Chapter 10: Sword of Destiny

By avoiding the incoming blow myself by no more than three centimeters I get a clear view of our attacker. With a ghostly appearance, clad in thick half withered away plate armor, rotten flesh I get a first-row seat to look at hollow eye sockets of an undead, most likely cursed knight dual wielding two rusty swords.

- Has to be a 'Sanctuary Knight- I think to identify my swords wielding attacker.

Having out moved my opponent I make out another much slower opponent creeping up on Merry to my right. Looking at the opponent I see a fragile figure wearing decrepit robes and elaborated headdresses.

- Definitely a 'Sanctuary Priestess'- I note mentally avoiding another sword slash. Knowing my two enemies I try to remember their weaknesses from the book 'Encyclopedia of the known Beasts' I got from grandpa Q for my birthday.

-Sanctuary Knight:

The Sanctuary Knights renounced their flesh to eternally guarding the Sanctuary against the invading Knights.

Sanctuary Knights are immune to Physical damage when in their ghost form, which is indicated by their ghost-like appearance. Nearby, and sometimes hidden, there are large altars emanating a toxic aura. Destroying these altars returns the knight's color and makes them permanently vulnerable

They are, however, vulnerable to diverse elements. If an adventurer attacks them with an element imbued weapon, they can be damaged. The damage dealt will be minimal compared to destroying an altar, but may be enough to kill some knights without destroying any altar.- I seem to remember having read up specifically on the formidable knights that Rasputin II had to deal with when cleaning out the accessible floors of 'Dragon's Sanctuary'.

-Sanctuary Priestess:

Sanctuary Priestesses are followers of the Head Priestess. Similar in appearance, they wear decrepit robes and elaborated headdresses. Their screams can be heard throughout a large region and they become hostile on sight.

Unlike their Sanctuary Soldier counterparts, the priestesses are fragile and immobile. They attack at range with Dark magic. When killed, sometimes they leave behind a potent cloud of poison.

They are famous for only casting one spell known as Dark Orb cast with one or two hands. Note: The two-handed being more powerful, but take longer casting time.- I only remember because I use the ability of 'Photographic-Memory' I got from rearranging my brains neurons when completing the third stage of 'Death Body Technique'.

Avoiding further slashes from the Sanctum Knight I think on my feet.

-Must take out the stationary target first. Typically, rushing Sanctum Priestesses and spamming them with melee attacks while dodging their spells seems risky. Attacking from the distance with ranged weapons or spells should be equally effective but nearly risk-free. To dum I can't safely cast spells until knowing my class or use not available range weapons.- I quickly analyze while drawing the knights and priestesses attention on myself to avoiding them attacking my still enchanted comrades. -Rushing and spamming it is.-

Using 'Astral Movement' I'm only able to slow down time and rush at the priestess getting only partially hit by one of the knight's blades but avoiding the priestess dual cast Dark Orb. Feeling the rusty blade pierce my left shoulder I draw the dagger I got from Arnold for my birthday, thanking Q for not confiscating it. Being now close to the priestess I hack and slash in a wild and untamed manner every place on her body I can reach with my blade.

I only have a few heartbeats until the knight catches up to me removing my best chance to the finishing off the priestess available. Circling around my bloodied mortally wounded and screaming victim I literally jump at the chance to plunge my dagger into her back ending her life effective immediately. With one last ear piercing scream the priestesses body underneath her gown disintegrates into a cloud of dark glowing particles that suddenly flying upwards disappearing into the nearest golem available leaving her attire behind falling to the floor together with my dagger.

-Ah, that's the trick!- I think to gain enlightening regarding the gatekeepers mechanism.

With the priestess slain, my friends are instantly freed from the enchanted binding them.

''What's going on?'' I hear Marc angrily scream, see Merry knowingly nodding at me and Lanc shout. ''Enemy!''

Seeing my comrades freed I the powers inside of me leaking out of my shoulder wound, pulling me mentally in two different directions as the powers draw me in the direction of the gate while my mind pushes me in between the Sanctuary Knight companions. Only being able to give into one I give in to the powers inside of me, letting them lead me behind the frameless gates.

Arriving behind the gate feeling dizzy from the loss of blood running down my left shoulder coloring my white dress shirt red I can only hear muffled sounds of fighting. Looking up from the floor I find a sizable simple altar. As unremarkable as the altar is the more remarkable the giant wyern head on it with its partly rotten corps filling the background.

-Knew it. Toxic Wyern.- I think, having a smile on my lips and walking straight at the altar. In the distance, I hear swords clashing into stone hoping for my comrade's survival.

With a worsening blurred few I see apart from toxins melted skeleton clutching a sword hilt with a green glowing globe as its pummel. Pushing the mutilated corps arm away I grip the embedded hilt with my left, lightly pulling the sword. Unable to pull the sword out with me normally available power I tap into the to me still unknown powers of my class, hoping them having any affinity with swords.

-If I get a backlash from having thought wrong and not neither having the witcher more the death knight class, I can only hope for a painless death.- I think easily drawing the blade out of the lawyer's head under the influence of my class powers. Having one of the two powers in my body fall into place, stopping further bleeding I feel the other go rampant taking over my senses.

Feeling my eyes burn, my senses sharpen to inhuman levels of sharpness and having a blade in hand I move lighting fast, returning to my companions still engaged in fighting the Sanctuary Knight.

Shocking them with my bloody inhuman appearance I hear Merry addressing me directly for the first time, breaking away from her normal shy personality. ''Sif?! Is that you? What happened?''

''Great sword my friend!'' I vaguely hear Lanc comment and Marc shout.

''The knight seems vulnerable all of a sudden let's attack together!''

Feeling the time I remain in this powered-up state running out I make my move.

Using the 'Astral Movement' I push all my excess power into slowing down time. Moving directly in front of the Knight I look deep into his hollow eye sockets, swinging my sword. My first clean cut goes through his left shoulder, decapitating all of his left fleshless arms. My second goes right through the center part in his upper from his lower body. My third and last swing hits the knight from under his right arm, biting in his remaining upper torso exiting the dead on the left side of his neck.

With my time running out time returns to normal and the knight like the priestess disintegrates into dark glowing particles disappearing into the last remaining gatekeeper golem.

Keeling on one knee holding on only to the guard of the sword I collapse from exhausting my body and mind. The moment I collapse I vaguely perceive the golems opening the frameless gates; Merry, Lanc and Marc shielding my sluggish body with their own; grandpa Q, Bron Bearson, Ms Astrid, Arnold and a troop of university guard arriving by coming through the gate; and lastly the claymore like shape of the blade in my hands making me remember the words. -Sword of Destiny-