Espex The Demon Mage. (1)

Chapter 32: Hooded Death

Espex was at a loss. He had never had a beating quite this bad. The pain no longer seemed to register with his body; He saw the punches but was incapable of avoiding them. The taste of blood thick in his mouth and the pain off breathing kicking in. He was sure he could hear Samth and Grix screaming but right now it could be his imagination. Who was this hooded figure? How was he so good? These questions came to Espex mind but then the pressing matter came to hand. He was being beaten to death, this situation however would not be occurring if he could use magic but he can’t. He would not allow it his Asura blood boiled over his reason.

“You need to do something he is being killed!” Samth now being held back by a few older Asura unable to continue the fight.

Fure barked back at Samth “I know but it is our way, I don’t understand he is no stronger than he was all thoughs years ago. Almost like he stopped progressing, but that’s impossible.” Then a memory took hold of old Fure’s mind, Tate had placed a seal on Espex the day he took him. That’s it Espex was forever trapped as a young boy in terms of fighting skills. Fure was mad, gutted and unsure then a bigger horror took hold. What would he be like untapped, unsealed what kind of monster would be walking the world? This frightened Fure so much so a small piece of her was glad he was sealed. Then shame entered her old body, shame she had thought them, her grandchild was being killed in front of her and again she was helpless, customs made by people thousands of years ago. It was the way of the Asura; she said this sentence over and over in her head. It was what kept her sane as the scene unfolded.

“You are weak? How are you a Lord?” Said the hooded figure as he smashed his fist into Espex eye.

With a blurt of blood Espex replied, “Ashra was already tired, I just used it to my advantage,” this comment was replied with another punch to the face.

The hooded figure was faster, stronger and more experienced than Espex.

“It took me months to get here again, and when I arrive it was the perfect time.” Espex managed to get away from the man’s grip and lashed out with a swing, with a back step the man avoided it. Espex never let up he pushed forward swinging and kicking wildly, technique had disappeared desperation was now holding Espex firmly. “What is wrong with you? Look what magic has done, you have relied on it too much, you have lost what you are, I was there all thoughts years ago, I watched the fight with Ashra, and I saw a person worthy of being called Lord. What I see now is an empty shell, a loser.” The man said this while avoiding all of Espex advancing attacks, he was toying with him.

“Who are you?!” an old Fure shouted.

The figure simply turned and a glimpse of his mouth was seen, all he did was smile. “Hush, I will say once I win.”

Samth as well as Grix both still being held back by Asura onlookers simply grit their teeth and watched the horror show unfold.

A scream came from Espex fanged mouth, a scream of frustration. “Yes that’s it! Let the anger out! Be what you are. A demon of Asura!” Another wild swing at the figure but he simply blocked it with a hand and retorted with a kick to Espex chest, Espex was pushed off his feet and fell to his knees. The man looked down at his victim. “I am disappointed in you. Your presence from years ago is gone, nothing like it was. You shame Asura.”  The man turned his hidden shadowed face towards Samth. “Once I kill him, I shall kill you as my first act as Lord. You are an outsider; you only got in because Espex is Lord.”

“Try it!” Samth shouted her fists clenched, it was a front she was terrified, an opponent Espex couldn’t beat had his eyes on her. Doom surrounded her small frame. Grix barked loud ready for battle.

“Brave girl you may be off sport.” The man turned back to a defeated Espex on his knees. Blood staining him from head to toe. His body broken and his will destroyed. “In fact I will make Espex watch as I kill you.” The figure began to walk towards Samth and Grix, Fure jumped in front of Samth, readying herself for battle.

“Run lass you are no match! Espex may be done but I will not allow you to die!”

The hooded man seemed to blur out of existence and he appeared in front of Samth, almost like he teleported there. She was unready, a hand wrapped around her slim neck and picked her up, Grix tried to blast of a spell but was punched off Samth’s shoulder by his other hand, and Grix winced as he flew back onto the wooden floor. Fure stood stunned, he was on another level, and Samth was dead.

“Look Espex! You have the title Lord but you can’t even protect a simply woman, How would you defend our clan? This will be your punishment before death. You will watch her die!” Samth struggled kicked, even tried to scream nothing, she couldn’t even summon mana, his grip titan like. His free hand evened out pointing it towards Samth like a knife.

Espex just stayed on his knees, zoned out. Fure was stunned watching the hooded figure as were the other Asura. Grix lay on the wooden floor out cold.

Only one word came out of Samth’s pretty red lips. “Help.” Tears running down her pretty slim face.

“Die” The man trust his hand.

Sitting at his table, Tate clutched his heart suddenly; pain ran from his heart to his head. A great explosion of mana, the very walls of his small room cracked, the table he sat in front of broke in two and the glass on his window exploded out. His white robe flustered as if in a great gust of wind and his beard blow forth. A scream emptied out his old grey lips and his eyes widened with fear and panic. Isis one of his greats burst through the door, her usually purple eye, red with fear.

“Master!” panic in her voice. “What’s wrong?” She held a long sword in her left hand and a large ball of flame in the other.

The mana in the room cooled down and a tired, breathless Tate sat on his chair trying to catch breathe.

“Espex…” Each word was in between a gasp. “He… Trouble… Demon… Seal… Broken…”

“What are you saying?! Is Espex in trouble is Samth!!” Worry in Isis face and eye.

Finally catching his breath, Tate spoke. “Espex has broken the curse I put on him as a child. I fear for the worst.”

“What curse?!”

“When I found him he was no better than a wild demon, swinging magic around like it was nothing, that however was not the problem, it was his physical strength and his ungodly blood lust, the moment I saw him I knew. A demon was in him, or should I say he is a demon. So to prevent another outburst, I cursed him; I kept his physical technique and bloodlust to that of his childhood.”

“What does this mean? Espex is already one of the best fighters in the country? He owns the biggest bounty.”

Tate just gave a grim look to Isis and fear crossed his eyes. “We may have to make plans to kill Espex. I don’t know how the backlash is going to affect him, He could harness it or it could break his mind in two. Years of bloodlust and physical power will flow into him; He very well may be the most powerful thing in Skov or the world,”

Isis just stood stunned as her flame burst out in her hands, “Master, What about Samth?”

Tate just put his head down. “Pray, Pray for her”