Realm Lord
Chapter 62: The Reaper of the Roses

Chapter 62: The Reaper of the Roses

Arthur was currently gripping onto Aziel as hard as he could, not out of fear of falling off as they ran, but because of the unbearable pain coursing through his body. The lightning that enveloped them both conducted mercilessly through the rainwater, turning what should have been a rescue into torture. Every nerve ending in Arthur’s body screamed in agony as the electricity found pathways through his rain-soaked clothes and skin.

He was biting onto the sleeve of his robe to stop himself from shattering his teeth, the fabric already torn from the force of his jaw clenching against the pain. His muffled screams were lost in the howling wind as they raced away, each flash of lightning illuminating the gray landscape.

Arthur was on the verge of passing out as tears flowed down his face and his fingernails dug into the skin of Aziel’s back, drawing blood that was instantly washed away by the relentless rain. The world blurred around him, not just from Aziel’s incredible speed but from the tears and rain filling his eyes as consciousness threatened to slip away.

Finally, after only a couple minutes of experiencing what might have been the most excruciating physical pain he’d ever experienced, Aziel came to an abrupt stop. The sudden deceleration sent Arthur flying off his shoulder, just as it had the last time they’d traveled this way. He tumbled through the roses, his body rolling uncontrollably as momentum carried him forward, crushing withered stems and petals beneath him.

When he finally came to a stop, Arthur rolled onto his back and stared up into the night sky, desperately attempting to catch his breath. The rain fell directly onto his face, each drop a small relief against his electrified, burning skin. He lay there for a minute, just staring and letting the pain that was just consuming him fade away. His muscles twitched involuntarily, aftershocks of the electrical current still working through his system.

Whilst laying there, he heard Aziel yell from where he was laying down as well, several feet away. "You okay?" The voice sounded distant, muffled through the pounding in Arthur’s ears.

Arthur didn’t immediately respond, taking another moment to gather his thoughts and ensure he could speak without his voice betraying the extent of his suffering. "Yeah... I just need a second," he finally managed, the words coming out raspy and strained.

Aziel didn’t respond, but the message came across, and Arthur simply lay there enjoying the momentary peace. The rain continued to fall around them, a soft patter against the roses that somehow made the desolate field feel less hostile for a brief moment.

The roses tried to force their temptation into his mind—whispers promising power, relief, strength—but Arthur was getting better at ignoring it. The voices that had once overwhelmed him now seemed distant, like an annoying buzz he could push to the background of his consciousness. So for a moment... one moment, Arthur lay in peace.

But then it was shattered.

Suddenly, all of the dead grey roses that surrounded Arthur’s body bloomed red, their withered forms rejuvenating before his eyes. The transformation spread like a wave from where he lay, dead stems straightening, dried petals unfurling and filling with vibrant crimson color. The rain seemed to intensify the effect, droplets beading on the newly revived petals like drops of blood.

Arthur rubbed his eyes aggressively, hoping that he was seeing things, that perhaps the electrical shock had affected his vision. But sadly, he was not hallucinating. The roses continued to bloom with unnatural vigor, their red color almost glowing in the darkness of the rainy night.

"No," Arthur whispered under his breath as desperate fear began to build in his chest. The last time he had seen roses bloom red like this it was because he was here. The implication of what was happening sent cold dread spreading through his still-aching body.

He heard Aziel’s shaky voice cut through the sound of rainfall. "Um... Arthur." There was something in that tone Arthur had never heard before—uncertainty, perhaps even fear.

Arthur hurriedly rose to his feet, ignoring the protest of his muscles, and met Aziel’s eyes. But Aziel wasn’t looking at him; his gaze was pointed in Arthur’s direction but focused past him, fixed on something in the distance. His eyes were wide with a look of terror—something Arthur had yet to see from his usually confident companion. The rain ran down Aziel’s face, plastering his hair to his forehead, but he didn’t seem to notice, transfixed by whatever he was seeing.

Arthur gulped down his nervous saliva before slowly turning around, dreading what he would find.

In front of them, standing just past Arthur’s radius about 30 feet away, was the fourth monk... the Reaper of the Roses. Its black robes and hood covered most of its skeletal body, the fabric seemingly untouched by the rain that fell through it in places, revealing glimpse of bone beneath. Its huge scythe stood firm in its grasp, the blade gleaming in the darkness. It stared at the boys with its lifeless eyes—empty sockets in a skull that somehow conveyed malevolence without expression.

Last time they met this threat, Aziel was not nearly as shaken. That’s because last time, Aziel still had his trump card; he still had enough power in his core to use his speed to get away. But this time, they weren’t so lucky. The lightning dash had drained him.

’There’s no way...’ Arthur thought frantically. ’What the hell are the chances? Was it waiting here for us, or was this just an unfortunate coincidence?’ The questions raced through his mind as panic threatened to overtake him.

Arthur’s hands trembled as he summoned his sword, the familiar weight doing little to comfort him in the face of such a formidable opponent. Behind him, Aziel summoned his spear, the weapon materializing with a crackle of suppressed lightning.

Arthur thought for a moment before coming to the conclusion that there was no way they could beat an abomination in a fight, especially when his partner couldn’t even use his ability. Their only hope was to run—to put as much distance between themselves and the Reaper as possible.

Arthur turned around and faced Aziel, rain streaming down his face as he spoke urgently. "We have to run. This guy seems slow, and it’s still far away. If we start running now and don’t stop, we might be able to esc—"

Arthur’s words were shoved back into his throat when suddenly the environment around them changed even more dramatically. All around them, some close, some far, the dead bodies of the grimhounds that scattered the rose field started to rise. Corpses that had been still for who knows how long began to twitch, then stand on decaying legs. Hollow eye sockets filled with an eerie red glow that matched the roses blooming around them.

Now surrounding them was at least 30 grimhounds, their once-rotted forms rejuvenated by the same dark power that had brought life back to the roses. Their teeth gleamed in the dim light, jaws hanging open in silent snarls as they encircled the two chosen.

’What the fuck?’ Arthur’s mind raced with panic. ’We’re dead...’

Arthur and Aziel had already theorized that the Reaper’s abilities weren’t confined to bringing the roses back to life. They had discussed the possibility that it could raise other dead things as well. But seeing it was a completely different thing altogether. Theory had become terrifying reality.

As Aziel and Arthur looked around at the field of bright red roses with undead grimhounds and the Reaper himself scattered among them, there was only one thing going through their minds... despair. The rain continued to fall, indifferent to their plight, as the circle of undead beasts tightened around them and the Reaper began its slow, inevitable approach.

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