Gacha Leveling

Magical fire, and all other magical elements, only exists while it is being fed mana. Once the source of mana is depleted, the fire ceases to exist. Therefore, the heat produced by the flames only last while they are being fed by mana much like real fire needs fuel to burn.

That was the reason many fire spells, though could burn gravely a person, didn't cause widespread fires. Because, once the mana that fed the spell vanished, the heat it created was quickly dispersed.

However, even magical fire could create enough heat to ignite objects if the flame was kept live with mana for long enough.

That was what Ffyr's flame-throwing spell was doing around them. It ignited the wood of the furniture, the papers of the documents and even the fur of the Gnoles. It didn't take long for the first floor to be covered in fire and for the sprinklers to activate flooding the ground with water.

Throwing away his safety on his berserking state, Matthew was now surrounded by Gnoles who hit him with all they've got. A spear opened a nasty cut on his belly and a knife found his leg. All injuries he ignored using his Anesthesia skill.

The water on the floor flew high with every large step Matthew took to plunge his sword into another Gnole. The water hitting him warm of his face heated by the flames from Ffyr's magic.

How much time had passed?

Three? Four minutes? One?

Matthew couldn't say. He wasn't counting anymore. He was not concerned anymore. He was just happy to be where he was. With the blood of his enemies running over him. With the feeling of having a life fading away under his blade. This was so much fun.

That a club hit him on the knee making him kneel on the floor. On the next moment, a claw drew red streaks on his face. Mathew was quick to dispose of those two Gnoles, but another plunged its spear on his back. His Vital Shield was failing and could not protect him anymore from the onslaught of the creatures' attacks.

Ffyr was out of mana by now and all she could do was hover near Matthew while he backed himself into a wall. He breathed heavily. His skin was black and blistered by the miasma. The Gnoles around him approached slowly and carefully. They've seen this before on their hunts. A corned wounded beast was dangerous and needed to be taken down with care.

"Those bastards got us, Matt." Ffyr laughed. "Let's kill the most we can before they kill us."

"I'm sorry Ffyr." Matthew said more focused now that he was hurt. "I fucked up. I let the demonic mana guide my actions."

Ffyr just laughed. She was far too intoxicated with the demonic mana to think past her dark desires.

"Coward." She mumbled.

It was then that Matthew's phone rung in his pocket. A screech of tires echoed from outside followed by the call of a large bird. It was Lumi.

Michael jumped out of the car as soon as the tires could not move anymore locked in place by the bodies of the Gnoles Vanessa ran over. He charged his arrows with his new skill and fired them into the crowd of Gnoles that were still outside.

Each arrow that met its target exploded with a fierce burst of mana.

Lumi flew high swinging its wings and freezing a wide number of Gnoles and dove into the police station by a window.

While Paula strengthened her brother and Vanessa with her spells, the latter got out of the car felling Gnoles with her daggers.

Inside the police station, Matthew saw Lumi fly in screeching and using its talons to rip and maim the Gnoles surrounding Matthew. With a flicker of her wings, she froze the water on the ground locking all the creatures in place and extinguishing the flames that were still burning the furniture despite the water raining down form the sprinklers.

Matthew took the opportunity and charged forward easily killing all the Gnoles that fought to take their feet off the ice that now covered the floor together with Lumi that flew to and fro each of them.

After all Gnoles inside were dead, Lumi quickly flew out to get away from Matthew's miasma. He himself walked out the front door killing any Gnole that passed his way.

"Matthew!" Vanessa screamed for him seeing the state he was in.

He was red from head to toe. Covered in blood, spreading miasma, his left eye glowing hot with red mana, his skin dark with unholy mana poisoning. His teeth seemed to shine white behind his wide smile against the dark red that covered his face.

"Matthew! Enough!" Vanessa screamed getting close to him when the Gnoles started to retreat given the great number of losses Lumi and the others caused them. "It's over, they are all safe." She said.

Matthew looked at her still smiling. His head was running a thousand of thoughts about her. Sexually taking her right there, or gutting her, or taking off her head, or…

That was Vanessa. He couldn't. He wouldn't. Not her. Never her.

Mathew took a few steps back letting go of his weapons. He started to breathe deeply trying to take control back of his own mind. But then he heard Ffyr's voice in his head.

"Why are you hesitating? Take her. Make her yours." She said in a sultry tone.

"No…" He fought back his negative feeling.

Vanessa caressed his face gently.

"Kid. Purify yourself. Stop the miasma."

"Yeah… I should." Matthew said like that was news to him. He was lost in his evil desires.

"Now kid." Vanessa warned him with her tone.

"Don't! You don't have to!" Ffyr protested.

But, despite her protest, Matthew used the skill on himself anyway.

"Wuss!" Ffyr complained while he got rid of the demonic and the unholy mana inside of him.

When he was in full control again, he grabbed Ffyr from the air and purified her too against her will.

"Can I get some too?" Vanessa asked him showing the skin of her hand with some ulcers from the miasma form when she touched him.

"Sure!" Matthew hurried to grab her hand and purify her. "I'm sorry about that." He apologized.

"It's alright, kid." Vanessa said. "You had to use every weapon you had."

"Is he hurt?" Paula got close now that the miasma was gone with Lumi perched on her shoulder.

"Yes." Vanessa said before Matthew could speak pointing to his wounds.

Paula flicked her hand healing Matthew's cuts from afar. Her face clearly disgusted by the blood he was covered on.

"How's he?" Michael said getting close himself after making sure no other Gnole was around.

"For someone who faced an army on his own. He's great." Paula said turning her attention to the wound on his leg.

The cops and some civilians came down to see the aftermath of the battle and talk with the party that saved their lives.

"Thank you all." Said the captain who was carrying an automatic rifle. "We couldn't have survived without you."

"Well… We came to save this idiot." Paula said treating the injury on Matthew's head.

"Thank you all for coming for me." Sarah said getting out of the police station and checking on her brother.

"Where in the hell is the army?" Vanessa questioned the captain.

"They're being deployed, but it will take some time for them to get here." He said shaking his head.

"What about the ones stationed at the gate?" She asked puzzled. "They should have a contingent there.

"Haven't you heard?" The captain asked. "The gate was conceded to the Howling Spear guild."

Vanessa's blood boiled when she heard that name. It was the same guild that was responsible for the death of her husband and Eric's wife. They've done it again. They got the concession of another gate and let it all go into chaos.

"Matthew." She said trying to hold in her anger. "You said Eric was at the gate?"

"Yes." Matthew nodded. "Oh yeah! I have to tell him Sarah is alright." He remembered getting his phone and calling Eric. "No signal. He must be in the gate." Matthew commented.

"I'm going there." Vanessa said walking fast towards the car and pulling the bodies from under it.

"I'm sure he's fine." Matthew said following her.

"It's not that. I need to talk to him about all this."

"About what?"

"It's them again, kid." Vanessa groaned pulling the last body from under the car. "The Howling Spear."

It's just then that Matthew remembered the name.

"I'm going too." He said taking a laugh out of Vanessa.

"You are in no condition to fight. You need to rest." She said.

"I'm going." Michael said.

"Me too." Paula added.

"Thank you two. It will be a great help. You stay here and make sure they're all safe. I'm sure the army should be here soon." Vanessa told Matthew before getting in the car. "Take care of your sister." She added when Matthew tried to protest silencing him.

He watched as their car drove away worried about what was going to happen.

"They'll be alright." Sarah said patting his shoulder.