Graverobber I can Steal Spells of the Dead

g the man was possessed as he had no pity or affection for murderers. Killing a killer is justice, and if Im to deliver it, Ill do so gladly. Getting stronger for it is just an added bonus.

Mezlok raised a brow in confusion—inside Lyros mind, of course. ”So why have you not done so before this? Killing killers, delivering justice? ”

Lyro looked at his hands, his mangled hands that had been perfectly healed. ”Because before this I did not have a daevil on my side. ”

Mezlok grinned. ”And when the others come for you? ”

”Let them, ” Lyro said, heartbeat thundering. ”When they find me, theyll find death. Im not going back. I refuse to stay pathetic. I refuse to die in this dump. ” A lot of obstacles stood ahead, an array of things he hadn done before, experiences he hadn even thought of having.

Steeling his nerves to go up against a gangster possessed by a daemon was the first of many to come. And if he couldn face even this, then there was no path going forward, as on that path waited blight daemons and hunters, daevils and daevilmen.

Ill survive to see the infinite tomorrow, Lyro vowed to himself. Even if it means risking my life in the finite today.

Mezlok snorted. ”There is no tomorrow if you die today, boy. ”

”The only ones who die in Mezloks presence are his enemies, ” Lyro threw instantly.

Mezloks daevil eyes widened in surprise before he bellowed a loud laughter of amusement. ”I was right about you, ” he said, grinning. ”You are an interesting mortal, Lyro. I definitely like you more than the others I have encountered through the decades. ”

”That so? ” Lyro whispered. ”Then if you want to see something even more interesting, tell me about the abilities I can make use of right now. I have a plan, but I can make it alone. ”

”Fatelinked can never be alone, ” Mezlok said. ”And as for the abilities, you have but two, since the rest of my hexes were— ”

My fault. I know. We
e over that. Tell me of those two. Your daevilhex, I assume.

”Indeed. Each daevil has a unique daevilhex, and each daevilhex is made of two different hexes. In your case, one belongs to your Left Hand, and the other to your Right Hand. ”

Lyro nodded, remembering. ”Thats what they were… ” As if the symbols knew they were being recalled, they emerged out of thin air in front of him, glowing with an ethereal red-orange radiance that did not make anything brighter.

[Daevilhex: Grim Chains and Reaper Scythe]

[Left Hand: Soul Shackles (0/3)]

[Cost: (3) Maena.]

[Effect: can temporarily suppress any (1) Power of the target by (5) points.]

[Right Hand: Soul Scythe (0/3)]

[Cost: (10) Maena. Can only be used (1) time in (1 day).]

[Effect: can harvest souls of the dead.]

”I can call them just by thinking? ” Lyro asked, but did not wait for any answer, instead thinking of a certain Power he wanted to see again. It appeared at the speed of thought.

[Maena: (3/3)]

Lyro sighed. Mezlok had said he had two abilities. That was true enough. But what good was the Right Hand hex as of now, this…Soul Scythe, if he couldn even use it? ”Not two. Just one. And barely even that. ” He did not have enough maena. Though he was surprised he had any at all.

Most hunters were maeges, users of maegecraft. That was the only way for humans to stand against monsters from other worlds. Maena was something you were born with, and the ones who did were by extension raised to become future daemon hunters, protectors of humanity. So how Lyro had this genetic gift, he didn know—

”It is mine, ” Mezlok answered. ”Weakened by you. But mine. ” That made sense. When they had been locked together in a fatelink, Lyro mustve received the daevils maena, just as he had got his abilities. And one other thing.

Pocket, Lyro commanded, remembering how it had contained the thing that had healed him perfectly.

[Pocket:]

[Crystal: Strength Dew]

”The soul of everything is a rune, an archaic symbol, ” Mezlok read Lyros question before he even thought of it. ”And if something is maegical enough, you can evoke its soul and turn it into its rune form to store it in your Pocket. ”

Lyro nodded, looking into the symbol…the rune for the crystal inside his Pocket. Before other runes burst out of it in a glowing flurry only visible to his eyes.

[Strength Dew: can double strength for 2 minutes.]

There were no variables. This item had concrete limits.

Just as Lyro now had a concrete idea of what he had in his arsenal.

So he took a peek out again. The target hadn moved. ”The plans still to stab and run, but this time I have a solid distraction. ” And a maegical ability and item as well.

Mezlok grinned. ”So tell me what it is. And it better be interesting. ”

”I promise on that. ” Lyro dropped his makeshift weapon when he stepped out of his cover and broke into a sprint toward the thugs, making sure his steps were as loud as they could be. But instead of telling it, how about I just show you?