68 Chapter 56: The lifing are better left untouched

''The living... should be left well alone.'' Says the Lady suddenly looking up at me the moment I try to touch her blade. Observing her facial features closely she has a striking resembles my female self, but also possesses a nearly identical body posture to that of the doll.

Feeling creeped out by the woman's demeanor I retreat my hand trying to free it from her grasp, saying. ''I am searching a way out of here. You should be the person to talk to.''

Having seen me the woman gets seemingly occupied with her own body, staring at her slender right hand.

''How unexpected. Then the secrets of my research have been laid bare.

Good champion lost in this nightmare. What did you think? Of that beastly loyals, and those ailing executors?...'' The woman asks me fascinated by the movements of her right hand.

Taken aback I am unable to answer her before she says in a cold slightly mechanical voice. ''... I know what you did to them... It's not your fault. The nightmare held them, and now they are free! But, what about you? Have you profited at all?''

Shaking my head, remembering all the loss, all the carnage, and all the senseless violence I tell her my honest opinion. ''Not in the slightest. I have only lost.''

''I thought as much. Nightmare and secrets... They'll only get you so far...'' The lady murmurs to herself suddenly clenching her right hand into a fist, slowly standing up. Seeing me take a few steps back she asks.

''... What's wrong, my champion? Don't you hear the end called? Or do you wish to tease something more from the depths of this nightmare? Even if it means my murder?''

Looking deep into my eyes she says confirming her own suspicion and coking her head to the side, cutely tipping her index finger to her lips while contemplating.

-Fuck! How in the world can I get turned on by my own female appearance!- I scold myself.

Hmm, look at you. That glint in your eyes...

''Oh, I know very well. How the secrets beckon so sweetly. Only an honest death will cure you now. Liberate you, from your wild curiosity...'' The fair lady says disengaging a mechanism on her blade that holds sword and blade together.

The next thing I see is only her daggers blade that I relatively doge only to get hit by her sword. Seeing the sword gets stuck in my armor in the reinforced space between leather and metal I look down at it, instantly recognizing it. -Durandal?! How?-

Unknowing how my own sword ended up in this imposters hands, I slam my fist down on it to break it apart. Contrary to my expectations my fist hits the blade but doesn't break and instead I hear the bones in my first crack.

Feeling my hand hurt and being unable to open my fist I activate my left-hand shield and one-hand my ax for now. The next second I learn how ingenious that split second decision truly is because the imposter is already attacking from my right.

Half hiding behind my shield I not only block the incoming slash but also counter attack her. Bringing my ax down on her while the sword is temporary surprised by the shield, I am sure to get a good hit in.

To my utter stupor, the woman blocks my ax wich just her dagger. Rotating her hips a little she frees her sword, ready to go for my head. With a strong shield bash, I save myself from losing my head by getting some distance between us. Seeing the distance I throw my ax aimed at her head out.

Also using the distance between us the lady reattaches her dagger to her blade, changing the reach of her sword. The second metal click confirming a stable connection she deflects my thrown out as to her right.

Seeing my ax miss its mark I recall my ax just before it comes to the end of its flight. Recalled the ax sours through the air like a woman raising into the arms of her lover.

Before I catch the ax the lady is already mid attack aiming for my right arm to effectively unarm me.

-Fuck you!- I scream throwing out a punch with my right hand. In doing so I don't catch my ax but slam my fist with all its power behind it into the imposter's face.

Feeling her face give in I hear a very satisfying sound. Retreating for the first time in this fight the woman gives me the time to finally catch my ax and go in the offensive.

Sure to decapitate the lady in one fell swoop, I am blindsided by a sudden flash of light followed up with small metal balls hitting my face. Just taking the impact I am stopped in my attack and fall onto one knee just to keep my balance.

Before I can fully retake my balance I feel soft slender fingertips dig into my chest like iron claws. Feeling the tips touch my rips they suddenly rib in my flesh. With a simple pull, a huge piece of my chest muscle is suddenly missing.

Feeling the cold and slightly damp air touch my bones I shudder in agonizing pain. Seeing warm blood drip from the hands holding my flesh I mindlessly swing my ax around.

Deactivating my shield I press my fist over the gaping wound. I feel a sudden lightheadedness and experience shortness of breath. Trying desperately to stop myself from bleeding out I remember the piles of corpses one floor below me.

-That might work if I can defend myself from attacks in the corners.- I think triggering the self-healing skills of the death knight while sprinting into the first corner my blurring vision allows me to see.

Before I can reach the corner I once again have a taste of small metal objects penetrating my skin. This time I don't get stunned and simply push through the pain.

Finally reaching the corner I can feel the death energy enter my body. In contrast to the energy created by freshly killed enemies that produce a kind of warm feeling energy the energy produced by corpses killed long ago feels bone freezing cold.

Absorbing the cold energy I don't regenerate the lost chunk of chest muscle but I am able to stop the bleeding and heal my previously crippled left hand.

Feeling my pain be suppressed and my bleeding stop, I slightly grin. Looking out of the enemy, I find the fair lady close by I can see her wield the modified Durandal in her right and a big dwarfen hand cannon in her left. Looking more like an angel of death than a refined beautiful woman the imposter is currently reloading her weapon.

-Interesting. Where did that come from?- I think mentally noting down the structure of the weapon.

Seeing me ogle her weapon the lady answering my unvoiced question. ''Nice isn't it? Gotten the idea for it from the memories of a being calling itself the 'Lord of the Abyss' among other things.''

Before I can further question her the woman jump attacks me. Dodging her once again disengaged blades by diving underneath them I swing my ax sideways, similar to chopping a tree while aiming at her slim waist.

As expected the woman uses Durandal to stop my swing, opening herself up for a shield bash. Instantly activating my shield mid swing its edge easily makes contact with the lady's face.

Being hit really hard this time the woman flyes back nearly ten meters. Finally coming to a halt the fair lady falls to one knee and spits out some teeth and blood.

Disengaging my shield I close in on her while swinging my ax leasurely. The moment I am in the position to end her she draws her oversized hand cannon. Narrowly avoiding getting shot in close range by pushing the weapon aside, I grapple with her for it.

Overpowering her with pure strength I take it from her, throw it to the floor and destroying it with a single stomp under my feet I refocus once again on the by now back on her feet lady. Seeing her breath heavy I ask her. ''Why do we even have to fight each other?''