Down Bellow (3)

The searing wind emanated from the fire stoker that I held on greatly placing my whole being as well as my life with it. It was an exhilarating moment, a fight where I placed my life on the line.

This week was nothing short of crazy, I met the scarecrow that gave me trauma from when I was a kid and learned that he was somehow sent by my father to protect me, although he seems terrifying. He has a strong relationship with my father to be entrusted to him.

There was also the fact that I saw an old woman rapidly rejuvenate into a teenager in just a few seconds. It was even weirder that she asked for an Oath. I was hesitant and soon agreed as to why? I just felt like it was necessary to grow stronger, but I ultimately fell asleep.

I woke up to find a boney friend that somehow has been watching me from the sidelines in another dimensional plane ever since I was a child. That reminds me what happened to them after I fell asleep? I guess that's a question for another unconventional meeting.

After the wonderful encounter with these terrible creatures. It was to say that of course, it would lead me to encounter one more. The shade that floated with a murky substance falling behind it is now almost a shadowman with humanoid contours and deep black eyes that crawled out from the basement that slowly became stronger as time walks forward, where is his strength coming from? well from me who is now pretty weak.

With the remaining strength that was within me, I gripped the fire stoker with determination to fight it off. The shade with its intimidating aura and pressure has reached its peak since the fight and slowly rose from the ground with deterring tension that can be seen from its eyes.

The amorphic shadowy figure that was difficult to figure was now in a clear outline that can be defined with visible accuracy. The eyes that seemed to bring the engrossed darkness were now sparkling with fiery purple luminescence that radiate transparent smoke surrounded by hollowed pitch-black color.

The combative claws that it carried with ferocity were now in a state of evolution that continued to ooze a liquidity of smudge that continues to drape over its sharpened fingers. Fully disinterred from the connected rustic wooden foundation burdened with chaos and horrors of the past the shade took a stance with claws laterally positioned to its body. It was prepared for the final clash.

"Is it just me or did it just enhance its fighting capabilities as I did" I blurted my inner thoughts.

"It's done with feasting sufficient energy from you. It can now focus on offense with the intent to fully satisfy its hunger." Y replied.

"It was very slow a few moments ago, it barely was able to do anything to me" I responded and looked to where it was situated, it seemed to be careful about the fire stoker recognizing its unknown voracity that it could inflict upon.

"It was for the reason that it was eating energy out of you while trying to pursue you, keeping you distracted. It went all that so that it would be able to achieve its current state of power" Y explained, however, it didn't make sense to me.

"Come again?" I asked

"Do you want to eat and chew your food while fighting somebody who is trying to interfere with that situation?" Y further explained. "It's basically just that. Now prepare to fight for your life and be careful of those drooping sticky smudges. They can burn your skin that could possibly render you motionless"

"Will do, ain't that encouraging to hear at least," I responded casually.

'This revolutionized shadowman seems stronger and faster from what he said, let's do a limit test shall we' I thought as I decided to test what I can with the current capabilities that I have now.

The shadowman gave strength to his legs and with a burst of energy propelled himself forward leaving the wooden floor with shallow holes. It seemed that after fusing with enough energy it can now affect physical objects around it, just like it did with the chair that was dismembered by its attack.

'Then do physical attacks now hold value in this fight?' I thought inferring from results from observance.

The fire stoker that held infused mana began to flicker with flames as sparks rebirth from every motion that I commanded. The claw that came down might have clashed with the fire stoker that further brightened the room with fragments of energy.

Another hand then came about following up on the first engagement. I parried without fail but stumbled backward from its attack. The magnitude in which it was attacking was by no means weak nor powerful. It was due to the lack of strength that I require and the power he soaked from my leaking energy.

The exchange of blows began to resonate in a melancholic tune of steel and sharp nails. The laceration of furniture increased over time with profound intensity as I continued to dodge and counter-attack whenever an opening was proposed.

I struck down with swift movement but lacked the necessary power to complement the attempt. The shade was able to easily dodge the strike but didn't expect a follow-up ground above quick movement that guided the stoker from the abyss to heaven in an ascending slash motion.

The hook at the end of the stoker managed to graze the dark chest and biceps that lacerated the devastated area. The affected open cut began to bleed in a pale-colored substance that almost seems to be gray.

The shade with visible anger retaliated with a tense and fast swipe that was able to give a shallow cut on my left arm. Blood didn't come out but instead, a jet-black viscous material was left on the wound.

It took a few moments for my body to register the attack. My eyes constricted with a sudden pain that unknowingly struck every nerve of my body, it felt like standing in the sun for hours while rapidly running with a numb body. The discomfort that I felt was tantamount to the pain that I was inflicted upon.

The pain that stemmed from my left hand was spreading and it was a brisk process. I bit my lower lip trying to converge my thoughts into one mind focusing on the shade in front of me.

The gray-like substance continued to drip out from the wounded area that was deeply cut by the hook of the stoker. As the liquid substance began to depart from the host, the clear contours of the shadow began to shake and dim like seeing through an object in hot air.

I plummeted to the ground with an overwhelming shock that made a loud noise as I made contact with the ground. I experienced a new type of pain that was within my nerves that goes inside my body. All my sensory motion was disrupted by this jolting pain that disabled me with a rapid spread of infection. My perception was blundered with the dizziness that encompassed my focused determination around me.

I wanted to vomit so badly, my eyes greatly watered from the pain, nose with itching progression that didn't allow me to smell anything. My lips were bleeding from the extensive biting that they had received in a sudden act of keeping myself together.

The shadowman was unable to properly move as it fell to the ground forefront arms supporting its weight and legs situated in a kneeling position. It was screaming in agony with a pitched high incomprehensible voice that was downright chilling.

I took all the pain that I felt and grabbed a wooden chair that was practically missing every leg and smashed it hard on the shadowman's head. Luckily it still had enough energy to be able to let physical objects affect it.

The face of it kissed the ground in a resounding thud coupled with a chair breaking into pieces. The shade screamed once more and quickly looked up with its heads smoked with purple haze and eyes of dimly lit light.

With no hesitation I forcefully stabbed the shade through its mouth with a fire stoker imbued with mana that was excited to be utilized as it burned brighter with every action. The stoker received no resistance as it quickly went through its body and pierced it until it reached its behind.

All my force was laid upon that singular shove of desperate attack through its head that I had unknowingly lifted the shade of the ground and assaulted the very length of the room as I shoved him straight to the wall from one side to the other. A thunderous sound exploded in the room and dust flew around curious about the final makings of the clash.

I turned my head upward and saw the head of the shade directly piercing my eyes with its own dark hollow eyes. Stoker in hand, stoker through the shade I was sure that it would end it once and for all. I looked behind me and saw the room that was full of chaos was more devastated and disheveled.

My whole body was aching with a resounding magnitude that I could once again collapse.

It was a battle that I fought with my life on the line. It was a great victory for me, and it would be one of many great victories that would soon follow.