Savage Awakening 319. The Gauntlet (IV)

This fellow was so pale it was like he'd never seen the sun. Hairless, with beady red eyes, sunken cheeks.  

But what drew Zane’s attention was his aura. 

It smoldered in the astral plane, casting a billowing shadow whose bleak fingers reached halfway across the cage. Some strange power ran dense through the Prince’s veins, tinging them void-black. Some nasty Bloodline Zane had felt in Monster Lords before, or even Monster Knights. But it so dense in this beast it was hard to compare—here it was a physical, sluggish thing. 

His Monstrous Bone showed strongest in his claws.  

The Prince was a spindly Monster. Zane couldn't imagine there was much strength in those limbs. He looked built for speed. 

If the Sage was right, he could go quite fast indeed… 

He would be the strongest thing Zane fought to date. A bird.

Zane frowned at the fellow, wondering. 

He would need a plan. Or else this could go rather badly, he felt. He’d fought these birds enough times to know. 

What is the meaning of this? The Monster Prince hissed.

The Barbarian Sage just ignored it.

"Right!" he said cheerfully, patting Zane on the shoulder. "It’ll be a tricky one. Give 'em hell.” 

Zane nodded.

You can't mean for him to fight me. The fellow twitched. This—this whelp of a blundering oaf? Are you insane, old man?

"She said the same thing!" chuckled the Sage. He ambled away. In seconds, the cage slammed shut. 

*** 

Then it was just Zane face to face with the Monster Prince.

Vadros (Monster Prince) 

Essence Level 516

The Level difference was only a half-realm of Levels away. But the feeling of threat Zane got from him was unlike anything he’d felt. 

The Prince inspected him flatly. You don’t know who you’re dealing with, do you, human?

"No," said Zane honestly.

This only seemed to tick the fellow off more.

My name is Vadros, he breathed. Third of his name. Ruler of the Shadowed Realms, heir to the line of Great Malzareth. Champion of the Western Horde!

As he spoke shadows crept heavy around him, rising from the ground like smoke. His voice doubled, tripled, echoing deeper. 

You stand before a Crown Prince of the Monster race! he hissed. His eyes swirled for a second void-black. The Prime Blood of the Primordial Destroyer itself!

"Oh," said Zane, who was not sure what all that meant. It did sound rather impressive. 

…An idiot. Prince Vadros looked incredulous. They've set me an idiot to slaughter. A mongrel idiot.

"Ten seconds!" called the Sage.

Vadros looked Zane up and down. The more he saw, the more amused he seemed. Do you imagine all that mass will save you once I tear into you, you overgrown ape? Hmm?

Shadows played at the edges of his hands, extending the nails. So fine Zane couldn't feel their edges, not even in the astral plane. Those were strange shadows, smoking at their ends… The very fabric of the realm shrieked around them, as though it were being slowly tortured.

He could tell they would be trouble, just at a glance.

Usually Zane liked to feel his way into a fight—but he looking at those claws, he wasn’t sure it was such a great idea. 

If Reina were here, he wondered what she’d do. She’d make a plan. Look around at all the options. Get an idea for everything she could use. 

So he took it all in—took in the cage too. It really was a cramped little space now that he paid attention. If he meant to catch a bird… 

He did have something of an idea, now he thought of it. 

There wasn’t much time to think on it. 

"Three! Two! One!" came the Barbarian Sage's voice. 

"Begin!"

It was like some higher power had turned the lights off. 

Instantly there was nothing. Not even essence.

Prince Vadros’s domain—a realm of smoldering shadow—blew out like the falling of night. And in fractions of a second, it swallowed the entire room…

Another Tier 6 domain. 

This one felt claustrophobic. More insidious than the Cobra’s, a smothering, shifting, smoldering thing. It killed the last of the light. 

And then it started exerting its pressure on Zane. 

The only bright spot was Zane's domain. Flared up fierce in an instant—a single sparking force field holding back the night…

He gritted his teeth. 

This time, he burned as much essence as he could manage right away. He’d learned from the last time. 

Still he had to focus and strain just to keep it off of him. But as those tendrils tried to invade, tried to wipe out the light, they hissed back as though stung.

So the mongrel’s got some tricks, said the Prince. He looked as annoyed as he was amused.

Then his expression twisted. Grew harsh. But tricks won’t save you here. Pay close attention. For this is the difference between you and I. Between your weak little human race… 

And Zane felt a Bloodline ignite. 

Bulging down its pale flesh, lighting up the veins—a sudden intensity, a void searing down the astral plane—

It was the greatest density of Monstrous Bloodline Zane had ever felt.

And the Blood of the Destroyer itself! Vadros shrieked. 

His narrowed those scarlet eyes on Zane, locking on, and he felt a spike of vicious intent.  

Those eyes bulged.

Vadros lunged so fast Zane didn’t even see it—just its after-image, a whiplash of motion. Zane had been tensed for something, ready. The moment he felt that essence surge, that intent surge, he was already bringing his chains to block, jerking out of the way—

He was surprised to feel a searing pain rip down his right side. 

Fresh blood fountained out of him. 

Zane had a moment of whiplash. 

He barely had time to feel it coming—even Great Sage Mind could only give a flicker of a warning. Then—a blinding mass of raw power, of Bloodline, condensed to a scar so thin, so razor-sharp, moving at obscene speed… 

It felt like an axe had hacked deep into him. 

He looked down, grunting. 

There was a grisly gash streaking down the right side of his chest, cutting so far into muscle it was halfway to the bone.

A corrupt Bloodline smoldered down its length. 

It would’ve hit something vital if he hadn’t moved just then… 

He couldn't remember the last time a single strike had wounded him so deep. It’d cut faster than he could feel. 

Just that one strike would’ve been enough to slice a normal Minor God in two, he knew. 

It was only the heavy-duty tempering—the strength built deep in Zane’s body, that stopped the blow…

Oh? Vadros frowned at Zane like Zane was an insect that had somehow gotten out from under his boot. You actually managed to survive—

Zane roared as though in a blind rage. And leaped to counter.

The pain had jerked him all the way awake. 

His Chains walloped the air, bursting with raw explosive might—so much power imbued in each link they rippled the air. A flaming bull-charge of sheer Destruction, ready to crush Vadros to a smear… 

Only it never landed.

The Prince simply snorted and flickered out of existence, the way shadows shadows escaped light. 

His Chains crashed useless against the walls. 

Then Zane staggered, wincing.

Another jagged scar in reality had rammed deep into him—an arc of blinding pain lighting up his back. He whirled, narrowing his eyes…

Vadros tutted. Stupid mongrel. 

Zane threw himself at it again, roaring. This time he tried even harder—as though to catch it just before it vanished.

But again Vadros flickered out of place long before he hit on anything. The Chains clank’d somewhere in the darkness of Vadros’ domain. Gone.  

And this time, Zane felt pain lance the backs of his legs—he staggered. 

Dance for me, monkey! giggled Vadros. Dance!

Warning!  

Health under 75%

He was gushing blood—bad—in just three exchanges.

He growled, turning again. 

He saw his enemy flex his fingers, a picture of smug calm. New holes in reality smoldered down their ends, rendered to ultra-fine points… Monstrous Bloodline concentrated at ends. A Bonfire of it. Half the power of its Monstrous Bone, gone to bolster its powers… 

Now Zane felt it up-close, even that Bone was a clear step up from anything he’d ever felt. 

He knew how tempered his body was. 

But when he looked down it looked like someone had taken a butcher’s knife to him. That raw firepower… 

Even Zane wasn’t sure how much of it he could take. 

But he knew there was no changing course now. 

*** 

“Call it off,” said Viria.

The Barbarian Sage was quiet. Frowning.

They saw Zane lunge—chuck a length of blazing chain with crushing power—a chain that vanished into the gloom, without a trace. Saw him stagger again, grunting under a heavy slice—whirl around, blast out another great arc of light…

But he just couldn't seem to land anything

The Sage saw Zane’s jaw tighten every time. Even Zane—with his pain tolerance—was feeling every shot… those shots looked damned bad. 

Another slash ripped up Zane’s thighs—by then he made a staggering, shambling figure. 

His heart was not one bit diminished—you could see it in the cold intent in his eyes, the focus. 

But even Zane’s body was being slowly butchered. 

“Call it off!” said Viria, alarmed.

The Sage shook his head, resolate. “You don’t stop believing in your man, just because he's facing some trouble! The lad’ll find a way.”

He put his hands to his mouth, and roared, “Come on, lad! Don’t let that bastard bully you! You take it to ‘em!”

***

Zane had fought many kinds of birds before.

He’d picked up a thing or two in that time… 

Never one that hit quite this hard, though.

He was breathing heavy—his Asura State was nearing its peak. Every strike he threw roared out with massive firepower—he threw it with all his heart, all his fury…

Only to hit some distant steel. Clank. And peter out, vanishing into the gloom.

That might’ve hurt, said the Prince, amused again. If it landed. Stupid mongrel mutt.

He raised his dainty pale arms, spreading them wide.  

Can’t you see? he crowed. It’s useless! Give it up! 

He gave Zane another slash, and it was all Zane could do to lurch away, stumbling. Every slash carved a new chunk out of him.

He growled again—lashed again, as though in a blind rage—and yet again his Chain vanished into the gloom… Clank. 

You never learn, do you? Vadros was getting annoyed now, seemed like.

His annoyance quickly turned darker. Spiked to fury when he saw Zane was still standing. Still glaring back, defiant—

A seething smoke gathered at his fingers.

DAMNED—He roared and made a massive slash.

Zane lurched—staggered—felt like an axe had hammered straight into his chest. His head swam. 

—MUTT!

Another scar lit up Zane’s entire torso, And it took a huge force of will just to stay upright…

He groaned. 

Warning!  

Health under 25%

He was burning at his peak then. That was how he could even still move. Locked in a pitched battle—it would be hard for most Minor Gods to resist him then, head-on… only all his power was going to waste.

Burning to nothing.

He lunged again, and again, seeming delirious, wobbling on his feet—like he’d given up on even lighting up his Chains. Clank—clank—

Over and over he stumbled, and took the blows. And over and over his Chains rammed into the walls, and stayed there—forgotten.

This is absurd. The prince was working up to a proper fury. A hells-damned farce!

He gave Zane another vicious slash, and Zane was bleeding from so many gaping wounds you could see more muscle and bone than skin.

Thickheaded—mongrel—bastard!

He Punctuated each slash with a vicious slice.

Stay—down—damn you! 

And every time Zane took it bravely, jaw set. Lunged right back, tried countering, tried throwing anything.

It just wasn’t working… 

*** 

“Stop the fight,” said Viria.

The Sage was silent.

She grabbed him by the arm—“Stop it—he’s killing him!”

As though on cue, Zane took a slash so fierce it buckled his knees.

“I’ll jump in myself if I’ve got to!”

“You’ll do no such thing,” Summersteel snapped. Then hesitated, looking at a heaving, staggered Zane.

“Jogo…” he said to the Sage, hesitant. “Perhaps—”

“No,” said the Sage. He looked a bit stricken—like it physically hurt him to see Zane wrecked like this. When he spoke, his voice was thick. “I still believe in Zane—he’ll find a way, godsdamned it!”

*** 

How many more void blades will it take to kill you? Even the Prince was huffing, sweating, winded—just from carving Zane up. Ten? Less?

By now, he seemed genuinely frustrated that Zane had taken all that punishment and still stood. 

But it wouldn’t be long now… they could all see it. 

The end was coming. 

More shadows sharpened along Vadros’s fingertips.

That’s the problem with you, slobbered the Prince. Your entire race! Stupid mud creatures—so stupid you don’t know when to quit! So godsdamned stupid you don't even realize you're playing right into my hand! 

Vadros laughed, nearly hysterical. Don’t you see I want you to chase me? I’m baiting you, you dumb mutt! Do you really imagine you’ll catch me? Even now?

Zane hacked out a lungful of blood, and turn a cold eye on him.

“Yes,” said Zane, and lunged again. 

The next slice took him to one knee. 

And how do you imagine you’ll do that? said Vadros. Voice hoarse now, but just as mocking. With those fat oafish chains? They’re good for ensnaring dragons, maybe! If you hadn’t noticed, fool, I’m ten times smaller. And a hundred times faster! You haven’t gotten within ten feet of me— 

Zane lashed out a Chain. 

Vadros dipped it easily, annoyed. He was just about to fire off another barb when he heard the Clank. 

It sounded… surprisingly close… 

Come to think of it—why did the Cage feel so much smaller than before? 

It was the walls, Vadros realized. They were gone. 

Everywhere the Monster Prince looked, he saw only Chain. 

Chain, piled on chain, piled on chain. Wrapping the room all over— 

Vadros’s eyes began to widen. 

A sudden coldness gripped his chest. 

Surely not…

He whirled around, heart going faster and faster— 

Sure enough. That last Chain plugged the final gap. 

No… croaked Vadros. 

He turned to the ruined, bleeding man at the center of the cage. A man whose hands just kept lashing all that time—whose chains had kept lengthening, and lengthening, and lengthening… 

You didn’t— you couldn’t have—you’re just a stupid mongrel! Vadros spluttered. How—how could you have—

“You talk too much,” growled Zane. His body erupted with essence—a sudden bonfire in the Astral Plane. 

The walls exploded with Stormfire. 

Vadros shrieked. 

At the same time, Zane flexed with all he had left. Let out a roar straight from the depths of his soul. 

The walls closed like a tightening noose.