Each soul rushing swiftly into his solar plexus was like a wave hitting the shore of his consciousness. Alexander tried to hold back the onslaught, but the feeling of being overwhelmed was unbearable. He felt his inner world begin to crack at the seams, and pain enveloped him like a vice squeezing his body.
The blade in his hands glowed with fire, and his soul power burst out in the form of a blade of light. But the power was so great that now it was not just a sword, but a powerful pillar that went into the sky of the Edge, becoming a beacon for all lost souls. The blade darted and curved like a huge serpent, a wind instrument aimed at the stars, and every time it fluttered, Alexander felt the souls leaving him, slightly lightening his burden. But this was only an illusion, a death throes. Souls filled it to capacity.
From the edge of his clouded consciousness, the young man was able to notice the approach of the one who was always close to the creature without skin. The bone cat moved softly, blending in with its surroundings every now and then, which was surprising given the whitish color of its bones. The height was slightly lower than the guy himself, she turned her head, sniffing her surroundings.
The undead cat stood very close, so Alexander could see every shade in her green lights in her eyes. Through the excruciating pain, he spoke heavily so that she could hear him, like last time:
- I didn’t want to... Take away your... Prey. I needed this... I need help... Help me... But if you decide to take my life... I will accept it...
Pain gripped every cell of his body; it seemed as if even time around him had slowed down. The undead cat, a creature that seemed to be a mixture of wild and intelligent, stared at Alexander. Her eyes suddenly filled with strange understanding, and the look that could have been cold and indifferent acquired some depth.
Alexander, feeling how close he was to the limit, allowed himself to give in to weakness for a moment, closing his eyes and expecting the worst. He felt the cold breath of an undead cat, but instead of fear, he was filled with a strange feeling of calm. When she touched his forehead with hers, he was plunged into a vision in which he was a cat, an entity possessing powers unknown and incomprehensible to the human mind.
In this vision, he saw luminous souls intertwined into a single lump of light that pulsated and radiated energy like a living being. Suddenly, instinctively knowing what to do, the cat deftly squeezed the lump with her powerful paw, forming it into one bright ball, which she then swallowed, absorbing all its power.
When Alexander opened his eyes. He looked at the undead cat and saw his own amazement reflected in her twinkle eyes. It was very strange to see the reflection in the fire, but it wasn't that important. This creature taught him how to control the power of souls, which almost destroyed him from the inside. Now he knew he could compress them, concentrate them, make them part of him without losing control.
“Thank you,” he whispered barely audibly to the cat. The creature, satisfied, took a step back and nodded, as if understanding his gratitude.
The young man looked at the blazing pillar of silver flame in his hands. The guy realized a certain truth. He was connected to the blade, his hand was its bearer, and his consciousness was its leader. Alexander concentrated, trying to control the flow of souls so that they would not tear him apart from the inside. He imagined how he compressed the flow, how he reduced it to a manageable size, turning an uncontrollable force into a weapon that could be controlled. It was a painstaking process that even made circles appear before his eyes.
Gradually the pain subsided, and Alexander began to feel like the master of his body again. The blade of light shortened, becoming clearer and more defined, and the flow of souls became like a quiet stream, and not a stormy whirlpool. He managed to compress hundreds of souls into a single ball that radiated heat into the young man's solar plexus.
Sighing with relief, Alexander lowered his hand, and the sword of light disappeared, leaving behind only a slight haze. He looked around, feeling new power pulsing through his veins. Now he knew that he was able not only to absorb souls, but also to control them, turning their energy into something more.
Exhausted, but at the same time filled with newfound strength, Alexander met the gaze of the undead cat. To his surprise, her appearance changed, as did her behavior. Her step was tense, her bones seemed to bristle, and her mouth was open. A slight growl escaped from her gut - clear signs that she sensed an impending threat. Alexander, feeling still weak after the agony he had experienced, slowly turned his head, following the creature’s gaze.
Before him stood the ominous shadow of the Skeleton Executioner, a gloomy silhouette in a deep hood.
- Lost soul, your time has come! — the Executioner’s voice, cold and merciless, sounded like a sentence, echoing in the space of the Edge.
Alexander, sensing danger, directed all the collected energy, which he had just learned to control, into his blade. The blade in his hands flared up, turning into a lightsaber, one and a half meters high, which seemed to be woven from living light. When the Skeleton Executioner swung his scythe designed to harvest souls, Alexander met his blow with all his resolve.
The ephemeral blade of the blade came into contact with the iridescent blade of the scythe, and a ringing sound filled with power was heard. Sparks and scattered flames darted in all directions, illuminating the darkness of the Edge with blinking flashes. At this moment, time seemed to stand still, and the stillness before the storm hung in the air.
- Why are you following me? I just absorbed his soul! - Alexander asked decisively, holding back the pressure of the Executioner. His eyes met the emptiness of the hood, where from under the shadows only a faint glow could be caught from the two points where the eyes should have been.
Executioner Skeleton addressed Alexander, still holding his weapon crossed, and his voice sounded like a sentence:
- Don’t interfere, Rejected, this is not your battle.
These words sounded in the air of Gran, their echoes echoed in space, as if the world itself wanted Alexander to hear them.
Realization came to Alexander instantly, as if a puzzle had formed by itself. The lost soul with whom the Executioner waged an endless war all this time was not the skinless creature he so zealously pursued, but a bone cat. The same one whose eyes now met his, full of pain and understanding of their inevitable fate. He didn't understand why she didn't run away, but now everything had changed.
With difficulty catching his breath, still feeling the effects of the overabundance of absorbed souls, Alexander decisively threw the Skeleton Executioner's weapon to the side and took a step back, making room for the creature whose job it was to carry out death sentences.
The undead cat, baring its shiny white fangs and razor-sharp claws, jumped at the Executioner again. The creature in the black cloak quickly reacted, with one movement of its bony hand it pushed away the attacker, but in its cruel and desperate look one could read something more than just a desire to survive - it was a fight for its soul.
Trying to calm the inner storm of feelings, Alexander stood at a distance, watching the fight. He understood that in this world, every creature has a role to play, and perhaps he should not interfere with the ancient order of the Edge. Remembering how the undead cat showed him the way to salvation from imminent death from an overabundance of souls, he could not help thinking that now it was his turn to help her.
- This cat is nothing to me, only Charon’s target. Yes, she gave me knowledge, saved me from death, but getting into a fight with the Skeleton Executioner... Although on the other hand, I killed the one without skin, which makes him worse. I’ll repay my life’s debt, and then I’ll think about how to solve the dilemma with the cat. - he thought, feeling his palm tightening its grip on the hilt of the blade. He felt gratitude to this creature, which did not leave him to his fate, but shared knowledge.
In the end, the sense of duty and nobility prevailed.
- I don’t care, I can’t stand aside! - he decided, and it was like an order to his soul. Fear and doubts receded, leaving room for determination and willpower.
Stolen story; please report.
Alexander's swift steps turned into a run as he rushed towards the Skeleton Executioner, who was still fighting the undead cat. The battle was brutal and chaotic. The Executioner's scythe whistled through the air, threatening to take lives with every swing, while the cat, like a shadow, dodged and counterattacked with fury and desperation. They were prisoners of their eternal conflict, the embodiment of the struggle of life and death.
The young man ran up quickly and unnoticed by the Skeleton Executioner. Alexander gathered all his inner fire, filled the blade with it, creating a lightsaber and plunged it into the back of the Skeleton Executioner. A silver haze, the power of his soul, pierced the covers and body of the Executioner, illuminating the surroundings with a bright burst of energy. The world stood still for a moment, awaiting the consequences of this daring and decisive action.
The world froze only for a moment and only for Alexander. The undead cat reacted instantly. She jumped and grabbed the executioner's neck, the sight was truly fantastic. The creature's glittering claws dug into flesh, drawing sparks from the shadows as the executioner let out a piercing cry of pain. At that moment, Alexander, hearing Cassandra's whisper “Defend yourself,” instinctively transformed his light blade into a powerful spherical shield. The sky opened up, releasing jets of black flame that fell onto the shield, hissing and corroding it like acid.
The bone cat also got it. She, overcome with agony, uttered piercing screams. The black flames that dug into her bones ate her from the inside, leaving deep, monstrous marks. Alexander was sure that black flames could consume an undead cat in a matter of minutes. But at that moment, from the depths of her being, from the very core, a flash of silver light erupted. The energy exploded outward like a star born from the darkness, casting out black flames and enveloping everything around in bright light. The fire was driven back, but its trail of destruction left deep marks of erosion on the bones of the undead cat.
The young man covered his eyes to protect himself from the flash and when he opened his eyes, he saw that the undead cat was lying on the twisted ground of the Edge, her breathing was intermittent and weak. The black flames driven back by her last act of resistance still ate the air, leaving behind the smell of bitterness and death. Alexander, standing to the side, felt his shield trembling under the onslaught of the fading, but still powerful fire. Only after some time did the effect begin to subside.
Then, when the flames dissipated and Alexander's shield became unnecessary, he again focused his energy on the blade, creating a lightsaber from it again.
At that moment, his attention was attracted by movement in the shadows. Executioner Skeleton, although stunned by the surprise attack and subsequent counterattack by the cat, rose again, shrouded in the dark aura of power he had accumulated over the centuries, the reaper of wandering souls. His braid was now pointed at Alexander.
-You chose the wrong side, Rejected! — his voice was full of cold contempt. - Now your fate will be decided here.
Alexander was not frightened by the words of the Skeleton Executioner. He was overcome with fighting determination. The young man charged, his lightsaber blazing in the air as it met the cold metal of the Skeleton Executioner's scythe. The ringing of steel and light filled the space, and each blow of Alexander was full of power and determination. He moved quickly, as if he was performing a dance, where every movement was filled with meaning and purpose.
The battle was intense. Alexander dodged the Executioner's deadly blows, turning his every movement into an attack. Their blades crossed in blinding flashes of light, cutting through the silence of the Edge. It seemed that they were not inferior to each other in skill, but suddenly, the Executioner’s scream pierced the air, causing Alexander to freeze for a moment in surprise. This scream was full of pain and rage, it sounded like something alien and unimaginably terrible.
This moment was enough. In battles, sometimes one second separates the loser from the winner, the victim from the predator. At this decisive moment, when the Executioner swung for the killing blow, the undead cat suddenly jumped out in front of Alexander, taking the blow of the scythe. The terrible sound of bones flying in all directions echoed in the space of the Edge. The cat's front paw fell to the ground in a mass of fragments, and its body was thrown to the side.
Alexander jumped to the side, looking into the void under the Skeleton Executioner's hood. The battle was paused and it was at that moment that the young man felt a slight blow of wind. It filled his mind with memories of training with Roman, where they experimented with the elements. In the real world it was just a slight movement of air, but in the Edge, the world between life and death, the potential of this force was incomparably greater. Here the soul mattered more.
Alexander was imbued with the feeling of the wind weaving between his fingers, creating a kind of dance of invisible energy. Concentrating, he allowed the power of the soul to touch this flow, giving it direction and shape. The wind began to gather in his palm, concentrating and intensifying under the influence of his will.
With a decisive movement, Alexander punched the air in the direction of the Executioner. Instantly, a real storm arose around him, whirlwinds of sand and mud engulfed the space, pulling the Executioner into its embrace. The creature was thrown back by a powerful air wave, and its figure disappeared into the fog of rising dust, flying hundreds of meters away from Alexander.
After a powerful air strike that knocked back the Skeleton Executioner, Alexander did not hesitate. He rushed in the direction the creature had flown, making his way through the dying sandstorm. His eyes carefully combed the area until he noticed the swaying figure of the Executioner, kneeling and leaning on his scythe.
Concentrating on his target, Alexander accelerated, not giving the Skeleton Executioner the slightest chance to recover. With a flourish, he thrust his lightsaber into the area where the creature's head should have been. The blade glowed brighter as he brought it down with force, slicing through the Executioner's body. Instantly, Grani was engulfed by a piercing scream that vibrated the air around him.
Alexander felt the scream hitting his consciousness, as if trying to deafen him. But he held on, the blade still buried in the Executioner's body, causing excruciating pain in the creature. The scream intensified, the vibrations in the air became almost noticeable. Alexander clenched his teeth and strengthened his will, ready to withstand this attack to the end.
Suddenly, an undead cat appeared near Alexander, standing on three legs. Her sparkling eyes sparkled with meaning and zeal, and her movements were quick and purposeful. With incredible dexterity, she opened her mouth and carefully bit Alexander's hand. He froze for a moment in surprise, not understanding her plan, but then his body was caught by an invisible energy flow, and he soared into the air like a feather in the wind.
Its upward movement was insignificant and slow, and the subsequent fall acquired a vector of movement. Alexander rushed to the side at breakneck speed, the air whistled in his ears, and the landscape flashed before his eyes in disordered chaos. In this whirlwind of movements, the lightsaber in his hand lost its concentration and dissipated like a ghostly mirage.
With a thud, Alexander landed on the ground, the blow was cruel and painful. He barely had time to look around before the undead cat, lightly and smoothly, landed on top of him, purring with a low, soothing purr. The sound came from the core of her skeleton. Energy flowed from there. She created a shield of souls around them both, strong and impenetrable.
The next moment, the scream of the Skeleton Executioner reached its climax, turning into an unbearable ultrasound that tore apart the space around. An explosion of power engulfed everything around, but the shield of the undead cat took all its power. The destruction seemed like an eternity, the earth shook and heaved, but the undead cat bravely withstood this hurricane, protecting Alexander with her body. And finally, when everything died down, there was only deafening silence and dust slowly settling to the ground.