CHAPTER 25: Let It Go...
Angered screams echoed through the town, growing louder as we approached the historic Equinox Hotel.
As we walked up the hill where the luxury hotel should have been, we could finally see what had taken its place.
In place of the historic landmark resort was a monstrosity of decadent corruption.
The building in its place stood close to 10 stories high, making it now the tallest building in the county.
It looked to be made out of reflective white steel. Electricity pulsed from the ground up, visibly running through beams and columns separated by large mirrored windows surrounding the entire building. The electrical current converged into one of the worlds most prominent logos, erected at the very top of the building, dead center.
The golden arches of the letter M.
The glowing yellow sign humming with power was the only part of the structure that looked to be old.
“Really?” I couldn’t believe the sight in front of me.
“This is rrrridiculous!” Brenden whispered vigorously and Arthur shook his head in agreement.
We all stood still, momentarily bewildered. After a few seconds Brenden spoke again.
“New Quest!” He shouted, quickly lowering his noise level due to the angry glares Arthur and I sent his way.
“What’s the quest?”
“’Tis titled, ‘Can I speak with a Manager?’ It just says to speak with a manager, Very dull.”
“Same thing I got.”
Arthur nudged my legs then sent me a notification showing that he received the quest as well.
“Huh, I guess being within range of the building hands the quest over.” I whispered as we slowly approached the sound of screaming men and women.
It looked as though the old building was completely removed along with the adjoining homes, leaving large empty plots of dirt around the singular building that took their place.
We stayed in the cover of wreckage on the other side of the road, watching a scene straight out of every retail workers nightmare unfold.
There were close to a dozen people, maybe undead, but I couldn’t be certain.
All of the women, and even the few men, wore the same unpopular hairstyle.
Bob cuts, heavily teased at the top, some short, some longer, but all wore the stereotypical haircut of the pre-rapture monster known simply as, “Karen”.
The incoherent screams were all directed at the building as they charged the outer walls over and over. Every time they made contact they were electrocuted and tossed back to the ground, after which they walked around screaming in the face of one another before giving it another go.
Brenden looked absolutely terrified, horror plastered across his face for all to see.
I motioned for him and Arthur to fall back with me.
Once we were out of sight I spoke up, “Alright, need a plan… Uhh. Brenden, toss a rock as far as you can at the front of the building. Throw it high so they can’t see where it came from. They don’t look too smart, just vicious. Once you do that get into cover then sit back and watch.” I explained getting some sass from Arthur before continuing, “Arthur protect Brenden. If I’m getting whooped too bad, step in until I get my feet under me, then stay back and play defense.”
“You want mmm—m-me to throw at thhh—them?” Brenden asked, his facade breaking once more.
“Yeah, you got this kid. Just dump some Mana into it then toss it high into the sky and step back. You wanted to come with us. You’re going to have to defend yourself and step up. Can you do that for me B-rend?” My pep talk seemed to change something in the boys eyes as determination replaced the fear.
“Of course Sir Rick.” He followed us back to the front of the store.
We got as close as we could, I reached down grabbing a small chunk of stone then tossed it in the air to feel the weight before handing it to Brenden.
“You’re up.” I whispered with a nod of encouragement.
He took the stone into an odd grip and poured Mana into the slab as it glowed brighter and brighter.
I locked eyes with Brenden, then nodded.
Brenden stood to his feet and let the rock fly high. As it traveled toward the front of the building, I ran behind it, letting it fall a ways in front of me.
I summoned my armor, shield and Conviction’s Claw, raising my shield as the small rock landed a few yards in front of me.
The explosion sent multiple bodies flying through the air, killing two and wounding another. Debris peppered my shield as I pushed through the dust.
With all eyes on me, the Karen’s charged.
I threw out an arc of lightning and wind while backing myself up with Retaliating Wind. The lightning connected with 2 bodies, slicing them in half.
The wind forced more to the ground and left superficial cuts across their naked rotting bodies.
I was pressed hard. Bodies and limbs flew at me as I backpedaled. I raised my shield to block deadly blows and sliced out with my sword but only scored light cuts. I sent out another electrical razor whip that sliced through two more closing on my right side. As I sent out the attack I left my back side wide open but realized it too late.
They pounced on the opportunity I handed to them.
I was dragged to the ground, another Karen quickly piling on.
Long, sharp fingernails dug into the skin between my armor.
A broken wine glass held firmly in one of the hands attacking me stabbed in and out of my side.
“I WANT TO TALK TO YOUR FUCKING MANAGER!” The first one screamed directly in my ear then lurched forward biting my ear to remove the lobe.
“DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM! GIVE ME YOUR MANAGER!” The second screamed at the same time, digging the glass stem into my neck and shoulder and slitting the flesh open to my chest.
The incoherent screams were now clear as day. They were all screaming about the manager or yelling out random Karen slogans like, ‘I’m calling the police’ or ‘I’m calling corporate’ along with the more racist catch phrase coming from one smaller lady who kept screaming ‘Speak English!’
The ground rumbled as I switched away from the claw, killing the 2 on top of me with Blood Lust.
I rapidly stabbed the pale rotten heads, leaving open hemorrhaging gashes in the center of their deformed faces to quickly end them.
That’ll be a future nightmare for sure...
I regained my feet, looking to my side to see Arthur, standing in front of Brenden who was pushing Mana into a small pebble.
A fissure traveled from Arthur’s front paws at three of the Karens.
I looked up from the boiling cracks forming in the Earth to finally read the health and tag bar of the Karens.
It threw me off more than anything else happening.
[Obsessive Karecature—Level 20]
[Mimetic Alteration]
Brain attempted to parse the information that just entered its domain, I had to cut it off to keep my attention on the threats.
I switched for spear and shield.
Brenden threw the rock awkwardly and I watched the small glowing piece of stone sail over the head of the closest Karen.
Arthur and Brenden fell back to cover after the failed throw.
I lifted my shield and moved in while they were split. The closest tripped up from Arthur’s fissure attack.
I thrust twice, the first blow connected with the neck of the downed monster. With the second I sent a piercing gust of wind down the spear, blasting a hole in the mockeries chest as the tip collided with flesh.
I turned to the next, the creature closed in as I jabbed at its head.
She easily dodged the thrust, making me pay for the miss.
The Karen closed in lightning fast with a blow to the face that shredded my cheek.
I lifted my shield higher and bashed the Karen back to get space.
These Undead were faster and much more agile than the others we’d fought to this point. They also seemed to be a bit more aware of their surroundings even though they were completely rotted out from head to toe.
While my attacker gained composure, her friend, the only male Karen still alive out of the bunch, rushed my blind side.
“Are you referred to as a Kyle? Or Chad perhaps, ooo Brad!? I like Kyle...” I stepped back to create space and changed back to sword.
I released Arcing Thorn Whip, slicing Kyle in half.
“Fuck you Kyle.” I said between heavy breaths.
I switched back to spear as I awaited the incoming Karens.
One circled my shield side, waiting until the two on my right attacked together, one high, one low. All three struck at once, somehow coordinating the attack.
I turned right, thrusting my spear low with a gust of wind. My blow pierced a leg before the wind burst forth, exploding the limb from body.
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I was hoping the gust would have knocked the other attacker off balance, but the Karen fought through the burst of wind and sprang for my neck.
The Karen on my shield side took that moment to slice the tendons behind my knees while I blocked the attack intended for my neck.
I collapsed to my knees, fending off blows.
Only two left, you made mistakes but did alright. Let your team help...
“Lemon Pledge!” I yelled while triggering Retaliating Wind.
Lemon Pledge was something we came up with early on. It was basically just clean up duty. Arthur didn’t like Baby Daddy, but he loved this one. I suppose we both enjoyed the name. Arthur always makes this noise whenever I say the words and it always cracks me up.
He did not disappoint, as he ran past I heard him, “Row row row.”
When I triggered the spell, the two Zombie Karens were on top of me, the power built up with the spell sent them flying like leaves on the wind as I sat back and removed a potion.
I can’t always rely on Retaliating Wind, although it has been my ace in the hole thus far, I’ve been lucky with these less than sturdy enemies.
Arthur zipped across the battlefield to each grounded Karen ending them with a combo of swipes.
My Mana was tapped out from ending the fight so my head was pounding.
I turned to Brenden who followed Arthur to my location, “Good job! We need to work on your grip but the form is aight. We’ll make you into a regular ole Manning brother soon.”
I drank another potion and enjoyed the feeling of pain leaving my body.
“I let you down Sire and I apologize, but you sir are something to behold. I will learn all you have to offer, for my legend is just beginning.” Brenden said getting a chuckle out of me.
“You didn’t let anyone down, the second throw was off but shit happens. Don’t sweat it. Learn from it and grow.” I said reflecting on my own battle.
I should have summoned Blood Lust as soon as the Karen dodged my initial thrust and met her close up with a strike. I also could have triggered Retaliating Wind sooner to knock all of them off balance then ran around to finish the three before they had a chance to do damage.
“I need to take my own advice.” I said.
“I don’t see how sir, you fought as if you were born for it, like one of the Spartans of the 300. Destroying your enemies with beauteous gruesome glory.”
“Okay okay, don’t fill my head with that shit. Gonna get me killed if I walk around thinking I’m the big dog... Ruff Ruff!”
Arthur responded from his spot standing above a recently still breathing Kyle, “Ruff Ruff!”
“Ruff, Ruff? Very well Sire.”
“They all done Arthur?” I asked.
“Woof Woof,” He answered walking up to the little racist Karen who was still going on about ‘Talking American’.
“Okay, hold off Arthur. Brenden take this, finish it for the experience, we need to make sure you survive and go over stats.” I handed over the Scoffer’s Assegai.
Brenden identified the weapon with a look of astonishment on his face pulling his hand back at the last second, “Thh—This is.. Achem! ‘Tis a mighty weapon Sire. I am not worthy of wielding her.”
“C’mon, stop that shit. You’re worthy of wielding whatever the fuck you can pick up. It’s my fancy stick! Take it, poke her.” He really needs a boost of confidence.
“Very well.” He reached out taking the Assegai with both hands, holding it as if it were made of the world’s most fragile glass.
“Here, hold it like this. You don’t want to white knuckle it but you need to hold it with a bit more oomph than that. One palm to the sky on the pointy end, the other palm facing the ground, relaxed but not like you had it. You wont hurt it.” I instructed and he corrected his awkward handle.
“I see, thank you Sire.” Brenden said fixing his hands on the spear and strengthening his grip.
I slapped the front of the spear, knocking it to the ground.
“Pick it up, hold it, don’t let it fall again.” I said, putting a bit more fire in my voice than the friendly tone I usually have.
“Apolo-” I interrupted.
“Stop apologizing, you’ll get it. Hold onto it, feel the weapon in your hands, it’s a tool meant for killing, you need to hold it as such. When I swipe, go with the blow and redirect.” I said with a smile.
Arthur was standing at our side now as the racist Monster crawled closer, still muttering bullshit.
I swiped again, slapping the edge of the spear as he held it firm and didn’t let it fall to the ground. I did it again and again until he finally rolled the tip of the spear with the momentum of the strike.
“Good job. Now end this thing so it doesn’t have to continue living as a mockery.” I said looking down to the creature at our feet now.
I stepped back as it started gnawing on my boot that was already in rough condition.
Brenden brought the spear up, his entire body shook aggressively. I put my hand on the back of the spear and directed it into the heart, the creature stopped moving a second after he removed it.
“Good job. I know it’s not easy. If not for Arthur, I would have died multiple times from these Undead. I saw a decaying girl with cell phone parts for a face, I froze up.” I explained the entire event to Brenden, reliving one of my least favorite moments, “The best thing to do is put them down. No one should be made a parody like this.”
“Yes sir. I will give it my all, I don’t want to end up like them.” Brenden said his voice cracking in fear at the end.
“Arthur won’t let that happen, you’re his buddy now. Right Arthur?” I asked trying to lighten the mood.
“Woof!”
“He really is a brilliant dog isn’t he? I swear when we were at the castle he understood everything I asked him. He helped me get you into bed and get Linda into prison.”
“Yeah, he is. Something with the event changed him. He’s always been a smart boy but now he understands everything, maybe more I don’t know of. Oh and he can draw things to communicate. Only thing he can’t do is talk back.” I said super proud of my good pup. I noticed Arthur’s head fall when I mentioned the last part so I added, “But we will find a fix for that as soon as we find my parents and make sure everyone is safe.”
“He does? Of course! It makes perfect sense!” Brenden said.
“What does?”
“After we locked up ILL-iterary Linda. He watched me create my antidote. He raised his paw before I could administer it and looked at the mug of liquid before placing his paw to your wound. I thought he was just being protective, but he was actually checking the vial for anything unbecoming. Plus, the way he looks at you when you speak, it is very... Human.”
I rubbed both sides of Arthur’s face, “Yeah he’s a good boy. Ill-iterary Linda? Don’t like Book Club?”
“I enjoy Book Club very much, I thought I would try my own nicknames.” He answered as we shared a laugh.
“Well, keep trying.” I said as we walked to the building.
“That did bring me to Level 13.” Brenden stated.
“Oh I didn’t realize you were already 12. I don’t mean to sound rude but, How?”
“I hid behind the grrreat wall and threw stones at everything that passed. Some explosions were loud and drew more stragglers in. I just waited and protected the walls. I had more than a few close encounters and had to retreat.” He explained.
“That’s what I figured. Smart plan, you did well. What kind of weapon would you feel comfortable using? No walls out here and we need to train you up. Think on it and let me know.” I said looking up at the old logo while looting enemies.
The slain Karecatures dropped a few new items of note, along with a health potion that I handed to Brenden. After looting all of the bodies I opened my inventory to view the new additions.
Spell Organ—Larynx of Escalating Dissolution—1—Consumable—Unique—Consume item to learn the spell, “Escalating Dissolution”.
I wasn’t sure what the spell did as the system left that information out of the description for some reason, but there was no way in hell I was ‘consuming’ that item. It literally looked like the system removed the larynx of one of the mutated people and transformed it into, this.
Omenhide Gloves of Alchemy
Epic
10 Armor
+3 Will
+3 Intelligence
+5% All Elemental Resistances
+15% Potency to Alchemical Creations
Oddly enough there was an intact bench right in front of the building, I took a seat and gestured for Brenden and Arthur to join me.
“Good news, since we have an alchemist in the party here are some alchemy type gloves that I looted off one of the Karens. Super lucky drop.” I handed the gloves to Brenden and he looked them over, I could tell he was reading the information, it was almost as if he had a glint in his eyes.
“My first looted magical item. I thank thee my good sir.” He said as he put the dark gloves on.
“Don’t mention it. That’s your first looted item? What about all the monsters you killed who passed your old home?”
“Ahh, for I did not know one could loot a corpse in such a way. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, or that I had gone crazy. Plus, I tried to stay in the walls as much as possible.”
“Well, nothing wrong with being a bit crazy. Now that I think about it, there weren’t any bodies around your little wall? Why is that, if you killed a bunch of them like you say?” I said standing to my feet. A kid like him not trying to loot the enemies was a bit suspicious, I was upset that I missed the bodies before now.
“I swear I have not lied about a thing Sir,” The boy stated.
“Don’t give me that sir shit. Explain.” I firmed my voice.
His eyes began watering, face turned red then he cracked and raised his voice, “I-I-I’m a fffucking coward! I bb-b-built the walls only after knowing it was 100% clear. I ran out, threw s-stuff on the pile and ran back inside. I threw Items from the t-t-top of the trailer then laid down so nothing could see me. The m-mm-monsters dissipate after 12 hours, I timed it. They melt down into g-goo and evaporate. I thhhh. I think they’re made of M-Mana.” The boy was beginning to hyperventilate, it was clear he was telling the truth and I understood why he didn’t want to say anything.
Arthur also seemed to buy the story and looked to enjoy the kids company so I would roll with his instincts.
“Okay, sorry but I had to be sure. I think the shit with Linda got in my head. I still don’t understand how people could hurt each other but, I guess there’s always been evil in the world, now the evil fucks have magic. Hold your head up. You are no a coward.” I pulled out the other item and sat down beside Brenden and Arthur.
“What is th-th-that?”
“A spell organ. I guess it’s like a spell crystal? I think the system is fucking with me now. Its just too fucked up. It says ‘Consume’ to gain a spell.” I said using air quotes, “It’s a fucking larynx. Who in the hell would eat that?”
“Woof!” Arthur answered in what I thought was agreement to the disgusting notion of eating a body part but once again, he surprised me.
Before I could stow the item back into my inventory Arthur nonchalantly slid his head over my lap, snagging the Larynx as he went. The same way he stole a piece of my peanut butter toast when he was a puppy.
He chewed once then swallowed.
A blood red aura erupted from Arthur followed by a darkness so pure that it swallowed the light surrounding us. We watched as the crimson abyss condensed around him, causing a feeling of immense pressure before it imploded.
“Really Arthur?… Alright, when you’re ready we go in.” I shook my head at my crazy dog, but I wasn’t surprised or upset.
Every hair stood straight on Arthur’s back and he jerked his body as if he just hopped out of the water.
I completely understand why he did it. We need to be stronger, he didn’t hesitate.
“My grand companion. May I ask, what spell have you added to your mighty repertoire?” Brenden asked.
Arthur took a seat between us.
I tossed him the last piece of Jerky to rid the taste of larynx as he pushed the description through to the both of us.
Escalating Dissolution
Unique Dark/Hell Magic
Cost: 40 Mana
Cause Enemies to Bleed, Causes Madness over time
8 Bleed Damage Per Second over 20 seconds/Stacking
Area of Effect: 20 Square Feet of Center Target
Madness: Reality breaks down, driving your enemies mad over time causing them to potentially attack their own party, runaway, or freeze in debilitating fear.
“Oh my.” Brenden said while reading.
“Yeah... Hell Magic eh Puck?” I said more rhetorical than actual question.
“Roor Roor,” Arthur answered, sounding as if he was saying oh well.
“I’m not giving you shit, just saying if you’re hungry we have treats. Next time let’s talk about it and see if we can get more information first. That bleed effect is great. It looks weak at first glance but 20 seconds is a long time in a fight, plus stacking damage hits hard.” I said patting down Arthur’s fur the rest of the way.
“Ruff!” Arthur’s attitude changed after hearing me out and his tail went back to wagging as he leaned into me.
I looked to Arthur then Brenden, “Ready?”
With a nod we stood, ready to finish this quest.