entire cavern ignited. Corpses and pools alike were engulfed. The soul-hungry shells of bodies froze in terror, collapsing to the floor.
That soul... looked upon the world like a queen.
“Monster... monster...”
The red-horned Dragonkin soul moved in unison with her body, staring down at the quivering Nana.
Then, the blazing soul returned to its vessel, and Raphaëlle let out a deep, steaming breath.
She raised her hand. Nana flinched, thinking her end had come—but Raphaëlle merely plucked the golden relic from her horn and crushed it between her fingers, grinding it into glittering dust.
“Spend the rest of your pitiful life in fear, insect.”
Her voice was cold.
And strangely, when that relic was taken, Nana's entire demeanor changed. Her face twisted in panic. Her legs gave out.
“My... my horn! Give it back! My horn... no...!”
Raphaëlle tossed the powdered remains to the floor. Nana scrambled to gather the fragments, trembling violently under the weight of her terror.
This was what happened to Minotaurkin when their horns were taken. Raphaëlle had seen it before.
She looked at Nana with pity, then turned toward the burning cavern. Clenching her jaw, she glanced at her unconscious companions.
She had to get them out before everything was reduced to ash.