Path of Dragons - A LitRPG Apocalypse (BOOK TWO ON KINDLE SEPT. 2)

More than half the horde chased Elijah away from the courtyard, but the bulk of his attention remained on the ascended, blade-wielding demon Dat had referred to as the Bladesinger. The demon was absolutely covered in weapons, ranging from large daggers hanging from his belt to smaller dirks secreted up his sleeves. There was even a brace of throwing knives hanging from a shoulder holster. It was so over-the-top that Elijah almost laughed.

Until one of those throwing knives almost clipped him, which reminded him that as ridiculous as the Bladesinger looked, his presence was no laughing matter.

Elijah followed the prescribed path, maintaining a pace that would keep him just ahead of the horde. More than once, he wished he could just race away and dip back into the Guise of the Unseen, but as effective as that strategy might be, it wasn’t conducive to him accomplishing his assigned task.

Instead, he was meant to lead the Bladesinger – and the horde – away, while the others dealt with the Healer. Separating them was the point, and he endeavored to fulfill his part of the plan.

To do so, he twisted through the corridors they’d just vacated, and along the way, he spared a thought for the former captives. They’d been sent to take shelter in the passage leading to the exit in the mountains. They would doubtless be safer there than in the middle of a battle they were not equipped to fight. If they found themselves facing off against someone like the Bladesinger, they would all die. No – it was better that they remain hidden away until Elijah and the others could escort them back to Hong Kong.

Pushing those thoughts out of mind, Elijah focused on the task at hand. Eventually, they left the courtyard far behind, and Elijah drew closer to the location he’d chosen for the showdown. He didn’t think he could kill the Bladesinger – not alone – but he did hope he could severely weaken him. The others had a much easier task in that they only needed to overcome the Healer’s spells, kill her, then join him to finish off the Bladesinger when he returned to the courtyard.

It wasn’t a foolproof plan, but it was the best they could come up with considering their limited resources.

Soon enough, Elijah entered a large chamber – it wasn’t so different from the dungeon, though there were no chains. Once there, he skittered to the side, climbed the wall, and slipped under Guise of the Unseen. It wasn’t long before the first elements of the horde barreled through the large door, but when they entered, they found no enemy awaiting them.

They spread out, searching the area, but pointedly, they never looked up. Whether that was a natural blind spot, or the creatures were just too stupid to think properly, Elijah wasn’t certain. However, he was very grateful for their inattention. After only a minute, the Bladesinger himself rushed in.

He clearly felt the negative effects of Elijah’s Envenom and Lurking Swarm, though he was healthier than expected. Elijah aimed to change that, leaping from his perch on the ceiling, hitting the demon’s back, then sinking his Predator Strike-enhanced fangs into the creature’s neck.

He could have bitten him a second time, but Elijah wasn’t willing to push his luck. Instead, he used Flicker Step, shifting through the shadows to land on a wight’s back. For good measure, he bit the hulking undead monster as well, then leaped away. Mid-air, he initiated the transformation into his human form, and the second his feet hit the ground, he cast four spells in quick succession.

First was Blessing of the Grove, which conjured a gentle rain as well as the sunflower that governed the other parts of the spell. It was just in time, too, because only a moment later, one of the zombies raked its claws across his back. The blow was stopped by a green shimmer of vital ethera before Elijah whipped his staff around and destroyed the thing’s skull.

Even as his staff whirled, Elijah continued casting. The second spell he used was Eternal Plague: