∼ Gore to Behold ∼

Chapter - 045

Right, left, slash!

Eric deftly bobbed and weaved the huge beast's searching attacks. They had become more and more hesitant, though the situation did not look any better as his own strength was waning. The creature had taken one too many hits to the head and its delicate hide was sliced up quite badly, yet it was far from dying. The damage Eric had left with his bare fists and sole dagger was more superficial than anything and would leave little more than some grisly scars behind. So the odds were becoming despondently evident as Eric had not managed to escape completely unscathed himself.

It was the beast's cunning and hesitance that had it slowly whittling him down instead of charging him head on, where either of them could deal lethal blows. Which could end with either dragging them both under with no victor.

As such, cuts and wounds lathered his chest, shoulder, and leg - the gashes along his body bleeding rivulets of red life. As things were going, with Eric's exhaustion and limping leg, he was only one misstep from being swiped in two. Which, unfortunately, the furry beast was all too aware of.

However, even as Eric was losing, even though he was bloodied and battered, he felt unnaturally alive. It was his first time fighting with a class, and he couldn't believe the power that it bestowed him. He was going toe to toe with a damn monster after all! Adrenaline pumped in his veins to dull the pain and the beat of his heart drowned out all other sounds. It was only him and the beast.

Then it sufficed to say that Eric was stunned when that whole reality was shattered by one high-pitched battle cry. "BYARAHGH!" Flying through the air as if launched from a catapult, a comically small creature with abnormally large hands in comparison to the rest of its body latched itself onto the rearing beast that seemed about as shocked as Eric was.

He could only stand there, watching as the small incarnation of fury went apeshit on the furry monster, its inane screeches saturating the clearing with unrest as its fists beat down with a force belying the demon's small frame.

Even as the beast bucked and rolled over, it could not shake the insane demon that clung on. It was too fast, too ferocious, as it clawed and beat the beast bloody. The furry beast only managed to score a few glancing hits onto the demon, but the demon did not care nor did it slow. It only became even more rampant for each hit it took.

Eric saw how that small demon had nothing but pure rage in those blood-red eyes, battle lust ebbing off from its screams as it tore into the much larger creature. It was a gory sight, one that even had his bile rise to the top.

The fight was long over when the beast keeled over, its pitiful wails and its complete inability to retaliate a testament to its approaching death. Yet, the demon did not relent. Actually, the beast's dying state seemed to only drive it on as it tore flesh and crushed bone with a sickening smile of delight.

The creature was actually enjoying pummeling the beast into an unrecognizable paste of meat and blood. It sought bliss in the gore.

Eric just released one shaky breath as his adrenaline left him bereft of its strength, making him fall on his ass as he tried his best to ignore the rhythmic squelches and giggles from just a few feet over, almost a melody to be found behind the disturbing scene. It was playing a bloody tune.

One horrifying sequence of events that involved too much blood, guts, and other unmentionables later, Eric laid under the administrations of Aria and her healing magic.

"You sure you have enough to heal us?" Eric asked once he had made his way back into the cave alongside Aria and Nyx.

"Just enough to keep both of you hardheads alive," Aria muttered grumpily.

Eric's brows rose. "What?"

Aria took one deep breath, preparing. "If I was not around, who is supposed to be constantly making sure you two do not just keel over? I mean, you are both repeatedly getting yourself torn within an inch of your lives." She fumed, getting rather worked up. Though Eric could see it coming from her overwhelming empathy. She herself was clearly hurt by each time they were, having to see them like this and stitch them up every single time.

Eric sighed, attempting to play it off with a light chuckle. "Yeah, here's to hoping it won't become a common occurrence,"

Aria just harrumphed, not meeting his eyes as she concentrated on stopping his bleeding wounds.

"So... that thing out there..." Eric asked slowly, trying to change the topic when the cave had fallen to an awkward silence.

She took a bit to respond as she stopped her magic to bandage his leg. "That would be Nyx's new summon,"

"Great... now there's two of them." Eric groaned thoughts of having to deal with two demons already haunting him. "But wait, I thought you said he couldn't use magic?"

"Well, it was not as much as because he could not. Rather, it was; if he did, he would have most likely died from mana ruptures in his brain." She huffed, clearly annoyed. To which Eric couldn't help but note as rather cute. Her buttoned nose twitching with irritation.

"That... doesn't sound pleasant." Eric coughed, trying to shake that rather random thought from his head.

"It is not." She agreed gravely. "But that fool did it regardless, and he almost died! If it was not for him being so peculiar, with dual mana conductors, he would have died on the spot."

"I mean, he did end up saving us. I wouldn't have lasted much longer out there." He admitted.

"Still, you are both too reckless for your own good."

Eric couldn't deny that. It had always been a fault of his. Sure he was quick on the trigger when it mattered, but more often than not, his ill-temper and rash decision got him into more trouble than it was worth. It seemed that both he and Nyx at least shared that in common.

Nursing both Eric and Nyx back to good health was a slow and methodical process. They had to spend a night in the cave with Aria almost non-stop healing them, having to meditate to recover her rapidly dwindling mana stores. Though Aria had built up a significant mana reservoir during her years of imprisonment, beyond anything a young girl of her level should be able to possess, healing magic was inordinately draining, more so than most other magics.

When Nyx himself finally awoke, he was subjected to an even worse agony than before. His mana lesions had worsened from his forceful usage of magic to summon his familiar, though thanks to Aria's healing magic and considerable expertise, he was in no life-threatening condition.

But at the very least, there was a silver lining to all his pain.

[LVL: 12 - Brown-tailed Trembi has been slain]

[You receive 174 points of experience for the kill]

Congratulations! You have accrued enough experience to gain one level!

LVL: 10 → 11

As an Imp (Prideborn) "Lesser Demon", you receive one point in Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and one additional unallocated attribute point per level.

As a Warlock "Apprentice", you receive one point in Intelligence and one additional unallocated attribute point per level.

∼[Cognitive comprehension... adequate!]∼

[You have two unallocated attribute points, spend them before a week, or they will be automatically assigned.]

[You have assigned one attribute point in Vitality]

[You have assigned one attribute point in Endurance]

Status Information

Attributes Name Nyx Health 32/40 STR 12 ⇒ 13 END 3 ⇒ 4 Race Imp (Prideborn) Stamina 11/12 DEX 4 ⇒ 5 INT 24 ⇒ 26 Level 11 - (3%) Mana 5/6 VIT 3 ⇒ 4 CHR 2 Class Main-Class Warlock Rank Apprentice Grade Rare Sub-Class None Rank None Grade None Traits Demonhide - (Racial), Fire Resistance - (Racial), Mark of Pride - (Demonism) Titles Bearer of Pride - (Demonism) Skills Demonbolt - [Moderate], Impfire - [Inferior], Summon Familiar - [Inferior], Wither - [Inferior] Masteries Proficiencies

Techniques Demonology - [Superior], Mana Manipulation - [Inferior], Words of Power - [Inferior] None