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 010 - The sword saint

    We set off on a jagged and snowy road, heading to the city of Pike. Though we still weren''t far away from the village, Norman suggested that we should stop and rest.


    "Can we not do this tomorrow?" He groaned.


    I didn''t blame him. He was exhausted. Ever since we met, we''ve had no time to rest. But then I felt it. How could I not? A feeling that rattled my bones. It creeped throughout the entirety of my body. It felt as if something wicked was about to come. Is this what they call fear? I don''t know. Whatever it was... it was not a good omen.


    "Norman, I''m sorry but... we can''t do that just yet." I said.


    "Why not?" He asked. His voice was monotonous and tired. It felt like a statement rather than a question.


    I sighed. "Look. Just keep Walking. Ok?"


    He obeyed me. However, it didn''t stop him from sticking his tongue out at me while I turned away.


    "Childish," I thought.


    We kept walking, but my anxiety didn''t go away. The mana around me was slowly drifting away. As if... as if something was taking it. Slowly consuming it as time went on. I casted a utility spell, traditionally used to keep aromas stable and in place. But I choose this spell as one of the side effects was that it kept mana from drifting away.


    But as far as Norman was concerned. Bright yellow sparks came out of my hands and enveloped us in a warm light. It was gentle and soft. Like fireflies buzzing around a cool summer night.


    "AMAZING!" he yelled, his eyes shining brightly like a child''s.


    Suddenly my spell cracked. Is not that it wasn''t working. Rather, my spell just wasn''t enough. Whatever entity had manifested itself, it was desperately hungry for mana. Although I couldn''t pinpoint the exact direction, I could tell that the entity was closer to the village than to us. The village was doomed. Nothing we could do about it. But at least we had time. I was lucky to not have torched down the village. Its juicy concentration of mana was the perfect bait.


    I chuckled as I quickly ordered Norman to walk faster.


    "Why the sudden hurry?" He asked with a puzzled expression.


    "Trust me, you don''t want to know." I said with a frown.


    It was at that moment that the sky lit up in a deadly red. Norman definitely noticed it. It was hard not to. The mana discharge was so unstable. So ugly. It threw the winter sky into chaos, making it hard to tell if it was day or night. A deep and riveting storm could be heard. It slowly got louder and louder, turning into a screech that could have shattered my ear drums if I were any closer. The creature had made its move.


    I kept walking. I was alone, however. I looked back. What I saw didn''t surprise me. Norman was standing there. Still. He was looking back at the village. He was wide-eyed and scared. He started to shake. I could understand why. The village... was burning.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "We need to go back and help the village," he said. Even if he shook in fear, he walked back. Towards his death.


    I swung forward to catch him. Clenching my hand around his wrist. I pulled him back with force.


    "Stop it!" I shouted. I wasn''t willing to compromise.


    "B-but.. the village!" He stuttered.


    I started dragging him, holding his wrist firmly. I wouldn''t let go. No matter what. I held onto him tightly. Like a father holding the hand of a child in a crowd.


    "Stop- Macer- we have to go back a- and- help the people!!!"


    Enough of this.


    "I have a plan to save the village." I said. As a wave of hope came over Norman, he smiled. A sheepish smile. "What''s the plan??" He asked.


    "Count to three Norman," I gently whispered, "When you open your eyes, you''ll see my plan." He started counting, trusting me.


    THUD. Something hit the ground hard. But Norman kept counting.


    "One, two, three!" He finally yelled.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw my equipment on the floor and the foot steps that I made as I fled.


    "If that thing catches up to you, you''ll die again!" I screamed while sprinting away.


    "MACEER Wha''do youuuu meeean I''ll die again!?" He said. Dropping all of his equipment and running towards me.


    "SHUT UP and KEEP running!" I shouted back. We had no time to waste.


    It wasn''t hard to follow me, he just had to follow the footsteps on the snow. Norman was able to catch up to me once I got to the river marking the end of the count''s domain. We were breathing heavily. Upon looking for the bridge to cross the river, we were met by a girl. She was fully clad in armor. Standing in the middle of the bridge, she blocked our way. I thought about evading her by freezing the river, but I couldn''t risk using my mana. Who knows what would happen if that beast suddenly noticed us. I had to think of something else.


    "You two smell like Villains." She said, with her hands firmly clenching to her sheathed sword.


    Norman like the fool he was, raised his left arm and started sniffing himself. "But I took a shower two days ago." He said, unaware that he smells like a hollow. The small price to pay for multiple resurrections.


    The girl had yet to unshed her sword, but she made exaggerated facial gestures. Was the smell that bad? or was she hesitating? Maybe she meant to intimidate us, but failed.


    Besides spell casters, the only other people capable of smelling those who are hollow are Hero ranked adversaries. This was not good.


    "Look sweetheart, we don''t have all day." I said. "Either move or unsheathe that little needle of yours."


    "S-shut up," she stuttered. Casually unsheathing the legendary sword ''Catharsis''.


    Just like that, as Catharsis was unsheathed. All the particles in the air accelerated and turned into mana. This process systematically released billions of mana particles into the air.


    I sighed. Knowing fully well that she just ruined my day.


    I took a single step forward and then half a step back. Positioning my left foot out of her sight. Then blew up on her "Do you not have any honor? you pull a sword like that and you don''t introduce yourself yourself?"


    I kept roasting her and as her smile evaporated, my hand gestures got more exaggerated. "That, sword of yours might be fancy, but you are still a child."


    Like many other young fellows her age, she was not ready to contend against me. She was nothing but a young puppy against an old, clever fox. By the time I was done with my tirade, I had secretly drew 3 sigils on the snow with my left foot.


    "Very well, Old man" She said, while politely nodding for a few seconds. "I am The Sword Saint, Cecilia." She said. "I know you are full of shit. Don''t you dare make a fool out of me. I saw those sigils you so carefully drew."


    I was absolutely embarrassed. I don''t even know if I could take a direct hit by Catharsis in my current state.


    "Fuck" I said. It was louder than I expected. "Bring it on sweetheart."


    I threw the first blast.

 011 - Chatarsis

    The bridge was to turn into a war zone. As Cecile charged at me. I responded by throwing half a dozen magic orbs at her. Which she made no attempt to dodge. Some of the orbs missed and the ones that did not, she tanked with Catharsis. As the orbs popped on her sword, they broke down into smaller orbs. The orbs were bright enough to blind her. But that didn''t stop her from closing the gap between us.


    "Dodge this!" She yelled. Swinging her sword half a second too early. It was poor footwork.


    "I swear, you are lucky to have that swor-"


    The impact of her sword made my body crumble into dust. Cecile stood there dumfounded.


    "huh!?" She said. Poking my "corpse."


    Cecile had fallen into my trap. I quickly regained form. My menacing shadow towering behind her. I blasted her with a soul blast.


    It was a direct hit, She landed flat on her face. Breaking her nose. As she attempted to stand up, blood started dripping from her face. I blasted her again, with such a violent force that her dented helmet made its way to Norman.


    Pathetic but predictable. Catharsis might produce unlimited mana. But mana has no alliance. Her inability to use it meant that I could cast high level spells without sigils.


    It was time to end this farce. I materialized an ice spear on my hands and made my way to Cecile, who at this point laid half dead. Norman must''ve noticed that I meant to prickle her heart. He attempted to be a hero and ran towards her.


    "No Norman, don''t!", I yelled. Dashing towards him.


    He didn''t understand. There was no way for him to do so. He reached Cecile first.


    "Macer, you can''t do that" He said. "Let''s just go."


    As soon as he stood between me and Cecile. The flow of mana arced then imploded. Catharsis was awake. Cecile raised up less like a phoenix and more like an undead. Her left arm seemed loose. Her body could barely stand. But her eyes glowed with murderous intent. She knocked Norman cold with the back of her hilt.


    "Catharsis" I said. "after all this years, you still look pretty as ever."


    She responded by throwing a blast at me. "You always been a creep."


    "Hey, it''s been years." I said, dodging the long distance attack. "Do I not at least get a ''how are you?'' or perhaps a ''How are the kids?''"


    Catharsis smiled briefly, "You look like shit, getting old?" She said. "Stop moving and you''ll get your well earned rest."


    She intensified the amount of blasts. The ones that I didn''t dodge, I tanked with a reactive mana armor.


    "Yes, my well earned rest." I said. Pulling my robe enough to show my chest. "I still carry your lovely scar."


    "If you don''t have a death wish, then how come you are not attacking back?" She asked. "Could it be that you care about this boy?" She said, then kicked Norman. "I wonder what face you''ll make if I stomp him to death."


    Catharsis started laughing. Then at that moment, the mana in the air started being drained away. This wasn''t her doing. She probably could feel it too. A creature was arriving at a surreal speed.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Awww Macer" She said. "Why that face? Rejoice!"


    Catharsis was a bad liar. I am sure that if she was human she would choose death over dishonor. But as the sword of a hero, she was dutybound by oath to always protect her master.


    I charged at her. Empty handed.


    "Huh!?" The notion that a spellcaster was charging her made her completely freeze.


    Then upon getting closer, I blasted her with bright orbs. Which she naturally repelled. "That trick won''t work twice." She said. Having inherited all of Cecile''s combat memories.


    A brief second before coming within range of her sword I cried my battle cry. "YOU''RE GETTING OLD."


    Catharsis glared at me with hatred. But when she did, I clapped two magic orbs against each other. The explosion blinded her. She swung her ''sword'' with full force.


    I threw myself at the floor. Had I been hit, my remains would''ve scattered up to ten miles away. The sigils which I had placed before the fight started immediately activated. The middle section of the bridge imploded. This sudden force tilted the bridge inward.


    In the blink of an eye, Catharsis was sent nose diving into the river. It made me chuckle. When we all fell into the freezing water, the bridge collapsed under its own weight.


    As predicted. Once we fell to the river, Catharsis relinquish control of Cecile. Which meant that It was up to me to drag everyone out of the river. This heroic deed took a considerable amount of mana, which Catharsis was still not willing to produce. After casting a set of utility spells to prevent hypothermia. I left the two kids, to take care of a bigger problem.


    Neither Norman nor Cecile held any significant amount of mana. That meant that only Catharsis and I were targets. I plunged once again into the river to recover the cursed sword and made my way deep into the forest. At first, the sword cooperated. But once Catharsis, became aware that her owner was safe from danger. She resumed her vendetta. Throwing mental attacks at me. When that didn''t work, she increased and decreased the mana flow. An act which was sure to induce nausea to any spellcaster in the area. I was exhausted. My mana was near depleted. I kept walking, keeping myself from collapsing. The creature did not cease his advance.


    Upon walking a considerable distance, I allowed myself to rest on a tree. Should the creature arrive, the great Macer would be ready, or so I thought. I soon collapsed vomiting blood.


    When I woke up, I was greeted by the creature. Its voice, inhuman. The language that it spoke was abstract, magnificent, and authoritative. I understood every word, despite not ever hearing the language before. But no spell was casted. The creature had no human features, and yet carried a list. Sins they said. They read from the list. Judgment they say. They looked at me, with hundreds of eyes. They had a single body, of symmetrical form. Two rings of sorts. One ring overlapped the other, perpendicular to each other like a cross. This give them the appearance of an empty sphere. The rings had eyes on the rim. They had a nucleus of sorts. The inner center of the sphere had a even bigger eye. Perhaps they had a hierarchy. But they were only interested in one thing, me, or so the angel said.


    The surrounded area around me, was engulfed in an ever expanding and imploding red. I was no longer in a snowy forest, but floating. Everywhere and nowhere at the same time. When judgment started. All the eyes looked directly at me. My past and present. But before they could agree on a judgment, hundreds of souls left my body. All the eyes that not long ago had stared at me, started having a spasm, like worms that had been dug out. "GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY INNOCENT GUILTY GUILTY INNOCENT GUILTYYYYYYYYYY." They say. My surroundings started shaking violently, yet I was standing in no ground. I was neither failing nor ascending.


    Then I heard it, "MACER" a voice yelled. It was Catharsis, in human form.


    "What do you want? I said, "Don''t you see I am too busy dying?"


    She slapped me.


    When I woke up, I was having a spasms on a pool of my own blood. The angel was floating above me, its eyes going amok, and all the souls that I collected in the cemetery were taken slowly being taken away from my body.


    I stood up, with whatever little force I had left. I could feel Catharsis allowing me to tap her unlimited mana supply. I don''t know what she saw, but right now I knew it wasn''t the time to ask. I pooled all of my force into one swing, Catharsis being lovely for once, unleashed a mana cyclone. The blast, followed by the huge bang, was probably seen all the way to the city of Pike. The sky went up in flames.


    "I spread that fucker good" I thought. That was my last thought before my knees gave away.