I gripped the harpoon made from highly pressurized water tightly. It allowed its caster to do so, it did not damage my palm at all in the process. I then took a running start across the heavily damaged ground and hurled it with all the force I could muster. The weapon soared through the air, growing as it flew – thickening, extending, until it resembled a colossal javelin fit for a mythical titan, hence its name. I loved how it started as a human-sized spear so that I could handle it properly, but once I released it, it would rapidly transform into such destructive proportions.
Blackjack’s single eye widened at the sight, and a scream tore itself free from his throat – a sound that was made up of equal parts terror and exhilaration. It echoed above the havoc caused by the tsunami which was rapidly losing its strength. His scream was a manic war cry that perfectly encapsulated his fractured state of mind. He was both terrified and excited at the same time.
But even in the face of such a threat, he wasn’t ready to yield. He yelled with a guttural cry, “[Fracture of the Mad]!”
Dark red energy erupted around him as he swung his blade in a mighty arc. The motion seemed reckless, chaotic – but there was a strange sense of precision behind it, a calculated method that allowed him to harvest every ounce of benefits he could from his madness. His saber connected with the titanic harpoon and for a few seconds the two forces wrestled for supremacy as both used the other’s momentum to hang in the air longer than they had any right to. “Haaargh!!!” With a mighty shout, Blackjack came out victorious from the exchange as he managed to redirect my spell which flew into the valley outside his territories.
However, Blackjack did not come out of achieving such an amazing feat unscathed. The force behind his own exerted power sent him flying back toward the ground, where he landed in the form of a loud, painful crash.
I would not look down on him or his organization again, so I readied a brutal spell I intended to finish the job with, but just as I began to cast a message reached my mind. <Young Lord! A group is coming! They’re incredibly fast! I didn’t sense them in time!>
One of Kaelira’s elven rangers’ worried voice rang in my head. <How many and how long until they get here?> I asked in as calm of a tone as I could conjure, knowing full well that if she starts to panic I will not gain any important information before it’s too late. Find more to read at empire
<About seven, and they’d already moved past my position! They must be high-level superhumans!>
Damn it. I had to finish this man off before any potential backups could arrive. “[Thunderclap Strike]!”
The wind roared around me as I channeled the spell, and then the air currents dipped beneath me where they for a moment after which they surged toward the sky with explosive force.
Lightning ran across my body before racing down to the edge of my saber where they collected into a single point. The electric energy crackled ominously, promising nothing but destruction to my foes. It was ready to detonate upon impact. I aimed the tip of my blade at Blackjack’s prone form far below me. I had to end this in one decisive blow.
I twisted in midair so that I could angle myself downward once the currents shifted in their direction and began propelling me toward him. The wind shrieked in my ears as my descent turned into a controlled, deadly vault aimed directly at him. His eye met mine and I could see clear traces of fear, but also the continued will to fight. He was clearly ready to meet my assault, at least mentally. Whether he could physically mount a proper response was to be determined in the next second.
*Clang!*
Just as I reached striking range, my blade was intercepted. A sudden clang reverberated through the air as an unseen force deflected my saber mid-swing and threw me off my intended course. My instincts screamed at me and I listened obediently as I jumped away immediately.
Arrows whistled toward me – six, no, seven of them. I pushed my Agility stat and heightened senses from the still effective [Stormblade’s Focus] to their absolute limits as I spun and contorted in midair to evade them. The arrows missed me by not even a whole inch, embedding themselves into the ground below with soft thuds.
As soon as I landed I immediately scanned my surroundings. My horror was immediate.
Entering my sight was a group of seven figures. At their center stood a man I recognized instantly – a familiar face that sent a cold shiver through my veins. He was clad in elaborate armor adorned with numerous symbols that spoke of honor, valor, and pure greatness. It didn’t take me more than a moment to remember who he was; Kai.
Flanking him were six women, each of whom wore bulky iron collars around their necks that let out humiliating clanking sounds with each step they took. Their eyes were sunken as if whether they won or lost mattered little in their minds.
I remembered Kai for being the arrogant slave harem master who wanted to play the role of a main character thus he surrounded himself with exclusively backline women who could support his hedonistic wishes of shining brightly as the sole attraction, and it was evident that he did not change his ways since the last time I laid eyes on him.
The man’s grin widened as he spread his arms in mock welcome after he collected himself from the pressure he experienced due to blocking my strike. “Well, well, well. The fat barons with a horrible naming sense hired me to act in their best interests, so I came to introduce myself to their most cherished ally. Imagine my surprise when I saw a giant wave crash against the place… From their descriptions, I imagine you, my friend who is lying on the ground to be Blackjack, so that leaves me with only one question.”
He paused as his eyes gleamed curiously while examining me from head to toe, “who the fuck are you, masked guy?”