Bro, I'm not an Undead!

*Pant, *pant.

Revia’s raspy breath could be heard as she breathed in and out, cold sweat trickling down her brow. Her eyes were wide open as she looked nowhere but downward.

Her focus was only in one place as she made sure to not let the object of her focus out of sight.

Many questions drifted through her mind as she hung up on the ceiling of the temple, her feet supporting her suspension as they pressed against the painted wooden beams that on either of her sides to give her balance.

‘Who is that?!’ she thought to herself as her brain went into overdrive.

She recalled clearly how it had all happened and her instincts had flared, causing her body to literally vanish and appear fifteen meters above ground within fractions of a second.

Her movements had been quick and silent, issuing less sound that a whisper as none of the congregants had noticed anything amiss even now.

Valis had sensed it all though.

He was also extremely anxious.

His thoughts and Revia’s were the same.

‘How did I not see or sense this person before?!’

The old man warily gripped his staff tightly as he prepared to deal with the oddity while Revia also did the same. But both of them couldn’t attack carelessly or else they risked the many lives in the temple.

“I will have to postpone the giving of the message for the day. Could everyone leave for a while?” Valis said to the congregants as with his words came confusion and hushed chatter that was replaced with prompt cooperation seconds later.

Revia’s hands were on the sheathed sword at her side as she narrowed her eyes, condensed mana beginning to layer around the sword for one brutal strike should this assailant even try to make any excessive movement.

Surprisingly, this figure did not move as the congregants left the temple. It didn’t seem as if he was interested in them at all._.

His half green and white mask that hid his face betrayed no emotion.

He donned what looked like a dark linen hood jacket that reached his knees, similarly coloured pants along with knee high simple boots with a rubbery heel adorning his body from the waist down.

He silently sat at the bench with his hands clasped against each other as he was deep in thought.

“Who are you? I sense a thick energy of death around you. Are you someone from that infamous heretic organisation?” Valis asked.

There was no response.

“What is it that you want?”

Still, no answer.

At this point Revia was ready to strike. She was sure she could kill this man before he could defend himself, which was ironic when she herself considered that her first instinct when she sensed his presence a minute ago, was to create distance between her and him.

She couldn’t forget that sensation. It barely registered as a mere presence.

It was suffocating!

It was like blinking, only to find a hideous wide maw with sharp grotesque teeth opening up to devour you!

Faced with that for a moment, she couldn’t help but retreat.

She had wanted nothing more than to run away in that moment, but now, she had collected herself.

As she was about to draw her sword…

“My name is Actuass. Yes, I’m a member of the Green Neolists. In fact, I am its current head.”

The man finally answered.

Revia held herself.

“As for what I’m after…” Actuass said, his head turning to Valis and then up to Revia above. “It’s you…”

Revia knitted her brows as she felt a jab towards her pride.

“You want to kill me?” she asked while grinding her teeth, the High Order Priest below beginning to raise his staff.

“Kill you? No. I’m not the one who wants your life. Rather, I’m interested in your death.”

“…”

Valis and Revia were both equally confused about this.

Wasn’t that the same as saying he wanted to kill her?

“Oh. It’s become apparent to me that it’s true… you ALL don’t know that there is a difference in forces that exert both life and death.”

Actuass sighed under his mask.

Suddenly, Revia felt something wrong with her. The same was true for Valis.

They both felt something leak from them and spill outwards. It was in miniscule amounts, but because of their levels of power and natural awareness of their own bodies, they felt it vividly.

It was quite the uncomfortable feeling. Whatever left them held a warm about it that they felt was essential but…

They grew even more hostile as Valis went on to point his staff at Actuass, a star shaped white light being emitted from the blue sphere at its end that quickly began to circle around Actuass, increasing its velocity to horrendous levels to the point where only a hazy white sphere could be seen around the immobile figure of Actuass.

This was one of the skills of this legendary artefact that Valis held, a skill stemming from a Divine Blessing!

Impenetrable Star Prison!

As long as the star continued to rotate around the target, exiting outside its influence was impossible.

Also, all attacks that came from the target would not be able to escape from within.

Yet… the enemy was unfazed.

And the feeling of something being sapped from their bodies didn’t stop!

“You can’t stop it. Not even I can either. I’m sure that feeling is driving you mad. Losing something but not being sure what it is and where it is going. Would like me to enlighten you?” Actuass asked with a cold yet apathetic tone.

Revia wanted to attack in this moment, but many thoughts of caution were swirling in her mind.

What if increasing her proximity to this enemy made whatever this feeling was even worse?

She had discarded all arrogance after constant lectures from Elita. She wouldn’t wager her speed against an enemy like thus without further information.

The enemy seemed too relaxed. What if he had a backup plan and drawing close to him gave him exactly what he wanted?

The man had just said that he was here for her after all.

While she was locked in these thoughts, Actuass continued to speak.

“It’s an odd thing that happens when I face opponents with hostile intent. They start to lose their lives before they can even engage me. That is… what you’re losing right now… is your life energy.”

…!

WHAT?!

Revia and Valis were appalled!

This was a lie right?

This man..!

Just facing him caused an odd phenomenon where they would begin to lose life energy?!

Revia closely sensed this energy and monitored her body.

With her fine control, she found that this might actually be true!

The qualitative changes within her for the past few seconds did indicate that, if a percentage was to be used, she had lost 0.002 of her strength!

Valis raised his staff again to attack, but this time, Actuass gave him a stare but made him leap back!

From the white and green mask, the hazel glow of an eye, peeked to give him a sense of dread.

“It’s rather cumbersome that I have to tell my opponents this detail every time for maximum benefits on my part. Usually such an advantage is kept hidden but… now that you know, your body is in panic and is trying to seal off the leaking life energy within. And it eventually succeeds.”

Valis and Revia both frowned as when they thought about this, it turned out to be true.

The life energy that was leaking from their bodies suddenly stopped and as if to eagerly affirm  Actuass’ words, their bodies instinctively scrambled to find a way to stop the leaking of life energy as soon as he mentioned it!

And now, the ominous flow stopped as what happened next shocked them to their cores!

Instead of the dreadful evil they thought to be under way, a massive surge of power erupted from their bodies. If it was to be calculated, it would be more than 30% of their total strength, bursting to enhance their natural abilities!

Did this energy just give them a buff?!

What was going on?

At this point, Actuass stood from his seat, even while the bright star revolved around him.

“All beings lose life energy superficially. That’s what causes aging and death. But for you, your bodies have temporarily sealed off all escape routes for life energy entirely on response to well…. me. Of course, this causes a huge boost to your strength and now, we can begin.”

“You underestimate us. Even without a proper understanding of what you just said, I am of the mind that you’re merely arrogant if you think you can kill us both in a confrontation?” Valis questioned as a golden barrier appeared around him in a fantastic fashion.

Actuass’ body began to leak black and bright green fumes that obscured much of his body.

He extended his hand, from thin air, a skeleton appearing with a tall dark shade of green, cracks visible on its skull as with a flickering transition all its parts fully formed.

From its dark sockets…. red flames burst forth with a luminosity and intensity to caused the space within the temple to turn several shades darker!

Actuass then turned to Valis who was bewildered by the ferocious strength in the skeleton this enemy had summoned.

“Like I said,” Actuass said before looking up again where Revia’s energy was beginning to melt the ceiling as she prepared a powerful attack with her eyes like a hawk’s and her hand grasping so tightly to her sword that it almost choked.

“Someone else wants your life. I merely want your death. When I’m done with you… You’ll never see an afterlife.”