Reincarnated as an Apocalyptic Catalyst-Chapter 33: Where Righteousness Fails

The world around me was unclear, shadows clouded my vision as I struggled to focus. The shadows that had seeped into my veins during my last shadow dance seemed to imbue themselves within me, crawling across my body like writhing tentacles or living vines, twisting with a life of their own. My hands trembled, and the blood both flowing through them and coating them felt cold as ice and it reminded me of the void between shadows. I looked up to meet the oncoming threat and though I could feel the rage within me, and the muscles tensing in my face, I was paralyzed. My mana was gone, I had health to spare, but my stamina had taken a hit over the course of the night.

The commander strode forward, no longer quite as manic but still chuckling under his breath as he pointed his sword at me, though this time it did not shimmer with light, it was as though he was recovering from all of his usage. He never showed that he lacked anything, from the moment he chased after me, he radiated power. He began to pick up speed and I could finally feel my control over the host's body restoring, and I finally had a clue as to what was happening. Despite having used my will to dominate this body, there were certain instinctual reactions that were left ingrained in its psyche; I must have been experiencing a freeze reaction. I was overcoming it, but I wasn't sure it would be soon enough.

From the edge of the clearing, a crack of thunder split the air. A bolt of brilliant lightning tore through the night, snaking toward the commander with blinding speed. As it passed through the runes, the bolt transformed–much like the previous fire blast–its energy magnified tenfold. The pale blue glow of the runes surged into the lightning, twisting it into a jagged, beam of destructive power. It struck the commander square in the chest, the gold of his armor amplifying the effect as electricity coursed through his body.

The force of the attack staggered him, his boots skidding backward as his body jerked violently. The faint smell of scorched metal and singed hair filled the air, parts of his plate beginning to liquify and drip down to the earth. His weapon dipped slightly, and his shield flickered again, appearing no more than a hollow shell of its previous divine glory, energy struggling to sustain itself.

"I'll deal with these blasted tricks of yours," the commander roared, as he steadied himself. Gritting his teeth, he raised his sword and pointed it toward one of the nearby runes. The holy shield around him brightened briefly as he channeled its power into the weapon.

A second beam erupted from the tip of his blade, nowhere near as radiant or as powerful as the first, but still devastating. It cut through the air and struck the rune dead-on, shattering the glowing symbol into shards of magical light. The clearing dimmed as the rune's amplification effect faded, leaving only Mara's natural spell to hammer against the weakened shield.

The bolt, though diminished, proved enough. It crashed against the sputtering shield, shattering it with a crack and slamming into his chest once more. He staggered yet again, but the heat was far less intense and it managed to cool a fair deal, putting an end to its transformation into golden slag.

Ignoring the damage, the commander pressed forward. Each step earned with more effort than the last, the remnants of lightning licking at his armor and burning his flesh. His hair began to singe, curling at the edges, and the exposed parts of his skin blistered and charred. Yet he marched onward, his eyes fixed on me with deadly determination.

Mara gazed at me as the paladin pressed on, her eyes wide with panic, and she realized nearly too late what was about to happen. The paladin was close now, too close. The electricity arcing from her spell would jump to me if she didn't cut it off. With a pained cry, she tore her staff back, severing the spell. The clearing fell silent, save for the faint crackle of fading energy and the heavy rasp of the commander's breath.

Mara stumbled, falling to one knee, her chest heaving as she clutched her staff. Her mana was nearly spent, and she was clearly exhausted. Her eyes remained locked on me as she drew a mana potion from her inventory and struggled to uncork it before the commander snapped his gaze to her.

"Don't you dare, or I will remove your hand from your wrist and then kill your lover before a single drop of that potion hits your tongue. This is between him and I; if you try and interrupt us, your life is forfeit."

Mara paused as I turned to her, "Let me do this for you, for everyone these bastards have harmed," I muttered, still catching my breath as my focus returned to the monster that approached.

The commander stood a few feet from me now, smoke rising from his armor and his flesh seared, but otherwise showing no signs of fatigue, though I knew he had to be running on fumes just as I was. He raised his sword once more, his grin maddening as his eyes burned with divine fury.

"Ready to face your judgment, Abomination," he growled, his voice low and frustrated with everything that had occurred so far.

I clenched my daggers, the shadows around me swirling and thickening as I finally forced my body to move. My veins burned with dark energy, and my resolve hardened. A new sense of vigor fueled my body, but it was nothing that I had produced myself. I was feeding off of the darkness around me.

He launched at me and I parried his blade, trying to slash at his vulnerable areas, but failing to do any damage. The gap of skill was clear as he landed multiple blows that cut through my armor and did slashing damage to me, though I would be damned if I let him know I was wounded.

[Damaged Received: 30]

[Damaged Received: 30]

[HP: 90]

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The pain was nearly unbearable but it left an opening for me as I slipped close to his blade, not giving him a moment for a third strike as I drove a dagger into the gap beneath his chest plate and greaves.

[Damage Dealt: 50]

The commander stumbled back, his eyes wide with disbelief as my blades carved deep gashes into his exposed flesh. Dark blood, almost black in the moonlight, oozed from the wounds, his holy sanctity was tainted by my dark touch.

He snarled like a beast, spittle flying from his lips. "Filthy shadow dancer!" he roared, as his voice echoed through the clearing. "I am a paladin of the Light! I cannot be defeated by the likes of you!"

Despite his tantrum, I could see the fear in his eyes, a flicker of doubt. He was tiring, his divine power nearly used in its entirety. I pressed my advantage, striking again and again, my daggers leaving glowing trails of shadow energy in the air and against his flesh.

[Damage Dealt: 15]

[Damage Dealt: 15]

I feinted left, then dove right, slipping under his guard and driving a dagger into the gap beneath his armpiece. I twisted the blade savagely, feeling it grind against bone before I wrenched it free, a spurt of blood painting his golden armor a deep crimson.

[Damage Dealt: 35]

The commander staggered, his sword arm falling limply to his side. His face contorted in agony, sweat pouring down his brow as he switched hands and now held the blade in his off-hand.

Seeing him at a disadvantage I pressed forward and went for a slash at his neck, but he smacked my hand out of the way, sending my blade flying off into the woods, unable to retrieve it. He retaliated with his own lunge, proving to me that he may not have had an off-hand, as his skill seemed equal in either grip.

The commander's blade found my ribs as I lunged in, searing pain piercing through my chest. I stumbled back, my hand flying to the wound, feeling the warm wetness of blood seeping through my armor. The pain was blinding, but I gritted my teeth and forced myself to stand tall.

[Damage Received: 45]

[HP: 45]

The commander took no time to let me regain my footing, his eyes wild with an insane delight. "You're weak, shadow dancer," he sneered, his voice ragged as he struggled to regain his breath. "Your kind can't stand against the power of the Light!"

I barely managed to parry his next blow, my arm shaking with its force. My dagger clattered to the ground, slipping from my numbing fingers. Terror filled me as I found myself without a weapon to fight the man. I searched for something to use against him, but I had nothing, this would be it for me, I would die and Mara would be an unfortunate casualty of my arrogance.

The commander's next slash opened a gash across my stomach, my entrails threatening to spill out. I fell to my knees, my vision swimming, my breath coming in agonizing gasps. The commander loomed over me, his sword raised for the killing blow.

[Damage Received: 35]

[HP: 10]

I stared up at the commander, my heart pounding in my ears. I was out of mana, out of weapons, and out of time. If I died here, I might survive due to my parasitic abilities, but Mara would not rise from the grave.

The commander loomed over me, his armor smoking and scarred, his hair singed and skin blistered. He looked like a man who walked out of the very jaws of hell, his eyes burning with a holy fury.

I closed my eyes, bracing for the end. But instead of the searing pain of a sword through the heart, I felt a sudden surge of energy coursing through my battered body. The shadows that had been idly flowing through my veins, sparked to life, setting my nerves alight with a cold, tingling sensation.

I rose to my feet, feeling my strength returning, my body moving on its own as I could feel the void within me, the endless expanse of shadows that had been a part of me from the moment I took control of the lynx.

I dashed toward the commander, cutting past his blade and tackling him to the ground. My hands grasped his skull as I lost control of myself. "You are nothing more than a man, a monster wearing a gilded mask. Your gods will not help you here!" I screamed, my voice tearing my vocal cords and thrumming with an unearthly tone, deep and resonating, leaving my body and vibrating through his.

My thumbs found their way to his eyes as I pressed them in deep, crushing his orbs and digging deep into his head. Shadows coursed through my veins, worming their way through my arms, my hands, my fingers, and driving their way into his skull. He writhed in agony, seeming to suffer for eternity as he thrashed and jerked about, shadows pouring into his head and snaking their way through his body. A golden light erupted from him, but it was snuffed out by the darkness that left my body and entered his.

[Damage Dealt: 50]

[Damage Dealt: 50]

[Damage Dealt: 50]

I tried to scream further, but nothing left my throat as I pulled my thumbs from his eyes and struck him again and again in the face until he was nothing more than a pulpy mess.

[Damage Dealt: 15]

[Damage Dealt: 15]

[Damage Dealt: 5]

[Damage Dealt: Not applicable]

[Damage Dealt: Not applicable]

[Damage Dealt: Not applicable]

[Damage Dealt: Not applicable]

I tired after so many strikes and collapsed onto his corpse. I could feel Mara rushing to me and pouring a potion down my throat, but I couldn't register anything else. My vision began to fade and soon I found myself unconscious, though my wounds were healing as I slipped into oblivion.