Chapter 79

Chet This And Chet That

Somewhere in my infinite lives, I must have somehow annoyed the god or goddess of fate. Why do I think this? Simple, I keep finding myself in worse and worse situations. Situations that could easily be avoided, were it not for the fact that I am a karmic shit magnet. I mean it literally, a shit magnet, I attract shit to me. Or in my case Chets, which are basically the same thing.

It was Chet, the person that entered the office. And no, not my tool of a brother Chet, the other Chet. The equally annoying, but far more basic Chet. You know, the one from my classes? The one that I had to snap his finger off with my violin case, that Chet.

Don’t worry, I reattached the finger. I know this, because he is currently using said finger to point at me, right now.

“Babe, what are you doing here with him?” Chet asks, having just come around the blind corner to see Jess and me in fairly close proximity. Of course, it might look from his angle that we are holding hands, but if he took one step, literally one, to the right, he would see I was exchanging a hand purse with her.

Angry Buzz.

Yeah, as my wings are showing, I am rather annoyed. I dislike this Chet, for reasons that seem to defy comprehension. I also really dislike the possessive tone in his voice.

“You are with him?” I ask Jess.

Just thinking about that sends a pain to my gut.

“Eww, no. He won’t leave me alone.” Jess says, taking a step to her left, my right and seeming to place me in between her and the offending Chet.

“Sir, since you are not a patient here. I am going to have to ask you to leave.” Dr. Charleston says in a commanding tone.

“Shove it old man. This is between me and my girl. Look Jess, just come with me. I can explain everything.” Chet says.

While Chet has always seemed to be beyond unhinged, this level of crazy is just taking the cake. I also don’t know if it is my newly heightened Perception levels, or my use to looking for signs of mental corruption, but I see a tendril of black tar energy linking from Chet, out the door he just came in from.

Looking at the black tar line of energy, I realize I have seen similar energy before. The energy form seemed like the corrupting energies of the Prolaxians. Just looking at the thin wire of energy causes a wave of nausea and revulsion to turn through my stomach.

I move to follow the line of corruption leading from Chet outwards. I wonder if this line of corruption has always been attached to Chet. It would explain his drastic difference in personality from this universe to the 14th universe. While I avoided him like the plague in the alternate universe, I never had any problems with that Chet. No in that universe the biggest jerk around was me, well Wizard me. The guy with the perfect life.

Chet apparently takes my froward movement as a sign that I am going to attack. This is unfortunate. Well unfortunate for him, as I don’t have time for this. He moves to swing, but his movements are all so slow. Rather than even moving or turning, I just shift my metal wing in between myself and Chet.

CLANG! Snap.

The sound of a loud gong being struck echoes out in the small waiting room. As for me, I am still moving past him to peer out the door and into the emergency waiting route. There in the emergency vehicle lane is a black limousine.

Looking at the limousine, I can see a web of different black lines of corrupting energy leading out from one central point. I wonder if this newfound sight, has anything to do with my new Title Herald Slayer. Just looking at the corrupted energy, I can tell that the being behind it all is a herald.

“You bastard!” Chet calls out from behind me. Apparently breaking his hand wasn’t enough, as he is charging at me from behind.

I could hurl him easily with my Telekinesis-X, but I decide against it. Instead, I wait until he gets close to me, then bzz thwack.

He runs right into my metallic wings. Wings that seem more and more like a layer of personal and moveable body armor than actual wings. Though I have not tried to fly with them, I refuse to at the moment. This has nothing to do with my fear of falling, nothing. I just think that if I don’t use these wings, they will fall off and my life will return to normal. At least, that is what I have been hoping for in the back of my mind. Unfortunately, de’Nile, much like the chances of this thought happening, dried up a few dozen years ago.

Thwack, clang, clack.

He runs into my wings which causes a swift involuntary reaction from me. Within a second my wings have flapped no less than a dozen times. Each time my metallic wings slammed against the form of Chet; I mentally felt his mind lose that much more grip on reality. Until finally after a second, he fell to the ground in a crumpled mess. Don’t worry, I will heal him, eventually. But there is something I need to do, first.

Namely take down this puppet master of a Prolaxian.

With my Revelation Sight, the Prolaxian Infiltrator, or as they refer to themselves, Prolaxian Herald, is visible to me. Even from the protection of the limousine, I see the form of the creature lurking beneath the metal frame. I also see that the creature has a tendril of energy leading from it to a person I assume to be in the driver’s seat of the vehicle.

Realizing I need to work quickly, and to take advantage of this brief moment, I strike. I begin casting spells in rapid succession.

Physical Attribute Boost

Telekinesis-X

With my physical attributes once again increased three-fold I feel like I can take on the world. I of course know I need to temper this response, but still the surge of strength and coordination is intoxicating. My only problem is that this spell can cause muscle burn out if run for too long. Of course, being support mage with a healing specialty, this is not a problem for me. But I could easily see how this would be a problem for others who also had this capability.

Then the Telekinesis-X what do I do with it? Simple I grab and begin twisting the limousine in half. I of course twist and spin the half containing the Prolaxian Herald. What is this one, the Herald of Puppets? Like a bad Jim Henson remake? I wonder, but I try not to get too caught up in this train of thought.

SIRENS!

Warning sirens are going off, due to the level of power I am using. This makes sense that the Academy and hospital would have this, as this is just a resonance alert. Even with my violin taking on a lot of my resonance, I know it cannot take on everything I am throwing at it. Still, the fact that I am just getting started and already causing alarms to go off is bad. Especially with the fact that I haven’t done the big reveal.

“Hey, stop!”

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Guards who were out smoking, are coming around the corner. From their point of view, it looks like I suddenly went mad. Going out and randomly attacking an obviously rich person in a limousine. Worse I don’t know who this person is. I know they clearly have some connection to classmate Chet, but what connection? There are so many questions, but right now is not the time for questions. Right now, is the time for actions.

The limousine is ripped apart, the back half, the part with the still unchanged Prolaxian is slammed to the ground.

Focusing on the back end, I channel energy to my Revelation Sight, changing it from passive to active.

Pfft. Pfft. Pfft.

Shots, the bastards are firing at me. Out of reflex I turn my body away from the guards who are now firing at me. I expect pain, I am literally standing still in the middle of a walkway, an open target waiting to be shot.

Tap, tap, tap.

I feel impact against my wings. Wings that by reflex have expanded up to protect my face and vital areas. I expect pain, or to feel sharp pinching sensations. Yet, despite all this, I don’t feel anything. No pain, no pinching, no burning sensations. Just a slight tapping against my wings.

There is a slight pause, then I hear it. The pfft sound of a blaster firing, followed closely by a sharp burning pain in my leg.

They shot me, those bastards shot me in the leg. I think as I involuntarily collapse to the ground. As I do my wings adjust their positioning. My right wing moving up and stretching to protect my face and neck. My left wing going down to provide further cover from the shots coming in and to rest against the ground. I might have said this before, or ever really, but having metallic wings that can stop laser founds are amazing.

I use Healing-X to help heal my leg.

Shuffle, shuffle.

Feet and boots are clopping against the ground. I can tell the two guards are coming, trying to stop me by physical force if necessary. They won’t be able to, at least I hope not, as my physical body is being pushed well beyond the normal human limits.

Still, I have a bigger fish to fry.

“GGGRRRAAHHHH!!”

Grinding metal.

There is a sharp piercing sound that draws everyone’s attention. The monster that I had neatly cocooned in the back half of the limousine is now breaking free. Black muscular tendrils of charred flesh twitch and dance their way through a small opening, all to reveal a monster.

“How dare you!” A deep gravelly voice demands. Then the monster climbs out, sees me, and pauses. “You!” It says, as recognition fills its giant glowing toxic green sacs for eyes. Eyes that I immediately light on fire, Pyrokinesis-X. What can I say, I like the classics. No need to re-invent the wheel if the wheel keeps rolling.

“Holy shit.” One of the guard’s yells.

“What the fuck is that?” A second one yells.

Shuffle, shuffle.

To my surprise, they run. They are literally running away. A big angry Psionic, with metallic butterfly wings, oh that is not scary at all. Let’s fire at him and shoot him in the ankle. Then try to charge him, while he is down. But a monster of nightmare comes, and is visibly trying to free itself from its metal prison, that is when they run away?

Shaking my head, I realize this is going to be one of those fights. Yeah, one where you get no help and are forced to fight alone.

Clop. Clop. Clop.

Through the sounds of battle, I hear soft shoes running against the sidewalk behind me. I quickly turn to see if yet more guards are coming. But my breath catches in my throat as I see who it is.

Badump, buzz, thwack.

“Oww.” My metallic wings pulse with excitement, and in so doing thwack me in the head. I know, I know, I need to get control of my wings giving away my emotional state. This is ridiculous. Fortunately, it is a minor pain, with my heightened Endurance. Also, I am distracted by seeing her.

“Jess?” I ask, as she dashes up by my side. The second she does, my senses are instantly flooded with the smell of vanilla and honey. With Jess now by my side, I suddenly feel very safe and in control. It is almost like everything will be all right.

Stupid senses.

Stupid feelings.

Jess is down beside me in a second, her eyes forward like she is ready to help. Out of my misplaced trust in her. Trust in my past memories of her, I let my guard down.

Stab.

“What are you doing…” Is all I manage to say, before I feel a searing pain right in my ribs.

My mind and body react on instinct. In a second I am using Telekinesis-X to hurl Jess away from me. Only as she is being thrown away from me, do I see the dark tendrils of Prolaxian energy reaching out to Jess.

Seeing the line go straight to the center of Jess’ forehead I know she is being mind controlled.

Shit, I am so stupid. I saw all the signs of mind control. I even figured that was what he was. I saw the line to Chet, to the driver, and elsewhere. Of course, he could control the minds of people. Of course, he would try to grab the minds of everyone around me. I lower myself and try to cocoon myself with my wings. I of course can’t provide full protection, but I am protected enough to be able to find the source of my pain. A pen, a fucking ball point pen, who the fuck even has these relics? I was stabbed by a pen. Quickly I pull the pen from my side, and once again find myself applying Healing-X.

This is bad, Jess is on my right, the two guards who valiantly ran away have stopped their retreat and are on my left. To my front is the Prolaxian, his driver, and likely anyone in the massive parking lot. Then at the center is me. Me and my finally useful metallic butterfly wings.

Yeah, so much for a day off. I think to myself, as I prepare for what I can do next. On all sides I am fucked. I need to kill the Prolaxian Herald before he can take control of more people. I also need to move in such a way that saves everyone. Well really, I only have one person that I will not injure, that is Jess. Even now, I can feel her getting up from where I threw her. I didn’t throw her hard, even now, with her pen soaked in my blood in my hands, I cannot get mad at her.

Pausing for a second, I focus. Then when I open my eyes, I feel a plan come to mind. It is stupid, completely, and utterly dumb, but right now it is my only option.

Realizing I need to move quickly, I stand up and prepare to do likely the stupidest thing I have ever done. And that is a high bar to cross.

Looking at the Prolaxian Herald who has used this time to get out of its own limousine prison, I realize he is there waiting for me.

“MUWAHAHAHA!” He cackles in a gravelly metallic voice.

Seeing his reaction, I smile evilly and say. “Let’s do this.”