***

Arameth

I was now surrounded. Magnus in front of me ready to charge, the blue vested bandit on my right, and the third bandit, who wore what looked like an old fisherman jacket, on my left.

Still exhausted from puncture I ready myself for combat.

I felt my hands shake as adrenaline overflowed within me.

"Come at me!" I shouted, wanting to feel more of this exhilarating feeling.

Blue vest dashed towards me, pulling out a hammer from his back. Alongside him, the fisherman jacket bandit rushed towards me holding a hatchet.

Without thinking I blocked the two using just my arms. The hammer vibrated as it made contact with my skin and the hatchet blade didn't get far enough into my skin to cause serious damage.

The two bandits stand there in surprise at how little damage they seem to have done to me.

Looks like my skin is finally starting to harden. I thought.

Taking the small moment of surprise of the bandits to counterattack. I turn my body towards the fisherman's jacket bandit and punch him. A loud snapping sound echoes as my fist connects with his chest. The bandit falls back to the ground by the force of my punch. I then quickly turned towards the other bandit to throw a counter punch towards him as well.

However, as I turn around, I can't see the blue vest bandit, a second later I feel how his hammer hits me. The hammer hits me directly in my temple. causing me to lose my balance and get in range of Magnus' war hammer. I throw myself to the ground in order to roll away from Magnus.

Getting back up I charge towards the blue vest bandit. As he swings at me again, I duck under it. The hammer barely misses me. I feel it scrape on the top of my head. As I got closer to him, I threw a left hook and hit his face. The feeling of my fist connecting with his face made me feel chills. I could feel how in those seconds his face tried to move against my fist and how it eventually moved with it. After the hit, the blue vested bandit fell to the floor unconscious.

Seems like it's not just my skin that is better when compared to humans. Never really punched anyone that hard before. I thought.

I then moved my focus over to Magnus who moved towards me. I moved towards my sword, not breaking eye contact. When I finally got to my weapon we simply stood there. Not saying a word. The room would have been completely quiet if it wasn’t for the pained hissing of the first bandit on the floor. Then in a flash, Magnus rushed towards me, hammer ready to strike.

With his makeshift peg leg, it looked uncomfortable even to stand. However, by the way he ran towards me, it could make anyone believe he had been like that since day one.

As Magnus threw down his war hammer, I lifted my sword to block it. I let the sword fall back on my left arm to use as support for when the hammer hits. I feel how my body vibrates as I block the attack.

After the initial shock, it quickly becomes a contest of strength as Magnus's hammer presses down on my sword.

Damn he is strong! I need to slip out of range.

"Rise"

Right then the area under me started to slowly move upwards.

An Incantation?

"Spike"

As Magnus cast a second incantation, I felt how tiny spikes of rock pierce my legs. The combined shock and surprise I felt from having my legs pierced I felt how my legs became less stable to stand on.

Is he trying to crush me slowly!?

As my legs started to shake, I began to panic. Without thinking I started to slowly spin my body to have the hammer slide off my sword and just hit the ground. As the hammer hits I jump towards him, shredding up parts of my pants and skin in the process.

Getting up close I swing my sword upwards, slashing his chest in the process.

As I went in for another strike, I felt a heavy blow to my chest as Magnus kicks me away from him. Pushing me farther away from him.

He has kept his distance from me the entire battle but hasn't killed me using long-ranged incantations. He has proved that he could do it but why hasn't he? Because of the fatigue?

No, if he wanted to, he could have used puncture and spike to kill me off in the beginning, but he didn't. Is it chivalry? Or something else?

Or is it... No, it can’t be... Right?

I guess I could try.

I point my sword towards him as I get myself into a quick footed stance.

I start to move my pressure waves through the sword.

Long enough to pierce him.

"Form!"

In a moment my sword grows quickly. rushing towards Magnus. However, Magnus manages to dodge it, but just by the skin of his teeth.

" Finally, you go all out!" Magnus shouts in glee.

Magnus starts to run away from the sword circling me. However, I started to swing my sword towards him. The uneven weight of the now seven-meter-long sword quickly becomes lighter as if the sword changed to my benefit.

Was that also because of Form?

Even though the sword came rushing towards him, Magnus quickly threw himself onto the ground so as not to be hit. After the sword passes him, he quickly rushes towards me with a fierce smile.

I quickly retract the sword to its normal form to block his attack. However, Magnus was far closer than I anticipated, and I felt the full power of his hammer as it struck me from the side. The force of the attack flung me against the rocky wall.

I can’t breathe!

Can’t breathe!

Am I dead?

Shit it hurts!

Is my arm broken?

Is it still there!?

I gasp for air as I try to stand up. I grab onto my left arm to check how it is.

It's still there and I can still move it.

As I look back towards Magnus, I see how he is charging at me again.

He is like a raging bull!

I stretch out my right arm and shout with a raspy voice.

"Puncture!"

Magnus stops dead in his tracks and backs away. quickly looking around for where the attack will come from.

But nothing happens.

With a smug grin on my face, I spin my hand to flip him off and then I say.

"Spike."

As two rocky spikes erupt from the roof and strike Magnus.

Using this distraction, I get back up to my feet.

Since both him and his weapon are built like a mountain then if I fight him with just strength I won’t get anywhere. So, if I make it lighter as well then, I could counter his heavier build. By rapid strikes from a lighter weapon, I could probably manage to win.

I pour my pressure waves into my sword one more time and think of a lance, wanting to test out the capabilities of Form.

"Form."

My sword twists and the blade becomes thicker and pointier until it resembles something like a lance. I ran towards Magnus stabbing at him. I strike him again and again and again and again. Not leaving him any room counterattack. With every hit I landed he managed to dodge two more. It was like a dance repeating the same three steps.

I then get an idea. I get ready to stab again. Seeing this Magnus jumps back to get out of range.

As I start to move, I tap into the sword's pressure waves and three incantations appear in my mind.

"Grass Cutter"

Stabbing the air, I see how the pressure waves recoil forward until they hit Magnus where a second blow is formed. As his chest gets punctured by seemingly nothing blood splatters on the ground.

"What the fuck..." Magnus whispered in shock.

"So those attacks work in combination with Form. That's good to know." I said.

Yet again I move my pressure waves through the sword in order to perform Form once again.

Lighter. Sharper.

"Form"

As my sword yet again changes into a thinner and lighter version of its original form.

"Four uses of Form and I'm still good." I note.

"Feels like you’re using me as a training dummy more than a serious opponent kid!" Magnus shouts, swinging his hammer at me.

Stepping around Magnus's attacks I decide to wait to attack until I get a good opening. I step aside, jump back, forward, roll to the side. Anything not to get hit by that hammer of his. With every opportunity I get I slice at him with quick and precise slashes. With time, Magnus gets more and more covered with scars as the walls around us start to be tainted with his blood. Seeing how he starts to become more and more tired I get another idea.

"Windbreaker!"

I shout as strike Magnus. The pressure waves create two similar cuts next to my blade. Like the claw of an animal.

Magnus, now full of rage, grabs onto the blade of my sword making me unable to move it.

"Enough games." Magnus muttered, spitting in my face.

With his other hand, he lifted the hammer high ready to kill. As the hammer drew closer, I panicked.

I focused all my pressure waves to go through my sword and without even thinking of a specific form I roared.

"Form!"

A horrid screech erupted from the sword as it grew and constantly changed. From it grew hundreds, no, thousands of different swords. A mass of twisted metal trying to be everything at once. From the handle flowed thousands of different swords, some straight, some curved, some not even solid. To describe such a monstrous construction would be simple. It was an amalgamation of swords.

I realized Magnus wasn't in front of me anymore. He was pressed against the wall. Multiple different swords piercing his body. Even though he still wore a smile. He let out a gurgled laugh as his eyes dulled.

The sword seemed to still be expanding. It felt alive. Like a crazed beast. I looked towards the other two bandits to see the fisherman jacket bandit having been pierced in the gut. The blue vested bandit was seemingly untouched but still not conscious.

I focus on the mass of swords and use form to get them back to their original form. When I do I fall to the ground feeling exhausted.

Not even a minute later, a thunderous roar followed by the entire cave rumbling starts. In the blink of an eye, the dark and boring tunnel walls are replaced by the blinding light of the sun. As the ravine has seemingly been cleaved in half.

"What the?" I say.

But my moment of confusion gets silenced by the bellied laugh of a knight clad in gray armor.

***

Gottfrid

"Are you comfortable?" I said to Katla as I heaved her up over my shoulder.

"As comfortable as someone unable to move could be." Katla responded annoyed.

"Don’t worry we will soon be out?" I reassured her.

"So, I assume you know the way out?" Katla asked me.

"Of course not, I was just running blind hoping to find you" I laughed.

"But it can’t be that hard. Just have to go back to the tunnel I came from."

Katla let out an annoyed sigh, but she chuckled at the situation.

I began to run down the tunnel using one hand to make sure Katla didn't fall off. Whichever way I took it felt like we ran in circles. They just kept turning without going anywhere.

As we ran, I started to hear a faint rumbling. It grew louder and louder the further I ran. Until I could clearly make out what it was. A swarm of hundreds of bandits moving in unison towards us. They showed no intent of stopping. branding their weapons preparing for a brawl.

I grab hold of my claymore and slice the first bandit in two. Continuing with every bandit that decided to fight.

They just kept on coming. With every bandit I slashed down two more came at me.

"Just give up old man!" one bandit shouts.

"Old man? I haven’t even hit my thirties you scumbags!" I screamed in anger.

I didn’t care if they died. My only goal now was to protect Katla and get her out safely. My sword swung side to side, up and down. I was slowly making my way forward. Hacking away at the wall of bandits in front of me. Even so, I knew that if I didn't end this soon, they would overpower me.

Just then I felt something sharp dig into me. A burning feeling burst through my body. I turned around to see the Bandit leader from before. Holding a rusty dagger.

"Eruption." The bandit leader whispered into the dagger.

The dagger then started to glow bright as it seemed as if it was on the verge of melting.

He then started to swing at me. As the dagger slashed my armor it carved through it as if it was a thread.

Burst! Doesn't seem to be condition based. Still, what a pain.

Now needing to focus on both the bandit leader behind me and the swarm of bandits in front of me. Shifting between targets quickly showed itself to be a challenge. As when I fought the swarm of bandits, I felt how the leader’s burning dagger sank into my shoulder.

I quickly grabbed his arm and threw him into the swarm of bandits in front of me. He quickly got back on his feet and scurried towards me like a wild animal. Before I could even act, he was up against me again, and slashing at my helmet. His burning dagger easily cut through my helmet and scared my face.

"I had planned to use this towards that brat that cut my arm off but, I guess you'll be fine instead. But I still am a humble man, I’ll let you speak your final words before I, Zesil the Great, take your life" The bandit leader said with an arrogant smile across his face.

"In that case, I just have one thing to ask" I said turning towards Katla, as I set her down on the floor.

"Permission to let loose?" I ask Katla.

Before answering Katla gave me a look of worry. Quickly looking at the bandits and then back to me before answering.

"Permission granted. But if I go deaf because of this it will be entirely your fault." Katla said.

"I’ll accept any punishment if that were to be the case." I say as I grab onto my sword and lift it high.

I take a step forward and strike down with all my might. As a last-minute response, I see how Zesil jumps to the side, seemingly knowing what might happen. As my sword reaches the ground, the earth shakes and roars as it splits itself in twain. A blinding flash erupts through the tunnels as the warm rays of sunlight reach us.

"Y-you! How? You split it. YOU SPLIT THE GROUND OPEN! W-who are you?" Zesil asks, frightened.

"Gottfrid son of Bethóc. Second head of the Silvian order. And I am here to protect Katla Rosenburg and kill all that stand in her way!" I roar.

"F-fuck! Everyone, take what you can and retreat!" Zesil screamed out into the ravine. His voice echoing to all inside it.

"Gottfrid? Was that you?" A familiar voice asked.

Out of the dust clouds Arameth limps his way towards me.

"Are you alright boy? Your legs seem pretty beaten up." I ask him.

"I'm fine." He says, his face pale and clearly exhausted.

"Have you seen Sebastian? Hope he is okay." Arameth asks worried for his friend.

"No, but I don't think we will have to worry." I say as I point toward a silhouette in the distance.

As the silhouette moves closer towards us, it reveals itself to be Sebastian. His hair was messy and clothes stained with dirt and rubble.

"Let's head back. Dusk is upon us and we can’t be sure the bandits stay gone forever." I say picking up Katla and heading back to the wagon.