Chapter 10 part 2

Leylin spent the last two days in the damp and dark cave. He felt like he was making progress for the first time since he left home. He could feel like he was a hair's breadth away from becoming a grand knight. The excitement and the thrill of action made his blood boil. He hoped he would be able to become a grand knight before the fight, but that seemed like a pipedream.

Leylin thought, 'Status'.

[Beep: scan complete]

[Name : Leylin Farlier Gender: Male Strength: 5.1 Agility: 5.5 Vitality: 4.5]

[Status: Healthy. Improved eyesight]

It was a dark cloudy night, the pitiful new moon hidden behind storm clouds. He was surprised at the sight of a Fawkes even in the dimly lit sky; he could see his red feathers. "It could only mean one thing for Fawkes to fly out now in this weather. The prey was out in the open." Leylin thought. This is what he had wanted since the hunt started; on The one night, he didn't. Had Victor waited a day, he would have had to deal with both him and his protector. Leylin sighed and took off in the darkness. He dashed across the woods, twisting and swerving around the trees at his maximum speed, using the glimpses of Fawkes to guide him towards the prey. It was exhilarating to feel the wind kiss him. He had never had a chance to go all out and run at full speed before his agility was comparable to a grand knight. He slowed as he sensed his prey; he felt the indescribable feeling of power, the pleasure of the hunt. He paused. No, he needed to calm himself; he couldn't give in to bloodlust while fighting a magus of unknown strength. He had to be careful, but the moment of sanity only made his bloodlust stronger if more concentrated and refined. His life energy had stirred; he could feel its excitement. This was the thrill of battle.

He ran at a slower speed, maintaining distance. So Leylin and his prey continued the chase for hours. He wanted to see where Victor was Frantically running to. He was sure by the many days he spent in Victor's house that his laboratory was outside the city. He wanted to ensure he got the location before the fight. There was no way for Leylin to predict how this fight would end, and without a reference, he couldn't judge Victor's level.

They sprinted through the forest while Fawkes tracked Victor from the sky. The rain fell upon the land with a vengeance, inundating the forest with streams and puddles. They both slowed as the land became slippery Leylin started hopping rock to root while avoiding the puddles limiting the noise he made. The heavy rain further drowned out any noise he made. Eventually, the forest gave way to large rock formation as they reached the river Firgo. He watched as Victor paused and climbed up the rock formation. He didn't go any closer, and he had Fawkes scout the area. When Fawkes couldn't find him, Leylin knew that Victor's laboratory was nearby, so he hid there, scribbled the note with his location on it, and told Fawkes to deliver it to Locke and come back. Leylin thought about assaulting the laboratory but decided against it. It would be a horrible idea to assault the laboratory of a mage.

So he climbed a dense tree and sat on a branch while waiting for Victor to come. minutes turned to hours when Leylin spotted his prey. He moved towards him silently like a predator hiding in the darkness. He continued to follow him as he closed the distance. Leylin felt like his heart was Louder than the thunder. He looked at the man from above. Leylin crouched upside down on the tree branch, his hands behind his back holding the Outgrowth.

Lightning Split the sky as his body shot from above like an arrow. He could see fear in Victor's eyes. He drove his cross blade into Victor only to smash into an invisible wall. He twisted his body to the right, grounded his feet, and swung at the rapidly retreating Victor. He fell forward and launched at Victor, unwilling to allow him the distance to run and slashed right, left and then drove his sword into him. Leylin's relentless attack was like the raging tempest that withheld Victor from casting any spells by disrupting his concentration.

[Beep! The host has entered a special state.]

Leylin kept up his mercy-less attack. He could feel his life force charge up; he was breaking through. He was confident that his attacks would whittle down Victor's magical equipment. Leylin looked in Victor's eye as it flashed. First with anger, unwillingness and then acceptance and malice. Victor shot back as far as he could and threw the ring at Leylin. Leylin's eyes flashed with terror, then Light. The full force of the explosion of a magical artifact flung leylin as he broke through, making him lose control of his life energy. The whole area caught fire as both Victor and Leylin were Flung back. Leylin Flew Straight through a tree and into the river. The river bank. The river bank turned red as Leylin bled into the river.

He felt pain as the tree's flaming splinters tore into his left side. He watched Victor walk toward him, half his handsome face brutally scarred. The other half radiate malice Leylin was sure only hatred kept Victor conscious. He relaxed and controlled his breathing; he tried to control his life energy while drowning in pain. He felt as though his life energy was on fire. Yet, he still persevered and thought, 'status'. Leylin, in this moment of clarity, cursed himself for not using the A. I Chip.

[Beep: scan complete]

[Name : Leylin Farlier Gender: Male Strength: 2.3(7.9) Agility: 0.6(6.2) Vitality: 1.5(6.2)]

[Status: Severely injured, False Ribs on left side broken, internal bleeding shock, multitude of hairline fractures in C4, C5, C6.....Internal bleeding in liver...…...left trapezius torn. Concussion and Internal bleeding in the skull. Abnormal neural activity. Improved eyesight.]

Leylin pretended he was in his last breath. He watched as Victor stumbled; he looked half dead as he got on his knees to rip Leylin's mask off, but before he could, Leylin stabbed him with his hidden needle. His eyes were red with hatred as he was pumped with venom.

He felt the land beneath his body, and the shaft of the splinter stuck to his thigh pressed against his bone. With great difficulty, he shifted his body to stop the disorienting pain. He stared at the sky above. He caught a glimpse of the moon teasing him as it hid behind the angry storm. He saw a faint phantom of the world while he rubbed the pommel of his sword, wondering if this was the end. Then, just as he was about to lose hope, he saw a red flash, and He thought 'Fawkes'. He maintained his consciousness for a moment longer and saw Locke.

"Locke give me the pink vial from the satchel and cut off his tongue," Leylin whispered.

Locke poured Amalexia into his mouth. Leylin didn't like Amalexia, he didn't like hallucinogens, but he had no choice Amalexia was both a powerful hallucinogen and the most Powerful remedy for injuries. He focused his life energy on circulating around the wound. Even now, his Life energy seemed to be on fire. Like the radiation from the explosion and set in it on fire. His mind lost the last vestige of lucidity, and he passed out; the last thing he heard was.

[Beep! Anomaly has been discovered in the host brainwaves. Unknown energy has entered the host's cell]