Interconnected: Spliced Souls

In his prime, Albert must have been tremendously powerful, reaching heights of strength almost beyond my imagination. No, he was undeniably that formidable.  

As for how I knew that?   

All you had to do was look at the dozens of body parts I had lying around the arena. The floor was covered with blood and chunks of fat and guts. I'd already gone through four enchanted weapons. Apparently, they disintegrated if you overused them. 

Minutes into the fight, Itarr had asked why I didn’t sever Albert’s marked hand after he exposed it, and the reason was simple.  

That wouldn’t have worked.  

Based on how Llamare and Liealia reacted when they saw [Geas], I got the hint that it was something not just anyone could use. So, with that in mind, Virin Keywater would’ve definitely included an order for [Geas] to activate whenever Albert’s life was threatened.  

To think he wouldn’t have would be underestimating a man who could think ahead for at least a decade.  

Even if I had Itarr stealthy fly a telekinetic-controlled sword behind Albert for a sneak attack, my instincts prevented me from giving the order. As such, the correct decision was to abstain from an initial assault and probe for as much info as I could. 

I couldn’t ask Albert to confirm my thoughts, but I didn’t think I was wrong. 

But I was going to pay for it with hundreds, maybe even thousands of lives.  

Albert controlled fifteen living armors, each with their own weapons.  

Four of the golems used bows. Pulling back the string caused an arrow matching the color of their body to appear. Each had varying elemental effects.  

That was one thing. Sure, in a vacuum, I could handle it.   

But three used giant tower shields and surrounded the now completely controlled Albert, who used a rainbow-colored rapier like a conductor’s baton to enhance his golem’s abilities.   

No, they're puppets, right? I thought as a hail of swords appeared from below, skewering me right down the middle. I used [Shadow Shot]’s impact at close range to shoot me across the room, sending two hundred overcharged shadowy bolts towards my enemy.  

Those damn shields blocked everything. My legs regrew, and Itarr covered me with clothes.  

If the necromancer and that wormy bastard are loyal to Virin– or even if they're loyal to Viridian, there's no reason for them to tell Albert their true identity after he received the emperor’s displeasure. The likely scenario is that they know him, his name, and his identity, but I doubt he knows who they really are. If anything, they probably went by code names if Puppet Master was anything to go by. I wonder if I’ll have a chance to ask him. 

Servi, we're having some trouble here.  

“Yeah, I know that. I don't know what to do. No– I have an idea!!” I shouted, bringing up a stone pillar to protect me against a hail of arrows. I kicked to the left and used [Air Dance] to soar overhead, but the shield puppets encased Albert again as a horde of elemental projectiles pushed me away, filling my chest with another dozen bloody holes.   

With a flick of his wrist, the two taller, skinnier golems with wheels for feet zoomed to me, impaling me a dozen times. They held me against the wall as one with a large hammer flattened me like a pancake, crushing my organs and bones and ruining another set of clothes.  

“RRAAAAHHHHH!!!!” I shouted, the gory remains of my body quickly reforming my mutilated flesh. Three living armors were close enough to stash in the ring, equalizing the field somewhat. The controlled Albert didn't expect that. If I thought of his current state as a computer program, he followed a logical decision tree to react accordingly. If he knew of [Necromancy], he was probably familiar with enemies regenerating from mortal wounds.   

But what of someone with the god-like power of storing items in a goddess’s domain? 

They've stopped moving, Servi. I… I didn't know what to do, so I kind of pushed them into the blood ocean… 

“That's fine! Itarr, you have to help me close the distance. Use whatever you can to get them within five feet!” 

Forty glowing armaments appeared beside me.  

Understood! Let's go, Servi!  

The goddess’s voice was…strong. It was powerful and full of strength! I ran around the room’s perimeter as the floating weapons clashed with the remaining golems. They left the shield ones alone. Albert’s body moved as the lights covering his skin flashed a sinister shade of crimson. He slammed the baton into the ground and spoke, but his voice was too quiet. Suddenly, every living armor dissolved into goo and were reforged into archery golems.   

Their deep, unblinking eyes were locked onto me. “SHIT–”  

It was like a hail of machine gun fire crackled into existence. Fifty burning, freezing, corrosive, acidic, windy, and spectral arrows lodged me into the wall hard enough to leave behind an imprint. The ground and floor started to shake from the constant barrage. My skin melted to the bone, the frigid coldness of winter freezing the bone solid, then allowing flames hotter than forge to melt my tendons and ligaments? 

It was too much for me to endure.  

The fucking golems shot the corrosive arrows above me just so acid would drip down my face and body, exposing my innards to the extreme elements.   

Everyone had their limit, and I thought I'd never encounter mine because pain was pain.  

Pain didn't hurt. It was just the body’s way of telling the mind something was wrong.  

If you couldn’t die, did it matter if something was wrong with your body? It would regenerate or heal itself moments later, so why...even bother? 

But this?  

It. Hurt. Like. Pure. Hell.   

I’M TRYING, SERVI!!! Hang on!!!! Please!!!! Itarr’s voice was unsteady, which showed in her telekinetic grasp. Her cuts had been narrow and weak, barely scratching the surface. She lost control a few times and let go of the weapons. She was having trouble using their enchantments.   

Suddenly, Albert lifted his thin sword. His mouth moved. Energy surrounded his body and caused his hair and clothes to lightly flutter.   

Even when this was my best chance, he avoided my [Stone Pillar] by merely leaping into the air. The archery golems started to flash. They morphed into goo and combined into one singular living armor with dozens of unmoving eyes, ten sets of arms, ten bows, and fourteen legs, gifting it vastly increased mobility and firepower. I tried to snag him with [Telekinesis], but my grip was broken immediately.   

All ten bows aimed towards me. Their strings were pulled back. The air trembled and shook the longer this attack charged. And when the conjoined golem let go of the bows?  

It felt like the world was suffering from an earthquake. The whole building violently spasmed, and a rainbow-colored spike thicker than myself barreled towards me at superhuman speeds. It cleaved me in half, pushed me through the ten walls behind me, and sent me flying out of the mansion. 

The beautiful moon was shining so lovely above me. It witnessed every element harm my body until my screams were silenced by this life ending for what felt like the 100th time. Luckily, it took just a second to have a new body.  

It’s a miracle I still had flesh available to regenerate from... I can’t die completely and wake up in the forest... Not now... 

Itarr clothed me and apologized, but I said she had nothing to say sorry for. [Air Dance] allowed me to reach the top floor, and before running back in to face Albert, I looked at the four streams of smoke easily visible on this clear night.   

But I couldn't waste much time here.   

I was back in the arena before I knew it. Albert guarded the door. The chimeric armor remained in front of him. 

Do you trust me? 

“I do.” 

Find a way to bait out that attack. I promise you I will absorb it. That must be the key to this fight. We only need to get close enough, then our victory is assured. 

“Absorbing one attack is easier than a goddamn machine gun. Okay, let's go for it.” Drawing my umpteenth weapon from my ring, I held the glowing axe like a sword and slammed it into the ground, causing a wave of rocky pillars to burst forth, destroying this room even more than it already was.   

The massive golem charged all the bows and tracked me without fail as I zig-zagged to close the distance. Albert waved his thin sword, and the air shook violently once more when the golem launched the charged attack.   

And…  

It was fast. It was powerful. And it was gone! Vanished, disappeared away before touching me!  

That moment?  

It was sweeter than any dessert. In hindsight, the solution was so simple. But uncomplicated things were often the most complex. The faster something came towards you, the less time you had to react. Absorbing wasn't easy. It required a delicate hand to imagine the ‘squeezing’ process before smooshing it inside the ring.   

“Got you now!” I screamed. Albert's [Geas] programming must've not had a case solution for something like this. The brief hesitation was what I needed to reach him. I kicked off the wall as hard as possible, continuing to pump my legs on [Air Dance] created platforms until I downright smacked into the golem.   

My head split open like a watermelon and oozed brain and skull fragments, but Itarr screamed victoriously. A wavy haze of shadow cloaked the monstrous golem and whisked it away to somewhere else...   

I was finally left alone with Albert.   

He reached into his pockets for more colored marbles, but... 

“Ain't got nothing left, do you?” I asked as my head healed. It always felt weird when my hair had to grow back because it went strand by strand. “If this is you now, I can't imagine you in your prime. Seriously, you're just incredible all around.”  

Albert raised his weapon and stared me down, his eyes unmoving and empty.   

“You shouldn't have had to suffer by that bastard emperor. Fuck Virin, and fuck his whiny-ass son. You know, I don't have any memories. No nothing. I don't even know if I have a family out there waiting for me. But spending time with you was nice. It was just a few short days, but… Thank you, Albert. For talking with me. For striking up a friendship with me… I'm going to kill you, okay? I'll free you from your prison. You won't have to suffer anymore. If there's an afterlife, I hope you can find your mother. I'm sure she'll be proud of what you accomplished for yourself. Itarr, I don't want you to interfere.” 

You wish to fight him alone? 

“I do. He's the toughest opponent yet. With enough time, I know I can kill that wormy bastard. But Albert? He's…just on a different level. I can just tell it from the way he holds himself. And it's something I want to do.” 

I don't understand, but this is important to you. I will witness this battle.  

“Come, Albert!” I raised my axe and slammed it once more. The erupting wave of stone pillars caused the room to tumble. Parts of the ceiling began to fall, but I destroyed them with an overcharged [Shadow Shot]. Albert remained still, his eyes watching closely at my movements. When I was within his range, he thrust his arm and destroyed my heart. Flames and ice bellowed from his sword and incinerated my body in cold fire. He stepped back one hop and turned, kicking and shattering my left leg.   

I remained upright and swung my axe, but he swatted it away as if I was a child playing with a tiger. It was a simple motion, but one that caught me off balance.   

“What?! Uugghhh!!!!”  

“[Tidal Flurry]!” Albert's weapon became enveloped by an azure hue. Water leaked from the tip as he launched an overwhelming assault of piercing thrusts at my chest. Each stab caused a wave of pressurized water to force out of my back, painting the wall behind me with deep, watery crimson.   

Albert’s motions were too fast for my eyes to track, leaving me unable to mentally grasp and absorb. He continued making pin cushions out of my torso until he targeted my eyes. Brain bits and skull pieces blasted a hole from the back of my head.   

Servi?!

 

“I'm fine! Oh, I'm just fine! ONE MORE TIME! Come on! Let's go!!!” I took out another axe and wielded both heavy weapons with one hand each. Being immortal meant the strain never hurt enough to make them unruly.   

I rushed forward again and slammed both down, causing more of the roof to cave in. Parts of the walls began to crumble, exposing the skeletal-like structure they used to build the frame out of this mansion. Then I threw them away and pulled out a pair of swords. They glimmered a soft orange and became superheated a second later.   

The descending debris was caught by my telekinetic prowess and sent ahead of my impending assault. Albert's skill meant he just needed one thrust to use the force of water to break it, but I was upon him in no time. The power of immortality beckoned me to fight at 100% without regard for my safety.   

So I did that. I lacked proper training, so I swung my swords like a mad woman. Albert dodged without effort and stabbed me through the chin, but I kept my feet standing still as my throat blew out behind me.   

It was a battle of our endurance. Who would give up first? I only needed to make a single point of contact. The rest would come naturally. [Telekinesis] would've helped extraordinarily, but Albert was too strong to fall to its effects. He shrugged them off without missing a beat.   

It was like two brutes fighting to the bitter end--only the victory condition for the other did not exist.   

Slowly but surely, Albert's body began to slow. The movements became dull, like the blunt edge of a knife after you used it too many times without proper sharpening. His overwhelming barrage lost focus for just hair, allowing me to graze his abdomen with my blades. His clothes instantly caught on fire. Albert tried to backpedal, but I was there, thrusting with both blades. He responded by attempting to block, but his sword couldn't handle it.   

I knew it was enchanted. As for what it held? I didn't know. But enchanted equipment needed time to recover their stamina. They needed rest, lest they fade away like the final embers of a candle. The battle had been far too intense for Albert's thin sword to suffice without cracking or chipping. I'd even noticed it before the rapier became intimately close with my heart and lungs– before they were blown out of my body by a tremendous pressurized gust of water.   

“And it's done. The fight’s over, my friend.”  

Sizzling steam boiled Albert’s blood and guts when my swords broke past his suit and tasted his crimson flesh. I held both him and the weapons in the air. The grip he had on his rapier loosened. It gently fell to the destroyed ground, shattering into a thousand little rainbow particles that glimmered brightly in the pale moonlight. Blood leaked from his wrinkled lips, and sweat doused his brow. 

“G….oooooooaaaahhhhh…. Eeee….rrrrhhhhh…” Albert coughed, splashing blood all over my face. The swords lodged in his gut dissolved, but he did not fall to the ground like a sack of meat.   

No.    

I caught him softly in my arms and kneeled, holding him close. The red magic lines from [Geas] rescinded into the seal on the back of his palms, then vanished without a trace. The color in his eyes came back. The kind-hearted butler coughed and trembled, looking up at me with those wounded eyes.   

“M…other…” he weakly said, forcing his dying words to come out. “I've…missed you so…much… Are…you proud of…me…? There…hasn't been…a day…that…I haven't thought…about you… I…want to eat your…cooking…just once…more…”  

“Itarr.” 

I understand.  

The recipe Albert told me? I was sure it belonged to his mother. The goddess inside the ring telekinetically retrieved the soup-filled bowl. She gently flew a spoonful into his bloody mouth.   

The salty emotions draining from his eyes increased tenfold.   

“A soul as kind as yours didn't deserve this. Albert… I wished we could've talked more. I wanted to learn from you… I–”  

“Mother…I…don't wish…to go yet…” Albert closed his eyes. Itarr had to gently massage his throat to get the food to flow down. “I know…I can still…do more…to make you…proud… Please…I…don't want…to die…ye…t… Mo…the…e…r…” I grasped Albert’s hand and held it tightly until…  

Until he didn't have anything else…to give… [Minor Heal]? I'd been using it nonstop since the fight ended, but what a load of fat shit that did! Itarr told me about [Serenith Heal], so I swapped to stacking and using that, but... 

It was the strongest healing spell I knew—acquired from fighting my way up through the mansion, but... 

It wasn’t enough... 

I didn't want to believe it even after his soul flew into my ring! 

“I swear… I’ll find a way to bring you back. Just let me get [Necromancy], okay?” I declared, absorbing his body. “You weren't supposed to die here… That goddamn emperor…” I gritted my teeth through the tears and clenched my fists to force myself to calm down. But the unbridled anger just felt like it didn't have an end!  

I was furious!  

I was pissed off!  

“GGGGAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!” I just had to vent. Stomping, screaming, and shouting wouldn't bring back the dead. But purging my emotions returned my mind to a somewhat neutral state and softened my stress. “Itarr, treat his body with respect.” 

I understand. Now, let us advance! 

“Right!” I picked up the pace and ran through the door Llamare and Liealia entered earlier. I didn't know what kind of bullshit they encountered, but I wouldn't let them fight alone!