Ren pulled his black-stained arm from the corpse, backing off and scanning the treeline. He was sure the leader would not have been knocked down for long and was now wondering why he had not attacked him yet. Ren soon got his answer as a line of steel-like thread wrapped around his right foot. The creature pulled Ren into the air, dangling him in front of it.
“It will be months before I can get another titan husk. I'm going to enjoy making you suffer for that.”
Ren kicked at the steel binding him with his free foot, snapping it and dropping him to the ground. He twisted in mid-air, grabbing onto the back of the creature. He dug his hand into a gap in between two of its armor plates and pulled. However, he was forced to abandon his plan seconds later as the top half of a clawed humanoid form burst from the creature's back and swung at him. Surprised by the sudden attack, Ren could not get out of the way in time and his robes dangled open as a large cut formed on his chest. Ignoring the pain, he landed and griped one of the creature's legs before infusing his entire body with stamina, ripping the limb from the beast. It screamed out in pain as Ren clammed a third limb.
“Enough!” it shouted.
A burst of scalding hot steam forced Ren back from the creature and obscured his view. As it cleared where the large metal arachnid had once been standing, a thin metallic humanoid now stood.
“What do you think taking on that week-looking body is going to accomplish? You're just making it easier to crush you,” Ren snorted.
“Watch your tongue, human, for you now face Arakel 10th archmage of the Imperium Solis. You may now rejoice! For you are the first human in over 200 years to see my true form.”
“I liked you better as a spider. You should go back to that.”
“Enough of this. Now, you die!” Arakel roared as he raised his hand and released a blast of sickly green energy directly at Ren. He ducked the blast as it continued colliding with a nearby tree, causing it to wither and die within seconds. Ren bolted toward the humanoid figure preparing to tackle the creature, but he was forced to dodge another stream of green energy, leaving him off balance. Arakel took full advantage of the opening, disappearing, and repairing next to Ren. Ren tried to create some distance to allow himself to regain his footing, thrusting his fist toward the thin humanoid. Arakel stepped around the hastily thrown blow and grabbed hold of the extended arm. The sickly green glow emanated from his palm. Ren screamed in pain as the flesh in contact with Arakel rotted. Ren’s thoughts slowed until, in a desperate play, he pushed every point of stamina that he could into the rotting limb.
“Warning stamina limit exceed. injury imminent.”
A sickening crack responded as Ren’s arm burst, propelling shards of bone, flesh, and steel outward. Ren ground his teeth as his arm exploded, saving him from the encroaching rot and taking Arakel’s arm with it, knocking Arakel off his feet. Ren lunged at the fallen creature, slamming him into the ground before he could recover. He continued his onslaught, hitting the creature with every ounce of strength he had left. Finally recovering from the shock of his opponent using their own limb as a makeshift explosive device, Arakel attempted to stop Ren’s assault, reaching his one-clawed hand up and gouging it into Ren’s left eye. Ren screamed as pain ripped through him, but he could not stop his assault. He slammed his fist down again and again as his face rotted. His bones fractured from the repeated full-power strikes. Running out of time, he infused the rest of his remaining stamina for one last desperate maneuver, slamming his bloody, broken fist into the creature one final time before its head finally gave out and the arm released its grip on Ren. With his stamina depleted and pain resonating through his entire body, one last message played through his mind before everything faded to black.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Special quest complete congratulations!”
Chio panted, leaning against the side of a tree. He had made it half a mile away before he finally collapsed. He looked down at Nevala, still shivering on the ground beside him. The events of the last five days had taken a greater toll on her. That thing had ripped them apart and pieced them back together more times than Chio cared to remember. Deriving morbid enjoyment from their pain. Chio placed his hand on Nevala’s, trying to comfort her when he got the message.
“Special quest complete congratulations!”
He looked back in the direction they had just run from.
I guess that means Ren won.
Nevala stirred awake.
“I-It’s over?” she asked in a weak voice.
Chio let his head fall into his free hand, a warm liquid beginning to fall on his face as he let out a light laugh.
“It's over. We are alive!”
Nevala squeezed his hand as she pushed herself to lean against the tree beside him.
“I guess that means I still owe you a date.”
Several hours later, when the two had gotten enough energy back to move again, they walked back to the scene of the fight. A line of dead trees marked the entrance to the small clearing that had formed. Chio’s mouth hung open as he examined the carnage that unfolded after they had run.
Ren caused thi-
His eyes fell onto the bodies lying in a small crater. He ran over, pulling Ren out and checking his pulse.
“Is he alive?” Nevala asked, catching up.
“Yeah, by some miracle he is,” Chio said as he looked at Ren’s battered form.
His left arm was completely missing and the right side of his face looked like it had been melted. His teeth were visible through a gap that had formed where his cheek had used to be and his right eye socket was empty.
“Let's get out of here before any more shriekers or worse arrive,” Chio said.
Nevala nodded and Chio slung Ren's unconscious form onto his back before they made their way back to the Ashrend clan.
A flickering screen replayed the fight in a deep underground bunker as a cloaked figure sitting on a large metallic throne swirled a glass of wine.
“Hmm,” a deep voice rumbled. “It's been over 200 years since a commander has died, so tell me, Arakel, how did you manage to be the one to lose their life again?”
“I'm sorry sir but If I may speak freely.” Arakel’s kneeling form said in his chittering voice.
“You may,” the cloaked figure said.
“I think that man turns out to be strong enough to survive the process.”
“Hmm,” the cloaked figure pondered, leaning closer to the screen and rubbing his chin. “If he survives the damage you did to him, I would be inclined to agree. Even if this is the second time you have lost to a lowly human.”
Arakel visibly shivered at his words.
“It's impressive he could defeat one of my archmages at level 20. I will give you that,” he paused for a moment. “Yes, I think this will be a fun century indeed.”