For the first time, Levi heard Bram roar. It was a sound like a bear's growl piercing the night, exploding into raw, aggressive power. Bram's fist rocketed towards the young man's head, threatening to split it open like a ripe watermelon.

But it never connected. The man retracted his hand from Levi's stomach and moved his head aside, dodging the blow in a split second. Blood floated upward, levitating ominously. The devilish figure counterattacked, snapping a kick at Bram. Red mist enveloped Bram's arms as he absorbed the hit, standing firm. The inn's floor shattered into splinters under his immense weight.

The demon lunged for Levi again, splintering the floor beneath his feet with sheer strength. Levi flinched. He was going to die. There was no escape. Yet, he summoned every ounce of his strength, his palm blazing with heat. He was about to summon Baphomet’s Spike when the attacker collided with a solid wall.

Levi stumbled backward, clutching his wound, his back hitting the door. The man bared his fangs and slammed into a translucent barrier, faintly red. Then Levi saw Bram, eyes glowing the same hue, furious. Levi shivered. He had never seen anything like it.

Bram’s abilities centred on enhancing his blood for various physical enhancements, including magic. The barrier was a circle of protection. Bram teleported within, his fist connecting with the demon's skull like a freight train. With a sickening crunch, the invader's head ricocheted off the blood-forged barrier.

But the demon, as if made of iron, shifted his weight and struck Bram’s ribs, sending him screeching back. The floor held firm under the impact.

Levi bit his lip, clenched his left hand into a tight fist, and began cauterising the wound on his stomach to stop the bleeding. Trust, Levi thought with a pained smile, recalling Bram's words. He slid down the door, sitting on the floor, trusting Bram to win this.

The demon wiped blood from his face and smiled, but Levi saw hesitation in his eyes as he glanced back. Levi checked the watch hidden securely in his pocket. He may have lost the mechanist's book, but as long as he had the pocket watch, it didn't matter.

The fight raged on, loud and barbaric. People outside the inn were gathering. Someone knocked on the door, causing Levi to tremble, but whoever it was decided to stay clear.

At some point, Levi forced himself to stand. Bram was weakening, while the demon grew stronger, feeding on Bram’s energy. Levi didn’t like it one bit.

Thankfully, Gregory’s face appeared at the same window the demon had entered through. Two more people kicked in the glass of the adjacent windows. Gregory flashed Levi a relieved smile and spoke to the others. Levi couldn't hear them over the noise of the fight.

Levi relaxed. The fight was nearing its end, but the scenes replayed in his mind. Such a fight, such powers. Levi couldn't wait to reach that level. It was clear that Bram and Gregory were not ordinary detectives. Perhaps this was the power that someone from the SDC held?

The blood barrier shattered, and Gregory fired his gun. The demon's legs turned to shadows, causing the bullet to miss its mark. In the next second, the demon vanished into a pool of shadows, leaving the mechanist's book clattering to the broken floor.

The demon had fled.

“Damn,” Gregory spat. “The bastard hid that ability all that while, huh?”

Bram’s eyes returned to normal. He cradled his limp arm and bent down to pick up the book. He stumbled over to Levi and handed it to him.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Thank you,” Levi said, taking the book. “This wasn’t part of the plan, right?” he asked, looking at Gregory.

“Nope,” Gregory replied. “Had him cornered in an alleyway. Was about to strike when he sensed something juicy coming from this room.”

Levi squirmed.

Gregory didn’t press the matter. Not with others around. “Bram, send the lad to another room. Kara, go with them.” He addressed one of the female officers by the window. She had short blonde hair and sharp eyes. She stopped in front of Levi, and a healing light emerged from her hands as she pressed it to his wound. Heat swirled around his stomach, and his flesh began to itch. Levi looked at Kara in amazement. Then they moved away from the door.

Gregory continued, “I’ll come by once I’ve sorted everything with the police.”

“I take it the attacker’s gone?” Levi asked, still in pain.

“Gone like the wind, I’m afraid.”

“So you’re telling me there’s a chance he’ll come back?”

Gregory shook his head. “I won’t let that happen. You’ll have round-the-clock protection.”

“And my time alone in the woods?”

Gregory gave him a knowing look. Does he know about my Relic? Levi wondered. Gregory said, “You’ll be under my surveillance. Bram will be in the background. He can protect you without seeing what you’re up to. Trust me on that.”

“Boss,” Kara interjected, "Why are you following the whims of a child? Why is that person even after him?”

“Ah, c’mon Kara,” Gregory said with a smile. “You’ve known me a while now. Trust me.”

“I don’t trust you, boss,” Kara frowned. “That’s the problem.”

“You’ll hurt my feelings, Kara,” Gregory said, pressing his hand to his heart before turning serious. “Levi is special. I can’t say more than that. I’m not asking you to trust me this time, Kara. I’m telling you.”

Kara opened her mouth to speak, but instead nodded and focused on healing Levi. “Well,” she said after a moment, taking her hand off Levi. “I’ll have to begin the next round of healing later, but that should do for now.”

Gregory nodded. “Take him to the spare room. Make sure his wound is fully treated. Ah, it seems my workload is going to increase,” Gregory said as a navy-suited man entered. Upon seeing Gregory, he frowned.

“Breaking laws since young, now you’re here,” the man said, his voice deep.

“Sergeant,” Gregory said merrily. “You’ve aged.”

“It’s stress from cleaning up murders,” he replied. “What happened here?”

“I’ll explain everything…”

***

Levi sat on the new bed. Kara would arrive in an hour for the next healing session. While he waited, he inspected the book on his thighs.

Profession Ingredient (Rare - Relic) — Machinist’s Book of Magi: A book that holds the secrets of the Machinist Profession, focusing on magical engineering enhancement.

| Class: Engineer

| Path: Machinist/Magi

The book was fully repaired. The Fixer had kept his word. Although, who would have thought he could summon a demon? Was the man from the Krag? A humanoid Kragling? An Apostle, or perhaps someone like him, from another world? Levi had many questions.

His thoughts shifted. He now had a Legendary Ingredient of time, and ideas of how to use it were already forming. Perhaps it was the Talent of the Arch-Magus at work, but they excited him.

One theory was controlling time in a small area to alter a fire lance. Enhance it, fast forward time in his palm, mould it, then fire it. The possibilities were endless.

But the road ahead was long.

First, he needed to reach the required level. Then, he needed a birthright. He had to prepare himself mentally and physically to absorb the Ingredients. A Legendary Ingredient… no, it would be a realm above because of his talent. He would be in for a world of pain, if his body and mind could handle it.

He’d need medications to ease the process. Perhaps Sera could help. One thing was certain: it would take time to reach those requirements.

Despite the pain burning a hole in his stomach, Levi pressed his toes into the ground. He couldn’t hold back the excitement. Demons or otherworldly enemies hunting him be damned.

He’d rise in this new world, and no one could stop him.

Oh, how wrong he was…