Theo was dead. Tala was left unconscious under a pile of scrap metal and shattered concrete. I was left alone before the Trial Boss with it or me only needing a single strike to die. However, I had the advantage. The Blightwing was trapped in the avalanche that Tala managed to create. I didn’t know how much longer it wouldn’t be able to move so I needed to act now. But, I couldn’t. The crystal in my hand kept my attention. I had never heard of a [Skill Transference Crystal] before. There was no mention of it in our studies and none of the First Unlocked ever talked about one. It was marked as a legendary item. Perhaps it was incredibly rare and this was the only one ever found. Another thing that didn’t make sense was what was a legendary item doing in a class pathway Trial? It was unheard of. The last thing that bugged me about all of this. Why did Theo give it to me? I brought forth my [Codex] and examined the item.

  Skill Transference Crystal: A rare crystal created by the overflowing powers of the entity known as The Trinity. It contains the capability of collecting and transferring skills and abilities. Users can use the crystal to absorb special abilities from fallen enemies or use it to store their own skills. By crushing the crystal and focusing on the stored skill found within the user will be granted a new ability.

  A new ability? Did Theo put his Blood Magic into the crystal for me to have? Why would he do such a thing? Below the description of the [Skill Transference Crystal], there was an additional notification. I pressed my will to open it and read the ability stored inside the crystal.

  Blood Manipulation: A second stage Blood Magician Cultist specialization ability. This grants the user the power to manipulate their own blood to create various constructs, weapons, and armor. The greater the sacrifice the user is willing to make the more powerful the objects created. Additional buffs and effects can be applied to constructs or applied to other items. Furthermore, the ability can be used to enhance other weapons and armor. It requires the user to use their own blood as a resource and can be both powerful and dangerous. Caution: Overuse of the ability can cause severe damage to the user and even death.

  This was the ability Theo had been using before. An enhanced ability from his specialization. He must have earned it as his special reward for reaching the top of the Crumbling Tower. A reward he received along with the [Skill Transference Crystal]. What had been his plan with the crystal? Was he going to save it for after the Trial or use it against the Blightwing? Well, it didn’t matter anymore. He had transferred his own ability into the crystal and given it to me. But did I dare use it? The ability killed him. Even if I did take the skill I was so exhausted already that using it would probably kill me as well.

  I dropped the crystal into my inventory. I didn’t want to worry about that now. I wanted to finish the Trial, save Tala, and get home. I placed my hands upon the shadowed ground and forged my weapons again. They were shorter than before and seemed to flicker in and out of existence as if they struggled to exist. I knew the feeling. I stepped away from Theo’s body and headed for the ramp. My body was slow to move and my heart was the reason. It felt heavy with guilt and carved with unwelcoming questions. How do I tell his dad? Should I try and return Theo’s body? If I did accept the [Skill Transference Crystal] and the ability within, how do I explain it to the others? I shook my head and rubbed my eyes with my wrists. My eyes burned with drying tears and fatigue.

  I dragged my feet up the ramp and onto the next floor. From there I could walk over to the Blightwing who was struggling to move. Every few seconds it would try and break free of the snow only to give up and let its head drop. It was breathing hard and dropping loose stones, which fell with soft clicks, from its cracked body. I pulled myself over a fallen column, sliding down the other side. My ankles nearly gave out when I landed. I let my body fall back and rest against the column. When I managed to regain some balance I continued on.

  After rounding a dark crevice in the flooring and ducking beneath some bent metal beams, I was within a long jump’s length from the boss. Its eyes were wide with animalistic rage. As I approached it took one last snap with its beak but it ended a foot short of me. It clattered its jaw again, starting with a violent rhythm before slowing down to a whimpering click. Its head lost the rest of its strength and it dropped. I took the final steps until I was standing over the boss’s red-swirling eyes. I lifted my shadow blades and prepared to end it all. With my last strength, I struck down. My attack missed as the Blightwing shriveled back. I nearly knocked my fist against the ground.

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  “You piece of shit,” I said. “Just die already.” I took three steps and swung my shadow blade down again. My body was pushed back as a rush of glowing light broke free from the snow mound. No! It still has enough strength to do another attack? When will this end?

  The snow started to melt away. The Blightwing was attempting to reactivate its Final Radiance again. If it managed to do so, then I was dead. I let the short rush of adrenaline push me through those last steps. A quick burst of light pushed me back again. I fell to my knees and lost one of my shadow blades as it faded into the darkness. Looking up, the Blightwing had managed to shift its body out from under the snow. It stood tall, its constructed body radiated like a lava lamp. It had regained its Radiance form again, but it was different. Its body was breaking apart. The power it had recalled was too much.

  The Blightwing took a look at me then turned its attention away as Tala stumbled to her feet. “Theo? Ward?” She held her head in her hands. Blood was on her fingers.

  “Tala!” I yelled. “Get back. Run. Now!” It was too late. The Blightwing reached down and grabbed her with its beak. It held her like a dead fish, broken and ready to eat. I yelled for it to drop her but it ignored me. It stretched its mighty wings and started to take off. The blood spear Theo used to keep it grounded was gone. I bolted for Tala, my blades ready to cut its throat in half. I wasn’t going to let it kill Tala as well. I wouldn’t be returning from the Trial alone. Never alone!

  I couldn’t get close enough to gut the beast. The riptide of its wings pushed me away before I could manage an attack. It even kept me from standing up. It beat its wings faster and faster. Stronger with every rush of wind. Eventually, the gust was so powerful it pushed me flat to my chest. It made it hard to breathe. The Blightwing managed to break free of the remaining rubble of the Tower and take off straight into the night sky. It rose high until it hovered a hundred feet above the wreckage.

  I stood and stared up at the beastial shadow flapping its wings within the gaze of the moonlight. I yelled up at Tala until my throat burned and my voice died out. How was I going to save her now? What could I do? I turned to look for anything that could help me. Anything at all. My sight fell on what used to be Theo Fletcher. His body was sprawled out, arms outstretched and legs straight. He had wings of blood sprayed on the ground. Wings? What is possible? Could I do what Theo did?

  I let my last shadow weapon vanish and materialize both my knives in its place. It felt good to have them again. They were sturdy in my hands and the weight was reassuring. I could tell they were weaker than the shadow blades but something felt new. Better than before. I opened my [Codex] and sure enough there it was. The skill I had been waiting for. [Dual Wielding] was now under my Class Skills. There were five blank stars next to it, marking it as Rank 0, and I still had two Class skill points to spend. Without hesitation, I upgraded the [Dual Wielding] to Rank 1. It costs a single skill point to do so. For me to upgrade it to Rank 2 it would require three skill points. Dropping the [Codex], and gripping the knives, I felt a huge difference now. My blades were fast and accurate and no longer weighed my attacks down. Perfect.

  I planted my feet firmly on the ground and concentrated on my [Shadow Smithing] skill. There was an overcast of shadow directly behind me. I took a step back and focused on creating a pair of wings. A pair of angelic-looking wings draped from my back, their structure was soft and slightly transparent. I concentrated on stretching them out but as I did they vanished. I didn’t have the spirit to keep the wings. There had to be another way.

  Looking back at Theo, I understood then. There was another way. I retrieved the [Skill Transference Crystal]. It was warm to the touch and flowed with red energy. It even pulsed in my hand like a torn-out heart. I held it. Felt its power. Above me, Tala screamed. I crushed the crystal in my hand. I received a strange notification. It was bold, red, and burned my eyes as I looked at it. Or perhaps my eyes were the ones burning.

  [Class Specialization Skill Acquired]

  [Blood Manipulation]

  I felt the hot river of blood flowing under my skin, coursing through my chest, and feeding my brain. My entire body, all of my blood was now a resource for me to use. A separate material ready to be forged into whatever I wanted. I wrapped my will around the blood coursing through me. Pulled on it. Twisted in my veins. Dragging the blood to my spine and shoulder blades until I forced it to push through my flesh. It was agonizing. An awful pain beyond simply physical. The blood was dripping down my back now. I took it in my will and forged it into a pair of angelic wings. Glorious cardinal wings of crimson flowed in the air like floating rivers of blood.