Chapter Five

Eric

My arms shook one last time as the draw on my stamina increased from the clashes of three swords against my barrier.

"3."

Old man Alvin's voice echoed to my ears keeping my concentration anchored on the two man before me.

"2."

My eyes narrowed taking every single twitch of muscle and eye movement from the one they called Zeros. I figured he would be the easier one to kill considering he only had one sword on him.

Though i did wonder if the long sword won't do too much damage in our little bubble of heaven. 

"1."

All thoughts drifted to my subconscious mind as my body and soul merged into one focus. The barrier split the moment his sword landed on it. I somehow managed to keep it there just enough to lessen its momentum then suddenly tore a hole through it forcing gravity to pushpushd him inside of the barrier.

The man's eyes widened in horror as old man Alvin's axe met his neck halfway through his fall cleaving through it the same moment my barrier repaired itself closing just in time for the twin sword Zurga to clash against it pulling more from my stamina reserves.

I was honestly running on fumes here but it didn't look like anyone noticed that. Not that I blame them though. Even I would like to focus on my first death but I couldn't do so when each clash against my barrier pulled me back to reality.

I ignored the warmth of the man's blood on my face and the stench of iron and death around me deciding to focus on maintaining the barrier.

"Tch. What a fool." The large man spoke with a derisive smile on his face. He grabbed his spear and began walking towards us. My heart immediately leapt to my throat when I saw three spears form around him, each of them a bright blue color.

"Zurga step back. It seems their Arcane Card won't just carry essence but Divine Abilities as well.." The man chuckled lightly then hurled his spear forward. The barrier nearly shattered from the impact, hairline cracks spread through it immediately covering its ten feet large surface.

I groaned, falling to the ground as the barrier drew on something much more than my stamina. I didn't know what it was drawing on but I had an inkling it's not something it should be drawing from.

Although horrified by the draw that felt like it was siphoning my very being away from me, the spear bandit didn't care for it instead the bastard was clapping his hands in wonder.

"Interesting.. a divine ability that draws from your life force huh?" He grinned, a malicious grin that immediately made me regret allowing the barrier to draw from my life force but then again, I couldn't control it..

"Boss. We only need to attack until that barrier master is dead then we get our spoils." Like his boss, Zurga clearly didn't care for his dead companion.  They weren't lying. Not at all but they also made something obvious.

"Until am dead huh.." I muttered surprised at my own disregard of life and death. Actually the more I thought about it the more sense it made. If I disable this barrier these bastard would kill me anyway and if I don't then I can survive atleast a bit longer. Maybe long enough for my companions to come up with a plan. I wasn't sure but I hoped they could. I needed thr m to do so.

"We are going to die if you guys don't think of anything." My voice echoed to my ears sounding foreign even to me. It was too relaxed, too cold and lacking what fundamentally made me human - emotions. This wasn't the first time I feel this way was it?

My limbs shivered as I rose to my full height. My eyes narrowed towards the man and with a grim expression on my face I set down beside the dead body. They could do as they wished. I don't care anymore. There was no way I was running back to the forest and leaving Elaine and the child behind.

Not because I had feelings for the woman but simply because I couldn't bare to leave a child alone to such scum. Scum that wouldn't think twice about killing her. Not that what I thought of mattered when they were ready to kill me as well the moment this barrier shattered.

...
Lisa

The urge to vomit her guts out coursed within her. Her gaze stayed focused on the headless body beside the bus driver her eyes unfocused as memories swirled within her mind.

She knew she was wasting everyone's time and they had to deal with their enemies but she couldn't focus. Not because of the dead body but because of the memories it sparked within her.
"Brother.." her voice echoed to her head sounding close yet distant. She had seen this kind of death before. Her brother had been killed in a similarly brutal manner. With his head separated from his neck before being buried in places unknown.

For a whole four months they had searched for him only for hikers to find his body inside a cave already rotting and smelling. Luckily for her family they already knew the man's facial features from the news hence they called the police.

Lisa could still remember the day they showed them the images. His head was laying on his right  hands palm. A paper rolled in his mouth. It was later discovered that was a note for her father. One of his competitors had made a statement regarding one of the mafia bosses getting convicted. They had claimed she would be next.

She didn't want to die. She didn't want to be next. For the past six years Lisa had lived her life in fear and even now as she saw that body she found herself shivering the fear growing and gnawing at her.

A hand clasped her shoulder shaking out of her stupor. She turned to the blond woman handing her child towards her.

"Protect my daughter, I need to help Uncle Alvin." Her voice was stern and her expression determined. She either lacked the fear or just managed  to overpower it. For a brief moment, jealousy gnawed at her.

She felt not just inferior but pitiful compared to her.

She nodded her subconscious pushing her actions forward. The woman smiled at her and ruffled her hair slightly before turning back to the driver who sat there with a grim expression on his face.

The twitching muscles and wobbling body spoke of his suffering. It was clear with each clash of swords and spear against the barrier, the man's suffering increased.

For a few seconds Lisa couldn't help but wonder, can she be as strong as them? Can she do what they do? Can she help them? It was then her gaze drifted towards the corpse once more.

This time around though she noticed a small palm sized card floating on the man's head. She grasped towards it and it appeared on her hand floating there and allowing her to read it.

...
Eric

"Eric." I turned away from glaring at the spear wielding bandit to look behind me. Elaine stood holding the long sword with her eyes narrowed towards Zeros. Her bright blue eyes contained no fear but a gaze determine to live. I nodded my head, waiting for her continue.

Talking was honestly taking its toll on me and I'd prefer to not do so.

"I need you to let the sword wielder in. I'll take care of him together with Uncle Alvin." I turned to the old man and saw him nodding as well. Good. It seems they had an idea that we could work with. I actually didn't want to die afterall. Even if I had a little over six months left I think that would be enough time to try finding a way for me to gain more vitality.

"I can't move from here." Those words took their own stamina from within me. In fact, every small action was drawing from my pool of vitality. I could feel myself getting weaker and older by the second.

I suddenly wondered if I would be a 29 year old grandfather if we survived this fight. That elicited a slight chuckle from my lips.

"I see. Then that's fine." Elaine nodded with a grim expression, took a deep breath then spoke once more. " Whenever you are ready Eric."

I nodded at that. Took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I noticed this a while ago but if I actually focused on the Barrier I could feel what it went through. I didn't feel the pain of course but I felt the rippled that spread across its surface as it redirected the momentum of the sword.

The ground around us had already turned into a crater due to that clash of the Zeros guy against my barrier. That and the spears that bombarded it every now then. I focused, delving deeper into that sight.

I felt and saw the moment his swords clashed against the barrier, the moment the momentum was fully depleted forcing the blade to stop in its tracks for a short second before the man shifted to his other blade.

For a next few moments I took note of his rhythm. It was simple yet effective at the same time. He would slash with his right then left before bringing both swords down on the shield at once. I waited for that moment.

My mind focused and everything around me dissipated into silent noise. The swords clashed, the barrier rippled and they stopped. My eyes flung open and the barrier immediately split catching him with implacable timing. The man followed his swords inside our small protection dome but it seems he was more adaptable than his friend.

He shifted, lifting his swords to cover his neck as old man Alvin's axe cleaved through the space meeting with the man's swords. The clash of steel against steel rang out the same second my shield closed but something else sneaked its way forward an azure trail following behind it.

I blinked then screamed as pain shot through my left arm. The remnants of the bright azure spear tearing through skin and scraping bone. I looked at my left arm and found bright red liquid flowing down to my finger from the arm that lacked a large amount of skin and muscle.

I grunted and turned to the spear bandit, a cruel smile on his face. The man had clearly expected me to that. He's got some brains and that is not a good thing.

I wondered of the Jade Body would heal me though. No, I needed it to heal me or I was dead from blood loss. I may be in a magical world now but am very much still human.

I focused on using the ability and winced slightly feeling the draw on my vitality increase as Jade Body formed a transparent crystal above the wound holding the blood in place and working overtime to staunch the bleeding. All the while my eyes looked at man with nothing but anger and rebellion that stemmed from deep within me.

"Is that all you got?" I spat through gritted teeth. The pain swam within me, feeling like small bugs eating at my nerves. Each bite feeling like my insides were getting torn only to be forcefully put together then torn asunder once more.

With each second I felt like I was bathing my body inside a pool of lava. I groaned feeling the pain gnawing at my consiouness as well.

"Hoh?" The man narrowed his eyes at us then spat on the floor. He took a deep breath and changed his stance settling into martial stance with his spear held with both hands and poised towards us.

The metallic point of the spear shone with a sharp edge as the moon's light flickered on it.

"Atleast you will die knowing Surin of the Sorin Clan killed you." His voice was low but it still echoed to my ears loud enough for me to wonder if the bastard was right beside me.

Seeing the man change his stance, I turned to Elaine and old man Alvin. I couldn't help but furrow my eyebrows seeing them struggle against the dual sword wielder. It was clear these guys weren't just more experienced but their bodies were stronger as well.

That didn't matter though since he had three people on him. Although she didn't dare to get close to the fight fearing for the child, Lisa was still throwing a few quick flame bullets towards the man's groin.

That was going to be enough for now. On the other hand, I felt as if I should do what I was meant to do - defend.

I took a deep breath stealing a quick glance at my Arcane Log for good measure.