Second Chance

First Quest

Noah's left arm tensed, a white-hot fire ran through his forearm, streaks of red flowed from the three marks on his pale white skin. He had barely been able to jump back in time before the ghoul's yellow bone claws tore his flesh. The two other ghouls began to inch their way closer, and Noah began to shake. 

"This is real. What the fuck, this is real," Noah's mouth trembled. 

'Skill activated - Calm Mind.'

His body stopped trembling, his mind felt washed by a cool breeze, and all the fear had subsided. Noah was able to plant his feet into the grass. The center ghoul lunged once more, its grotesque skin and bone body slowed in Noah's eyes. He clenched his fists and threw his right. His knuckles pressed into the leather-like flesh of the ghoul's face. Its rotten teeth were pushed into its open mouth as it flew back into the bushes. 

"Well, that works," Noah grinned. 

Warmth rushed through his body. His breaths and heart matched pace. It was such an unusual sensation to Noah that he felt a euphoria In the midst of life and death. The pain in his left arm couldn't be felt as he fired his fist towards the left ghoul. A cracking sound ripped through the air as the ghouls white filled eye was pushed further into its socket. Black ichor flowed from the eye socket. It didn't fly back like the first one, but his leg swung in front of him and snapped at the knee, the toe cap of his shoes struck the sternum bone of the ghoul's chest, and a visible concave dent was left. The ghoul coughed up blackened blood and fell onto its back. Its limbs twitched before its body was still. The last ghoul rushed towards Noah. He spun on his toes, and his right fist struck across the ghoul's face. Its head spun, and a crack sound left its body, collapsed on the floor. 

The ghoul's bodies faded away into a black mist, similar to how all the people in the park disappeared when he was dragged to, wherever the hell he was. Noah pulled out his phone once more to check the map. The three red dots that were close were no longer visible on the screen. They must have represented the ghouls. Red dots had swarmed around the blue dot he saw north of him. Noah could only think that it was the exit and that he had a big fight ahead of him. Would he be able to defeat them all, though? A scream rung out through the park. Noah realized what the blue dot was now. Another player.

 Noah sprinted towards the scream. With his points allocated in dexterity, he found he was many times faster than he was before. He couldn't imagine being able to run a meter without the need to stop and catch his breath, but now he was able to cross distances like he was Usain Bolt. As he cleared the treeline, he saw a mass of ghouls swarmed around someone he could barely make out. All he could see was bright blonde hair in the midst of them. 

Noah's foot planted on one of the ghoul's heads as he leaped towards the swarm. The momentum sent the ghoul into some of his compatriots. Its body crashed into them, sending a few to the ground like he just played bowling with bodies. He didn't have time to think and swung his arms out, his torso twisted as he tried to connect with something, anything. He struck a few down, but he felt the claws of one dig into his collarbone. His shirt and flesh were pierced through, and his shoulders tensed up, his jaw clenched as the pain seared around the skin. The wet sound of saliva filled his ear, the ghoul's foul hot breath against his neck forced Noah to push forward. The claws that were embedded into his body tore away at his skin. He could feel the dampness of his shirt from the blood that now seeped into the fabric. 

In front of him was a woman. Her athletic built body was covered in cuts, her hot pink tank top and black leggings had rips and tears all over. Her eyes were wide, and the green iris' stared at Noah, the only other person she had seen in this nightmare. The swarm encircled them and would soon be able to feast on their bodies if they couldn't find a way out. Noah threw out his leg at one that came close, but his strength had waned with the blood loss and was only able to force it back into the swarm.