Forala returned to Victor and the others. “Take the wounded to our guild hall and take care of them. Have Emilie heal them.”

  Serena slapped Victor. “I can’t believe you did that.”

  “He needed all the help he could get. I had to.” Victor insisted.

  She shook her head. “Whatever you’re alive. Start taking people to the Guild Hall and have Emilie heal them.”

  Jenora carried a woman in her arms. “Normally I’d say take them to the church but that is where the fighting is.”

  Patricia approached them holding her arm. “We have to stop them, they’ll destroy the city.”

  Victor looked toward them. “Cawthorn watch them but stay far back.”

  “YES MY MAGE!” Cawthorn took off.

  Cawthorn soared to the church in time to hear laughing from Zolvorn followed by confusion. Zolvorn turned to Luke. “Who the absolute hell is this?”

  “Round two asshole.” Luke smiled.

  Zolvorn confused charged at Sam raising his blade high above his head. “ Colossal Strike !”

  “ Sailors parry .” Sam killed all momentum in the strike and kneed Zolvorn between his legs. “You slow slice of stale bread stop resisting and accept your punishment.”

  Zolvorn took almost no damage but the pain lingered. “What the hell?” Luke appeared above him with both blades bearing down on him. Zolvorn blocked and the ground beneath him buckled hurling Sam up in the air. He landed rough and bounced back and forth before steadying his feet. “How many levels 80 and up combatants exist in this city?” He stumbled away confused as Lidia fully healed emerged behind him slicing off his legs. His blades naturally detached and guarded his neck. She disappeared as fast as she appeared. Luke launched him into the church to the sound of screams.

  “EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY MY DEVOUT FRIENDS!” Luke screamed. “HELP THOSE WHO CANNOT SURVIVE THE FALL FLEE!” The screams almost immediately met with church members grabbing the screaming members leaping down from above and filtering out.

  Sam and Lidia walked in behind Luke. Zolvorn pulled himself out of the rubble of an altar. “The three of you want to fight in your own church? Here I thought you’d like to preserve it.”

  Luke turned to Sam. “I know you’re retired, but can you hold him off for a minute while I perform the circle spell?”

  Sam laughed in his scorched shirt. “Hold him off? Sonny, you’ll see what I can do in a minute. You’ve never actually seen it, have you? Snot-nosed slovenly shit won’t stand six seconds against Sea Salt Sam.” He swaggered forward with a stinking smile on his face. “Oi! You little shit. Stand up.” He waved his saber at him.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Zolvorn stood up angry.

  “I’m Sea Salt Sam! Serpent Slayer Sam! SINGALONG SAM” His voice echoed lyrically through the hall. Zolvorn looked at him confused. “You don’t know me, sonny? Well come and let me beat a lesson into you.” Zolvorn truly confused charged at him rapidly swinging and ripping the floor apart as he glanced off it. The parries killed his momentum, and each deflection prevented him from picking up speed. “You’re a strong one! Shame you’re stupid.” Zolvorn lunged for him with his bare hand. Sam simply sliced it off. Briefly Zolvorn glowed instantly regenerating his hand which now held Sam’s throat.

  Zolvorn dropped his sword and gripped Sam’s other arm. “Seriously. Who the fuck are you?” Zolvorn’s blade blocked the scythe appearing behind him going for his neck. He managed to react fast enough to kick her once again. She crashed into the marble wall and damaged it. “I’m usually willing to mess around in fights or give my opponents a chance to show me what they’ve got but you’re different from these two. Who the FUCK are you?”

  Sam smiled. “I’m Sea Salt Sam. May The Boisterous Blue God find you.”

  “No way.” Zolvorn’s jaw dropped.

  “Aye sonny.” He knees him between the legs.

  This time Zolvorn didn’t move despite it hurting. “I don’t have time to deal with you right now. Do you know how long it would take to kill you?” Zolvorn began spinning on one foot turning into a blur gusting wind through the entire building. He launched Sam out a stained glass window of an angel.

  He flew far over a mountain cheering ‘we’ the whole time.

  “SAM!” Lidia called out just having finished a potion.

  Zolvorn glared at her. “He’s not going to die from that. I’m kind of shocked his clothing was even destroyed by the lightning.”

  Luke smirked as he finished chanting his spell. “What? Couldn’t handle Sam?”

  “Oh I can, but beating him would take way too long and you’d be able to escape.” Zolvorn leveled his blade toward Luke again.

  “Escape? You escaped Sam. You won’t escape me now. Lidia, leave.” She melted into the shadows and disappeared.

  “Me? Escape you? I was genuinely having fun but that’s just insulting. I’m not going to leave without your head.” Zolvorn smiled sinisterly. “You shouldn’t have sent the rogue away. She’s been keeping you alive. You’re no match for me.”

  Luke outstretched his two blades. “Golden Goddess hear my prayer! WE OFFER THIS GOLD FOR YOUR MAGIC! DIVINE OFFERING !” The gold of the massive church began to liquefy and flow toward him repairing his armor and coating his blades. Six spheres of solid gold circled him. “It’s become obvious to me that even this might not be enough so I have something to say to you.”

  “Oh? Do tell.” Zolvorn inquired with a smile.

  “You said you had to take my head. Please leave my equipment if you defeat me.” The two locked eyes for a moment.

  “I don’t need any angelic gear, and I don’t need money. I’m not here to desecrate your memory. This is just an order from the big boss himself. Turns out that Kokoxol and Gizixil didn’t like how aggressively you eradicated their cults around here that is all there is to it.” Zolvorn explained.

  “I see. For the record it might be blasphemous but thank you for giving me the chance to try this out and for leaving my equipment.” Luke readied his blades.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Is that all you have to say?” Zolvorn asked.

  “I doubt you’ll see her but if you do. Tell her I fought for justice until my last breath.” Luke smiled.

  Zolvorn deviously smirked readying a charge. “If you lose I will see her one day. Unending Stamina, High Effort Healing, Propulsive Charge ”

  Propulsive Charge Rank 9

  Rarity: Epic

  Requirements: Level 81 Fighter, at least double strength to speed.

  Instant Skill

  Duration: 11 seconds.

  Cooldown: 110 seconds.

  Stamina Cost: 128

  Enhancement to Charge: Charge at the enemy much faster than normal. Increase your speed to equal your strength.

  If it weren’t for the golden spheres shooting spikes out at Zolvorn he’d have taken Luke’s head instantly. Six spikes automatically blocked the blow. Luke couldn’t follow any of the strikes guarding his head. He counted the seconds. ‘3’ One of the golden spheres broke leaving him with five as the flurry of blows rained down from every direction. Zolvorn struck faster and faster even as the spheres lashed out and pierced his gut. He’d just rip it away and heal. ‘6’ Luke knew it had to end soon. Zolvorn disappeared sending four pillars at him. The 5 golden spheres flattened to slice them out of the air. Behind one of the pillars, Zolvorn appeared coasting along the edge of the gold. Luke managed to block the strike but could feel his knee break.

  Luke grunted in pain as Zolvorn backed up. “You’ve fought well.” Zolvorn charged in. “ Colossal Strike !”

  One of the spheres blocked it shattering into a thousand shards of gold. Luke leaped toward him as his blade lodged in the ground. One blade was blocked by his arm slowly slicing off his arm. The other blade hit his neck. Luke smiled as he hit Zolvorn’s neck. The golden spheres pierced Zolvorns body. Luke felt his soul get crushed as he saw the neck wound seal up. He didn’t hit Zolvorn’s spine. He didn’t decapitate him. Tragically he was too short. A blade segment shot up from below Luke’s feet slicing him up his face before the golden spheres knocked it away.

  He tried to speak the word ‘Regenerate’ but couldn’t speak as he had lost his tongue.

  Zolvorn raised his sword again focused on the golden spheres. “ Colossal Strike .” His blow fell blocked by the golden spheres and another one fell. Luke lashed out time and again until only one sphere remained. Luke struck Zolvorn’s leg ineffectively one last time as the last sphere broke. He knelt there completely defeated and bloodied. “Farewell, you were a valiant warrior.” Zolvorn took a deep breath and sliced toward his neck. He balanced his head at the end of his blade as his body fell to the ground. Swordie reverted to book form. Zolvorn grabbed his long golden hair and emerged from the church.

  Cawthorn watched as Zolvorn dripping blood red matching his long coat stepping out with the head of Lightbringer Luke in hand. Zolvorn walked through the split-open Father Reynold into the destruction he caused. Children hid inside the buildings with their families and remained deathly silent while the sound of fires crackling only barely kept the townsfolk aware that they could still hear. Zolvorn began speaking loudly and clearly for all to hear as he walked. “I AM ZOLVORN! AVATAR OF GIZIXIL! THIS ANGELIC KNIGHT INTERFERED WITH THE PLANS OF THE MOST POWERFUL VOID LORD IN EXISTENCE AND HAS PAID THE PRICE! HAD HE SURRENDERED HE AND HE ALONE WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY THIS PRICE! INSTEAD YOUR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN PAID THE PRICE ALONG WITH HIM! GIZIXIL WANTS WARRIORS! FIGHTERS WORTHY OF VIOLENCE AND WORTHY TO INFLICT IT! SLAUGHTERING YOUR FAMILY IS OF LITTLE CONCERN TO HIM BUT IT IS TO ME! IF A MEMBER OF OUR CULT DEMANDS A SINGLE LIFE! PAY WHAT IS OWED!”

  As he strode through the street his long red coat flowing in the wind two women stood before him. “I’m going to rip out his spine.” A wounded Forala growled.

  “We can’t win.” Lidia panted leaning on her scythe. “I’m just here to ask you a question.”

  Zolvorn approached them and looked down at her only a few inches from her face. “Yes?”

  “Why did Gizixil care that we destroyed the lair of undead Kokoxol cultists at the Necropolis and why only kill Luke and not the rest of us?” She defiantly stared at him.

  “To send a message. Gizixil wanted it to be crystal clear that he could kill you all but isn’t above showing mercy to those too stupid to know better.” He walked past her.

  Forala tried to reach for his back only for Lidia to grab her wrist stopping her. “What are you doing?”

  “Stopping you from committing suicide.” The two of them watched him walk on.

  “TO EVERY SINGLE MAN WOMAN AND CHILD IN THIS CITY! JOIN GIZIXIL AND BE STRONG! DO NOT FALL INTO THE COMPLACENT WORSHIP OF A SO-CALLED BENEVOLENT DEITY THAT DOES NOTHING FOR YOU!” Zolvorn pronounced. Zolvorn reached the center of town before going south out of the city. Soon after he exited the city he vanished. The only traces left behind were blood guts and death.

  Many people emerged to fight the fires which had broken out. Cawthorn returned to Victor at 5 Star Road with Swordie in claw. “HE’S GONE!”

  Those still alive on the floor of 5 Star Road mostly sighed in relief as Emilie continued healing them. Forala arrived shortly after. Irina met her at the door. “Oh hello, Forala. Emilie and Jenora have made a huge sum of money healing but are getting exhausted. There are at least 100 people here.”

  Forala traced the scar on her with her hand and clenched her fist. Forala walked to the far end where Victor, Serena, and Brice were talking. She grabbed Victor by the shirt. “How were you more useful than me? How?! You knew exactly what to do and you aided him more effectively than I could despite an unfathomable gap in strength.”

  Serena tried to calm Forala down. “He had Swordie. He knew Luke could use Swordie to defeat him.”

  “Luke died. Zolvorn took his head and carried it through the city while shouting to not oppose Gizixil.” She dropped him.

  “He’s dead…” Victor garbled out.

  Cawthorn landed on his shoulder dropping Swordie cleanly in his pouch. “I’m sorry my mage. He is dead.”

  Victor walked to the back with Serena following him. All of them followed after him as he walked into the open vault. He took a deep breath and instead of common, he began speaking English. “FUCK!” He screamed so loud his voice cracked. “I should have fought to my last FUCKING BREATH on that fucking road. I had a chance to stop this. I listened to a fucking VOID LORD! FUCK! Go on Swordie. Say it. I know you are waiting.”

  “I have nothing to say about that sir. You fought well and did everything you could. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes those you care for die. Sometimes your heroes die. Scream. Rage. Cry. Whatever you must do to feel release, but never forget this moment.” Swordie firmly added.

  Serena approached him. “We are still here. There are wounded above. If you want to help all we need to do is bring water.”

  Victor took a deep breath. “Let’s go do that.” They walked back to the first floor.

  Brice turned to Forala. “I didn’t understand that.”

  Forala explained irritated. “When we encountered that guy on the way here he used his skill to raise his opponent's level. He fought both Serena and Victor defeating Serena narrowly. Victor surrendered his fight when Gizixil showed up instead of fighting on. He’s blaming himself. I’m angry because Zolvorn refused to fight me using his skill. Somehow despite being so weak he still found a way to be useful. I was nearly killed both times.”

  “Oh sorry. I didn’t mean to offend.” Brice put his hands up.

  “It’s not your fault. That guy was insanely strong. I shouldn’t be kicking myself because I know just how impossible it is to deal with him. I just can’t accept it.” She sighed.