The Strongest Spellblade

Supreme General Darren Burnstock

I looked over the message that had come up from the Last Bastion. Elena was supposedly dead from a demon residing in the 26th layer. By now the news had traveled far and wide. The greatest team composed of Supreme Legends, including my wife, had perished.

Even with my experience and knowledge, I couldn’t say for sure if she was alive or dead. If anyone could survive, it would be her with how versatile being a spellblade truly was. It also didn’t bode well for humanity that she had fallen. Our greatest protector had perished.

I almost regretted not going with her on a final descent. I would have been useless except against that demon. One sentence and it would have been instantly killed. That was the weakness with thinking monsters, they were vulnerable to social skills.

It was the one skill I had grasped onto the most tightly. Even the letter referencing it to my son was a huge risk of it leaking. Once it was known, it could be countered. But against anyone who didn’t suspect, it meant instant victory. A true trump card against any and all threats that could under speech.

“Will this affect the preparations?” one of my advisors asked hesitantly.

“No. We move forward as planned. Strengthen our defenses and skill training, while we continue to import war machines and other weapons from the Dwarven Corporations. We will prepare for a full-scale invasion of the mainland two years from now. The schedule has not changed,” I imperiously declared.

“The legends grow restless. Some question if you are fit to lead after Elena’s death,” another advisor said.

“Then convene the council of legends. They can vote if they wish to replace me as their leader. But the loser will face either exile or a challenge,” I said, restating the rules that had been set up for the legend’s council.

It was annoying, but I needed their support if I was going to crush everyone else. With the dwarven war machines, we wouldn’t need to worry about having a smaller army. I would focus on quality. The legends would act as an elite force, crushing their counterparts in battle. The regular army would crush everyone before them with the war machines.

The Dwarven Corporations were as greedy as ever, hoping to use the upcoming conflict to increase sales and their own power. But that was their biggest mistake. Not understanding true power came from being united and having an advantage that others didn’t

While they would keep their best in reserve, war machines and equipment could be used by low leveled people. That was the advantage. A level 40 farmer could kill a level 80 professional soldier. Those Mana cannons were incredibly dangerous. A legend had a high chance of dodging and surviving, but anyone below that level would struggle.

My thoughts turned to Elena once more. I couldn’t help but wonder how such a fight would go. I had seen and participated in enough high-level fights to understand their flow. But this would be at a level that had never before been seen.

I would have been worried about Justin. My son hadn’t reached out, but that wasn’t surprising. He had an independent streak like his mother. He was stubborn and I had no doubt that would come through with his class selection. I had someone watching at a distance and the fact that he had gone into the dungeon with that healer could only be for one reason.

It was tempting to send him something to help him out, but he needed to struggle and suffer. Getting everything handed to him would make him incompetent and incapable. Increasing the color of one’s class was incredibly difficult once it was blue. But it wasn’t impossible.

If he had come to me, I would have told him what he needed to do and have helped him. But he didn’t like asking for help, like his mother. In time he would come to me or go his own way. I was curious to see how he turned out. All my other children over the millennia had been disappointments in one way or another.

Justin had avoided that label due to the help from his mother and his determination. If he didn’t place first in the College, then he would be a disappointment as well and not worth investing in. That was one thing I had learned in the worst possible way. Sometimes it was better to let something go and take a step back to achieve more later on.

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Hopefully Elena lived and triumphed. It was unlikely, but I never let go of hope for the future. One had to believe in a better tomorrow or the present wasn’t worth living in.

Legend Xanatos

“Die!” I swiped my hand and the Revenants burst into black flame, quickly turning into ash as their every existence was erased. I was breathing heavily from the constant and relentless pursuit.

Apparently Yonder didn’t take kindly to having his soul melted and his mind tortured. A shame that he had escaped death, but it was practically a calling card for the top members of the Dark Cabal. Killing any one of us was an exercise in frustration. Yonder had used Soul Possession and a homunculus clone to confront me. His real body was probably hidden away.

The loss of a specifically prepared clone would set him back. Such a thing was not easy to create. But he hadn’t died. There would be some lingering damage, but he had used a fake soul encasement for his clone to prevent such attacks from striking his true soul. I was slightly impressed, if it didn’t annoy me so much.

Now he was sending undead after me. I despised Revenants, super zombies. They were easy to deal with just annoying. He was using some obscure tracking method, but it mattered not. I would fleshcraft a couple of decoys to throw him off my scent.

At least that bitch Elena was dead. A shame it was to a demon, and not by my hand. At least I knew not to go to the 26th layer now. I always knew it would be death sentence, but it was nice to have confirmation.

The fact the demon was able to intercept the team, meant that the passages had been altered. Perhaps there were fewer passages the deeper one went? Would some other starting passage offer better alternatives for getting to the bottom or was a demon guarding each one?

More questions that would never be answered. Right now, recovery of the Dark Library was a priority. I wasn’t just going to sit around and play with the other members of the Dark Cabal. Once I recovered it, then I reclaim my position.

I could only hope that they set off that trap I had left with my eye. It was no level 300 demon, but a level 123 demon. More than enough to cause a lot of headaches for those annoying council members.

The problem was that the Dark Library was being difficult at the moment to track down. It was annoying that it had actual intelligence and could think. Once I found it, I would punish it a bit. Suffer could see more use and I wouldn’t let it forget its betrayal. Escaping from my control was annoying and a waste of my time.

Oh, there was a farm ahead of me. Brave to be out here in this remote area. Time to collect some resources and put them to use.

Divine Seraphim Glorious Light

Something stirred in the heavens. I focused my senses in the direction of the Vostner Continent. It had been a long time since those beings had made trouble. Reaching for things they shouldn’t.

A flying fortress. I frowned at this. The heavens were our domain. To challenge us was the height of arrogance. I tapped my throne and considered what should be done. It could be struck down, but they might think that it was an accident. The message would not be properly delivered.

The short-lived races were quite forgetful. It was important to be clear and concise with them so there was no confusion. Order and purpose were to be maintained. Order and purpose were impossible without understanding.

But they weren’t violating the ancient treaties and agreements. Just skirting the edge of them. For they did not fly higher than the highest bird. Still, it was annoying now that I knew. Like a weed in a garden. The weed was small and did not harm anything, but it was still a weed, and it annoyed me.

“Hardened Purpose come to me,” I said, my words traveling on the threads of Mana to its recipient. He teleported to my throne room and knelt. I knew he was bored. I mentally conveyed the issue to him and he frowned just like me.

“A grave insult.” I nodded slightly at this statement.

“But they do not know. They are forgetful. We are guardians, not wanton demons or the mortal races. Order and purpose must be preserved. But they can not be reached without understanding.”

“What are your orders Glorious Light?”

“You will go and inform them of the agreements that have been reached. You will also inform them that their floating castle is offensive. They are to land it and not seek to claim the heavens. If they refuse, then destroy whatever mechanism it uses and then immediately return,” I ordered.

“Even if they aren’t violating the agreements?” Hardened Purpose didn’t care, but he wanted to be sure of my will. Mistakes would not be tolerated.

“That is correct. Your presence will disrupt the natural order of things, but in time they will produce more flying craft. That cannot be allowed. The heavens are our domain, no one else may covet them. A lesson is in order if they do not listen. Speak with purpose first and then act, in that order,” I decreed.

“As you command, Glorious Light,” he said and then teleported away. I retracted my gaze. It would take him time to arrive. I had not given permission for him to rush. Perhaps the Vostner would come to their senses and land the flying monstrosity themselves. That would be the best outcome. Fighting was tiresome and exhausting.

I sensed Hardened Purpose meditating. It would take him time to gather the necessary Mana for such a teleport, but that was fine. I would not allow our stockpile of Mana reserves to be wasted on a lesson. It was best to conserve our power and dignity.

Rushing everywhere would only be seen as weakness and incompetence. Order and purpose were important. I slowly closed my eyes. I had no doubt that Hardened Purpose would return with fanfare. He was quite noisy once he got worked up, but that was fine. He could use the exercise.