Chapter 48- Taking Out the Trash Part 3

The situation has taken a dangerous turn as if any orb touches me once, I could disintegrate into nothingness.

With my only option other than my scorpion that somehow remains untouched, I recede safely into the shadows where I can think.

Observing and listening, I notice that although it appears that the orbs are randomly bouncing, they actually have a set rhythm to when they all bounce on the wall.

I also know that his shield needs a couple more hits before it breaks, and I have to take advantage of his weakness before he recasts it.

I close my eyes as I quickly remember the tempo of the orbs hitting the walls, drowning out the guy's taunts.

My eyes jolt open as I check for any orbs coming my way before launching from the shadows that I'm in.

The moment I'm halfway to reaching him, the room echoes with the sound of the orbs striking the wall and I activate Enhanced Overdrive, zipping me past him in a burst of speed.

The orbs continue to bounce around, as I land in the shadows, I made prior, which recharges my mana a bit.

With the orbs rebounding back to the walls around me, I summon two clones and cast Blessing of the Fox on them.

I oull them into the shadows with me as I wait for the right time to begin our assault.

The moment comes when I hear the orbs bounce of the walls and I wait just a brief second before launching all of us out the shadows.

The clones run along the walls as I travel directly middle, straight at the guy.

As expected, he sends three orbs at me, ignoring the clones.

Before the orbs can reach me, I teleport with the scorpion, who safely lands on the ground where I once was, and I am now behind him.

Activating Enhanced Overdrive, I quickly strike out multiple times at his shield before continuing past.

As I whizz past, the clones make it to him, jumping from each wall simultaneously lashing out at his shield as they pass back to another wall.

He motions for the three orbs to return, then sends the remaining three orbs at me once again.

Seeing that if I teleport to the scorpion that I'll get annihilated by the orbs, I dash towards the wall out of the way of the orbs, then teleport to a clone.

The clone and I continue our assault on the shield by striking at it as we pass to the next wall, and cracks begin to form on his shield.

I can see the anxiousness on his face as he motions for the orbs to return back to him.

All three of us, get one more round of hits in before they return in time and his shield shatters like glass around him.

Panic sets in his eyes as he brings back out the runes, desperately trying to type something on them.

I don't give him time, as I summon shadow daggers to disrupt him. They prove more effective than I planned as three of the rotating daggers slash at his side, drawing blood.

Pain on his face, he stumbles back as he sends out all his orbs towards me.

Glad that he's just focusing me and not on what I'm obviously using to dodge his attacks, I once again switch with the scorpion that once again gets me out of harm's way.

With his orbs gone and me near him, he backs away from me while holding his injured side, which causes him to fall to the floor.

While crawling away from me he tries to reason, "Spare me, for together we can take down Skiaxodius and can rule the shadows."

In case he tries any funny moves I cast Shadow Warden and hands appear from his shadow under him, wrapping around him until he's immobile.

"There's a lot of reasons as to why I'm going to say no there. The main one that overshadows the rest is the fact that I do not like you at all. But if you admit that you surrender, I'll spare you."

Hope flashes through his eyes as he shouts without hesitation, "Yes I surrender, don't kill me."

Smiling, I don't feel bad at all as I activate the perk Merciless and the shadows that are currently holding him raise him in the air.

He begins to scream as the hands reach into his chest, splitting him open spraying blood everywhere.

He goes silent and droops as the shadows extract from his body holding a blue orb the size of an orange.

As the shadows return and his body drops to the floor with a thud, the bloody shadow offers the blue orbs to me which I hesitantly accept.

When the orb makes contact with my skin, it disappears into my skin and a notification appears in my eyes.

[Due to absorbing someone who has access to a Tier 6 spell, you have gained the spell Shadow Orb Tier 1. This spell can send out a controllable orb of shadows that absorb all it comes into contact with. Cannot absorb sunlight and disperses when it comes into contact with any form of light magic.]

From reading the effect of the spell and remembering one of my curses, I understood that light magic was the counter to shadow magic, which made sense.

I didn't dwell on this however, as I was excited to return home from wherever I currently was.

Turning to face the exit, a giant eyeball appeared in front of me.

" You make a great executioner. However, I have one more task for you before I decide to send you home."

I can feel my face get hot as I have a moment of anger but manage to calm down as I remember who it is I'm talking to right now.

Through clenched teeth I ask, "What would you have me do now?"

"One of the contenders to be my champion has lost my favor and now wanders my realm. Kill him, and you will be returned home with my gifts."

Sighing that I will have to face another I reply, "Consider him dead."

Walking around the eyeball to get started on my task, Skiaxodius calls out, "Do be careful, this guy is a Tier 8 Shadowmancer."

With that said, he disappears, leaving me standing there in shock as I realize how fucked I am.