The One Unworthy of Legends - V:1.1 - Maria's Ascension

~ Chapter 14 ~

Death's a Joke

Skarlet awoke, her head was clear, she sat up. I thought I died, where am I? Her surroundings were white, Someone was standing in front of her blurry eyes.

"Ah Skarlet, nice of you to finally wake kitten." The voice spoke down on her, she only really knew one person with the audacity to call her kitten in that way. The man who gave her the sword, her vision cleared up and she saw him. He stood before her, a smile on his face.

He walked up to her and reached behind her ear, he pulled a card from behind it like a cheap magic trick. "What's this, a get out of death free card." He was so arrogant. "It's too soon for you to die, though it would be unfair if I gave you too many of these. Only one dear kitten, but still, how lucky you are."

"My arm is back, you saved me?" She asked, he nodded and the card in his hand was set ablaze. "I would be so bored, I mean sad if you died." He said exaggeratedly. "Besides, death and despair aren't synonyms, not even my greatest trick could change that. Not in front of her."

"Did you kill the Lord spider?"

"Of course not, you're such a lazy kitten, I saved your life per the card states, I did not also kill the thing which was going to kill you. Why would I do that hmm? That's your job kitten, to grow into a proper panther." he mocked her with a sincere, sugar-laced voice.

"Where have you been since all this started?"

"Watching the show, oh right, Skarlet be a dear and slow down. I will only give you this one chance to slip up. Next time I'll simply watch the show and take my loss. My oh my I really should stop gambling huh?" He seemed lost in his own thoughts for a moment but that only frustrated Skarlet more. He was so goddamned arrogant, Skarlet was gonna retort when suddenly a roar interrupted her. She turned to see the lord spider, it got to it's legs, seeing her rekindled it's anger. She turned to look at the man who saved her, but he'd vanished once more. She faced her opponent, her knife was somewhere on the cavern floor, and her sword was still stabbed into the giant spider's eye. As she gazed at it the white faded away and the cave returned to her vision.

Damnit, this is gonna be annoying, at least I'm right in front of it. Fuck that man, but thank the gods I met him. Skarlet thought as she dashed forward, she rolled under it's slashing legs, dodging it's webs. She leaped, stepping onto it's leg swiping below her, she catapulted herself upwards and away from the many spiders littering the cavern floor. The peak of her momentum brought her to eye level, as she slowed almost to a stop, she grabbed the hilt of her sword.

The spider roared as she swung around, spinning, she ripped her sword from it's eye. She brought the sword around and slashed the rest of it's eyes on the left side of it's face. Then she fell, free falling to the cave floor.

This feels great, having you back in my hand, She thought as she gripped her sword once more. Things seemed to slow down, Skarlet sighed, I can't fall yet. I still have things I need to do, especially for you Adrian, kelly, Joseph, and Sarah. Things I must atone for with my blood and my actions. Skarlet sighed, a deep pained sigh, she felt heat burning on her forehead, she'd been cut on the way down. Blood dripped from her head, she brushed her arm across her forehead, scattering droplets across the cave floor. She twisted, bringing her feet downwards, she landed firm and skidded backwards. Skarlet smirked, her resolve welled up, she swung her sword and sliced a venom spider, the evolved form of a demon spider, in half.

The Spider Lord slashed, Skarlet faced it head on, her sword and the Spider's leg smashed into each other. Skarlet skidded back, she twisted her blade and slid along the length of it's leg. She leaped, twisting in the air, avoiding the two legs slashing at her. She brought her sword around and slashed into the leg of the spider, it roared and brought it's leg away from the reach of her sword. Skarlet tossed a fire ball downward to clear the floor as she landed.