Chapter 169
Demon Knight Battle Part II
Pain.
Life was pain. But pain was good, as it helped to focus. The pain let Alexa know that she was still alive. Despite her spine finally realigning properly, she knew that her pain meant there was still hope. Even her cracked ribs, from when her father somehow shifted forms, into a more monstrous version of himself.
He had grown, the spikes on his back that had once been used to pin him in place now took on a more ethereal view to them as they cut their way free of the temporary prison of earth he had been held in. Worse, the mental powers that Alexa had been using to gain the upper hand, that of Analytical Eye (I), and Telekinesis both were somehow being repelled by the new energy that radiated from the body of her dead father. Or whatever the abomination that was in front of her truly was.
If she squinted, or sometimes in between punches, she could see him, the real Jim Thyme, her father. But then a black miasma of Void Essence would spiral back and reaffirm its hold over her father.
“Since you seem to be quiet. Why don’t I turn this to everyone.” Demonic Warder said, as he opened his posture and slightly turned towards the horseshoe shaped gaggle of supers that were just staring in shock at what was happening. “Join me, in killing these miscreants and I will…” Warder began, but was quickly cut off.
“You want me to talk.” Alexa said, her words like fire as she force air to go through her cracked and slowly repairing lungs. The air and her body both were too saturated with Void Essence for her to cast any sort of magic without fear of causing a catastrophic backlash. Yet, she needed to do something, then the moment she spoke, a malicious smile filled her face as she had the answer come to her. A way to separate this Demonic Knight from everyone, a way to keep this Knight’s corrupting nature away from others. “I challenge you to a duel.”
Chime!
There was a crisp sound, that reverberated through the air. Instantly, the two had a golden dome arise and envelope the two.
Then just like that, the countless battles around, where her pack mates were set to destroy the other remaining demon soldiers, the constant fear of being assaulted from behind by one of the dozens of bystanders, they all faded away. What was left was a wide area, of fifty meters that surrounded Alexa in all directions, and the demonic entity that had formerly been her father.
Before too much time could pass to take in everything, the typical system messages came alive, letting both know exactly what they were in for.
Royal Duel.
As a means to settle massive battles in an easier manner, a royal duel can be declared. Where two combatants leading different army factions can choose to fight on behalf of their army.
As this is a Royal Duel certain conditions must be met.
The First Royal Duelist of Earth has challenged a Knight of the Demon faction to a duel on their home planet.
In this case we have Alexa Thyme, Rank Countess challenging Demon Knight to a duel.
Honestly, Alexa had not been certain that starting the duel would have worked, but at the very least she figured it would disrupt whatever Warder was planning to do with the crowd of Supers. Mentally she brought up the title to see if there was anything that she needed to be aware of.
Title: First Royal Duelist: You were the first winner of a royal duel for your planet, as such you are able to challenge anyone regardless of rank differential to a Royal Duel. Conditions: Challenges are limited to duels conducted on your home planet.
But there was nothing, other than her being on her home planet, which this clearly was. Unfortunately, Alexa didn’t have time to think about too much more as the system messages kept pushing their way forward in her mind.
No Limit: Limiting conditions cannot be established. This will be a no limit battle to the death.
And like that the battle started, or at least the slightly beguiling fog that had filled the battlefield died down enough to show just Demonic Warder as the lone enemy.
No magic, no psychic powers, nothing more than her glowing fists, the skills she acquired, and the countless supernatural powers she had stolen to this point.
“You know I…” Demonic Warder began, but his words were cut off as Alexa was on him in seconds striking out with her glowing fists.
Block.
Warder by reflex brought up his arm to block the blow from Alexa’s punch. This was fine for Alexa, as she felt with the impact energy flow through the exchange.
Void Magic Increased: Tier IV.
The message was a nice sign of just how far she had progressed with this one battle, but it was ultimately an unnecessary reminder of her progress. Here, in her area, she was a whirlwind of power, form, and precision. Warder had much higher physical Attributes, but that was all he had, there was no form to his attacks, no method to his movements, he swung, and Alexa weaved. He pressed forward, and Alexa would sidestep out of the way. All the while, she would strike out at various points of Warder’s defense, his arms, his legs, then when his movements began to slow she would strike for the ribs. Warder’s natural Endurance was too high for even Alexa’s strikes to pierce, but she didn’t need to. Here they were equals, the demons, at least the Demon Knights and below seemed to be powerless with magic. Similarly the same energy that protected Demonic Warder from Alexa’s Telekinesis was the same power that prevented Demonic Warder from using his own psychic powers, if he had any to begin with.
“You’ve gotten better.” Demonic Warder said, taking two more quick jabs against his arms before Alexa quickly spun out of the way.
Silence.
In this world, Alexa didn’t need to speak, or to engage. Here she was queen, here she would win so long as she kept her focus. Better still, with every landed punch, she saw it, or rather, she saw him.
“A pity you still hit like a girl.” Demonic Warder said.
Flutter strike.
Alexa punched hard enough for her knuckles to crack on impact, a small price to pay as her body had already started to heal the minor break shortly after she ended contact. Still the strike had been enough.
Flicker.
Her father, the Jim Thyme that Alexa had grown up with appeared for a moment, only to then be consumed by the dark miasma that coated his whole body.
That moment, that one moment when her old father was real, that was enough for Alexa to endure any pain, any discomfort. Never mind the fact that this battle was to the death, the fact that she had a chance, even a small one to save her father, that was enough for her to endure any pain, any amount of taunting. To Alexa, everything else was meaningless.
It was a battle of attrition, a colossal juggernaut, the being that even an emotionless Alexa looked up to as the inspiration to continue pushing herself onward. The reason she became a Super in the first place, her father, he was here, watching her. And best of all, in those moments when he was there, when he flickered to life, he smiled. Not the sick and sadistic smile of the Demonic version of him, but the loving smile of her father, the one who rescued her when she was five. The one who always encouraged her, much to the chagrin of her mother. The one who even now looked on with pride and silent adoration at her.
“You know, I never loved you. Not really.” The Demonic Warder taunted.
Silence.
Alexa forced herself to stay calm, to not get drawn in by the provocations. Instead, she used her fists to tell how she felt. To show her true opinion on that.
Wham, wham.
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“Oh-hoh, looks like I struck a nerve with that one.” Demonic Warder said, as he drew his arms in closer, taking Alexa’s blows on his blocking arms, before swinging with a thundering punch. Fortunately for Alexa, the move was well telegraphed, causing Alexa to duck under the strike.
Unfortunately, the strike had been purposefully left open, allowing Demonic Warder to raise up his knee, to strike at Alexa who was now in perfect range to be kicked.
WHAM!
The blow came up and further cracked her still sore ribs.
Flicker.
The pain was so intense that white sparks filled her eyes but fought through that momentary discomfort as she used both arms to wrap around the leg and grip it tightly. Then with the last remaining leverage she still had, she rose with the strike and lifted up, dropping the unexpecting Warder to the ground.
Crunch!
As soon as his back made contact with the ground, Warder reached out with his massive hand and grabbed Alexa’s right ankle. Realizing she had just seconds to get lose from the hold as she could already feel her bones crunching under the force of Demonic Warder’s grip, she did what her dad told her to do in such a situation. When facing a much larger male, when violence is involved, nothing is out of bounds. Thus, with Alexa still using her two arms to lift Warder’s right leg into the air, Alexa used her free left foot to rise up and quickly come down in that sensitive area where the right leg and the left leg meet.
Squish, and twist!
Alexa’s heel dropped down, and began twisting. Instantly two things happened at once, first, Alexa could feel the all too familiar sensation of energy being pulled up from her direct contact with the affected region. Secondly, the intense bone crunching grip that had been on her ankle moments ago suddenly loosened.
With the grip momentarily loosened, Alexa kicked her leg free, then quickly spun her way through the two legs, using her left foot as a plant foot to further twist, then with one last stomp, she kicked off and stumbled away.
It was not pretty, there were codes, lines that Supers weren’t supposed to cross, but Alexa felt that she was beyond that. After today, she was uncertain if she would still be accepted as a Super. Worse, she didn’t know if she wanted to be a Super anymore after this.
Tingle.
Intense tingling pains shot up from Alexa’s right foot. Her foot felt like it was asleep, and she was forcefully walking on it, regardless, but this was a minor inconvenience. She forced herself to bear the pain. Then she looked and saw that Demonic Warder was hunched over in pain, both hands grasping at the now tender region between his legs. Nodding to herself, Alexa took one step, then another, then finally she pounced on the writhing Warder.
Demonic tentacles that took the place of spikes shot out grabbing onto Alexa, but rather than causing corrosive pain to course through her body, Alexa’s body greedily ate the energy and began converting it into energy her body could use to continue the healing process.
With the tentacles proving little to no help, Alexa decided to press her advantage, as she looked at the demonic being’s version of her father’s face and swung.
Wham, flicker.
The times between flickers lasted longer, as Alexa momentarily paused one strike, fearing that she would strike her father. Then an instant later, the demonic essence once again took over, causing him to speak out, “what you…”
That was as far as he got, as Alexa swung again. Then again, and again.
Alexa swung until her fists ached from not having enough time to heal. She swung even when it was clearly her father’s face she was striking. She swung until only black whisps of smoke remained. Then even those few whisps were gone and she was just striking at her father, his big goofy face just smiled brightly as he took blow after devastating blow.
Panting.
When her strikes no longer did anything, Alexa let herself relax, as she took in refreshing breath, after refreshing breath.
Finally, after a few seconds of silence Alexa locked gazes with her father, her real father, or rather what spiritual energy remained of him.
“You need to work on that right hook.” Warder said, a slight smile to his face.
Alexa panting rose her fist up to strike once more.
“Easy there tiger, easy. I’m just joking.” Warder said, reaching out a hand to grasp Alexa’s, and to her surprise the touch was warm, even through the glove it was warm, but not overly so. Rather, it just warmed to a near perfect temperature and then seemed to stop.
Seeing that, Alexa stopped, and then looked first to her hand and then to her father.
“Dad?”
“Yeah, you did it. I don’t quite know what you did, nor how I got here, but you did it.” Warder said, then he tilted his head away as if hearing someone talking from behind him. “Oh, I’m to tell you, you are doing a great job…” He paused, “but apparently you need to do a lot more.”
Warder listened to more, but then finally after a second a note of irritation filled him. “Do you mind, I am trying to have a moment here with my daughter.” He said to the voice over his shoulder. Then turning back he smiled and said, “looks like this is the end of the road for me. Thank you, because of you I get to go to a better place.”
Tears.
Instantly the box that Alexa had shoved her consciousness into, to protect herself, shattered. Her vision blurred, as she felt a deluge of emotions come to her. “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t strong enough…” Alexa began, her words blubbering and nearly incoherent.
“Nonsense. You saved your mom, the captain, and so many others. You are truly doing the best you could have done.” Warder began, but then with a somewhat annoyed sigh turned to look off to his right again, at the mysterious voice that was apparently speaking to him. “Okay, yeah, but you still need to do better. There? That good?” Warder said, somewhat angrily, the words all being directed at Alexa, while his face remained focused on the unknown speaker.
Seeing her father’s lack of respect for authority caused a slight smile and a slight chuckle to erupt from Alexa.
Sigh.
With that Warder let out a sigh, as his shoulders slumped, “I guess this is the end of this road for me.”
“Wait, I can heal you. Surely, I can bring you back…” Alexa protested.
Spark.
Just as she tried to call forth Healing magic, she caused a minor spark of Void to burst and disrupt her spell causing a painful backlash to strike through the air directly into her core.
Shaking his head sadly, Warder replied, “even if you could cast a spell, which you can’t, obviously. This is a duel to the death, and I died a long time ago.”
Then as he spoke those words, Jim Warder Thyme’s spirit, or what remained of it began to dissolve into a mote of golden light. Alexa desperately reached out, grabbing at the cloud, and for a second she swore it solidified just a moment, long enough for her to grasp tightly. Even in death, her father’s wide shoulders were too large to fully wrap around, at the same time she felt a bright warmth on her back. Then just as quickly as she felt the sensation, it was gone, leaving behind a long cold breeze.
Then a message quickly flashed by, letting her know she had won. And better still she was now the commander of the remaining demonic forces.
Whoom.
The golden dome that had separated the two was gone, revealing a much changed landscape before her. Her pack that had been easily handling the remaining soldiers was now being oppressed by the remaining heroes and the three demonic soldiers.
Rage.
Instantly Alexa felt rage fill her as she shot to her feet and demanded the demonic soldiers to, “kneel!”
And just like that the four demon soldiers who had been fighting the few unsubdued members of Alexa’s pack knelt down instantly.
A deafening silence filled the area as every Super, her own pack included turned to her.
Then with a word, she enacted judgement for what she saw going on. Supers were pinning her own pack members down, others actively helped the demonic elves, apparently having recognized the traitors as being influential elven diplomats, while still others just watched.
“Purge!” Alexa stated, her voice echoing like thunder over the open fields.
As the word rang out, everyone that could hear the word suddenly had their powers stripped from them. Everyone but the demonic soldiers, who while being seemingly immune to the effects of Purge, were not immune to the dominance that Alexa now had from winning her Royal Duel.
At that, she read the message she got for completing the quest assigned by the system.
Precursor Sage Quest Completed: Destroy the Demonic Knight: You vanquished the Demonic Knight from your planet. Rewards: Levels, Class Unique Skill: Purge – (Planetary). Current progress 1 / 1.
Ding.
Level up.
You class Precursor Sage has increased to level 2.
Your class Precursor Sage has increased to level 3.
…
Your class precursor Sage has increased to level 8.
New Class Specific Power obtained: Purge.
Purge: The power to cleanse the corruption from people and see who is truly worthy of the gifts bestowed upon them by the great system. Effect: Instant. Dwell Time: 30 Days.
“What, what is this?” A random hero called out, fear evident in their voice.
“It says I have thirty days to be Absolved?” A second hero calls out.
At that, Alexa nodded to herself, as those words sparked a memory within her. Moving over to the kneeling corrupted elven summoners, Alexa punched the first one, once, twice, then finally ten times before the last traces of Void Essence were removed from the creature. Within seconds, the kneeling demonic soldier dissipated, leaving behind the empty husk of an elven body. With the first demon soldier cleared, Alexa went over to the next.
“What are you doing? They gave up.” Vibranium shouted, as he ran over and grabbed Alexa’s raised hand. With a quick snap of her wrist, she sent Vibranium flying.
Then with her arm free once more, Alexa went about purifying the remaining soldiers. Everyone watched in awe and fear as the demonic entities slowly converted back into the body of elves, elves that were dead, as the corrupted spirits that had been used to power the bodies that were little more than meat suits disappeared after their cleansing.
Finally, Alexa was told that she had completed her second class quest that she had been given by the system.
Precursor Sage Quest Complete: Destroy the Corrupted Summoners: You have removed the Corrupted Summoners who conspired to pull a Demonic Knight to a pre-integrated planet. Remove the corruption from the Summoners and allow their souls to move on to the afterlife. Rewards: Levels, Class Unique Skill: Absolution – (Individual). Current progress 25 / 25.
Ding.
Level up.
Your class Precursor Sage has increased to level 9.
Your class Precursor Sage has increased to level 10.
Your class Precursor Sage has increased to level 11.
New class specific power obtained: Absolution – (Individual).
Absolution-(Individual): You have been granted the ability to absolve someone identified as a sinner by the system and redeem them back their access to the great system.
With her second class specific power obtained, Alexa went around and placed her thumb over the top of each of her pack mates Absolved them of their banishment from the system.
Instantly the teenage girls that had been held down by the forces of stronger people instantly rose to their feet and jerked themselves free.
“What about me?” An aged Wondra asked, after seeing the power being restored back to Alexa’s pack mates.
“What about you?” Alexa asked.
“Are you going to do that thumb thing to me?” Wondra asked, as she shook in place from having to stand so long on her old, withered limbs.
Fortunately, it was Gina who spoke up on Alexa’s behalf. “You, the one who attacked Al… I mean Ar’uka from the back? The one who almost gave this place over to demons. You think you deserve your powers back?”
Hearing the sharp words come from the normally placid Gina made a nice warm fire glow within her chest, as she couldn’t help but smile at the words.
With that, most of the other Supers began getting out of the way, as Alexa made her way over to the giant red dome that still covered the land. Focusing her will into her hands, she placed her hands flat against the dome and began to Absorb the energy from the dome. As she did, she was met with system message after system message.
Ding.
Level up.
Your class Absorber has increased to level 41.
Your class Absorber has increased to level 42.
Your class Absorber has increased to level 43.
Then after the third level was obtained, cracks began to form as the corrosive energy that had been used to create the dome was gone, causing the dome to shatter in on itself.
Clatter.
Sharp spikes and tiny fragments of debris began falling. The now human former-Supers all winced and covered their faces, blocking for an impact that would never come.
Clink clatter.
Then in front of them, they heard it, the sound of all the debris being pushed away as it was seemingly caught by an invisible net and thrown to the ground in front of them.
With the prison broken, Alexa gave a follow gesture with her hand as she began walking away, her mind instinctively guiding her towards the nearest dungeon that they could use to escape from.
“What about her?” Luke asked, as they began making their way forward.
Hearing that, Alexa turned to see whom Luke was talking about, there next to him was their mother. She was far thinner now, as her super strength was gone, Alexa could even swear that she saw a few wrinkles on her normally perfect skin, a sign that the system had truly abandoned her.
“What about her?” Alexa asked back.
“Well, aren’t you going to Absolve her as well?” Luke asked.
Alexa halted her advancement forward, then as one every member of her pack did as well, everyone but for Kelvin who took a half step extra forward before stopping, once he realized Kylie had stopped. Alexa first looked at Luke, then to her mother, then back at Luke. “She is retired.”
“Yeah, so?” Luke asked.
“So she should stay retired this time.” Alexa answered. Then with that, she began walking again. This time when she strode forward everyone continued with her, except for Luke and the now powerless Judge.