Chapter 12 - I Choose You, SENTRY GARGOYLE MODE - ON!
Carn knew of five different types of shapeshifters.
The first type was mimics. These monsters were capable of flawlessly replicating and evolving all the organs and physical features of their victims. These creatures didn't just assume a new form, but they also inherited the memories of those they consumed, blending into their surroundings with perfect precision.
Mimics could grow stronger in their new bodies, evolving over time, making them extremely dangerous. Carn had once employed such beings in his dungeon, where they silently infiltrated human societies.
The second type, copycats, could almost match the abilities of mimics. However, they were limited in their ability to retain the memories of their victims or grow stronger than the original.
Still, this didn't make them any less deadly. Many copycat monsters had slain adventurers and even heroes without Carn's direct involvement. A selected few elite copycats who mimicked hero abilities had risen to become demon generals under his command.
The third category consisted of disguisers. Carn himself could be considered one if he used a shapeshifting spell.
Disguisers lacked the ability to copy their target's powers, but they could freely alter their appearance, physique, or even gender at will. Their strength varied depending on their race, the amount of Aether they possessed, and their mastery of shapeshifting magic. Some were deadly due to sheer physical prowess, while others used subtlety to infiltrate.
The fourth type, transformers, were creatures that grew more powerful by transforming into unique second forms. Werewolves were a prime example of this category.
These monsters gained immense strength when transformed, but their abilities were restricted to specific conditions. Some humans in Carn's previous world took inspiration from these monsters and had even developed gadgets that could change their appearance or provide new powers.
Lastly, there were the skinwalkers, a mysterious group Carn had only heard of through rumors. In his previous world, they were said to have gone extinct, and Carn had never encountered one.
Skinwalkers were infamous for wearing the skin of their victims, making their grotesque appearance stand out. They were reputed to have immense physical strength, an insatiable appetite, and terrifying hypnosis abilities, enabling them to control others with their will.
Based on the stories, skinwalkers were among the most feared shapeshifters, and the human countries formed an alliance for the sake of removing these monsters from their land for good. Even the demon lord hated them because of their powerful mind spells.
Carn now had a suspicion. If this grotesque entity wasn't a doppelganger, it could very well be one of the elusive skinwalkers.
If this guy was really a skinwalker, Carn knew exactly where to strike. He steadied himself, holding his breath as he activated a bigger spell, hardening his skin into stone.
Sentry Gargoyle Mode - ON!
Carn's skin turned gray, his face, hair, and clothes becoming the same rough, stony texture. He locked his gaze on the skinwalker just before the petrification reached his eyes, transforming him into a lifelike stone statue in a matter of seconds.
Meanwhile, the skinwalker hissed in frustration, searching the area for Carn. One of its eyes landed on the statue and paused. The other eyes followed, locking onto the stone figure.
The monstrous hand crawled over, dragging its grotesque fingers closer. The tongues from its finger-mouths extended, licking the surface of the statue. But all they tasted was cold stone.
"Ptui!" The monster spat in disgust, recoiling its tongues. Losing interest, it turned away from Carn, dismissing him as a threat.
As soon as the skinwalker's back was turned, the statue shifted with blinding speed. Carn moved like a shadow, reappearing behind the creature in an instant. His stone arms moved faster than the eye could follow, leaving behind afterimages as his hands shot out, targeting the monster's grotesque fingers.
*CRACK*
*CRACK*
*CRACK*
*CRACK*
*CRACK*
The sound of bones breaking echoed through the eerie silence as Carn dislocated and shattered the joints of the skinwalker's fingers.
The creature screeched in agony, turning into a frenzy, but by the time it looked back, Carn had already returned to his original spot and resumed his statue pose.
The skinwalker's eyes swept the area in confusion. It stared suspiciously at the stone figure, but its senses detected no life. Frustrated, it scanned the mall.
Just as the monster looked around, a store employee who had finished closing her store, leisurely walked down the escalator to leave the building. The store employee, flashlight in hand, looked below.
Then, the flashlight shone upon the monster. She froze when her eyes met the monster's grotesque form.
"EEEK!" she screamed, dropping the flashlight in horror. She turned tail and ran back to where she had come from.
The skinwalker's attention immediately shifted to her, and it flipped itself over, crawling after the fleeing woman with its mangled fingers.
Carn seized his chance. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared on top of the skinwalker, moving his stone hands with brutal efficiency at lightning speed. He shattered the entire bone structure of the hand, leaving it a useless lump of muscle and skin.
*CRACK*
*CRACK*
*CRACK*
*CRACK*
*CRACK*
The sound of breaking bones echoed like a symphony in the darkened mall. The creature didn't even have time to scream. Within seconds, its hand was nothing but a limp mass, unable to move.
Carn reverted to his human form, but the toll on his body was immediate. Blood dripped from his nose, and the familiar searing headache hit him like a hammer. He collapsed to his knees on top of the now-crippled monster.
'Five minor spells for the sentry mode... that's seven spells total. This is over my limit,' he thought while his vision blurred.
But the monster wasn't dead yet. Carn pushed himself up, staggering toward the skinwalker's suitcase. He reached for a blood-soaked rusty knife.
With the knife in hand, he stabbed it and dragged it across the creature's back, slicing it open. Inside, a pulsing purple cubic mass—its core—was embedded in a tangle of crimson flesh and organs, feeding the monster with mysterious energy.
Carn snickered at the sight. He grabbed the cube and yanked it free, tearing it from the creature's innards.
As soon as it was removed, the skinwalker's massive body began shriveling, withering like decayed flower petals.
The cube continued to pulse in Carn's hand, regenerating purple tendrils that reached toward him, trying to bond with his skin.
"Wanna eat me? You've picked the wrong host, you pest," Carn muttered.
With a firm grip, he crushed the cube, smashing it into pieces. The purple blood splattered across his face and clothes but evaporated upon contact with the outside air. As for the last remnants of the cube's flesh, it dissolved into dust.
It was over.
The monster finally died.
Carn looked up, noticing that the crimson haze had cleared, leaving behind the victims' spirits.
They were free at last.
Hundreds of tiny will-o'-wisps floated in the air, glowing faintly. Some of the spirits ascended, fading into nothingness, while others hovered around him.
'Thank you,' they whispered.
The will-o'-wisps briefly morphed into the faces of the people they once were, gazing at him with gratitude. They hovered around Carn before they faded into nothingness, vanishing into the ether like fleeting memories.
As the last wisp disappeared, shimmering silver dust settled on Carn's right arm and hand, etching 150 silvery scratch marks into his skin. Two of those marks quickly faded, replenishing some of his drained energy, and leaving him with 148 Aether marks.
Finally, Carn managed to score a surplus, but it was still less than what he had hoped for.
The yield had been lower than anticipated because of the earlier cooperation with the spirits. Some of them had expended the last of their strength generating a poltergeist-like effect, shattering every CCTV camera lens, frying mobile phones, and scrambling any electronic device capable of capturing footage of him.
The effort had cost him precious Aether but bought him invaluable cover. But looking at it on the bright side, there would be no footage of the monstrous fight or evidence of what had really transpired there. The exchange was worth it.
Carn clenched his fist, quietly celebrating his victory. He could now "farm" Aether without overextending himself.
But his moment of peace was short-lived.
Loud footsteps echoed through the mall as five police officers burst into the scene with their guns drawn. As soon as they spotted Carn holding a rusty bloody knife, they pointed their pistols at him.
"HANDS UP!!"
Carn frowned, exhaling a sigh. Memories of old movies flashed through his mind—scenes where the cops always showed up AFTER the hero had already dealt with the villain.
"Hah... I'm gonna get detained again, and Mom's gonna kill me," he muttered under his breath, preparing to face his mother's wrath.
Edited: I failed at math.
Explanation: Carn used 7 points of Aether in total (5 for gargoyle mode, two for miscellaneous abilities). One silver mark equals five points of Aether. Therefore, only two marks should decrease, not seven.
Chapter 13 - I'm Going to Jail, It Seems.
After dropping Carn off at the Theater Mall, Han drove north, entering a highway and heading to his office.
Suddenly, the quiet hum of the road was interrupted by the ringing of his phone. Glancing at the screen, he saw the caller's name flash up.
It was his co-worker, Sam. He was a field operator and an explorer who specialized in scouting and cartography. He was also in charge of mapping the geography of the lands in other dimensions.
Han put on his Bluetooth earphones and pressed on his phone, answering the call.
"What up?"
"Han, did you visit the Theater Mall a few minutes ago? I saw it on the GPS."
The Theater Mall was the only three-story shopping mall in the state while most malls were limited to one or two floors. It had opened just a few months prior after a year of rapid construction.
Due to rising land taxes, increased dimensional rift activity, and the sudden availability of construction materials from other dimensions, constructing a single-story mall on expansive land had become more expensive than erecting a multi-story structure.
"Yeah, Why do you ask?"
"We've received reports that there's been some weird activities in that area. Local cops have logged multiple complaints about a suspicious-looking man dragging a smelly suitcase into a theater and then literally pissing at people."
Han chuckled, "Sounds like typical Florida Man headlines. Isn't that normal around here?"
"Yeah, no. Listen, none of the CCTV cameras or phones could capture the guy's face. Not a single frame. Can you head back and check it out? I'm afraid some kind of Voodoo is at play."
Han's smirk vanished. He furrowed his brow, falling into a deep thought.
Cameras couldn't capture the man's appearance? That wasn't normal.
Doppelgangers from another dimension…?
That thought echoed in his mind. Doppelgangers were notorious for distorting reality and slipping through the cracks of a rift undetected. But this felt too close to home.
'I just dropped Carn off over there... Could he be in danger?'
Sam's voice cut through his thoughts. "Georgia's units are losing it. They're pushing for full mobilization. They want every area with odd activity quarantined. They think this guy's linked to the mass slaughter at Valdosta."
Han's stomach twisted at the mention. Valdosta was a massacre site, infamous among cops for its connection to a rogue explorer or a mysterious doppelganger. The thought of Carn being anywhere near that kind of trouble set his nerves on edge.
"I need you on this, Han. Can you help?"
Concern gripped him. Carn could be in serious danger.
'Please don't let Carn run into this guy… or whatever the hell is causing this.' Han prayed.
Unable to push down the rising worry, he slammed the siren button and gunned the engine, swerving through traffic as he made a sharp U-turn at the nearest intersection.
"I'm on my way back. Get me backup and my gear, ASAP."
"Copy that," Sam confirmed.
Han floored it, racing against the clock and the unknown threat lurking in the shadows.
…
Because of the traffic, it took Han 30 minutes to get back. Upon arriving at the parking lot, a chaotic scene caught his attention.
A crowd of shoppers had gathered, murmuring and watching the police at work in front of the shopping mall. Three police cars were already at the scene.
At first glance, it seemed like the typical chaos at a big mall, especially when someone suddenly caused a public disturbance. But this time, something else stood out to Han.
Several cars near the entrance had their windshields shattered, and people who had escaped the area were cursing or throwing their phones away. Upon a closer look, their phones were all busted.
Sensing that something was wrong, Han honked and stepped out of his vehicle. He rushed to the entrance, but the crowd blocked his path.
"FBI! Make way!" Han shouted.
The crowd parted, letting him through. Han rushed into the mall but quickly came to a stop as he took in the scene.
There was barely any light inside. Only the sunlight streaming through the front entrance and rooftop provided some illumination. The balconies and center area were dimly visible, while the stores remained in darkness.
Inside, police officers had gathered in the plaza area. Their flashlights focused on the ground, observing something. Nearby, a young man sat with handcuffs on his wrists, and an officer stood in front of him, questioning him while shining a shoulder flashlight at his face.
Even from a distance, Han recognized the youth. It was the person that he had been worried about.
Without hesitation, Han approached the group of officers, ready to get his son out of trouble. He pulled out his badge.
As soon as Han got close, one of the officers stepped forward and warned him, "This is a crime scene. Please step back."
Han sighed and flashed his badge. "Special Agent, FBI."
"Oh," the officer glanced at the badge before stepping aside to let Han through.
Han stared at Carn, who returned the gaze and waved.
"Hi, Dad."
Han resisted the urge to facepalm in public. He rolled his eyes and sighed, "What have you gotten yourself into this time?"
Carn shrugged. "Take a look for yourself. Actually, I need an explanation too. Is that a doppelganger?"
"Hmm?"
Han raised an eyebrow and shifted his attention to what the officers were inspecting on the ground.
There lay the withered corpse of a giant hand-like monster. Judging by its sheer size, it must have stood at least 7 feet tall. Whatever it was, it resembled the doppelgangers that Han and his colleagues had encountered inside a rift.
"Carn," Han asked without turning around. "Did you do this?"
Carn snickered. "Take a guess."
"I'm not playing games."
"Fine. I was just looking for a place to eat, and then everything in the mall went black. That crazy skinwalk… I mean… that monster jumped me."
"What?!"
Han was stunned. Every doppelganger he'd faced so far had been overwhelmingly tough, impervious to regular bullets. Usually, it took heavy machine guns, .50 caliber rifles, or even tanks to bring one down. Yet here was Carn, claiming he'd survived its attack.
To confirm, Han kicked the corpse, which was something a crime scene investigator shouldn't do. The flabby skin of the skinwalker jiggled and flopped like rubber.
Han's suspicions were confirmed. All dead doppelgangers left behind jelly-like corpses, and this body had the same trait.
Since Carn subdued a doppelganger, his status became questionable once more. However, this time, Han trusted his son.
Whatever his son's secrets were, Han decided to respect them. After all, he had proved that he was not on the doppelganger's side.
"Officers, could you release the young man?" Han sighed, rubbing his temples.
The cops exchanged glances before one of them voiced his disagreement, "The suspect had a knife when we arrived. We've also received multiple reports about a crazy man in the mall carrying a suitcase. We've collected the suitcase, and it matches the description. He was also the only one at the scene."
Han pointed to the monster's corpse. "Well, you can come to that conclusion if you're blind. Look at this. It's a rift monster. You've caught the person who probably fought it off and protected the civilians."
"But he doesn't have an explorer's license..."
"That's for me to question, not you, officer. I'll take him from here."
"..."
Reluctantly, the officers unlocked Carn's restraints, exchanging unhappy glances. Two of them left the area to prevent other civilians from entering the mall.
Carn let out a long sigh of relief. He thought he would be taken to the police station. Then, he would face his mother's wrath again.
"Thanks, Dad."
Han rolled his eyes. "Don't thank me. Be ready for what's coming."
"Huh?"
Han sighed again, giving up on explanations. He cut the conversation short to ease his growing headache.
"Get ready to explain yourself. I'm not going to bail you out tomorrow. Also, pack your bags when you get home. I'll tell you what to bring."
"What's wrong, Dad?"
"You're going straight to a juvenile prison. If you cooperate, you can leave early."
"...What? But I'm innocent!" Carn was confused. He had no idea why he would be sent to jail.
Han bitterly smiled and patted his son's head. "Don't worry. You'll understand once you're there."
"???"
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GOT IT