Chapter #13: Death & Company.

(Amir’s POV)

I stood before Phillip with Rina at my side while thinking.

How did this happen? How did Phillip succeed? Those injuries! He lost an arm, had been stabbed so many times I lost count! He should be dead!

But as these thoughts ran through my head I watched as Phil’s myriad of injuries healed. I barely believed what I was saw happening before me. His various stab wounds forced themselves closed as the flesh stitched it’s self-back together without the assistance of any magic. His arm that had been cleaved lay on the ground off in the distance, yet he already had grown another in its place.

Along with that, Phil’s form was significantly bigger than what had been previously described by Jarold in his report that had been sent to the king.

As I stared at Phillip I watched him lose conscious as his body went limp. Rina and I just watched him as his wounds continued to stitch themselves back together.

I turned toward Rina and said “Teleport back to the King and tell him that I will be back with a report within the next day or so, with Phillip. Also, ask the King to please send 2 scouting regimens to Keenheim if he can spare them… Once you’ve gone to the King go back to lord Elbuck and tell him that all has passed, and he will have his peace & quiet. I will be taking Phil to the capital after he awakes so I can talk with him. Also inform lord Elbuck, That I request that all parties involved with this incident stay at the castle, I will be coming for them within a day or so with Phillip and we all will be going to the capital.”

Rina nodded at me and began to cast a spell but stopped and looked at me and said “What did we just witness Master? I’ve never seen anything like those blackened ghostly figures, they sent a chill into the very fiber of my being.”

I stepped over to Rina while placing my hand on her shoulder, “I don’t know Rina, I do know that the king made the right choice siding with Phillip after witnessing this… I know that Phillip is truly a monster. Try to forget what happened here and thank you for your help, Rina.”

Rina merely shrugged and said “I doubt I’ll ever forget what I just saw and no problem, this was truly fascinating to watch. I still can barely believe what we just saw, it was truly a sight to behold. I’d like to know your opinion about it when you return to Keenheim with Phillip.”

As Rina finished speaking I watched her teleport away. I soon wondered if I had instilled too much of myself in Rina. Her curiosity was growing even more so than my own…

As I thought this I noticed that several wolves began to walk out from the woods while slowly merging back into a single group as they entered the clearing. My attention focused on the animals and I soon counted 10 of them.

Leading the group were Phil’s two black dire wolves as the neared me they let out a low snarl and laid down next to Phil. As they did this the nudged him with their snouts but to no avail.

As I saw this I thought to myself this is going to take a while, better get comfy.

(Phil’s Pov)

I felt something nudging me causing my eyes to jerk open. I saw both Sun and Moon nudging my face. I also noticed that my body had shifted back into its human form while I had passed out, I felt sore all over my body felt like it had been hit by a truck. While my head throbbed like I had a massive hangover but worst of it all was the pain I felt this empty pit in my stomach that burned and throbbed like some tiny sentient creature would burst from within it.

As my eyes looked up I soon noticed the sun was up and brightly shining causing me to moan and rolled over.

“UHHH”

I slowly buried my face into the wet grass and soon felt 2 bodies pressing against me trying to comfort me as my headache continued with a vengeance. I then felt more furry bodies begin to press against me.

This caused me to groan more as I began to shift to look at why more than two furry bodies pressed against me.

“UHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

As I shifted again onto my back while opening my eyes I saw that there was, now other wolves accompanying Sun and Moon in laying against my slowly moving body. Seeing this I was slightly puzzled but didn’t let it bother me as my hands shifted and moved to begin petting Sun and Moon as the nuzzled my face.

I soon heard “You're finally awake!” a voice shouted with excitement.

“UHHHHH, to loud, UHHH” I forced out, as I continue to groan and moan.

“Phil, it’s amir, what wrong?” I heard Amir quietly say to me.

“Need to eat” I forced out, as I slowly shoved my body up off the ground and looked around for something to eat while recalling the event that happened the previous day

As I looked at the open clearing dotted with crappy shacks, I noticed the scene before me, blood and viscera were laying everywhere. The only words that could describe the scene in front of me was utter carnage.

I turned my head and said with a smile on my face “Did I do that?” as let out a chuckle. My headache continued but my shitty sense of humor was only bolstered by the shitty feeling that encompassed me like a dirty wet blanket.

Amir looked at me like I was crazy, but I just continued forward as I turned my head back around, stumbling forward like a drunk. As I stumbled forward I soon came upon a High Orc corpse. I began to slowly lower my shaking body down to it, then began to ravenously eat, tearing the flesh from it and shoving it into my mouth.

As I continued to shovel the raw meat into my mouth the headache began to subside, after finishing 3/4 of the High Orc I felt my body begin the soreness leave my aching body but the empty pit in my stomach remained. The pain coming from the pit in my stomach was milder now, but the empty pit remained all the same.

I stood up and moved to the next corpse I found while motioning for Sun and Moon to eat as well.

This caused several wolves to all get-up and start feasting. I paid no mind to this while bending down again and began eating another High Orc. I ripped the corpses almost severed arm off and began to gnaw on it like an ear of corn. Slowly rotating the arm and chomping down on the meat.

As I finished picking the arm clean with only a bone in my hand, Amir came over and said, “Are you feeling better now?”

“meh, better but I still need to eat. What on your mind Amir, there has to be a reason that you’re here and not with the king.” I replied as I began eating more.

“Well, I’m here because of what happened yesterday. Can you explain what exactly led to the events that transpired yesterday?” Amir asked with an inquisitive look on his face.

I looked around and pulled another piece of meat off the dead High Orc and kept eating, while I thought about Amir's question…

After I replied giving Amir a brief summary of my account of events, he merely stood quietly and thought, while I continued to eat ravenously. A brief thought of what my Status would look like after yesterday’s battle came to the forefront of my mind.

Name: Phillip Mauger]

[Level: 10]

[Race: Homo-Sapien {Homo-Sapiens: a race of animals that evolved into humans without any assistance of the gods}.]

[Class: Shape-Shifter {Undiscovered Class Shape-Shifter: a non-magical class that allows its holder to adopt the forms of other life, in its pursuit for its survival.}]

[Health: 645/645]

[Stamina: 645/645]

[Magic: 0/0]

[Skills:]

[Inspect Level (4): Allows the user to gather information about items; life. The amount of information provided grows with the level of the skill}-passive.]

[Shapeshift Level (10): A skill that only the Shape-shifter class can use. The Skill allows the user to Shift in other forms, the forms will evolve with your understanding of the original life form. This skill may trigger unconsciously due to mental state or other reasons. Leveling the skill allows for better adoption of the transformed body by the class holder} -passive].

[Regeneration Level (10): Allows the body and mind to regenerate from physical; magical attacks, as the level increases so will your ability to regenerate. -passive]

[Scent Tracking Level (8): Track other beings by their scent, your ability to do so will increase with each level of this skill -passive].

[Claw’s; Fangs of Death Level (8): Grow claws; fangs while in your human or Shapeshift form. The sharpness, hardness, other properties will come about as the level of this skill increases in level. Your Claws and Fangs are now stained black and will siphon the souls of those you kill, the souls you take will be given to Death -passive.]

[Howl of the Pack Leader Level (4): Intimidate non-predatory animals while communicating your intentions to your pack, current skill level gives low Strength and Agility buff to your pack. The effects of this skill will increase and grow as the level of the skill increases - active {cost -50 Stamina}]

[Animal Instincts Level (8): Your heritage is that of an animal, instincts are what kept your kin alive, in a hostile and unforgiving world. As this skill increases so will your connection to your animal instincts. -passive.]

[Pain Resistance Level (4): Your body has developed in a high tolerance for pain, the higher this skill level increases the more pain your body will be able to experience without passing out or going into shock. This skill does not eliminate the pain you feel, it only dulls it. -passive]

[Fang; Claw Mastery Level (8): Gain a better understanding of how to use your claws; fangs to fight like the animal you are. As the skill level increases so will your understanding of your claws and fangs; your ability to use them in combat -passive.]

[Enhanced 5 senses Level (4): Your 5 senses grow sharper with each level of this skill -passive.]

[Bottomless Stamina Level (8): Stamina is your only means of attack and defense. Strenuous movements cost little to no stamina, as this skill level grows all stamina movement will cost nothing; Active Skills that use stamina costs will be reduced -passive.]

[Buff’s: MARKED BY DEATH: UNCHAINED: You have been set off you leash by your master, Fulfill the Task You have been given! +25 Strength, Agility, Constitution while UNCHAINED, your altered form grows, ????? is now active!]

[De-Buff’s: Ravenous Hunger, Non-Magical Being – Permanent {This being has never contained magic; its body will never be able to store magic or use magic skills}]

[Attributes: Strength-44, Agility-44, Constitution-48, Intelligence-24; Wisdom-24] {Str, Agility; Con have +2 due to the title: Leader of the Pack: +10 to all stats due to title: The one who escaped Death.]

[Titles:]

[Child of Nature: You are a child of nature, not the gods. Nature will recognize this so will the gods; their followers.]

[The Last of His Race: You are the last of your kind, will your kind die or survive? This question rests on your shoulder. Increases [SP] and [AP] gain when leveling up from 5 to 10]

[Leader of the Pack: While with your pack you gain +2 Strength, Agility, Constitution; your ability to lead your pack is significantly increased.]

[The One Who Escaped Death: You escaped the clutches of Death, an admirable but ultimately pointless feat. you gain +10 to all Stats.]

[Deaths Hound: You are Deaths Hound, Find the souls that escape your masters reach! You gain ????? but cannot use ?????]

[Orc’s-bane: You have killed over 200 Orc’s, your mere presence cause’s Orc’s to feel terror. +5 to all attributes when fighting Orcs]

[Skill Points {SP}-55 after leveling skills], [Attribute Points {AP}-50][0 after using {AP}]

[New Skills available for Purchase!]

I pushed the idea of looking at the purchasable skills to the back of my mind and focused on my [AP] I had available. I figured that my normal split of 4,4,6 would be the best option so I did just that with the available 50 [AP] I had.

[Attributes: Strength-64, Agility-64, Constitution-78, Intellegence-24; Wisdom-24]

As I finished looking at the notification I noticed I had eaten all of the High Orc and got up to move onto the next one while Amir continued to think about what I had told him sitting off to the side.

(Deaths POV location ?????????)

I sat upon my onyx black chair thinking about the child of nature that had managed to escape me. wondering why such a thing could happen while also thinking about how he had been pulled into a space that even I couldn’t physically enter. It was a truly puzzling situation….

I managed to send a copy of myself made up of ether to save the child of nature from the godling, but it was difficult to use and lacked the finesse my corporeal body had.

As I pondered over these thoughts and stared into the void, but soon green sprouts of vegetation started to spring out from the endless cosmic void in front of me.

I sighed and prepared myself for what was to come.

As I stared at the vegetation, A woman sprang out of the void and began to look around she immediately looked at me and a vicious smile formed upon her face like a cat who had finally found a mouse it had lost. She quietly walked towards me, with every step the vegetation began growing thicker and in more abundance.

She stopped several feet in front of me as I inspected her. She had long brown hair that flowed like an endless river, a small button nose, a shapely figure, pure emerald green eyes, and a leafy gown that flowed down her body that had various sprouting flowers of a multitude of colors.

She simply stared into me and waited, slightly taping her barefoot onto the ground with impatience.

“What can I do for you dearest sister.” I asked

“I think you already know why I am here Death.” She replied with a smile that looked more predatory than friendly.

“I have no idea what you are talking about dearest sister” I smiled back at her.

The Woman’s foot stopped tapping and she continued forward up to me.

She merely whispered, “you do, and you will tell me where he is.”

Her eyes began to glow brighter as she whispered the words and at that moment I knew I fucked up. I knew Lilly all too well she was truly one no Universal Law wished to fuck with.

“……. I was trying to get your child, but he got taken to another dimension Lilly.” I responded

“Where exactly is he Gregory, and why was my connection with him cut!” Lilly rebutted with a slight tinge of anger imbedded in her silky sweet voice that echoed throughout the desolate void.

“I merely gave him a boon sister, I made sure he would survive his predicament. It shouldn’t have severed his connection to you.” I replied as I tried to dance around her question while giving it a half answer.

Lilly’s foot started to tap the floor again and the plants started to grow, shaking the void itself.

“Where is he? Do not make me ask again Gregory, you remember the last time you pulled a stunt like this?” Lilly asked me again.

Shivers ran down my nonexistent spine.

“A world called Arediaia. In a Dimension, the Universal Laws have no control over…”I spat out as quickly as I could.

“hmm, show me,” Lilly stated

“Fine, you sure are being a bad parent showing favoritism like this,” I said trying to get her attention away from me.

“I am not a bad parent nor am I showing favoritism. I would do the same for any of my children if they were stolen away from me, then had their connection severed from me by you.” She coldly stated staring into my eyes.

“Let us go then, I’m sure you know, we cannot stay long once we get to your kidnapped child, we must use ether to manifest our non-corporeal bodies within the world and for some reason it rejects ether, so we won’t have long once we get there….” I replied

She merely continues tapping her foot and looked at me suggesting to me that I should have already gone to show her the way…