Requiem Of A Failed Hero

"No... you had one... but you forgot"

A low modulated voice rang into the darkness that consumed his mind as his consciousness began to twinkle, like a candlelight about to be blown off by the heavy wind of darkness.

'I had one?'

He did? There was never a time like that.

A small crack suddenly appeared in the thick darkness that loomed over Raith's mind and with that crack, the voice sounded again, this time with more clarity:

"My boy"

Raith's eyes slowly went dim, although his body managed to still respond, Omnisavant was handling that, her distant call of his name endlessly disappearing. She was quite adamant.

"My boy"

Again it sounded with an even better clarity.

Hearing the familiar voice, Raith's eyes shot open.

"Mother!!"

He shouted himself to live.

"Huh?"

The monster paused for a moment.

"Mother? Is that some human phrase of cry?"

He tilted his head.

[I'm glad you're back]

Raith panted.

'I'm sorry... what happened to me?'

[I think you just made an astounding growth in a matter of seconds]

'You sound happy or is it just me?'

[...]

[Take a look around you]

Raith belatedly retrieved his eyes and looked to his left and right.

Swords began to materialize out of thin air, multiple swords of different kinds. They all started with the color black but immediately began to take on distinct differences each unique to their own selves.

'What is happening?'

[You have unlocked 'Sword Intent']

[Each sword you materialize is now imbued with your will, serving as a consciousness and self-awareness]

[They have now become your will materialized in the form of swords]

'Yes... there was that thing I was doing with Bal'

Raith's expression went somber and he touched his chest.

'I'm sad he is not here to see this today'

After his few seconds of silence, Raith raised his head to the monster who now looked back with palpable carefulness. His eyes kept hovering over each sword that wriggled in the air and taunted him.

He gritted his teeth.

"I'm sick and tired of you puny humans. You are weak creatures and yet you try so much!"

Raith stood straight and stretched his muscles.

'My entire body feels numb, but for some reason, my mind feels different. I feel calm even though I have no idea how this might turn out'

Raith moved his hand, materializing a sword from thin air, he didn't even need to spill his blood. Immediately the sword was born, it stretched and took on the form of a katana. Of course, this was based on his intent.

Raith grabbed the hilt of the sword and twirled it with a slight storm on his face.

The fluid flow of his hand as he spun the sword was profound, it felt like he was swinging his own hand. He could not feel the point of connection between the hilt of his sword and his hand.

"Now... come" He commanded.

On the word, the monster hauled itself at him, with a turbocharged velocity, reaching him in a jiffy—the two of them clashed in a whirlwind of destruction, their strikes creating shockwaves that rent the environment asunder.

Raith's blades moved as if they were part of a well-choreographed dance. The floating swords circled him, attacking the monster from various angles, parrying its blows, and striking back with precision and fury.

Sword Intent allowed Raith to control this symphony of blades effortlessly however, his mental focus was even more amazing, unbroken amidst the chaos. As the earth trembled and the monster's six hands closed in, Raith's mind was calm, yet alert.

He analyzed the creature's every movement, seeking the slightest opening while remaining acutely aware of his surroundings. The rustling leaves, the distant roar of a river, and the scent of the scorched earth, all registered in his senses.

But it was his connection with the swords that truly set him apart. He didn't just wield them; he became one with the blades. They moved with precision and grace as if they were extensions of his limbs. Each swing was a seamless dance, guided by his unwavering purpose and unwavering focus.

The environment suffered under the onslaught, with trees shattering and the ground cracking. The cataclysmic battle raged on, neither side giving an inch, as Raith and the monster became forces of nature in their own right.

The monster's six hands, once an overwhelming advantage, struggled to keep up with the symphony of blades dancing around Raith.

Each of Raith's swords moved with precision and grace, guided by the newfound Sword Intent. They struck from various angles, parrying the monster's blows with ease and striking back with unwavering accuracy. The once chaotic battlefield now bore witness to an intricate and deadly dance.

The monster, while powerful, couldn't adapt to the precise movements of Raith's blades. Its six hands tried to intercept the attacks, but they were overwhelmed by the sheer number and dexterity of Raith's swords. The monster's frustration grew, and it roared in anger, its voice echoing through the battlefield.

As the earth trembled under the force of their battle, Raith's mental focus remained unwavering. He was calm, tracking every movement of the monster while being acutely aware of his surroundings. The world around him registered in his senses—all pieces of the puzzle that helped him predict the monster's next move.

His connection with the swords allowed him to strike with unparalleled precision. He didn't just wield them; he became one with the blades, and they moved as if they were extensions of his limbs. Each swing was a seamless dance, guided by his unwavering purpose and unwavering focus.

The environment continued to bear the brunt of their cataclysmic battle. Trees shattered, and the ground cracked under the intense pressure. The battlefield transformed into a chaotic maelstrom of power and destruction, as Raith and the monster battled fiercely for supremacy.

The monstrous creature, initially confident in its power, now found itself on the defensive. It couldn't keep up with Raith's newfound abilities, and its attacks became increasingly erratic as frustration and desperation set in. The monster's roars were drowned out by the whirlwind of steel and fury that surrounded it.

This was just the beginning.