The Legendary Fool

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“We’re all done—,” Zirel muttered under his breath as he watched the bloom of violet flames expand outwards, its spread too quick and violent to be contained.

His words died in his mouth as to his abject shock, the plume of Nether energy violently interacting with fire froze in its approach. For a moment in time, the clouds of destructive energy were frozen, seemingly completely inert as the skeletal birds all around it lifelessly crashed onto the ground as whatever means of control the Nether Lich was employing, faltered.

Zirel’s expression twisted into dismay as the plume of Nether energy finally showed movement, but moved inwards instead of outwards.

Moved towards the center of the blast radius, where the Nether Lich should have been blown to bits already.

“Aleph,” Tom said, his words calm and measured. “Earlier, I asked for your trust. Now, I have no choice but to ask you for your faith,” He said, before pointing at her rare artifact.

“You want my blade?” Aleph asked, her expression unreadable behind her crystal visor.

Tom was sure that she had an eye on the rapidly receding plume of Nether energy as she considered his bold ask.

He looked at her visor, taking in her striking azure eyes that gleamed with intelligence.

“If you did not have my faith, I would not dare have attempted this challenge,” Aleph replied, her voice coming out muffled through the visor as she offered Tom her blade by the hilt.

Tom wrapped his right hand around the hilt, his eyes widening in astonishment as he took in the deadly power of a rare artifact, a true one instead of a mimic.

“Aleph, Zirel,” Tom addressed as the billowing violet flames had almost completely receded. “I need both of you to stay back until I make the call.”

“What?” Zirel asked, his tone incredulous. “This was not what we agreed on! Just what exactly are you planning to pull here?” He asked, as his brows scrunched up in aggrieved confusion.

“I’m—,” Tom’s words abruptly cut off as he turned all of his attention to the lone figure that stood in the middle of the blast radius, its silhouette finally visible.

The Nether Lich’s blackened bones were now a luminescent violet, its empty eye-sockets now lit up by arcs of Nether Energy as it turned to face their direction.

Aleph and Zirel’s expressions went pale as they felt the change in the atmosphere, felt the terrible energy weighing down upon them, making them feel as if the very air was snatched from their lungs as they tried to adapt to the sheer density of Nether Energy in the chamber.

Tom’s expression, however, was calm as he took a step forward.

“Stay back,” He spoke the two words in warning, for it was all he had time for.

‘How do you beat an enemy that is faster, stronger and is incapable of feeling pain?’ Tom asked himself the question as he took another testing step forward, his entire attention focused on the Nether Lich. ‘Most people probably don’t. Thankfully, I’m not most people.’

Tom knew where the Nether Crystals came from. They weren’t an attempt by the Nether Beasts to terraform the Zelez Dungeon, as he had initially suspected. No, they were simply a byproduct of the dissonance between the Nether Beasts’ actual strength and the limit the seal imposed upon them, the reserves of their strength crystallized.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The Nether Lich itself was not a true sentient being. In the golden star’s memories, Tom had found a series of implanted memories and actions that formed the Nether Lich’s combat style. Memories that he had absorbed for himself.

Which was why he knew that the Nether Lich had allowed the seal to weaken itself beyond the norm, forming the throne of crystals it had so pridefully seated itself on. Nether Crystals held in reserve, which it could not only absorb energy from at any time, but also choose to reclaim all it’s strength if required.

As Tom took in the Nether Crystal longsword the Lich clenched in his hands, he knew that it was finally fighting at a hundred percent.

Tom broke out into a run in a sharp right, aiming to lead the Nether Lich away from Aleph and Zirel.

The Nether Lich took the bait and chased after him, but that unsurprisingly turned out to be Tom’s next problem.

A blur of violet was all his senses registered as the Nether Lich shot forward with terrifying momentum.

Had Tom not known how the Nether Lich fought, had he not absorbed the golden star, in all likelihood he would have fallen to it’s first blow.

Instead, Tom dove to the side as soon as he registered the approaching blur, swiping out with Aleph’s blade as he did so.

A crackle of immensely powerful Nether Energy followed, as a large laceration was torn across the chamber’s far wall and floor.

Tom felt a shockwave ripple through his right wrist as his sword bounced off the Nether Lich’s hardened bones, but there was no dismay on his face as he backpedaled.

His expression was focused as he took in the mark that was now visible above the Nether Lich’s skull, a single mark that indicated that his next strike would be 50% faster.

Tom didn’t charge in as the Lich took a moment to collect itself after the terrifying attack, knowing that it was merely baiting him into charging.

His heart hammered in his chest as Lifeblood’s Augmentation ability was stretched to the limits, Tom bellowed, “Come on, then!”

The Nether Lich was more than happy to oblige as it turned its head toward him, it’s teeth chattering in rage before it shot forward.

Tom feigned a charge of his own, before he shifted his body weight to a slant and kicked toward.

A strong gust of wind whipped at his abdomen as he passed just below the arcing Nether Blade, clipping at the Nether Lich’s ankles.

Another mark appeared over its head.

Twice more Tom danced with death, dodging it’s embrace by mere inches, if even.

Four marks.

It wasn’t the five he needed, but the moment he had been waiting for finally arrived.

The stance of the Nether Lich, the positioning of its feet, the way it held it’s sword… Tom was certain that it would go for a diagonal overhead slash, pooling a tremendous amount of strength behind one blow.

Tom’s lifeblood augmented strength and speed coupled with his speed amplified by 50% four times by Aleph’s rare artefact…

It would have to be enough.

The Nether Lich charged and Tom chose to meet it head on.

This time, there would be no dodging or swerving.

It’s blade shot downwards, in a diagonal slash from top to down.

Tom’s own blade blurred forward and it was all he could do to hold on to it as it arced forth with blinding speed.

The Nether Lich’s blade neared his exposed throat, though Tom knew it would damage much more than just a single body part if it so much so as touched him.

Then… it disappeared.

Or to be more exact, it was blown away as Tom cleanly severed the shoulder joint that attached the Nether Lich’s sword arm to its shoulder blade.

“Aleph—,” Tom called out, only for his words to be cut short as the Nether Lich launched a kick at him.

Unfortunately for the Nether Lich, Tom had gotten the fifth mark he needed to reach maximum speed.

The offending bone leg was cleanly severed, just as Tom came to the realization that he could end the Nether Lich himself.

This was a rare artefact.

His blade moved again and again until the ribcage protecting the crystal in it’s chest was laid bare, before he thrust directly at the crystal that he knew empowered the creation.

It shattered.