Lightning's Poem (2)
Rain began to fall.
Sabnack instinctively looked up at the sensation of cold raindrops piercing through the sweltering heat. The liquid trickling down her cheek was pure water. Out of nowhere, rain poured from the heavens.
The feeble misty drizzle that started with soft patters soon transformed into a fierce downpour, engulfing the earth. Shooooaaaah.
Raindrops hitting the black flames turned to steam and vanished. Yet the torrent cascading from the heavens showed no fear of death, drenching the battlefield in thick fog.
Rain? The weather wasn't supposed to turn like this... Did someone deliberately summon this downpour? Are they thinking they can douse my flames with it? What a colossal mistake. Rampage Flame never extinguishes. As long as there's even a scrap of fuel left in this world, Rampage Flame will revive endlessly and burn everything to ash!!
Sabnack's eyes widened as she gripped the hilt of her dark sword tightly.
The evil dragons remained unscathed. Even amid the deluge, the black flames surged undiminished.
This is it—the finale. The Raging Flames Demon King intended to end it all with this strike. No more time for them. An ominous dread clawed at her mind. Dragging this battle out any longer wouldn't do. Sabnack resolved to drive the final nail into this prolonged fight.
"I'll block them with everything I've got. Yushin, you go for the Demon King's neck."
Only you can kill the Demon King.
Ardena declared it as she unleashed her power to hold off the shadowy evil dragons. Her iron will to stand firm, even at the cost of her life, was palpable.
Yushin nodded at the high elf warrior captain's words. He wanted to stop her from sacrificing herself, but in this desperate pinch, there was no choice if they were to turn the tide.
"Pointy-ears, who died and made you the hero? Bro, leave it to me. Sneaky bitch, using this chance to score points with him."
"I never said that!"
"Liar."
Ardena scowled and snapped back at Allen's cheeky jab. Joking around in this dire moment? Yushin marveled at Allen's steel nerves.
I thought the rain would weaken the flames a bit... Guess it's not that easy. If we can just survive this strike, we'll get our opening.
Eight dragons conjured from the inferno. Eight dragons to pierce through to reach Sabnack. Yushin let out a dry sigh.
Thanks to the pounding rain, his head cleared swiftly. Letting his Lightning Sword (Karus) hang low, ignoring the rainwater streaming down his forehead, Yushin fixed his gaze solely on Sabnack.
"The hour of annihilation has come. Vanish forever—you, the hero who felled the Tyranny Demon King, and you knightly women who dared stand in my way. Your names and courage, at least, I shall etch into eternity."
Sabnack flashed an arrogant grin as she swung the hilt of her dark sword wide.
The black flames stirred.
Evil Dragon Reincarnation.
The dragons of black flame charged in unison. Pillars of jet-black fire erupted skyward.
The flames' ferocity defied survival, incinerating all on the ground in an instant and revealing to those on the battlefield the true nature of Rampage Flame.
* * *
The sudden downpour had stalled the war between the elves and the Demon King Army.
The black flames still blazed across the field. But with the sky-choking smoke settling in the rain, the chaos briefly subsided.
"Die, you vermin!"
The evil spirit knight swung his cursed blade, relentlessly cutting down elf knights. Alone, he plunged into their ranks, carving a sea of blood and corpses.
Proving his status as the Demon King's kin, black flames surged from his blade. From his hollow sockets, red glints spewed death as the undead knight slashed from horseback, felling elves charging from both flanks and smashing through those blocking his path.
With every gallop of his ghostly steed, a carpet of blood and flesh unfurled.
A shield?
Halting the evil spirit knight who had slain hundreds of elves was an elf knightess bearing a shield.
The evil spirit knight chuckled darkly. A mere shield daring to stop his charge? Amusing. He raised his black-flame-wreathed blade high to cleave elf and shield alike.
But he failed.
Though he struck hard, his sword bounced off instead.
"Gahk!"
He couldn't breach the shield. His phantom steed, charging like a chariot, slammed into it, launching his massive frame airborne. The steed crashed into the ground soon after.
But the evil spirit knight endured. He'd dismounted just before the impact.
Landing safely, he glared with bulging eyes at the elf clutching the Holy Shield.
"I've faced countless warrior captains, but a relic-armed one is a first."
The evil spirit knight lowered his sword. A shield-bearing warrior captain. Finally, a matchup with one of the Liberia Elf Kingdom's elite core forces. Battle lust flared in him.
"Warrior Captain of the Fifth Seat, Rosta Buckle. I shall purge the evil threatening my kin."
"I am Gedenhide, retainer of Lady Sabnack. I'll turn you to a corpse."
The duel of sword and shield began.
He hammered down endlessly with his black-flame sword, seeking to shatter the shield. But it held firm. The sacred shield, its defense scaling with the user's courage and resolve, shrugged off the onslaught with unbreakable durability.
Rosta, who had stuck to pure defense, seized the moment as Gedenhide fell back and swung her shield in offense.
"Grk!"
Gedenhide raised his arm. The flung shield smashed it down.
Crack.
Bone splintered. Enraged by the threat, Gedenhide unleashed fiercer flames and attacked.
The searing heat proved too much; Rosta retracted her shield and retreated.
"...Not bad for a shield."
"With this shield, I'll crush your bony skull."
"Grahahahat! Try it!"
Gedenhide bellowed a chilling laugh at Rosta's warning and swung again.
But this time, not at the shield. He targeted the space around the elf warrior captain, intent on burning her alive.
No matter how sturdy the shield, it couldn't block flames spreading everywhere. She'd end up as charred remains clutching it.
"Raaahhh!!"
Rosta roared, swinging her shield wide. Flames scattered.
Proving it wasn't just for defense, she shoved back the blaze and counterattacked fiercely.
Claaaang!!!
The black-flame-shrouded shield battered Gedenhide mercilessly. He blocked with his cursed sword, but the force overwhelmed his two-handed guard—bones cracked throughout his body.
"Kahak!!"
The shield uppercut his jaw next. His vision blurred. Against Rosta wielding it like a bludgeon, Gedenhide could only take it helplessly.
After landing a mortal blow, Rosta deliberately closed in, swinging relentlessly. Shields outmatched swords up close. She pressed defense and offense together, overwhelming him.
"You filthy wench!"
Gedenhide reached out, deploying dark magic. Black chains materialized, binding Rosta's legs before hurling her away.
The elf knightess tumbled harshly across the mud-soaked ground. The rain-heavy muck cushioned the impact.
Even in the unexpected toss, Rosta never released her shield. She rose on both legs, raising it anew.
"Pulling dark magic out of nowhere... I thought you'd stick to the sword. Surprisingly versatile. Cornered enough to resort to spells over blades?"
"I never said I'd fight with sword alone."
Gedenhide retorted. His body was already undead. Sword or sorcery—victory in the duel was all that mattered. Chivalry was long forgotten; Even the most despicable methods would suffice.
"I never said I'd win with shield alone."
"What?"
As Rosta finished, biting cold assailed, freezing the ground to ice in an instant. A blizzard encased Gedenhide.
Drenched from the downpour, he froze solid in seconds—a statue sword raised high.
"Senior, you're late."
"Be grateful I came at all."
Bariteon replied to Rosta, unleashing Eternal Snow again to whip up another blizzard. He refroze the ice-bound foe, who strained to break free. Bariteon erected massive ice walls, like stacking a frozen tower.
Intending to seal Gedenhide within an all-around prison of ice.
"He's thrashing hard. Can't keep him frozen forever."
Bariteon murmured, hand on the wall. Black flames surged within. Faint but clear—a colossal energy clashed inside.
"At least we've handled one headache."
"Not fully. The biggest pain's still out there."
Bariteon turned, staring where black fire pillars spewed endlessly. Where Demon King Sabnack stood.
Heat there vaporized the torrent instantly. No way to see inside. Steam from evaporated rain blocked all vision.
They could pierce the foggy steam to check, but approaching that brutal melee was unthinkable.
* * *
Yushin broke through the Evil Dragon Reincarnation and reached Sabnack unscathed. But at great cost in blood.
Forcing past the flames had shredded his body to rags. Blood streamed from his face. One eye was ruined, sightless—burnt out piercing the heat.
With his remaining eye wide, he unleashed a frenzy on Sabnack.
"Ardena and the human knightess have finally peeled off. You're alone now."
Sabnack said. She couldn't hide her admiration as the rag-doll figure swung his sword. Incredible willpower. Body broken, yet spirit fiercer than ever.
To think a human possessed such unyielding resolve. Awe surpassed shock.
They say cornered beasts are deadliest. That death-defying strike is the most terrifying.
Sabnack parried Yushin's onslaught without retreat. Pride as Demon King and swordswoman forbade it.
Prolong the war of attrition, and the Demon King Slayer would collapse on his own. But Sabnack wouldn't allow it.
Consumed by resolve to win outright with full power, she met his attacks head-on, closing distance.
"Thrash all you want!"
Sabnack bellowed. She'd meet his all-out, final desperate blow. Honoring the unyielding Demon King Slayer to the end, she charged bravely into the climax.
"Grraaah, raaaaaahhh!!!"
Amid the deluge, the mangled swordsman roared like a beast, swinging his glowing blue Lightning Sword (Karus).
And then, from the evil heavens shrouded in pitch-black thunderclouds, thunder roared—lightning cracked—and azure bolts began to strike down.