Chapter 21: Nyssara Arrive At The Capital City (part 1)

Words : 1071 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Nyssara nods stiffly, lowering her gaze to the ground. "I understand, master. I wouldn't dare to disobey." "Perfect," Alix says, his tone calm but with an edge of authority. He turns on his heel, his coat swaying as he strides toward the cave entrance. "Get to work. When I return, I expect progress." Alix gives her one last lingering look, as if testing her resolve, before turning on his heel and striding out of the cavern. The sound of his footsteps fades into the distance, leaving Nyssara alone with her thoughts and her spider minions. Once she's certain he's gone, Nyssara lets out a low hiss, her claws digging into the ground. "That's nonsense," she mutters under her breath. "How can his subordinates be stronger than me? I've ruled these caves for decades. No one has ever bested me... until him." She clicks her mandibles in irritation and glances at her spider minions, already busy chiseling away at the mineral veins. "Faster!" she barks, her frustration evident. "We need results before his so-called 'soldiers' arrive." The spider monsters scurry into action, their pickaxe limbs striking the mineral veins with practiced precision. The cavern fills with the rhythmic clinking of metal against stone as Nyssara watches, her mind racing. She's not used to taking orders, and the thought of being reduced to a mere miner grates on her. But the memory of Alix's overwhelming power keeps her in check—for now. An hour passes, and the spiders have already amassed a small pile of gold and other valuable minerals. Nyssara inspects their work, her crimson eyes narrowing as she calculates how much more they'll need to satisfy Alix's demands. But just as she's about to give new orders, she feels a faint disturbance in the air. Then, suddenly, the near-invisible thread Nyssara had placed at the cave's entrance vibrates faintly, signaling an intruder. Her eyes narrow, and she straightens her posture, brushing dust off her chitinous arms. "That must be the soldiers he mentioned," she murmurs, her voice low. "Let's see what kind of fools he's sent to guard me." Confident in her own strength, Nyssara strides toward the entrance, her eight legs moving with fluid grace. She prepares to greet the newcomers with the same arrogance she once wielded as the ruler of these caves. But as she rounds the corner and sees the figures standing at the entrance, her smirk fades, replaced by a deep, sinking feeling. Three soldiers stand before her, each radiating an aura of power that makes her chitinous skin crawl. On the left is a kobold, its reptilian eyes gleaming with cunning and its lithe body coiled like a spring. On the right is a gnoll, its hulking frame bristling with muscle and its jagged teeth bared in a predatory grin. But it's the figure in the center that sends a shiver down Nyssara's spine—a towering troglodyte, its scaly skin glistening with an unnatural sheen and its cold gaze fixed on her. Its scales shimmer faintly in the dim light, and its piercing yellow eyes seem to see straight through her. It wears armor that looks both ancient and deadly, and the aura it radiates is suffocating—a chilling reminder of the dread she felt when she first faced Alix. For a moment, Nyssara can't speak. The weight of the troglodyte's presence presses down on her, and the confidence she had earlier crumbles. Even being referred to as a mere "miner" doesn't ignite her usual prideful anger. Instead, she bows her head slightly, her voice steady but submissive. "Yes, I am. I... I've already mined some gold and other resources for him." The troglodyte steps forward, its piercing gaze locking onto Nyssara. "What about this," it says in a gravelly voice, gesturing to the pile of minerals behind her. "You deliver this to the city yourself. His Majesty wishes to see you." Nyssara blinks, startled. She hadn't expected such a request, and her mandibles twitch nervously. A question rises in her throat, but she quickly swallows it, wary of offending the intimidating creature before her. Noticing her hesitation, the troglodyte adds, "It's simple. Follow the markings on the trees outside. They'll lead you directly to the city. You won't get lost." "Understood. I'll leave immediately." The Troglodyte nods curtly. "Good. Don't waste time. His Majesty doesn't like delays." Nyssara gives a shallow bow, her voice quiet but steady. "I won't." Without further words, she turns and begins to organize the minerals, instructing her spider minions to bundle them efficiently. As she prepares to leave, her eyes flick briefly to the troglodyte and its companions. The gnoll smirks at her, while the kobold simply watches with sharp eyes. As soon as she's ready, Nyssara gathers the minerals into a web-silk pack on her back and heads toward the cave's exit. Nyssara tightens her grip on the silk threads holding her pack in place. Her eight legs carry her swiftly across the forest floor, her eyes scanning the trees for the markings the troglodyte mentioned. Each symbol is carved deep into the bark, guiding her like a silent compass. While walking, Nyssara's mind is a whirlwind of thoughts. "Who is he?" she murmurs, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. "How can he command creatures like those three? That troglodyte alone... it felt like facing him all over again." Her claws flex instinctively as she recalls the suffocating aura of the soldiers, each one as formidable as her, if not more so. The forest grows denser as she follows the markings, her unease deepening with every step. It doesn't take long before she reaches a clearing, and her legs falter. Nyssara's eyes widen, and for a moment, she can't move. Before her stands a city, but it's unlike anything she had imagined. She expected a fledgling settlement, a hastily constructed fortress at best. Instead, towering walls rise before her, their sheer size and craftsmanship radiating an ancient, almost divine majesty. The stone gleams faintly in the sunlight, etched with intricate carvings that seem to tell stories of a civilization long past. "The wall alone..." Nyssara whispers, her voice trembling. "This city—it's as if it's been here for a hundred thousand years."

Chapter 21: Nyssara Arrive At The Capital City (part 1)

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