Ascension (Book Four of the Soul Forge series)

Chapter Thirteen: Sypher/Vel...

Vel's sword swung, black skin opening up to reveal grey flesh beneath. His shadows whipped, piercing a giant black eye, but the creature had more of them.

The contact didn't give him a name, just like the creature in Varthal. He growled and slashed again, leaping onto its back and driving his sword into flesh up to the hilt. Spears of blackness perforated the giant worm's body from base to tip, but it kept flailing and twisting, spitting acid from openings all along its sides.

Gira and Arden dove, avoiding the hissing liquid as it began to eat through the dirt. Elda froze whatever came her way, sidestepping the chunks that shattered on the ground and firing arrows at the beast's head.

Vel reached out with his mind, trying to find the name he needed. He was met with a wall, a shield with no weaknesses, no way in. Without a name, he couldn't control it.

Fire ate a hole in its side when Arden attacked, guts spilling out and burning, but the creature fought on like it couldn't feel pain. The Spirits took turns keeping Abraxos' cage out of the way, two of them leaping in to fight while the third stopping the thick tail end from killing him.

Another eye burst on the end of Vel's sword, and the monster finally screamed in agony. The sound was grating, causing the others to falter, but they leapt back in and attacked with renewed vigour.

The tail slapped Gira away, the head swinging to fling the Soul Forge into the dirt. He landed heavily on his wings, grunting when the muscle strained and tore. It was already beginning to heal by the time he was back on his feet.

"I could use your input you know," he muttered to the Angel, sprinting back towards the creature and leaping. His boot squished against an eyeball, and he almost slipped when it burst, but he managed to bury his sword in its skull and regain his footing.

Elda's light flared and the creature reared up, flinging the Soul Forge onto its back, his blade still buried in its face.

Fire, Sypher said quietly. Get inside and burn it.

"Get inside?" Vel echoed, struggling to stay upright on its undulating body. "You want me to climb through its guts?" When there was no answer, he growled. "You're such an asshole."

He jumped down, aiming for the large tear in its side. The smell of charred meat hung in the air, turning his stomach, but the sight of the half-cooked, slimy grey entrails pulsing and twitching was worse. He grabbed Arden on his way past.

"Where are we going?" he asked, bewildered.

"Inside that," Vel grunted, pointing at the wound.

Arden balked. "Why?"

"We have to burn it."

The Keeper swallowed, but asked no more questions. When they reached the hole, he spun his bo staff and sent fire searing into its organs. The creature bucked, but its attention was still on the others attacking its face.

A sword of sharpened shadow appeared in Vel's grasp and sliced through enough muscle and innards to make an opening. His darkness reached out, prying the opening apart. Arden prepared another blast, and Vel tapped into Sypher's elemental power, his free hand lighting up.

Flames poured through the hole, sweeping through the beast from the inside and incinerating everything it could reach. Arden's blaze was so hot that the fire flickered blue, flesh and muscles bubbling and blistering.

A scream rattled the stars, the whole massive body twisting and writhing suddenly. Vel grabbed Arden and shot upwards before they could be crushed, a sharp sting stabbing through his injured wing. He swooped past its head, yanking his sword free on his way by.