by Riker Kane
“…You can’t do anything to me. Not with that weapon!” He snapped his fingers and black and blue smoke blew onto the summit from the mist. It took the shape of a ferocious black lion. It was twice the size of a normal one, its fangs just as deadly and its paws capable of pinning Clayton down.
It moved forward and stalked Clayton, blue eyes focused on its prey.
“Stay calm… No abilities… Just swordwork.”
The lion lunged at him and he ducked out of the way, slicing at the lion in the process. The beast was so large, it was an easy target to hit. But even the deepest cut wasn’t enough to slow it down.
“Crap!” Clayton rolled out of the way again as the lion tried to pounce. He just narrowly avoided it then backed away to steady himself, his lower stats making him noticeably slower.
Belenoth cackled to himself, laughing hard with his hand on his stomach. “You amuse me, Ferrum. Perhaps I shall keep you around after I take your essence.”
“Keep me around and I’ll kill you.” Clayton charged recklessly at the lion. The beast lunged forward and swiped, catching the Ferrum against his cheek. Clayton gritted his teeth from the pain and cut the lion in its side again.
The lion staggered but stayed on its feet, slowly turning around to size up its prey.
The rain washed away the blood steadily dripping just below Clayton’s eye.
“You can do this… Predictable attacks. It’s a cycle… Just time it…”
He squeezed his hands tight around his hilt. The lion reared back, ready to charge with a final, lethal pounce. Just as the massive beast leaped into the air, Clayton dodged to the side and thrust up into the air as hard as he could. He stabbed the lion in its heart and impaled it. Its roar sounded like the thunder booming right next to the summit.
Clayton held on for as long as he could until the weight of the lion disappeared. The creature faded into the mist, returning to where it came from.
Clayton let out a satisfied sigh and turned to Belenoth with a smirk. “You’ll have to do better than that to beat me.”
“I merely wanted to see what you’re capable of. Strengthen your essence, Clayton. All the more satisfying when I take it from you.” The Maledict held his palm out and the long, thin black rapier formed in his hand. He placed his other hand behind his back and pointed at Clayton with his weapon. “Are you prepared to feel the power of envy?”
Clayton clenched his jaw. The rain wet his grip on his sword. The grass was slick beneath his feet. But he ignored everything. The rain. The lightning and the thunder. The assured death that awaited him if he were to fall.
“I don’t need Zeal. I don’t need my levels.” He pointed his sword back at Belenoth. “Let’s rock.”
Belenoth paced forward with his weapon raised. Clayton circled him, waiting for an opening. He feinted his thrusts to mimic how he’d seen other fighters do. To his surprise, Belenoth reacted to his faked attacks. He took advantage, faking another one. Belenoth responded by moving back then returning in place.
But Clayton was waiting. He stabbed his short sword and caught the Maledict in the stomach. The blow wasn’t deep but was strong enough to cut through Belenoth’s breastplate. The frustration in Belenoth’s eyes only made Clayton smirk.
“What good are levels if you don’t know how to use them?”
“That’s good advice, Ferrum. Maybe I will use your levels now… Ahh!” Belenoth moved faster than Clayton had ever seen. So fast Clayton was unable to react. The rapier caught him in the shoulder, piercing his armor.
“Oh… That hurts… Definitely bleeding now…” Clayton held back his groan but his grimace couldn’t mask his pain.
“You see that?” Belenoth said. “You are fighting a losing battle. No matter how strong you get, the Maledict will always be stronger than the Ferrum. You have no chance! Ahh!” Another lightning quick stab caught Clayton in the leg.
Clayton swung back in pain and frustration, just managing to catch Belenoth on the arm. Even with his depleted strength, Clayton was still able to knock the Maledict back.
Belenoth pointed his blade at Clayton and thrust forward. The blow was slower this time and Clayton was able to avoid it, though his roll on the ground wasn’t very graceful. He grimaced from the pain in his leg.
“Can’t take any chances…” He reached for the potions in his pouch and swallowed them. The wounds on his shoulder and leg began to close, though the holes in his armor remained.
Belenoth turned his back to Clayton as he looked out toward the sky. “Interesting… Very interesting…”
“What’s wrong, Belenoth? You afraid you can’t beat me without all of your advantages?”
“No… I’m merely surprised you’re able to put up a fight. I suppose that’s my fault for attempting to humor you.” He slowly turned around. “I’ll make this simple for you Ferrum. Lay down your weapon. I will take your essence from you and you can return to the world I know you came from. You will be able to live a full, normal life.”
Clayton chuckled and shook his head. “Not a chance.”
“Was your life so miserable you’re willing to throw it away?”
“I have no complaints about my life. But nothing would make it more satisfying than ending you.”
“Hmm… So be it.”
Belenoth held his rapier to his face. A blue aura began to appear around it.
“Can’t let him get this off.” As Belenoth charged his energy, Clayton moved forward and swiped at him. Belenoth was forced to lower his weapon and parry his attacks.
Clayton kept swinging. He flailed wildly and missed. The times he didn’t miss, Belenoth was able to knock his sword away. Clayton didn’t stop. He continued his relentless assault knowing he lacked the dexterity to land a telegraphed blow.
“Slow him down. Don’t let him charge his weapon.”
His efforts began to take their toll. His stamina was slowly depleting. His arms ached, growing heavier with every swing. His legs felt like they were sinking into the ground. “At least the rain is wiping away the sweat.”
Belenoth grew more frustrated, forced to block Clayton’s reckless swings. “Enough of this!” He scowled at Clayton and parried his swing so hard, Clayton was forced to a knee.
“Come on… Come on!” Clayton had to will himself up back to his feet, his stamina completely drained.
“There it is… You’re all out. Now it’s time to end this.” Belenoth held his sword back up to his face. “I will enjoy taking your essence, Ferrum. With it, I will become the strongest Maledict Xeylon has ever seen. You can rest peacefully knowing you tried… though your efforts ended in failure.”
The Maledict focused his energy. The shining blue aura began to form around the blade. Clayton did everything he could to try and stop him but he could not muster the stamina.
“Is there anything else you’d like to say before you feel the power of envy?”
Clayton gasped deep breaths, trying to stay focused.
“You’re wrong,” he said. “I tried… but I didn’t fail.”
“There’s no need for such bravado now. You couldn’t touch me.”
“I wasn’t trying to touch you… I was only trying to slow you down.”
Clayton looked up at the Maledict and smirked. Belenoth gritted his teeth, anger growing in his glowing blue eyes.
“Clayton!”
They both turned their heads to the voice that boomed at the edge of the summit. Grady stood there with the weapon in his hand, a crimson aura around it as it shined in the darkness of the storm.
“Catch!”
Grady tossed the weapon through the air.
“Don’t screw this up now…” Clayton watched the weapon rotate through the air. Just as it got to him, he reached up and grabbed the hilt. The weight of it nearly knocked him on his back but two hands around it steadied him.
He looked down for a second at his new weapon. A long, steel hilt, the pommel the ruby heart he’d always used. Above it sat the orange sph
ere from the other hilt he’d acquired. The long handle extended all the way up. But it was no longer a simple longsword. Two cleavers extended in both directions, each one large enough to cut through a man’s torso.
Clayton rose to his feet with the double-pitted axe and held it up in the air. “Wow… This thing is impressive—”
Clayton’s admiration for his new axe was interrupted when he felt a familiar, stinging pain in the center of his chest. Belenoth moved his face close to Clayton’s as he sunk his rapier deeper.
“I don’t care if you have Zeal,” the Maledict grumbled through gritted teeth. “I will take your essence from you and I will destroy Xeylon!”
Clayton groaned. “I don’t need all my essence… I only need enough to… swing…”
Clayton felt his essence draining from him as Belenoth pulled it from him. The axe grew heavier in his hands.
“Come on…”
He gritted his teeth as he raised it into the air above his head. The weight of it was like the entire world over his shoulders.
“It’s too late, Ferrum!”
“It’s too late… for you…”
Clayton slammed his leg hard into Belenoth’s gut. He didn’t know if it would work but the Maledict stumbled back to give Clayton the space he needed.
“Not much time left… Gotta go now…”
Clayton kept the axe up with the strength he had left. Gravity pulled the weight of the axe down onto Belenoth’s shoulder. The weapon shattered his pauldron and kept going, down his breastplate and severing his arm off completely. The Maledict fell and his rapier fell out of Clayton.
Clayton braced himself from falling from his fatigue by digging the axe into the ground. Belenoth laid on the ground, his arm separated from him.
It was over. They both knew it. And with that knowledge, Belenoth looked up at the Ferrum who would end him with a scowl sinister enough to give someone nightmares.
“You’ll never beat the Maledict… Your strength… will always be bested… It doesn’t matter how much essence you have…”
“Maybe you’re a better fighter and all I have is brute strength. That doesn’t matter now… Because I’m taking my essence back!” Clayton leaped into the air with his last bit of stamina. Ignoring the thunder and lightning crashing around him, he raised the axe up and slammed it into Belenoth’s head. The blade crushed his skull and silenced him completely, returning him to the mist from which he formed.
“Clayton!” Grady rushed up to him. “Seal the rift! Use Zeal!”
“Right…” Clayton groaned as he turned toward the opening in the sky. His weapon was heavier than before. But he could slowly feel his essence returning to him and with it, the strength he needed to wield the axe.
He raised it to the sky and watched the crimson aura glow white hot. It grew so bright that Clayton was forced to close his eyes. The energy pulsed from the axe and fired toward the mist. Clayton held on for as long as he could until the light vanished.
He opened his eyes. The aura around his weapon had disappeared. The storm on top of the summit continued to rage but the black and blue mist in the sky was gone.
Clayton sighed a deep breath, his stamina only just beginning to return to him. It was more than enough for him to smile up at the blacksmith.
“I think I’ve had enough of this weather,” Clayton sighed. “The rain is starting to get inside of my armor.”
The old man put a hand on his shoulder and smiled back at him. “Well done, Ferrum.”
Chapter 44
The storm passed. The morning sun rose. Dew dripped from the leaves on the trees and bushes. The smell of wet grass and dirt filled the air like the world was born anew. Clayton appreciated every bit of it. Even though this high in the mountains, the air was thin, it was refreshing in its own unique way.
He took in a lungful and sighed. His shirt off, he examined his shoulder.
“Does it hurt?”
He shook his head as he trailed his fingers along the scar. “I don’t feel a thing. There’s a scar though…”
“Potions and spells can heal your injuries but there will always be evidence of what they’ve done.”
“As long as it’s healed. Besides, it’s kinda cool. Chicks dig scars.” He raised an eyebrow at Jalise. The sage bit her tongue to hide her smile, demure as she always was.
“Your wounds are healed. How is your…”
He flexed his arm. The bicep bulged considerably, a satisfying vein running along the muscle. “I feel as strong as ever. I think I gained a few levels on the trip to the summit. I should stop by the essence tablet.”
“Take as much time as you need. After everything you’ve been through, I think you’ve earned it. We’re in no hurry to return.”
Jalise excused herself and helped one of the villagers begin the reconstruction of Taius. Mirella. Kailani. Rena. All of their help was still needed after the ravages of the Maledict attack and the following rainstorm.
Clayton ran his hand along his arm, enjoying the peace of his surroundings.
“Clayton.”
He looked up and saw Owen approaching.
“It’s good to see you’re all right. Jalise told me what you were planning on doing. It sounded quite dangerous. To take down the man responsible for the attack on our village. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“The Maledict are vicious and cruel but I can defeat them.”
“I… I wanted to thank you.”
“You already thanked me for saving your life. I know you’re grateful.”
“No, it’s not that.” He swallowed, his eyes shifting like he was uncomfortable with what he wanted to say. “My neighbor… during the attack… He was killed.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“I… I was frightened. I was angry. I was frustrated. I wanted to do something but I couldn’t. I didn’t know what to do.”
“Nobody would blame you for feeling that way. Losing someone hurts. That feeling of helplessness…”
“That’s why I wanted to thank you. You took care of the one responsible for the attack. You avenged everybody in Taius.”
Clayton sighed. “If it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t have attacked this town.”
“You had to come here. You had to see the Outcast.” Owen put a hand on Clayton’s shoulder and smiled. “You are different. I don’t know what it is but I can feel it. There is something about you… Something special. I felt the same way when I first met Grady.”
“I guess he and I are strange in a way…”
“I don’t know what your destiny holds for you. But I am in your debt. The same goes for everybody in Taius.”
“Thank you, Owen.”
“I… I should probably go back to helping everybody. You must be tired. I’ll let you rest.” Owen left to join the others.
Clayton watched the village for a moment before getting up to his feet. He walked up the hillside to the plateau where Grady’s forge was. There he found the blacksmith standing on the precipice, enjoying the view with his hands behind his back.
“It’s incredible,” he said as Clayton approached. “We’re so high up but we still can’t see all of Green Terra. Only the edges of the kingdoms to the north and south are visible.”
“Have you ever been to the other kingdoms?”
“Just a short visit when I was much younger. I searched for every piece of literature I could on the Maledict and the Zeal Blade. I took an apprenticeship with a blacksmith to hone my craft. I wanted to learn everything.”
“It looks like it paid off.”
Clayton shifted his eyes toward the Zeal Axe. It stood in the grass, one of the massive blades sunken into the dirt.
“That’s not what I was expecting. You think you went a little overboard?”
Grady chuckled softly and nodded, his eyes still focused on the sprawling view. “I used all of the Zealinite I could. You can’t take any chances with the Maledict. It seemed appropriate.”
“I was just be
ginning to feel comfortable with the Zeal Blade. I suppose it won’t hurt to gain more strength to properly wield this.” Clayton walked over to the axe and lifted it from the ground. He slung it over his shoulder to help with the weight. “I feel sorry for any Maledict who’s on the other side of this. They should be terrified.”
“Since the dawn of time, it is the citizens of Nalore who felt the same way.”
“…Is it true? From what you know, does my strength correspond with the strength of the Maledict?”
“That is what has been said. Every generation, when the Maledict gather enough strength to open a rift, it coincides with the time the Ferrum are ready to wield the weapon and strengthen their essence. It is the reason every generation is sent to your world, so they may live in comfort before an inevitable battle.”
“Me leaving Nalore and leveling must have changed all that. That’s why Belenoth was able to open a portal to Xeylon so quickly.”
“He did not have the full strength of a Maledict army but it was considerable.”
“I wonder…” Clayton sighed as he looked out into the distance. “…Maybe I should stop. If I don’t level my essence, the Maledict will take longer to get what they need.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Why wouldn’t I? The next generation of Ferrum will come to seal the Maledict away just like the one who came before me.”
Grady slowly turned his head, finally looking at Clayton. The old man was shorter but the wisdom in his eyes made him seem bigger, Clayton thought.
“What does it matter how strong the Maledict get if you are stronger? You have a chance to do something no other Ferrum has done. You can end the cycle of the Maledict. It will be an achievement like no other.”
“An achievement…” Clayton looked down, smiling at the thought of it. He came to Xeylon and stayed out of a need to satisfy his own need for accomplishment. Now he was looking at a man who suffered. And there were countless others across the world just like him, some who had yet to be born.
“If what you’re saying is true, I wonder… How strong could I possibly grow?”
“You are a Ferrum. Ironblood. There is no limit to what you are capable of.”