Unranked ascension a lit.., p.17
Unranked Ascension: A LitRPG Adventure, page 17
By now, the shadows had crept across the floor and reached him. He made the decision not to retreat, maintaining his focus on his task even as they crawled up his legs and wrapped around his body. The material between his fingers resisted him every step of the way, and even with his full strength, it barely budged. The shadows pulled at his arms, trying to rip him away from the window, and his hands bled from refusing to let go as the shadows pulled on him, grinding the flesh of his hands against the sharp glass. His face turned red as he continued to pull on the glass, the veins bulging in his neck as he strained, refusing to give up. Slowly his efforts bore fruit, as small cracks spiderwebbed across the glass, starting around his hands and spreading upward as they grew.
“Gaaah!” Crying out from the pain he unleashed one final burst of effort. The shadows stabbed at his flesh in a desperate attempt to stop him, but they were too late, Lucius had achieved his goal. With an almighty crack, the window collapsed into a burst of golden light.
The shadows attacking him let out high-pitched screeches as light from the window spread over them. They released Lucius as they fled, leaving purple sparks and puffs of smoke that smelled like burnt hair lingering in the air. Lucius wiped the blood from his hands, drawing in deep lungfuls of air to catch his breath. He gazed into the darkness of the church from the safety of the sunlight, his chest heaving as he thought about how close he had just come to death.
The window was open, and he had a clear view of the outside. His rational mind was urging him to take this opportunity to escape and leave the vampiric stranger far behind him, so he quickly turned and jumped through the window. His feet crunched lightly on the leaf-covered ground outside, the fresh smell of the damp forest clearing the stink of death from his nose. He took a few hasty steps away from the building, before a conflicted expression came over him as he slowly coming to a stop. The furrow in his brow deepened, and his fingers squeezed tighter and tighter around the handle of his dagger. As he turned his gaze back toward the church the anger on his face was gradually replaced by cold determination.
Lucius turned and walked back toward the building. The moment he reached the wall he leaped up, forcing his dagger through the outside of the unbroken window before him. Over the next few minutes, he repeated the actions of destroying the magically enhanced glass like he had done once before. As the second window collapsed into a pool of sparks, he glanced through the opening and watched the screeching shadows flee. Now at least half of the interior was covered in sunlight from the two openings. A quick look up at the sky informed Lucius he still had a few hours before sunset, but he needed to quicken his pace. If the man inside the church survived until nightfall, it might be impossible for Lucius to even protect himself, let alone kill his foe.
One by one, he worked his way across the west side of the church, exposing its interior to the rays of the setting sun.
Finally, only one window remained. All the shadows had collected in the only remaining darkness within the church. Lucius jumped up and pressed his knife into the window, creating the slice he would use to finish the job. Wrapping his aching hands around the last piece of magically hardened glass, his enhanced perception picked up a raspy voice drifting out from inside the church.
“Please... I do not wish to die again. The spell is lifted. You are trapped no longer. Let me live.”
Silence filled the forest as seconds stretched into minutes. Lucius let out a deep, tired sigh, staring at the sky above him for a long time before answering. “You attacked a fellow human being. What will happen when someone weaker than me crosses your path? To show mercy to the guilty is cruel to the innocent.”
The end of Lucius’ response was accompanied by the sound of the magical glass breaking, flooding the last refuge of darkness in the church with light.
With nowhere left to hide, the large mass of shadows was fully exposed to the searing rays of the sun. Thick clouds of smoke poured out from the church as deep, pained moans echoed through the forest. The shadows rolled across the floor as they sizzled, slamming into walls and crushing furniture.
Lucius watched as the flaming shadows leaped through a broken window in a crazed attempt to escape their doom, landing among the moss and leaves of the forest floor. The loud crinkle of burning leaves reached Lucius’ ears as the shadows raced past blindly, crashing through gravestones before collapsing. They twitched and bubbled for a moment before transforming back into the man’s body. Steam billowed from his bubbling flesh as it slowly disintegrated. In the end, all that remained of the man was a single black stone about the size of a fist.
You have slain Novis Tenebris level ??
You have reached level 20. You have 8 attribute points available for distribution.
You have reached level 21. You have 16 attribute points available for distribution.
Congratulations! You have defeated a novel creature; you have received 1 [Rare] grade item upgrade!
Chapter 37
The Hedge-Pigs
James enjoying the warm sun on his skin, his arms crossed behind his head, as he rode on the back of a massive spider following Mary through the long rows of plants around them. The spider James was riding had obviously grown quite a bit since the boy had created a magical bond with it. The pink fur on its back was brighter now, and it looked fluffy and clean. The talent James had developed for taming beasts created a symbiotic relationship between the two. The creature would follow his commands and protect him, while James’ magical ability empowered it over time.
The field they were currently walking through was discovered to still contain a variety of vegetables, including spinach, carrots, beets, and lettuce. Mary reached down, gently cupping a wilted leaf in her hand. “It’s working! I think I can get them healthy again in a few weeks.”
She had found that Blessing of the Healer was also quite useful for healing sick plants, and the crops in this field were suffering from some kind of fungal infection. She had set aside some time each day to walk through the rows of crops, letting her magic improve their health. James accompanied his mother out of a sense of duty—she was one of the weakest fighters in the community, and the young boy hated the thought of his mother being on her own, vulnerable to attack.
“I don’t mind that you’re spending so much time with those creatures, James. I understand that your talent makes it impossible for them to harm you, but I don’t like the idea that you’ve become someone the community looks to for defense.”
The young boy rolled his eyes and turned away, looking toward the forest as his mother lectured him on her favorite topic.
“I know you think I’m wrong, but I know you, James. How are you going to react when one of your pets starts losing a fight? Will you be able to stand back and let it happen, or will you throw yourself into danger? You’ve been influenced way too much by Jack and Lucius. Life is not a video game. There are very real consequences.”
“You have to stop, Mom. You can’t keep me safe—not anymore. Besides, I’m not dumb. I won’t run right in front of an angry monster.”
James ran his hands through his favorite spider’s soft fur, rubbing it between his fingers. He had named her Ellie. She was one of the only females of the bunch they had stolen from the goblins, and her potential for growth was immense. Plus, he just liked her the most. For whatever reason, James could feel Ellie’s emotions much stronger than he could with the other spiders, so he couldn’t help but grow increasingly attached to her. Right now, though, Ellie was agreeing with his mother, which frustrated James to no end.
““I know you aren’t dumb, James, but what you are is loving, and that can be far more dangerous. Jack and Lucius are much older than you, and you’re mature for your age, but that still…”
“Be quiet, Mom.”
Mary turned back, her eyes narrowed. “What did you say?”
“No, Mom, I heard something!” He sat up abruptly, cupping his hand behind his ear as he turned toward the noise.
The boy and his mother stood quietly for a moment as a faraway ringing drifted over from the direction of the farmhouse. Ding, ding, DING!
“It’s the warning bell! Mom, get on!”
James reached out his hand to his mother, helping Mary climb onto the large creature’s back before sending a mental command urging Ellie to quickly return home. The spider lowered its head to the ground, lifting its abdomen upwards slightly before taking off like a racehorse. Leaves and bits of dirt were flung into the air by Ellie’s powerful steps as she followed her master’s command. It only took a few minutes for the farm to come into view. A group of people armed with spears and shields were running toward the far side of the building. James sent Ellie after them, and when she rounded the corner, he saw Jack leading the group of people toward the two guards in the distance who were currently fending off a large pig-like creature.
The creature was the size of a Clydesdale, with thick gray hair follicles that resembled porcupine spines running down its back. Its eyes were comically small, set in on both sides of its snout like was common in herbivore. The creature was currently spinning its body to keep its spiked rear facing the guards, preventing them from getting any closer to it, as it angrily hissed at the offending humans.
As he watched the group of people surround the creature, James suddenly felt a familiar feeling rising up inside his body. His talent, Beast Tamer, was giving off a reaction. This was a creature that he might be able to tame! James’ eyes shot open and a smile found its way to his lips, he clenched the reins eagerly as he got a good look at the creature, before shifting his gaze toward the people moving in its direction.
“Oh no!” James watched from a distance as Jack led the group of well-armed villagers rushing toward the beast. If they arrived before him, the creature was as good as dead.
“Sorry, Mom, I need you to wait here!”
Ellie quickly tilted to the side at James’ command, causing Mary to slip off the spider’s back and onto the grass. Mary jumped up from the ground with as much haste as she could muster. Her face had already begun to turn pale as she felt her heart drop into her stomach.
“What are you planning! James!” she shouted, her rising anxiety clear in her voice as she scrambled to catch Ellie before James got too far away.
Ignoring his mother’s desperation, James stood up on Ellie’s back like a jockey as his eight-legged companion sped away, He crouched low on her back for stability, leaning forward and holding the reins with one hand. There was no time to explain things to his mother. Jack and the others had nearly reached the creature, and with the power of Jack’s hammer, it would only take a single well-placed hit to end its life.
“Wait!” he called out to the people in front of him, but it was to no avail. His voice, high and childlike, went ignored.
“Please, Ellie, go faster!” he begged, and she did her best to please him, running at full speed over the hill in front of her with wild abandon. Her massive body shot through the air for three meters before her long legs touched the ground beneath them again. As they closed in on the group, three of the strongest men walked forward with their shields up, making as much noise as they could. They banged their spears against their shields and feinted at the beast. All the while, Jack moved around the opposite side of the creature to deliver the killing blow.
Jack scoped out his opponent for a moment before nodding to himself and raising his hammer up over his shoulder. His muscles flexed as his arms swung forward, but his eyes shot open wide as he felt his empty hands moving through the air. He spun around only to see Ellie grasping the head of his hammer between her massive teeth, waving a leg at him playfully.
“Sorry, Jack! Let me handle this one please!” James shouted quickly as he rushed past a stunned Jack.
“Everyone, get away! Stop scaring her!”
The men drawing the beast’s attention heard the command and glanced back at Jack in confusion. Only after receiving a nod of approval did they follow James’ order. As the men backed away, the beast directed its aggression fully toward James. It snorted and ripped at the grass beneath its hooves, but James ignored the display, walking toward the creature with his hand outstretched and focusing all his attention on the magical connection budding in his chest.
With one final snarl, the creature lunged at James, knocking him to the ground as it raised a hoof up above his face, preparing to stomp the life out of the boy. As the beast brought its leg down with great force, James moved his head to the side narrowly avoiding his death, lifted his hand, and pressed it against the monster’s underside. The creature’s angry eyes suddenly calmed as its movements slowed down, before stopping completely.
Silence filled the surroundings. The only sound was Mary’s distant scream at the sight of James’ figure disappearing under the massive frame of the beast. Jack had nearly intervened, but James had held one hand up, urging him to wait even as he lay on the ground. Now it seemed the boy knew what he was doing; the creature’s sudden stillness was proof of that. After a few tense seconds, the large beast stepped away from James and lay down beside him. As it lowered itself to the ground, it exposed its soft belly, revealing the dozens of tiny, pink, hairless bodies laying half-exposed in the fleshy pouches on its underside. The infant creatures were suckling from her teats, squealing quietly as they fed.
As the commotion calmed down and the group of people headed back toward the farmhouse, Mary finally reached the location where James was sitting beside his new beast.
“I’m not stupid enough to jump in front of an angry monster. Isn’t that what you said to me?”
James looked up at his mother’s furious face. He had enough experience with her to know that she had moved far past the stage of being upset and was now truly enraged. James put both hands over his face as he sighed. He would not be able to talk his way out of this.
Chapter 38
A New Friend
With the strange man dead, the environment around Lucius underwent a great deal of change. The gravestone and church slowly became more and more weathered, as if someone had pressed fast-forward on the world. When the process finally stopped, the area was nearly unrecognizable. The gravestones had become no more than moss-covered lumps, and all that remained of the proud church was a rectangle filled with debris above the crumbled foundation.
Hey, mind explaining to me how an actual vampire ended up in the middle of this forest? That obviously was not an Abyss creature... Lucius thought.
Much like your own soul gained the power to strengthen your aspect and influence physical reality when exposed to magic, the rising magical energies in your world have enabled the collective soul of your species to achieve something similar. As a result, mythical creatures residing within your race’s collective subconscious may begin manifesting in reality.
So vampires exist now. Got it...
Incorrect. A vampire existed. You have slain the creature. The physical manifestation of that particular mythical being has now been reduced to pure magical potential.
Reduced to magical potential... Do you mean that black stone?
Correct.
Lucius reached down and brushed away the ash covering the stone before gripping it between his fingers. The item was smooth to the touch and cold as ice, despite having just been in the center of a great plume of fire. Lucius passed it between his hands a few times to reduce the chill before grabbing a shirt from his storage ring and using that to protect his fingers from the numbing chill of the stone. Gazing into the inky blackness, he could see that it was much darker than any normal material should be, as if someone had come along and deleted an oval-shaped chunk of reality where the stone should be. It was like a small black hole.
“Well, it’s nice and cold. I guess I can use it like an ice pack,” he muttered.
Lucius pressed the stone against his aching chest. The wound the vampire had dealt him had been throbbing painfully ever since the fight ended and the adrenaline had cleared out of his system.
“That feels better.”
As he pressed the stone against his wound, a streak of fresh blood smeared across its surface. He reached to wipe it off with his shirt—but froze as the blood vanished, absorbed into the stone like ink into parchment. His eyes widened in alarm, but before he could react, the stone flared with a blinding flash of purple light. With a startled cry, he dropped it and shielded his face. The light burned behind his eyelids for several long seconds before finally fading, dimming just enough for him to risk a glance.
Looking down at the place where the lump of inky blackness should have been, he saw a small bat covered in shiny purple fur, it had its wings tightly wrapped around its body as it stared up at him with a pair of large glistening eyes.
“Father, it’s too bright. I’m scared.”
Lucius felt his body stiffen as he stared back, wide-eyed, listening to the soft, childlike voice speaking to him in his own mind. He watched as the tiny creature scurried deeper into the center of his shadow, away from the sunlight, and wrapped its winged arms around the tip of his shoe.
“Who are you?” Lucius questioned, a single eyebrow raised high as he stared down at the creature.
“I’m me,” the creature squeaked. It snuggled against his dirt-covered sneakers as it let out a deep yawn.
“Why did you call me father?” Lucius protested.
“Because you are Father,” it said as it closed its big eyes and laid its head down against Lucius’ shoe. “I’m tired.” The creature’s tiny shoulders drooped as its chest rose and fall more slowly.
Lucius continued to stare at the creature for a few moments before shaking his head and taking his backpack out of his storage ring, along with some spare clothes. He stuffed the clothes into the bottom of the backpack to create a soft and stable surface before lifting the small creature off his shoe. He carefully avoided letting the sunlight touch its skin as he placed it inside the backpack, zipped it up tight, and strapped it over his shoulders.
