He looked past the shoulder of the blood wraith at the god's victorious expression. The sceptre still rested in his hand, the red jewel glowing ominously within.
Something about that jewel seemed strange, but errily familiar. Max let it out of his mind, he would have to focus on escaping as his form slowly crumbled.
Thea had told him he couldn't use his light magic in this state, but up until now, she had been the one guiding him, showing him the ropes, and basivaly telling him what to do. But it was his magic. She was just the system that came along with it.
Max faintly remembered what it was like to use his magic for the first time. The warmth, he had to find it now. Everything was bleak and cold, but he focused within. The power was his to command, he just had to reach in.
"Light speed", he thought.
And to the surprise of the blood wraith, Velda, even his system, Thea…
His form began to glow once more. Faster than the eye could blink, he warped forward, tearing through the grasp of the blood wraith, straight at Velda.
The dark god was probably the most surprised. All four of his eyes widened in shock as Max closed the distance in a millisecond, but faster than Max could even fathom, the god caught him by the throat and flung him to the ground with unrivalled force.
"You think your little tricks can work on me mortal? You may have found the light even in here, but you are miles away from having a chance at even touching me."
Max looked at him, a smile playing across his lips.
"Wasn't intending to."
He held up the red jewel. It throbbed with a dark energy now that it was free from the scepter.
Velda's eyes widened in shock as he discovered what had just happened.
"You little…"
If he had guessed it right, the escape was through the clock tower door. It was the starting point of everything, and presumably the end.
Max didn't wait for Velda to get any more bright ideas, he sped through the door, the black jewel still in his hand, and everything flashed white.
"Max!"
Max's eyes opened to Slavia's chanting and mumbling.
Dimitria was violently shaking him. The war-hardened look had long vanished from her face and was replaced with compassion, as if she suddenly realised that she was about to lose her kind.
Max and her were the only humans in sight after all.
"He's awake.", Dimitria exclaimed, and Slavia stopped her chanting. It seemed she was using some kind of healing magic, but judging from the pale look on her face,ax could tell nothing she did worked, and that she was just straining herself.
Without hesitation, she embraced him.
"I thought I lost you, human."
Max sat up, eyes groggy and unfocused. He had somehow managed to escape death three times in one day.
"What happened?"
"You've been out for three hours. The Dreadweaver battle took too much out of you. We saw you collapse, after the whole explosion".
Dimitria had reset to her usual self, and .ax knew he may never get to see that part of her again.
"Well, you're welcome for saving your lives."
"You certainly did Max. I already thought that was the end for us, but you did well for us, well, just the two of us for what its worth."
Slavia suddenly became sullen. Max had witnessed it, but he immediately realised that the seven man gang was already down to two. And that was just a C-rank Borna.
The A-rank blood wraith he'd met earlier was the most terrifying creature he'd faced. And even as he sat up, he noticed the black inky mass that soiled through his shirt at his chest region.
Even in the dream Scape, the blood wraith had left its mark.
"We'd have to get that checked out later." It was the first time Dimitria spoke in a while.
"You did good…Max. ". She called his name as if it was a bad taste in her mouth.
"We owe you quite a lot, and for what it's worth, you've earned your freedom."
"Well, thank you." Max didn't expect a pat on the back, but she mentioned his freedom as if he had won the lottery.
Slavia was the only one who looked as though she didn't want him to leave. She eyed Dimitria,but the leader's stern gaze didn't leave much to negotiation.
"But we'd still love to know what it is you were here about."
"Slavia!", Dimitria shot at her.
"No, it's fine.", Max said. He had already decided within him to tell them everything.
The people of Nitmera really weren't all thousand-eyeballed monsters like he had initially thought. He may be able to appeal to their humanity, or whatever part of them that had logic.
"I have something to tell you. Everything to tell you."
A while later, the two women still lay crouched by Max's side. Confusion spelled across their faces.
"I already had doubts about Velda, but I didn't think it went this far."
Slavia was the one who took the news terribly. Apparently, her elven race had even been ardent worshippers of the dark god. Her slender fingers dug through her luscious blue hair.
"But it doesn't make any sense. This is his world. Why would he condemn us?"
"Because he simply cares about world domination. He made that clear enough when he stormed my realm."
"We thought the rise of the Borna was a side effect of his absence but to think that he was the one who caused it." Dimitria cut in.
"Which is why I have to stop him. Something has to be done. And I want my revenge."
Something about Max had changed since the whole ordeal. He wasn't just in for his world, he had a personal score to settle.
The sick god loved games and scares. He was about to have one of his own. But Max knew that he was far from facing him again.
"Where were you taking me in the first place?" Max enquired.
"We actually planned on selling you for coin.", Dimitria answered without haste, and got a side eye from Slavia.
"But like I said, you have your freedom, even though this changes everything."
"I need to get to the city, Max exclaimed. The first shard is there."
Dimitria minced over his words.
"Alright you can tag along with us until we figure out what this whole business is about. Just do us a favour and put the light magic away for now."
This close, Max could see the warm brown eyes of a brown-skinned war torn woman. It had only been a day, but it felt like ages since he saw so much humanity within a person.
"Alright then."