Chapter 10

Beyond the edge

“Finally...Finally HAHAHAHAHAHA I’ve finally reached the end. The end of this wicked place”

Auro could hear being shouted from right in front of him. He could feel the ground move as that thing got closer and closer. A sense of nervousness filled up from within his stomach. But at the sametime he felt ready to face off against anything that came their way. From the distance he could see a red glow, it was close.

“Are you ready Iris, cause it’s now or never, so make up your mind!!”

“Yeah I’m not running”- She exclaimed

Breaking through the trees the giant monster appeared, faces looking to be growing out of his sides, they all seemed to be screaming the same thing, “Finally Finally we’re free”, but their expression didn’t seem to be that of a happy one. The same black goop began to droop on its sides, falling onto the ground under the creature. Then there was the monster's actual face. It was disgusting to all extents, its bloody red eyes shined through the mist, a wicked smile spread from side to side with disgusting pointed teeth showing all bloodied up.

“Sooooo”- The thing said as it lowered its horrendous face to the ground

“DO YOU THINK MORTAL BEINGS LIKE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE THOSE CURSED WEAPONS, HA GIVE ME A BREAK. I’LL TEAR YOU PIECE BY PIECE TILL YOU DIE AND THEN TAKE THEM FOR MYSELF AND THEN I’LL RULE THESE LANDS”

“As if we let you do that”

“THEN BRING IT YOU FOOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Auro grabbed his weapon with both hands and ran straight towards the beast he could feel anger flow through him and yet he noticed that the creature wasn’t moving at all, it felt as if he was purposely just standing there. Something felt off…

“Auro look out”- Iris shouted from behind him

Then he saw that goop-covered creatures were coming to life from the goop dropping off of the creature's body…

“Hey ugly ass bastard what are these things”

“HAHAHA CAN’T YOU SEE, THEY ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I CONSUMED, THERE’S HUNDREDS OF THEM AND THE BEST PART IS THAT THE LITTLE SOUL THEY HAVE LEFT IS BEING USED AS FUEL FOR THE GOOP SO I CAN CONTROL THEM LIKE THE SLAVES THEY ARE”

“Do you mean that, YOU SICK BASTARD!!!!”

“WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF KILLING PEOPLE EVEN THOUGH THEY AREN’T THEMSELVES ANYMORE AND ARE JUST OUT TO KILL YOU”

“You really are inhuman, but I have no other choice, BUT TO FREE THEIR SOULS AND KILL YOU”

He felt a surge of power run through his body as he began to charge at the monster once again, he looked at the poor creatures and felt pity, he couldn’t bring himself to hurt someone who has been put through hell. But he had no other choice; he had to fight. Not only was his life on the line but so was Aamaile. So he used the sword, he began to cut through the monsters running straight at them.

“Iris, can you handle these while I go at the big guy?”

“Yeah, you go at it, do it for all of us and don’t you dare forget”- she proclaimed with a smile on her face

He began to run slashing through each and every single creature that came near him, as long as they were together nothing could go wrong...

“HAHAHAHA YOU REALLY DON’T HAVE ANY MERCY FOR THE SUFFERING, YOU CALL ME A SICK BASTARD WHEN YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING IN A MIRROR TO MAKE SURE YOUR ASSUMPTIONS ARE RIGHT”

“You piece of shit, I’ll show you who the sick piece of shit is here!!!”

He began to sprint, he let go of the sword with his left arm and kept it in the right attempting to dodge as many goop creatures as possible. Killing this thing was his only priority…

“Hey you have a name, give something so it makes your death even more painful”

“HA YOU’RE A FUNNY ONE AREN’T YAH, THINKING YOU’LL WIN. WELL THEN I’LL PLAY YOUR LITTLE GAME…. CALL ME THE MIST STALKER...”

“I’ll remember that once I kill you”

“GO AHEAD AND TRY...”

As he ran he couldn’t take his mind off of the fact that the mist stalker wasn’t trying to attack nor move and just stood there and then he heard it… The groussume noise of limbs starting to grow out of its body…

“Iris watch out!!!!”

It was too late, his eyes opened widely in shock as he saw a giant hand fall down at full speed on top of Iris. The ground could be felt shaking as a thud rang in his ears. As the hand was lifted he could see her crushed body in the ground.

“Iris!!!!!!”

“YOU FOOL I DON’T PLAY A FARE GAME YOU SHOULD OF KNOW THAT BY NOW, HAHAHAHA, I PITY YOU AND YOUR WHOLE EXISTENCE”

“You piece of shit!!!, I’ll kill you with my own hands”

“WELL THEN YOU’RE NEXT!!!”

Auro looked at the gigantic creature standing before him in fear, he could feel anger and fear swell up from inside his stomach, it became apparent to him that there was no way they could possibly defeat the Mist Stalker, now it was even more impossible with Iris out of the battle.

“Cough cough Auro what…. Auro behind you!!!”

“Shit...”

He was distracted thinking about everything that he forgot completely about his foes at hand. They almost took a hold of him, even if that were to happen than what one happen to his body, would it also be consumed by the goop. He wanted to protect himself and Aamaile to the best of his abilities no matter the cost…

He began to slash into every single one of the monsters who dared to approach him, he began to lose feeling in his body as if the rage began to eat away at him. He began to get lost, nothing was left but killing the Mist stalker and yet he felt regret…

“YOU REALLY HOLD NO PITY FOR THESE LOST SOULS HAHAHAHA, THAT MAKES YOU WORSE THAN ME”

“Shut your mouth, bastard!!!!”

“Auro wait, you can’t just... ”

“Iris this is up to me, I told you that what I’m going to do might kill me, and if it does then run, in the meanwhile hold the grounds down here”- he said with a faint smile on his face

“Yeah will do, plus don’t think that I will go down so easily, hehe”-she assured with a faint smile of her own -“Let’s do this Auro!!”

“Yeah!”

Auro began to run at full speed, doging every single corrupted soul he could, his only goal now was to take down the monster that stood before him, as long as he could maintain speed he would be able to cut it down in no time…

“YOU REALLY ARE A FOOL AREN’T YOU”

“What do yo-”

He felt his body slow down and then come to a sudden stop…

“What in the, the fuck is this you bastard!?”

“HAHAHAHA DID YOU FORGET THE DARKNESS WITHIN THIS MIST COVERED FOREST IS MY DOMAIN, EVEN IF IT DOESN’T HAVE LIFE ANYTHING MY GOOP EATS AT IS AT MY CONTROL,HAHAHA”

“What, I’m sinking”

“HAVE FUN,HAHAHAHA”

Was the last thing he heard before everything went dark, this feeling, it felt familiar, as if everything was peaceful, his body felt as if he was floating in the middle of nowhere. Just like that time before all of this started. Nothing could be heard, nothing but darkness could be seen.

“I guess this is really how everything ends...after all I couldn’t do anything, nothing has changed, nothing at all, I'm still as useless as I’ve always been… I couldn’t even stop myself from being swallowed up by the goop”- He said as his eyes began to tear up

He gave into the darkness and just let himself keep floating in this place he was now stuck in, probably for the rest of his life…

Something began to glow from behind him, the light began to eat the darkness away, nothing but the bright blue light could be seen around him…

“What…. What is the meaning of this”

“So you are the wielder of the cursed sword, who would come to think it would be child to take such a burden like this one, you really must be a fool”

“Who the hell are you?”

“You can say I’m the one who created the high grade cursed sword you have in your position”

“Is that so, well how can I get out of here”

“That's for you to figure it out”

“The fuck do you me-”

“I already did most of the work”

“Huh?”

“Remember what I’m about to tell you kid...”

“What is it?”

“You’ll never be able to change anything if you keep acting so irrationally, so if you want to save whoever you are trying to save, learn to wield this sword or DIE!!!!”

“Learn to wi- are you playing with me old fool”

“Until next time, you unfortunate soul”

“What is your deal?”

Was the last thing he could remember hearing before he felt as if he was suffocating, it was hard to breathe and his body felt as stiff as a rock. Everything around him flet disgusting as if he was swallowed up by something. Then he saw it, The sword, it began to shine a bright light once again…

“What in the world???”- He thought to himself

He could feel himself begin to move again, the light began to eat away at the darkness again, he could feel his body regain strength. He drew out the sword and began to slice at the darkness around him. A surge of power ran through him and he began to dig himself out of the goop covered ground.

“You Aren’t Taking Me Out… THAT EASILY!!!!”- He proclaimed as he popped out of the ground

“SO YOU'RE ALIVE, I’M AMAZED…. GET’IM BOYS!!!!!”- The mist stalker screeched

“Auro….”- Iris said as she ran up to him

“You’re still Iris”

“Duh you dummy”

“I need you to stop fighting and run as far as you can”

“Au-”

“I got this”- He said as he smiled

Iris sprinted towards the edge as Auro grabbed the sword in his left hand..

“NOW LISTEN TO ME YOU BASTARD I’LL MAKE THIS YOUR GRAVE!!!!!”- He asserted with all he had

At top speed he went right up to the mist stalker, dodging all the lost souls as he possibly could. Once again the sword began to glow in his hands and symbols reminiscent of an ancient language began to appear on it and climb up his arm.

He could feel as if a new power had come over him, his speed increasing more and more as the symbols began to get closer to his shoulder. He was as close as he could get…

“ONE OF US WON’T MAKE IT OUT OF HERE….. AURO!!!!!”- The creatures asserted

“I’ll make sure it’s you, Bastard!!!”

He jumped into the air as a limb grew out of the front going straight at him. Out of a moment of panic he put the sword in front of himself, cutting through the goop making the tentacle-like limb fall to the ground…

The mist stalker screeched in horror and pain as the blade went through it’s flesh, he threw another limb squaring Auro right in the face sending him flying through the air. Iris could see as he smashed into one of the trees nearby…

“Auro!!!”

“HAHAHAHA DUMB FUCKER I TOLD YOU DIDN’T I”

“You…. YOU PIECE OF SHIT”- Iris screamed at the top of her lungs

She ran towards the beast punching any creature that got in her way, crossing the pit of goop near the feat of the creature standing before her. Out of rage she jumped up in the air and squared a punch right across the face of the devil like creature…

“I’LL MAKE YOU PAY”- She yelled as she looked up. The gauntlets now shine the same blue light as Auros' sword. The same symbols ran through her arms and into her neck where a weird symbol resided…

“WHAT IN THE...”

“Bastard… what makes you think you’ve already won”- Auro came out of the mist with the sword in both hands and the symbols running up his body up to his forehead where a similar symbol to the one on Iris’s neck was.

“HOW, BOTH OF YOU SHOULD OF DIED BY NOW, NO HUMAN CAN USE THOSE CURSED WEAPONS, THEY WOULD DIE BY EVEN USING THEM”

“I guess we aren’t the ordinary jack asses you knew...”- Auro asserted as blood fell out of his mouth caused by the impact

“DON’T WORRY THEN I’LL PUT YOU OUT OF YOUR MISERYS THEN...”

“Well just have to make sure we kill you first then… right Auro!!!”

“Got’cha there Iris”

As both of them began to surround him with weapons drawn, they could feel a strange energy flow in and out of their bodys, they felt lighter, faster and stronger than they’ve ever been, not to mention more resistant…

“DON’T GET COCKY JUST BECAUSE YOU LANDED A COUPLE OF HIT’S, YOU ASSHOLES”- The creature screamed as the gigantic thing fell into the ground, darkness covered the area from the goop, their sight was limited the only thing they could see the in the middle was a pale skinned women with a dressed made of the same goop that just covered the forest around them

“What the fuck, who are you?!”- Auro asked in confusion of what just happened

“This is my true form you little kid”- she claimed as she laughed maniacally

“Then I guess this will make it easier”- Iris claimed as she ran up to her engaging in a one on one fist fight in the middle of everything…

“I have to say kid, you got yourself some good reflexes and are good on your feet...”

“Huh?”

“But not good enough”- she asserted as she landed a low kick throwing Iris off her balance and making her fall onto the goop

“You scumbag”- Auro screamed running up to her sword in hand

He quickly slashed at her but it was blocked with a weapon made out the goop

“Woah there kid don’t be so hasty let’s have some fun”

“Shut your pie hole you witch”

The engaged one on one sword combat, every move Auro would do she would be able to predict beforehand being able to block it or dodge it completely…

“It’s useless kid no matter what you do I’ll always have an upperhand”- She gloated

“Oh yeah well then”- Auro said as she lunged the sword straight at her face…

“What did I just tell you, you re-”- She got cut off by Iris landing a punch on the side of her head from behind her, sending her flying and landing against the a tree

“Keep your mouth closed you old hag”

“Ughh what the how… ”

“You know I personally like talking to people who know how to stay quiet”

“Both of you will pay for this with your lifes”- she claimed as she got back up with both her eyes glowing red

The goop beneath their feet began to move once again, this time going towards her and trying to reattach itself to the host…

“Oh no you don’t not on my watch”- Auro said as he jumped in the air towards her and landed a clean hit cutting the goop off before it attached to her cheeks…

He was caught off guard and she was able to land a clean hit on the side of his chest, making him jump back to where Iris was…

“Don’t worry Auro it looks like it won’t be to bad”

“We need to keep her from reuniting with the goop as long as possible”

“Understood”- Asserted Iris

“Thanks for the fun but I have to go”- The woman screamed as she began to run away

“I don’t think it is”- Iris said as she began to run after her

Iris caught up pretty quickly even though she tripped on her own steps a couple of times. As she got close enough she jumped in the air to land a hit to the old woman's head again but in a second she turned around and put up her arm to block the punch…

Out of nowhere claws appeared on the knuckles of the gauntlet looking to be made out of a weird energy, Iris took this to her advantage and scratched her arm leaving an opening to her stomach, she landed the punch square on in the stomach and the claw-like blades pierced her skin and flesh causing her to bleed…

“You witch, how are you able to...”

Auro came running from behind, the sword now changed shape with the same energy glowing around it. Then jammed the sword right into where her heart should be…

“Even with your power it’s still obvious that you are a humanoid, no creature can survive without their heart...”

“You got me, bastards...”- she wailed as she inhailed her last breath falling over…

Auro pulled out the sword from her chest, it turned back to its original shape and put it back in the sheath…

“I guess she also couldn’t take much anymore”- Iris said as she bent down to look at the body

The goop began to disappear or go deep into the ground, as well the mist began to disappear. As both of them looked at the body it began to turn into goop and it went into the ground. All that was left behind was a staff that looked similar to the weapons that both of them had in their position.

“Auro can this be...”

“It looks like it...”

Auro decided to pick it up, it didn’t feel heavy. Auro found it cool as it appeared in his hand it began to retake shape, then it shot in the air and it seemed to disappear…

“Well I guess it might of been”

“Yeah we’ll just have to keep going”

“I guess so”

“Aamaile since when did you come back”

“From the moment she began to turn to goop”

“Well then come on we should go the mist seemed to clear up”

As both of them made their way to the edge of the forest they couldn't hold back their emotions of happiness especially since they haven’t been able to eat since they got there. As they passed the final border they just stared in awe as they saw the world that stood before them. A new world to restart their lives...

“Aamaile we did it, we’re finally...”

“Free...”