For a moment, there is near-complete silence, only the wind in the grass making any noise. Cam and Liam are staring at the monster in shock, while the monster and I are taking each other in.

He's around seven feet in height, with a body of dense muscle, his skin dark blue. His nipples, nails, hair, and eyes are a paler blue in color, with his nails slightly elongated and sharp, as if claws. He smiles, showing off his perfect, white teeth and four sharp fangs. Atop his head is a single horn, a darker blue than the rest of his body. Flicking behind him is a slim tail with a small spike at the tip of it.

Based on how small his nose is and the roundness of his ears, it's possible one of the contributing beasts to his form was a bear. That means a lot of fresh bear hearts went into powering him up. The dark blue coloration suggests a water-based affinity, though he's probably able to use all elements, as all Star-Level monsters can.

Since he doesn't have wings, I'm doubting he can fly. The book of Star-Level monsters showed that only Triple-Star and higher could actually move over a town's walls without wings. That doesn't mean it won't try to make handholds in the wall and climb over, but most seem to just break their way in rather than bother with that.

That's a relief, though. If it can't fly, fighting it becomes a little bit easier.

The tip of my spear has cut into the monster's hand, which appears to have surprised it. It wasn't expecting me to hurt it.

"GO!" I roar as the monster pushes its hand forward, and I jump back a little, pulling my spear free rather than allowing the monster to cause my arm to jerk back with the push.

The Gate opens, and I quickly step to the side to block the monster's attempt at enter.

"NOW!"

Cam picks up Liam and rushes inside, the Gate hastily closing behind them as I continue to strike at the monster, blocking its attack. They wouldn't have been able to go inside if I hadn't stayed out here.

I'm guaranteed to die before the monster breaks its way into the town, something that won't take it more than an hour or two once it's done dealing with me. Even with my trump card, it's best if everyone still goes into the shelters. There's always, always the chance that it will fail.

Even still, I need to delay its entry into town if that does happen. That means not activating that spell here. No, we need to move further away, so that the walls aren't in the blast radius.

The monster moves, and I shift to the side, barely avoiding its hand even with my lightning form. I slash up with my spear, and the monster deflects the attack. The force of the impact jars my arm, but I allow my body to move with the force to decrease that. Performing a full spin, I stab at the monster.

Making a bet, I turn and run, jumping over to a hill, then turn and face the monster. It looks at the Gate, then at me, then jumps forward. I shift, jumping to the side. Only a moment later, the monster lands where I was standing. It's decided to follow me. Take care of the human with a pointy stick before going after the town.

Since Cam and Liam went inside, it's probably correctly guessing that they can't do anything to it, and so it won't matter if it waits a little bit to enter. Good. That should buy everyone time to enter the shelters.

However, I can't stop everything and just run, or it'll ignore me, so as I tumble to the side, I quickly recover and shift my body to the side again, just in time to avoid being crushed by the monster's feet as it attempts to jump onto me. I lash out with my spear, striking one of its legs and drawing crimson blood from it.

Hissing, the monster kicks at my spear, knocking it out of my hand, then as I lunge for the spear, the monster jumps onto it. At the last moment, I shift to the side, releasing my spear and manifesting it again just in time to cut into the monster's leg as it attempts to kick me.

Thank goodness that paid off. Every injury I give it increases the odds of it following me when I take off a little further away.

With that injury delivered, I bolt away again, the monster following me. I need to move at least a mile away, though two would be preferred just to be sure. It all depends on how long it takes for us to move away and how much sacred power I have left.

A blast of water slams into my back, some of it evaporating in the heat of my lightning, though there's still enough impact to knock me down. I roll to the side immediately, avoiding being crushed again.

Jumping, I use a little flight magic to take me a little further away, landing on another hill. I turn, thrusting my spear forward just in time to cut into the monster's arm, drawing more blood. My attack deflected its own attempt at ripping into my chest, his hand passing by me. Its claws cut into my arm, and I hiss, then kick up with a foot, managing to catch it in the sensitive spot.

This time, it's the monster's turn to hiss, then it inhales deeply. Taking a guess, I do the same and release a sonic scream just in time to counter the monster's. The monster's on sonic attack is stronger than mine, so I'm pushed back anyway, but it's not powerful enough to break my bones through my counter, thank goodness. If it was, then that would have been the end for me.

We stop our sonic blasts, and I scramble back to my feet in time to stop another attack using the shaft of my spear, then I take off again, narrowly avoiding being struck by another blast of water as the monster pursues me.

It catches up to me, and I strike at it as it strikes at me. Its hand and my spear connect, the spearhead slashing part of its shoulder as its hand connects with my arm again, then we're moving once more.

Now, it's keeping pace with me, attacking every few seconds as I try to put on more speed and avoid being hit or attempt to delay it with a strike or a spell to cause it to stumble. My attempts at buying time are weak, though, and the monster recovers quickly.

We pass the mile mark from town, and I continue attempting to put distance between us. As I leap another hill, I realize the monster has driven me back to the path leading between the two towns. That's strange, but nothing to think on too hard. A little bit further, than I can prepare the spell. Hopefully, I have the few seconds necessary to fill my sacred weapon with my sacred power and begin converting my soul into the fuel for the explosion.

The monster might try to flee once it realizes I'm performing a suicide move, but at the very least, the blast should be fast enough to wound the monster. If it doesn't outright kill it, I hope the monster is wounded badly enough to need to leave and take some time to recover.

If that happens, then that will buy a little more time for my brother and his team to arrive.

The monster manages to kick me in the stomach as I try to block an attack with my spear as I evade, and the sheer force of the blow sends me flying. I lose my lightning form and drop my spear, tumbling on the ground. Something broke inside of me. Not a rib, though. Maybe it was a rib? Ow.

Gritting my teeth, I release my spear as I roll to the side, doing my best to avoid calling out in pain. I guess this is where I do it. Manifesting my spear again, I begin infusing it with sacred power as I activate my lightning body spell again to allow me to evade attacks. It doesn't matter how much sacred power I actually push into the spear, as it's my soul's power that will cause the damage.

"Hmph!" The monster scoffs as I avoid another attack. "Whatever you are trying, human, give it up. You are much too weak to manage, and I'd rather finish this before the other group arrives."

The other group? Right, this monster can talk, since it's a Star-Level one. How does it know about Kain on his way, though? It shouldn't have been able to know about the message, and unless it was in the town, it wouldn't have overheard us.

"You have…" I gasp, only realizing now how badly that blow hurt. It broke several things, didn't it? Is a lung punctured, too? "A couple of weeks before reinforcements arrive."

"A couple of weeks?" He scoffs. "I'm not talking about whatever other reinforcements are coming. I'm talking about the ones which will be here soon. I'd like to put your head on that spear of yours and display it for them to see."

There's someone else coming?

"No one else is coming," I say. "We only just sent word for help."

"Ha!" He laughs. "Don't try to fool me, boy. I saw the group, they'll be here soon. In no more than an hour, at the rate they're moving."

Who would be traveling to us that could reach us that soon? The merchants are days away by now, and we aren't expecting anyone else to arrive. Is there another merchant coming out here outside of the normal time? That's rare as it is, and bad for them. Really, really bad.

"An old man and a young woman on a wagon pulled by two beasts, with a group of five warriors. Their power is much greater than yours. Much, much greater. All but the young woman on the wagon have the same signs in their power I know now means they have one of those."

The monster points at my sacred spear. What does he mean by that? Is it saying that it can read if someone has a sacred weapon? Or just that they have sacred power? I find it hard to believe, though. If it's a team of five with sacred weapons, then they would be Soul Strikers most likely. And they're traveling with an old man who has one, too? A new Elder Hunter? But why wouldn't the current one know she's being replaced? I'm sure she'd have said something if she knew.

No, the monster is fibbing. At least, I want to say that, but my gut tells me he's being honest. There's always the possibility he's just trying to give me hope at rescue, but I'm doubting it.

But if the monster is telling the truth, then there's a group of Hunters coming. I'm not sure if it's actually sensing their sacred weapons, or if it's sensing sacred power and assuming it's the weapon, since I pulled it out first, but whichever it is… I hope they make the smart move. If it's just sacred power he's sensing, as it most likely is, then I pray to the powers that be that they flee as soon as they notice it.

If it's a team of Soul Strikers, then the powers that be are smiling upon us. An hour is too long for me to delay, and I'm going to die no matter what happens. So it's best if I use the spell I'm preparing. At the least, it will severely injure the monster and alert the other team to a danger. At best, my life kills this monster.

"So just hurry up and die!" The monster lunges at me, knocking my spear out of my hands and sending my flying into a hill.

I impact the hill with enough force to put a small crater in it, and I know that several other bones are broken. I call my spear back to me, unable to get up. My lightning body spell is gone now, but I guess I shouldn't worry about it. It's useless if I can't move around, and the monster is clearly unaffected by it. That part's normal, though, considering I'd need to be at least ten to fifteen Levels higher just to do a little damage to this monster, and twenty to actually be able to fight it.

"Hmph!" The monster scoffs again as he approaches. "You're fast, but flimsy. Taking care of the others will be easy, even if just annoying."

Don't underestimate a Hunter. I'd tell you that, except it hurts just to breathe, and I doubt I could make words you could understand because of my punctured lungs.

I continue infusing my spear with sacred power, only a little bit left to go. Maybe I'll hear the voice one last time.

"Keep your eyes open," the monster tells me. "I want them to look into your dead eyes after I impale you on your weapon."

"DON'T!" The voice calls into my head, and I falter in pushing sacred power into my spear. "Before you activate that spell, Rex, consider another option!"

There are no other options. Is it more, or has time slowed down. The monster is still approaching me, but its movements look as if they've been slowed. What is going on?

"I can tell you're unable to speak, your body wounded badly," the voice says. "So I've sped up your perception of time, Rex. It should give us a few more moments to converse. Whatever is happening, Rex, it's bad if you're using that spell. If you're using a Hunter's last resort."

Of course it's bad. I'm buying time for everyone to make it into the shelters. Maybe for this mysterious group of Hunters to arrive, too. My death here will either kill this thing, ensure it's weak enough the other team can beat it, or will buy enough time for Soul Strikers to arrive.

"However," the voice says. "It will sacrifice your life. There is a team of others who wield sacred weapons on their way. They will arrive in forty-seven minutes. It would be a shame for you to die because you couldn't buy enough time."

I'm going to die anyway. As soon as this stops, the monster will kill me.

"But we can do something else," he tells me. "Rex, burn up every last bit of your sacred power and keep yourself empty for twenty seconds. If you can buy twenty seconds of time with you empty, I will be able to possess you."

Possess me? I've heard of the stories of possession from ancient times. Entities would possess mortals and cause problems or take over their lives. That doesn't sound fun.

"If I possess you," the voice tells me. "Then I will defeat the monster in your stead. I will be able to channel my own power through you. With my power, the monster is sure to fall, no questions about it, no hesitation, no second thoughts. It will die. You know of the ancient tales, so you know the rumors of possession. I will return your body to you soon after defeating the monster. You have nothing to worry about, I am no malevolent being. There are only two other options for you, Rex, and both result in your death. You either allow it to die, or you sacrifice yourself to kill it. My hold on your perception is slipping, you will return to normal in just a moment. Decide, and swiftly."

The monster returns to moving at a normal pace. With a lot of pain, I manage to take in another breath, and the monster hesitates.

"Oh?" It asks. "Have something to say?"

"You," I lose all of my breath just to say that one word.

But the voice is right. There are three choices available to me. I'm going to pray to the powers that be that I'm making the right choice. I don't know if me using the ultimate spell will work. Kain told me it's impossible to dodge, but what if the monster moves before I activate it and the monster uses something like the lightning body? Couldn't it dodge then?

If the voice is honest, then it can defeat the monster for sure. I'm taking a leap of faith here, trusting in my gut, and buying the necessary time.

Feeling something puncture as I take another breath, I look at the monster again.

"Will," I run out of breath, and struggle to take another.

"Not," I'm out of breath again.

This hurts, this hurts so bad, but I need to buy the necessary time.

"Win," I wanted to say 'survive', but I doubt I could manage a word that long right now.

Black spots are forming in my vision, and I'm starting to lose my ability to control my sacred power, to continue pushing it into my sacred weapon as quickly as I regenerate it.

"Tell yourself that all you want, child," the monster laughs. "But your head will be quite nice on your spear."

He pulls a hand back, ready to stab it into my chest, and there's a tug on my soul. It feels as if it's asking permission to enter, so I let it in as the monster attacks.

Immediately, there's a rush of power flooding through my soul, and the speed of the monster seems to slow almost to a crawl. My bones snap back into place as this power mends my body, and I can feel the other being here, inside of me.

"Hello, Rex," he says as he takes control of my body. "In the thousands of years since the world changed, only twice before has someone accepted this offer. A few centuries ago, and a few thousand years ago. Rest yourself, Rex. And watch, for the battle is won."

Though I'm still able to perceive the input from my senses, I no longer have control over my body. That's okay, though, for one simple reason: I know what this other being is.

I know everything about him, and I know that because he's possessed me, he knows everything about me. The moment he possessed me, I became aware of his entire history, all of his memories, everything.

This being, the source of the voice, is an angel. An actual, powers-that-be angel. Just like that crystal sculpture.

The angels try, over and over, to project their voices to us humans, but we never hear them. Many thousands of years ago, they learned that only those who managed to manifest their sacred weapons long before the normal time can hear them, and only when they are quite low on sacred power.

While some can be heard by all beings, we can each only hear one angel normally. The first one whose voice we hear is the one we will only ever hear, except if those in the upper ranks of the angels attempts to contact us. In addition, only those they speak to can hear the truth of what is said, no one else has whatever is necessary in order to know it.

That explains why the Elder Hunter seemed to be ignorant of my explanation. Even how they can be heard isn't something that normal people can hear and retain.

They aren't able to possess humans often, and only under certain circumstances, one of which is that we're badly injured, and another is that we can hear their voice. However, when they do possess us, they're able to wield power through us as if our Level were three times as high as it is.

Right now, he's fighting with the power of someone at Level 60. A Single-Star monster is no match for him.

There is one major downside to it, though. Not only can someone be possessed only once every few decades without severe repercussions, but we lose the ability to use sacred power for several months to several years after a possession.

A worthy sacrifice, in my opinion. I get to live, Liam doesn't lose another family member, and the monster is defeated.

The moment my body finishes healing due to the angelic power flowing through it, the angel stands. The monster stumbles back, confusion clear on its face at my sudden health and the golden glow around me.

Then, the angel strikes forward with my spear, aiming at the monster's chest. The monster attempts to dodge, and the spear pierces into his left arm. Rather than simply pulling it out and trying again, the angel wraps the head of the spear with the power of fire, and the effect triggers, the flames spreading out and forming a much larger head.

The monster's arm drops to the ground, cauterized from the fire as the flames return to their normal size.

The angel strikes again, and the monster barely manages to evade it by jumping up and back, using wind magic to boost itself. It can't fly, but it can still boost its movements with wind magic.

Meanwhile, the angel simply flies up into the air, and it's then that I realize I can feel a pair of wings stretching out of my back. Wings of light, I'm assuming?

Striking forward, the angel severs one of the monster's legs, and the monster crashes back into the ground. The angel lands next to the monster, spearing it in the chest with my sacred weapon, golden flames flaring up.

"Child of darkness," the angel says through my mouth, murmuring as if in prayer. "Let your corrupted soul return to the great well, to be cleaned and born anew. May your next life be pure and happy."

The angel pulls my spear out and releases it, then uses its magic to burn the monster's body, turning it to ash in moments. He then walks over to the missing leg and incinerates that as well, before walking to the arm and turning that to ash, too.

"And now," the angel says through my soul. "The threat is gone. There are no threats to you in this area, so this is where I leave you, Rex. May you never have need to hear my voice again."

I feel the angel leave me, and my body collapses to the ground. Exhaustion fills me, and as I start to pass out, lightning cracks across the sky, thunder echoing out a moment later. My last thought before passing out is that I'll take getting a cold from the rain is much preferred to sacrificing myself to kill a monster well-beyond my power.