Soul of Blades - Chapter 54: The Fiendish Sovereign (Patreon)

Three demonic forms ravaged the settlement. The smallest, Gutter Imps, were grotesque parodies of children. Their faces bore sickening grins, their eyes pools of gleeful malevolence. Each raised sharp-clawed fingers, playing with their meals in a mockery of innocent curiosity.

Then, there were the grotesque Slaughter Fiends. Tall and towering, covered in rippling muscles, they were monstrous beings. Their skins were deep crimson, and multiple eyes shone with malignant and depraved intentions. Horns curled from their foreheads, deadly crowns for deadly creatures.

Most terrifying were the Brood Mothers. They towered over the rest, hulking monstrosities of demonic flesh that walked on many legs. Their forms were twisted and contorted, sickening amalgamations of grotesque features. Their many appendages thrashed, each tipped with deadly, glistening claws, spikes, and barbs. Countless eyes glinted in the fiery light, promising doom and despair to any unfortunate enough to encounter them.

"Lady, swing left!" Alex shouted at the girl beside him, leaping toward the horde of demonic creatures that filled the section of street they found themselves in. It looked like a plaza, maybe. Alex couldn’t tell, everywhere he looked he saw demonic creatures. Lots of them. They had impeded his journey to the pillar of light, a wall of demonic flesh and flames barring his path.

And the woman. He hadn’t even noticed he had been followed until he’d heard her battle cries. He had no idea how this one lone warrior had managed to keep up with him during his stat-enhanced race through the settlement. But somehow, she had followed. He would have stopped her if he could.

His command boomed and the girl twisted in response, her broadsword whistling through the air. It made contact with the creatures around her.

The Slaughter Fiends surrounding her dispersed, collapsing to the ground in two pieces.

Well, Alex thought. At least she’s strong.

Instinct urged his fingers towards his chest, where instead of the expected warmth of skin, they brushed against the cold unyielding touch of a sword's hilt. Alex swiftly pulled the flameblade from his chest and into his Inventory, replacing its fiery light with a summoned blade of white— the Weightless blade.

[Grade F Skill: FlameBody (Active) removed!]

[Grade F Skill: WeightedBody (Active) gained!]

He turned, and plunged towards the mess of demonic creatures. Phoenix Leap took him skyward. Gutter Imps below him squealed, flailing as they crumbled under the girl's blows. “WeightedBody,” he breathed, and the world lurched, its pull intensifying. His weight shifted, increasing, gravity clawing at his heel. With a thought, a blade sprouting from the sole of his foot on command.

Down he fell.

The human comet returned to earth with a rumble, a crash, and a boom that sent blood and dust whirling. He met his target not with a stumble, but with the certainty of a hawk seizing its prey.

Two blades plunged into a Slaughter Fiend, Its knees buckled under his enhanced weight, the ground a web of cracks from the impact of his landing. The hulking mass of muscle roared, thrashing, trying to dislodge him. Its efforts were futile, a blade at Alex’s foot and another in his hand had lodged firmly in its flesh, unmoving. The demon's claws thrashed wildly as Alex shifted his blades, deliberate, poised, and precise. A Boundless Dodge, and his movements carved paths of defeat through the creature, leaving nothing but evisceration in his wake.

He landed on stone in a swirl of red and white.

"Push forward!" the girl commanded, rallying both of their morales. Before them lay what looked like a small army of horned, warped beings, filling the wide street. All they had was each other, just the two of them, facing a wall of demons, and a mess of bodies.

A swing, a duck, a dodge, and a slash. Demons fell in scores as they worked in unison. They covered each other’s gaps and openings, the girl appearing almost out of nowhere to cleave a demon in two as it attempted to ambush Alex from above.

A fresh wave of blades crashed into the demonic lines. Metal met demonic flesh. Battle cries mingled with warped screams of dying monstrosities.

Chaos. Carnage.

A glance upward. The Brood Mothers. Standing amidst the chaos, in the center of the mass of demons, untouched. Bellowing their infernal challenge.

In Alex’s mind they seemed to impose on the demons around them, their mere presence causing the lesser demons to scurry aside out of fear, or to avoid being trampled by their many legs.

They have to be worth a lot of quest contribution points, right? Alex steeled his gaze and wondered about their worth. They seemed different from the others, somehow.

He had already made his decision. And the sight of the brood mothers affirmed it. He would close the incursion, and seize the highest reward. He needed to take out the Brood Mothers. Alone. Without help. He hoped the unnamed girl would survive without him. She seemed to fare well against the lesser demons. She’s strong. She’ll be fine, he decided as determination settled upon him.

Three monstrous forms. His gaze locked onto theirs. They bellowed their challenge.

He accepted.

The first, a grotesque Brood Mother shrouded in moving shadows, wove a net of darkness around her demonic form. Sinister, almost sentient strands of abyss sought to entangle him. Somehow, he could sense the demonic beast's intentions, or more likely, it projected them towards him. It felt glee, glee at its newfound freedom and the abundance of new species to hunt. He felt a wicked joy and anticipation of hunting and killing him being projected into his mind. It was trying to instil fear in him, the fear of the hunted. The sensation enraged Alex.

He was not prey.

Phoenix Leap carried him out of the shadowy trap, moments before it clenched tight. He soared, propelling himself with the force of his magic, both his Mana Blade and Sovereign Executioner striking true from two angles, twin blades slicing through the darkness and into the heart of the beast.

It collapsed in a mess of impossible limbs as he continued to soar towards his next target.

Beneath him, the second Brood Mother, a monstrosity of living decay, roiled. She absorbed his hits, her form shuddering, wounding, then healing at a terrifying speed. Her regenerative ability was frightening, her grotesque resilience hinting at a monstrous vitality.

WeightedBody. Phoenix Leap. Alex ascended into the smoky sky, weightless, his silhouette briefly haloed by the infernal light beneath. A demigod of death. He glanced down at the battlefield; his eyes met the gaping maws of the remaining Brood Mothers. Monstrous forms of terror, exuding potent hunger.

Phoenix leap. Mana Blade. WeightedBody.

In a rush of air and crackling mana, he was plummeting back down, a comet, sword leading. His blade, enveloped in a vibrant sheen of mana, met the third of the Brood Mothers. Its surface succumbed to a weight that exceeded its own, his blade, enveloped by mana, met no resistance. The monstrosity roared, an ear-piercing sound that pounded throughout the battlefield. A thick appendage fell away from the beast, the cut so clean it barely had time to bleed before the severed limb was consumed by mana fire.

Below, a small band of warriors entered and fought the smaller broodspawn, joining Alex's female companion. This small band seemed higher level, or at least, moved faster than most of the people Alex had seen since he arrived at the town.

Still, they weren't nearly fast enough to match him. Maybe they hadn’t allocated the stats they gained from killing demons? The heat of battle made it difficult to even register system notifications. During battle, Alex completely ignored them, and he was thankful the system allowed him to do so. He didn’t want to lose his life over something as foolish as being distracted by his own notifications.

Another two warriors and a mage entered the plaza. Alex hoped they were the last of the town’s fastest citizens.

This is taking too long, frustration seeped through Alex’s armour. He couldn’t afford to have more people catch up to him. The more people that were involved in whatever it took to close the portal, the less likelihood of him receiving the top contributor prize. He wasn’t even sure if he had done enough to be rewarded as it stood. He had to end this, somehow.

And the girl was still going strong. She was a spectre of death and an angel of destruction. Alex noticed her form blurring at times, whenever she stepped from creature to creature, leaving only chunks of flesh in her wake. That’s definitely a movement skill Alex thought, realising how she had managed to follow him so closely, when he left the town’s main force using that same skill, one that probably rivalled his own.

With her excessive use of her skill, Alex guessed her mana would probably bottom out soon. Unless her stats rivalled his, too. Although, judging by what he’d seen of the people who entered the tutorial so far, he highly doubted anyone would have the levels needed to match his stats.

Well, at least she'll survive with the support of warriors and mages. Maybe he would ask for her name when this was all over.

Another Phoenix Leap. He shot upwards again, evading a swipe from the second Brood Mother that left the air ringing with the sharp scent of singed mana. As he reached the apex of his ascent, Alex took in the battlefield beneath him.

Two Brood Mothers left. And countless demonic spawn had begun pouring from one of their guts. So that explains their numbers. It was a sea of chaos. It was a sight that would break the resolve of most, but not Alex. Not after all he'd been through.

Another monster roared. The third Brood Mother, in a nest of flickering shadow and flame, directed its gaze at him. Its eyes held an unsettling intelligence. Alex felt a wave of unease as he fell towards the ground, a ripple in his wellspring of mana as something strange entered it. The Brood Mother was exerting her will, her mental prowess. She was attempting to seize control. Of him.

His Outer Focus flared, an abrupt push against the infiltrating mana, but it utterly failed to protect him as his gaze met hers. The relentless tug of her power was threatening to drown him, to bend his will. The beast's mana continued to invade.

He lost control of his limbs.

His Inner Focus sparked to life. A bulwark, a bastion of his own making. Guided by the skill, he sensed the invading mana attempting to engulf his mind and forced it out with a flex of his will, his internal mana completely under his control. He was beginning to see why this skill was rated so highly.

The dread stare broke.

His life was saved.

[Inner Focus - Mastery: 12 > 14%]

He turned his gaze, rolling away from an incoming Gutter Imp. He struck it mid-roll, his Mana blade slicing through it as easily as one would cut through a ripe melon.

A white blade erupted from his stomach mid-roll, jarring into the ground to launch him airborne.

In the corner of his vision, he saw one of the warriors twist suddenly, his face contorted in conflict. His eyes held a glassy vacant look as if he was sleepwalking, or under the thrall of the Brood Mother's domination.

The man's sword swung, but not towards the enemy.

"Damn," Alex muttered. The battlefield was turning, the odds against the warriors. He wished they hadn’t followed him here; they weren't going to make it. Ally turned away from demon to cut down ally, and Alex’s mana reserves were dwindling from the constant use of his skills.

As warriors rallied and attempted to aid him, they fell, one after the other. The third Brood Mother, encased in a shell of flaming darkness, held them under her thrall, their minds subsumed by her dominion. Alex leapt to and fro in a desperate attempt to save them, he was a vision of blades, one held in each desperate hand, his construct blinking between realities.

Phoenix leap. Sovereign Executioner. Boundless dodge. Mana Blade. WeightedBody. Phoenix leap. Phoenix leap. WeightedBody… Mana blade.

His heart clenched at the sight of his would-be saviours turning on each other.

***

The warriors' weapons sang a deadly melody, a chorus of steel, magic, and demise. It was an orchestra conducted by the demon high above. Through its tones, friend attacked friend and brother turned on brother.

The unnamed women—the strongest of them, resisted. She stumbled. Falling to her knees, onto an intricate pattern of marble tiles. Blood sprayed as her blade swept off-course, her movements hindered.

She heard Alex screaming, the roar of magic exploding around her as his construct blasted demons apart. Then…shouts of horror.

“Sacred mother, Matthias! What have you—”

Blood and pieces of armour and flesh rained down around her. A mage, felled by his allies. Her allies.

The unnamed woman heard a voice, the ring of steel, and then saw a man, his voice booming above it all. “Fall back! No!”

Imps leapt on his back to embrace white blades that erupted from his spine. The man was death made incarnate, a blade given form.

Exclamations. Ringing footfalls. Collapsing men and fiends. The man was still trying to reach them. She was kneeling, and the wild sweeping of her sword blurred her vision. Soon blood blurred it further.

But that voice—that familiar voice was still trying to save her. Still shouting.

She shouted back at him, “Leave me.”

***

Alex turned as the last of them fell. The girl. She lay on the ground, unmoving, her own brilliant sword impaling her stomach. Alex’s heart ached at the sight. He didn’t know her, but they had fought side by side against the wave of monsters. Calling out warnings, rallying each other, and saving each other’s lives. He had felt connected to her, somehow. At the sight of her unmoving form, his lip trembled. So he bit his lip, trying to fight back the swell of his emotions. His grip on his sword faltered. And he struggled to raise it.

It was futile. They were all dead.

He was alone, again.

A smaller demon screeched and lunged. Alex side-stepped and slashed, his body moving on instinct, his mind vacant. His heart pounded painfully as his lips tightened. He forced back the tears he felt swelling and raised his sword, viewing the remaining beasts around him.

Later, he decided. He would deal with the pain later.

Alone, he faced the onslaught.

Two Brood Mothers. Countless demons. All his allies had perished. The main force of the settlement lay far behind him. His mana, the cornerstone of his abilities, was all but depleted. Yet his will to survive remained bruised, damaged, but unbroken.

His breaths came in low, steady bursts as he fought to calm and center himself. But instead, at the sight of his fallen allies, a cool rage began to bubble within him.

Alex's eyes darted from one enemy to the next. The brood mothers towered over the rest, waves of their psychic assault pounding in his skull. The demonic matriarchs circled him like vultures as the air crackled with their psychic energy. His skin tingled from the raw mana they continuously exuded as they sought to flay his mind, to scorch his very soul.

One skill. He only had enough mana for one final skill use.

He chose "Mana Burn."

[Mana burn (Duration: 30 sec): slowly Burns through the caster's entire mana pool to double stats for a short period]

[Due to insufficient mana, all skills will be disabled during use.]

Alex stared at the additional notification. “Fuc-”

His vision blurred as he channelled the last remnants of his mana into the skill. His muscles coiled tight as the surge of magic rushed through him, infusing every part of his being and inflating all of his stats. His mana flared violently, and his body shook as the final dregs of his mana were consumed. In the blink of an eye, the remaining trickle of his mana vanished. His stats, however, soared.

Time slowed.

His agility, speed, and intelligence had doubled, and the movement of the beings around him blurred into a slow-motion tableau. Over 1000 collective stats became over 2000, 300 dexterity became 600, and just under 400 intelligence became just under 800. In the heart of battle's maelstrom, Alex's pulse became steady. The Brood Mothers' once swift attacks now lumbered towards him like underwater specters. A lesser demon lunged at him.

He dodged. Easily.

His body twisted mid-air, his boosted agility carrying him out of the creature’s reach. The attack missed, grazing only embers. The creature, caught off balance, staggered forward. Alex landed lightly on his feet.

He punched.

With his doubled strength, his fist connected with the low-levelled demon's chest. The impact was colossal. Demonic gore sprayed in every direction. The surrounding demons stuttered, a forest of damned that witnessed the creature's lifeless body flung backwards, barrelling into its comrades.

A Brood Mother lunged.

Her razor-sharp claws cut through the air. Faster than the rest. He could feel the heat radiating off her as she drew near. His hand tightened around his sword. His heart beat a staccato as he focused.

He parried.

Metal met demonic claw in a clash of wills. He felt the vibration of contact travel up his arm. His boosted endurance allowed him to withstand the blow, the claw sliding off his blade to only scratch his skin.

He struck.

His kendo training flowed through his veins. His blade followed a swift path, cleaving through the Brood Mother's flesh. She screeched, as blood, organs, and unborn eggs sprayed across the battlefield.

She fell.

The battlefield held its breath as the remaining Brood Mother roared, the ground beneath them quaking with the beast's fury. Countless demons turned their fiery eyes on him. Enthralled. They charged with suicidal abandon.

Alex fought.

He felt the ground tremble at their steps and the air shift at the subtlest of their movements. He saw the sounds of their fiendish screams, creating shockwaves that painted a hellish image. He sensed them from all angles and for the briefest moment, he felt omnipotent.

His body moved on its own accord. Each swing of his sword sent a demon to its death. Every block, every dodge, every counter was executed with enhanced precision. The carnage was unfathomable. Dark demonic blood, guts, and viscera bubbled and scorched the street in waves.

The second Brood Mother advanced.

Her psychic waves were a tsunami against his mind. He grunted, pushing back against her assault. But he was failing. His movements faltering. Soon he would be overwhelmed and under its complete control.

His blade rose once again, the cold metal flashing under the crimson sky. His arm twitched against his will.

He lunged.

The ground exploded behind him as his blade cut through the Brood Mother like a knife through butter. She didn't even have time to screech before her lifeless body hit the ground. The battlefield fell silent. He stood alone, a titan amid the carnage.

He breathed.

His enhanced stats faded as Mana Burns' duration ended. His body screamed with exhaustion, but he ignored it. He stood tall amidst the plethora of fallen demons, his solitary figure bathed burgundy in boiling blood and the ghostly light of the surrounding flames.

The red pillar of light still loomed in the distance. And a slew of notifications he had ignored during the battle assaulted him.

[You have defeated level 65 Astral BroodMother - additional experience points due to the level difference]

[You have defeated level 63 Astral BroodMother - additional experience points due to the level difference]

[You have defeated…

[You have defeated…

[You have defeated…

[Level 50 > 60]

[Strength +40, Dexterity+40, intelligence+60, unassigned stats +40]

A soft flash of light, and a red crystal landed some distance behind him, its soft clinks sending ripples through the air.

A skill crystal? Alex laughed dejectedly at the irony of receiving something so useful while he had no mana to use it. Maybe the people of this planet were right about the system after all.

He stepped over some of the remains of Brood Mothers and beasts, his path lit by the red pillar of light. His journey was far from over.

He walked.

Into the heart of the incursion.