The 1's Note: I'm finally done with semester college finals. I can focus on this story again.
This chapter takes the chapters, "The Sword of Clarity" by The 1(me) and "Mindless Monster" by ChronoSeth and puts them together into one chapter. The content taken from the original chapters are mostly unchanged except for some grammar corrections, wording changes and some minor name changes. The content from the chapter, "Mindless Monster" is mainly unchanged. There might but some added sentences but it's mostly the same. In respect for ChronoSeth's original chapter, I'll leave in his or her note.
ChronoSeth's note for Mindless Monster:
Perfect timing The 1! I was expecting this opening chapter to write my own right here. Honestly had no idea how to proceed from Cloth Straps.
AN: OMG iWTBAT you're back!
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Nat screamed as she ran back down the spiraling staircase, the air dragon spawn happily running with her.
This is nuts! First, they got attacked by some dead person and now Isaac has gone nuts! The person she relied on for protection suddenly became her worst nightmare!
She and the baby dragon ran down the stairway as Dark Isaac and the lust mummy gave chase.
Dark's Isaac's body might be a little slower then Nat but the converted mummy was surprisingly nimble.
Before Nat and her new pet dragon could escape, the converted mummy extended it's glowing purple straps and managed to grab both Nat and the baby air dragon.
"I have you now! Minion! bring them closer!" Dark Isaac commanded.
Nat and the baby dragon struggled as they were dragged back up the steps.
'...grab the pen....' Nat blinked in confusion.
'...grab the pen!' the voice called again.
What is the strange voice in her head? Is it talking the magic pen she took from the witch's mansion?
Luckily, Nat's hand was wrapped against her pocket. So it was only a mater of slipping her hand into the pocket and grabbing the pen. But her arm is wrapped tightly against her waist. She was barley able to pull her hand out of her pocket.
She managed to grab the pen and pull it out of her cloud pocket.
Now what?
'Now you let me guild you." The strange mental voice said.
Suddenly, Nat's pen transformed into a sword! Luckily, Nat held on to the blade as it cut through the converted mummy's straps without harming herself.
Nat and the baby air dragon were dropped just a few steps below dark Isaac.
Dark Isaac grinned with malice. "Now. To give you a proper hole."
Dark Isaac doesn't know that Nat was a late bloomer. He just assumed she already reached maturity.
As Dark Isaac went to remove Nat's cloths, Nat's sword hand suddenly moved on it's own and knocked away Dark Isaac's hand before he can touch her.
Dark Isaac yelled in rage as he took back his hand. It was bleeding purple blood.
"Y-you bitch! Alright, I'm tired to making you my slave. You're better off dead!" Dark Isaac screamed.
Dark Isaac held out his hand towards the baby air dragon.
"Kill the cloud girl my spawn!" Dark Isaac commanded.
But the dragon didn't move. It just blinked in confusion. Despite being the lust demon's spawn, it seems to have little connection to Dark Isaac.
This revelation confused Dark Isaac. He thought his soul had a part Azaviel! Maybe the baby can recognize that Dark Isaac is different from Azaviel...
Dark Isaac growled in frustration.
Looks like he has to do this the old fashioned way.
Dark Isaac commanded the converted mummy to let Dark Isaac take care of this fight. He held out his hand and spawned a glowing purple crystal sword.
Dark Isaac wasted no time and started swinging his sword at Nat.
Nat gasped as the sword in her sword hand moved on it's own and blocked Dark Isaac's powerful swing.
Soon, the fight evolved into a full blown sword fight with Nat dodging and parrying.
With how fast the battle was moving, it took Nat a moment to realize that her body is moving on it's own!
'No it's not. You're controlling you're body just fine. You have the latent reflexes of a swordsman. I'm just guiding your movements in accordance to your inherited muscle memory.'
"W-who are you?" Nat tried to speak, but the clashing of swords drowned out her words.
'My name is Excalibur. I'm the deity of Clarity. I am currently speaking to you through your mind so no one other then you can hear me. Do you see the blue gem embedded to the hilt of tour sword?' The strange voice asked.
It was hard to see the gem with her hand moving at lighting fast speeds to counter Dark Isaac's strikes. But eventually, she was able to see her hand wrapped around the blue gem embedded on the hilt.
'That blue soul gem is were I reside. I am the sword you are holding now. I was willingly sealed in the yellow gem many years ago. When you touched me, you and I formed a connection. You and I will be able to communicate as as long we have that connection.'
'Why are you helping me?' Nat mentally asked.
'Because I have chosen you. You are compatible enough to weld my power. You are one of the prophesied heroes who will purge the multiverse of corruption.' Excalibur explained.
'Whoa. Why would I be a hero if I STOLE you?' Nat asked.
The sword let out a mental sigh. 'You wouldn't be able to take me if you were not chosen. I CHOSE to come with you.'
Nat was confused. Why would a former town librarian like her be chosen for some crazy prophesy?
Excalibur decided to change subjects. 'See that floating metal ring up there? You must strike me against the red soul gem embedded on the ring!'
Nat nodded in understanding. Movement started feeling more natural as she willingly moved with Excalibur's.
But Dark Isaac must have noticed Nat was after the Halo because he started maneuvering himself between the Halo and Nat.
Throughout the entire fight, the red soul gem on the floating metal halo was faintly glowing. Isaac and Ilivir were trying to take back Isaac's body but were failing miserably during Dark Isaac's moment of strength.
Try as she might, not even the combined strength of Nat, Excalibur, Isaac, and Ilivir were enough to overtake Dark Isaac's blocking maneuvers and huge body.
...
Mary waited patiently for someone to answer the front door.
Just a few minutes ago, she was searching the forest for Nat and Isaac. That was until she thought about what that old lady said and how the doors and windows of the mansion shut by themselves. There was something about what the old lady said that didn't sit well with Mary. Why would her mansion seal itself if the old lady was going after Isaac and Nat outside? Then she thought about how old lady seamlessly disappeared. On the off chance the old lady teleported, then there might be a chance she teleported Isaac and Nat into her mansion! Mary hopes she right. Teleportation is only a thing of myths. But after meeting natives from the material plane such as Isaac, myths started coming true.
So Mary ran back to the mansion only to hear voices behind the front door. She tried to eavesdrop but she couldn't understand a single word. She did made out Isaac and Nat's voices coming from inside the mansion. She tried opening the door but it was locked. So she tried breaking the door. When that didn't work, she tried hitting it repeatably. She only succeeded in bruising her fists. Not even her sword could place a scratch on the door!
Eventually, she realized she has to resort to drastic measures...
She pulled the doorbell rope in hopes of someone letting her in. Perhaps a butler could open the door for her...
...no response. She could only hear silence from within.
She waited for a few more minutes just in case.
...she started growing impatient.
Mary decided to pull the door rope again. If this doesn't work, then she has to look around the yard and find a way to break in.
So she pulled the doorbell rope for the second time.
...
Suddenly, the bell rung again, forcing Nat and Dark Isaac to cover their ears. The sea of dust back down at ground level vibrated against the intense sound.
'Now's our chance!' Excalabur urged.
Enduring the deafening noise, Nat was able to climb up a stunned Dark Isaac. The mummy made no move to stop Nat as it was ordered not to interfere. Nat eventually managed to get on top of his head.
Nat was now in range of the metal halo. Through Xcalubur's mental guidance, she lunged from the top of Dark Isaac's head and up to the Halo.
Nat's sword striked down on the red soul gem and a blinding red and blue flashed, briefly illuminating the room.
...Dark Isaac and Isaac were both knocked unconscious. They probably won't wake up for at least a few hours.
...
Nat began to uncover her eyes as the intense blue and red light began to fade, simply leaving distortion within her eyesight.
"You must focus, Swordbearer," It took a moment to recognize the voice. But Nat soon realized that it was Excalibur speaking through their mental link.
"What happened?..." Nat woozily asked Excalibur. The power that flowed through her was too much for her body.
"I have restored order from chaos within their soul gem." Excalibur calmly replied. Nat looked towards the hulking elemental that had now stilled. Also searching for the mummy, Nat then saw a pile of purple cloth wrapping around a small glowing crystal cluster.
Then Nat saw the glowing metal Halo, now inert and dull as normal metal. It sat right beside the elemental as well.
"Be careful Swordbearer. Another malicious entity is now in control of the body of Isaac." Alarmed, Nat frantically searched for the cloud dragon. Seeing it slumped unconscious at the end of the room got Nat reeling.
Quickly running towards it, Nat began to inspect the little dragon.
However she was interrupted as a crack was heard. Looking back towards the elemental, Nat saw as it began to move.
"We must awaken Isaac and reinstate control of the body. If we do not..." Excalibur left it hanged.
As she is now, Nat was in no way strong enough to imagine the outcome.
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Note: The main reason for this chapter is to change the color of Excalibur's soul gem. I originally intended it to be blue but due to a last minute decision, I changed it to yellow because I thought yellow fits Nat's character. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that blue is a more fitting color for Excalibur. Blue is a thinking color after all. I also mean no disrespect to ChronoSeth by copy and pasting his or her chapter. I included his or her chapter so I and other writers could add on to it on this story branch without waiting for him or her to re post "Mindless Monster".