It is rare for those who are blessed to be marked for death. After all, a Blessing is a gift by the Gods. The Mark is the exact opposite of that. It is a curse and a burden, worn only by those strong enough to survive even the world turning against them. I stood before a small group of men and women, likely those who wished to take my life because of the damned curse, I felt annoyed. I watched as several of them raised their hands, glowing ink marking their arms menacingly as they began to push power into their blessing.

Water flooded from the hand of a man with a beard and eyepatch, remiscant of a pirate from ages past, rippling in the form of a dragon. The earth quaked from the punch of a rather lithe looking woman, she was quite bulky, spikes pouring from the ground in my direction. The last man in the group who had a blessing, at least one that was noticeable, snapped as a bolt of pure wind rushed towards me menacingly.

I gave a light smile. Water, Earth, and Wind? Wasn't this group a little too... cliche? I stared at the enslaught of elements infront of me. I gave them a smile in hopes to annoy them as I raised both of my arms and let loose. A stream of fire from both arms followed my command and formed a wall of flame blocking both wind and water. A little movement to the side saved me from the oncoming spikes from the woman controlling the earth.

What previously would have been an unsurvivable three-directional trap had been avoided in less than two seconds. I could see their visible shock as the wall of flame slowly died down. This battle would be difficult, because although only three of them had blessings, the rest of their group still had weaponry. Four men more had blades of some varying size and shape. I could probably take out everyone but the earthen woman quite easily, but she would definitely be a problem.

I felt the energy in my body, a blessing of fire, rush to my hand in a sudden powerful burst. A beam of molten fire missed it's target, the man with the wind blessing, by only an inch. He had dodged the beam by pushing his power out of the side of his body. He would be more difficult to deal with than I thought.

"Dominique Myra. You have been marked for death, and yet you resist?" The bulky woman crossed her arms and sent a stern face my way.

"Would you, too, not resist your imminent death? Would you, too, not wish to live another day?" I gave a bland, cliche reply. I noticed both the men with water and wind powers marks start glowing.

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Glancing around, I surveyed the wide alleyway I was stuck in as an idea struck me. I stuck both hands out in front of me, palms facing those in front of me and channelled all the power I had into my arms. Heat radiated and distorted the air as I channeled more power, watching as their eyes dilated and they all began to channel their own blessings.

We let loose simultaneously. A massive wall of fire clashed into water, wind, and earth. The fire mixed with the wind, perhaps counter intuitively to what it was intended to do, and made it burn all the fiercer. The water vaporized and the earth melted as a massive pillar of fire worked its way towards the group slowly. Perhaps the only thing the Gods should have considered before handing out blessings...

Was to put a requirement on using them. You see, blessings were tethered to the Gods' own power. The only way to run out was if that very same God ran out as well - and the only way to have that happen was for them to die. I let the stream of fire die out as I noticed the three with the blessings had long been consumed and those without had long ran away, knowing they could not change the outcome of a battle of blessings.

I glanced at my outfit, hoping nothing had been damaged too bad. The sleeves of my cloak were burned off which was to be expected, but my pants, shoes, and everything else were fine. I gave a relieved sigh as I looked up, still seeing that accursed red halo above my head which was the marker for death bestowed upon me by the gods themselves. I turned towards the wall which had blocked my exit before, and splayed my palm flat on it.

Burning through concrete was a rather easy, but annoyingly tedious, task. The only thing making it easier was the power I had gained from killing those with the Blesssings that had targeted me prior. It was slight, but it was still a boost. I had killed many, many other blessed people to gain the power I already had... but it was not enough. I still remember vividly how badly I had been beaten by a man with a blessing of strength.

He outsped me, outpowered me, and outplayed me in every possible way. I was a lot stronger than I was then, and that was true. But I had a feeling he had probably gotten much stronger as well. I zoned back in as I realized the city wall, which was connected to the very back of the alleyway, had finally been burned through. I walked towards the untamable wilderness that had been present ever since the Gods began to give take part in humanity.

I would have to train some more. My physical strength and the strength of my blessing would have to be furthered. I was forced to use my blessing to escape their combined attack. I was a lot weaker than I had previously thought; that much was clear, even If I had come out of that mess unscathed.