Path of the Berserker

I charged my body with [Steel Lightning], [Steel Skin] and [Steel Core], preparing for the worst. I’d only heard whispers of these ancient creatures before. Even the manuals back at Du Gok Bhong had nothing about them.

But now, witnessing the gigantic spider rushing down the face of the massive crystal towards me, I knew I was seeing something few would ever survive to tell the tale. That alone put the [Odds Against Me].

The burst of Frenzy, again lessened the depletion of my Dantian, but I would need to use a lot more to fight this thing. The sight of it alone should have driven me mad, but perhaps it was a testament to not only my body recovering stronger than ever from my ordeal, but my mind as well.

The true size of the spider became apparent the closer it got.

Its legs could easily span the width of an Olympic sized swimming pool, tip to tip and its body was the size of a semi-truck. But its size wasn’t the only feature that had my Frenzy boiling. What I thought were bristles or hairs, were actually thorny spines and below its human like face, was a set of fangs that clattered rapidly with a sound that sent my flesh crawling.

Not that I had flesh right now.

Tendrils of wispy grey fluid spurted from its fangs, and I instinctively leapt to the side to avoid it. Rock and shale hissed where it landed, eaten away in seconds by the corrosive substance. I paused for half a second. I still didn’t know the limits of this [Spectral Projection] technique. Could physical attacks even harm me?

Only one way to find out, I thought.

Bolstering myself with Frenzy, I pushed into the air with [Ride the Lightning] to meet the giant spider halfway. As predicted, the monster shot at me with its venom again, but this time I charged straight through it with [Indifference].

I didn’t feel a thing as the liquid squirted right through my translucent body, unaffected.

Yes! I celebrated inwardly.

I returned the favor and hacked into one of its tree trunk sized legs with a [Lightning] charged cleave from my Glaive, but to my chagrin, I did little more than put a scratch in it. For a moment I wondered if the ghostly formed worked both ways, in that I couldn’t affect it either. But that didn’t make sense. I knew I could affect the real world with my Frenzy techniques. I’d done it countless times now hunting my scorpion dinners on the surface.

And then it hit me.

I was not as strong as my physical self in this form.

I was just phoning it in long distance and my damage was minuscule because of it.

The [Odds shifted even further Against Me].

How the hell was I supposed to kill something this big with mere scratches?

~Cunning little Flame.~ The creature intoned, without using its mouth. ~Thou art but an apparition. I shall shunt thee from mine dominion~

The pressure of Dark Frenzy increased as the sounds of bones popping and cracking filled the air. The ‘face’ of the spider rose into the air on a long, thin neck. Multiple shoulders and arms came next, extending upwards as a somewhat human half-torso of a woman emerged. The creature was now like a centaur with a spider’s body, and all about it, a purplish glow began to form.

No way… I thought, as I realized what I was seeing.

This thing was performing the equivalent of a [Spectral Projection] of its own, showing me its inner Sacred Soul, or perhaps Cursed Soul was more accurate. The spider woman’s eight arms hung off its body at all kinds of random angles, some coming out of its back and sides. Within the hands of each one, deep purplish implements of concentrated Dark Frenzy began to form.

A crude blade.

A chipped scythe.

A dangling piece of chain.

It was reminiscent of those multi-armed behemoths I had fought on the surface.

Only this thing’s versions of weapons were much worse.

Perhaps this was their mom.

I laughed aloud at my own joke, and I sensed anger come from the spider lady.

~Thou dost dare to mock This One? Thy hubris is renowned~

“Yeah,” I said with [Indifference]. “I annoy the shit out of I’xol’ukz too. So, what’s your name then? Is it Spider Bitch?”

More fury erupted.

~Insolent whelp! Thou dost now face a first born of the One True Flame! I, G’hru’julah existed even before thy treacherous master!~

At the mention of her true name, a shudder ran through my soul.

It was true what she’d said.

This creature was ancient.

But that didn’t mean I would give it any of my respect.

I turned her anger into more Frenzy, giving her a shit-eating grin. “Well, Gahjuju or whatever the hell you’re called. I’m here on a mission from my master, just like you said. The [Frenzied Flame] send’s its salutations.”

As I executed the [Frenzied Flame] technique, the spider lady winced and then shuffled backwards on its multiple legs. It raised one of its arms to its face as if to shield itself.

~Treachery~ she said. ~Thou art indeed a vessel of pure treachery. But the traitor is too late. My work here is done. The Flame within Fhae I’ung will soon extinguish, as will yours~

As the words formed in my mind, the crisscross tendrils of webbing laced over the crystal began to pulse and I sensed the glow within the aetherite crystal begin to fade. This thing was killing whatever was inside it.

As the thought occurred, a sudden surge of Frenzy came from the root of my Dao.

Just like protecting my own world, I couldn’t allow it.

I screamed with a primal indignation as my anger surged. “You’ll face judgment for what you’ve done to these people!”

I flew at the giant spider with [Lightning Drill of Fury].

I’d been perfecting the technique within the spiritual realm for days now, and within my [Spectrally Projected] form, the attack came together like a masterpiece. I struck the creature at the base of one of its massive legs and spun.

A piercing screech filled the air as the limb popped off just like one of my scorpion legged meals and putrid black blood and ichor jetted into the air. It retaliated by spinning its entire body in a defensive maneuver, swiping at me with one of its other legs.

The thing was too big to avoid and instinctively I braced myself with [Indifference] to take the hit. I needn’t have bothered as the giant limb passed straight through my translucent form, but then something else came with it.

Pure unadulterated pain.

I screamed.

It was as if my soul itself had just been ripped in two by the attack.

A huge chunk of my Frenzy evaporated and my spiritual connection to my projected form shuddered briefly. The result was like being stunned and my body froze. The spider woman took instant advantage and leapt upon me with its giant fangs.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Fresh pain ripped through my soul as the fangs pierced me, augmented by the Cursed Soul, now formed about her body.

~Foul being…thou shalt pay for injuring this one. An unconscionable insult thou art!~

As the fangs pressed in on me, I screamed in more [Pain], but not even the Frenzy produced from it could keep up with the amount I was now losing.

Suddenly my vision blurred, and I found myself thrust back into my own body, screaming like a mad man. It took me a few seconds to catch myself and I had to look down and examine my torso to check that I didn’t have two huge puncture wounds in my chest.

The pain began to subsite as my mind centered itself.

What the hell just happened?

It was as if I had been ejected from the spiritual realm again.

I was still sat in lotus position, my chest heaving with exertion.

My soul was spent, and my Frenzy was depleted.

Fighting through [Spectral Projection] was definitely a different kind of experience. In one sense, I now knew I couldn’t really ‘die’ from it. But taking damage there wasn’t like taking a hit in my true body. In the real world, I could rely on my brute strength and physical fortitude, but my [Spectral Projection] was based on the strength of my Frenzy and Spirit alone.

And enough damage would simply break my technique.

A tremor of irritation ran through me as I considered my sudden defeat.

That spidery bitch probably thinks she killed me, I thought with venom.

The idea steeped with fresh insult to injury and rage.

The result sparked my Flame and I quickly cultivated the new Frenzy to fill my Dantian.

No way in hell am I going out like a ‘one hit wonder’ with this bitch, I thought.

I cycled my Franzy and popped back into the spiritual realm again. As I retraced my path back to the translucent form of the crystal, I could feel a greater sense of desperation coming from it, and by the increase in the Dark Frenzy of the tendrils encapsulating it, I could surmise why.

G’hru’julah was intent on killing Fhae I’ung.

As the ancient names filled my mind, so too did they fill me with a new sense of purpose.

A purpose not my own.

But one born of the Flame.

This was a battle that had gone on for eons, and it surpassed my need for vengeance to restore my petty pride. Like a map being unfurled before me, suddenly my true purpose became clear. This was the [Path of the Frenzied Flame], not my own. And it had summoned me here, to this exact moment, to defend one of its own.

To defend Fhae I’ung.

Something opened up inside of me and my Flame surged even brighter.

A new hidden truth revealed.

Dense Frenzy flowed from the Core of my Twin Dao, refilling my Dantian as I quickly cultivated it into solid form.

“Alright you bitch,” I said as I connected my meridians to [Project] myself back into the Spider woman’s lair again. “Time to face my true master now.”

I re-emerged in the cavern to find the spider atop the crystal, its huge abdomen now connected to the latticework of pulsating webs crisscrossing its surface. In the air, I could sense the screams of anguish coming from within it.

Millions of souls begging for retribution for the injustice served upon them.

The injustice still being served upon them now in the form of this spider bitch feasting upon their souls.

The righteous indignation stirred within me again.

Something not born of me, but something my own soul embraced completely.

I would stop this annihilation at all costs.

I rallied with a series of [Lightning Arc Strikes], pelting the Deep Dweller with a wave of [Frenzied Lightning] from afar. The massive spider hissed and screamed, spinning its body towards me.

~Thou art a recurring pestilence. An annoyance. A foul gnat to be trampled and scorned!~

Tendrils of Dark Frenzy infused venom streamed towards me, and I shifted in the air with [Lightning Walk] to avoid it. The strength of conviction within the [Frenzied] Path of my twin Dao had restored me, but I couldn’t waste this second chance by being hit with something like that again.

The cries within the crystal were growing more desperate by the second.

I hit G’hru’julah with more [Lightning Arc Strikes] again, but the damage seemed miniscule. As the acrobatic combat went on for another minute, I knew I was in a battle of attrition I could not win.

And why should I? I thought as I recalled one of the Shuras in my mind.

Eschew the bow or any means of attacking from afar, for such will never satisfy the cravings of one’s bloodlust. Choose instead that which brings you close to your foe and that which can withstand the full might of your fury.

Absolutely, damn right, I thought. I couldn’t fight this thing like some punk ass bitch scared to take a hit.

I needed to fight this thing like a true Berserker.

I brandished my spiritually manifested Axe and Glaive and dove towards the giant creature with a burst of [Ride the Lightning]. I crashed onto the spiny back of its giant abdomen and immediately felt the lancing pain of the spear like quills puncturing my [Spectral Body].

I endured it with [Indifference], gritting my teeth as I went to work with my [Lightning] Charged weapons, clearing a path as I cut the spines off at their base. The giant spider bucked and kicked, but I sunk my axe into her flesh and used it like an anchor as I hacked my way towards the human like torso of her body with my Glaive.

She screeched and wailed and then uttered something in a language I at first didn’t understand, but then their meaning instantly imposed themselves within my mind.

~[Fire of the Cleansing Flame]!~

Huge rivulets of Dark Frenzy jetted from the quills and shot through my body, burning my soul like acid. I engaged my [Soul Shield] to push back against it, but while it lessened the pain only slightly, it burned nearly the same amount of Frenzy that the creature’s Demonic technique was stripping from my body.

The dreaded battle of attrition had resumed, and I had only one tank of Frenzy left to get the job done. The thought reinvigorated me, and I pushed through the pain and draining Frenzy of my Dantian to get to its head.

~You are weak. A mere husk! You can not defeat a First Born such as I!~

A sudden increase of Dark Frenzy came with her words, and I felt myself draining even further. For a brief second, my connection shuddered again.

No… not now.

I continued to hack away at its body with a fervor, gore and ichor flying.

But my Frenzy was nearing zero again.

Shit…

I pushed on with every bit of spiritual strength I had left, wishing my true strength could join this battle, that I could instantly teleport my true body to where I was and let this spider bitch feel the full strength of my wrath.

But I was a realm away from being able to do something like that.

A haughty laughter filled the air.

~You do naught but exert thy strength in vain. I shall soon devour the soul of this world, and shall take yours as a trophy along with it~

The thought did nothing but enrage me.

But she was right.

The constant draining of my Frenzy from her [Cleansing Flame] aura was slowing my progress and would soon eject me from my [Spectral Projection] again. I pushed on, trying to do as much damage as I could before that occurred.

Hoping it would be enough to kill her.

And then I sensed something else.

Pure Frenzy.

Sweet and harmonic.

Something extended from the crystal and as it touched my soul, suddenly I could sense [Everyone’s Pain]. Images of the demise of Fhae I’ung’s people entered my mind and the images of their annihilation caused fresh Frenzy to erupt from my Flame.

Suddenly my Dantian was gaining in strength and was pushing back against the Dark Aura. A planet worth of slain souls was lending me their strength and I couldn’t contain the power they gave me.

“[Wrath of a Million Slain Souls]!”

My newly advanced technique went off like an atom bomb, filling the entire chamber with bolts of [Frenzied Lightning]. The First-Born Deep Dweller, G’hru’julah, cried out in a primal scream of pain and terror as I electrocuted her with extreme [Indifference], true fear erupting from her soul.

~W-what is this? The Cursed Flame doth conspire against me! How is its strength magnified through thee? Through but a mortal!~

I kept the technique going, the Frenzy from my Flame and that from the crystal combining to give me a near limitless source of power. The stench of burning demon flesh filled the air as she screamed and cried, her legs exploding with the steam from me boiling her blood and popping her organs.

As her convulsion stilled, I finally relented and slowly approached her smoldering half-human torso from behind.

To my disgust and horror, she twisted her snakelike neck a full 180 degrees to look back at me, her human face now streaked with bloody tears. I didn’t know if it was just another illusion or transformation to invoke some kind of sympathy, but up close I could see the face was that of a matronly woman, like someone’s sweet old grandma with her long white hair.

~Please, Stop!~ she said with desperation in her voice. ~We are kin. We be brethren. Spare my life and I shall vouch for thee.~

“Save it, bitch…”

I wasn’t sure if this was true desperation or just a ploy to lure me into a false sense of victory in order to launch another surprise attack. The fear now pouring from her soul said the former, but I wasn’t taking any chances.

I hacked off one of the mutated limbs on her back and she screamed in pain.

~Please! Truth I speak! I am a first born of the One True Flame. Spare me and I shall ensure thy restoration. I shall bare witness to thy contrition so that absolution may be had~

This bitch had to be joking.

“Tell your master, the [Frenzied Flame] bows to no one.”

With that I swung my axe and cut off old granny’s head.

The bitch’s face contorted and transformed as she screamed in pain and disbelief, revealing her true self in those final moments. It was a monstrous form, a demon with multiple eyes and a mouth full of spinelike teeth framed by black lips.

~Curse thee! Curse the Cursed Flame. Thy folly defies the Greater Will and brings destruction upon us all!~

As her final death cries rang out, a hissing noise filled the air as her body began to dissolve into a cloud of black smoke and Dark Frenzy. I soaked it all in with [Bloodlust] and the Frenzy produced by my biggest kill to date, registered dividends within my soul.

I cultivated it all, refilling my Dantian and stretching it even further.

The tendrils of pulsating spiderwebs covering the crystal, pulsed for the last time and as they hardened like rock, began to crumble away. I approached the crystal slowly, sensing the cries of pain had now eased.

But a new cry came from it.

One of haste and desperation.

~Hurry~ I could sense words forming in my mind, a voice familiar to me. One I had heard before. ~Hurry before our demise. So that we may bequeath thee~

Bequeath?

What the hell?

I wasn’t sure what it was exactly referring to, but I knew who was speaking.

This was the voice of Fhae I’ung.

The true Fhae I’ung, not the shadow of her that I had experienced on Du Gok Bhong.

There was only one thing to do.

I approached the giant crystal and placed my [Spectral] hand upon it.

My vision swirled as I felt myself being drawn inward.

And suddenly I was transported once again across space and time.