Chapter Six

BLADE OF DEATH

***

THE VALLEY OF Death, famously known as the Portal to the Underworld, is feared by many due to people and other beings exploring the place and never coming out alive. Some say that during the night, the valley comes alive, and bones and monsters from the other side emerge to play with the living being they spot and never leave them until their last breath is taken.

Their playtime usually revolves around tormenting their victims, tearing their limbs apart, decapitating them and having their heads displayed on a pole. The undead would dance around them like maniacs--- they are, mindless beings who think nothing only but to inflict death.

The book also informed Astier that the bones of the victims would magically appear along with those beings who played with them.

He finally understands what Ardelian meant when he told him to get ready.

"But I don't have a weapon with me. How should I fend for myself?" Astier complained after realising he has nothing else but his magic; which is something he hasn't fully mastered yet, so he can't rely on it.

Ardelian loudly clicked his tongue. "Not to worry. I've bought you a sword. This is only an ordinary weapon, of course. You can't use this one as a conduit to channel your power or it'll melt."

He was nearly stupified when Ardelian relinquished to him the sword. He recomposed himself. "Are you expecting me to fight using my skills only?"

"Yes."

"But I can't fight with this!" He raised the sword. "I've never fought anyone with a sword before!"

Ardelian finally lets out a frustrated groan, betraying his calm countenance. "You complain like a woman! Haven't you read it already? Destroyer was an expert swordsman."

"How am I supposed to use that skill if I can't even remember who I am?"

His good friend, returning to his calm nature, gently pats him on the shoulder. "It's in you, Astier. It'll come out when you need it."

He was unsure, of course, how he should take his friend's advice. He read in the book that the creatures in the Valley of Death should not be taken lightly. Hopefully, the memory of his skills was not taken along with his other memories or he wouldn't last a minute tonight.

♛♛♛

THE SUN FINALLY hit the horizon, the sky was decorated with stars but there is no moon. The wind was cold, sending a shivery sensation. Astier glances at his companion and he was more than ready, clenching two kunai on both his palms.

"Are you ready?" Ardelian inquired.

Astier thinly smiled and replied, "I guess?"

"Don't worry. I won't let you die in here."

He felt assured by his good friend's words, having relieved of his worries.

After ensuring that their horse would be safe where they left it, the two men proceeded down the Valley of Death. They are still a few meters away from the actual location when they began to hear sounds from around them. Fortunately, it wasn't that dark, they could still freely perceive their way, also allowing Astier to witness how creatures from underneath the ground emerge.

Hands began to sprout, followed by loud growls. Ardelian and Astier had each other's back as they become alert to their surrounding. The undead soon attacked them almost instantly, as though their senses were made perfectly to recognise the living.

Astier was attacked, his heart pounded like a raging lion but somehow, his arms moved accordingly and he was able to kill what attacked him.

"W-what are these creatures! They look nothing like the undead in Contella Town!"

"That's because they're not from this world!" Ardelian swiftly moved through the crowd of undead creatures, lacerating their fragile bones with his kunai.

"Fight, Astier!" Ardelian encourages him.

Astier was awakened and obliged the former. His arms and feet were moving accordingly without him even thinking about it. He found his techniques quite remarkable. Even he was amazed at how he skillfully handled the sword and kill every single opponent.

Their faces are covered with skin down to their necks but beyond that, the rest of their bodies are just made of bones. They have horns protruding from their foreheads.

Astier grazed his sword efficiently, and without fail that he took down every single one of them. Piles of bones were scattered around them as their fight continues.

It had only been a few minutes since they began to fight but their enemies don't seem to be decreasing in number.

"Wh-what's going on, Ardelian!" Astier bellowed an exclamation of surprise when the fallen bones began reattaching themselves like magnets.

"We can't actually kill them! Now, we run!"

Ardelian seized his wrist, dragging him away while their enemies restores themselves.

"Why didn't you tell me from the start!" Astier yelled.

"But didn't you read it in the book!"

"I did!"

"We have to find Grim's house!"

The two dash through the dark valley, passing through several undead creatures that suddenly emerge from the ground. Their arms are also quite occupied ridding off whatever blocks their way.

But even on that cold night, Astier caught a glimpse of several poles with various types of skulls scattered everywhere.

The undead grew more in number, surrounding the two men, and forcing them to stop in their tracks.

"We just have to take them down and we run again while they reattach themselves," Ardelian notifies Astier. Both of them are catching their breaths. Astier nodded in response. They both had to take deep breaths in before attacking again.

The noise that overruled the serenity of the valley were the growls of the undead. Astier and Ardelian did not spare a single creature, their weapons clashed against their enemies with great lethality. But no matter, they couldn't kill them.

Even though Ardelian was faster than them, he couldn't eliminate every single one of them. It's an unending cycle of tearing down and restoration.

"They are impossible to take down!" Astier complained in frustration. He vents out his anger on them, taking down many but they still keep coming.

"Grim's house is not far from here! We just have to pass these bloody creatures!"

"And how are we supposed to do that? We're utterly outnumbered, Ardelian."

The sight of their overwhelming enemy is quite draining Astier's confidence. They are like needles lost in the sand.

"I'm gonna use my powers," Astier blurted.

"You can't! You haven't fully mastered it yet! It'll drain you!" Ardelian protested.

"Well, we have no choice!"

Before Ardelian could even prevent his good friend from performing his plan, Astier already channelled his powers through his ordinary weapon. The blade of the sword was engulfed with black smoke-like elements. His green eyes glowed like emeralds lit by the sun.

The smoke-like element also emitted a green glow around their edges.

Astier already felt his energy being sucked by the sword like a vacuum. His knees were beginning to tremble, he couldn't move his body. 'What is g-going on! Why can't I move!'

His hands are trembling as he clenches the sword, he froze so suddenly in his stance.

His good friend, however, is still occupied fighting, all the while yelling for him to stop.

'But I can't stop it! I-I don't know how!' he wanted to release the weapon but his palms seem to be glued to it. 'J-just a single move!'

Despite possessing Assassin's Magic, Ardelian's super speed at the moment was of no help. His attempts of keeping distance failed so greatly for he acquired several cuts from their sharp bony fingers.

Astier saw the little amount of hope they have from evading the peril. They were soon surrounded. Ardelian appeared as though he drowned in the flood of the undead when he disappeared from Astier's sight.

Astier felt their long bony fingers piercing through his skin like hot needles grazing simultaneously. They want to take him apart and feast on his limbs.

He mustered all his remaining energy and strength. And conveniently, a technique had come into his mind.

"Blade of Death! Wipe them all!" After yelling those words, Astier swayed his arms as though he was swinging a baseball bat to hit the ball. A powerful dark force came out from his gesture in the shape of a massive blade, cutting through everything it passes by by the waistline.

Fortunately, Ardelian was able to evade the peril of his friend.

All the undead were eliminated, and Astier's body fell with a loud thud to the ground after. The sword in his hand had indeed melted like wax.

Apparently, all the undead remained as they were after Astier used the technique.

"D-did he actually kill them all?" Ardelian muttered to himself. The wounds on his entire body inflicted him with a burning yet stingy sensation. He wanted to aid Astier but he couldn't even lift his own finger.

Then a voice from behind him mysteriously answered, "His power is pure darkness, after all."