The demon toad's skin bristled with menacing spikes and spines, its elongated legs adorned with wicked barbs. Its eyes, unnaturally large and white, bore pupils as dark as the abyss itself.
Chloe reached for her amulet, her stomach churning when she realized she'd left it in the other world.
She took a step back, "Not good," she murmured, as the demon toad opened its jaws wide and its tongue flicked out straight at Sylvia's head.
Chloe felt a rush of adrenaline as her mind kicked into overdrive, she shot forward, throwing herself between Sylvia and the demon toad.
She caught the creature's tongue and felt strength flood into her.
[Oath of Pain: Activated]
With a shout, she hurled the toad directly at the wooden steps leading to the first floor.
Its stubby arms waved wildly as it flew through the air and collided with the stairs, creating a burst of dust and splinters.
Chloe didn't give it a chance to recover. She darted forward, leaping through the air, her deadly claws extended as she came crashing down on the monster.
The colossal toad screeched in pain as Chloe's talons ripped through its flesh. It tried to pull away, but Chloe held on tight, snarling as she dug her claws deeper and deeper, tearing off toad limbs and chunks of the demon's body.
"That's enough!" Sylvia yelled, her face drained of color, gripped by terror.
Chloe let go of the monster, her knees wobbling as she stood up, "It tried to kill you."
“I might be easily replaceable,” Sylvia remarked, “but those books you've torn apart and stained with blood are irreplaceable.”
Chloe looked at the ruined demon toad, then turned to Sylvia, "You seriously need to sort out your priorities."
Sylvia sighed, "Priorities! A single life has no value when compared to centuries of accumulated knowledge."
Chloe shook her head, "I think what you meant to say is, thank you, Chloe, for saving my life."
Sylvia rolled her eyes, "Thank you? Are you kidding me, you are the one that led that thing here."
"What are you talking about?"
"The amulet you used to reach this place, you left it on the book."
Chloe shrugged, "Yes, so what else was I meant to do?"
"Keep it around your neck. Stars girl, how did you plan to get back?"
"I didn't plan for this," Chloe said. “It just kinda happened.”
The toad croaked at Chloe's feet, and she quickly stabbed it in the throat again. It twitched one last time, its eyes rolling back as it died.
A green soul stone protruded from a gash in the demon's chest. Just as Chloe bent down to pick it up, a message clouded her vision.
[Toad Demon Killed - Progress Towards Next Evolution: 100%]
[Armored Zombie Evolution paths:]
-[Burning Dead] - [Master of Fire]
-[Nightshade Zombie] - [Master of Poison and Venom]
-[Undead Horror] - [Master of Death]
Chloe blinked and shook her head, trying to focus on her surroundings, but the messages would not disappear.
I need to choose one to get rid of this damned message.
She read through the choices again.
Everybody knows zombies and fire don't mix. As for poison, I'd probably end up poisoning myself with that. If I have become a master of anything, it's death.
[Armored Zombie ⇾ Evolved To⇾ Undead Horror]
Chloe looked up at Sylvia, the lore master seemed frozen in time. Just as Chloe opened her mouth to speak, her body began to tremble.
The power of the goddess entered her and coursed through every fiber of her body. She was evolving and it hurt like hell. Her muscles tightened, her bones hardened. Her skin took on a light ash color, and her claws elongated and sharpened into deadly points.
The changes that had happened to her body were small compared to what was going on in her mind.
She could feel that she was more powerful than ever. Her mind was becoming more potent and her senses sharper, her reflexes faster.
As she looked around, she saw things with a clarity she'd never had before, and she could smell Sylvia's fear and hear the pounding of her heart and the sound of her breathing.
[Choose an ability:]
- [Corpse Explosion: Detonate a corpse, dealing explosive damage to everything in a 10ft radius]
- [Abyssal Chains: Throw chains out of your wrists, binding enemies hit and pulling them to yourself]
- [Leech Life: Drains life from a single target and healing you for the damage done]
It looks like I chose a mage profession.
She read through the options over and over, trying to imagine the ways she could use each ability.
Corpse explosion is too situational. Oh shit, does a zombie count as a corpse? No, I think I’ll pass on the jihad spell.
Abyssal chains. The no damage Spider-Man spell. Sounds cool, but there were no skyscrapers to swing from in a medieval city.
Leech Life would have been the best option except for one obvious problem.
I’ve played enough video games to know that healing a zombie actually deals damage to it instead.
“It feels like my decision is being forced on me,” she whispered as she made her choice.
[Skill Acquired: Abyssal Chains]
The messages disappeared, and Chloe's gaze swung to the lore master.
The girl blinked as time started up again. She frowned at Chloe, noticing the subtle changes that had happened.
What will she do now?
Chloe looked at Sylvia with her new eyes. She saw a woman, afraid but with a powerful aura surrounding her. A faint smokey image of a golden snake curled around the girl's arm, and a black grimoire floated over her shoulder like an ever present shadow.
The images and impressions faded. Sylvia was still staring at Chloe, her heart pounded in her chest and sweat dripped from her brow. She was scared of Chloe.
In a future that will never be, this girl was my best friend, someone that I could lean on when the weight of the world became too much, but now when she looks at me all she sees is a monster.
Sylvia's lips quivered as she tried to speak, "You evolved before my eyes," she finally whispered. “But not into something human. Wh... what are you?”
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"You're a zombie?" Sylvia stammered as the two girls crossed the library to the section that housed this world's copy of the Forest Gate book.
Chloe gave the smallest of nods, wearied by the girl's never-ending stream of questions.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Sylvia shook her head, her dark curls bouncing as she did so. "It's incredible, a thinking zombie." she laughed. "You're a living, breathing oxymoron."
“Aren't you supposed to kill all undead on sight,” Chloe asked. “Isn't that part of the Talamasca's code?”
Sylvia frowned, "I'm a lore master in the Fourth Order," she fingered her amulet and let it drop again, "I know a few moves, but I'm no demon slayer. I leave that to the three martial Orders."
"That's good to know," said Chloe. “I'd hate to rescue you only to have to kill you in the end.”
Sylvia swallowed and laughed nervously.
The two walked in silence for a few minutes, Sylvia constantly shooting glances at Chloe from the corner of her eye.
Finally, Chloe turned to Sylvia and said, "Just spit it out, what is it?"
The lore master bit her lip and stared at Chloe, "One thing I don't understand."
"Yeah?"
"You said that Belgemine sent you to find me?"
Chloe nodded.
"Why?" asked Sylvia. "What does a witch and a sentient zombie want from me?"
"You tell me," said Chloe. "You have demons hunting you. Why is that?"
Sylvia’s brow furrowed deep in thought, "I discovered a book of old prophecies," she said. "They were written by Theon Barathus, one of the founding fathers of the Order."
"You think they want the prophecies?"
Sylvia shook her head, “Somebody broke into my home a week ago. The book was stolen.”
“And now they are here to silence you.”
Sylvia’s eyes widened in panic.
----------------------------------------
They reached the great tree a few minutes later. There were no other scholars about, and the will-o-wisps were nowhere to be seen.
“Something's wrong,” Chloe breathed.
There was an eerie silence and the air seemed charged, as if waiting for something to happen.
Sylvia shuddered, "Where is everyone?"
Chloe shook her head, "Just get the book and let's get the hell out of here."
A shadow moved in the corner of Chloe’s eye. She grabbed Sylvia by the arm and dragged her behind the large tree.
They both peered out from behind the trunk and watched as a toad demon emerged from an aisle of books.
A towering figure wearing a dark robe strolled alongside the toad, resting an iron mace on his shoulder. He walked slowly, humming a tune as his eyes scanned the aisle and bookshelves.
As soon as the demon stepped into the open ground, it raised its head, sniffing the air. It twisted its neck around to face their hiding spot.
"I know you're there," said the man. "Reaper can smell your fear."
Chloe tensed, her enhanced vision picking up the man’s aura and things hidden from mortal eyes.
She didn't notice the man's hair color or even his skin tone, all she saw was what her new sight showed her.
Things clung everywhere around the man. Things with silent glittering eyes and hungry expressions, some reptilian, some more like rats, some insectoid.
All of them shuffled behind the man, as a dark aura spilled shadows across the ground, leaving a trial of inky footsteps in his wake.
She closed her sight, shaking. There was too much information, it was disorientating.
I need to learn how to control this ability before it drives me insane.
Chloe lent closer and whispered into Sylvia's ear, "Where's the book?"
Sylvia nodded her head at an ebony pedestal a short distance behind the robed man.
Chloe looked at Sylvia, "Ok, we have no choice, we go straight through them."
----------------------------------------
Chloe stepped out from behind the tree, her hands raised above her head. "What do you want, Faithless?"
It was a term from memories of Chloe's future self, a word used to describe those who left the path of light and chose to align themselves with the demons.
The man's gaze swung to Chloe and his face split in a grin, "Faithless. How banal. I am a servant of the true god and you undead monster, your place is at his side."
Chloe stared at him, "I'd die before following Malice."
The man's lip curled in a sneer, "I can sense your power, it ripples from your flesh like lightning in the night, but your power won’t save you. A monster has no home in the light, if you reject the shadow then you will be an enemy of all."
He turned his attention back to Sylvia and took a long, slow breath through his nose, "As for you, foolish scholar. You poked your nose where it was not wanted, and for that you will die."
His hand reached into his robe pocket, and drew out a vial of black liquid. He opened the stopper and smoke poured from the bottle. A single drop landed on the floor and burst into a cloud of smoke. There was a loud croak and a demon toad emerged from the smoke.
Chloe launched herself forward, slamming into the toad's midsection and knocking it to the ground.
The Faithless emptied the rest of the liquid on the ground, and a pack of toads took up positions around him. Their eyes glowed red, and their mouths opened wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth.
Chloe tore through the first demon, her new and improved claws slicing through it like butter.
The second demon's tongue lashed out at her and wrapped around her waist.
She grabbed the tongue in both hands and bit through it, severing it from the toad.
The demon made a strange gurgling sound, but Chloe had already pulled the toad closer. She stabbed it in the neck and flung its body at two demons. They smashed into each other with a wet thud and tumbled to the ground.
The third demon tried to jump onto Chloe's back, but her new body was far faster; she ducked, and the toad missed, falling to the ground.
She slashed at it, cutting off the top half of its head and sending it rolling into a bookshelf, but there were too many. They kept pouring out from the black liquid which bubbled at the Faithless One's feet.
This is just like a game. Ignore the adds and focus on the summoner.
[Abyssal Chains: Activated]
A black chain burst out of her wrist and snaked through the air, wrapping around the man's legs.
The chain tightened, and the man yelled, "Kill her!"
He thrashed about and knocked over several toads, but Chloe held firm, she swept the chain through the crowd of toads, scattering the demons.
[Oath of Pain: Activated]
Her body burst into blue flame, and she yanked on the chain, flinging the man towards her at incredible speed.
Just as his body flew towards her, she redirected all of her power into her arm, she felt the muscles expand and intense pain pulsing in her fingertips.
As the man reached her, Chloe punched him square in the chest with us much power as she could muster.
Rib’s broke with audible snaps. The Faithless howled in pain, his arms and legs shuddering. He fell to the floor, twitching and choking.
Chloe stood above him, chain still coiled around his legs, she leaned down and picked the man up by the throat.
[Oath of Pain: Deactivated]
She looked at him dead in the eyes, "Where is your dark lord now," she whispered.
The man spluttered something inaudible, and Chloe threw him to the side and turned to face a toad leaping at her.
She fell backwards, catching the toad in midair, its claws raking her skin, slicing through her flesh.
She grabbed the arms, keeping them away from her face, but the toad was relentless. Its mouth clamped over her neck and collar bone, its needle like teeth sinking deep.
Chloe twisted her body and slammed its head against the stone floor, shattering the stone and cracking the toad’s skull open.
More toads leapt at her, they were fast, but she was faster. She rolled out of the way and tried to attack, but her arm had gone limp from the toad’s poison.
She got to her feet and launched herself forwards and twisting her body in midair to avoid the toads claws.
She landed and kicked one of the toads hard in the stomach. It slid across the floor, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.
She spun around, kicking another toad in the head. There were more toads than she could handle, they were closing in around her.
From the corner of her eye she saw Sylvia surrounded by demon's, her eyes were wide in fright. Her left hand gripped the amulet around her neck.
The man stood up on shaky legs, his blood soaked hand stretched out and pointing at Sylvia. He was about to cast a spell and there was nothing Chloe could do about it.
"Sylvia!" she shouted.
Greenlight engulfed the girl, and wind burst out all around her, tossing toads in all directions.
The light faded and Chloe saw a large grimoire, covered in golden symbols, hovering above Sylvia.
Her ethereal armament.
The Faithless released his spell and the air crackled as black lightning streaked straight at Sylvia’s chest.
The grimoire opened and Sylvia simply vanished.
Chloe blinked in confusion, and then she saw Sylvia standing behind the man.
The scholar gestured, and roots burst out around the Faithless’ feet, growing thick and wrapping around him.
He shouted as the vines bound his arms to his sides. Long thorns grew out of the vine and pressed into the man's skin, drawing blood which fed the vines, making them stronger.
Sylvia spoke a single word, and a bubble of water covered the man's head. He thrashed about trying to break free, but the vine held him in place as he gasped for breath.
The toads turned away from Chloe, all of them advancing on Sylvia as their master drowned in the bubble of water.
Chloe got to her feet and ran.
The man's thrashing slowed, his face turned blue and his eyes bulged.
The toads leapt at Sylvia, their claws reaching out to her, their tongues flicking out to tear her flesh.
Chloe wasn't going to make it in time, her paralyzed arm was slowing her down too much.
The toad’s landed on Sylvia, and she shrieked in pain as they clawed her.
Chloe reached the girl and tore one toad off, but another already had its mouth clamped around the girls' waste, drawing blood.
There was a sudden silence. The toads froze, their heads all swinging to stare at the man.
His arms dangled at his side. The bubble on his head was red, filled with his own blood. His head had imploded from the pressure. The vine released him, and he fell to the floor, dead.
There was a croak followed by a series of loud popping sounds, as one toad after another burst into a puff of smoke and vanished.
----------------------------------------
Sylvia groaned in pain, she released her armament, and the grimoire burst into fragments of light and disappeared.
Chloe knelt by Sylvia, placing a hand on her blood soaked shoulder.
"Not bad for a book nerd." Chloe said with a faint smile. "You okay?"
"I'll live," Sylvia replied feebly.
"Good,” said Chloe. “Let's get the hell out of here. That fight has really given me an appetite."
Sylvia looked at her and then her eyes widened, "What exactly do zombies eat?"
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