A Brush With Death

Luke moved cautiously towards the pile of rubble in the center of the room. Aerin took a step away from him as he passed her, moving carefully around the edge of the pile.

He needed a way to get the creature to attack without Lucian being at risk of being caught in said attack. Moving forward ever so slightly, Lucian waited for a moment as he racked his brain for what to do.

"Lost, are we?", Aerin said in a slightly teasing voice.

Luke scowled at that.

"Father says the best thing to do when you're lost in the woods is too destroy the woods.", Aerin offered happily.

"Your father sounds like a psychopath", Luke said.

Perhaps it was his closer proximity to the rubble, or perhaps because he had raised his voice slightly to speak with Aerin due to her having stepped back. But just as he had begun to speak the pile of rubble had begun to shake, though Luke didn't pause his walking, however. Until he took one more step and was able to make out the creature underneath the ruined furniture.

It had bleach white skin and was tall with an unnaturally thin body that clung to its bones. The beast's arms were long enough to reach its knees, and based on the creature's legs Luke guessed it to be far taller than he was. The beast was hairless like the husks, but Luke could feel its heart beating steadily. Strangest about the beast was its face, or lack of one rather. It had two long-pointed ears, but a completely featureless face making it a mask of skin.

One more step closer, and the beast lunged.

Rubble and rotted wood exploded upwards as the beast shrugged through it pile with ease. It moved fast, faster than Luke would have thought possible as it cleared the distance between them.

Luke leapt backwards, summoning both his chains and swinging them forwards with all his might. Metal met flesh with a loud clang, the chains bouncing off and only leaving the smallest dent in the skin.

'Shit', Luke immediately thought, as the creature continued its pursuit.

Luke continued to try to keep his distance but found it impossible with the speed of the beast. Instantly it was on him, slamming into his chest with its shoulder and knocking the air from his lungs. Luke coughed out, and punched the side of the beast's head with all the force he could muster.

The beast didn't even flinch.

Instead, its face seemed to split open horizontally down its middle, the skin folding back to reveal two rows of jagged black teeth. Biting down, the beast's ugly teeth pierced Luke's skin like butter on his right shoulder.

A spray of blood misted the air as Luke let out a scream of agony.

No longer able to think, Luke slammed his fist against the beast's head with adrenaline-fueled strength. Once, then twice, and finally on the third time the beast reacted releasing his shoulder and leaving Luke feeling faint.

He could feel blood dripping from his knuckles and shoulder but had not time to focus on the details. Instead, he swung with his left chain, catching the beast on its face with part of the chain slamming into the thing's mouth.

Unlike before the chain managed to cut into the beasts' gums and shatter two of its teeth. Causing the beast to reel back in pain, before lunging for him once more. Luke was already rolling, but instantly found he wasn't fast enough. A wickedly sharp white claw tore through his lower back, just barely missing his kidneys.

Groaning, Luke forced himself to turn but once again found his lack of speed to be a problem as the beast was already on him, swinging at his chest with all its might.

Letting out a low groan, Luke had to throw himself onto his back to avoid being cut to ribbons. Pain racked his body as he landed on the wound on his back, but he paid no mind as he rolled to the side.

Getting to his feet, Luke saw the beast turning for him then before he could react it moved with another burst of speed, its legs bulging as it leapt from the ground.

'I need to be faster', Luke thought, as he threw himself to the side once more.

Rolling with his tumble to the ground, Luke got to his feet and wasted no time in looking at the creature's direction. Leaping forward, he tried his hardest to clear as much space as he could, feeling as the air behind him brushed against his body as the beast was already attacking him again.

'Dammit, move faster fool', he mentally cursed himself, a spark of anger at his situation flaring inside of him.

From the beginning of the fight Luke had found himself running away, only able to make the slightest blow due to his lack of speed. Already he had taken more damage in this fight than his last ten, and he was still losing blood. He had been unprepared, mistakenly thinking himself strong enough to handle anything after his success against the knight. Yet somehow that fact made him even angrier, not just at himself but at his circumstances.

It wasn't anger as his helplessness, but rather anger at how unjust the situation was. Luke had been grinding, fighting, and taking more wounds for the past three weeks than he had in his entire life. Still, it wasn't enough, none of it. Compared to this creature he was nothing but a rabbit being chased by a far more dangerous wolf.

'It's not right', he thought bitterly as he dodged another of the beasts strikes.

Following up his desperate dodge with a swing of his chain, which only clattered off the creature's hard skin.

'It's not right, dammit why am I so slow', Luke cursed as he took a glancing blow to his left arm, the beasts claws drawing blood.

His rage building, he found himself willing himself to move faster, forcing his legs to preform as they never had before.

And then they did, a feeling like energy reverberating through his legs filled him, and soon he found himself blasted forwards at a far greater speed than he'd ever reached before.

Not even the lanky creature could keep up with his speed, as he landed on his legs and felt himself stumble with momentum. Unable to take in what had just happened to him, Luke forced himself to turn around and face the creature.

The lanky creature was still moving towards him, it leg muscles bulging like balloons as it burst forward.

Luke tried to recreate the feeling he'd just felt in his legs, focusing on them and willing them to fill with power. Like his chains the ability seemed to be instinctual, and soon his legs were empowered once more. Bursting to the side, Luke cleared half the length of the room with unnatural speed.

Turning to face the creature once more, he let out a smile, the cut he'd gotten on his lip from rolling away from the creature turning the expression bloody.

Wrapping both his hands in his chains and forcing his right arm to move through the pain in his shoulder. Luke stomped on the ground his right foot and felt his legs become empowered once more.

In a explosion of movement he charged the approaching beast, clearing the distance with unnatural speed as he slammed his chain wrapped fist into its blank face. The result was a loud cracking sound, followed Luke's body slamming into the creature. They bowled over, slamming to the ground as one, the beasts face showing a massive cut and dent that leaked blood.

Luke felt pain rack his body as the impact affected his wounds, but pushed through it. Mounting the creature, he raised his fists and began to slam his chains into its head over and over again. Though unlike his first punch that had been empowered with his speed, these produced no reaction from the beast, barely leaving marks on its already touch skin.

Gritting his teeth, Luke willed strength to flow into his arms like it had his legs. To his wonder, and dark pleasure the empowered feeling flowed through them stringing them with energy.

This time Luke's punches moved faster than ever before, smashing the creatures face to a pulp and producing loud squelches with each blow. Finally, the best stopped struggling, and Luke felt as its brain stopped showing activity.

Sighing in relief, he leaned off the creature and began to breath heavily with exhaustion. Some of his bleeding had already stopped, but his shirt was even worse off than before, while his skin was covered in drying blood.

Still, he had survived, and not only had he survived but he'd become a stronger for it. Adrenaline coursing through his body, Luke fell back on the ground the pain in his shoulder barely noticeable as cruel mirth took its place.

There alone, in the abandoned library Luke lay next to the creature that had tired to kill him and laughed.

When Luke finally got himself under control, he sat upright and checked the notification that popped in his mind.

Congratulations, you have slain a Grave Ghoul of the beast stage. Your soul is being tempered.

Soul tempering until next rank: [785/1000]

Luke stared at the notification in shock, seeing how he'd gained 200 points from killing the creature. That was more than he'd gotten from killing the knight, which only added to his theory that husks gave far less points than normal creatures.

Still, Luke could feel the new strength flowing through his body at the large influx of points. Not to mention he was only 215 points away from reaching the adept rank, which pleased him to no end.

Then, acting on a hunch Luke opened his status screen and read through it.

Lucian Kell Infernus

Titles: Scion of the Infernus clan.

One who see all and nothing.

Race: Demon Novice

Stage: lesser

Rank: Novice

Soul tempering until next rank: [785/1000]

Bloodline: Infernus

Affinity: Chained: Since you're awakening you have been in chains, at first this was your weakness. Now you have turned it into your strength, thanks to your desperation and will to survive your magic has now taken the shape of that strength. You are now soul bound to your chains; you are theirs just as they are yours. You are now, and forever chained.

Affinity abilities:

Soul chains: You have been soul branded by the chains you were once imprisoned in. These chains have been tempered through your spilt blood, and the magic coursing inside of you. These chains reflect your strength and will grow as you do. Summon these chains at your will, for they are as much a part of you as your very soul. Novice: Your ability to control your chains grow as you rank, you are now able to imbue your chains with the aspect of your soul.

Eyes: Crimson

Abilities:

Unholy observation: Your eyes are the symbols of your bloodline, and your connection to those that have fallen. They are sightless, and yet they see more of the world than any regular eyes could.

Bloodline powers:

Noble Demon blood: As a high demon of one of the most powerful bloodlines, you now have the physical aspects to stand at the top of your lines. These aspects will only grow with your rank.

Flames of the Infernus clan: Hellfire is of the height of the true elements, and one of the most dangerous. As a scion of the Infernus clan the essence of these flames course through your very blood, no lesser heat may harm you.

Sightless: Your eyes are far more powerful than your body can withstand, for what they perceive you cannot. Until you reach the strength to withstand your eyesight, you will be cursed to see nothing in the way normal eyes might. Do not fear this sightlessness, for you have been gifted with the ability to truly see.

Omniscience: [Error! System Break] All seeing eyes: Your Omniscience [Error! System Break!] transcends time. [Error! Error! Error!]

Master: None

Second Affinity: Mana manipulator: You're desire to exceed your limits formed your second affinity. The man in your body has heard your rage and moved with your will. Now as you grow your manipulation over your own mana will exceed the norm, allowing your mana to move far more efficiently.

Second Affinity abilities:

Mana manipulation: your mana moves to your will, empowering your body to new heights at your command. The movement of your mana is far more efficient and therefore more powerful than before you possessed this affinity. Mana manipulation will grow as your soul grows, reaching new levels of strength and efficiency.

Luke read over the new affinity with a smile on his face. A sense of pleasure coursing through him as he realized the utility of his new ability.

Whereas he had been able to move mana before and was certain his ability to manipulate the energy inside him would grow. Now it seemed he would be able to manipulate it with far more efficiency, and control. While not being an overly flashy skill, like shooting fireballs or summoning lightning, he was still immensely pleased with his new strength.

As he was thinking this other another pang of pain laced his body, causing his smile to reform into a grimace. Gritting his teeth, Luke began to head back the way he came towards the Evergarden.