The deep dark crimson eyes grew bigger, and deep, raspy growls grew louder and louder.

The sound of the bushes being pushed aside was the only other sound that filled my ears. As the Abomination started to reveal itself, I stood in paralyzed fear.

The Abomination stood at least fifteen feet high. The beast was bipedal with massive paws like a wolf. Its black skin hugged its muscles so tightly that the striations were clearly visible. White fur ran up its back and down its powerful biceps and forearms.

White, razor-sharp claws extended from its human-like hands. Craned my neck, I saw four onyx horns protruding from its horrifying face. It had a narrow snout with large canines; however, the rest of its face was covered with the skin of another strange beast's face, wearing it like a mask, hiding its other facial features.

My heart beat harder than I thought possible, pounding viciously against my rib cage. My hands and legs were trembling, on the verge of buckling.

Saliva foamed at the mouth of the demon, dripping from its teeth and landing on the untouched dirt, burning it.

The beast's saliva was acid.

‘Move… Move… run away… do something, body, please!’

But I couldn't. An intense, bestial fear gripped my heart, putting me on the verge of fainting.

The Abomination walked closer and closer, unhurried, knowing its prey was too petrified to move.

‘Breathe… breathe… if you don't breathe, you'll pass out!’

Managing to let out a stuttered breath, the beast let out an ear-ringing roar. Somehow, that managed to shake me out of my daze. Fight or flight kicked in, and my body flooded with chemicals.

I ran.

I ran as fast as I could in the opposite direction of the Abomination, jumping over fallen trees, leaves smacking lightly against my face as I flew through the bushes.

No matter how fast I ran, I could hear the heavy stomps of the beast not far behind me. I weaved in and out of trees, changing directions constantly, desperately trying to lose the Abomination. All of it was for naught, because it was always right behind me.

A sharp pain started to stab into my side, my mouth was dry, and I was slowing down. I was getting tired, but I had not even come close to losing the demon.

The reality of not being able to outrun it left a bitter taste on my tongue.

I was left with only three options: option one, keep running for my life, eventually growing slower and slower, then die; option two, give up and die; or option three, try and fight it and still probably die.

The third option seemed best; at least there would be a small chance.

Convincing myself that I was about to fight this Abomination, I started to focus and let my thoughts go wild. What can I do to kill this thing? I had my katana on my hip, but what the hell is this dainty sword gonna do against those claws that look like they can cut steel?

The sword was out of the question. Maybe if I was more versed in it, I would have stood a better chance, but currently, it would mean certain death. Next, magic. I haven't managed to cast any real spells; I've only been doing the training with Zeris and in my own time messing with it, forming it into other shapes.

But in this moment, it was the only thing that I could think of to save my life. I managed to cut Zeris' cheek one time before he knocked me out. I just have to try and do that again, and on a much bigger scale.

‘Easy, right?’

Absolutely not. I've just got to the point of confidently manifesting wind in just a small sphere.

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Gritting my teeth and clearing my thoughts, I had to do something now, otherwise I was going to die. Managing to create a decent amount of distance between me and the Abomination, only because it probably enjoyed toying with its prey, making them think they could get away.

I was not this gullible. Stopping my sprint, I slid slightly on the loose dirt, whipped myself around, and faced the charging beast.

It was running on all fours with madness in its eyes, saliva being flung everywhere from its mouth, its tongue hanging out from the side of it.

My breathing was sporadic, my heartbeat filling my ears, my eyes narrowed and tunneled on the beast. Spreading my legs slightly to get a better center of gravity, I raised my trembling hands.

The beast let out another roar, making me jump slightly. I let out a shaky breath and closed my eyes.

I began to let mana pour out from what Zeris called a “Mana Center,” letting it flow from my chest, filling my arms, and pouring out of my fingertips.

It felt different, like it was beckoning me to use it, eagerly waiting for my command.

I started to form a shape of a crescent. As more and more mana poured out, I sharpened its edge. It felt powerful. Powerful enough to divide the world itself.

Snapping my eyes open wide, the beast was about fifteen feet away from me. The moment I saw it, my heart skipped a beat, and I let loose my devastating spell.

The wind crescent ripped through the air, blowing the trees' leaves furiously. Moving in a blur, the crescent made a high-pitched whistle.

The Abomination tried to stop and move out of the spell's way; however, the laws of motion got the better of it.

As the crescent pierced the beast's chest, it let out a blood-curdling yelp. The beast was flung and only stopped when it crashed into a tree twenty feet away.

“Oh thank god, I did it!”

***

Elated, I let myself fall to my knees, resting my shaking hands on the soft black dirt. I gripped it. I laughed, I laughed hysterically. I couldn't believe what just happened.

‘I’m freaking incredible!’

Letting my laughter die down, I stood back up and took a deep breath, steadying my shaking legs. I started to walk over to the corpse of the Abomination I had just killed.

As I got closer, the surrounding area grew more and more disturbed. Trees had been bent slightly and bushes ripped apart. Approaching the beast, there was a large crater and a destroyed tree.

‘You’re even uglier up close.’

Just when I thought that, the beast's eyes snapped open and lunged at me.

My body, moving on its own, dove out of the way. Turning to my back, I crawled back while staring at the beast approaching with violent rage.

The spell only seemed to leave a large shallow cut along its stomach.

‘It—it was just unconscious. Damnit, I'm dead!’

My back hit a tree. I looked at the beast in horror. I was going to die, ripped apart and eaten.

The beast stopped, its eyes grew wide, and it shivered.

A burning hot pressure was pulsating from behind the beast. The air around the area grew hot and thick, burning my throat as I breathed. Brush and other foliage started to catch fire. Managing to lean slightly to see what was causing the dreadful pressure from behind the beast.

I saw Zeris walk steadily with his katana unsheathed to his side. Each step burned the ground beneath him. His eyes were heavy and cold, making me shiver in fear even more so than the beast itself. Zeris’s pressure made the Abomination seem like a puppy.

His raspy voice pierced the distance between us with a slight reverberating tone.

“You did well, Ezra, but you grew complacent when you thought your foe was dead when it was just unconscious. However, your spell was impressive for an Aspirant. You have much promise.”

The moment Zeris finished, his figure blurred, and he flashed forward to the Abomination, easily slicing the thing in half with one quick motion.

As the top half of the beast slid from its bottom and fell over, I stared in awe. Zeris’s strength was incredible. He stared at the felled beast with an emotionless expression, then looked at me and spoke.

“Realizing that you could not outrun the Abomination, judging that you could not beat it with your sword, then finally choosing to use magic shows that you have a natural battle sense and cunning. It will keep you alive.”

Feeling slightly proud from his words, but quickly shaking that feeling off and standing up to meet his gaze at an even level.

“Where the hell did you go? I almost died. You just left me for dead to what? Watch me, see what I'm capable of?”

Zeris brandished his sword, sending the blood that was on it flying.

“That’s exactly right. If you're going to be stuck in this world, you are going to need to grow strong and learn to survive. From what I understand, your world is like a paradise compared to this one. At any turn, an Abomination can show itself, a rogue mage designates you as their enemy and kills you, a close friend can betray you…”

Zeris lingered for a moment on his final words, then shook his head slightly.

“Leaving you to fend on your own and fight your own battles will be best for you to evolve and grow stronger. That Abomination was a particularly strong one, but there are weaker ones that roam this forest. Sharpen your swordsmanship and magical abilities in real battle. Learn from your mistakes and grow, but be at some ease; I will not let you die.”

He let his words hang in the air for a moment, letting me absorb what he said, then spoke for the final time.

“However, that does not mean I won't let you knock on death's door.”

I stared at him wide eyed speechless.

Then I blinked, and he was gone…