The Forsaken Hero

The wolf was swollen with infernal energy, straining dangerously close to bursting. Chaotic crackles of mana arced throughout its soul, which was beginning to show signs of fragmentation. Holding my breath, I reached up, tail tensing, and gingerly touched the wolf’s head. A low growl reverberated deep in its throat as its lips curled back, revealing serrated two-inch teeth. Its fur bristled, hardening into long, thin spikes. As the spines dug into my hand, I recoiled, wincing, and the wolf’s eyes narrowed.

The monster bared its teeth and growled again, and I froze, gripped with fear. It lowered its head, but instead of striking, it pushed against my palm until I reluctantly began stroking it again. Its fur softened to silk beneath by bloody fingers, and it whined, eyes closing to slits. After a minute, I tried to crawl away, but a heavy paw on my chest stopped me in my tracks, sending a shudder of pain through my broken body.

It seemed like a monster, but was it actually some sort of dog? Torn between disbelief and the fear it would turn on me, I carefully began examining its soul once more. It was strikingly similar to when my soul shattered beneath the overwhelming weight of the infernal mana generated by an entire city’s worth of death and despair, yet on a much smaller level.

Blurry memories tickled the back of my mind, forming runes and circles I didn’t recognize. As I strained to remember, a dull ache pulsed between my temples, and I groaned, my hand pausing just long enough for the wolf to growl. Slowly, the haze cleared and Elise appeared, accompanied by the oily voice of the Curse Demon. My soul shuddered as it recalled the agony of that day, but I forced myself to embrace the memory, experiencing anew what the pain had suppressed for months.

Lost in the past, I scarcely noticed as my mana stirred, curling out of my soul and flowing into the wolf. Only as it whined, paw quivering against my chest, did I snap out of it, staring at the mass of golden runes entwining the creature’s soul. At first, my mana moved on instinct, but as my memories sharpened, I began to take an active role, carefully adapting the spell.

I groaned, panting softly, as my mana ran dry. Reaching out, I pressed my hand against the wolf’s chest and opened up myself to its soul. Using the methods forced upon me by the Curse Demon, I called to the Infernal Mana polluting the creature, drawing it within myself. The chaotic force jostled and scraped through the scars and fragments of my soul, causing my tail to tremble in pain.

Blinking away tears, I clenched my teeth and cycled the mana through my soul, slowly refining it until I had full mastery of its powers. With my soul filled with mana, I renewed casting until the spell was complete. The wolf squirmed, whining loudly as the runes drew tight around its soul, binding it back together. Slowly, its discomfort faded and its cries fell to soft whimpers.

I sat back and wiped my face, my hand coming away wet with sweat and blood. Seeing the viscous fluids coating my fingers, I used a portion of the purified mana to cast a few Life Dews, washing away the filth from my skin. The Life Magic dripped into my wounds, leaving them itching with cleansing tingles.

My pain gradually subsided, allowing me to concentrate on the next phase of my work. Although the wolf’s soul had been repaired, the Infernal Mana had already begun breaking it apart again. I laid my hand on its chest, closing my eyes and feeling the palpating pulse of the corruption racing through its veins. I’d been able to purify the demonic energy in my own soul through the delicate mastery of my own mana, but doing it in another creature felt all but impossible.