Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: King and Queen of the Orcs

The air quivered with raw power. The Orc King's crystal pulsed like a second heart, each beat sending waves of energy across the battlefield. The Orc Queen, who only moments ago had been on her knees, now stood tall once again—her body mended, muscles swollen with new strength, her aura burning brighter than before.Veer tightened his grip on his blade. His heart pounded, but he refused to step back. This was the real fight.Jiya's face was calm but her eyes were sharp. She raised her hands, weaving protective symbols in the air. "Stay close. If they move together, they'll crush us in seconds."The King's deep voice echoed like rolling thunder."You humans have clawed your way far enough. Now, you'll be broken."He moved first—faster than something of his size should be. His massive greataxe swung down, splitting the ground in a violent quake. Veer barely rolled aside, but the shockwave threw him off balance.Before he could recover, the Queen pounced. Her mace came like a falling mountain—only to be stopped at the last moment by Ashish, who crossed his sword against it. The impact shook his arms to the bone."Damn… she's heavier than before!" Ashish grunted, his knees nearly buckling."Hold still!" Anika shouted. She slammed her palm against his back, releasing stored kinetic energy into his weapon. The sword flared with explosive force, blasting the Queen backward for a moment.But before the group could catch their breath, the King was already there. He slammed his fist into the ground, and jagged spikes of black crystal erupted upward, forcing Jiya to throw up a shimmering barrier. The crystals shattered against it, but cracks spread across her magic shield."They're too synchronized," Jiya said through clenched teeth. "It's like fighting two storms at once."Veer dashed forward, his blade flashing as he aimed for the King's crystal. But the Orc King anticipated it—his axe came down in a brutal arc. Veer blocked, sparks flying, his arms screaming from the sheer force."Veer!" Jiya cried. She summoned a barrage of glowing arrows that rained down on the King's back, forcing him to push Veer away.For a brief moment, Veer staggered back, panting. Even together, they were barely surviving.The Queen roared, charging again, but this time the twins were ready. Ashish met her head-on, his blade glowing bright. Anika stood behind him, her hands channeling energy into his weapon with perfect timing. Each strike of Ashish's blade exploded with concussive force, forcing the Queen onto the defensive.But then, the King moved to support her. His axe swung toward the twins—"Not today!" Veer leapt in, intercepting the blow. His blade clashed with the massive axe, holding it just long enough for Jiya to bind the King's leg with glowing chains of light.The King snarled, shattering the bindings with raw power, but the momentary delay gave Veer's group a chance to regroup.They gathered in a circle, panting, sweat dripping."They're too strong like this," Ashish said, glaring at the two monsters standing side by side."If we don't separate them, we'll be crushed."Anika nodded. "I can build a massive kinetic release… but I'll need time to charge it."Jiya's eyes flickered with determination. "Then we'll buy you that time."The Orc King's crystal glowed ominously as he and the Queen advanced once more.Veer raised his blade, gritting his teeth."Alright then… we fight like hell. Don't hold back!"The clash of steel, magic, and raw fury shook the battlefield once more, the fight reaching a deadly crescendo.