Chapter Eighty Seven: Unexpected Circumstances
Chapter Eighty Seven: Unexpected Circumstances
The building, as Zorren and Quasi can see from the outside, is nothing short of uninviting. It is a perfectly cylindrical structure made of cold, sturdy-looking stone. No flaws or marks. No shiny puke. Just unnaturally smooth stone. Its boring gray color adds to the feeling of unease that emanates from the construction.
The first room the two step into is an empty room with no corners or windows. No furniture, no people. No sign of the living. Only at the end of the room are there two circular tunnels. One leads up, the other seemingly spiraling down.
“There’s nothing upstairs that’s alive, but we have a small army of monsters right below us.” Quasi says with a frown. His homemade life detector is giving him vague information about the creatures underneath their feet.
“Then we go down.” Zorren says and begins walking towards the downward tunnel.
“Stop!” Quasi yells.
Zorren pauses and turns to face Quasi, watching as the [Necromancer] strolls next to Joker and places his hand on the undead’s single arm.
“Give me a moment to prepare. I have a weird feeling a fight will break out. [Undead Modification].”
Joker’s arm quickly shifts around, the hand changing from a bladed arm to a hollow piercing weapon.
“Alright, this should work if things go bad. Let’s go down.”
The two begin heading down the circular spiral tunnel. The ceiling stands high above them, high enough for seven Zorrens to stand upon each other’s shoulders and barely graze the top. It’s as though the paths were carved for something of a massive size to travel through them.
The two continue down, walking slowly at a decline, the only light being provided from Quasi’s glowing gauntlet.
Eventually, after several hundred meters of descent, the two finally enter a gigantic chasm that is brightly lit by the crystal needle.
On one side of the chasm, Quasi can see a river of crystal clear water, easily enough to supply the city above them.
On the other side is a small army of towering, monstrous, white chitinous creatures with green stripes across their carapaces. All of them lay and wait, unmoving. From beasts that look like giant cockroaches to beings clearly made to imitate Gejan, they stand at attention with a suppressed but unmistakable intelligence.
However, Quasi’s and Zorren’s eyes instead focus on a specific individual standing in front of the rest. A pure white female Gejan with a long segmented tail and a very form fitting exoskeleton. Unlike the other Gejan, this one has two antene coming out of her head and colorful green eyes.
She stares at the two, her eyes darting quickly and mechanically between the people standing before her. Her look is calculating as she runs through different probabilities, predictions, and possibilities, all in a few moments.
“Welcome. I am-”
“A Level seventy two [Myrmer Queen] who is named Nighmora, the same name as Zorren’s daughter.” states Quasi.
The [Myrmer Queen] refocuses on Quasi. She attempts to understand how he knows such specific information, but her limited knowledge finds no answer.
“How do you know that?”
Quasi shrugs and points to the side of his vision. Right into the air, seemingly at nothing.
“There’s a little floating box about ten inches in height and width that details all of your current levels, class, and name. It also gives me numerical information regarding your physical and mental capability.”
Nighmora
Level 72 [Myrmer Queen]
Strength
88
Dexterity
56
Stamina
102
Perception
83
Endurance
71
Vitality
N/A
Mana
N/A
M/regen
Error
Affinity
2
Intelligence
207
Willpower
568
Soul
Error
Myrmer Evolution: [Grand Intellect]: +200 Intelligence
Myrmeke Enhancement: +10% Intelligence
Bloodline: [Mana Charging Scales] +5 Mana Regen.
“Which, by the way, are really fucked up. Your physical stats are equivalent to a high level [Archwarrior], even though your actual class isn’t anything that should give you those bonuses.”
“That is a very inter-”
“Nighmora! Is that you? It’s you, isn’t it?” Zorren says, finally breaking out of his stupor. He had feared the worst, but now a thing stands before him. Something that calls itself the same name as his daughter. It even has the general body structure and facial features.
Nighmora looks at Zorren.
“Zorren the [Berserker]. You misunderstand. Though my designation is the same as your daughter’s, I am not your child. This body was indeed hers, as were her memories, but she herself no longer exists. She had died, and then I was born.”
“What?” Zorren asks, confused.
“Gejan. Do not fool yourself. I merely possess her body and knowledge, but the Nighmora that was your daughter does not exist.”
Zorrens’ expression changes quickly. Confusion, disbelief, and then anger.
“No! You can’t… She’s not… Give her back!” He says as his eyes begin glowing red.
“Oh dear. It’s happening.” Quasi looks around, his gaze quickly scanning the monsters around Nighmora. Many of them are over level one hundred fifty, with some of them clearly being awakened considering a clearly crystalic nature.
“YOU WILL NOT HAVE HER FACE!” he roars while activating his trademark skill, [Berserker’s Rage].
The ground cracks under Zorren as his body becomes slightly stronger. His muscles spasm throughout his insides, increasing in density and strength. His formerly useless arm begins to move as his skill takes effect.
As the transformation finishes, streams of steam drift off his body. Zorren crouches and then rockets towards Nighmora with enough speed to crack the stone beneath his feet.
“Geez. Why are you so predictable?” Quasi says as he begins leisurely strolling in the direction that Zorren is accelerating.
The monsters around the [Myrmer Queen] begin to rapidly move to intercept Zorren. Unfortunately, there is a qualitative and quantitative difference in levels and stats that a raging [Berserker] has. The first monster practically bursts from the kinetic impact that Zorren’s body creates. The exoskeleton cracks easily under the pressure.
But the body does stop Zorren in his tracks, allowing the other monsters to enter the fray and swing their natural weapons towards the enraged Gejan.
Most merely glance off his scales due to Zorren’s Endurance exceeding two hundred; but, his body is not fully covered in scales. There are patches, and some manage to land blows there, but that does nothing to stop the [Berserker]. His fists swerve around him, breaking chitin like glass and launching monsters of several times his weight with ease. So enraged is Zorren that he doesn’t even notice the club attached to his back had already been ripped off.
The monsters shove their bodies between Nighmora and Zorren, only slowing him down. Even the awakened monsters are barely more useful than the regular ones. One blasted poison, another screeched with a high pitch, a third spat shiny metallic liquid. All of it was fruitless against the [Berserker].
Once the numbers become low, Zorren pushes the last monstrous insect away and then focuses his sights on the [Myrmer Queen] that had not moved at all from her throne. The only thing that has changed is a hint of fear on her expression. Subtle, but it is there.
“Give her back!” he growls.
“I have told you, she is already dead. She no longer exists.”
“NO!” he yells and jumps forward. He closes the distance quickly and grabs her neck before slamming her into the cavern wall. The wall cracks just as cracks begin to form on the [Queen]’s exoskeleton.
“You! You took her from me!”
His hand, still around her throat, begins to tighten. Fractures begin to form across her neck, green blood beginning to leak.
“Now, I will ta- ughhhh”
Zorren looks behind himself, finding the Undead Joker with his hand having shoved through a skin opening and deep within his body.
Zorren roars and kicks Joker away, the force cracks bone and dismembers Joker’s arm from the Gejan.
“You traitor! Where are you!”
*Clap, clap, clap, clap*
Zorren swerves to the sound, immediately finding Quasi clapping with a smile on his face.
“Well Zorren, this is checkmate.”
Zorren bares his teeth, “I will en- ughhh.” Zorren falls as a strong level of weakness hits him.
Quasi humorlessly chuckles, “Zorren, you know, I had a slight bit of respect for you initially, but it has become apparent that you are very difficult to control. Your anger clouds your judgement and you refuse to be led by anyone.”
“What?” Zorren exclaims. He takes a forced breath and looks behind himself. Joker’s arm is still embedded inside him. The hollow arm is now spewing his blood out like a hydrant.
“I don’t need people like you. You are a liability to me, and for that you will be removed.”
His hand untightens around Nighmora, allowing her to shove his hand and squirm from Zorren’s grasp. Her face and complexion reveals fear. True, unbridled fear. A fear for one’s own existence.
“How?” Zorren asks, his breathing slowing.
Quasi shoves Zorren on his back and then places his foot on the dying Gejan’s chest. The blood is still squirting in significant waves. Quasi bends down, face to face with the Gejan.
“How what? How I turned you into a dying mess? It’s actually pretty simple and an interesting weakness to your skill.”
Quasi scratches his clear and smooth cheek.
“[Berserker’s Rage] has several effects tied to it. One interesting effect that allows you to fight continuously, is that the skill will forcibly create blood in significant amounts to replenish any lost amounts so that the body can continue to fight at peak capacity. That blood production comes at the cost of your body’s resource supply.”
Quasi moves and points towards the significant and still growing pool of blood.
“I know how Gejan bodies are structured. I’ve seen Jessica operate and the internal body structure. It was rather simple to position a hollow needle at the exact location that your main artery pumps blood into. As of now, your heart is currently pumping blood through the hollow arm and out your body while weakening in the process.”
Zorren looks up, his eyes finding the [Myrmer Queen]. Tears form in his eyes.
“Nighmora…” he whispers slowly, ”Please… I love you.”
And then his eyes close and the blood stops pouring. A level up message shows up in Quasi’s vision, but he ignores it and steps off the corpse of a gejan once called Zorren.
Quasi’s fingers grip his chin, the bad habit of returning with a vengeance after the last line. “Welp,” he started, “maybe we could have done something about this. Not his fault, really, as a [Berserker], but still unfortunate. I almost regret killing him now.”
Quasi shrugs, “Almost,” he says and finally turns towards the [Queen].
He walks up to her and extends his arm. She squirms back in fear.
“The name’s Quasi Eludo, the greatest [Hero] in this godforsaken dungeon… I’m not sure if that’s actually literal. Anyways, you’re safe now. Take my hand and stand. A [Queen] needs to keep up her appearance, even at the brink of death. Now, come.”
Nighmora gazes at the arm, very confused and unsure. Her head is a jumbled mess.
Slowly, she reaches forward and takes his arm.
Quasi grabs tightly and pulls the [Myrmer Queen] to her feet.
Nighmora frowns. “I am currently feeling several emotions, many that I do not understand right now. I… I am very confused.”
“Yea, most people who meet me for the first time tend to get breathless. Your reaction is very normal.”
Nighmora slowly nods. “I see. Please excuse me for a moment.”
Her head swivels towards the mess of destroyed monsters. One of the least damaged monsters begins to move. It shifts a dead weight over and scuttles towards Nighmora. The [Myrmer Queen]’s tail flickers quickly. At the end, the tail opens, revealing what Quasi would consider a mouth. The tail flicks forward and grabs onto the monster. It wraps around an appendage. A moment later, the tail bulges as liquid nutrition is siphoned from the monster and into her body. The cracks around Nighmora’s physique quickly disappear. Within ten seconds, her personage had fully healed any damage that she had taken.
Her gaze moves to Quasi and her expression frowns.
“Your hand, it is glowing a very bright purple.”
Quasi groans, “Don’t ask. Just… don’t ask.”
Nighmora nods and then turns to Zorren’s corpse. Her tail moves quickly towards Zorren’s body and shoves itself into his mouth and down his throat.
“Oh shit.” Quasi calls out in surprise.
A moment later, a small bulge travels from Nighmora’s body, down her tail, and into Zorren.
She removes the tail. Then the body shudders as changes begin to happen. White, thick liquid releases from Zorren’s skin. The liquid covers his body, consuming his skin and replacing it with a white exoskeleton. Zorren’s tail is regenerated in the process. After a quick thirty seconds, the transformation is complete. Zorren has now become a Myrmeke.
“Shit. I was going to use his bones to regenerate Joker. Ahhhhh, fuck.” Quasi groans. He had been too entranced by the transformation that he did not realize the problem.
Nighmora, next to him, frowns. Her gaze lingers on her new minion before moving to Quasi.
“I apologize. Is there something I can do for you?” she asks somewhat eagerly.
Quasi sighs and turns to her, looking the [Myrmer Queen] up and down. A smile forms upon his face.
“Actually, there is,” he says slowly as he walks up to her.