CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Wish Upon a Falling Star
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“Harken to me, o rumbling earth, shake, shake, dance, and twirl…”
While chanting in a voice dripping with power, Hajime twirled his wand around as if he were stirring an invisible pot in the air.
“…Devour those who tread on land…”
Sweat dripped down his brow from the effort of trying to impose his will on the ground. It pushed back against him as if attempting to resist, though Hajime’s spell would win eventually.
“…and turn yourself into quickening sand!”
As Loveless flung another palm down at Bridget who was helping an exhausted Chris to his feet, her left foot suddenly sank into the ground beneath her. It continued to sink, burying her ankle in the dirt Hajime’s spell transmuted into quicksand. She stumbled, failing in her attack…and that wasn’t all.
Bram, who’d been reading the description of the ‘Quicksand’ spell using his privilege as the Loom’s chief administrator, learned that a creature as large as Loveless—which the Loom had classified as ‘Massive’ in size—could only be restrained by ‘Quicksand’ for an amount of time equivalent to the spellcaster’s Strength stat. Since he could also check Hajime’s status, Bram knew Loveless would be restrained for only ten seconds. It was more than enough time for him to fulfill his role though.
He arrived right behind Loveless’ right foot with nine seconds to spare, which also meant he had a second to waste gulping down the half-full flask of pale green liquid he’d pulled out of his potion’s pouch. It tasted horrible—like a cheap bottle of wine left uncorked for days but worse.
ALERT! You’ve consumed half a bottle of [Brew of Giant’s Strengthening (Mountain Giant)]. Your Strength has increased by fifty [+50] for thirty minutes.
“Finally…”
Bram had tried many magic potions before, and they’d never worked for him. Not even the most expensive brews that had been prepared for him by the First Alchemist of the Sovereign’s court. Only now, with a sliver of magic flowing in his veins, did a potion work properly for him. Just like when he borrowed strength from Rowan, Bram felt his muscles expanding, ripping through the fabric of what remained of his jacket and leaving his sun-kissed body exposed to the elements.
CONGRATULATIONS! You have successfully absorbed a tiny piece of a giant’s power. Strength permanently increased by [1].
While pleased with his lucky break, Bram recalled the limitations of his new ability just as he raised Dusk high over his head to perfectly ‘Replicate’ the stance that Ser Anthony had shown him before.
‘Ba-dump.’
As he began to concentrate on this single task, the muscles of his upper body rippled. His hand tightened on Dusk’s handle, eager to swing with all its might… Bram was ready.
‘Ba-dump.’
“To challenge a stronger foe isn’t the height of folly…” No telltale sparks of magic exploded from his fingers. In its place, Bram felt the familiar stickiness that came with blood spreading across his palm. “It’s the perfect opportunity to surpass myself…”
‘Ba-dump.’
“Now’s the chance to prove my worth…” Dusk shook slightly as a sliver of Bram’s blood began seeping into its magic blade. “To scream to the heavens — I am here!”
Bram’s roar caused Loveless’ head to twist around a full hundred-and-eighty degrees.
‘Ba-dump!’
To alert an enemy to his presence may seem like a fool’s move, but in Bram’s mind, this was not an ambush but an ending to their duel. Also, he was so heavily veiled by Rowan’s fog that he doubted Loveless could pinpoint exactly where he was standing. He was wrong.
“And so, I strike the spark in my heart, and like a fireball igniting, draw the sword growing from the embers…”
Loveless’ eyes grew wide with anger when they caught sight of him. They grew much wider when she noticed the crimson aura enveloping his blade like a vein of pulsing blood gushing upward.
‘Ba-dump!!’
“I wield it with resolve, turning it into a blade without peer…”
The rest of Loveless’ body began to turn toward Bram…but the mad nymph moved too late.
‘Ba-dump!!!’
“…One that can cut the world!”
As the prince stepped forward, his sword came crashing down to draw a vertical line of blood and dusk light over the world.
“Death from Above!”
Though she was much larger than him now, the Peerless Heart Sword’s first technique proved a deadly swing against the giant nymph, cutting Loveless’ right foot above the ankle in a single, mighty slash.
‘Scree~~eech!’
With her other foot still caught in Hajime’s ‘Quicksand’, the mad nymph’s massive body teetered. She needed one final push to send her crashing—and Bram’s friends were quick to oblige.
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“Shield Bash!”
Chris dove into the quicksand just to ram his tattered shield against the mad nymph’s shin. The Texan’s shield crumpled on impact though its last worthy act was the toppling of a giantess.
That wasn’t all.
“Timber~~r!” Bridget yelled.
In the same moment as Chris’ shield slammed against the mad nymph’s shin, a ‘Fiery Arrow’ poked Loveless right between her eyes. And, like the fable Bridget once talked about with Bram when he asked her about her religion—the one where the boy David toppled a giant with a stone thrown to its head—the arrow empowered with sorcery smacking Loveless’ face ensured her fall. She crashed butt-first onto the ground, causing the earth beneath to rumble.
If that were all, then the nymph might have still recovered. For even as her right foot was chopped off, new roots were growing to replace it. The party saw this absurd power of regeneration and rushed forward to attack Loveless while she was still prone, though neither Bram, Bridget, nor Chris reached her first. That honor went to Ravi’s spell.
Bram, who ran forward despite the pain streaking up and down his entire body, felt sudden heat from above. He pulled to a stop right before reaching Loveless’ oversized head and looked up just in time to watch the ceiling crack. A moment later, the neglected fresco of the goddess of fire exploded inward, destroyed by the object hurtling down at them from the heavens.
Bridget, who appeared at Bram’s side, looked up with her mouth agape. “Is that…?”
Chris, who’d arrived last of the trio, joined Bram and Bridget in their surprise. “Sweet Christmas…”
“It’s a Falling Star!” Bram recalled the name of a powerful fifth-level spell that was a favorite of Asteria’s, the Eight Princess. “Run, You Fools! Run!”
A chunk of rock as large as Loveless’ head and enveloped in a blazing orb fell into the hall. There was barely enough time for the party to scatter before it struck its target—the bosom of the mad nymph who’d lost her heart.
‘Boom!’
The shockwave that spread out from the point of impact was so powerful that it devoured everything in Bram’s field of view. A thick plume of scalding smoke billowed out in all directions, grazing his skin just as he was blown off his feet by gale-force winds.
“Phoebus’—”
Bram drove Dusk’s violet-orange blade into the dirt to anchor him to the ground.
“—cock!”
He could barely hear his own cursing over the howling wind.
The ground underneath him rumbled so violently that Dusk’s blade couldn’t stay upright and keep him anchored. Bram would have been blown away again if not for the strands of fog that wrapped around him, solidifying into wispy ropes that kept him from flying off.
I imagine even Earth’s cinema isn’t as fun as watching this wild battle of yours.
“I’m glad you’re so entertained…”
I am. Came a giggling voice in the air. It was quite brazen of the Vice Master not to warn you of what was coming.
“Yes… a little warning would have been nice…” Bram kept one arm up to protect his face from the heat and dust billowing toward him. “I can’t fault Ravi for wanting to end things…so extremely though…”
Have things ended…?
As if on cue, Bram heard a ‘Scree~~eech!’ and closed his eyes in frustration.
“…Why won’t she just die…?”
Eventually, the smoke receded, and the winds calmed, but the horrific shriek filling the air told Bram their battle had yet to end. This split-second thought saved his life, for he raised Dusk in time to block the hand that came swinging at him. And, though his new sword managed to stop Loveless’ claws from reaching him, its violet-orange blade shattered on impact, reminding Bram of a flaw most magic blades possessed; they were more brittle than blades made of metal. He would have to factor this flaw into his strategy for next time. Assuming there was a next time. Without Dusk, Bram was defenseless to the other arm that savagely swung his way.
“You!”
Loveless—her body shrunk to the size of a man’s—sent claws made of sharpened bark streaking at Bram’s body. They would have pierced his chest too had fortune not chosen to shower him with favor one more time.
ALERT! The [Ring of Three Protections] senses the danger to its wielder. [Barrier] has been activated [2/3].
As Loveless’ claws brushed against the skin of his neck, a familiar bright golden aura blew her back while shattering into hundreds of golden shards that pierced her flesh like shrapnel.
“Mine!”
Unlike her previous host’s body though, this new one was made of hardened bark that protected her from the brunt of the damage. Still, desperation filled Loveless’ face, and the hand that broke Dusk’s blade snapped back to claw at Bram’s throat. This time, fortune’s favor didn’t arrive, and the nymph’s claws pierced his skin as her hand closed around his neck.
“My own.”
Her claws dug in, causing blood to fill his mouth.
“My pre—”
‘Snikt!’
Through the black spots filling his vision, Bram saw a strange sight; the tip of a sword protruded out of Loveless’ chest. His gaze drifted past the nymph’s shoulder and discovered Chris towering over her. He was bloodied, bruised, and looked as tired as Bram felt, but the Texan refused to surrender. He drove his sword deeper into Loveless’ back, causing a cry to escape the mad nymph’s lips.
It was a cry that was cut short by the blade of a short sword sliding across Loveless’ throat. The hand that held it was shaking just like the rest of the wheezing Bridget who looked no better than Chris.
Finally, the mad nymph gasped. When she choked on blood as Bram did, the strength left her hand, allowing him to break free.
Bram should have stumbled as she had, but he didn’t. Through sheer force of will, the stubborn prince of the Atlan Imperium drove his foot into the ground one last time. One hand went up to cup his bleeding throat while a new pain blossomed in the other.
‘Swoosh!’
Dusk’s violet-orange blade blazed to life a second time. Much smaller than the first, but sharp enough for Bram to slice through Loveless’ neck with what little strength he had left.
They locked gazes, each regarding the other with sadness, and then Loveless flashed him a grateful smile. The madness that had corrupted her for a thousand years washed away at that moment, replaced by a scene of tranquility that reminded Bram of the young nymph he’d met in her memories. Life left Loveless’ eyes and her head slid off her neck. When the rest of the nymph’s body followed, Bram finally noticed the notification that saved his life.
ALERT! One of noble blood should not easily fall. [Last Stand] has activated… You have regained 1 HP.
He should have died when his throat was torn, but the Loom had changed his fate once more. Still, a single health point wasn’t enough to keep Bram standing. With exhaustion overwhelming him, he stumbled back.
The world went dark, and oblivion took him.
To all you Otherworlders who've enjoyed the novel this winter solstice, in the words of your Earth,
a Merry, merry Christmas to you~~u!
- Bram Lothaire of House Attilan
image [https://i.imgur.com/5spse4o.jpeg]