Holy Skeleton Danner

As Lucifer held my hand—the one gripping the blade—she guided it toward herself, aiming directly at her chest. My breath caught in my throat as the sword tip pressed against her, but to my shock, it didn't even leave a scratch. In fact, the blade seemed to chip slightly upon contact with her hard armor like skin.

"FUCK! FUCK! WHY DOESN'T IT KILL ME?" she shouted, her voice echoing through the grand hall. Her frustration was palpable, and for a moment, I froze, unsure whether to pull back or let her continue.

She dropped my hand, her crimson eyes blazing with anger and despair. "It's supposed to work! It should've worked!" she muttered, pacing in agitation. "This blade... it's meant to be my end. And yet—" She slammed her fist against one of the golden pillars, destroying it completely.

I stood there, dumbfounded, the chipped sword still in my hand. "Wait... you want to die?" I asked, my voice trembling.

Her steps faltered, and she turned to face me. For the first time, I saw something raw beneath her anger—grief. "Yes," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I've been alive for more than 100,666 years. I want it to stop... I want to see my beloved husband and my kids again."

Her crimson eyes brimmed with tears, and as they began to fall, her regal composure crumbled. She didn't bother to wipe them away, letting them streak down her pale face. "Do you know what it's like? To watch everything you love turn to dust while you remain? To see their faces fade from memory no matter how hard you try to hold on?"

Her voice broke completely as she sank to her knees, her once-mighty frame trembling. "I destroyed the world out of rage and grief... but I was left with nothing. Just endless, hollow years..." She looked at me, her tears reflecting the faint glow of the torches. "Please... end it all."

Her crimson eyes brimmed with tears, but she didn't let them fall. Instead, she straightened herself, the grief in her expression hardening into something unreadable. Without a word, she raised her hand, and the air around her shimmered as a rift began to form.

Dark, swirling energy enveloped the room, and within seconds, the rift opened into a void-like space. The faint light from the torches reflected off its edges, casting eerie shadows across the grand hall.

Lucifer stepped toward the rift, her movements slow but purposeful. She paused just before entering, her back turned to me. "I will come back,I Just need some time" she said, her voice low and distant.

Before I could respond, she stepped into the rift. The swirling darkness swallowed her whole, and the rift snapped shut with a sound like cracking glass, leaving me alone in the now eerily silent hall.

I stared at the empty space where she had stood moments ago, the chipped sword still in my hand, my mind racing with questions and a sinking sense of dread.

After lingering in the room for what felt like hours, answering questions that I wasn't even sure had any truth to them, I finally decided to explore the castle. The air was heavy with age, but despite its ancient state, the castle appeared strangely well-maintained. Polished floors reflected the dim moonlight streaming through shattered windows, and the ornate carvings on the walls were free of dust or cobwebs.

"Was it Lucifer?" I muttered to myself, the thought creeping into my mind.

"Nahh, that woman doesn't clean even a bit," a voice suddenly echoed, cutting through the silence like a knife.

Startled, I instinctively summoned my sword. To my surprise, the once-chipped blade was now fully repaired, gleaming faintly in the dim light. Its weight in my hand felt reassuring, yet foreign, as if it had a mind of its own.

"Who's there?" I demanded, my voice steady despite the unease clawing at my chest. I scanned the room, searching for the source of the voice, but saw nothing.

Finally, a skeleton emerged from the shadows, stepping into the faint moonlight. It was tall, with bones gleaming unnaturally clean, but what caught my attention most was the absurd maid uniform it wore, complete with a frilly apron and a feather duster clutched in one bony hand.

I couldn't help myself—I burst out laughing. "Hahahaha—What the hell are you wearing?" I managed to choke out between fits of laughter.

The skeleton froze for a moment before pointing the feather duster at me in what I assumed was supposed to be a threatening gesture. Its hollow sockets seemed to glare. "Hey! This is the ceremonial armor given to me by the Holy Hero 100,000 years ago!" it snapped, its voice indignant. "Take that back before I kill you, you little brat!"

That only made me laugh harder. "Ceremonial armor? Seriously? You're wearing a maid outfit!"

The skeleton sighed, shaking its head. "Humans. No respect for tradition." It brandished the feather duster like a weapon, and I instinctively raised my sword, though I couldn't stop grinning.

The skeleton tilted its head, its hollow sockets seeming to narrow in thought. Then it spoke again, its tone sharper this time. "Did our liege manage to do it? Did she actually summon a hero? And... are you the one?"

Before I could even think of answering, it moved. In the blink of an eye, the skeleton was behind me, its speed impossibly fast for something that looked so fragile. My breath hitched as I felt its bony fingers hovering near my neck.

"Yes," I said, my voice steady despite the tension. "She did."

The skeleton didn't respond immediately. Its grip tightened slightly before it moved back in front of me, this time at a more human pace. "Then I suppose... you failed to kill her, huh?" It didn't even try to hide the mockery in its tone, as if my failure was the most predictable outcome in the world.

"It's not that simple," I retorted, gripping my sword tighter, the blade's weight suddenly feeling heavier.

"It's not that simple," I retorted, gripping my sword tighter, the blade's weight suddenly feeling heavier.

The skeleton let out a dry, rattling laugh. "Of course, it isn't. If it were, we wouldn't still be stuck here cleaning up the ruins of a dead kingdom." It gestured to its maid uniform, the absurdity of its attire clashing with the bitterness in its voice. "Still, I guess it's my duty to test if you're even worth the trouble."

Before I could process its words, the skeleton lunged, its feather duster aimed like a blade.

It was fast, but not as fast as it had been a moment ago. Is it holding back? I wondered, my thoughts racing as I summoned the blade once again.

But it was different this time. It wasn't the katana I had wielded earlier. Instead, two double knives materialized in my hands, their sleek, curved edges gleaming faintly in the dim light.

Is this better for this fight? I questioned silently, my grip unsteady. But I don't even know how to use small knives! Panic flared in my chest as the skeleton closed the distance, its movements fluid yet deliberate.

With no time to think, I raised the knives to block its incoming strike. The clash sent a jolt through my arms, and I stumbled back slightly. What is this sword doing? Changing forms whenever it wants?

The skeleton tilted its head, almost mockingly, before stepping forward again, its movements sharper and more precise. I don't even know how to fight like this! I thought, gritting my teeth as I struggled to match its rhythm.

The skeleton moved with fluid precision, its rusted blade cutting through the air in swift arcs. I barely managed to block the first strike, my twin knives crossing in front of me just in time to catch the blow. The force of the impact rattled my arms, and I stumbled back, nearly losing my balance.

"Not bad," the skeleton said, its hollow voice calm, almost amused. "But you're hesitating too much. That will get you killed."

It advanced again, this time slower, testing me with probing strikes. I parried one clumsily and managed to dodge another, but its movements were far more refined than mine. Each step it took felt deliberate, each swing of its blade calculated.

"You don't even know how to hold those knives properly," it observed, its tone more instructional than mocking. "Grip them tighter. Use your wrists, not your arms."

I adjusted my grip as it suggested, but the next exchange didn't go much better. The skeleton feinted high and then swept low, its blade grazing my shin. I hissed in pain and backed away, my footing awkward and unsteady.

"Better, but not enough," it said, lowering its sword slightly. "Focus. Watch my movements, not just my weapon."

I tried to do as it said, my eyes darting to its shoulders and feet. The next time it lunged, I sidestepped and managed to slash at its ribs with one knife. The strike did not even left a mark, but it was the first time I'd landed a hit.

"Good," the skeleton said, nodding. "Now, don't lose your momentum."

It pressed forward again, its strikes coming faster. I struggled to keep up, my arms burning with effort as I parried and dodged. Slowly, I began to notice patterns in its movements—subtle shifts in its stance that hinted at its next attack.

I blocked another swing and countered with a quick slash. The blade glanced off its arm, chipping a small piece of bone.

"You're improving," it said, stepping back momentarily. "But don't get cocky. You're still far from ready."

The fight continued, and though I was adapting, it was a slow, grueling process. Each mistake I made was met with a swift punishment—a nick here, a scrape there. But with every exchange, I felt myself growing slightly more confident, slightly more in tune with the rhythm of the battle.

After what felt like an eternity, the skeleton suddenly stopped, lowering its blade. "That's enough," it said, its voice steady. "You're not ready to defeat me, but you're not hopeless either. There's potential in you, hero, if you survive long enough to realize it."

I collapsed to my knees, breathing heavily, the knives still trembling in my hands. "Why... why are you helping me?" I managed to ask.

The skeleton sheathed its sword and crossed its bony arms. "Because you need to kill our liege who summoned you, your reason is to get stronger in order to kill her.

"Danner, what the fuck are you doing with him?!"

The voice rang out sharply from the grand staircase. I turned to see Lucifer descending with an aura of authority, her crimson and black dress flowing like liquid shadow. Her crimson eyes burned with irritation, locking onto the skeleton Danner who immediately straightened like a soldier caught in the act.

"If you kill him, who the hell is supposed to kill me?!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the ruined halls.

Danner bowed his head, his skeletal form radiating an almost palpable regret. "I deeply apologize, my liege. It was not my intention to harm him. I was merely... testing him."

"Testing him?" Lucifer scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Danner! He's barely even figured out how to summon the damn sword properly!"

"I—I'm sorry!" I stammered, still kneeling on the ground, clutching my twin knives. My body ached from the fight, but my confusion outweighed the pain. "He didn't kill me! I mean, I'm still here!"

Lucifer's fiery gaze shifted to me, and for a moment, I thought she might scold me too. But instead, she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're hopeless. Both of you."

Danner, despite having no flesh, somehow managed to look ashamed. "I only wished to ensure he was capable of defending himself, my liege. If he cannot even spar with me, how can he possibly—"

"Enough." Lucifer cut him off, her tone softening slightly. She stepped closer, her heels clicking against the marble floor. "I get it, Danner. But don't forget why he's here. He's not just some random warrior. He's supposed to be the one who ends this. If you break him before he even gets started, we're all doomed."

Danner bowed again, his skeletal form creaking slightly. "I understand, my liege. I will not overstep again."

Lucifer turned to me, her expression unreadable. "And you... You need to get stronger. Fast. Danner might've gone overboard, but he's not wrong. If you can't even handle him, how do you expect to kill me with that small blade's?"

"I'll try," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

Lucifer crouched down to my level, her crimson eyes meeting mine. "No. You won't 'try.' You'll do it. Or I will consume you and use your body to summon another hero.."

She stood up and glanced back at Danner. "Clean up this mess and prepare something for him to eat. He looks like he's about to collapse."

"Yes, my liege," Danner replied, his tone subdued.

"Who was he?" I asked Lucifer, my voice hoarse as I struggled to stand, still gripping the now-reformed knives.

She stopped mid-step, her back still turned to me, the flickering light casting long shadows down the corridor. "Ah, him?" she began, her tone laced with a mix of nostalgia and bitterness. "He is—or rather, he was—the Holy Emperor of this country."

I blinked, taken aback. "The Holy Emperor?"

Lucifer turned slightly, just enough for me to see the corner of her lips curl into a faint, melancholic smile. "Yes. He was the master of the previous hero. And mine as well, in a way. He's the one who taught me holy magic and the sword."

Her words hung heavy in the air, and I found myself staring at Danner, who stood motionless now, the earlier fire of his combat prowess replaced with an eerie stillness. The idea that this skeleton—this maid—was once the Holy Emperor, a figure of immense power and wisdom, was difficult to process.

"He taught you?" I asked, trying to wrap my head around it. "But he's... like this now?"

Lucifer let out a dry laugh, devoid of humor. "A cruel joke of fate, isn't it? The Holy Emperor, reduced to a skeleton in a maid's uniform, sweeping the ruins of a kingdom that no longer exists." She turned fully to face me, her crimson eyes narrowing. "But don't underestimate him. Even like this, he's still dangerous. As you've just learned."

Danner finally spoke, his voice hollow but steady. "It is as she says. I remain bound to this castle, to her, because of my failure. A punishment I have long since accepted."

"Failure?" I echoed, looking between the two of them.

Lucifer's smile faded, replaced by a cold, unreadable expression. "He failed to protect this world, to stop me when I decided to destroy it.so out of madness ı turned him into a skeleton"

Danner's bony head bowed slightly. "I failed not only this world but also those I once served. And now, I remain to atone, in whatever small way I can,by that ı mean training you enought to kill that bitch."

The weight of their words settled over me like a suffocating blanket. The Holy Emperor, the one who trained hero and wielded unimaginable power, had been unable to stop the apocalypse. And now, here I was, the supposed hero, standing in his shadow.

"Why is he still here?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Lucifer shrugged, her tone casual but her eyes dark. "Because ı want him to teach you." She glanced at Danner, then back at me. "Either way, he's yours now. You're going to need him if you want even a chance at killing me,so please train."

Danner stepped forward, his skeletal frame creaking with the movement. "If you truly are the hero, then I will serve you as I once served your ancestor. But be warned—this path will not be easy."

"Great," I muttered, turning the knifes to ring once again."

Lucifer smirked, her earlier frustration giving way to amusement. "You're going to be fun to watch, hero. Don't disappoint me."

With that, she turned and ascended the stairs, leaving me alone with the former Holy Emperor.

"Woman,am ı right?"

I managed to say expecting a laugh but only meeting a silence skeleton face with no face to even express himself.

Yeah,nevermind.