Shadow Slave: Shameless Self Insert

You Have Slain...

I'd never climbed a mountain, so this was turning out to be a hellish first outing. At least I had boots now. This wouldn't be happening at all otherwise. I tried not to get my cloak caught on anything as I torturously pulled myself up the mountain. To distract myself from the pain I thought of my runes.

Memories: [Sabotaged Strength], [Silver Bell].

I didn't necessarily have any qualms with the veteran, apart from him thinking slaves weren't people, but he had to die. I needed the silver bell for much of the future.

I thought about the flagons, which I had filled Auro's with an extra potent dose of the berries than I figured Sunny would have used. It was tinted with the slightest hint of red when you looked into his flagons, but I figured Auro wouldn't notice. 

If he did I could just blame it on shifty. At least until he succumbed.

We found the little clearing that Auro had seen before and collapsed on the ground of the cave. Scholar and Shifty were both about what I expected, and Auro was Auro.

Although, was it just me, or did I see a few beads of sweat on the Awakened's face?

***

I ended up having to use blood from the person carrying the flagons as an excuse, after all, we needed all the water we could get right? What is a little blood when we are dehydrated.

Events had gone the same way from that point. Apart from the fact that Auro looked like he was exerting himself a lot more than he was before when he decided to take Scholar out of the picture. Everything was going well.

In the cave, I watched as "Hero" vomited. He was coughing madly and had a look of bewilderment on his face. He gritted his teeth and seemed to steel himself for something.

"Unfortunately I must do this now. I don't know what has happened to me but my life is not my own. You must... you must die here."

I hadn't spoken, pretending to be asleep. I had already been crossing the room through the deepest shadows. Luckily he collapsed near the middle of the room, not daring to move for fear of exerting himself more before this moment. 

The moment he tried to get up, I summoned the [Sabotaged Strength], stole his sword he was aiming for, and plunged it into his chest, aiming at the gaps in his armor to make sure there was as little resistance as possible. It was still not easy, and my nerves were killing me the whole time, but I managed it.

"Ah... ah... you are a treacherous... little... shit."

The spell whispered a sweet sentence into my ear.

[You have slain an Awakened Human: Auro of the Nine.]

I actually killed Auro. I mean that probably was with the help of the butchered [Fated] but I still did it!

Though I had no time to celebrate. I immediately dismissed my first Memory, quickly and as quietly as possible I stole his boots and left the cave. I grabbed a sharp stone that I saw on the way out and stashed it in a pocket of the cloak.

I ascended the mountain as I decided to summon the [Silver Bell] and tossed it in the direction I came, its melodious ringing not really changing in volume, even as it fell further away. Once the ringing stopped, I recalled it, making sure it wouldn't be destroyed.

I might not have had a core yet, but I had to have enough essence to summon a Memory of the first tier for a third time today... right? I kept walking.

The cold was unbearable, and I couldn't really hold any thoughts. But one did stick in my mind.

'He he, Divine Aspect here I come... I will... complete this trial...'

Suddenly, I heard a muffled stomp.

I narrowed my eyes, which possessed frosty eyelashes at this point, and summoned the [Sabotaged Strength]. It hadn't been long since I summoned it, potentially only half an hour, and it seemed that the short time had affected the output. But it was enough.

I stuck to the closest shadows to the path, and picked up the pace.

Finally, I made it to the temple. Wasting no time, not even thinking of the guardians, I rushed towards the altar. I could hear the thumping sound getting louder.

I pulled out the rock, sitting on the altar, and I slit my wrist as the Mountain King appeared in the room.

Blood poured onto the altar, with it all being swallowed up by the white marble.

The Tyrant lunged at me, trying to get a taste of the human who had just spilled blood, however...

[You have offered yourself as a sacrifice to the gods.]

[The gods are dead, and can not hear you.]

[Your soul bears the mark of divinity.]

[You are a temple slave.]

[Shadow God stirs in his eternal slumber.]

[He sends a blessing from beyond the grave.]

[Child of Shadows, receive your blessing!]

'Here we go.'

I watched as the very shadows that stood in the room came alive and grabbed at the Tyrant. Struggling in their grip, it gave a tremendous roar before being torn into pieces.

I would've started laughing madly, if it didn't hurt at that point.

[You have slain an Awakened Tyrant: Mountain King.]

[Wake up, Jesse! Your nightmare is over.]

[Prepare for appraisal...]