บท 17: Starving God
D'arce and Le'garde acted quickly, jumping in opposite directions with surprised cries, dodging the large bloody cleaver that split the wooden floor between them with a crack followed by a shower of splinters.
They both assumed battle stances, D'arce with her longsword and shield and Le'garde with a ritual spear. Fear and surprise flashed across their faces but soon gave way to a determination born from their lives as mercenaries, probably.
I, on the other hand, cursed internally as I watched both moonless guards climb onto the platform, causing the precarious construction to shake and creak.
Of all times, why now?
Moonless growled beside me, barking furiously at the guards, Iron Shakespeare remained in combat stance, awaiting orders, while Madeleine stood behind me, her gaze alternating between the cube, the mercenaries, and the monsters.
For a moment, I thought D'arce and Le'garde would handle the job, as they both swung at the climbing creatures, delivering deep cuts and punctures. However, that soon changed as they rose to their full height, moving away their obvious weak spots and going on the offensive.
The first guard tried to close his massive jaws around Le'garde, but he held his spear horizontally as he stepped back, escaping the wall of twisted fangs. Unfortunately, this caused him to bump into D'arce, disrupting her aimed strike towards the second guard's left arm.
They both ducked immediately, dodging the slash that nearly split them in two, but they struggled to stand up and dodge the crushing kick aimed at them. This lack of coordination occurred for a simple reason: there was not enough space to fight.
We were on a narrow bridge suspended over a chasm, and the same was true for the way we came, a tiny open area with a narrow rock walkway leading to the God of the Depths, and I didn't want to face it again.
The guards suffered from the same problem, pushing and shoving each other, exchanging growls as they approached. As if that wasn't enough, cracks spread across the bridge, causing it to sway again, nearly tipping us over to our deaths.
This thing won't hold our weight! Damn it! Better to fight next to the damned God than die stupidly or have my only way out destroyed!
"Everyone, let'sss return, now! We can't fight here, thisss bridge won't hold ourrr weight!" I captured the mercenaries' attention as I pointed to the altar.
Moonless, Iron Shakespeare, and Madeleine went first, with me following shortly after. D'arce and Le'garde glanced over their shoulders at me, nodded, and retreated as well, delivering swift blows to disorient their enemies.
We crossed the bridge and took fighting stances in the open area, watching the guards slowly make their way towards us. There I felt the gaze of the God of the Depths on my back again and heard his voice.
"Feed me."
"Does anyone here have a plan?!"
"SHUT UP!"
"WHAT?!"
I cringed in shame and cursed internally when I realized I had yelled at D'arce, who now glared at me with a revolted face and raged eyes. I had the feeling she struggled between hitting the creatures or me.
"I'm so sssorry!" I replied quickly, thinking of a way out.
"There's enough space here for us to divide our enemies and face them separately. D'arce and I can fight one, but I would like the help of one of your allies." Le'garde suggested with disturbing calm, observing the monsters like a predator about to attack.
I know he has one of the most fortified minds here to carry Miasma without problems, but this is ridiculous.
Sweat ran down his face, sticking his long hair to his pale face as he breathed heavily, but he did not weaken, maintaining a slightly bent combat stance while holding his spear firmly.
If I did not know anything about this world, I would certainly fall for his charisma and determination and follow him to the ends of the earth. Is this the power of the Prophesized One, the power to make people obey his will?
The worst part is that he was right because his group was outnumbered. I believe that Moonless would be the best option because she did not need orders to fight.
"Moonlesss, go with them, we will find ourrr way againssst the guard!"
The wolf looked at me for a second before barking in confirmation, running to Le'garde and D'arce's side, although the latter glared at her suspiciously with narrowed eyes as she gripped her sword, receiving a menacing growl in response.
"This is Moonlesss, she's my friend and she helped me out a lot recently. You betterrr not attack herrr, or I'll come after you when I'm done with the guarrrd!"
"You can trust me, I'll make sure to keep her safe!" Le'garde replied, sending me a bright smile that made me click my tongue at how convincing it was. D'arce shook her head, sighing tiredly before focusing on the guards.
"I hope you knew what you were doing by putting your trust in that thing sir… Sir… I still don't know your name!"
"Micolash!"
"It's a pleasure to meet you properly, Micolash!" D'arce offered me a gentle smile.
"Likewise, D'arce!" I returned the gesture with my own, but tilted my head confused at her surprised reaction, then remembered my new teeth.
"Your teeth…"
"Yes, I know!"
"RRROOOAAARRR!"
"Save the introductions for later, here they come!" Le'garde interrupting our conversation.
"Feed me."
A cold shiver ran through my body as if I were on top of a snowy mountain.
I cast Glimmer of Truth as the first guard came into view. If the green smoke had any effect, he didn't show it, but it blinded him long enough for Iron Shakespeare to attack at my command.
The knight delivered a crushing punch to the side of the guard's head, disorienting him and causing a sickening crack to reverberate through the dark walls of the cave.
"Madeleine, legsss!"
The girl nodded and set the cube aside, throwing it into the house where the altar was and advancing towards the guard with her dagger raised, piercing his left knee with a spray of blood.
The guard staggered back, pulling the girl with him, but she managed to remove her weapon in time and escape the kick thrown at her as the monster recovered from its confusion.
She rolled across the ground as Iron Shakespeare threw a flaming straight punch, but the guard roared in fury and swung his right arm, hitting the knight's wrist and parrying the blow, leaving him open for a cleaver cut.
The weapon tore through the air, piercing the armor and cutting the undead's chest with a sharp screech followed by a shower of blood and sparks. The monster prepared to strike the unbalanced knight with the next blow, but I didn't allow it.
I advanced behind the Iron Shakespeare, tearing the flesh of the cleaver holding arm in the middle of the attack, simultaneously, Madeleine used her small form to bypass the monster unnoticed and cut the side and back of his already injured leg.
The moonless guard weakened and fell to one knee with a small tremor, Madeleine disappeared behind him, probably heading towards the other leg. I, meanwhile, continued cutting and tearing the guard's left arm, ripping off slices of fur, skin, and muscle, doing everything I could to disable the limb with the Shark Teeth.
It was strange, sweat dripped down my face, my heart raced, and I breathed heavily as blood splattered around me. A smile crept across my face as I saw my weapon stained red.
"Feed me."
I felt as if a thousand eyes were watching me, judging me, waiting for something.
No! Shut up! I screamed internally as I realized what happened. This is not the time for this! Not now!
I stepped back, barely escaping the deadly abyss that was the creature's mouth, but its fangs ripped off parts of my armor and trench coat as they closed in on my previous location, leaving huge rips in the leather and fabric.
The guard growled, standing up again as he chewed and spat the rags onto the floor, leaving them covered in saliva and blood. He tested his left arm and leg with light movements, bloody and injured, but still functional.
I ordered Iron Shakespeare to advance as I noticed the tremor in my enemy's limbs, a shaky leg, and a loose grip on his weapon.
Suddenly, the guard grunted in discomfort as Madeleine cut his remaining leg, but had to run as he turned toward her, trying to stomp and slash at her repeatedly.
She was fast and hard to hit, but she was slowly cornered against the cave wall. My vision reddened and I gritted my teeth in boiling rage.
I moved faster than I thought possible as I tightened my grip on my weapon, outpacing the heavy knight, and slashed the creature's back, straining my muscles to the limit.
It felt like I would tear my flesh, but the agonized yelp I received in return gladdened my heart.
I sank my blade into its body, pulling it down with all my strength, doing my best to split its it in two, reveling in every scream of pain and suffering.
"Feed me."
I heard the gnashing of colossal teeth dragging against each other in anticipation. The massive wound poured blood like a waterfall, bathing me in red, but a pang of regret arose midst the anger, for I had made a mistake.
The Sharkteeth was made to tear and slide, delivering quick and severe blows, not to sever, and I soon found myself unable to move my weapon, for it was stuck.
The guard seemed to realize the same, for instead of struggling and trying to throw me away, he ran backward, trapping me against his body and pushing me quickly toward the cave wall.
My eyes widened as I tried to escape, to cast a spell, to throw myself aside, anything! But there was no way out, there was no time, so all I could do was scream.
"NO, NO… ARGH!"
All the air left my body with a choked gasp and my vision darkened. I think I lost consciousness for a moment, shaking off the initial pain as an absurd weight crushed me against the wall, but not the subsequent pain that hit me like a train.
I heard several cracks that I prayed weren't my bones, but the twinges that ran through my body said otherwise, and I felt something twisting inside me.
I sighed in relief when the weight disappeared and fell to my hands and knees, screaming as air filled my lungs, but soon stopped when I felt something rising in my throat.
I tried to hold it in as the burning continued and my body shook, but I vomited a mixture of bile and blood onto the floor as tears escaped my eyes.
"Feed me."
I heard something approaching, shaking the ground. I saw a large shadow forming and when I raised my head, I saw an infinitely tall giant staring at me, but that vision soon disappeared, giving way to a raised cleaver.
I cast a spell, either out of desperation or instinct. Dark mud leaked from Kitab and the monstrous cats leapt at the guard. Unfortunately, the creature devoured half of them in one bite, but the rest returned the favor, scratching and biting his body.
I took advantage of this opening to crawl away, casting Healing Whispers along the way, healing myself more than the rest of my group, and giving Iron Shakespeare space to return to the fight.
Madeleine sidestepped the guard and the knight, nearly getting hit by careless blows, but escaping the corner where she was trapped and returning to my side.
I sat leaning against the cave wall, blending into the shadows and watching the fight. Meanwhile, the girl gave me another one of her worried looks, making my heart sink.
I lifted a shaky hand, breathing heavily, and placed it in front of her yellow eyes glowing in the darkness. She held it tightly, resting her forehead against my palm as I gave her a comforting smile.
"Don't worry, I'll surrrvive, nothing a few healing spellsss can't fix, but I need to rest rrright now."
Madeleine nodded and crouched down beside me, watching the fight, her grip on her dagger tightening anxiously. I knew she wanted to return the fight, but as much as it pained me to say it, we would be a hindrance.
"Wow, it's a miracle you survived!" Kitab laughed heartily, catching my attention.
I looked slowly in its direction, fatigue, and pain preventing me from acting any faster, and I frowned at its witty comment.
"I'm not in the mood for jokesss, Kitab. Iron Shakespeare's soul hasss done its work. Let me rest if you have nothing important to sssay." I replied through clenched teeth.
"What's with that tone?"
"I'd like to see you say the sssame if you were in my place! You weren't crushed againssst a wall!"
"Of course I was, you were holding me!"
"But you're a book incapable of fffeeling pain!"
Kitab was silent for a few moments while I glared at it, returning only a few seconds later.
"Well, you go me there! Sorry!"
"Hump! At leassst you had the nerrrve to regret it!"
"That aside, how do you feel? That thing hit you hard and is giving us more trouble than the giant lizard."
"I'll live, and you're right, the current terrrain has rrruined our teamwork, we barely have room to fight without hitting each otherrr."
"So, what's the plan?"
"Let the Iron Ssshakespeare fight while I support him with ssspells, and hopefully last until D'arce, Le'garde, and Moonless finish off theirrr guard."
Speaking of the other group, they were in a bad situation, but not as bad as mine.
The moonless guard punched Le'garde's tomach, who let out a mute scream, spitting blood and saliva, and flying dangerously close to the edge of the chasm, almost taking D'arce with him.
Luckily, this allowed D'arce to advance and sever the monster's right arm with a powerful slash accompanied by a war cry. Flesh and bone gave way and the furry limb flew away, disappearing into the deep darkness with a trail of blood in its wake.
Moonless leaped onto the creature's back, sinking her claws and fangs into its body, but she showed more agility than I and escaped being crushed against the wall, returning to D'arce's side and assuming an attacking position.
Le'garde returned shortly after, the punch's imprint on his armor's and blood dripping from his mouth. D'arce had a black eye and a bloody cut on her left side. Moonless seemed the least injured, but I saw red stains on her fur.
The guard was the worst of the lot, with his right arm and eye missing, and his body covered in cuts, bites, and heavy punctures, spilling liters of scarlet liquid.
The mercenary captain rushed too fast for someone in heavy armor, narrowly dodging a cleaver slash that moved in a silvery blur, and piercing the monster's side with a wet thud.
He dropped his weapon and leaped back, dodging a decapitating blow and kicking the guard's legs, tearing off chunks of flesh and forcing the creature to its knees before retrieving his spear and moving away.
I focused on the Iron Shakespeare this time, watching as he pressed the guard against the cave wall, putting him in a similar position to the girl as the cats disappeared. I cast Glimmer of Truth repeatedly, confusing the monster, and allowing the knight to land crushing blows.
Punch after punch, the guard's bones broke and his fur ignited in flames, further deforming his body, until he stepped aside as his opponent delivered the final blow, dodging the attack and causing the knight's hammer fist to sink into the wall with a crash.
Stone and dust flew away, but the worst came when Iron Shakespeare was unable to remove his hand from the stone. A cruel gleam appeared in the guard's eyes and he swung his cleaver faster than I could cast a spell.
With a crack and a few sparks, the knight stumbled backward, separated from his left arm that stood in the wall.
My heart raced and my face contorted in despair. I screamed every insult I knew, but I bit my tongue, standing up with Madeleine's help, focusing on the fight.
The guard unleashed a barrage of cuts, tearing the knight's armor and staining the ground with the little blood that remained inside the undead. Fortunately, he felt no pain and must have already rotted inside the armor, but that didn't change the fact that the fight approached us.
"Feed me."
Don't look back! Don't look back! Don't look back! I screamed mentally, feeling the temperature of the place become glacial, making my teeth chatter and the feeling disappear from my extremities.
I left these thoughts behind when I saw the Iron Shakespeare using his remaining fist as a shield, mitigating the damage from the cuts that now sent metallic cracks through the environment.
I glimpsed the guard holding something shiny in his right hand, a coin, he intended to launch his hit kill attack!
The monster howled something and threw the coin up, simultaneously, I raised Kitab and cast a spell, feeling my brain almost explode in protest. The ghostly rat left the book and I controlled it, making it climb the knight and jump towards the coin at its apex.
The world slowed down as the rat approached with its mouth open, a glint of denial appeared in the monster's eyes and he reached towards the animal, but it was too late, my summon bit the coin and escaped through his fingers, landing and disappearing into the darkness.
"RRROOOAAARRR!"
The guard raised his arms, roaring in blind and animalistic fury, and swung his cleaver again, however, this small pause was all the undead knight needed.
He pulled his fist back and punched with strength and speed I thought impossible for a rotted undead. I didn't order him to do it, perhaps there was some remnant of conscience or humanity there, some desire to win or knightly honor.
It didn't matter in the end, as the flaming fist collided with the cleaver, destroying it in an explosion of glowing metal and boiling embers. The blow didn't stop and continued forward, colliding with the creature's hand and...
CRACK!
"RRROOOAAARRR!"
We all winced at the result, as the creature's fingers broke in different directions, becoming an unrecognizable mass of bone, flesh, and fur.
The bones of its forearm broke through its elbow with a wet, tearing sound, its biceps reached its shoulder, and the shoulder stopped above its head, with a spike of broken bone protruding from the top, completely mangling the limb.
The monster cried and thrashed in mad pain, its deafening roar creating an infernal noise. Iron Shakespeare pulled his fist back again and I felt a smile forming on my face.
I raised Kitab and cast Glimmer of Truth again, watching the world become distorted around me, nearly knocking me down with the absurd dizziness, revealing more than I used to seeing.
However, my smile died as the guard opened his monstrous jaw and bit down on the knight fist, losing a few fangs but keeping the limb in place. No matter how many spells I cast, how much I risked sinking into madness, and how many undesirable things I saw, he refused to release it.
Then the monster stepped forward, and the knight's feet slid back. The heavy footsteps turned into a frantic run, and Madeleine and I were face to face with a wall of metal and muscle approaching blindly.
I looked around and saw a chasm on both sides, if we tried to avoid it we would enter D'arce's fight, whose group also stood in a difficult situation, with Le'garde leaning on his spear, Moonless limping while barking in defiance, and D'arce holding her sword with one hand while the other remained hanging.
There was only one way, back.
"Feed me."
We retreated to the stone and wood walkway toward the God of the Depths, entering a desperate situation. Madeleine remained at my side, holding her weapon with both hands in a fighting stance, but she fidgeted nervously in her place.
I was in no better shape, injured, tired, and with a splinting headache, seeing bizarre beings crawling from the darkness.
"Feed me."
The corners of my vision reddened and I felt the hatred returning. No! Not now! I need to think! I need to think!
"Feed me."
I called my rat back, ordering it to drop the coin and invade the guard's body, devouring his insides, and prioritizing the vital organs, but how long would that take? Did this thing even have human biology? The rat could be attacking something useless!
"Feed me."
My muscles burned and my teeth gritted, I hyperventilated as my blood rushed through my veins. No! No! No! Think of a way out! Cast a spell! Do anything, but don't lose yourself now!
"Feed me."
I cast spell after spell, rats, cats, green smoke, everything! But it wasn't enough, the monster still advanced and we were still retreated. Iron Shakespeare served as a shield, so we could not throw anything or strike the guard's sides.
So, I did the only thing I could, I pushed.
"Feed me."
The cold steel touched my body as I hugged the knight, screaming in effort as I dug my feet into the ground. Madeleine did the same, her small form wrapping around the undead's right leg.
Her face contorted, a mixture of fear and courage shining in her eyes. I felt sorry for her and mentally kicked myself for thinking that, remembering the conversation I had with Nosramus.
You can't protect her forever! You should teach her how to fight! I will if we get out of this alive! I will get the divine weapon too!
"Feed me."
I stumbled for a moment, causing us to retreat a few inches. I licked my lips in anticipation, I wanted blood.
Suddenly, all the sound and color of the world disappeared and I felt an indescribable emptiness taking over me. Everything disappeared, there was no pain, no fear, no worry, no anger, there was nothing.
Something moved in the abyss, and two colossal purple hands, larger than any mountain, grabbed its edge with their ten fingers at the end of each limb with an unnatural gentleness.
Looking back, I saw the chest of a gigantic being rising from the abyss, this chest led to a neck connected to a head, but I looked down at the ground as soon as I saw a pair of yellow, swollen lips and what looked like a closed cyclops eye.
I should have been desperate, screaming, tearing my eyes out at the sight of a God, but there was nothing, just an abyss similar to the one that surrounded me, the absence of everything.
A color returned to the world, an intense purple light, more than any spotlight or star, it illuminated me as if on a stage, and then I heard his voice.
"Feed me."
Don't look up!
"Feed me."
Don't look up!
"Feed me."
"Don't look up."
"Feed me."
To hell with it…
I took a deep breath and let it go. The world turned red and I finally felt something, anger. There was no void, no light, no God, no abyss, only the thing that threatened to kill us, and I wouldn't allow it.
"AAAHHH!"
I grabbed Iron Shakespeare's shoulders, seeing the eyes on my mutated arm dilate and move erratically, and pulled myself up, climbing the knight until I stood above the moonless guard, staring at his monstrous face through my blurred vision.
I then opened my mouth and threw myself towards him, letting out a furious scream as everything disappeared.
-XXXXXX-
It shouldn't be like this! The moonless guard thought, a moment of sanity in his perverse mind, feeling his body scream in protest as the strange cats and rats slowly devoured his flesh.
It should have been easy! They were strong, fused with the cave beasts, becoming more powerful than any human! Ending these pests should have been simple! New toys to break and devour, but now the life left their bodies, blood running in rivers from their deep wounds, skin torn and burned, and fur in flames!
The knight was strong and resilient, more than anyone, but he was stupid and slow, the small creature was fast and dangerous if lost from sight, but fragile. The tall and thin being was the most dangerous, he knew how to cast spells and attacked with cruel brutality!
There was something wrong with him! His instincts screamed to kill him quickly because if he didn't, he would become something terrible! So he did, but the being survived somehow, now look where he stood in a desperate fight, trying to die and take his enemies with him!
Even if he survived, it would be impossible to live in the dungeons, as his injuries would make him a burden, his arms and legs mangled, he was nothing more than a crippled animal that would be thrown out of the pack, easy prey!
It would not end like this! He would kill the leader of the enemy pack and return to his brother, and together they would find new prey, but deep down, he knew that was not true.
The flaming fist in his fangs burned his mouth as tears flowed from his eyes, he pushed and pushed, driving them to the sleeping God, soon they would be its new meal! At least he could revel in their desperate screams, feel the sadistic pleasure in his heart one last time knowing that he would not die alone!
However, his ramblings died as he heard a deafening scream, a hissing voice that echoed through the darkness, sending a chill through his soul.
Then a shadow rose, blocking what little light remained, and when he looked up, he saw a gigantic mouth full of sharp, knife-like gleaming teeth splitting the enemy leader's face, and closing around his head.
CRACK!
It took him less than a second to register what happened, as the agonizing pain running through his body was a cruel indicator. No! Pain was not the right word, as the absurd pressure crushing his skull was indescribable! No word in the world could define it!
CRACK!
The teeth sank even deeper, sending a paralyzing shock through his body. He couldn't move, he couldn't feel his legs, which caused him to stop pushing and fall to his knees.
CRACK!
Unfortunately, he still felt something, his head turning to mush in his enemy's mouth, the forked tongue covering his face in saliva moving like a snake savoring its prey.
CRACK!
His vision reddened and his eyes popped from their sockets, a crushing headache making his world spin.
CRACK!
It wasn't supposed to end like this! How did it get to this point?! From a cruel and powerful guard who witnessed this dungeon go to hell, to a monster, beast, and now prey?! He was stronger than this! He should win!
CRACK!
He could no longer feel his arms he could no longer feel anything below his neck, only pain, infernal pain, hallucinating pain, cruel pain, boiling pain, pain, pain, pain… Who was this being? What was he doing here? Why delve deeper into the dungeon? Why were his instincts screaming to kill him?
CRACK!
He would do things differently if he could go back in time, he would never have faced the monster in front of him, he would never have made a flesh marriage, he would never have accepted service in the dungeons, he would never have gotten out of bed that day, he would have been a better person, sought a fair and honest life, he… He…
CRACK!
He didn't want to die! So he begged in his mind, begged to be spared! Begged to be let go, but the monster wouldn't stop, it kept tearing at his flesh! This was how his victims felt before the end?! When there was no chance of victory and the mercy of their assailant was the only salvation?! He could only beg for forgiveness!
CRACK!
He could no longer see, however, the pain was still there! How long would this torture last?! Suddenly, a divine light shone in the darkness, like the most beautiful sunrise.
A flapping of wings echoed in his ears and a shadow appeared in the light, slowly descending and revealing its form. It was an angel! The Gods were truly merciful, for an angel had come to take him to paradise!
He was dressed in white from head to toe, white shoes, white pants, a long white shirt with long sleeves ending in gloves of the same color, a long black sash wrapped around his stomach, tightening his shirt and giving the lower section the appearance of a skirt that covered his hips and part of his thighs.
The angel wore a white cloak with a hood attached to his body with a type of metal buckle, but this did not hide his large pair of majestic wings full of white feathers. He extended his right hand as he descended from the heavens, keeping his left hand above his chest in a solemn position.
Using all the remained strength, he extended his right hand towards the angel, ready to be taken.
However, his relief turned into a primal fear when the angel caught his wrist in a crushing grip and hunched forward quickly, revealing a face as dark as night, with a pair of eyes like perfectly round blue jewels, and a toothy smile from ear to ear.
The left side of the angel's chest opened, revealing a mass of red eyes and dark tentacles, the same went for his back, from where several green tentacles came and whipped the air.
The angel opened his mouth, revealing an infinite void and a distorted laugh emanated, but not from the being in front of him. Looking up one last time, the guard understood why his instincts screamed so much, for a smiling moon stared at him, laughing at his suffering.
In his final moments, he could only regret not having killed the monster and spared the world from what would come. Thankfully, his torment finally ended when the angel closed its teeth around his head and everything went dark.
CRACK!
END OF CHAPTER
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