Deathless Reign: Ch. 10

In a single leap, he closed the distance but he was not fast enough.

The foot came crashing down. The girls hugged one another.

It fell two feet from where they were. And Reign breathed a sigh of relief, momentarily forgetting where he was. A giant hand swatted him back to the earth like some insect. His durable undead body, slammed into the earth once more, indenting right into the dirt like some hard thrown rock. The giant cleared the away from the girls, who were unharmed for the most part. Quickly, Reign rolled away as the giant stomped as to where he had been.

He cast a quick glance, revealing Ayleth bringing the girls to their feet, making sure they not stumble in their hasty retreat. Another giant hand squashed the earth where he had been. It brought forth its arm in a great sweep. Prepared, Reign dug his heels to meet it.

The earth broke where he stood, but Reign had caught the great arm. He was hoisted clear off the ground as he clung with all his strength into its arm. The giant swayed its arm to be rid of him, this way and that. Reign gripped the fusion of tree and bone with every ounce of his strength, shattering the very thing with his grip.

Reign dug his skeletal hand into its bones, fingers turning to claws under the power of the Deathlight and feeling the power coursing within and began siphoning it for himself.

Pure was the word that came to his mind, it was unlike any that he had tasted. It was too much, even for Reign, making him lose his grip and sailing once again through the air. The giant, suddenly imbalanced, tumbled back into the earth with a great thunderous quake, sending patches of dirt flying.

Before it could rise up again, Reign wasted no time in the offensive, hoisting a small boulder the size of a sheep and ran at the fallen giant. It struggled to put its arms beneath him, looking to prop itself upright once more. Reign smashed the rock against the side of one arm, splintering it at the joint.

Before he had known it, Whispers had stoked his lust for battle. He threw the small boulder straight at the giant's face with a satisfying crack. Reign jammed both his fists right into the creature's chest and siphoned almost every ounce of power.

The creature finally lay with still, its head smashed in and its great store of Deathlight siphoned.

It was too many to be simply go to waste. But that would only fuel Whispers. Still, Reign needed the power with him, there could be more horrors that was beyond his knowing as winter fast approaches. He needed every edge he could take.

And true to his suspicion, empowered by this added store of energy, Whisper's presence began to manifest itself more densely inside Reign. The others came to him and he put on as best an impression that he was alright.

"The fiends are already stirring in their slumber. The monsters would be up and about looking for prey. It shan't be long before they all start waking," Ayleth mused, unknowing of Reign's dilemma.

"Must've settled here during last winter," said one of the girls. The girls all gazed at Reign with a wide-eyed amazement, witnessing another great feat at battling the wood-giant.

"Go back behind the walls," Reign spoke with as much authority as he could, his back towards them.

"I need to make certain there aren't any other threats nearby. I'll watch your backs." He did not face them, instead looking toward the grove and

"That's.....Of course, sir. Let us make haste!" Nicola voice rang out and led the trio of girls with their haul of precious mushroom. They would cast flighty glances towards the impressive back of their stalwart protector, as if he had stepped out of some dashing tale of a hero's saga. They could not wait to tell the rest of the village of their adventure!

"It seems we owe you another, Reign." Ayleth was the last to linger. Something deep inside of her stirred as she eyed the young man's back. The very same who had just took down a giant. Somehow, that thought made something inside of her to swirl.

"Go on, please. I'll follow," Reign said stoically, back still facing her.

"Very Well," Ayleth spoke and followed the young foragers back to the village.

Hearing her footsteps ebb away, Reign finally turned. He'd be sweating profusely right now if he'd been truly alive and flustered red as a tomato. Already his heart began to beat once more as Whispers stirred with dark desire. Luckily, he had his back turned, lest they see the monster in between his legs that struggled to break free from the constraints of his trousers.

"You heard the lady, she owes usss!" Came the dark declaration of the accursed thing inside of him, "It's the least they could do for our services!"

"Quiet!" Reign asserted, battling the dark presence of the Whisper, not giving an inch inside his mindscape. He was resolute not to be a prisoner inside his own mind this time round. He would not suffer that humiliation.

If he had faced the villagers as he was now, they'd probably faint at the sight of his erect manhood, the size of which could drain the blood away of any experienced woman. This time round, Reign was prepared, Whispers influence over him only extended to some parts of his physiology this time. The creature was utterly frustrated that it could not imprison Reign as it originally did.

Reign put one foot forward, taking a step but the fiery serpent in his trousers did much to impede his footing.

Reign was left with a dilemma.

How was he to eradicate this meddling?

And then he came to the conclusion all young men his age had come to. The answer so simple, he smacked his face with his open palm.

It was embarrassing to think that despite their dire situation and the looming threat of doom, he'd have to resolve this matter in such a trivial and yet juvenile manner. He was going to have to wrestle with the dragon with his bare hands.