Dred took a deep breath. “It wasn’t until I found the first armament that I was able to defeat him, and I realized something. The armament gave me a huge advantage over my enemy, but he nearly won anyway since he was so skilled. I vowed then I would be most powerful and most skilled.” He looked at me again. “But as I look at you now, I realize that it is possible you have not only surpassed my strength but my skill as well. This, I do not understand.”
“Oh.” I looked at the floor for a second. “Well, when I came here, I fought an impossibly strong enemy, and I barely won though she was much stronger than me.”
“Nadine,” Dred said the name like a curse.
“She warned me of you, and I got scared. I searched for a way to beat you, threw myself into training. I spent a year in a timeless dungeon learning to fight, and even longer at the edge of the universe training with Lucifer. I have spent a huge amount of time sparring against those I could never hope to beat so I could improve as quickly as possible.” I looked right at him. “For everything you’ve said, could you say you’ve done the same?”
“What do you mean?” Dred asked, cocking his head and staring at me curiously.
“When you got all your armaments and grew strong, did you continue to train against those better than you? More skilled than you?” I gestured at the cave. “Because Ten wasn’t skilled at all. He was exactly as you said earlier. All strength and no skill, and if that is the type of person you’ve trained against, then it is small wonder you have not improved much.”
“Your words annoy me, but I suppose they are correct.” He sighed. “Perhaps my skills have rusted some, but I am still far more skilled than even the best General. Unfortunately, the Generals were simply beyond my ability to beat no matter how skilled I became. It is why I sought to take more marks. I was already better skilled than them, so my problem was power.”
“It’s tough to balance. Thankfully, I’ve always been bad at both, so I focused on both, and gain both together. There was always a stronger enemy, and honestly, it excites me. I want to do battle, to fight these guys.”
“No.” Jophiel’s voice broke into our conversation, and as I looked at her, I found her staring at the pair of us. “You wish to crush them, to grind them beneath your heel. It is different.” She shook her head. “Dred’s goal still springs from fear, but yours no longer does, Arthur.” She nodded at me. “That changed when you confronted the General and got the moss.”
“How do you know about that—”
“I was watching you. Saw what you did to Lucifer afterward.” She smiled. “It is why I came to you.” She turned her gaze to Dred. “That is why you will always be weaker. Your fear lessens your strength because you do not expect to win.” She gestured at me with one hand while keeping her eyes on him. “It is why Arthur will surpass you, why he will win.”
30
I stared at the Door of Torment. It blazed with blood red flame and was covered in blackened spikes that seemed to ooze acid because every time a drop would spatter across the stone floor it’d sizzle and smoke. It was a bit weird because the floor itself didn’t seem damaged by the constant abuse.
Now that I was here, the Key of Torment throbbed more than it had during the entire journey. It had taken another few hours to walk here through a maze of winding tunnels, but aside from that, we’d had no trouble. Even still, as I stared at the massive dragon’s maw in the center of the door, I was a bit concerned.
I could see the keyhole, could feel it beckoning to me, begging me to use the key and open it. That wasn’t even the problem. I had to go through this door, and while I was sure it’d open to reveal some kind of monster, I was reasonably sure I could fight my way through it.
No. What bugged me was the doors themselves.
“Here’s what I don’t understand,” I said, turning my head and glancing at Jophiel. The Archangel of Wisdom hung back next to Dred a few feet away. Ever since our conversation after the lion bats, both of them had been strangely quiet.
“What’s that?” Dred asked, breaking the silence. He had Excalibur out and ready, his knuckles in a white-knuckled grip like he expected the door to leap out and eat him.
“These doors.” I gestured at it with the key. “How did the Darkness even get them? They seem like they can only be unlocked by us.”
“They can only be unlocked by us,” Jophiel said, her eyes raking over my face like she could find the answer to my confusion etched upon it. “Only the forces of Heaven and Hell can open it, provided they have the keys.”
“Exactly.” I nodded at her. “Sure, Ten had Dred’s key, but they didn’t have this one.” I waggled my key. “And even if they did, how would they open it?”
“What does it matter?” Dred asked. “We open the doors, get the Ark, and get out.” He shook his head.
“My point is how the fuck can a General get inside there to protect the Ark from us?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Riddle me that.”
“Oh.” Dred nodded slowly. “I see your point.” He turned to Jophiel. “He’s right. That doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
“Furthermore,” I continued, “how the hell could she do pilgrimages and whatnot if she’s trapped behind the doors? Can they just be opened from the other side? How does she get back through?”
“I do not know,” Jophiel said softly. Only, the way she said it made me think she’d had the very same questions and never had answers. “I only know that the Ark is beyond the door and General Nine is the protector.” She waved a hand at the door. “I do not know if she is waiting beyond or within this cavern at all.”
“Well, that’s just great.” I sighed and looked at Dred. “Five bucks says the second I open the door, the General pops out like she’s been following us the whole time and will be all like ‘fools, you’ve led me right to the Ark,’ evil laugh, snicker.”
“I get your point, Builder,” Dred said, taking a quick turn around and surveying the area. “You think she wants to trick us to get the Ark, so she can destroy it.”
“I had thought that possible, but assumed you’d prevail, anyway.” Jophiel looked at me. “You are strong enough to win, Arthur.”
“Fuck that.”
I narrowed my eyes as I looked around the room. There was nothing out of the ordinary, but still, something didn’t sit right. This felt like too much of a trap. If I’d been anywhere else, been with anyone else, I might feel better, but for all I know, this could be a ruse by Dred or Jophiel or both. I scratched my chin and peered at the pair.
I remembered the Empress threatening Dred, but that could be staged. Hell, it all could be staged. Jophiel was always a wild card, but she wasn’t strong enough to hurt me unless she was drastically reducing her strength. That seemed unlikely since she had joined me, and I could see her stats.
No, as much as I was ready for the betrayal, that didn’t feel right. No, what felt right was that the General was here right now, waiting, plotting, getting ready to strike. And that was no good. If I was going to fight, I wanted to do it before I got the Ark. That way, if I fucked up, I wouldn’t let it fall into the hands of the Darkness.
I shut my eyes and inhaled sharply, trying to focus. The room came alive with scents. The stale smell of fear. The sharp twinge of anger. A hint of frustration. All that and more hit me at once, and as it did, I grew surer that I was right.
I couldn’t feel anything still, couldn’t hear anything beyond Dred shuffling around the room and Jophiel breathing as she looked at me and waited. That’s when I realized something. I was wearing Lucifer’s armament, the Ruthless Crown of Pride, and it allowed me to see the stats of anyone, even my enemies. The thing was, it never did that without me focusing on using the ability.
My eyes snapped open as I called upon the power. Sure, I might not be able to see the General if she was here, but if I brought up the stats of everything, I might just … bingo.
Standing to my left, close enough to touch was an innocuous little symbol. The same one
I’d seen above Ten’s head. I wasn’t sure if that meant the General was in that exact spot, but that was good enough for me.
“Maybe I’m overthinking things,” I said with a shrug. “You know, nerves.”
I started to turn toward the door, and as I did, I drew Caliburn from its sheath and lashed out toward the menu icon with all my strength. My blade slammed into something hard, and the force of impact rang down my body as the air in front of me rippled like something straight out of a Predator movie.
A form began to move, barely visible in the shifting light, but that was fine because the icon still hung above its head.
“There,” I cried, striking again, but this time as I swung the General dodged, slipping around my attack like an eel and disappearing from view.
“Where?” Dred asked right before something slammed into my back. Pain exploded through me as I stumbled forward. My face crashed into the stone wall, tearing away at my flesh and causing the metallic taste of blood to hit my tongue.
“Here,” the General hissed right before I heard a whump of impact. The next thing I knew, Dred’s back slammed into the rock wall beside me with a wet thud. He slid down the stone onto his ass, ethereal armor cracked and broken. Blue light spilled from the cracks as it tried to repair itself, but even still, I could tell it’d be a few moments before Dred recovered. That was no good.
I pushed myself off the wall, sapphire energy already building on my weapon as I spun to find the General had one scythe-like arm wrapped around Jophiel’s throat as she pulled the angel backward off her feet, simultaneously choking her and using her as a shield.
“Do you like what you see?” the General asked, mandibles gnashing at the air as she spoke. She reminded me more of a twelve-foot praying mantis than anything else. Her glowing red multifaceted eyes fixed on me as her other three arms cut through the air between us, causing her dark chitinous shell to flash in the light of the door’s flames.
“You’re not really my type,” I said, gripping Caliburn tightly. I wasn’t sure how fast she was, but I knew one thing. If she wanted Jophiel dead, she would be dead. I’d hit her once already, and I couldn’t see any trace of the blow. Whether that was because she’d blocked it, or I’d just bounced off her armor, I didn’t know. Either way, it was bad. It either meant she was way faster than I thought or had an impenetrable shell. Worse, one didn’t necessarily eliminate the other.
“Oh, honey, I’m everyone’s type.” Her face twisted as she leaned in closer. “To imply otherwise is just untrue.”
“Right.” I shook my head. “Let the angel go and fight me.”
“Why?” the mantis said, eyeing me carefully while keeping her other eye on Dred. “You seem to think you can order me around. I am Nine, Matriarch of the fallen, Slayer of Kings, and Queen of the Under Dark.” She spat a glob of saliva onto the floor, and this time the stone did sizzle and pop. “I answer to no man.”
“Right, okay.” I raised Caliburn. “Kill the Angel. See if I care.” I charged, and as I did, the mantis did exactly as I expected. She threw Jophiel to the side to free up her arms and lunged forward to attack. Her scythe-like limbs flashed through the air in a near blur, all at differing heights.
I leaped, throwing myself into a sideways twist that let me avoid three of her slashes. Two passed beneath me, swiping harmlessly through the air while the one that had been at neck height passed harmlessly over me.
The last? Well, that’s where it got fun.
Caliburn’s edge crashed into her arm with all the force of my weight and momentum. Sparks exploded from the impact as I twisted my wrists, parrying the scythe away from myself while my body kept going. My shoulder slammed into her chest an eye blink later, sending her stumbling backward.
As I fell, I threw one hand out unleashing a burst of Hellfire that caught her in the chest and exploded in a flare of hellish light.
The only problem was that as I vaulted to my feet, the Mantis walked through the flames completely unharmed.
31
“Here is where you are wondering what went wrong, Builder,” Nine said smashing her two upper limbs together in a cascade of sparks. “I’ll gladly tell you.” She cocked her head to the side, revealing the number on her neck. “I am no longer Nine.”
“Five.” I stared at her. “So, you got an upgrade?”
“You do not seem quite concerned enough for someone who is about to die.” She nodded to Dred. “I hit him once, and he is still down.” She pointed to the ground in front of me. “This is where you kneel and beg the Empress for forgiveness.” Her mandibles twitched. “Go ahead. I will hear your pleas.”
“Or I just kill you.” I nodded to her. “Eight, Six, Seven, Five, Three, Oh, Nine. It all makes no difference to me.” I jerked a thumb at my chest. “Cause let me tell you, lady, I’m really good at squishing bugs.”
“Are you mocking me? Mocking my divine Empress?” The mantis didn’t seem angry. In fact, from the way she said it, she seemed shocked. “Do you not fear eternal oblivion? Fear the wrath she will lay upon you and yours? She will grind your bones to dust, will—”
“Yeah, but you won’t be around for any of that, will you?” I raised Caliburn. “I am Arthur Curie, Builder of Legend. The holder of seven Marks of Hell and six Marks of Heaven.” I took a step forward. “And you have threatened my friends. Prepare to die.”
I lunged forward, my muscles screaming as I slashed at her with all the speed I could muster. Caliburn flashed through the air so quickly the light glinting off the symbols became a streak in the air.
And she dodged.
She stepped sideways, calmly avoiding my strike, and as I pivoted, shifting my weight and bringing Caliburn back around, she dodged once more.
Concentrating as hard as I could, I spun on my heel, changing techniques completely and driving toward her once more. Again, she dodged, sidestepping my thrust, but that was fine because I’d expected it.
This time, as my sword passed by her still-moving form, I reversed tack mid-thrust, bringing the blade around toward her side. Only, as I did, she raised her arms, giving me a free shot. My weapon smashed into her side, and as the force of it rang down my body, Caliburn flew from my grip, spiraling off down the cave.
“You have three problems, Arthur Curie,” the Mantis formerly known as Nine said as she peered quizzically at me. “One, you’re too slow to hit me. Two, you’re too weak to hurt me.” She leaned in closer, so her mandibles were only an inch from my face. Viscous slime dripped off of them, spattering across the ground and causing the smell of sizzling stone to fill my nose. “And three, your sword could not kill me, anyway.”
“Yeah, but mine can,” Dred said right before the tip of Excalibur burst through her chest, spattering me with bits of goo. The blade tore violently outward, spilling blood and goo across the ground.
“Yeah, you really should watch your back,” I said as the mantis toppled to the ground in between us. “It was way too easy to get your back to Dred because you didn’t perceive him as a threat.”
“And for that, you’ll pay,” Dred said right before he drove Excalibur right into the Mantis’s left eye, splitting her skull open like a watermelon. More goo sprayed across the ground as dark, swirling smoke began to engulf her like it had with Ten.
“Stop,” I said, reaching out and grabbing Dred’s shoulder.
He met my eyes. “No, if I do, she’ll heal, and we won’t get another shot like this.”
“Just give me a second.” I held up a finger as I ran to retrieve Caliburn. “Trust me.”
“Fine,” he growled as I rushed back.
Opening his skills window, I quickly spent the five million experience to upgrade his absorption skill to level five.
“Now, do it.”
Dred smiled, and once again the dark smoke began to envelop the mantis. A moment later, she was gone, and Dred practically throbbed with power.
“Man, I feel good.” He looked at me. “Bet I could beat you in a battle now, Build
er.”
“Could be,” I said, shrugging. “You got a big boost from that, but now your gear is a lot weaker.” I smirked. “But we can find out if you like?”
“No.” Dred shook his head. “As long as you make me stronger, I will follow you.” He looked back toward where Jophiel stood watching the pair of us. “And your plan was good.”
“I’m just glad you were able to take advantage of it.” I gestured offhandedly to the door. “Otherwise, plan B was to knock her into the spikes and hope the door ate her.
“How did you know Excalibur could kill her?” Jophiel asked, limping toward us. Her neck was one giant bruise, and she was bleeding from a cut above her left eye.
“I was guessing, mostly.” I nodded to the weapon. “I saw what it did to Ten, and everyone keeps saying it’s the only way to kill Generals.” I smirked. “I figured with everyone telling me that was the case, it ought to be true.”
“Interesting,” Jophiel said, nodding. “I’m surprised you would risk so much on an assumption.”
“Well, I’m pretty good at making an ass out of both you and me.” I grinned, but when neither of them seemed to get it, I shrugged. “Whatever, let’s open the door.”
Taking a deep breath, I sheathed Caliburn and pulled the Key of Torment from my pocket. As I shoved it into the stupid dragon’s maw lock and twisted, I felt a surge of strength go through me, and for a second, I felt more powerful than I had in a long time. Like I could crush my enemies underfoot. Then the door evaporated into a swirl of fire, and the temporary boost of power was gone.
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