Infernal Blade – Part 12
Luke was saying that whichever way this battle went, the outcome would be decided in an instant.
Then I’ll seize that moment!
Luke sprinted low, with Cecily right behind him. Together, they charged straight ahead.
At the center of the square, the demon in burning armor slowly turned to face them. In its right hand was the Infernal Blade, Aria. The demon calmly lowered the sword to its waist, preparing to strike.
I’m taking back my dear friend!
The demon thrust its rapier, unleashing a torrent of flame. A furious stream of fire and wind spiraled across the ground, tearing it apart as it surged toward them with overwhelming force.
“Get down!”
Leading the charge, Luke shifted his katana into an upper stance, to the left. He stepped in with his right foot, and instead of thrusting forward, brought the blade down from the left before swiftly bringing it back upward. The elemental power within the blade released a shockwave that followed the sword’s motion. The shockwave clashed with the torrent of fire, redirecting it upwards. The blazing heat passed just over Cecily and Luke’s heads, crashing into a tall building, causing it to collapse.
Luke didn’t slow down, and Cecily stayed close behind.
“Another wave incoming!”
The second torrent came, fiercer than the first. The heat scorched the tips of Cecily’s hair as it approached. Luke stood his ground, katana held horizontally by his left side, and with a sweeping slash, he unleashed a shockwave. It deflected most of the fiery torrent, but not entirely—some of it grazed his right arm.
“Luke?!”
“I’m fine!”
Beyond the two waves they’d endured stood the demon, clad in flaming armor. It was still out of reach, several steps away from striking distance—at least for a normal sword. But Luke’s blade was no ordinary weapon.
“It’s enough!”
It would reach.
Luke shifted to an overhead stance, stepping in from the right, delivering a powerful, straight downward strike. It should be more than enough. This time, he wasn’t trying to deflect the attack—he was aiming to cut. His sword would reach. The wind would reach.
A vacuum shockwave tore through the ground. It sliced through the demon’s right arm, severing it along with the flame armor.
The demon screeched, spewing fire from its mouth. Luke’s katana reached its limit and shattered. But it had served its purpose. The rest was up to Cecily Campbell.
“Understood.”
Without hesitation, Cecily sprinted past Luke, charging toward the demon’s severed arm. The dismembered limb spun in the air, still gripping the rapier, its surface blazing with flames. The closer she got, the more intense the heat became. Her instincts screamed for her to retreat. But retreat wasn’t an option. She had to protect. She had to help. A primal roar tore from her throat as she lunged.
Her hand, wrapped in layers of cloth, reached out, but the moment it made contact with the flames, the fabric disintegrated into ash. She’d only bought herself seconds, a few moments—but that was all she needed.
“Aria!”
The wind responded.
The rapier, shrouded in wind, repelled the flames and slipped free from the demon’s grip, casting off everything that bound it. With a lyrical breeze, the sword settled into Cecily’s hand.
“Guh…”
The rapier, having been in the demon’s hand, had absorbed the searing heat. When Cecily gripped the hilt, it burned her palm, blistering the skin and emitting smoke. The excruciating pain brought tears to her eyes, threatening to break her resolve. She almost let go.
“Haaaaaahhh!”
Her battle cry shattered her hesitation. Forcing her body to defy its instincts, Cecily tightened her grip on the hilt, refusing to let go. Never. Her will resonated with the Infernal Blade, Aria. Winds surged around her, steadying her trembling hands and bracing her legs. At that moment, Cecily and Aria became one.
Up ahead, the beast demon charged with terrifying speed, its flaming mane flaring. Hannibal, unable to keep pace with it, looked furious.
Luke clicked his tongue in frustration. “The old fart fucked up!”
“I’m fine!” Cecily roared as she took a thrusting stance.
With her right side forward and her sword held at her chest, she mirrored the form she showed earlier during the demonstration. She stepped in with force with her right foot, thrusting straight ahead, parallel to the ground. The muscles in her outstretched arm strained as the tip of her rapier accurately pierced the beast’s forehead.
Rapiers are weapons for stabbing, not slashing. But of course, that wasn’t enough.
“Fire!”
A dull silver wind surged from the blade. Countless blades of wind radiated outward, exploding within the beast’s fiery body. The creature disintegrated into pieces. With its regenerative abilities gone, it could no longer maintain its fiery form. Aria’s fierce winds shredded and dispersed the Aetheria needed to sustain the flames. The beast demon became nothing more than a ball of fire, and then it vanished.
Even now, the heated sword burned Cecily’s hand. Sweat soaked her body, but she felt no discomfort. Aria’s winds gently cooled her flushed skin, and this pain mirrored the suffering Aria endured.
Cecily felt proud to share in Aria’s pain. She didn’t care if scars would remain. There was no reason to worry about that.
Only one enemy remained. Cecily turned to face the demon in flaming armor. It had lost its right forearm and all fingers on its left hand. It had no eyes, hair, and was completely naked.
The demon thrust its left arm toward her, unleashing a wave of heat at close range. In response, a powerful blast of wind erupted from Cecily’s rapier.
Fire and wind collided into an explosion. The ground around them heaved.
The clash of fire and wind reached a standoff, and yielding meant defeat. Cecily braced herself, thrusting the rapier forward with her right arm, but the demon’s flames showed no signs of weakening and continued to rage.
Cecily gritted her teeth hard. “Aria, we’re saving him,” she declared firmly.
“A way to save him?”
Lisa had looked surprised when Cecily asked the question on their way to the square. Cecily chose not to elaborate, simply nodding. Lisa hung her head, sadness flickering in her eyes.
“Unfortunately, it can’t be done. He’s a special case even among demons. Normally, summoned demons act independently, but what he created was a parasitic demon. On top of sacrificing his own flesh and blood, he offered his remaining body for the demon to possess and relinquished all control. That kind of pact shatters the human mind the moment possession occurs. The strain on the body is also immense. He’s already too far gone.”
“Is it possible to restore his sanity, even just for a moment?”
“There is a method, but…”
“I don’t know who he is. I can’t even begin to understand the sins he committed or the punishments he endured during that war—I haven’t lived through it. Trying to save him is arrogant and hypocritical. But still, I swear!”
Cecily shouted.
“I’ll save all within my sight. If I can reach it, I’ll keep holding out my hands. If not, I’ll tear my arms off to make it. I’ll uphold my vision and make them a reality!”
No longer would she lament her own powerlessness. Cecily Campbell would remain true to her ideals.
There was light and shadow? Fine. Where shadows fell, she would cast light on them.
“Destroy the armor!” Cecily bellowed.
The dull silver began to shine. Light flashed, radiant and pure, spreading from the pommel to the blade, completely infusing the wind. Glowing silver enveloped Cecily, the demon’s flames, the creature itself.
The silver wind shimmered, accompanied by a surprisingly gentle melody. It swallowed the torrent of flames, penetrating. The fiery armor peeled from the man’s body and shattered into pieces. The flames disintegrated into tiny shards, blackening like ash, before crumbling and dissipating. The silver wind gently carried everything as it swept across the entire city, extinguishing even the scattered embers around the square. Soon, the silver wind died down.
“Ugh.”
As the battle ended, Cecily fell to her knees, drained of strength. She dropped the rapier and clutched her burnt right hand to her chest, slumping forward onto the ground.
“Cecily!”
A breeze brushed her cheek. In an instant, Aria returned to her human form. Her clothes were scorched in places, her skin marred by countless lacerations, and her face streaked with tears, sweat, and snot.
She cradled Cecily’s burnt hand close, hugging it tightly to her chest as she cried. Smiling weakly, Cecily wrapped her left arm around Aria.
When Cecily looked, she saw a naked man lying on the ground. His right arm was severed, his left hand missing all its fingers. Where his eyes should’ve been, there were only empty sockets. His emaciated body was covered in severe burns that emitted a foul stench. He managed a faint groan, but it was clear his life was hanging by a thread.
With Aria’s help, Cecily rose to her feet and stared down at him.
“You don’t have much time, so I’ll keep this brief.” She wasn’t sure if he could hear her, but she had to ask. “Tell me your name.”
A wheezing sound escaped the man’s lips. He was trying to speak, but no words came. Just as Cecily was about to give up, Aria spoke.
“His wind said ‘Jack Strader.’”
“Thanks.” Cecily nodded. “Jack Strader. My name is Cecily Campbell. I’m the woman who killed you.”
She fixed her gaze on the man, unwavering for even a moment.
“Don’t ever forget my name. I won’t ever forget yours.”
She wouldn’t. His death would stay with her.
“You’ll suffer no more. Rest in peace.”
Perhaps he didn’t hear her final words. Cecily watched in silence as his body crumbled like ash, soundlessly disintegrating into dust before the wind carried it away, high into the sky.
“His wind left a final message,” Aria said.
“Tell me.”
Sniffling, Aria raised her tear-streaked face and smiled softly.
“He said, ‘I won’t forget.’”
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