CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Windfall

One hour later

Marcus found himself facing a dozen grotesque monsters, their bodies wreathed in flames. They lunged at him, limbs outstretched. Their skin, a patchwork of fur and feathers, glistened with blood and soot. Talons jutted from their hands and feet, sharp enough to tear into steel, while their faces twisted into grim visages of pain and rage.

He braced his shield and shoved against the nearest creature, sending it staggering back, its limbs flailing in a desperate attempt to regain balance. ‘Now.’ He swung his sword downwards, severing one of the creature’s arms. The limb fell to the ground with a sickening thud, still writhing as if it possessed a mind of its own. He then kicked against the wounded monster, sending it crashing back into its brethren before he backed off again.

Every retreat brought him bumping into Julien who was locked in his own battle nearby. The man shouted words of encouragement that mingled with curses, urging Marcus to keep going. “Just keep stabbing!” Julien yelled, launching a bolt of pure fire that arced through the air, igniting a rushing monster on his end. It shrieked as flames consumed it, collapsing into a smoking heap that partially blocked the path of the other monsters.

Another monster charged. Marcus tightened his grip, forcing himself to stay sharp and focus on his breathing. He felt the creature slam into his shield, before he rammed his sword forwards several times, each time sinking deep within the monster’s flesh. Marcus heard it hit the ground, but he stomped on its neck just to be sure. A moment later, another one came for him.

Marcus swung his sword up in a wide arc, severing another arm from the creature before bracing for impact. The beast slammed against his steel chest piece, the force rattling him. He retaliated by slamming his boot onto the monster’s feet before following up with a shield bash that sent the monster crashing into the nearby wall. Ignoring its scratching limbs, he kept it pinned down with his shield before he buried his sword deep in its throat. As he glanced down, he noted the burn marks covering the creature’s hide.

‘The fire isn’t doing as much damage as before,’ he thought. The heat from Julien’s flames had charred fur and skin, but clearly, the monsters were adapting in ways he couldn’t fully grasp. Dozens of charred husks littered the corridor, reminders that fire still had its effect when generously applied.

“You hanging in there, Alpha?” Julien shouted, parrying a monster’s talons with his staff. A second later the Caster lodged it in-between the monster’s grotesque beak, then placed a hand on its chest, incinerating it at close range. Ash and burned feathers rained down, leaving nothing but a scorched spot on the ground.

“Barely,” Marcus replied, a grin tugging at his lips despite the chaos. He lied, thankful Julien couldn’t see the truth plastered on his face. Adrenaline coursed through him, invigorating his senses. ‘This is fucking awesome,’ he thought as he killed another monster with a single swing of his sword, severing its head. Bruised, bleeding, and drained, Marcus felt alive—good, even. Fighting had always been his thing, yet the recent Stat upgrades really made him feel powerful. He evaded and wove through the onslaught of limbs and beaks, countering their frantic attacks while holding back just enough to maintain the facade of being a mere Alpha.

“Serves you right for drawing in all these buggers,” Julien quipped, slamming his staff down to summon a wall of flame in front of him that slowly moved along the corridor before turning to grab Marcus, yanking him behind him. With a flourish, he held out his palm, unleashing a massive beam of fire down the other end of the corridor. The heat washed over Marcus as flames engulfed the remaining monsters, leaving nothing but scorched remains in their wake.

“Wait, I drew them in?” Marcus said, feeling a bit of relief as the fire subsided, revealing the charred corpses. “You were the one constantly yapping my ear off while clearing out this floor.”

Julien shot him a look, one that clearly asked, really? “I seem to recall a certain Alpha getting impatient and kicking in a door while I was still clearing mine.”

The two of them moved through the corridor, methodically stabbing and kicking each corpse to ensure none would rise again while bickering on who had caused the horde to form. Once satisfied, they bent down, retrieving the shattered Glass pieces from the fallen creatures, pocketing the valuable fragments to exchange for credits later on.

Exhausted from the hallway horde fight and with Julien nearly out of Mana, they approached the remaining apartments with caution. Room by room, they cleared the floor.

In the final apartment, Marcus wandered into the living room, scanning his surroundings. Plates of half-eaten stale breakfast still sat on the table, a small glimpse into the life that had existed here before everything had gone to hell. Folded laundry rested on a nearby chair, untouched by the chaos. The sight of it felt surreal to Marcus—a reminder that normalcy had lived in these walls mere days ago.

He stepped toward the window and peered outside. The third floor he was on offered a decent view of the city below. The blue Sphere encased the part of the city they were in, its energy shimmering like an otherworldly barrier. ‘Feels weird that entire parts of a city can be swallowed up like this,’ he thought, shaking his head as he heard Julien rummaging through kitchen cupboards for something edible.

Without warning, a sudden loud impact reverberated through the hall, shaking the walls around them. Marcus stiffened, gripping his sword tighter. Another impact followed, this one louder, sending vibrations through the floor. Then came the roar—loud, primal, shaking the air.

“Monster?” Marcus asked, his tone coming out awkward.

Julien shook his head and rifled through the cupboards without a second glance. “Too deep and German-sounding, if that makes sense. I think that berserker-brain got off his leash again… or off his meds. Who knows what set him off this time.”

“You ever say those things directly to his face?” Marcus asked as he looked upwards, trying to focus on the sounds above.

“I don’t have a death wish, so no.”

More screams and sounds of fighting echoed throughout the building, increasing in volume with each second. The sheer force behind the noises suggested a brutal conflict raging nearby.

“Should we help?” Marcus asked, though he knew the answer. ‘Sebastian is strong enough to tear through a horde of monsters, even with one arm. He should be fine. And Kay’s with him. He’d probably just curse us out if we tried to help out, seeing as Benedict has tasked us with clearing two floors per pair.’

“He’s fine. Besides—” Julien started, but the words hung in the air as a massive impact shook the building. Cracks raced across the walls. “What the hell was that?”

A scream cut through the air, and they both turned to the window just in time to see the one-armed breacher, roaring, tumbling through the sky in a rain of broken glass. It almost looked comical, like something out of a bad movie.

Julien darted to the window, peering down as the German Breacher smashed into a parked car below. The crunch of metal and shattered glass echoed up to them. “Ouch.”

“Is he dead?” Marcus pressed his face as close to the glass as he could, squinting to see the wreckage below. Julien didn’t bother with the subtlety. He smashed the window apart with his staff, giving them both a clearer view.

“Nah, he’s fine,” Julien muttered. Down below, the wounded Sebastion stirred, rising slowly from the crumpled car, shaking his head like a dazed bull. “He’s properly pissed off, I can tell you that. Come on, let’s give Kay some backup.”

They moved quickly back out into the hallway, their footsteps echoing as they sprinted toward the stairs. On the way up, they spotted a dead monster slumped against the steps, its skull caved in, blood trickling down the concrete.

“Fourth or fifth floor?” Julien asked, glancing at Marcus with a raised brow.

“How the hell should I know?” Marcus asked, glancing at Julien, who just shrugged in response. “You expect me to calculate what floor Sebastion fell from based on his screams? You know that’s weird, right?”

Julien stared for a moment, then shrugged.

Marcus sighed, frustrated. “You check the fourth, I’ll take the fifth.”

The Caster nodded and sprinted off, staff at the ready. Marcus moved up another floor, already bracing for what he might find. The hallway showed clear signs of combat. Monsters lay hacked apart, some smashed to death with brute force. Kneeling by one of the corpses, Marcus turned it over and saw a hole in the back of its head, with the Glass missing.

‘They’ve been busy on the fifth floor. So, they already cleared the fourth,’ he thought, tempted to go down and call Julien back.

Just then, a scratching sound came from inside one of the apartments, followed by a deep, low rumble.

Marcus moved down the hall, stepping over corpses littered across the floor. His shield and sword remained at the ready, each step careful and deliberate. Glancing at the bodies, he noticed strange indentations pressed into some of them. ‘Hoofprints?’ he thought while frowning. He crouched down beside one of the corpses. It looked like it had been trampled, showing bones crushed beneath its ruined flesh. He rolled it over, revealing the familiar glint of a Glass piece still embedded in the back of its skull. ‘It’s still warm, so it isn’t an old kill.’

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A low rumble echoed down the corridor, deep and close, coming from his right. His eyes shifted toward a shattered doorframe, where the wall had collapsed inward. He moved silently, keeping his breathing controlled, peering through the hole in the wall.

There, in front of a broken window, stood the source of the sound.

It looked like a big goat at first—if a goat had massive, muscular forearms that rippled with unnatural strength. Hooves struck the floor with a heavy weight, and dark black fur formed a wild mane along its back. Its torso was encased in chitinous armor. The rest of the face was entirely covered in that bone plating, giving it an almost monstrous helmet-like appearance.

‘It doesn’t have eyes?’ Marcus thought as he observed the creature. His gaze traveled lower, noticing wounds crisscrossing its body, smaller punctures and slashes marring its skin. But as he watched, the gashes started to close, slowly knitting back together. ‘It’s able to regenerate?’ he thought, unease creeping up his spine. ‘Well, that’s not going to be fun.’

The apartment itself was in shambles. Furniture lay broken, walls torn apart, holes punched through into other rooms, like the creature had gone on a rampage. Scratches and blade marks decorated nearly every surface. ‘Sebastian’s fought it in here for sure,’ he thought, recognizing some of the man’s work.

Marcus scanned the room, trying to spot Kay. His eyes trailed upward, and there he was—hugging the ceiling. Kay balanced himself against a nearby doorframe, one foot braced while one hand gripped a ceiling light. His other hand held his sword, embedded deep into the wall. Their eyes locked, and Marcus noticed the wide, frantic look on Kay’s face. The man mouthed something, silently forming the words with his lips.

‘Don’t make noise?’ Marcus thought, catching the message. He gave a slight nod, his mind already racing. ‘It must be strong, strong enough to take down Bastion and freak Kay out. That and the ability to regenerate. Maybe I can lure it—’

“Is kay in there?” Julien’s voice broke the silence, startling Marcus—he hadn’t even heard him approach.

‘Crap.’

The creature spun around with unnatural speed, locking onto their position before it charged. Instinct kicked in. Marcus dove to the side, grabbing Julien and pulling him down with him as what remained of the doorframe exploded as the creature slammed through it. Wood splintered, brick and debris raining down, filling the air with dust and fragments.

“Run!” Marcus shouted, scrambling to his feet as they bolted down the hallway. His heart pounded, the sound of the monster’s heavy footsteps gaining ground on them.

“You idiot!” Marcus yelled at Julien as they sprinted. He pushed his body to its limits, moving as fast as he could, not bothering to hold back and pretend to be a mere Alpha. ‘I’m going full throttle—how fast is this thing?’ he thought, the dread building with every thundering step behind them.

Julien suddenly shoved Marcus to the side, sending him crashing through a door and into a nearby apartment. The world spun as he tumbled in, barely catching a glimpse of Julien diving into another room across the hall. Marcus rolled to his feet quickly, sword and shield at the ready. His eyes darted around the room, every sense on high alert, waiting for the creature to burst through the doorway or even the walls.

A shout echoed from outside, followed by flashes of fire. Marcus tensed. A split second later, Julien’s body came crashing through the wall, slamming into the room with a loud thud. The Caster hissed in pain, clutching his ribs as he struggled to catch his breath, still clinging to a broken staff.

“Get up,” Marcus growled, grabbing Julien by the arm and dragging him to his feet. Without wasting a second, he hauled Julien out of the apartment just as the monster crashed into the space they’d just occupied. The walls shook, debris flying everywhere.

Back in the hallway, Marcus pulled the wounded man along as they sprinted down the corridor, his legs burning with effort. They reached the spot where Kay still clung to the ceiling. Without stopping, he shoved Julien into the room. “Take care of him!” he yelled to Kay, his voice barely cutting through the chaos. Kay dropped down, eyes wide but ready.

Marcus turned, gripping his shield tighter, his sword steady in his hand. The hallway seemed to stretch as he watched the monster emerge from the wrecked apartment. The goat-like creature sniffed the air, its eyeless face slowly shifting in Marcus’s direction.

“Over here, you dumb goat!” Marcus shouted, his voice booming in the narrow space. The creature’s ears twitched, and then it charged, hooves smashing through the wooden floorboards as it barreled toward him. Marcus didn’t flinch, rushing to meet it head-on. His heart raced, adrenaline spiking. Just as they were about to collide, Marcus slid to the side, narrowly dodging the beast as it thundered past him.

He spun around, not wasting a moment. With a burst of speed, Marcus dashed after the creature, his sword aimed for its side. As the creature turned, he drove the blade into its belly that wasn’t covered in chitin. The monster froze, as if stunned, its grotesque form registering the metal embedded in its stomach. In response, its armor-like plates lifted, exposing soft, vulnerable flesh underneath.

A gas-like substance seeped from the gaps, quickly flowing outwards. Marcus didn’t have time to react or even think before the gas ignited in a massive explosion.

He kept his shield raised as he flew backward, the force sending him crashing through two walls before he finally slid to a stop. Bruised, battered, and gasping for air, he barely registered the muffled sounds of the battle. Through the haze, he felt someone shaking his shoulders.

“Fuck,” he muttered, blinking a few times until Julien’s face came into focus, the man kneeling beside him. “I’m alright.”

“The hell you are. I thought you were dead,” Julien said, still clutching his ribs.

“I’m too stubborn for that,” Marcus groaned as he slowly forced himself in a seated position. He glanced down at the burn marks marring his gear and the dent in his armor. Bits of chitinous plating stuck out from his skin. ‘If one of those fragments had hit my neck or face, I’d be dead.’ His gaze shifted, spotting his shield a few paces away, its surface charred and dented.

They both struggled to stand, a symphony of groans and hisses filling the air. Julien, still holding his broken staff, grimaced. “I think a few of my ribs look similar to this,” Julien said, wiggling the broken weapon. “What about you?”

“Still figuring out what’s broken, bruised, or burned,” Marcus said, brushing debris and dust off as he stepped forward to retrieve his shield before making his way out of the room.

In the next room, the creature lay sprawled on the ground, its chitinous plating slowly knitting itself back together. Kay was relentless, hacking at the monster with his axe. Each swing splattered blood, but no matter how deep the cuts, the creature regenerated faster than he could smash it apart.

Kay turned to them, wide-eyed, his face and armor streaked with the creature’s blood while blue mist poured out of him. “I need help over here!” he yelled, desperation in his voice.

Marcus and Julien moved as fast as they could, Marcus gripping his shield with both hands. He rushed forward, slamming it into the creature’s back with all his strength, over and over. Each blow broke through skin and bone, forcing the monster to stay down on the floor. Julien, meanwhile, produced a steady stream of searing energy, directing it right into the monster’s face, while Kay kept hacking his axe into its neck.

Even with the three of them attacking, the creature’s regeneration matched their damage. Julien’s stream of fire sputtered, his Mana depleted. Seconds later the Caster sank to his knees, gasping.

‘Shit, shit, shit,’ Marcus thought, watching the creature start to knit itself back together faster.

It stood up straighter, its monstrous form growing stronger. Kay’s eyes widened as the beast towered over him, standing on its hind-legs, and before he could react, the creature slammed its chitinous head into Kay’s breastplate. The impact sent Kay crashing into a wall, leaving him hanging halfway through it, unresponsive.

The creature turned, drawn to Julien’s labored breathing. It stepped toward him, but Marcus acted fast. He dropped his shield and grabbed the monster from behind, locking his arms around it.

Even as Marcus squeezed with all his might, the creature still lumbered forward, taking slow, heavy steps toward Julien. Marcus planted his heels into the floor, every muscle straining as he fought to hold it back. “Get Kay out of here and get help!” he shouted, his voice strained. Julien wavered as he rose to his feet, hesitating for a second.

The monster swung its limb at Julien, barely missing him. Marcus felt his boots scrape across the ruined floor, dragged by the creature’s strength. It kept moving toward Julien and Kay’s motionless body, step by step, with Marcus struggling to hold it back.

‘Fuck it,’ Marcus thought, teeth grinding together as he poured a massive chunk of his Mana into his muscles. Pain seared through his body as blue energy poured from his skin in thick, swirling mist. He roared, the sound ripping through the room as his muscles swelled, his veins bulging under the pressure as he hauled the creature upward.

The creature thrashed, its limbs clawing wildly, but Marcus held on. His body screamed in protest, his bones groaning under the strain. Inch by inch, he raised the beast further off the ground. His vision blurred, blood pounding in his ears as he forced it higher, his feet grinding deeper into the wood, splinters flying around him.

Julien watched, wide-eyed, too stunned to even move. It felt like the world had slowed to a crawl. The creature’s massive body writhed, snarling and twisting, but Marcus kept lifting, pulling it further and further off the ground. Sweat drenched his frame as his muscles burned, his roar shaking the air while the blue mist thickened violently around him.

And then, with one final, primal scream, Marcus wrenched the creature fully into the air, arched his back, and slammed it down by doing a German suplex.

The impact shook the entire room. The wooden floor exploded under the force, boards cracking and splintering as the creature’s head smashed through them. Dust and debris filled the air, and for a second, everything went silent. Then came the groan of the building itself, trembling from the blow. Marcus stood over the beast, chest heaving, his body trembling from the effort, but he didn’t let himself stop.

‘Gale-jet.’

A rush of wind roared behind his elbow, the sound cutting through the air like a hurricane. The force of it accelerated his strike, sounding as if his fist was breaking the sound barrier with a deafening crack. He slammed his fist down into the creature’s side with all his strength. The blow punctured through skin and flesh, ribs snapping like twigs. The shockwave ripped through the room, shattering nearby windows and sending glass exploding outward.

As the wind died down, Marcus found his fist embedded deep in the creature’s torso, his fist brushing against its ruined organs. Gritting his teeth, he activated his ability again, this time modifying its effect.

‘Gale-blast.’

The same wind pressure surged through his body, coursing through the black Marks on his fist. It exploded outwards, sending a blast of air through the creature’s insides, crushing its organs through sheer pressure. Blood sprayed from the wound, drenching Marcus’s entire right arm and splattering across his face. The monster howled, thrashing violently in pain, but Marcus wasn’t done. He activated the ability again, more blood and gore spurting from the hole as the creature’s movements grew weaker.

Panting hard, Marcus finally yanked his hand free, his fist soaked in gore, and more blue mist poured from his body as he had burned through two-thirds of his Mana in mere seconds. His chest heaved as he stared down at the wounded creature, praying it would stay down this time.

“Marcus… your Mana… it’s blue,” Julien stammered, pointing at the thick, blue mist still swirling around Marcus’s frame. He watched the young man wobble, breath heavy as he turned to face him. “Alpha’s don’t—”

“Drag Kay out of here and get Sebastian!” Marcus barked, his voice tight with pain. Behind him, the monster’s wounds were already beginning to knit back together, its grotesque body healing. Marcus spun on his heels and faced the creature, his teeth grinding as he held his right arm against his chest, his fist pointed upwards. “Go!” he shouted, gripping his right arm with his left as if holding on for dear life.

Without waiting for Julien to respond, Marcus launched himself up in the air above the monster. Both feet aimed straight at its neck as he activated his ability again.

‘Gale-blast’

A powerful blast of wind roared from his right arm, pushing him down and accelerating his descent. He became a human projectile, the burst of wind turning his simple stomp attack into something more like a ballista bolt. He slammed into the creature’s neck with all his might, the sickening crack of bones breaking filling the room.

The impact drove them crashing through the floor, wood splintering and beams snapping as they plummeted into the hallway below, only for their combined weight and energy to smash through the next floor as well, collapsing it entirely. They barreled downward in a chaotic storm of pain, broken wood, and stone, finally hitting the third floor with a heavy thud and an eruption of dust that consumed them both.