Chapter 106: Thomas Lowe vs Nether Lich

Chapter 106: Thomas Lowe vs Nether Lich

106:

“We’re all done—,” Zirel muttered under his breath as he watched the bloom of violet flames expand outwards, its spread too quick and violent to be contained.

His words died in his mouth as to his abject shock, the plume of Nether energy violently interacting with fire froze in its approach. For a moment in time, the clouds of destructive energy were frozen, seemingly completely inert as the skeletal birds all around it lifelessly crashed onto the ground as whatever means of control the Nether Lich was employing, faltered.

Zirel’s expression twisted into dismay as the plume of Nether energy finally showed movement, but moved inwards instead of outwards.

Moved towards the center of the blast radius, where the Nether Lich should have been blown to bits already.

“Aleph,” Tom said, his words calm and measured. “Earlier, I asked for your trust. Now, I have no choice but to ask you for your faith,” He said, before pointing at her rare artifact.

“You want my blade?” Aleph asked, her expression unreadable behind her crystal visor.

Tom was sure that she had an eye on the rapidly receding plume of Nether energy as she considered his bold ask.

He looked at her visor, taking in her striking azure eyes that gleamed with intelligence.

“If you did not have my faith, I would not dare have attempted this challenge,” Aleph replied, her voice coming out muffled through the visor as she offered Tom her blade by the hilt.

Tom wrapped his right hand around the hilt, his eyes widening in astonishment as he took in the deadly power of a rare artifact, a true one instead of a mimic.

“Aleph, Zirel,” Tom addressed as the billowing violet flames had almost completely receded. “I need both of you to stay back until I make the call.”

“What?” Zirel asked, his tone incredulous. “This was not what we agreed on! Just what exactly are you planning to pull here?” He asked, as his brows scrunched up in aggrieved confusion.

“I’m—,” Tom’s words abruptly cut off as he turned all of his attention to the lone figure that stood in the middle of the blast radius, its silhouette finally visible.

The Nether Lich’s blackened bones were now a luminescent violet, its empty eye-sockets now lit up by arcs of Nether Energy as it turned to face their direction.

Aleph and Zirel’s expressions went pale as they felt the change in the atmosphere, felt the terrible energy weighing down upon them, making them feel as if the very air was snatched from their lungs as they tried to adapt to the sheer density of Nether Energy in the chamber.

Tom’s expression, however, was calm as he took a step forward.

“Stay back,” He spoke the two words in warning, for it was all he had time for.

‘How do you beat an enemy that is faster, stronger and is incapable of feeling pain?’ Tom asked himself the question as he took another testing step forward, his entire attention focused on the Nether Lich. ‘Most people probably don’t. Thankfully, I’m not most people.’

Twice more Tom danced with death, dodging it’s embrace by mere inches, if even.

Four marks.

It wasn’t the five he needed, but the moment he had been waiting for finally arrived.

The stance of the Nether Lich, the positioning of its feet, the way it held it’s sword... Tom was certain that it would go for a diagonal overhead slash, pooling a tremendous amount of strength behind one blow.

Tom’s lifeblood augmented strength and speed coupled with his speed amplified by 50% four times by Aleph’s rare artefact...

It would have to be enough.

The Nether Lich charged and Tom chose to meet it head on.

This time, there would be no dodging or swerving.

It’s blade shot downwards, in a diagonal slash from top to down.

Tom’s own blade blurred forward and it was all he could do to hold on to it as it arced forth with blinding speed.

The Nether Lich’s blade neared his exposed throat, though Tom knew it would damage much more than just a single body part if it so much so as touched him.

Then... it disappeared.

Or to be more exact, it was blown away as Tom cleanly severed the shoulder joint that attached the Nether Lich’s sword arm to its shoulder blade.

“Aleph—,” Tom called out, only for his words to be cut short as the Nether Lich launched a kick at him.

Unfortunately for the Nether Lich, Tom had gotten the fifth mark he needed to reach maximum speed.

The offending bone leg was cleanly severed, just as Tom came to the realization that he could end the Nether Lich himself.

This was a rare artefact.

His blade moved again and again until the ribcage protecting the crystal in it’s chest was laid bare, before he thrust directly at the crystal that he knew empowered the creation.

It shattered.