80 (The Horned One) 1
The sphere of green light rushed straight in Michael's direction like a speeding train. Uprooting the black layers of burnt earth beneath with the sheer amount of momentum, while piercing through whatever impure towers of smoke that appeared in its wake.
The soundless wind that previously filled the wasteland howled in distress as the atmosphere grew more turbulent. Loading the trembling space with a single, frenzied hurricane of air and earth that became increasingly more unstable, until the luminous pillar of vitality finally slammed into Michael's position.
A flash of light boomed out the immediate impact was made. However, it gradually scattered like the rays of a setting sun. Revealing the culprit.
Behind this dispersing fog of grassy, green light, the figure of a muscular man thrusting forth a hardwood spear appeared. His robust frame was covered in a skin-tight robe made from some sort of animal hide. Hiding most of his face behind a hood, while covering the rest like another set of skin.
His body emitted an air of virtue, yet the pair of shiny, green eyes that twinkled behind his facial shadow burnt with a blaze of blind worship and determination. One that synchronized with the steady traits of his armor.
"To strike first is to win. And so, my lord, I have won for you." The hunter steadily grunted as he prepared to retract the extended spear alongside his spoils.
However, as he tried to draw back the weapon, his green eyes widened further up while a sense of great surprise washed over his mind. Leaving the hunter gazing down at the fading curtain of light that stood in his way.
Before him, a kneeling abnormity appeared. It had a tender face resembling one belonging to a sickly child. With pale skin identical to snow, lips as black as a marsh, and eyes shut closed like locks.
Yet despite the lifeless expression that would bring out the pity in the hearts of most, the rest of its physical form steered off from this innocence.
Its nightmarish body possessed a haunting and slender physique that matched an undead's. Contra to the rough, dark pelt covering its figure which gave off an unbreakable aura.
The hunter's eyes gleamed at the sight. However, his gaze continued to wander towards one of the creature's outstretched arms, as it reached over to the edge of his weapon. Having wrapped the spear tip between its boney fingers.
"Hmph." The hunter gave of an intrigued grunt as his green irises grew brighter. Sending more power through his weapon like one would with electricity through a copper wire.
The upper part of the spear started taking on a greenish hue as it was loaded with pure essence. Causing the sleeping beast's locked hand to tremble while green steam seethed out from the cracks between its fingers.
The cleansed air slowly began to get contaminated by a charred scent. Causing the hunter to frown from beneath his hood. However, this was not from the distasteful aroma, but from a heavy feeling which drew his attention.
His eyes flickered away from the spear tip. Charging towards the source of his internal disconcert.
However, when the gloating look halted, his frown turned dull. Being replaced by an alert stare.
The creature had opened its. Pointing its haunting glare straight at him like an undead hawk waiting to strike. Causing the hunter to stare in bewilderment at what now laid bare.
It was the eyes it held, no, the void fields inside them that locked him in place. Containing within only two yellow stars that shone with a ray of malice.
An intense sense of danger welled up in the hunter's heart. Extinguishing his growing interest and fueling his body with immense power.
The muscles in his arms and back started bulging like stretching tires while his joints turned to springs. Preparing to dismember the foe before him!
However, as the energy of nature coursed through the hunter's veins, he felt something amiss.
It was a sensation of powerlessness that started filling his body. Unceasingly slithering through him like a chilling jolt that eventually slammed against his brain.
His vision then started to rapidly dissipate. Causing the glaring image of the prey before him to wane alongside the color of his skin.
The hunter tried to pull himself together. However, the moment he attempted to swing his body at the beast, it's silhouette crackled like a ghostly whip in his ears. Instantly disappearing.
A blunt force then banged into his face while several sharp objects tore through his flesh. Ripping apart his face with an unrestrained slash, before sending his frame away into the distance like a ragdoll. Leaving the hunter's dimming eyes to ponder about what this shivering feeling in his body was.
It was almost like...
Almost like the blood in his body had stopped moving...
...
Michael pulled back his claw as he watching the draped man crash a distance away. Releasing the stale air in his lungs through a heavy exhalation.
"Who the hell was that..?" Michael whispered as he drew forth a new breath. His eyes narrowing down at fading notifications in the corner of his eyes.
---
Innate Ability Activated: Blood Control
Skill Activated: Necrotic Venom
---
Michael's eyes sharpened as he gazed past them. Zooming onto the black nails on the ends on his boney, white fingers.
An uneven web of yellow veins had etched themselves on over the nails. Seemingly having grown out from the nail-root like vines. Pumping some sort of liquid into the pointy ends.
After his quick glance, Michael then switched his gaze back at the unmoving body in the distance. Observing the carcass of his enemy.
Through his sharp ears, the wheezes of melting flesh resounded. While through his eyes, a rising trail of dark smoke reflected from the man's now blurry face.
"The new skills seem to work pretty well. But besides that, my physical strength has definetetl.."-
However, as Michael praised his increase in strength, a head-splitting pain suddenly assaulted him. It originates from the center of his brain.
-"AAGHH!!" Michael painfully screamed out as he clutched his head between his sickly fingers. Momentarily unable to do anything but hear the system's voice echo.
---
Warning!!! The host's energy is almost depleted! Please refrain from activating any skills and abilities!
---
As Michael heard the notification ring alongside the torturous hammerings, he slowly lowered his trembling hands from his head. Burning their image in his brain.
He then clenched them as hard as he could. Stretching every muscle fiber, nay, every cell which made up his being like a rope. Sensing all changes made as he moved.
Although a feeling of unlimited physical strength pump through his soft and skeletal tissue like an unending tempest, he felt like an ever-expanding dessert without any life.
"It must be because of my cell's ability to create and store energy is crippled. Sh*t! Although I can only rely on the chaos core to produce power for my skills and abilities, I should try to find a way to regain naturally generated energy fast."
The painful bangs then slowly ceased. Granting Michael's room to think.
"However, my stamina should substitute for the natural energy within my body. After all, didn't they fuse together?
"No, that isn't right.
"A nuclei core generates stamina and strength, while a magic core produces energy. They can help one gain power, but shouldn't be able to substitute it entirely.
"But my energy is crippled. So to compensate, the abstruse core, or rather, my chaos core converts my already existing stamina and the energy it naturally creates as a medium. Utilizing them to generate a compound that grants me both endurance and energy.
"So in a sense, my natural stamina and crippled energy is replaced by that compound entirely. It's similar to a reactor powering my body."
Realization dawned upon him as the yellow dots in his eyes grew brighter.
"If I can fix this inconvenience, I wonder what kind of outcome I could produce?"
The warmth of realization molded itself to determination. Making him turn towards the horizon.
However, just as quickly as he turned away, Michael's head swung back. Aiming towards a body in the distance.
The previously unmoving corpse started giving off a faint radiance of green light. Filling the prison-like wasteland with a current of vitality.
It then stood up from the ground like an undead. Exposing the necrotic mass of flesh that covered the face alongside the halo of toxic smoke which seeped out from the wounds.
The brilliant glow then grew brighter. Covering the man's body like a curtain.
Michael strained his eyes as he tried to probe beneath the light robe while trying to make his energy recover faster. However, before he could make any discoveries, it eventually dimmed. Showing the man again.
The hunter had lost all traces of damage to his body. His middle-aged face regaining some youthful features together with a thin, brown beard and some small wrinkles that stood out below his hood.
But as Michael stared, the hunter packed in the armor of brown, skin-tight fur furrowed his brows. Turning his wrinkles into sharp crevises that aligned with the being before him.
"An unmatched hide which blends with the dusk, nightly lips that seal man-eating spikes, nails that resemble an impaler's spear, a tender face made to blend in with the masses and eyes that glow with malice. Beastking, you are far from home." The hunter angrily barked with his deep voice as he found the creature which matched Michael's appearance.
Michael frowned. The boney, white skin on his face twitching from surprise.
"Who are you? And why did you attack me?"
The dark crevises on the hunter's face eased as he heard the beastking speak. Seemingly remembering something of great importance.
"The horned rose..." The hunter's eyes flashed with a shadow of purpose and greed. His pupils expanding as they focused on Michael's haunting body.
"Give it to me."
Michael's face regained its usual, apathetic look. Oozing out with a chilling aura as his mind replayed the event when the rose had fused into his pulsar deers' bloodline.
'Dammit, this shi**y flower again."
"What do you want with it?"
The hunter's wide pupils expanded once again. Almost filling up the entire space within his eye sockets while reflecting Michael's figure in them.
His breathing then began to accelerate. Pumping air in and out of his body like a cooler would with an overheating engine.
"It is in your body...?" The hunter muttered. Stunned for a brief moment as the black dots in his eyes trembled.
An unstable air started to flow out from his body. Pushing against Michael's frame like the water inside an unstable dam.
'It seems running was never an option.'
"We can talk about this?" Michael retorted back at his statement while his body stayed unmoving against the wind. Wanting to find a way to stall for some more time for his energy to ammas.
Sadly, his efforts were in vain as the hunter's pupils popped like balloons. Dyeing the pair of green eyes inky black.
"HERESY!!!!" The hunter screamed out as his face contorted into a deranged grimace. The wind that shot from his body turned into the familiar glow while a hardwood spear materialized in his hand. The majestic weapon cocked back behind his back like a club.
The hunter's glow then faded. Creating a lingering silence that swam across the black dessert of smoke, ash, and some minor vegetation grown beneath his radiance.
"HAAAA!!!!" However, that silence only lasted for a single breath as he wrathfully roared. Thrusting his bulging body at the beastking clad in his dark mantle.
The mound of muscle flashed past the terrain like an enchanted cannonball with a dull whistle. Ruthlessly slamming into Michael's unmoving body.
The strike was akin to a train hitting a stag. Propelling Michael away with a banging howl. Sending him into the ashy ground a distance away.
A brittle haze was thrown up in the spot Michael landed. Covering it.
The hunters' eyes gleamed when he saw that the beast did not counter-attack. Jumping into the earthbound cloud and giving off a loud snort that made it disperse.
From within the polluted haze, a pit had formed where the beastking laid. Its eyes once more closed.
"It seems you have no more energy left after fighting those forsaken half-breeds..." The hunter noted as he looked at Michael's body. Some pity radiating from his pure, black eyes.
"But that only makes this soo much easier." However, this pity rapidly faded. Being replaced by a cold aura of fatality as the hunter lifted the spear above his head.
His armored figure then bulged as the muscles beneath the leathery layer swelled to the absolute limit.
"NOW DIE!!" The hunter screamed as the skin on his face turned red from the strain. His entire body beginning to shake from the pressure, until the switches in his brain were flipped!
The spear then descended like a falling glacier. Slashing through the fabric of reality like a brilliant ray, yet hitting with the might of a wild bomb. Sparking up an ash storm as it cleanly struck Michael's body.
The scorched earth trembled as the force sailed through the land. Making it splinter all over from the residual seismic waves with black smoke spewing from the cracks.
Yet from amidst the earth's shrill, a bewildered scream belonging to the hunter arouse.
"WHAT?!"
His body was then propelled across the terrain like a wheel. Both legs were mangled together like two ropes while his entire upper body was submerged in a cluster of necrotic spores. Devouring his flesh like starved piranhas.
As for Michael, he slowly walked out from behind the curtain of soil with heavy steps. His slender figure clad in a centipedes' exoskeleton while his eyes were locked within two shells of black glass. Containing within two, amber lights.
Michaels' back was hunched, and his breathing appeared noticeably more difficult.
He was fatigued to the point of complete exhaustion. Only able to move his eyes over the left arm where the flexible, brown carapace was severely cracked.
'Transforming takes the least amount of energy...' Michael thought as he shifted his gaze again.
The necrotic death cloud that was supposed to turn his opponent into fertilizer was currently being destroyed by a web of green light.
'However, at this rate...-'
The organic smog then burst apart while the hunter advanced towards him once more. His naked upper body, brown beard, rippling muscles and shoulder-length brown hair marching against the brewing draft like an ancient deity.
Michael watched his every step. However, what drew his attention was the hunter's beard, which now contained some sickly, pale patches.
'-..I only have five chances left...'
...
