"Filthy!"
Miguel said the word but something unexpected happened. He could hear the word in his mind, he could move his lips to pronounce the word itself but the word did not vibrate through the vocal cords.
"What's this?!" Said the startled Miguel.
In this darkened place, he raised his hand to touch his throat. Leaving the skeleton with sagging skin sink in the water. Miguel could care less about the beast-man's remains, checking the sufficiency of one's own body is clearly more important.
As that hand was raised, something else was noticed by this awakened man. His skin glistened, he knew the power of this glistening skin. In fact, that was the power granted from the symbol on his back, the mark of Minerva. From what he remembered, that power was called 'Water Veil'.
So as long as Miguel was in contact with water a thin layer of that clear liquid would cover his person. Not only had Water Veil have the ability to reduce damage but also increased stamina. In a battle of attrition, as long as Miguel stayed in the water he will always have the advantage. Unfortunately that was all that Miguel knew about the mark of Minerva.
The active ability from the mark of Minerva was not the only thing he had noticed. On the wrist of his left arm, rested the rusted bracelet. The difference was that it was not rusted anymore. Actually, it looked like a newly crafted accessory. The bracelet had a runic design that lit up in violet light, even the black jewel would occasionally light up with violet color before turning black again. This was fascinating.
"Too fascinating!"
Miguel was really intrigued by the circumstances he was put in but he left all these complex situations aside and began focusing on the problem with his speaking.
PLOP!!!
In the meantime, a girl with pointy ears slipped right through a white misty platform. Her head popped out of the water she fell in and immediately she covered her mouth with her hands.
She didn't want to attract the attention of the monster that came out of the water. After seeing him, the beast kin that chased after her, turn into calcium and skin... the sight was frightening, really frightening. What would happen if the monster came after her?
Yet the cloud bed didn't share the swamp chief's daughter's sentiments. It was a sentient being after all but was carrying a different kind of mood. The cloud rose above the body of water, it appeared as if it was shrinking. Turning smaller and smaller, the cloud platform transformed to a circular shape like that of a football.
Two globes of water surfaced on the cloud ball, not far apart from each other the balls of water looked like eyes on a face. Combine that with the reflection of the elf girl's glowing hair, those eyes appeared very adorable.
Soon another pair of fluffy circular objects appeared under the eyes with an impression of a line connecting them. The cloud being was actually pouting! It seemed to be trying to say, "How dare you piss on me!"
Unfortunately, the pouting cloud entity went ignored.
"Aaaargh... haa... haa... Blergh!!!"
That was Miguel, he walked out of the water but as soon as he did that a cascading pain emanating from his chest took over. Clutching his upper body he fell to his knees. He looked sick with a face ready to throw up. Then he did!
Water... water pushed out from his body, Miguel could feel the lungs in his chest squeeze itself tight. The water that had been in lungs got vomited, exiting from his mouth and holes from his nose.
When he was done, Miguel still did not stand up afterwards. Severe pain still invaded his chest like a plague.
"Do something... do something..."
Miguel could only think about that in his suffering. Again his body that had just awakened did what it did before, but what?
Like before, his body started to absorb. What was he absorbing now?
Unlike before, when he couldn't absorb the energy from the two entities who are somehow followers of Minerva. This time when they are the only ones producing life energy he can now drain as much as possible to heal himself. The pain in his chest began ease and his ears started to hear the heavy breathing in his voice.
Miguel didn't have to drain their life to save himself this time, he took what he needed. It went unnoticed that the hair on the petite girls head had dimmed more than it was before. Before their eyes the monster forced himself to stand once again.
"I... can... talk... talk again."
Miguel finally said his first words after waking up. Feeling at ease with himself he started to contemplate what had happened.
"Most surely I died before hitting the water. Otherwise there is no other way for water to enter my lungs. Water Veil must have kick started after I woke up."
Since he was better now and more comfortable with himself, Miguel decided to exit this godforsaken place. He also learned about another point of his new power.
"This power of mine, by default it won't cause any harm to followers of Minerva. On the hand it is only a default, I can drain them if I force it to."
Miguel started to head out looking for a way to climb out of the ravine he was forced to sleep in then along his stride he felt the threat of this place. Normal persons would not know the type of aura that was in this abyss, not even Miguel if it was before. But now, Miguel can sense and absorb energy. He could feel the energy in darkness, an aura of death, a deadly energy causing the life in the surroundings to decay.
"I must leave this place as fast as possible or I'll really end up dead for sure."
Miguel thought with some urgency, if he stayed here any longer the aura of would reduce his lifespan. This aura, energy, was not something he could absorb. Thus, it was an alarm telling him to escape.
"HEY!! Girl and thing, we must leave immediately or your lives will rot away in here." Miguel called to the elf girl and the cloud ball.
He turned away from them and proceeded to get as far away from this place as possible. The small elven girl and her companion were told to leave, Miguel was not going to force them, he did his bit for Minerva's sake. Their lives are in their own hands now.....
Miguel treaded cautiously but in no way was he slow. He was searching for a path that will lead him higher and higher, he did manage to climb to a higher platform unfortunately, it was still tough.
"What's that?!" Miguel questioned, the essence of life was picked up by his unorthodox ability. Then that became the direction he headed for.
Not far away both the elf girl and the cloud named Cloud reluctantly followed. They also desired to leave this darkness, especially the swamp chief's daughter. She had a lot to worry about. Just like she was in danger, her companions that lead her to escape the ambush were in more danger.
An orange light could be seen in the distance and Miguel was heading for it, There was only two things that came to mind when thinking about who may have lit the torch for that light.
"Either a friend of the girl or the friend of the beast-man."
Quickly, he approached hoping he won't find more trouble.
"Who are you?"
The man with a human face but beast like features asked, seeing someone in the ravine scared him. The beast kin drew his weapon weary of the man that was coming towards him. Little did he realize that his life was already getting sucked away.
"Sorry for disturbing you, do you know the way out of this place by any chance?"
Miguel asked in the most polite way he could think of, instead he met with a beast-man's attack. It was just as he thought. This man was connected with the beast kin he killed earlier. That would mean his after the girl that followed behind him also.
Miguel maneuvered that body of his to a horse stance, dodging the slash from the assailant's sword. The blade flew over his head, horizontally. Again the assailant's swiped his sword back to his target only to miss again.
Miguel jumped back... He jumped way back. A lot more further than humanely possible. It was like his legs had springs in it.
"Not bad, Miguel. Not bad. Strength is not only in my arms but my legs too."
Miguel dashed forward. This time he was going to test his strength. The last time he drained the life out of the guy.
He came right before the kin of beasts. There to receive his welcome was another ferocious attack from the sword.
With a powerful leap from his strong legs, Miguel managed to jump over his opponent. Landing behind the enemy, Miguel started his execution.
Literally, Miguel turned to face the back of the beast kin. He placed one hand on the beast-man's shoulder in order to prevent any sudden movements, at the same time he drew a fist back preparing to launch it at any given moment.
"LET GO OFF MEEEE!!!"
BANG!!!
A monstrous punch shot into the beast kin's back and right through, out of the victim's chest.
"Woah!"
Miguel almost stumbled over the use of his strength.
The beast-man's haphazard death showed great suffering on his facial expressions.
Miguel pulled his hand out, he was surprised at how easy it was for his fist to pierce through the other's body. It was a beast-man after all. He said, "Too strong... so another one falls by my hands."