Rewind: A Grimdark LitRPG Series (Pyresouls Apocalypse, Book 1) by James Callum (reading tree .txt) 📕

full force behind it. He impaled the defenseless Vacant through the chest. Before the hilt came to rest against the creature’s ribcage, his heavy boot was there pushing the dying thing back.

Combat senses told him to expect the other two. One half-armored with a rusted iron cap and half of a breastplate with bare shriveled arms that held a sturdy spear, the other wielding an axe and shield.

Jacob looped his shield out wide, inviting the coming attack from the spearman. With a snap of his shoulder muscles, he brought the shield back in line. Not to block the blow but to knock the spear low enough that he could step out and stomp on the haft with his boot.

In the momentary confusion of the action, as the Vacant tried to recover its weapon, Jacob attacked. Wind Parts the Grass tore open the creature from groin to sternum, cleaving several inches through the rusting breastplate.

Releasing his lodged [Longsword] into a swirl of ash, Jacob bent and grabbed at the haft of the spear.

That was a trick nobody had to teach him.

One of the unique aspects – and his favorite – was the way equipment could be summoned or dismissed with a thought. If a weapon was stuck, it was better to dismiss and resummon than to try and extricate it.

During combat, when a fraction of a second could mean the difference between life and death it was a handy trick to learn.

The Fade - as it was called - was his personal favorite. It utilized the mechanic that weapons could be dismissed and resummoned in a different hand to create complex feints or attack a weak point otherwise inaccessible.

Setting his feet, he tucked the spearhead just behind his right bicep, and with all of his might he twisted. Bringing the spearman right in line with the charging axe of its friend.

The falling axeblade was too heavy to stop and the third Vacant cleaved the spearman right through the back of the breastplate. With a wheeze of air leaking from its torn, rotten lungs, the spearman fell away to reveal an overbalanced and surprised Vacant Axe Master.

In a flurry of ash, his [Longsword] came back but before he could drive it home, a rush of black-limned flame shot over Jacob’s shoulder and collided with the Vacant Axe Master’s head.

Like touching a matchstick to flame, the creature’s head immediately caught fire. What little flesh remained blackened as the black-edged flame spread, consuming everything the creature touched. Reduced to ash, only its wisp remained along with the other two.

Seconds was all it took for Jacob – with some help by Camilla – to dispatch the trio, earning 500 Souls.

Jacob’s eyes widened as his vision flooded with skill ups for his sword and shield. He “relearned” more than half of the Sword Forms he already knew.

Your Shield Skill increases to Level 19…20…21.

Your Sword Skill increases to Level 1…5…10…20…40.

Sword Forms Unlocked.

You learn Wind Parts the Grass.

You learn Stag Rushes Through the Field.

You learn Lightning Cracks Stone.

You learn Ox Plows the Field.

You learn Sunflower Faces the Sun.

You learn Planting the Flag.

You learn Reaping the Harvest.

You learn Moonlight's Edge.

“I had it,” Jacob said, looking over his shoulder at Camilla, surprised to see the woman smirking back at him a playful light in her eyes.

“Did you now?” she asked, brushing past him and sauntering toward the next group as if she owned the bridge. Black flames curled around her fingertips. “Because it looked to me like that last one was burnt to a crisp with Blackfire.”

As she summoned two balls of curling, rolling Blackfire, Jacob caught up to her as she crouched down and began to windmill her arms about. The balls of Blackfire streaked through the air, creating spinning circles – wheels – of the magical dark flames.

Cold rushed in around them as if the magic robbed the world of warmth. So transfixed with Camilla’s spell that Jacob wasn’t sure whether it was dimming the world or a particularly dense cloud cover rolled in front of the sun.

The wheels of Blackfire grew until they touched the cold stones, sending up sparks and bits of molten stone that Jacob did well to move clear of.

Camilla brought her arms together with a resounding clap of her palms, rattling her chains and sending the twin wheels of Blackfire racing down the bridge.

Jacob watched in awe as the wheels sought out each creature, passing through them and leaving them apparently unharmed. A second later a dark line appeared on the nearest Vacant. It burst into a gout of dark flame and the creatures dropped to the ground neatly cleaved in half.

The wheels raced around the bridge leaving cauterized and bisected bodies wherever they passed. Even the larger monstrosities fell before two passes of those devastating wheels.

The spell clearly had a heavy cost though, as Camilla’s skin was now glistening with sweat. Streaks of dirt and soot ran in tiny black rivulets down her face and arms. Though whether it was because of the magic, or moving her arms so much while weighed down with her chains, Jacob couldn’t tell.

A bit of both, if he had to guess. The chains were far from heavy, the little he knew of such things would have meant they were of high-quality metal. Likely some sort of precious metal, as those were best suited to enchantment.

Even if the chains weren’t particularly heavy, doing a repetitive motion like that over and over again would be tiring with even a pound of extra weight.

Trying hard to get her heavy breathing under control, she looked back at Jacob with a smug expression just as a torrent of wisps flew across the bridge to strike each of them.

Awarded 3,120 Souls.

You gain [Anima].

You gain 2 [Dull Sparks].

Returning her grin, Jacob inclined his head. The bridge was clear of enemies. Even if it burned out all of Camilla’s reserves, it saved them time cutting through or dodging so many enemies.

The [Dull Sparks] were useful for reinforcing equipment up to +5. And while it