Jesse sat staring at the pipe gun in his hands feeling numb. He had killed someone. On some level he knew the man had not only deserved it but was also going to kill Myra, but he had still ended a life. The battle raged around him, Aegis was staying close fending off bandits that ventured their way. Tormund had picked up the electrified club and was using it to fight other bandits nearby, in combination to his essence use. He looked pale and clammy but Jesse could see several streams of essence flowing towards him. Nira and the virescent still clashed faster than eyes could track.

  Jesse looked up as the red essence streamed out of the dead arcanescent. There was a lot of it, it looked like a deep impenetrable crimson fog. It flowed towards him, seeping into his chest. Immediately he felt his stomach wound closing, his darkening vision cleared. He knew it would scar but he would live.

  “You did what was necessary Jesse.” Golem said to him mentally. That missed the point. He had still killed someone. Yes these bandits were horrible people but they were still people. Life was easily spent but not easily brought back. On some level though, Jesse wondered, could the ever really have been redeemed? Surely the world was better with the gone.

  Jesse looked up to find Myra kicking the dead arcanescent with tears flowing down her face. The corpse made a wet thumping sound as her steel reinforced boot struck it. After a few moments she stopped, breathing heavily. She then hefted her hammer and returned to sweeping up the few remaining bandits.

  It didn’t take long for the battle to wind down. Tormund and Myra had taken out the remainder of the the bandits. All except the two virescent, who fought to a standstill. The larger bandit was slowly gaining the upper hand. His sword had much greater reach than her daggers and, while she was faster and stronger, reach mattered a lot in a fight. Blood dripped from a dozen small wounds over her body. Jesse knew it would only take one lucky blow from either of them and the fight would be over.

  Jesses world slowed again. His perception sharpened. What is happening to me? Jesse wondered.

  “I am doing this, just as I had earlier in the battle.” Golem offered him mentally. “I can assist your mind in perceiving your surroundings at a rate closer to what I do. It consumes essence at a greater rate but I believe I can absorb essence from you into my power unit to maintain the crystals charge. This will have an effect similar to if to were an essence user “burning” their essence.”

  Jesse didn’t have time to think about the implications of this. He watched as Tormund raised his hand and got a blast of lightning off. Jesse could see the bolt of electricity slowly fly towards the two clashing virescent. It slammed into the chest of the bandit, causing his muscles to jolt rigid. This brief immobilization of the bandit was long enough for Nira to plunge a dagger into his neck. She plunged her second one in a moment later and delivered a viscious kick to his chest. This resulted in the verescents neck exploding into a shower of blood. His corpse flew several feet and went completely still. No amount of essence enhanced vitality would save someone from that.

  More death. He was sure Tormund had killed a few bandits as well, though both tried to avoid it like Jesse had asked. Myra did not have much regard for holding back on the men. Of course they had murdered her husband so Jesse understood why. He also understood that in a battle like this, death was inevitable. At least it hadn’t been them.

  Aegis came up to Jesse and licked his face, smearing some blood on it. Tormund and Nira approached a few moments later. “You saved us.” Tormund said. “I know it’s not easy. The first one rarely is.”

  “It should never be easy.” Jesse muttered. He stood. He still felt numb but they all appeared mostly uninjured.

  Nira had a few gashes on her arms but nothing severe. They healed a moment later as she absorbed her enemies essence.“We should get moving. There is no telling where the soldiers are.”

  “I do not detect the soldiers. I do detect the necrescent though. They are approaching quickly. Necrescent are hard to detect since they are the complete absence of essence. I suggest you take the food you find in the camp and flee.” Golem said in Jesse’s mind.

  “We really need to go. The necrescent are coming fast.” Jesse said.

  “They could probably sense the essence use.” Tormund said. “Let’s grab what we can and go.”

  Jesse checked the crystal in the pipe gun. It looked a lot dimmer from that single shot. The weapon had been much stronger than he had anticipated. The shield and the club seemed to have held their charge better. Likely the rate of depletion related to the strength of the effect produced.

  He sighed. He would need to find some more crystals. These items had been extremely useful. Nira grabbed the food and the five of them began walking through the woods.

  “At your current pace the Necrecent will catch up to you in a matter of 10 minutes.” Golem rang into his mind. Jesse was exhausted. He didn’t know if the could outrun the monsters.

  “We need to pick up the pace. They are coming too quickly.” Jesse relayed.

  The five began running. They kept it up for some time before slowing, Jesse and Tormund just not having the stamina to run for long.

  “Come on old man!” Nira said to Jesse.

  “I can’t.” Jesse panted.

  “We won’t outrun them. Not at the pace you two are moving. Aegis and I probably could. Myra too.” Nira said with a frown. “We will have to fight.”

  “Fighting four necrescent? You must be out of your mind!” Tormund exclaimed.

  “No more than Mr talks to himself over here.” She said, indicating Jesse. “Look, they aren’t smart. Let’s lay a trap. No essence use, only physical traps and weapons.”

  “How far away are they now?” Jesse asked Golem.

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  “You gained a small amount of time. They stopped at the site of the battle and are moving around it. Soldiers are farther in the distance as well. I would estimate 20 to 30 minutes until Necrescent arrival.”

  Jesse nodded. This would work. He ran through some designs for traps in his head. Most would take too long to do or too many resources. But they could do something with the wire he had and the woods around them. Myra’s supplies would be massively useful. He had Tormunds magic and Nira's strength to use. “Alright, here’s the plan…”

  A half hour later Jesse stood at the back of an earthen cave that Tormund had raised. In front of it lay the traps the group had set. The Necrescent were in for a nasty surprise. “How are we looking golem?”

  “They are approaching, though they appear as though they intend to go around the cave.” Golem said.

  “We can fix that.” Jesse said. “Burn some essence.” He told his AI. Time slowed for Jesse, which was not convenient when waiting but it would draw the creatures. He hoped.

  “They are coming.” Golem reported mentally. His voice sounded normal in Jesse’s mind.

  “Have you discovered any other new abilities?” Jesse asked.

  “I have not. Aside from my ability to more directly interact with your nervous system and my increased sensor range. Perhaps I require more essence or another trigger.” Golem said back

  “We will see I suppose.” Jesse said. “Stop burning the essence.” Soon in the distance he spotted a figure creeping low to the ground. It seems they’ve arrived to the party.

  The four saw him and broke into a run directly towards him. The trap was obvious but these creatures seemed to function more from instinct than anything. As the first one neared the trees it hit the first trap. A log that had been sharpened to a point swung down from its place above. Behind it Jesse’s shield dropped from another rope. The log slammed into the creature at the same time a second log slammed into the shield. The shield vibrated and let out a shockwave towards the monster, which sent the Necrecent to be impaled further onto the log. Jesse had hoped this manner of indirect essence use could still be used on the monsters. It seems his theory was correct.

  The log, which was nearly large enough to cut the creature in half, pierced the monster straight through. The necrescent was stuck halfway through the shaft of the log, screaming in outrage. Not pain, but pure rage. Jesse mentally cheered, one down!

  The next approached the entrance to the cave Jesse was standing in the back of but fell into the concealed pit that Nira had burned essence to rapidly dig. It screamed as the wooden spikes within pierced it all over its body. It thrashed around, making the situation worse for itself. Two entered the cave. Jesse yelled. Behind him the wall dropped, revealing Tormund.

  Jesse stepped back through the doorway and drew the sword at his waist. He had borrowed Tormund’s blade for the purposes of this trap. Wood and leaves fell from the ceiling in the cave, dropping on top of the monsters. Tormund lit the debris on fire, causing the creatures to scream. Magic may not directly affect them but fire was fire. The fire may have been started with a little flick of essence, but the blaze was all natural.

  So far the plan was going flawlessly. Why did Jesse feel like something was wrong then?

  Jesse stared into the flame, waiting for something to happen. Suddenly one of the Necrecent burst from the smoke, lunging at him. Jesse watched it in slow motion, Golem slowing his perception. The creatures skin was blackened by the intense heat, but it didn’t seem to care. He raised the sword and the creature impaled itself on it, knocking him over and falling on top of him. It’s jagged teeth clicked a centimeter from his face as it tried to gnaw at him. The monster’s too long claws dug into his side and the world sped up again. He could feel the essence start to pour out of him. His HUD, powered by the crystal in golems housing, flickered.

  Golem? Jesse thought at his AI.

  “Apologies, my systems are being interrupted by the creatures essence drain.” Golem replied. His voice was distorted, like interference in a radio system.

  In an instant Aegis leapt at the monster. It was firmly gripping him with its claws however and it didn’t let go. His loyal dog bit viciously at its neck. Black blood dripped onto Jesse’s body as he still frantically worked to push it off himself. Pain shot through his sides. He could feel himself waning as Tormund delivered a kick into the creature's face. It relented and let go. The second creature burst from the flame for Tormund. Nira dropped from atop the earthen trap and onto its back, stabbing repeatedly into its spine. It screamed in anguish and began rolling on the ground. She remained firmly attached to its back.

  The monster that had attacked Jesse bled heavily from the wounds on its neck, but it seemed un-phased by the injury. It squared off against Aegis. The dog lept at it and the monster delivered a wicked slash down her side. Jesse could feel the burning pain it left. He knew that Aegis couldn’t die without taking him with her but that also upped the level of danger on his own life. If she drained all his essence what would happen? Is that how these monsters were made? He didn’t know. He watched as her wound began to slowly knit together.

  To his side he could see that Nira still sat astride the other Necrecent, stabbing it over and over. What did it take to kill these things? Jesse rose to his feet and charged the one fighting Aegis. He could feel his essence was low. Even if he couldn’t use it, he somehow knew. He stabbed at the creatures side and it screamed, slashing him across the chest. He had donned the chainmail in their preparations however and this protected against the sharp slashing claws, it had not protected against the stabbing that the monster had previously inflicted on him. Regardless, the impact of the slash still hurt.

  Myra approached now and slammed her heavy hammer into its spine. Bone crunched under the blow. Together he, Aegis, and Myra flanked the creature, striking it over and over. Finally, after what seemed like an hour but was really only a minute, the necrescent went still. There was no influx of essence. Nothing happened, it just died. Jesse reminded himself that whatever these things were, they definitely weren’t people any longer. The archon had a lot to pay for.

  Jesse winced as he looked down at himself. Blood trickled from beneath his armor. Without essence to heal it, he would have to bandage that soon. Jesse returned to the fight after the momentary distraction.

  The creature Nira was fightings head rolled free of its neck and it finally stilled. They could hear the screams of the other two creatures, who were presumably still stuck in the traps.

  “We need to go.” Jesse said. “If they get out we can’t fight them.” He bled from the wounds on his side. Aegis had deep gashes along both sides of her, though they were rapidly closing. Nira was covered in small cuts from where she was thrown around. The only uninjured ones were Tormund and Myra. “Here.” Jesse gave Tormund his sword back. His club was still belted to his waist, not being particularly useful against creatures immune to the essence effects.. “We shouldn’t leave behind that shield.”

  “I’ll get it.” Nira said, speeding away. A second later she came back holding the shield out to Jesse. He took it, turned it off, and strapped it back on his back, covering the nearly depleted pipe gun.

  “Kaelan is within detectable range with his soldiers. I suggest you flee.” Golem stated in Jesse’s mind.

  “Okay, let’s go. We will keep off the main roads. It’ll make it harder for them to track us.” Jesse said, walking towards the capital. His actions, responsibilities, and just plain exhaustion weighed heavily on him. How could he protect everyone? He could barely protect himself.