CHAPTER 41: Blood...
The middle of the road was packed with the Undead, I checked a few tags and they all seemed to be fairly low level the highest I came across was a Brute at 15.
Mixed in with the Undead abominations were Glider Rats, more fucking Spriggans, Mutated Neighborhood Mutts, a few cat like creatures too far to identify, they looked like Lily but luckily they were the size of bobcats rather than lions.
There were a few random mutations mixed about like the beefy dogs and Bush Pirates. Plus, let’s not lose track of the one massive Barkhide Bear standing at the front of the pack snorting at me.
“Fuck, I hope there aren’t any goddamn skunks…”
Off to both sides in front of the old mansions that lined the outskirts were the demons. Mostly the red skin variety that I ran into after I left the dungeon with a few of the flying Imp like creatures.
The last type of enemy I spotted were green vomit colored creatures, I wasn’t sure if they were demons or if they were suppose to be goblins of some sort but there were only a handful spread out along the sides.
“Eh, what’s the difference at this point.”
The loaded Atlatl in my right hand just to kill one enemy seemed absolutely pointless with the loads of monsters between me and the top of the hill. There had to be close to 100 of them.
They all just stood there staring at me, screaming that stupid fuckin’ song.
Why weren’t they attacking?
As I attempted to formulate a plan a screeching voice shattered the air, so sharp and shrill that it was as if someone held a siren to each ear. The voice came from each and every creature with a mouth and I felt my ears start bleeding and noticed my health bar go down a few ticks. I had to cast Retaliating Wind before more damage was done.
Even through my spell I could hear the words, this was Voldrix.
“WELCOME! You asked for a monologue! YOU GOT A MONOLOGUE! I will be waiting at the top of this hill here with your old PAPPY! I’M GOING TO KILL HIM, YOU USELESS FUCKING TWAT! AAHAHAHA!” The screaming hurt even with my barrier active. I cast Shell to see if that would help negate the damage more as he continued, “ANYWAYS! Monologue that YOU ASKED FOR! I am NOT my sister! This is something you will learn the hard way. She was still in her infancy and you, FUCKING KILLED HER! WE did not find your planet, THAT was the collective from Navaros. The THIRD REALM. Although THEY found it, I will be the one to claim this planet and become the TENTH LORD. THE LORD OF TORMENT! BUT! TONIGHT, oh yes tonight will be great. WE DO THIS FOR THE LORD OF DESPAIR, MY BROTHER. MY CREATOR. KAELDRIX!”
“Shut up. Jesus.”
I looked west to the horizon. The sun fell below the mountains in the distance, leaving the sky dyed red and purple, “Of course it would be a red fucking sun. I swear this shit is set up.”
“BRING HIM TO ME! DO NOT KILL HIM! GOOOOO!”
As soon as he screamed the last word a few different things happened at once.
All of the flying demons opened their mouths and shot out literal fireballs toward my location.
The shamans unleashed multiple channeled beams of energy, all glowing different colors as they strafed through the air putting on a laser show, one beam managed to strike true and it happened to be cold damage but my Shell took the brunt of it.
I let an Explosive Javelin loose at the Barkhide Bear that was running me down.
As I dropped behind the solid copper kitty statue the javelin struck the bear right in the eye socket then exploded, blowing the front half of him away and injuring others that ran along side him.
While ducked down, I altered Retaliating Wind to cover my entire body and removed my little gift from Brenden.
I popped back up, jumping off the statue to the far side of the road heading toward the first house.
Brenden had unlocked a new spell.
It’s ridiculously called, Hot Potato.
This spell let him store his stones and items after charging them with Mana. It also lets any party member throw said stone or item for the same effect, with damage based on the Intelligence of who is throwing.
My intelligence stat was boosted a bit more as well after that last level up. Plus, with the new necklace, gloves I received for completing the dungeon and the boost from the Grand Cantor’s Lament, my intelligence was sitting at 50.
I tossed two low level throwaway daggers into the mass of creatures and undead that closed in to devastating effect.
“Jesus, how much did you charge those kid!”
Body parts and animal gore rained upon the enemies. Covering my armor and shoes that were freshly dried with more even more blood as I landed on the side of the road.
I ran for all of my worth to the first mansion.
I removed the last dagger Brenden gave me and tossed it into a group of Demons that were trying to block my access. I saw their eyes light up as they watched the brightly glowing dagger travel toward them.
I aimed for the Shaman in the center. The dagger struck him in between the eyes.
The creatures circled around to look down upon their fallen shaman confused as they stared at the glowing dagger planted in his head. They grew outraged as I used one of their heads to bounce up on the roof of the sun room.
Snap!
An explosion set off killing the entire group, “Aw man that’s fucking cool!”
I ran over the roof leaping through one of the broken windows. I ran to the front of the home facing the street to peek outside and see the line of enemies piling in and around the home.
I turned back to the hallway and found the stairs.
“Eh fuck. Was hoping for an enclosed stairwell, not this open concept, ‘watch the princess walk down the stairs’ shit!”
I slid down the banister and Demons started flooding in like a tsunami, meeting me at the bottom.
The Claw began scratching.
I heard thumping on the exterior walls behind the screams of dying demons.
I slowly backed up the stairs fighting 2 at a time, forcing the others to crawl over the tumbling corpse of their demon buddies.
As I fought my way backwards up the stairs, I had to mess with my inventory a bit.
I had 5 presets for weapons still, my class tier level only at 4 even though I’ve gained many more class points for skills. I believe the class tier levels separately, at level 5 I was hoping for more presets on weapons and armor. Even though I didn’t need them yet, well not the armor presets anyways.
The explosive daggers only took up one slot as they were classified as throwables. To add them I had to drop Inertia’s Flail or Blood Lust, so I was working on adding the flail back into the mix.
Even though Blood Lust was my weakest weapon it held some sort of sentimental value to me now, that blade saved my life on more than one occasion so it earned it’s spot for now.
Flying demons called Stone Quazits were starting to come from behind by the time I reached the top of the stairs. Demons used the dead bodies of their compatriots to climb over the banister.
I removed Inertia, gave it a few quick spins then swung at the ugly little gargoyles, shattering them with one blast from the Flail. I was able to crack 3 at a time before having to spin the rocks again.
Each attack sent stone shrapnel at the demons surrounding me, blinding a few and damaging all of them. I kept spinning and attacking as I worked my way to one of the closed doors.
Flesh was indeed shredded.
Each attack ripped chunks of skin and muscle apart, broke bones, and covered the entire house and every inhabitant in a mess straight out of hell.
I finally reached the door coughing and spitting out blood as I attempted to shake the guts from the demons off my head but they just kept coming.
I kicked the door behind me changing my weapon for my Assegai then cast Gale Charge to push the Demons back long enough to kick the door shut.
I spun around and jabbed out 4 rapid movements, each landing in the head or neck of the 2 Castigation Grunts swinging at me and the 2 Undead Rascals clinging to the walls.
The door attempted to crash open behind me but I met it with a quick side kick to close it again.
There were multiple arms and legs in the door so I switched legs sending a spin kick into the door that created the sound of snapping bones and demonic screams.
“Fuck you!”
2 Quazimotos, whatever the fuck they were called, flew into the bedroom through the window. I looked around seeing all of the blood on my body and started to shake in fear when I saw the little gargoyles.
I called Conviction’s Claw into my left hand and the Fear immediately left.
With one leg still forcing the door shut but now struggling against the amount of demons on the other side, I swung the still spinning flail at the stone creatures causing an explosion of each.
The heavy door had enough as it snapped then crashed open.
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I ran toward the small window.
Making myself as small as I could, I shot through the window like superman but probably looked like someone from the Blue Man Group switched it up and chose red for the day.
I heard the demons screech behind me in frustration as I fell to the ground outside the second house.
Rolling to keep my momentum, I popped back up to my feet and crashed through the side door, ending up in some sort of pantry. There was still a shit ton of food.
I made a mental note.
I skipped the 2 stairs entering the kitchen. Already a group of Undead Brutes, Rascals, and a new type of Undead that I didn’t have the time to pay attention to were in the next room and closing in fast surrounded by squirrels that bounced off of the walls and shot out little annoying acorns.
Leading the charge were 3 Mutated Neighborhood Mutts, each appearing as a different breed of dog. I let my ever increasing Blade Proficiency show as I cut through them one slice at a time, severing legs and heads from bodies.
The Undead were next. I could see a stairwell behind them up against the wall with a rail on one side, at least I had a wall on one side this time.
I pushed through the Undead abominations, summoning Blood Lust to my left hand as I went dual wield with my longsword.
I was trying not to pay attention to faces. I could tell this is where all of the people who roamed the town ended up. I didn’t need to know that I was chopping up a childhood friend or some distant relative.
I kept my vision at the sternum. In wrestling you look at the waist, boxing is the shoulders, so I cut the difference.
A few squirrels clawed up the drywall to get right above me and peppered me with the acorn shots, thinking themselves out of reach on the high ceiling.
I cast Arcing Thorn Whip over my head. Burnt pieces of the overgrown mutated squirrels fell to the ground below leaving a malodorous stank of burnt hair to blend with the putrid smell of rotten blood that geyser from the dying mobs.
I made it to the front door as more demons pushed into the home, I cut them down in heaps as they attempted to get to me. I left a pile of demons waist high in the doorway as I backed to the stairs.
I felt a pang in my shoulder blade and turned to see a line of grunts 2 by 2 on the stairs with the mini gargoyles flying just above their heads.
I cut down the first 2 with one vicious strike of my sword. They must have crawled in through the windows upstairs and waited until they had enough of them to flank me.
I turned back to the kitchen, pushing while defending with both blades. As I approached the kitchen more Undead came flooding in through the door that I used to enter the home.
Still playing defense, I pushed into the hallway not knowing where it led. I opened a door to see a pile of the little cat creatures the system dubbed, Wampus Cats. The kitties all pounced at me like fresh meat, leaving behind one creature in the middle of the room.
A lone, solitary, stanky ass, black and white skunk transmogrified with tech.
“Fuck you!!!” I screamed, shaking as I slammed the door shut. 3 of the cats got through and were hanging onto me, gnawing on any skin they could find.
I heard the cats that were trapped behind the door begin to yowl in agony as the skunk sprayed. I flashed to the end of the hall to escape whatever sort of spray it was. After seeing the previous Skunk spray I was NOT sticking around to watch what happens.
Two-Step was working overtime as I dodged projectiles and melee strikes both.
When I reached the end of the hall I had no choice but to crash through the door into the room.
It was a neat little play room and even though it was mostly destroyed, an untouched pool table sat in the middle of the room. For a brief moment I wondered if I could store it in my inventory somehow.
That thought was cut off instantly as I noticed the creatures in the room with me. The dark shit or vomit green humanoids were all in here.
Each stood unceremoniously in front of a window, looking around casually as if they didn’t want to be there, one held an undamaged pool cue.
[Actuality Goblin—Level 42]
[Navaros Native]
[Enslaved Race]
I read their tags as I slammed the door behind me and held it shut with my knee, first pulling the hatchet from my shoulder blade and using it to dispatch the Wampus Cats that were still chewing on me. The goblins were all close to level 40, the highest 42.
“Wait! We don’t have to do this guys. Fuck, I don’t even know if you can understand me.” I lowered my sword in a show of neutrality, “If you can, help me. We can end this together.”
I didn’t want to kill anyone that didn’t deserve it and wasn’t some mutated or transformed fuck.
The Goblin at the end of the room, the level 42, stepped forward from from the wall leaning against the pool cue, “No can do pal. Sorry bout ‘dis.”
Another stepped forward speaking with his hands as hatchets and small blades bashed and stabbed through the thick oak door, “Nope. You see Enslaved Race, but ‘dat ain’t us. We bonny hunnuh’s.”
They spoke fluent English and sounded oddly human with a spicy Cajun accent, like they all climbed straight outta da bayou.
I raised my blade back up, “Well, alright then.”
I opened the door then released Retaliating Wind. The stack of demons outside the door blew back down the hallway.
At the same time I cast Gale Charge while throwing out Arcing Thorn Whip towards the goblins. I managed to hit one of the 4 creatures. The shock set into effect as I ran toward his window.
As I ran full speed, I noticed the lead goblin disappeared from his spot, the two others just stood there smiling at me, showing me their grotesque yellow and black teeth that despite the rot still looked menacing with how sharp they were.
I jumped over the convulsing goblin to go through the open window but it was like I hit a brick wall.
Before my feet could gain purchase I was hit from behind by one of the short goblins and it felt like I was old meat in a trash compactor.
I choked for air as I fell atop the shocked enemy who started moving not a second after.
The one goblin laid into me with a short hammer that had a comically large flat head on the end.
Each strike took a quarter of my health away. I was unable to get a potion out as both of my arms were completely shattered into minced meat, I was able to store my weapons though as I blood cycled to stay alive.
The other creatures and demons attempted to get into the room as I was being hogtied but the 3 other goblins easily held them all back with some sort of magic.
I was hauled up onto the little green guys shoulder as 1 goblin moved from the door and jumped through the window that I myself attempted to get through not a minute prior.
There was no glass. My original thought was that this room was some sort of mini-boss arena, but when the last of the goblins jumped out I engaged Manasight to see her create a barrier on the windows that trapped all of the creatures and demons in the house so they couldn’t follow.
The one carrying me remained in the center as 1 of the goblins took point and the remaining 2 stayed in the back, one to each side.
As I dangled I stored all of my magic gear so I didn’t lose it, “So let me know if I have this right, your entire race is enslaved by these fuck heads who call themselves The Hells, and instead of doing anything you just go work for them and enslave others?”
“That’s righ’.” The one carrying me said, his breath like he just got done eating a cup of cow shit.
“So, you’re cowards then?”
“No. We woirkin.”
The one carrying me shifted his shoulder up into my sternum to try to shut me up, I coughed then continued, “You tell yourselves that, but what happened to the rest of your people?”
I must have hit a nerve as the man in the back decided to chirp up, “You got no clue! This is just the beginning, you haven’t had a Lord enter ya planet yet. We didn’t have no Veil.”
The leader spoke, “Stop Grosp. He jus’ tryna gedda rise.”
“Sort of. But for real, you guys are worse than these fucking demons. You betray your kind and go hunt down others for the people you call master. Fucking Cowards.”
This comment dug into Grosp who tried attacking me, “I betray no one, I’ll flickin’ kill ya I will!”
The leader turned around, his look freezing Grosp in his place. Then he turned back and lowered me a bit.
“Good boy.” I taunted.
The 2 other Goblins started laughing as Grosp ran toward me and threw a superman punch right to my goddamn nose.
POP!
“Fuck!” It hurt like a bitch and took another quarter chunk of my health down.
I got 3 level ups from the hordes of enemies I killed and took a moment to adjust my stats. I was guessing I would need some Endurance and Vitality for this next part. I also dumped a few into Will to be safe.
They carried me behind the rest of the homes until we reached the top of the hill. The one mage lady goblin kept looking at me and smiling after I was punched, but not a ‘haha got you’ smug sort of smile, but more of a ‘hey, hey you, I like you’ kind of flirtatious smile.
It freaked the shit out of me, she even licked her chapped brown lips at one moment and I fought back the urge to show her my disgust.
No.
Instead, I turned on the charm…
I winked at her and tried to do anything I could to gain some sort of ally on this quick walk, even if it meant, this, Ughh.
We came around the front of the final house where the battle monument was staring me in the face, it was another horrid and torturous scene to behold. There were no birthing cages and it wasn’t just women and children.
Thankfully, there were no children from what I could see, which was a huge relief.
The field around the Monument was dyed red with blood and black with char. It was hard to find any of the green grass that normally spread throughout the area.
I looked around for my father but instead saw multiple stakes drove into the ground scattered about. Multiple screaming humans were chained up to the metal pikes, being tortured by the Castigation Shamans.
On the top of each pike were multiple heads pushed down one on top of the other. I searched each face looking for my Father, not finding him.
Even with all of the horrific things around me, I somehow felt relieved when I didn’t see him, and that made me feel like the biggest pile of shit in the world.
I was turned. A fire raged in front of me, behind the fire built against the outside wall of the monument was a makeshift throne made of human men. All somehow still screaming even though they were all horribly misshapen and snapped into different shapes to create the throne that Voldrix sat upon.
Voldrix was just as Roger detailed. Patchy purple and blue skin with different legs, arms, heads, and torsos making up the 15 foot tall detestation.
Instead of having horizontal eye’s such as us humans, his were 2 large vertical almonds with deep black pupils that swallowed the light and sent fear into my bones.
I was dropped to the ground with an oomph.
All of the demons in the area, along with the people who made up the throne, and even the heads on the spikes, erupted in a haunting laughter that sent shivers down my spine and through my toes.
A Shaman walked around the corner dragging a chained man on the ground behind him, he looked unconscious as I saw he only had a pair of underwear on and his skin was flayed from his neck down to his toes. He had white hair, but his face was turned away. Burnt into the muscle on his back was a symbol I didn’t recognize, circles with a few lines between them. The circles melted through to the bone showing parts of his spine and scapula. The back of his arms looked as if acid ate everything to the bones.
I dumped all of the skill points I was saving into Manasight then engaged the skill. I saw the other Shaman following near heal the man to keep him alive, barely. I was able to see deeper with the skill now and I could see the Mana circulating in his body, that’s the only way I knew he was alive.
My heart felt like it was about to explode.
Voldrix rose from his throne to stand above me to his full height. Then I finally heard what his real voice actually sounded like, the one word boomed with both deep bass and screeching treble.
“Welcome.”
[Voldrix The Harmonizer—Level 39]
[Incursion Champion—Demon of the Fourth]
[Chosen to Represent The Fourth Hells in the Lord’s Revelation for Earth.]
I selected lord’s revelation and another notification popped up.
[Lord’s Revelation—Each of the Nine Hell’s may designate up to 3 Greater Demons or lesser to battle for the rite of rule over the contested planet—Contested Planet: Earth]