At the same time that I removed the heart the giant beast roared and collapsed, causing me to lose my footing for a moment while I escaped. Once I go to the hole, stream of blood followed me as I clambered out of the beast’s shell. I was taking a few moments to wipe some of the fluid off before it clotted on me when I realized I could still hear the beast breathing and groaning quietly.

  “System, what gives? I thought giving it a fatal injury would kill it. Why is it still alive?” I asked it as I made my way to its head.

  DO NOT WORRY. IT IS IN THE PROCESS OF DYING BUT ARCON STONE THUMPERS ARE MONSTERS THAT HAVE HIGH ENDURANCE AND VITALITY TO GO WITH THEIR SIZE. EVEN IF IT HAD BEEN A ‘NORMAL’ ANIMAL, A CREATURE OF THIS SIZE WOULD STILL TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO DIE. EVEN SO, IT IS STILL BETTER THAN STARVING TO DEATH IN HERE.

  “You’re not wrong… damnit. This was supposed to be quick.” I muttered.

  A moment later, I reached the creature’s armored head. It was shaped like a rounded triangle with thick boney spikes the size of small trees sticking out around the top of its head like a flattened crown. Large eyes the size of dinner plates stared out at me in abject terror from under them while blood trickled out of its mouth and nose. Its breathing sounded wet and labored and came out of its flaring nostrils in great, heaving gusts.

  “Easy there big guy, I’m not going to hurt you…. Well, not any more than I have.” I told it, holding my hands out in a what I thought was a soothing gesture.

  It didn’t help. The creature, even in its weakened state, still tried to get away from me. All it managed to do though was shift its head slightly and make pitiful, quiet grunting noises. My gaze softened and I reached out to calmly stroke the ‘soft’ on the end of its nose while being careful not to scratch it with my current form’s claws. I needn’t have bothered though. Even the velvety feeling part was tough enough that my sharp claws didn’t even leave a mark when the creature twitched at my initial touch and ended up pressing its skin against them.

  “Easy there. See? I’m hurting you. I’m done with that…. and I’m sorry. Sorry that I’m not strong enough to get you out of here and back to your home. If I was, I would have without a doubt. As it is, I couldn’t just watch you starve to death in here… And I’m not about to go anywhere until you’ve passed either.” I explained to it quietly while I made my way back along the side of its head.

  I rubbed my hand as I went, eventually coming to rest at the creature’s cheek below its eye. I gave it one last pat before sitting down and leaning my back against a soft part on the side of its face. Out of impulse I started singing to it songs that I remembered hearing back in my original world.

  They were the ones we would sing at our ‘shanty town’ funerals, songs of brighter times and sad melodies that helped to sooth the pain of the person’s passing. Liza did them best and my original voice wasn’t bad... but my demon form’s voice was definitely that on top of being scratchy and ragged sounding. I didn’t know how long I sang but I eventually fell silent as I continued to wait with the beast for the end.

  To help past the time, I checked my messages so I wouldn’t have to deal with them later.

  WARNING! YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED A PANICKING ARCON STONE THUMPER LV 50!

  EVASIVE MANEUVERS AND FLEEING ARE RECOMMENDED AT YOUR CURRENT LEVEL!

  YOU HAVE DODGED!

  YOU HAVE DODGED!

  YOU HAVE FAILED TO DODGE THE PANICKING ARCON STONE THUMPER’S FAILING TAIL!

  YOU HAVE SUFFERED 80 DAMAGE AND ARE NOW STUNNED

  YOUR MARK HAS BEEN ACTIVATED.

  YOUR MARK HAS HEALED AND FORCED YOU INTO A TRANSFORMED STATE

  YOU HAVE USED A MARK AIDED CONSUME ON THE ARCON STONE THUMPER LV 50’S SHELL

  YOU HAVE USED A MARK AIDED CONSUME ON THE HEART OF THE ARCON STONE THUMPER LV 50 TO DEAL IT A FATAL BLOW

  TIME REMAINING UNTIL THE ARCON STONE THUMPER LV 50 PASSES 10:32

  I watched the time tick down on the timer for a few minutes before there was a ding and another message pops up.

  THE DYING ARCON STONE THUMPER LV 50 HAS OFFERED YOU A QUEST.

  ARCON STONE THUMPERS ARE AN INTELLIGENT AND SOCIAL SPECIES OF MONSTER THAT UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF DEATH. AFTER FINDING ITSELF IN A STRANGE PLACE FAR FROM THE SAFETY OF ITS HERD AND ITS HOME, IT FINDS ITSELF UNDER ATTACK. IT NOW UNDERSTANDS THAT YOU WERE ONLY TRYING TO BE MERCIFUL AND IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR EFFORTS TO HELP SOOTHE ITS PASSAGE, THE ARCON STONE THUMPER LV 50 REQUESTS THAT YOU BRING A PART OF IT BACK TO HIS HERD SO THAT THEY MAY TO MOURN HIS PASSING.

  AS A CONSEQUENCE OF YOUR CONTINUED TRANSFORMED STATE, IT HAS COME TO BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE A DEMON. IT ALSO REQUESTS THAT YOU CARRY ITS SOUL BACK HOME SO IT MAY SAY GOODBYE TO ITS LOVED ONES IF YOU ARE CAPABLE OF SUCH ACTIONS

  ACCEPT QUEST? Y/N

  “I wish I could take you back home but I don’t think I can carry souls. I’ll take what I can of you though. I should be able to get myself strong enough for that at least.” I commented as I accepted the beast’s last request. After the quest notification disappears, another message pops up, this time from my mark judging by the ‘font’.

  MARK HAS DETECTED A WANT FROM HOST

  PERMISSION TO USE REMAINING VALUE OF BOON TO CONTACT LOCAL PATRON: DEMON LORD GLUTTONY TO NEGOTIATE AID FROM PATRON? Y/N

  “Sure, why not? He’s already got ‘munching’ privileges on me. I doubt he can do anything worse.” I muttered to myself as I confirmed, causing more messages from my mark to appear.

  PERMISSION RECEIVED.

  CONTACTING LOCAL PATRON……

  SUCCESS!

  REPRISING DEMON LORD GLUTTONY OF HOST’S REQUEST AND CIRCUMSTANCES….

  NEGOTIATING….

  DEMON LORD GLUTTONY HAS OFFERED TO GIVE HOST TEMPORARY USE OF THE DEMON SKILL: SOUL VESSEL SO HOST MY FULLY COMPLETE QUEST IN RETURN FOR CURRENT FOOD ITEMS STORED BY BOTH MARK AND HOST.

  DO YOU ACCEPT TRADE? Y/N

  “I am not giving him Salazar.” I told it, glaring at the message.

  DEMON WOLF KING SALAZAR IS NOT AN INTENDED PART OF THE TRADE.

  PATRON DEMON LORD GLUTTONY CLARIFIES HIS INTENTIONS

  HOST HAS ALREADY MADE AN OFFERING TO KEEP DEMON WOLF KING SALAZAR SAFE FROM LOCAL PATRON

  AS AN APOLOGY FOR NOT TELLING HOST SOONER, THAT PROTECTION NOW APPLIES TO ANY OF HOST’S PREY.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  DO YOU ACCEPT THE OFFERED TRADE? Y/N

  I confirmed and I felt a new hollow swell inside of me while my stomach became empty once more. Something told me that was a part of the new skill that I had just acquired and that I should use it quickly. I turned to pat the monster on the cheek to get its attention and it turned its dulling eye towards me.

  “Still want to go home? Of course you do. Good news is, I’ve just got a new skill to let me carry your soul home just like you wanted. Want me to use it on you?” I asked it as I got up.

  A familiar hopeful spark appeared in the eye I was facing, and I got to work. Placing my hands on either side of the orb, I concentrated on my CONSUME skill and tried to have it target the nebulous idea of what the creature’s soul would be. I could tell it was my mark helping me with my skill this time as it targeted what I wanted and pulled it into my mouth.

  There was an intense sucking noise that felt more than heard and instead of swallowing the glowing mist that came from the monster, I breathed it in and all in one go. I felt something thick and heavy pour into me and settle into my flesh and bones. The pressure grew worse as the skill continued to work until it became excruciating, and I fell to my knees from it.

  By the time my mouth finally snapped shut, darkness was creeping in on the edges of my vision and I felt woozy and unfocused. There was a red transparent warning message taking up most of my sight, but I ignored it look through it and the darkness to focus on the monster and saw had finally breathed its last. I thought it was a good thing until I saw the black veins on my arms and hands and realize that I should really focus on the red warning message more.

  YOU HAVE CONSUMED A SOUL AND HAVE TAKEN IT BURDEN FROM IT SO IT CAN REST

  WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

  MORTAL BEINGS WERE NEVER MEANT TO CARRY ANOTHER’S BURDEN LIKE THIS

  THE SOUL’S BURDEN HAS TRANSFORMED INTO MIASMA

  YOUR SOUL’S TRAIT ‘NOBLE’ KEEPS YOU FROM BEING CORRUPTED BY THE MIASMA

  YOU HAVE BEEN INFLICTED WITH MIASMA POISONING I

  YOU MUST SEEK OUT A PRIEST TO PURIFY YOU OF YOUR AFFLICTION OR A HIGHER DEMON TO TAKE IT FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY.

  IF YOU DO NOT, YOU WILL DIE.

  “Well...fuck me…” I managed to mutter in irritation before passing out yet again. When I finally struggled to come to, I felt a thin arm wrapped around my back to lift my shoulders up off the weird non-floor I was laying on. The same person that was holding me was also speaking with a familiar voice and gently patting me on the side of my face with an equally familiar hand in order to get me to respond.

  “Come now, Samuel. I need you to be awake for this. I won’t be able to help you if I don’t have your permission.” The voice said. My body felt impossibly heavy, and my eyelids felt like they weighed a thousand pounds each. I still managed to crack them open enough to glare up at the demon holding me.

  “Fuck….you...why?” I tried to say but it came out as a gurgling mess. I still got my point across though.

  “Now, now there is no need for that. I am and was only trying to help you. I thought your demon form and fate would protect you from this but apparently, I was wrong. I am sorry.” He told me.

  I wanted to stay angry at him, but I couldn’t muster up the strength to be so. I could barely keep my eye lids open, and I could already feel them slipping close again. The sudden sharp pain of Gluttony sinking his claws into my shoulder brought me right back to glaring up at his toothy, wrinkly face.

  “There we go. I need you to stay with me for this. I cannot draw miasma from you when you are unconscious. I also need your full consent for this considering how your ‘defiant’ soul is keeping me from chewing on you. As to why that is important, well, that is how we gluttony demons take miasma from people. The exact details will have to wait until after you are no longer dying.” He explained to me as I continued to live up to my ‘soul trait’.

  “Trap.” I responded gurgly and I could have sworn I saw one of his ‘eye mouths’ twitch in irritation.

  “Samuel Micheal Jackson, this is not a trap! I do not want anything else from you! You have all ready sacrificed yourself to me – you have nothing more to give me aside from the blasted miasma that is killing you! I do not want your friends! I do not want your family! I do not want anything you hold dear! I just want you live! Is that too much to ask for!?” He ranted at me as he suddenly snapped.