Epidition IV

-It's laughing, at you.

-It thinks you're weak, pathetic.

-Show it Elias, show them all.

As if a bomb went off on his head, Elias no longer felt fear or inferiority. Hi body was filled with strength, and a primal violence bursting through his skin.

As if possessed, Elias snapped his head forward clutching the bladed jaws looking to tear him apart. Razor sharp fangs sunk into his palms and blood dribbled down his fingers, yet his face did not contain any hint of pain or discomfort. But a smile, a thrilled grin.

~yOu iNsEct! The monster screeched.

The muscles in its neck tensed, and its jaw bit down with crushing force, refusing out be out done by an inferior being.

Slowly but surely, the maws of death inched closer to Elias, his bones creaking under its pressure.

However, Elias's response to this was not despair or woe, but laughter. A mocking laughter just like the one he was dealt.

In the face of hopelessness, Elias laughed.

"AHAHAHAHAHHAHHA"

The patterns on his body burned brighter, their golden light shining upon the being that tried digging cavities within his mind. His golden glowing eyes stared right into the monster's… into this abomination's, peering at its figure for the first time.

<Susurri Mens>. A demon that invades the mind of its prey, whispers of surrender snaking their way between the wrinkles of their brain.

Alone, they have no physical ability, like an octopus on land. They need to attack to a living organism and take over its mind and then they would control it like a puppet, molding its body to suit its purposes.

The <Susurri Mens> Elias was facing had taken over a wolf, and evolved it to become as big as a horse.

It had needle like white fur covering its six legged body, bones protruding out of its lanky and tall figure. One grotesque eye festered atop its head like a parasite, covering its face with tentacle like appendages rooted firmly in its skull.

It slobbered all over Elias's arms, holding its maw in place. The bulbous eye moved around erratically before focusing on the boy, fury evident in its accursed gaze.

'I don't have much left in the tank. I need to kill it now!'

Elias was still sane, but barely so. His meditation training allowed him as much, controlling himself under the influence of 'the rage of Lyssa' was his biggest achievement. He could perfectly use his enhanced physical and magical capabilities… for a few minutes.

"AAARRRGHHH" With roar, Elias opened the demon's jaws as much as he could before jumping back.

The demon's fangs sunk painfully into its own gums, drawing first blood. Shaking its head in pain, the abomination parted its mouth, plugging the blade-like teeth out of its flesh with a disgusting squelch.

~tHoU DaRe!

A screech rattled the cave as the demon's claws grasped the earth tightly and catapulted its body towards the fleeing prey with its front paws outstretched.

'SHIT!'

Skidding to a stop, Elias grabbed the staff beside him and sent out a horizontal blow on instinct, the staff bending from the force of the attack with the flexibility of a whip.

The staff met the demon's snout head on diverging its body slightly, resulting in the claws aiming for his head to miss.

One pierced the cave wall to his right, while the other his shoulder, pinning him in place. The demon adjusted its body and poised the other set of paws squarely to Elias's torso, spelling the end to his resistance, or so it thought.

~nO mOrE gAmEs! JuSt DIE!

The demon swiped at Elias's body hoping to tear him to shreds, but its claws were met a rough surface, scattering sparks upon contact.

"{Earth skin}" muttered the boy at the last second.

Elias's spell enabled his body to turn into any surface of earth he touches, providing him as much protection his Aeter can provide. In this situation, with his dwindling Aeter, it was not much. But it was enough for the claws not to dig their way to his vital organs.

In shock, the parasite focused its one eye on Elias's skin that turned pitch black, just like the cave's wall.

'Heh, got you now. Bitch' Elias grinned, blood seeping from his mouth, and covering his teeth in a crimson sheen.

Elias held the demon's front paws firmly and shackled the others with the metallic earth, his grin turning even madder as he turned his head upward.

The demon watched on in horror as a small thread of Aeter weaved itself into reality and sunk into the cave's ceiling.

It waited and waited, but nothing happened. The demon felt relief, relief that its life did not end before fulfilling its master's goal. Directly after however, it felt shame at almost getting defeated by a pathetic human imp.

To nurse its ego, it decided to mock it before ending its life.

~ FoOLLisH hUma- UGHH

Interrupting its victory, an iron spike protruded from the cave ceiling and pierced through the parasitic eye, claiming its life.

A shower of raven black blood bathed Elias, dying his body an obsidian shade.

###

I've run out of Aeter

I've run out of stamina

I don't even have any anger to spare.

On the cusp of fainting, I dragged my feet with great effort, trying to find an end to this horrid cave.

Swimming in a pool of darkness, that's how I can describe my situation. I can't see a thing and all I feel is pain.

My staff turned into a walking stick, helping me avoid any bodies that might trip me.

'Hurry up Eset, please.'

I couldn't take it anymore, I sat down in the middle of… well I don't know, I can't see.

All alone, only my thoughts to keep me company. I felt starved, but I was not hungry. Blind, but I had sight. Deaf, but I could hear a hoot.

'What?'

[ELIAS!]