Erich sprang to his feet. A croaking sound to his left alerted him to the presence of the golden eyed imp, but he kept himself from looking in its direction. The angry feverish warmth of the poison’s first stage pumped through his arms and legs, a reminder that he couldn’t afford a distraction.

  Whatever the gecko imps were, they could use magic. It shouldn’t surprise him. Everyone knew that some imps and all demons could use magic, but seeing it first hand was a different story. Erich didn’t have any idea of their true capabilities, and even if he did, he didn’t have all that much experience dealing with spellcasters. On the front lines of the imperial army, they rarely even saw a mage unless one of the elven officers was inspecting the fortifications.

  Mages were rare. They were strategic assets that were used to lob spells across the massive gaps between lines, thinning enemy numbers and weakening their defenses before an attack. The imperial army would not risk talents like that for sparring and training ordinary martial artists.

  All Erich knew for sure is that a magic user’s abilities would be versatile and powerful, letting them manipulate an element freely at range. There was no need for a mage to reach the fifth tier in order to materialize their powers.

  But that came at a cost. All of a wizard’s power was devoted to forming new circles and empowering their spells. Their bodies were as frail as any ordinary person’s, and that meant that the secret to beating them was to cut them down before they had a chance to use their magic.

  Erich stood up. His arms and legs weren’t beginning to grow stiff or numb yet, but he could feel the fever and confusion that had marked his first experience with the thorns growing with each passing second.

  The blue-eyed gecko shifted slightly. Erich took that opportunity to lunge forward toward one of the red-eyed imps. The hair on the back of his neck tingled as mana and wind rushed past him, narrowly missing the back of his head as Erich brought his chin to his neck.

  Both of the red-eyed geckos sprang to either side, leaving nothing for Erich’s sword but air, but they were never his actual target. His left hand left the hilt of his sword and tapped the ground, pushing off with mana infused muscles and launching himself up into the air

  He brought his sword up over his left shoulder, preparing a downward slash toward the spellcasting imp. It croaked anxiously as it swung its head toward him, but Erich was too quick. Mana pulsed through his entire body, partially beating back the discomfort of the steadily progressing poison as he brought his blade down in the blink of an eye, bisecting the gecko.

  Erich landed a couple feet into the forest on the other side of his parth, earning himself a dozen new scratches from the vines. He could feel his cheeks flushing as toxins began to build up in his blood.

  As he turned, Erich swung his sword upward on instinct, barely managing to catch a leaping red-eyed imp and deflect it upward. Hot blood sprayed from its wound, showering Erich and the plants around him.

  His vision swam as he scanned past the golden-eyed imp, still imobile on its perch. The geckos were almost impossible to spot in the dim red light, their oily skin shifting to blend in with the jungle around them.

  A tangle of thorny vines to his left shifted, and Erich reacted on instinct. The fire in his image writhed, sending a burst of mana into his arms as he swung his sword hitting a red-eyed imp as it launched through the air at him. The monster was larger and hardier than its more magical kin, and Erich’s parry was hurried and slightly off balance.

  Still, he wasn’t the same warrior that stumbled into Sathis’ cave ignorant and with a weak, ill-fitting image. His blade seemed to burn an arc through the air as it slashed through the side of the gecko, bisecting it.

  Erich’s wounds stung as imp blood drenched him yet again. He could feel his fingers and toes beginning to tingle and numb as the poison did its work. Despite the number of cuts he had suffered from his two tumbles into the jungle, it seemed like the thorns’ venom was progressing slower this time.

  He turned and glanced at the yellow-eyed gecko, and Erich’s vision swam as he quickly looked away. It was still sitting on the same tree branch, unmoving from the start of the fight, as it stared intently at him.

  Dizziness fogged Erich’s world as he sprinted at it, sword slashing downward to cut the branch from its tree. The monster croaked in surprise as it began to fall along with its perch, and the mana in Erich’s body burned hotter as his blade changed course mid-air.

  His backswing wasn’t perfectly aimed, it was hard to target the gecko with precision without looking at it, but it still managed to hit the imp just behind its leg, cutting it in half. The monster flopped to the ground, twitching spasmodically as its malfunctioning nerves fired their last orders helplessly.

  Erich began to turn around only for a weight to slam into his back like the kick from an angry draft horse. Imp claws shredded his battered mail even as they dug into the sides of his face and neck.

  The blow picked him up off of his feet, sending Erich face first into the jungle once more. Thorns dug into his cheeks and forehead, unleashing cutting through his flesh and depositing their venom into his free flowing blood.

  He hit the ground with a bone jarring thump that knocked the wind out of him. The impact unseated the imp on his back, sending it into the forest beyond.

  Erich wheezed for breath as he pushed himself to his feat. A rustling noise from the jungle assured him that the gecko that had attacked him was alive and well, sending a rush of adrenaline through his system.

  A couple hurried steps later, Erich was standing back in the path he’d cut once more. His hands and feet were completely numb and blood was flowing down his face and forearms. He could feel the poison burning through his system, threatening to rob his reason and muscular control from him during the middle of the battle.

  Mana pulsed out of his image with every heartbeat, his image seeming to glow in the center of his chest as it supplied his body with magical energy. This time, it wasn’t the fire that seemed animated. Rather the stars in the sky twinkled and the pine trees of the forest seemed to sway in an unseen breeze while the rest of the scene remained frozen and static.

  The final imp walked out of the treeline, its red eyes glowing with malice. It was the first one that he had deflected, Erich was sure of it. The only issue was that it didn’t seem injured in the slightest. Even as he watched, the cuts etched in its hide by the thorns began to close up, leaving no mark but a couple lines of rapidly drying blood on its flanks.

  “Regeneration,” Erich lisped bitterly. His tongue felt too large, alien in his mouth after the swelling and numbing effect of the poison.

  It just watched him, content to crouch in the forest just outside of Erich’s reach. He didn’t know how smart the monster was, but they clearly knew enough to use the poisonous vines as a trap and wait for its prey to become disabled by the toxins.

  Having experienced the poison once before, Erich wasn’t going to make that mistake. He lunged toward the gecko, sword leading the way. It tried to leap to the side, but the flames burning in his heart roared, filling his arms with mana as his stiffening muscles followed the movements etched into them by the Magma Blossom art.

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  His lunge transformed smoothly into a chop. It didn’t have as much momentum as he’d like. After all, Erich hadn’t been able to draw his sword back properly. Under ordinary circumstances, his slash wouldn’t have been anything other than a shallow feint.

  With his mana supporting the attack, it easily caught up to the imp, cutting open most of its stomach and sending it flying to the side.

  Erich stumbled slightly as he caught himself. His calves were beginning to stiffen and numb as the poison continued to spread. He turned on his heel and took a step toward the imp.

  It had survived an attack that easily would have killed a human soldier. Its stomach, from tail to throat was cut open, but it was also healing quickly enough for Erich to visibly track its stomach stitching itself up. The monster’s head shifted slightly and it looked up at him.

  There was no sorrow in its eyes. Nothing to make him hesitate or feel pity. Instead, it just glared up at him with malicious hunger. The minute it healed itself, the imp would attack again, there was no doubt in Erich’s mind.

  He took a step toward it, stumbling as the poison interfered with his legs. Squaring himself, Erich took a deep breath before bringing his sword down in a double handed chop that cut off the imp’s head.

  Finally the angry red light of its eyes died, leaving him alone and sweating in the middle of the forest trail. Luckily the flying imps were long gone so Erich didn’t have to immediately worry about another attack, but that wasn’t terribly comforting given the awful state of his body.

  Despite the extreme heat, Erich was shivering slightly. He already couldn’t feel his arms and legs below the elbow and knee, but that didn’t stop the cuts and slashes from staining his body with blood. Dizziness washed over him and there wasn’t any way for him to know whether the vertigo was from exhaustion, poison, or simply blood loss. Even his armor was tattered and shredded to the point that it would probably be more efficient for Erich to go bare chested. The scraps of metal didn’t protect much, and decreasing his weight might be a better plan if he wanted to dodge the attacks of hell’s denizens.

  The only positive that he could find was that the stars and trees in his image kept pumping soothing mana into his body that seemed to be fighting back against the poison. It couldn’t stop it entirely, and Erich could feel his mana reserves depleting rapidly, but at the same time he couldn’t help but marvel at the way the energy seemed to wrap itself around the burning and tingly sensation, calming it with the same inexorability of shrub slowly growing out of a sheer cliff face. The magic might not be quick enough to save him, but there was no doubt in Erich’s mind that if he was given enough time, the mana could overcome anything and thrive anywhere.

  He reached up, wiping the blood and sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Life mana. Sathis hadn’t known much about it other than the basics, but there was no question that it would strengthen the physique and fortitude of a martial artist that could use it. He didn’t have an art that could incorporate it yet, and according to Sathis it was one of Erich’s weakest affinities, but at the same time, he’d seen the way that the gecko could regenerate from even a fatal blow.

  Being strong and fast could make him a great swordsman, but it wouldn’t save him from a surprise attack or poison. Hell had taught him that on multiple occasions. Magma Blossom was enough to defeat most low-level monsters, but what Erich needed more than anything was a way to keep himself alive while he continued his journey.

  Against his will, Erich’s thoughts returned to the fruit from the flowers. He had only eaten two, but they had healed his wounds and purged the poison from his system. There were still obvious concerns with the way the fruit seemed to meddle with his mind, but he would need to survive in order to worry about that.

  Erich swayed slightly as he turned his attention back to the jungle. He’d seen a flower pluck three of the flying imps from the sky. The flower wouldn’t eat an imp that was already dead, he’d found that out with the rock monsters, but maybe that was because it would only eat fresh prey.

  He licked his lips. Erich hadn’t even noticed that they were dry and white, caked with the salt from his evaporated sweat. There was fruit deeper in the jungle, he was sure of it.

  His sword sliced through the vines that bridged the trees, opening up a pathway for Erich. He didn’t know how he knew which way the flower was, but instinct and the tantalizing scent of fresh bread, baking pie, and cold beer all called him forward.

  The numbness began to work its way up Erich’s body. He couldn’t feel his arms or legs in the slightest, but still his sword hacked and chopped on its own. It seems like a waste to use Sathis’ masterwork blade as little more than a machete, but it couldn’t be helped. The only important thing is that Erich keep moving toward the growing smell of the fruit.

  Finally, he stumbled into the flower’s clearing. Erich’s fingers could barely maintain their grip on the sword, the mana that had been holding the poison at bay long expended by his trek through the forest. Awkwardly, he sheathed the blade and dropped to his hands and knees.

  The flower was fully unfurled, three bumps near its center marking the locations of the carnivorous plant’s tongues. More importantly, he could see three fruit glistening around its stem.

  Erich’s mouth watered, and he threw all caution to the wind as he hastily began crawling for the base of the plant. His left arm gave out on him, the poison finally robbing his muscles of their strength, but Erich didn’t care.

  If he could not run he would walk, and if he could not walk he would crawl and if he could not crawl he would drag himself toward the fruit. So crawl he did. His left arm wasn’t completely useless, he could still plant it in the dirt to steady himself as his right arm pulled him through the mud of the forest floor.

  Nothing seemed to matter. Not the poison, not the danger, and certainly not Erich’s dignity. The only thing he could see or care about was the three plump fruit tantalizing him from the base of the flower.

  After what seemed like an eternity he reached them, his face and chest covered with a mixture of blood, sweat and mud. Erich didn’t waste a second, snatching the first fruit in range and biting into it with an uncharacteristic ferocity. Pulp and seeds filled his stomach together, their flavors indescribable as his eyes rolled back into their sockets with bliss.

  For a second, Erich’s mind blanked out. When he came to, the first fruit was entirely gone except for a sticky smear around his mouth. Already he could feel the pins and needles sensation of the poison receding from his limbs, but it barely registered compared to the beauty of the other two fruits.

  Across the clearing, a hissing sound heralded the arrival of a familiar acidic slug, but it didn’t seem to care about him. One eyestalk watched him warily while the other remained fixed on the remaining two pieces of fruit.

  Erich greedily snatched another fruit, teeth puncturing its skin and filling his mouth with juice. Part of him wanted to fight the slug, kill it before it could claim any of the treasure that he was currently eating, but that part was easily overwhelmed by the animalistic desire to eat all of the fruit as soon as possible.

  He tore into his meal, devouring it messily. The slug crossed the clearing to the other fruit while he ate. Its head seemed to swell in size, opening up around a mouth that seemed to be bigger than the entire monster’s torso, and it ate the final fruit with one bite.

  A pang of dissatisfaction filled him as he watched the fruit disappear, but ultimately, as much as he wanted to eat it, his body was full, almost to the brim. More juice dribbled down his chin as Erich frantically chewed the fruit’s body, throat bobbing as he swallowed a mouthful of seeds and pulp.

  Aether settled into his image as he ate. It had been hard to feel while he was fighting the geckos, the adrenaline of battle masking the delicate sensation of Erich’s martial arts growing stronger. It was subtle, but Erich could feel his image growing sharper with each bite.

  Exhilaration filled his body, and the disappointment at seeing the third fruit disappeared as he finished eating. Erich could feel himself approaching a limit. Between the fruit and fighting all day, his image almost felt like it was completely full. The elements had already moved beyond still pictures.

  The pines swayed gently. The lighting flashed and crackled in the sky. The fire roiled and burned. Above everything, the stars shone down from the gap in the clouds. It wasn’t like it was real. It was real. As real as the last scraps of sugary fruit that he shoveled into his face. Barely out of his reach, but promising to give him the world from just behind the grasping tips of Erich’s fingers.

  He licked the last of the juice from his fingers. The slug was long gone, a hissing trail of acid marking the path it had taken back into the forest. Energy coursed through Erich’s body. It took everything in him to not jump to his feet and run into the forest. He wanted to jump, climb, fight, anything to tire out the inexhaustible mania that was overpowering his senses.

  Slowly, he pulled himself up to his hands and knees, careful to keep the level of his back below the gently swaying petals of the flower. His arms trembled, but not from weakness. His entire body was shaking with the effort of holding himself back as he slowly crept away from the clearing.

  Only once he got back into the forest path did Erich let himself go. He ripped off his armor and shirt, barely registering as his fingers tore apart the metal armor like it was paper. Erich tossed the scraps aside and sprinted out of the forest and into the dry, rocky landscape that surrounded the jungle.

  His breath came in short sharp gasps, sweat glistening on his half nude torso as it evaporated almost instantly. Erich could feel a flush on his cheeks that had nothing to do with the poison as memories of the giant purple flower flitted through his head, a mad smile on his face.