BXBX NOVEL Chapter 101: Beatrice's Revenge
The guards were clustered protectively around the central vehicle, a strategic formation that allowed them to benefit from the shielding power of the Bone Spear left by Jeremy.
Simultaneously, these vigilant sentinels provided an additional layer of defense for the four individuals ensconced within the carriage.
Inside the carriage, Bonnie listened to the violent explosions outside, her heart heavy with worry for Jeremy\'s fate.
However, she understood the necessity of maintaining her composure. If she failed to stay calm, Nina would undoubtedly descend into a state of utter panic.
At that moment, Nina lay with her head resting on Bonnie\'s lap, her hands covering her ears as if to shut out the sound of the explosions.
"It\'s okay, we have to believe in Jeremy! He will triumph!" Bonnie whispered to Nina.
Nina offered no response, she seemed to be sobbing softly.
Deeply concerned for Jeremy\'s safety, Nina was overwhelmed with anxiety. Having only recently lost her father and been abandoned by her mother, she could not bear the thought of losing Jeremy as well.
"The shadow\'s power has diminished significantly, it seems the battle has concluded."
Heber remarked abruptly, his gaze fixed on the outside.
The other three individuals inside the carriage immediately rushed to open the windows, craning their necks to get a view of the situation outside.
Indeed, just as Heber had observed, the thick shadows around them had begun to fade, and the temperature was gradually rising.
Bonnie took a deep breath, fully aware that this indicated the Shadow Dragon had likely departed.
Nina suddenly sprang to her feet, anxiously peering out of the carriage.
"Where is he? Has he returned yet? Why haven\'t I seen him?"
Nina\'s tone was fraught with urgency, only the sight of Jeremy could truly set her mind at ease.
"Perhaps Jeremy is still tidying up the battlefield. The Shadow Dragon seems to have departed, so Jeremy shouldn\'t be in too much danger," Master Bard remarked in a measured tone.
Nina\'s face fell slightly with disappointment.
At that moment, a heavy thud sounded from the carriage roof.
Jeremy abruptly entered the carriage.
"Youth, are you trying to scare me to death?" Master Bard grumbled, mildly displeased with Jeremy\'s dramatic entrance.
However, his complaint was short-lived. He was profoundly grateful to Jeremy, without him, surviving the Shadow Dragon\'s onslaught would have been impossible.
"What\'s the situation? You must have defeated the Shadow Dragon, right? Did you acquire any valuable materials?"
Heber, ever the merchant, was naturally more concerned with whether Jeremy had secured any lucrative spoils from the battle.
Jeremy shook his head.
"I did not emerge victorious from the battle, I merely managed to drive the Shadow Dragon away. Its power is overwhelming, and I could only just barely hold my own against it."
Jeremy confessed, his tone tinged with a hint of lingering dread.
Bonnie and Nina both keenly picked up on the shift in Jeremy\'s tone.
Nina cast her gaze downward, her eyes falling upon Jeremy\'s scarred hands.
With tears glistening at the corners of her eyes, she gently clasped Jeremy\'s hands in her own.
"Don\'t worry, these injuries are nothing to me. I\'ll recover quickly! What we need to focus on now is getting to Nocturne City without further delay."
Jeremy reassured, aware of Nina\'s concern and wanting to put her mind at ease.
Bonnie watched the exchange between Jeremy and Nina with a mix of emotions.
She cleared her throat and said, "Jeremy is right. We should proceed to Nocturne City as soon as possible. Now that the threat of the Shadow Dragon has been neutralized, let\'s continue our journey."
Jeremy easily picked up on the subtle undercurrent in Bonnie\'s words.
However, he chose to ignore it, knowing his class leader all too well.
"Who would\'ve thought our class leader could get so temperamental."
Jeremy teased Bonnie playfully.
"Who\'s being temperamental?!" Bonnie retorted, feigning anger.
Not wanting to escalate the playful banter, Jeremy exited the carriage with Heber to organize the convoy\'s guards and resume their journey.
Thus, Heber\'s convoy once again set off through the endless wilderness towards Nocturne City.
At the same time, on the eastern side of the Dawn City ruins, in the Ironclad Army\'s camp.
The heavily wounded Taal glared furiously at the several subordinates before him. He never imagined they would openly betray him.
"Do you even know what you are doing?! I am Taal! I am your leader of the Ironclad Army!"
Taal roared, his eyes bloodshot with rage.
But the expressions on the faces of the Ironclad Army members before him remained unchanged. They stood resolutely, weapons in hand, confronting Taal with unrelenting anger.
"Of course, we know you\'re Taal! And we also know you betrayed the Lord of the City! You are the true culprit behind the fall of Dawn City!" one of the Ironclad Army members retorted.
These members were not only Taal\'s subordinates, more importantly, they were residents of Dawn City.
All their relatives and friends resided in Dawn City.
When the city was reduced to ashes in the violent explosion, none of their loved ones survived. Upon learning that Taal had led a faction of the Ironclad Army in rebellion against the city\'s lord, the Ironclad Army was plunged into a state of internecine conflict.
"You fools have no idea why I did what I did! If Dawn City remained under the control of that useless Rafael, it would have led us all to inevitable ruin.
My betrayal was for the sake of saving Dawn City! To save you and all your families!" Taal\'s voice was a mix of desperation and conviction.
In the past, Taal would never have bothered to explain himself to these members of the Ironclad Army.
He would have ruthlessly killed them without hesitation. But his current dire condition left him with no choice, he hoped to persuade them not to become his enemies to avoid unforeseen complications.
"Is your way of saving Dawn City to destroy it?!"
The Ironclad Army members were not swayed by Taal\'s dubious reasoning.
"I didn\'t destroy Dawn City, it was that imbecile Rafael!"
Taal continued to argue. However, no sooner had he spoken than a chilling voice echoed from behind him.
"You not only betrayed Rafael and Dawn City, but you also betrayed all of us! I will make you pay for this!"
Beatrice, engulfed in a green flash of fury, charged towards Taal with immense hatred.
Despite his severe injuries, Taal knew he had no choice but to fight.
He was acutely aware that Beatrice would never let him escape.
Struggling, Taal lifted his weapon and hurled his greatsword towards the green blur that was Beatrice.
Although Beatrice slowed her advance, her resolve was unwavering.
The Ironclad Army members who had been confronting Taal immediately sprang into action, coordinating their attack with Beatrice to besiege him.
Already gravely wounded, Taal could barely hold his ground against the onslaught.
"You fools have no right to call me a traitor! It is you who have betrayed me!"
Taal\'s heart burned with bitter resentment.
He considered himself a highly capable individual, believing that he should have become the lord of Dawn City long ago.
It was Rafael\'s prolonged occupation of the position that had stymied his advancement.
Naturally, Beatrice and the other members of the Ironclad Army were not swayed by Taal\'s words. Despite their own weakened states, they were resolute in their determination to bring Taal down with them.
After about fifteen minutes of fierce combat, Taal finally exhausted all his strength.
Unwilling to accept his fate, he was ultimately slain by Beatrice.
Having triumphed over Taal, Beatrice collapsed to the ground.
She had expended every ounce of her energy, and her life was now ebbing away.
The members of the Ironclad Army who had previously fought alongside her and Taal were long dead. However, their wishes had been fulfilled.
They had successfully avenged their relatives and friends.
Beatrice lay on the chaotic battlefield, her eyes gazing up at the distant sky.
She seemed to see her husband Rafael standing atop the clouds, beckoning to her.
"Rafael, you still look just as you did when I first met you. I\'ve made arrangements for our daughter\'s future. Now, I\'m coming to join you."
Beatrice murmured with her last breath.
With those words, Beatrice closed her eyes.
As the wife of the lord of Dawn City, she had died avenging her husband.
Regardless of what others might think, Beatrice felt that her actions were entirely justified.
In her eyes, betrayal deserved no mercy, and every act of treachery warranted vengeance.
With Beatrice\'s death, nearly all the original factions of Dawn City were annihilated. The city itself had been reduced to a ruin in the endless wilderness.
Rebuilding Dawn City now seemed an impossible task, and it was unlikely that any trade caravans would ever pass through it again.