His vision went dark the moment that damn wooden spear struck Oliver's arm. And when his mind came back, he was lying in the middle of that devastated clearing.
"When did I reach this level of strength?... This is already beyond any mortal, and yet I can't defeat this creature. Even becoming a warrior, it seems it still wasn't enough... I'm going to lose."
Oliver used his faithful ivory fang as a cane and started to get up. The creature's spear, the one pretending to be his father's, lay a few meters away. He no longer had the strength to resist that battle. Blood poured out and his left arm was completely twisted, but that was the least of his problems.
"I didn't want to fail you all, but like the last championship... I don't have power anymore, I'm sorry... I gave my best... I swear... I..."
A shadow formed right in front of him. A small man with dark skin and a frail body stood like a mountain.
"What's up, Capitán? It's just a little plant monster, your fireballs would reduce him to ashes. So, get up... For the sake of our Guild!"
Splash!
Blood sprayed on his face and a wooden spear pierced that man's abdomen. His back looked huge and a psychotic grin spread across his face.
For a few seconds, the light began to distort and another vision overlapped David's. A black cloak with a hood. Red adornments across its length and on the back, a symbol being pierced by the spear and right below it, a single name.
"Dr. Plague!" His lips moved before he could realize it.
"Finally... Cough-cough... You realized... Capitán... I fulfilled my duty as healer..."
Oliver's mind panicked, he grabbed David's body with his good arm and looked into his eyes. They shone with pure devotion, the gaze of someone who had placed their faith in another. The same look that his whole guild had in him before Oliver failed them.
Memories came rushing like a flood. David was a transfer student from another country. Every time they met at school, the few times he went, he tried to talk to Oliver, and all his school assignments were done by him.
All the pieces fit. After Oliver fell into depression, David came to Oliver's country to try to heal him. Fulfilling his duty as the guild's support, even here in this hell. He was still fulfilling his role as a doctor.
"If I... Had built my character as you asked... Cough-cough... We could have been champions... Sorry for being a bad healer... Capitán..." His voice was weak and blood came out of his mouth.
The world fell silent and everything seemed to stop. That weak flame burning in Oliver's heart, the same flame born from small embers, now flickered, searching for something. And Oliver poured the fuel!
All the hatred took over him, the flame was fed with pain, rage, and sadness.
Oliver grabbed his coat and threw it over the hole in David's chest. He knew it wouldn't help much, but before it had worked and now he prayed, not to the damn angel anymore, but to those constellation eyes to save his friend... No. The damn support of HIS TEAM!
His eyes stared at the fake father's, and he could see a sadistic smile on his mouth, but a hint of fear for almost killing David. Clearly, he wanted to kill Oliver, HE was the target, and at that moment, he would give everything for him.
The flames burned in his veins and all pain was ignored. His body moved with everything he had, and Oliver trusted that his faithful fang would not fail him. And of course, it answered him accordingly.
His attack instantly struck his father's chest, who used his wooden spear to defend. Only for Oliver to see the shock on his face as he was thrown meters backward. His arm trembled with so much power and veins burst, but he stood firm.
"That bastard tried to kill a member of my guild, my team! I may have failed them, but this time... I WILL DIE BEFORE I ABANDON THEM!"
Sssssssssssss!
The sound of a hiss came from his side. He was close to the shattered wooden throne, and Oliver saw a completely black snake coiled around it.
The few seconds their eyes locked, he could feel the light of stars shining and a voice entered his head.
"Control, boy... Control that flame inside you, don't suppress or release it, but make it part of your control..." The words were ethereal, but reminded him of an old man teaching a child with anger problems. An unusual level of wisdom emanated from that voice.
Oliver closed his eyes and felt something warm flow through his veins. It could be his blood or something else; he really wouldn't know. However, he began to slowly release it in the places he felt necessary.
His body started to heat up and his own breath released small clouds of smoke. The heat made his skin sweat and turn red, but he didn't stop. Until a typical sound pulled him out of the trance.
Beep!
His father stood right in front of him, joining several branches to form a rain of spears in his direction, but fear didn't come to him. Oliver kept it under control...
The air ripped with dozens of spears, each over two meters long. His steps were calm and precise. His body moved exactly as he commanded, and after a few seconds, dust rose. Oliver was in the middle of those spears, but not a scratch was seen on his body.
"The world feels... slower." His thoughts raced, and lots of information entered his mind. Soon, a pain began to rise, and clearly, he couldn't keep this state for long.
Oliver needed to put an end to this. Soon!
Using his foot as a spring, he launched himself at his father. He could see the fear on his face... Oliver felt his fear... He reeked of FEAR.
A torrent of attacks rained down on him, and Oliver saw his father's body being dismembered. Only for a few seconds later, those same limbs to regenerate.
"My attacks have no effect on him..."
His thoughts followed his gaze to the bloodied fang, completely full of cracks. Each crack was like a valley holding more blood. His blood...
"Maybe it's possible," he muttered between his lips, while pieces of his father joined back like a damn Lego. Oliver focused his control directly on the fang.
For a few seconds, nothing happened. Until he saw a small fire-red glow on the blade leaking from the cracks matching the red of the blood.
"I only have one attack..."
"I'm going to kill you, you insolent human!!!" The roar came along with a huge wooden spear his father wielded.
Oliver's hand moved and the spear came down on him. He could feel the wood piercing his thigh but ignored the pain. Now he was right in front of him, perfectly at the right angle, and then...
His fang passed through his throat and hell broke loose. Flames burned gloriously and before any scream could be made, the creature became a flaming body slowly reduced to ashes.
Oliver's body was bathed in ashes and sun rays fell upon him. His knees met the ground and his mind went blank, but not before a voice invaded his mind.
"Good job, boy... You really are an anomaly!"