-----------------------Chapter 5------------------------

---------------Whats in Your Blood----------------

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At least I'm a good fighter...

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Without missing a beat, I lunged at the first spirit, a man covered head to toe in armor, ax in both hands.

It wasn't hard to imagine how this person had made it to consciousness, a warrior with a brutal style would no doubt take magic after the killing of another, that fact made me hesitant.

Taking a life wasn't so easy, I had trouble killing soulless demons, was that weakness?

For some reason the magic inside me had not received my blessing, I found it strange but that meant I could still fight, with a small bit of channeling I could use magic. One efficient spell I knew came to mind, I was already weak from using my blessing so I had to work with what little stamina I had left.

A regular punch is a essentially a short burst of explosive strength, this magic should function the same, it should only activate for a few moments. "One ton punch..." that was a good enough name, by subjecting only my fist to extreme gravity my momentum skyrocketed, with a downward strike the spirit was crushed, leaving a could of sparkling mist in its wake.

I took a deep breath...

2

"A memory?" My surroundings had changed, I could see the armored barbarian in front of me, I was in a house surrounded by women looking at him as well. "...what's going on?" I lowered my fist and walked up to him, now I could see his face, like his armor had melted off. It was a strangely kind look in his eyes, but his body still matched the one that would subject themselves to battle at any notice.

"Yo, ferryman" the man spoke, staring at me "Take care of my soul... I can't let my death be in vein so pardon my imposing but..."

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For some reason he could see me, I had never experienced someone's memories when gaining magic... then again I wasn't sure this was even a memory. His face tensed up "There's someone that's been abusing their sentience, you don't need to kill them but..." there was a complex emotion written on his face, something I had never seen before, I could hardly understand it "You'll understand when you meet them... seek out the Dreg King"

With that he began to fade "Later, ferryman, have a good one" he held out his fist, I returned the gesture this one stung...

3

Opening my eyes I found myself back in the graveyard, my entire body felt heavy and I could only smell and taste blood, I knew this feeling. Magic sucks out your stamina for it's power, using it when you had nothing left is hell on your body, apparently I had passed out right after... or maybe before that punch.

Nevertheless, the punch had gone through, but that was nothing to say against the dozens of spirits around me. That said, I couldn't help but be curious what exactly I would get from this mystery of a warrior, I could see his magic rising from a grave, it gave off a gentle glow but its core was a violent fire, it was in the shape of man.

I let the blood that pooled in my mouth fall out, now just left with the taste of metal and a stained tongue, moving my body hurt but I couldn't help but wonder what magic he might possibly give me. Why?, why did I need to know so bad, sure it would probably help but that wasn't it, there was something else. I looked around and sure enough Jupiter and Europa were still watching me, although it looked like he had needed to hold Europa back from helping me, that was fine, I needed to do this myself anyways, but...

I was sure of it, it had something to do with those two, I didn't know exactly why or how but I was sure, with that I forced my body to move using magic again, I knew it would hurt and my body would suffer more but at least I could get rid of this itch.

4

Jupiter looked on, unreadable helmet aside, his stance showed his trust, slab of a sword held in the ground and arms crossed, he had stopped holding Europa back at some point but she was staying aside anyways, both had to have known at some level that I would pull through, but I had no idea why.

I had to punch a handful of spirits on my way there, without magic the best I could do was beat them off me, before I could reach there I had to crawl, even my skin felt numb, I was probably pushing my body past a breaking point, magic took your stamina, if it couldn't take that it had to take something else. No doubt the wellspring inside of me had dried up, whatever a blessing was ate up more than magic, or maybe they were one in the same, in any case I had no idea what allowed me the luxury to think of such things during a battle.

Maybe it was just that, a curiosity too strong, I wondered where I got it from, but there was thinking to be done later, I arrived at a grave marked "Herse." Though it was really just a rock with a name on it, surrounded by a set of armor and two axes, but something new as well.

Magic, it was the only name we had for it and it could do anything, everyone knew that magic could grant them any wish, but the price was far to great for anyone, that was, their own death. But that's wrong. There are some who have wishes that far surpass their life and even those of others, this magic would manifest the strongest, to die with no regrets and hope for the future, it was a difficult thing indeed...

Digging my fist into the ground I had every intention to drag this magic out of its resting place, what held me together was my curiosity, and what I needed to do was fight, what came afterwards was the fate of every truth seeker.