Chapter 15 Afterlife, part 3 [ the skirmish of survival]

Deliberately, I unwrapped my eyes. At first, it was obscured, but I yanked them open as I felt something cold touching my body. Standing in front of me is Lucifer's bitch, who looks like a plier with a formidable smile on her face.

Besides her stood General Zod, while the three other hefty beings stood behind him, and one of them was holding a bucket, which I guessed contained the remaining water.

"I can't believe you blackout due to a single punch," General Zod taunted. "Perhaps, you are far more sluggish than I thought."

I growled at him, and I could feel anger rising in my veins. "You and your dogs cheated, especially her," I said my gaze now on Esther.

"Why don't you divulge me, and let me show you the power of the Smith?" I said this with all the bravery I could muster, while my prayer is that the ignoramus should just listen to me.

I have already surveyed my surroundings with my eyes, and I have already evaluated how to take those three dogs out.

Speaking of Lucifer's daughter, I am sure she will stand no chance against me. Perhaps, I can stand a chance to escape.

General Zod rubs his temples as if thinking about my offer. I can see the urge to fight in his men's eyes. The same goes for Esther. I can see that she is already clenching her fist in anger, ready to plunge on me like a hungry lion that just spots his prey.

Only if she knew that I wasn't an easy guy either. There are different thoughts going on in my mind, like how did I get captured? Who is this so-called Smith? Why are all my wounds healing on their own? Moreover, how do I get out of this hell?

However, my thoughts were diverted when the general cleared his throat to attract my attention.
"Is that the offer you are talking about?" He inquired, narrowing his gaze at me. "Or, you have something else to offer."

Immediately, I knew the game was favouring me. All I needed to do was just play my cards very well.

The game is like a game of joker, with different people on the table trying to outsmart each other. The only difference is that I am the only one against them.

"Yes," I finally answered after several minutes of silence. "Release me to fight them, not excluding Miss Plier," I said with a smirk on my lip, my stare now resting on Lucifer's daughter. She folded her fist and made an attempt to hit me, but General Zod quickly held her back, and her face flushed in anger.

"Is that all, Rey Reed Smith?" General Zod said. "Or do you still have more to offer?"

"Yes," I said sharply, nearly yelling at him. I hate it when someone is playing dumb with me, or trying to investigate me further.

"And what will you ask in return?" Esther inquired.

I shot her a deadly glance, and her mouth went zipped automatically.

"As I was saying earlier before she interrupted," I said, my eye now resting on General Zod. Due to the upside-down, I have been tied since the morning, I can now feel that my leg is aching. I am even wondering why my blood hasn't rushed into my skull.

"I will beat all your men, including her, within your given time. After that, you will grant me freedom back to my realm." I said with confidence, and I watched as the men smiled inwardly. I guess they were underestimating me.

"Did you hear him?" General Zod said to them, and the smile on their faces deepened, which irritated me.

"It isn't a bad idea if we let him display all of Smith's old fighting skills," Esther said in a taunting voice.

"As you wish then," General Zod finalized. "Cut the rope," he said.

Without reluctance, Lucifer's daughter moved closer to me and unlocked my leg with a key that she removed from her pocket, and I felt myself deflecting the law. I stretched my hand, using it to stop the free fall, with only a few inches until my head hit the marble floor.

I bounce on my feet, feeling my body regenerating again, and deadly giggles escape my lips.

"You just made the greatest mistake of your life," I said aloud, making sure that my voice was thick and strong enough to send fear down their spine. "You shouldn't have freed me."

I don't even know where I acquired the sudden boldness; it was like I was a new fellow, a freshman. It was like there was a spirit here, telling me that I was unstoppable.
It was like I was the god of war like I could just run into their midst and cut them out.

"Guards!" General Zod yells. His eyes are now changing to black, like those of a crow. It seems he just realized his mistake. Unfortunately for him, it is too late.

Thank goodness, we are surrounded by different kinds of dangerous weapons, and I am sure a sword would surely fit me. It is time to test my skills again.

The door burst open, followed by soldiers who were dressed in armour. They had a shield, a lance, and a sword strapped in a scabbard that hung behind their waist.
They also had a helmet covering their heads; however, it still revealed their eyes, which were glowing green.

I stood there, not out of shock or fear, but wondering what type of creature they were. Because they were taller than normal humans and had hairy faces, even though their helmet was covering most of them, I was still able to see them clearly.

"Where are the rest?" I said with a deep smile, using my watch to examine the new soldiers who looked like knights. "Or the rest are hiding like cowards."

"What are you waiting for?" Esther barked with fury. "Seize him, beat him, and don't give him the chance to escape." And I watched as the knights, perhaps half a dozen men, dropped their lances, then drew out their weapons.

"Let's hop, asshole," I said.

I was even awed by how my confidence suddenly grew. It was like I could just beat them all in a matter of seconds.

Slowly, I shifted back, walking back towards the side of the wall where I saw a sword.

It was different from the rest; it seemed to be made of different silk and metal. It seems like the sword was forged from ancient metal, and it also had a rune that was decorated around it.

The knight, seeing what I was trying to do, quickly dashed with the aim of stopping me from touching the weapons.

They were fast, and it seemed like they were running in a blur, but I was faster. I am even flabbergasted by my own speed.

I dashed at the sword, and I could feel the knight's heavy feet behind me.

Just a few inches for them to grab me, I lunged forward, placed my left leg on the wall, and used my right to hit the sword in its position.

It is an ability I have never had in my life. It's not that I can't do different kinds of actions, especially the walking wall. But this is just different. It was like something was controlling me.

I stretched my hand, grabbed the sword, and swivelled my body in mid-air, making a perfect hero's skill.

I landed on the ground, and I felt my muscles urging me to fight. I can feel my whole body aching for war, ready to shed blood.

I am ready to show them what they just did to me, to get revenge and to teach them that no one messes with Rey Reed and goes Scot free.

I unsheathed the sword from its housing, and I was awed by its sight. It was different from any other sword I had ever seen. It is glowing red, instead of the normal white.

"And you just pissed me off," I said with a deep tone, my expression also turning lethal.

I grabbed the hilt of the sword, and the weight of the sword itself was enough to slow me down.
It was heavier than I had thought, more than every weapon I had ever held in my life.
Even the adamantium sword of the beast that looks like a hell boy from the arena cage can't be compared to this.

Nonetheless, it didn't probe me to drop it; but I was drawn to it instead.

The loud cry of the knight broke into my thoughts.
I raised my head, scrutinizing my environment, and I could see that General Zod, Esther, and the other men had shifted back. They have created enough space for us, large enough for us to fight.

With all my might, all my strength, copulating with the urge to shed blood that is in me, I raised the sword. Surprisingly, it now felt light in my hand.

I let out a great battle cry, acting like those swordsmen I always watch in movies and charging at the half dozen knights.

I slashed at one, and I watched in amazement as the sword cut through his flesh, as if it were just a piece of paper, making blood splatter all over the place, not excluding my eyes.

Nevertheless, that didn't stop me. I stabbed another in the gut, making sure that my sword cut into his esophagus and came out at the back of his mouth.

I use the grave ground to lunge to avoid a deadly blow and raise my sword to parry another. I spun back and used the hilt of my sword to knock another soldier on the jaw, which forcefully removed his teeth. And I didn't let him regain his stance when I stabbed him in the chest.

I felt my sword touching his heart region, and I pushed it further, making sure that my sword came out the other side before I forcefully removed it.

I am full of rage, determined to show General Zod and his morons that none of them can stop me. I was like a wrecking machine. I was fighting like a man that had just been released from penitentiary and was fighting for his life so he wouldn't return there again.

I raised my weapon in time to parry a blow that was aimed at my head. I spun around instantly, faced my attacker, and slashed at him, but he quickly parried the blow.

I retracted my weapon and thrust at him again, this time with more fierceness. The weight of my sword resting on his own made him go down on his knees.

From the corner of my eyes, I could see a soldier aiming at me from behind, but I already had a plan.

I let the knight move closer while pressing down on the other one with the weight of my sword. The incoming knight, who is now about 10 metres away from reaching us, raised his blade to stab me, but I strode away at the last second, making him stab the one I was pressing down.

The knight stood there in horror, unable to believe what he was seeing in front of him. He had just murdered one of his own, blood gushing out of his mouth.

I didn't let him regain his stance when I stabbed him. Before he could raise his sword to parry my blow, it caught him on the neck, and his head came tumbling down.

However, I was kicked from behind by the last knight. His boot collided with my rib, which sent severe pain to my body. It was like he had just hit me with something out of nature.

He didn't wait for me to stand up before he charged at me again. His giant war hammer was raised high, and he brought it down on my head.

Just a few inches from the hammer colliding with me, I rolled out of the way. And he bought back his hammer, as easily as I could wield a chopping knife and aim for my waist. This time, I barely had time to react, as the blow missed me by inches.

The air of the hammer whistled past my face, and it collided with the marble floor instead, crushing it in the process.

I quickly stand up, tighten my grip on my sword, and face the knight in front of me.
Mere staring at his eyes is enough to send a cold shiver down my spine. However, I wasn't ready to give up.

That is one thing about me. Once I am determined, nothing can stop me from achieving my aim 'until death comes for me.
We stood face-to-face with one another, anger and fury coursing through our veins.

Using my eyes to examine General Zod and the rest, I could see the looks of terror in their eyes.

I could see their urge to join the battle, Esther especially. However General Zod is holding her back, and I am sure that they had something else in store for me. Unknown to them, I am ready for any shit they are about to try.

The knight let out a great battle cry and rushed at me. The sound of his footsteps echoed all over the spacious room, all the way to my eardrums, but I didn't move an inch.
It was like something was controlling me, telling me to wait and let him make all his moves.

Following my instincts, I relax all my muscles, close my eyes and let my ear do the job.
I could feel everybody gazing at me, wondering what I was about to do.

It was like I could hear their thoughts, and I could feel all the power in the environment. I can hear every sound in the environment, even the sound of a heartbeat.

I could feel the Knight's stride getting closer, but I wasn't panicked.

At the last moment, when I am sure that the knight has aimed for my head and his blow is now a few inches from reaching my head, I open my eyes and step aside. Making the knight's war hammer hit the marble floor instead, and surprisingly, it sank straight into the floor.

Without being told, I knew the knight channelled some dark magic with the blow, for it to be so deadly like that to sink.

I open my eyes, only to discover that the sword I am wielding has now turned golden.
All the runes that were used to decorate its body are now glowing brightly, while the light reflects all over the room.

I jump high with all my might, raising the sword with both hands.

I let out a great battle cry and brought down the weapons with all the power I could muster.

I could feel something bubbling up inside my stomach, and something started staring up from the depths of my heart.

It is like my body is on fire. I could feel my whole body shivering as the strange things took control of my body.

In the twinkle of an eye, faster than the knight could comprehend. I placed my weapon on his head, and the clang of my sword against his helmet and armour echoed throughout the room.

Lying down on the floor in his pool of blood is the knight.

My sword had just sliced him into two as if he were an onion, and his eyes were wide open in terror.

Slowly, I retrieve the sword and turn my attention to General Zod and his men.
They stood there in shock, watching me with new respect and honour.

Not only that, I can see the look of fear and terror in their eyes.

I stood still, examining the damage I had just done, and I felt proud of myself.

After what seemed like forever, I finally broke the silence in the room. "Did you still have anything to offer?" I said with sarcasm.

"Or, you are afraid of facing me."
The expression on his face changed instantly, from fear to fury.
The same goes for the rest of his members; they have now replaced their fear with a look of anger.

But that didn't bother him. I even felt like I could fight anything they threw in my way.

"Seize him," General Zod ordered, his gaze now resting on the three men.

"And don't forget, we need him alive so he can show us where to find Nectar." Esther supported.