Season 3: Chapter 94: Mushroom
*Self Destruct Sequence Initialized. Safeties Disengaged.*
“Make a choice,” Virgil said, the tram remaining locked as Jesse and Lhikan attempted to pry the doors open. “Get rid of the death mold or be incinerated by radioactive fire.”
“Spider thing! Get rid of it or we'll all die!” Jesse cried, drawing Ayaka's ire.
“Be silent man flesh or I'll chew off your bones!” Ayaka spat, her pipsqueak voice laughably contrasting her gruesome threat.
Ayaka.
“No! NEVER! I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM! YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!” Ayaka screamed, attempting to scurry away as Slimey began to expand with several tentacles poised to strike.
So much disobedience… Was this because of my dungeon system glitching?
I didn't know, but at the very least Slimey was still faithful to me and acted on my will.
“YOU DARE DEFY OUR LORD?!” Slimey shrieked, her bloodlust rising so fast I felt as though I would pop from the sensation.
Ayaka didn't get far, despite her swift tiny size, Slimey was upon her like a wave, crashing into the drider desperately gnawing on as much mold as she could possibly fit in her mouth.
In a fit of rage Ayaka raised a set of her legs and attempted to throw a spell, yet caught by one of Slimey's tentacles the little bug was immediately electrocuted.
“NOooOoOOoOo!” Ayaka screamed, gurgling as Slimey separated the drider from her treat and threw the jar away. For extra measures however, Gobledo stepped up, the goblin paladin unleashing a bolt of mana to scatter the contents further away.
“The jar is gone, now can we go?” Slimey relayed, her body trapping the struggling drider floating inside.
Virgil beeped, the gunmetal doors of the silver box tram opening to reveal blue seats of various sizes that looked to accommodate various species.
“I suppose so,” Virgil said as the contents of the jar began to rapidly spread around the hall, displaying a visceral reaction to the adamantine metal that was worrisome.
All this rare metal… gone!
Quickly my party and I dashed into the tram, taking seats as Virgil ordered the others to strap in.
*Self Destruct Protocols In Full Effect*
With my limited vision I could see red alarms within, the tram blaring it's emergency sirens as a timer within displayed 10 minutes.
“For the record,” Virgil said as Gobeldo placed the robot torso onto a chair. “I'm fairly certain we're all going to die, and if the impact doesn't kill us the explosion probably will.”
“But I don't want to die!” Jesse lamented, hugging Simone close who was too flustered to resist.
Out of all the humans though, Lhikan remained silent, his attention more focused on the belt he was trying to pull that kept locking up.
“Virgil,” Slimey relayed.
“What?”
“Drive.”
The robot let out a binaric sounding sigh. “Can't even get a please.”
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Suddenly the tram began to vibrate, the shuttle moving across tracks that would take us to safety.
*9 Minutes Till Detonation*
The tram was picking up speed now, the gunmetal box we set in feeling almost equivalent to a bullet train from back home or a rollercoaster as the G forces pushed against our bodies.
Simone began to pray, chanting alongside Jesse while Gobledo hugged the statue of Alexio to keep him close.
*7 Minutes Until Detonation*
I wonder, with my HP and enchanted body could I survive a nuke? Could I survive radiation?
Suddenly an image of a mutated rubber duck with legs appeared in my mind.
Well… at least I'd have legs…
*5 Minutes Until Detonation*
That would be cool…
“Take a breath humans,” Slimey ordered, visibly disgusted that she was being made to protect the humans.
“I hope we die,” Virgil beeped, the bot depressed as the metal walls of our coffin began to shake violently.
“Ugh! AH! WHY DID I COME HERE?!” Jesse screamed as his voice joined in with Simone’s. “I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M GOING TO DIE A VIRGIN!”
Lhikan on the other hand sat stoic, the paladin with zen-like calm as Slimey expanded and swallowed up everything within the cabin.
Man, I wish we had all our stuff… All we have is a single bag of soap.
Sigh.
“Brace for impact meatbags,” Virgil chirped, the interior of the tram flooded with loud screeching of metal on metal as the train’s brakes kicked in.
I wonder if I could get radiation spells.
*BOOM*
****
ELSEWHERE
Revving her engine, Trucks narrowed her headlight, the eighteen wheeled monstrocity barreling across the jungle at top speed.
She was close now she could feel it, the faint signature of the one who had broken her streak.
After years of begging, years of repeated paperwork, years of stonewalling, Lady Junith had finally allowed her to descend upon this world to reclaim her honor.
Now she wouldn't fail, couldn't fail, her task simply to destroy the one called Hiroyuki Sawano.
Trucks swerved, her powerful titanium wheels braking as she came across a mithril platform that was out of place amid the trees and foliage.
She narrowed her headlights, Trucks could feel her target below, moving rapidly in the underground like a mile tunneling through earth.
A mile? Maybe two down? It didn't matter to Trucks as her form began to glow, shift and compress.
Her thunderer trac grip M/T tires merged together, creating instead treads as her hood elongated to form a mithril-tipped drill.
“HOOOONK!” Trucks let out, her usual honk coming out as a loud whistle as she began to dig.
Soon she would have her revenge.
Soon she would make up for her mistake.
Soon she would reclaim her honor!
Trucks was almost elated at the prospect of her prey being so close. She could-!
****
“It's… so big,” Simone said in awe, watching in horror at the mushroom cloud in the far distance.
“That's what she said,” Jesse said absent-mindedly before being subconsciously elbowed by Simone.
Through Slimey's eyes, I watched as the Nornmus mountain range was consumed in radioactive fire. What had been the site of a legendary battle, a monument of history was now transformed into a radioactive crater.
I wonder if this will have lasting consequences on the environment?
No, definitely not? Maybe?
Nah it'll be fine.
***
Elsewhere*
Immolated in fire Trucks screamed.
***
Yeah, it'll be fine.
“Poor Tipsy… how could anything survive that…” Simone wept as Jesse and Lhikan lowered their heads for a moment of silence.
Suddenly something fell from above, a smoldering metal ball that hit the ground nearby and rolled around.
“Tipsy!” Simone cried out in surprise as she recognized the defensive gadget used by the gnome.
Then it opened, revealing a curled screaming gnome that was steaming with her skin visibly bubbling.
“Tipsy!” Simone screamed, her and Jesse rushing towards the gnome writhing in pain.
Ah. Crap.
On my order Gobledo moved, stopping the pair as Slimey enveloped the burned gnome.
Still, Simone attempted to help, calling out to Tipsy.
“Do not touch her!” Virgil chirped, “Keep a healthy distance priestess less you suffer a terrible fate.”
“What's wrong with her?” Jesse asked, holding Simone back.
“Radiation burns, nasty thing,” Virgil replied. “She's fortunate to be alive. In fact, we should all move before you suffer the same fate.”
He was right. The mushroom cloud was a ball of radiation, it probably wouldn't do anything to Slimey, Virgil, Hector, and I, but everyone else with meat? They'd be screwed.
It was time to go.
Well… on the plus side, we shaved a few days off of our travel time.
****
City of Gracemia:
In the training yard of her manor, Antoinette Berus paused mid swing, the edges of the eyes crinkling as the ground beneath her feet faintly trembled.
Something was wrong. She couldn't quite place it but something was wrong.
“Lady Berus,” Donut said, the stalwart knight kneeling before the Head Justicar. “Our scribes report an explosion within the Nornmus Ridgeline. The entire mountain range has been obliterated.”
“What?” Berus went slack jaw, the sword in her hand hitting the floor.
The Normus mountain range was the path Lhikan and the others were taking, what could have possibly happened there to destroy the entire mountain?!
“Deploy our inquisitors, find out what happened!
Immediately!” Berus barked as the two dozen retainers that surrounded her training yard dispersed.