Chapter 24: Flame Please
Alder Killik
Level: 78
Strength: 68
Dexterity: 43
Constitution: 50
Intelligence: 66
Wisdom: 57
Charisma: 69
Spells: Dark, Wind, Curse, Smoke, Poison, Rally
Weaknesses: Fire, Gravity
It was hard to figure out weaknesses sometimes. There were only so many elements he could utilize with mundane means. Water wasn't an option unless he had a foe that was explicitly on fire or that he could drown. Wind was impossible to manipulate. Likewise with Earth unless he had some leverage. Ice was out. Lightning was out. Fire was about the only thing Roko could readily use and he was glad he was finally had the opportunity to utilize it. Alder was certainly stronger than anybody he had ever scanned before but that was almost expected for a demon. That meant, however, that Roko needed to keep his guard up constantly. If the demon managed to sneak any attacks through, Roko wasn't sure if he'd be able to pick himself back up. As it stood though, Roko was doing good at keeping Alder at bay by waving his torch at him. Alder growled as he made various attempts to outmaneuver Roko but he kept pointing the torch in front of him, keeping him from making any moves.
"You've never had your weakness exploited have you?" Roko said.
"What are you talking about?" Alder scowled, "Fire is dangerous to many organisms. This is no different."
"But not as many of them are so cowardly as you are." Alec called, "You're a demon, do something for once!"
"Screw you!" Alder cried, "You try getting set on fire for once!"
Alder turned around to yell at Alec only to swing his tail around and smack Roko's torch from his hand. Surprised, Roko made a desperate dive to catch his torch again, rolling across the ground to get back on his feet again. He had managed to save the torch but Alder was already bearing down on him with his claws in the air. Roko raised his shield to block Alder's attack but only got smashed to the ground by the monster's incredible strength. Alder raised both his arms to crush Roko but Roko rolled to the side, moving out of range for his attack and settling back on his knees. Roko swiped with his torch and managed to sweep the demon's legs from underneath him. As Alder fell to the ground, Roko got back on his feet and drove his burning torch into the demon's chest. Alder screamed as the flames scorched his skin with a nasty smoke searing off from his skin. Roko tried his best to drive his torch deeper until the demon spread his wings and made a single flap, calling upon such powerful gusts that not only was the torch extinguished but Roko was thrown into the air. As Roko hung in the air, Alder stood back up and lunged towards his airborne foe, smacking Roko with his tail and throwing Roko into the top of one of the site's empty tents. The tent's supports dislodged from the ground and buried Roko in the tent's canvas.
"Roko?!" Lavinia cried out in shock.
"That's more like it." Alec grinned, "Good job, demon."
"I don't need your backhanded compliments, Alec." Alder winced as he rubbed the burn on his chest.
Roko's strained moans alerted everyone to the movements in the destroyed tent. Roko pushed away the canvas in front of him and pushed himself back up. He covered his mouth as his body heaved and he spat out a bit of blood onto the ground.
"Oh god why am I doing this?" Roko moaned as he forced himself back up onto his feet, "I'm not cut out for this."
"Hey, if you give up maybe I'll let you live." Alec called.
"I'm not that desperate yet." Roko coughed as he reignited his torch using his lantern again.
Roko gasped as he stepped towards the demon once more. He tried to think of some sort of plan but his head still felt rattled from his fall. The only thing his brain registered was his deep regret in starting this fight.
"Offer sounds pretty good you know." Alder sneered, "If you just walk away, we won't have to kill you."
"Yeah, just walk away and I will maybe live." Roko scoffed, "Real good deal there. Sounds like one of the best trade deals in the history of trade deals."
"Trust me, Alec is probably too lazy to actually kill you if you run away."
"I heard that." Alec rolled his eyes.
"I sure hope you did." Alder smirked.
"For a demon you're being awfully considerate." Roko said.
"Are you kidding me? I don't want to do any more work for this guy." Alder jabbed his thumb at Alec, "You know how insulting it is to take orders from some human that never does anything for himself? At the very least I can respect that you're doing things yourself even if you're vastly outclassed. You look half dead for god's sake."
"I'm not bleeding and I still have use of both my arms." Roko replied, "I've fought under worse conditions."
"What happened to you in the past?" Lavinia frowned.
"Guy has moxie." Alder shrugged, "Gotta give him that."
Having said that, Roko's mind was running blank on how he could win. Everything at the end of the day came down to his lack of training and there wasn't anyway he could make up for that. The only thing he had at his disposal was information.
"Well, mind as well see how this new spell works out for me." Roko muttered, "Analyze."
Words and numbers appeared over Roko's vision and information settled into his mind.
Alder Killik
Health: 95%
MP: 100%
Attack: 95
Defense: 64
A Wind Demon that has made a contract with a human. His skin is adapted more for protection during flight rather than combat. As a result of his proclivity for flying, his leg strength is not particularly strong. His tail is notably dexterous and strong. His body secretes an oil that protects him during flight, however that oil is very flammable, making fire attacks more effective.
"All that and I only did 5% damage." Roko moaned, "Why does everything I do just lead back to regret?"
"What's his problem?" Alder frowned.
"Sounds personal." Alec shrugged.
Roko took a deep breath and calmed himself down. The buzzing in his head from his crash was starting to clear up and he was able to push aside his frustrations and refocus his mind.
"If there's no easy way out of this." Roko sighed as he picked up one of the fallen tent poles.
Roko tossed the pole at the demon who lazily grabbed it out of the air.
"Is that it?" Alder yawned as he bent the tent pole with his bare hands.
By the time Alder caught the pole though, Roko was already running. Off to the side, Roko ran back to his backpack and drew another torch from within.
"Then I'll just have to not give him a chance to attack back." Roko said as he lit the torch with his other torch and stood in front of the demon with two torches in hand.
"You're a real one trick pony." Alder said mockingly but there was a clear tinge of caution, nervousness and perhaps even fear in his voice.
"And you've been no tricks." Roko replied, "Which, trust me, I appreciate but you're clearly not taking me seriously."
"Hmph. What would you know?"
"Everything. I scanned you. I know every spell you have."
"And what are you going to do about it?"
"...Nothing?"
"Fat lot of good just knowing does for you then right?"
"Fat lot of good your spells do you if you don't use them right?"
"You and your cheek."
Alder charged towards Roko who readied his shield. Alder put his hands together and raised them up, preparing to smash down on Roko. Recognizing the gesture, Roko stepped forward as Alder prepared his attack, jabbing one of the torches at his throat. Alder roared and coughed as pain broke his attack and he was sent reeling back. Roko pushed forward, smashing the demon all over his body with his torches. Alder screamed in pain as he brought his hands up to try and defend himself but Roko skillfully struck points that he was unable to guard. Each strike invoked a scream of pain from the demon and loosened his defenses but no matter how much Roko attacked, he could see Alder's health deplete by 1% every dozen or so strikes he gave him. At this point, Roko would sooner collapse in exhaustion before he could do any damage.
"Will...you...STOP THAT!"
Alder flapped his wings, kicking up dust into Roko's eyes. After blinding him, Alder kicked Roko a short distance across the ground. Roko landed on his back and as he quickly tried to remove the dust from his eye, Alder walked forward and stabbed his claws forward. Roko reacted barely in time for him to thrust his torch in the distinct direction of the demon. Roko's torch met the demon's chest just as Alder's claws stabbed into Roko's stomach. Alder reeled back in pain but Roko was much worse off as he picked himself up while clutching his wounded stomach.
"Ha...ha..." Alder growled, "I'm never going to get used to this..."
"How pathetic." Alec scoffed.
"You want to come and do this yourself then you bastard?!"
Roko dropped one of his torches. With the need to nurse his wound, an all out assault was not feasible. Not that it was a good idea to begin with. After all Roko had done, the demon's health was still at 91%. He needed a way to deal a decisive blow.
"Where's he going now?" Alec frowned as Roko stumbled away from them.
"What's he planning this time?" Alder frowned.
Roko stopped and picked his sword back up from the ground.
"What, that again?" Alder sneered, "That's already been proven ineffective."
Roko turned around and passed his torch over to his shield arm, gripping his sword in his dominant hand. With his new weapon, Roko charged forward, stumbling along the way as his stomach slowly bled out. Alder watched unimpressed as Roko tried to swing with his torch but his attack was so slow and weak that Alder simply swung his tail around to grab Roko's arm and twist the fire away from him. Struggling to break free of the demon's grip, Roko swung with his sword, clattering it against Alder's inhuman skin. His attacks were weak and sloppy, ineffective against a trained human as it was against the wind demon.
"This is getting sad." Alder frowned as Roko continued desperately to slash the demon, "Once I actually pierce your body, you get all weak like this? I expected better."
"He's smart but he's no soldier." Alec shrugged. "Well, if it's all over, finish him off."
"What a pity."
As Alder raised his claw to finish off Roko, Roko stabbed his sword into the ground.
"That should be enough."
Roko tossed his torch into the air, catching it with his free hand and stabbing it into Alder, repelling him and releasing his arm from his tail.
"Still got some fight left in him huh?" Alder winced.
"If that's what you think, I'm a better actor than I thought." Roko said as he looked up, "Well, I'm not able to drag this on much longer if this keeps up so..."
Roko brought his torch down, "Let's finish this as quickly and easily as possible."
Roko touched the flame to the blade and the sword erupted into flames covering all over its length.
"What?!" Alder cried.
"What the hell did he do?!" Alec cried, "Is that magic?!"
"It must suck not knowing your weakness and how it works." Roko said as he dropped the torch and reached for the flaming blade, "Well, not like I can't say that about myself either."
Roko grabbed the sword and immediately his hand began to burn up from the heat of the flames. Just for a few swings. Roko prayed to himself, Just hold on...for as long as you can.
With a roar, Roko drew the flaming sword from the ground and charged at Alder. Alder stepped back but Roko quickly closed the distance and delivered a slash across the demon's body. Alder screamed like he never screamed before as blood gushed out from his burning wound.
Health: 91% → 79%
This'll work.
Roko made another slash across the demon's stomach.
This'll work!
Alder cried out in pain and quickly retreated to the skies, floating above Roko as he looked down at him with hate and fear.
"S-Smoke!"
Black smoke erupted from the demon's hands and covered the field, obscuring everything in the area around Roko. Roko stabbed the burning sword into the ground and rested his hand as he stood in the middle of the smokey field.
"I guess you wouldn't know about this but..."
Roko drew his sword again and set it across his back, blocking Alder's attempt to sneak attack him with his claws.
"Analyze marks my enemies." Roko explained, "So I know your position no matter what."
With a flick, Roko repelled the demon's hand and spun around, slashing a great gash across the stomach. Alder roared in pain and fell on his back as he nursed his wound.
"I'm really glad you decided to use smoke." Roko said as he walked up to the writhing monster and kicked him around on his stomach, "I would have been in real trouble if you kept to the skies and fired magic at me."
Roko stepped onto the demon's back, "Well...it seems like smoke takes up 30% of your mana so maybe you don't have that much to begin with. Still." Roko raised his sword, "Let's get rid of these wings."
Health: 67% → 43% →19%
Alder's screams reached a fevered pitch as his wings fell to the ground next to him.
"Sorry." Roko said as he raised his sword, "I'll end this soon."
Roko plunged his sword into the demon's back. The screams grew even louder, rocking the air inside the tomb. Roko pushed the sword deeper and deeper until Alder's tail whipped around and grabbed him by the neck. Surprised, Roko tried to pull his sword out to cut the tail but it was embedded too deep in the body to pull out. And as the tail tightened around his throat, there was no way for Roko to gather enough strength to dislodge his sword. With no other option, Roko pushed his weight down on the sword to drive it deeper through the body. Alder's screams continued but his tail did not let up, crushing his throat and choking him. Roko's vision began to blur as he began to suffocate but he continued to push down on his sword. The only way to escape now was to kill the demon before he could kill him. But even as Alder's health quickly depleted, it began to slow the closer it got to zero. There was only 7% left but Roko could feel himself losing consciousness.
"Wind!"
A sturdy gust blew down on the two combatants, stoking the flames of Roko's sword and sending embers falling down onto the demon's body. The flames followed the wind and latched onto the demon's body, finally setting the demon ablaze. Alder's screams reached a screeching height as his tail finally released Roko and he stumbled back, gasping for air. Lavinia ran over to help Roko on his back as the demon writhed around in blazing agony. Slowly, his screams began to grow weaker and sadder as the display in Roko's eyes slowly ticked down the last of the demon's life.
2%→1%→0%
Alder's body turned to ash as the fire disintegrated his body, including his wings. Not long afterwards, the demon's body disappeared and the flames died, leaving a scorched pattern on the ground below.
Roko coughed heavily as he regained his breath. His throat continued to assault him with pain, even as he tried to push air through and into his lungs.
"Are you okay?!" Lavinia cried as she held his head on her lap, "Things looked pretty dicey there."
"I'm fine." Roko coughed, "I thought you weren't going to help."
"Well things weren't looking good and I thought of a way I could help." Lavinia said as she held up the magic staff, "It's not much but at least we managed to beat the demon."
"Sorry. I'm going to..." Roko pushed himself up and grabbed onto Lavinia's dress, ripping a strip of cloth from it.
"Hey! My dress!"
"I'll pay you back for it later!" Roko cried as he wrapped it around his stomach wound.
He stood up and walked over to the charred remains of the demon and the smoldering sword that stood up from the ground, its flames now gone. Roko grabbed the sword's handle again but recoiled back from the residual heat still lingering on it.
"What are you doing?!"
Roko gritted his teeth and grabbed the sword with both hands, drawing the hot sword from the ground.
"What are you doing?!" Lavinia repeated, "That sword's practically melted!"
"It's not over yet."
Roko turned towards Alec. Alec looked down at the exhausted person in front of him...and drew his sword.
Lavinia watched on as the two of them approached each other, Roko stumbling a bit and Alec with a stoic seriousness on his face.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone