Master's words echoed in his mind, "This power is in your pain, thats the essence of "mirror", you can deflect every damage to your enemy as long as you stay alive"
Shin, on the ground, felt the cold embrace of the damp earth beneath him as the sword remained lodged in his back. He could feel his strength waning, the warmth of life slowly draining from his body. "ahhhhhh it hurts , it hurts so bad.... master if this is a fable then i think is time you tell me what i have to do"
Master's voice was calm in his mind, a stark contrast to the chaos around him. "Remember the pain, focus on every moment," she said, "then imagine your enemy go through the same pain as you do."
With a gritted teeth, Shin focused on the searing pain of the sword in his back, his eyes dilating as he drew in a deep breath. The world around him seemed to slow as he reached out with his newfound power, willing the agony to leave his body. And in that moment, a swift sound pierced the air. The undead knight that had just struck him staggered back, a look of shock etched on its decaying features, as the same sword that had been lodged in Shin's back now protruded from its own.
The pain dissipated as quickly as it had come, leaving only a warmth that spread through him, mending the torn flesh and knitting the shattered metal of his armor back together. Shin's eyes snapped open, and he pushed himself to his feet, the sword slipping from the knight's grip and clattering to the ground. His own wound had vanished, leaving not even a scar behind.
"incredible .....the wound is gone, i don't have any pain!"
Master's voice, still in his mind, "Good, you've used my fable for the first time," she said, a note of satisfaction in her tone. "Remember the sensation, child. As long you are alive, even a spunk of meat , you can deal the same damage to your opponent....do you understand?
Shin nodded, his eyes never leaving the bewildered expression on the second knight's face. "I understand," he murmured, the gravity of his newfound power sinking in. "It doesn't matter how strong they are, as long as I'm alive..."
Master's voice grew softer, almost a murmur against the rain. "There is one exception," she warned, her tone carrying a hint of caution. "you can continue to use mirror to stack his effect, but if your opponent is much stronger than you and the damage you reflect is too high, it can be fatal. So be careful, my dear student, to gauge your enemy's strength before you reflect "
"Yes but even like this, is literally cheating"
Master's laughter echoed through his mind, a sound that was both thrilling and unsettling. "Cheating?" she mused, "curios choice of words, my dear. Now, let us not waste any more time." "There are more enemy to kill."
As if on cue, the sound of her snapping finger and heavy footsteps echoed through the forest. A new undead knight emerged from the shadows, its rusted armor seemingly impervious to the relentless rain. This one was larger, more menacing than the previous two, with a giant axe held high in its decayed hands. Its eyes burned with the same fury that had fueled its existence for centuries.
Master's voice spoke up in his mind, "This one holds the remnants of faith," she explained, "their power is in their conviction before their death, To defeat them, you must use mirror in a different way"
Shin faced the towering undead knight, the rain pattering against the rusted armor, the sound of its heavy breathing echoing through the forest. His heart raced as he considered her words. "What is a remnant?" he whispered, unsure of what to expect.
Master's voice grew serious in his mind, "A remnant is the lingering power of a disciple's faith, a wave of their constellation that they carry even in death, basically is different from many of the other soldiers because is dead without a doubt in his faith."
Master's expression grew troubled as she watched the scene unfold from afar, hidden within his disciple eyes. It was troubling but amusing.
"Time for lesson number two, my dear," she whispered into the void, her voice resonating in Shin's mind. "To wield 'Mirror' against one such as this, you must understand how a battle works, so try make him cut off your arm."
Shin's eyes widened in horror, "What?"
Master's voice remained calm, almost detached, "Allow the knight to strike you, but instead of focusing on the pain, observe the way the axe slices through the air, the intention behind its swing. Feel the power it holds, study every movement".
Shin stared up at the towering creature, his heart racing in his chest. The very idea of letting himself be struck was terrifying, yet there was a strange calmness that washed over him. It was as if the pain of his sister's loss and the anger that had been festering inside him had transformed into a crystal-clear focus.
The knight raised its axe high, the light from the distant remnant of Devota shimmering along the blade. As the axe began its descent, Shin braced himself, his eyes locked on the weapon that would soon cleave his arm from his body. At the last moment, just as the metal met flesh, he felt a surge of power from the creature, a sudden influx of light that seemed to coat it in a divine aura.
With a sickening crunch, his arm was separated from his body, a spray of blood painting the rain-soaked earth. The pain was immediate, overwhelming, but he clamped down on his screams, focusing on the power that now flowed through him.
"Wow to get cut off all your arms in 2 days is pretty badass," Master's voice filled his mind with a hint of sarcasm.
"Now watch how mirror can reverse this fight" Shin didn't lose time and did the same as before, ignoring the excoriating pain.
The arm of the knight holding the axe suddenly burst into a shower of light, the same energy that had been in the remnant's axe now surging through the creature's limb. The explosion sent the knight reeling back, its skeletal structure momentarily visible before it reformed into a twisted parody of its former self. The creature roared in agony, the light from its eyes flickering erratically.
Shin watched in amazement as his own arm grew back, the skin knitting together at an alarming rate. His eyes searched the ground for his severed limb, but there was nothing there.
The undead knight's attack had been reflected back at it, and with it, the power of the remnant it had carried.
"Master," he whispered, his voice shaking with the newfound strength coursing through his veins. "I feel something... different."
Master's voice grew warm in his mind. "Good," she said, "A little of the remnant's power is absorbed when you came in contact with it, the same works with alive fellow and their waves, the more you fight , the more power you can absorb, that's a passive effect of Mirror".
Shin stared at his newly restored arm, awe and fear mingling in his eyes. The power absorbed was average but at the same time the possibilities were infinite.
The knight took advantage of his momentary distraction and threw the axe with its last remaining arm, aiming for his unguarded leg. The weapon spun through the air, the light from the distant Devota gleaming off its rusted blade. Shin had no time to dodge watching the axe cutting one of his legs like chopsticks.
Master's words echoed in his mind, "Focus on the intention, the power, the pain."
Shin's scream pierced the air, raw and primal, but his eyes never left the knight. The axe cleaved through his legs, and the world exploded into a kaleidoscope of agony.
But amidst the pain, he focused. The Undead knight's intention, its power, its very essence—he saw it all. The creature had made a grave mistake, it didn't understand mirror power.
Shin watched him with a smirk using his master fable, "Checkmate".
Its legs exploded into a storm of shrapnel, the power of the reflected blow too much for even its undying form to handle. The creature's torso toppled to the ground, the light in its eyes fading to darkness.
Shin, despite the horror of what he had just experienced, felt a new sensation. The same warmth that had filled him when he used 'Mirror' before surged through his body, focusing on his legs. He watched in stunned silence as the flesh and bone knitted themselves back together, the torn fabric of his pants mending before his very eyes. The pain was intense, but it was nothing compared to the power that now surged through his veins.
Master appeared beside him, clapping her hands together with a gleeful grin. "Bravo," she exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with pride. "You've learned quickly, my pupil. The power of 'Mirror' is easy to handle but can give traumatic experience, so I admit I was worried about my choice.
Shin gritted his teeth, the pain from his regeneration still a fresh memory. "This is easy?" he spat "What's next? You want me to cut off my head?"