A Universe of Bloody Evolution

"Some survive a few days and think they know everything there is about the Void and the creatures it births. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have lived longer than most, and there is still so much I don't know.

The Void is vast, maybe even infinite. Mysteries and new Voidlings are hiding at every corner, just waiting to be discovered. As such, even though I have said it a million times, I will say it again.

Be wary of your every step, sleep with your eyes open, guard your soul, and fight with everything you got in the face of the Void. Because trust me, the Void will hold nothing back."

~Into the Abyss by Lone Traveler

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Leo entered a large room just a few steps after Dylan. In the past, this might have been a living room where families gathered, but now it was nothing more than a shadow of itself. Pieces of broken furniture laid scattered everywhere while Vetilim had already consumed most of the walls.

Gotta get used to those sights. This is the standard now... Leo frowned and let his gaze wander to the corner of the chamber. A single candle illuminated the area, throwing light on a collapsed couch that was claimed by an unknown person.

Laura.

Even though Dylan and Tyler slightly blocked the view, Leo had no problem taking in the girl's most prominent features.

Her short blonde hair, unkempt and tangled from lack of care, framed her pale face. Laura's breathing was shallow and labored, and if it hadn't been for the glimpse of her blue eyes behind her almost closed eyelids, Leo would have assumed she was asleep.

Just from her facial expression alone, it was evident that something got her good. Yet the moment Leo's gaze wandered lower, to Laura's bare right shoulder and arm, he no longer needed to look for the source of her suffering.

Leo grimaced as he drank the sight of sickly and deformed green flesh. If it wasn't for how thin Laura's arm now looked, it wouldn't be that much different from Leo's cursed limb. Just green instead of gray.

Something ate through her skin like acid. If the Voidling didn't run away, I would have said it might be a variant of a Maniac. But no, it just doesn't match... Fuck, why would you leave?

"Laura, hey," Dylan's voice brought Leo out of his thoughts as the man knelt beside the prone girl. "I've got some good news, lass. The street is clear now, all thanks to Leo here. He pretty much killed all Voidlings alone and now decided to join us on our way to the bigger group. As soon as you get better, we can leave." The man turned to him, "Come on, Leo, meet our archer."

Archer, hmm? Leo's eyebrow rose a bit even as he stepped forward.

Laura's head slowly drifted to the side, her lips pulling into a pained smile as her eyes landed on Leo. "H-hey," she stuttered out, her voice quiet and croaky. "T-thanks for helping us. You have no idea how much it mea..."

Suddenly a shudder ran through Laura's body, painting a grimace on her face. "S-sorry. It has been hours now, but the pain just won't go away. I'm starting to think that maybe you all should just..."

"No!" Tyler cut in, squeezing Laura's hand. "We're not leaving you. Don't even think about it. A few more hours and you will feel better, Lu. Just give it time."

"Quite so, lass," Dylan quickly added. "Listen to your cousin. We got this."

Leo smiled when the girl slumped deeper into the couch, the strength to argue leaving her before it could have even been used. There was no use fighting with a concerned family, a fact Leo understood perfectly.

Maybe…

Taking a knee on the other side of the couch, Leo looked at Laura and then at her sickly shoulder. "Can I?" he asked softly.

In the corner of Leo's vision, Tyler and Dylan tensed, the former's mouth opening before Laura could even process the request.

"Hang on a minute!" The warrior almost shouted. "We've already exhausted every possible solution with the supplies we have, and none of it worked. Even the System refused to help. What makes you think you can do anything? You are a reporter, for fuck sake!"

"Bloody hell, Tyler," Dylan hissed, although his gaze barely left Leo. "He's part of our group now, and he's been nothing but helpful. Quit with the attitude."

Alright, enough of that. We are wasting time. Although, I can understand where this reaction is coming from…

Leo faked a chuckle, gathering the trio's attention. "Don't worry about it. I would have reacted the same if it was my cousin. Still, do you think I can take a closer look?"

This time the answer came from Laura after she shared a look with Tyler. "Why?"

Sighing, Leo raised his cursed arm, not even reacting when Laura's eyes widened. "You could say I have a unique outlook on anything that comes from the Void... and I have a few more levels than the three of you. Who knows, I just might find something you have missed."

As Leo finished speaking, he thought the girl would panic for a moment. However, just then, Dylan placed a hand on her other shoulder and smiled. Hesitantly, Laura turned back to Leo and nodded.

"Alright then," he muttered, slowly bringing a single claw closer to the deformed flesh. "Let me know if it hurts, okay?"

With another affirmation from the girl, Leo shut his eyes and softly closed the remaining distance between the arm and claw. Laura inhaled sharply, but Leo paid it no mind; his entire focus was on the Essence surrounding him. Or rather, the energy that poked at his claw.

It was wild and familiar, so very familiar. Even though it was muffled and weaker, the anger and the hate were still there, swirling around Leo's touch.

Just like the energy in the Planetary Gateway. Only it's not attacking this time. Why? What is your purpose?

Opening his eyes, Leo furrowed his brow. "I'm gonna try something, okay? It might sting a bit."

After another nod from Laura, Leo pushed slightly with his claw, only to stop when the girl hissed. That has to be enough. At least for now…

Leo took in a deep breath and concentrated fully on the one ability that just might help here. At this point, the feeling of Drain was as familiar as the beating of his heart, and Leo knew precisely what he had to do.

Intent, will, and control. Just like with the Pulse.

With a single command, the tainted nature of Leo's claw tugged on the Void Essence inside Laura's arm. Come on, slow and steady. The cursed energy trickled into his hand like an almost dry stream, but Leo didn't try to force it, happy to just slowly guide the Essence for his arm to consume.

Out of the blue, the flow reversed, tugging at Leo's own Essence like an angry demon. The pull was weak, barely strong enough to take a bit of the energy Leo consumed back. Yet when he broke the connection and tried the same tactic again, the wild energy snapped at his own, refusing to be controlled.

"Shit," Leo muttered, eyes opening.

"What on earth was that?" Tyler whispered. "There was a bloody glow in the spot where your hand touched Laura. What did you do?"

Nonetheless, Leo ignored him completely, watching as some color returned to Laura's pale skin. Even the greenness on her arm faded a bit. So it worked, at least to some degree.

Dragging a hand through his hair, Leo finally addressed Laura. "How do you feel now?"

The blond girl blinked, shakily raising her injured arm. "Better," she murmured. "It still hurts. I can feel it burning underneath my skin, but now it is a bit weaker? Subdued?"

Leo nodded, expecting as much. "In that case, I have good and bad news..."

"Good and bad news?" Dylan shook his head as he sat down on the floor. "You've got to explain, mate. From the beginning, because I have no idea what you just did."

Sighing, Leo settled down a short distance away from Dylan. "As you already know, unlike you three, I'm a Tainted Human, and this," he motioned to his left arm, "is the source, or result, of my special race."

"And while I'm not really complaining anymore, there is still one drawback to my condition. Negligible as it is at this point." Leo continued. "If I don't consume Essence from defeated Voidlings, the curse will spread until it takes over my body. Like I said, it isn't a problem currently, but it was one in the beginning."

Dylan nodded, a thoughtful look on his face. "Understandable, mate. Morbid, but it's the kind of thing this apocalypse could bring about... Still, what does it have to do with Laura?"

"A lot," Leo answered simply before looking at the girl. "Your injury, don't ask me how, has plenty of unique Pure Void Essence residing inside it. It's wild, angry, hateful even... But there is one crucial similarity between it and any other Void energy."

For now, let's leave the subject of Planetary Gates out of this conversation. Same with the Rift... No one needs to know about that. No one.

Putting his claws on display in front of everyone, Leo finished his explanation, "I can drain it. The System gave me an ability precisely for that purpose. Well, not exactly for that, but you get the point."

Silence fell upon the room for a moment, yet just like Leo expected, Tyler quickly broke it. "That's good, right?" He asked, his gaze glued to Leo. "Lu already looks better."

Leo sighed. Here came the bad part. "It would be good if I had managed to drain the entire thing... or if I could drain the entire thing..."

Tyler froze. "You mean..."

"Yeah. There is still plenty of that Essence inside her arm, and I can't do anything about it. At least not as I currently am..."

"So that's the bad news," Dylan grumbled. "I'm not going to lie, mate. For a sec, I hoped you were like our private messiah. Ready to solve every problem we had." He chuckled bitterly, "Stupid of me to even think such a thing in this fucked up world."

"I.." Leo began, only to be cut off by Tyler.

"You said 'currently'," he declared, fixing his gaze on Leo. "That means you can just get stronger. Mate, you are already ahead of the curve. What are a few more levels?"

Leo grimaced at the pure desperation seeping out of Tyler's mouth. "It's not as simple. The Syst..."

"What? Why?" Laura's weak voice reached their ears suddenly, reminding them of the fourth person in the room. The one this entire conversation was about.

Let's get it over with. No reason to hide this. Leo thought with a mental shrug, even when the constant questioning began to slightly annoy him. This conversation would have been over if they hadn't been cutting him off...

"I can't level up," Leo responded, keeping his voice even. "The System blocked me some time ago because my current race can't handle any more power. It's gonna happen to you too, sooner or later."

"Right then, mate," Dylan spoke up, quickly catching on. "If your current race can't handle any more strength, then evolution is the obvious option, innit? Why haven't you done it yet?"

"Safety and my family." Leo specifically avoided looking at the trio and kept his gaze on the cursed arm as he spoke. Take the hint. Safety is obvious. Family, even more, when you look at me…

Tyler's almost silent "Oh," confirmed that at least he understood. And when Leo raised his head, the expressions on Laura's and Dylan's faces told him the rest.

Thank the Void for small mercies.