User blog:Ore-samma/My Cursed Sword

“Is this the place?” I looked about the ancient fortress temple of the former demon lord.

“It is.” My Gazer guide said in a hushed whisper. “This is as far as I am going…. This place was a horrifying place, even to the strongest of the monsters of the former demon lord. Only the dark nine would come here.”

I nodded, “Ah yes, what became of the dark nine, Anya?” I asked, glancing about the dark fortress that still had the smell of human decay and rot.

Anya’s single eye twitched from one place to the next in a nervous fear. “It is said that they all committed suicide, rather than betray the ideals of the demon lord they served under for millennia. None of them thought much of the idea of being friendly to humanity, so they pledged themselves to the same oblivion to follow their master.” She finished in a pained whisper.

“I have to go!” She squeaked. “I remember visiting this place when I was but a mere servant here, and I swore never to come back.”

“Wait- before you go, I have to ask….”

“Yes?”

“What’s it like? Being under the former demon lord, to now?”

Anya stopped shaking and exhaled. “Perhaps the biggest difference that is the most significant, is that I am no longer filled with hatred and rage for humanity....where there was once a burning hatred.... an overwhelming need for war.... now there is nothing but soothing peace I find only in the arms of my husband that could never have been in my former life.” And with that she turned and hurried away, sparing backwards glances that were filled with fear.

I turned back to the silent fortress that still had glowing lights in the windows, and couldn’t blame her. The place was terrifying- even in this current age of relative peace between mamono and humans.

I strode on, confident that there would only be danger from leftover traps, and not from anything living…. Or otherwise.

I gulped as I passed by several cages with rotting remains in them, a testament of a thankfully bygone era. “Poor souls.” I muttered as I passed a particularly grisly scene of a cage with the remains of humans, dwarves, elves and rats.

I searched the fortress, finding plenty of ancient artifacts and treasures, and nearly lost my life several times over from the ancient traps and deadly magics, and finally found it. The chamber of the dark nine.

True to the Anya’s statement; the nine committed suicide. Their bodies were arranged in a semi-circle around the throne where the former demon lord’s avatar would sit- wait!

There were only eight bodies.

I drew near and inspected closer…..Two liche, two apophis, three chimera, one mindflayer, one manticore, and one baphomet.

“Hmmm….” I said glancing at the near-skeletal remains. “The magic users, the empresses, the statesmen, the interrogator, the warmaster, and the general…. But where is the right hand?”

I glanced about. The Right Hand was the title given to the most fearsome of the nine. It was a former hero corrupted by a sword that was said to have been forged by the former demon lord himself. There was no one alive that could contest his power or skill… and yet…. His remains were…. Missing…..

“So odd...” I muttered as I looked upon the empty throne.

Ah well, wherever he was, he wasn’t here… and that meant I was able to acquire what I came for.

Step after gravelly step I approached the empty throne…. there it was…. Embedded at the apex of the throne’s back rest….The demon heart! There were many myths and legends of this particular stone, that it was the actual heart of the demon lord, that it possessed enough magical power to bring back the demon lord himself, that it could reverse the current demon lord’s influence on any mamono….. But it was all hogwash, other artifacts that had such claims never lived up to the hype, and this gem would be no different except in one measure…..

“That it’s worth a priceless fortune!” I breathed as I came nearer and drew out my dagger.

I placed the blade in the seam of where it was embedded in the throne and began to pry. With a satisfying *ping* the gem popped out, which I deftly caught.

“Yes! Come to papa!”

I noticed movement and quickly jumped back, just in time to avoid a part of the throne falling down on top of me and crushing me beneath it.

“Uh oh...”

There….. In what I thought was the backrest of the throne, was actually a standing stone sarcophagus…. And in it…..

“Oh shit!” I grimaced…. There he- I mean… there she was…. The Right Hand.

I deftly moved behind one of the many stone pillars of the throne room and observed the sight before me.

The Right Hand appeared to be asleep in the standing stone sarcophagus, her sword still clasped in her hands. The evil blade glowed a deep crimson and it seemed to *know* I was there.

Keeping the stone pillar between me and the line of sight of The Right Hand, I started to make my way out of the throne room, one soft step after another…. A little dust ticked my nose…. Oh no… not now…. Not like this!

* Achoo!* I tried to sneeze into my cloth, but it was still loud.

With cold sweat all over my body I glanced back, peeking at the sarcophagus…. Whew….. She was still asleep. I turned back to the exit-

“Aaaah!” I cried out, recoiling from her face mere centimeters away from mine.

“Hello, thief!” The Right Hand hissed. “Did you think you could steal from me, and escape?”

I reacted on pure instinct and lunged forward with my dagger and plunged it into her chest and backed up, almost horrified at what I’ve done.

The Right Hand looked down at the dagger hilt protruding from her chest and scoffed, slowly folded her fingers over it and yanked it from her body and tossed it aside. “Is that the extent of your skill, ability and power?” She sneered “Pathetic.”

My mind tumbled over itself, and suddenly stumbled onto an idea…. I was either dead, or my bluff was going to work.

“What’s actually pathetic-” I said, straightening up and crossing my arms. “Is that you think you can actually hurt me!” I laughed.

Her sneer deepened as she began to approach.

“The power I wield makes it so that I cannot be killed by any blade forged in this world, or any other!” I thundered, almost shocked at how strong my voice sounded in comparison to my nearly overwhelming fear.

The Right Hand stopped and licked her blade. “Before I kill you, I would know your name.”

“You won’t. But my name is Vycrest. And what would your name be?”

She blinked, and her left eye began to glow red. “Jaana!” She breathed and rushed forward.

I stood, not knowing how I was able to keep my grin and feet firmly in place. But I knew there was no way to escape, or defeat her in combat…. There was only-

“All too easy.” She hissed.

“-a sword buried in my chest to the hilt.”

I looked up from her sword and into her eyes. I mustered my courage to speak with an even and strong voice. “Is that the extent of your skill ability and power?” I laughed at her scandalous-shocked expression “Pathetic.”

Jaana’s shocked expression turned back to a sneer as she twisted the blade and yanked it free. She licked the blade and her brow furrowed in confusion. “This….” She paused and licked again. “This isn't blood!”

I patted my chest, hiding my sigh of relief, realizing there was no wound or blood loss, only a burning, nearly unbearable heat. “That almost tickled. Could you do it again? Maybe a little higher?”

Jaana glared at me and gritted her teeth. “Higher you say? Like right about-” She swung her sword, and again I felt a burning sensation, this time through my neck.

“-here?” She finished with a confused note.

I gasped and clutched at my throat, making choking and gagging sounds, but soon stopped to laugh at her face which was at first smug, then outraged.

“You! You dare! You dare to mock me?” She screeched. She brought her blade before her face and started shouting incantations. The blade reacted and seemed to be enveloped by fire and lighting at the same time. “I have lived for centuries! The castings of my former life and memories are all cast aside! I know nothing but the thrill of battle and blood! Of war and woe! There is no such thing as peace! There is only the fight!”

“You poor creature!” I retorted, hearing a tormented tone in her rant, a desperate plea for reprieve. “Before this day is through, you will know peace, and I will bring it to you!”

“Ha! Fool!” Jaana bellowed! “Let the darkness consume you!” She screamed and swung her blade, causing a massive energy wave to streak my way.

I raised my arms, as if ready to embrace the energy like it was a lover, no longer afraid of what might happen, and again was rewarded with an intense wave of heat, but no pain or injury.

“My, my, my….” I scoffed as I walked towards her. “That was a lot of fun.” I said, trying to keep the fact that my body was desperate to start panting from the arousal and heat I was feeling. “But, I would give up, if I were you. Your time has come to an end, and all those like you are to face your judgement, and punishment.”

Jaana panted, seeming to be under the influence of the same heat and arousal. “N-n-never! I will die before I admit defeat to the likes of you!”

I shot my arm forward and grabbed her throat with one hand, and smacked her sword away with the other. I yanked her close to me… close enough to feel her frenzied breath between her clenched teeth.

“You are defeated! And you…. by all rights of conquest; are mine!” I finished with a small shove and let go of her neck causing her to stumble backwards and fall on her bottom.

Jaana panted, looking desperately around and saw my dagger, she rolled and scooped it up and rushed me, but I deftly grabbed her wrist and waist pressing my hard flesh against her, feeling her struggle and pant; her body throbbing along with mine. She cried out in frustration and exertion, hurling curses and threats. She leaned forward and bit my neck and I felt her teeth sink in.

No matter- two can play that game, I thought as I bit her back on the neck causing her to shriek and drop my dagger.

As our tussle continued, now with Jaana openly kissing me, trying to devour my tongue, fully consumed by passion and lust. She furiously tore at my pants and brought herself on top of me with desperate motions, fueled by pure animalistic wantonness. She grinded and heaved her body into mine, over and over again. I felt an immense pressure begin to build within me, and her body responded seeming to tighten around me the closer we came to climax.

“Sheath me!” She screamed, feeling our climax hit at the same time, exploding into a moment of pure senselessness.

Her body twitched and spasmed her eyes bulging her mouth open and tongue quivering. She seemed to be choking, desperate to breathe as her entire body clenched into full-body spasm that bordered on seizure. She raised her hands to her throat seeming desperate to breathe, her once-flush skin starting to turn a dull blue.

I was just about to reach up to force her down, to force breath into her lungs when she finally took a huge gasp and collapsed on my chest, panting and crying.

“Please….” Jaana whimpered at last….”please...don’t hurt me…. please...don’t leave me….” she begged.

I held her tighter. “I won’t.” I breathed, stroking her ebon hair, feeling her body relax and soften.

“Is this….” She took in a breath and sighed….”is this what peace feels like? It’s been so long… I have forgotten….”

I turned Jaana’s head to have her look at me, and kissed her deeply. “It may very well be…. And perhaps more.” I said, closing my eyes.