Shadow Author



Immediately I sent a mental command to the alligators to swim forward at full speed toward where the horse sank into the mud.

From what I learned in the future, so long as I don't specifically have the puppets target anything involving the horse I wouldn't lose control of them.

With the three of them going forward to buy me time I made use of the latest gift I created.

Freeing a single leg from the mud I activated Flash Step and appeared much further ahead.

Before I would sink back down into the mud I turned my body horizontally to keep myself afloat in the water.

A second later the three gators were coming up behind me as it seemed that I covered more distance than they did in a single step.

Reaching out my left hand I just so happened to grab onto the tail of one of the alligators swimming by at full speed.

Holding on I rode with it until we were just able to reach where the horse and shadow vanished.

Then I let go of the gator's tail and quickly summoned Nightfall.

As the sword was materializing, I pulled back my arm and threw it with all my might. It finished forming just as the last part of it left the tips of my fingers and flew through the empty space in the air.

The puppets were moving forward when the horse seemed to have sensed intruders in its domain and was ready to defend it.

With a thunderous splash, the creature emerged from the depths, its midnight-black mane flowing like liquid silk.

It seemed that the mind-hex was already working and there were no signs of the shadow despite what looked to be clothing in the mouth of the horse.

But just as the stallion made its entrance a black sword darker than that of the horse's hide pierced its abdomen.

A muffled grunt came from the wounded horse as it seemed unused to pain.

But the sword was the least of the monster's worries because I sent another command to the gators, to attack the sword.

Just as the three huge alligators jumped out of the water and were about to bite down on Nightfall I had the sword turn to particles.

Immediately Nightfall began reappearing in my hand as the gators followed through with their attack.

Since they were already mid-air they couldn't stop their attack and because I never told them to attack the horse specifically I watched on as three dreadful blows landed on the mythical beast.

The gators managed to bite down on the horse dealing a large amount of damage however almost instantly they released the enemy from their hold as if the creature didn't exist in the first place.

Although I was disappointed they didn't do more they had at least achieved their purpose. Now that the horse was severely injured and black liquid gushing out its side it was time for me to go in for the kill.

Taking the lead I had the alligators disengage until I would need them later.

When Nightfall finished forming I quickly activated the first rune. A light glow came from the sword as the air became dense as my power level increased many folds over.

'Now for the fun part!'

Before releasing my attack I closed my eyes and prepared to fully depend on my ability.

I knew every move that the horse would make and its exact pattern from seeing the future so I just had to perfectly make use of that information.

Having the world go dark I angled Nightfall at a slight slant and activated Flash Step.

Vanishing from where I last was I knew I appeared a large distance away in reality I would have no way of knowing if my attack landed but…

An inhuman scream filled the silent swamp as it became clear that my attack not only landed but did significant damage.

Continuing to keep my eyes closed to prevent the mind hex from taking over my body I readied myself for the horse's counterattack.

The monster was definitely in poor condition but it was still a wild animal and a wounded one was just as if not more dangerous than a healthy one.

Swinging my sword straight down with precision and power I stopped the first attack as the horse was forced to change which direction it was coming from.

Even though I didn't make a connection with the monster because of my insight into the future I knew my advancement ruined the horse's momentum.

Thus having the knowledge that the monster would come from the left I threw out an attack before I even heard anything.

Anyone else in my position would be long dead as the lack of sight and the horse's monstrous power would make quick work of them.

But I was different, knowing at that moment the evil horse would do an unnaturally graceful dodge and kick me with its rear legs I tossed my weapon for the second time.

If Miss Smith were to have watched this battle she would have spat blood. Every warrior knows that their weapon is their greatest strength and getting rid of it was suicidal.

Yet somehow for me, it worked, another furious roar came from the horse as Nightfall must have dug itself into the rear of the horse.

No attack came after that but I also knew that I didn't have time to take a breaker because the horse was far from giving up or dying.

Beginning the process of returning Nightfall to my hands I had the sword turn to particles while I used Flash Step to create some distance between myself and the monster.

This would mark a turning point in the battle because if my calculations were correct I should have appeared next to the gators I had set aside for this specific moment in time.

Giving out a command I had them rearrange themselves in what seemed like random positions throughout the marsh.

Then I began summoning Nightfall again and while the sword was coming to life I raised my hand high into the air before sucking in a deep breath.

A moment later I felt a sharp and powerful force crush down on my shoulder.

The sounds of bones breaking raddled my ears and the flesh being ripped out made the pain nearly unbearable but soon relief came as the horse was forced to pull back.

Its jaw had torn out a part of my shoulder and completely made my right hand ineffective.

However, I dealt my own amount of damage as Nightfall finished materializing in the hand I had raised which just so happened to align with the neck of the horse as it bit down on me.

Puncturing the horse's neck I served it a deadly blow as it was only a matter of time before the horse drowned in its own blood or straight up bleeding out.

The horse seemed to realize this as it gave up any previous thoughts of escape and decided to take me down with it.

Being erratic the horse tried coming at me from behind but when doing so it just so happened to step into the open mouth of a gator that just so happened to be located on the path the horse was taking.

Having razor-sharp teeth cut into the horse's hooves the monster slammed down on the alligator with full force exploding its head.

Freeing its leg from the dead creature's mouth it then tried to come at me from the side but just like last time another round of sharp teeth tore into its legs.

Fed up, the horse bit the gator's back and tore its body clean in half.

Now completely exhausted, wounded, and unable to move at full speed the horse gave up on all thinking and charged directly at me.

Knowing that the show was coming to an end I opened my beautiful red eyes to look right into the monster's soul.