Chapter 837 (2/2)

“I have no weapon,” The Spearman said as his expression slid back to shock.

Shal gave a pointed look toward the coat rack smashed into the center of the room. “Draw your spear. Or prove yourself a coward. It is your choice.”

The Spearman’s eyes bulged with disbelieving anger as he tried to sense if Shal was bluffing. But Shal simply stared back at him. It was clear to Randidly, at least, that Shal wasn’t bluffing. But Randidly’s attention quickly returned to Azriel. He couldn’t afford to mess this up now.

Slowly, a trickle of Aether began to flow between them.

“Fine then. If you demand a lesson, I will give it to you,” The Spearman spat. He raised his hand and the cracked orb trembled and lifted to float toward him. Slowly, it arrived in his palm and sank into his skin. As it did so, the Spearman shivered. But that was all the response he had. But Randidly did note that the Spearman’s eyes turned into glassy black orbs that were fixed upon Shal.

With deliberate slowness, the Spearman walked toward his spear. As he did so, there was a feeling in the air that set Randidly’s teeth on edge. Power rolled off the man as he settled back into the mantle that had seen him powerful enough to overpower two Calamities. A mantle that had been warped by the presence of the First Propagator, but the Spearman had spent seven hundred years stealing small sips from that power, hadn’t he?

To have the entire mantle now felt like coming home.

Very quickly, Randidly felt a flash of relief as Azriel stabilized underneath his and Lucretia’s tendings. She slept deeply, her mind recovering from the abscess that had just been cut out of her, but it gave Randidly the confidence to look away and stand to face the Spearman as he stalked around to his spear and placed both hands upon the shaft of the weapon.

The Spearman’s black eyes were locked onto Shal. “Know that you asked for this.”

*****

As the Spearman pulled his spear from the ground, Shal simply stood his ground and continued to radiate Isolating Fear, one of the Skills he had obtained from his Soulskill Path. The target, of course, was the Spearman.

For all that Shal was an imperfect son that had not willingly accepted the teachings of Aemont and become the next Spear Phantom, he had learned from his father. Those were violent and brutal lessons taught briefly and mostly at a distance. But they were lessons that Shal took to heart.

When one faced a superior foe, one didn’t fight in the way the stronger foe wanted to fight. Instead, you struck at where they were weak.

Their lungs.

Or in this case, their deep fear. A fear of death created by the sudden absence of a loved one. A fear that would drive you on a sadistic quest to live for that departed loved one.

With a very palpable controlled sort of violence, the Spearman hefted his spear and pointed it at Shal. There was no way to deduce anything but capability from the Spearman’s face; he had endured Isolating Fear from Shal without even the slightest response. It was as if he was immune to the draining effects of the fear that Shal was radiating.

Still, Shal continued to activate the Skill. No matter how placid things on the surface, no one is truly immune, yes? You taught me that, Pronto. And by your hand, after you became a devourer, I spent decades wandering alone. Before that loneliness and fear… how small a figure is this Auto Rach?

“I killed gods before you were born, Shal. You have only one more chance,” The Spearman said in a low voice. The air pulsed with a thick bloodlust. It was like the spreading tentacles of a squid, its clammy touch running down Shal’s arm and face in an exploratory brush. “Do not overestimate yourself.”

Being inferior isn’t shameful, it is simply the truth. Shal thought, his gaze falling to Randidly’s form, standing protectively over his friend. Shal’s gaze hardened. And you do not find treasures without seeking miracles.

“Shal, the plan-” Randidly said lightly, but Shal simply held up his hand.

With his gaze on Spearman, Shal grinned. Their gazes had stayed locked for almost three minutes now. His Isolating Fear was singing with power. Truly, if you were as brave as you claim to be, we would never have fallen to this point, would we, Auto Rach?

“There is no need for the plan. There is karma between us.” Shal said softly.

You asked my father to create a Style worthy of a monstrous villain. You asked my mother to birth a twisted psychopath. And now you have asked me to end this farce and let Tellus Ascend. The Karma sewn must now be reaped, Auto. One way or another, I will grant you that wish.