[Congratulations! Multiple skill levels gained. Swordsman of the Great River: River’s Flow +2 (4), Natural Armor +2 (4)]

I heal just enough of my weary muscles to drag myself to the cave entrance in preparation for guard duty. It’s still so strange to me how fast night falls. The rings… really fuck with the way I think things should be. Day is supposed to be gradual, and so is night, but instead, a thick blanket of darkness covers the world as fast as I can snap my fingers. A strange fire, of green and orange, crackles away outside the exposed cave. Something about combining the wood from some Treants and normal tree wood, because we don’t have enough of the latter to burn. Marie didn’t mention why, but I assume there’s some reason that we can’t just use the Treant wood. I make a note to ask her later.

Marie didn’t have much chance to make new structures while being on guard, so the defense situation hasn’t changed much. Gah! We don’t have the time! I could push her to work while guarding, or to forgo sleep… especially considering she’s non-combat for the most part, but I can’t imagine she’d take it well. Of all of us that are left, she seems to be the most grimly determined, and the last thing I want to do is undermine that. The only thing I can do is make sure she has time to keep us safe.

I kick a rock in frustration, accidentally sending it bouncing far off into the night.

The howls start again, and the group of Lorian, Seth, and Tom stand with us to repel them. A tenseness falls on the group, but there’s a familiarity too. It’s not a question, whether we’ll survive, but nobody wants to get hurt either. Taking advantage of the free Power and Skill gains while staying safe is a tough balancing act, but even the end of the world doesn’t stop people from having ambition. We’re working together to defend this place, but we’re all working hard to be the best.

The howls suddenly change in pitch, going from the normal, haunting timbre of being on the hunt, to a much much more high pitched one… of fear, and pain. Barely a minute passes, with the howls becoming more frantic and less loud, before absolute silence falls. Not even the night time insects pierce the air with their chirps. The comfortable intensity is gone, with wide eyes looking quickly to allies, wondering what could possibly have done all that.

Kaythe’s small voice appears in my head. “Something comes. One something. Heavy, short steps. Predator, we should leave. Run.”

“We can’t, Kaythe. We have to protect this place, and those relying on us to guard them while they sleep.” Kaythe wiggles, projecting discomfort over our connection, but says nothing more. It’s fortunate that our mental connection is two way, otherwise I’d have to do some explaining to the people around me.

“Guys, Kaythe senses something headed this way. On your guard.” It’s needless, they were already on guard, but something needs to break the silence, or they’ll all be too tense to react.

Something crests the hill. My Perception is just powerful enough to give me a vague idea of the silhouette: horns, with a human shaped body. Another of our comrades that was stolen by Shades? But… no, the body doesn’t seem to consume the light. It looks to be just dark colored. It continues to approach. A whoosh of wind, and the figure stops suddenly, an arrow sticking out of its hand. Lynn shot at it… damn, I couldn’t even track the arrow in this light… which is all the more reason the fear shoots through me when the figure shows that it did not, in fact, get hit by the arrow, when it drops it to the ground. Whole. It caught that? We… might be fucked.

“Now Lynn, is that any way to greet a friend?” That’s Dean’s voice!

“Dean? Dean?! How the fuck? Get over here, man, we didn’t know what happened to you!” I start to push aside the fortifications that are designed to be removed during the day, making space, but he just shakes his head.

“I hope you didn’t spend too much time looking. I’m… sorry I just ran off like that, but I can’t come back. It isn’t safe anymore.”

I stop, having cleared enough space for someone to walk through. “What are you talking about? You’ll always be safe here.”

“But you won’t be. Not with me here.”

I open my mouth to respond, but close it again without saying anything. He’ll talk whether I ask or not.

“As you can see, I’ve… changed. I can’t really control myself anymore. Violence… mmm… I can’t really stop myself from hurting things anymore, you know? One moment, I can be fine, but the next? Who could know. Come, sit by the fire with me. On the other side… keep the fire between us.” I get several worried glances, especially from Lorian and Seth, who didn’t really know Dean that well. “It’s fine.” My words do little to assuage their fears, if their expressions are anything to go by.

Dean continues as I approach. “I know you’re curious... scared, even, by what I’ve become, but it’s ok. I’m still human… to a degree. I’m still…” he looks down at his hand, flexing it, “-me.” He finishes the last word with an air of finality. “But I’m not all me. And… I don’t think I’d be able to resist crushing someone if they pissed me off, so I’m going to do what I can while staying away from all of you. I left a pile of Carnine and Lieutenant bodies just over the hill, if you all care for the materials. There’s some loot as well; I don’t need it. Never was much of a crafter.”

“A pile?” Those Lieutenants were no joke, even with a group. How the fuck?! “What… are you?”

Dean looks at me, eyes seeming to smolder with their own light. “A demon. The system made me into… a demon. I can’t say I disagree, it was right; the title fits like a glove.” He pauses for a moment. “Anthony, I have a request.”

Only a fool would deny a demon that could kill every Shade in the area, alone. “Ask.”

“I want you to try and defend one strike from me. I… have to know.” Fear. My instincts scream at me to back off, run… but I know it isn’t a request, and I don’t have that ability. Better me, than everyone here. “Agreed.”

“Don’t hold back this time. You might not survive.” I believe him, and that scares the shit out of me. I draw my sword, and he draws his. Darkness practically drips off the blade, pooling in oily puddles beneath it, and the core of the sword glows a fiery red. “Kaythe,” I send, mentally, “go back inside.”

“Predator, I am with you. In this, and all things.” I shake my head. “Please.” Kaythe tightens around me. “We are linked, Predator, your body is mine, and mine, yours.” Stupid. Of course, if I die, Kaythe does too, so why bother sending him away? “Thanks.” I send, taking a defensive stance, start burning Fortify, and activate River’s Flow. The world falls away around me as strength and focus fill my mind, all centered on one target: Dean.

We move together, around the fire, into the darkness, before facing each other. He doesn’t hesitate. His sword whips through the air with impossible speed, splitting the air with such force that I can see waves of wind gusting off the blade. I can sense the power of the hit, and know inherently that I must dodge it… but I override that instinct, meeting it head on, as he asked. Having combined my two strongest abilities, my defensive strike is easily the most powerful maneuver I’ve ever performed, but I know that even this won’t be enough.

Our blades meet, and my battle trance deepens, clouding everything but our bodies into a void of nothingness. I see the force transfer from blade to blade. My block cancels much of what Dean could throw at me, but the remainder would still break stone. My sword wobbles, flexing as it absorbs the force and transfers it into my arms. My sword chips at the point of contact between our blades, cracking clean through and exploding into several pieces in what seems like slow motion. I watch as the bones in my forearms follow suit, thankful that the battle trance numbs pain… making the resulting agony all the more alarming.

My grip falters, and my sword falls to the ground. It stopped his sword. Everything I had was enough to stop a single strike… but only one. I look Dean in the eyes, which seem to be glowing brighter than before, and a sad smile crosses his face as he turns to leave. All at once, time speeds back up, and I quickly drop River’s Flow and stop burning Energy before I pass out… but my Energy had stopped burning on its own already.

“So long, Anthony. You aren’t strong enough… I can’t follow you, so I’m leaving. Maybe finishing off that monster camp will bridge the gap. When you can actually pose a threat, find me. We each won a duel… best two out of three, eh?”

And with that, he walked off. I watched him go, numb except for the pain in my arms. I’m dimly aware that Lauren has appeared next to me. “Are you ok?”

I turn to her, slowly, and instead of words, blood rushes out of my mouth.

[Warning! Moderate soul damage detected! Recommendation: ]

Fuck you, game.