Edited by: tommyjl7
What a shame, this man is strong, experienced and quite wise, which is quite rare among the warriors, especially the last one. Having him working for me could benefit the Syndicate greatly. Yet, his loyalty toward his companion is flawed, he fails to understand that he could save the few he treasures the most, instead, he chose to let all of them die.
Admirable, foolish, but admirable.
He was fast and skilled with his weapon, he could easily call himself one of best warriors here, in Neira. All these skills he gained on his own, he had no personal trainer, he wasn’t sheltered before entering the battlefield on which he served in the first line. Every attack of his weapon that he swung at me was mastered in the heat of battle, hardened in blood.
He was reminding me of myself, myself without the help of the goddesses, without being safely made into a witch, without finding a magical book that turned you into a monster.
He was living a life I chose, yet was forced to give up because of the will of the deities. This is why I wanted him on my side. Still, I had to kill him, otherwise, I would risk everything I had obtained until now.
My opponent changed the grip over his weapon and slashed from below, I took a step back and to the side to avoid, yet he responded by changing his footing and direction of attack. The attack from over my head was performed so naturally and fluently, that one could swear it was exactly the same strike that came from below. This was also the moment I noticed, that the scout tried backstabbing me. my front, backs and both sides were perfectly covered, I almost had no place to run.
Yet I was not going to run. I moved onward trying to get into the blind spot of huge axe carried by Bandit King, then I raised my sword locking it for a split second. At the same time, I pointed my second hand at the scout and I focused my magic, as I cast mana shock wave.
The power of spell sent rogue flying two meters away before he crashed painfully onto the floor.
Malcolm didn’t waste his time though, using his body mass he pushed me away and once again performed a swing, this time from the side.
At that moment I decided to finish it.
I brawled multiple times with Gisele, who was not only stronger but also faster. Ducking under the attack, moving to the side and thrusting my blade targeting the man’s ribs was something that came naturally to me, like a maneuver that I trained for ages.
In response to my assault the Bandit King dropped his huge weapon, instead, he raised his left palm, impaling himself on my thin blade. He didn’t stopped here, instead he kept pushing until his fingers grabbed me by my dominant hand which was still holding Blade of Embers.
From behind his back he brought a short sword, barely longer than a dagger, with serrated edge, the next thing I saw was my blood being splashed everywhere, the pain came after that.
You took [68] dmg You were affected by [Bleeding] status effect
You are now [Bleeding] You will lose [10hp] every 30 sec
You have lost your [Right hand] Damage you deal is being reduced [Sword usage mastery] level reduced [Mace usage mastery] level reduced [Hand to hand combat mastery] level reduced [Archery ....
I jumped back looking at the spot in which my palm used to be. Then I raised my eyes back on my opponent, which pulled a sword from his palm with a scream, because of annoyance, not pain.
- “Really well done…” I praised him “… I would clap to honor that, but, you know…” I raised my arm higher.
- “Still acting dumb? Fine, suit yourself, you are about to die anyway.” He grabbed his axe from the floor. Despite his wound, he still could carry his huge weapon without difficulty.
- “Boss, boss! We got the situation under contr…” some other man jumped into the room, it was another bandit that came asking for new orders. This was also when he noticed me “… ENEMY IN THE STRONGHOLD! TO ME! TO MEEE!”
His yell almost made my eardrums explode, when my hearing came back to me, my attention was drawn by the sound of a dozen or so people running by the stairs.
I sighed exhausted.
- “Sorry, I had my fun, I think it’s high time to end this.”
- “I hate your type, you just keep talking all the time, you can’t even die quie…” Malcolm froze, probably, because he saw as my damaged hand was healing, as bones were reappearing, as net of nerves and muscles was covering the white structure, as fat enveloped it for protection and as skin hide the whole gruesome process, all within around 15 seconds.
I raised my new hand for closer inspection, the skin was unhealthy white, as if it never saw sun before, not a single scar, scratch nor wrinkle on it, inhumanly smooth and…
- “…Itchy…” I started scratching it right away. I once again gazed over my enemy, about ten of his soldiers were already inside “… I will never get used to it. I see that you invited friends to our party, mind if I do the same?”
I snapped fingers of my newly grown hand, triggering explosives runes in which I covered one of the side gates before heading here. The powerful explosion shook the castle, it was also a signal for miss knight and her cheerful companions to regroup and attack.
- “It’s twelve against one… No matter what kind of freak of nature you are, there is no way you will leave this place alive.” Deserter hissed with anger… or maybe fear? It almost sounded as if he was trying to convince himself.
No, it’s just his instinct and will to survive that kicked in. His subconscious was trying to warn him, yet heat of the battle and knowledge about soldiers that right now were flooding his garrison made him stop listening to his intuition.
- “Twelve against one you say… doesn’t sound fair. Fine, you are free to bring ten more people.”
You have successfully [Taunt]-ed your opponent(s): [Mountain Bandit] Taunted Malcolm Steelfist Resisted [Bandit Deserter] Taunted [Bandit Deserter] Resisted [Mountain...
Another wall of useless notification I skipped.
- “You fucking bastard!” One of the outlaws that just came in charged at me, few of his companion followed shortly after.
- “Stop! Hold the line!” Bandit Kind yelled.
- “He is just a one man!” the man from before encouraged his comrades
Why don’t we inflict some physiological trauma this time?
I had more than enough time to set a [Fire-wall] spell around me, the heat forced attackers to step back, this spell bought me a few seconds I used for shifting.
I started enlarging my body, making it as big and bulky as only I could, as core of the shifting I used DNA of minotaur, my head became head of the deer, with some extra care I treated horns which curved a little to the sides, I grew myself a reptilian tail and two insectoid wings.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Yet, I focused on visual aspects bit too much, which caused my balance to shake, I needed to use my arms to support myself, much as apes do.
I have seen this creature in one of the books about religion, of course, from the chapter about devils.
- “You… you will be a fine sacrifice.” I stretched my colossal hand and grabbed one of the men through the flames.
The team that jumped at me a moment ago suddenly changed the direction and started running. I tightened my grip, breaking the spine of the man I caught before throwing him into the group of bandits, they avoided collision with a corpse of their ally, yet their formation was already broken.
- “A DEVIL! DEVIL, RUN!”
With two quick leaps, I covered the distance between outlaws and doors leading back to the stairs blocking the path. They were in such a mess that they weren’t even trying to attack me. Well, according to beliefs, you couldn’t hurt the devil with an unblessed weapon, my little charade with re-growing limb probably only strengthened this superstition.
A few dropped their weapons, thinking that it would only slow them down, one ran to the corner, dropped on his knees and started praying in a crying tone.
Two bandits nodded to each other before running to the doors from two different sides, apparently, they took their chances thinking that at least one of them would survive. The man on the right was hit with my massive palm, the strength of the blow was multiplied several times as I added mana shockwave effect. Poor bastard was sent on the old, rusty chandelier, which impaled his stomach.
The other man was already behind me, almost by the door, when my tail wrapped around his ankles and started pulling back to me.
- “NO! NO-NO-NO-NO! God! Please God no!”
- “There is no God here.”
Ok. Ok. I admit - I felt in the role bit too much.
- “Please! I have a hidden stash in the forest, I had plenty of money there! I can give it to you!”
Oh, and now I reminded myself the [O Death] song…. But that would be too much if I would start singing now, would it? It definitely would. Yeah, for sure.
...
Oh for fuck sake! Nobody sees me! At least no one that will be living in the next two minutes. Here I come!
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The explosion shook the castle and revealed a huge space through which the soldiers get inside the walls.
Bandits were trained, at least it seemed as if someone tried teaching them a drill, thus they put on some fight. Jessica Blackwater carved her path in enemy lines with her sword. The phalanx that bandit made was full of holes, their moves were messy, here and there someone was moving a bit faster than his colleagues on the sides, completely breaking the line.
Outlaws thrust their spears.
- “Shield’s up!” The noblewoman yelled. She and all her people moved like one body, deflecting the attack. “OPEN UP!”
For a split of second the first row of soldiers pushed their shields to the side creating a gap, then the solider in the second row stabbed bandits with their spears and retrieved their weapons right away.
Formation once again covered their line with shields.
- “ONWARD!”
Her people responded with a single, short roar. Before the bodies of stabbed bandits managed to fell on the ground, the mass of heavily armored knights stepped over them shortening the distance to remaining outlaws. As the distance of the enemy spear was neutralized they began fighting in close combat. Formation shattered, forcing both groups into a series of individual duels.
It wasn’t a battle, it was a carnage.
- “OFF MY WAY!” Gisele jumped over heads of fighting masses slashing from above. One strike was enough to down three enemies at once
In case if you are wondering if she already forgot that her mate forced her to wait with soldiers while he took most of the “fun” for himself…
- “ZAAARI-EEEL! YOU FUCKING NITWIT! WHERE ARE YOU HIDING!”
She didn’t. She bolted toward the stronghold.
- “G-gis! Wait a little!” priestess followed after dragoness, still trying to calm her down.
Jessica was responsible for Gisele, she knew that her skills were far superior, but if she was to get herself surrounded, she wouldn’t win. Nec Herculis contra prulis, as the ancient saying dictated.
- “Lieutenant!...” Miss Blackwater yelled “… You are in charge!”
- “As you wish, Capitan!” her second in command took her place in the line.
As soon as she was sure that her people wouldn't suffer any losses, she ran after the two women, over the stairs, up, to the inner stronghold.
She had to find Zariel first, he risked his life getting inside, she owed him that. The girl was lucky, Gisele’s anger made her mistake a room, instead of climbing onto a higher floor, she entered some random storage chamber. In that room there were two more bandits, these poor bastard would buy few more seconds which Jessica could use to get on the top floor first.
Her wish to repay Zariel was only partly a reason for her to race with the dragoness. She also wanted to kill the bandit king by herself. She lost a few people because of him, good soldiers, even better friends. It was a personal matter.
Yet as she reached the last floor, she froze, the door was opened wide and she could easily see what was happening inside. All around the place, there were bodies of nine men killed in some grotesque way, three more bandits were barely standing, the thing that killed all those people…
… Inside the room, there was a creature she once saw in a book. Back then she thought it was nothing more but a fairy tale. Be nice, eat vegetables, listen to your mother. If you would be naughty the devil would come for you.
Yet here it was.
- “Please! Please!..” one of the bandits cried “… I will give you money! Please! I am too young!”
- “The old, the young, the rich, the poor,
All alike to me, you know?
No wealth, no ruin, no silver nor gold,
Nothing satisfies me, but your soul!”
Was that monster actually singing?!
- “Please, holy mother, who carries the name of the sun, keep me from the evil of…” despite his prayers the mad was grabbed.
- “The children prayed, the preachers preached,
Time and mercy is out of your reach,
I’ll fix your feet til you can’t walk,
Will lock your jaw til you can’t talk,
Will close your eyes till you can’t see,
This very hour, you come with me…”
- “Plea…” the grip deprived him of air
- “I am Death, I came for souls,
Leave the body, leave it cold,
To draw the flesh off the frame,
Both dirt and worms will have a claim…”
The female’s knees which were shaking all this time finally gave up, she collapsed, bah, she even wet herself, she, the grown up woman, the leader of soldiers. But those who would be there, couldn’t act differently, the bloodlust of the monster was suffocating, his songs full of horror yet sang so cheerfully.
- “Jessica, why are you…” Lanele came as the second on the highest floor, and after seeing the same thing that knight did, she also froze in place deprived of air.
The Devil was right now killing the last two men, the bandit king and his friend, holding them in his mighty grip he never stopped singing.
- “Well, for I am death,
None shall excel,
I open doors,
To heaven,
And hell.”
These verses were last things that bandits heard.
It was also the time when Gisele climbed to the same place as the other two girls.
- “Hm, what are you two…” then she noticed the monstrosity in the main room, still standing with its backs to the door. “… oh, here he is.”
She picked a rock from the floor on throw it at devil’s head, a dull
… and then it was its time to freeze.
- “You fucking bastard….” Gis hissed as she kept approaching the avatar of carnage itself. “… now you did it. Leaving me behind so you could have whole fun to yourself?!”
The other girls were awestruck, they were already saying their goodbyes to family members in their heads awaiting to be torn apart by a devil.
Yet monster, curled a little, losing some of its colossal size before whispering quietly:
- “… sorry?”
It’s voice, the voice that up until now sounded as the legion of damned, tormented souls screaming at the same time was much more… soft?
Plus those eye’s of scolded dog.
- “Sorry!? SORRY!? YOU BETTER FUCKING BE! Oh, I am going to whoop yo’ ass!...” Gis kicked the creature, yet the size difference made it to barely bulge “… turn back to your previous form!”
- “B-but…”
- “NO BUTS! TURN BACK. NOW!”
The skin of the beast started crawling, the bones started remodeling and snapping. In few second, in the place of the devil, a boy with white hair in the total mess was sitting helplessly.
- “Now, we are going to talk.”
The monster that moment ago was ending people’s life with a song on its lips whimpered like a puppy.