CHAPTER 20 CRY THUNDER
Penny followed the creatures out of the room she had been held in. The smaller of the two kept a close eye on her while the larger one just confidently walked forward.
“What are you two?” She wanted to get as much info as possible for when she eventually got away from here.
“We are Demons.” The large one said simply.
“And what’s this ceremony supposed to do? You’re trying to bring in more demons or something?”
“Bring in more? That’s not quite it, but I can’t be bothered to explain what’s really happening so we’ll just go with that.”
That’s strange, so he’s not necessarily trying to bring more of his kind over then. But then what is he trying to do? Whatever it was, it needed to be stopped here and now. The last time Demons had managed to pull off a large scale attack had nearly crippled the entire kingdom. Tens of thousands had died according to the reports from that time one hundred years ago. If they had a chance to stop this now they couldn’t fail, otherwise there just might not be a next time.
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We continued sprinting through the forest. Both [Mana Sense] and [Electric Sense] ran at full power to keep track of the demon that had flown ahead through the air. While he had easily left us behind, there was still a path that could be followed with skills.
‘Ping’ [Mana Sense] has leveled 2 > 3
‘Ping’ [Electric Sense] has leveled 1 > 2
Karif was strapped to Garrus' back as he focused on tracking the stone Penny had on her person. If it came up that the demon wasn’t heading to where Penny was, we would have to split up. Hopefully it didn’t, but life wasn’t always fair in that regard.
I focused as hard as I could on following the trail it had left behind. I only noticed something was wrong when George tackled me to the ground. We tumbled to a halt and Garrus leapt over us with a roar and swung his greatsword, slicing a demon in half.
I sat there in shock for a second before George stood back up and stuck his hand out.
“You need to stay focused on your surroundings as well, Alex.” Garrus admonished me.
I took George’s hand and he pulled me up. I nodded my head weakly. That had been bad, if George hadn’t done that I would’ve died. An ambush. They were expecting us to follow them, this wasn’t good.
“Thanks George.”
George just smiled and made a few signs I didn’t understand. It didn’t look anything like sign language from back on Earth, not that I would’ve been able to understand him any better if it had been though.
“He says ‘it’s not a problem. You have good eyes, so focus on more than what’s in front of you.’” Garrus translated for me. “Come on, let’s keep moving.” He urged and took off running.
The rest of us followed closely behind him. The demon had been fast, the trail I was following with my skills was starting to disappear after so long. If we got stopped again there wouldn’t be anything left for me to sense. Here was hoping we could go further without any more ambushes.
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This was not good. There were dozens of demons in here, if not over a hundred of them. They all milled about performing various tasks. Moving boxes, unpacking them, communicating orders. It was like this was an army. No, they aren’t like an army. They are an army. The precision that they acted with, the cohesion and overall discipline they acted with was unnatural.
Everything everyone had thought about demons was that they were unruly creatures, the lowest baselines of which had no capacity for rational thought and were controlled by superior demons. But this was different. Surely not all of these could be demons of higher capacity.
“I see your distress, there’s no need for that. These are not all greater or arch demons like you might fear. No, my assistant here and I are the only greater demons here. The rest are just demons or lesser demons.”
Penny frowned, why was he telling her this. Surely it would be better for him to just let her think that these were all greater demons wouldn’t it? The large demon glanced at her again, but didn’t say anything and just kept walking.
“What’s your name?” Penny asked. Maybe his name would help illuminate what was happening here. Most important demons in history had a name, and not all of them had been slain. Maybe this was one of them that had gotten away.
“In the human tongue I’d be called Miltaen. I’d tell you what my name is in my tongue, but I doubt it would mean anything to you.”
That wasn’t a name Penny recognized. Which at the very least meant he wasn’t a demon from the days of yore. But he still seemed dangerous. They continued walking through the cave system, Penny saw more and more of their operations and became increasingly worried. She identified every demon she could as she walked by them.
[Level 202 Demon]
[Level 442 Demon]
[Level 32 Demon]
[Level 151Demon]
[Level 122 Demon]
Most seemed to be in the lower second tier, with a few still in the first tier. It seemed Miltaen hadn’t been lying about that fact. Even the demon following him was only in the second tier… Wait. That wasn’t his assistant then? Miltaen had said his assistant was a greater demon as well.
There was a commotion happening through one of the tunnels and in marched another very large demon, this one had large leathery wings as well that spanned nearly ten feet. His wingspan made the other demon's wings look like a joke in comparison.
[Level 33 Demon Commander]
Well there he was. The assistant to Miltaen. He stepped forward and knelt before Miltaen. They spoke in what Penny assumed to be their demonic language. It sounded like the crackling of fire and hissing of sparks. Sounds that no human would be able to properly imitate. They conversed for a little while longer before the one kneeling on the ground stood up and walked off.
“Well it looks like we’ll need to push forward the schedule just a little bit. Come along then.” Miltaen said as he moved along down the path he’d been on.
Penny tensed her legs and got ready to try and make a break for it, but just as she was about to move the smaller demon that had been walking with them grabbed her arm, his claws digging into her and drawing blood.
“I wouldn’t try to run. You wouldn’t make it terribly far before someone caught you.” Miltaen said with a gruesome smile on his face. “Come along little human, I don’t have all day and I definitely don’t have infinite patience to deal with your escape attempts.”
Penny was forced along by the demon holding on to her arm forcing her to march along behind Miltaen. They entered a large chamber, bones littered the floor. Bodies were being hauled off by other demons, a large smoothed stone sat in the center of the chamber, surrounded by a set of intricate runes that partially glowed with power.
“You can see here our ritual runes are nearly halfway charged. Unfortunately most of the people we have sacrificed are of lower level so they don’t provide nearly as much essence as someone like you would. Which is why we took you rather than your little elf friend that you were so obviously using as bait.” Miltaen said in a matter of fact tone.
These demons were not at all what she had expected, she expected them to be more… Well, demonic. Yet they seemed almost civilized in the way they acted, it defied all reason and learning she had ever known.
Miltaen looked at her with a frown, “What is that face you are making, you seem confused about something. What is it?”
“You seem a lot more sociable than I would’ve expected out of demons.” Penny said, glaring at him.
Miltaen just laughed. “Well of course. Did you expect us to be uncultured barbarians who know nothing of the ways of the world. Trust me, human, I’ve lived at least 5 times longer than you have. In fact most demons will have lived longer than you, as such we have a pretty good understanding of this world that we live in. No, most demons are not like the stories you are told in your beds. I would say you would do well to remember that, but you’re not going to live long enough for that to matter.”
He turned to the one that had been dragging her along and gave an order in their language, he pointed at several others repeating what he said. Several gathered bindings and started moving towards her. Penny instantly tried to make a break for it.
Several of the demons dove at her but she deftly flipped over them. She was a tier above all of them so she was able to easily avoid them. Most of them. One managed to tackle her from behind bringing her to the ground.
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“NO! GET OFF ME!” Penny screamed while she struggled under their grip. One of them kicked her in the ribs. Hard. The blow caused her to start coughing as the air had been knocked out of her lungs.
But she didn’t stop there, she continued to push against them. She had to buy as much time as possible… Maybe, maybe they would reach her in time? Surely they were almost here right? Surely they were going to save her?
Tears were streaming down her face. Was this how she was going to die? Penny kept struggling, kicking, and screaming all the way to the stone. For every bit of resistance she gave them, they struck a blow upon her in return.
“LET ME GO YOU UGLY FUCKING BASTARDS!” Penny raged at them through choked tears.
‘I refuse to die like this’ Penny thought to herself…
Please help me. Garrus, George, Karif… Anyone?
Please?
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Every step of the way had been covered with more demons. I had cut down a dozen more single handedly. All of them had been in the second tier.
‘Ping’ [Demonic Vestige Level 172 / Essence of Vitur Level 122] Has been slain - 10 ability points have been granted for slaying an enemy one tier above you.
…
‘Ping’ [Rancid Devourer Level 102 / Cormanse Apostle Level 231] Has been slain - 10 ability points have been granted for slaying an enemy one tier above you.
[Lightning Sorcerer] Has leveled 1 > 9 +6 Vig, +5 End, +6 Str, +8 Dex, +6 Agi, +8 Int, +8 Wis per level.
[Enchanted Bladefighter] Has leveled 1 > 9 +8 Vig, +5 End, +10 Str, +10 Dex, +6 Agi, +5 Int, +6 Wis per level.
[Disciple of Nature] Has leveled 1 > 5 +15 Vig, +12 End, +10 Str, +10 Dex, +10 Agi, +16 Int, +18 Wis per level.
‘Ping’ [Identify] Has leveled 3 > 7
‘Ping’ [Mana Sense] Has leveled 3 > 5
‘Ping’ [Electric Sense] Has leveled 2 > 5
‘Ping’ [Sword Trainee] Has leveled 1 > 8
My stats had skyrocketed from just the few levels I had gotten, each level in my general skills gave me more proficiency and knowledge of how they worked and how better to use them. [Electric Sense] was beginning to let me sense my opponents moves as they were making them by reading the flow of the signals through their nerves. It wasn’t entirely accurate yet, but I could already tell this would be a fearsome skill as it got stronger.
[Mana Sense] detected spells in the process of them being made. I saw them before they were cast, so I know when to move out of the way. [Sword Trainee] did exactly as advertised. Each level made the blade I held feel more at home.
Each level I gained made me faster. Stronger. More deadly than before. It was intoxicating, this level of strength.
And entirely unnatural. Even to me, my strength gain didn’t feel right. But right now I didn’t have time to question it. Penny was in danger. She could already be dead for all we knew because we were moving too slow. Too many demons in the way.
Garrus and George cleaned up the last few demons in the area and we pressed onwards. Karif was still being held by Garrus since he couldn’t run as fast as the rest of us. Garrus was strong enough to carry him and still be able to run at full speed, so we left the task to him.
A few short moments later we reached the mouth of a cave. It had an eerie feeling to it, and I knew this was exactly the place we were looking for. As we pulled up to it multiple figures walked out of the cave. Demons. And one of them was annoyingly familiar.
“Well, well, well. Glad you could join us. Unfortunately you’re a little too late. She’s already dead.”
It was that obnoxious guardsman. Although I guess he wasn’t really a guard.
“He’s lying!” Karif yelled, “The stone is tied to her life, it will deactivate if she’s dead, and it’s still running. We have to get by him now!”
Garrus readied his blade. “You heard the man. We’re getting by you one way or the other. So you can either move out of our way, or we can move you out of our way.” Garrus said with a deadly quiet voice. “Your choice.”
The demon just laughed in reply and crossed his arms and stood directly in the center of our path.
I sighed and stepped up next to Garrus. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” I whispered to him.
“Aye laddie. Do it, we’ll not be far behind.”
I smiled and I used my newfound skill levels and stats to their maximum potential.
And I ran like lightning.
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They finished fastening Penny to the ritual table. She kept pulling on it, struggling to break free. But no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t pull free from the bindings holding her. They looked like cheap fabric, but they were enchanted in some way to make them unbreakable.
“Shhh, shhh. Don’t struggle, it just makes this harder on both of us.” Miltaen said in a mock soothing voice as he walked around working the enchantments around the table. The enchantments slowly started to glow with fire and Miltaen began a chant in his demonic language that sounded like fire.
Penny felt the air slowly start to warp around her and she felt something start to grasp at her soul. Something unnatural, even more unnatural than just a blood sacrifice by demons. Whatever it was it gnawed at her mind, at her sanity. And it caused any last vestige of her mental strength to crumble. She burst into tears, screaming and pulling until her wrists bled. She screamed until her voice went hoarse and she was coughing up blood.
All she had wanted was to survive. She didn’t want to be famous, she didn’t want to be the best in the world. She just wanted to live her days peacefully, but every step of the way the world had conspired against her.
Her father had died before she was born, her mother died when she was only six. Her older brother had set off to be an adventurer. He died when she was ten. She lived by stealing off the streets to provide for her younger sister. She died when Penny turned twelve.
‘It’s not fair! It’s not fair!’ She screamed in her mind, her voice unable to speak anymore.
‘Why did it have to be me? Why couldn’t just one thing in my life go right?’ When her younger sister had died, she had given up on life completely. She had struggled so hard for everything to crumble around her. Garrus had been the one to find her and save her from her miserable life. And after ten of the best years of her life she was going to die here, alone and afraid. Her friends that had sworn their lives to protect her weren’t anywhere she could see.
‘Ah… This is how it was always going to end. Life is cruel and unforgiving. That’s just the way things are. I don’t blame them, they surely tried their best. It just so happened that they were stronger than us.’
Miltaen walked towards her brandishing a ceremonial knife speaking words that echoed through the chamber with power. Mana exuded his form as he walked in a circle around her. He came to stop by her side.
“Goodbye, human. I do hope you suffered enough for this to be worthwhile.” Miltaen said with a malicious grin on his face.
Penny closed her eyes, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear in the end. Miltaen spoke more words and a rumble filled the chamber that grew and grew and eventually overtook his words in volume. And then it came, the end with the sound of crashing thunder the entire room shook and Penny felt her body get forcibly shaken.
The air around her grew still and quiet. Well not entirely quiet, she heard heavy breathing. Her death had been a lot less painful than she had expected.
“I don’t know who the hell you all think you are. But if you want this woman, you will PRY HER OUT OF MY COLD! DEAD! HANDS!”
Penny opened her eyes in shock. Quite literally a shock. Lightning surged around her and through her. Above her was a familiar figure holding her with one arm and pulsing healing magic through her.
Penny couldn't stop the keening whine that rose up from her throat as she reached up desperately to hold on to him. They had come for her. He had come for her.
And she knew everything was going to be fine.
Name: Alexander King
Ability Points: 165
Tier 1 Class - [Lightning Sorcerer] - Level 9
Ability - [Strike of Lightning]
Ability - [Paralyzing Blast]
Ability - [As Fast As Lighting - Passive]
Ability - [Wreathed In Lightning]
Ability - [Chain Lightning]
Tier 1 Class - [Enchanted Bladefighter] - Level 9
Ability - [Enchanted Perseverance - Passive]
Ability - [Mana Strike]
Ability - [Enchanted Redirection]
Ability - [Enchanted Accuracy]
Ability - [Mana Flurry]
Tier 1 Class - [Disciple of Nature] - Level 5
Ability - [Natures Protection]
Ability - [Healing Blossom]
Ability - [Elements of Nature - Passive]
Ability - [Natural Selection]
Ability - [Nature’s Touch]
Ability - [Barrier]
Ability -
Enhancements -
[Point Blank] (Level 5)
[Weapon Proficiency] (Level 5)
[Quickness] (Level 5)
General Skills -
[Identify] - Level 3
[Rest] - Level 1
[Mana Sense] - Level 5
[Electric Sense] - Level 5
[Sword Trainee] - Level 8
Status -
Vig - [595]
End - [498]
Str - [524]
Dex - [583]
Agi - [524]
Int - [579]
Wis - [597]
Health - 6780/6780
Stamina - 5670/5670
Mana - 5970/5970