Elegy For An Epilogue

The ground shook beneath her feet. Tremors ran through the earth as a thunderous rumble filled her ears. Glyphs started from where she stood, spreading out across the ground like a rushing wave. The faint glowing runes extended to the walls and lit up the dark space, truly showcasing how massive the room really was.

Cecillia took a deep breath. The air felt different, heavy, magical in nature and shared a consistency to when the mana core had ruptured. The feeling pressed against her lungs, almost suffocating as she stumbled with a sharp gasp.

Blackie came to her side, supporting her as she felt a soft sensation at her feet. She glanced down and her eyes widened. Piercing upwards through the stone were blades of green grass. The mist had disappeared entirely and was replaced by a field of iron roses.

No matter how many questions she had, none would be answered as it was time to go. Cecillia shouted for Blackie and she jumped onto its back.

The wolf’s claws skidded against the stone as swathes of fine dust fell upon them. A quick glance upwards told her everything without being said. Further up the vines that were previously enshrouded in darkness, Cecillia was able to see thousands of corpses. They hung paralyzed in time, the vines coiling around what remained of their flesh and never letting go.

Cecillia’s eyes turned cold as she ripped her gaze away. Her heels dug into Blackie’s flank and their speed exploded. The wolf raced through the area and Cecillia’s knuckles went white.

Five meters away she roughly estimated and her heart lifted. Four meters and they would be out in a second. Until suddenly the entrance had disappeared.

With a deafening boom a massive wall fell from the ceiling, smashing into the ground to completely block their exit. The air pressure dropped instantly and a shockwave blasted outwards.

“Shit,” Cecillia cursed.

Blackie was barely able to stop itself before its body crashed into the stone. Its claws glowing with abyssal shade created sparks as the ground was scored with deep wounds. Cecillia turned and faced the front of the room—she doubted it could even be called that. The space was bigger than an auditorium.

‘What the hell is a dungeon?’ she scowled.

Dungeons back on earth were a type of basement, or in stories they would be a place of torture. But as she glanced around, she couldn’t fathom that something like this was considered a dungeon. Perhaps—her eyes widened—it was a video game…

Cecillia cursed herself for not realizing it earlier. A system menu, stats, classes and even dungeons. She wasn’t fond of video games, but the knowledge was shared to her when she was young.

By now, the rumbling had subsided and the auditorium was momentarily cast in silence. The wall’s presence was exceedingly imposing in her mind. The hardness of the stone, that she wasn’t going to be able to escape through the way she came. The thought was heavy.

“Blackie,” she said.

Her voice was calm as she spoke and the wolf growled in response. Cecillia gave a bitter smile and they started to move. Blackie’s steps were slow as they padded across the ground. Though grass had sprouted, the stone had acted like its dirt, and the iron roses that lay scattered caught her attention.

Cecillia reached down and plucked one of the roses and smelled it. Blood was the only distinct scent she received.

[Aphesa’s Tears]

‘Strange…’ she thought.

Passing the flower upwards, Bluey stored it within its stomach. Cecillia would’ve wondered what it was valued, but she didn’t necessarily want to stick around any longer.

Minutes passed as Blackie continued. The room’s length was seemingly endless, and every passing second pressed against her mind. Earlier, the number of corpses hanging above them had been relatively thin but now, every single vine held multiple corpses. Other than that, there was no change.

Another few moments passed, and there was a shift in the air. Cecillia sensed Blackie’s sudden agitation from beneath her and she commanded the wolf to halt. In front of them in the faraway distance she saw a lone figure standing among the field of lifeless roses.

The humanoid stood with its back to her and appeared motionless. Rusted black iron armor cloaked its features, obscuring any details that should’ve normally been seen. Cecillia narrowed her eyes and decided to wave a hand.

There was no response.

She then tried using her identification skill, but at the distance it couldn’t activate. Frowning, she spurred Blackie forward until she was within the skill’s maximum possible distance.

[Desecrated Champion]

No level meant the figure wasn’t a monster, but Cecillia hesitated. The way the champion stood meant that it had to be alive. A corpse couldn’t simply hold the weight of its body up like that, especially with all that armour. However, it didn’t seem to contain life either.

Cecillia bit her lip. Waiting around would be useless and she drew her bow. An arrow flew far above and over the champion’s head. She looked on patiently, ready for the echoing sound of her arrow’s impact to return, but it never came. As for the figure, no reaction was seen, not even a single movement.

Cecillia released another arrow to make sure that nothing had changed, and as expected nothing happened. Her bow clattered to the floor before she drew her dagger with a sigh. Without any other options, she signaled for Blackie to hang back. Bluey jumped off her head as she stepped forward.

She was tempted to call out to the champion, but if it hadn’t reacted to her arrow earlier, then her voice wouldn’t have an effect either. Her steps echoed out faintly as she approached, though she still hadn’t received a reply.

At this point, she was close enough to the point where she could easily see the decorations adorning the figure’s armour. Rose-like insignias were scorched into the metal that had already been flaking with rust. Two swords were strapped beneath its back, both equally as corroded, yet they still commanded an imposing effect. The handle was beautifully finished and the pommel ended in the shape of a rose’s petals.

Cecillia let out a breath and walked in a large arc. The champion’s face was hidden by a helmet with only a single slim slit for its eyes so she couldn’t see its face. But its body from the side view resembled male.

She remained calm and held her dagger high in a back-handed grip. She curved around and stood just a couple meters away in front of it.

“Hello?” she asked hesitantly, but the champion didn’t respond.

Cecillia frowned then took another step further, but that seemed to be where the figure’s line was, and it did not tolerate her intrusion. Twin black lights glowed through the helmet’s slit. The light looked similar to the aura around Blackie’s claws whenever it used its night slash ability, but the intensity was kicked up several notches.

The shadowy eyes stared back at her. No emotions were held within those orbs as the darkness burned. The champion’s arms reached behind its back, metal armour screeching as if it had been their first movement in centuries.

Cecillia stiffened and she took a light jump backwards. She bent her knees and lowered her center of gravity, the dagger reflecting surging shadows.

The champion did not speak, but chose to answer her aggression with violence. Twin blades sheared against the iron shoulderplates, the sound ringing out like a sharp whisper. Its legs dropped into a stance, one blade held out like a lowered wing, the other pointed directly at her heart.

Cecillia’s eyes turned to ice and her gaze trailed behind the champion. Blackie looked on worriedly and Bluey shared the sentiment. She shook her head, they couldn’t interfere now. The danger would be hers to bear.

The champion made the first move. The metal creaked and its body flashed. Within an instant it was before her, its sword lashing out towards her in a shimmering arc. Cecillia blinked twice, its speed wasn’t out of her expectations, but still, it was faster than her current self. Slamming every last stat-point she had left into agility, her body vanished.

The twenty added points allowed her to dodge, but it wasn’t by that much. Her form warped around the champion’s side as its blade smashed against the floor. Just as she was about to stab into the enemy’s back, the force of the blow sent her staggering back. Shrapnel exploded from the blade’s impact and a small crater was created.

It was a variable Cecillia hadn’t expected and she was thankful for the information. She figured that she could deflect its attacks, but with the terrifying strength it had just displayed, all ideas of even attempting a try were thrown out the window.

Cecillia’s mind raced, but she wasn’t given even a moment’s respite as she found the champion rushing after her. Roses were crushed beneath his steel boots and with every step his momentum surged. Lunging forward with both swords raised high, the champion slashed downwards in a crushing cross shaped pattern. Cecillia stepped to the right before leaping into the air as the swords once again slammed into the ground.

Debris flew in all directions, thin shards of stone pelting into her flesh. Yet Cecillia only grinned. The shockwave passed harmlessly beneath her as she landed and her eyes were already scanning the champion’s back. Her body flickered, leaving only a pocket of air behind as she ripped her blade into a chink within his armour.

However, when she expected flesh, the feeling wasn’t transmitted. The smile on her face dissipated and as she tried to retract her blade, the champion was faster. Her eyes widened as he turned, the stuck blade pulled her body forward and a flash of light entered her vision.

Releasing her grip, she was sent flying as one of the champion’s blades sliced through the air where she would’ve been. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead when she landed and a seed of despair sprouted in her heart.

“What the fck are you?” Cecillia gritted through clenched teeth.

Her words were dangerously low, but it seemed to have no effect on the champion. She knew from just earlier, that there was nothing underneath the armour. Her blade had pierced through a gap but she received only air. This wasn’t a fight that could be won and it looked like the champion wouldn’t stop no matter what.

Heavy steps echoed through the air as the armoured darkness approached. Cecillia’s eyes scanned the floor as she started backing up. It seemed that it would not sprint at her unless she started running. Ten seconds passed and she had almost reached Blackie. Her eyes remained locked on the champion, but as she reached back for the wolf, her hands came in contact with solidness. A scowl appeared on her face and she tried taking another step backwards, yet her back pressed against the same firmness.

Nothing needed to be said as she already knew just what had happened. An invisible barrier had surrounded her inside with the champion, and she assumed that the only way to escape was the death of a single combatant.

Cecillia sucked in a deep breath. The odds were overwhelmingly stacked against her, the number of corpses above her head was already evident enough. There was even a single vine loathingly trailing down, waiting for her death.

Blackie pressed against the wall, snarling in an attempt to help its master. Its claws unsheathed, glowing with dark energy as it slashed against the barrier. Cecillia gave a begrudging look as the attack bounced off harmlessly. Not even a single mark was left on the invisible wall, and with nowhere to go, she was trapped.

Cecillia though, wasn’t the type of person to accept death easily. She raised her fists and placed a foot on the barrier, exploding forward as she rushed towards the champion. The thing almost seemed to grin as it shifted its stance, twisting a sword downwards into her path.

Steel met her fingertips as her hand trailed alongside the flat side of the blade. Cecillia ducked low beneath the second slash and skidded on her knees before blasting upwards. Her body shot up between its arms and she unleashed a flurry of strikes. Each impact against the champion’s helmet sent vibrations screaming up her arm. The skin of her knuckles peeled and the bones itself ached. Three… four attacks then the champion’s arms came up around her. Twisting her body mid-air, its limbs swept around nothing as a foot smashed into the side of its head. Cecillia used the momentum and vaulted out of its range.

Her breathing was hard, and sweat drenched her clothes. Still, she wasn’t done. A manic light appeared in her eyes and her body flashed. Even if it meant she couldn’t win, she would at least enjoy the thrilling feeling of the fight. After all, killing the strongest in one on one combat was her soldier’s creed.

Cecillia’s fist smashed into the champion’s wrist from the side and a sword clattered to the ground with a sharp whine. The light within his eyes turned hateful and his other blade flickered out. Pain flared in her shoulder as the weapon grazed through her clothes, but she ignored the feeling and spun behind it.

Cecillia grasped the dagger and ripped the blade out of its armour before she drove her elbow into its back. The champion was sent stumbling forward with only a small dent in the protective plating. Then she was back on the soulless warrior.

Her dagger gleamed with viciousness as she drove the blade toward the gap between its helmet and breastplate. However, it turned just as her attack landed and she dropped into a roll. The wind of the blade screamed above her as it whistled past and she was already back on her feet.

Her eyes found the champion’s fallen blade a couple meters behind it and hope blossomed in her chest. Darting forward, Cecillia bolted towards the champion’s side, her dagger aimed at the gap in its armor behind its knee. She felt the blade’s approach, but trusted herself as she stepped in close instead of dodging. With the opportunity, her dagger jammed into the joint opening and her legs swept past the champion.

A clanging screech echoed from behind her as the champion tried to move, but to Cecillia’s surprise her dagger snapped in two halves. She didn’t waste a second to grieve the weapon’s death and her hands dropped to the fallen sword. Grunting, she picked it up albeit with much effort and brandished the massive blade before her.

The weapon was heavier than she thought and Cecillia could barely hold the thing straight. Her shoulders burned and her hands felt like lead. Regardless, her will had not broken yet and she faced the charging champion.

His blade slashed forward, a dull clang ringing out as she held the sword as a shield. Cecillia’s feet dug into the stone and her tendons screamed. The champion’s strength only increased as she dropped to a knee and in the next second her blade went flying.

The champion’s body loomed over her. Cold shadowy eyes watching her helpless figure. Cecillia couldn’t move, the exhaustion had settled in and her sweat filled face looked worse for wear. She saw the individual strands of hair dangling messily in front of her eyes and the sword came slicing down at her slender neck.

Pain erupted as crimson trickled down her skin, the warmth of her own blood doing nothing to heat up her cold flesh. Cecillia’s vision blurred as the stone beneath her felt frigid beyond belief and she gasped for breath. For a moment, she closed her eyes but the eternal darkness never came.

And when her lids slowly lifted, a single message lay bare before her blue orbs.

[The Order of Iron recognizes your strength.]