Essence's breath was heavy. Death had become such a big part of his life, he slowly was growing numb. Yet right now, it felt a little different, the rain didn't fall, the clouds slowly started to move away. He was tired, all this flighting had him near death, he has no power to move ahead. His mind wandering back at the same single though "I could have saved her.... I could have saved all of them..... how did I forget the shaman!!!..... maybe I'm really not a fit for this role... I'm not a hero....." But his thoughts were interrupted "Indeed, you are right apostle, you are not a fit for the role of the hero." Robin's words hurt a little more today. Essence feels down gazing towards sky "There are endless stars, yet only one hero, but I'm neither. it's not like I want to force it...I just want to....Wow I don't even have a reason to be a hero" Essence was spiralling down the hole he dug himself, but Robin's words gave him direction "You are not a hero because you want to save people, you are a hero because you can save them. Every being wants to be the one to save, the one to help, the one to being hope but none are ready to make the sacrifice nor have the ability to bring reassurance to the lost. You are no hero. You are my apostle. Do not try to take on more responsibility and suffer under its weight." Essence smiled "It's easy to say for you. An all-powerful god-like entity. You don't know the pain of being powerless. If you don't feel the pain, you would never help end the suffering!" "You speak of your suffering as if fate was unfair, we are equally held down by hardship, a king doesn't know the pain of starvation and a peasant will never know the hardship required to run a kingdom." Essence felt a clarity taking root deep in his mind after being bombarded by this unending battle of ideals "You don't understand me and I don't understand you. Pain and hardship can bring 2 closer, yet they would never connect with the other. My hardship and pain will always be more then you, and you will feel the same." "Your weakness has clouded you mind child. Sounds like you are proud of you pain and hardship instead of persevering to change." Robin was disgusted by such a pathetic view of the world. The weak and strong can be equal in opportunity but will never be equal in ideals. "Nah, you've got it all wrong" said Essence trying his best to get up, shaking throughout his whole body. "I'm proud that I can see I'm not strong enough." These words changed something deep inside Robin, His eyes changed colours "Lay down Apostle, your saviours are here." Essence looks to see the suspicious looking guy from the shelter slowly approach him while looking at the 5 dead bodies "Did you kill them?" he asked with a strong and commanding voice as if intimidation was his forte "You think I can do that looking like this?" Essence was annoyed and a little cautious "You work for John? Take me back to his daughter to get patched up." The man lifted Essence on his back and took him to the base. His actions were very smooth as if he was quite experienced.
Arriving back, he saw a few goblins lying dead and John standing there bloody and now with a wooden plank for a leg. He was covered in blood and standing around him where the same group of suspicious guys. Muriel came running over "ESSENCE! ARE YOU OK?" "Woah how'd u know it was me and not sum1 like Cinder." "Oh, because your sh!tty hairstyle makes you look like a homeless kid." This one hit quite deep for Essence who loved his hair "Look I know honesty is the best policy but sometimes you should lie too, especially if said person is at death's door." The man carrying him helped him down to the hard cold ground. Essence wanted a bed or something soft but alas he couldn't sound ungrateful. Muriel on the other hand helped him with all the power she could muster up "WHY DID YOU FIGHT THIS MUCH. YOU SHOULD BE MORE CAREFUL" Essence smiled up "If not me... who will. Don't worry its small bruises." "SMALL? YOU..... I hate you. You are such a careless @sshole. YOU ARE A HERO! IF YOU DIE, WE WILL BE HELPLESS! DONT RISK YOUR LIFE! ASK FOR HELP GODDAMNIT!" Tears slowly slipped down Muriel's eyes "ASK US FOR HELP....ask me for help....." Essence lifted his broken hand, wiping her tears and patting her head "You are helping me by healing, I can't let you fight, that's my duty, right? And.... ill always relay on you." Muriel broken into sobbing tears. They were plenty, yet they held no sorrow. But they also weren't devoid of emotions. Even John was taken aback..... He never let his daughter cry, but now looking at her cry, he couldn't bring himself to stop her.
Essence broke the tone speaking up "Hey, my hand's bleeding you know." She slaps Essence's hand down on his chest, making him scream out loud "FUCK! careful bro I have powder for a Ribcage" "SORRY!! wait it must hurt a lot, right?" She goes to untie her bandaged eye. But Essence stops her "Chill I can handle this. You won't be able to." Muriel glares him deadly "You are back at this again!" Cinder interrupts their talk "Kids, please stop flirting my eyes hurt from this fu*k@ss drama." He is drenched in blood, stuck to his cloths, most bone dry. Essence asks him, "Flirting you say? while looking like u painted red on your face? looks like the paint I used in elementary to paint an apple." "Well, I don't know what weird elementary school you passed from, but we clearly didn't use fused human and goblin blood as paint." He continued the cheerful attitude and sat down next to him. "No don't relax yet!" Essence Affirmed "We have we have a back side to take care of. You look like u can throw a few more fireballs." Cinder assured him "Don't worry I took care of it." "WHAT? DUDE! I told you not to for a reason!" "Nah. Its light work, you took care of 2 sides, I should also work equally you know." "It's different for me, I know when to stop and run back, you probably fought till your last breath didn't you?" "Quite the opposite, it went rather smooth, could be because I learned this new thing." Cinder pulled out his bat and lit it on fire on command. Essence was shocked "WOAH! Dude that's so sick, does it also add a fire debuff?" "Yep! but it's very rare though, maybe it's a 20% chance, there's no attributes given in the skill panel." "But how did you get it in the first place?" Essence was eager to know "Well you see...."
A flashback to Cinder arriving at the right side of the base. it was packed with a strong stench of dirty water. It was quite wet as if someone blew up a water tanker. "Water near a fire user? How lucky!" His tone was laced with sarcasm but maybe the weaver of fate didn't enjoy it, A hobgoblin rushed at him from the back, swinging the club at his head. Cinder bent back locking eyes with the dim-witted beast "you shouldn't growl when you sneak attack." as he dodged his attack, he stood upright on his hands and launched a strong kick on the Hobgoblin. It tried to dodge saving its head, but its shoulder was hit hard. loosening his grip on the cub it tried to kick Cinder. Cinder was ready as he landed another kick on its core throwing him back. More growls could be heard. it was a small group of goblins running up to him. Cinder ran towards the close ally and stood his ground. Equipping his bat, he was more than ready to face them. he smashed the heads for the first few slowly taking steps back to have enough distance. but he reached the wall. "Looks like I'm dead.....Kidding!" he throws the bat in the air and shoot's the flame bullets through them all. Catching the falling bat, he poses "Light work." Placing the bat in his inventory. The fight was effortless... a little too effortless. Cinder kicked the dead goblin's aside and walked towards the opening ahead. It was dead silent.... but Cinder had a bad feeling about this "Next time hide better." he said in a smug tone as he shot a heat bullet at a dustbin. But the dustbin was empty and fell with a thud. Embarrassed he starts to move ahead, but he quickly shot another one at a nearby window. A loud squeak rung out, it was a goblin "Ayyy I don't miss ya-kno!" Cinder's grin was wide. Many more squeaks rung out from around him wiping the grin off. A spear flew at him hitting his leg but failing to penetrate, yet it left a deep wound. The goblin here were smart enough to take away his mobility. They ran towards him to make full use of this golden opportunity. "Smart for Goblins I have to say." Cinder mumbles as he pulls out the bats. The first goblin was stamped into the ground. The second, third and fourth all thrown away by 1 hit. The rest also followed one of these 2, yet suddenly there was break. One caught the bat mid swing throwing Cinder in a state of worry. A big hobgoblin appeared with an Axe. It was actually a real weapon made of steal and no cub of wood. Cinder jumped back with his foot but couldn't generate enough force, the hobgoblin caught on. It swung its axe downward, Cinder used 1 oh his bats, sacrificing it as it was spilt in a clean cut. Cinder barely survived it "Man, that was my fav bat... after this one that is!" He threw it at the Beast, aiming for the head but he missed the mark.... But little did the hobgoblin know it was a faint and Cinder ra- A strong axe swing came down fast. Cinder was fast enough to catch the hands, but the Hobgoblin's absolute strength still pushed the axe deep in his shoulder. He cried in pain, the goblin pulled out the axe for another blow, but Cinder fired a heat bullet in its eyes. Cinder ran as fast he could, A goblin walked in has way which he kicked away violently as he hid behind a wall. The Hobgoblin was back in his senses but angrier. Cinder shot a heat bullet towards the hobgoblin, but its heat dissipated, it was just a ball of warm air. The hobgoblin noticed Cinder. It ran towards Cinder in an instant. Cinder was barely fast enough to escape its sight which was rather poor. Cinder was breaking down in anxiety; the wound was bleeding fast and the heat bullets don't work long range. His arsenal of Crackers won't help as well as the Hobgoblin looked it would survive gunshot. He was drowning in sweat "Ya Al‑Muhaymin, save me, for none can protect but You." His desperate plea being loud. But his prays were answered, He saw the hobgoblin move away from his bat. He took the chance and run towards the bat with all him might. Yet before he could reach the bat, his bleeding leg gave out. He crawled but to no Avail as the hobgoblin struck him down. But in a last-ditch effort he rolled aside and lunged from the handle just to fall a little short. He extended his hand out to grab which felt like air.
But... he did grab something.