Chapter 3: Escape!

"Oh, shit..."

The hulking monster started pacing towards me. Its size becoming more apparent the closer it got. Raising its arm, it swiped at me with its hand.

My legs had frozen until the last second, not allowing me to move until the monster almost had me in its clutches.

"Fuck!" I shouted, jumping through the air. My face slapped off the floor thanks to my clumsy landing. I didn't have much time to think about it as the monster was already reaching for me a second time.

This time I rolled out of the way, fumbling my sword as I tried to get ready to use. Quickly standing to my feet, I turned to face the clay giant taking a battle-ready position.

The clay golem roared swinging its giant arm, too fast for me to dodge. Its arm hit me hard, the force sending me flying across the tomb crashing into an unforgiving wall.

I gasped as my back slapped the surface hard, knocking the air from my lungs. Falling to the ground, I rolled onto my back, clutching my chest trying to recover my breath.

Turning my head, I could see the giant marching towards me. I reached for my sword, but it was too far only my fingertips brushing the handle unable to grasp it thoroughly. The clay golem scooped me from the ground like a rag doll. Squeezing my leg tight, letting me dangle in the air upside down, it lifted me so that my face was level with its own, looking me in the eye, giving a mighty roar. Suddenly it slammed my body off of the ground hard, swinging me through the air again and tossing me like a rag doll.

I landed and sprawled across the cold floor, covered in blood. The force had broken every bone in my body. I couldn't even lift a finger, I couldn't breathe, my vision had become blurry and my head was throbbing.

Pain... So much pain. Was that all my life had become? Just one big bundle of misery?

Through my blurred vision and bloodshot eyes, I could just about make out the clay golem walking towards me. This time no doubt it planned to finish me off for good.

My health bar was flashing violently, only a tiny smug off being empty. Even with my regeneration abilities, I couldn't see any way out of this mess.

"I can't die here..." I thought.

"Not yet..."

"...."

The clay golem now stood over me, raising its fist ready to crush me once and for all.

"Do you wish to survive so badly? Can you bear to endure more and more pain?" The demon lords voice spoke to me.

I was having a small flash of Déjà vu for some reason. But now wasn't the time to waste thinking about it. Now was the time to make a choice. Now. Was the time for survival.

"Yes..."

"I can't hear you."

"Yes! I want to live!" I screamed with all my might.

All of a sudden, a burst of power erupted within my body. I could feel all of the pain fade away in an instant as my body started healing itself rapidly. Moving faster than I ever thought possible, I dodged the attack of the golem. Its meaty hand slapping off the cold ground.

Sliding along the floor on all fours to halt my sudden burst of movement, I reached for my sword. The veins in my arms and shoulders bulged blood pumping into all of my muscles, allowing me to feel the increase in power all over my body.

I dashed forwards at the monster who was readying another attack. Planting my foot into the ground using as much force as I could muster, I jumped. I didn't quite realize just how much power I had used as I found myself almost flying through the air.

I was only just able to avoid the golems grasp as I sailed over its entire body crashing into the ground hard. Not wasting any time I rolled over and charged, this time placing the right amount of power into my leap.

With a heavy swing of my sword, I took a chunk out of the beast's right shoulder, landing on the floor hard my legs taking the full force without any complaint.

The beast clutched at its wound roaring as its meaty arm crashed to the ground. It turned to face me and didn't waste any time, swinging its clenched fist down with all of its might. The power flowing through my body was intoxicating. I felt invincible like nothing could harm me.

Moving to the side, I let the creature's fist slam into the ground shattering the floor as it made contact. Using its first as a step, I vaulted over onto its arm and started to run along it, the golem watching unable to do anything to swat me away.

I reached its shoulder, lifting my sword above my head.

"Take this!" I screamed as I poured as much power into my attack as possible. The veins and muscles growing larger as all of my energy flowed into them.

My sword cut through the golems head like hot butter, leaving no resistance whats so ever. The strike was so powerful it even caused the air pressure coming off of the strick to split the rock in the walls of the tomb.

The golem stood firm for but a moment before collapsing to the ground, its entire body splitting into two halves. I jumped off of its shoulder at the last second landing onto my hands and knee using the blade in my hand to help break the fall by stabbing it into the ground.

-Sound of the clay golem crashing to the floor-

I relaxed and could feel the power draining away from my body slowly, my veins and muscles returning to their regular size. I noticed that my mana bar was flashing red, running on empty. Taking a breath of air, I collapsed onto the ground exhausted. My entire body felt as if it were on fire. My muscles were aching, unable to move any longer.

"What was that?" I asked, knowing only one being that could explain what had just happened to me.

"That was the power of wrath." The demon lord spoke.

The flashback of my abilities displaying "Wrath." entered my mind.

"So that's what it does?"

"What it does. Is enhance your physical abilities depending on how much mana you pump into it. But as you can see, once your magic reserves get too low, you will become exhausted."

"So it's kind of like a double-edged sword then?" I said, thinking about its applications.

My mana was recovering at a steady rate, but it was certainly a lot slower than my regeneration.

"It is unquestionably a powerful ability..." I said as I wiped the sweat off my brow.

"I will have to be careful about how I use this power," I said, clenching my fist as my mana bar hit its halfway mark. Closing my eyes and focusing as hard as I could, I tried to activate the power once more, but to no avail.

"Why can't I use it?" I asked, confused.

"Did you really expect to master my powers after one use? Don't make me laugh little hero. It takes time and dedication to be able to use magic."

I could feel the throbbing pain that had been left in my muscles after using the skill fading away now, allowing me to move more freely. I slowly pulled myself up into a sitting position.

The thought had never crossed my mind. In the game, you could use magic with the click of a button. But this wasn't a game. This was real.

I slowly climbed to my feet, allowing my mind to take a break from overthinking for now. Turning, taking one last look at the clay golem, its hulking frame laying still in the dirt, reminding me of all the monsters and dangers this world was filled with.

I turned away, walking over to pick up my half-broken shield.

"I can't help but overhear your thoughts, little hero." The demon lord said.

"It's Lucian." I corrected.

"You keep referring to "this game" as you call it. I can't help but be curious as to why."

Looking at the state of the shield, I decided to toss it aside, hoping I could get my hands on another one once I got out of this tomb.

"Truth be told demon. Your world was only a game in mine." I said, now looking at the broken sword in my hand.

"A game? How can a world be a game?" It asked, confused.

Deciding to keep the sword, even if it were broken, it was better than nothing.

"I've never had to explain what a game was to someone else now that I think about it," I said, the memories of talking about games with my friends bringing a small smile to my face.

The smile faded as quickly as it came, the memories replaced by those of their untimely deaths, causing more pain and sorrow.

I tried not to dwell on the thought for too long, not allowing it to drag me into the depts of my despair once more. The demon could read my emotions and decided to remain silent for the time being, as pressing the matter would get him nowhere.

As I focused my mind, bringing my concentration back to the present moment, I noticed that the golem had been guarding a large stone door. Of course, doing what any gamer that had just defeated the boss would do. I walked over to it, using both of my arms to push it open.

It was very heavy. I could feel the veins bulging in my arms as I pushed harder and harder, forcing the door to slide along the floor, grinding at the stone beneath it until it was completely open.

Inside was a broad yet narrow corridor that leads in a straight path.

"Hmm," I said a little disappointed.

"What, were you expecting treasure?" The demon said.

"If I want your smart remarks, I'll ask for them," I said, not impressed by his comment.

I followed the corridor for some time, my enhanced vision allowing me to see in the dark. There was nothing of interest to see other than the odd small lizard that crawled through the cracks in the walls.

The corridor was starting to become lighter the further in I got, so I pressed on the thought of escaping this tomb prompted me to walk faster.

The end of the corridor was met with a large hall that had three separate paths to follow. I stood still in the middle as I looked down each route, trying to decide which way to go.

I was at a loss, nothing giving me any clue as to where each path could lead. For all I knew, each of them could lead deeper into the tomb rather than to freedom.

"Dame it," I said, as I started to bite the nail on my thumb, weighing up all of the possible outcomes.

I tried to use all of my senses before I decided which path to take. I deciphered that the air coming from the hall to the left was fresher than the other two. Choosing to trust my gut, I started walking down my chosen path.

There were no traps that I could see or detect, no hidden doors or passageways and most importantly. No monsters.

I had been following the path for a while now, the long corridor seemed never-ending, and my hopes were starting to diminish, nothing but the thought of revenge driving me onward, my concentration slipping.

-Clicking noise-

Catching my leg on a tripwire, I almost fell to the ground, quickly steadying myself and turning to see what it was.

It was a tripwire and it seemed to trigger the entire pathway I was in to shake violently. I watched as the roof began to cave in getting closer and closer to me.

"Not good!" I shouted as I made a break for it, running as fast as I could.

The collapse of the pathway was gaining speed, and I had to try my best to avoid falling debris. Running at this speed wouldn't be enough if I wanted to make it out of here, I needed to focus and use the wrath ability.

I tripped almost losing my footing on some of the falling rocks, quickly jumping over another load and ducking under some more.

"Come on! I need to go faster!" I screamed through huge breaths.

I could feel the blood pumping vigorously around my body, my heart working tirelessly to keep moving at this incredible speed.

"Come on!" I screamed, this time, using all of my strength.

My body suddenly exploded with power; my legs started moving twice as quick. The burst of energy had come just in time to avoid being crushed.

I could see a sizeable wooded door that was barred shut from the inside in the distance, small beams of light protruding from its cracks from the outside. That was it, my door to freedom.

With one last burst of power, I jumped using my shoulder to crash through the door shattering the wood. The collapse of the pathway forced air and dust out of the exit with a mighty crash, the stones sealing the doorway I had just escaped from.

I rolled along the wet grass; the feeling was welcome after being trapped in a tomb for so long. Climbing to my feet, I dusted myself off and coughing up the last of it from my lungs.

It was dark out. The rain was falling heavily, soaking me to the bone, but I didn't care. I was free from that tomb. Free from that place of nightmares. Looking up, letting the rain hit my face, I took my first breath of freedom. My new path had started; my path to revenge had begun.