The Elven Ruins

The shock on Herderal's face when I said those words must mean he doubts me. Even I doubt at this moment I could measure up to the power he was talking about earlier. For a single being to cause such havoc, it doesn't matter if they're stronger they should be stopped.

"If you're going I'm coming with you." Herderal declares

"Are you sure? I mean I'm a semi immortal and you really only got one shot at this." I state

"Hey don't go doubting my skill, you only survived our fight because you used that weird energy. Also Sitting around doing nothing, while you have the fight of your life, doesn't sit right with me." Herderal explains

"Ok if we're working together then we should know as much as we can about each other." I strategize 

"Alright well the bow I'm using is enchanted. It can create arrows when you pull the string back and as far back as you pull it the stronger the arrows."

"Oh, I thought you were using magic to create those arrows."

"Nope, zero magic required to use it which means anyone can."

"Interesting, well I can manipulate life to an extent, and also depending if I reserve my energy I can also come back to life. The stars on my armband equate to how much energy I have left. I redo at the cost of one star and going off of how many I've gained sitting here talking to you I would say I get two stars back every day."

"Pretty complicated, I'm assuming you've had this power since birth."

"Nope, I got it right before I fought you."

"So you're telling me you learned all of that in only a few hours?" Herderal asked

"I guess but in a life or death situation I'm sure many people would figure it out. Well, that's all of our abilities so I guess since you're sticking around I got a favor to ask."

"No matter what it is, I'll help."

"Can you teach me the elven fighting style?" I asked

"That's right, your form was really flimsy and it made you waste too much of your energy on taking blows and countering. If you were able to fend off my weaker blows better it would save your energy for hits that you wouldn't be able to dodge."

"That's exactly what I was thinking." I agreed

Herderal and I have been living in the forest for a couple of weeks now and ever since he's been around, the forest has become that much easier to navigate. I might be a survivalist but Herderal is easily a better outdoorsman. He taught me things like way more efficient and useful traps, how to make my own bow, and most importantly how to train in the elven fighting style. The first time we sparred I felt like a log fighting a river. My movement was clunky and unable to build serious momentum, and that was just close combat. Over those weeks I did nothing but train in both fighting and the goddess's energy control. Constantly using her power allowed me to manifest it into a physical form. It's not yet complete but this could develop into a useful attack later down the line.

"So I'm back here again huh, Isn't it about time I get some questions answered??" I asked

"Even a goddess like me doesn't know the full story, That day you crashed into the ice lake. When you fell to the bottom your back hit the stone I was sealed in, Somehow you managed to not only free me from the seal but use me to survive." The goddess of Healing explained.

"What were you doing sealed in a stone?" I asked

"A powerful demon that once commanded the beings on this planet rose to the strength of a god and took us all out."

"You're saying one god took out all six of you? How could that even be possible?"

"After being sealed for a decade or so I've realized it was that exact mentality that led us all to our downfall." The goddess explained

"I see, do you know the name this demon god goes by?" I asked

"He goes by the name Azrakul." The moment she said that I felt as though a wave of memories filled my head. Emotion almost felt like punches to the gut as I witnessed the moment Azrakul entered the gods real and sealed them all away. So this is what she felt, so this is how the world fell to ruin.

I woke up sweating in my makeshift bed. I get up to cool my head in the river when I begin to have a strange feeling. It was like I could feel the presence of darkness and a lot of it was gathered a few miles south of our base. I quickly wake Herderal up with a semi-violent shake.

"Hey," his eyes open, "I think I know where to find more demons." I share

"What, how do you figure?" Herderal asked in a hazed voice

"I don't know, it's like I can feel their presence from all the way over here."

"Have you always been able to do that?"

"No, this is the first time I've ever felt something like this. I'm not sure it even is demons but it's the only lead we've got. You and I can't let this opportunity go to waste."

"You're right, alright let's pack up what's essential and head over there."

As we moved our way through the forest it slowly became daytime and it was easier to move around. It only took us an hour to arrive at what appeared to be an abandoned village. It wasn't like the village I grew up in. All of the houses were built differently and some were even on the top of the trees. There were multiple bridges connecting trees but most of them seemed to have been damaged or destroyed. As we entered the village, Herderal, quickly mentioned that this was an elven village but one that was clearly on the smaller side. That darkness I felt from back at camp was definitely coming from this place and I can see why. As we explored further we noticed the amount of dried blood staining all of the houses, ground, and trees.

"Holy shit what the hell happened here?!" I exclaim

"This must be one of the villages his army raged through." Herderal spoke in a lifeless voice 

"How many really had to die? Couldn't there have been another way? These were people, beings with life and purpose! How could someone, even a demon, do this?" I say falling to my knees.

"People? No, he doesn't see them as people. I imagine through his eyes it was like stepping on grass or flowers." Herderal explains in the same tone of voice

"You're exactly right." A fiendish voice said from across the village

"Who are you?" I asked getting up

"I'm sure you can guess just by looking at me." He was demonic looking, horns stuck out from both sides of his neck. Behind him, three more corrupted elves stood seemingly ready to fight even though his expression was calm.

"You're a demon." I guess

"Close, I'm the lesser demon Ray, and you have Master Ratar to thank for this wonderful encounter. He noticed you freed Herderal and sent me to deal with it. I am one of his strongest commanders after all." Ray explained,

"So if I defeat you I assume this Ratar will have no other choice but to show himself." I state

"Foolish, how dumb could you possibly be? Someone like you who can't even rival my strength has no chance of defeating him." He says smugly

"Who are you to know the full extent of my strength? Since you seem to be lost I'll show you what I can do!" I say charging at him.

As I rushed towards him the corrupted elves all sprang in front of him, blocking him like a wall. Herderal quickly caught up and signaled that he could handle it, so I went on ahead. I rushed at him with closed fists as Ray opened his and began deflecting all my attacks each strike. Herderal told me to only strike to kill once I've fully measured my opponent's fighting style. I kept throwing punches with only every other punch grazing Ray's body. He quickly swapped from defense and began landing hits of his own. Every punch he threw was too fast for me to react. I quickly jumped back to create more room to breathe. He's not going after me, he's just standing there. Something was not right, I looked around and noticed four rocks began to hover in the air. 

He grinned, "Demon invocation, Rising!" He pointed his finger towards me and all the rocks began to fly at me.

I quickly jumped out of the way to avoid them all but they followed me into the air. I kicked them all while airborne then landed back on the ground. Is this gravity magic? 

"You thought 4 rocks would take me out?" I asked. His grin still remained as the entire ground began to shake. All the trees behind him began to float around 30 feet in the air. There were so many of them and they all started pointing right at me.

A single tree began barreling towards me and even though I caught it, it kept its momentum sinking me into the ground slowly. I eventually get a good grip and redirect it into the ground next to me only to look up to see a clump of them heading right for me. It looked as though an entire mountain was falling on me as it crushed me and every bit of my surroundings. 

"Well for a human you sure put up a decent little fight. Though you barely lasted longer than a well-trained elf. Now I should see how that elf managed, against my little pets." Ray explained to my bloodied corpse. He began to walk past the clump of trees as my hand grabbed his leg. I squeezed so hard it crushed his shin. He fell to the ground and began screaming in agony. I got up slowly regenerating myself.

"Yeah If I were normal then challenging you in the first place would've been a bad idea regardless of what you did here. You're just a stepping stone in my journey. Just a small problem I have to deal with." I taunted

What the hell just happened? I was sure I crushed him to death with that last attack. And when did he get so much stronger? If he had that much strength when we were trading blows why didn't he use it?

"Wow, that was a loud impact, I guess I should take you guys out quickly then." Herderal explained to the group.

All three jumped at me but I moved quickly to the side and slammed his neck into the ground, crushing it instantly. The others got back up and grabbed a hold of me but I grabbed both of their arms and slammed them together. I went after one as they were laying down and I snapped its neck. The other got up and ran away. Now I better get over to… wait I just realized that I've been around this dude for a week yet I don't even know his name. No time for any of that. I just need to help finish this fight.

Ray was in so much agony for a second so I didn't think he would heal fast. It only took a couple seconds after for him to heal it basically to completion. How am I supposed to put him down? I attempted to manifest that holy energy into a physical form, Ray began tearing off roofs and other parts of the house launching them towards me. I won't be able to make it in time before I'm crushed again. As a tree came barreling towards me an arrow split it in two. 

"Herderal!" I shout

"Hey, I came to help" 

"When'd your arrows get that strong?" I asked

"It seems I'm getting more of my strength back. Being in that corrupted state for so long really took it out of me." 

"Keep him off me for however long you can. I think I have a way of taking him out."

"Understood."

Herderal began shooting all of the objects out of the sky then started focusing his attention on Ray. I need just a little bit longer. Under all this stress I feel it makes it a lot harder to find the energy I need to manifest. Like I'm searching in an endless maze. Wait I think I feel it, ok I just need to… I opened my eyes and my hand began glowing green then formed a blade like shape. 

"Go!" Herderal yells.

I started running towards Ray, dodging all the trees and rocks he threw my way. As I got closer to Ray, Herderal shot at both of Ray's legs immobilizing him. I get right up in front of him but I'm quickly met with a sharp stick to the gut. The rage that filled me allowed me to continue moving forward. I make it within reach and pull back my attack.

"Holy Sever!" I say with blood spilling out my torso. My hand goes clean across Ray's body as the top half fell to the ground, while the bottom was anchored by the arrows. 

"Killing a commander? My master surely won't appreciate that. Death awaits in the path you've chosen, nothing but death." Ray concludes with his last few breaths.

"Go to hell." I walk back to Herderal leaving Ray to die alone.

"What was that move you did back there?" Herderal asked.

"Come on, let's set up a camp for tonight. Also I might be able to reverse those elves' corrupted bodies. They may not come back to life but at least we can send them off with a proper burial." I suggested walking towards the corpses.

"Wait, I forgot to ask what your name is." He said catching up from behind me.