Chapter 29: The Gambit

Chapter 29: The Gambit

This was it.

He was out of time.

Tom held the six onyx crystals in the palm of his hand, the last of what hed managed to snatch before the [Nether Devils] corpses began to sink into the ground, along with the last of the unclaimed loot.

Hurriedly, with a slightly trembling right hand, he slotted the [Corrupted Gem] into the circular slit carved onto the stygians blades hilt. Tom watched with marvel as the blade thrummed to life, thin arcs of a blackish-violet energy coursing through the blade and consequentially, through his sword arm.

[Rend Charges: 100/100]

Summoning his [Inventory], he tossed the rest of the [Corrupted Gems] inside while picking up his cards from the floor.

[All Sectors of the Zelez Dungeon shall be resetting in 30 seconds. Please prepare yourself].

Tom took a deep breath.

Rend, he spoke aloud, his words imbued with his will. The arcing, lightning like bolts thickened, until they formed a wall of deep violet plasma-like energy, one gaze at it enough to tell Tom that it was sharp. No points were draining for maintaining the energy ensconsing his sword, but then again he supposed that most people wouldnt be willing to use a sword that mentally influenced them- it would probably, instead, drain points when he cut through something.

[Soul Power: 2/35]

Using [Active Shroud: Maya] had come at a steep, steep cost, but Tom had simply been left with no other option.

From the moment, from the very inception of his first step onto this world, one that Zenakris and the bearded old man referred to Artezia, Tom had been pushed to his limits. He had been broken, reforged, broken again. The past week had been driven by desperation atop desperation, to the point he had often founding himself questioning if there was value in continuing.

Why struggle? What was he living for in this foreign, unfamiliar land?

Maya had not just given him insight into Zenakris life. It had also given him an opportunity to view himself through another paradigm, to see his own faults and accomplishments truly from the lens of another.

[15.14.13.]

He watched the clock tick down, before taking a glance at [The Flame] card held in his left hand. The first card hed acquired through his own efforts after stepping in Artezia.

That was why.

Tom had triumphed where he thought he would have broken.

[10.9.8.]

Tom closed his eyes.

The last weeks struggles flashed through his mind, like a kaleidoscope of a thousand pictures, continually shifting, flitting by too fast for him to register each individual moment but being able to appreciate the value they held as a whole.

The Dungeon entrance was near. Another ten, maybe fifteen minutes away.

Now, he just had to put everything hed learnt into practise.

His eyes shot open.

[5.4.3]

His sword would be the extension of his arm. A natural, unbroken connection. His footwork would carry the grace of a dancer. His wrists, the elegance of a master conductor.

He would become one with the wind, flowing past all that stood in his path with a fluidity that surpassed the realm of humanity.

Faster.

Tom was the personification of terror as he flitted past three, then five, then ten [Nether Devils], killing none but disabling all in his wake. Limbs flew, blood poured out on the floor. The past him wouldnt be able to recognize the present him at this point, but it didnt matter.

The exit was near.

He could feel it in his bones.

Toms eyes widened. A violet blade arced through the air but it wasnt his. The timing, the precision, the stealth a flicker of horror flashed in his eyes as he realized the deception.

The blade itself he could parry. But dodge? No. There wasnt enough time to dodge.

[Analysing

[Monster Species: Nether Devil

Phantasmal Skills: Nether Gaze, Miasma Claw

Estimated Level: 5]

This monster. It had been biding his time, letting its comrades drop like fodder while it picked the perfect ambush. The angle, the timing the blow, its intent wasnt to kill him, no.

Its intention was to make him look in his eyes. If he closed his eyes it would simply kill him with the subsequent blow.

This was it.

All his efforts the best performance in his life and it boiled down to chance.

How foolish! Tom screamed out, a wide grin resting on his face.

Life or death its up to you know, old boy.

Tom caught the plasma blade with the edge of his blades, a loud screeching sound echoing out as violet clashed with violet, throwing arcs of lightning out as the two [Nether Blades] clashed with each other.

Toms eyes met the [Nether Devils] red, glowing serpentine visage, complete with convex-shaped pupils. The creatures visage, which hed seen earlier amongst the corpses, was as ugly as the first time misshappen, oversized head, knife like ears, circular, red, serpentine eyes and two small horns jutting out from its head.

It was grinning with its terrifying, interlocking needle like protrusions in its mouth that he supposed were teeth. Tom was grinning too, taking in every moment of the life and death tryst they were engaged in.

Toms eyes glazed over, his facial expression froze, as if it were locked in place. His smile turned into a horror stricken expression.

The [Nether Devil] let out a victorious grunt, applying a little more strength to its blade.

It was over.

A kick shot out. The [Nether Devil], which had believed itself to be on the cusp of victory, hadnt expected the sudden and swift retaliation. Its weight had been placed against the blade, but since it expected no retaliation, it was all the more easy to destabilise its balance.

[The Fool has detected a foriegn mental influence upon your soul.]

[The Fool has successfully eliminated foriegn mental influence.]

Gotcha, Tom burst out into a fury-filled laughter as his [Nether Blade] sliced the Devils sword arm off. As it landed upon the ground, confused, disoriented and shocked, it saw a blade tip thrust towards his throat.

A manic, laughing human would be the last thing it would see, its primitive mind ceasing to exist with a final, unanswered question

What was so damn funny?