Life in a new Kingdom (Original Story)

Chapter 113

The rotting flesh of the creature ripped apart with its movements. I held my breath before the rot could disorientate me further. Slamming its arm into the wall beside me, I duck and roll to the side, drawing my blades and facing the creature. I take deep breaths and observe its body, trying to discern a possible weak spot. Herk runs out of the room to strike the monster from behind. His mace smashes into its back, causing bones to crack and shatter from the impact.

"This mass of flesh is a construct! Built from many bodies!" Herk shouts while attacking. The neck of the creature twists and attempts to bite him. He raised his buckler to deflect the teeth away from his body. I charge forward and swing my sword vertically to cleave through its body.

It morphs its skin to wrap around the blade as it touches its chest, holding it in place. The twisted face contorts and shifts its entire body, throwing me into the wall again before tossing me to the side. Herk begins to start a prayer to use holy magic. Chanting the words as quickly as he can, a small beam of light extends from his necklace and strikes the creature's eyes, blinding it temporarily.

It shrieks from the pain and flails wildly, striking Herk in the chest and head. The impact sends him back into the room in a tumble. The sounds of his armor clash with the environment before it quickly stops. Herk is unresponsive; I have to assume he was knocked unconscious. I can't waste the opening he gave me. Utilizing both blades, I hold them close in a stance.

"Sword Art: Blade Beam!" Runic symbols appear on the blades in a light green color. They grow brighter, and kinetic energy vibrates through the weapons. I stoically charge forward. The creature, unaware of my assault, is left defenseless. Shifting my weight to my legs, I swing the blades behind my back, allowing for a wide-range strike.

Stopping before the monster, I swing in an X pattern; the blades clash against each other. The built-up kinetic energy strikes against each other, erupting them. A spray of blood explodes from the torso of the creature, staining the walls and floor. The beam of energy rips apart its flesh. My hands were seriously numb from the release of power within my swords. I leaped forward and pierced them both into the upper chest area and ripped each one out to continuously pummel the creature with piercing strikes.

"IT HURTS!!" A gray mass of flesh peels away to the floor, reeking the vilest odor. It rips its arm apart to strike toward me. Narrowly missing my head, I twirl to its side and drive my left sword into its back to leap up and drive my other blade deep into its skull. The mass of flesh pulsates as it struggles to regenerate, but it isn't enough to kill it.

My sides are quickly grabbed by hands pouring from the mass of flesh, and they wrap around my waist and shoulders. My attempts to break free are met with a sudden tight grip around my neck. Straggled by many hands of the creature's flesh, I let out a painful gasp of air. Forcing me down with its massive body, I am beneath its foot. It stomps onto my chest, crushing my ribs in the process.

"Graahhh!!" I cough violently as my ribs puncture my lungs. This monster still has strength despite its grievous wounds. I didn't know what to do. This creature had insane healing abilities and would only counter any attacks I threw at it. Each bone in my body was on the verge of breaking underneath the foot of this creature.

"Holy Light, guide my path and strike true!" Little birds of light hit the shoulder of the construct, reacting in a fit of pain. Small holes that showed no signs of healing caused the creature to turn its attention back toward Herk, who had recovered from earlier.

"I'll distract it! Make sure you stop its regeneration so we can kill this bastard!" I shout with pain in my chest. Herk understood and approached the creature, holding a ball of light and summoning another horde of birds made of light to strike the legs of the monster and crippling its movement and falling onto its knees.