Part 13 - Run

Weak.

Urist thought as he sprinted towards the Norkin’s castle. The sounds of battle echoed from behind him, but Urist didn't pause his steps.

Weak. I’m just weak. I’m always being saved by others and held up on a pedestal for them to worship and die for. What makes me special when others can lead them better than I ever could? Sure, I know something about survival, sure, I have a heart unlike Ubel, but in the end all I have is a little luck.

Urist passed by a ruined mecha with a broken heavy sword by its side, but he didn’t spare it as much as a glance as he continued his introspection. 

But I’m going to be useless soon. 

I don’t know how to manage such a vast group of people. I can barely keep up with everyone's names. I don’t know how to make a just and fair law system. I don’t know how to deal with slavery. I don’t know how to deal with the whispers of religion sprouting up. That's not even mentioning the fox-kin and their fanaticism for their god. 

I’m just a survivalist that failed once if what I remember correctly with the nuggets of what I pieced together. And IF it’s correct... and it seems I managed to fuck that up pretty bad.

So what does everyone see in me? To keep propping me up as the leader when I’m just...

Worthless.

Passing by another shredded mecha, Urist kept digging deeper into his doubts as he crossed over the shattered remnants of a door.

I’m not good enough. Not worthy enough to claim the mantle of a leader.

A leader should be ready to lay their life on the line. To battle for their people. To die for their beliefs. 

Urist stopped running, snapped out of his thoughts as he sensed something behind him. He turned back just in time to hear a clear, resounding roar. 

“>Lightning World - Imperfect Great Lightning Beheader<!”

Urist watched as the flaming vortex shrouding the sky was torn apart by Volt’s single slash. He watched as the blade kept moving, watching until it slammed into the castle he’d just entered as stopped right before his eyes. 

Urist watched as the rubble fell around him and as the massive blade faded away, but all he could think was...

What a beautiful strike. 

Urist stared at the castle’s new skylight as the building’s halves fell left and right of him from the blades force.

If Volt pulled something like that out then I have to stop wallowing in self pity. I can think about this when this event is all over.

Ubel messaged over that someone has to crush the lich's phylactery or it’ll never die.

While the others distract the lich, I’ll find and destroy this thing before things get worse. 

Urist started moving again as he suppressed his worries. Soon he reached a hole so massive that it seemed bottomless.

There are stairs leading down. I guess this is the way I’m supposed to go. 

Urist stretched out his leg to take the first step down only to be met with a strange resistance that kept his foot from making contact with the step. Undeterred, Urist pressed his foot down with force, breaking through the odd resistance and causing a red light to pulse forth.

Danger. Death.

The two feelings washed over Urist like a tidal wave, making him stop for a moment. Two circular lights lit up upon his body, quickly dissipating the feelings and allowing him to continue pressing forth.

Then he heard the lich’s screech.

...

The lich rushed towards its castle, filled with fury. It quickly closed in upon the building and was about to rush inside when a streak of lightning shot in front of it and forced the lich to come to a stop.

Though his arm was still healing, Volt pointed his sword at the lich nonetheless.

“Hey now, our dance hasn’t finished yet.”

...

His neck hairs standing on end, Urist forewent the stairs and directly jumped down into the hole, covering himself in flames for protection. On the way down Urist gathered a flame within his hand before quickly shooting it up above. 

>Bomb< >Bomb< >Bomb<

With the help of multiple bombs, Urist accelerated, managed to reach the massive hole’s bottom in mere moments.

Urist smashed into the ground, using his flames to mitigate the impact that should’ve heavily injured him to a simple small bounce.

Landing on his feet, Urist waved his hand and lit the area around him with a stream of fire. He quickly looked over the room as the sounds of battle above him grew closer. There were six paths in the vicinity and before he could figure out which way to go, Urist spotted a fox-kin chained up on a nearby wall.

Shocked, Urist moved closer, using his flames to study them. This female fox-kin reminded him of someone…

Oh right! She looks just like Sage! 

The fox-kin stared at him with wary eyes, her mouth blocked by some kind of gag. If Urist had some time to think he’d admit that with those large assets and womanly curves she was a ten out of ten, but with death closing in he couldn’t think about such things. 

Urist dashed straight towards her, basically ripping off her gag and unhesitantly slicing off the chains restricting her with his spear lined with a superheated flame.

“Where is the lich's phylactery?!”

The female fox-kin merely chuckled, her head hung low, and pointed to the left. Urist took his eyes off the fox-kin, anxious to complete his task, and missed the green flash that passed through her eyes. 

“Thank you for staying alive, your daughter will be happy to know that you still live. I wish I could take you to her, but I need to end this quickly. Find a hiding spot before the lich comes.”

Urist rushed towards the direction the fox-kin had pointed towards, not noticing that she had teleported behind him and was rising shortsword to cut off his head.

(Author note: Since I'm so close to the end I'll be posting parts as they come out instead of  in big blocks. Enjoy.)
Edited by:KuroYousei