Within the prison walls, chaos reigned supreme. People were fighting like frenzied ghouls. Bodies with cracked skulls were strewn across the hallways. One woman, her eyes bloodshot and wild, was rummaging through the brain of a fallen victim, tremors of ecstasy shaking her body, prominent veins on her neck throbbing as she savoured the gift of essence.
But the euphoria always faded. She sniffed the air, seeking more, and her gaze fell upon a guard. On all fours, she lunged at him, her nails snapping from the propelling force.
A gunshot blended into the chaos, and the woman collapsed, a gaping hole in her temple.
"You have absorbed the essence of a level 1 Human-[Common]. +0.1 Dexterity"
This marked the third level 1 crystal Soren had absorbed, and the first to enhance his physical stats. The previous two had boosted his Perception and Intelligence.
The harvest was lacking. Level 1 humans were scarce and dangerous, resisting like rabid animals. Thankfully, they were, without exemption, sluggish when compared to him. The skirmishes were effortless enough that he could replenish part of his Mana while walking and collecting their essences.
'Mana : 0.7/5.1'
Not all prey, though, was easy to dispose of. Some managed to maintain their sanity, leading to a waste of precious bullets. In those cases, Soren exploited their natural instincts.
Much like the one currently peeking around the corner, all these animals suffered from indecisiveness—torn between the tantalizing essence and their intuition to flee. The solution was always the same. Whether beast or man, everyone had a price. A tipping point where their desires outweighed their caution, and they cast aside their better judgment in pursuit of what they coveted most.
Soren let the bindle slip from his hand, scattering essences across the floor. Overcome with excitement, the creature abandoned its hiding spot, drooling and heaving as it consumed the crystals.
Its digestion completed swiftly, but Soren was displeased. Despite its feast, the creature continued to tremble; he offered it another crystal. The beast's mouth overflowed with saliva. Eyes empty and hollow, the moth flew into the flame, and the essence burst into smoke. By the end of it, the creature lay incoherent on the ground. The trigger pulled back.
"You have absorbed the essence of a level 1 Human-[Common]. +0.1 Wisdom"
Sowing seeds and reaping the fruit, Soren's stats surged alongside his Health and Mana.
"You have absorbed the essence of seven level 1 Humans-[Common]. +0.4 Intelligence, +0.2 Perception, +0.1 Vitality"
'Mana 3.7/5.1'
'Health 34.1/92'
Consciously focusing on recovery had a remarkable effect on Mana Regeneration. Though, Health ticked upward slowly, supported by his steady intake of ham and cheese sandwiches.
The chewing provided a welcome distraction from the unrelenting din of screams and gunfire. Confrontations were sporadic, the bodies abundant. There existed more appetizing views.
The unearthly screech of the shadowy lifeform feasting on flesh and crystal further worsened the atmosphere. Its featureless body shifted constantly, struggling to maintain a humanoid shape. Taking advantage of its distraction, Soren emptied half the magazine into its devilish form. The bullets tore through it, creating fleeting vacuums in the shadow as its flesh, pliable and insubstantial, mended the rifts like mist.
A hellish noise erupted as the monster charged forward, unscathed but infuriated. Flames flickered on Soren's palms, nearly extinguished by the deafening assault on his eardrums. Had he not absorbed those dual essences, he would have been dead. That experience enabled him to regain his composure just in time, the creature's gaping maw mere centimeters from his face.
A fireball soared upward, obliterating the beast's head. Plaster showered Soren. The monster's form dissipated into the shadows, its essence rattling against the concrete.
"You have absorbed the essence of a level 1 Umbral-[Common]. +0.1 Agility"
That was close—too close. Beads of sweat glittered down Soren's nape. Goblins were things he could understand—more human than not. They ate, desired, bled, and feared. This monstrosity, on the other hand, despite its human exterior, was an entity of darkness, entirely foreign to this world. Bullets did not scratch it, and only magical attacks inflicted permanent damage. Without {Manatouched}…
'Mana : 1.7/5.1'
Magic wasn't a reliable weapon at this point. His Mana capacity was inadequate to fight these things. Unarmed against alien, unfathomable existences, he… was unsure of himself.
Soren marveled at the forgotten feeling. The adrenaline. The blood flow. The tingles. He felt so… alive. He had forged himself into a warrior during these very moments.
"Come, come at ME," he growled, and the umbrals acquiesced, manifesting from the shadows.
Soren's hands ignited as he sidestepped an enemy from above and swiped at its companion. Four long gashes glowed on a black canvas; the shadow burned. It tried to bite down on his neck, but it was too sluggish. Soren ducked and grabbed its wrists, the fire finding purchase on the shadow. His feet planted into the ground, and he twisted his body, ignoring its painful protests as he threw one aberration into another. The umbral's body bisected in a blast of shadow as his burning companion flew through. It didn't slow down, its two halves reforming as it clawed at him. The strange sight caught Soren off guard. He might have gotten injured if the umbrals weren't such unskilled fighters.
Simplistic and predictable.
Flames spread to his forearms. This time, his hands did not pass through harmlessly. Whenever the creature touched him, fire climbed up its shadowy arms. One health point at a time, its life drained away.
Then, out of nowhere, the umbrals merged, and the shadow sprouted an extra set of arms. The attacks doubled. Coming from four different angles, they overwhelmed him. Soren shoved the blazing umbral back, creating distance. The creatures separated. One fused into the shadows, the other charged at him. Pain spread up his arms to his shoulders, but he kept blocking their attacks.
The flames intensified. A white line sliced the darkness apart. Divided diagonally, the umbral dispersed, but its companion took advantage of the smog, and attacked through the cover of its partner's remains.
Soren's back hit the floor as the creature mounted him. Frail and weak, its attacks failed to wound him, its body flaking to nothingness piece by piece. It had been burning for almost the entirety of the fight.
Soren plunged his fingers into the darkness, his muscles contracting with a defiant bellow as he severed the shadow in half, ending its misery. He panted, and gazed at the ceiling.
'Mana : 0.1/5.1'
"You have absorbed the essence of a level 1 Umbral-[Common]. +0.1 Perception"
"You have absorbed the essence of a level 1 Umbral-[Common]. +0.1 Agility"