Zilch was shocked. A giant monster had appeared out of nowhere and kidnapped them. WHY DO THINGS LIKE THESE ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME? It screamed in its own mind. The worm rapidly moved its head to glance at its Master and companions, to notice the goblins thrashing the way Zilch was, before losing consciousness. On the other hand, Prometheus seemed to be completely still, like a statue would.
The snake monster had not uttered a single word since they had departed, making Zilch very anxious. Where were they going? Were they gonna die?
Wait a second, my intangibility! The moment the idea came to its mind, Zilch refused it immediately. Even if my intangibility power works on whatever is holding me attached to the monster, I wouldn't survive the fall. It glanced down. They were rapidly approaching the clouds and would soon fly over them.
The scout hung its head low. Glancing at Prometheus, he thought, Hopefully, he'll find a way to keep us safe.
The strange thing is, it hasn't killed us but kidnapped us, which means a few things: First, its main objective isn't to obliterate us, at least not immediately. Second, they have a specific purpose that we can fulfill for them.
Zilch, gathering every bit of courage in its body, formed a [Mental Connection] and said, "Excuse me, sir?"
The flaming snake turned its head slightly so one of its eyes was looking at Zilch and replied, "Speak, little worm."
Zilch gulped. It had been taught that speaking to a stronger monster without being ordered to is usually a death sentence, so Zilch's risk had probably paid off, probably. Its next words were trembling and came out in stuttered intervals, even if it was a mental communication, "Where are you bringing us?"
The snake monster smirked, showing two massive fangs that looked to be made of magma, and replied, "Young ones, always so impatient. You'll get your answers when we arrive." Zilch felt like it wouldn't get any more than that from the massive monster, so it tried to take a nap, which was quite difficult when flying at incredible speeds, it learned.
---
Prometheus still couldn't grasp what had happened. A flaming giant snake had appeared behind and kidnapped them all while implying that they would become soldiers of some sort. He couldn't move his body, except for his head and he couldn't even manipulate his cells. Was this a Soul technique or an ability? Or something else entirely? He couldn't know for sure, but it allowed him and the others to breathe, so that meant it didn't paralyze their bodies.
He noticed Zilch squirming around, while the goblins all lost consciousness. He wasn't sure how he could escape this situation, as the kidnapper seemed much stronger than all of them combined. His mandibles clicked in annoyance and anger, while his body temperature rose until steam could be seen escaping his exoskeleton. His exoskeleton began glowing slightly, until the snake formed a connection with him and said, "I'm not sure how you're willingly increasing your body temperature that much without melting, but it's probably not a good idea either way."
Prometheus ignored him and continued boiling himself alive. He glanced at the sky and thought, Someone is messing with me, I'm certain of it. First, I get transported here, then I almost die to an impossible lighting strike and now a Giant snake kidnaps me?? His breathing intensified and sped up. I am sick of this fucking circus of a world.
The snake sighed at his suggestion being ignored, and seemed to focus on something else. A moment later, a chill spread through Prometheus' body, indicating his body had cooled down to around twenty degrees.
What? What is this? He glanced at their kidnapper. Did he do this? If he can control my own body temperature like that effortlessly, what else can he do? Maybe I won't actually have a choice about what he'll make me do...
---
Fuoco, the ancient and fiery giant snake, soared gracefully through the skies, a solitary seeker in pursuit of extraordinary beings. With each passing century, he had assumed the role of an army recruiter for a mysterious monster army, a duty he took with a wry smile—well, as much as a centuries-old serpent could muster. Ah, these young ones, he thought to himself, always keeping an old serpent on his scales.
Today was no exception as he stumbled upon a rather peculiar group of creatures that piqued his curiosity. Among them was a combative shapeshifter, exuding determination and a fiery spirit. Well, well, he mused internally, this one's got a fire in their belly, just like me back in my hatchling days!
Beside the shapeshifter clung a timid little worm, quivering with fear and uncertainty. Fuoco eyed the trembling creature and couldn't help but let out a low chuckle, Don't worry, little one, life's full of scales and surprises—You've got much more potential than you can imagine.
The rest of the group consisted of goblins, unconscious yet undoubtedly spirited. He smirked, appreciating their hidden talents, I reckon they will surprise themselves.
As a proud member of the monster army, Fuoco's duty was to gather these remarkable beings and offer them a chance to join their ranks. He knew they might not be thrilled about it, but he hoped they'd come to see it as an opportunity of a lifetime.
As they soared through the skies, Fuoco's mind wandered back to the countless battles he had witnessed and the camaraderie he had shared with his monstrous comrades. Ah, those were the days, he reminisced, swinging tails and trading tales under the Great God's watch.
As they continued their journey, Fuoco's mind meandered back to his long and eventful existence. He had seen empires rise and crumble, witnessed battles that shook the very foundation of the earth, and watched as new generations of monsters took up the mantle of the old. Through it all, he had remained a constant, a guardian of sorts, guiding those with potential toward their destinies.
His memories were a tapestry of emotions, a blend of joy and sorrow, of friendships forged and lost, of times when his scales gleamed bright with hope and others when they smoldered with despair. Life's like a wildfire, he thought, burning bright and fierce, consuming all in its path, but always making way for new growth.
Though his days were many and his wisdom vast, Fuoco knew he wasn't immune to the passage of time. His scales had lost some of their luster, and the energy that once surged through him now flowed with a more deliberate grace. Age has a way of tempering even the hottest of flames, he reflected, but it also brings clarity, a deeper understanding of the world.
His solitude, too, weighed on him at times. The years had brought him knowledge and experiences beyond measure, but he couldn't help but feel the ache of loneliness, a longing for companionship that never quite left him. Even an old serpent needs company, he chuckled to himself, though I suspect my scales might be too fiery for most.
As they continued their flight, Fuoco's thoughts returned to the group he had gathered. Each member held within them the potential for greatness, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility toward them. They're like fledglings in a vast sky, he thought, and it's up to me to give them the push they need to take flight.
With each passing moment, Fuoco's resolve to see them succeed grew stronger. He knew the journey ahead would be filled with challenges and hardships, but he also knew that within each of them lay the strength to face whatever lay ahead. Life's a test of endurance, he pondered, but it's also a testament to the spirit that refuses to be extinguished.
---
The shame Prometheus was feeling was overwhelming. Not only had they been kidnapped in broad daylight, but they were completely powerless upon the might of the massive reptile. Even his boiling rage had been quilled akin to a child's tantrum! This is absolutely unacceptable... Why am I so powerless?
The scenery changed rapidly given the speed they were flying at, but even in those conditions Prometheus spotted a familiar shape kilometers away, and spoke to the snake, which upon hearing Prometheus' strange language created a mental connection, "Speak, young one."
Actually, how old am I? My consciousness has been present for about 2 months, but when did the scientists build my Core? Ah, don't get distracted!
"I believe I've spotted another subordinate of mine, stop so I can grab them up"
All of the joy previously present on the snake's face disappeared. The pressure on Prometheus' body that was keeping him attached to the flying snake increased many times, resulting in him getting crushed.
"You are thousands of years too young to speak like that to me, insolent brat. The only reason I haven't extinguished your life immediately is because you show promise. Now, rephrase that."
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Prometheus replied, "I don't have to be polite to-"
The pressure increased in intensity until his roots started to crack around his body, causing his mind to spin around in panic and overdrive.
He had never felt true fear before, so the sudden appearance of sweat and random tremors around his body greatly surprised him.
Before getting his Core pulverized, he added," I apologize for my insolence, Sir. Can you please slow down so we can grab my other subordinate?" The pressure immediately disappeared with the monster smiling widely.
"I can do that, little hatchling. Is it that yellow insect, perhaps?"
I'm not a reptile or a snake, though. Prometheus mused to himself.
"Yes it is, sir. Can you also lessen your pressure so I can communicate with her?" The monster nodded, slowly lowering its altitude and getting closer to Buzzelina. Prometheus released some pheromones, which made the Wasp queen jerk in surprise and fly in a beeline toward him. He spread his arms open and hugged her.
Such a cute pet. I'm glad she survived.
He scratched the insect's antennas and wings softly, making her buzz cutely in response.
The snake monster lifted an eyebrow at the sight of the small insect, asking in the mental connection, "Is there any reason you tamed such an aggressive and territorial species?" Prometheus seemed to think it over, and replied, "I just wanna see what a hive creature can become with enough time. So just curiosity, I guess." The flaming beast seemed to smirk for a millisecond before regaining its composure. Prometheus had clearly noticed it.
Zilch stretched its head as much as possible with the pressure from the snake and asked aloud, "Master, what is that?"
Prometheus replied with a newly created worm-organ, "Just a wasp queen I met on my last travel. I thought she was cool so I picked her up." Buzzelina seemed to enjoy the compliments, even though she shouldn't have been able to understand them.
Zilch nodded and continued, "Do you think this monster is gonna kill us?"
Prometheus replied without hesitation, "No. It could have obliterated all of us if it wanted to. I believe we are being kidnapped and forced into an army as slave soldiers. For now, we don't have much choice other than following what it wants."
Zilch sighed in relief and tried taking a nap again, failing just like last time.
---
Prometheus measured that it took them approximately 2 hours and 13 minutes to reach their destination, which was essentially a massive clearing in the forest, surrounded by many simple buildings, which looked like their purpose was completely functional rather than aesthetic.
A massive number of monsters of all sizes and shapes stood in the middle of the open area, fiddling, and looking like they were ready to shred each other apart any second. Something, or someone, was keeping them in check.
They were surrounded by a massive amount of flaming pillars that took the shape of humanoids, upon closer inspection. Each one was around two meters tall, with no discernible feature other than two arms and a torso.
At that moment, the snake dropped them. From almost one hundred meters in the air. At that moment, Prometheus felt a mental connection form to the snake, but also to all his allies at the same time.
"If you can't even survive such a low fall, you won't survive a minute in the army." Prometheus clacked his mandibles loudly in annoyance and sped up his mind to the maximum, slowing time around him to a crawl.
Ok, I can survive this, Buzzelina can fly, and Zilch is probably fine with his power and that trait that makes earth softer, but these goblins are fucked. Probably.
The shapeshifter could feel his Core heat up from all his mostly useless simulations.
I can't shapeshift as I don't have enough time, this ant form doesn't have wings either. Fuck. The only chance they have of surviving is if they redirect themselves to those trees and somehow slow their fall. I can also try and grab them and launch them upwards at the millisecond before we hit the ground. Might as well try.
Prometheus opened up his exoskeleton, revealing dense flesh underneath, and quickly glided to the three goblins who were addled together with terror etched on their faces.
He grabbed each of them, and an instant before they hit the ground, he threw them upwards. They still hit the ground with a loud thud, but hopefully, they would survive. He had invested many calories in gene editing them, so he didn't want them to die.
After crashing loudly himself and making a small crater, he got up and noticed Zilch shaking its head, without the smallest sign of injury. Buzzelina slowly hovered downwards to him, and the goblins lay motionless in a mess of leaves and sticks. He immediately ran to them and checked their conditions.
All three of them had many of their bones broken, and most likely had various internal injuries, so he sent as many cells of his own to heal the worst of those. He would let the bones heal themselves, as it would make them stronger. He just realigned them correctly and made some simple splints with sticks and leather he harvested from his cells.
No reward for any of that, eh? Maybe the Hacker didn't think any of this was interesting enough?
After making sure the three goblins were stable, he glanced up to see the monster looking straight at him, with an expressionless face.
"Well done. I believe the goblins would have had an eighty-four percent chance of dying without your intervention. Now, grab them up and follow me."
Prometheus wordlessly picked up his three green allies and rested them on his back. Zilch came up soon after and exchanged a silent glance with him, while Buzzelina landed on his head and rested there.
They followed the flaming monster into the clearing, which was surrounded by those huge flaming monsters. They immediately parted ways when their master crossed the border, and Prometheus noted that their movements were simple and mechanical.
Artificial, perhaps?
He measured that their bodies were around two thousand degrees Celsius so he didn't even think about getting close to them.
"I usually send these guys here to fetch promising monsters, but you seemed particularly interesting, young hatchling. You remind me of myself during my golden days!" The flaming snake released a sibilant laugh.
It moved to look at Zilch and continued, "Triggered monsters aren't too uncommon, but your power is quite unusual. I feel my stomach burning up at the possibilities!"
Its glance landed on the goblins and added, "These youngsters here have something off about them, but I can't put my scales on what exactly."
The buildings on the perimeter of the clearing were made of rock, massive and simple. Each one was the size of a big warehouse, with minimal decorations. Various square holes adorned the buildings as windows.
Prometheus' glance didn't rest too much on the rocky buildings, as something much more pressing demanded his attention: The hundreds of monsters in the middle of this place, looking at them.
Oh? Are these guys happy to have some newcomers and want to greet us?
Prometheus snapped his mandibles happily when he remembered his mistake with the bandits.
I shouldn't assume they will be kind to me or the others, maybe I should be cautious and not expose myself.
The snake ordered, "Join the crowd. Two rules, don't cause trouble and don't escape until you hear me out entirely. You don't seem like the type of monster to ruin this old man's day, but I'm just making sure. I wouldn't like removing such promising monsters, not at all." The flaming monster shook its head sadly and continued towards an elevated platform on the front of the clearing.
Prometheus could see every monster tense up when near the massive reptile. The variety of creatures there was mindboggling: Insectoids, mammals, avian creatures, amorphous ones, and everything in between. Prometheus didn't miss a crucial detail, that being the fact that every creature looked as if someone had taken a creature from Earth and-
Dark clouds started gathering above in the sky, which made Prometheus empty his mind processes immediately. The snake turned its head and raised the equivalent of its eyebrow, glancing first at the sky and Prometheus next. It smiled and shook its head, resuming its march to the platform.
The monsters looked at the unconscious goblins with salivating mouths, and Prometheus replied by creating an internal organ that created a low hum that propagated around their vicinity. This seemed to unnerve the monsters which went back to observing the massive flaming snake.
When it reached the elevated platform it swept every monster with its fiery gaze and started speaking through a massive mental connection spell, "Greetings, my fellow creatures of the wild! My name is Fuoco, and I am an army recruiter." Fuoco's voice boomed across the clearing, a mixture of authority and charisma that held the attention of every monster present. His fiery eyes gleamed with intensity, and his aura exuded raw power. There was no room for doubt – he was a force to be reckoned with.
"You stand before me today because you have been deemed worthy of consideration," he continued, his tone stern and unwavering. "The army I represent seeks the strongest, the most resilient, and the most cunning among you. Those who are willing to face challenges head-on and emerge victorious."
His words resonated with the hundreds of monsters gathered before him, and a low murmur of anticipation filled the air. Fuoco's gaze swept over the diverse crowd, taking in the multitude of shapes and sizes, a testament to the vastness of the monster world.
"I have seen countless battles, stood witness to the rise and fall of civilizations, and beheld the emergence of legends. Throughout it all, one thing remains constant – the power of the strong," he declared, his voice carrying a touch of nostalgia. "You all have potential, but potential is meaningless without the will to harness it."
He didn't sugarcoat his words or offer false promises of an easy journey. Instead, he laid bare the truth of what awaited them. "The path to greatness is fraught with challenges and hardships. But those who endure, those who rise to the occasion, will find themselves welcomed into the ranks of our army."
A fire seemed to ignite within each monster, the flame of determination, fueled by the knowledge that they were being considered for something greater. They had been plucked from the vastness of the wild to be tested and judged, and the weight of that opportunity hung heavily in the air.
Fuoco's unyielding presence, a display of strength and dominance that left no room for doubt made the soul of everyone tremble in anticipation. The monsters knew that he was stronger than all of them combined, and the knowledge settled in their hearts like a challenge to rise to his level.
"You have been chosen for a reason," he emphasized, his eyes locking onto those of the recruits. "Not all will make the cut, but those who do will find themselves part of an army like no other. An army that commands respect and fear, an army that shapes the very course of history."
A hushed silence fell over the clearing, the monsters absorbing Fuoco's words with a mix of trepidation and excitement. The weight of their decision hung in the balance – to embrace the challenges and seize their destiny or to shrink back into the anonymity of the wild.
"For those who choose to join our ranks, know this," Fuoco's voice softened, revealing a hint of warmth beneath the unyielding facade. "You will face trials that will test your limits, and you will face foes that will push you to your breaking point. But you will also discover strength within you that you never knew existed, a strength born of the fire that burns within all of us."
With his final words, the flames around Fuoco seemed to intensify, casting a warm glow over the clearing. The monsters felt the power emanating from the ancient snake, and for a moment, they saw themselves reflected in his fiery eyes.
"In the face of adversity, in the crucible of challenge, you will forge bonds that transcend species, that transcend time," he continued, his words drawing them deeper into his vision. "You will become part of a legacy, a legacy that stretches back eons and will continue long after you are gone."
The wild monsters listened, captivated by Fuoco's words, their fears and uncertainties mingling with a newfound sense of purpose. They knew that joining the army meant leaving behind the familiar and embracing the unknown, but they also understood that it was a chance to become something more.
"In the end, the choice is yours," Fuoco concluded, his voice firm yet filled with a profound sense of understanding. "You may return to the wild, to the lives you knew, or you may step forward and embrace the flames of destiny. Whatever you choose, know that the fire within you will continue to burn, guiding you on your path."
With that, Fuoco stepped back, allowing the wild monsters to contemplate their decision. The clearing was filled with a charged energy, each creature lost in their own thoughts, weighing the risks and rewards of joining the army.
As they deliberated, Fuoco remained a silent yet imposing figure, a constant reminder of the strength that awaited those who dared to step forward. The wild monsters looked upon him with a mixture of awe and respect, realizing that he was not just a recruiter but a living embodiment of the army's power.
The choice was theirs to make, and as the moments passed, the clearing buzzed with tension and anticipation. Each monster knew that their decision would shape the course of their lives, propelling them into an unknown future.
Fuoco continued,"There will be many trials, most of which will involve fights. We have a dedicated healer present. If you would like to step forward, Doctor."
A humanoid creature stepped up the platform from behind, one which seemed awfully familiar to Prometheus. His ant eyes widened upon the recognition.
"Doctor Fluffernutter is a human that decided to join the monster army. I wouldn't recommend you try to hurt him." Fuoco ended with a sadistic smile, but Prometheus wasn't listening. He lowered the goblins to the ground, and sprinted as fast as he could to the massive man.
Just before he could get close, the same pressure as before appeared, stopping him in his tracks, and he could see the massive man walk off the platform from the back and disappear.
"I can see that some of you are in a rush to make a decision, but I would recommend you to calm your excited hearts." continued the army recruiter with an edge to his voice.
Prometheus tried pushing against the pressure with everything he had, to no avail. The snake was watching him with curious eyes, until he made a mental connection between him and Prometheus, "What's the matter, young lad?" asked the monster with a concerned tone.
Prometheus took no time to reply, "THAT'S MY OWNER!"