Taking in the four beasts charging at her, Elania paused slightly. She should have turned and run or looked for some sort of high-ground that would give her a defensive advantage.

She didn't.

Instead, she continued forward before suddenly stopping and hurling a javelin at the one in the lead.  Despite the Darkwalker’s zig-zagging course, the thrown weapon intercepted it just as it landed from a leap. Somehow she had known exactly where it was going to land and the sharp point of her weapon buried itself in the beast’s eye, causing it to stumble sideways and collapse before going still. The ability to predict its path shook her slightly. It was like instinct or an omniscient prescience that somehow came from her absorbing so much [Darkwalker] essence so quickly.

Elania took off in another charge to meet the second [Darkwalker] head-on, lunging forward with her spear and managing to impale it through the throat. However, the thrashing animal managed to pull her weapon out of her grip as it lurched away from her.

Pulling out her dagger, she spun around, raising her shield above her head. The snarl and rage of the [Darkwalker] pouncing on her from above was lost in the din of combat in the cavern. 

The beast was heavy as it landed on her shield, digging its front and back claws into the wood even as it tried to rip it off her arm. Elania slammed her dagger right through the loose weave of the wood and into the beast's chest several times before she tossed it and her shield to the side.

She didn't have time to calm her breathing, though, as a sudden heat flared in the back of her left leg. 'Fuck!' 

She tried to turn around, but the beast had a firm grip on the back of her leg and moved with her, claws raking forward to try and do more damage while toppling her over. 

Two more Darkwalkers had abandoned the main attack on the Mushroohums and were coming for her. That was when it became clear to her that the one mauling her leg was doing its best to try and pin her down for them.

Elania couldn't let that happen. She kicked forward her leg the beast had attached itself to while jumping backward, landing on the ground. It was an acrobatic move that only worked because of the ridiculous strength coursing through her. Being on the ground with a ferocious beast with massive claws and daggers for teeth was at best a very calculated risk to take, and the [Darkwalker] immediately pounced at her going for her throat.

She had known it would, and she swung just at the right time to intercept it mid-air and pin it to the ground herself. Steel flashed, and she shoved her blade right behind an ear and into the beast's skull, forcing it to go still instantly.

'I'm turning into Lara Croft. Maybe I'll get a movie or a book.'

 

[Do you wish to absorb the Darkwalker's Essence? Y/N]

 

She didn't even think about it before accepting it, quickly repeating the process with the other two nearby.

 

[Your body has dramatically exceeded the limit of its capacity for Power!]

[You are nearing the absolute limits of your body!]

[Due to your high Power, Regeneration is enhanced!]

 

Next, Elania checked her Power. The overwhelming feeling of being invincible was warring with the fire that burned in her chest and the thick sheen of sweat pouring off her.

 

[Power: 295/160]

 

'I need to try something new, or I'm going to burn myself to bits.'

The thought of not absorbing the essence didn't come to her. It was like a drug that felt good. Better to burn off the extra 'Power' so she could absorb more than let it go to waste.

She drew another javelin and let it fly, impaling the first of the new attackers. The second [Darkwalker] wasn't far behind, but she went into a crouch with her dagger in hand. When it leaped at her, she pointed the blade at it and closed her eyes, and focused.

 

[You have gained a level in Mana Manipulation!]

[You have gained a level in Mana Manipulation!]

[You have gained a level in Mana Manipulation!]

 

Elania felt the heat lessen inside her as it poured out of her body and into her weapon. Staring down at it, she confirmed that the tip of the blade was glowing a brilliant white that suddenly surged and then leaped like an arrow at the Darkwalker.

The bolt punched through it like a ballista bolt, not slowing down at all as it left a bloody gaping hole left in the Darkwalker's chest. It continued all the way through and slammed into the side of a Mushroohum building before exploding into a massive cloud of dust and debris. 

The cloud sent Darkwalkers scurrying away and yelping in surprise, and the beleaguered Mushroohums dragged their wounded companions inside. 

 

[Power: 180/168]

 

Elania barely succeeded in suppressing a maniacal giggling fit as she considered the ridiculousness of the magic attack. As the dust settled, she had to admit it had been undeniably effective at suppressing the beasts locally. However, across the entire area, there were still pockets of Darkwalkers taking down stragglers.

Several more Darkwalkers peeled off from the group, and she moved to meet them. As the group and her dashed toward each other, she realized she had another skill that she had been neglecting to try.

 

[Demonic Aura(Activated)]

 

The effect was staggering. Every single [Darkwalker] in the cavern stopped and howled, homing in and rushing toward Elania. The ones closest to her were smashed out of the air and flattened against the ground like a massive hand had suddenly fallen and slapped them.

'Well, that pissed them off.'

That made it incredibly easy for her to go up to each one and stab her dagger into an eye socket as they struggled to move. She quickly absorbed their essence and eyed the rest of the pack rushing her. There were at least twelve.

'They aren't getting flattened as they get closer like these were.'

 

[Demonic Aura(Deactivated)]

[You cannot activate Demonic Aura for 30 minutes.]

 

'Dammit. I guess that would have been too easy.'

 

---

 

Tre'gat'aru was one of the most experienced hunters and skilled javelin throwers of the Mu'roya tribe. Countless young shrooms had tried to mimic him, only to be cut down before they could even complete their first hunt. 

The [Ralfot] and Elnat caves did not prepare them for the harsh tunnels that were full of Darkwalkers and other cunning predators.

Despite his experience, the others had not wanted to risk him in the melee below, so he'd been forced to take his current position on the roof of the trade hall, with several thick bundles of spears while the younger warriors tried their best to stop the onslaught of the beasts attacking the village.

Tre'gat'aru had never seen so many beasts come together in one place before. Something must have smoked or burnt them out of the deep tunnels below where they mostly dwelled, but he had no inkling of what could have caused such a massive exodus.

Things were looking grim as the large numbers of the beasts slowly picked away at the more inexperienced warriors, even as he did his best to support them from afar. He never expected the sudden blast of blinding light to send the Darkwalkers scattering, or that he would recognize the source of the explosion.

It was the demon. The demon with the shape of a human that he had met in the caverns and traded with. The one that was reported to have haunted the cave before attempting to kill one of the village's Elnats. 

Tre'gat'aru watched in awe as the demon sprang forward, thinking nothing of the six Darkwalkers charging at her. She threw her two remaining javelins with deadly accuracy and then spun and danced as the remaining four leaped around her, trying to find room to pounce and claim her, only to find themselves slashed or countered by perfect timing and grace.

Then he shivered as the demon consumed the beast's souls. He felt fear along with a slight amount of hope, though, as his eyes slowly rose across her previous path and noticed that the bodies of the fallen warriors had not been consumed. She had spared their souls. They would remain to nourish the next generation.

 

---

 

Elania's lungs burned as she took in great heaves of breath while she leaned on a rock, surrounded by a mound of corpses and staring at the plethora of [System] messages.

The sounds of the battle had settled off, but the cavern was far from quiet as "Glau-glaa!" was intermixed with the pained cries of the wounded. A few remaining Darkwalkers that still clung to life added their whines and growls to the battlefield.

 

[Do you wish to absorb the Darkwalker's Essence? Y/N] x16

 

Elania checked her 'Power,' and it was still dangerously high, although she knew that just by the burn in her chest.

 

[Power: 340/196]

 

She didn't know what would happen if she absorbed more, but she still wanted to do it. The pull of more [Darkwalker] essence called to her.

But a single message had frozen her to immobility, and an inner debate warring inside her was ongoing.

 

[You have achieved maximum Darkwalker Affinity, do you wish to take Darkwalker Transformation? Y/N]

 

She never hated the [System] more than now. Why didn't it explain to her what [Darkwalker] Transformation would do to her? Was it permanent? Would she become a Darkwalker? Did it increase her skills? 

Would it use some of her 'Power' so she could claim more of the [Darkwalker] essence she craved?

She was dimly aware of the Mushroohums in the background. A few had taken up watch of her, a safe javelin's distance away, but the rest had set about looking for wounded and recovering their dead. They specifically avoided coming any closer to her unless they had to.

It was better than their first meeting when they chased her for stepping on the Elnat, and with her experience with Skinner, she hoped that they'd be friendly after helping them.

Before she could decide what to do about the offered Transformation, a larger group of the Mushroohums approached. She bristled. The new arrivals' posture didn't seem friendly at all, and they all were brandishing spears. Even in her jumped-up state, she'd be hard-pressed to dodge two dozen spears thrown in a volley.

A single large Mushroohum that dwarfed the others pressed its way to the front. Unlike all the others, he was wrapped in a crimson red cloth, which she decided meant he probably held some authority. A noble of some sort? Did mushrooms have nobility? If she went by Mario then they should have a princess at least. The new arrival didn’t seem to qualify though as he pointed at her and shouted in the loudest voice she had heard from the Mushroohums.

"GLUA-GLAA!"

The entire formation of Mushroohums raised their arms and aimed their spears, ready to throw at her.

The red glare of Elania's eyes shone in the dark, as she stared at them atop her pile of prey.

 

---