Chapter 207 - The Wrath of Gram

"Leonis."

It sounded like a curse—a word that had been forgotten for thousands of years, and which now was emerging from the bowels of the earth with all the rage of an awakened deity.

Jennie stood motionless.

Her silver-white hair fluttered in the gusts of wind sweeping through the damaged underground chamber. Those ancient eyes, so full of knowledge, were locked on the colossal sword before her. Excalibur, glowing with golden light, was in her hands and cast moving shadows on the walls of the ruined chamber.

Gram's huge magical eye gazed at her.

What a horrific sight—the slit of flaming red filled with rage, hatred, and madness which had accumulated in Gram over the course of a whole millennium, and which glowed in sync with each heartbeat of this dark entity. In the eye of Gram, Jennie could see flashes of memories. Memories of pain.

Crimson energy was crawling on its dark surface, shining with the sinister light of a parasite. Corruption had taken control of the entire sword, becoming a cancer of rage and betrayal which ate everything good within it.

For several seconds, nothing happened.

It seemed as if even air froze.

Then...

Gram disappeared.

Jennie's pupils dilated. It was instinct, telling her to do something.

"Jennie!"

CLANG!

Golden blade of Excalibur was in her hand in just in time. It clashed with the corrupted sword with a sound that shook all the foundations of the earth.

Gram struck it.

The strike reverberated throughout the chamber.

BOOOOOOM!

Jennie was pushed back, her boots cutting furrows in the stone of the ancient wall. The stones burst under her feet, shattering into pieces and scattering in all directions like shrapnel. Shock wave tore through the chamber, piercing the walls of the underground hall and causing cracks to spread like a spider web on the ceiling.

The walls of the ancient chamber began to crack. Rock started falling from the ceiling like deadly rain.

Jennie clenched her teeth and gripped Excalibur in both her hands. Her arms were trembling from the effort.

Gram increased pressure.

Its voice rang out in the hall—a chorus of screams, a symphony of rage.

"YOU!"

It was like a thunderclap, like the start of battle.

"You dare stand before me!"

Jennie repulsed Gram. The corrupted sword flew backwards, spinning through the air and then stopping. It hung there in mid-air, its crimson eye glowing with rage.

Jennie landed on her feet gracefully and calmly.

Gram immediately attacked her again.

CLANG!

Jennie parried the attack. The vibration of the collision passed along her arms.

CLANG!

She parried the next one, redirecting the energy.

Gram attacked her from above. Jennie avoided the attack, moving smoothly like a drop of water avoiding a rock.

The blade hit the ground.

BOOM!

A giant crater formed at the place where Jennie had been standing before. Pieces of debris scattered everywhere. The floor crumbled under the powerful blow.

Jennie jumped back, landing with her feet on a shattered pillar. Another strike. She parried. Another. She dodged. Another. She redirected.

Gram didn't fight like any other swordsman. This was no technique—there was nothing sophisticated in the way Gram fought, just plain, raw, primordial rage.

It would take just one hit to crush the entire chamber. Every blow was aimed to kill.

"Stop!"

Jennie shouted above the chaos.

Gram didn't listen to her.

CLANG!

Jennie parried another blow and her hands started to ache because of all the power she was using to keep Gram from destroying everything.

"You will destroy everything!"

Gram's glowing crimson eye grew brighter, illuminating the chamber with blood red.

"Everything deserves to be destroyed!"

The sword swung once again, sending its blade through the air in a scythe-like way.

Jennie met the blow with Excalibur. The two Divine Swords clashed, creating an explosive clash between the golden light and the crimson darkness. The corruption of Gram flooded Excalibur, covering its golden blade with a black-red energy.

Jennie tried to push Gram back but clenched her teeth in order not to show her weakness.

"You're not thinking clearly."

The beast roared again.

"Do not talk to me like I do not understand you!"

An energy explosion erupted between them and the force of it pushed Jennie back, throwing her onto the stone pillar.

BOOM!

"Jennie!"

Roxy shouted, standing near the entrance to the chamber with her hair flying wildly around and ears flattened against her head.

Jennie rolled on the floor, leaving the trail of her body in the dust, and got up despite the pain spreading across her body.

"I'm fine."

Roxy glanced around the crumbling chamber and her face paled, eyes widening in fear.

"We won't be fine if this continues!"

A huge section of the ceiling broke off from the rest of the construction and began to fall down onto the group of people below.

Roxy raised her both hands.

"Barrier!"

The barrier appeared above them and the huge stones crashed into it.

CRASH!

It was strong enough to withstand such a pressure, but Roxy gritted her teeth in pain and beads of sweat began to appear on her forehead.

"Snow!"

"I know."

Snow transformed and grew bigger into a magnificent white wolf. Nine great tails sprouted out from his body and ice wings opened behind him, catching the sunlight.

His divine power spread all over the chamber, making it glow and even stones seemed to hesitate.

"Divine Blizzard!"

A wave of freezing power emerged from Snow and made the temperature drop. Frost covered walls, floor, and ceiling.

Falling stones froze in mid-air, looking like ornaments in a crystal palace. Snow moved one of his great tails and those stones were flung away from the knights and fell harmlessly somewhere far away.

Royal soldiers stared at the scene.

"One of those wolves is eating swords," one of the knights muttered, his voice shaking.

Another knight nodded slowly.

"I think so."

Snow turned to look at them and his divine eyes sparkled.

"I heard that."

That knight immediately looked away and blushed.

In the meantime, Gram continued to fight.

Jennie raised Excalibur.

CLANG!

This blow sent shivers through the underground chamber. Gram sent a wave of rage—crimson energy that exploded all around it like a bomb.

Jennie was forced to step backwards and the shockwave went up to the battlefield above, ripping apart the ground and ancient ruins.

Royal knights struggled to stand straight. The earth under their feet began to crack and debris started to rain down.

Lucas stared upwards.

"The whole battlefield is collapsing!"

Roxy tried to hold up her barrier and strained her arms in order not to let anything come down.

Snow widened his wings and radiated his divine power.

"I'll protect the knights."

He struck his paws on the ground and the ice spread across the battlefield. Everything in it froze into crystals: broken ruins, weapons, trees. And knights finally had some space to move.

Lucas shouted:

"Everybody! Retreat from the chamber!"

Knights reacted immediately and moved as a single organism to escape the collapsing underground.

Roxy retreated, still keeping her barrier up and using her magic power to stop everything.

Snow stayed where he was and glanced at Jennie with her divine eyes.

"Don't destroy the entire kingdom."

Jennie parried another blow and her arms trembled under the strain.

"I'll try."

Snow nodded:

"Good."

And then turned back to the knights with his swaying tails.

"Because I don't want to walk home."

Roxy stared at him, dumbfounded.

"That's what you're worried about?"

Snow looked very serious.

"Yes."

Roxy sighed and shook her head.

"Unbelievable."

In the chamber, Gram continued to fight.

Jennie continued to block all his blows.

CLANG!

CLANG!

CLANG!

She didn't attack at all. She could. She did. Excalibur could tear away the corruption, Tempest could destroy the energy of Gram, Leviathan could suppress it and Eclipse could absorb it.

But Jennie didn't want to do that.

She wasn't trying to defeat Gram, she was trying to understand it.

Gram made another strike. Jennie dodged it and stepped closer to Gram, pushing it back using its own momentum.

"Why are you so angry?"

Gram stopped. For the first time... it didn't attack immediately.

Then its magical eye widened and the crimson light inside of it flared brightly.

"Why?"

The crimson aura of Gram became brighter.

"Why?"

Its voice became louder and sounded like a roar.

"YOU ASK ME WHY?"

BOOM!

The explosion of rage ripped apart the chamber, cracking the walls and flooring, and scattering debris everywhere.

Jennie raised Excalibur, and the wave of power hit her, forcing her to step backwards and create deep grooves in the ground with her feet.

Gram's voice echoed all over the chamber, filled with a thousand years of hatred.

"I REMEMBER!"

Images materialized before the chamber—images of the past, memories brought to life.

Ancient soldiers stood in formation, their armor shimmering in the dim glow of a fading sun. Around them, the Great Demon War was raging, devouring the world in flames and darkness.

Seven Divine Swords hung in the air, the power blazing in their blades.

Among them was Leonis, holding Excalibur in his hands, his silver hair covered in blood.

Gram's voice echoed in hate.

"We fought alongside humanity!"

Another image flashed before the eyes. Villages were burning. Cities collapsed. Armies clashed.

"WE FOUGHT THEIR WAR!"

Another one. Seven Divine Swords standing alongside Leonis, their lights shining brightly against the dark.

"And when the war came to an end..."

The image changed. The swords were discarded. Buried. Forgotten.

The voice of Gram was full of rage.

"THEY FORGOT ABOUT US!"

Jennie stayed silent. She was calm and emotionless.

Gram pointed its blade at her, the crimson eye glowing with anger.

"And so did he!"

Jennie's expression changed. Her voice was low.

"Leonis."

Gram's voice was full of hatred.

"He promised us that we will be remembered!"

Another wave of energy burst in the chamber, tearing off parts of walls.

"He promised that we will always stand together!"

The walls shook and dust fell from above.

"Then he left us alone."

Jennie tightened her grip on Excalibur.

Gram roared, its voice was like a hurricane of rage.

"He abandoned the Divine Swords!"

Jennie looked at Gram. Now she understood. Gram wasn't just angry at humanity. It was angry at Leonis.

Gram thought that Leonis betrayed it.

Gram raised its blade, its crimson eye glowing with rage.

"You were our king!"

Jennie didn't say anything.

"You were our wielder!"

Jennie said nothing.

"You were our protector!"

The crimson eye started glowing even brighter, its rage was increasing.

"AND YOU LEFT US ALONE!"

Finally, Jennie answered. Her voice was calm, confident.

"I'm not him."

Silence.

Gram's eye narrowed. The crimson light inside it flickered with confusion.

"What?"

Jennie lowered Excalibur slightly, making the golden blade shine, yet its light wasn't aggressive anymore. It became gentle and patient.

"I'm not Leonis."

Gram trembled, the dark energy of its body fluctuating.

"You hold his sword."

Jennie nodded. "Yes."

"You hold his memories."

"Yes."

"You hold his soul."

Jennie looked straight into Gram's magical eye, her gaze didn't falter.

"Maybe."

Gram exploded with rage.

"LIAR!"

The sword attacked, making its blade fly through the air like a thunderbolt.

Jennie raised Excalibur.

CLANG!

The collision knocked her off her feet. She flew into another pillar, shattering stone around her.

Gram immediately attacked again, its crimson eye glowing with rage. Jennie rolled away, and the blade of Gram hit the ground.

BOOM!

A crater appeared under them. The floor cracked and bent under the strike.

Jennie jumped on the damaged platform, breathing heavily.

"Listen to me!"

"LIAR!"

Gram attacked again.

Jennie blocked.

"You're angry at Leonis!"

CLANG!

"Then be angry at him!"

Another attack.

CLANG!

"I'm not pretending to be him!"

Gram pushed hard, its strength overpowering. Jennie stumbled, sliding on the stone.

"I don't know what happened after the war!"

Gram roared.

"You should!"

Jennie roared back, her voice raising above the chaos.

"I DON'T!"

For a moment...

Gram stopped.

The sword stayed floating in the air, its crimson eye flickering. Its rage was faltering, replaced with something else.

Jennie's breath was heavy, and her eyes were serious and determined.

"I remember Leonis."

She lowered Excalibur. The golden light of the blade softened.

"I remember his battles."

She looked at Gram, her gaze steady.

"I remember his victories."

Her voice got even softer, sad.

"I remember his failures."

Gram's eye flickered.

"But I don't know everything he did."

Jennie raised Excalibur again, making its golden light blaze.

"So if you hate Leonis..."

She approached Gram, her presence demanding.

"...then hate him."

The chamber was silent. The falling debris seemed to stay in the air.

"But don't call me a liar just because I don't want to become him."

The crimson aura of Gram flickered. It seemed for a second that Gram would give in, listen to the truth in Jennie's words.

Then...

The rage came back.

"LIAR!"

And Gram attacked again, slicing the air with its blade.

Jennie didn't back away. She met the blade.

CLANG!

The collision shook the collapsing chamber, echoing through the entire world.

Above, Roxy kept her barrier, her arms shaking with exhaustion. Snow froze another part of falling rocks, emitting his divine power in waves of ice and light.

From the battlefield entrance Lucas was watching Jennie.

He never saw anyone fight like that. She wasn't trying to kill the Divine Sword, she wasn't trying to win. She was defending herself, every blow from Gram was deflected, every opening was ignored.

Lucas whispered, his voice barely heard over the chaos.

"She's holding back."

Roxy looked at him, her eyes wide.

"What?"

Lucas was staring at Jennie, his face expressionless.

"She could've ended this."

Roxy looked at the fight, following Lucas' gaze.

Then she realized he was right.

Jennie wasn't trying to destroy Gram. She was trying to survive long enough to get it listen to her.

Snow's ears twitched. His divine eyes watched the fight.

"She's trying to save it."

Lucas looked at him, his eyebrows frowned.

"Save a corrupted Divine Sword?"

Snow nodded, his face was serious.

"Jennie doesn't like to kill angry things."

Roxy sighed, shaking her head.

"That's a very specific weakness."

Snow smiled, his tails swished.

"But that's why we're still alive."

Inside the chamber, Gram lifted its blade.

Excalibur was raised by Jennie.

The blades clashed for the second time.

CLANG!

Shock wave rippled from the ruins, scattering the rubble in all directions.

But this time…

Gram paused.

For a brief moment, the magic eye of Gram wavered, and the red glow inside it seemed to struggle to break through the corruption.

Jennie saw it. She softened her eyes.

"Are you not angry at me?"

Crimson eye of Gram narrowed, glowing inconsistently.

"I understand you," Jennie said softly.

Lowering her blade, she added:

"You are angry at us, because we forgot about you."

There was no answer. The sword glowed inconsistently with dark energy.

Then she took a step closer, moving carefully.

"And you are angry at Leonis, because you think he betrayed us."

Sword shuddered with dark energy, wavering uncontrollably.

Then Jennie looked at its corrupt blade, with some kind of pity in her eyes.

"But I guess…"

Raising her hand, she approached the sword,

"That someone else wanted you to think this."

Eye of Gram widened.

Corruption on Gram's blade pulsed suddenly – with a violent burst of dark energy.

Jennie's face became serious.

"Because your hatred does not feel real."

Silence followed.

The crimson energy in Gram's eye flickered, the eye wavered between rage and confusion.

For the first time in a thousand years… the Blade of Wrath hesitated.

And somewhere deep inside the corruption… something else moved.

Something that was waiting there.

Something that did not want Gram to remember the truth.

Dark energy in Gram pulsed again, with even greater strength. Corruption resisted Jennie's words, resisted the truth she told. It pulled Gram's consciousness into rage, trying to drag it down.

The corruption of Gram blazed with renewed vigor. Its crimson eye opened wider, glowing black on the edges.

"YOU WILL DIE HERE."

Jennie raised Excalibur.

"Not today."