Nathaniel steps hammered the ground beneath him. When he moved he found it a tad difference then what's he is used to. He felt heavy but was light on his feet like a bird. His blood course through him thicker than lead but flowed smoother then water. The more changes he found the more it boggle his mind how such things was possible? As he thought about it Nathaniel reached the door where he was enveloped by stream of heat. The intense heat blistered skin and threaten to cook him alive. On a reflex from the sudden pain hard dark red scales grew all over Nathaniel's body.
Nathaniel jump back in shock and fear from the sudden transformation of his skin. He looked on with horror as his hands shook, "no, this should not be happening now. I should have years before the curse drives me mad and I start involuntarily transforming".
Nathaniel steped back into the room away from the entrance. The room was still blazing hot but it was better than out there where it was filled with smoke and the floor was still glowing red. As Nathaniel took a step back to inspect himself he saw the transformation grew despite his lack of command. His fingernails turn black, darker than night and elongated longer than his fingers and still the transformation pursued. His muscles swelled up and tightened. In a desperate struggle, Nathaniel placed his hand on the wall of his cell. The force of his grip crack the wall and turned the stone to sand in his palm.
"NO!, Focus Nathaniel, Focus"
Nathaniel had heard the stories he'd seen reports of people like himself and amoung those reports there where those who could no longer turn back into themselves. Once you lose control that's it you become what Flintwood had the enemy of every nation, a monster, a lanshi.
With every ounce of will Nathaniel had he forced this transformation down he commanded the curse to listen to him. Doing this was a struggle doing this made Nathaniel feel the gravity of Flintwood's words. This is not a gift it is a curse so using it as a toy should not be done.
Though it was a struggle Nathaniel somehow pulled it off. The transformation stopped and the changes to his body receded. Quickly he was back to himself again. The sudden transformation left him a little drained but it also made him curious. Nathaniel was not the kind of man that dwelled on fear or particularly enjoyed ignorance. He seeks out the unknown and enjoyed discovering something new. This new power, body, and curse was a project to him, not something he should spend every waking moment fearing.
With that said in this boiling room with barely any air Nathaniel focused once again. He focused on the feeling of his transformation and he forced it out. The process was surprisingly easy it seemed as though the curse wanted to be set free but Nathaniel did not let it go out of his control. Nathaniel strangled this power with his will and though it was new to him he commanded it on his first try.
Hard black red scales Grew on Nathaniel skin, from there Nathaniel clenched his muscles forcing the transformation to stop. He had a wide grin knowing that he succeeded. The heart scales glimmered like polished metal in the dim light of the fires. Nathaniel touched his skin with glee knowing that this was possible and he continued with his experiments. He focused on one finger commanding it to transform and with little effort it did. His nail became ink black and shined with the same metallic luster as his scales. Nathaniel repeated this with the rest of his hand.
With confidence Nathaniel began transforming different parts of his body. He did this with such an ease and success that he was skeptical if such a thing was normal. As Nathaniel experimented the heat the room became intense enough to roast a man alive a fact that went completely unnoticed even as the Nathaniel breathed in the toxic carbon air.
After a short while of practice, Nathaniel became somewhat used to his body and the new transformations. In a single moment, Nathaniel morphed his normal skin into scaled armor that's covered every inch of his body. Feeling ready Nathaniel took the first steps out of his prison cell to find to find the devastation left in the wake of Flintwood's intense battle. Nathaniel became wide-eyed his mouth dropped not from the scale of the battle but from the shocking lack of care and desecration of such a historic building.
Shit hole that he was tortured inside of for months or not this place was overflowing with history yet part of it laid destroyed. Now it was going to be replaced with new and better constructs. Nathaniel turn to Flintwood with a bit of hate in his eye but soon turned away knowing there was no use berating the dead.
When Nathaniel walk on the scolding floor he found it not as hot as he expected even though parts of it still shimmered red. He just thought the place cooled down significantly after the ceiling collapsed and left it to that not knowing that his body had the ability to adapt freely to different environments. Free at last Nathaniel knew that he needed to make his escape but the devastation on the third level left his original path to escape useless. Seeing little other options Nathaniel made the call to use the hole in the ceiling to make his way out.
Nathaniel walked towards the hole in the ceiling and notice on his way a man struggling on the floor. This man clenched his chest tightly as large plumes of steam rose from his chest. Every now and again he coughed blood but didn't look like he was going to die anytime soon. That man on the floor kneeling was Jasper, Godfrey's sacrifice was not without benefit by doing so he saved Jasper's life so he may go on to save many others.
As Jasper coughed blood Nathaniel notice the anger in Jasper's eyes and how they never left his form once he entered his sight. Nathaniel didn't know this man he knew about Jasper but never saw him in person to put the two faces together. Nathaniel just thought Jasper was a lucky survivor of Flintwood's Rampage. The hate-filled glare that Jasper gave Nathaniel was nothing new to Nathaniel. He had received many such things during his childhood that he had mostly become numb to it all.
But he still notice a different kind of intensity from Jasper's glare. Nathaniel was no fool he knew where this intense hate came from he walked around with scaled armor made from his own flesh. People hated the cursed blood, people hated the lanshi, people hated traitors, and Nathaniel he was all that and more. So, yes he earned their hate, their fear, but their ire will not stop him it didn't then it most certainly will not now.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Nathaniel walked past Jasper who continued to glare daggers into his skull aiming to kill him with that alone if possible. Nathaniel ignored Jasper he was not a heartless man but he saw no reason to give aid to a man in a base swarming with guards that will eventually find him and help him. His life mattered more so he took it in stride and left through the hole in the ceiling.
Making that jump was as easy as taking a step on some stairs. Though it was new to him it felt natural at the same time. On the second floor, it didn't take long for Nathaniel to spot what he expected to find the moment he left through the hole in the ceiling which was guards and a whole lot of them. A majority of them stood away from the hole but some were still lingering around its side. The guards were shocked by Nathaniel sudden appearance. Nathaniel used that moments of indecision to his advantage.
He grabbed the closest guard to him and threw her into the hole. There was a loud scream and a thump but overall she was most likely okay Nathaniel guest not having the time to check. The guards were catching on to what was happening but we're still too slow to act. The second closest guard attempted to punch him since he was at melee range but Nathaniel easily deflected the incoming fist, sidestepped around do the guards back and kicked the back of his knee.
Nathaniel still not use to his new strength blew out the back of his knee shattering it and bending his leg in a strange angle. The site was unpleasant but Nathaniel with his former years of training and ingrind into him since he was a little boy ignored this and followed through with his actions not skipping a beat. He reached for the gun claiming it for his own. Then turned in a smooth motion quickly firing behind him shooting the last guard's gun out of his hand just as he pulled it from its holster.
Not slowing down Nathaniel grabbed the final guard lifted him from the ground with one hand and held him in place in front of himself as he charged down the hallway towards the rest of the guards. Nathaniel used the guard as a meat shield knowing full well that it would stop the other guards from firing at him. Nathaniel had scale armor that sparked when he rubbed his sharp fingernails on its surface but he was unwilling to test their durability now especially against the might of a gun.
As Nathaniel charge forward his insights proved right. The guards refuse to fire on their own allowing Nathaniel to get close enough to the group of guards and chuck the guard he held in his hand at them. The narrow hallways worked against the guards they were lined up like bowling pins and fell down just the same. Nathaniel sped past them not caring to do any more harm his goal was simply to escape not mass slaughter.
His value and love for history, architecture, and all other sorts of things no one cared about led him to become quite familiar with the layout of the prison. Even a guard that work there for years may not know as much as Nathaniel does.
As Nathaniel ran his eyes darted around looking for the correct cell Y-89 because there were checkpoints all throughout the prison. Getting through those checkpoints even as he was would prove difficult. So, using his knowledge of the prison layout helped devise this route to escape. The path towards that specific cell had a few guards around but Nathaniel took care of them quite swiftly. They did not expect any escaped prisoner to suddenly come charging at them the moments they turned the corner or for one to have a gun. Nathaniel didn't kill anyone he just incapacitated or wounded them. Overall it was fairly simple to reach that cell since it was nowhere near any escape routes leaving it mostly unguarded.
Once Nathaniel reach the cell he found that there was a prisoner in it but it didn't change the plan so he didn't care. Using one of the guards key rings that he stole off and unconscious guards' body Nathaniel opened the prison cell. The Prisoner was awake from all the commotion as were many of the others. The Prisoner was confused by Nathaniel's sudden appearance but Nathaniel just threw him out the door and closed the cell door behind him.
Alone in this cramped room, Nathaniel cracked his fingers then got to work. There was no secret tunnel that led up words. This room was for the most part like all the rest Except that the concrete above the cell was thinner than the rest of most areas since there were pipes about him.
This knowledge was useless for most but perfect for him. Ready Nathaniel clenched his fists and rocketed upwards towards the ceiling. Nathaniel found the concrete weak as his arm buried itself elbow deep into it. The concrete was like putty in his hands as he dug deep. A minute hadn't even passed before Nathaniel's fist blasted through the floor of another cell.
This cell was occupied like the other but Nathaniel ignored this prisoner as well his focus was solely on escaping. Nathaniel made his way towards the iron door But found the keys useless inside the cell because there was no key hole. With every second worth more than a mountain of gold Nathaniel thew the keys to the side deciding to solely rely on his new physical prowess to set him free. Balling his fist Nathaniel struck the door that blasted away with a single punch. Nathaniel display left the still confused prisoner's mouth gaping wide. Nathaniel enjoyed his new power but had no time to bask in it. With rushed steps, Nathaniel made his way to cell X-78 and repeated the process all over again.
Nathaniel's clever plan left the guards chasing all over for him as he took no conventional path to escape. Now out of the underground holding cell Nathaniel was now on ground level in the main building. With another strong punch, Nathaniel blasted another door off its hinges. He walked out confidently with no guard in sight to stop him or so he thought.
Already there waiting for Nathaniel was a man. He was a tall burly man with tan skin, a long scar was visible on his neck as though someone had slit his throat. He wore a leather coat that reached his knees and had a button-up shirt with a floral pattern that look like he was on vacation. The man was large just as his hands and he looked at Nathaniel with a gaze that will cause a weaker man to step back in caution. This man was Warden Alban a god's chosen just as Jasper is and though he has no interest in capturing Nathaniel he does have a few words for him.
"So, you made it this far after all. I didn't really expect that since you should just be running on adrenaline and whatever left you got in the tank. But then again you are a man that endeared Zephyrs torture without breaking under his touch so I suppose it would be more unlikely for you not to have made it this far. Either way listen up I ain't going to hurt you and I ain't going to stop you. I don't know what relationship you have with that man to make you so special to him but he better keep his damn end of the deal or I'm coming after him then I'm coming after you".
With that said Warden Alban turn to the wall he stood in front of and punched it blowing it apart. Done there Warden Alban left down the hall never to be seen by Nathaniel again at least for now. Nathaniel did not know what deal his brother made for his freedom but he knew that he owed him a lot.
Only a few gates and walls separated Nathaniel from the clear fields of the night sky along with a couple dozen guards. But those men weren't much of a threat Nathaniel jump over obstacles that they had to walk around bullets whizzed past him and a few bounced off his scales. His greatest threat was the sniper towers that's had higher caliber weapons than simple handguns. But even still despite the disadvantages Nathaniel was able to run around in a chaotic manner. That coupled with his new physique made him a difficult target to lock on. It didn't take him long to climb over the final wall where the snipers shot him from a distance. A few lucky blows landed but we're not enough to take him down.
By the time Nathaniel reach the forest in the east side of the building he heard the roaring engines of cars, the screech of whistles, dogs barking as they were let off their leashes. Nathaniel pushed through this he told himself those are just distractions and he should just focus on running. Running became harder as he found Warden Alban's words to be true he had just been running on adrenaline. A great amount of steam rose from Nathaniel's body as he was struck with fatigue. He became light-headed as even the trees seem to sway around in his sights as if blown by the wind.
Still Nathaniel push through he was almost there he knew it. The running from the law, the beast chasing, his sore legs brought to him visions of the past. It reminded him of the day he lost his brother. His blood froze from the thought of such weakness to clear his head Nathaniel pounded on his legs driving away those thoughts as he reminded himself this is nothing like that day. For he will never experience a day like that ever again. Even if it's meant abandoning his own dream.
In the dead of night as the danger encroached Nathaniel found it. He found the car hidden under broken tree branches and the men tasked by his brother to bring him back safe. Nathaniel was happy that he found it. He was happy for so much but he didn't have the strength to show it for he collapse once he reached the car. The transformation carried a heavier burden than he thought but it was all alright now for he was loaded into the car where he fell unconscious the moments his head touch the seats there he laid as he was whisked away to safety.