On the Verge of Death

*VWO-BOOOOM!!!*

The aura projectiles collided and exploded in the air with a red light, leaving a large shockwave as a result.

Zaneth lifts his blade and rest in on his left shoulder. His mane and cape flows in the wind as the shockwave from his powerful attack blows against him.

"Boss! Who was that black-cloaked figure?!" one bandit ran towards him.

"An enemy." Zaneth replied. The bandits looked in the distance seeing the carnage before him. His eyes widen as many people were were badly injured and killed by the two flying monsters.

The earth was scorched, bodies charred black, and structures destroyed. The bandit was taken aback in horror.

"He did this? The black-cloaked figure?" the bandit said.

"No, the crows did it, that human is wielding a halberd." Zaneth replied.

"Where is he now?" the bandit said.

"Dead. In five moves." Zaneth said.

"No way...no one could even handle you, some even ran away in fear just by your presence alone!" the bandit said in disbelief "What rank is that person?"

"At least B+. I could think that only thing holding him back was his body alone." Zaneth said. "If he was older, he might've lasted longer."

"You did say he's dead, right?"

"With an attack like that, his death was certain." Zaneth said. Zaneth looks down to the bandits on the lower part of the mountain and looks at the other bandits as well behind him.

"Gather the injured, we need to recover first. I will be heading back." Zaneth commanded. The bandits ran towards the injured and began carrying them to have them healed. Zaneth began walking back towards his den to await his report.

{Meanwhile...}

I can't see. I can't hear. I can't feel anything. Everything is numb, blank, silent. No faint ringing, subtle heartbeats, nor soft breaths. Just nothing. Am I dead? Again?

*...eeep.* *...eeEEP!*

"Huh? Is that some kind of alarm? Did I forget to turn it off?" I wondered as the alarm was faint and gradually getting louder.

*BRREEEP!!!* *BREEEEEP!!*

When I realize that the sound is loud, loud enough to make anyone assume it's an emergency, I came to.

I am seeing multiple orange screens popping up. I never seen this many before.

*BRREEEEP!!* *BREEEEEP!!*

[Warning. Multiple bone fractures detected.]

[Warning. Severe organ damage detected.]

[Warning. Profuse internal and external bleeding detected.]

Multiple fractures? Organ damage? Bleeding? I looked to see that my body is bent in places it shouldn't belong.

"Ah--KEEGH! KRRUGH!!" I tried to speak, but I coughed up blood instead. My blood splashes around my face and chest. Looks like I can't talk for now.

The orange floating screens kept flashing repeatedly, but the red one is flashing even faster than the orange ones.

[Danger! You are dying! Heal immediately!]

I'm dying? I looked at the red sign again, but something is off. My vision is slightly blurred and the other is completely dark.

"Why am I seeing half of everything?" I wondered. I looked around to see my entire body twisted, blood pooling under and over me. Also the red wisps are stuck to me...as if I'm burning.

[Your left eye was destroyed from the attack.]

"Attack? Oh, right. I got hit by it. If that's the case, regeneration will do it."

[Damage detected, now regenerating.]

[Danger! High concentration of foreign aura detected. Regeneration nullified.]

[Heal immediately!]

Foreign aura? That's Zaneth's aura. Crap, he did this to me. If it ain't for my rank, I would've died instantly. But the problem is, my body is not regenerating.

"I must heal..." I thought inwardly. I used a Tier I Healing Spell to heal myself where I can stop the bleeding and regenerate the rest. Yet, nothing happened.

[Healing failed. Aura interference detected.]

[You are affected by Tier XII Aura. Healing and Regenerative abilities are nullified.]

"Damn...what about my Compensator skill?" I said inwardly, if I die here, all of it would be for nothing!

[Due to prolonged aura exposure, Compensator is activated.]

[Unique Skill Aura Absorption acquired.]

[Now absorbing Aura...you cannot use any magic during this process until contamination is within manageable levels. (Tier X)]

My Compensator is kicking in? This could be good. However, the problem is that I am totally vulnerable and got a foot in the grave.

*BROOOOOAH!!* *BROOOOAAH!!*

I don't like that sound. I also see a deep red screen with black letters in all caps.

[GRAVE DANGER!! YOU ARE IN CRITICAL CONDITION!! HEAL IMMEDIATELY!!]

[Time until death: 2 minutes.]

No, no, no, NO! Things are staring to look up!

[Do you wish to send an emergency signal to all allies?]

"No, just bring Arex and Gris!"

*BREEP!* *BREEEP!*

Oh, what now!?

[Warning. A Hellkin has entered the Material Realm nearby.]

Oh shit, not while I'm like this! I'm an injured lamb at this point!

"Kekeke...I smell blood...of a dying human...how lucky..." a sinister voice comes out in the forest and finds me.

A demonic humanoid with beet red skin, dark sclera and red pupils. Short in stature, lanky limbs, long nose, yellow jagged teeth and claws. A Dweller Demon.

I may be an S rank, but that doesn't matter if I'm bleeding out and dying! Hey, back away! I'm fixing myself!

"Kekeke...a human and a child at that! Today really is my lucky day." the lesser demon said with a wicked smile.

He licked his knife with his long, serpentine tongue as he look down upon me. Seeing that I can't use magic, I'm pretty much fucked.

"I'm going to cut you slowly and make you cry for your mommy. And then your soul will be mine!" the demon declared, laughing maniacally as he raised his knife above his head.

*GRAW!*

A snarl came forth and a silver haired beast jumps out and clenches its maw on the demon's arm.

*CRUNCH*

"Aaargh! What is this mutt!?" the demon yelled.

The beast swings its neck and flings the demon aside. The demon crashes into a nearby tree, landing on a bush.

I looked on the beast with my one remaining eye to see the silver beast turning towards me. I then recognize the beast.

Gris! Gris came just in time!

Gris sniffed my damaged body and laid his head on my chest. He began crying.

*Whine...* *Whine...* *Sniff...*

"Gris...I am so glad you came." I said telepathically. Gris shot up and began nudging.

*Awooo!*

He then lets out a howl, mixed with sadness to call someone to save me from death.

"So you're that human's pet..." the demon hissed as he staggered standing up. "Then I will have--"

The demon's voice fell silent and his face broke out in cold sweat. I noticed that Gris did not use Menace on the demon and the demon was looking somewhere else.

"You will do no such thing, wicked dweller." a female voice objected.

"A-an Angel!?" The demon screeched. "No...those three lines...an Angel Prime!?"

An Angel Prime? Arex! She came too!

"Shit, guess my luck's run out. I better run!" The demon thought and turned to run away, knowing he's unable to fight a Heavenkin far stronger than himself.

*Shing!*

*Slice!*

A streak of light shot the air and struck the tree. That streak was a sword made out of Light Magic. The demon fell flat on his nose, he looked back where he had tripped and see that one of his legs were severed.

The wound he received is also smoldering. The demon's face went from confusion to anguish.

"AAARRRGH!! MY LEEEG!!" The demon screamed in agony as his wound burns furiously. He clutches his leg in hopes to bare it, but the pain was too much for him as the magic he was hit with is baneful to him.

The angel looks at me and shows a worried face. She then turns her glare at the demon who is crawling away.

"Are you the one responsible to his condition." the Arex said,

"Me!? The human was already at death's door when I came here!" The demon yelled. A light turned blue. She then quickly turned to me.

"Oh my goodness...how cruel..." Arex said with her voice quivering. She closes her eyes and notice a dim light struggling to fight the darkness.

"You're still alive...thank goodness." Arex sighed in relief. "Let me heal you. Heal." She began her healing and I was covered in pale green light.

[Tier VIII Healing Spell detected.]

[Aura contamination exceeds tier. Healing nullified.]

"My healing is in Tier VIII...this must mean this aura is more powerful." Arex said, looking at her hands.

[Aura contamination has been reduced to Tier X. Healing is now possible.]

[Your condition is still critical.]

[50 seconds remain...]

"Arex, can you hear me?" I said telepathically.

"Kain! I healed you, but..."

"It was a Tier XII Aura Contamination. It messes up everything inside, despite my regeneration. It also makes your Tier VIII Healing useless." I said. "It's down to Tier X, but my body cannot hold out."

"What should I do?" Arex said with urgency.

"Use your Blessing Magic to speed up my regeneration. It's at Tier IV." I told to Arex.

"Okay...Photo Mending." Arex used a Tier IV Blessing Magic on me like I ordered. I began to be covered in a pale yellowish white light, like vanilla colored.

[Blessing Magic detected.]

[Regeneration accelerated. Condition improving. Aura absorption improving.]

Good, good. I'm slowly getting better, but still vulnerable. I began breathing better, but I was wheezing.

"It's working, Arex. Keep going." I said.

"How long should I keep this spell?" Arex said.

"As long as you can. Arex, Gris, my life is in your hands."