CHAPTER 52: THE REAPER OF HELFRI (3)

The reaper twirls the scythe around in its arms before charging towards Artemis, free from any other distractions for the time being.

Even with this kind of change happening it won’t mean the loss of this battle, I will prevail through this no matter what. I’ve come a long way in this journey and have gotten stronger with each battle.

Clash!!!! His scythe smashes against Artemis’s blade as stares right into his eyes. "Do you really want to be enslaved forever?" He asks with a bit of curiosity in his voice as the scythe pushes against his sword harder.

I don’t know what made him decide to ask that kind of question but I’m not going to let it distract me from the battle. It was probably some sort of tactic to catch me off guard, just it hit close to home.

No one’s really known much about my family or that we were slaves for Amelia’s family from the beginning. They’ve always treated us right and even now Amelia is by my side in the right ways.

She’s not let me down since we’ve been traveling together... So the least I can do is protect her from the dangers of the world. Preventing people like this from killing the innocent, not that all the noble families are but that doesn’t matter.

Artemis just ignores the reaper and presses his blade harder against the scythe while trying to break through the defense. Feeling his heart beating out his chest as he listens to the sound of the skeletons breaking.

His shadows were easily handling them so he just needed to buy a bit of time just like the reaper did.

I could feel everything around me clear as day, the nice breeze that passes by as I continue to clash with the reaper, the blue skies above us that I swear were covered by dark clouds, and I can even feel the death that lingers in the air.

I don’t know if this was just something enhanced by the power within me or if it was adrenaline kicking in. I’ve never really experienced it much with the other fights but this was different.

Break!!! Slash!! The reaper breaks through his defense and slashes down across Artemis’s chest— It doesn’t take long at all for blood to come out from his wound as he backs up a few steps.

Splatter! Drip. Drip. Blood spills into the floor as Artemis stands there wielding his blade with one hand. Listening to the dripping of blood from his wound as he stares at the enemy before him.

I could feel the pain coursing throughout my entire body but I know that the fight is far from over yet. My heart is still pumping, my legs haven’t gave out, and I can still hold my sword.

"Artemis!" Amelia shouts in the distance, her voice just barely reaching him.

Grip. He gripped the handle of his sword before rushing in towards the reaper once more, using his strength to swing his sword upwards.

His speed mixed with his movements from the shadows had gone even higher as he pushes the blade through the reapers scythe. Shatter!!!!! The blade of the scythe breaks as he tries to block the attack.

Slash!!!! He takes a step back after cutting up through the reapers chest, finally breaking pieces of the armor. Pierce! He doesn’t waste the chance to stab his blade through the reapers chest.

"You weren’t expecting me to break your armor were you, maybe you should’ve focused a bit more." Artemis says while twisting the blade.

Blood began to fall onto the floor from where his blade as it floats in the air on the other side of the reaper, coming out from his back. "I didn’t think you’d be the type to charge in after such a wound was inflicted." The Reaper replies with a bit of shock in his voice.

I didn’t even think it’d be possible for me to push through the pain either but I didn’t have a choice. This fight needed to end in my favor no matter what, even if it meant taking a risk.

He pulls his sword out from the reapers chest before slashing it down across him. A swift motion that quickly cut across the broken armor, straight through the flesh.

The reapers body collapses onto the floor as blood slowly begin to form around him, the skeletons that remain have broken down into dust. A fight against the reaper of Helfri was finally over and all that remains are bodies.

I wasn’t expecting to win the battle with that attack but I guess sometimes luck can be on my side after all. That bastard definitely did quite the number on me with that slash across my chest.

The pain is gone but I can still see the blood pouring down my body from the wound, it was a lot deeper than I thought.

Thud. Thud. Artemis fell to his knees as his freehand grasps at the wound across his chest.

If I die here then I’ll have to fight against this damn guy all over again, come on... I can’t die like this! Not here, not after everything that just happened with this battle.

Footsteps could be heard rushing towards him in the distance as he uses his sword to hold himself up. Nobody has ever been able to survive such a deep cut from a blade of a reaper.

I could see everything around me getting darker with each passing second, was death going to consume me once again? I’m trying my hardest not to let it consume me— Even if it’s selfish of me to ask, is there any way for me to survive this?

Warmth embraces him as he continues to stay kneeling on the ground. "Depends how badly you want to keep yourself from starting over?" A familiar voice speaks.

That isn’t the voice of the girl, it’s someone completely different or maybe it’s the lack of blood messing with my head.