The Wielder of Death Magic

“Ahhh,” yelped a distant cough, no glance needed, Igna kept the eyes forward. The cough, well, someone follow his route and snuck inside, unfortunately, the moment he stepped foot, a shape circle sliced the member. Lost of balance tipped the weight forward, the head crossed the bubble – and *slash,* a glob of brain matter smothered against a kitchen sink. A broken line of stopped cars, makeshift cover for the attackers, they fired, no greater purpose than to kill.

‘What do they want?’ he slid to the wall giving onto the pavement, ‘-the dots keep on increasing, a gang attack?’ back against the wall, he rose his hands at an injured man. Braced for death, the man shivered, the bald head and ears red from tension – a stone’s throw to the right laid a woman and a child, they seemed alive, considering the injuries. Tis the child, a snot-nosed boy – he gritted in anger at the attackers, ‘-interesting kid,’ paused Igna slowly aiming at the boy. The latter’s heart dropped into elbowing his mother, no response came. Pushing her head and revealing the swollen face did more harm than good, ‘-unconscious at best and dead at worse,’ trigger pulled, bullets hurled in the bystander’s direction, *Mana-Control: Waves,* he motioned, the projectiles altered course, pulled a U-turn and dashed outward in good time. Three masked invaders laid a step from entering the shop, the controlled bullets split, three aimed for the imminent targets whilst the rest spread onto the street. In conclusion, six people died in the sudden attack.

A portal to the Shadow Realm opened, the one headed to the storage, a few healing potions pulled, he stared at the boy and flung the flask, “-listen, boy, if you want mother and father to live, make them drink that, it’s medicine. After you’re done, carry it to the other injured.”

“-O-Okay,” the plumped fellow rose, the chubby cheeks panted at the physical activity. Drinks were administered, as for the boy, he crawled, belly to the floor and elbows against the hardened tiles, he clambered from person to person, the scar of death burned into memory.

The dots circled, the cars pulled into the alley – transmission was cut, éclair’s handy work, ‘-right,’ he reloaded the pistol, blank astral casts needed to be used for the bullets to properly fire. ‘-Good thing I automated the process,’ a thrust paired with intent to reload, activated the sequence. ‘Being circled,’ attention befell the bodies, *Once living now dead. O’ thee who’ve lost thine life to mine hand, thee who held regrets in the mortal world, I grant thee a chance at life. Be one with those who are to serve me, Blood-Arts: Ghoul Revival.* ‘-a casual employment of necromancy.’ A pool of illness and plague swallowed those far-gone, they sunk to be thrown horizontally from a differing portal – empty stare, burnt flesh, and an immortal body.

“Let’s go people,” cried on the outside, two additional vans arrived, heavily armed mercenaries leaped to scout the alley. An aerial view aided by the interface made planning easier, ‘-they’ll storm the flank. The rampaging members will charge the front in distraction for the mercenaries – sacrificial pawns. Someone’s giving orders, the shooting’s stopped, multiple deaths simultaneously point to more shooters, they’re scared of approaching,’ he smirked, ‘-the flank as no idea what they’ll encounter,’ a strong step sent him through the window, the area of awareness moved alongside him, the happening of the shop was but told on the dots.

.....

“FIRE!” cried the front, he phased through the projectiles and took five heads in seconds, differing perspectives, different speeds. There was no hiding from death, pure white abyssal flame lit the eyelashes, *bang, bang, bang,* the frequency dropped to fully automatic.

“They’re having fun at the front,” said one slowly approaching the target. Garbage cans, pools of old machine fluid, the casual rat running past. Two slowly climbed the stairs armed with shotguns.

“Be careful,” said the leader, “-they might have traps, I don’t want needless deaths.” The others gathered in a semi-circle, waiting for the signal, the one which never came, a heavy clang had their attention to the left. A heavy piece of metal dropped, growls and grunts echoed, sinking anticipation of evil pulled their weapons.

“False alarm,” said the leader, “-there’s no one.”

“Don’t scare us like that,” they exhaled, pressing focus on the entrance.

“ENEMY,” cried one to the other end, two slumped figures stepped past two fighters, the seemingly weak-long limbs swung into brutally cutting through the helmets and tearing half the visage. Guns aimed, “-FIRE!” they ordered. While attention was on the first horde, it didn’t occur about the back door, the officer turned with a pistol and fired, the advance party dropped, “-ENTRANCE.” Even so, on the right, two additional creatures ran at the mercenaries. Bullets on bullets, the entities swallowed, “-what are they?” shuddered the fighters, “-AHHHH,” ignoring the mortal wounds, a simple hold on their targets announced the death. Brainless and starvingly dangerous, dislocated jaws bite and tore necks, the more they ate, the stronger regenerated the bodies, a complete massacre.

*Bang,* the pistol reloaded, ‘-last of them,’ he exhaled – the reddish tint faded; Igna stood in the middle of the road between smoking cars and deathly wounded attackers. ‘Their identity,’ he leaned and held a survivor by the collar, “-who are you?”

The bloodied maimed figure held his tongue, “-are you going to talk?” no response, annoyance twitched his cheeks, “-do as you wish,” the grip eased, the fellow dropped hard on the face, “-I won’t kill you. The police will be here sooner or later.”

“WHERE ARE THEY!” bellowed a deeply toned voice, a mass of muscles clad underneath expensive clothes stomped.

“Who?” returned Igna, “-the attackers?” he leaned casually against a car bonnet, “-dead for the most part,” he said, “-I left this guy alive.”

“Who are you?” he narrowed; “-did you kill them?”

“They shot first, I had to act.”

“You’re not from around here,” gritted Juvey, “-tell me boy, who the hell are you?”

“Xen,” he said, “-these low lives wounded my friend,” the tense atmosphere shattered, survivors from the attack ambled slowly across the debris with the chubby boy at the head, “-thank you, mister.”

“You saved us,” added others

“No thank you needed,” said Igna, “-I regret not being here sooner.” Sirens disrupted the tranquility, police, and ambulances arrived, paramedics took to the wounded – officers gathered around Igna and King Juvey.

“Majesty,” they saluted.

“Don’t concern with formality, I’m but a bystander, do what is needed.”

A stroll told of the intense battle, the officers watched in awe, “-hard to believe someone one against the Yeo,” body bags filled the street, a crowd gradually gathered behind yellow lines. Igna made himself comfortable by taking the window ledge as the seat. A few minutes later, more ambulances arrived. A tall-man in a brown overcoat took notes, slyly glanced at the scene, and nodded at the reporting uniformed officers. His majesty was requested to stand from the public’s view inside an ambulance. The monstrous presence made relaxation quite a tall task.

“The man of the hour,” said the coat-wearing officer, “-my name’s Coftler, inspector in charge of investigating gang-related activities and crime. I find it curious a single man could best a notoriously dangerous organization and walk away unscathed.”

“Naturally, you’re curious how I killed them?” a cigar lit, “-the boy there has the information you want and need. Cut the crap,” he puffed, “-I’m not interested in backward riddles, be upfront, what do you need to know?”

“A straightforward man, I like it,” he crossed his arms, “-were you responsible for killing them?”

“Yes, I killed them,” he glared, “-am I in trouble?” a slight lean had Coftler pressed his lips, “-tell me, inspector,” the posture changed, “-this Xen group, by the loudmouth of the wandering officers, are quite the formidable opponents. I captured and restrained at least three, granted, I might have maimed part to ensure obedience. From what I gather, I did the police force a great favor.”

“I see,” he exhaled, “-a silver-tongue unknown face, who are you?”

“Xen, I came to Elendor for a job.”

“What kind of job?”

“To fill the spot of a butler,” he smiled, “-money’s been running dry lately.”

“Listen,” the inspector took a seat and lit a cigarette, “-I don’t care how they were killed or why, my only concern is you, I can’t let you leave without proof of thy identity.”

“Afraid, are we?” he reached for the pocket and pulled an identification card, “-there,” it handed, “-I lived in Hidros and worked as an adventurer for ten years. Parents fled Elendor during the war, we had family there.”

“Explains the inhumane strength. I have family in Hidros too, Tier-4 Bronze is very impressive.”

“I’d like to stay and talk,” he stood, “-you better hurry and treat the prisoners, one of them is the leader, he’ll talk long as you inject this,” he pulled a syringe, “-a truth drug, with right connections, anything is possible.”

“Narcotics?” narrowed Coftler.

“Don’t look surprised, it’s an unfinished product used by the military. There are things best kept on the low.”

“That’s quite the offer...”

‘Take the bait,’ said Igna in thought, ‘-éclair surmised the character, he’s the kind of person to do anything long as the moral high ground is his.’

“-think of the people you can save from accepting my offer. No one needs to know what happened, spin a story about the police having a super agent or something.’

“I understand,” he reluctantly accepted, “-Xen, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure was all mine, Inspector,” he nodded, “-I sure hope our paths don’t cross.”

“Me too,” they laughed. The last ambulance held the remainder of the bodies, Igna talked his way into getting a lift. Tough luck, the monster of a man, Juvey, stared Igna coldly, the latter gave no second thought, he matched Juvey’s glare with one fiercer and colder.

“Boy, what’s your name?”

“Xen.”

“Did you truly kill those men?”

“Yes.” The conversation ended awkwardly, ‘-best to not acknowledge him for now, I’ll play the part of a clueless foreigner. Saying I know he’s king will lower his view on my talents – right now, without title, we’re equals, “-why were you there?”

“I heard they hurt one of my people, as the leader, I had to intervene and get revenge.”

“Same.”

“Xen, where do you come from?”

“Hidros,” he said, “-I came here to interview for a job at a pretty important place.”

“Important place?”

“Between you and me, it’s a position to work as a butler for someone very important. My friend said there’s a tournament to decide who’ll get the position. I thought I’d test my skill fighting monsters on people, could be a fun job,” the open briefcase laid on his lap, “-this gun’s been with me more than my own family,” after which it rested in the case, “-I admire a leader who cares about his people, it’s manly, true to the way of the warrior.”

The imposing presence exhaled, the beard motioned a peaceful expression, “-the way of the warrior is a forgotten lifestyle. I’m a stubborn old man desperately holding on to ideals.”

“And?” an understanding look went and held the king’s heavy shoulders, “-holding onto tradition is what makes it manly.”

“I know,” the face lit, the ambulance stopped, the double doors opened into the emergency area, “-I have to check on my friend,” hailed Igna, “-see you around, mister,” off the van and into the hallway, the powerful Juvey waited.

‘A strange kid, he didn’t flinch at my power, a man who wiped a gang of violent pests, my gut says we’ll cross paths again, Xen.’