Getting Answers

Ghost Demon laid upon the table for seven hours sleeping. He got up and got dressed putting on his mask and went for the door. The old doctor was sitting on his porch staring at the coming dawn. The sky was orange and yellow with red tints. "Leaving so soon? You could just rest up a few days kid?" The doctor knew he wouldn't, but the old man had to try. 

"No, I am going to rest, but not here" he told him. "Then best take this" he threw him a cloak. It was dark blue and had etches of runes upon the edges. "I made it myself. Thread is Darken Widow web, runes help hide detection suppressing chi. And best part channel chi into it and you will become invisible for a time" Ghost Demon was speechless. "Thank you…you know all the kindness you've shown me. I'll never be able to repay it back tenfold" Troy smirked and shook his head. "Don't need it. As long as you're safe and doing the right thing. I'll always have your back, kid. We're family" he sipped on some coffee. "Yeah we're family" Ghost Demon agreed and put the cloak over him and pulled the hood over his head. "I'll be seeing you doc" he told him. The Doctor gave him a nod and watched as the Ghost Demon then disappeared from sight walking away. He could see footprints appearing in the grass walking down the street. He then lingered on the sunrise and watched with a relaxed expression. 

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Ghost Demon walked towards an alleyway a few blocks from the Doctor Troy's house. He approached a brick wall and then drew a rune with his thumb tracing along a brick. A door was revealed from nowhere. He opened and as the door closed the brick wall reappeared. When he was in the Ghost Hand they had networks of safe houses throughout the city only known to higher ups and those most trusted. He happened to be one that could be trusted. He had bunked at a few but the one closest to the doctor was more appealing. Doctor Troy never knew that fact, but he knew he could watch over him from here. 

He had a sigh of relief once the door closed. He slumped against the wall in pain. He pulled off his mask and got to his feet. He hung up his sword and pistols on a hook. The cloak over them. He placed his suit and mask in a case upon a table. He then walked over to an empty tank. Above it was a tank of glowing liquid. To the right was a bed with gray sheets. Another door led to an armory and workshop, a kitchen, a cold storage for food, and a library. He input something on a digital pad connected to the tank and stepped inside. He then put on a mask and waited for it to fill. It took about ten minutes when he was immersed in a glowing liquid rich with chi. He could feel his body rejuvenating. 'I'm so close to a breakthrough to Rank Five soon I'll be a God. I'll be more of a match to the King' he thought. 

After his soak in the tank to heal his wounds. He slumped down on a chair in the kitchen. He walked over to a cabinet and pulled out some veggies along with dried meat. He set it on a plate and got a pitcher of water. He sat down and drank. When finished he walked over to a magic circle and sat upon it. Above the element of his choosing earlier began to pour over him. Air rich was chi feeding his Gust element. After about a few hours of meditation he switched to darkness to feed Shadow his new element. He had been using it well and evolving it well. The spells he found and stole long ago were coming in handy. "Shadow Walk" being the most useful. After three hours of this he stopped. 

He went to a book and began reading. It was old and leather bound. Long ago he found in the archives of the Ghost Hand a cultivator that evolved his ability to create a new effectiveness. A while back when he was in a pinch he was fighting a criminal who was extremely skilled and powerful. He could turn his body toad like and used the ability to force him in the corner. But when he was unarmed and close to death he instinctively used his ability to turn ethereal and punched the toad man. 

But when he did so the man dropped dead instantly. And the Ghost Demon's body then absorbed his soul. He didn't know why this happened, but his ability to be ethereal seemed to affect the soul of someone. He never could replicate this so he went digging. The book he located in the database was called "Evolution of Limits; Evolving the Ability" the cultivator was able to elevate it by putting the ability through strengths. To point when the body feels like it will shatter is when the ability then evolves. The cultivator in question was different from his own. But then the rule could still apply when putting it through its weakness. 

When electrocuted his ability was inhibited, but if concentrates on short bursts and pushed his body ethereal to elevate damage he could harness the soul ability. He then stood in the middle of the magic circle and was put into using Bolt. 

He became ethereal as a bolt of electricity struck him. His figure flickered to solid as he was electrocuted again. He endured and stood strong pushing his ability to its limits. Each bolt took three seconds to send another; he had no room to breath. But he would last till he found a breakthrough. 

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Hanging from the ceiling by both hands was the Murder strain prisoner. He was nude and bruised from head to toe. Body was covered in wounds and his face swollen to nearly unrecognizable status. Blood dripped from his mouth from missing teeth. He was then burned by a hot poker and he barely stirred from the pain. 

Wallace stood watching and stepped forward into the fire light. "So that's about all you can tell us? You sure there isn't more?" He asked unsatisfied with his suffering. "I swear.." he mumbled. "Hmmm" he turned around looking at James who was leaning against the wall. "You could've just had his head scanned, why drag this out?" James said annoyed and ready to take action. He'd take that over sitting here watching one of his subordinates suffer. 

"I could have but how's that avenging my dead beat of a brother?" He looked back at the hanging man. "But before he dies we'll scan him. Get me a Seer here!" He ordered one of his men to salute and left the room. "Keep him alive," he told the torturer. He gave the Commander a salute. James and Wallace left the room. 

"So you were unsuccessful in getting the Ghost?" James asked, pointing to the sling Wallace used. "It's not your concern. It really isn't mine either. I did it to keep up appearances. That is all. With the Battle Dragons in disarray it would have gone a long way to presenting that criminal. But I'm still on the shit list" he spoked honestly and was blunt. He never minced words and honestly didn't fear the king like he should. 

"You speak freely amongst your men. Could anyone be a spy?" James warned, staring at all the soldiers who passed them. "I've honestly grown numb in this position that I don't care. I want the King to pull something. I've been ready for months for that to happen" Wallace showed no fear of his arrogance. "Regardless Wallace it would be better to be better to speak of things in private" Wallace shook his head. "This coming from a decorated officer turned bandit. Even in your disgraced form you still pay tribute to the man who threw you away. I'm no asslicker like you" he let his words cut his friend deep. His anger flared, but he suppressed the feeling before he attacked Wallace. "Seems arrogance runs in the family. Trent sure had that same stupidity as well look where it got him?" Wallace glared at James. "Luckily you had a friend who gave a shit. That same man you call an asslicker!" Wallace stood staring at James for a moment. "Best leave before you and your little friend are murdered along with your subordinate. Oh and James were done here. With your army killed what good would come from us combining forces. Seems you're of no further use" he then left James speechless and standing there enraged. He turned to leave but was then pierced through the chest by a red spear made of blood. He collapsed to one knee and gasped for air as he unsheathed his sword. "On second thought best kill you. Like you said, who knows who I can trust!" He then made a sword of blood coming from his pores like sweat. He then killed James by beheading him.