Accidental Healer

Chapter 146 60 - The big three

Mischief tore the head of the scavenger free, feeling the satisfying "crunch" of its skull in his maw.

It tasted sour.

The notification came and went.

No level up. No evolution.

His claws raked through the armor and chest of a bruiser. Another kill notification.

A Shadow jump later and he was ripping open the spine to a chaos champion. Another notification.

Each kill, each notification, felt like the system mocking him.

Teasing him with the promise that the next kill, the next, the next, might be the one that pushed him over the edge. He could feel it, he was close. The only problem was he'd felt the same way for the past week. But no matter how much blood he spilled into the dirt his evolution never came.

What was he missing? Could it be that he didn't have enough titles? That of course didn't make sense. Of all the people in the faction only Layton had more and yet people were evolving into level fifty each day. People who were far weaker than he was.

But if it wasn't the titles what more could it be?

He let out a frustrated roar using his claws to release a skill that sliced through all in its path for fifteen feet. Bodies separated as he bound through the chaos spawn using their shadows as conduits to shadow jump when something strange caught his attention.

Layton?

His brother was alone, sword at his shoulder at the edge of swarming chaos spawn. Curious, Mischief shifted away passing through shadows until he was clear of the chaos spawn and tucked into the shelter of the forest.

The dark elf, Norso, followed close behind. He was engaged with several chaos spawn who'd noticed the two of them break free.

Layton couldn't be bothered to help though. He was too busy inspecting what was, as far as Mischief could tell, an empty field of trompled dirt.

What are you doing? He wondered to himself trying to understand the bizarre behavior.

Then he saw it.

It was small at first, just a red dot, but the red dot grew and expanded until it was large enough for three new chaos spawn to step through.

The instant they appeared the hackles on his neck raised and he let out a low rumbling growl.

Mischief was far away but he could still hear one of them speak.

"Layton Shepard. He, has been tampering in the natural order for your benefit and thus we have been sent in response."

What was this? Who were these newcomers?

Layton spoke next but Mischief wasn't paying attention.

He was already moving.

So were they.

Mischief felt a familiar feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was worried. Layton stood his ground. If he was afraid, it didn't show.

Maybe he didn't see what Mischief saw. These newcomers weren't like the other chaos spawn.

They were dangerous. He could feel it.

It was in his DNA. As a predator he was bred to recognize the difference between threats and food. His instincts were rarely wrong and right now they were screaming one thing loud and clear.

These things weren't just dangerous. They were Apex Predators.

His pulse spiked. He wouldn't be able to stop them all. So which would be the most dangerous to Layton? His eyes fell on the scavenger and those dark twirling blades, a direct counter to Layton's barriers.

"You."

Mischief turned to smoke and reappeared in the shadow of the scavenger. A trusted ambush strategy he'd used countless times before. His prey had never anticipated it.

But this time was different.

The scavenger was looking right at him, as if he knew exactly where he was going to appear. Its dark purple lips split exposing rows of yellow pointed fangs. It was smiling.

Heartbeats passed slowly. Mischief's eyes grew wide.

How?

***

They were fast.

Faster than anything I'd seen.

The scavenger led the way. Trails of black smoke extended behind it like the tail of a jet. I adjusted my stance, sword to my side preparing for a rapid counter.

I never got the chance. More tendrils of smoke appeared, but it wasn't from the scavenger.

Broad shoulders and jet black fur emerged, fangs bared and dagger length white claws extended.

Mischief.

Right on time.

But something was off.

In a single motion the scavenger shifted its weight angling his body towards Mischief. It all happened in less than a breath. Mischief's arms grasped at air while the scavenger ducked low raking his serrated blades savagely through Mischief's exposed midsection.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

My reaction was automatic. Hand raised I cast a healing spell. Fortunately, the scavengers' blade's immediate effects only dispelled active magic. The healing took hold.

Mischief landed on his feet.

But the scavenger wasn't done yet.

It whipped its arm forward flinging one of the blades directly at my throat. Hand still outstretched, I flinched away from the throw, too slow to deflect it with Tranquility.

A blur of blue zipped in front of my face right in time. Tranquility's summon was able to disrupt the attack, clipping it just enough to send it off course. The attack missed my throat by inches, clipping into my shoulder pauldron.

A single breath was all the time I had before the scavenger was on top of me. I backpedaled a step and swept my sword out. The goal wasn't to land a hit. I needed to disrupt my foes momentum and clear some space to maneuver.

With cat-like agility the scavenger bent backwards, dropping to both knees, allowing my swing to pass a mere inch from its stumpy nose. It sprung up before I could recover and I watched in shock as the serrated slid across my torso accompanied by the hissing squeal of metal upon metal.

Bond of trust was finally paying off. The spirit metal held. Which was a huge relief. I should've tested earlier to make sure it wouldn't be dispelled by the scavenger's sword. The fact that it did was sheer luck.

If it wasn't for the armor, my guts would be laying in the dirt with my shoulder ruined. How it was any different then normal magic was a mystery. One I didn't have time to figure out at the moment.

Thankfully, It was also enough of a surprise to the Scavenger that I was finally able to reset.

I grit my teeth.

Ok. Let's try this again.

***

Mischief knew what was coming. But knowing wasn't enough to prevent it, or to stop him from feeling the searing pain of steel entering his stomach.

As soon as the pain appeared, soothing warmth rushed into his body mending his flesh. He landed on his feet taking two bounding steps before rounding on his attacker. His turn was just in time to see that the scavenger's throw deflected into his shoulder and into the sky.

He tracked the blade spinning and twisting high above. It should've kept flying far into the milling chaos spawn, what it did instead was reverse course mid-air arcing back toward the scavenger currently cutting into Layton's midsection.

No blood.

Had he missed it? No, it was definitely a clean hit.

That's when he remembered Layton's most recent upgrade. Hidden under those loose grey healer robes were spirit metal plates.

Good. That would at least give him some room for error. Movement caught his eye and Mischief shifted his head just enough to avoid a ten foot phantom polearm from skewering his brain. It did, however bite into his cheek spraying blood.

He hissed.

Of course, there were still two other enemies in this fight. Three more spectral spears were already on their way and Mischief was forced to shadow jump again. This time opting for the much larger shadow of the champion hurling spears.

That was his second mistake.

Before his body even had the chance to fully appear within the shadow behind the champion the air left his lungs. He'd been baited. The moment he jumped the chaos spawn anticipated his attack.

It kicked its webbed leg back squarely into his chest.

His world twisted, alternating between rocky ground and greyish sky. Layton must've been watching because he could feel the warmth of healing magic pouring through his body with each impact healing and rebreaking.

Likely the work of his regeneration spell. It was not a pleasant sensation. By the time his body came to a rest his bones must've broken and mended twenty times over.

His body was healing but somehow still ached. He groaned, but knew he had to move. He rolled to his feet, ducked and rolled again. He kept his movements as sporadic as possible.

And for the most part his strategy worked.

Until another spectre ripped through his shoulder. The pain was immediate but it also brought clarity. How was he getting hit?

It shouldn't be happening. There was zero chance Layton hadn't cast a barrier on him. So then why was healing magic mending a gaping hole in his shoulder?

A second weapon with dispel?

This fight was so much more dangerous then he'd ever imagined.

He needed to move. Should he jump again?

Not at the champion, he'd be expecting that. His eyes shifted to the bruiser that had joined the scavenger in fighting Layton.

It was distracted. He shifted away. Re-appearing directly behind the unsuspecting bruiser's back. Finally, an opponent that didn't anticipate his movements. He needed to make this attack count. He reached out his arms ready to drag his target into his clutches when he felt a sharp pinch in his lower hip just an inch from his spine.

Another attack had landed.

And whatever struck him did so with enough force that it yanked him off course. All he managed was a feeble swipe at the bruiser's crimson barrier. A superficial attack at best.

His instincts screamed at him to move. His eyes lifted to trees in the distance. In the next moment he was safely in their shadows. He looked down to check his stomach just in time to watch golden mana mending a grizzly opening. The champion's spear must've passed directly through his body.

Mischief looked up and peered through the cover of the trees.

What he saw made his skin crawl.

There, in the middle of the field, polearm at its side was the Chaos spawn champion.

It was staring right at him.

And just like the ugly scavenger, it too, was smiling.

He crouched lower.

Could it still see him? How did it know where he'd gone? At every turn it felt like the creature was one step ahead. Was it somehow reading his mind?

He shook his head.

Of course it wasn't.

It was merely in control. It was forcing him exactly where it wanted time after time. And Mischief was letting it. Something had to change.

He remembered his brother and immediately shifted his attention.

Layton was still alive. But it wasn't looking good. He was barely keeping up, the sheer fact that he'd been able to hold them off this long was incredible.

It wouldn't last. For now the champion's attention was still on Mischief. If they had any hope of winning this fight it would have to stay that way. He was out of ideas, but that didn't matter, his brother needed him.

Afraid to use any shadows, Mischief leapt from the cover of the trees. The champions grin widened revealing rotten yellow fangs.

Mischief glared at the arrogant creature. The worry and fear clawing at his heart began to change to something else.

His blood began to boil.

Who did this champion think it was?

Spectral spears began to fly.

He roared in response. They were too fast for him to deflect, so he dodged.

A spear grazed his throat. He ignored it.

All he could see was the champion.

More spears.

Some he avoided others he didn't.

Something in his chest stirred. A darkness so thick he could feel its vapors within himself.

It had no right.

He was the progenitor. This thing had no business making him run. It should fear him.

The darkness grew, spreading to his stomach. It would fear him.

A spear drove into his shoulder reaching deep, tearing at things it shouldn't. It wasn't enough to stop him.

He was Mischief.

The chaos spawns head tilted, its grin faltering.

The darkness began leaking from his mouth, from his nostrils.

Congratulations! You have reached level 50!

You may now choose a new evolution.

The world slowed to a crawl. It took only a moment before Mischief knew what he had to choose.

He locked his choice into place without missing a step.

He was no longer Erebos shadowborn, he was Mischief Erebos Shadowlord.

The world was engulfed in darkness.

"You should never have come here."