Lord of the Mysteries: The Omnipresent Force

The room grew colder as the figure before Elliot stepped closer, his presence suffocating. The man's grin deepened as he examined Elliot, his piercing eyes scanning every detail of the weakened figure before him.

"You still live, despite all this…" The man's voice rasped with cruel curiosity, each word drenched in malice. "You should have been dead by now, poisoned by my blood." He took a step forward, his expression taunting, as though he could already smell victory. "But here you stand, breathing, still conscious. How amusing."

Elliot's body trembled, the disease coursing through him like ice, yet he held his ground. The man's arrogance was palpable, his belief that no one could survive the touch of his blood making him dangerously overconfident.

He underestimates me.

The man stepped closer, his eyes glittering with malicious delight. "Where are my manners?," he said with a mocking chuckle. "You must be wondering who I am, considering I am wondering who you are. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kieran Valis, the chosen vessel of a god who granted me the power to eradicate those who dare oppose me."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in, a sinister grin curling on his lips. "You're stronger than I gave you credit for. But you're not immune. My blood is a curse, and every drop of it carries the promise of death. No one—no one—has ever survived my touch, not since the day I was blessed by the god who saw fit to make me his instrument of destruction."

Elliot's pulse quickened as the Kieran's words settled in his mind confirming his suspicions. Elliot's hands twitched as he gripped his daggers tighter. His body screamed for rest, the disease slowly eating away at him, but he refused to show weakness. He couldn't afford to.

"You're a fool," Elliot said, his voice hoarse but defiant. "It doesn't matter who or what gave you your power. I'm going to stop you."

Kieran's eyes flicked to Elliot's daggers, their electric hum barely audible. "I've seen your weapons," he sneered. "I know the paralysis they can cause. But what good are they against someone like me?"

Elliot's pulse hammered in his ears. His health was slipping away with every breath, but his only hope lay in gaining a level—a level that would heal his wounds and expel the disease ravaging his body. The thought kept him grounded, focused on the task at hand.

"You think you can kill me?" Kieran mocked, stepping closer, his fingers twitching as though preparing to strike.

"Of course I can," Elliot spat, teeth gritted. "After all, you're just another man who thinks he's invincible."

Kieran's smile faltered for a brief second before returning, wider and more taunting than before. As he moved to touch Elliot's face, intent on spreading more of his cursed blood, Elliot acted instinctively. He swung his daggers with all his remaining strength, the arcs of electricity lighting up the room. Kieran, however, was too quick. He easily dodged the strike, his confidence unshaken. In a move that seemed almost effortless, he spat at Elliot, the liquid dark and foul.

Elliot reacted instinctively, jerking his head to the side just in time to avoid the toxic spray. His breath caught in his throat, and before he could recover, he activated his [Arcane Resonance]. The familiar surge of energy flowed through him, refilling his reserves. It was a brief moment of clarity, the rush of power in stark contrast to the debilitating disease.

It's not enough.

The realization hit Elliot hard, and he felt the weight of it settle on his chest. His energy reserves were being replenished, but it wasn't enough to fully combat the disease or defeat the man standing before him. His options were running out, his health was dwindling, and the clock was ticking.

And then, an idea flickered in his mind.

With the [Arcane Resonance] skill still pulsing through him, Elliot focused, channeling his energy into his body. He activated his [Static Charge] skill, building a continuous electric field around himself. This created a protective armor of electricity on his skin. He could feel the electric currents running through him, not energizing him, but rather protecting him. The field would prevent Kieran from touching him, as he would be electriculted and paralyzed if he tried.

This prevents him from further infecting me with his disease, but that's not my only problem.

Elliot's pulse raced as he realized how fragile his plan was. The field of electricity surrounding him wasn't meant for offense—it was purely defensive, a shield to keep the man at bay. The risk of failure was immense, but it was the only thing he could do to give himself even the smallest chance of survival.

For a moment, Kieran paused, seeing the electricity coiled around Elliot. But his smirk only grew wider, his arrogance unwavering. "You think a little electricity will stop me?"

In a fluid motion, Kieran reached into his clothes, pulling out a sleek, dark pistol with a red grip. Before Elliot could react, the first shot rang out, the bullet tearing through the air. Elliot ducked, narrowly missing the deadly projectile, but Kieran didn't stop. He fired again, and again, each shot getting closer. The fourth shot grazed Elliot's arm, but the fifth one—

Shit.

Boom.

The sound of the explosion was deafening. The bullet erupted into flames upon impact, and the force of the blast sent Elliot flying backward, crashing into the far wall of the room. The air was filled with smoke and the acrid scent of burning debris. Elliot's body slammed against the crumbling walls of the hospital, the heat of the explosion searing his skin.

God, this hurts…

Elliot's thoughts scrambled to make sense of the situation as his vision blurred and his body protested the sudden rush of pain. The force of the explosion had torn through his body, and every part of him screamed in agony. His legs felt like jelly, his arms numb, and his chest burned as though his very skin had been scorched.

Dazed and disoriented, Elliot lay on the ground, trying to gather his bearings. The world spun around him, the room blurring into a haze. His blood stained the floor, the injuries from the blast wreaking havoc on his body. He blinked, trying to focus on his Status screen.

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STATUS

Name: Elliot Graham

Level: 2

Sequence: 9 (Arcanist)

Health: 32/100 (-4 per minute)

Stamina: 20/100 (-1 per second)

Energy: 11/20 (+2 per second, -3 per second) 

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The numbers flashed before him, a harsh reminder of how little time he had left. His health was dangerously low, his stamina was draining faster than he could keep up with, and his energy reserves were depleting faster then they recovered. He couldn't afford to waste any more time.

I can't die here. Not like this.

His fingers twitched as he stared at the screen, desperation clawing at his chest. The thought of dying here, in this forsaken hospital, at the hands of this man—this monster—was enough to fuel the fire in his chest.

Summoning every ounce of strength, Elliot pushed himself up, his body trembling as he staggered to his feet. The pain was unbearable, but he knew he couldn't stop. He had to finish this, or he would die here, in this cursed hospital, at the hands of a deranged killer. His vision swam as he steadied himself, trying to stay upright.

He turned toward Kieran, who was already walking toward him, an amused expression still on his face.

"You've lasted longer than I thought," Kieran taunted. "But you're done. There's nowhere left to run."

Elliot's mind raced. Every instinct screamed at him to keep fighting, to keep moving. But with his health almost gone and his stamina draining, there was no margin for error. One wrong move and it would all be over.

Elliot's hand instinctively reached for his daggers, but they had been blown out of his hands during the explosion. Before he could do anything else, Kieran raised his gun again, aiming for Elliot's heart. With no more time to think, Elliot made a split-second decision. He charged at Kieran, ignoring a bullet that tore through his shoulder.

I'M NOT DYING HERE!

His heart thudded in his chest as he closed the gap, desperate to reach Kieran before the next shot could land. The adrenaline surged through him, even as his body screamed in protest. Every muscle in his body felt as though it was on the verge of giving out, but he wouldn't stop.

The world seemed to slow around him as he closed the distance, his body propelled by sheer willpower. Kieran fired again, but this time, Elliot was too close. In a desperate, final act, Elliot activated his skill [Energy Overload]. His body surged with an overwhelming amount of energy, his already-active [Arcane Resonance] and [Static Charge] amplifying the power coursing through him.

Electricity crackled violently, the field around his body expanding and intensifying. Kieran's eyes widened in realization, but it was too late.

This is it. It's all or nothing!

Elliot's mind was focused on nothing but the man before him. He didn't care about the pain, didn't care about the bleeding, or the disease eating away at him. This was the only chance he had left.

Elliot tackled him, the surge of electrical power obliterating Kieran's defenses. Sparks flew, and Kieran's body convulsed violently as the energy overwhelmed him. His flesh seemed to burn under the electric current, his scream cut short as the power surged through him.

After a brief moment, Elliot could feel Kieran's body go limp beneath him, the smell of scorched flesh filling the air. But before he could even process what had happened, his vision blackened. His strength gave out, and with the quest notification flashing in front of his eyes, Elliot collapsed into unconsciousness.

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Quest Complete: The Diseased Hospital

Reward: Skill Essence Reclamation, +30 Energy, +10 Stamina, +2 Level

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