Meanwhile, as they reached the hospital, Enzo, Amaya, Nala, and Kit found a horrific scene waiting for them.
Nearby buildings were reduced to rubble, their remains scattered across the landscape. A good number of Ascendants were locked in combat with what seemed like ordinary citizens. However, the citizens seemed to be engulfed in a wicked energy, causing Amaya to shiver.
"Did Culling... somehow take control of these people?" Kit murmured to herself.
Enzo gritted his teeth. "Maybe. But it doesn't matter. Are you able to do something about it?"
"Of course," Kit gave a wry smile. "Who do you think I am?"
The Demonic Judge bared his teeth in annoyance, but decided not to argue. "All right, we'll leave you to it. Amaya and Nala, you come with me into the hospital."
The two of them nodded, Amaya feeling a sick dread festering in the pit of her stomach as she worried about Casey. She desperately hoped that the boy had found a safe place to hide.
As the three of them headed inside the first floor of the hospital, they were greeted by a scene of utter chaos. The hallways were filled with the sounds of screams and the clash of steel as Ascendants and actual Culling members wearing black masks fought each other, with patients and hospital staff caught in the middle. Enzo barked out orders, directing Amaya and Nala to help the injured while he himself engaged the Culling in battle.
Easily dispatching the members one by one, Enzo soon faced the last remaining Culling.
"What are you guys planning to do here?" Enzo spat.
The Culling member merely laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "You don't understand, do you? We're cleansing this world. Those who resist are just fodder." He splayed his hands tauntingly.
"So, you guys aren't saying nothing new," Enzo scowled. "Fine by me. I'll beat it out of you."
As he prepared to charge at the Culling member, the latter suddenly seemed to lose the will to fight, clasping his hands in prayer instead.
"Those to be culled, have failed to devote."
Enzo paused, confused by the Culling member's words. He glanced around, half expecting to see someone else speaking. When he looked back at the Culling member, he was still standing there, their eyes closed and their expression serene. "Uh...what?"
A few seconds later, the Culling member imploded in a storm of black flames, immolating himself.
"Son of a bitch..." Enzo muttered as he turned away from the smoldering remains. "I forgot they do that."
Nala and Amaya joined up with Enzo, looking on in horror at the scene before them. "What just happened?" Amaya asked, her voice shaking.
"Culling members tend to kill themselves if there's no way out for them," Kit explained grimly, appearing beside them. "They believe it's the only way to ensure their loyalty to the cause." She let out a shuddering breath. "It's... it's a sick and twisted sort of pride, really."
"Did you deal with all the controlled people out there?" Enzo glanced at her.
"Yup. Cassandra and Max are outside dealing with the aftermath; said that Gregor was coming soon too."
"Good. Let's split and check the upper floors," Enzo turned to the remaining Ascendants on the first floor who were trying to help the patients and hospital staff. "Kit, scout out every floor as quickly as you can. Amaya and Nala, take the stairs to deep search. I'll go outside and wait for the others as well as keep an eye out. You have my number; call if anything happens. Got it?"
The group nodded and went their separate ways. Kit blinked out of existence, likely scanning the floors using her Cat Paradox and hopefully dispatching any Culling members she encountered. Amaya and Nala took the stairs more cautiously, checking every corner as they went.
"I hope Casey's all right," Amaya murmured worriedly to Nala as they drew closer to the fifth floor. Bodies of unconscious Culling members were strewn on each level they ascended, giving the two women a sense of how strong Kit might be.
"Don't worry," the Shadereaper said, trying to sound reassuring. "We'll find him. I'm sure he's safe."
As they reached the fifth floor, Amaya and Nala paused outside the door of the room where they had left Casey. Amaya took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly as she reached for the doorknob. She turned it slowly, but found it locked.
"Casey?" Amaya rapped on the door. "You in there, buddy?" There was no response. "Nala, you think he's keeping quiet?" she whispered, peering through the keyhole.
"Maybe," the Shadereaper replied. "Or it could be that he's unconscious. It would explain the locked door." She knocked on the door loudly. "Casey, it's Nala. I'm coming in, so don't be scared."
Amaya watched her dissolve into shadows, slipping through the cracks of the door. A moment later, the door swung open and revealed Casey hugging Nala tightly. Behind them, the Spellblade's blood ran cold as she noticed Casey's grandmother looking rather pale.
"She's gone," the boy whispered, his face still buried in Nala's stomach. "She's gone."
Amaya looked from Casey to his grandmother, her heart breaking. "I'm so sorry, Casey," she said, kneeling down beside them. "I wish there was something I could do."
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The boy shook his head frantically. "She left and then all these bad men came out of nowhere. I remember the nurses yelling about how all the patients are leaving or something."
The two women shared a shocked glance. "Casey, it's going to be okay," Nala assured him, though she wasn't sure if she was trying to convince herself more than him. "We'll get you out of here safely. Just stay close to us, okay?"
The boy nodded, his grip on Nala tightening. Amaya glanced back at the door, wishing that Enzo or Kit would hurry up. She took out her phone and dialed his number, but it went straight to voicemail. "Uh oh," she murmured. "I hope they're alright."
The few Ascendants that had responded to the emergency call were helping the injured out in the hallway as the three of them made their way out.
"Nala, take Casey outside," Amaya nodded to the Shadereaper. "I'll keep combing the floors with Kit–"
"No need," the Paradox suddenly appeared beside them. "Culling stopped after the 7th floor. I'm not sure why, but the floors above are safe, almost like Culling didn't need to go any higher."
"We should hurry up then," Amaya said, glancing at Nala. "Take Casey outside and wait for us there. We'll be right behind you."
As they made their way out, Amaya couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over her. The hallway was clear of any danger, and the remaining Ascendants were tending to the wounded. The chaos she had expected didn't seem to materialize. Honestly, with the minimal amount of casualties, it almost felt like whatever Culling's plan was for the hospital wasn't well thought-out.
The four of them met up with Enzo, who was joined by Cassandra, Max, and Gregor. The tension was palpable as they wordlessly greeted each other, suspicious of how quickly the situation at the hospital had been resolved.
"Report?" Gregor quietly asked his Janitors. Enzo took the lead, explaining everything that had happened as Kit and Amaya filled in the blanks. The Conqueror grew more and more perplexed as they finished their recap.
"What in the world?" Gregor murmured to himself. "Aside from the mass passing of the patients coincidentally lining up with Culling's arrival, it seems odd that they'd spare the rest of the hospital." The Conqueror looked around at the faces of his allies, a frown on his features. "Something doesn't add up here. We need to find out what Culling's endgame is. Kit, you, Nala, and Amaya stay with the children, keep them safe. My Janitors, I want you to split up. Cassandra and Max, detain the Culling members, and don't let them invoke their pact. Enzo, secure the perimeter with me."
But before any of them could move, the group felt an enormous pressure emanating all the way from the stage where Sero's victory ceremony was supposed to be held. A few seconds later, a thundering crack echoed down the street, and the appearance of a large black portal ringed with silver flames could be seen.
"Dear god, it's an outbreak," Gregor quickly realized, turning to the group. "Slight change in plan: Cassandra and Max, you two will remain here. Nala and Amaya, please help them as well. The rest of you, come with me."
"Wait, but aren't Liam and Elena there too?" Amaya spoke up, the dread in her stomach knotting tightly. "There's a reason why you need elite S-ranks with you, right?"
The Conqueror hesitated for a moment, glancing at the Spellblade with an ominous look. "I believe you know by this point that the outbreak is most likely S-rank tier."
Amaya swallowed hard, her eyes widening in fear. "I understand." She turned to Nala, squeezing her friend's hand. "Stay close to the children and keep them safe. We'll find you as soon as we can."
"You're coming too?" Enzo shot her a dubious glance.
"I'm not just some observer," Amaya shot back. "I'm part of this team, and I won't leave you all alone to face whatever's coming." She took a deep breath, not wanting to admit that there was another reason she wanted to go with them.
"Very well," Gregor reluctantly complied, turning back to his daughter. "My dear, please keep everyone here safe with Max and Cassandra. Contact me if anything happens." He switched his focus to Kit. "If you would?"
Kit concentrated for a moment, but then a spark of confusion flickered in her mismatched eyes.
"I... I can't use my Cat Paradox. Something's blocking the teleport there."
"What?" Gregor had a rare expression of surprise. "A force is overpowering your abilities?" The Conqueror shook his head. "Can you get us as close as possible, then?"
"I'll try." Kit concentrated again, and this time, her eyes glowed white with power. "Everyone, brace yourselves."
In a blink of an eye, the group disappeared, leaving Cassandra, Max, Nala, and Casey. The Ascendants were slowly taking control of the chaos, organizing the affected and providing aid. Nala looked around nervously, her heart racing in her chest. She glanced over at the portal, the swirling blackness and silver flames a chilling sight as it suddenly disappeared.
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Blinking back into existence, the group quickly regained their bearings as they found themselves at the edge of what seemed like an enormous black barrier. The shimmering and translucent energy crackled menacingly, preventing them from traveling any further.
Through the barrier, the group was presented with an unbelievable scene. Unconscious citizens littered the ground, some appeared drained, their bodies frail and thin. Others, however, were twisted and distorted, their flesh ripped and rent as if they had been torn apart by some unseen force. The air itself seemed to shimmer and twist, as if reality itself was warping under the pressure of whatever was happening.
"What the fuck is up with this barrier?" Enzo scowled as he tried to push through, only to recoil from the energy that coursed through it. "It's like something's holding the outbreak in place."
"Or maybe it's keeping things out instead," Amaya pointed out, her eyes scanning the area. "Like it's trying to prevent interference from the outside." The sight of the distorted deceased beyond the barrier sent a chill down her spine. "So whatever's causing this, it's strong enough to fight back against our strength, right?"
"It would explain why I couldn't teleport us directly inside," Kit agreed, narrowing her eyes. "But, there's only a handful of people I know that are strong enough to disrupt my paradoxical skills."
"That is because this barrier was not erected by a person, but rather whatever spawned from the portal," Gregor stepped up, placing a palm against the black barrier. The other three flinched as they felt the Conqueror gather immense amounts of mana, watching as he easily blasted a hole open.
"Let's go," he rumbled, motioning for them to follow.
The group moved through the rip in the barrier, the black energy crackling against their skin. Amaya felt a sharp pain in her shoulder as she pushed through, but she ignored it, focusing on the task at hand. They emerged where they last saw the massive portal, unable to process what they were seeing as they halted in their tracks.
Liam kneeled a few paces away, his face blank and his eyes glazed over. Elena had the same expression on her face, laying on her back motionlessly. Both of them appeared unharmed, yet their strange condition worried Amaya. The Spellblade's gaze moved past them when her blood suddenly ran cold.
The group watched in shock as Sero seemed locked in a deep kiss with an unearthly blue-skinned naked woman, the source of the terrifying pressure. For some reason, Amaya felt her heart skip a beat as she saw the two of them, a strange jealousy burning inside her. However, that feeling immediately disappeared as the woman broke away from the kiss, brutally impaling Sero's stomach with her claws.