We moved into the forest. Quickly, wasting no time – I was leading my friends through the woods avoiding dangers, ignoring fake paths and moving as far from predators lairs as it was only possible. We had to be careful only on those few first kilometers till we would reach the part of the forest covered by mist – same mist I raised months ago that was supposed to keep enemies away from my house and repealing dangerous creatures.

“Are you sure we are moving in right direction? I feel as if we have already walked past this tree…” Gisele said as she was looking around “Yes. I am sure, you know why? Because I was the one to plant those specific trees. I did that so those who would look for my home would start thinking same thing as you just did. Gis, do you trust me?” “No. You can’t keep even yourself safe, what makes you think that you can keep safe whole team?”

Oh boy, apparently she won’t let me forget about that easily.

“I just want to remind you, that it was your father who sent me on that [easy job], you want to blame someone? Blame Jericho!”

Ho-ho-ho, here my vengeance starts! Tremble, old man! Tremble and shiver, for I am about to bring misery upon you!

“Are we there yet?” Marika asked for the thousand time. “Almost. Do you see mist?” “No.” “Then you have your answer. Jason, how is Elana?” “I would love to tell that she looks like blooming flower, unfortunately, she has fever and is sweating…” “Good. It means that her body is still fighting. Tell me if she would get pale.”

Damn it! Why those stupid veins has to be located so deep in the forest? I know, it was the other way around. It was the forest that grow around the veins not the other way around, but as I am irritated I can allow myself for bitching around, right?

Some wolf, probably very hungry one, thought that we would make a nice dinner. It rushed from the bushes jumping in our direction. Without even looking in its direction I made a gesture with my palm creating mana shock wave that send him on the tree. The impact was so strong that you could actually hear the sound of its bones cracking followed by sad whimper. It didn’t die. Yet. I doubt that crippled wolf would live enough in this forest. Even if other carnivore wouldn’t find it, even herbivore are capable of killing. I saw it happening – group of horned rabbit moving in pack actually killed wolf. They surely took their sweet time.

“Are there y… oh, a mist! Right. What now. Can you navigate in that dense shit or…”

I snapped my finger forcing a path in mist to open

“That’s… impressive.” She admitted “You can think about it as the gate leading to my yard. Get moving. We are close.” “So… where are those mana veins?” “One was at Lamia’s nest, but it’s too far, we will have to use…” “LAMIAS!? They are near?!” Marika started panicking again “Yeah. My neighbors. They forced me to fight with Titanoboa, fun times. But! As you know, vein is a line it has start and end... indeed, nest was located around its strongest point, but that doesn’t matter… Here. It should be good enough.”

I grabbed a stick and started drawing marks on the ground. A circle with secured three smaller circles on its [edges]. We put Elana in the middle of it. In same time Marika, Jason, and Daralon took positions in the smaller circles.

“Everybody else, leave the altar…” I started, yet couldn’t finish “I don’t see any altar here!” Gisele called from under a tree “… Just stay away from the circle…” “You are inside…” “FOR FUCK SAKE! Yes! Because I will be a catalyst!” “And what would Marika and…” “Gis! Just… just stay there and wait. I will explain to you everything when Elana wouldn’t be dying, ok? Yes? Thank you, my love.” “What am I supposed to do?” “Wait for the battle. Trust me, there will be one. And don’t you ask me [when would I fight], you will see when! Ok? Are you ready?” “No!” “Great!” I leaned over Elana and started lightly slapping her cheek “…El, sunshine wake up.”

She opened her eyes, they were completely red.

“M..mister it hurts…” “I know sweetie, just a little more… drink this.” I gave her a small vial with barely few drops of liquid. She willingly drunk it. “It tasted… weird.” “Tell me, El, do you trust me?” “Y..yes.” “Foolish of you… but thank you.”

Her eyes rolled back in her skull as she fainted.

“What’s wrong? Zari?!” “It’s ok. She is dying. I mean, I just gave her poison. “ “W..WHAT?” “The creature isn’t fully formed. It still needs to feast. When it would find out that its host is dead it would be easier to tear it off of her… Guyz, what are you waiting for? You know the spell?”

I moved away Elana’s shirt. Revealing her skin

“Hear us out, oh creature that dwells in the skin and mind,

Leave this vessel, that belongs not to you,

Hear us out – exorcising you, perish, oh unwanted being,

Begone from this world, Begone from this body, Begone from this mind,”

The number is important in magic. 3 is simplest power number. Three elements, three goddesses, three basic elements of life.

Even more, now, we have representatives of all elements. Marika as nature, Daralon as chaos and Jason as order. That was a great advantage. It could literally mean that none of the sides wish for the creature that lies in Elana’s body to remain in this realm.

Something started moving inside of girl’s belly. It looked like a huge snake or bug was crawling inside of her… that wasn’t supposed to look like that. Something is wrong! Angels are astral beings! They shouldn’t affect body like that! They shouldn’t…

Her skin started moving as if having will of her own, folds of skin started gathering on her body forming some weird shape. Then, it simply fell off. We were looking literally and ball made of flesh laying near blonde girl. And then it burst to splash blood all around. It was some kind of twisted “egg”. What came from inside could be named only as abomination

Ai'Garhaiel - Lesser angelLevel74Hp[4498/4500]Sp[942/2200]Mp[5000/5000]TitlesOf flesh and bones

Parasite

Devourer of Innocence

Rebellious AngelSkills???

???

???

???

???

???

???

The creature that rolled out of the egg and jumped into the air. It spread its wings and hovered few centimeter over the ground. You call that an angel?! Damn! Sebastian in his twisted garuda form wasn’t as ugly as this!

It’s body was thin and long, insectoid in appearance. Long tail finished with stinger was connected to small, flat, round part of main body – resembling face hugger, yet from its back a wide and thin wing were sprouting. It didn’t move them to fly. They were more like decoration. It had 10 “arms” and it’s very small head was finished with halo. It’s mouth were toothless, instead it was equipped in some kind of sucker.

“whooo disturrrbzzz myyy feaaast.” It voice sounded like a creature from nightmare. “Our naaame izzz Ai’Garhaiel – We are the punisssshers of wicked. Booow before uzzz, or dieee.” “We banish thee, who…” the trio kept chanting all this time “Guyz… You can stop now… It… it has its own body. We won’t banish it…” “Baaanish? You wanted to cazt me awayyy? Fooolz, I have seen your evillll, thuz, I am obligateeed to turn yooou into duzt!” “So what are we doing? WHAT ARE WE DOING?” “It has a body, what do you do with enemies that have a body?”

Gisele smiled widely

“Smash and slash. Now, this looks like a job for me!”

She brought her weapon to her side.

“Foolizh mortal! You stand no chanze againzt might of the angelz, lie down and accept yoourz fate – then the end shaaall be quick.”

Marika dropped on her knees joining her palms in prayer

“On my mother of the earth,

Hear me softly whisper prayer,

Bond thy foes, pin them down,

Send your children – all of crowns…” “Tremble you, who stand on my way,

Shiver in despair as you cross my path,

My name in anger, in grief I trust,

Stand aside, or turn to dust…”

Daralon started the spell of his own.

Twins yelled holding their heads

“Mister! It hurts! Looking in his head hurts so much! There is so much noise there!”

Foolish kids, trying to manipulate an angel? I am happy that it didn’t boil their brains.

“Am I… about to fry an angel?! AN ANGEL! HAHAHAHA! IT’S SO HOT!”

Pyrox smashed his fists onto each another covering his whole body in flames.

Shifting in processAvatar chosen:[Fiend of the Forest]Bonuses will be added STR+ 10DEX+ 15RFX+ 20All nature based spells dramatically improvedAccess to the [Acid spitter] venom: granted

I slowly morphed my body into smaller one. I fell on all my legs. Our enemy has a relatively small body which would mean that he is either type focusing on speed or intelligence. Personally, I think the second one – mostly because of its enormous mana pool.

Me and Gisele started circling the creature from different sides.

“May bazking in hoooly light puuurify you.”

The creature moved all its arm in front of its head forming a circle, opened its mouth and spat a ray of light. Angel begun moving its body to the sides cutting trees in half. Everything touched by mass of pure holy energy turned into ashes. It was hot enough to melt stones.

Its power was frightening, yet it was born few minutes ago. It didn’t remember the times of ancient war, or speaking in English – it was inexperienced. Either this, or it was so arrogant that instead of aiming at us it wanted to boast around. Or both. I was fine with that.

I jumped at its back burrowing my claws in its soft body. The blood splashed around

“Hooow dareee yooou damagiiing my celestial body!”

Its thin incestoid-like arms started stabbing the ground on which I was staying. I needed to move quickly, that asshole wasn’t very fast, but the number of those sharp looking limbs.

“The hell are you looking at? I am here!” dragoness slashed his backs.

And then monster did exactly what a novice would do. It forgot about me and turned around to face Gisele. How could I waste such opportunity.

Such a waste. That monster was powerful! The magic it can use, its life and mana pool was terrifying! Yet it all was wasted by his incompetence and arrogance! Me and Gis jumped back for a moment before a huge infernal bolt hit an angel coating it in fire. Using its wings the parasite casted the fire away. But the spell of Pyrox didn’t only deal a massive damage to the angel, but also reduced its vision letting spell of Daralon hit its mark clearly. The chains of darkness started merging with angel’s body slowly diving deeper.

“The curse: Mark, was successfully planted. Now, killing that flying bug is only matter of time.” Dark mage smiled “WHAT DID YOOU DO TOO MEE?” the beast roared. “Nothing! Pay no attention to me!”

I have read about it in library. Sometimes your opponents may be too strong to curse them directly. This is why there is a spell called [Mark]. It requires lots of time for preparation, is slow and can be blocked by simplest defense magic or just by moving off the trajectory. Yet if it would land… it’s basic role was [Track] right now Daralon could find it in every cave, every forest on every edge of the world, but that’s nothing more than nice addition. From now, every curse that Daralon would cast wouldn’t attack an angel – but Mark. The creature hgas completely lost its resistance. Now all that Daralon needs to do is to keep casting a curse after curse that would slowly drain it off its energy.

Which means that our job now is to keep it distracted.

“Gis!” I yelled to dragoness. As adventurer we had couple of gesture which allowed us to communicate quickly in heat of battle. I raised two of my fingers in the air and made small gesture of circle. She nodded.

We started running around, here and there jumping in, if the monster wouldn’t react fast enough, we would slash it and pierce it before jumping away.

Your party member [Daralon] casted [Exhaustion] on target [Ai'Garhaiel]Effects- every action performed by [Ai'Garhaiel] will use additional Sp

- Sp regeneration has been temporarily blocked

- [Ai'Garhaiel] will lose 1 Sp every 5 second

How does it feel to have your life forces being drained? Fucker!

The creature terrified by the fact that those [buzzing flies] not only refused to die, not only damaged him, but even managed to turn the tables, started casting spells in amok. Thousands of needles made of purest light were send in direction of Daralon. I have to admit – even I felt as my heart jumped to my throat for a moment, before the silhouette of Daralon blurred with the forest after being pierced.

I forgot about Jason. So this is also why the creature keeps aiming in weird directions… thanks Jas! As we would only get back to the capital, I would get you a bottle of finest whiskey!

Cascade of fire bombs felt down from the sky bombarding position of angel

Squeaking like a wounded eagle an angel decided to run in the sky

“I won’t get it from here!” Gisele yelled in panic “Just give me a moment!” Marika screamed as she was slowly finishing her spell “This iz the lazt hour of yooour life, mortalz!” The monstrosity yelled spreading its arms and wings

We started fighting at dusk – because angel draws their powers from the light. Yet we weren’t quick enough – the moons started shining and theirs light fell directly on the angel

“The gatez of inflity haz beeeen opened!

Abandon yooour hope! Abandon Yooour dreams!

The hour of libeeeration is now! May your corrupted soooulz find a peace…

… in the abyzz!”

The light started gathering around the angel. Its power started shaking the trees. It was bad! With help of Pyrox I tried doing everything to disturb the spell – by sending a bolt after bolt. Yes the beast must had some basic magic resistance skills, for our attacks were doing him barely any damage. Even if it hurt him, even if it annoyed him, it wasn’t enough to stop his chant…

“PERISH!”

The monster yelled, but then…

Your party member [Daralon] sealed skill [Hour of Liberation] of target [Ai'Garhaiel]EffectsThe spell [Hour of Liberation] was temporarily disabledRemaining time00h29m59s

“Ha! Sorry, you wanted to cast something?” Curse speaker asked casually “The fuck are you doing? I am working my ass off and you kept keep one big bug busy! Tsk-tsk. Shame. And I almost casted another nice cu…”

Marika didn’t let him brag around. She raised from her kneeling state

“May you know the anger of the forest! Garden of Madness!”

Every plant in vicinity used its vines and branches. Wooden tentacles grabbed angel that tried fleading away by its tail and throw it on the ground, where roots started binding it – pinning to the ground.

Using its light, parasite kept burning plants away, yet they never stopped coming after him. They never would stop, before they would turn an angel into cocoon of green. In meantime a pack of wolfs ran our direction, ignored us completely and jumped like mad on the angel. That was job of twins. Instead of trying invading mind of powerful being, they possessed the whole pack of weaker one. Good job, my loves!

Your party member [Daralon] casted [Mana fever] of target [Ai'Garhaiel]Effects- Magic-related skill’s effects are reduced by 25%

- Magic-related skills cost 20% more MP

- MP regeneration was temporarily disabled

- Target will lose 1Mp every 5 seconds

The beast was losing. It casted spells blindly trying to free itself and repel the beasts. Each time the spell was thrown, each time it struggled in vines parts of its stamina and mana pool were vanishing. Oh, and we never stopped attacking. Gis’s sword was stabbing its disgusting body, my claws were slashing its unhealthy looking skin, each time a pack of monster was killed a new would come. Even Daralon stopped casting serious curses and started playing around. For example his curse [Left to right, Right to Left] – it was more like prank curse which twisted target’s movements, you know – instead of lowering your right hand you would raise your left leg… Funny thing. I need to ask him to teach me it…

“Im..possible! I waz supposed to be… firzt ooof many! I wooon’t be defeeeated by.. moortalz!”

Yet that what was happening.

“Gisele” I yelled with my hand outstretched in direction of dragoness as I was running in direction of angel shifting on the process.

She charged at beast burrowing the blade to the hilt in the beast, and running away with the blade still in the monster. My body became huge and massive as I shifted into [Lord of the bog]. Casting mana shock wave and mustering all strength I had, I hit the sword.

Th shock wave of strike caused a wind blow that moved every leaf in the forest dance slightly.

You have slain - [Ai'Garhaiel - the lesser angel]You have obtained [12 500 exp]Title obtained:Angel Slayer

I feel on the ground near the body

“It is… dead, right? It diededed? Right? RIGHT?” Marika asked excited “I am pretty much sure of it.”

I feel as if I forgot about some… FUCK! Elana! Where is my antidote!

“WHERE IS MY ANTIDOTE!”

I quickly jumped to my bag I put behind of one trees bit away from the circle. I took a vial and get running back to Elana, put her head on my laps and forced the liquid in her throat.

“Come, sunshine! Come on! Wake up! Wakeup! WakeUp WakeUp WakeUp WakeUp WakeUp WakeUp WakeUp WakeUp WakeUp WakeUp!”

She started coughing

“Thanks god…” Gisele smiled “Trust me, love, gods had nothing to do with that… Or did they?” “So, what now? We will get back? Just like that?” Jason asked “No! I refuse! I wanna see Zari’s house! Friends so rarely invite me home!” Curse speaker chuckled “Actually, I don’t mind.” I agreed “I need a sleep. And I need it now… Daralon, carry Elana, Jason, carry the corpse…” “Corpse? Of that?” He kicked the angel “No. It’s disgusting! Why me?” “Who else would you want to carry it? A kid? Or ladies?” “We still have Pyro…” “No. I need it as it is right now. No cooked. No grilled. No fried. Bloody and raw.” “For what?” That’s right. He saw me in action, but he doesn’t know how my power works, “I would eat it, silly.” “… Tell me you are joking, please?” “You didn’t know? Angels meat is so very delicate! Together with my babushka we would have one on dinner every Thursday. But seriously. Take it.” “I refuse.” “I have bottle of whiskey in my bag, if you don’t want me to drink it alo…”

Photomancer throw the carcass on his backs

“Which way, commander?”

See? Motivation is a key!