The Strongest Spellblade

Supreme Warlady Elena Burnstock

I missed my son. It was hard to step away, but I needed to. A monster, what was he thinking? They couldn’t be trusted or reasoned with. I detested monster tamers. They were absolute scum, working with the monsters that had killed my family. Now my own son was teaming up with a monster, instead of listening to me.

“Your son has his own ideas. All Supreme Legends are stubborn, you should take comfort in that,” The Mathemancer said. I resisted the urge to try and hit him in the face again.

“He will endure, or he will die. Now that he is old enough to make his own decisions, he can fend for himself,” I declared.

“Even though you brought the Dark Cabal to him?” The Mathemancer asked.

“That curse skill is Experience Siphon. They won’t kill him. And in overcoming that curse skill, he will become stronger. If he doesn’t he can live a life of mediocrity. I am not a puppeteer like my husband.”

“So, you know?”

“Of course I knew. I am not an idiot. But if I was going to have a child, I would accept nothing less than the best. The diviners pointed me towards him. And it didn’t take me long to realize who he truly was. His skills are subtle, but I have seen worse from monsters down in the dungeon,” I replied.

“And you played along? I honestly didn’t think you had it in you.”

“I am capable of holding my tongue. I am far more restrained than people realize. I didn’t become a Supreme Legend by following the example of Bastian or Blood Gore,” I countered. I was speaking with The Mathemancer this much, so we had a better understanding of each other as we descended to the lower layers of the dungeon. Just because I didn’t observe a lot of social niceties didn’t mean I didn’t know them.

I swung my blade, easily cutting apart the Champion monster at the entrance to the 11th layer of the dungeon. “I am still surprised Blood Gore agreed.”

“He just doesn’t want to be left behind. While he is strong, his strength is that of a beast. Not of a thinking person,” I answered.

“Hmm. I suppose I should prepare for his unique odor and personality. He honestly makes the rest of the Supreme Legends look like saints in comparison.”

“He is a pig. He acts like a pig. And he has the manners of a pig. The Dark Cabal has been trading with him. I have no doubt he has acquired some troublesome skills,” I explained.

“No one else is mad or powerful enough to seek him out, except those crazy people. It’s a shame I never got hold of their Dark Library. The knowledge contained within is truly priceless.”

“Supposedly it is a living artifact. Able to select its owner and hide itself,” I said.

“Indeed. That is what makes it so troublesome. It could be considered the true founder and ultimate supporter of the Dark Cabal. Demonic skills, curse skills, and so many other things lost to the ravages of time and war,” The Mathemancer said with a sigh.

“If I find it, I am cutting it apart, without mercy,” I replied.

“Maybe spare a book or two for this old man,” The Mathemancer joked.

“Perhaps in exchange for a favor or two,” I countered.

“Ah, well, I am quite old. The only reason I am going on this last delve into the depths.” He was quoting some ancient text at me, but I didn’t care enough to think which one he was quoting.

“Well if four Supreme Legends can’t make it to the bottom, I don’t know who can,” I replied.

“Perhaps your son.”

“He has a long way to go. And he doesn’t share the same hatred for the dungeon that I do. He is soft and weak. But perhaps fighting the Dark Cabal will temper him.”

“You know, I was thinking you didn’t care. But leaving, you didn’t hide your departure and the final descent we are planning. You want the Dark Cabal to know, so they won’t target him. Your heart still bleeds Elena,” The Mathemancer said.

Stolen story; please report.

“Family is important. Despite my immense power, I am but one woman. But don’t go spreading that about once we reach the Last Bastion or I will be upset,” I said while we quickly transversed the dungeon to the passage leading to the next layer. At our level the first 20 layers were quite easy to transverse without too much concern. Only the last few might be a bit annoying.

“You were always the best of us Elena despite your reputation. You never lost that spark of humanity.” I didn’t know what to say to that. I didn’t like my feelings being analyzed, it made me uncomfortable. I steadied my mind and breathing.

“Thank you, but we must turn our attention to this descent and handling Blood Gore.”

“Just let him rush in first. You will support him from behind, covering his flanks. The Librarian and myself will cover the rear and provide support and a spherical defense.”

Legend Xanatos of the Dark Cabal

“So, she fled!” The kneeling Shadow had just delivered the news to me. “Away with you,” I ordered, and the Shadow quickly scurried out of my sight. I had far more pressing concerns than Elena. While it might seem like good news she had gone on a final descent, it made my position within the Dark Cabal much more precarious.

I had lost control of the Dark Library. And without the threat of Supreme Warlady Elena hovering over me, others would begin asking questions about when the Dark Library would be reopened.

The door to my throne room opened and Yonder strode in with several of the council members. As much as I wished to do away with them, I wasn’t strong enough to oppose all of them togeather. I had only become the Leader of the Dark Cabal since I had gained control of the Dark Library.

“Open the doorway,” Yonder said. There was no point in lying or concealing the truth.

“I have lost control over the Dark Library,” I said. Yonder gave me a smile while the rest of the council members shook their heads at me. “I will recover it in time.”

“That means the position of leader is now open. Your privileges and resources should be cut. And a punishment should be applied for losing access to the Dark Library,” Yonder suggested.

“No punishment. I will step down to being a council member again. Don’t push me Yonder. I might have been wounded by Elena, but my name is still Xanatos and I had access to the Dark Library for quite some time. Time enough to learn some very annoying and dangerous skills,” I countered.

“A demotion then,” Yonder said and stared at me at with a grin. I let out a sigh and got off my throne. A setback. An annoying one, but I was playing the long game. It wasn’t enough to live in the present. One needed to prepare for the future. Cursing Justin had been a risky move, but without risks, one couldn’t win against opponents of equal or greater strength.

That was why it had been me who had gained control of the Dark Library to begin with. That was also why I didn’t mind stepping down and being embarrassed. Once I got access to the Dark Library again, there was a particular skill I had been meaning to practice, Rampant Healing.

The pictures in the book describing the suffering and horror of that skill seemed perfect for Yonder who was making my life difficult at the moment. His future screams would soothe my soul from the humiliation I was being forced to endure.

“Our main priority is to find and gain control of the Dark Library once more. All shadows shall be alerted and watch for signs,” one council member said.

“We shall have our agents and spies keep a lookout as well. The reward shall be a council position and access to certain resources,” another council member said. No one objected. That was the standard reward for anyone who wasn’t part of the council of the Dark Cabal.

“Then we have other things to attend to and a Dark Library to find. I hope your recovery goes quickly Xanatos,” Yonder said as everyone left the throne room.

“You are always welcome to test me in the pit, if you dare. Otherwise I am going to my chambers to rest,” I replied.

“Not your chambers. You have been demoted remember. Everything needs to be moved out,” he said with a grin and my anger with him grew.

“I won’t forget this,” I replied calmly.

“I hope you don’t. You have oppressed the rest of us for a long time Xanatos. Now that you have mis-stepped, I will enjoy it. Even if you seek my revenge, I am not without certain skills as well,” Yonder replied.

“Get out of my sight. I will move, have no worries,” I said and waved my hand. Yonder left the throne room and I let out a sigh. This gamble of mine was looking poorer and poorer every day. I needed to find and recover the Dark Library before anyone else did.

It wasn’t just a repository of knowledge, but a powerful weapon and container of key items collected over the millennia. The ritual components alone were priceless along with the preserved demonic organs. Such things had no simple or easy replacement.

My soul shuddered again. A tremor, from inhabiting a body that wasn’t the one I was born with. Finding the Dark Library wasn’t just a question of power any more, but one of survival. I needed to look up how to stop these soul tremors from getting worse. I knew of a ritual, but I needed the Dark Library for that as well.

I cursed Elena in for the thousandth time in my mind. The world was truly unfair to grant such an ignorant, savage woman such power. Unfortunately, she had grown too powerful. Even my best attempt to be rid of her was met with failure and setbacks. Still my informant had let me know that Justin had kept the monster egg.

While not part of my plan, it would serve nonetheless. There were very few true setbacks, only new opportunities that I needed to adjust for my advantage. For now I would leave him alone. The skill experience he sent my way had been reduced since my cursed skill had degraded, but it was still useful. I would let him be. Either he would gain levels which would help me, or he would perish of old age. Either option was fine.

Once the skill experience decreased too far, I would be rid of him and apply my curse skill to someone else. If he wasn’t capable of advancing, then I would be done with him and cut my losses. But for now, I would wait and focus on recovering the Dark Library.