Chapter 16)

"Agh...!"

Iris immediately withdrew herself from the nightmare, who's sword had deflected her's with ease. The body of the nightmare was small, just like that of the small gladiator who had just been fighting minutes ago. 

It's sword was pitch black, and it's armor oozed with a black aura. It held the same smile the larger nightmare had, it's white void like eyes swirled in madness. 

"How were those gladiators turned into nightmares? I thought you said that stone you had found was the only way to do it!"

"It's not the only way!" Iris kept her eyes on the nightmares. "This is an entirely different case from before. Nightmares can also be created from other nightmares!"

"What?!"

"The nightmares we fought before were created from the stone, they aren't strong, but that's because they weren't created for a reason to despise! They were created to kill without thought! That large nightmare has the ability to create nightmares because of it's reason to despise! But why...?"

There wasn't a lot of things she said that I understood, but there wasn't anytime to think at the moment. The dead bodies of the gladiators began to rise with black ooze covering their bodies, becoming just like that of the short gladiator I could see the gladiator with the spear rise as well, flicking it's weapon at us.

"How...? How are we going to win against this...?  There's too many... What happens if they get out...? This city will be destroyed, they haven't trained to fight nightmares..."

I don't know why, but it was starting to annoy me how Iris was muttering nonsense like she had already lost. Why are you worrying about completely unrelated things instead of what is happening now? The city won't have to fight the nightmares if we can defeat them here.

"Fine! If you're going to freeze up now, then I'll have to do this myself."

"No! Ogata, don't!"

I ignored her, running as my katana appeared in my hand. The nightmares were still standing still, all their eyes targeted my movements. I figured that getting rid of the large nightmare that had killed all the nightmares in the first place would be the best way of getting rid of them. Maybe it was commanding them?

"Gragh!"

I jumped in the air using essence, allowing me to get higher than I could normally. I raised my sword over my head, and I swung towards the nightmare. 

I had expected them to counter me, but in such a great abundance. Almost all of the nightmare's weapons had collided against mine, sending such a large recoil against me that I was pushed backwards, landing on my side. 

I gasped and wheezed from the sharp pain that struck me as I fell, but I couldn't allow myself to lose just yet. Wincing, I used my sword to get up from the ground, and rushed right back into the action.

I suppose I wasn't going to be able to kill off the large nightmare first, so I had to target the other nightmares that were surrounding it. I picked the one furthest from the group, and headed it's way. 

They still weren't moving from where they were standing. Is it mocking me like it doesn't have to move to stop me? That was their mistake, as I raised my sword upwards to slash the nightmares body.

I was met with a counter, as the nightmare's sword hit against mine. This gave me an advantage though, since it wasn't moving I was able to force my body against the nightmare, allowing myself to slash it's body without any other attack from it.

It didn't wince in pain, or let out a cry like the nightmares from before, but it only just vanished, leaving it's black particles to disappear into the air. 

"Hah... One down, 13 to go...!"

Since they aren't able to move their bodies, this can give me the ability fight more than one nightmare at a time. I only have to react to their first counter, and then slash them again. I saw two nightmares standing close together and away from the group, and I ran towards them next. 

As expected, the two nightmares countered me, but I didn't let it bother me, as I forced my weight against them. This way, I was able to cut their bodies with ease.

"Hrag- Urgh!"

The moment I began to raise my katana upwards, a shocking sensation enveloped my chest, knocking me backwards with such force that I lost grip on my sword, scattered a few feet away from me. 

I hadn't noticed only until I looked up that I realized what had happened. The two nightmares were still standing in their position, of course, but another nightmare had suddenly appeared in front of them, now moving in my direction with it's sword in its hand. 

I looked down where the nightmare had cut me on my chest. A large gash crossed my chest, staining my shirt and the blood seeping down my body. It hurt like hell, but I couldn't let this injury affect me right now, since a bigger threat was looming closer.

I tried to reach for my katana, which was just short of my reach. I mustered up the strength I had to force my body to reach, but before I had the chance, the nightmare stepped on my hand, the agonizing pain that I felt could not come even close to the cut I had just received, I couldn't help but yell and scream in pain as I tried to loosen my hand from it's foot.

Staring down at me with a smile on it's face, it raised it's sword in a final act of death, I knew that the sword would surely kill me in one blow, but there was just no way I could let it all end like this. What would be the point of me coming all the way to this world if I would just die this easily? There was no way.

I looked up at the nightmare, before I could see it's arm flick its sword, I closed my eyes in regret, I had let down the people of this city, I had let down Iris and Barsanti. 

A second or two had passed since I closed my eyes, wondering what had happened, I opened my eyes with suspicion, only to see a miracle.

A purple aura covered the nightmare's body, it's wicked smile turned into a angered expression, as it's eyes turned to the side, before it's body was sliced in two by a sword.

"Don't die now, Ogata. Not before we stop these nightmares."