The Sword and The Saint

A Saintess roamed the lands helping humans who didn't rely on the gods yet and eventually met the first sword saint Jeffar, at this time Jeffar was in his struggling days and still aiming to become the best swordsman in the world. He would challenge every swordsman who came across his path and there was no challenge he would back away from.

The Saintess approached the wounded Jeffar and said,

"Please allow me to heal your wounds. It is said to see you covered in so many scars."

Jeffar replied with,

"These scars represent all the battle I've fought and I refuse to part with them. I am a swordsman who shall cut everything in this world."

"Even me?"

Jeffar remained silent.

"I will give you a challenge then, if you can cut this staff of mine I will leave you be and I will tell you were you can find greater swordsman to challenge. If you fail, you will let me heal you wounds."

Jeffar was stunned how can she be so confident? Is she saying he's a weak swordsman?

"Sounds easy enough. I don't have a method to repair or repay you for the damages to your staff however."

The Saintess replied,

"It is fine."

And they began. For 22 days he continued to try to cut the Saintess's staff but was unsuccessful.

"I think that's enough to prove you're lacking."

"Just one more day! One more day and I know I can cut it!"

"Nope, I've given you plenty opportunity to cut the staff. Now let me heal you."

The Saintess bright light enveloped Jeffar's broken body.

Jeffar flinched.

"It burns a little."

Not to the Saintess's surprise, Jeffar was in slight pain, but his wounds were being erased so all was okay.

"I have to be honest, I am not human."

The Saintess was calm.

"I knew already from the moment I met you. I can see peoples' souls after all, I am the Saintess."

"Saintess? I've heard of you. But I'm a demonkin why would you help me?"

"Because it looked like you needed help."

"Ah, I see. Well I should be going I have pursuers."

"Ah hold on."

And before the Saintess's words reached Jeffar he disappeared.

***

Jeffar thought it best to not associate with the Saintess, since the ones pursuing would make it make it seem like his expulsion was in fact a betrayal all along. Jeffar continued to roam the lands in search of greater and greater challenges unbeknownst to him that the Saintess has been in deep trouble ever since they parted ways.

[Jeffar, I have a present for you.]

He heard the voice in his head, and he was unable to resist the urge to chop his own ears off but he wouldn't. It would be foolishness and anger that would drive his actions, not the sword.

[What is it, Baal?]

There was no further communication, a hell gate opened in front of the weary Jeffar, and he stepped into it. The sight in front of him unbelievable. Jeffar's eyes widened and he let out a gasp unwillingly showing his emotions.

"""Hahaha, I knew it. I was waiting for you to grow a little bit stronger before calling you here. It was worth the wait."""

"What do you want Baal? I don't know that human."

"""You can pretend all you like but your lover here said that you would definitely come to rescue her. I couldn't believe my ears. A Saintess relying on a Demonkin for help? And a low ranking one at that?""""

"What do you want Baal?"

Jeffar couldn't raise his voice, Baal was the king of hell, and if he wanted to, Jeffar would be vaporized in an instant.

"""Kill her. Kill this plague that afflicts all of heaven and hell. It is your duty as a demonkin.""""

"Why didn't you do it since she's has been in your grasp."

Jeffar forgot his place.

"""What did you say?... I have something else in mind now. The two of you will fight together. I know you can't back down from a challenge so here's the deal. You will fight up the ranks of demonkin, demon, and eventually a great demon of my choosing. Should you survive the trials I set before you, I will grant you the authority of a Great Demon and will return the petty demonic power that was stripped from you for being a failure."""

"I accept."

"""Good it was either that or death."""

***

The challenge set forth by Baal was a death sentence regardless. The saintess was being corrupted by the black magic power of Baal, although slowly, it would surely claim her life or turn her into something worse, so it was a race against time.

Jeffar started the trial. The stage; the 34th hell.

Jeffar and the saintess were in the very center. There were no neutral zones on the 34th hell to recover so it would be a fight to the death.

Jeffar slaughtered countless demons and demonkin that were trying to take the life of the Saintess, accumulating wounds and scars as though he didn't care about his own, he also knew that his resurrection would be denied If he fell in battle here.

Days and nights passed with no food or water they had to survive by feasting on the flesh of the demonic creatures slain and drinking from the only river of blood. It was painful and they were unlikely to survive. Jeffar wasn't affect as much but the Saintess' bones and blood screamed from pain. However she wouldn't let this show on the outside, she had to be strong for Jeffar.

***

"Jeffar, I am sorry. I shouldn't have said your name, I shouldn't have said you would come to my rescue. I'm so sorry."

The Saintess began crying, after showing a strong front for this long why break now? The reason was simple, she knew the end was coming, Baal's black magic power couldn't be kept at bay any longer and sooner or later she would be corrupted and either die or transform into something she rather die than become.

"It is fine we're going to make it out of here together."

Jeffar clasped her small hands in his. They shared their final moment together before death would claim them.

***

After countless Demons and Demonkins died at the hands of Jeffar and the Saintess, the final boss made their appearance.

"""I'm not sure why Baal sent me to kill a lowly lowest of rankings demonkin who may as well be a human but, I'm here to kill you."""

"Saintess stand up. We make our final stand here."

"My name is Eve. Let's fight well together Jeffar."

The long battle started, the great demon sent forth didn't expect this to be so difficult. It was just to squash a lowly demonkin!!!

"""You bastard! Baal you bastard you tricked me! This is no demonkin!""""

"Eve! It's now or never!"

Eve placed her remaining divine power into Jeffar's blade. The force he swung with was so tremendous that not only did he split the great demon cleanly down the middle, it sliced through the 34th hell completely destroying the landscape and shattering the 34th hell in half. This land would eventually be forgotten by everyone except by a few who knew of what transpired this day.

The message appeared.

[The greatest swordsman and the saintess have made an unprecedented achievement.]

[You have fused the power of a saint and a swordsman.]

[The world calls you a Sword Saint.]

[You have become a very important person. You won't fall down easily. The special reward has increased your maximum health by 10,000.]

That would be what a player would see but this isn't a story about a player.

"Please Jeffar, I won't last much longer."

"It's okay we've won! We made it to the end!"

"No Jeffar, Baal has won, please kill me. Regain the respect of your kind, and when the time is right avenge me, avenge our unborn child."

"Child? But we, but I..."

Jeffar didn't know how to feel, should he be happy? Sad? He wasn't sure. But the person in front of him was becoming something far from a saint. And so he acted. He turned to his demonic instincts briefly so he wouldn't have to bear the pain and then...

Jeffar cut her head off. He wanted to give her a swift death. No one should have to die when their time hasn't come but this was truly a tragic moment.

Jeffar would go on under the guise of having slain the Saintess himself, Baal thought that jeffar had turned his back on her and returned to what he should have been all along, and now Jeffar waits for the perfect timing while gathering strength in order to overcome his greatest challenge that he doesn't know yet exists.