The world around was unclear, shadows clouded my vision as I struggled to focus. The shadows that had seeped into my veins during my last shadow dance seed to imbue themselves within , crawling across my body like writhing tentacles or living vines, twisting with a life of their own. My hands trembled, and the blood both flowing through them and coating them felt cold as ice and it reminded of the void between shadows. I looked up to et the oncoming threat and though I could feel the rage within , and the muscles tensing in my face, I was paralyzed. My mana was gone, I had health to spare, but my stamina had taken a hit over the course of the night.
The commander strode forward, no longer quite as manic but still chuckling under his breath as he pointed his sword at , though this ti it did not shimr with light, it was as though he was recovering from all of his usage. He never showed that he lacked anything, from the mont he chased after , he radiated power. He began to pick up speed and I could finally feel my control over the host's body restoring, and I finally had a clue as to what was happening. Despite having used my will to dominate this body, there were certain instinctual reactions that were left ingrained in its psyche; I must have been experiencing a freeze reaction. I was overcoming it, but I wasn't sure it would be soon enough.
From the edge of the clearing, a crack of thunder split the air. A bolt of brilliant lightning tore through the night, snaking toward the commander with blinding speed. As it passed through the runes, the bolt transford–much like the previous fire blast–its energy magnified tenfold. The pale blue glow of the runes surged into the lightning, twisting it into a jagged, beam of destructive power. It struck the commander square in the chest, the gold of his armor amplifying the effect as electricity coursed through his body.
The force of the attack staggered him, his boots skidding backward as his body jerked violently. The faint sll of scorched tal and singed hair filled the air, parts of his plate beginning to liquify and drip down to the earth. His weapon dipped slightly, and his shield flickered again, appearing no more than a hollow shell of its previous divine glory, energy struggling to sustain itself.
"I'll deal with these blasted tricks of yours," the commander roared, as he steadied himself. Gritting his teeth, he raised his sword and pointed it toward one of the nearby runes. The holy shield around him brightened briefly as he channeled its power into the weapon.
A second beam erupted from the tip of his blade, nowhere near as radiant or as powerful as the first, but still devastating. It cut through the air and struck the rune dead-on, shattering the glowing symbol into shards of magical light. The clearing dimd as the rune's amplification effect faded, leaving only Mara's natural spell to hamr against the weakened shield.
The bolt, though diminished, proved enough. It crashed against the sputtering shield, shattering it with a crack and slamming into his chest once more. He staggered yet again, but the heat was far less intense and it managed to cool a fair deal, putting an end to its transformation into golden slag.
Ignoring the damage, the commander pressed forward. Each step earned with more effort than the last, the remnants of lightning licking at his armor and burning his flesh. His hair began to singe, curling at the edges, and the exposed parts of his skin blistered and charred. Yet he marched onward, his eyes fixed on with deadly determination.
Mara gazed at as the paladin pressed on, her eyes wide with panic, and she realized nearly too late what was about to happen. The paladin was close now, too close. The electricity arcing from her spell would jump to if she didn't cut it off. With a pained cry, she tore her staff back, severing the spell. The clearing fell silent, save for the faint crackle of fading energy and the heavy rasp of the commander's breath.
Mara stumbled, falling to one knee, her chest heaving as she clutched her staff. Her mana was nearly spent, and she was clearly exhausted. Her eyes remained locked on as she drew a mana potion from her inventory and struggled to uncork it before the commander snapped his gaze to her.
"Don't you dare, or I will remove your hand from your wrist and then kill your lover before a single drop of that potion hits your tongue. This is between him and I; if you try and interrupt us, your life is forfeit."
Mara paused as I turned to her, "Let do this for you, for everyone these bastards have hard," I muttered, still catching my breath as my focus returned to the monster that approached.
The commander stood a few feet from now, smoke rising from his armor and his flesh seared, but otherwise showing no signs of fatigue, though I knew he had to be running on fus just as I was. He raised his sword once more, his grin maddening as his eyes burned with divine fury.
"Ready to face your judgnt, Abomination," he growled, his voice low and frustrated with everything that had occurred so far.
I clenched my daggers, the shadows around swirling and thickening as I finally forced my body to move. My veins burned with dark energy, and my resolve hardened. A new sense of vigor fueled my body, but it was nothing that I had produced myself. I was feeding off of the darkness around .
He launched at and I parried his blade, trying to slash at his vulnerable areas, but failing to do any damage. The gap of skill was clear as he landed multiple blows that cut through my armor and did slashing damage to , though I would be damned if I let him know I was wounded.
[Damaged Received: 30]
[Damaged Received: 30]
[HP: 90]
The pain was nearly unbearable but it left an opening for as I slipped close to his blade, not giving him a mont for a third strike as I drove a dagger into the gap beneath his chest plate and greaves.
[Damage Dealt: 50]
The commander stumbled back, his eyes wide with disbelief as my blades carved deep gashes into his exposed flesh. Dark blood, almost black in the moonlight, oozed from the wounds, his holy sanctity was tainted by my dark touch.
He snarled like a beast, spittle flying from his lips. "Filthy shadow dancer!" he roared, as his voice echoed through the clearing. "I am a paladin of the Light! I cannot be defeated by the likes of you!"
Despite his tantrum, I could see the fear in his eyes, a flicker of doubt. He was tiring, his divine power nearly used in its entirety. I pressed my advantage, striking again and again, my daggers leaving glowing trails of shadow energy in the air and against his flesh.
[Damage Dealt: 15]
[Damage Dealt: 15]
I feinted left, then dove right, slipping under his guard and driving a dagger into the gap beneath his armpiece. I twisted the blade savagely, feeling it grind against bone before I wrenched it free, a spurt of blood painting his golden armor a deep crimson.
[Damage Dealt: 35]
The commander staggered, his sword arm falling limply to his side. His face contorted in agony, sweat pouring down his brow as he switched hands and now held the blade in his off-hand.
Seeing him at a disadvantage I pressed forward and went for a slash at his neck, but he smacked my hand out of the way, sending my blade flying off into the woods, unable to retrieve it. He retaliated with his own lunge, proving to that he may not have had an off-hand, as his skill seed equal in either grip.
The commander's blade found my ribs as I lunged in, searing pain piercing through my chest. I stumbled back, my hand flying to the wound, feeling the warm wetness of blood seeping through my armor. The pain was blinding, but I gritted my teeth and forced myself to stand tall.
[Damage Received: 45]
[HP: 45]
The commander took no ti to let regain my footing, his eyes wild with an insane delight. "You're weak, shadow dancer," he sneered, his voice ragged as he struggled to regain his breath. "Your kind can't stand against the power of the Light!"
I barely managed to parry his next blow, my arm shaking with its force. My dagger clattered to the ground, slipping from my numbing fingers. Terror filled as I found myself without a weapon to fight the man. I searched for sothing to use against him, but I had nothing, this would be it for , I would die and Mara would be an unfortunate casualty of my arrogance.
The commander's next slash opened a gash across my stomach, my entrails threatening to spill out. I fell to my knees, my vision swimming, my breath coming in agonizing gasps. The commander lood over , his sword raised for the killing blow.
[Damage Received: 35]
[HP: 10]
I stared up at the commander, my heart pounding in my ears. I was out of mana, out of weapons, and out of ti. If I died here, I might survive due to my parasitic abilities, but Mara would not rise from the grave.
The commander lood over , his armor smoking and scarred, his hair singed and skin blistered. He looked like a man who walked out of the very jaws of hell, his eyes burning with a holy fury.
I closed my eyes, bracing for the end. But instead of the searing pain of a sword through the heart, I felt a sudden surge of energy coursing through my battered body. The shadows that had been idly flowing through my veins, sparked to life, setting my nerves alight with a cold, tingling sensation.
I rose to my feet, feeling my strength returning, my body moving on its own as I could feel the void within , the endless expanse of shadows that had been a part of from the mont I took control of the lynx.
I dashed toward the commander, cutting past his blade and tackling him to the ground. My hands grasped his skull as I lost control of myself. "You are nothing more than a man, a monster wearing a gilded mask. Your gods will not help you here!" I scread, my voice tearing my vocal cords and thrumming with an unearthly tone, deep and resonating, leaving my body and vibrating through his.
My thumbs found their way to his eyes as I pressed them in deep, crushing his orbs and digging deep into his head. Shadows coursed through my veins, worming their way through my arms, my hands, my fingers, and driving their way into his skull. He writhed in agony, seeming to suffer for eternity as he thrashed and jerked about, shadows pouring into his head and snaking their way through his body. A golden light erupted from him, but it was snuffed out by the darkness that left my body and entered his.
[Damage Dealt: 50]
[Damage Dealt: 50]
[Damage Dealt: 50]
I tried to scream further, but nothing left my throat as I pulled my thumbs from his eyes and struck him again and again in the face until he was nothing more than a pulpy ss.
[Damage Dealt: 15]
[Damage Dealt: 15]
[Damage Dealt: 5]
[Damage Dealt: Not applicable]
[Damage Dealt: Not applicable]
[Damage Dealt: Not applicable]
[Damage Dealt: Not applicable]
I tired after so many strikes and collapsed onto his corpse. I could feel Mara rushing to and pouring a potion down my throat, but I couldn't register anything else. My vision began to fade and soon I found myself unconscious, though my wounds were healing as I slipped into oblivion.
Reviews
All reviews (0)