The abomination dropped on to fours. Even after switching to quadrupedal, its height still surpassed mine. Crawling, it made its way towards me. Its taking its own sweet-ass time. Is it being cautious or is it underestimating me? I wouldn’t know.

Nevertheless, dragging out something with an obvious conclusion always irks me. Normally, I'll be furious at such presentation. Normally. Can the current situation being counted as normal?

Absolutely fucking not.

What the fuck is that thing?

I screamed in my mind, of course. In reality, my mouth is opened but only static sounds came. Fear had taken my voice. Other than such incorrigible noises, my cheeks and jaws were fluctuating from my uncontrolled breathing.

Behind the monster, was a hallway. On the walls, vines of bluish green seemed to have protruded from the bricks. Cyan vines, to be precise. They were glowing faintly with the colors of their body, cyan. It was dim but the faint glows illuminated enough for the eyes to see. The vines were the source of light that allowed me the possibility of witnessing the abominable monstrosity in front of me in its whole.

Abominable and monstrosity in a same sentence and position after another, was never a good sign.

What the fuck?

Came the same line again in my head. It was only natural. After all, me, a mere normal human being who have been living a quiet and peaceful life, sheltered from dangers. The most fearsome predators of the wild that I have encountered are enclosed in cages. To me, those animals were just another zoo animals among the lot.

Much less of encountering dangerous animals, the most severe danger I have encountered are mere bullies at school. Although I have to admit, the bullies always had a few screw loose somewhere in their head. Superiority or god complex, it would seem these two things often came hand to hand with the bullies.

Of course, the thing in front me, my situation right now, none of my unfortunate past can even began to compare to this.

It approached me, slowly. All the while, its non-existent eyes fixated on me.

Its ears twitch with every breath that I draw.

I guess that's how it knows where I am?

Why the fuck does matter right now?

There was obviously a very hostile creature approaching me and I couldn't do anything. I was frozen in place with a paralytic fear.

The WTF words changed to something seemingly more pathetic but somehow appropriate?

I don't want to die. I don't to die. I don't want to feel the agony of being eaten alive. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.

And so, these words replaced the WTF in my mind.

Then, the monster stopped. The way it turned its head in all directions seemed to say that it was looking for something. It raised its claws into the air, appearing as a silhouette in the dim light, the outline of its claws further heightened the fear coiling my body.

It swiped at the empty air in front of it. It looked confuse when it found nothing.

Its nose and ears twitched a few times and it resumed crawling towards me.

No. I pleaded. No, please don't. I pleaded not just to the monster but also fate itself. Please don't find me. Please don't find me. Please don't let it find me. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.

Now, the monster was only six feet away from me. It stopped again. It looked around.

Its odd behavior gave me a small faint of hope. Was it having a hard time looking for me?

Please. I pleaded and hold my breath. Please don't find me. I don't want to die. Please.

Then, fate took pity on me. Presumably.

[Spatial Magic: Presence Detachment - Acquired]

Oh?

Magic?

My eyebrow was raised.

I have magic?

Spatial Magic? Huh...

It was an odd feeling. It wasn't a voice in my head. Nor did it appeared as a hovering text in my vision. Those words just seem to seep into my brain, like acquiring new knowledge.

I don't know exactly how to utilized that convenient skill that just seemed to pop out of nowhere but I tried to metaphorically equip it in mind.

All of a sudden, I get the feeling of my presence was being isolated from the atmosphere. It was like there's a invisible layer separating me and the space around me.

An odd and almost indescribable feeling. The best I way I could describe was in the name itself. My presence was detach from reality. That was the feeling I had towards the ability.

The monster then stood up straight, going into bipedal, showing off its height. It looked around, frantically. No, the more suitable word of choice would be, frustrated.

It screeched. Yes, it screeched. The reason that I didn't call it a scream, cry, roar, or yell was because it sounded exactly what you would expect to hear of a screech.

The high pitch noise sharpened like a needle, pierced my ears. I thought my ears were going to bleed but thankfully, the monster stopped its screeching before my deep dark fear manifested into reality.

The monster then dropped back on all fours and started flailing its arms around.

What is it doing? I asked.

At first, I was confused at its behavior but I soon realized the reality of it. It couldn't see me. That was obvious. It had no eyes. It was blind. Judging from that, it must have been navigating with its keen sense of smell and hearing. I was convinced that this was the case as its nose and ears kept twitching the whole time.

If the so called [Spatial Magic: Presence Detachment] is indeed the real thing, I wagered my life that it had lost track of me. Its behavior right now was evidence to my assumption. I could be invisible too but it had no eyes. I could still see my own self. I might be camouflaged but I wouldn't know.

Not that those things matter right now.

A faint light of hope found its way into me. I regained back some of my energy and control over my body. Slowly, steadily, and quietly, I stood up from the floor. I even made sure that I won't displace any inconveniently placed pebbles or twigs. Not that there would be any twigs in here. Would there be? There wouldn't be, right?

When I was on my feet, I started taking steps back from the abomination. The sole of the boots I'm wearing seemed to make a sound as it scrapped against the floor. I stared hard at the monster when I realized the noise I had accidentally made.

No change. The monster was still looking around in a frustrated manner. It didn't seem to heard that noise.

I retreated my steps more. I did so until my back reached a wall. I cursed at the lack of retreating routes.

With my back against a wall, the monster drew closer to me. It didn't discovered where I am. It was merely randomly flailing his arms and claws around, coincidentally towards my way.

As its next swing of its arm would find its way into my guts, I dove to my left, away from the arbitrary attack. I tumbled, rolled, and came to a stop. Sounds of my body making contact with the floor echoed. At least, I think it did.

From the way the monster was acting, it didn't heard any sound I made.

I was sure that I had made countless noises from all that movements.

Then, an idea clicked in my mind.

I left my fate up to chance. I took a risk. It was in order to prove a theory of mine. I raised my foot and stomp a few times on the ground. The sounds of my feet stomping were apparent to me. I looked up from my feet at the monster.

Sure enough, it didn't heard any sounds of my feet stomping on the ground. If I have to guess, this seems to be the work of [Presence Detachment]. I can't say the same my visibility to eyes but things such as noises or sounds I made, or smell I emitted, they were hidden by [Presence Detachment].

My leg once again became jelly and I fell to the floor, sitting. I finally let out the breath that I have been withholding. Thank fucking god. I don't know if this was luck or what, I was just thankful for this Deus Ex Machina.

Of course I have questions regarding the [Spatial Magic: Presence Detachment]. Right now, I just want to regain my breath, thoughts, composure, and everything. The threat is not gone but for now, I'm save. For now.

I looked around, searching for a weapon.

Huh. That was convenient.

There were at least four swords lying around on the floor. Seeing as how each sword lay beside a corpse, it was hardly difficult to guess who were the owners of those swords.

I went for the one closest to me.

Although I knew my footsteps are soundless right now, I still tried to be as silent as possible. The fear runs deep.

I picked up the sword. Gripping it tightly in my hands, I stepped forward to the monster.

It was still doing the same thing it had been doing for the past few minutes. Looking for me while wearing an expression of frustration.

An idea struck my mind. With a random pebble in my hand, I threw it at a corner.

The monster froze for a moment before darting towards the sound of the pebble skipping on the tiles. It swiped at the empty air as it arrived. It gave out an angry screech when it realize it was fooled. I could have swore it was gritting its teeth too.

Despite my shivering lips, I grinned. Stupid monster. Simpleton. I insulted the monster in my mind.

As I got close enough, the monster had its back facing me. It was still looking around, looking for me. It didn't look back though.

I wielded the sword with both of my trembling hands. With an uncertain gulp, I forced my hands to calm down.

When I deemed my hands were steady enough, I brought them up overhead.

With a grimace, I swung the sword down at the monster with full force.

Sounds similar to metal colliding with a solid object echoed.

I gasped, soundlessly. My eyes were wide opened like my mouth. My steady hands once again began trembling.

It broke. The blade of the sword broke. Snapped into half. Even the sound of metal clanging was heard as it broke. The broken part spun in the air before it went bouncing on the floor, all the while making a distinct sound.

Those were the testimony of the monster's skin toughness.

No way. No fucking way. I swore in my mind.

The monster creaked its head to its back, to me. Its mouth arched. A smile. Almost as if saying, "Found you."

Before I could snap back to the nightmare of a reality, it swung its arm. The swing launched me across the room. I went rolling on the floor before coming to a stop.

I groaned and I coughed. Fucking hell, this hurts. I groaned again.

It crawled towards me but this time with a quicker pace.

I lost the sword when it swatted me away like a fly. Pain course through my body but fear took precedence over the pain and so did my will to live. I looked to my left and right, looking for a new weapon.

Ah. Found one.

Fortunately in a way, I landed just beside a corpse and beside the corpse was a sword. Without another moment's hesitation, I brought the sword up as a guard just as the monster pounced at me.

Its razor sharp teeth aimed for my face but its teeth was met with a sword. The monster nevertheless, clamped down on the sword instead with its teeth.

Using the momentum from the pounce, I flipped backwards along with the monster. We went rolling and just like that, I managed to create a distance between me and the monster.

Too bad. The sword also distanced itself from me. The struggle made me loose my grasp on the sword.

It screeched. I guessed it didn't appreciate me using its momentum to threw it away.

The distance between me and the monster that I had created wasn't long. In fact, it took only another pounce for it to reach me.

With no sword to guard this time, it pinned me on to the floor. Its large hands with overly sharp fingers, were holding me down on the shoulders. I say holding me down but in reality, it was more on the line of stepping on me. Either way, it was pressing down on me with its claws for hands. The claws didn't dug into my flesh as its hands were quite big. The area of my shoulder was around the size of its palm. Thank god for this. Otherwise, it would definitely be agonizing with its claws digging into my flesh.

However, none of that matters. It didn't change the fact that an near ten feet tall monster was on top of me, looking down at me like some mere food.

What happened next, was something I would never forget in my live. My first real genuine experience of agony. It forever seared into mind. A truly unforgettable memory.

Excruciating pain that I would never think I would feel coursed through my body.

I screamed as loud as my lungs, vocal chord, and my energy would allow me to. My whole body convulsed.

What happened? It bit me. Or rather, it took a chunk of flesh out of me. Flesh of my left shoulder blade. When that chunk failed to leave my body in one go, it forcefully tore it away, incurring another cry of agony from me.

It didn't stop there. It took another bite. I screamed again.

Tears and saliva leaked out from me. I could be wrong but I was sure there were also snorts.

I want the pain to stop. I want it to stop. I don't care if I die. I want it to stop. Make it stop. Make it stop.

Please make it stop!

Stop! Stop!

I don't want to suffer anymore!

Just let me die! Just make it stop! Just kill me already and make it stop!

I want to die.

"No, you can't."

I was told, by a voice, of a girl.

Instantly, the pain ceased. Numbness took over.

As if time had slow down exponentially, everything I see around me was moving slowly. The monster enjoying the taste of my flesh. Me, flailing around in agony. The dust raised from the struggle. All of those seemed to be moving slowly.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"You can't die yet." The voice of a girl ignored my question. "Not like this."

"......" I said nothing.

"You have to help me. You promised, remember?" The voice said some things that were bizarre for this situation.

"Promise?"

"Help me. Please?"

"How...... Who....." A sudden influx of questions flooded into my mind, interrupting my originally intended words.

"Help me, Harbinger. Please."

Frustration bloomed in the corner of my mind. I hated how it ignored questions of my own. Who the fuck is this Harbinger? Me? Why the fuck would I be called Harbinger? Questions after questions piled up in my mind.

Frustration and anger boiled in me.

I steeled myself. Harden my resolve although it was nothing too notable. I did what I could to make my words more assertive this time.

"I'm not who you called Harbinger."

"....." This time, it was the voice's turn to be silent.

"Even if I wanted to, how?" I asked, with a tone filled with the most assertiveness I could gather. "How can I even help you? I'm fucked beyond fucked right now in case you didn't notice or can't notice."

There was a brief silence but I knew the voice was still there. I somehow just knew.

"How?" I asked again.

After another few seconds of silence, it finally replied. "For now...." the voice more like a whisper now. "Live on. Don't give up yet. Pull through this."

"Are. You. Fucking. Kidding. Me?" I screamed at the voice.

Although there was neither a face nor head, I could tell the voice was shaking its head. Out of pity or disappointment? I didn't know. It could be something other than those two.

"You can do this. I know you can."

"Lady, I don't even have a weapon to kill this thing."

"You do have one."

Those words stunned me. It stunned me because of how serious it was.

Before I could make a retort filled with profanity, it spoke again "You always have it with you. A weapon."

"Where?" I asked, devoid of any spirit.

"Just imagine it in your hands. A sword, an axe, a spear, a mace, or even a simple stake."

I sighed. I gave up at understanding the words of the voice. "But it hurts. It hurts. It hurts so much."

"I know." The voice said, I could tell there was some shuddering in the words. "I know. But.....this is the way it has to be." The trembling in the voice was even more obvious now.

I scoffed. "Easy for you to say." I muttered. I didn't intend to actually say it but it leaked out, I guess.

"All in a hard day's work. Remember?"

At those words, I froze and a sting to my mind followed. The words were like a probe to my memories. It seemed like those words held a significant clue to my lost memories.

After those words, everything went back to normal. Time flow normally again.

"Ah." I muttered as I braced myself for the pain to come.

Sure enough, it came. I screamed. I cried. I cursed. I soundlessly gasped. But the words of the voice flowed in my mind. "You always have it with you. A weapon."

What the fuck does that suppose to mean?

"Just imagine it in your hands...."

I sighed among grievance of pain. Somehow.

I closed my eyes and imagined a sword in my hand.

No, not a sword. A blade. Just a simple blade. A blade without a handle or grip nor guard. Just a blade. A stake?

Well, whatever is it, I just want it to be able to kill this fucker on top of me.

Just a simple blade will do. Just let me kill this monster. I need no fancy ornament nor design. Just a simple blade would suffice. A simple blade.

Yes. Simple but enough to harm those who brings harm to me.

Yes. That's it. A weapon that could kill my enemies. Whatever is it. Just give it to me.

A simple blade.

A blade.

At that moment, an aura of purplish dark manifested. The color gave out vibe of intensity and the aura has vague opacity, seemingly transparent but not too much. If one looked closely, the aura was trembling. Shivering, shuddering, vibrating? These were my thoughts when I saw the aura. The peculiar aura coiled around my right hand.

The space in my palm distorted. The purplish dark aura converged onto my palm. Slowly, the aura along with the distorted space, formed into a shape. A shape of a simple blade. A blade nonetheless.

A blade of a vibrating purplish dark aura.

[Abyss Magic: Abyssal Edge - acquired]

Oh. This may be contrasting to the situation but the name sounds awesome.

My body was still shaking in fear but now, with excitement mixed in.

I gripped tightly on to the blade. My hand steadying. My mind sharpening. My resolve hardening.

"Now..." I whispered.

The monster stopped its mauling.

Our gaze locked. Not that it had eyes.

The monster's mouth curved upwards.

My lips curved downwards.

"Die." I whispered, softly but fiercely.

And my lip curved back up.