Paladin 4: Chapter 32

“I’ll be busy with Commander Thorn,” Gaviel whispered. “We’ll fight and retreat up the tunnel. try to keep the others off us.”

Despite all his bravado offering a duel, Gaviel knew these were long odds. The first thing he did was cast a barrier stretching from one side of the tunnel wall to the other between them and Captain Thorn and their other attackers.

That just left the Gateguard on their side of the barrier, and Darren was on top of him in an instant. The Gateguard saw the flash of steel, fear gripping his heart. He made his first and last mistake then. Instead of calling on all his defensive abilities, he yelped in fright.

Darren jammed his sword right through that decorative breastplate, shattering the bejeweled exterior and driving both steel and gemstones into the seraph’s chest.

Gaviel and Darren sped past, not bothering to finish the Gateguard off.

“My barrier won’t keep them for long!” Gaviel warned.

Darren reached into his Inventory. He had a few tricks in there, though most were long outdated. In the past, he could throw out a heap of rusting broken weapons to slow pursuers down, but fifth order seraphim could run through such weapons without so much as a scratch.

He needed something a bit tougher. Fortunately, he’d fought quite a few tough things as of late. He pulled the giant centipede he and Asuriel had fought out of his Inventory and dropped it in the tunnel. It was wide enough that it filled the entire chamber as it appeared, clogging it from beginning to end. Commander Thorn and the others would have to hack through the entire corpse from its head to its tail to chase them.

“Good thinking, Darren!” Gaviel grinned as the two of them sped along. “That’ll stop them in their tracks!”

But Gaviel’s words were proven false a moment later. The centipede corpse quivered and shook. Inky green seeped from its exoskeleton, and a moment later, its rear exploded in a fountain of gore.

Commander Thorn emerged when the fountain finally subsided, holding a peculiar device in his hand. A dozen spinning blades rotated at the end of the device. That must have been what he used to hack a path through the corpse so quickly.

Darren and Gaviel had used their time well and were nearly back at the streets. But a knot of worry formed when Darren realized only Commander Thorn stood among the debris of the dead giant centipede.

He turned toward the exit, cursing inwardly as he realized the rest of Commander Thorn’s fifth order companions appeared one after another, outlined by the afternoon light.

“We’re boxed in,” Gaviel grimaced. “Looks like we’re going to fight our way free after all! I’ll take Commander Thorn. Hold as long as you can against the others, and I’ll help you once I put down Kalaziel’s mad dog.”

Gaviel and Darren stood back to back, weapons drawn. This part of the tunnel was just barely wide enough for Darren to draw Melancholy.

[Dirty rotten ambushers!] Ashe cursed the moment Darren drew his sword. [We’ll cut them down to size, Darren!]

The Fifth Order ambushers closed in, sharp blades glinting in the dim light. Enchanted steel and holy blades clashed in the darkness of the tunnels, Divine Aura filled the air.

All three swords facing Darren glowed various shades of blue and gold. A shining outline enveloped one paladin. Another’s figure blurred and became hard to make. Thorns of azure energy wrapped around the third, slowly circling his shoulders and pointing toward Darren with ill intent.

Darren met all their attacks at once. The three struck as one, and all three found their blades catching Melancholy’s edge. He swept the weapons aside, reaching forward to grab the paladin wrapped in hazy warrior by the scruff of his neck.

His fingers met empty air, but Darren had already seen through the skills he was up against.

Absolute Analysis: Skill Analysis

Hazestep Evasion (Mythic)

This ability allows the user to instantaneously exist at any location within one meter of their original location, dodging any attack that can be dodged.

This skill had no doubt made this seraph impossible to fight. How could you strike at someone who could be anywhere?

But Darren’s Oracle Sight let him reach into the future. In it, he failed to grab the seraph ten thousand times. But soon he found a future where his fingers found purchase. Darren made that future inevitable, and no matter how the seraph tried to dodge his grip, he failed.

Darren held the hazy seraph aloft, using his body to block the incoming energy thorns.

“Hold your fire!” the seraph shouted to his companions as he was skewered repeatedly by his own allies’ attack.

The seraph controlling the flying thorns stopped, and the moment he did so Darren threw the skewered, hazy seraph at him. That gave Darren a moment with the shielded one alone.

Absolute Analysis: Skill Analysis

Lightform Shell (Mythic)

This body-enveloping shell renders the user immune to all damage until the barrier is destroyed. The barrier can be continuously reinforced from the inside using Divine Aura.

Darren could have kept attacking the barrier and slowly drained away the seraph’s energy reserves. That was no doubt the attack the seraph expected. But Darren had an easier way to defeat this kind of ability. He pressed a hand to the shielded seraph’s chest and activated Skill Shatter.

The barrier flickered out like it was never there. The seraph tried to mount a defense, but it was too little too late. Melancholy roared with a beam of shining white light fired from Ashe within the sword. The seraph was completely obliterated instantly.

Darren’s remaining two assailants stood just in time to see Darren put their ally down for good. The two attacked as one once more, this time with desperate fury. They hadn’t expected a real fight coming here to take Gaviel out, and that mistake had already cost them one of their own.

Captain Gaviel was locked in an intense fight of his own. He and Commander Thorn appeared evenly matched at first, surrounded by billowing clouds of Divine Aura as they unleashed every ability they had with practiced rhythm.

“Those skills are new,” Gaviel growled as he realized Commander Thorn was stronger and faster than he expected.

“It’s possible to earn many rewards in Kalaziel’s service,” Commander Thorn grinned. “And to think, you could have had my position at one point.”

The tunnel walls began to crack from all the fighting, and even the sturdy stone of the Fifth Layer of the Heavens couldn’t hold much longer. The sound of clashing weapons rang up and down the street, and passersby had to know what was happening.

“New skills or not, it won’t make up for the heart of a warrior!” Gaviel shouted, thrusting his sword in Thorn’s direction. Ribbons of golden light streamed from his blade in all directions.

Commander Thorn smiled like a cat that had caught a mouse. “Perhaps not my new skills, but how about my new sword?”

Commander Thorn drew his weapon from his belt. It shone with brilliant blue lines, almost like enchantments, though the colors and patterns changed with every passing moment. He swung at Captain Gaviel with a simple swing, and Gaviel looked like he was about to parry it and return the attack with something more skillful.

But Captain Gaviel never got the chance. Instead, commander Thorn’s new sword cleaved right through Gaviel’s blade, and its sharpened point cut right through Captain Gaviel’s armor and into the seraph’s shoulder.

Gaviel dropped backward, crying out with alarm and holding the remaining half of his sword up in a defensive position.

“Dirty trick,” Gaviel spat blood at Thorn. “I recognize that sword. It’s part of the Lord of Light’s personal armory!”

“Kalaziel’s armory now. Where do you think my new skills came from?” Commander Thorn smiled. “Goodbye, Gaviel. First, we take your life. Next, we’ll go for Horon himself.”

“You’ll never win! Just wait! When the Lord of Light returns--“

Commander Thorn barked a laugh. “Do you think Kalaziel would dare do all this if the Lord of Light still lived? It’s just like the rumors say. He’s dead. And it’s past time we crowned a replacement.”

“Traitor!” Gaviel yelled. He was wounded and armed with only half a sword. Meanwhile, Commander Thorn had an enchanted blade that could cleave through Gaviel’s armor and weapon. He should have stood no chance against his fellow Fifth Order seraph.

But righteous fury fueled Gaviel. The anger burning in his heart granted him strength even he didn’t know he had. He swept Commander Thorn’s magical blade aside with the flat of his own, slamming the broken point in the narrow gap between Commander Thorn’s helmet and breastplate.

Commander Thorn twisted and writhed, but Gaviel roared with fury, bashing his helm against Thorn’s and denting both while he tried to worm his weapon toward Thorn’s throat.

Commander Thorn flailed on his back, eyes going wide beneath his visor. But he still had his sword, brought it around with a twist and shoved it right through Captain Gaviel’s side.

Captain Gaviel arched his back, letting out a scream of agony even as he sliced through Captain Gaviel’s throat with his broken blade.

Commander Thorn shoved Gaviel off him and tore his helmet off, gushing golden blood from his wound. Face pale, he held his hand to the wound. His other hand scrambled for the bag of holding tied to his belt. He withdrew a vial of thick red liquid, splashed half in his mouth and half on the wound. When he pulled his hand away he was healed.

He turned his eyes to Gaviel, bleeding and groaning on the ground. He reached for his sword, still skewered through Gaviel’s side. He planned to finish his old rival off once and for all.

He never got the chance. While Gaviel and Thorn fought to the death, Darren finished off the other two seraphim who’d ambushed them. Then, he turned and met Commander Thorn’s eyes.

“I don’t know where Gaviel found you, but you’re on the wrong side of history,” Commander Thorn said. “Throw down your weapon, and you won’t meet the same fate as your commander.”

“It was Darren’s turn to let out a low chuckle.

“Join Kalaziel?” He shook his head. “I would rather die.”

Commander Thorn’s face turned grim. “That can be arranged.” He dove for his sword, and Darren ran to intercept him.

Darren was faster, but Commander Thorn was closer. He gripped the handle of his blade and roughly tore it free from Gaviel’s side. Gaviel groaned, face turning pale as Divine Aura leaked out of him. He wouldn’t last much longer.

Absolute Analysis: Item Analysis

Inevitability, The Heavenly Blade (Legendary)

This sword was crafted by the Lord of Light’s own hand and is capable of sundering all bonds of Divine and Demonic Aura, rendering magical defenses utterly useless against it.

Melancholy was also a legendary blade, and its power was more than just magic. But even still, Darren was wary. This was the first time he’d ever feared meeting another sword with his own.

Commander Thorn lashed out with a ruthless thrust. Darren dodged, but space shifted around him as Thorn activated a skill and suddenly the sword was still headed straight for Darren’s heart.

But Darren had tricks of his own. He pulled back and activated Fists of Peace. Glowing energy hands reached up and wrapped around Thorn’s ankles while Darren pulled back just a hair out of reach.

Thorn activated a barrier before Darren lashed out with a single cut. Thorn dodged, but Darren had seen his dodge born in the twist of his shoulders and the flickering of his eyes, and Melancholy’s tip sliced through the leather loop of Thorn’s belt.

“Ha! You missed!” Thorn taunted as the severed scraps of his belt fell to the ground.

Their next few exchanges were a game of cat and mouse. Thorn tried to kill Darren with every attack, and Darren dodged and wove around each blow.

He remembered this feeling. The last time he and Commander Thorn fought in Salsroth, he’d also led him on a chase.

“Fight me like a man!” Commander Thorn demanded.

Darren ignored the taunting, ducking, and weaving until he spotted the perfect opportunity.

It came suddenly. Thorn thrust too hard and too fast. The move carried him too far forward. At the apex of his lunge, when he was most overextended, Darren struck.

Melancholy swept upward and across in one swift and smooth motion, severing Commander Thorn’s overextended hand.

Darren twisted with the blow, smashing the heel of his boot across Commander Thorn’s jaw in a follow-up attack while snatching Thorn’s sword with the other.

In an instant, he’d gone from desperately dodging Commander Thorn’s attacks to looming over him with two swords in his hands while Commander Thorn lay on his back, gasping and moaning.

Commander Thorn scooted backward, putting some distance between himself and Darren.

“It’s not over yet!” He shouted. He went for the pouch at his waist with his good hand, only to grasp nothing but air.

Darren gave him a small smile. “I didn’t miss.”

He feared Commander Thorn might have more tricks like this legendary sword. So he’d cut his bag of holding right off his hip early on in the fight.

“You’re a fool, backing Prime Saint Horon,” Commander Thorn spat. “He cares only for his honor and reputation. You might as well place a peacock on the heavenly throne. He only hates Kalaziel because Kalaziel’s name is spoken more frequently than his own!”

Darren ignored Commander Thorn’s speech, inspecting his new sword. This would come in handy. As fond, as he was of Demon-slaying swords, his collection could use a little more variety. He also bent low to check on Gaviel. The seraph was unfortunately already dead, but Darren wasn’t worried. With his Resurrection skill, he could still bring the captain back.

The real question was what to do with Commander Thorn. Darren certainly didn’t plan to let him go after all the people he killed in Salsroth. But what if he could look into Commander Thorn’s memories?

If he was as closely tied to Kalaziel as he seemed, there was a lot Darren could learn from him.

“You will tell me what you know,” Darren said.

“Will I now?” Commander Thorn grimaced. “Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. Fetch a healing potion from my bag, and maybe I’ll be more inclined to answer your questions...”

He’d calmed down, thinking he was regaining control of the situation. Darren wasn’t about to execute him, and he no doubt had plenty of information to bargain with.

Unfortunately for him, Darren had no intention of bargaining for anything. He was just going to take what he wanted to know.

He activated his Soul Weaving ability again. He would pry Kalaziel’s secrets directly from Commander Thorn’s mind.

“What was that?” Commander Thorn asked voice tinged with worry. “I felt something. And where’s my health potion? I’m bleeding here!”

Darren placed a boot on Commander Thorn’s chest to keep him in place, prying through his recent memories.

Compared to this, looking into the memories of the villager had been easy. Commander Thorn was several orders of magnitude more complicated. One image after another flashed before his eyes, and it would take hours to make sense of what he was seeing. He only recognized the forms of a few naked women viewed from afar from a device much like Thalia’s telescope. Darren had always suspected they could use her new toy for such things.

Darren needed something to focus Commander Thorn’s mind like he’d done by asking the villager questions.

“What is Kalaziel planning?” Darren demanded.

“I won’t answer any questions until I get that healing potion,” Commander Thorn spat in reply.

“How many men does Kalaziel have?” Darren asked.

“May you fuck a feral badger,” Commander Thorn replied. That resulted in Darren viewing some rather unpleasant imagery. If he didn’t know better, he would guess Commander Thorn had firsthand experience to visualize the scene so well.

“Where are you based? What happened to the souls of Whiteguard? Where is Kalaziel now?” Darren asked one question after another, receiving more unpleasant images in reply. For all his faults, Commander Thorn was very good at hiding his thoughts. Darren suspected the commander had caught on that he was peering into his thoughts.

He needed something a little more drastic if he wanted real answers. Something that would shock and surprise Commander Thorn down to his very core. There was only one thing Darren could think of.

“Do you know who I am, Thorn?” Darren asked.

Commander Thorn squinted up at Darren. Confusion plastered his furrowed brows. While there were many Fifth Order seraph, they were long-lived and most would know each other well, especially those who specialized in combat. It was strange for Commander Thorn to not know of someone as powerful as Darren.

Darren withdrew his aura, revealing himself as a human.

“How about now?”

Commander Thorn drew in a sharp breath. “The Heavengrace brat!”

Darren smiled. He saw an image of himself fighting in Salsroth, viewed through Commander Thorn’s own eyes. He saw Kalaziel pointing to an image of him and his mother when he was a child. He heard Kalaziel mutter the word ‘problem’ as he pointed. And last of all, he saw a flash of a chair sitting alone in an empty hall. Though he only saw the image, the name came to mind. The Heavenly Throne.

Commander Thorn grabbed hold of himself when he saw the smile forming on Darren’s face and quickly shifted his focus to a dozen inane subjects that were of no use to Darren.

But just as he was about to start prying further, a powerful aura washed over the entire area. Darren had only felt such a sensation from Kalaziel, and he realized he was dealing with a Sixth-Order seraph. So he activated his passive abilities one after another and prepared for the fight of his life.

But the voice that followed a moment later didn’t belong to Kalaziel. It felt younger and smoother. If Kalaziel issued orders like a king upon his throne, this voice was like that of a prince among his comrades. It was gentler and kinder but no less full of authority.

“Captain Gaviel! I am here! Rats of Kalaziel, flee before me or perish! Horon is here.”

The man himself appeared a moment later. He wore a set of golden armor, though he had no helmet. His long auburn hair was even straighter and glossier than Cassandra’s, which Darren would never have thought possible.

The man’s manicured appearance reminded Darren of the Gateguard, though instead of pure glamour, Darren felt an edge to this man. His armor was shiny, but it wasn’t just for show. This man had an edge to him, though it was buried beneath a gilded scabbard.

His eyes darted to Gaviel’s deceased form, lying on the ground and dispersing into Divine Aura with each passing moment. Finally, he drew his sword, a straight bar of shining silver, and pointed it at Darren and Commander Thorn.

This was Prime Saint Horon, the man Gaviel and Darren had come to meet. That he’d come himself to rescue one of his subordinates spoke volumes to his character. Perhaps this Prime Saint of Honor could be an ally, given time.

“Servants of Kalaziel! You will pay for killing one of mine.” He pointed his sword straight at Darren.

It was then that Darren looked around himself and the blood and bodies surrounding him with his sword in hand as he interrogated Commander Thorn, who was currently doing his best impression of a corpse.

This was not exactly the first impression he’d been hoping for.


<Note>

Any thoughts on who you guys would like to see on the book 4 cover? I need to place the commission soon so everything is all set when this novel is finished. I like to have the cover art ready to go so it isn't delaying things.