Chapter 9 : War shadow

A cold wind was slicing his back, he could feel how the creature was trying to reach him. He heard the intensity of the footsteps increasing, he didn't have much time till the war shadow will catch up to him.

His mind was racing to find a way to scape the situation, leading the monster in a narrow hall could work, though he didn't put his hope on that. He raised his saber in air, by a sudden thought.

The saber vibrated, sending shocks through Sidhe's body, his arm was numb after them impact.

The monster was now on him, a black tall creature, with three claws as fingers at each hand and a head that looked like a cross. It was known as the "newbie killer" together with the Killer ant. It was fast, with sharp fingers, and powerful.

Sidhe took a defensive stance, preparing himself mentally for the incoming fight, the war shadow sliced with its hand, Sidhe didn't have time to evade, the attack was too fast, his only solution was to block with his saber.

A metal clang, the saber shook from the impact. Sidhe saw how his doom approached. He took the initiative, and attacked back, with swipe, the creature stepped back.

Then countering by thrusting his knife like fingers, using them like a spear. Sidhe jumped in air, the knife sliced through his leg skin, it was a superficial wound, but a wound it was.

The war shadow tried again to spear Sidhe, he twisted himself as the hand passed next to him, leaving shallow marks on him arm.

After some tries to thrust at Sidhe, the war shadow gave up, and joined in close combat.

Swipes, slashes and thrusts. Sidhe has a hard time, he got cut in multiple places, he almost got his tail cut by a mistake.

His hands were trembling from exhaustion, the creature didn't even slow a bit, it was a blur for him.

Attacks were coming from everywhere, he was like a sitting duck, waiting for the hound to finish playing.

One punctured his right hand, leaving deep gnashes, blood poured, he let a cry of pain, the dagger falls to the ground, the war shadow broke through his defense.

He gripped the saber, ducked when a hand was coming to his throat, then rolled to evade an incoming slash. The location was against him, he didn't have any place to take cover, or secondary halls to run in. Only two exits there were, in front and back.

The pressure was increasing, the frequency of attacks was increasing, another attack, another wound, he would die of hemorrhage if not from this cursed monster.

His eyes never left the black blur, he tried to precognise the incoming attacks. One swipe.

He blocked it, the saber's blade was full of scratches left by the war shadow's attacks.

His robe was rags. He dodged by a nick of time another slash to his stomach. His will was wavering, will he meet his end here?

He didn't pay the debts, he didn't even pay his life debt to Lord Miach. He looked at war shadow's face, his hatred was visible for the creature to see.

He saw those blades approaching his eyes, he raised his right hand to block it. A searing pain, the pain was unbearable, yet he couldn't waver right now, not now. Never, he had his duty, and that was to repay Lord Miach for everything he did to Sidhe.

His right hand, had three holes in it, he was at enough distance for the hand to not cut the arm, yet, it still left three big holes, it was questionable if he would be able to use his right hand in the future.

He laughed at the irony that now Lord Miach's familia will be a familia of cripples, both of his adventurers losing their arms. If he would survive that is.

He got closer to the war shadow, he kicked, for the first time in the battle, he was able to hit back. He saw enough. He could see the damned creature's path, attacks were predictable.

A slash was coming, he ducked, then another one, he parried it.

Now a thrust to his stomach, he stepped back. Another attack, now from the left, now from the right.

His reaction time was improving, his mind clearer. There was only one thought remaining, survive.

He couldn't jump anymore, he was tired, huffing, he blocked another attack. His energy was running out, if he didn't finish the battle in the incoming five minutes, he will be diced.

He couldn't move his right hand, It was dead. He sidestepped as the creature did a swipe, now, he countered with a slash to the creature's wrist. He drawn blood, the wound was not deep, but he did draw blood. A wave of exhilaration spread through his body, his mind looked analyzed every move of the war shadow.

The creature leaped at him, angry at the injury, he smiled, this was a dumb mistake. He lowered his body as a thrust came. He put all of his strength into the next attack.

As the war shadow was turning he hacked into creature's back, it let a shriek of pain.

The attacks were erratic, pain affected its coordination, and he underestimated his first cut, it was more deep than it seemed.

Its body was slouched, black blood was pouring from its back. Sidhe needed a decisive attack that will kill the monster.

The questions were, when and how?

He baited an attack that hit the wall, the fingers pierced the wall like it was butter, Sidhe used the moment to make another cut on the creature's body.

The dungeon started healing the affected wall, while the war shadow got its hand free. It started sprinting to confuse Sidhe.

Sidhe felt like he was in a tornado's eye. A black blur was circling around him, blades passed by, every second felt like an eternity, he couldn't evade, his eyes narrowed. Now.

He swung his saber. The war shadow raised its hands to protect its throat, Sidhe's ears flopped down, sighing with his last bit of strength.

The saber entered deep into the hands, leaving a deep cut, but the bone was too strong, sadly.

He parried a slash. The saber vibrated, a creaking sound, then the saber broke in two. He looked with a bleak eyes at his saber, he started winning, even in his ragged state he still had the chance, now, he wasn't sure.

He picked up the broken blade, seeing the war shadow jumping at him, he thrown the blade, the war shadow evaded. While Sidhe sprinted to reach his dagger.

He felt a strong wind coming his way, he let himself to fall down on the ground, those knifes passed next to his head, just five celch lower and he would have lost his life.

He took the dagger, then rolled as the war shadow pierced the ground, it tried to free its arm from the ground. Sidhe plunged his dagger into the monster's body, then again, and again.

Till the war shadow plummeted. He let himself to lay on the war shadow, feeling like a predator who took down his rival.

His backpack was intact on a corner, he crawled to it, then took a sandwich, he ate as he looked at his enemy, he killed a war shadow. He killed a war shadow, he couldn't believe his senses, this was a "newbie killer" a monster so powerful that rookies only its mention will cower in fear, and rightly to do so, they are monstrous in their strength and speed, he could personally attest it.

Still, he was doused with cold water, if only a war shadow could bring him to this state, with a heavily injured hand and deep cuts everywhere, what awaits him on the sixth floor or seventh? Or beyond them.

He thanked the gods that he didn't enter the fifth floor then, because he would never have returned.

He took a look at his now broken saber, a good companion, it's sad that he needs to part with it. He got up, and with small steps he approached the war shadow, he carved the magic crystal out, still intact, it will make him a good amount of money. The monster slowly became ash and dust, yet it left behind a finger-knife.

He took, admiring it with curiosity, he lightly touched the blade, yet it drawn blood. A smile was appearing on his face, thinking that it will be a perfect blade for a dagger.

He lay a hand on the wall as he lowered to take the backpack, then, with laborious steps, yet confident, he left the dungeon.

When Misha saw his situation, she left her booth and helped him to reach for a chair, she then started chiding him, "What have you done?! You entered the fifth floor, right?"

He shook his head, saying, "No, I was on the fourth floor, it was strangely silent, then I found a dead group of adventurers. I tried to run; the war shadow caught me, so, the only solution I had was to fight."

Her eyes were like saucers, saying, "You survived a war shadow? Sidhe, you are so lucky."

He nodded, "Yes, I was able to kill it," pointing at his backpack he said, "I have crystals to sell, please, Misha, can you help me sell them?"

She took the backpack with a bit of effort, her face was scrunching up, she left to sell them.

She then came back with a bulging pouch of valis, saying, "Here are 3200 valis. You are a madlad, I saw the war shadow magic crystal. When you get back in shape, come and tell me how you kill it."

He nodded, taking his backpack and the pouch and left for his home.

He opened, there was Lord Miach and Naaza eating the meal. Lord Miach smiled at Sidhe, then his smile disappeared, looking scared, at him.

He left in haste the chair and took Sidhe in his arms, taking him to his room.

Sidhe tail was swishing, he felt protected and in safety now, he will survive this ordeal, he won, gloating over the dead war shadow.

Lord Miach didn't ask him anything, he undressed Sidhe, checking every wound he had on his body, his face darkened when he saw the injured arm, he finally said, "You meet a war shadow… You have visited the fifth floor?" an iciness was present in his voice.

SIdhe said with worry, as he noticed the tone and the face of Lord Miach, "No. I didn't. I was on the fourth floor when the war shadow attacked me."

Lord Miach put gauze on some of Sidhe's wounds, then he said, "Weird, it's rare for monsters to leave their floors. It doesn't matter, I am happy that you survived intact."

The gauze was cold, then becomes warmer gradually as the gauze is absorbed. Miach then applied bandages over the cuts. He didn't touch yet the grisly injury on the arm, only washed it with warm water, then applied alcohol to disinfect the wound.

Lord Miach then said, "Can you move your right arm?"

SIdhe tried, the arm was at first unresponsive, then his fingers started to move. Miach asked Naaza to bring him a type of potion, Sidhe was half-asleep and didn't heard what kind of potion.

He saw as how Lord Miach prepared in real time a concoction from different types of potions and plants, at the last drop of his strength, Miach gave him a potion to drink.

His cold arm, felt like started unfreezing, his face tinged red, the last thought that he had, was that how weirdly similar was this situation with the one where he meet Lord Miach for the firs time. A black curtain covered his mind, and he fell asleep.