Inner Demon: The Dark Bloods - Book I ✓

Chapter 38 - Absent Inside

38.

Absent Inside

There was zero possibility Lina would manifest out of Mundus' blade without permission yet there she was standing before him. Her hovering stance was fluid and sensual as she neared him. With her chest pressed up against his, Lina reached down and placed a hand on Mundus' sword hilt. She unsheathed it with a threatening gleam in her violet eyes. The sword looked out of place in her hand, but she proved knowledgeable in using it when she thrust it deep into Mundus' stomach.

The demon was unfazed by the entire play of events. He had allowed them to happen and simply stood erect and stared down at the Spirit. The malice in Lina's eyes melted away. She blinked.

"Master!" she gasped as she stepped away from him, horrified. "This one did not see Master. This one saw—"

"I am aware such was not your intention. You were encased in a separate Illusion and were unaware of your actions." Mundus pulled his blade out of his stomach and brought a healing hand to his bloody wound. He was surprised to discover his Magika did not work. Though his injury was not exactly real, in the Illusion it was, and if he remained trapped in it for any longer he would eventually bleed out.

"Master?" Lina sensed his distress.

He remained motionless with his palm over his stomach. Something was off. There was hardly any blood leaking through his fingers. It was as if the blade was still in him.

The two stood in the snow, quiet for a few seconds.

"Lina," Mundus said. "Return."

She immediately complied. Her body lit white, shrunk and liquefied. She slid into the sword that was held in Mundus' other hand. He then understood why he wasn't bleeding.

"Well you're no fun," Ram's voice floated into the scene. He sounded genuinely sad.

The Illusion shattered and exposed the black blade that was currently embedded in Mundus abdomen, stuck between his middle and ring finger. It pushed deeper into him. The blood flowed freer now; it plopped down to the snow, creating a bowl of red.

"Master!" Lina piped in his head. Sharply in sync with Mundus thoughts during battle, she read his plan of action almost as fast as he thought it. She started to power him up. The sword in Mundus' palm vibrated into a scream.

He grabbed the Shadow Spirit sword with the hand that was on his stomach and began to Fuse. If he forced it under his will, the Spirit would quickly fall out of his way. Mundus would then have the opportunity to freely dispose of Ram however the demon saw fit.

Completely infused with Lina's power, Mundus' fingers extended into the sword. They molded onto the surface as if caught in a sucking current. Mundus instantly felt the Shadow's  resistance. In order to force-Fuse with it, he had to access its core. Mundus Fused deeper until his entire hand had submerged within the flat blade.

He saw the Shadow. Its center was a burning crystal orb. The transparent flames were a constant balance of white and black. The halves were untouched by the other save for a golden and perfectly symmetrical line between the two. Mundus reached for it as he began to push the entity's will away.

Coils of cold ribbons slithered under Mundus' skin and into his veins. They stretched up his arm and began to spread into his chest and up his neck, slashing and slicing as they inched through him. Mundus gritted his teeth in pain and blood streaked his fangs, but he was almost there. His hand emerged from the Shadow blade and wrapped around it. Mundus drew it out from his body, forcing the Shadow to shrink and completely gather into his palm.