13 Chapter 13

[Okay, this is it, Darkness. Get ready. This is everything we have been building for] The Sword said in an encouraging yet hurrying voice.

"Wait, it is? We are?" Darkness blinked at her master in confusion.

[Yep, you and I are one, so what I'm planning is what we're planning. Now just shut up and listen]

Darkness let out a sigh as though she's between pleasure and being alert and nodded.

Michael walked toward the pair, Crusader and Sword, with slow, stomping, measured steps.

[All the other melee adventurers are mentally exhausted, or like that dumbass Dust guy, frigthened and don't wanna get close. Your Thief friend can't Steal me, not sure why, but without that good fortune this plan wouldn't work out. The spellcasters are either useless, not compatible to fight you, or too scared to approach. This is gonna strictly be a one-on-one fight. Michael is in a bad mood. In a bad enough mood that he won't hold back against you, and will use nearly all his combat skills on you, I'll learn and imprint it on your body. With me so far?]

"Yes, Master." Darkness blinked in surprise at the Sword's analysis.

[You'll never get a fight like this from him again, because this trick isn't gonna work a second time. He's not going to kill you, but you can be damn sure he'll do everything but, in an effort to destroy me]

Darkness whined when mention of her demise wasn't on the table, but smiled at everything else. "So I get to experience Michael's cruelty first hand?"

[Again, I'm your Master. Stop wanting it from other people, you traitorous slut]

"Hmmmph!"

[Also, and this is more, you are absolutely forbidden from throwing this fight or deliberately taking a hit to experience pain, you pain addicted masochist!]

"M-Master!" Darkness whined and moaned at the command.

[No. There is no negotiation on this. In this battle, you will do your absolute best to fight with everything you have, with the intention to win! Because if you don't, I will take away your ability to feel pain]

Darkness gasped in horror.

[That's right, you would end up with broken bones, or experience the most horrific tortures, and feel nothing. Do you understand me, Pet?]

"Yes, Master! Yes, I understand." Darkness nodded vigorously.

[Good. Now start praying to Eris to power up the Scared Smite, holy shit he's here's he's coming--]

"Oh, Goddess Eris, this is your humble servant praying for the smallest of luck and hope to carry out your will..." Darkness began pray, and the holy glow around shined brighter.

Darkness followed the Sword's will to guard, through following the intensity of the shock spell. She tightened her grip on the handle, then felt the electricity lock up her muscles, and following the Sword's next order through the thunder spell she...jump?

CLANG!

[Damn, Dad's pissed]

Darkness thought she heard someone.

The first second once Darkness was aware again, she realized she was flying. The next second, she felt her arms above her head, and they stung. Thankfully she was still holding onto her Sword, likely a combination of her muscle memory to not let go of her weapon, and her Master locking her hands around him.

She then noticed, looking behind, under her, that the ground that was speeding below her, was drawing closer quickly.

[Right yourself, bitch!]

Darkness spun and forced herself upright, to land on her feet, before slamming into the ground, and stabbing the Sword into the earth to use a brake for her momentum.

Looking at the deep line in the grass field she ended up making. Darkness was wide-eyed, her arms were shaking from the exertion, before another electric and holy pulses from her Master, relaxed and stiffened her muscles again to be ready for action. She wondered how much force was in that one swing from the Dark Paladin. From her peripheral vision, she should see she had reached the treeline of one of the small forests near Axel.

"Oh Eris, is this how strong Michael is?" Darkness panted with a wide grin. She wondered if this what fighting a Demon General would be like.

[DODGE!]

Darkness felt a shadow reach over her, and jumped to the side.

Right then Michael came down with a slash that left a large scar upon the ground, and several of the trees nearby were leaned back from the force, and shock to the ground before eventually falling.

Darkness jumped away from the tree to have a better view of her opponent. Michael dash forward, his greatsword already in motion.

Following her Master's electric instructions, Darkness blocked the attack at an angel to divert most of the forced.

CLANG!

The giant blade slammed in Darkness's Sword, and flew over her head, before it curved and went back down. Darkness jumped to the side, angled her block again, and Michael's greatsword hit the ground.

She moved to capitalized on Michael's disadvantage of using such a large and length weapon, only to find him having jumped back, pulled his arms, holding the giant blade near his head and thurst forward.

It wasn't single sword thrust, but a rain of pointed metal. An attack that one would expect from a skilled spear user, than one wielding a greatsword.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Darkness dodged and weaved between attacks at the will of her Master. Parrying with every ounce of her strength, while pushing forward, all to for the hope of getting an attack in to stop the assault.

And yet it was a false hope.

The second she managed to get in close, Michael displayed a lot of flexibility to use the giant blade to defend, by unconventionally holding close to his body. He grabbed the handle like it was a knife, spin in the motion of her slashing, before switching to holding the blade normally and using the momentum to turn on back to the offense.

When Darkness tried again and again, and was luck to get in ultra close, Michael acted like one of those Martial Artist she heard of, using his body in unexpected ways, and letting greatsword spin around him, before attacking her, or using the sheer width of the giant blade as a shield.

In extreme close quarters, the size of Michael's weapon didn't trouble him. She couldn't use the disadvantage of his weapon against him, and she had no long range option to fight with. Darkness suspected if she tired to run, Michael would use his greater speed to reach, and slam her with the greatsword into the ground.

Her only hope was that her Master will learn some kind of sword skill to give her a chance to win.

She was locked in battle with an opponent she can't run away from. There was no chance to retreat, and her opponent was stronger, faster and more skilled than her. It was a terrible situation, with the odds stacked against her, and her only hope was that if she held on long enough, then her Master can, maybe, just maybe, find a way to pull her from defeat to victory.

One small mistake and it would all be over. One tiny misstep and this would all end. Her blood pumped loudly in her ears, and her heart sang in joy. She kept her prayers to Eris in her chest (as she couldn't afford to waste breath), her Master glowed ever brighter, and she leapt forward into the fray.

Darkness was in a situation like her novels, where the heroes were fighting overwhelming odds, before pulling a miracle and winning no matter the hopelessness and despair of their situation.

She couldn't stop grinning.

Darkness was in the fight of her life and she couldn't be happier.

avataravatar
Next chapter