The Fool's Freedom

A golden barrier stronger than any so far enveloped Davis as he reached the boss and punched out. His fist was met with an open palm. The eyeless man’s arm looked mighty skinny compared to Davis’s fist. Skin and flesh flew as the black robe’s forearm exploded from the impact with the glowing fist.

The second fist found the boss’s stomach, making a hole in it. The eyeless man remained uncaring despite the damage, taking the pummeling Davis was giving him and falling apart bit by bit.

It can’t be that easy.

Davis finally took a step back. He was panting from the onslaught. Whatever skill he had just used had taken its toll.

Alan felt the dread build up and he watched as the wounds of the black robe widened before closing. The exploded forearm was whole in an instant as a flash of red made it whole.

“Is this… it?” the boss asked.

The corpse made from the recently deceased elf moved toward Davis at a speed that made Alan shiver. Even with his shadows and a mana boost, he wouldn't move that fast.

Davis reacted in time and jumped back with crossed arms. The punch landed on his gauntlets and the green barrier covering him shimmered, but didn’t break. He still slid a few meters backward.

Ashlyn was reapplying the blood on her face for [Imitate Predator], while Reyvalur didn’t wait for an invitation as he landed a massive swing of his sword, cutting the arm of the new corpse clean off.

This was Alan’s cue to join the fight. He sheathed his fire dagger and shadows thickened and widened the ritual one at the base, before slowly curving and creating a menacing half-dagger half-sword. He extended the handle too and gripped it with both hands.

“Flo!”

[Battle Focus] immediately made him feel like a recently sharpened blade, ready to take on the world. His speed, granted him by union with his shadow, and the mental boost given by Florence’s buff, were a match made in heaven.

Alan almost laughed as he moved like he never had before. Now that his mind kept up with his speed he felt like a fish in water.

He quickly reached the new corpse and saw almost in slow motion the flash of red light that was about to heal its arm. Mana went into both of his arms, from the shoulder to the wrist, and he swung at the monster’s neck.

[True Edge] was still active covering the length of his shadow blade.

The blade of shadows cut easily into the corpse’s neck and exited on the other side. The strength behind the swing made Alan lose balance and he almost fell before catching himself and moving away. His arms were hurting, but it was not too bad.

The head fell.

Alan wasn’t done as he turned toward the boss and did the same move. He felt like the world was his oyster as with a few steps he landed behind the black-robed man and swung with mana infusing the muscles of his arms.

The man’s head turned backward in an instant, then he fell apart leaving only dust as his dagger blew away.

A second later he rose from another of the slain corpses, black robe still on.

The fuck?

A red ball formed in his outstretched arm and shot toward Alan, but he was ready this time. His reactions were perfect.

Reyvalur and Davis chose that moment to jump the corpse too, only for it to reform at another place. Alan now realized that the corpses were positioned in a way that would allow the black robe to jump around fairly safely. Was that planned?

Thankfully there were none close to where Jaerdra stood, vigilant for anyone in need of healing. The silent elf had his blades drawn but stood nearby. Ready to defend her.

It was a smart choice, as she was way more important than an archer, if that’s what he was, without a bow would be. But the strategy would need the elf to do some work if it was to work. Alan hoped he had some way to hurt the boss without a bow.

“Each pick a corpse! Don’t chase it around!”

Ashlyn was the first to react as she stood near the furthest one, while Davis and Revalur were already going toward the black robe. Two of the corpses were fairly close to one another there.

The silent elf seemed to hesitate but Jaerdra pushed him and he ran toward the last spot.

Reyvalur got to the boss first and interrupted another cast of red projectiles with a mighty swing. The black robe disappeared once again and reappeared near Ashlyn. There was a loud thug as her hatchet hit its head and sank almost halfway in.

In the next moment, it was dust. Alan saw the corpse move and attacked before the body was even formed, splitting both the wiggling flesh and the fallen corpse in two with a powerful slowly charged [Shadow Slash].

The black robe moved once again and the group proceeded to play a disgusting game of whack-a-mole that involved way too much blood and gore to be fun for anyone.

There has to be a catch.

The boss moved around, trying to attack each time it grew his body out from the remains of his servants. It had the most success by choosing the corpse guarded by the silent elf who failed to do significant damage, no matter how much he tried.

Alan had to rush in and send a [Shadow Slash] or two to assist, before rushing back to his position.

It was fruitless work and he quickly grew frustrated. Davis was cursing and stomping on the dead body in front of him too.

“The corpses, they are smaller… less!” Jaerdra suddenly exclaimed loud enough for her voice to echo around the hall.

Alan looked at the one in his feet. It was somewhat smaller, thinner. There was simply less meat on it.

Maybe exhausting it is the way?

“ENOUGH!” the black robe screamed.

Hands rose from the piles of flesh that remained from the corpses. There was red glowing energy on each of the palms as soon as it appeared.

“Disperse!” someone called, but Alan was way ahead of them as he jumped back and quickly hid behind a column. There was an explosion and the world went red. The whole hall shook and someone cried out.

Alan was sure Ashlyn was okay, but he was worried about Florence. She wasn’t a combatant.

He showed himself and saw Jaerdra with Florence standing behind her, covered in a green shield. Cracks like a spiderweb spread as if it was solid before the shield dissipated into particles of energy.

Florence gave Alan a smile and thumbs up and he sighed in relief. Everyone else had managed to react in time and hide behind a column.

Everyone, but the silent elf who had fallen just short of salvation. And whose bottom half was spread unevenly across the floor of the hall in a mess of blood and flesh. He was still alive somehow, gasping and reaching out.

“No!” Jaerdra screamed, and a green light appeared around him. The skill did nothing, though as the wound was apparently too much for it. He tried to speak but all that came out was wheezing. He was gone a moment later.

The elf's eyes bulged in death, and so did his torso. The flesh swirled and the black robe appeared in almost an instant. All of the blood on the floor and around the body flew toward the now open gaping mouth.

Alan felt acid rise in his throat, but he suppressed the feeling. This was no time for a weak stomach.

He rushed and saw the elf warrior do the same thing with a raging grimace. Only Ashlyn was too far.

His dagger exploded in darkness as he swung and cast [Shadow Slash] as soon as it hit the flesh of the boss. [True Edge] did most of the work and the blade sank from the shoulder blade almost to the solar plexus of the monster.

Reyvalur’s sword did the same and Alan quickly dismissed [Shadow Weapon] and pulled his now regularly sized dagger back, to avoid the falling sword that completely bisected the black robe and continued to leave a deep mark on the stone floor.

At the same time, Davis came up behind and punched with a loud yell at the back of the head of the boss. His fist broke the skull and Alan could swear he heard the sound of shattering bones.

It was an impressive display of strength, and probably a strong skill too.

The black-robed monster didn’t utter a sound as it fell apart only for the pieces to shoot toward the coffin and for it to reform just a step from it.

The hollow bleeding eyes and the permanent smile stood frozen. There was more blood dripping from the eye sockets.

Wait. Crying blood?

“Look what you have done. Look.” The man motioned with his hands at the carnage around the hall. Most of it was due to his attack. Corroded pieces of flesh and marks of blood covered almost every centimeter of stone, a testament to the gruesome battle.

“I—,” the words stopped in the corpse's mouth. His gaze was on the vial now in Alan’s hand. “Mother’s tears. GIVE THEM TO ME!”

Alan returned the vial in his shadow inventory. Not a weapon then.

“I wanted to let you experience bliss, but alas…” The corpse’s hands rose and so did his hollow eyes. “Oh, Lord of Flesh, Lady of Blood, pity this pathetic one and allow him a moment of wretched life.”

There was a sigh that echoed through the whole Dungeon.

The robe suddenly fell, revealing an emaciated body that was only reddened skin and sharp bones, covered by a single loincloth. All the flesh and blood and bone from the hall flew towards it as if summoned.

The body started bulging, as life seemed to be poured into it from an unknown source. The hollow eyes filled out. The flesh pulsed.

In front of them stood a man. Human, or at least close enough as far as Alan could tell. He seemed to sigh. In pleasure or displeasure, Alan could not tell.

“It’s been a long time,” the man spoke. “I thank you for this opportunity. To experience being human again…” He grimaced, his handsome face turning into a visage of anger and disgust. “I now remember why I gave it up.”

The black robe once again appeared from somewhere and twisted around itself turning into a black spear.

Oh, fuck.

“Die!”

The move was fast. No tricks, no magic; just simple and pure strength and speed. The first hit was aimed at Reyvalur, who blocked with his sword sideways and slid back.

The boss didn’t stop as he was suddenly next to Davis. He backhanded the man sending him sprawling on the ground before stabbing out toward Ashlyn. She reacted in time and dodged, only to return the attack with her knife.

The boss sidestepped the swing as if it was the single most normal thing in the world and kicked in the next instant, sending Ashlyn flying into a column.

Alan felt a pang of anger explode at the sight but held himself back. His armor could handle at least one attack.

The man came fast, like a speeding car. Alan dodged the spear stab and jumped, boosting his legs and going over the spear that changed trajectory and tried to swipe him. It was what he would have done if he was that strong.

His dagger slashed at the man’s head, sending a [Shadow Slash] flying. A simple movement of the neck that was as graceful as it was unnatural was enough for the boss to dodge.

The man suddenly dropped his spear and lunged forward. Alan felt mighty hands grab both of his arms and try to kick out, but it was like kicking a stone.

“You smell of the Doctor’s constructs. The pale hearts. Did you meet them? Did none of you drink of their chalices? We had a deal! A DEAL! No matter. Give me the tears!” the man’s new eyes were still inhuman and hollow.

[Synaptic Failure] went out just as Alan his right arm’s bone cracked, and he felt the strong grip slacken for a moment, letting him go. A flash of green instantly made the pain go away, but the discomfort remained. Still, having a healer was amazing.

The man seemed to struggle with moving for a few seconds, but that was all it took him to shrug off the effect of [Synaptic Failure].

However, it gave enough time for Reyvalur to drive his sword through the man’s abdomen. Alan saw the surprise in the boss’s eyes. The human pain.

“You think… I bleed the same as you?”

His hand reached and grabbed the blade of the sword sticking out of his stomach. He turned around and punched at Reyvalur, who narrowly avoided the attack by letting go of his sword and ducking. The boss followed with a kick and sent the elf flying through the air.

He then pulled out the elf’s sword in one painful movement, without flinching.

It was then that Ashlyn reached him with a flurry of attacks. Her eyes were blacker than Alan had seen them and he worried she had overused her skill. Her movements were that of a feral beast that fought with nothing but the experience of a thousand battles behind its back.

Even the boss seemed hard-pressed as all he could do was dodge, each swing threatening to take a piece of flesh. Alan struggled to choose a moment to join the fight as every move could make Ashlyn lose the advantage she was currently holding. Small cuts started littering the man’s new body as she was simply too much for him, too unpredictable.

Davis unfortunately had no such thoughts as he came in charging and yelling. Ashlyn looked to the side and the boss used that opportunity to punch out, hitting her in the stomach with strength that sent her flying back.

Then he turned toward Davis, with a smile.

“Fuck!”

Alan cursed and ran to help. He hoped Jaerdra would take care of Ashlyn.

He boosted himself and the world blurred as he pushed from the ground, but he was a step too late. The sword stabbed through Davis’s side a second before Alan crashed into the enemy and both of them were sent rolling.

The man was the first to get up and walked unhurt toward Alan.

“You put up such a fight. For what? You are inferior. I chose this mortal vessel simply to teach you a lesson.”

“Tell me…” Alan gasped, blood dripping from his mouth. When did I get hurt? His shadow armor was almost torn apart from the collision and the boss must’ve sneaked a punch. No matter.

“Do you have a heart now?”