Chapter 16: Boss

As the shadow grew larger and larger over me, I wondered, was he going to attack me? Was I going to kill him?

I didn't want to kill him; I had just gotten to know him. But if it came to it, I would prefer to take a life than lose mine.

I would crush his throat, I would put him out of his misery. If it came to it, I would murder. I inhaled and exhaled. I didn't want to kill him, and no alert sounded in my head. But maybe he had the skill to bypass that.

Immediately, I readied my skills. Internal destruction was prepared; I just needed one hit. And he would be dead.

"Hey, old man, catch!"

A piece of animal clothing was thrown at me. It was in bad condition, with holes everywhere. I smiled deep down without showing it. I didn't have to take another kid's life.

I sighed in relief.

I caught the animal skin and wrapped it around my waist.

"Hey, kid, the name's Conor."

"Like Conor McGregor?!" he shouted with enthusiasm. People always said that when I told them my name.

I smiled at his antics. Jacob started to lead, the smile on his face gone. What a cautious young man.

His red eyes glowed in the surroundings. We walked for a while, though I didn't know how long. The silence was something I was too used to.

We stopped at a gate, a massive giant that reached the ceiling. It was made out of something metallic, with fire crystals sticking out of it. It glowed. There was writing on it. Somehow, I could read:

"The everlasting flame."

That was an interesting phrase.

"Hey, old man."

"Yes," I answered without looking at him. All my attention was on the door. It looked like I had to push the door to open it. It seemed heavy.

"Make sure to have my back. I don't want to be backstabbed. I lied to you before," he said while looking at the door.

"I didn't leave them; they left me behind. They said they would come back, but they didn't. I know I have my aggressive tendencies, but I'm not a bad person," Jacob said in a sad tone.

"Kid, we are all monsters. How do you think I survived this life? I'm a murderer, without any remorse. Just don't die on me, and when you need my help, just call."

He smiled as I pushed on the door. It was quite heavy. Veins appeared on my arm. I didn't use essence; I wanted to test my attributes. At first, the door didn't move. While I struggled, there was a bang, and it creaked as it opened inward.

A massive wave of fire hit us. Immediately, I surrounded myself with essence. The kid covered himself with flame. His hands and feet turned black. He was entering a state.

We entered the room like we owned it. A massive hundred-foot monster stood in the center, wielding four arms: one holding a shield, another a sword, a third a wand, and the last a circular disk with fire in the center.

Boss: Health 100

(Monster picture here)

It had four horns on its head and was even taller than the ogres, reaching the height of ancient trees. It laughed at us.

It lifted its sword and brought it down, destroying the red concrete floor. Bang! The sound of metal and concrete screaming across the room. I jumped to the right while Jacob moved to the left.

Jacob created a fire missile that flew at the monster. It raised its shield. Bang! My fist collided with its sword.

This guy was fast. It reacted just in time to protect its ankle. With a quick step, I spun around its legs. It raised its wand, and fire started to fall from the sky, covering everywhere

I willed essence to cover my body. I tried to dodge, but fire was everywhere. Its skill was a guaranteed hit skill, fire burned through my essence amour.

Bang! The monster attacked where I was with its sword. An alert saved my life. I rolled to my left, then ducked under its sword. It slammed its shield into the ground, I ttacked with internal destruction.

My skill, internal destruction, was nullified. Shockwaves covered the shield. 

That gave Jacob the moment he needed to close the distance between him and the monster. But the monster created a fire spear bigger than anything I had ever seen. It hit Jacob, sending him flying.

"Conor," I heard my name. I looked up and understood Jacob's plan.

"Do it," I shouted. A wave of heat fell down. With phase, a dark cloud surrounded me. I phased through its attack, and the monster staggered backward.

Health 95.

I looked at the message in surprise. Just five points? You're telling me something that could have taken at least 30 percent of my health only took five of his?

I arrived at Jacob's side and pulled him with me. "How many times can you perform that skill?"

"About five times," he said, trying to catch his breath.

"Melted rocks," the monster said. The floor started to release steam and break apart. It became a sea of lava. I covered my feet with essence and stood in the lava.

"Hey kid, you see the flame? I think it's the eternal flame. You need to destroy it or absorb it. Your attacks can't do anything, because it's made out of fire"

I dropped the kid and blasted myself toward the monster. I willed my energy death mana, I dodged its incoming attacks for a couple of seconds,My hand turned darker black. With quick step, I arrived on top of the monster's hand, I touched the monster's hand that held the eternal flame. It screamed out.

Its hand started to turn black. Bang! It collided with the ground, it cut his own hand off. But the unexpected happened. Its severed hand, with the eternal flame, caught fire and turned to dust. It regrew on its body, and the eternal flame reappeared.

 I cancelled my skill, essence absorption. I could feel the amount of energy my body held. It was ridiculous. The skill broke common sense. It bypassed any logic I had up to this moment.

I closed the distance between me and the monster. I pushed essence outward. It covered my body. My fist and its shield collided. The shield dug into the ground. I ran up it.

Alert.

As I reached the top, it swung its sword over the shield. I pushed myself off with essence. Bang! I was hit with a point-blank spear made out of fire that tore through my essence armour.

The spear dug into my chest armour, which cracked upon impact. Bang! I landed in the wall surrounding us, creating a human-sized dent.

Alert. I flew out like a meteor. Boom. Another spear collided with the wall, causing the cave to vibrate.

Health, 90.

My outer skin was burnt through, red and raw. I ripped the chest armour off fully now and threw it to the ground. I quite liked it.

Jacob was keeping the fire monster busy by fighting for control of the eternal essence, but he was at a disadvantage, dodging its sword and fire attacks.

I was waiting, circling him like a wolf circling its prey. The moment it attacked with its sword, I caught it with internal damage and fatal touch. My arm turned pink.

Its sword turned pick too and started to crumble, but my skill was backfiring on me. My fingers began to disappear. With a quick step and phase, its attack went right through me. I was right in front of him.

I got you now, bitch. Bang! It was sent flying into the cave, bleeding.

Internal destruction

Everything around us shook.

I landed on the ground, creating a crater. I walked out of the crater and saw Jacob on one knee, fighting for control of the eternal flame. He was struggling, sweat dripping down his face.

But he was smiling. I liked that. In the face of death, a warrior should smile and accept his calling.

Boss: health 70.

That attack should have killed it.

A wave of fire spears flew at Jacob. They were fast, it was over there and now it's right in front of Jacob, ready to kill him.

This monster didn't know me. With a quick step and essence, I closed the distance and kicked the spear away. My legs could have disappeared, but my attributes were high.

"I did it," I heard. That was the best news I'd heard in a while.

I turned around and smiled. The flame the monster had in its hand, was gone. Each step I took made the monster tremble. I walked on its body, feeling the steam and the fear.

I looked it in the eyes. Its eyes held an undying flame. I pointed a finger at its forehead, creating a black ball in front of it, and channelled internal destruction. The ball turned pink.

It was right in front of its face. And It didn't say anything. I think it wanted to, but something didn't let it, so it laughed.

"Authors note"

I will be adding pictures from now on, that are made from AI... It will add a visual perspective to the story.