fighting a demon (chapter 11)

A/N double chapters in 3 fanfics!!!!

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"And I also have to find other extraordinary materials, preferably if there is one that can help in increasing my spiritual force," he sighed at the uncertainty of the situation. The atmosphere outside the bus was a mix of urban scents, from exhaust fumes to the distant aroma of street food. The temperature, while moderate, carried a hint of chill in the air, a reminder of the changing season.

"But before that, I need to guarantee my safety, especially the physical aspect, as I can't rely solely on my magical items. It's always best to have multiple ways out." After he disembarked from the bus, the pavement felt cool beneath his shoes as he began to walk. The city sounds surrounded him, a symphony of distant traffic and occasional pedestrian chatter.

"I also need to craft a full-body armor littered with runes before I can even attempt to travel to different worlds like the gem world." His mind immediately conjured an image of himself in a majestic red armor adorned with intricate runes. "I also need to prepare a rune that brings me back from the dead or at least transfers my soul to a safe place just in case I die." However, the thought of dying meaninglessly never crossed his mind as he took a deep breath.

"Let's not dwell on dying but preparing for it is not a bad idea." As he stood in front of the shop, he continued his mental checklist. "I also have to manage the shop; it's a source where I can buy antiques from those willing to sell them." Upon entering the shop, the air held a faint scent of old wood and faint rust. Dust particles floated in the rays of sunlight streaming through the windows.

"I also need to fortify the new house, create a secret compartment for storage so that I can put every item I create there. Since I am not giving the most useless item to anybody, anything I create would be mine and mine alone." A brief flash of possessiveness appeared on his face before he shook his head, heading for the kitchen.

Only for him to pause at the door, his hand on the doorknob, as an idea flashed through his head. "Maybe I could carve a rune that would link one door to another, allowing me to travel between them," he mused to himself, a spark of excitement in his eyes before he entered the kitchen.

A/N hhhhhhh

-scene change-

Sitting at the cashier's table, Ted was engrossed in the latest news of the JLA, a book open in front of him as the video played on his phone. Outside, the ambient sounds of the city merged with the muffled hum of conversations within the antique shop. The air inside carried a mix of scents—aged paper, old wood, and a faint whiff of forgotten treasures.

"Another alien invasion," he sighed, watching the seven figures on the screen. Batman, Black Canary, and Killer Frost were recognizable among them. Ted's eyes narrowed as he observed a man in a red and black suit, unusually small in size, standing on Killer Frost's shoulders. A large, well-built figure in a punk-style outfit with ash-gray skin and a cigar stood nearby. "Lobo, right? Doesn't he always fight Superman or something?" Ted mused, appreciating the distinctive style of the main man.

Another figure floated in the air surrounded by a yellow hue of energy, and a black woman with short black hair, dressed in a yellow costume and adorned with a bone necklace, completed the ensemble. "Vixen, she seems to have powers related to animals but not shape-shifting like Beast Boy from the Teen Titans," Ted pondered. A sudden realization hit him: "Huh, wouldn't that actually solve my physical power problem?" He envisioned himself transforming into different animals, a solution that excited him.

"Yeah, that would definitely help," he thought, his mind already racing with ideas. Suppressing his eagerness, he acknowledged the reality that he was still in the shop during daylight. "I should go and buy a book so that I can write down my runic ideas before I forget them," he sighed, returning his attention to the book.

The next day, early in the morning, Ted sat in a lotus position. His sudden awakening startled him, and blood trickled from his mouth, nose, and ears. Panicking, he clutched the wooden necklace on his neck, emitting a green hue of energy that restored his complexion, but the necklace's durability dropped to 51. "Looks like I'll have to carve another Nature's Embrace rune again," Ted thought as he got up, the room's temperature carrying a hint of coolness.

After a quick breakfast, he changed into different clothes. Today was different; he wasn't opening the shop. Exiting through the back, he hailed a taxi cab. The city's atmosphere felt charged with the anticipation of a new day as Ted pondered his recent rune-carving failure.

"Maybe taking the form of an animal is too much," he considered, exhaling. "I should relax a bit about the intention. If my intention is too complex, while I am not too specific, meaning that the words that are written are too few, it seems to increase the chances of failure," he continued to ponder. Realizing the cab was heading the wrong way, he called the driver, shifting his gaze to the city's less savory neighborhoods.

"The shooting range is the other way," Ted pointed out, sensing something amiss. The atmosphere turned tense as they drove through a decrepit part of the city. "Hey, are you listening?" he asked the driver, who remained silent. The temperature seemed to drop, and Ted's grip on his ring tightened as he noticed the driver's supernatural flexibility.

"Are you sure?" the driver, now with dark eyes and red irises, said with an unsettling smile. Ted, realizing the danger, exclaimed, "Too little space!" before jumping out of the cab, scraping his skin against jagged rocks. The cab stopped, and the driver emerged, his limbs distorting unnaturally.

"Where are you going? We were just getting along," the driver said, his voice stretching inhumanly. Ted regretted not investing in a rune for seeing the true forms of beings. He muttered, "Ward," causing his crystal ring to glow, creating a semi-transparent force field. The demonic driver's arm, now in the shape of a sphere, was halted by the magical barrier.

"Ah, a magical artifact, interesting," the demon began to say, but before he could continue, Ted raised his arm, and the brass ring glowed, unleashing a sonic blast that sent the demon flying into the taxi. Spectral arrows followed, finding their mark on the demon's forehead. Ted stood there, holding a piece of twisted wood resembling a bent branch.

"I wasn't done, you fucker..." the demon yelled, removing the arrow from his forehead, which disappeared as the wound closed. "I am going to enjoy eating your heart out," the demon threatened, but Ted, exhaling and relaxing, was ready for what came next.