The Systemic Lands

Chapter 102: Day 243 – Death Takes No Prisoners

The people of Esperanza were already all gone in panic. I hadn’t held out much hope for them. “Michael…we can’t…I can’t…” Naran took a step back. Fear was already gripping his heart. He would be near useless. If I tried to use him in part of a joint attack, there was a high risk he would break and panic.

“Go to the edge of the Plaza. If I die, you must carry the information back to Purgatory about this threat.”

“Sacrificing yourself?”

“Running is pointless. It is blocking attacks, which means it can be hurt.” At least that was my hope. I had no idea how I was going to do that. Naran pulled the cart away and I stood there with my sword in hand. A shield wouldn’t help against dusting and only provide a larger target. If the effect spread through held items, it was too big of a risk.

I only held the blade in case I got a chance. Well, that chance was coming. Death began to glide forward. It didn’t walk, but its robe hid any legs it might have. Standing at seven feet, the figure was massive.

“I always knew it would be Death that got me in the end.” There was no response. It closed to forty feet away. I began to sweat even as terror tried to squeeze my heart. Dammit! Do or die, Michael. Do or die!

Twenty feet, it was now in perfect range of my AcidShot skill. But that wasn’t what I had planned. Poor person of Esperanza, you gave your life for a worthy cause. Giving me an idea.

Ten feet. Just a little bit more.

Nine feet. A feeling of cold washed through me. I had learned to ignore such things after all that grinding in the frostlands.

Eight feet. It began to bring up its sword. I threw my sword at it in a slow toss. My hands raced together, and I was glad for the countless evenings of practicing hand signs to get them perfect and fast.

I pushed off to the right side as Air Burst activated. The monster swung. My sword was carved to pieces. My left hand already twisting into the okay hand sign as I darted past the monster. Acid Shot x4. Only saved 10 energy. Just in case.

The blade moved fast. With my mind going at the speed, it was, the blade was like warp speed. Death ignored the acid, and the blade went for my extended left arm. It grazed my arm, cutting through my armguard like it wasn’t there. The moment the blade touched my flesh, my arm up to my shoulder collapsed into dust.

My balance was completely wrecked, and I was in shock. I went tumbling along the ground, unable to manage the end of Air Burst. Well, that was it, my one shot.

I looked up, wondering if it had a face, and if the thing was slowly melting. The acid skill had landed. The robe was smoking as it was drenched in acid. I saw white bone under that, which was slowly being melted away. I tried to scramble to my feet, but it was hard without an arm.

Blood was squirting out of my very short stump. I turned back to look at Death, which was looking a lot more ragged in appearance as it had gone still. It dropped its sword! Chance!

The sword turned to dust. Of course. Acid Shot. I targeted its center of mass and the skill landed. The entire monster melted away. The last sight was a skull dissolving in a pool of acid.

“Michael,” Naran said as he came rushing over.

“The pillar, quickly.” Naran began to help me over, since I was feeling weak. Probably the blood loss. I put a hand on the pillar. Nothing. Dammit.

I put my head on the pillar along with my right hand. Yes! Oh, thank you Almighty System. I then blanched at the cost of a restoration. It cost 257,187 points. I only had 195,408 points. “Naran points, get all the crystals. Quickly.” He rushed off, blood continued to squirt out.

He quickly came back, and I began to cash in every 50-point crystal I had left, Naran helping me. That brought me up to 249,013 points. No! After getting out the crystals Naran was wrapping up a spare shirt around my stump, trying to slow the blood loss.

After a minute he finished. I walked over to where Death had died. There was a crystal. I carefully picked it up. It was a monster. Good to know. I picked it up. No skill point option. I took it over to the pillars and checked how much it was worth.

It was only worth 3,600 points. It was a level 4 crystal. If I had more blood in my body, I would have begun puking it out of my mouth. That was a level 4 monster. That was insane. I wanted to cry and rage.

What was even worse was, it didn’t give me enough points to heal. “Ahh!” I felt pain spread through my body and I collapsed to my knees. The dusting had done more than just remove my arm apparently.

I felt my insides twisting into knots. “Michael! What is it?” Naran asked.

“Just. Hurts. Everything hurts. Dammit. We need to get out of here. I need points. Help me up and check the store again.” Naran helped me up and I checked. The cost of a restoration was now 257,781. My only hope was to make it back to Purgatory, where crystals would be stored up that I could use.

“Naran. Listen. I might not be able to stay awake. You need to get me to Purgatory. They have the points.” The pain continued to hit me. Thank you, Death, for the parting gift.

“Alright, up on the cart.” Naran helped me up. That was when I noted Juan and company coming back out. “Don’t try anything we are leaving.”

“Go, but remember gringos, you owe us,” Juan said. Naran didn’t say anything and pulled me out of the plaza on the cart.

I faded in and out of consciousness as he dragged my sorry ass back towards Purgatory. The pain was unbearable.

“Michael. Michael!” I was shaken roughly awake. “I need help with the Dervishes.”

“Help me. Sit up.” I groaned out. I hadn’t felt this bad, ever. Even being fat, didn’t feel this terrible. Still the cold was at number one, for now. We developed a system. Naran would pull the cart forward and then move out of the way. I would then arc my shots to take out the monster.

It was slow and inefficient. We only made it slightly through the axe dervishes before we had to call it a night.

“Michael, you need to drink and eat.”

“Urrrg,” I groaned out. What was happening?

“Drink,” I swallowed the water. I then couldn’t take any more and began coughing. “Rest. I will get your armor off. You need to-“ I was already passed out.

The next day passed by in a haze. Naran had to help me lift my arm to aim. I could barely think. I could barely move. Pain.

I just wanted to die.

Almighty System, you suck.

My heart felt like it was about to explode out of my chest. Then slowly calmed down.

A blade. A cloak. It was here!

“Death! Death!” I gasped out.

“Michael, calm down. We are almost to Purgatory.” I looked at Naran. Death. Death was coming. Lights began to flash before my eyes.

“Ack!” My entire body tensed up and I couldn’t move. I felt like it was going to tear itself apart. I passed out.

“Michael, come on. You need to get up.” I slowly opened my eyes. Naran was in front of me. I could barely make him out. “We made it to Purgatory. You need to get up and heal.”

I tried to nod but could only blink. I didn’t want to die or be paralyzed. “Calm down. We made it. You are going to get better. Help him up, gently.” I felt two people carefully lift me up. Everything was hazy.

“Let’s remove the bandage, just in case.” I felt pain where my left arm used to be. I let out a soft groan.

“Help his hand onto the pillar and then his head. Get that chest on there.” I heard Naran, but he seemed so far away.

“Michael, you need to cash in the crystals.” I focused. “Good, now the restoration.” I focused on a restoration. One moment I could barely focus.

The next everything came into clarity. It took me a moment for me to get my bearings. I looked around. “Purgatory?” I asked Naran who was in front of me, and he nodded. The two guards holding me up let me go and I balanced myself against the pillar.

“How are you feeling?” Naran asked.

“Better, I can think.” I moved my left arm. I had a left arm.

“That was pretty freaky how it just reformed instantly like that,” Naran said. I put both hands on the pillar. I had 12,607 points left.

“How much was in the chest?” I asked.

“50,000.” That meant the restoration cost 289,994 points. Good to know. I would want at least twice that in reserve from now on.

“What day is it?” I asked.

“It is the evening of day 246.” I winced at that. Then looked at Naran. He looked worn down and exhausted. But he had saved me.

“Thank you.” I meant it from the bottom of my heart.

“No problem. Still, I am sending a bill for what I owe.”

“That will be wiped clean. No problem,” I didn’t hesitate to say that. I owed Naran. I wasn’t about to be stingy after he went above and beyond for me. I would deal with sorting out that mess later. Tyrese and Ken came over and the guards formed a perimeter keeping people back.

“Michael, we were worried there for a bit,” Ken said.

“What happened?” Tyrese asked. I felt a shiver go up my spine.

“I…” I paused, trailing off. Not sure what to say. It all felt so surreal, yet so vivid at the same time. The escape, the plaza, my arm. The way the sword cut down and it just went poof, into dust. I needed to be strong, project strength.

“A level 4 monster appeared without explanation and chased us into a city. I fought it, barely managing to kill it, but took critical damage.” I rubbed my left arm. I had my arm back.

“Well, there is a lot to deal with,” Ken said.

“Perhaps a few days of rest, wouldn’t be out of the question?” Tyrese brought up. I was grateful, but I couldn’t do nothing. I was healed and there were issues. I didn’t want to think about…about that.

“Tomorrow, I will deal with things tomorrow. For now, I am going to get a shower, have some food, and then sleep,” I said.

“I will arrange for something to be brought over, and you can have breakfast at the Gray Duck tomorrow,” Ken said.

“Thanks.” I slowly made my way back to my house, Naran next to me the whole way. The guards were keeping everyone back. It was a relief to have the door locked behind me.

I went and got a shower, cleaning off the blood, dirt, and sweat that covered my body. I tossed the old clothes to the side and wore the underclothes from the nice outfit I left here. There was a knock and I heard Naran speaking. He then came back with a tray that had plates of food on it. Bread and stew.

I noted that Naran had gotten up and was talking quietly with Clarissa. After a couple of minutes, they stopped talking and she came over.

“Michael, I am glad you are alive. We need to talk tomorrow. First thing.”

“That is fine Clarissa. Just need to rest.”

“Rest well,” she said and then left.

I carefully had some stew, still unsure about my left arm. I let out a sigh of contentment. I was alive, I could worry about everything tomorrow.