Ocean Of Broken Dreams

'That guy followed me for the whole day…And the servant girl from the inn also glanced too many times at him. She also isn't ordinary.'

As Alexander exited the building, he leaved a bit of Boundless Energy on the door and indeed the man also exited after a few moments and followed while maintaining some distance with Alexander.

'Let's see what you're after, Loser!' Alexander smirked and opened the map. After a few considerations he found a good small alley and inconspicuously vent towards it.

He turned right and sat on the empty barrel. There was no one there.

After thirty seconds at the end on the alley appeared a figure with covered face.

When it saw Alexander, who was waiting, it stopped. The boy observed this person and immediately noticed a huge number of minute green lightnings crawling like worms around this fellow's figure. It wasn't the same green color of his life flames but something more…wicked. – "What business does an Esprit have with me. I'm only a small innocent boy…" – The man's face was covered by white mask.

Behind his back he gripped tightly the dagger. Then suddenly he made it disappear. The ring-shaped tattoo on his hand flashed once.

The man observed him for a moment. Then a melodious voice slightly broke the atmosphere. – "My Master wants to talk to you, Boy. Would you be so gentle to follow me?"

His tone was kind and caring. Alexander didn't move. – "And who is your Master?"

"You will know then you meet him…"

The worms like lightning started moving slightly faster. – "Please." – The man extended his hand towards Alexander and a cold glint flashed in his eyes covered by the mask, but it didn't escape from the boy.

He slowly stood up from his barrel and neared the masked man. – "Ok, sure, let's go." – Alexander smiled.

'[Burn]'

A purple flash appeared right before the man's face. Alexander felt as the tip of his dagger touched the mask's surface.

'Damn it.'

Alexander frowned. Near his left foot the white mask was already burned to ashes. 'This guy removed the mask immediately…'

"That was a wrong choice, Boy!" – All the gentles disappeared from the voice. Under the mask there was human face covered with many cracks. From them now seeped cloud-like energy tainted with green.

"Aargh!" – Suddenly Alexander felt some pain. He looked down and saw on his left arm an expanding gray spot. He felt as if many ants feasted on his flesh. 'When did this bastard…When I tried to hit him, he also attacked me. This may be dangerous.' But another wave of pain assaulted his brain.

"Hahahahaha. Now my Curse Energy will slowly devour your body and mind hahahahah."

"Your death will be painful…" – The man wanted to add something else when he suddenly twitched.

'[Burn]'

The gray area stopped expanding and was rapidly consumed by Alexander's purple flame. In his mind a new characteristic appeared.

'Hmm? [Curse I]? Guess I could've predicted this one…'

"You were saying something?"

The man was left speechless and could only swallow his monologue about Alexander's painful death. "N-no! Just come with me!"

He suddenly jumped towards the boy and launched a fist on his abdomen. It was quick, precise and covered by the Curse Energy. Alexander tried to dodge but was a step too late.

*Sbam*

He coughed some blood while flying backwards and hitting the ground some meters away.

'[Burn], [Life IV]'

"You're not my match. Just surrender…" – The man went towards the small body still laying on the ground. He kneeled before the body. 'He is a bit too weak…DAMN IT!"

The dagger pierced his belly. Alexander grinned. – "BURN!" – And the dagger exploded with purple light right inside the Esprit's body.

The man immediately distanced himself from the boy but still managed to land a heavy punch on Alexander's face. Still it was to late for him. He started trembling as more and more energy dispersed through the wound on his belly.

"How…" – His question stopped half a way as he looked at his young opponent. Meanwhile Alexander stood up and the man saw on his face a lump of green flame, nearly instantaneously healing the spot that just got punched. – "To think that you've got something so…*cough*…powerful!"

"Yeah. You've lost. Now, tell me who is your boss, Loser!" – Alexander proudly smiled at his opponent.

"Hahahahahahahahahahah!"

The boy frowned. – "Why are you laughing?"

"Because you think that I will answer your questions!" – Suddenly the man dashed towards him and let out a huge amount of Curse Energy. – "LET ME SEE HOW YOU WILL SURVIVE THIS!"

'No, I've let my guard down too early!'

The man was too fast and appeared next to Alexander.

*BOOOOOOOOOM*

[…]

"Aaaah."

Alexander slowly opened his eyes. As he tried to move, he found that his whole body wasn't answering his commands. He realized a wisp of Boundless Energy to examine his own situation and was horrified.

Seven bones were broken and pierced his flesh. Many others were fractured. He had many difficulties to breath and a piece of metal plank pierced his back.

Nearly half of his muscles were ripped and twisted. Alexander felt happy for being unable to feel the pain.

'[Life IV]' He started guiding the green flame and slowly repairing his body. The last thing he has done was to burn the metal plank stuck in his back and heal it. The whole self-treatment lasted half an hour.

After that he managed to slowly stand up.

'Seriously, this healing ability is too overpowered…But it also consumes tons of bloodline energy. I have none right now.'

He looked around and his face paled a little bit.

Before he was between two buildings in a small alley.

Now there were only two hills of rubble and a small crater formed by the explosion in the middle. 'That was even more overpowering…'

Many people already gathered around.

He took out a bottle of Devil's Rose that he had bought before and drank something like a few drops to recover some energy. – "That's better."

Alexander rapidly entered in the crowd and started walking towards the dock. 'I need to tell everything to Captain.'

According to the Boundless Map he only had to pass two streets and a small square to arrive to the ship.

Suddenly he felt observed.

'Not again…' He quickened his pace and threw a rapid glance behind. There was another masked person. It was already holding a chainsword. 'This one will not fall for an ambush…'

He started running but the next moment a shadow blocked his passage. 'A second one!' This one had two daggers.

Forced by the two Esprits Alexander stopped.

There weren't many other people and these who saw the situation quickly leaved the street. The one with the chainsword stepped forward. – "Follow us!"

The other one also talked. – "Both of us are more powerful than the one who you managed to kill before."

Alexander stood silent without moving.

*Swish* Purple light flashed and in his right hand appeared a slender, sharply pointed sword, the weapon of the Third Sword of Shurika, while in his right hand appeared an old looking bottle. – "Don't you dare resist, Lowlife!" – An invisible pressure enveloped Alexander.

"I'm…not allowed to resist? Hahahahahahahah."

He slowly raised the bottle and drank three large mouthfuls of its scarlet content. The bottle disappeared and he started trembling. – "NOT ALLOWED TO RESIST!?"

At first it appeared on the sword's tip but then his whole body was covered by the purple flame. Its color was never as dense and profound as it was now.

His bloodshot eyes stared at the man with two daggers. – "Yes, how can you resist our lord's comman…"

*Swish*

The man suddenly stopped talking and touched his neck.

After a few second a purple line appeared on it. 'I'm not quiet there…' Alexander's mind was surprisingly calm. Like a machine he made a single slash.

He imitated the man named Ghill from his last dream, but still was far weaker and slower.

The flame completely engulfed the man who fell on the ground.

'[Curse II]? Indeed, they are more powerful…"

The boy turned around and looked at the man with the chainsword. He trembled. – "S-s-stop!"

But suddenly Alexander smiled, the flame disappeared from his body and he started running even faster than before.

The man was startled but he suddenly understood. 'The lad finished his energy with that one slash!'

He gritted his teeth from rage and followed behind

[…]

'What an idiot!' Thought Alexander while running toward the ship.

He already could see its black sails. His pursuer was surprisingly slow and after seeing that he could not catch the boy he retreated and disappeared inside the city.

Alexander got on the board and sat directly on the floor.

The last slash he made really drained him and was impossible to perform without drinking some of the Devil's Rose.

"Hey, you are not in a very good shape, Lad. What happened?" A fat man asked him.