Composure, adaptability and coordination, these are not the only skills one needed in a fight, but compared to the rest lacking in any of these three could spell defeat for a fighter. And while Theodore lacked the more complex skills, he was gifted in these three aspects of combat to the point the they could somewhat make up for his lacking areas.
But all of that was out the window now. After all, adaptability in the face of attacks one couldn't respond to, and coordination against bodies that lacked any semblance of normalcy were futile. Composure though, was more valuable than ever, and with the aid of the undaunted trait, his already robust mind was even stronger.
'How is that going to help me in a fight though.'
How was it truly.
At the moment two spawn, blood crazed monsters lacking any semblance of intelligence stood ready to lunge, sink their fangs into his flesh and rip him apart. The only reason they had yet to do so was because he, the prey refused to be devoured, and even fought back, as futile as it was. After all, handling one spawn was already a deadly undertaking, taking on two, and at the same time, he was practically begging to be killed.
The creatures snarled, tensing their muscles ready to lunge once again, but before they did, Theodore reached deep within himself, down to the source of the empowering warmth that strengthened his body. He was already struggling to handle a small portion of the strange strength he had yet to fully understand. But he knew that if he faced the two of these creatures the way he was, he would soon find himself sprawled lifelessly on the ground ready to be devoured.
So what did he do? He drew out more of that power! More, and mor and more...
'And even more!'
Theodore's body was swelling with a strange sense of euphoria as his body was growing stronger and stronger. But at the same time, the pain he felt was rising to match it. When he finally reached his limit, barely able to keep himself upright, he grit his teeth suppressing a groan as his vision blurred.
In the next moment, the creatures and he exploded forward. The leading spawn brought down a hand aiming to flatten him with a single strike, but Theo avoided it, leaning to the side and continuing forward as its hand crashed into the ground, leaving a web of cracks behind and having its claws bite into the asphalt road.
Leaping and grabbing its emaciated body by its collarbone he pulled himself up. The creature turned its head towards him, its four sunken and crimson eyes focusing on him . He pulled his arm back, shaping to throw a punch at its torso, but before he could it lunged with its neck . Spotting it, he released his grip falling to the ground and causing the creature to bite into its own flesh.
Theodore hit the ground in a roll, gravel scraping against skin as the spawn tore its fangs free pulling with it chunks from its own chest and shoulder, it shifted its gaze towards him as wet screech burst from its throat.
Before it could recover Theodore planted a hand on the asphalt and rushed to his feet shaping to dash to the side. His gaze was fixed on the spawn in front of him, focused and filled with an intense will, a will to strike his opponent down, but as he readied himself, something important dawned on him, and hie was instantly filled with a sense of dread.
'There are two of them!'
Theodore whipped his head to the side searching for the second spawn, but before he could find it, the second spawn was already upon him. Its skeletal frame blurred as it lunged from the side, maw outstretched and ready to devour him in a single bite.
Cursing inward Theodore twisted his body at the last possible instant avoiding a fatsl strike. Despite his efforts though, a wave of agony flared across his ribs as the it still managed to rake just barely his side, shredding cloth and drawing blood. Coming to a rolling stop a few few away he looked up at the charging beasts.
Jumping to his feet and onto a rusted car behind him he furrowed his brow. Ignoring the pain already plaguing him channeling even more of the empowering warmth. Pushing against the car he soared above the creatures, his figure being highlighted by the sun. The creatures followed preparing to swipe their clawed hands, but the brightness of the sun above obscured their sight, and using that opening he struck.
Plummeting to the ground he pulled back a hand, tensing his muscles to their limit and when in range released a blow onto the skull of the spawn so fast and packed with so much force that the the impact could have been heard from a miles away.
Then using the spawns body as a hold, he swung onto the torso of the other and strained his hands digging his fingers into its hide and tightly grasping what looked to be its collar bone. He wasn't able to break through and draw blood himself, but that wasn't his purpose. The spawn let out a bone chilling screech, and reached for him, in that split second, he leapt away.
Landing past the rusted car which was quite a distance away, he strained to breathe. His body had been battered not by the spawn, though they did do some damage, the stinging pain at his side attesting to that. No, what had done the most damage to him was his own power. And the more he used it, the worse it would be. The problem was, he couldn't afford not to use it.
With it, he was already barely holding on, but without it... he didn't even want to think of how that brief exchange would have gone. The power he received from the stigma movers will was great, and was most likely not even a fraction of what it was truly capable of, but it was the miniscule amount his un-adapted body could currently handle.
Staring down the spawn as they groggily got to their feet his vision blurred in and out for a moment. Scoffing he took a deep, strenuous breath and sighed as he activated the second ability in his possession, eye of truth. When he did his vision that had grown blurry instantly cleared.
'I can't keep this up any longer!'
As if signaling their desire to end this battle as will, the spawn snarled, dropped to all fours, and moving faster than the did only moments ago they cut through the air with tremendous speed. Barely registering the imminent danger, he leaned his head back avoiding the clawed hand of the closest by a hairs breath only to realize the second creature had launched an attack of its own.
Its hand struck him in his chest, the moment his body collided with it a sickening crack echoed and a ghastly wound was ripped open on his chest. For a second, his mind blanked out, but he was soon woken up by another impact as he was sent him flying into the wall of a nearby building.
A second later, he opened his eyes to see the creatures barreling down on him.
'Move!'
Willing himself to move, he threw his body to the side avoiding the first strike, but yet again he fell prey to the second. The creature struck him with full force two of its fingers piercing his stomach and sending a jolt of pain through him. A moment later he was sent through the wall, concrete and dust exploding outward as his body tore through the structure.
Breaking out at the adjacent end of the building Theodore crashed onto a road before finally coming to a stop amidst a swarm of abandoned, rusted cars.
For a brief moment, everything was silent as he stared into the blue sky above, barely remaining conscious. Then just when he thought things couldn't get any worse the pain arrived. A ragged gasp escaped Theodore's lips as agony flooded his body all at once.
'Why?!' he thought desperately as it ravaged his body. The sensation feeling like a bot million needles were pricking his body all at once. The agony was unbearable, but still, he refused to give in. He maintained his ability strengthening his body and tried desperately to stand. First his left leg, then his right, then leaning on a pile of rubble he puled himself upright.
'No! I refuse to give in! I refuse to...'
Then, just as he nearly found his footing once more, he didn't know what, but something in him snapped. When it did, he felt the empowering warmth dissipate and with it the pain allowing a cool refreshing sense of relief to briefly wash over him. But only a moment later, that pain returned, and this time it was a dozen times more excruciating.
In an instant, every muscle in his body seized, his legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed onto one knee, then two, then finally he fell on his back a strangled cry escaping his throat.
"ARGH!"
Sat there motionless, the world around him spun.
It felt as though his bones were being crushed from within. The warmth that had once flowed through his body like a raging river strengthening, and reinforcing his body had vanished, leaving behind only devastation. Torn muscles, fractured bones, shredded flesh, injuries that the power had allowed him to ignore now made themselves known all at once.
Blood poured from his wounds and his vison quickly blurred out.
Just before he lost consciousness however the pair of spawn burst from the building casting their bloodthirsty gazes at him. Without any warning or hesitation they lunged at him.
as they did, a rhy smile appeared on his face and he chuckled and said in a hoarse nearly inaudible voice.
"Damn... you! You... bastards!"
Just before he lost consciousness however, he was greeted by a shocking sight.
Only a few meters away, the leading spawn reached out ready to grab and crush him, but before it came any closer, a polearm came down piercing the creatures head through and hitting the ground with a resounding impact.
"Seriously? You just... don't know when to quit...Can I get... one damn minute..."