The Soul Conflict

Chapter 10: Awakening

The top restraint burst open with a loud snapping sound, and the buckle popped off like a pressurized cork in a wine bottle. The restraints around my stomach, thighs, and ankles soon followed with equal bravado. Mondre looked dumbfounded as I did this. Now what you were expecting, huh?

It has been a long time since I have felt like this. I felt something almost like adrenaline flooding through my body, but it felt even stronger than that. The last time I had felt anything close to this feeling was back in the Congo, but even then it does not quite compare to this feeling. This feels more a bit more...say, forceful.

I stepped down from the operating table and prepared to fight my old enemy once again. Mondre snapped out of his trance and once again began to change his body to suit his twisted demonic needs. Bring it on, con man.

"Looks like I won't have to wake it up after all. I can just cut it right out of you." Mondre said menacingly as he bared his teeth like an animal at me. His fingers once again melded together to form those damned arm-swords. Does this guy have any other tricks up his sleeve besides ripping apart his sleeves?

He prepared to swing at me, and I felt myself being directed by this powerful force flowing through me. This had to be daya, didn't it? I yanked a large knife roughly a foot long off of the other table and swung to meet Mondre's arm at an alarming pace. The odd part was, I didn't even think about doing that. My arm decided it knew what was best for me and yanked the knife off the table.

The knife met the blade arm with great force, creating a strangely metallic clang. That was strange... What exactly was Mondre made out of? From my last encounter with him I remember that he does not exactly bleed.

He swung both of his blades at me in a downwards motion as if he was attempting to destroy a cardboard box that was on the floor. I held the knife up over my head and braced myself for the impact. A bang rippled through the air as the knife met both of his arms, and much to my astonishment I was able to hold both of them back. I feel rejuvenated, somehow. The wound in my head and the wounds on my back no longer throb with agony.

What I do feel is the immense pressure from Mondre attempting to brute force his way through the knife. This reminds me of my dream with the knight...although I kind of wish I had a sword instead of some kitchen knife.

"How interesting...you were not this strong before! What has changed?" Mondre said angrily. I don't know, maybe because I am actually aware of the fact that I have the soul of some ancient hero inside me? That might have something to do with it.

"What has changed is that I am granted the strength of the vengeful light." I said...at least my voice did. Did that just happen again? This is just like the time I accidentally accepted Sunai's offer to join them...wait. That means it's not truly me who is speaking right now.

Altara? Is she the one who is directing my actions?

Mondre looked like he was struggling to keep a straight face, whether it be from the ridiculousness of it or through physical strain.

"So you are...stronger you may be, but your knife is not." He said and I felt my weapon begin to bend under the pressure. Crap, this guy can cut through metal can't he? I made a drastic decision in order to avoid getting my head sliced open. I lowered the knife and rolled to the left towards the table filled with tools. Although, I couldn't actually tell if I truly made that decision or it was the soul within me guiding my actions. I feel like I had at least some say in doing that.

His arms ended up crashing on the floor as if he was trying to crack the earth, while I made it out with a couple of scrapes as part of the consequence of rolling on the floor. My ploy had ended up working. I stood up quickly as possible and plucked the hand saw from the table. The last time I had fought this man was when I had an actual sword designed for killing. Looks like I am going to have to improvise. I dropped the cracked, bent knife and let Mondre come to me.