chapter 24- to keep living is to keep wanting to live

The words read.

[Skill: Forging of the Heart

Stolen Target: World Forger class

Time limit - 57 seconds

Description: As the Crimson Smith, you have replaced your heart with the core of a volcano, granting the power and vigor of an erupting volcano. Heal wounds, replace limbs, and reforge one's body like legendary smithing. Your blood liquefies into molten steel, bones tougher than iron, then reforges back into natural skin and bone.]

"Wait, that's my skill, you stole it!" Tommy accused. "That was on my class card. No wonder I'm dying over here with you keeping stealing my skills. Give it back!" He grunted, grabbing my shoulder firmly.

"Doesn't work that way. I don't know how I stole it, but it seems time limited. Just wait it out, maybe you'll get it back after the timer runs out."

Once the timer expired, the radiant words disappeared. "Now let's see...my ruggedly handsome face come back!" Tommy said expectantly. But nothing happened - no steam, no blood turning molten.

"Jayejay, how did you activate my skill again? Is there a spell or chant?"

"I don't know, you'll have to figure it out for yourself. For me it just happened when I touched you - no homo. But maybe imagine your face healing, envision it the way it was before. Your subconscious could be the source triggering your power. That might help, I don't really know," I suggested.

"Can you steal my skill next? Let's test the limits," Maxwell proposed.

I gave it a shot, and more words manifested:

[Skill: Pillar of Light

Stolen Target: Believer of the Outworld Faith class

Description: summon a towering pillar of divine light radiating from your location. This light serves as a beacon to allies, granting courage and improved defense's. To enemies, however, it disorients and slows advances, symbolizing protective guidance provided to faithful followers.]

I spread my hands, creating a radiant circular barrier far brighter than Max's previous one. It felt different, more potent. Maybe if I concentrated it into a single point...

It was just an idle thought, but this seemed more like a support type spell. But that's on the surface level, I have to be more creative, words never said anything about the limits of creativity, So I tried it - using my body as the focal point, I cupped my hands in a prayer stance. But I felt an opposing magnetic force resisting my hands joining together. Straining, I pushed through, the light subsiding and gathering into one intensely bright spot rather than fading.

"Max, what does it look like? Hurry, I can't hold it long!" I grunted.

"It's like...a radiant transparent golden energy Armour vibrating around your body. You're losing control - cancel the skill, mate!"

I finally released it, the force pushing me backward as words reappeared:

[ERROR: Due to loss of control, skill has been terminated and returned to original user.]

The system-like words implied definite rules and limits.

"There's a limit to how many skills I can steal, seems like only one at a time," I realized.

"Good thing too," Max noted grimly. "From the looks of it, you understand our abilities better than we do right now. You'll have to explain what you did."

"I... don't really know," I admitted. "The realizations just came to me instinctively. I'll tell you what I can later."

Khaza approached, taking in the displays with a watchful eye.

"James, it's best we let everyone rest for now. We can do test runs later, not when we're all drained like this." He gestured toward Maddie and Ellie, the latter isolated in a corner chair. "Look at them - Maddie and Ellie need silence. I'm not saying stop, we need to find weapons and learn our supernatural abilities properly. But we're also still human. We need rest."

Khaza's words made sense. Perhaps further experimentation could wait until we'd all recovered the messed-up turn of events.

He wasn't much of a talker before, but it seems like I've become overly dramatic lately. I knew Ellie was there, but I didn't want to approach her. I didn't know what to say. Was I mad? Yes. Was I confused? Yes. But I was also conflicted. I didn't want to be the first one to approach.