Azaria 2 - 24

Good Morning!

Chapter 24: Resistance is Futile, so I’ll Rip Shit Up!

Lance

The blood rain-soaked city looked interesting from the street level. A robe that went to the ground and then some covered my body and Fred, the demon that I interrogated, led me towards the Central Spire. Why Fred? Because I couldn’t pronounce his name.

Armed demons rushed down the street towards where I presumed Azaria was about to make her landing. While we walked, I considered various ways to help but everything I came up with just caused me to get captured and/or killed. For now, I was doing my best to keep an ear on the situation.

“How much further?” I whispered.

“Not far until the central district. From there it gets difficult since you have to be a greater Sanguine to get through,” Fred explained nervously.

The crowd of demons grew thicker as we got closer to our destination. The style of clothing was a sort of medieval mix-up. There were suits and dresses that looked like they were from the fifties or so, but those were far rarer. “How long has this world been like this?”

“Oh. Long before I was born. We’re taught that a great challenge was bestowed on the ancestors. Monsters that had never been seen before roamed the world and slaughtered millions. Soon only the cities were safe havens due to the dungeons.”

“Do you know why?” I asked curious since Azaria said this world failed whatever the grand plan was.

He shook his head and smiled awkwardly. “No. It was never taught. The great prophets left one day and haven’t been seen since.”

So, the people responsible for the changes in this world gave up and left? Did they become too much of a threat? If so, then this might be much harder than we expected. Not that we had much choice one way or another.

A large wall came into view while I was contemplating it and we ducked down an alley to look at it. Guards patrolled in front and stood stationed around the entrance covering every possible way to approach. Up towards the top of the wall, I spotted guards up there as well that were walking and keeping watch.

“Looks like that’s not going to work,” I mumbled biting a nail as I tried to find a way through.

The island suddenly shook violently, and an orange glow came from the direction we came from. Looking more closely I found that large flames ate liberally at the buildings on the edge of the city. There was a golden glow seemingly mixed into the flames and I remembered stories I’d heard about Anna and Zaris. If those two were responsible for the mayhem, then I felt sorry for anyone in their way.

Fred had a horrified look, but didn’t say anything. His home was likely very much on fire. The guards around the gate didn’t even flinch. They just stood and watched as part of their city burned. I looked around and then dragged Fred along the alley. We were soon a good distance from the gate and the curve of the wall blocked view of us.

I checked the area then nodded before turning to Fred. “Unless you have a way of following me, this is where we separate. If you want to leave this city when we do, try to head for the edge and get to the city. My name is Lance. It may or may not secure your survival.”

“Okay. I’d only slow you down. If neither of us survive the next few hours. It was good to know you.”

“The same,” I replied with a grin before extending my claws as far as they could go. With a salute to Fred, I dug into the mortar and started climbing up the wall. With my heavily modified abilities, I was able to leap several feet with each pull. It only took me fifteen seconds to reach the top of the wall.

Peeking over the edge, I spotted a guard a few feet from my spot. He was staring into the distance at the large flames. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the flames had spread to cover a good two or three miles of the city. Zaris must really be pissed off and taking out his rage on the city.

I made sure there was no one else close enough to matter then lunged with all my strength. I underestimated it and slammed into the guard before both of us went over the other edge. The initial impact killed the demon and the subsequent fall made sure he stayed dead. I pulled myself off the demon and looked around while cracking my shoulder which had popped out of its socket.

“Well. This is just great,” I mumbled rubbing the sore shoulder.

I was surrounded by no less than twenty demons. They looked to be some form of combination of the gargoyles and the magic users. A quick glance told me I had thrown myself into what looked like a parade ground for troops to gather up. My noisy entrance hadn’t gone unnoticed, if you could believe that.

“Surrender or die, intruder!”

I sighed and cracked my neck. With a quick flex, my scythes, claws, bone armor, and every ability I could think of activated over my body. Poison coated all the edges and even some of my armor. “Try and stop me!” I shouted, kicking off from the ground forming a small crater and a dust cloud.

Scurry combined with the demi-god muscle allowed me to move faster than the eye. I appeared directly in front of the nearest demon and brought my arm around. There were so many jagged and sharp edges that I didn’t even need to take care to aim. If my arm hit something it was going to be sliced and tore.

The first demon exploded into gore before a dozen magic barriers formed around me like a box. I used my Energy Harvest and the barriers vanished. I grinned showing off my shark like teeth and charged the next demon. They must have got the message that I wasn’t to be underestimated and pulled out their weapons. My claws struck a sword that looked like it was made from stone but felt like metal. Sparks flew as I was parried.

I pulled in a deep breath, then exhaled. Poison sprayed in a cone in front of me coating at least four of the demons. Yells of pain sounded out. A heavy blow nearly threw me forward as something struck my back. I glared at the offender and more or less growled at him before twisting and jumping like an animal at him. Biting and clawing soon made him unrecognizable.

Standing up with his arm still locked in my mouth, I easily chewed through the flesh and bone before swallowing. A familiar red tint that I hadn’t seen in a long time eating at the edge of my vision. All I wanted to do was kill and eat them. Part of me realized the eating was new and that it had to be from the demons that I absorbed earlier.

The chewed through arm dropped to the ground and steam escaped my mouth. My body felt like it was on fire. There were still over a dozen demons left and I was sure there would be more where they came from. I flexed my clawed hand before I grinned at the nearest demon. It must have been quite the sight since he visibly shook after it.

I crouched before I lunged at him. I wasn’t holding back anything. When my fist connected with his stomach, the spot vanished in a spray of gore. My arm partially through his body, I grabbed and tossed him at his companion. I didn’t know if the impact killed him, but they both went flying several dozen feet.

The rest of the demons launched spells or charged with their stone-metal weapons, but the spells were absorbed, and the impacts were barely strong enough for me to notice. I grabbed a sword in my hand and in shattered after I put just some of my strength into it. With a roar, I tore through the demons one after another until only I remained standing over a pile of bodies and a pool of blood that was noticeably different from the constantly falling blood rain.

I used harvest without thinking about and felt my body grow even stronger. The sound of running feet brought my attention to a large group of demons running in my direction. My mouth cracked even further as my grin widened, and the air grew hazy from the heat my body was putting off. Steam left not only my mouth but from the rain that rain down my body.

“Time… for… that… distraction,” I growled out before charging directly into the force of demons heading my way.

~~

Breathing heavily, I came to standing on the roof of a building. My body hurt. A quick catch reveal that I was covered in bruises and cuts. One of my armoring skills must have wore off during the fight and I hadn’t thought to reuse it. I dropped and sat down on the edge of the building. I judged from how much of the city was burning that about twenty to thirty minutes had gone by.

The sounds of fighting drifted to where I sat. Azaria and the others must have been able to get to the city without too much trouble then. Fatigue washed over me. I laid back against the slanted roof. Pictures and scenes from my fight flashed through my head randomly. I had lost all control. I had even eaten a heart at one point. I also remembered using Harvest several times during the fight and decided to check my status.

Lance Teron

Level: 40

Race: Chimera

Type: Harvester

Aether: 1248/8000

Skills: Harvest; Energy Harvest; Aether Barrier

Harvests: Heart of the Chimera – Breath of Fire

Incubus Tool – Mental Fortitude

Scale of the Corrupted Lizard – 50% Poison Resistance

Goblin’s Soul: Malice, Dark Vision, Concentrated Breathing, Dominate, Black, Heart’s Armor, Poison Breath, Natural Weapon, Eat Anything, Durable, Keen Hearing, Gluttony

Physic Toad: Telekinesis, Jump, Increased Tongue, Toxic Breath

Prey- Mantis: Acid Gland, Scythe Blade, Exoskeleton

Scorpion: Natural Armor, Heavy Pincer, Poison Gland, Burrow, Stinger

Kobold: Dragon Hide, Dragon language, Sense Treasure

Treant: Regrowth, Commune Nature, Photosynthesis

Demi-God’s muscle – Superstrength

Demi-God’s Brain (Damaged) – Mental Control Resistance

Demi-God’s Heart – Regeneration (Minimum)

Human’s Heart – Chaos x2

Human’s Lung – Fortitude x2

Human’s Brain (x2) – Fire, Water, Earth

Tunnel Rat Tendon – Scurry (+2)

Lower Mimic Storage Sac – Storage

Sanguine Demon – Bloodlust (Advanced), Aether Manipulation, Muscle Manipulation, Stone Flesh, Iron Bones, Chained Hunger

Achievements: Trading With Chaos – You achieved something few could claim. While it might appear to be dumb luck, even luck has a place in the universe. Aether gain +1 per hour.

Solo Hunter – You defeated a dungeon on your own. Very few can claim the same. Great achievements deserve great rewards. Aether +1000

One That Became A Monster – You did it. You left your weak humanity behind. Ability: Aether Barrier

I stared at the list for a good minute trying to figure out what exactly had changed about me. Another quick look showed that I appeared the same as before the fight. The abilities must have all been internal. The thing that worried me most was the Chained hunger. I had no idea what it was supposed to do or mean for me. Nothing felt different. However, that didn’t stop it from sounding bad.

Holding out my hand, I concentrated on the energy I always feel leave me when I use an ability. Imagining an energy field in front of me, a small barrier appeared. I had adopted that in the middle of the fight. The memories of using it flashing here and there. With muscle manipulation, I was able to increase the effectiveness of the demi-god muscle even more.

Finished looking at my status, I stood up and stretched. You had to love regeneration. Even minimal was a great boon. A few joint popping and sore muscle stretches later, I turned back to the city. The other group should be getting close to the gated wall. They might benefit from me causing some more distraction. I increased the muscle density of my body then leapt into the air. With a well aim kick, I slammed back into the building, crashing my way down. Fourteen floors later, I walked out onto the street dusting myself off.

A loud cracking and rumbling sound came from behind me as the building collapsed in on itself before crashing to the ground. Even in the constant rain, dust and debris rippled out through the central districts streets. Licking my claws, I dropped to all fours, and charged into the cloud. Time to hunt.

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