Wither Queen Rising

That damn cocky voice again of all places! The one I came here to kill.

“Long time no see, Strider.”

THE GOD DAMN DEMON LORD!

His red shovel deflects my hammering kick, sending me flying off course. I’m able to stabilize myself mid air touching back down unscathed.

“I can’t believe you followed me all the way here. And so soon after our first meeting. Haha–you got a crush on me or something.”

The Demon Lord twirls his shovel, spinning it around like a toy, taunting me.

My shovel still rests lodged in Eryth’s shield, she seems displeased with this turn of events.

“Jeez–what’s wrong with you Lucifer, I had this fight in the bag! You shouldn’t have interfered. He was never gonna break through.”

Eryth stamps out in frustration, as the Demon Lord gives her some devious side eye.

“Give it a rest will you. I can’t let the key to bringing withering to the world be destroyed as quickly as it forms. I need you alive.”

The Demon Lord shrugs his shoulders.

“You lack self preservation, you’d throw it all away to kill one person, in a fight where we both know you’ll lose.”

She’d lose? Is that a hint of praise from the Demon Lord, does he fear me all of sudden?

“UGH DAMN IT–TAKE BACK YOUR SHOVEL THEN!”

Eryth again creates a giant arm of darkness and hastily catapults the shovel in my direction. As I dodge out of the way, the ground where I stood shatters on impact.

“Why the hell did you give him his only weapon back?!”

The Demon Lord looks angered now, he’s distracted looking at Eryth, it could be my chance to attack…

“What do you mean–it's his shovel he can have it.”

“What kind of imbecile returns their foes weapon back to them–”

ZAP–

I spring forth in an instant using my [Voltaic Arc] I aim for a direct melee strike on the Demon Lord.

KRRANG–

Without even looking at me, the Demon Lord reflexively counters my shovel with his, then I see his magic. It's a parallel to mine, a gauntlet of red lightning materializes around his arm and then the other. Using his second hand to make a punch launching me backward.

“IN A MINUTE!”

The Demon Lord appears extremely irritated.

“Eryth, darling–he just tried attacking me with the weapon you returned to him… Do you understand the problem now.”

“ … I see the problem…”

“OH DO YA!”

“Um sorry I guess, won’t happen again.”

“If it happens again I’ll erase you…”

He turns back in my direction, digging his shovel down like a cane.

“Strider, Strider, Strider, much time has passed, yes? Allow me to explain my goals and motivations to get you hopeful about your future. In the coming days I aim to complete this world and yours by granting it a beautiful new coat of paint. Withering landscapes as far as the eye can see. Immortal beings of decay roaming across each and every horizon. A party where we’ll consume the world and all of its magic.”

“Strider, I'm offering you a personal invitation to my end of the world party…”

The Demon Lord begins poking around in his pockets, sticking his hands in his coat searching for something.

“I must have put it somewhere–-here? No. Here? Ah here…” He takes out a slip of paper. He then walks forward all nonchalantly, dusts the small rocks and debris off my shoulders, and hands it to me.

“There there, give that a little read.”

To: Strider,

You are hereby invited to the Demon Lord’s personal party at the end of everything. This invitation, if you choose to accept it, will grant you a spot in the Demon Lord’s perfect world. You won’t get an offer like this very often. It really is a once in a lifetime event after all. I’ll rid this world of its putrid Souls.

The party will take place at the point of the daystar’s first impact. In this wonderfully magical world of course.

Be seeing you soon, Strider.

Toodles~

“What the hell is this?”

The Demon Lord’s head peaks over above the card, he’s a little too close for comfort that’s for sure.

“It's an invitation, ya silly goose. You’re invited, you’ll be my very special guest.”

He smiles at me. I can’t tell if it's a genuine one or if he’s just playing it up, for a bit or something.

“You’d really go so far out of your way just to invite me to your party…?”

“Yes–YES! Do you think you’ll make it?”

He’s now almost peeling over with excitement. Quite freaky really.

“I guess I was wrong. You’re not that murderous–”

“Ahh of course! I knew you’d come around eventually.”

The Demon Lord goes in for a handshake…no he’s trying to dap up–I didn’t know he had game like that.

LEGENDARY CLAP–

The legendary dap between two electrified gauntlets sends a thunderous sound echoing across the pit’s walls. He then pulls me in for a hug of sorts, patting my back, in an oddly loving way…

“You’re bat-shit insane!”

He really thought I was just going to submit to his world ending ideals. Hell no!

With him firmly in my grasp, I roll him over my shoulder and throw him across the battlefield. The attack wasn’t much to talk about, but it's the mental damage that counts. Touching down he twists his head back in my direction, incredibly pissed off. Standing up he begins rattling off again.

“Making the mother of all pancakes here, Strider. Can’t fret over every egg.”

“Not when you’re “ridding this world of its putrid Souls,” right? The people of this and every world deserve a chance to live too! You don’t have the right to destroy their lives.”

“You say that and then destroy the reborn Souls left within their withering bodies. They could live forever, you know, in a body immune to the rules of nature!”

“And now I’ll destroy yours!”

“No–not here you won’t. We’re done for today. I have a party to prepare for after all. We’ll fight for all the marbles there.”

He backsteps over towards Eryth. I charge forth–I needed to kill him yesterday!

“We’ll be seeing you, Strider. Our battle will be legendary. Toodles~”

Eryth’s withering form creates a widespread of black wings, flapping up a storm they deliver billowing gusts of air launching flying backward.

“It’s entirely personal, King. I’ll kill you later too.”

The pair fly up into the sky, faster and farther than I can reach.

If only I could fully equip my armor, my [Electrostatic Discharge] … Damn it.

The place of first impact huh.

He gave me his personal invitation after all.

…

Not too shabby cardstock either.

END CHAPTER 24