Chapter 23

 

While the dark encapsulated them, they could hear the faint whisper of words being spoken. A light began to dispel the darkness.

 

One by one, the adventurers began to slowly regain their composure as they awoke. They continued to cough and gag as they spewed out the black fog from their lungs. They looked around to see it clearing from the field with Maluuthar staring down at them.

 

Zayd looked up to see Aurelia standing above them all. 

 

“Blessed Barrier…” She collapsed to her knees. “I’m afraid that was the last bit of mana I had remaining…”

 

“We need to get you out of here!” Rosa insisted. “Emiko get her and go!”

 

Before they could react, Maluuthar flung his arms across, striking a few of them. Rosa, Zayd, and Hiang were sent flying back. Emiko took hold of Aurelia’s hand and ushered her from the area. Ivory and Milly followed suit in an attempt to flee from the demon. 

 

However, they were well within Maluuthar’s reach. The demon thrashed his arms, sending the rest of the adventurers flying into nearby structures. They all wailed and moaned as their Acolyte was no longer able to tend to their wounds. Each of their injuries would begin to build up until they could suffer them no longer.

 

Maluuthar continued in his wake of destruction. He tore through the structures to find one of the adventurers, pulling Zayd and Rosa towards him. 

 

“I shall feast upon your flesh,” it whispered to them as it slowly dragged them closer. 

 

Hiang sprung forth and slashed away at the arms in an attempt to free them but Maluuthar simply swatted him away with its other arm. As the demon dragged them closer, it opened its mouth wide and uttered the words, “Soul Consumption!” 

 

Mists of energy began to pour out from the two adventurers as he continued to bring them in. Zayd and Rosa screamed out in pain as their very essence began to be siphoned from them.

 

Hiang desperately returned in an attempt to help. He sprung forth but Maluuthar was still so vigilant. The demon swatted him away yet again but this time, Emiko appeared and used that opportunity to strike from the other side. 

 

Zayd and Rosa broke free from their binds and staggered away from the demon. Maluuthar turned its attention towards Emiko and thrashed his arms about. She swiftly dodged the attacks while keeping the demon focused on her. Maluuthar thrusted his arms into a nearby structure and swung it wildly, sending a myriad of debris flying towards Emiko. Suddenly, she was unable to easily dodge the incoming attacks as there were far too many projectiles. A large pillar collided with her and she was sent staggering back. 

 

Emiko laid there unable to barely move as Maluuthar began to approach her. She attempted to push herself up from the ground with her arms but they inevitably gave in and she collapsed. “No…”

 

“Emiko!” Rosa cried out as she, too, was hardly able to move. She somehow managed to garner enough strength to rise to her feet. Rosa began to limp towards her companion as she watched in horror while the demon pursued her.

 

“Ippon Uchi!” Hiang cried out as he slashed his sword across the demon’s backside. Hiang went crashing into a wall as the momentum from his attack was too much for him to land safely. 

 

Ivory launched a barrage of occult spells that whizzed past Rosa as she stumbled towards the demon. 

 

“Emiko!” Rosa cried out as Maluuthar continued his pursuit. “Stop you demon! Face me!” She raised her shield and began tapping her ax on it. “Taunt!” 

 

A swirl of energy appeared around the demon’s head and it began to turn its gaze away from Emiko. 

 

“Yes! That’s it! Come and fight me!” Rosa yelled out.

 

However, the swirl of energy disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared and Maluuthar slowly turned his focus back towards Emiko. The adventurers cried out in horror as Emiko struggled to move. Their companion was defenseless.

 

“No! What are you doing?!” Rosa screamed. “Don’t you dare turn your back on me!” She rushed forth with her ax held high and charged at the demon. Maluuthar treated her the same as it did with Hiang. The demon smacked her away with his arm and sent her flying into another structure. The poor adventurer laid there, still unable to get up. 

 

“Rosa!” Aurelia yelled out. She could notice her companion lying unconscious. “We have to help them!”

 

Zayd staggered forward from the wreckage he had fallen into. He limped forward, struggling to hold himself up as the pain from his injuries was almost too much to bear. 

 

“C’mon, Zayd…,” he whispered to himself. “If you’ve got a trick up your sleeve then now’s the time to pull it off and look really cool…” Suddenly the sun began to beam down upon them, reflecting the light off of Zayd’s shield. “That’s it! My shield…”

 

Ivory and Milly desperately continued to fire away at the demon as they shouted and yelled out at it to catch its attention. However, all their efforts proved futile and not much time had remained. 

 

Zayd sprung forth with a burst of energy just as Maluuthar began to tower over Emiko. He rushed forth with his shield and ax ready. 

 

The demon saw his approach and swung his arm towards the determined Fighter. Zayd swung his shield in retaliation and watched as the shield lit up when he repelled the arm. The energy was beginning to store within. Another arm swept across so Zayd raised his shield again, absorbing the force of the blow with his shield but making sure to also divert the momentum lest he be sent flying away. Soon Zayd made his approach and put himself between Maluuthar and Emiko. 

 

“Come on!” Zayd cried out. “Show me what you’ve got! I’m ready for you!”

 

The demon roared and raised its arms up high. Zayd’s eyes widened as he realized he could not simply block all of the creature’s arms at once, especially from this angle. He quickly turned and grabbed Emiko, pulling her away from the area of effect. 

 

Maluuthar’s arms came crashing down, sending a shockwave through the area. Emiko and Zayd went flying back and stumbled into an open area. 

 

“Ugh,” Zayd moaned as he attempted to bring himself to his feet. 

 

Ivory and Milly were beginning to feel drained as their attacks reflected that. While Hiang still stood, he could barely hold the weight of his blade any longer. With Rosa unconscious and Aurelia tapped out of fuel, things were beginning to look bleak for the group. 

 

“Don’t give up hope, Zayd!” Milly shouted out as Maluuthar began to pursue him. “Fight! Never give up!” Her voice rang out through the village as she cried out as loud as she could, roaring through the streets. “I BELIEVE IN YOU!”

 

Her voice reached Zayd’s ears and gave him a burst of energy. He arose slowly to his feet as the leaves around him began to flow around him. It was clear that his Warrior’s Spirit began to take hold. The wind around him began to rush up, forming a noticeable aura around him. He clenched his teeth as he lifted his ax and shield. 

 

“That’s it, Zayd…,” Hiang whispered as he rested his wounded body against a post. “Keep on fighting…”

 

“We adventurers are always quick to fall. Always failing,” Ivory announced. “All over Isigya, adventurers die fighting hopeless battles and waging fruitless wars. No matter where you go, no matter who you ask, it’s always for the same reasons…greed. Adventurers only care for how much they’re paid or what they will be rewarded with at the end of the day…” A tear began to roll down her cheek. “However, it isn’t greed that compels us to keep fighting… No…it is much more than that. Something stirs deep within us that fuels our ambition and drives us to go beyond the boundaries that were set for us.”

 

“Ivory…” Milly trembled. 

 

“While that may be, something even greater stirs within Zayd,” Ivory claimed. “Where many would flee, he chooses to stay. Where others would not follow, he would lead. Where most would fall, he arises…” Ivory stepped forward, limping slowly as she had not much fight left within her. She raised her rapier and tome high and shouted to the top of her lungs. “Lingering Death!” A burst of dark energy shot from her as she collapsed to the ground. The energy floated through the air and swiftly made its way over to Zayd. It binded with his ax and shield and lit them up with a dark aura. “May it serve you well, Zayd…for it is all that I have left…” The weight of her arms gave in and Ivory fell to the ground. 

 

“Ivory!” Milly shouted as she reached out to comfort her.

 

Zayd embraced his shield as Maluuthar approached him closer, stretching his arms out. 

 

Emiko slowly tried to stand once again but could only muster the strength to sit herself upright. She slowly began to crawl back, out of the way of the two opposing forces.

 

Maluuthar let out a loud howl as a display of intimidation towards Zayd. However, the determined Fighter returned a ferocious roar of his own, shouting back towards the demon as it prepared to strike.

 

As the arms came flailing towards him, Zayd swung his shield to repel one. With his ax, he swiped away at the other incoming arms. One by one he took forth the impact of the arms against his shield, while slicing away at the others. The shield began to glow again and again, with each strike storing more power within it. Zayd knew what must be done. Absorb the energy of enough attacks and release the full force back upon Maluuthar. The power of a mach-bomb would be more than plenty to destroy the foe. 

 

Again and again the arms thrashed about. Zayd’s Warrior’s Spirit gave him the concentration he needed to effectively parry each and every attack that came his way. In an amazing display of skill and focus, Zayd began to take on the demon and match its ability. 

 

Maluuthar grew angry as its attacks failed one after another. The demon howled with anger, continuously struggling to strike down the persistent adventurer. The shield began to glow with intensity as more and more furious blows began to smash upon the shield. 

 

Zayd’s eyes started to gleam as he realized that the shield would soon be ready to go off. He knew he would need to prepare in order for the shield to go off at the right time and in the right place. If he were to take this demon down, he would need to have the shield go off at a point blank range for full effectiveness. 

 

Another arm came swinging across. Zayd raised his shield in response and again it took the force of the attack. Zayd could feel the power within begin to boil. Here it was, the moment had finally come. 

 

Maluuthar swung another arm down but this time Zayd leapt up and began to scale across the arm and up to the shoulder. Another arm came swinging by but Zayd swiped it away with his ax and continued his charge. Another arm came from the other side but Zayd raised his shield and repelled it. The shield began to rumble with energy and Zayd reared it back, preparing to strike.

 

“Shield Smash!” Zayd cried out as his shield came swinging across, directly towards Maluuthar’s face!

 

The demon suddenly jerked its shoulder up and swung its arm at Zayd. Zayd’s eyes shot open as he watched the demon get further and further from him. His victory had slipped away.

 

The shield began to rumble even greater until it exploded with energy. Zayd went flying in one direction while his shield went another. The adventurer came crashing down into the ground and rolled until he came to a full stop. 

 

“Ughhh…” Zayd moaned as he struggled to catch his breath. He could barely form a word as he gagged for air. 

 

The other adventurers had somehow gone unnoticed as Maluuthar slipped past, heading back towards Zayd with intent to finish him. 

 

“Rrrraaahahh!” Maluuthar roared out with anger. He slowly pursued the Fighter.

 

By this time, Rosa had begun to wake up and catch her composure. She looked around and took notice of her surroundings. Emiko had remained fairly injured and unable to battle further. Ivory was drained of every last bit of mana and stamina she had left. While Milly’s arrows would never run out, she was far too busy trying to drag Ivory and Aurelia to safety as both of them lacked the ability to do much.

 

Zayd winced in pain as he was finally able to catch his breath. However, any attempt at movement was hopeless as even just the tiniest of movements sent a shiver of pain through his body. “I-I…can’t…mo-move.”

 

Hiang watched as the demon slid past him, steadily focused on Zayd. “I must do something…” He sprung forward, slicing away at Maluuthar’s ankle. The beast howled and reared its arm back. Hiang dodged the attack and followed up with another attack at the demon’s heel.

 

Maluuthar howled again as Rosa approached from the front and drove her ax into the demon’s belly. The demon folded his arms towards him as the two adventures continued to assault him. Maluuthar suddenly sprang out his arms and released a dark energy. “Diabolic Pulse!” 

 

The adventurers were sent flying back, both of them landing on the ground, unable to move due to the dark aura. 

 

Maluuthar turned his focus back towards Zayd and continued his approach.

 

“Zayd!” Milly shouted out. She turned towards Ivory and Aurelia and sat them behind some debris. “Both of you stay here…” She picked up her bow and began sprinting towards Zayd.

 

“Milly…don’t…,” Hiang tried to yell out to her. “You…can’t…”

 

“Zayd!” Milly cried out as she continued sprinting towards him. “Leave him alone!”

 

“Milly! No!” Rosa yelled out to her as she struggled to get up but the aura kept her and Hiang immobilized. “Stay back!”

 

Milly ignored them, continuing her pursuit. 

 

Maluuthar had almost reached Zayd.

 

However, Milly was determined to get to Zayd before Maluuthar could. She wasn’t sure what she could do when she arrived, but she knew that was where she wanted to be. She approached him and slowly lowered herself down to him. “Zayd…I’m here…”

 

“Milly…,” Zayd whispered with pain. “You’re…stubborn…”

 

Tears formed in her eyes. “Yeah…you are too…”

 

Zayd chuckled as tears formed in his, as well. He watched as the shadow of Maluuthar swept over them. “I’ve…really…enjoyed our time…together…”

 

“I have too, Zayd…” Milly lifted his head and held it in her lap while she brushed her hand through his hair. “We’ll get to go on more adventures together someday…I just know it…”

 

“Maybe…in some…other…life, eh?” Zayd suggested as the arms of the demon spread out wide.

 

Maluuthar howled loudly and began to stretch each of his arms high. “Reach of Entropy!” Suddenly, a swirl of dark energy formed once again and began to spread throughout the area. A black fog began to thicken the air around them all. 

 

Zayd, Milly, Rosa, Hiang, Emiko, Ivory, and Aurelia lay defenseless as the chaos swirled around them, filling their surroundings. They all began to cough and wheeze and it filled their lungs yet again. Darkness surrounded them as they watched their foe solidify his victory against them. Death began to wander around, seeking for the perfect opportunity to take its newfound victims and drag them back to the Underrealm.

 

Zayd closed his eyes and waited for fate to take him.