Breakthrough

A Fight for Survival

Levi

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The cold air was heavy with the stench of sulfur and ash as I stood on trembling legs, my chest rising and falling in frantic rhythm. My fingers gripped the hilt of my sword tightly, its velvety smoke-like blade flickering faintly under the pale moonlight. Around me circled the furies—three of them—eyes glowing like embers in a pit of darkness, their forms cloaked in tattered shadows. Their shrieks echoed in the night, sharp and relentless.

Blood trickled from my mouth, its metallic tang bitter on my tongue. My torso burned where one of them had clawed through my defenses, the wound deep and searing. In this human world, I was more vulnerable than I had ever been in the underworld. The limitations to my power here were stark and brutal—no teleportation, no summoning creatures to fight at my side. All I had was my sword, my resolve, and a dwindling hope that I’d survive the night.

One of the furies, its orange eyes burning brighter than the others, lunged at me again with its claws outstretched. I dodged, twisting my body to the side despite the pain that flared with the movement. With a desperate swipe of my sword, I caught it across its back. A shriek tore from its mouth as its body dissolved into a cloud of black smoke, scattering into the night.

But there was no time to celebrate. The remaining two closed in, circling like vultures sensing the end of their prey.

The one with violet eyes came first, darting forward with a speed I could barely track. I parried its blow, our collision ringing out in the darkness, and pushed it back with all my strength. My muscles screamed in protest, but I forced myself to pivot as the other fury, its yellow eyes like molten gold, lunged from behind. I barely managed to block its strike with my other sword.

They were relentless, their movements coordinated as if they shared a single mind. I fought with everything I had, sweat mingling with the blood that stained my clothes. My body ached, and every strike felt heavier than the last.

The violet-eyed fury screeched and slashed at my arm, its claws grazing my skin and drawing blood. I staggered but kept my grip on the sword. In a desperate counter, I thrust forward and struck its midsection. It let out an unholy wail as it disintegrated into ash, the force of its death knocking me back a step.

Only one remained, but I was barely standing.

The yellow-eyed fury hissed, its dark form shifting erratically. It lunged again, claws aimed for my throat. I sidestepped, swinging my sword upward in a wide arc. The blade connected, carving a shallow wound, but it wasn’t enough to stop it. The fury recoiled, then lunged again, this time slamming me to the ground.

I gasped as the air was forced from my lungs, my swords clattering to the ground. My vision swam, and my arms felt like lead as I tried to push the creature off me. It snarled, its claws pressing against my chest, ready to tear into my heart.

A thought cut through my haze of desperation: Why aren’t they trying to take my body like the others? Why do they want me dead so badly?

The answer wouldn’t come. My strength was failing, and I braced myself for the end.

But then, a blinding light erupted from the darkness, forcing the fury to screech and recoil. It thrashed violently, its form flickering and disjointed, before it fled into the shadows. The second fury followed suit, its shrieks echoing as it disappeared into the night.

The world dimmed again, the silence deafening after the chaos.

“Levi!” a voice called out, and I felt hands on my shoulders, steadying me. I blinked, trying to focus on the face before me. It was Mateo.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice urgent as his eyes scanned my injuries.

I opened my mouth to speak, but all that came out was a hoarse whisper. “What… what was that? How did you do that?”

Mateo hesitated, his expression unreadable. But before he could answer, the weight of exhaustion dragged me down. My vision faded, and the last thing I felt was the warmth of Mateo’s hand against my cheek as I slipped into unconsciousness.

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The ache in Levi's torso throbbed as he slowly opened his eyes, his breath catching in his throat at the weakness he felt. It was a foreign sensation, a reminder of how much he hated being in the human world. Here, his powers were stifled, and his body’s extraordinary healing was sluggish, far from the near-instantaneous recovery he enjoyed in the underworld. Yet, even this slower process was far superior to a mere mortal's abilities.

His hand instinctively went to his side, where the gash from the furies' attack still ached. It was healing, but not fast enough for his liking. He sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair as he took in his surroundings. The room was small and unassuming, painted in soft pastel tones that exuded an air of simplicity. A single, flickering lamp rested on a bedside table, casting shadows that danced along the walls. The bed he had been lying on was modest yet comfortable—a stark contrast to the dark opulence of his chambers in the underworld.

No one else was there.

Curiosity nudged him forward as he swung his legs off the bed, his bare feet touching the cool floor. He glanced around, noting the subtle furniture that hinted at a solitary life. His eyes fell on the small table near the bed, where the lamp cast its flickering glow over a peculiar object. A ring.

It rested there, unassuming yet oddly magnetic. Levi frowned, drawn to it as if by an invisible force. He reached for it, his fingers brushing the cool metal, and the moment his skin made contact, a surge of power erupted through him.

Blinding light filled his vision, and an intense pressure knocked him back, his senses overwhelmed. He staggered, clutching the edge of the table for balance, but the world tilted around him. Flashes of indistinct images flickered in his mind—fragments of faces, places, and a searing, golden radiance that felt both alien and familiar.

The energy was overwhelming, his chest tightening as he struggled to stay grounded. His legs buckled, and the next thing he knew, darkness claimed him once again.

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