A Greater Price

[Iris Lefay]

"Oh, you little bitch."

I glared at the wraith hat just bit into my shoulder. It was the leader of the recruits.

Her eyes, once a vibrant blue, had turned a chilling red. With her needle-like black teeth piercing deeper into my flesh, her gaze was feral and intense.

"Sorry.", I murmured as one of my tentacles morphed into a clawed hand and crushed her head, showering me in blood and brains.

Yet, even as the wraith's body fell limp, I watched as its head began to regenerate.

Oh and one more thing. When the wraiths regenerate, they don't regenerate the clothes shredded by me and many of the recruits were half-undressed when they were turned.

Yeah. I am surrounded by freaky killing machines that are in the nude.

Not the nudist party I was envisioning.

Condensing darkness around my fist, I punched the ground, releasing a powerful wave of darkness that obliterated the nearby wraiths.

{Tenebris: Black Shock}

Having given myself a tiny window of respite I straightened up, only to stagger as a searing pain ripped out from my shoulder.

It was unlike the graze I received earlier.

This was way worse. It was more agonizing than a cut from a daemon. My right side felt as though boiling acid was coursing through my veins.

My vision blurred, my mind spun, and I found myself collapsing to my knees. Breathing became a struggle, and my strength was slowly draining away.

Desperately, I slammed my palm onto the shattered floor and activated a defensive code.

{Tenebris: Shadow Dome}

A protective dome of pure darkness encased me. Almost immediately, cracks began to form as the A-ranked wraiths viciously attacked it.

Unlike its outward appearance, the interior of the dome is quite well-lit.

As the cracks increased, I quickly checked my shoulder and cursed.

My right shoulder was smoking and had become necrotic.

"So this is what Carlo meant by venomous wraiths.", I muttered, attempting to heal my shoulder with Tenebris.

Looks like Mordred's blood I'd injected for immunity was losing its potency against the venom. Perhaps it was because I wasn't a Pendragon myself.

I should've asked for more blood.

Dizziness washed over me, the pain intensifying. My breathing grew more labored, and the necrosis began to spread down my arm.

Time was running out. A portion of the dome crumbled, revealing the primal red eyes of a wraith.

I gritted my teeth and lifted my dagger. Looks like I have no choice.

With a swift slash followed by a grunt of pain, my entire right arm thudded to the floor.

It wasn't as agonizing as the venom but It was painful. But I was used to losing my limbs.

Wincing, I summoned threads of darkness with Tenebris to wrap around the bleeding stump, a technique I'd used before on the battlefield when losing a limb.

I quickly scooped up my severed arm and put it in the spatial storage of my bracelet.

The Shadow Dome continued to crumble around me as the wraiths relentlessly tore through my defenses.

I gritted my teeth and invoked the power of Tenebris.

Darkness swirled around the stump on my shoulder and spread downward to take the shape of an arm.

I flexed the clawed fingers of my new temporary arm made of swirling darkness.

I picked up my bloody black dagger and streamed ardor into it.

Gathering darkness in my left palm, I slammed it onto the floor, unleashing another Black Shock that shattered the protective dome and scattered the assaulting wraiths.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself. Mordred's diluted blood seemed to be holding the venom at bay for now.

My head throbbed, and I was panting heavily. The strain of continuous combat and the venom were taking their toll.

Raising my black arm, I summoned hundreds of black rods in the air and dropped them on the wraiths.

There was a collective shriek as the spinning rods of solid darkness drilled every wraith into the ground.

I then focused on the barrier and unleashed my full aura along with a barrage of black lightning bolts at it.

The barrier pulsed violently but it didn't budge.

Frustration boiling over, I let out a roar, only to be drowned out by the wails of the wraiths as many began freeing themselves from the black rods.

These freaks are getting quite annoying!

The only thing that can destroy them are the Purity flames.

But there was one other option. A desperate one.

I shook my head, dismissing the thought. Using my stigma was out of the question. It was a one-time move that would leave me incapacitated.

No way I am using my stigma. 

"Oh, that's a shame."

A voice suddenly whispered beside me. Reacting on instinct, I swung my dagger, unleashing a burst of black flames that engulfed the wraiths nearby.

But there was no one there except for wraiths who were engulfed by my flames.

"Ooh. Feisty!"

Again, that voice spoke and I turned around to see. There is no way the wraiths have developed speech.

"Now that's rude! Don't compare me with those vile creatures. Oh, behind you.", the voice warned.

Whipping around, I saw wraiths lunging at me. Acting swiftly, my tentacles sliced through them, reducing them to ribbons and mangled flesh.

"You're welcome.", the voice chimed in again smugly.

What the fuck is happening? Am I starting to hear voices? Is it due to the venom?

"Oh no. You are not hallucinating, dear.", the voice confirmed, its tone playful, "The venom did make it easier for me to reach out to you, though."

I summoned another barrage of black stakes around me and hurled them at the wraiths.

"Who are you?", I demanded, my vision blurring momentarily.

As I shook my head to clear it, I noticed a familiar shape emerging from among the wraiths trapped by the stakes.

The figure was humanoid, eerily resembling me. As the details became clearer, my eyes widened in recognition.

"Incarni! Is that... me?", I exclaimed and blinked again, "And why am I shadowy and... naked?"

My naked and shadowy doppelganger tilted her head with an amused smile.

"I am you, Iris.", she shrugged, "Well. The inner you. Kind of like your inner voice or should I say, the true you?"

I frowned, "Okay? But why are you naked?"

She shrugged, her form shimmering slightly, "Well, you've never been a fan of clothes, so I went with it. Oh, and there's a wraith above you.", she added casually.

Reacting instinctively, I jumped aside just as a wraith crashed to the ground where I'd been standing, claws slashing at the air.

With a click of my tongue, I raised my leg and delivered an axe kick to the wraith's head, shattering it against the marble floor.

"What do you want?", I growled, charging into the fray of rampaging wraiths.

My daggers and tentacles tore through the creatures while my doppelganger's voice echoed around me.

"I thought I'd accompany you in your final moments.", she replied playfully.

Driving my dagger into a wraith's face and cleaving it in two, I scoffed, "Final moments? Seriously?"

She chuckled, "Oh you are dying! The strain of battling these endlessly regenerating creatures, coupled with the venom coursing through your veins, is taking its toll. You need to get to Althea fast if you want to survive."

"Bullshit!", I retorted, sweeping a horde of wraiths aside with my tentacles.

But as much as I hated to admit it, her words rang true. My attacks lacked their usual force, and I could feel the venom's insidious progress through my body.

"I really wish to book it to Althea but these fuckers won't let up.", I grumbled, slicing a wraith in half and thrusting my daggers into another's eyes.

"Oh, there is a way.", my shadowy doppelganger whispered, materializing beside me, sending shivers down my spine.

"And since you're dying. Why don't you just use it and finish things with a bang?", she suggested with a mischievous smile.

Reacting instinctively, I thrust my dagger to my side. The black blade with a purple edge, pierced her form like smoke and embedded itself into a wraith's forehead.

With a forceful twist, I tore the wraith's face apart and flung it away with a tentacle.

"Given you're my 'true self,' you're surprisingly misinformed.", I quipped.

Spinning around, I slammed my boot into another wraith's face, unleashing a shockwave of darkness that obliterated its head.

"I can only use my stigma once, and in case you haven't noticed, there are hundreds of these abominations!", I remarked.

Her laughter echoed all over the room, "Oh dear! That is quite funny! You seem to have accepted that fact about Coup De Grace!"

She materialized before me, her grin malevolent, "What if I tell you that you can use your stigma more than once?"

Her words froze me momentarily, leaving me vulnerable to an attack. A wraith seized the opportunity, slashing my stomach and leaving a bloody gash.

Grimacing, I unleashed another Black Shock, scattering the wraiths in all directions.

"Impossible!", I snarled, "There is a reason why my stigma has a huge price."

"Because it is overpowered? Of course, I know!", she giggled.

"I know all about the conditions for activating Coup de Grace. You have to be near death, you can only use it once a week, and you'll be incapacitated for that week.", she recounted.

Her blue eyes met mine, and she tapped her forehead, "Those conditions are there to protect you, especially your mind."

"There is one more must pay to wield Absolute Death in their hands."

"Of course I know.", I retorted. Spinning around, I unleashed immolating black flames from my daggers.

Darting through the wraiths, I sliced and scorched them, leaving a path of fiery destruction in my wake.

"I realized it the moment I discovered my fragmented memories.", I declared.

She applauded, "My! You are quite the clever girl!"

Leaning forward, she smiled slyly, "Then I believe you will understand that using your stigma more than once requires an even greater price."

I smirked, "I am already dying. There's little chance I'll survive the ordeal if I accept your offer."

Her laughter echoed again, "Your life is precious! Of course, it will be a huge price. But..."

Her grin widened, "But I want something greater. Something far more precious."

The flames passed through her and struck some wraiths, but they were quickly extinguished.

I am running out of strength.

"You.", I said, my gaze hardening as she materialized before me

"Who are you?"

"There is no way you are truly me.", I spat out.

"So who the fuck are you? My stigma?"

She laughed, "I am the real you. I am also not the real you. I'm also intricately tied to your stigma."

She tilted her head and answered, "I am [****]."

My eyes widened and I almost dropped my daggers.

I looked at her and asked, "What happens if I refuse your help?

She shrugged, "You will continue to fight like before, and of course, I will try my best to help you."

"But you will fall.", she declared, "The wraiths will overwhelm you, despite your power."

"Then the barrier will fall.", she said, nodding toward the pulsating barrier.

"Sure, it can take blows from an S rank but not repeated ones. And a constant vicious attack from these A-ranked and B-ranked abominations? It will eventually shatter."

Her eyes locked onto mine with a malevolent smile, "And then the wraiths will escape this room and will swarm Necropolis like a tidal wave."

"They'll slaughter everyone in their path. Deathwalkers, merchants, Crafters, your Unit. Even the person most precious to you."

I clenched my fist, "No way that will happen. Mordred and the rest will roast them all."

"Of course, they will.", she confirmed, "But they will have quite the difficulty with the barbeque since your dear brothers have given these freaky beauties increased resistance to Purity Flames."

I almost froze in my spot again, "What?"

"Oh they are not fully immune.", she assured, "But incinerating them will take longer. The Deathwalkers will vanquish the wraiths but the lives lost for that will be great."

"And who knows? What if one of those wraiths managed to slash Mordred's throat? What if they overwhelm him before he could heal and retaliate?"

Her grin widened, relishing the look on my face, "When it comes to daemons and wraiths. Anything can happen."

"Wouldn't you agree? Iris?"

Suddenly, everything turned still.

I found myself on a hill of bloodied corpses. There were Deathwalkers, merchants, Crafters, and many more.

As I looked around, terror and despair clenched at my soul when I saw them.

Master Lorvar, the Commander, Artemis, Apollo, Carlo, Ava, Krystal, Dorothy, and many others I knew.

Their lifeless bodies lay scattered among the mutilated and bloodied corpses, their vacant eyes hauntingly fixed on me.

I lifted my eyes and what I saw tore my very soul. On the peak, staked to a cross, with his limbs torn off and entrails spilling out, was Mordred.

His head lifted slowly, and I felt my legs buckle beneath me. His bloodied hair clung to his scarred and battered face.

His one remaining crimson eye locked onto mine, and he whispered a single word.

"Iris."

Tears streamed down my face, my hands trembling uncontrollably. I tried to shield my eyes from the horrific sight, but it was futile.

No matter how many times I tried to cover them, the gruesome scene remained, just like in my recurring nightmares.

Yes, this is my nightmare.

"You can prevent this Iris."

Her voice broke through the vision and brought me back to the processing room.

She stood before me, her form clear as ever.

Time remained suspended, the wraiths frozen mid-scream, their menacing teeth exposed.

She extended her hand toward me.

"Accept my hand and become Death Incarnate, Oh Child of Tenebris."

I took a deep breath and raised my arm made of swirling darkness.

Grasping her hand firmly, I whispered.

"I accept."

She giggled, "Wonderful! Now let's fulfill the condition for activation."

I nodded again and time snapped back into motion. I rushed forward to meet the wraiths.

Black markings erupted across my body, covering my left arm and exposed waist.

Swiftly, I seized the arm of a wailing wraith, allowing its sharp claws to pierce through my body.

"I'll be a bit late, Mordred.", I whispered, a small smile tugging at my lips.

"Oh don't worry.", her voice chimed in from all directions, a childlike giggle echoing through the room.

"I'll ensure you don't meet your end. After all, I need you alive, my dear Fairy."

I unraveled my black wings of darkness and plunged my dagger into the wraith's heart.

"When all of this is over. You are next.", I warned her with a wide grin on my face.

Her laughter echoed all over the room, shaking even the barrier.

"We'll see about that, child."