Chapter 185 – Floor 19: Part 2
Mathew observed the factory from a distance for hours, sheltered by the forest that surrounded it. The thick and lush foliage made the perfect screen as he sat watching the place from the comfort of a moss-covered log.
He could see that there were hundreds of people guarding the place, with thousands of thralls being lined up, assessed and counted, then marched inside. It seemed like there was a steady flow of people coming and going in a semi-orderly fashion, with guards on hand to handle any problems.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t get much more information standing around in the woods.
Mathew hadn’t been sure where the thralls were coming from or if there was even Aether on site when some of his many questions were answered.
Another truck arrived around noon, and Mathew saw that it was different from the others. It didn’t have wooden crates in the back. Instead, it was covered in a large tarp. After being waved through the gate by the pair of guards, it stopped in the courtyard and unloaded its cargo.
They were people.
Men, women and children dressed in civilian clothing were forcefully removed from the back of the truck by the guards, who led them into a large tent nearby. Mathew waited as they disappeared inside, only to reappear a few minutes later with their heads shaven and their clothing replaced by the white gowns of the thralls.
These people didn’t go willingly; there were screams and shouting. Children cried, and parents fought against their captors desperately to reach their families, only to be assaulted for trying. Several were beaten and dragged away, where Mathew could faintly hear gunshots after they disappeared from sight.
There was no doubt in Mathew’s mind regarding the fate of those poor, unfortunate souls.
“They’re taking people from the towns.” Mathew guessed, making the connection between the empty town nearby and the people being removed from the truck.
How many people had been taken? Were there more towns like the one he had passed through?
He had enough. Mathew may have been hardened to violence and cruelty, but he wasn’t a monster. He couldn’t sit around and watch while innocent people suffered. Besides, the answers he needed were inside the factory walls.
Mathew didn’t want to spend any more time in the woods; he wanted to move onto the next Floor, and that meant going inside.
Leaving the woods, he strode down the road in broad daylight as if he were on a leisurely stroll. His boots crunched loudly on the gravel road, and he made no effort to conceal himself.
The guards spotted him immediately. After sharing a look, they raised their rifles.
“Halt! Don’t come any closer, or we will shoot!” The one on the right said.
“Whoa, hold on! Good Afternoon! I was just looking for directions!” Mathew lied. He slowed his footsteps and held his arms out to his side non-threateningly.
“See, I was out camping, and I got turned around. I figured I’d just follow this road until I reached civilization. I don’t suppose either of you could tell me where I am?” Mathew asked, and one of the guards reached over to press the radio button.
“Sir, we have someone at the front gate.” Mathew listened while a few words were exchanged. Mathew thought he might be able to get a little closer when he heard a response on the radio.
‘Eliminate them.’ It said. The guard immediately released the radio and shouldered his rifle. Seeing the hostile action, Mathew smiled in anticipation of violence. He shouldn’t have even bothered to try anything else, it was easier to just start fighting right from the start.
“Earthbind.”
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Tendrils of yellow light rose up from the ground and wrapped their way around the two guards, pinning them into place and tightening them to the point where neither could move. Their weapons were secured to their bodies, harmlessly pointing down.
Lowering his arms, Mathew walked closer to the two guards.
“Now that things are calmer, I’m going to ask you both some questions, and I want-” Mathew was cut off as there was a shout from within the compound, followed by the crack of a gun firing. A bullet streaked through the air and pierced the chest of the guard on Mathew’s left before hitting Mathew in the chest.
Spinning around from the force of the bullet impact, Mathew fell to the ground as his right leg was unable to support his weight. There were more loud cracks of gunfire, and dirt sprayed across his body. The remaining guard was struck in the leg, and the ‘Earthbind’ Blessing released, dropping the screaming man onto the ground.
“Son of a bitch!” Mathew cursed as he regained his feet and began to awkwardly run toward the gate's closed chainlink fence. He was struck three more times, but his ‘Alter Self – Thick Skin’ Blessing kept him from getting grievously injured.
He would have bruises, and it hurt like hell, but unless it struck him in the head or neck, he would be alright. At least he was far enough away that their aim was terrible. They were relying more on quantity over quality with their bullets.
“Reduce!” Mathew shouted, pointing at the gate, which immediately shrunk in size and toppled over as the mechanism connecting it to the fence popped loose. Scrambling through, he used a small guard post next to the interior of the gate for cover.
“I really need some kind of shield Blessing.” Mathew muttered as he peeked his head over the wooden wall of the guard post and looked around the compound. Soldiers and guards were running toward him, and he spotted several large vehicles speeding closer.
Alarms began to blare, and he could hear more shouting along with a cacophony of gunfire. Clearing his throat, Mathew yelled out from behind his cover.
“I’ll give you all a chance to surrender!” Mathew bellowed generously, but the only response was another barrage of gunfire that ripped through the guard post and caused Mathew to duck back down out of sight.
“Fine! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” Mathew screamed as he leapt to his feet.
Time seemed to drag in the same manner as his bad leg as he slowly made his way around the wooden wall of the guard post. The Celestial Spirits, his ever-present companions over the years since he had first learned the Words of Power, seemed to exude anticipation for what he was about to do.
It was strange; the sounds of gunfire seemed suddenly muted. He was aware of it, the spray of dirt and splinters of wood from the impacts all around him, the flashes of light and fire from the muzzles of the rifles and pistols.
But the world was utterly quiet until his voice broke the silence. Behind him, the Celestials appeared to delight in his actions. He could feel their jubilation through the strange connection the Words of Power forged between them.
“Word of Power: Burst.” Mathew whispered, his voice clear and distinct in the discord of battle. He directed the energy of the Word, and reality accompanied his calling.
The head of the nearest soldier bulged grotesquely, and everyone around him halted what they were doing and turned to look. It doubled in size and became nearly purple in colour before it burst apart.
It reminded Mathew of his youth, a sudden image of a crystal clear memory. Mysteriously, most of his memories of his time in school were gone, completely replaced by new recollections of his travels in the Tower. But this image remained.
He and his classmates had played a prank on one of their substitute teachers. Mathew had filled a balloon with water and had hidden it behind the door for her to enter. Mathew had thrown it over her head when she stood in front of the class from where he was hiding.
That image of the balloon busting was juxtaposed with the current state of the headless soldier as the Word of Power burst his skull like a balloon. Red blood sprayed in all directions, covering the other guards and soldiers.
They were stunned by the sudden occurrence of magical death amongst their number and were utterly unprepared as Mathew continued the assault. These people were monsters, no different than any of the others he had hunted or killed in the past Floors.
They were responsible for taking people and turning them into the mindless Thralls he had seen, nothing but fodder for the poisoned Aether to transform.
These people deserved what happened to them.
“Word of Power: Burn!” Flames leapt from one body to the next, white-hot flames that seared flesh and could not be extinguished no matter how hard they tried.
“Word of Power: Break!” Weapons crumbled, vehicles were destroyed, and entire sections of the compound were reduced to dust.
But Mathew wasn’t finished. He used all of his Blessings to kill and destroy until he was close enough that the Wrathful Blade made an appearance. Even with his bad leg, Mathew was capable of using the sword.
The keen edge of the impossibly heavy weapon sliced into the reinforced amour of a vehicle like a hot knife through butter, made even sharper by the Blessing ‘Investiture of Flames’ that coated the edge. The Wrathful Blade lacked a point, having been designed as an executioner's sword, but that suited Mathew just fine.
Swing it wildly, he hewed down his opponents.
By the time he had made it to the factory doors, there was nothing but destruction and bodies in his wake. Covered in blood, both his own and others, and panting from the exertion, Mathew entered the Factory.
It was time he discovered the secret of the Liquescent Aether.