Like water balloons, the Ghouls burst into liquid as soon as Jenny struck. With either her hatchet or her fist, it didn’t matter which. She just had to hit them hard enough. But the hatchet’s edge cut through them swiftly, so she swung it repeatedly at each creature that rushed her with their arms outstretched, mouths open in wide grins.

The Ghouls had little resistance; it was like their entire body was an empty shell, a white casing that splattered as soon as it was compromised. It didn’t matter where she struck them. Their arms, their sides, or their head, as soon as anything cracked, their entire bodies turned to liquid and splattered. Jenny didn’t know what to make of that, so she did the only thing she could do: relentlessly attack.

Kill. Kill. Kill.

She moved quickly, darting backward and forward, sidestepping the ones trying to grab her. They were slower and clumsier than Wretched Angels, but they had her completely outnumbered. Fortunately, the Ghouls kept tripping over themselves in their mad scramble. Their legs tangled. They grabbed one another by mistake. Or two dove for her at the same time, and their head clunked together like two coconuts, and Jenny would finish them off with a rapid strike.

Many kept losing their footing, falling face down on the ground while the other Ghouls trampled them. Jenny stomped hard on their heads, splashing from body to body in her efforts to dodge. The only thing she had to watch out for was their hands. They had virtually no defenses, but their blows cracked her armor, and the impacts hurt. But the worst was their grip. It was vice-like, impossible to slip out of.

A Ghoul caught her arm and forced her to the ground by throwing its weight at her. Fingers dug into her armor, and Jenny nearly dislocated her shoulder trying to break free. Another Ghoul slammed into her chest and clawed at her face, but she punched it square in the chin, cracking it open so that the Ghoul burst right on top of her. Its remains, that thick white liquid, tasted almost like salty milk.

Trying not to swallow, trying not to gag, Jenny let go of her hatchet, caught it with her other hand, and chopped off the hand threatening to break her arm. Without skipping a beat, she buried the hatchet in the next Ghoul's head. Its smoky eyes went wide, its grin faltered, and the creature exploded into white droplets. Before another could jump her, Jenny rolled away and got to her feet, huffing for breath, already sweating way too hard. She wiped the milky substance off her face and spat.

A Reinforced Helmet will cost 400 Energy. Sufficient Energy.

Susan would approve, thought Jenny as golden light swirled around her head. The light made the Ghouls pause, and they blinked in confusion, gasping and making sounds of amazement, like children at a fireworks show.

A blue helmet materialized on Jenny's head, metal curving forward to protect her face. It covered her hair. There was a horizontal slit in the front to see through, but before the light faded away, the Ghouls snapped out of their daze and rushed her again.

She glanced at Yeshua who was still on the cross ogling his new hand, that arm no longer stuck to the wood. He turned it every which way, inspecting his palm and his knuckles. He licked his forearm. All the while, he kept laughing and crying, even as the Ghouls ripped away chunks of his legs and bit into his stomach. One even clung to his chest and suckled on his shoulder. His old hand remained nailed to the cross, blood dripping from where the hatchet had severed it, and several Ghouls waited below, mouths open expectantly.

Now if only he'd do something. The Ghouls kept coming, kept swarming, and she lost sight of the cross in the gaggle of salivating white bodies. With a shout, she used Savage Throw again, launching her hatchet into the crowd.

Pop, pop, pop! A row of them burst into liquid, raining down all over her and the others as Jenny kicked and punched the Ghouls closest to her. She struck one in the stomach and another in the eye, but one managed to grab her arm again, nearly snapping her elbow. She grimaced and summoned her hatchet back and sliced the Ghoul's head open with a flick of her wrist. It burst into liquid, and Jenny spun away.

They were easy to kill, but they gave her no Energy, no experience, not even a notification. Her hatchet didn't flash with light to indicate any pain; she wondered if their being Null was the reason. Maybe that was why they didn't have a level or anything. But then why were they so strong? They could rip her limb from limb if she gave them the chance.

Fingernails chipped off scales. Punches and smacks left cracks and dents, impacts that rattled her bones. One Ghoul even managed to peel away a chunk of armor, exposing her back. She buried her hatchet in the creature’s chest and rushed out of reach, gasping for breath. She was sweating profusely now; her head pounded with exhaustion. Whatever nap she'd taken before hadn't done anything, and she cursed herself for not assigning her stat points sooner. Having a boost in Stamina or Durability would've been perfect right now. Maybe she could make a potion.

Fuck it, I need space. Jenny inhaled deeply and roared, Ignite!

Flames streamed from her throat and out of her armor as she turned herself into a walking bonfire. The Ghouls raised their arms to shield their faces from the sudden brightness and heat, and they all stumbled back, clumsily bumping into the ones still trying to come after her. Their mad rush cleared enough space for Jenny to-

Beneath her, on the ground around her, she saw the salty surface bubbling. Puddles of gelatinous white liquid glistened in the orange and red glow of her fire. It was all the Ghouls she'd cut down. All their liquid was still on the ground, bubbling and merging back together, taking shape again, much more quickly this time. Hands reached out from below to grab her, and she hopped back to stay out of reach.

Jenny shut her mouth in frustration, extinguishing her flames and the light. She thought she'd been killing them, but they'd just been reforming this entire time. Then she had a sickening thought: Was feeding them the only way to stop them? The ones that turned pinkish-red after feasting on Yeshua's body had drained into the ground. The white ones seemed to get stuck on the surface.

I need to get out of the crowd; maybe if I run as fast as I can... Jenny dashed forward with Instant Acceleration, bursting through another row of Ghouls, her hatchet extended to catch as many as she could. Their hands kept reaching for her, kept trying to grab her, no matter how many elbows and throats she cut through. She needed to breathe. She needed to get away from the milky stench, the air was suffocating. She needed space.

She paused for a second to catch her breath, dropped down to dodge a swinging arm, and slashed one of the creatures in the stomach. There were still too many Ghouls. She couldn’t even see the edge of the crowd. With a cry of frustration, she used Instant Acceleration again, but she tripped.

There was a sudden jolt, a horrible crack, and she was flung forward onto her face and arms. She bounced off the ground before crashing forcefully into a pile of Ghouls, kicking up clouds of sat.

Some burst upon impact. Others, she knocked down, their teeth gnashing, their arms scrambling, but there were so many of them, that they grabbed onto one another, grabbed onto her, and it was a suffocating, screaming mess of limbs.

She had to blink away tears. Salt had gotten through the slit in her helmet, which had come askew, but it was like all the strength had left her body. Pain surged up her left leg. Grunting, she elbowed one of the Ghouls in the teeth and glanced back, trying to see what was wrong.

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She'd left her foot several paces behind her.

Blood squirted out of the stump of her knee, and she cried out. The sight of it was somehow so much worse than the pain, and Ghouls were already pouncing on her foot, pouncing on the splattering of blood she'd left in her wake, and pouncing on her.

She summoned her hatchet back, but powerful hands clamped down on her arm. Several Ghouls pinned down her legs, teeth sank into the exposed flesh of her leg, and some of their white heads turned pink. They sighed in relief as a scream tore through Jenny's throat, lighting her entire body on fire again. Ignite!

Flames blossomed from the wound, and tears ran down her cheeks as her blood sizzled. But the sudden light had shocked the Ghouls off her. The ones that had gotten bites were already melting into the ground.

Jenny sat up, breathing hard, staring at the flickering fire rising from the stump of her leg and trying very hard not to think about how she was running out of fuel. I'm going to pass out.

But I can't. Not like this.

They'll rip me to pieces.

Pain shot right up to Jenny's throat, closing around her windpipe like the hand of a Ghoul. Exhaustion pinched the corners of her vision. She just wanted to sleep. I just want to rest. Just for a little bit. But even though her fire kept them at bay, she could see the ground bubbling around her, could see the Ghouls trying to reemerge from the salty ground. Even the puddle she'd splashed into was starting to move beneath her.

A hand reached up and coiled around her thigh. A head rose right beside her. Jenny jammed her burning fingers into its eye sockets and pulled up her stats quickly, preparing to pour all her available points into Stamina. Another Ghoul dove on top of her burning leg, as though trying to snuff out the flame, and shoved its face into her stump. Teeth made contact with her torn muscle, but before Jenny could react, a furious drum roll of thunder shattered the entire world.

It sounded like the sky was coming apart. As soon as it settled down, ringing in Jenny’s ears, the Ghouls stopped what they were doing and stared up at the sky.

Lightning struck. An enormous red bolt zipped straight down from the storm clouds, crackling and splitting into several trails before crashing right onto the cross with another thunderous roar.

The impact was like a bomb going off; a violent gust blew the Ghouls away, many of them crying out as they burst into vapor. The winds blew out her flames, rattled her helmet, and threatened to blow her away too. In the center of the red glow, as more and more bolts of lightning rained down onto the cross, she could see Yeshua.

All the Ghouls on him and around him had completely vaporized. He was tugging on his other arm, trying to rip it free even as the lightning healed his palm around the nail. He jerked with his entire body, ribs and shoulder bones threatening to burst out of his skin, until finally, with a cry of anguish, his face red, spittle flying from his mouth, the nail tore through the gap between his fingers, and he yanked his arm off the cross with a spray of blood.

Shouting with triumph, he held up his freed hands, blood streaming down his arm as the lightning worked its magic around his fingers and his palm. Then, panting for air, he knelt forward so suddenly, Jenny thought he'd passed out. But he clung to the cross with one arm and reached down with the other to yank out the nail holding his feet in place.

But his fingers must've slipped or something, or maybe his strength had given out, because Yeshua collapsed forward while his feet remained stuck to the cross. His face hit the ground, legs outstretched, his flat ass in full view as lightning rained down on him.

Jenny adjusted her helmet and tried to get up. Clearly, she had to help him. He was powerful, he had to be. That lightning was insane. But she needed to help him up. To get his feet free. Then maybe he could fight and put these creatures down permanently.

But she could barely move.The Ghouls were reforming around her and scrambling back now that the wind had died down. She had to be quicker.

Gritting her teeth, groaning from the pain, she grabbed her injured leg and squeezed it as hard as she could. Golden light shimmered out of her hands. Blood gushed between her fingers as she used Susan’s ability, but something was stuck. Her mind lurched away from Valescent Light, and the ground seemed to spin. Rainbow light crackled across her wound, but she didn't have enough stamina for something like this; she was losing too much blood. Her head felt too heavy for her shoulders.

A white hand grabbed her shoulder and squeezed. The scales of her armor cracked as that Ghoul yanked her to the ground. Another grabbed her helmet, and she struggled to get out of their grips, but it was no use. She risked breaking her neck. Breaking her arm. But they were going to eat her alive.

Then a shout echoed, and the Ghouls stopped trying to peel off her armor. The winds stopped blowing, and everything went still. It felt like even the sky was holding its breath.

One by one, the Ghouls let go of Jenny and straightened up in silence. They stood around her, ignoring her, staring at a source of golden light that seemed nearly as bright as the sun. And Jenny felt it too. Deep inside, an immense sense of holiness. A gravity she’d felt a few times before, crying in prayer, begging God to help her. A solemn stillness, a reminder that she wasn’t alone.

Her bones aching, Jenny dug her elbows into the ground and lifted her head, trying to see between the Ghoul's legs, trying to find the source of this feeling. It was Yeshua.

He stood in front of the cross shining so brightly, he was like a beacon in a storm. His long brown hair and beard billowed as another, gentler breeze stirred, and he spread his arms wide. Behind him, nailed to the cross were what was left of his torn feet, blood dripping from the mangled flesh and bone.

"Behold!" he shouted. Lightning raced up and down his emaciated body; he looked so much like a Tarnished Angel. He bared himself completely, shriveled and bony, his face sunken in. A purple robe materialized around him, and he inhaled deeply before bellowing, "I... AM... FREE!"

Another burst of wind blew through the world, and another giant bolt of lightning flicked down from the sky and erupted around him, into him. The Ghouls stumbled forward, arms swinging, all of them muttering. Smoke swirled in their eyes as they bumped into one another, but they seemed hypnotized. Completely taken. Like a crowd of people consumed by worship.

"Father," whispered a ghoul behind her. Its foot struck her elbow, but the creature didn't seem to notice. They marched right by Jenny, their voices growing louder and louder, filling with desperation and need:

"Tunapenda wewe, Baba!”

"Ham āpkō pyār karte hain! "

"Jiù wǒmen tuōlí xiōng'è!"

"Come to me!" called Yeshua, his booming voice echoing all around. Golden light shone even more brightly from his body. Red sparks crackled, curving and twisting around him.

He stood nearly as tall as the cross. He raised his skinny arms, the sleeves of his robe falling away, to grasp the crown of thorns. He raised his chin, chest expanding with a deep breath, before lifting the crown off his head. Another bolt of lightning shivered across his forehead, healing the patchwork of wounds.

"Come to me," he repeated, in a gentle voice that Jenny felt rumbling deep inside her chest. She felt a pull on her heart, and if it wasn't for the agony of losing her left foot, she would've gotten right up and marched toward him. But why? Something about his voice, something grand and immense and powerful...

Human (stage v) (NULL)

What? She squinted at him, trying to make sense of the notification in her head. What was he? How was he stage v? What level did he need to reach... why is he NULL like the Ghouls?

"I am reborn," said Yeshua, raising his voice again. "Come to me, my children. Find salvation in my arms, for I am nearer to you than your soul." He was grinning, a wide toothy grin, his beard, his hair, his purple robe flowing in the wind.

“Hallowed be thy name...”

“Elthéto ē basileía sou...”

“Metool ddeelokhee malkootho...”

Despite her exhaustion, despite the agony, Jenny sat up, staring, her heart pounding. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Could he really be who she thought he was?

No. He couldn’t be.

He can’t!

She’d fought against her mother’s faith for so many years, rebelled against the stories, the lectures, the nonsensical rules that always seemed to put down girls in favor of men... but here he was, glowing with golden light. He’d been crucified, and yet there he stood, alive and powerful, and Jenny had set him free. He even looked like Him too. There was a firm, powerful kindness about him, an aura she couldn’t explain, and Jenny found herself completely baffled. Should she be praying too? Was everything her mother tried beating into her true? Was that man really...?

Once one of the Ghouls got close enough, the rest surging forward, each of them trying to be the first, their arms outstretched as if coming in for a hug, Yeshua lunged. He grasped one by the sides, fingernails digging into its white flesh. He scooped it into the air.

“I have redeemed you,” said Yeshua with an enormous grin as the Ghoul kicked and struggled midair, squealing as it failed to escape his grip. Lightning sparked around his hands, around the creature, and his golden light seemed to envelop everything. The other ghouls stood frozen, all of them silent and staring, and Jenny held her breath.

Yeshua pressed his lips to the Ghoul’s face, and Jenny heard a wet, sucking sound she’d never wanted to hear ever again.

SHLURP.