CHAPTER 13: Roar... (Part 1)
I stayed between homes cutting diagonally through town, making sure to veer away from any loud or terrifying noises, which there were many of.
I had Ten blocks to go to the supermarket. I equipped my Cloak of the Ba so I could hide if needed then started a light jogged, attempting to keep my noise to a minimum.
The once nice upper middle class neighborhood I started in was now destroyed and utterly unrecognizable. As I cut through yards and jumped fences, it was just one destroyed house after another. Some looked as if a bomb were dropped on them, others like they were inhabited by a score of crack smoking monsters.
I had to slow down and zig-zag a bit to avoid a few of the uglies, I made sure to keep my distance so they didn’t catch my scent.
After weaving through five blocks of destruction I heard something that sounded like talking in the distance, I slowed down and detoured a bit to check on what I was hearing.
I slowly peeked around a corner that was less corner, and more hole in the middle of a single-story ranch style home. It brought a new meaning to ‘open floor concept’ as every wall inside the home was blown to shit.
On the other side of the street, roughly a few hundred feet away I got my first sight of the Shudderlings and Choir Leeches.
The Choir Leeches truly were some ugly fucking creatures, and terrifying. Just like the kid explained, these 2 had multiple human mouths all over their fleshy bodies. A small oblong head with one oversize eyeball and multiple pupils inside the white sclera. They squirmed over the ground, gliding on their wide bottom propelled by tentacles that looked as if they were floating above the grass.
The Shudderlings were terrifying as well, the size of a house cat, they looked like little peach colored slugs with lamprey like mouths on the front of their little slithering bodies. There were dozens of them and like a pile of night crawlers they writhed over each other, unnaturally fast for the way they moved.
I marked the area in my head and went a block east to work my way around safely. I moved slowly but deliberately through the solemn wreckage of the once buzzing town, making sure every step was silent on the way to my destination.
A few blocks away from the store, I saw some familiar, yet terrifyingly different wildlife.
In my youth, me and my friends would always ask, ‘whats the biggest animal you think you can take’, I would joke and say a bear, hand to hand I got him with my jab, stick and move. Just having fun being dumb kids.
However, there was always one animal that I said ‘I don’t fuck with’.
I meant every word of it as well.
I’d ran into one walking late at night and literally started running in the opposite direction and took a 4 block detour on my way home because of it.
The monster in front of me right now, was that animal but transformed into a much shittier version.
“I don’t fuck with skunks” I whispered as quietly as possible to not draw the attention of the stinky french rapist animal.
The skunks tag popped up.
[Techbound Skunk]
[Augmented Wildlife, Network Organism]
The last thing I want is to get sprayed by this guy. It was about the size of a golden retriever, and from the looks of it, my guess is that it was under someones house when the change happened.
The skunks back was covered in sheet metal, from its neck down to the feet, with flesh that looked to be fused together with breakers, as I could clearly see a tripped 15a breaker switch on its front right leg.
The most horrific part was the tail which looked to be triple the size it should be, made out of frayed and stripped wires, each sparking against the others as it moved through a mountain of vehicle scrap and rubble.
It was scavenging through destruction, separating anything shiny or metal. It looked to be pretty determined as it went.
Unfortunately, I had to go through.
This was the least destroyed and quietest area in the vicinity.
I took a deep breath and started moving.
The area was as wide open as it got in this part of town. To one side, an old muffler shop, the other was one of those small neighborhood corner stores found in most small town America. They actually made pretty good sandwiches before all of this.
I miss sandwiches.
Straight ahead was my destination.
An old privacy fence, part of it had been demolished from the car sitting on the road. Someone probably parked for a second to run into the corner store for a quick pack of smokes or a drink.
Behind the fence was my last stretch before the store.
I moved closer to the side of the store, the skunk was still rummaging around the muffler shop. He removed a two foot piece of exhaust pipe. He turned to his side and tossed it into his pile of scrap yard treasure using his mouth.
I froze in place the second before he turned my way, hoping this cloak wasn’t just bullshit system jargon trying to get me killed. I had a bit of cover as there was a mound of cement bricks between the two of us.
He turned back to the scrap to keep digging and I ducked a bit lower and continued.
I made it to the store entrance on the corner of the 3 way intersection, my heart racing more than it did during my losing fight with crazy ghost lady.
Feeling my freedom so close, I got careless and my moccasin slipped on one of the bricks, creating noise that startled the skunk to attention.
I huddled down to the ground behind a blue post office collection box.
The skunk began skittering side to side, moving my way as it sniffed the air.
I picked up a brick of cement and waited. The skunk continued, he strafed right, turning his head with the movement and that’s when I tossed the brick over the stinky guy back at its hoard of treasure.
The freaky little bugger broke out in a sprint to his mountain of junk and I did the same. I glanced back as I jumped over the destruction that sat in the way of safety.
The skunk spun in mid air above its pile of goodies and discharged a fine mist from its backside, covering everything in a fifteen foot radius.
Not only did the stench burn my nostrils from a good fifty feet away but I silently watched as the cement brick on the ground and outer wall of the shop instantly melted into paste. Wood and drywall disintegrated into thin air.
The only thing not damaged by the attack were the metallic items he was digging for. Bare wires that once ran in the walls were now the only thing remaining, still routed toward the ceiling before spreading out, traveling to different shattered light fixtures. Lights that once lit up the shop to welcome hungry customers.
After seeing this I was happy that I was once a dumb kid with a ridiculous, yet totally understandable fear of the striped mammals.
I finished sneaking away until I was confident I was completely out of the skunks territory. The grocery store was still over a block away, however I could hear something from that direction, it sounded horrific. I was sure that it was from this gang of glee club abominations.
A wailing nightmarish hymn played through the air, crossing the ruins of the collapsed town.
The sound was so alarming I panicked, and rushed to drown it out. Not only in defense of any charm or curse they may use, but the sound pained me to hear.
The song was a haunting minor harmony of tortured men and women shrieking in gruesome horror. A melodic cacophony of screams.
I quickly activated Retaliating Wind, realizing I was beginning to feel slightly too calm for the situation that I found myself in.
I sat for a moment, closing my eyes and meditating on the wind.
I could feel it spread thin, surrounding my entire body like a layer of armor, I focused on the feeling of the constant revitalizing breeze that covered my body, every hair moving in sync with the breeze.
I thought back on the power that was held in Shu’s tomb. It felt like the essence of an entire elemental law hung in the balance in that one little chamber. Like my decision could have changed the physics of the entire universe. A little self centered, I know, but the immense power in that place was unimaginable to even brush against as I did.
The sentinels came to mind, the way they covered only their hands with the wind magic. There had to be a way to focus it.
I removed my staff, laying it across my lap and keeping both hands on it. I concentrated on the capability of the energy I felt within the tomb.
I worked on molding the wind armor that covered my body, I started from my feet and forced it up, the more body exposed, the more violent the wind grew.
It became more challenging and much more painful the further I I condensed it. The gusts encircling me grew violent, cutting through my skin then mending it right after.
I strained to coerce the element to do as I wanted, the turbulent nature showing its force.
I struggled to gain control, it felt like my face was being rubbed against a cheese grater.
I felt as though my mistake lie with the Mana seeping from my body.
I was still dumping in the required amount for the full spell to work, but I didn’t need to cover my entire body.
The form of the spell is changing. It’s losing cohesion and causing some sort of chaotic discord.
I felt as if my body were trying to show me my errors.
The burst of Mana was automatic.
When I cast my spell I just sort of think about it and it happens, like pressing a button. I need to change that somehow...
The Mana felt like a warm and powerful radiance, pushing its way out from my center.
I was mentally forcing it into this life and death ball surrounding my head and neck.
I stopped thinking, instead feeling the Mana that coursed through my body. I cut the spell off, then using only the ambient Mana throughout my body, triggered it again, casting on my neck and head.
One step closer.
Mana stopped venting from my entire body, instead it was bleeding out from just the shielded area. The initial burst from my center wasn’t there anymore. The cuts stopped forming and the spell seemed to be working as intended. After repeating the process again, I felt something different.
It was as if my body was actually breathing in Mana all the time whether the spell was on or off.
I felt the Mana soaking my body, it breathed in naturally, then traveled to a bolstered position near my sternum where it rested and felt nourished.
During the last attempt, I felt Mana burst out of my entire body but most of it came from that same fortified area in my sternum.
Determined, I focused on that area and the burst of energy I felt, tamping down my will before I triggered Retaliating Wind once more.
Breathe deep, only put out what comes in. Only around the ears. Go.
Wind rushed through my ear canals, I heard nothing but the pleasant sound of the breeze.
Ha, it worked! Now, let’s hope it helps defend whatever type of magic the words carry with the sound.
I entered one of the decimated homes across the street and climbed over rubble to get to the second floor. I took a knee in the front facing window and got my first view of the super market.
Outside were 4 men. Two stood stark, halted in front of the entrance. One held onto what looked like a piece of rebar with cement at the end, the other may have been a crowbar. The two other men carried compound bows that looked to be straight out of the box, each stood on a raised makeshift platform to each end of the building.
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They all stood eerily straight with a back drop of the dark ruins of a once bustling grocery store.
A place where people would go buy food for the week, some would purchase ingredients in preparation for a special date night with the ones they loved, while others would buy food and beverages to get ready for the ‘Big Game’.
Never again...
I watched the 2 Archers, their heads moved in perfect synchronization with each other. At first I thought, maybe they’re thugs working for the creepy fuckers because they were scared or received something in return. However, those thoughts were quashed the longer I watched, every 10 seconds their heads moved left then right, not missing a beat.
They were being controlled somehow.
I moved to get a better view so I could hopefully see inside.
My new stats made scaling the backside of the next house a cakewalk. From a standing jump I hopped straight up, snagging the edge to pull myself onto the roof of the neat little sun room.
Perched up on the roof of the house, I had a much better vantage point. I could still see everything from my previous spot, but with the better angle I could see further inside the building.
At the moment all I could see inside the store were masses of the Shudderlings, worming around each other in large packs.
I haven’t had time to even breathe since this shit started. At least I can just lay here for a bit while I watch.
While keeping an eye on the store my mind started to drift and reflect on the past weeks, or I suppose days.
No more home, Bell is gone, we walked into town just to see the world in utter chaos, then I stumbled into some alternate universe or whatever. Now this shit, more crazy man-eating monsters, and now they have mind control.
I still need to figure out what build I’m going with since I’m getting close to 10 now. I wonder how the classes work. Do I have to go somewhere to activate it? Are there specific loot drops that I haven’t stumbled onto yet? Or will it just give me a class upon reaching 10? All I have are questions and no fucking answers.
Eh shit, I need to figure out how to clear this place. The Shudderlings could easily overwhelm me with their numbers. Plus, not knowing the physical abilities of the Choir Leeches is another problem I need to solve. I need to find one and kill it to come up with a game plan.
After watching the same 4 statuesque men, as unmoving as the 10 inch steel columns holding patches of the roof in place, I decided to go check in on everyone.
But first, I’m going to kill those Choir Leeches and see if I can kite a few Shudderlings for Arthur to snatch up.
I decided to take a different route back to camp to avoid my stinky adversary with the super acidic spray. Once a few blocks away I killed the spell, my Mana was about tapped out.
“Mana potions would be cool, I wonder if they would taste like the health potions. Maybe mixed berry?”
Suddenly, a mass of the small grubs squirmed around the corner of the next house.
[Shudderling]
[Demonspawn]
I jumped back keeping my distance until my staff appeared. I swung down crushing a few of them in one quick slap.
“At least you guys aren’t tough.”
Before I could raise my staff back to gain momentum for another swing 3 slugs flew through the air like squishy cylindrical barn swallows.
I hit one with the staff in my right hand and caught another in my left hand, tightening my grip to dispatch it, then releasing the dead pile of evil worm.
I gagged as I reached down snatching the third that already latched onto me.
I pulled the creature away but not before it sunk deceptively sharp teeth into my rib cage.
Blood poured from the perfect circle as I pulled it off. A long worm-like entity stretched from its mouth, burrowing itself into the center of the wound.
Immediately, I squeezed the Shudderling to kill it. I reached down grabbing onto the back of the worm and pulled.
Still backpedaling, I removed two feet of nightcrawler from my ribs, grunting and gagging from the thought of having that, thing, inside my body.
Phrasing.
Changing tactics, I sent quick jabs at the last 3 Shudderlings as they dove at me, taking them out with ease.
Another beast came around the corner.
[Choir Leech]
[Demonic Mutation]
“St—” The Choir Leech began its cursed song.
I activated my own spell before he had the chance to finish pronouncing the first word, hoping I cast it in time.
I froze, watching as the creature stalked toward me and spoke again.
I couldn’t hear it and it was almost within striking distance. As soon as it was, I rolled the staff behind my head then swung as hard as I could.
I connected like giant head having Barry Bonds slamming a Home Run.
Don’t need steroids when you have a strength stat that makes you undoubtedly stronger than any human to ever walk the planet.
The head of the Choir Leech ripped from the flailing body, its tentacles falling to the ground at my feet.
I sprinted to the corner of the house. Unable to hear, but I wanted to make sure I kept my eyes moving and know what else may come for me.
I peeked around to see another mass of Shudderlings.
I checked the other side but didn’t find the second Choir Leech anywhere.
Maybe they split up, or this is a different gang-gang?
Regardless I turned back to the mass of Shudderlings and counted them.
13.
I turned the corner with staff in hand. I jabbed and poked at the little bastards, keeping my distance and dodging their sudden flying attacks.
I took the bakers dozen down to 7 then I began jogging.
Every now and then I had to slow down to allow the Shudderlings to catch up. I passed a few new monsters who were fighting each other, so I let nature take course and slim out the competition.
A beefed up and burnt out dog version of one of those hairless cats, was fighting a hopped up raccoon, mutated with some sort of technology. The dog had muscles on top of muscles and looked like it walked on fists. While the raccoon, smaller but still big for a raccoon had spotty burnt hair tangled with eroded copper wiring and eyes that seemed to drink in light, giving it a real trash bandit vibe.
I didn’t get to enjoy much of the show, but the dog had the upper hand, he clipped the raccoon with a paw and was attempting to pin it to the ground as I left the area.
Cutting through the woods about a half mile from camp, I decided to leave the Shudderlings behind in a clearing. I accelerated to top speed, running to camp as fast as I could.
I definitely didn’t trip multiple times on roots, rocks and hidden ghost holes, and I definitely didn’t fly into a tree fast enough to kill a normal person. No, it was brisk pace with no interruptions.
When I arrived Oliver was literally riding on the back of my dog like he was a horse. The kid was a bit too big but if Arthur keeps growing, with a few more levels he would be the perfect size.
Taylor was the first to rush up to greet me, “Hey, did you find them?”
I responded, “I found the store, I perched up across the road and watched for a while. There was no movement outside the entire time. I could see inside where the wall was blown apart and there were at least forty five of those Shudderlings. Which brings me to my next point. Arthur, I dragged a few of those little worms back. Do you want the experience? We should go kill them before they wander off or go home.”
Before he could answer with a head nod or a woof, Taylor spoke up, “I want to do it.”
“No way, I can’t let anything happen to you guys while you’re under my care.” I responded.
Taylor lashed out, “Under your care? Arthur is the one who rescued us and he’s the one who stayed here to protect us while you went out and did nothing.” That last bit hit a sore spot.
“You’re right, I shouldn’t have went out. But, I want to help you guys get your mother. So I did something stupid, for two kids I don’t even know. I stopped my own goal of finding my family, to try to find yours.” I responded as gently as I could, remembering she is a teenage girl, “I just don’t want either of you hurt before I make that happen.”
She was visibly upset, her face showed a few different emotions in seconds, “I’m sorry, I just want to be able to protect Oli. I let him down before. If it wasn’t for Arthur, we would be dead or worse.”
Her reasoning resonated with me.
Everyone should be able to protect themselves and their loved ones now.
“It’s fine. Fuuuck... So, you wanna level up?” I asked her, grinning to lighten the mood, “Fuck it... Let’s do it.”
I tossed Oliver another five spot, preemptively shutting him down and putting a big smile on his face. No need for money anymore so I may as well give it to him if it keeps his mind off things and makes him smile.
“Arthur, come on. We’re moving camp to this so called ‘safe zone’. You’ll stay with Oli-boy here while I go speed level his sister. Have you gained any levels yet Taylor?” I broke down camp, leaving the smallest footprint like my father taught me.
“I’m Level Two. I gained one level the first day.” She continued, “I-I was, with our Dad. He was always dragging me about screen time, missing life, all that cringe boomers say... We got into an argument on our drive to that store. Before going in we both agreed to leave our phones in the car. We goofed off, he pushed me around on the front of the cart. We were walking to the car when the bells came. The sound shattered the windows of the store. Dad... He jumped on top of me when people started floating into the air. He protected me before everything went dark. When we woke up we had to get home, that’s when I got the level. It was unhinged... Luckily, Oli dragged mom outside to play in the snow, otherwise...”
“Shit, that’s terrifying. I’m sorry, it sounds like your pops was a brave guy.” I slapped Arthur on the behind to go comfort her. “Well, for the rest of the day, we are going to power level until we can’t anymore. Then you can always protect this little dude here.” I nodded at Oli and he gave me a thumbs up.
I finally got her to smile with the mention of her father and she replied, “Thank you.”
We walked as a gang to the area where I left the Shudderlings. With Arthur at my side, Taylor on his other side, I carried Oliver piggy back since Arthur helped burn all of his energy earlier.
Before getting too close I laid out a simple plan, “Arthur, you stay back. Only come in if we’re overran, I’ll call you if I need an assist. Oliver, always stay behind Arthur. These aren’t the toughest monsters but they’re fast and it only takes one bite for them to do whatever it is that happens if the worm gets inside you.”
“Okay Mister Rick!” Oliver chimed from my shoulder.
I set Oliver down next to a tree behind Arthur, “Taylor you stay behind me, always behind! You’re small enough to keep your body protected by using mine as coverage, but pretend social distancing is still a thing and keep six feet back. I’ll snag them 2 at a time and backpedal. As we move I’ll hold my arms out, use that Rondel I gave you to stab them as fast as you can, we’ll do that until they’re gone. Good?”
Her attitude determined, “Yes.”
“Okay. They’re right up here, I can see them squirming. I’ll go lure them into the clearing then we go. Everyone set on the plan?”
Arthur, “Woof!”
Oli, “Yessir!”
Tay-tay, “Yeah.”
Once halfway through the clearing I shouted to get the attention of the worms. They were diving over each other to reach me.
I waited with Taylor on my six gripping her shaking dagger.
“You got this kid.”
The first one flew straight at my face. I snatched him inches away from landing and held out my left hand.
Stab.
I caught a second that flew uncomfortably close to my crotch while letting go of the first dead. I held out my arm again.
Squish.
Two down.
Three blitzed at once, I grabbed two out of mid air. The third hit my left leg but before it could sink its teeth or little wormy into me, I punched myself. I killed the grub but gave myself a bit of a charlie horse.
Damn, my hands are as hard as stone now.
Taylor killed the 2 I held out, freeing up my hands just in time to catch the last 2.
I turned and held out both arms, watching as Taylor executed them, “Good job! Here try holding your dagger like this.” I summoned Blood Lust and showed Taylor a better grip so she can’t be disarmed as easily. “Just, keep practicing. It’s always good to know how to use things properly. Even if you never use a dagger again after today, you could potentially show someone else down the line.”
I pointed in the direction of this so called safe zone and we were off. We went over different signs for Arthur to use to tip us on different enemy types in the area. If it was any sort of mutated animal he would tap me twice with his tail then point his nose in the direction. If it was anything alien like the Spriggans it was one shushed yip, while anything unknown was a short gutteral growl.
“Okay, let’s take a minute,” We took a seat on a downed tree.
Arthur settled next to me, resting his head across my lap. With the forest finally quiet, I spaced into the nothing and opened my notifications.