Chapter 22: Dariu Magnus
In the midst of the blood-soaked battlefield, where countless swords lay scattered on the ground, Dariu advanced toward Golaneth with unwavering resolve.
Upon seeing him, Golaneth stood up as usual.
"What is your name, wanderer?"
Dariu came to a stop, seizing a sword from the ground.
"My name is Dariu Magnus, son of Saibu Magnus."
He then took a fighting stance.
"I am the boy who left his village seeking its salvation."
Stones-adorned gloves materialized on Dariu's hands, along with the stone around his neck.
"I embody the hope my mother wished for me."
With his right hand on the sword's handle, Golaneth's body started to gradually diminish in size until it almost matched Dariu's stature.
"And you are but a mere peeble on my path."
They charged at each other, swords poised for attack, meeting in the middle with a resounding clash of blades.
Engaged in a flurry of blows, they clashed their blades repeatedly. Despite Golaneth's shrinking size, his massive sword remained challenging to defend against. It demanded all of Dariu's strength to parry the colossal weapon. Additionally, his injured wrist from his previous confrontation with Karnella made it even harder for him to properly hold his sword.
In a single powerful swing, Golaneth shattered Dariu's sword. With his own sword momentarily aside, Golaneth swiftly opted for an attack with Dhormu, seizing the opportunity before Dariu could retreat.
In a quick move, Dariu blocked the attack with Dhoshyl, but the energy burst's force sent him flying.
Collapsed amidst scattered swords, Dariu swiftly rose, seizing another weapon.
The weapons he used were aged and rusty, lacking in strength.
Yet, there were plenty to choose from.
"You are strong, Golaneth," said Dariu, "but strength on its own is not enough."
Golaneth charged at Dariu who was still standing amidst countless swords, and unleashed a mighty swing that shattered multiple blades on its way, sending metal fragments flying. Just before it could reach Dariu's head, he crouched, evading the attack at the last second.
Dariu then made a downward slash that collided with Golaneth's shoulder plate, causing the blade to break.
Golaneth extended his left hand, seizing Dariu by the neck and exerting a heavy choke.
Dariu, using the broken sword in his right hand, stabbed the space between the armor on Golaneth's arm. This caused Golaneth to grunt, loosening his grip and releasing Dariu.
As he fell to the ground, Dariu struggled to catch his breath. Meanwhile, Golaneth raised his sword to the sky with both hands on the handle, unleashing a powerful downward slash.
Hastily, Dariu seized two swords in both hands and blocked the attack with a cross block using both blades.
Experiencing intense pain in his wrist, Dariu let out a grunt. Quickly regaining his composure, he followed it with a battle cry, exerting all his force to push the great sword to the side.
Stepping on the blade, Dariu prepared to swing at Golaneth before receiving a punch to the face, followed by another one that he guarded with Dhoshyl.
In a manner similar to the trick he employed with Arsel, Dariu dismissed the shield before Golaneth could retract his fist. He seized Golaneth's hand with his left and extended his right toward Golaneth's head.
"Dhormu!" He yelled, unleashing a burst of energy that pushed Golaneth back and sent his helmet flying.
Off-balance, Golaneth struggled to maintain his footing, his hands covering his face.
Just before a thrown sword could reach his face, Golaneth caught it by the blade, causing his hand to bleed and revealing his face.
With gray short hair and a war-worn face adorned with scars, he appeared to be in his fifties—an old war veteran.
Golaneth tossed the sword to the side and, with a determined gaze, sought out the largest sword among the ones scattered around him.
Choosing the biggest blade, he assumed a battle stance.
Stoneless after his last stone shattered, Dariu picked dual swords and prepared to charge as well.
They locked eyes, fully aware that the next exchange of blows would likely be the last – the culmination of their final stand.
They both let out a battle cry and charged at eachother. Meeting amidst the swords, they engaged in a resounding clash of steel that reverberated across the battlefield, a symphony of determined fighters locked in a fierce duel, each relentless in their pursuit of gaining the upper hand.
Mid-fight, as swords shattered, they seamlessly grabbed replacements from the scattered array, maintaining the intensity of their clash without missing a beat.
They moved fast, the unfolding chaos was a whirlwind—each move critical, with one misstep spelling imminent death.
In a fleeting moment, Dariu faltered, failing to retrieve another blade swiftly. Seizing the opening, Golaneth exploited the lapse, slashing his chest along with his necklace before forcefully kicking him to the ground. The Nymph stone that he wore fell away, leaving him completely vulnerable.
Golaneth picked up his great sword, then advanced deliberately, moving steadily towards the injured boy who struggled on all fours, grunting in pain and visibly bleeding from the chest wound.
"You were a magnificent opponent, Dariu Magnus," said Golaneth, "however, this realm is for the nameless only. Having found your name, I'm afraid you are not allowed to be here anymore."
Golaneth rose his sword up, ready for another downward slash.
"This was you last chance. Now you shall meet your eternal demise."
Turning his head towards Golaneth, Dariu locked eyes with a desperate gaze.
"Any last words?"
Dariu slowly lifted his right hand, revealing a Nymph stone between his fingers.
Golaneth's eyes widened.
That stone belonged to him, Dariu stole it during the clash.
"Raya," uttered Dariu, conjuring light at the face of Golaneth, a trick he learned from Naylu.
The sudden burst of light left Golaneth momentarily blinded, prompting him to stagger back a few steps in disorientation.
Quickly rising, Dariu grabbed a sword and charged at Golaneth, who, despite his blinded state, wasn't ready to surrender. With closed eyes, he swung his sword downward, hoping to land a slicing blow on his approaching opponent.
Golaneth's striking blow echoed through the entire realm, capturing the attention of Dina. She halted her flute playing, lifting her head in response to the resounding sound.
"Well done, Golaneth," she said with a gentle smile.
As drops of blood fell to the ground, Dariu's expression turned displeased.
"Have you ever taken a life before, Dariu Magnus?"
Hesitant, Dariu responded, "no."
"It's alright, I wanted this, you have my thanks."
Dariu had pierced Golaneth's side with a sword, evading his attack in the last second, and emerging victorious.
"Golaneth is not my real name. It is just something that twisted woman calls us."
"Us? There are others like you?"
"There are many more like me. We are nameless much like the souls that roam this place, we were just given a different condition to regain our names."
"You had to lose..."
"Yes. I had to meet a fighter that could best me."
Dariu took a few steps back, and Golaneth fell on his knees, his wounds bleeding more extensively.
With a look of satisfaction, Golaneth shut his eyes then lifted his head.
"Marlu... So that was my name, huh?"
Marlu's body, adorned with a serene smile, began to gradually disintegrate into tiny particles of blue light, leaving nothing behind in its final departure.
Dariu stood rooted in place, his gaze fixed on the emotional scene unfolding before him. A mix of awe and sorrow played across his face.
"Good-bye, Marlu," he said, "you were a formidable warrior as well."
Having picked his Nymph stone from the ground, Dariu walked towards the wooden door, firmly grasping its handle. His business concluded, it was time for him to return to the library.
I wonder how Silas is doing, I hope he managed to return safely, he thought to himself before he pushed open the door.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone