Just a Doll

I reach the end of the hall, turning to see a staircase going upward.

Already standing at the top is the Demon Lord!

“Tch– Damn it, stop running away and let me beat you!”

The Demon Lord leans against the wall, shaking his head.

“It's always fight first, questions later thing with you people. Why can’t we just have an honest conversation once in a while.”

“Coz you’re the one kidnapping children! Who in the hell would want to talk to you!”

“Hmph suit yourself.” The Demon Lord waves his arms and sparks of red lightning flash light into the room.

The lightning arcs towards the remains of two scientists that lay strewn across the stairs, their bodies still mostly intact with white lab coats covering their faces. As the lightning strikes them a jolt awakens darkness from within them. Sending their bodies through a withering transformation instantly.

The two corpses begin to rise.

“What the–” taking a step back in fear.

“He created the withering?!”

I stance up, sending magic into my fists preparing for war.

“I hate this guy!”

The withering scientists look down upon me, their faces gone, made into swirling balls of black chaos. Seeing me they start towards me, only to trip and tumble down the steps. Rolling, causing their own downfall.

Seeing this opportunity, I divert the magic to my legs to boost my jump height. Skipping over the tumbling scientist. Turning around now at the top of the steps, our standings now are opposites from their beginnings.

Those withering can’t even walk up stairs properly let alone stand up well.

It’s kind of sad.

They’re kind of like me, in an odd way.

Without magic, I’m nothing.

The withering without a Soul, they’re nothing.

Does that mean I have a Soul?

“UGH NO–” Shaking my head in frustration.

“There are more pressing matters– Get back here Demon Lord!”

…

Those stairs led to… you guessed it, more stairs.

More stairs and more withering zombies that don’t know how to walk them.

The Demon Lord left these guys here to fight me, but they can’t even do the bare minimum.

So I just jump around them.

Hop.

Skip.

Jump.

Every few jumps I stop to look back at them, tripping on the first step. Some even try to crawl their way up. I feel almost proud of the few that manage to keep their balance and rise to the second step.

Heh, why are there so many stairs…

They really just keep going…

This place is massive…

I thought the stairs would fade away eventually.

The pit brought us so low, so I guess the only way we can really go is up.

Let’s just hope the stairs taper off soon, I’m tired of this game of Demon Lord tag.

…

The pattern of withered beings falling down stairs while I hop around them finally comes to close. Taking a door leads me to an open platform on the outside of the lab, the light of the sun shining faintly above. Still within the pit but raised enough to see more than a few feet in front of myself. But the unclouded sky above almost appears different in a strange way.

The Demon Lord stands awaiting me, alongside a small army of withered humanoids scattered about the arena he’s made for me.

“Ah you’ve finally made it. This area is much nicer, and much more open don’t you think. Allow me the pleasure to introduce myself, my name is Lucifer, I am the Demon Lord you all fear so greatly.”

The Demon Lord lowers himself to a bow, so do the other withered monsters copying his movements.

I never thought the withered ones could understand commands, let alone make actions besides killing.

I saw it back in the town leading up to the pit, withered people, living with whatever memories they perhaps still retained after their deaths.

Are there still people in there?

“What reason have you dragged me to this landing Lucifer? Did you just want to get beaten while having the sun shine down a spotlight on my strength, because that’s what’s going to happen to you!”

“I’m just leveling the playing field, a big open battlefield is what you’re used to, I was making accommodations for you.” He raises his head, so do the withered.

He unveils his own red shovel, the one King mentioned before.

“I’ve already defeated one shovel knight, I can do it again.” I say, shouting out defiantly

“I know, so have I. But I have to ask, why didn’t you kill any of the withered demons on your way up here? Surely you could have destroyed them, after all you’re so strong.”

His question haunts my mind.

Wait! Why didn’t I kill them?

King would have done it if he were here.

So why did I let them live?

Pity?

“W-what do you mean, I literally killed all those guys!”

“No you didn’t”

CRAP, he knows!

AAAAAAAAGGH I don’t know why I didn’t do it!

“Are you struggling to find your answer, darling?”

“NO! I won’t let your mind games confuse me! I merely… let them live, yeah. They weren’t doing anything to me, so I let them live!”

“These aren’t games, Eryth, it’s really just a simple question.”

“Well it doesn’t feel simple to me, OK! Damn it!” I stomp my feet in frustration.

“You can go ahead and think about it, we don’t need to fight.”

“You can’t actually be pleading for your life right now? Nah, I’m gonna beat you up!”

This time I direct my magic to my legs to shoot into the air, jumping up high over the horde of withering bodies.

“LUCIFER! YOU’RE DEAD!!!”

SHOOOP–

KABLAM–

My flying kick hammers down into the yellow devil, sending his shovel flying away.

“What are you without your weapon? –That’s right, NOTHING!”

Altering the flow of magic into my fists, a go for an uppercut on the disarmed foe.

A sudden flash of red catches me off guard, a shock–no an explosion erupts from his arms, as gauntlets of red electricity form around his fists. Parrying my fists with his own.

His counter almost sends my arm loose, but my magic holds strong. Up close and personal with the devil there’s only one thing to combat him. A flurry of punches! Where the strongest will decide the victor!

“URO URO URO URO URO URO URO URO URO URO URO, URO!” My sturdy punches flash with golden light as each collides with the red gauntlets of Lucifer!

“KURO KURO KURO KURO KURO KURO KURO KURO KURO KURO, KURO!” Lucifer’s fists erupt blades of red lightning as they collide with mine!

Each punch is met with the other, our dance of fists feels neverending.

But through the attacks a plan brews, an idea to bypass his attacks.

VWUMMM–

I create a shield to cloak an area directly in front of me, causing Lucifer to hit the barrier, missing me!

“UPPERCUT – AGAIN!!!”

THWACK—

The diversion is successful, landing a clean hit to his chin. Sending him flying backward towards the edge of the platform.

His hand reactively goes to caress the bruise.

“Oof, you got me good there. HAH, I underestimated you, you ARE quite strong.”

“YEAH Well I said I was gonna beat you up, you should have listened!”

“Heh, yeah sure, I guess I should have. Hmph, allow me to introduce you to my true magic…”

His arms reach outward, in the direction of the withered being standing by. Jagged bolts of red lightning reach toward them, like a spider’s web.

“This is my [Whispering Death], it siphons away the Souls of the withered to power me up. Combining the remnants of their lives and mine, my magic could destroy anything. And lucky me, I have plenty of broken Souls to pick from right here.”

“Wait! No, don't hurt them! They’re not a part of this fight, it’s just you versus me!”

“Oh–you would share sympathy for these undead? They’re murderers, remember. They destroyed your home, why decide to spare them here?”

“Do you see them as living beings perhaps? Creatures deserving of life?”

“NO– I mean YES–! AAGH STOP IT!”

“I get it… they’re just like you after all. Walking dolls, beings not meant to exist.”

“SHUT UP!”

“You relate to them don’t you?”

“NO THAT’S NOT IT.”

“It is it, isn’t it?”

“NOOO!”

“Then let me see it then Eryth, that fight, your real answer! Fight for their lives, and I’ll let them live.”

“I’LL KILL YOU!”

“AND SAVE THEM!”

END CHAPTER 17