Chapter 64: Trickster

He didn't have any power to boast, that's for sure. After all, this tale of his aren't blessed by fantastical gods in stories. If anything was gifted to him, that'll be unbelievable amount of misfortune. There's ascension of life in a form Marks, promising strength as they climb in life. Unfortunately, it discriminate against him, deeming Zyro, an otherworldly existence unqualified for it's blessings. Mystical magic also exist, versatile and had limitless potential as long as one understand it's godly alphabets. Sadly, Zyro human body enable him from welding such sorcery, with or without talent.

As if this world despised him.

Except the iron gears he bring that will soon be broken. Zyro had nothing but himself. It wasn't new, really. He had been alone in many dilemma, but emerge alive, nonetheless.

On the other hand, the Blinker was not only empowered by ascension. It also possess power beyond that, something he still doesn't understand. Yet in the end, it loss to a mere human.

How?

By turning it's strength against itself. A typical strategy for powerful opponents.

Days ago, Zyro took out the most valuable magic stone he managed to mine by luck. It was a fist size golden ore, the one he found after returning from the vampire Village and also the reason why he rather quarreled with the blocking plunderers in order to protect it from their greed. Followed by the unforseen involvement of the Alpha Guard that he killed.

Thinking about it, in a sense, it's the precious golden crystal that damned his slave life for months. It was the thing that ignited his conflicts against the Plunderers. Having dealt with all that trouble, there's no way he'll let his efforts be wasted. Therefore, Zyro hid the magic crystals somewhere safe in the caverns. Yellow colored mana stones are precious as rare gems, and he have a considerably big one at that. It's price are enough to cover dozen years of a commoner life if sold on right hands.

That's what he hoped to use it, originally. However, due to the Blinker troubling arrival which demanded to be solve.

His left with no choice but to melt the precious mana ore. Pert craftsmanship and Aster endurance aid him to create a stone stove and reach the required temperature degree for it to melt. In the process, Pert fanned the furnace nonstop to the point an Aster, a race who's known for boasting superior stamina begged to rest. Melting it with only the two of them took more than a day. It wasn't easy.

After that, they smeared the liquefied yellow mana into the Shroud of Night chest plate. It spread and dried quickly, Zyro had sewed some fabrics to hold it in place as precaution.

In his study concerning the swift monster nature in killing it's preys. He discovered a similarity all if it's victims corpse shared. Back in the caravan, the diseased remains had gruesome stabs on their heart. Additionally, In his first encounter with the Blinker, the monster beak fall short, but it was undoubtedly aim at his heart.

A habit is hard to kill, they say.

So when the Blinker assaulted the Zyro, the monster beak struck at his right chest. Where not only his heart is located, but a yellow quality mana stone hid beneath obscuring garments.

Magic stones were valued and feared. Value due to it being necessary in utilizing language of Gods that played a big part on society. Feared, because if handled recklessly, it's lethal side effect are triggered. Zyro had witness it at his first day in the Mining- the powerful explosion akin to sonic blast that send a poor slave flying to death.

The same grave mistake Zyro orchestrated for the Blinker to make. The moment it's beak hit his chest, the smeared, solid mana crystal cracked and broke. Unleashing a devastating explosion. The greater the crystal quality and size, the stronger blast it produced.

Though, the Blinker wasn't the sole taker of such destructive boom. The knight who's insane enough to calmly attach a literal bomb in his chest for a monster to push it's trigger took the blow too, specially originated Infront him!.

The stealth armor cannot be trusted to keep him safe, that's for sure. Therefore, before the stunt. Zyro meticulous pick his position for that moment. Fully aware he'll be blown quite a distance backward, he choice to stand in a spot where trees behind him are arranged in a relatively straight clearing to not block his backward flight. Fortunately, trees doesn't grow densely packed and maintain distance away from each other, so finding such arrangement aren't that hard.

However, for him to be blown to his desired direction. The Blinker, who will charge at the trigger chosen position are essential to the equation. Surprisingly, that monster being an intelligent creature favored him, making it easy to predict where the Blinker will chose to stand when it spotted his knight figure.

As expected, the Blinker was wary and blocked the way to the tunnel entrance.

Just as calculated. Allowing him to reduce the almighty monster to a dying beast.

Of course, it easier said than done. So as killing the Blinker.

Growing puddle of dark blood touched the Zyro's steel boots. Who stare at his vanquish foe with merciless eyes devoid of light. Agony rage within him, by he didn't care. The eerie taste of victory awash the bitterness of pain.

But not fully, the Blinker may have it's beak broken and was forced to inhale toxic gas from the great wall of fog. The desperate huffing accompanied by spraying blood and more aggressive twitching than before. Suggest it's monstrous vitality. It refuse to die, to be defeated in such way was unacceptable. The Blinker fought against the impending oblivion with sheer willpower.

However, the Fallen Knight won't let it. No matter how slim the chances are, he rather make sure the Blinker stays at it's grave forever.

Moving near the laying monster head, Zyro kneel and send his strongest punch to the Blinker eyehole. Unleashing Shroud of Night retracting silver blade along his attack to improve it's thrust lethality.

The blade tip sunk into the black ires. Betraying his expectations, the Blinker eyeball wasn't as soft as he anticipated. Eyeballs were usually fragile due to it being an organ for sight. Vision are a complex body sense, therefore required numerous delicate parts. The Blinker eyeball didn't feel as such. It was tough to some degree, as if it's made of rubber.

However, it's durability, despite being abnormal was still vulnerable against sharp, pointy blade driven by lethal force.

There were struggle pushing it in, but Zyro only have to put more strength into it. With gritted teeth as he bear the negative effect of straining his muscles, which moved the cracked ribs.

Receiving the dagger going through its eye, the Blinker puffed large amount of air through its broken beak, causing a huge spray of blood. The monster would have produce an ear-piercing scream, but It's body was born incapable of shrieking.

The Blinker convulsed frenziedly, it's limbs shuddering. At first, as last struggle, the Blinker intended to harm Zyro. But it's attempt was futile, for it's limbs joints are restricted to reach where the knight is knelling.

As the blade dug deeper, it's desperate and pained movements turn abstract and aimless.

Becoming dull by the second. Putting a last push into it, the blade fully sunk. Finally taking the Blinker's life.

The legendary monster, a villain of countless tales and reaper of many and keeper of mysteries are no more. Vanquish by someone, who's not even an Alpha - Zyro with his own two hands and tons of trickery. The Blinker was an intelligent creature and exceptionally strong, but it didn't know everything.

It was oblivious of what hid beneath the dark knight clothing. Which caused it headbutt a bomb that crashed it's head and sustain grave injures. Severe enough to be powerless against his blade.

However, instead of feeling raging triumph for his impossible accomplishment.

Zyro frowned. Confused of what just happened. When the retractable silver blade pierce the Blinker eyeball and through its skull. He could swear he felt something strange, as if the blade had struck glass inside it's head. As a veteran killer, he had stab countless enemies. Each of those moment was memorable, to the point the feeling wielding a blade going through flesh, bones and organs was engraved in his mind.

The Blinker head though, felt different. There's something inside that's nether flesh, bone or squishy organ. More like fragile glass, as though he stab mirror glass beneath layers of flesh.

'Was it my imagination, or did I just feel something broke...'

Although, delivering the blade and killing the Blinker seemed long. In truth, the process was fast so as his dubious thoughts.

Before Zyro could dismiss this mystery with the conclusion that it's a new organ with undiscovered structure, texture, parts and functions.

Black mists erupted from the Blinker aye socket, as soon as his blade fully plunged along the feeling of hitting something glassy.

In response, Zyro quickly reacted by pulling his weapon out as he jump back. Creating distance from the emerging black smoke.

That's when he realized the wrongness of this situation.

That insidious smoke came from the Blinker corpse, coming outs from it's dark flesh unhindered by physical barrier. Similar to magic circle Depter shown, the dark smoke exist as ethereal substance. Untouched and unstoppable by anything physical.

No amount of armor nor sharpness could block and harm it.

What worried him though, was the unreal smoke movement. It seemed to be attracted to Zyro. Taking a step aside, the smoke direction shifted towards him like a snake.

Seeing this, Zyro sighed. Knowing his hopelessly damned.

"I knew I should have written my last will when I have the time."

The ethereal mists flowed faster than he could run. Soon passing through his cybernetic armor.