Demonic Magician

Some lessons were easily learned compared to others. It seemed that the ones that required you to be dragged bloodied and screaming into acceptance were the most important, however, if only so you didn’t make the same mistake again. That was human nature, though. To strive for a goal no matter how unreachable, all the while repeating terrible history over and over. You just had to hope your brain caught up with the acceptance before your folly dug a nice hole to lie down in, forever.

“What is that?” I clenched my teeth together, gripped with panic as the creature came into view. My Hellhound sprung from the ground and immediately began growling.

[New Monster: Dire Boar <4>]

Oh, thank you System, for having killed the intrigue of the encounter. It wasn't like I couldn’t have assumed as much myself, although knowing the level was handy to know how much danger I was in. As the crimson eyes loomed through the shadows, my quick glance told me that the current hound was a different one, although similar in appearance and just as eager to defend me.

The large monster stepped out from the bushes. Its short, coarse fur was a deep gray and its skin scarred from the supposed battles it had survived. Around the four stout legs were metal cuffs and short lengths of a broken chain.

“Not sure…” Ren seemed slightly hesitant. “Those aren’t usually native to this area. The chains suggest an escapee.”

“Pet of one of your ‘friends’ that has escaped?” I put my hand to the deck and felt the hum of energy. Somehow I doubted a couple of cards would fell this beast.

“Somewhat likely. Are you going to flee?” Her voice was impassive, clearly intending to see what my course of action would be. Judging me for it.

The creature was worrying, certainly, but I wouldn’t baulk at such an early stage. Test or not, I was capable and confident. As the Dire Boar stopped to pad at the mud, ready to charge, I flung out my first card.

My Hellhound sprung forward, keen to meet the monster and halt the attempted charge. The purple card struck along the edge of his face, a dark line burned through his thick fur. No blood that I could see. Second card was already being made manifest as the hound was halfway to our target.

The boar rose up and then slammed into the ground, creating a shockwave around it that cracked the ground. I paused in surprise before sending the second card out. My hound was slightly stunned from the wave of force, and wasn’t able to move as the dire creature sprinted forward and struck the demon with his tusks.

As the Hellhound yelped and slid across the ground, spilling demonic blood, my card buzzed through the air where the boar had once stood - completely missing. Anger burned through me at seeing my little friend injured.

I couldn’t accept this. My magic tricks didn’t miss. Unforgivable.

My fingers clenched together, and I took a grip on the energy flowing through my deck. The spinning card slowed in the air behind the boar before reversing course and slashing into the back of one of his hind legs. It grunted in anger, but after glaring towards me, it turned his attention back to the injured demon.

A stinging sensation radiated around my hand. I ignored it and drew another card. Flinging it into the air higher than the opponent. As it blurred upward through the air, I pulled it down atop him - a spark of purple as it severed through part of the boar’s ear.

The monster snapped at the air as if it expected the cause of the damage to be above them. The Hellhound leaped up from the prone position on a broken leg to snap against the exposed throat of the dire beast. Blood dripping from the puncture wound, the boar kicked out and tried to shake the demon loose - but the demon was latched on tight.

With aching fingers I threw another card out, this one wide to the right. I circled it around in the air, awaiting an opening - and then with a flick of my wrist it tore down into the boar’s right eye. I tensed my hand even as sharp pain flared through my bones, and the card remained present and spinning for a couple of seconds before fading.

I hadn’t realized I had been holding my breath, and the air left my lungs so I could gasp deeply. Sweat was running down the side of my face and my right arm felt numb. Still, my focus was entirely on the battle ahead. Eye on the prize. I even had a smile affixed to my face to impress the crowd.

The boar had slowed now. As the limp body of my summon dangled unfettered from its neck it was draining precious lifeblood. My next attempt to draw a card felt harder to realize - I was slowing too. No time to contemplate whether I had expended my mana reserves or had just physically worn myself down. I clenched my teeth in a grimaced grin as I forced another to appear.

It flew through the air without the energy of the previous attacks, and I didn’t have much hope it would do much with weaker power. It hit the back leg again, not really enough to score damage, but enough for the boar to stumble and succumb to lethargy. The Hellhound dropped to the ground as the dire beast stopped moving.

Immediately, I ran over to him, and scooped his blood-soaked head up into my hand. He had at least a broken leg and gored chest. It was hard to see any more through the flickering flame and boar blood. I stroked his head and ears. “You did perfect, buddy. I’m proud. Go home and rest.” I unsummoned him, and his form returned to a dissipating mist. He would heal back in Hell. Knowledge I had, even though I wasn’t sure where it came from or was even true. I had to believe it.

With a sharp, gurgling growl, the boar reared up and leaped at me. A last-ditch attempt to mete out some anger it held with its tiny brain. Somehow I managed to grab onto the tusks, avoiding being impaled as it trampled atop me instead. Blood and saliva splattered down onto my face, the constantly leaking neck injury soaking my suit. It took all my strength to try to wrench the mouth away from my neck, and we rolled across the ground, his heavy weight briefly crushing me.

Muscles in my arms burned and shook as I found myself underneath the beast again. My body was in pain but adrenaline kept me focused on the present danger. Warm air burst across my face as he breathed heavily and tried to destroy me in his death throes. Mentally, I focused and manipulated the mana stream that I could feel from my deck several feet away in the mud. A card withdrew and, with difficulty, made it over to me.

I sent it up into the throat wound. Focused on nothing but my arms holding the tusks away, and the card persisting and spinning. The world was dark around me as I danced with almost passing out. My opponent became lax, and with pained arms, I slowly gained enough ground to where I could push the still body off.

With bleary eyes, I stood and stumbled away. My chest was covered in blood and my breathing was ragged. Pain flared in my skull as a headache barged in wearing heavy boots. Footsteps drew near as I doubled over, hands on knees, and I tried to keep those sweet cakes in.

“What did we learn today, then?” Ren admonished me, but there was the slightest soft edge to her words. Or perhaps that was wishful thinking.

“Blood tastes awful.” I spat out a mouthful, undecided on whether I was hoping it was mine or the boars.

Pain started to wrack through my body as the wounds I had actually taken came by to make their presence known. My left shoulder had a gash through it, my legs a few scrapes and bruises, the thumb on my left hand was probably broken, and my right hand just burned as though I had stuck it in some fire.

I breathed deeply, which was also painful. Maybe broken ribs? Or just bruised. I didn’t have a lot of experience with being put through a wringer. “I bet that was quite the show, though?” Unfortunately, I couldn’t raise my torso to shoot her a smile. I settled for coughing up a bit of agony and blood again.

“Stupid asshole, this isn’t a game.” I heard her sigh. “Here, but don’t let this become a habit.”

She pressed a hand against my sore shoulder and immediately a wave of soothing energy passed through my whole body. I wiggled my hands, which were now pretty functional, if not just aching still. With a furrowed brow, I stood up straight, finding myself mostly put back together.

[Total Health: 85% (Healed: Ren)]

[Full Report?]

I chose to not review the full extent of my injuries. I was already thankful enough that I hadn’t died beneath the large pig. What a way to go. Against the dirtied sleeve of my suit, I rubbed the sweat and blood from my forehead.

“Thank you, Ren. I owe you again.” Tempted to bow, I didn’t want my head to fall off my delicate shoulders just yet.

“Adventuring is a lot of dragging each other from the brink. As long as you reciprocate eventually, then it’s nothing.” She tilted her head, still disappointed in me, but not as curt.

The amount of healing was a surprise. I had thought she was some manner of Ranger, and she would have a focus on bow attacks and survival abilities. Although the reasoning that had led to me to this conclusion had now vanished off into some nether inside my brain.

“What is your Class?” I wanted to ask in a less direct way, but my nerves were currently shot.

“Surprised by the healing?” She could read between the lines. “Yeah, I like to be underestimated and seen as just a Ranger.” A scowl crossed her face. “I’ve actually…” she paused, briefly unsure if to give me the information. “I’ve got a Rare Class, called Oathwarden.”

I nodded slowly, not really understanding what that meant. At least mine did what it said. I summoned demons. I did magic. I was a Demonic Magician. Did she ward oaths? Maybe I was just shaking a little too much to fully understand the basics. Perhaps I needed a quick nap - a sharp visit to my friendly floor-rock again.

“It’s a bit like a mix between a Ranger and a Paladin.” Her eyes tried to read me, slight concern for my well-being behind them. “So, some healing, some defensive abilities, bow attacks…”

“Ah, you killed Red with something that had like a… radiant glow.”

“Red? Oh, yeah. You can’t see what skills are called when other people use them, unless you have a certain ability yourself - so it’s been easy enough to keep my Class secret.” She looked off into the woods.

“Well, your secret is safe with me. A Rare and Unique teaming up would be quite the force multiplier, huh?” This time, I did manage a smile. I opened up my Inventory to check those Bandages found earlier - and was contented, if not bemused, to see that they healed a flat 15% of my Health.

“If you don’t die first. You need to get some smarts knocked into you.” She rolled her eyes at me.

She hadn’t interfered, and I understood it. It had been my decision to engage instead of flee. In that moment I had committed to my fate, and had to either overcome or sink below. Had it been worth it? Well, I lived and had worked out what allowed me to do. Mostly destroy my hand in the process, but it was early days. I hadn't even needed to touch the deck to summon the card.

As I finished wrapped my arm in a Bandage, a little meter went up - and I was just about good as new. I checked my shoulder and legs and all cuts had healed over. My muscles were still achy, and I was sure to have bruises tomorrow - but I was about as far from death as I could possibly be.

My feet stumbled the rest of my body over to the dire boar's corpse, half expecting it to rear up against me again like some kind of zombie. I would need to get something to protect me from close range death. The loot button appeared and my eyebrows raised.

[46 Gold]

[Tusks (2)]

[Boar Meat (2)]

[Rare Chance Box]

Now that might have made the whole grueling performance worth it.