Down Bellow (2)

The ghostly entity that was following me kept on being persistent about its hostile intent. It ranged too close for comfort with my legs and body getting really tired with every walk and step it gets heavier as I go. Time moved incredibly slowly as if everything was in slow motion, it is probably my adrenaline pumping inside my blood as I continue to face off against this shade.

I stumbled backward and tried to get a clear picture of where I am right now. I was near the door from where it came from, it was everything that started this mess. The shade in front of me determined to catch me began to stride on the ground its hands frantically moving about trying to reach me.

Once again I dodge with a skim of my teeth every time it lunges at me or tries to attack I kept getting slower and weaker. Even though I would be able to keep this up for a few minutes, there would be a time when my body would not be able to move, this battle of attrition is something that I cannot win.

The ethereal black mist began to formulate again as it went through the ground outlining that of a man with eyes pitch-black as if any other color around its body would be a crime to show. Something was weird, the presence that I have gotten from the shade over time became bigger, bolder, and faster. I don't even know why but if it has gotten stronger and faster then it's possibly leeching off from me.

The shade that was supposed to be a clump of shadow was now a morphed-like shadow man that continued to gain strength as time prolonged. It was getting really dangerous, I grabbed a broken piece of wood on the ground and threw it at the shadow. I wonder what I expected but it easily went through the shadow man as it did.

"Great, wonderful thinking, throwing physical objects with no infused energy or mana at somebody who is completely ethereal and hollow. This boy would really make into a great sovereign" He deliberately mocked me. "You fought an old lady with nasty claws and strings, saw a Soul Keeper and almost fought one, survived all those horrific. But you are scared of some Black person that suddenly came out of your basement? I DON'T GET IT AT ALL!" He continued as Y shouted at me.

"Shut up okay, I know many more scary things happened to me, but it can never get old—" I dodged the shadow man's attack while having a conversation. "And for one thing, they didn't feel that hostile compared to this soul-sucking shadow that wants to take everything inside of me. The killing intent wasn't always so real, and would occasionally go up just to scare me—Woah"

The shade gave a strong strike as his claws destroyed a dusty chair with no legs. The chair was left to pieces as it was blown apart from the impact that it had received. 'Poor guy' I thought. 'I might be next if I am not careful' I reaffirmed myself to not let those hideous claws hit me once.

"Also why in the abyss do you know about that? I thought it was just us that was in the domain, and apparently, Don was inside as well, I didn't even know the dominion of others can go inside someone's abode." I sneered at him replying in a frustrated tone.

"Apparently, Donnnn was inside as well, yea yea of course" Y mocked me as he parroted back "If he was inside your domain, then why didn't you think that others weren't? You mass invited everyone in the area likely asking to be stalked or killed, luckily there weren't issues afterward, though I would happily entertain them and tell them all about your greatness." He continued.

The shadow continued to fight its way inching closer and stronger with every minute that I stay closer to him. The tension rose with its shadow and gradually began to form into a more complete humanoid shape.

My body felt incredibly docile and numb it wasn't just heavy anymore it stings me with every motion that I do. Electrical pulses coursed through my veins, my blood felt cold and my hair stood straight letting me feel the cold atmosphere that enveloped me in this dusty environment.

'I can't go on like this, I need to think of something.' I ran toward the middle of the room while trying to think. 'There must be some way that I would be able to get through this, objects would just pass through it unless it is infused with energy or mana…Mana!"

I remember what Y said about needing mana to be able to do something about this ethereal annoyance. While I was thinking about this, the shadow began to merge with the ground, I looked around the area with proper surveillance and made sure to stay active.

'He said mana didn't he? But how I wasn't taught how to accumulate it on something or do magic tricks to be powerful enough to be inside an object unless I remember the feeling of it' It was that time when I got angry at my uncle. The feeling that surged through me before I got slammed to the ground.

'Is this how you do it?' I quickly began to think about everything that happened, emotions were unleashed upon me, and I opened the valve of my heart and let a new energy flow through me. All the revolting memories came back to me, anger, frustrations on certain scenarios, loneliness, desperation, and of course longing for answers. It was all that I could muster however that was enough to power the emotions that allowed me to gain greater knowledge.

I feel light, everything was bright I could clearly discern and notice the objects around the room. It was an immaculate feeling to have. I achieved the feeling of being able to use mana, and with shallow knowledge learn how to sense mana, however, it is much more difficult to infuse mana into another object. The next step is to find a proper object that would be able to handle the claws.

I brainstormed about the possible options that could be upon me as I continued to dodge the shadow's powerful blow bit by bit getting more accurate and precise. It seems to be faster now and can quickly go out of the shadows at a pace that was definitely faster than it was before.

The fireplace caught my attention as there has to be something that could be of use near it. With instincts that came over, I ran with haste as I rummage through the surroundings of the fireplace where only visible debris and broken pieces of wood were deliberately seen.

I don't know when my light magic went out but all of this was just done in the dark but for me was still barely visible to see what was inside. I sensed an ominous feeling next to me and quickly moved to the side of where I was, I rolled over and scraped my hand and knee. I quickly began to stand up and felt subtle pains in my feet. The numbness that ensued from the shade absorbing my soul was taking full effect on my body's movement.

My hand touched something beside me where I landed dodging the attack of the shade. It was just the thing that I needed. A fire poker, or the stoker would be used in a fireplace. I remember having one of these when it was winter, quickly adjusting the temperature around the room. My uncle and I used to fight around these I would always lose though but I learned some tricks here and there.

To be honest, I do not know why the shade still hasn't gotten me, it was really weird that something would be preventing it from killing me. Though I didn't mind the opportunity to let me live, it was still a thought that crossed my mind.

I quickly grabbed the firm of the stoker and focus on all of my senses as I start to infuse it with rage, the power that surges through me. It was the last hope that I have and with emotions from the bottom of my being inside the stoker that I have right now.

I felt the torrent of waves and the howls of the night wind, cold and desolated, the heat of my emotions and the cold surrounding tangled with one another fussing with one another. It was a hard-fought battle for both and settled down as if they decided to not give more fight.

As I opened my eyes, I see the stoker in red heated form with an alluring aura that attracts you to its color.

The short, rigid rod made of the fireproof material is used to adjust coal and wood fuel burning in a fireplace and can be used to stir up a fire that was now burning in a fiery aura and was ruby-red itself. I don't know why it was like that but my confidence surged. I quickly stood up and looked at it with eyes of focus and determination.

This time I won't let it be me to be the only one to be on defense, I gripped it firmly with both of my hands and positioned it as I would with a sword. It was radiant, encouraging, and ready to fight.

It was the time to fight back.