Stone of Cat Clearing – Dawn (Day 6)
Ethan secured the satchel across his shoulder, the 102,000 magic stones a reassuring weight against his ribs. The Void Ring thrummed on his finger—51 cubic meters of dimensional storage now bound to his will. Wello and his fire-guard had vanished into the mist, Victor's chamber map in their possession.NEXUS. Confirm no pursuit.[NO SIGNATURES WITHIN 1.2KM. TRANSACTION COMPLETE.]Exhale. Phase one executed. Return before the stronghold team noticed his extended "patrol."Ethan turned toward the forest path—Van stood there.The Level 2 death wizard materialized from shadow, pressure like a grave's embrace. Knife in hand, blade pulsing with rot-veins. Eyes flat. Predatory."Profitable meeting," Van said. Voice conversational. Lethal.Ethan's world collapsed to survival calculus. Crossbow half-drawn. Muscles locked.NEXUS. Escape probability.[LEVEL 2 DEATH AFFINITY. AREA DENIAL ACTIVE. [[SHADOW STEP]] 8% SUCCESS. RECOMMEND—]No time. Ethan vanished.[SHADOW STEP]]Spatial distortion rippled. Three meters right. Behind boulder.Van's knife slashed empty air where Ethan had stood. Death wave erupted—black entropy sphere expanding 20 meters radius. Grass withered instantly. Trees became husks. Boulder Ethan hid behind pitted, surface decaying to powder.Level 2 area denial. No hiding. No mercy.Ethan's enhanced vision tracked through dust: Van pivoting, death aura scanning. Knife rotated—second wave prepping.NEXUS. Mana reserves: 43%. [DIMENSIONAL SHIFT] cooldown: 17 seconds.Too slow.Van's head snapped toward Ethan's position. Aura tasted spatial disturbance."Running won't help, traitor."Knife stabbed forward. Death tendril lanced—impossible precision through solid rock. Ethan rolled desperately. Tendril punched through boulder, grazing his calf. Flesh grayed instantly, muscle seizing.Pain. Rot spreading.[NECROTIC DAMAGE. CONTAINMENT PROTOCOLS ACTIVE. AMPUTATION RECOMMENDED.]No.[DIMENSIONAL SHIFT]]Ethan phased. Half-second invulnerability. Tendril passed through empty space where his leg had been. Rot progression halted.He rematerialized 12 meters distant, calf wound cauterized by spatial shear. Limping. Mana: 28%.Van advanced. No rush. Absolute certainty."You sold Victor's location. School of Elements pays well for treason."Death aura expanded—30 meter radius now. Ethan's skin prickled. Air tasted dead.Escape impossible. Fight unwinnable. Surrender = torture.Only chance: run until something breaks.Ethan bolted for treeline. [[SPATIAL CUT]] slashed behind—distortion line carving escape path through undergrowth.Van's laugh followed. "Predictable."Death wave followed. Not projectile. Area effect. Forest decayed in Ethan's wake—trees collapsing into dust pillars. Ground became ash.[NECROTIC RADIUS EXPANDING. HOST EXPOSURE: 14 SECONDS UNTIL SYSTEMIC FAILURE.]Ethan's calf seized completely. Fell. Rolled. Fired crossbow blindly—bolts dissolving midair in death aura.Van walked through the decay cloud. Untouched. Knife raised."Time to harvest."End.
Two Hours Earlier – Stronghold QuartersFlashback:
Why Van knew.Vidal snored. Rima meditated. Baraka polished fire charms. Routine.Van sat apart, turning the communication crystal over in scarred hands. Stolen from scout corpse. Bait.Ethan had taken it yesterday. Predictable curiosity.Van had tracked him since dawn. Death affinity sensed life signatures. Ethan's spatial fluctuations stood out like torchlight.The boy was good. Resourceful. Survived wizard-level hunt.
Crystal activated silently. School of Elements chatter intercepted."...map verified. Victor's beacon confirmed..."Treason. Clean. Profitable contract termination.
Present –
Death PursuitEthan crawled through ash. Calf useless. Vision blurring—rot particulates inhaled.NEXUS. Systemic failure: 9 minutes.Van 40 meters distant. Methodical. Knife feeding ambient decay.No spells left. No mobility. No hope.Then—Fire.Crimson explosion 50 meters left. Heat wave slammed Ethan prone. Trees ignited. Death aura recoiled from inferno.Wello emerged from spatial rift. Fire wall between him and Van. Level 2 fire wizard—robes scorched, shoulder rotting from prior scout encounter."Traitor's ours," Wello declared.Van paused. Knife lowered fractionally. Assessment complete."School of Elements claims School of Runes assets?""Contract payment delivered." Wello gestured Ethan. "Map secured. Victor's beacon ours."Van smiled. First expression. Cold."Payment returned. With interest."Duel.No words. No posturing. Level 2 wizards acted.Van struck first. Knife slashed. Death cascade—entropy flood toward Wello. Ground between them aged centuries. Trees skeletal. Air dead.Wello countered. Fire cascade—flame lances arcing unpredictably. Each homing via thermal signature. Five detonated in Van's path. Ash clouds. Superheated rot.Van danced through. Death aura consuming fire. Flames turned black entering his field. Fire fed death.Wello pivoted. Fire walls erupted—concentric rings trapping Van. Ground vitrified. Heat absolute.Van untouched. Aura devouring flames. Advanced through inferno.Fire fueling death.Wello's shoulder rot worsened—gangrene spreading. Sweat beaded. Mana strain visible.Knife spun. Van's death spiral—localized tornado consuming all matter. Leaves dissolved. Stone pitted. Wello's outermost fire wall shredded.Wello retreated 10 meters. Palms clapped. Fire Collapse. Ambient heat vacuumed into singularity. Temperature plummeted. Frost rimed ground.Van staggered—first time. Death needed medium. Absolute cold approaching zero-point.Recovery instant. Knife stabbed ground. Decay Bloom. Frost rotted. Temperature spiked. Fire Collapse reversed into fire nova.Wello scorched. Armor melted. Shoulder wound cauterized black.Stalemate fracturing.Ethan crawled 3 meters toward treeline. Unseen. Irrelevant to gods.Van advanced. Knife extended—death blade 15 meters long. Wello parried with fire spear. Mutual annihilation—explosion cratering ground between.Both flung back. Mana critically low.Wello: shoulder gone. Mana 12%.Van: left forearm decayed from cold exposure. Mana 19%.Final exchange.Wello chanted—Solar Lance. Pure plasma beam. Van intercepted with knife parry—death absorption incomplete. Beam grazed ribs. Flesh vaporized.Van roared. First sound. Reaper's Harvest. Omnidirectional decay pulse—radius 40 meters. Wello's fire defenses collapsed. Skin graying.Wello's final spell—Ashen Rebirth. Body ignited. Fire avatar form. Decay halted. Punched forward—flame fist shattering Van's aura.Impact. Van flew 20 meters. Ribcage crushed. Knife lost.Wello collapsed. Avatar extinguished. Flesh half-charred, half-rotted. Unconscious.Mutual annihilation.
Ethan – SurvivorDust settled. Cratered clearing. Trees gone. Ground glass/ash/frost mosaic.Van: 30 meters away. Broken. Barely breathing. Knife 5 meters from hand.Wello: 25 meters. Unconscious. Mana depleted.NEXUS. Host status: 11% mana. Calf necrosis 47% spread. 6 minutes to amputation threshold.Ethan crawled. Crossbow lost. Dagger sheathed. One chance.Reached Van's knife first. Wrapped cloth around hilt—death residue burned through gloves.Stood over Van. Level 2 wizard. Reaper of scouts. Nearly his executioner.Knife raised.Van's eyes opened. "Do it."Weak. Defiant.Ethan hesitated. Prisoner value. School of Elements wanted Van alive.Dropped knife. Rifled Van's pouches.Communication crystal. School of Elements frequency. Identity papers. 47 magic stones.Left Van bound with belt. Unconscio
us Wello ignored.Limped southeast—opposite stronghold.
Forest – Two Hours Later
Calf wound critical. Fever rising. Rot particulates systemic.NEXUS. Containment failing. Limb loss 87% probability.No choice. Dagger heated over flint-sparked fire. Cloth tourniquet above knee.Bite-stick between teeth. Knife edge to flesh.One cut.Screamed into gag. Calf separated. Blood geysered. Rot progression halted.Cauterized stump. Passed out.
Woke – Dusk
Delirium. 3% mana. 12% blood volume.Void Ring accessed. Healing potion dumped on stump. Mana crystals crushed—emergency reserves.Stump bound. Crutches from broken branch.Direction: School of Runes outpost. 18km north.Not stronghold. Not School of Elements. Neutral ground.
Outpost – MidnightGate guards recoiled from bloody figure on makeshift crutches."Stronghold patrol. Ambush. Van down. Elements wizards."Medics swarmed. Truth spell administered.Passed.
Alone
Stump throbbed. 102k stones safe. Void Ring intact. Map delivered.Van's crystal hidden. Backup contact.Phase two: survive scrutiny.Victor paced command chamber. Beacon heavy around neck.Van lost. Level 2 asset.Stronghold resource point compromised.War calculus shifted.School of Elements grew bold.Ethan rested. Wound fresh. Alibi ironclad.