Fight for a Living

by Sophia Schmidt

  After all, his body was in perfect condition, only his stamina and mana had been consumed during the fight.

  Filthy human! How dare you kill my spouse?! The Byk spoke.

  Lith had no time to be surprised, so he kept his breathing rhythm steady, aiming to stall as long as he could.

  Wow, you talk! I didn't know bears could talk.

  Lowly maggot! I'm not a bear! I'm Irtu, the new king of the woods, and she was my queen, Gerda.

  Sorry, your majesty, but if you wanted to live happily ever after, you should have respected my turf. I don't care what you do on the east side of the woods, but the west side is mine! Not to mention that I know a Ry that could refute your claim.

  A Ry? Irtu moved away from the carcass, putting enough distance from the river to be safe from the man pup tricks. "You mean that weakling! The mutt is as good as dead." Irtu grinned while slowly moving forward.

  Don't come any closer! Lith ordered. "If you leave now and promise to never return, we can close it here. Otherwise one of us will have to die."

  Hurr, hurr, hurr. Irtu laughed. "You will not die, murderer. I will just rip off your legs and arms. Then I'll follow your scent back to your burrow and will devour your family alive, in front of your eyes. Only then we will be even!"

  Lith dropped the act like a live grenade.

  I never intended to let you walk away alive from here. I only had doubts about how much make you suffer. Thanks for clearing them up for me.

  "Such arrogance for a weak man pup! I will not fall for your trickery, like my poor Gerda. I have watched the whole time. The only reason you are still alive is that she loved so much playing with you vermin, before biting your head off!

  It's all my fault. I shouldn't have indulged her so much. If I had killed you back then, she would still be alive! Irtu roared, getting even closer."

  Lith had already fully recovered and some more.

  If you want so bad to apologize to her, let me send you to the other side!

  Despite all his provocations, Irtu remained calm and collected, always keeping a safe distance from the waters.

  He is too confident, I have a bad feeling about this. Why does he keeps advancing despite what happened to the other Byk? Lith fought back the temptation of using all the extra mana from the world energy in one go, limiting to a single Plague Arrow.

  Instead of dodging it, Irtu stood up on its legs, laughing cruelly.

  When the Plague Arrow hit the Byk's heart, Lith could see thanks to Life Vision that instead of attacking its vital organs, the dark energy was being assimilated by Irtu's core.

  Hurr, hurr, hurr. Did you really think to be the only one that have mastered dark magic, maggot? Now die!

  Irtu jumped forward, and before Lith could take advantage of its inability to dodge in mid-air, four rock formations abruptly erupted from the ground, right were Irtu's paws were going to be.

  That way the Byk was able to jump forward once more, his speed further increased by the four rock's borrowed momentum.

  In less than a second Lith was robbed of his opportunity to counter attack, while Irtu had turned into a one-ton bullet.

  To evade the attack Lith had not only use air fusion, but also to roll forward. The Byk was too fast for a real dodge, his only option was to pass under it.

  After that point, things got worse. When Irtu landed, instead of creating a crater, the ground stretched under its legs like a trampoline, allowing it to resume the chase without a second of delay.

  What the f*ck?! You can do that with earth magic? Lith bit his lower lip hard, cursing his own ignorance. He was a self-taught after all, the only knowledge he had about true magic was what he discovered experimenting by himself.

  Clearly the Byk was a natural at magic, and had refined its mastery over earth through the years, aptly adapting it to best suit its hunting techniques.

  Making a split-second decision, Lith kicked the ground with his left leg while using all the mana he could to infuse himself with earth magic, boosting his defence.

  Thanks to the clean cut in his previous trajectory, Lith got only grazed on the chest from Irtu's claw. Yet it was enough to rip off his chest protector and graze the underneath skin.

  Lith instinctively used light fusion to stop the bleeding and gain a healing factor.

  The mid-air strike had messed up the Byk's tempo, so after the second jump it was forced to stop.

  Lith used that moment of pause to activate Soaring Hawk and take flight. The opponent was clearly superior, he had almost run out of options.

  No escape! Irtu roared, shooting a rain of rock debris against him.

  Lith mimicked Gerda, using air instead of earth to generate a fast spinning barrier that deflected the sudden attacks. Yet his flight was interrupted, and he started to fall down.

  Irtu grinned, getting up on its back legs, ready to catch him. He could already feel in its mouth the crunchy taste of the prey's limbs.

  Lith was almost out of options. Almost.

  From that angle, Irtu could not notice that Lith's right hand was now holding something, removing the stopper with a snap of the thumb.

  At the last second, Lith stopped in mid-air with Float, while the substance in the flask kept falling and hit Irtu right on the head.

  Suddenly the Byk was blind, his eyes burning like fire. A strong smell inundated his nose, making him sneeze and rendering it unable to sense Lith presence anymore.

  When I bought this horrible perfume, my idea was to use it to make a Byk lose my traces in case the worst happened. I never expected being forced to resort to such a gamble. Luckily Irtu does not know about Solus, nor her pocket dimension.

  The flask materializing out of thin air was something unconceivable for the magical beast, taking it by surprise.

  Irtu was still roaring in pain, the paws rubbing his eyes, when he got stabbed from all sides.

  Thanks to the river, Lith's Ice Spear spell needed just a split second to strike.

  Lith waved his hands non-stop, sending a barrage of spears until Irtu's corpse was so riddled with holes that he could see through it. And even after that, he sent another one piercing its head, right between the eyes.

  I always hated how in horror movies no one ever makes sure that the frigging monster is really dead, only to get backstabbed during the credits.

  You took a huge risk there, pretending to have lost control of the flight spell and going into free fall. Solus had objected to that last-minute contingency plan from the second Lith devised it, deeming it too reckless.

  What if the Byk impaled you with a rock spear? What if instead of waiting for you to come down, it had jumped to finish you off?

  That would have been merciful. Irtu was too cruel to do such thing.

  Lith replied without hesitation.

  "It wanted me to feel despair and helplessness, to be conscious while it ripped me apart. In some ways we were quite similar, both hell-bent on revenge and inflicting pain to our enemies.

  The only difference between us, is that I would never allow my bloodlust to drive me crazy. Gerda and Irtu were a threat to my family. That's the only reason I came here.

  I prefer giving my enemies a painless death, even making Irtu's pelt worthless, rather than taking the smallest risk that they could harm one hair of my beloved ones."

  Lith had just collected the two magical beasts' carcasses inside the pocket dimension, when his body started trembling in pain. A familiar hot sensation rising from his mana core.

  Chapter 35: Prizes

  Not here, not now! Lith inwardly screamed. "Until it's over, I will be a sitting duck!" He knew that it was impossible to hold back the impurities refining process until he was back home.

  He had no choice but to offer no resistance, making it as fast and painless as possible.

  Soon, black ooze started being excreted from all his pores and orifices. Lith's eyes and throat were burning from the nasty feeling the impurities inflicted on their way out.

  Li
th felt like a river of bile was coming out of his body.

  When it finally ended, he was kneeling, hands on the ground. A huge puddle of the tar-like substance was below him, tainting the air with its putrid smell.

  Congratulations on evolving your mana core to deep cyan! Solus voice was full of joy.

  You also should have lost at least a kilogram or two (2.2 or 4.4 pounds), judging from how much impurities you expelled this time. I can already feel the quality of your mana flow improving. My meals have never been so tasty!

  Deep cyan?! Lith coughed up some impurities that got stuck in his throat.

  All these years, the hard work, even risking my life against not one but two consecutive magical beasts, just for the worst cyan core possible? He couldn't help but feel depressed and frustrated.

  I'm still below Nana's level, and she was born with that core! If she practiced my breathing techniques, there's no telling how strong she would be. She could probably already topple mountains and split the sea.

  With a pulse of dark magic, he banished all the impurities into nothingness.

  Look at the bright side. Thanks to the break through, you should finally be able curing Tista. Isn't that what you wanted from the beginning? Solus tried to console him the best that she could.

  At that thought, Lith's mood lightened up immediately.

  You are damn right! Sometimes I am just a self-centered a*shole.

  Sometimes? Solus sarcastically remarked.

  Okay, fine! Most of the times I let my hunger for power get the best of me. Happy now?

  Solus giggled.

  Despite having yet to use Invigoration, Lith could already perceive the world around him more vividly than ever. The colours, the smells, the sounds everything was different. It was like being born again and experiencing the world for the first time.

  Still feeling light headed, he splashed the river's cold water on his face, trying to regain his focus.

  Suddenly, Lith could feel a shiver on the back of his head, his neck hair suddenly standing up.

  Lith abruptly jumped back on his feet, turning around to discover that a Ry, the very same Ry from two years ago was silently walking toward him.

  It had become bigger, its height at the withers reaching 1.6 meters (5'6"), and its red fur had gained shades of white, dancing in the sunlight like a wildfire.

  Just trying the Soaring Hawk spell almost made Lith faint, so he was forced to cancel it while using Invigorate to regain his strength once again.

  Yet Lith's mana core was still unstable after the evolution process, and therefore unable to assimilate more world energy.

  F*ck my life! I can only escape on foot.

  Sniffing his stress and fear, the Ry spoke up.

  Fear not, Scourge, I mean no harm. On the contrary, I have come to give you my thanks. It was my duty stopping Irtu and Gerda, but you managed to precede me.

  It threw a magnificent deer he was carrying on its back at Lith's feet. Both the skin and the antlers were in perfect conditions, aside from a single bite mark on the neck, where it had been cleanly broken.

  I noticed you humans prefer them like this, since after eating the meat you can exchange the rest for those things you call 'money'.

  Lith didn't feel much reassured, he decided to keep stalling while he was catching his breath and searching for the best possible escape route.

  So, you can talk too, uh? Why didn't we have this conversation two years ago, instead of fighting?

  "Stop eyeing for an escape route. If I really wanted to kill you, I would avoid useless talk and strike when you are at your weakest. I am not arrogant and cruel like Irtu. I would not make the mistake of underestimating you again.

  As for your question, it was you that attacked me first.

  Also, do you know what happens when one of us speaks? Either the human faints or runs away. In both cases, they come back in numbers, even setting the woods on fire trying to kill us all."

  The Ry growled at that unpleasant memory.

  Lith relaxed a bit.

  "Yeah, humans get scared easily. They think themselves all high and righteous, and don't like when someone or something they don't recognize as an equal threatens the status quo.

  By the way, sorry for the sneak attack, but you were big, scary and destroying something really precious to me."

  A light of understanding lit in the Ry's eyes.

  You mean the annoying rock that now you wear at your finger, I see. Then it's my turn to apologize for damaging your property and trying to kick you out of the woods. I only wanted the noise to stop, and you ceasing your attack.

  If I have to believe your words, why do you call me Scourge? Isn't that kind of offensive? Lith kept moving, very slowly, towards the fastest way home, one step at the time, like he was just shifting his weight from one foot to another while chatting.

  The Ry snorted, pretending to not notice it.

  It's no offence. You killed the king in the west, and with its life you claimed its title as well.

  That would make you the king in the east, I suppose. What's your title? Lith moved another step.

  The Protector. My role is to keep both humans and unruly magic beasts at bay.

  It has a much better ring than mine. By the way, your majesty, I am not interested in kingships or messing with your turf. Feel free to take over Irtu's region or whatever it's called. I only hunt for my survival, not for sport or pleasure.

  And that's why you are still alive. Seeing that the human was too self-conscious about his weakened state, the Ry gave up and turned back, walking towards the woods.

  Lith was still scared, yet had the presence of mind to store the deer in the pocket dimension. As soon as the magical beast disappeared from his sight, Lith ran out the woods, always making Solus look out for any possible menace.

  Once outside, he changed into his usual clothing, deeming the claw rip on the chest too unsettling for his parents.

  The closest he got home, the weaker he felt. The adrenaline rush was fading away, his body and mind were both battered from all that had happened. A splitting headache arose, making difficult for him to think.

  When Lith finally arrived at destination, he was too tired to speak or even walk to his bedroom. He sat down on the nearest chair, sighing in relief, allowing himself to relax.

  The next thing he knew was that someone had put him into bed, and judging from the lighting it was already night. He closed his eyes, pondering about what to do next, and when he opened them again it was already dawning.

  Tista and Rena were still asleep, Lith decided to get up and prepare the breakfast for everyone, following his normal routine. It was in that moment that he realized how much had he changed overnight.

  Not only his body was brimming with strength, he could also perceive his own mana flow without the assistance of any breathing technique. Lith needed but a thought to start floating, managing to get out of the bedroom without making the wood creak.

  What had required so much focus just the day before, now barely needed his attention.

  If a tier one spell has become so easy, what about chore magic?

  Lith discovered that now he was able to use up to six spells at once, without the use of any gesture or magic word to help coordinate them.

  Soon many small vortexes were cleaning every nook and cranny of the dining room, the air in the room getting warmer by the second, while plates and cutlery floated in their place.

  By the time the table was laid, he had also finished washing and drying the floor.

  I have performed in less than a minute what usually took me half an hour! I have still a lot of time before having to wake everyone up. Solus, how do you feel?

  Now that I know you are all right, just peachy. But since you were referring to my abilities, instead of my feelings… From the tone she was quite pissed off.

  …both the Soluspedia and the pocket dimension have started expanding since your mana core stabilized.

  And what
about you?

  Thanks for asking without any subtle hint from my side. The sarcasm was palpable. "I am still recovering from the huge scare you gave me yesterday, but I'll live."

  "I'm sorry, I know you wanted me to escape from Irtu and not take unnecessary risks, but I couldn't run away and live in fear, waiting for him to find and attack my family.

  I have lived too long in terror of my father, back on Earth, to let the same thing happen again. I hope you can understand."

  Wanting nothing more than change the subject to escape that awkward silence, Lith asked:

  What about Gerda's carcass? Can we take credit for the kill or would it arise suspicions?

  "There is no problem for Gerda, history is full of promising mages, even younger than you, killing a magical beast. Since there is no way to determine how strong it was, you can say that you ambushed it successfully.

  Irtu, on the other side, is more problematic. Not only his pelt is useless, making him only good for racking up merits, but its corpse shows signs of a spell that should be around tier four or five, if not above. I'd say to save it for rainy days."

  After deciding what to do with the various carcasses, Lith used the remaining time to practice Accumulation, while thinking about how to announce to his parents the treatment he had devised for Tista.

  Among all the things he had gained since arriving in the new world, his family's happiness was still the greatest prize he could strive for.

  Chapter 36: Out of Misery

  Author's note: I do research my stuff, but please remember that this is a work of fiction, not a medicine textbook. If among you there is some nit-picky doctor, please be nice and cut me some slack. Enjoy your read.

  * * *

  Lith spent the next few days familiarizing with the changes in both his body and mana core. Healing with true magic was much different from the on/off effects that fake magic used. Not to mention that the procedure for Tista required surgical precision.

  So, he used his new job as Nana's assistant to master once again his mana flow. Lith also personally reported to Count Lark the slaying of the magical beast via Nana's communication amulet.