The Blades of Apocalypse

Chapter 5: In The Form Of Death

I've just witnessed an unbelievable fight between the man known as the Blade Wielder, and the three formidable leaders of the most powerful bandit gnags across all the kingdoms. An yet, as I look at the now one armed Blade Wielder clutch one of the legendary blades, an overwhelming fear envelopes me. It's clear from everyone elses reaction, however, that I am not the only one that feels it.

Soon enough, I bore witness to the true power the ancient blades possess. The skies suddenly gathered dark clouds that threatens to swallow the whole city in to darkness. Yet, the most frightening occurence is that of the transformation the Blade Wielder is under going. Upon grabing the pale blade, the Blade Wielder's already tattered clothes was completely torn off of him by unseen forces. As his bare torso begane to turn from his regular slightly tan complexion to a more greyesh bone like color, I gasped from seeing the more gruesome changes happening on his face.

The skin and muscles on the Blade Wielder's face began to fall off, exposing his ivory white skull underneath. Meraculously aswel, his severed left arm that was motionlessly laid on the ground turned to mist, then slowly re-attached to the Blade Wielder. Once attahced both forearms did the same thing the Blade Wielder's face did.

After the forearms' bones are fully exposed, additional bone began to grow and calcify around the forearms, making it looke like the Blade Wielder is whering a forearm gusrd made out of bones.. Finally, a long and wavy scarf manifested around the Balde Wielder's neck.

At the end of his transformation, the Blade Wielder became the stuff of nightmares. Other than his hair and his forehead that sported an unussual scar, his entire face is nothing but a skull that has a frightening scowl and a burning red coloured iris floating in each eye sockets. His skin is ashen white, like a cobination of a pure white bone coated with cremated ashes. And from his elbow to the tip of his fingers are nothing but bones. The Blade Wielder has now transformed into a true personification of Death.

As a few momments past with the Blade Wielder doing nothing but inspect his arms in wonderment, Regon brave the waters by saying. "I-is that it? Y-you think we're gonna be afraid of you after you turned yourself into a bag of bones?"

"Ah... Yes." The Blade Wielde started to reply. "Apologies, large man. It's only been twice since the boy called upon my power. I'm simply admiring the new form I now have. This boy is a tad taller than Prince Vintry, yet not as powerful." The Blade Wielder continued.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU BLABERING ABOUT?" Regon shouted in obvious confusion. Jorvinlax then touched Regon on the left shoulder and urged him to calm down. Jorvinlax then addressed the Blade Wielder by asking "You are not the Blade Wielder anymore, are you?"

"No and yes," the Blade Wielder replied while I still wonder how he can talk without lips. "You see, the boy and I are occupying this body. I get to move and talk with it, but the boy gets to rule the actions I take." The Blade Wielder explains. "For instance, if I wanted to run arround the city, the boy in here would have to allow it befor I can do so. That is, unless I deem something may harm both of us. Then I can address it without permition." he continued as he points his bone finger to his head.

"S-so. If you and the Blade Wielder are different entities sharing the same body, then it would be safe to assume you are General Death, correct?" Jorvinlax asked the frightful visage. "You are correct, Older gentleman." The Blade Wielder answers.

"And since the Blade Wielder tells you what to do, what is he asking of you now?" another question asked by Jorvinlax. "... He tells me... to let you all go." The Blade Wielder replied.

"The boy tells me to forgive your previous transgression upon him and he will simply be on his way. As long as you swear not to get in his way again you and all of your men here will live." The Blade Wielder said "Please answer swiftly, for the sweet scent of your souls are driving me to the brink of madness. I haven't eaten a soul in over three thousand years. I'm so famish that I'm begging the boy to let me kill all of you right now." he continued, now with what appears to be saliva dripping from his bony maw.

I look at Jorvinlax as he ponders his actions. Even if I can only see the side of his face, It's clear that he is considering the ancient general's offer. "What a load of horse manure." Said Roxa, surprising everyone. "Like Regon sadi, you think you can scare us with your second rate transformation magic? We didn't come all the way here to loss our men then just go home with are tails tuck right up betwin our legs." She continued while ordering her men to forget the previous agreement and attack the Blade Wielder all together.

"Such a foolish girl." the Blade Wielder said as Roxa and her men attacks him. Before she can reach the Blade Wielder, however, Roxa was hit on left shoulder by the butt of Jorvinlax's extending glaive. "What in the Gods' name are yo..." before she can finish her question, Roxa saw first hand why Jorvinlax attacked her.

From out of nowhere, the Death posesed Blade Wielder summoned spirits that flew through Roxa's men instantly killing them. As the pale, lifeless bodies of the eleven men fell, the spirits returned to the Blade Wielder. "Ahh. Such a pity. You managed to escape." Said the Blade Wielder to Roxa.

"We apologise for the disrespect our comrade displayed, mighty general." Jorvinlax said as he kneeled on both knees to prostrate himself before the Blade Wielder. "We accept your offer. You can leave whenever you desire and we will not pursue." Jorvinlax continued with the realization in his voice that there's no way to win this fight. Regon nodded in agreement as he tends to the downed Roxa, still in shock of what she saw.

"I'm afraid the deal is off the table now." The blade Wielder said in a serious tone. "W-why? I-if it's because of Roxa's attack then I asure you I will personally make her p..." Jorvinlax was cut off by the Blade Wielder who said "It's not the matter of making her pay, but rather you not keeping your word about only you three fighting the boy." The Blade Wilder then added "You said that only you three would fight, yet you let her break that honorable deal. If I were to overlook this blattant transgression, who's to say that you wouldn't break the one you have with me?"

"B-but..." Jorvinlax stammered, unable to find the worlds to appease the possessed Blade Wielder. "I'm sorry, but even though the boy tells me to let you go, for his safety, I'm afraid you will all have to die." The possessed Blade Wielder said.

As the Blade Wielder approach, I can see Regon get up on his feet and take a fighting stance. "R-Regon. What are you doing?" Jorvinlax asked Regon. "If this bastard thinks he can kill us without a fight, then he's a bigger bone headed idiot then me." Regon said in a serious yet unintentionally humorous in a selfdepricating way.

Regon somehow broke the tension in the air, and the bandits started to take formation for their attack on the possessed Blade Wielder.

The bandits starts their assault on the Blade Wielder once again. Richard vocally signaled the archers and crossbow men to rain arrows at the pale coloured Blade Wielder. However, the Blade Wielder summones his spirits again that formed arround him to make, what I can only think to call a soul barrier. This barrier is a transparent formation of the spirits the Blade Wielder called and protects him from any attacks.

As the arrows rain down from the sky, the Blade Wielder is untouched by them within the barrier. Once the arrow fall stopped, it's shown that not a single one of them were able to penetrate. The Blade Wielder then commanded the spirits to go through all the archers and crossbow men they can find and take their souls. Over half of the stationed long range attackers lost their lives in that instant.

Inraged by this, Regon charged at the Blade Wielder and attacked him with speed unussual for someone of his size. However, The Blade Wielder didn't even bothered to avoid them. Rather, the Blade Wielder blocked all fiery strikes with his left bone hand.

"A brave endeavor, large one, but it's to no avail." The Blade Wielder said to Regon, who is struggling strike him down. The Blade Wielder then cought Regon's axes and extinguished it's flame with his will alone. Even as he pulled with all his might, Regon was unable to free his axe from the Blade Wielder's cold and bony left hand.

Using his right hand, The Blade Wielder breaks the Regon's axe. Regon then stumbles backwards, landing square on his buttocks. Now unarmed, Regon crawld backwards, away from the advancing Blade Wielder. However, before the Blade Wielder can take another step towards him, Regon's men started attacking him from all sides.

"Get Away from our boss." and "Get the leaders to safety" are but a few of the words uttered by the bandits as a majority of them keeps the Blade Wielder busy while the others escort the leaders to safety.

"There will be no escape." The possessed Blade Wielder proclaimed as he sends all the attacking bandits flying with his brute strength alone, not even bothering to summon any more spirits. As the bandits continue to rush in, however, The Blade Wielder started to become visibly agitated and started to summon his spirits again.

Everyone froze in terror as the possessed Blade Wielder gathers a large amount of spirits for a massive attack that would surely kill everyone in the area. Before the Blade Wielder unleashed the spirits, a familiar voice echoed out. "STOP!" Jorvinlax shouted as he shrugs off the people escorting him.

"Enough. I made the wager with the Blade Wielder, and I failed to abide by it." Jorvinlax said. "Take me, for I am the one at fault." He pleaded on hands and knees. "I admire your self awareness in regards to your failings," the Blade Wielder said."but I will need all the lives of the leaders of these bandits in order to ensure the boy's safety." The Blade Wielder continued.

"The take me as well and leave Roxa alone. Taking me well count for the both of us." Regon chimed in. "I know you're a big fellow, large one, but size alone is not enought to..." the Blade Wielder's retort was cut off by Regon, who said "I didn't mean my size. I love Roxa. She lives in my heart. Her beauty, her dreams, even her soul is in here. If you take my soul, you take my love for her with you. Her soul within my heart is true and pure. That is enough." Regon confidently said with a mixture of joy and sorrow in his voice.

"Ahh. Love. This emmotion has always fascinated me. I too have felt love before. It was a pleasant experience." The possessed Blade Wielder replied. "I accept your sacrifice."

"N-no. Wait!" Roxa yelled. "You don't get to talk for me, you giant oaf. I am Roxa, the Hegiyet Harpy. You have no right to think you I need you to save me, you stupid gorilla. And as for you, you bony mons..." Roxa's tirade was cut off by Regon, who turned to her, placed his hands on her shoulders and said "I Love you, with all that I am, my beautifull Desert rose."

Tears bigan to fall from Regon's eyes as he punched Roxa in the stomach, knocking her out. Regon gave Roxa's limp body to Dearik and asked him to take her far away from the plaza. The Blade Wielder gave Jorvinlax and Regon time to say their good byes to the people they need to. To my surprise, they both came to me and thanked me for my stories. However, Jorvinlax gave me a final word of warning. "Do not get involve with that man. He only brings with him pain and death for those who crosses his path." He told me as he descends the stairs. I couldn't help but look at the Blade Wielder after Jorvinlax' warning, and to my shock, he was looking at me as well. As our eyes met, beyond his frightful visage, I saw a hint of mournfulness within his hollow gaze.

As the two fall on their knees in surender of what's to transpire, the bandit leader Jorvinlax proclaimed "I, Jorvinlax Dardune, leader of the Desert Dragons, here by solemnly swears that none of my kin nor group will come after the Blade Wielder. As proof, I pressent the serpent glaive, a weapon that has been in my family for nine generations."

Regon then added. "I, Regon Bardek, leader of the WarAxe bandits solemnly swears that none of my kin nor group will come after the Blade Wielder. As proof, I give you my book. the only thing I treasure." The Blade Wielder took both the glaive and the book I signed momments ago as a gesture of good faith.

Once the items are secured, the Blade Wielder summoned two spirits that swiftly took the souls of Jorvinlax and Regon. The two gang leaders' bodies fell to the ground, lcold and lifeless.

Silent but pained sobbs can be heared all throughout the plaza from the bandits that have been left standing powerless before the might of the Blade Wielder that has the power of Death within him.

The Blade Wielder then lifted his right hand at torso level, and in an instant, a pale blade manifested in it. Once the blade is wrapped arround his fingers, the blade started to somehow absorb the image of the general of death, and leave the Blade Wielder with his original human form

Now back in his ordinary human figure, the Blade Wielder holsetered the pale blade back on his right waist. After solemnly looking down on the lifeless bodies of the two gang leaders, the Blade Wielder inspected his previously severed left arm, now good as new thanks to the Death general's powers.

Richard approached the Blade Wielder and handed him a white shirt and a dark green robe, similar to the tattered one he wore earlier. Jorvinlax probably told Richard to give the Blade Wielder these clothes to appease him further.

After getting dressed, the Blade Wielder unceremoniously walked off towards the southern direction of the city. As he does so, every bandits still left in the plaza slumped down in defeat from the heart breaking lost they suffered from the hands of one man.

I followed in the dirrection the Blade Wielder walked towards, and as I do, corpses and body parts greeted me. No doubt these gores came from the bandits unlucky enough to come across the Blade Wielder. The more body parts I see the more Jorvinlax's words of warning echoed in my head.

I spotted the Blade Wielder entering a cantina. A few minutes pass before he came out with a brown satchel slung across his left shoulder through his right hip.

After wards, I followed him some more as he made his way to exit gate of the city. Walking out of it without a single bandit or city guards giving him grief. He leaft the city on foot heading to a place unknown to everone but him.

I bought a horse, and started to pursue the Blade Wielder, even with an uneasy feeling within me brought about by the fear the Death general's form instilled in my heart. Never the less, I am determined to see this jurney through til the end. And so, with my new steed, I venture forth to finally talk to the Blade Wielder.