Bury the Light

The only thing I know for real, is I’m going to win this fight.

The fireball barrels towards me! With electricity surging through my fist, I do what any sane warrior would do…

I FIGHT HEAD ON!

My body lifts off the ground, it feels almost weightless as my leap brings me up ever higher. My fist painfully burning with electro magic.

BRRRZZZZTT—

The fist of lightning impacts the fire ball! Sending volts of static discharging through the sun, consuming it creating a black ball lightning!

KABOOOOM–

The ball lightning explodes, back firing and hitting me in its discharge. The explosion shakes the walls of the pit, sending chunks of rock down below, falling alongside myself as my body nearly loses all motion.

As I fell again, Almza’s shadow was clearly hit by the unexpected explosion of energy. He never saw it coming… although that might be my last surprise. My body feels totally wrecked.

Watching through the falling rocks, I catch a glimpse of him, his body torched to a greater degree. That golden staff has completely withered away now.

At least that means no more fireballs of doom.

But as soon as the view is obstructed a terrifying scream blares out from above. Through the debris I witness the sight of the shadow multiplying… becoming three versions of itself.

As the main body rises from the crater it laid in, the others follow after, like after images. Although those after images were most definitely going to punch out some damage.

But my body feels used up, although the electricity continues to flow through my left side. I’m not certain I could defend against three enemies at once.

I watch as the dark magicians above me begin telekinetically pulling boulders out of freefall, carving them down into spears of rock once again.

I might be able to dodge one or two, but this seems like overkill.

My mind slowly begins to drift.

I’m losing consciousness.

PLOP–

A raindrop finds its way through the scattered debris, splashing into my face. The sky above has darkened, some of the greyest clouds now resting above. A storm is brewing.

“KING!!!” The shouts of Lala and Gil further awaken me from my haze.

“KING–YOU’RE SHOVEL! CATCH IT!” As my weakened body falls past the pair, the shovel soon follows my descent.

Why are they here?! They need to get out of here before the demon gets them…

What am I saying AAGH!

No. I am here!

I will be the one to save them.

Then we can all live happily ever after!

–Finally breaking through my broken state I manage to catch the shovel.

Oh how happy I am to see such a beautiful tool for gardening.

The shovel, my tool that will dig through the hells! I’ll use it to carve my path to the future.

A future where Almza’s shade can terrorize me no longer!

The battle fights on!

Moving almost as if teleporting, the magician’s shadow appears before me, after images following his each and every movement. It’s attempting close combat!?

Against me, hmph big mistake.

Now wielding the shovel and partially equipment with the armaments of electricity attuned to my body, close combat is the last thing the enemy should be thinking.

As the first version of it attacks, the others quickly follow, until a string of swings are made against me. Maybe I’m just stronger, but I feel like it's as if the mask of electricity around my head is influencing the speed at which my mind moves. I can think faster, and make calculated attacks better. Although there’s basically three of them, I really don’t feel outnumbered.

It’s not moving faster than I, but its body is failing it. There’s only a matter of time before the fall through the pit reaches its ground zero. So instead of dodging fast, I’ll be fighting fast!

The withered magician moves as if it's accelerating the speed on its body, its arms forcefully flying forward and back. As the third image swings its movements have already been telegraphed enough.

SLASH–

Swinging the shovel down across the body of the third after image, it disappears instantly, vanishing completely!

The two others scatter upwards, as the obstructing view of countless earthen spears begin raining down on me.

Oh please… Try something new on me! Just as I moved before… using my [Voltaic Arc] to arc from spear to spear, rising higher to the enemy!

CLASH–

Moving as if sliding up a bumpy slide my shovel connects with the second after image, ripping into its nothingness. Leaving just the original to kill!

But as my shovel breaks through the second one, the true monster disarms me again. Finally using his telekinesis magic to rip the one weapon away that keeps defeating him.

The shovel lands below atop one of the chunks of earth already caught in its magical hold.

I attempt to deliver a flurry of punches continuing my signature electrification to the withered form, but they only seem to slightly singe a few small bits of him.

It raises its withered arm, sending me head first into a falling rock. Crashing through I’m a bit dazed, but that’s exactly what I wanted, now en route I just need to dive further and recover the shovel.

Weaving through the earthy barrage, I can’t help but notice it all closing in on the shovel. Colliding with it, burying it. The magician aims to enclose the shovel within a tomb of dirt, and me along with it.

A foolish treasure hunter’s errand? Perhaps so, but it's the only way I’ll be able to destroy it!

Upon grasping hold of the shovel, darkness completely covers my sight. The planetary tomb of rock and earth, locks away myself from the world.

…

It's dark in here, but a sound on the outside rumbles the orb. A pitter patter of raindrops fall down upon the ball of earth, flowing through the cracks unmerged. Rain water touches me, granting me imaginative relief… As this is what I’ve been waiting for.

FZZZT–CRACK–WHOOOMPH!

Nature is a powerful thing.

The orb of earth explodes instantly as a bolt of lightning from the skies above crashes forth piercing straight through. Cast down and standing in the center of the shattered earth, was I, shovel held high, the pure electrical power of a storm surging through its form.

The smite from the gods above extends to my armor, granting its complete form. Electricity in its purest form flowing across my body, singing the sounds of static with each bend and slash.

“I am lightning, born in the flames of the storm–I will rid this world of withering! Starting with your Soul!!”

Along with enhancements in everything, finally I’ve been granted magical flight. This endless fall can finally be under my control. Copying the shadows movements I appear above it as if teleporting.

This time I’ll be the lightning strike to end this once in for all!

KZZZZAP—

The shovel surging with the power of the thousand suns strikes true on the unprepared wither. A controlled attack sending the two of us blasting downwards like a rocket! The shovel cuts through its body–breaking off dark withering limbs as we descend faster.

KAPOOF–

CRASH–

The descent of its misery reaches its end as my shovel and its body collides with the very bottom of the pit. The power of one bolt of lightning brings us to the bottom in mere seconds.

My body feels the fatigue of channeling literal electricity, and so does the withering magician. However, despite now missing nearly half of its body, I must have missed its head in my down strike attack. It continues to exist even after crashing down so far.

I feel my body failing me–again! I don’t think I can finish this. My legs begin to shake, maybe I got used to falling down, and now having to actually keep myself upright with my own strength… is this actually what takes me out?

Falling to my knees, I watch the wither climb out of its man-made hole.

I–I can’t believe this.

“WHY WON’T YOU DIE!”

BONK–

Suddenly a metal table flies out of nowhere crashing down on the head of the dark magician.

Looking at the source of the launch it's none other than…

END CHAPTER 20