Death and Survival

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POV Kali

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Today has really been one mess after another. We had nearly run out of potions, we were forced to put up a high reward to get everyone to go gathering materials and now a giant fire breathing lizard is trying to or maybe already had roasted my prey.

Raven was being force fed a potion by christine to recover her vitality. Fillia and two other women I didn't know were preparing to set out to retrieve Astaros and the entire guild structure was messed up.

I inhaled. Just another day in Elden.

'Alright let's get order restored then organize a high level extermination party. Defeating the drake before it reaches town is crucial. If possible I would like to recover Astaros's weapons and armor, should they still be usable' {Kali}

I then walked to the middle of guild hall and stepped up onto the table and yelled to get everyone's attention.

"STAFF CONTACT THE CITY GUARD AND PUT OUT A TRAVEL BAN TO PREVENT EVERYONE FROM LEAVING THE CITY." {Kali}

At this revelation Fillia's group stopped putting themselves together and prepared to protest my decision but I put out my hand to stop the onslaught of outbursts before it began.

"ALL A CLASS ADVENTURERS, THIS GUILD BRANCH LEADER, KALI VADRIS IS ORDERING YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE SUBJUGATION OF A CLASS S MONSTER. THERE WILL BE NO OBJECTIONS!!!" {Kali}

"YES GUILD MASTER!!" {Adventurers}

The guild was a flurry of activity as we scrounged up whatever potions we had and prepared whatever water mages we could. Dark and frost mages were preferable but the only frost mage was with Fillia and the two dark mages were integral to the cities defense and had to be stationed here at all times. Fine. I'll take what I can get. I shouted over to the now group of four that had joined up under Fillia.

"HEY, ELEMENTS AND ADVENTURER CLASS QUICKLY!!" {Kali}

"WIND, LIGHT, SAME LEVEL AS FILLIA!" {Dryis}

"FROST, A RANK #27!" {Katia}

"EARTH, BELOW FILLIA!" {Nikky}

"FIRE, A RANK #29!" {Fillia}

I sighed in relief, they would definitely be useful. I then looked over.

"Then come with us we could use you on the field, NOW GET SOME ARMOR ON AND GET MOVING!!!" {Kali}

They group got up and began running around prepping themselves. I turned to raven and Christine who were walking towards me.

"I've recovered for now, we'll do spell support." {Raven}

I nodded and smiled. 

"Always the reliable one, CHOP CHOP PEOPLE LETS BE IN THE FOREST IN TEN MINUTES!!" {Kali}

You better not die before I can enslave you, Astaros. Or I'll drag you back from the afterlife to do it myself.

…

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POV: Astaros

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The drake breathed down fire upon me as I rushed forward, the shattered star being my only form of protection from the flames. My armor was burning into my skin as my body screamed in pain. I was literally melting from the heat. My consciousness swam and my feet slowed.

*BLAM!!*

The drake slammed its foreleg into me raking it's claws through my boiling armor and leaving a searing set of burning gashes on my chest that glowed with molten metal as I flew through the air.

*BOOOMMMMM!!*

I slammed into the ground full force, the bones in my left arm cracking and crunching as I crashed. I grimaced at the agony of the wounds which woke me up and I immediately began circulating dark element to reduce the damage and pain.

'Damage core status report.' {Astaros}

The core began glowing and spinning in my chest.

'Your left arm is completely destroyed. Potions will not recover this level of damage.' {Damage Core}

I grunted and gnashed my teeth together to deal with the pain I was suffering through as I grabbed the pommel of the Shattered Star.

'Then it is of no use.' {Astaros}

I crawled to my feet and stood slowly, gripping the shattered star like a crutch as my legs wobbled and I did everything I could to just stand. I then took the giant great-sword in my right hand and lifted it up before swinging it down in a quick slash on my left shoulder.

For a moment the layered armor I had put so much faith in resisted but, in this state it could not protect me. My arm was cleaved from the shoulder down, falling to the ground with a clang. The pain was nothing more than a small addition to what agony I was already feeling. It had been dead weight and needed to go. I'll have to figure out how to replace it later.

My moment of rest and pain was quickly interrupted by the drake who came crashing through the forest to recover and consume my corpse, making completely sure I was dead. It slitted it's eyes in the face of my mutilated body. It had no evil grin on it's face nor did it change it's expression. It was a monster nothing more, nothing less.

'But the problem with that is,' {Astaros}

The creature stomped forward, crushing stone and trees alike underfoot, it's mouth open and full of flame as it roared, preparing to crash that fiery maw down on me.

'I am no less of a monster than you.'

'Skill activated Outburst' {Damage core}

*BLAMMMM!!*

The back of my fist crashed into the side of the drakes face knocking its dump truck sized body away, flecks and shards of scales flying away from my right fist as the ground shook and cracked, uprooting the trees and undergrowth as I backhanded it.

I am not going to die ever again.

The monster's body smashed into the ground and shook the earth as it grinded to a halt.

There will be no respite.

I blasted off from my spot, desperation, anger and pure determination fueling my jump. I then swung the Shattered Star, using lengthen on the blade as its lettering glowed red and a scarlet energy unfurled and lit up the forest as I raced towards it, lopping off one of the drakes wings. It roared in fear and pain bringing it's fist down to prevent me from coming any closer. I raised up my sword and blocked the fist with one arm, the weight of the blow driving me into the ground as the earth cracked and floated up as though gravity no longer shackled it. But I had been a fool. I hadn't thought this through. I no longer had my left arm. I couldn't attack while blocking.

I tried to use an element to compensate but I was too slow on the uptake. The second fist blew me away, tearing off half of my helm and knocking away the Shattered Star. I slid and skipped across the ground like a stone on water before friction and gravity put me in my place, grinding me across the incinerated forest floor in the direction of the will of my momentum.

The drake reared up it's head charging a massive blast of fire. It's mouth, eyes and throat glowed with power before it opened it's jaws opened and breathed forth a purgatory inferno. The red and orange flames incinerated everything for kilometers behind us, the trees, earth and their inhabitants, turning to dust, char and ash on contact.

But to the creature's surprise something peculiar began to happen. The flames began to recede back to it's opponent, fire whirling and gathering back till not a single flame was left but the ones surrounding Astaros. As it gathered into his palm, condensing to the size of a marble as he laughed. A throaty, raspy, laugh.

"You seriously thought you could incinerate someone who survived his planets creation? WHAT A FOOL YOU ARE!" {Astaros}

My uncovered eye flashed a brilliant silver as I roared my hate at the beast.

'Skill activated: Overload' {Damage core}

The sky turned bright white as though the sun descended upon the earth. Light poured through the forest and over the city, nearly blinding everyone for miles. When it finally dissipated what had happened was understood. I had pulled in the dragon's flame, condensed it, and shot it back with all the mana and power I, and the surrounding area had. The creature's head was completely blackened, it coughed up ash, red with its own blood before crashing to the ground. It's breath slowly escaping its body. 

The drake had survived this blow. They were not known as lesser dragons for nothing. I was not all powerful. But that didn't mean I could not lay down my own law.

I had barely any energy left and no weapon so how would I kill it now.

Wait. That is untrue.

The damage core flashed red, illuminating the blackened trees, and the scorched earth, the dirt now black and white with both char statue and ash dust. I then slowly pulled it from my chest, expending nearly everything my right arm had left. My hand dragged the hilt of a small knife out from my chest. It was the bear claw knife. My first weapon in this world.

I lumbered and stumbled forwards, my legs barely moving under my own power. I came up to the drake, its scarlet scales now blackened by the power of the overload. It slowly opened its eyes, staring me down as it's orange eye met the one revealed silver eye I had.

It was not being freed from it's servitude. It was not being granted the freedom of the afterlife. I was killing it for it's transgressions against me. It neither understood why I killed it nor did it care or beg for it's life. It was an animal. I was it's killer. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I stabbed the knife through the drakes throat and dragged it with me, slowly walking the length of it's snake-like neck as blood spurted and leaked behind me. It's eyes faded as I turned and looked back.

"Die in the dirt, abomination." {Astaros} 

And it did. I sank into the ash and blood, my power now fully expended as I fell on my side.

'Requirements met. Class: Destroyer granted. Divinity Unlocked. New titles granted.' {Damage Core}

my mind swirled as I faded from reality.

"What's my new title?" {Astaros}

The damage core whirled in my chest, the pain of it's movements barely keeping me conscious.

'Astaros the Destroyer' {Damage Core}