「Skill 'Instinct' is urgently warning you」
A terrible foreboding once again crept up my spine, chilling it to the point of freezing. It was like my whole body, mind, and soul was trying to inform me of something important, but lack no way to warn me other than an urgent message and a cold chill to the spine.
I rush with all I have, using Quick Step and Reinforcement, even Mana Burst and my new spell, Flame Burst to burst forward with as much speed as I can muster.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you of the condition of your body」
「Further overburdening of your body could be fatal」
「Rest is advised
With my new evolution came the improved proficiency of my skills and attributes, thus increasing the amount of information my skill, Instinct could gleam, along with a few extra tidbits of information and advice. It also heightened my perceptive range and the effective range of my skill.
Even now, I could feel my stats skills, and attributes working to keep in the right track, sending me to wherever I need to go as the warnings continued to inundate my already hazy and confused mind.
「Skill 'Instinct' is urgently warning you」
「Skill 'Instinct' is urgently warning you」
「Your body is in critical condition」
I round by another corner, guided by my instincts. The more I neared my unknown destination, the more the messages often the warnings came.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
…?!
*BOOM*
A loud explosion, along with a torrent of water attribute mana almost made me kneel and retch on the spot. If it wasn't for the urgent need to move forwards, I probably would have already collapsed.
And so, I took a step forward.
Forcing heat into my body, I pushed on, letting the tidal wave of blue particles rip my skin and scratch my clothes.
「Skill 'Tenacity' is activating」
「All defensive skills and spells have been enhanced partially」
My mind seemed to ignore pain altogether as the mana inside of me clung to my skin, muscles, and blood vessels even more, giving as much protection while leaving enough room for me to move.
Using my arm to shield my face, I let it take the brunt of the flood of volatile mana, sparing vision just enough to look on ahead.
A minute passed and the warnings slowly died down, then disappeared entirely, like the lull sea after a storm.
Still, though, the sense of urgency never disappeared. In fact, it only grew stronger.
*thumpthumpthumpthumpthump*
My chest was beating a million miles per second, seemingly racing with light itself as my head throbbed and veins popped out of my neck and forehead. It felt like my mouth was about to vomit my heart out, along with everything it was connected to.
In fact, it may very well had been.
My mind was hazy, my steps felt like it belonged to someone else's. Everything felt so unreal and unfamiliar. It was like I was watching the events unfold before somebody else's eyes and ears, like the retelling of a mother's favorite story to her daughter.
It was a different perspective, a different view and a different version of the once beautiful story, enlightened by the nostalgic wonder of hearing for the same time.
I wish it was as easy as that.
The mist cleared, the world came into focus, and my head felt like it was being hammered from the inside as I witnessed the prone, mangled body of the witch in front of me.
She looked like a completely different person, an entirely different story. Her limbs had disappeared, and the one that did survive might as well hadn't been. Her silver was gone, replaced by a translucent green that glimmered, that acted more as a beacon than a symbol of beauty like it used to. Her beautiful face was entirely gone, damaged beyond recognition. Still, I knew it was her.
Her eyes…
The once blank, empty eyes that she wore with honor and pride was there, but changed in the worst way imaginable.
It was brilliant—amazing, even. Multiple shades of multiple colors blended perfectly inside of that once blank iris.
Did she…
At first, I thought of her as a whimsical person, free of all care and long-term worries that she needed to fulfill. However, as time passed, it turned out that wasn't the case.
She was more than that, much, much more.
I was a fool to not have noticed it sooner.
I scooped her up by her neck and what remained of her torso, holding her in my arms with the utmost care.
*plip*
A drop of blood seeped into my exposed foot, but I paid no mind to it. Doing so would only tarnish her name. I ignored the organs and flesh that fell off as well.
"Boy…" An ice-cold voice said somewhere somehow, but I paid no mind to it.
I have much more important things to do.
"Boy, put the girl down. She is beyond saving." The voice came closer, to the point where I could feel the heavy breaths of the enormous creature behind me.
I walked some more.
Home. I need to go home, if I do, then maybe I can do something—anything—for once in my life.
A shadow loomed in front of me, cast by the towering being about a feet away.
I lift my head up, taking in the sight of a blue, melancholic dragon. Then, I set my gaze down and began walking some more.
"…Boy, you know that is futile, foolish even. She...she's still alive, somehow." The blue dragon seemed uneasy, neurotic. "I don't know how, but she's still living. It might just be simple tenacity, or a special ability, possibly even a last-ditch spell that used involuntarily. Nevertheless, she is beyond mine and your capacity to recover. You'd need a god to be able to heal wounds that severe—if you can even call them that."
….?! A twitch of her remaining finger made my head spin instantly to her face. I hoped—expected, even, that the broken visage that was once her face was no more, gone to the wind. Depressingly, it was still there.
Nevertheless, I peered deep into her eyes, the beauty and radiance of it etched to my mind like photograph.
"… .. ….."
I moved my ear closer, doing my very absolute best to hear as much of her voice as possible.
"W-wha…" Her voice was faint, unrecognizable, even. Still I knew it was hers.
"W-w-w-wha…" She trailed off, and for a second I feared she might never come back. But then she did, and for a second I felt the world turn for the better.
Then reality sunk in, along with depression.
"Wha…w-what is…your….name…?" Her voice was faint, so faint and soft, like it was barely there.
「You have inherited the attribute 'Seeker of Truths'」
「You have inherited the skill 'Spiritual Bonding' Lv.11(+10)」
「You have inherited a fragment of the spell 'Vær så Snill'」
I flash her the brightest smile I could muster.
"My name?" I spoke aloud for the first time ever, doing my very best to be cheery despite the constant stream of tears flowing down my face.
"My name is Luck...it's nice to finally meet you."
She gave me the most beautiful smile I have ever seen.
"What's yours?"