Ethan grabbed Luka and kissed her back deeply. Her strong arms pulled him close, their bodies pressing together in a rush of heat.

The boy's hands found her waist, feeling the firm warmth of her skin through the thin fabric of her tunic. His fingers traced the curve of her back, lowering down to her buttocks. He grabbed the cheeks lightly, realizing how tough and tight they were.

Ethan groped handfuls of her ass and squeezed. She smiled against his mouth. "It feels like you've been wanting to do that since we met. Don't get greedy."

"More than anything else."

"We have a moment before we deal with your green friends out there—" she began.

A distant shout suddenly echoed through the tunnels. One of the guards blew a horn that was suddenly cut off. It was followed by the unmistakable grunts and clashes of a fight breaking out.

Luka pulled back abruptly, her eyes sharpening with alarm. "They're here already."

Ethan cursed under his breath, the romantic haze shattering like glass. Thank the gods he didn't get a hard-on yet. "We need to escape and rally your warriors fast."

Luka nodded, grabbing her club from where it leaned against the wall. "Follow me. We'll cut them off before they get deeper."

They dashed out of the chamber together, moving swiftly through the twisting tunnels. But as they rounded a bend, Ethan caught the acrid tang of something chemical wafting through the air.

Ahead, shouts from Luka's Orc guards turned to choked coughs. Their bodies slumped against the walls as their eyes rolled back in unconsciousness.

"The shaman's brew," Ethan realized, his stomach twisting in fear. "They're using it on your patrols to clear the way."

Luka growled deep in her throat. "Those bastards! Let's go this way! There's a shortcut to the entrance. We can flank them."

But as they turned another corner, the assassins appeared right in their path—Ethan's former Orc assassin team, led by the ugly Krag.

Their already bloody axes were raised, and their eyes were wild with bloodlust. They sniffed the air like hounds. Krag's beady eyes locked onto Ethan with instant recognition. "The runt! But... he looks like a human now. Filthy traitor with his magical tricks!"

Krag snarled, his hate-filled voice echoing off the walls. "Kill him! And grab the Queen!"

One of the Orcs in the back hurled a bomb forward. It was a fragile clay vial that shattered on the stone floor with a sharp crack. Greenish mist exploded outward, filling the narrow tunnel in a choking cloud.

Ethan coughed violently, his eyes watering. However, his Poison Resistance Lvl 2 kicked in almost immediately, muting the toxic effects to just a slight dizziness. Luka staggered beside him as she clutched her club for support. "What... What is this foul mist?" She leaned heavily on the weapon, her movements slow and lethargic.

She was weakened but still on her feet. Any regular Orc would be flattened already, but her superior ivory physiology fought off the gas better. She was far from immune, though. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, and she leaned on the wall with her free hand for balance.

"Stay back," Ethan said, stepping protectively in front of her. "I've got this. I think the gas isn't hitting me as hard."

"You keep surprising me, Count Cromwell," Luka mumbled. "Keep it up, and you may finally get into my pants."

"That's the dream," the boy said with a bitter chuckle and moved forward.

The assassins charged through the lingering mist, five of them towering in the confined tunnel space.

"Magmatis stagnum!" Ethan invoked.

[MP -50]

A bubbling puddle of magma erupted under an advancing Orc's feet. The brute let out a horrific scream as his legs sank into the molten goo. His green flesh sizzled and burned into brown, abruptly cutting off his dying scream.

[MP: 82/140]

Luka, despite her weakened state, swung her club with a roar, cracking it against another Orc's skull with bone-shattering force. The beast crumpled, but the gas had slowed her follow-up, leaving her open for a moment.

"Let me fight!" she gasped.

Ethan let her into his space, realizing she wouldn't back off. They battled side by side in the cramped tunnel.

"Secas!" [MP -10]

The spell sliced an arm clean off one attacker. The Orc howled as his disgusting blood sprayed the walls.

Luka bashed another's chest in, her club caving in his ribs with a sickening crunch. But things began going south rapidly.

Ethan's MP dipped dangerously low after summoning another magma puddle that engulfed two more greens.

[MP: 22/100]

The remaining Orcs pressed their advantage. Krag lunged at Ethan with a bellow. His massive blade arced down like a falling tree. "Die, human runt!"

The axe connected with a thud, but Jelly Skin at Lvl 2 absorbed the impact. Ethan was pushed back as the blade bounced off his body like it had struck rubber, leaving only a faint bruise. However, it threw him off balance, and he fell heavily on the back of his head. The impact made him see stars.

Krag blinked in shock, examining his weapon for defects. He reared back and swung again, even harder this time, putting his full weight behind it.

Ethan was too woozy to move out of the way. He knew Jellyskin's limitations. It could absorb one solid hit per attacker before it needed to recharge. There was no protection against the second strike.

Luka's eyes widened in horror as she leaned against the wall. She realized Ethan was about to die. "No!"

The Orc Queen gathered whatever strength was left and dove forward with a desperate cry. She threw her body between Ethan and the descending blade.

The axe slammed into her back with a wet thud. Glug! Blood sprayed as her ivory-white flesh tore open. Agh! She crumpled to the ground with a pained gasp, her club clattering beside her.

Ethan's world seemed to freeze in that instant. His heart stopped as he stared at her. "Luka!"

She hit the stone floor hard. Blood pooled beneath her. "Run... Ethan..." she whispered, her eyes fluttering from pain.

Rage exploded in Ethan's chest like a storm. "Lapor!"

The sweat and blood on Krag's face began boiling, frying his already disgusting face. He screamed and stepped back, clawing at his face.

[MP: 2/160]

The effort was pointless. Krag recovered within a minute, while the remaining Orcs piled attacks on Ethan brutally.

Their clubs battered him, one cracking against his ribs with bone-jarring force. The boy was driven to his knees in agony. With no MP, his spells were useless. He swung wildly with his fists, but it wasn't enough against their armored bulk.

In the chaos, one of the Orcs jabbed a needle into Luka's exposed neck, injecting the shaman's drug. Her eyes fluttered shut almost immediately. The Queen's body became limp as the potent brew took hold.

"No!" Ethan roared, lunging forward, but a club to his head sent stars exploding in his vision. He hit the ground hard, dazed and helpless.

The Orcs hoisted Luka's unconscious form over a shoulder like a sack of grain. "We got the queen, Krag!"

"Move! Move!" Krag roared. "We'll deal with the runt later! Let's get Luka Voltha back to Garkash! Quick!"

They turned and fled down the tunnel, vanishing into the labyrinth. Ethan tried to stand and follow, but the chamber spun around in his vision. The pain in his ribs and head throbbed even harder.

The boy groaned helplessly. He had let Luka sacrifice herself for him, only to watch her be carried off to a fate worse than death. She was going to be raped by Garkash as the other green Orcs watched.

What kind of man was he? That he failed to protect his lovers! First Artis Lupine, and now Luka Voltha!

Ethan growled and staggered to his feet, clutching his side. "I have to get her back!"

This time, his body failed him completely. Ethan's consciousness switched off, and he fell flat on his face.

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