Capítulo 56: The Nightmare Never Ends
Wow, this is late, isn't it? It took me a while to sort some stuff out. Turns out they didn't renew my contract, but it's possible that they will either for December, or somewhere next year. Anyway. Sorry. To be honest, I still can't guarantee a stable update schedule. Give me some time to give this story a quick re-read and we'll be back on the grind. I kind of want to build a backlog of chapters, just to ensure quality and cohesion, but for now this is it.
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The world erupted in chaos.
Bada's ears rang from the explosion, a high-pitched whine that drowned out the panicked screams around her. The room shook violently, and she clung to Leandro, her fingers digging into his arm. Her heart pounded in her chest, fear clawing at her throat.
They were falling. The floor had caved in, crumbling along with the pillars of the building. "Leandro!" She cried out, her voice barely audible over the cacophony. He turned to her, eyes slightly aglow, his body a solid wall of protection against the falling debris.
His feet cratered the concrete upon landing.
Bada was in his arms, struggling to comprehend the scene unfolding before her.
Dust filled the air, making it hard to breathe, and the acrid smell of smoke burned her lungs.
"We're under attack. Stay close to me." Leandro said, his voice steady despite the chaos. He set her down, gently but firmly.
Bada could barely see through rippling smoke. Her eyes stung with tears.
Leandro reached a hand into the void and within a second a bladed weapon came out along with his hand—a sword. He swung it in a broad arc. A boom went off. The afterwave of his slash cleared out the billowing smoke.
She could finally see again.
And maybe that in itself was more of a curse at the moment.
The cars parked by the curb were toppled and mangled. The buildings around were engulfed in roaring flames. Glass shards littered the streets. A few bodies, crushed by the impact, lay unmoving on the ground.
And amidst the chaos, stood the monster responsible for this. A hulking creature, looking like a fusion between metal and flesh. It stood 7 feet tall, overlooking the destruction and the rivers of blood with casual indifference.
Bada's first impression was that it looked uncannily like a bipedal alligator, except that the alien creature had pitch-black scales and glowing red eyes. It wore a form-fitting armor of unknown alloy.
A cylindrical device was tightly grasped in its claw—with a click, it suddenly elongated, narrowing down into a curved, bladed edge. Intricate incisions ran along the sleek shaft, glowing with a blue liquid.
Bada felt a shiver run up her spine. That thing was made for killing.
Leandro stared at the alien menace, his eyes glowing.
The creature's maw curved into a smile. It tapped a finger on the collar of its neck. A beep went off as some sort of functionality was activated. "Is this thing working? Hello. Hello. Can you understand me?" It rumbled. "On second thought, it doesn't really matter. I'm Gullugur, proud warrior of the Gulvathia Empire, self-proclaimed philanthropist, and your executioner."
"You really wasted my time with that paltry introduction? I'll turn you into a fucking handbag." Leandro said, taking a step forward and brandishing his blade. Bada felt his hand slowly push her back.
Gullugur's expression darkened. "Do you have any idea who you're talking with?"
"Yeah, I'm dealing with the future trend for reptilian accessories."
Gullugur leaped forward. A blue energy gathered in his spear as he thrust towards Leandro in blinding speeds, almost a flash of light—its impact turned the air in the vicinity into scorching ripples.
Leandro brought his sword forth. A whirlwind whipped the surrounding area.
Bada heard a blast. She closed her eyes, feeling her heart thrum from the thunderous sound. A small shockwave shot towards her, but Leandro smoothly stepped in, blocking it with his blade—a white surge of energy coiled around his sword, spreading in an intricate fractal-like pattern all over the edge.
Bada watched in awe as the blade began to glow with an ethereal light.
The tip of the sword was pointed straight at Gullugur. Leandro flicked his wrist. A casual thrust forward.
Moonblade Style — Crater Impact.
The lunar energy around the blade coalesced into a beam of hissing and extending light. Bada could briefly hear a sound akin to that of a kettle whistling. Gullugur's eyes widened as the attack hit it head-on, the force of it sending the creature sprawling backward, rolling and slamming on the ground like a pebble on water.
Bada's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the devastation that ensued.
Gullugur was lodged halfway inside another structure. Its reptilian, scaly body had craters in multiple places, revealing the rosy flesh underneath. Blood trickled down.
An expression of disbelief crossed its ugly mug. "W-What…"
The road was turned upside down, the plumbing underneath spraying water all over the fires.
Bada took a look around, dazed.
'Leandro… he isn't joking around.'
She could tell—he had a casual air to him, as if he wasn't even trying. She watched him take another step forward. The edges of his coat flapped, and he was gone, like the wind. Gullugur was picking itself up, until a foot slammed into its chest, pushing it back down.
"All of this fanfare and it turns out you're nothing more than an insect."
Leandro channeled lunar energy into his foot and kicked. Gullugur was unceremoniously lifted off the ground and sent tumbling into another building, leaving a deep crater where it impacted. A part of the structure collapsed. Debris showered the entire area.
"Kekeke…" A sinister laugh escaped its reptilian maw. "You don't understand, kekeke—heughk!" It burst into a fit of coughs, spitting blood and saliva on the ground. "This is merely the beginning, Earthling. You're strong, but you're alone! Look! Look at the end we'll bring upon you!"
Bada stared up in horror.
A massive, eerie hole was hanging over the sky, a void-like thing, a vortex. The clouds around it were churning violently, as if the sky was trying to contain a storm of unimaginable proportions.
Lightning slithered. A crack of thunder.
The previous empty sky was lit up with the silhouettes of winged-creatures. A swarm of them. As the monsters got closer, Bada was able to see them—they resembled winged geckos, except each one of them had to be at least 20 feet tall, clad in a gleaming, metallic armor.
It was as if Hell itself had unleashed its army upon the mortal world.
Gullugur continued laughing maniacally.
"Kekeke~ if you get on your knees and beg, I might even take you in as my pet. It's the only way for you to survive. Hm? What do you think? Oh, and that delicate companion of yours looks deli—"
White filled its vision.
Gullugur was still in the middle of trash-talking when its body was sheared in half, from waist up. Blood spilled out in a gruesome arc.
The body slowly collapsed, the head still mocking Leandro, lifelessly.
When he turned around, Bada's breath hitched in her throat. She didn't think she'd ever see him so pissed—but it was only for a moment. When his eyes met hers, he quickly composed himself.
He walked up to her, sheathing his sword. "Bada, hold onto tightly."
"Huh—"
She was scooped up in his arms.
"I'll be going fast, close your eyes."
Leandro's body was capped in silvery particles. From an outside perspective, he must have looked like an angel. Only Bada knew how much destruction could come out of his fingers, at a whim.
The wind howled in her ears, the pressure slamming into her face.
She closed her eyes, burying her head into Leandro's chest.
"Help! Please someone help—!"
"Oh God, my son isn't breathing—"
"I don't want to die… I don't want to die—!"
"Please… someone—"
Bada clenched her teeth, willfully ignoring the pleas and screams that wafted from every corner of the city.
Leandro didn't stop once, his stride never stuttering.
She cracked her eyes open. Leandro was so quick that every time she blinked the scenery passed by in a blur. The speed they were going was monstrous.
That was until four silhouettes shot towards him like cannonballs.
A chorus of roars pierced the skies.
Bada clutched Leandro's shirt with all her might. Leandro skidded across the asphalt, swerved past one of the charging creatures and ran up a building.
"Bada, listen closely. I know the situation might seem hopeless, but don't forget what I told you yesterday… believe in me, and we'll be fine."
She looked up at him, her ponytail flapping around due to the rush of wind. Even so, she mustered a smile. "Of course I believe in you~ you're stronger than them, aren't you?"
"..."
Leandro didn't respond immediately. Instead, he glanced down at her, and a faint smile curled his lips. It was crazy how, even though Seoul was going to hell, even though they were being hunted down by four scary-looking monsters, Bada still had time to appreciate the fluttery feelings in her chest and, perhaps, very deep down, the thrill of being in Leandro's arms in such a dangerous situation.
Hah…
He was dangerous.
Both with a sword and with his words. Bada silently lamented.
Leandro's foot tapped against the rooftop's railing. Silver particles wrapped around them like fairies. With a slight shift of his heel, he propelled himself as far as he could high in the sky.
Behind them, the four reptile-like monsters chased them down even in the open air.
"Close your eyes, Bada. It'll be over in a second. I promise you won't be in any danger."
She didn't have time to register his words before she felt his hands release her.
She was going up, he was going down.
'Close my eyes…?'
Bada blinked—the moon was behind her. Everything was so crystal clear and beautiful. And then she saw Leandro lifting his hand. The sword in his holster was drawn. The veins under his wrist protruded as he thrust it out in a broad swing.
Moonblade Style — Horizon.
A pale-white, crescent wave barreled out, seemingly curving through space and time. It flew in a sharp arc towards the enemies. The creatures were cloven into two with no resistance at all; the attack simply carved through their armor like butter, shearing past their flesh as if their bodies were water.
Everything was happening so fast, so chaotically.
Bada, once she reached the peak of her ascent, began to free fall towards the earth.
The wind blasted past her face.
Leandro turned around, his foot leaving a trail of misty particles as he stepped in mid-fucking-air and leaped towards her with inhuman agility, his arms wide open. "Bada."
"Leandro!" Bada thrust her hands out towards him. And, for the second time that day, she found herself back in his embrace. She thought she'd fall into him, and was prepared for the wind to be knocked out of her, but he was steady, and he did it with practiced ease, enveloping her into a soft hug.
She rested her cheek on his chest; his heartbeat was just as calm as before.
He took a second and, far faster leap into the nearest roof, landing in a crouch and bounding forward from rooftop to rooftop. She peeked behind them, but couldn't see nor hear any more creatures.
The thunderous chopping of helicopters echoed out as they flew overhead, one by one. The military was being deployed.
Soon enough, sounds of gunshot rang out.
Some of the flying creatures were swatted off from the sky like flies when heavy artillery was deployed. A missile propelled up the sky, spinning and chasing down two of them like the breath of hell itself. Bada could barely hear them roaring over the explosion that soon followed.
A firework of sorts that brightened up the dark city.
Bada tightened her grip around his coat, a small sigh leaving her lips as she felt his steps getting swifter, his motions becoming smoother.
Yeah, everything was going to turn out alr—
An explosion went off right next to them. Debris rained all around, but Bada was safely tucked in Leandro's arms, even as they were sent careening across the ground before they plowed through the windows of a store.
Glass shattered, its shards barreling out like drops of water. Bada instinctively shielded her head as she felt the momentum of their slide die out.
She blinked. Blood trickled down onto the ground.
Her ears rang, an annoying whistling that slowly faded.
The world slowly came into place. The entire topmost part of the building was completely sheared off, exposing them to the elements. What the hell even happened!
She was trembling, her breathing echoing off in her ears. Inhale. Exhale. Never had those simple motions sounded so loud, as if the entire world had gone silent, and all she could hear was herself.
Dust was kicked up everywhere.
Leandro stood in front of her. She looked up at him—he was about to say something. There was concern in his eyes. An ear-piercing screech reverberated through the cacophony of gunshots and battle.
They looked towards the sky, where one of the flying, winged creatures made a sharp descent towards them. There was a platoon of Glavathians on top of it, each of them armed to the teeth.
Bada turned to stare at Leandro. He stared right back.
She blinked, once.
He was gone. There wasn't even a sound.
She moved her swaying vision towards a speck of blinding light that suddenly appeared in the sky, like a falling comet. It seemingly stopped, briefly hovering, but never fading, merely waning, like the moon.
And, just like the moon, darkness briefly descended.
A massive crescent scythe of energy engulfed the panicking flying beast and everyone riding it. The flare of moonlight instantly eradicated the airborne force. Their bodies disintegrated, as if they were nothing more than specks of ash swept off by a mighty wind.
Everything happened so fast that Bada could barely comprehend the power behind such an attack, and what it meant—that Leandro… even in this world filled with monsters, he towered above them all. She knew he was strong; she had seen him fight, wield a sword.
But this…
Wasn't it too ridiculous?
Bada didn't know what to think. And so she blinked, one more time.
Leandro stood in front of her again, as if he had been there all along.
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