Blazing Ether

A tingling sensation tickled my skin as the flashes of red ebbing from the talons of the Galgor fell into my eyes. The monster was short like a goblin but held brittle-looking fur around its body, with ruby red eyes. Its jaw, however, appeared like that of a rabid dog as it bared its fangs, growling on all fours. The undead released a bellowing cry that shook the ground beneath my feet, shaking the cobblestone dust that rained over me.

I, however, did not move.

"You!" said an older man around his fifties, don in all hide armor, gripping a broadsword. " What are… It matters not! help him!" He commanded, but I did not move, only shooting a glance toward the young man around my age, bleeding out with a missing arm. Tears fluttered from his face as he wailed, but I merely fixed my eyes on the undead.

'Remember Iza,' Father had said, 'In war, as in every battle, there will be collateral. Bury your feelings when you wield your blade. Feel only when the battle ends.'

Living by those words, I could not allow myself to get distracted. It wasn't the first time I'd seen wounds like that. And I was no doctor. At least not now. Right now, I was an inquisitor, and a beast was baring its fangs at me.

The Galgor dashed fast as lightning, but I could still track it. I could still see its movements, and it was targeting the liability.

I moved, but the Older Rogue was a step faster and closer, piercing his blade towards the Galgor's neck, but with a swipe of its talons, the clanking of metal against metal rattled through the air.

I arrived to watch as the old man was pushed back a few paces, but I was well within range. I attacked. Laevatein hissed, through the air, aiming not for the beast's neck but rather the wrist, knowing it could not dodge fast enough.

Blood exploded, and with a fearful roar, I instantly dove downwards as its claw whipped over my head, cutting a few hairs, scrambling to my feet as the beast leaped away.

"Stupid girl," Howled the older man harshly. " Undead have superior healing! You can't…impossible!"

My eyes narrowed, but as I watched the black liquid trailing from his wrist, I knew the Infernal Wound passive on my sword was working.

My lips rose, and the hairs on the nape of my neck hung themselves upwards as the beast howled and charged.

Snorting, I leaped back when the beast swiped its claw towards my face and willed Laevatein to morph into a whip, flicking my wrist the instant I felt the change, and with a single moment, the whip coiled around the Galgor's neck, and without hesitation, I spun and twirled the beast before it could get its footing, and slammed the beast into the cobblestone so hard, webs of cracks crept along the walls, dazing the beast.

Laevatein switched back to a dagger, and I darted like a reaper carrying a smile of excitement; I arrived behind the undead beast and ran my blade through the spine, twisting near the nape of the neck and cutting through the jugular till only a sea of blood spilled.

I bit my lips, releasing a moan of pure delight as liquid-hot fire pumped through my veins; I felt the monster slip to its knees, emitting a weak feral cry as it trembled and convulsed.

"The head! You've got to pierce the head, or it'll only continue to fight!" Shouted the old man, and without hesitation, I pulled out my dagger and plunged it into the skull of the Galgor, killing it.

[Ding]

[Undead Felled]

[Ether Gained: 100]

Pulling up my stats, I instantly smiled, overcome with a sensation of accomplishment as I stood near the precipice of taking the first steps.

Izalith Snow

Str: 18

Dex: 40

Con: 18

Int: 34

Free Points: 10

Ether: 434/450

I was so close, so—

"What are you doing!" The older man shouted, rushing towards his comrade, " Come help—"

A ringing sensation struck chords within my mind as I barreled and rolled almost instinctually, catching sight of another Galgor swiping its claw where my head should have been.

Shit, another one!

"Get out of here!" I shouted, turning to where I thought the older man was, only to catch sight of the bleeding young man whose expression was as pale as ash. I cursed, knowing he had fled, and snapped my head towards the Galgor as not one or two appeared from the shadows but three.

"Iza, if you use Arial Slash, it'll come from the collection of ether you've already gathered. "Careful how you use it."

"What about if I transformed Leviathan into a gun?" I mentally asked, waiting for a reply.

"One bullet will cost 50 to a million ether, " came her reply, " Till you've got a core, you'll have to cultivate to gather more, I'm afraid."

Spitting out a string of curses, I nodded and arched my dagger when her voice added. "Oh, and use your sword. You've already maxed out your dagger skill."

Following Lily's direction, I nodded and swapped to a katana, my body tensed, swaying in perfect rhythm in the somewhat narrow corridor. Gripping the lilac torch and my katana, I didn't pounce to be on the offensive but instead waited for my enemy to move.

Which didn't take long, as the Galgor who attacked first pounced at me, and luminous black light glinted from my sword edge, hissing through the air at lightning-fast speed, arching in an upwards semi-circle cutting through the shoulder of the Galgor's reckless charge.

These undead monsters didn't have much skill, only blinding power, which wasn't enough to deal with me. That was why the greatest game of all will forever be humans.

Sidestepping before the charging monster fell head first down on me, I didn't hesitate to cleave Laevatein downwards, which was already arched high, cutting them down through the head with utter ease.

[Ding]

[Undead Felled]

[Ether Gained: 100]

Smitten by the sensual ether scorching my very being, my cheeks grew flushed with a bloodlust burning within my blood. Caging the rational mind, I could feel a blazing inferno brew below the navel. Chills danced along my flesh like firecrackers as the burning grew, filling me with a wonderful sensation of utter euphoria.

"Come!" I challenged, feeling an invisible chain that lay dormant over my mortal form shatter, freeing me from its binds.

Ether blazing like a fiery storm, the dinging sound of the system fell on deaf ears as my eyes fixed themselves over the two Galgor's, baring their fangs.

They charged on all fours, whipping through the light of my torch. They were upon me in seconds: one clawing at my neck, the other my ankle.