Combat Healer Ch. 34 (Patreon)

March 4, 2023

NOTE: Hopefully this is an extremely exciting chapter.

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- CHAPTER 34: Decisive -

Present Day

A strong young woman with rosy skin and white hair, along with her blonde companion with tan skin and envious proportions, both nodded in silent acknowledgment to the elf guard who was now gesturing for them to proceed into the room.

The Queen’s study.

They both stepped inside, the man closing the door behind them, finding themselves amongst friends.

A pair of elf sisters, both standing toward the right.

A tall elf blonde, leaning against the wall on the left, seeming pensive.

And the Queen herself, sitting at her desk adorned in all leather.

“My Queen,” Mel whispered in concern, her gold eyes looking her over. “Are you…alright?” she whispered hesitantly.

Eliza rose from her chair with a reassuring smile. “Very tired, but I am fine. Our love was permitted to grace me with his healing.”

“Oh,” Mel said in surprise, holding her staff away a little as she gave the Queen a one-arm hug, the shorter elf squeezing her tightly with both arms. “So, your body is healed then?”

“Yes,” Eliza replied, moving to give Val a quick hug too, before turning to sit back down at her desk. “However, my body is still covered in the salve they filled my wounds with. When I eventually undress, I’ll also be desperately in need of bathing, as my skin is quite slimy at the moment, beneath my outfit.”

“Oh,” Mel repeated, only to laugh, followed immediately by a grimace. “Sorry.”

“Relax, Melantha,” Eliza replied gently. “I am alright. And I experienced nothing I wasn’t prepared to endure. I also had my good friend Sylvia with me the whole time,” she added, only to gesture to the two empty chairs in front of her desk.

Mel sat down hesitantly, holding her staff between her strong leather-clad thighs, even as Val carefully sat down as well, visibly looking like she wasn’t sure what to do with herself, finally settling on clasping her hands together on her lap, squishing her large tan tits together.

Eliza sighed heavily, folding her gloved hands together and resting her chin on them as she looked them both over.

“Our love…” she whispered simply.

Mel and Val exchanged a glance, only for the busty Red Oni to reply. “Umm, what of him?” she asked hesitantly.

“I’m sure you must have seen that he’s changed some, when that abomination attacked the three of you.”

Mel’s gold eyes widened, only for her to grimace. “So, I guess he found time to tell you.”

Eliza nodded on her interlaced fingers. “He did. But now, I wish to hear from the two of you. What has your experience been? When did…did you find out? And how has he changed…if at all.”

Mel and Val exchanged a glance, only for Val to decide to speak up.

“Umm…it happened two days ago, your majesty.”

Eliza gave her a gentle smile. “No formalities, my dear Valshia. Not in private.”

She nodded hesitantly, reaching up to brush some of her thick straw-like gold hair out of her face. “Umm, okay. We were in that Dungeon you tasked us with, ma’am. It was full of Voice Reapers.”

Sylvia abruptly stood up straight, her icy eyes wide, prompting Eliza to focus up at her.

“The Fildae’rop’tera,” Mel agreed. “I’ve only heard bedtime stories of them, tales to scare me from sneaking out at night when I was young.”

Sylvia’s voice was tense. “Were they as rumored?” she whispered. “Did you hear the cries of the dead?”

Eliza returned her gaze to the busty women, waiting for their answer.

“Yeah, it was pretty disturbing,” Mel agreed. “We managed to avoid disturbing them for a while, but then we stumbled upon a room full of them. And there were also Balphors. I think at least a dozen of them.”

“My God,” Sylvia whispered. “You’re lucky to be alive.”

“Master killed them,” Val said firmly. “He and Wren.”

All the elves focused on her, stunned by that revelation.

Eliza then sat back in her seat, looking like she was struggling to grasp that news. “Truly, my beloved has ascended to something more than he once was.”

Mel grimaced. “It was…distressing…when it happened. His skin was peeling off. His eyes had become red.” She took a deep breath. “And it seems as if Wren knew it was going to happen. She seemed to have been waiting for him to finally change. To finally become like her.”

Eliza stared at her for a long few seconds, before nodding once in acknowledgment. “And afterward?”

They both exchanged a glance, Mel speaking hesitantly. “After they both killed…all the Balphors…well, I think Wren turned into one. She transformed into a smaller Balphor. And then they left. The Dungeon opened and then they were gone all night. We still don’t know where they went. Never ended up talking about it.”

“Here,” Astaer whispered, speaking up for the first time, only to grimace as she looked at the Queen. “I…I was prepared to do something I do not wish to admit to.” She paused, her blue eyes unfocused for a moment. “For you, my Queen. And Wren stopped me. Told me that…well, perhaps that she, and also he, were handling the situation. To ensure you ascended to the throne. Asked me to not get involved. Saved me…from getting involved,” she added, her eyes pained.

Celestine wrapped her arm around her older sister.

Eliza simply nodded, her expression grim. “Yes, upon learning of his new Class, I believe it is quite obvious what was done on that night, two days ago.” She focused on Mel and Val. “And it is very important that such information not be disclosed to others. We must protect our love’s secret from all others. Only those he shares this information with shall be permitted to know.”

“I’m glad he told you,” Mel admitted. “Because I wasn’t sure what to do. We both weren’t sure.”

Eliza nodded firmly. “You are forgiven for being willing to withhold this information from me. For, as he is the man I love above all else, I desire your allegiance be to him above all else, even above me, your Queen.”

Val’s tone was relieved. “Thank you, ma’am.”

Eliza gave her an affectionate smile at her insistence on being overly polite. She then sighed. “And afterward?” she prompted again. “What has transpired in the last day? You were attacked yesterday, correct?”

“Yes,” Mel agreed, even as Val nodded. “And my God, it happened so fast, I didn’t even see it. Literally, one second we were talking to…that thing…and then the next second there was this horrifying monster sinking its teeth into Allie.”

Eliza nodded. “Yes, we’ve already exposed one among the nobles. The initial attack was nearly invisible to my own eyes. By the time I was able to react, two of my men were already dead. And a third died, along with several severely injured, before I brought it down.” She grimaced. “Its movements were more…manageable…after the initial attack. More than likely, it’s a skill. Something that allows these abominations to have a burst of speed for the first strike.” She sighed. “Most of its victims probably die before they even realize they are about to die.”

“One was living here?” Mel said in disbelief. “How could it truly go unnoticed in the capital?”

Eliza sighed heavily. “The capital is very large. Dozens of people go missing every year, and have for a very long time now. Sometimes these cases are just a runaway child, other times it’s a Scourge Suppressor who decided to visit home without telling anyone, as well as any number of excuses, where the person was eventually discovered to be fine. But there are others who are never found. People who have gone missing with no explanation as to where they might be.” She grimaced. “If I had to guess, many of those individuals probably met a similar fate as those who perished earlier today.”

“That’s so horrible,” Val whispered.

“It is,” Eliza agreed. “Which is why we will flush out these monsters, and eventually ensure that everyone in the kingdom is made aware of the threat, as well as how to identify it, and how to defend against it. Which is what our love helps with now.” She sighed, ready to deliver her news. “And it is also the reason why I will be sending him away for a while, perhaps a week or longer, without the two of you.”

Mel and Val exchanged an urgent glance, only for the busty Red Oni to reply. “What? Why?”

Eliza gave her a nod, ready to explain. “I’ve made him my Ambassador, so that he might use this opportunity to plant the seeds of an eventual overthrow of the current powers that be, in the kingdom of Ryfle.” Her jaw clenched. “The immature king who sits on the thrown already flaunts his authority, but it is worse whenever I’ve sent women as a part of the convoy. The boy will only respect a man, and he’s made outrageous demands that could have resulted in our kingdoms going to war, all because he views all females as property to be owned, and nothing more.”

“Like what?” Mel said in disbelief. “What kind of demands?”

She scoffed, her tone sarcastic. “He wanted to keep the female elves, of course. Tried to bargain for them. Made threats for them. Nearly brought us to war, if we didn’t meet his demands. Thankfully, his advisor reined the boy in by promising to get him an elf, and convincing him that he’d want an obedient elf, not a ‘proud’ one. As to whether or not that has transpired, I am unaware. The vile snake of a man is behind the plot to weaken our kingdom, but even he knows all of Ryfle would be defeated within a week if we were provoked to war.”

“What an ass,” Mel said in disbelief. “Both of them.”

Eliza nodded. “Yes, but it is for this reason that it would be a very poor decision to have you accompanying the convoy. No doubt our kingdoms would immediately be brought to war when the immature king demanded both of you.” She took a deep breath. “And so, having Allister go with only men will ensure that there are no distractions for the boy who sits on the throne. And it will hopefully ensure that the visit is fruitful. That seeds will be planted, to eventually have the king removed from a throne he doesn’t deserve.”

Mel took a deep breath. “Well, I guess that will be fine then. I know Allie will be safe, at least. And he’ll always have Wren hiding somewhere in the shadows, in the event he needs help.”

Eliza sat back more in her chair with a heavy sigh. “Yes, I fully agree. While I still find her existence a bit distressing, especially because of her appearance, I am comforted in knowing he has such a capable guardian. Whether he needs the protection or not.”

“She came right away when we were attacked yesterday,” Mel agreed. “I guess she must have been a Balphor because she dropped through the roof out of nowhere. And she appeared so quickly that she might actually have been able to save Allie’s life, even if he were not able to do so on his own. Probably still would have gotten hurt really bad, but not so horrible that he couldn’t heal.”

“Such news is a relief to hear,” the Queen said sincerely.

Mel nodded. “So what about us?” she wondered. “We’re not technically on a team right now. Or if we are, then it’s Allister’s team. Is there something you want us to do while he’s gone? Because if not, then we may stay with Val’s family, as I don’t want to take on a Dungeon Quest without a healer.”

“Would you take on a Quest if you had a competent healer?” Eliza wondered.

Mel and Val exchanged a glance, of course knowing that basically all healers were female. Mel then spoke for both of them. “I don’t think we mind. Why? Do you have a Quest for us?”

“I may,” Eliza said simply. “But if you wish to stay with Valshia’s family for the time being, that is perfectly acceptable. I can send for you, if needed.”

“Okay,” Mel said confidently. “Then that’s what we will do.”

“Very good,” the Queen responded. “Very good. And if you have need of anything, feel free to ask.”

“Umm…” Mel said hesitantly.

“What is it?” Eliza wondered.

Mel grimaced. “Well…we did kind of defeat a Dungeon. Two, technically. And…well, I could really use the coin. I haven’t a single bronze to my name right now.”

Eliza stared at her for a second…

Only to burst out laughing. “Oh Melantha, of course. From now on, you shall have more than plenty to your name. I’ll see to that. Same goes for you, Valshia.”

“T-Thank you, ma’am,” Val said in surprise. “But really, my family needs it more than I do. I am more than happy to simply have anything to eat, and to be with my betrothed.”

“Then I shall ensure your family receives plenty,” she promised. “Even without consideration for our beloved, you are by far worth the expense. Both of you,” she said meaningfully.

Mel and Val both felt sincere relief knowing they’d be taken care of.

They both smiled warmly.

* * *

The blonde bitchy half angel, Lyla, was currently pissed at me, just absolutely fuming, and I honestly couldn’t blame her since I absolutely had been an ass, but I also wasn’t about to allow her to dictate my life.

We both got a little carried away with our passionate kiss, to the point that I shoved her against the tree trunk and pressed my strong stomach into her snatch as she grinded into me, ultimately causing her to climax in my grasp, gasping for breath as she moaned my name.

She then immediately had a change of heart, turning her head away from my kissing as she commented that she felt like ‘we shouldn’t have done this.’

Honestly, I had been super horny.

And honestly, her comment offended me a bit.

However, I didn’t want her to take control of the situation by rejecting me, so I simply set her down and patted her on the top of the head as she tried to straighten her silk dress, deciding to belittle her with my attitude and overly nice tone.

“Glad you found me so attractive that you squirted on me just from kissing.”

Of course, her face turned bright red in anger.

“I didn’t…” she started yelling, only for her voice to trail off instantly when she realized my shirt was wet, apparently not even having realized that her undergarments were wet. Or perhaps she wasn’t wearing undergarments. Would at least explain why her ass was so defined from the white silk clinging to her. Not that it was overly unusual for her, or anyone else, to choose to go without.

Either way, my shirt was noticeably wet.

And her face was turning red in embarrassment now.

“But it’s fine you’re done,” I continued apathetically. “I wasn’t that interested in you anyway, and I’ve got two other women in my life already. Glad you had your fun, but we’ve got work to do. That’s why I requested to see you. Orders from the Queen.”

She looked like she was about to yell at me, but when I said that last part, she held her tongue.

I then proceeded to explain the situation, acting like nothing had happened between us, with her listening with quite a bit of skepticism, just truly not believing that everything I was saying was real, as if she thought I was going to tell her at any minute that ‘she was an idiot’ for believing the tale I was spinning…

But when the joke at her expense never seemed to come, she at least got serious about the part she was expected to do.

“Okay, so I just stand around and if someone turns into a monster,” she spat sarcastically. “Then I just Stun them?”

“Yes,” I replied simply. “Think you can handle that? Because they attack quickly, so you can’t hesitate at all.”

She scoffed. “Fucking asshole, you truly think I don’t deserve being on the second-best team, don’t you? I risk my life all the time!”

I sighed heavily. “I think you deserve it.”

She was clearly already prepared with a retort, because she froze solid, almost looking confused.

“What?” she finally managed.

“I think you deserve it,” I repeated, her unique skill undeniably one of the most potent and useful abilities I’d ever seen.

And Lyla was literally left speechless at the compliment.

“I still think you’re a bitch though,” I added, abruptly walking away. “Wonder what everyone will think of this wet mark on my shirt,” I continued loudly, not waiting for her to catch up.

It was petty, I knew. But she pissed me off.

And of course, my shirt was only a little damp, and no one seemed to notice at all when we got back, but Lyla was definitely super pissed at me.

Again, rightfully so, since I’d been an ass.

But I was sincerely irritated too by her rejection.

Both Eira and the Guild Master Lucius had done a great job of getting everything organized, and so now we’d spent the last hour working through everyone in our Guild Remnant to ensure there were no abominations hiding amongst us.

Lyla hadn’t even so much as looked at me the whole time, though I got the sensation that she was still focused on me – that she was very well aware of where I was, sending her silent hostility my way.

To be fair, I wouldn’t have been such an ass if she’d just kept her mouth shut.

She could have just asked nicely if I could wait until later to enjoy myself with her body, and then never actually fulfilled that promise – I would have taken the hint. Or she could have even told me flat out that she’d rather put things on hold between us for now.

But getting off on me and then claiming that she regretted what we did wasn’t exactly a great way to get on my good side. Like, I probably wasn’t going to do anything with her again, unless she apologized, and even then I might still deny her.

Her fault for being a bitch.

Like damn, keep your regrets to yourself.

Even if I was half monster, I still had feelings too.

But I was over it now.

We had more pressing things to worry about.

Of course, we didn’t want to tip off a potential enemy prematurely, so only two people at a time were escorted back behind the training grounds, most of them seeming confused and uneasy to see so many elves with their weapons drawn, only to have Greater Healing cast on them, followed by the pair then being escorted into the trees where most everyone else was now.

Watching.

They knew something was up, that the situation must be more than it seemed, and so everyone was watching intently as we continued to work through the crowd.

Obviously, it would be a tactical nightmare to have a couple dozen elves attacking at once, so they were rotating in pairs, just like how the elf healers were rotating every handful of casts of Greater Healing. Partially to conserve essence, in the case of the healers, to give them a chance to recover before having a turn again, but also partially because most of the men wanted a go at one of these monsters.

The reason?

They were pissed.

They’d obviously been there when one of the nobles was discovered to be a monster, and they wanted revenge for their slain comrades. Their slain friends.

It gave me some reassurance that they wouldn’t mess up and hesitate when it counted most, but I still had my trump card with us.

Jackel.

He was taking everything more serious, far more than even those in the Elf Guard, despite not having his blade drawn. After I initially returned with Lyla, and upon seeing that he’d arrived, I’d taken him aside to whisper to him what happened, both with the first monster, and with the second. Told him how impossibly fast they were when they first attacked. Told him everything that I could about my assessment, even hinting that there might be more that I didn’t want to say.

And then, I asked him to ensure Lyla was safe.

To stand near her and be ready, at least on her side of the small field behind the training grounds, at least fifty paces away, if required of him.

He wasn’t surprised.

Even if he knew that I didn’t much like her, he also knew how I felt about people in general.

Knew that I cared.

That I studied so much because I hated seeing people die that I might have otherwise saved, if only I had a better spell. Knew that I healed people without question, without cost or expectation for anything in return, even going out of my way to try to help others when there was little hope.

That was just who I was.

The only reason he didn’t have his sword drawn was because it would be an extreme offense to those in the Guard, especially since they were present for the very purpose I’d tasked him with. And also because…he didn’t need a sword to create his Essence weapons.

During the last hour, I’d also spent some time testing out Lyla’s unique gift…

By no means were any of these elves under my command.

Not in a million years.

However, they were aware that my requests were to be respected.

And they were more than willing, given that they’d seen me rip out the last abomination’s ‘weak point’ while the rest of them were all frozen in shock. Seen me toss the bloody eye to Vildred with no fear or hesitation in my actions.

In particular, the female elves seemed to hold me in high regard, and I wasn’t sure if it was because I was as tall as most of them, actually now taller than a few, or if it was because they were aware of my Divine Restoration spell, or possibly just approving of my bravery in the face of danger. Maybe even respect, as being someone who had been given the honor of healing the Queen.

Could also be a combination of all those things, but I could definitely see it in their eyes.

Sincere respect.

Thus, when I requested to be a part of the healing rotation, to occasionally cast my own Greater Healing a few times, assuring them I’d have plenty of essence to cast Stun if needed, they were completely fine with it. And Lyla was so determined on ‘ignoring me’ that she didn’t seem to notice.

I cast a handful of Greater Healings and then paid close attention to how quickly I recovered my essence. Paid close attention to whether or not her unique skill reached me even from this distance, when I was a good fifty paces away.

My maximum storage capacity was 230 Essence, and my Greater Healing cost 14 Essence each. Using the spell seven times put me at about a 100 Essence deficit. Under normal conditions, if I were completely out of Essence, then I could regenerate all 230 within half a day, not counting the nighttime – as in, about six or seven hours. That was about 40 Essence per hour. Only about 10 Essence every 15 minutes.

Basically 20 minutes just to recover enough to cast another Greater Healing.

It was the reason why most healers didn’t waste their spells on animals.

Didn’t waste their spells on very minor injuries.

Especially not while in a Dungeon.

Even while at full capacity, most healers understood just how quickly that essence could be depleted, and requiring half an hour to cast a Greater Healing for a lot of them was a big deal in a Dungeon. So they were very conservative, despite having access to Essence Crystals, since it was also the biggest source of coin for completing a Quest.

However…

Lyla’s gift increased all nearby allies Essence and Stamina Regeneration rates by ten times.

I already had a high Essence Regeneration Rate, and yet it should have taken me over two hours to recover what I’d used up.

Instead…

I recovered 100 Essence in fucking 15 minutes!

Fuck!

Even if Lyla knew zero spells, even if she wasn’t a healer or anything else – fuck, even if she was asleep the whole time – she was probably the most important individual any team could possibly ever have.

Ever.

No competition.

No debate.

Literally just having her present was the most ridiculously powerful game-changing thing I’d ever seen in my entire life. There was nothing to compare it to. Absolutely nothing I’d ever seen that was even remotely similar.

I mean, shit!

I had these crazy powerful skills, including Domain of the Goddess, and yet the usefulness of this Angel’s Blessing on a daily basis far exceeded it. Sure, my skill could potentially do impossible things, but how often did I need to use it?

Practically never.

And when I did use it, the benefit was one-time and then I was out of commission for a while. Making Lyla’s gift just far more powerful in so many ways. Because with her gift, a team probably would never even need a gift like mine. Not when her Oni teammates were recovering their Stamina ten times as fast. Not when her Mage teammates were recovering their Essence ten times as fast. Not when her healer companion could use up all her essence and have it recovered within half an hour.

Half a fucking hour!

I suspected I knew the reason ‘why’ there was a massive difference in utility.

I was a human using a skill that was potentially borrowing the power of a goddess.

Lyla wasn’t borrowing anyone’s power.

This power, this gift, was truly her own.

Lyla was the angel, in her Angel’s Blessing.

It was her power.

She was the gift.

She was the blessing.

And it was kind of a tough pill to swallow.

By no means was I ever going to bend over backwards for her, and I knew she might not want to leave her team, even if we somehow started dating, even if she somehow decided she was okay with me being with other women, but it was at least understandable why she was so…proud.

She knew her worth.

She knew her value.

And she definitely acted like it.

She was more valuable than her weight in gold. More valuable than ten times her weight in gold. Someone deserving of being treated like a princess. Someone who definitely acted like a pompous princess.

Honestly, I was a little shocked the others hadn’t noticed that they weren’t running out of Essence. That the breaks they were taking were giving them enough time to basically recover all that was lost, the bag of Essence Crystals having barely been touched in the last hour. Perhaps they were just too focused on the task at hand.

Though things had become a little less tense as time progressed.

We were almost at the point where everyone currently at the Guild were among the trees, quite a few talking loudly as they waited a bit impatiently now for us to finish up. For us to finally explain what was going on. Big Oni men leaning against the trees, socializing and laughing, an elf or two hanging out on a sturdy branch, one even using a knife to prune some of the branches, as all the elves were committed to doing to ensure the trees were kept healthy.

I was pretty sure at least a couple women had lured away a partner to go fuck by the stone wall. There were a few loud screams of ecstasy here and there, but basically no one paid any attention, such sounds not at all uncommon at any time of the day.

I was honestly beginning to wonder if maybe there weren’t any monsters in the guild.

After all, while these abominations could mimic a person’s appearance, I wasn’t sure if they could mimic everything else about them. Especially their skills and spells. Because if they couldn’t mimic that stuff, then they wouldn’t be able to conceal themselves as a Scourge Suppressor. Most nobles didn’t have any need for such things, assuming they even had a Class and Focus, as was the same with many of the citizens, but a Scourge Suppressor?

That should be impossible to fake.

Again, assuming it couldn’t mimic actual skills and spells.

It wasn’t until I noticed the elf receptionist, Eira, who I was as tall as now, tense in the corner of my eye, that I suddenly wondered if something was wrong.

Currently, two different individuals were being brought, both of them Oni. One a big Blue Oni whose name I didn’t know, as well as Grif, the big Red Oni that was also Turg’s good friend, and the leader of the eighth strongest team in our Guild.

I glanced fully at Eira to see that she was marking on her parchment now, only to return my gaze when Grif walked right up to me, still a full head taller, ignoring the elf healer who was supposed to be casting Greater Healing on him.

“Well hello, little man,” he teased. “What’s all this about?”

“Umm…” I began, just as I saw Eira hold something up.

Looking back toward her, realizing she was staring directly at me, I focused on the script she’d written in big letters, hurriedly having even written over an entire section of names.

‘Team lost. Only he returned.’

I focused on Grif in surprise, seeing that he was looking at her too, his brow furrowed in confusion, only to realize we’d already tested most of his team.

Most of Grif’s team.

Which meant…

My eyes widened in shock as I turned my head to the big Blue Oni, seeing that Lyla had her hands on her silk-covered hips, her ass fully defined by the shiny white clinging to her, overall still visibly looking just frustrated in general, while also looking so ridiculously tiny compared to the tall elf woman and the massive Blue Oni man.

Fuck, Lyla’s head barely reached the man’s upper stomach.

Didn’t even truly reach the bottom of his chest.

And suddenly, I could imagine how big this abomination’s mouth might be, if he were a monster, large enough to swallow someone like Lyla up whole.

The elf healer standing closer to the man called out her spell, just as Lyla raised her arm, seemingly to brush some of her blonde hair out of her face.

A spell she’d said repeatedly, over and over, no enthusiasm in her voice.

“Greater Healing,” she said simply.

I didn’t even have time to react.

Because I wasn’t personally in danger.

Foresight didn’t activate.

Forethought didn’t activate.

Instinctual Casting didn’t work.

Reflexive Instinct, Haste, and everything else that saved my life last time…

Nothing activated.

One second, a Blue Oni man was standing in front of them, and then it was as if I’d lost consciousness completely and missed all movement.

Suddenly, even though I hadn’t blinked, instantly half of the elf woman was gone, the front of her entire body having disappeared between crushing jaws as large as the blue creatures entire body, it’s arm having also become a mouth, Lyla’s own outstretched arm having vanished within.

Tendons and torn muscle visibly connecting Lyla’s severed arm to the part still visible…

STUN.

Everything froze…

Only because Lyla had cast Stun.

Yet…no one moved.

To my complete horror, no one moved!

The two elf men who were supposed to attack had both hesitated!

And I couldn’t cast my spells from here!

Nothing to imbued!

Nothing to throw!

I couldn’t cast Stun from here!

I couldn’t even cast Charm Monster from here!

Fuck!

Two seconds!

Stun lasted two seconds!

And one was already gone!

My body very slowly began leaning in that direction, just the tiniest amount, nearly imperceptible to my own mind, as my panic shattered all conscious thoughts in my head, my entire being becoming an instinct.

FORETHOUGHT.

REFLEXIVE INSTINCT.

HASTE.

BERSERK.

BERSERK HASTE.

Everything instantly slowed down even more as if time had all but halted, my first outstretched footstep having barely touched the ground, even as my body began glowing with pealing ribbons of crimson energy, like living snakes beginning to stir alive from just beneath my skin, all as my mind began to register everything else going on around me.

Everyone frozen, not a single other person moving.

The two elves who were supposed to attack clearly shocked from the instant slaughter, not having even fully reacted to it yet – reacted to seeing one of their own dead, just like that, her face literally bitten off.

The entire front of her body bitten off.

All were unmoving, several who were still only now reacting, their eyes actively widening impossibly slow…

All…

Except one other.

A tall body glowing blue.

A strong elf already two steps from his original position.

A strong arm slowly thrusting outward, a vibrant azure spear rapidly materializing out of thin air and significantly closing the gap, even though he was still almost half a dozen paces away.

It was Essence Spear.

It was Immortal Form.

It was Onslaught.

It was instinct, and experience, and decisiveness.

And I knew as he neared his prey…

That it would be Cripple.

But he still wouldn’t make it in time.

The last second of Lyla’s Stun was already almost used up.

And even with my Berserk Haste, I was more than fifty paces away.

An impossible distance.

Transforming wouldn’t help, even if I were willing to consider it.

A spell wouldn’t help.

Nothing would help.

Nothing.

NO.

ABSOLUTELY NO.

For, I had a wish.

And I desired it to be granted.

A wish that only required my Stamina.

Shifting my posture, I slammed my foot down firmly, even as my Berserk deactivated, a vibrant blue light exploding from the ground, the first pulse of my skill erupting outward at a blinding speed, reaching past all of them before Jackel was even on his third step.

DOMAIN OF THE GODDESS.

No sooner had the first pulse ended before a second blue light exploded from my foot, rapidly traversing the distance at impossible speeds, the glowing area suddenly encompassing our entire guild before even a single person had managed to blink.

Jackel was on his third step.

I was casting my first spell.

All ‘mortal limitations’ removed.

All ‘distance limitations’ completely irrelevant.

So long as my target was within reach.

Within the Domain.

The tendons and muscles in Lyla’s arm were beginning to stretch away from her body, forcefully tugging her forward as the abomination stirred back to life. As it resumed its unyielding slaughter. All of it happening slowly to my mind.

STUN.

The lesser eldritch froze solid once again.

A third pulse of blue light exploded from my foot, erupting away from me even faster than before, suddenly encompassing the next guild over too, enveloping a rapidly growing area before even a single eyeblink.

Jackel was on his fourth step, his elongating Essence Spear finally closing the gap, beginning to sink into the abomination’s blue flesh between its ribs, aiming straight for where I’d told him the eye should be, his other hand now forming another weapon.

Another spear, another strike, another Cripple.

‘Weak Point’ only identified an enemy’s weakness, if it had one.

CRIPPLE both identified and demolished it.

Lyla was about to completely lose half her arm, shredding at her elbow. It would be completely severed the moment that Jackel’s attack fully impacted his target, the moment it was violently forced away from her with her arm still in its mouth.

I cast my second spell.

CHARM MONSTER.

Gave my first and only command.

‘Release her.’

It tried to resist.

However, the distraction of realizing it was being impaled made it obey.

The jaws of its hand and arm began to open, the severed limb beginning to fall from its bloody mouth, the swarming tongues starting to release their hold on it.

A fourth pulse of blue light erupted from my foot, this time erupting away from me even faster.

So much faster.

Traversing an even larger distance in the same amount of time as before.

The rhythm feeling familiar.

So very familiar.

Perfectly matching…

My heartbeat.

Each pulse was in sync with my very heartbeat.

As if it was my strong heart sending out these waves with each throb.

Lyla was finally reflexively pulling away, her body slowly moving backward, her other hand urgently flying toward her maimed limb, very slowly, visible confusion, shock, and horror on her face, clearly only just now beginning to fully register that she was even being attacked. Her Stun spell likewise cast on an instinct that came from experience in the Dungeons.

And I was only now realizing that my Stamina was still recovering just as fast as I was using it.

That wouldn’t last forever, the Stamina requirement growing dramatically with this infinitely widening Domain, but in this moment…

BERSERK activated.

A fifth pulse of blue light erupted from my entire body as crimson ribbons of energy began to resurface from my skin again, the color briefly purple, if only for the smallest fraction of a second, even as my body began moving again.

I took my next step.

BERSERK HASTE.

Jackel was already creating his seventh spear, the sixth fully sliding into place as he began to insert the next, an eighth spear already starting to materialize out of thin air, his arms moving at a blinding speed.

Another pulse of blue light erupted from my body.

I took my next step, this one far larger.

Three paces in one stride.

Another pulse of brilliant blue light erupted with my heartbeat.

Another larger step.

Six paces in one stride.

Jackel was inserting his thirteenth spear.

The abomination was no longer touching the ground, it’s massive heavy body airborne, impaled by over a dozen brilliant blue lights, the glowing elf cycling his arms rhythmically and forcefully as he continued his aggressive assault.

Another pulse of vibrant light.

Another even larger step.

Nine paces in one stride.

A trail of crimson left behind me.

Seventeen spears impaling the abomination, strong arms thrusting spear after spear.

I was already at a speed that would kill someone like Lyla, if I were to smash into her, my Foresight and Forethought skills causing me to realize I had to slow down.

But I was already taking my next step.

A leap that far exceeded what most humans were capable of, even those with the Fighter Class.

Another pulse of light erupted with my heartbeat.

Twelve paces in one stride.

Twenty-one spears impaling the abomination.

Berserk deactivated again.

The crimson ribbons of energy began to die down.

My heart erupted with another pulse of blue light, the domain nearly encompassing a tenth of the entire capital now, infinitely growing larger and larger, expanding dramatically with each pulse of light.

Nine paces in one stride.

Twenty-five spears impaling the airborne abomination, Jackel’s arms continuing to cycle forcefully as he stabbed his prey over and over and over again with long rods of blue energy.

Another pulse of light.

Six paces in one stride.

My world began to speed up again.

What had once been about four Essence Spears per step was rapidly becoming dozens. An abomination with twenty-five spears impaling its body was suddenly thirty-five, and then suddenly fifty-five, Jackel’s arms becoming a blur to me, the pressure of having so many Essence weapons within the abomination beginning to cause the entire body to start bulging outward, a violent explosion of flesh inevitable at this point.

Too much pressure.

Too much energy forced within.

Another pulse of light.

Three paces in one stride.

I’d closed the distance.

Lyla was before me, her expression horrified, her severed arm barely remaining connected by just a few shreds of flesh, bone visible, her brown eyes both focused and unfocused simultaneously, as if she couldn’t comprehend what was happening right now.

She didn’t even notice I was there.

All at once I reached out for the limb and grabbed it, my feet beginning to slide in the dirt.

Casting my third spell.

GREATER HEALING.

I trusted it would be enough.

Trusted that the power of the Domain of the Goddess would enhance all healing spells, as promised.

Watched as the muscle, and tissue, and ligaments began to pull back together, watched as her arm slowly fit back in place and again became whole, even as our bodies began pressing together from my inertia.

I was still going too fast.

I tried to fully dig in my feet, but still couldn’t stop myself in time from knocking her over. Couldn’t even change direction at this point.

Wrapping one arm around her body, the other hand behind her head, I prepared to land on my elbows, tensing my body so that my weight didn’t knock the wind out of her. So that my weight didn’t cause her to slam her head against the ground.

Only now…

Only now…

Were the two men who had frozen in shock activating their skills.

A hesitation that lasted barely a few seconds, a hesitation that was caused from inexperience with real monsters, a hesitation that was now an overreaction, since they could no doubt see that the abomination was already defeated.

Another pulse of light erupted from my body as we hit the ground.

Thirteen.

The thirteenth pulse of blue light.

The thirteenth heartbeat.

Lyla’s gold hair began to glow from the physical contact. Began to lighten.

Her deep brown eyes began to glow.

Began to lighten.

My heartbeats pulsed faster.

The domain was growing infinitely larger.

Half the capital was within it.

Jackel was finally ceasing his attack, having exhausted a good portion of his stored essence on the one enemy.

I could hear chunks of rupturing flesh landing all around us.

Some of the others had their arms raised, defending against the onslaught of the exploding monster, others had become too distracted by the Domain itself, that which had turned daylight into a breathtaking starry night, and yet there was one other nearby who wasn’t focused on any of that.

A tall female elf, one of the other healers, was staring down at the dead elf with a horrified expression, the entire front of the other woman’s body torn off, having just finished collapsing to the ground. Nothing but gore remaining, not even enough to identify the person, the visible and exposed heart pulsing its last beat.

Even worse than a decapitation.

It was the sight of her friend.

Her best friend, who had been alive and well just a few seconds ago.

Panicked traumatized anger filled her expression, and she immediately turned toward the nearest guard, the man who was supposed to protect her, the girl dead, and began hysterically slamming her fists against his chest. “BASTARD!” she shrieked out at the top of her lungs. “She’s dead! She’s dead because of you! SHE’S DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!” she cried out.

I held Lyla’s gaze as her hair began turning white.

Watched as her wide eyes began to turn glowing gold, having rapidly transitioned from brown to amber, to that of the sun itself.

Saw…as a reflection of red began appearing within her dilated pupils.

A reflection…

Of my own eyes.

Were we both transforming?

Our hidden forms revealing themselves uncontrollably?

I briefly focused my thoughts on my own body.

Forced it back to normal.

Forced the red reflection to fade away, even though she’d undeniably seen the change in my eyes.

Rapid pulses of blue light were erupting out of me with each fast heartbeat, the domain growing even larger.

Nearly the entire capital.

Large enough that the drain of my Stamina was beginning to exceed how fast I was recovering it. A drain so massive that even Lyla’s skill wasn’t enough to offset it.

This was our second monster discovered within the capital…

Four elves dead.

Eliza’s people.

My people.

No.

ABSOLUTELY NO.

I didn’t know this elf, but what did it matter?

I knew the cost of my skill, but what was the point of having it if I never used it?

I’d avoided it only because I’d woken up to a bunch of dead bodies, that first and only time, that I’d truly used it. Because I thought something had gone wrong.

That something had gone horribly wrong.

But I knew differently now.

And now, I had a ton more Stamina.

Right now, I had an absurdly higher regeneration rate.

And right now, more than anything…

I had a wish.

Was my wish too much?

Was it completely unreasonable?

Was it completely impossible?

Could it reach so far away?

To the Queen’s castle?

Could it reach so far back in time?

To several hours ago?

I wasn’t sure…

But I was going to try.

For, it was my sincerest wish.

And because…

I was Worthy.

Even half monster, I was still Worthy.

Always Worthy.

For I was still me.

I finally looked away from Lyla’s wide glowing gold eyes.

From her eclipsed suns.

I finally began pushing myself off her.

I finally began reaching out, Lyla’s legs still between mine.

Stretching as I felt Fatigue begin washing over me.

Stretching as my fingers grasped around a dead elf’s bloody wrist.

I didn’t know her, but didn’t care.

Didn’t know any of them, but I didn’t care.

Distance now irrelevant.

Their bodies were within the Domain.

All of them.

I closed my eyes as I tried to focus.

Focus on my wish.

In this moment, it was my greatest desire.

MASS CAST.

DIVINE RESTORATION.

I sensed it as a beam of light illuminated at the Queen’s castle, piercing the starry sky, even though it should be the middle of the day, followed immediately by another and another, several around me gasping as they focused up in the distance.

But I didn’t care.

All that mattered was this single desire.

Live.

I wish for you all to live.

My deepest desire. My greatest wish.

For all of you…to simply…

LIVE.

Be made whole.

BE HEALED.

I squeezed the dead elf's wrist more tightly as I sensed her body beginning to glow.

Sensed another pillar of light erupting to the sky.

I felt Lyla’s hands as she grasped on my shoulder. As I felt one of her hands grasp at my chest…

I felt it as someone else gently grasped my face within soft warm hands…

No one visible to be seen.

As if I was hallucinating.

It would require a full minute for Divine Restoration to heal the most severe injuries. Injuries it might only heal because of the effect of this unique skill.

Domain of the Goddess was still growing larger with each heartbeat.

The Stamina cost was rapidly becoming more than I could ever hope to manage. An amount I never would have been capable of previously, prior to becoming a monster.

I would be cutting it too close.

Even now, it should have been impossible.

And yet, right now I also had…

Angel’s Blessing.

I was going to make it.

Only because of Lyla.

I was going to make it.

Simply because she was here…

And then…

After a full minute…

Finally, it was over.

It was finished.

I felt the Domain vanish in the blink of an eye.

Just like that, the starry night disappeared, and it was daytime again.

The sunlight was bright.

Our surroundings had returned to normal.

Lyla's hair had regained its gold color, her eyes returning to their rich brown.

But I was still glowing blue.

My body was still pulsing with light.

Oscillations that throbbed outward only a few feet.

With each heartbeat.

And I was exhausted.

As I finally collapsed onto the ground, lying face down in the dirt between Lyla and the attacked elf, stretched between them, my legs still touching the former, the last thing I remembered…

The very last thing I recalled…

Was the wrist in my grasp…

Tensing.

Tugging.

Pulling away as a young woman spoke up in confusion.

“What…what happened?”

My wish…

Had been granted.

Because…

I was Worthy.

Always Worthy.

Even if my body was part monster…

I was still me.

Always me.

FEEDBACK: Thoughts on this chapter?

I was aiming for this situation to be amazing/exciting/intense.

1) Did I accomplish that goal? And if so, how would you compare it to other 'action scenes' I've written.

3) What 'action scene' do you think is my best one? (Between this story and IDH?)

Chapter 35 >>

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