by C T Scribe
55
Chapter 55
Tye once again felt weak. This wasn’t the time to be battling his self pity. He knew that. He definitely knew that. All the training. All the hatred he felt since that night he lost her was useless. He couldn’t make himself phase up when it mattered. During his last round of training at The Dragon’s Head gym he reached the mysterious temple. He hoped for answers on phasing there. He could feel the incredible power spilling from that place, but the temple doors refused him. He lay there for days taking in the ancient writings. He waited for a shadow guide to appear. None ever came for him. After the second day a book appeared at the temple entrance. Pages of names were signed into it. Each name indistinguishably burned through. Tye wasn’t completely sure what the book meant, but he’d watched enough horror movies to know not to sign the burning text. Using the weighted vest he trained a few more days, but he couldn’t reach the power he felt at the proving grounds.
Whatever Deb had done to him with that touch felt foreign. He could barely remember the sensation from the proving grounds. He honestly doubted he ever reached this phase. He was probably approaching it in the moment, but this feeling was new. It was as if he could kill any and everything in his path. With lethal precision he could even destroy the air around him. Nothing in this world was safe. That was the feeling. It hit him in waves as the sensation solidified. He glanced at Marco who was undoubtedly dealing with a similar sensation in his own mind. The group only paused briefly before continuing to the infirmary. All the beds lay vacant except the one The Tall Man occupied. The group made a perimeter around his bed. Deb had warned that he was a target during this raid. Something else would come for him. Tye longed for a fight in this phase. To rip into a beast after all they’ve done to him. The twins standing as closely as possible side by side held hands. Their daggers gripped firmly in their free hand. The dark skinned girl with the long braids face was neutral. She had always been hard to read for Tye. He tried not to look her over to long, noticing his eyes liked to linger over her frame. If things were different she would be his type. She kept to herself mostly. He saw the footage of her battle during the proving grounds, and she was strong. Not just strong, but she was a smart fighter who knew her limits. The gunners and the other swordsman also seemed nervous as they silently watched over The Tall Man. Marco seemed as ready for a fight as he was. He paced with his twin blades drawn. The killing intent radiated from the steel. It didn’t take long for figures to arrive in the shadows. The woman was sleek and tall. Her dark hair blended into the dark. Her neck covered in an elaborate collar seemed at odds with what Tye was seeing. The man behind her stayed in the hallway. His energy level seemingly low. Only low energy flowed from him. As best as Tye could tell he wasn’t going to fight. The girl before him was a different story. As she neared the group her body shifted into a fren. The change was horrifically beautiful. When it emerged from the shadows a large fren stood in front of them. The girl, now gone, replaced by the nightmare before them. Tye hesitated as the twins leapt at the beast first. He wasn’t scared of the monster in front of them. There was something about that girl that troubled him. He was trying to remember something his mind refused to piece together. In that moment of thought the terrified twins attacked first. Against the fren the twins acrobatics and dagger play was astonishing. Carefully timing the beast swings, they managed to dodge with a series of acrobatics worthy of a big tent circus act. Four daggers sliced at the monster. It seems the smiths had given them secondary daggers since the proving grounds. Precise slices attacked the weak spots of the beast. The joints and ligaments were singled out. It was a brilliant attack. Tye watched their technique looking for an opening to strike, but he couldn’t find the right timing to not endanger the twins. To his left Marco was doing the same. The hilts of his twin swords clenched tightly in both hands. Between Tye and Marco the dark skinned staff user watched the battle swaying back and forth. With no warning she jumped at the beast landing a solid blow to its mouth. Quickly rolling away the twins leapt over her as if they had all rehearsed the maneuver. Shots reigned at the monster from behind the boys. The sniper and gunman were lighting it up with as much fire power as they could. If they weren’t all new recruits the attack would be brilliant. The fact remains that these attacks, no matter how well executed, were doing little damage to the enemy in front of them. The others were doing the best they could to give Tye and Marco a break. Tye hadn’t thought much of protecting the class earlier. He simply acted on instinct, but he had to admit his injuries weren’t completely healed. A&B had taken even more damage. He actually wondered what shape they’d be in to fight. The others were giving them time to heal. They were also giving them a way to assess the threat in front of them. They would be the shield to show the boys how to attack best. Tye watched it as if their essence spoke to him. The voice as clear as the parasite in his mind. So he focused on where to attack when the others needed to fall back. He looked at the places they were slowly wearing down.
This fight had grown boring thought the chameleon. She wanted to kill, kill, kill. She didn’t know how long this blood lust had been brewing, but she needed to let it have its bloody way. She had killed a few weak immortals on her way down here as she pretended to be Martin. With the commotion no one took the time to follow whatever their security procedures were. The fools literally took her at face value. Turning her hand beast-like made ripping through their spines an easy task. Too easy. In this way she had killed and eaten a dozen or so immortals this day. She could hold a full beast form for nearly an hour now. The beast she chose to mimic was larger and stronger than most of her masters crew. He was the alpha, if you didn’t count her master. Her master was something else entirely. When he changed the energy around him was different. She had tried to become him once before, but that energy of his resisted. The instant she began the shift she was knocked from her feet and flown across the room. If the initial jolt wasn’t bad enough, she spent the next 4 days vomiting her guts out. She learned that day that her shifting had limits. She also learned in part how powerful her master truly was. Even if he couldn’t command her, she could never kill him. Taking this beast form had taken some practice, but over the weeks her stamina grew. It felt orgasmic to shed her human flesh, and wear such power for herself. Her job during this raid was more than killing as she pleased. There was an unconscious man her master wanted retrieved. She remembered the man from the night at that bar. He was strong. Too strong for her to shift into his form and kill her unsuspecting master. The thought was unrealistic she realized, but the joy she got from thinking through his end had been enough. She sent a group of beast ahead of her to clear the path path a bit. Even if they died their sacrifice would make her killing the leftovers easier. She was surprised to see the commander dead in the empty hall behind her. Her master would be upset at her loss later. He left them shortly after making it to the infirmary. It seemed he two had another mission. As she entered the room from the shadows she sensed no great power coming from the guards in front of her. The man on the table was a different story however. She could feel his hulking power rippling through the air as he slumbered. It scared her to take in its rawness at this distance. That man was more monster than she could ever be. The attacks of the guards tickled her skin. They buzzed about her in the most annoying fashion. The only reason she didn’t truly attack was the dead commander. Someone here killed her. Someone had more power than she could sense. Were they making it this way? Mana concealment was a high level skill. Unless your a chameleon of course. She studied them as they “attacked” her. She assessed them as they annoyingly buzzed about her. She noticed the two boys standing back, side by side. It seemed like they were the true threat here. She looked closely on them as her eyes zoomed in a way her human form couldn’t imagine. She knew that boy. The one with no weapon. She knew him intimately. She was that boy. Of all the twisted fates she could imagine, how unlucky could he be. He was tricked by her. She had sex with his girlfriend in his plac
e. She enjoyed that night. She still thought of it often. She later killed his woman after receiving her in his flesh. Now all these months later she would kill him too. She let out a laugh as the raw pleasure of tormenting him filled her. Wild and uncontrollable was the sound in her head, but what she heard was the loudest sonic blast ever. The voice of this beast was even a weapon. The gnats attacking her all over were instantly flown back from the force. She was now face to face with that boy and his friend. If her master would allow it, she wanted to take him alive too. Perhaps turn into his woman as she slowly killed him. She wondered if her master would allow her to have a box. A pleasure box with that boy inside.
Tye, with Marco at his side, faced the fren. The others were blown back during that scream. Tye had a bad feeling about the scream. He could sense the vibrations reaching far into the halls of HQ. The first attack happened so fast Tye didn’t see it. B took the brunt of the impact. Marco was up quickly, and slashing at the air. The extended arm of the beast vanishing into the shadows as quickly as it appears. In shadow, the fren was hard to pin down. Tye looked at B first, because he took the most recent damage. Much of the scrapes and slashes had faded. He was still covered in battle wounds, but the damage was healing fast. In his quick assessment he noticed something new on his weapon. A small patch of scales covering an area of his forearm. From eggs to blobs to their human form, his weapons skin remained smooth. He would have to look them over better if they survived this. A looked to be in similar shape, but he didn’t have any scales visible. Both of his weapons stood ready in front of him awaiting the next blow. The recently toppled over classmates were back to their feet. They didn’t approach Tye and Marco. Standing at the ready guarding the slumbering warrior was their new job. The gunman perched higher on a table than the rest. If this group could all use phase two, thought Tye. The way the twins and the dark skinned girl moved moments ago was beautifully frightening. He would love to see the carnage they’d create soon. For now, the thoughts pulling on his body uncomfortably as he realized what he needed to do. For now, he and Marco had to stop this threat to give them a chance to grow. A&B lead the attack. Marco formed up directly behind them swords ready. Tye in the rear could make up the positioning with his speed. A was struck hard as the fren swiped with its claws. Shifting forms at impact A wrapped itself around the monsters arm. B jumped to help, and turning gel like as well wrapped around the monstrous arm. The two weapons managed to pin one of the frens arms to the wall. Tye remembered how they formed on his body like armour, but this was unexpected. He had no idea they could change forms to restrict someone like this. This binding was strong. The fren unable to move the trapped limb. If the attack surprised Marco he didn’t let it show. Changing directions as the limb flew to the left he managed to dodge the initial swing. Distracted from A&B the fren left itself open for attack His swords sunk deep into the monsters flesh as he slid to his knees with his arms extended above him. The exposed torso dripping blood from the sword slash. As he slid to the rear of it a tail hit his outstretched body hard. Flying back faster than he came Marco nearly toppled Tye as he approached. Tye, just barely able to dodge Marco, flipped through the air. Upon landing he quickly sped up as he closed in on the half trapped, half bleeding thing before him. Using the pinned arm as a ramp Tye ascended the limb. With his weapons occupying it all he could do was land a physical blow. He could feel the lethalness in his arms as he cocked back. The impact of the punch sent out a loud crunching sound. A lesser monster may have died, but this hulking thing simply slumped to the ground. Tye kicked off its face launching himself towards the pinned arm once more. The next blow landed at the shoulder joint. The joint went concave as the beast whimpered still unable to rise. Marco appeared to his left cutting into the still pinned arm at the elbow. They both watched the twins attack the joints first. Even in phase one the blows impacted the beast noticeably. Tye also needed at least one of his weapons back. Targeting the arm in hopes of weakening it enough for one blob to hold it down on its own. The tail came quickly for the boys again. This time it was turned slightly by bullet fire. The gunman behind them aiming with insane amounts of precision. Hopping around the arm Tye landed a series of kicks to the back of the elbow. The limb snapped and twisted in ways it wasn’t meant to. The arm now limp he recalled A to him. With no hesitation A split itself into four nodes encasing his hands and feet. His power flared. Marco, now across the frens body was keeping the free arm busy. In its current position the beast was having a hard time making a full swing with its free arm. That left only the tail to consider as Tye found himself at the massive monsters snout. In that moment he was a boxer, and it was a heavy bag. With no defense he began a flurry of hard striking attacks. Each one sending a shudder into the floor. The tail flew at him, but one of the classmates jumped in to deflect it. He gave it no thought as he continued pounding with all of his strength. The beast head was sunken. It whimpered at the impacts. Tye felt like an abusive dog owner for a moment, but then he realized this dog was trying to kill him and his friends. He lost himself in the motion of punches and kicks. He lost himself in the destruction of his first monster. He lost himself completely. Marco was grabbing him. The fren before him wasn’t dead, but to call it broken wasn’t justice for the damage he’d done. Every bone in its hideous face was shattered. Marco was shouting something. His ears wouldn’t work. The power frequency had taken him. His eyes fixated on the thing before him. Marco kept pulling and shouting. It wasn’t until A&B returned in human form to grab him that his eyes widened enough to understand. The hallway beyond the large fren was now full of gleaming eyes. That growl from earlier. Tye had a bad feeling about that growl. The classmates had already grabbed The Tall Man, and began to run. Marco had turned to run. Tye was last to run, and the monsters were coming.
56
Chapter 56
If Tye had any other weapon he’d be a dead man. Bringing up the rear was best to help the others, but less than ideal for him. The fren were faster than them. The only reason they hadn’t been overtaken yet was for A&B. As a they neared him, one of the duo would spring into human form and trip them up. Immediately after, they would return to his blood with as little fighting as possible. It was brilliant, but it took a huge toll on his mana. Once again he was reminded of how unique his weapons are, because this plan wasn’t his at all. The pair simply initiated this plan on their own. Just like earlier with the binding form he had no idea they had. Even though he was literally fleeing for his life, Tye knew he needed to find a way to communicate with his weapons soon. They were different than the others. They were alive. As if reading his thoughts B gave him a thumbs up before cannon balling into the closest fren behind them. The attacks, brilliant as can be, didn’t stop the pursuit. Although A&B tried to limit contact, they were taking damage with each collision. That aside, the fren were adapting to this barrage quickly. More than a few trippings resulting in claw gashes for the duo. Combine that with the damage they had taken since the alarm first sounded, and Tye wasn’t sure how much longer they could fight. Marco must have took the lead. He could no longer see the twin swords or feel his aura. The overwhelming blood lust of the pack behind him jamming all other senses. Occasionally a bullet would sing past his ear. The thud that followed was all the reassurance he needed that another fren was knocked back. Without being able to kill the others had sprung into action any way they could. Using their attacks for defense more than offense. Teach would be proud of the makeshift group if he was still alive. Tye, preferring to train on his own in The Dragon’s Head, had missed the group training sessions. Teach had allowed him to skip the class training for two reasons. One his weapons would be difficult to coordinate group attacks. He was a walking group attack, but adding others would be difficult. Two, The Dragon’s Head had not revealed itself to anyone new in decades. Teach didn’t tell him why, but he left him with the feeling that was where he would grow best. If he survived, no if everyone survived he had a lot of fucking questions.
Finally
catching up to the group was a bad sign. He had been holding off the pack at a much slower speed than them. Also they were stopped. Bloodthirsty monsters were on the loose looking to devour them, and they were stopped. The hallway came to a dead end. The kids had no idea where they were. Marco looked past Tye as he approached. “Where are they?” Looking back down the hall with his senses, it seemed they had stopped too. They had gone up and down so many floors maybe they lost them. Tye couldn’t believe the thought let alone voice it. The others must have thought the same thing as they remained tense and at the ready. Still nothing stirred in the hall. The hall they would have to go back down if they were to pick another direction. The high pitched giant of the group finally found his usefulness in carrying The Tall Man. Slung over his shoulder he moved with ease despite his size. The Tall Man remained unconscious. If only they could wake him. “Marco, I know you have insane mana control. Can you do anything to wake this guy up?” It was a long shot. Marco focused on him, but then turned his gaze to The Tall Man. Several long moments passed with no results, but Marco refused to break his gaze. Sweat beading from his forehead was the only sign of the internal struggle he must have been facing. Suddenly Marco was pushed back into the wall. The faint green glow near invisible attacking him. Tye wondered if the others could see the ghostly hand gripping around Marco’s neck. He wanted to help. He wanted to free him, but before he could move a claw burst through the floor and drug him down.
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Chapter 57
The fall was rough. Not the beautiful ones from the movies. No this was like being slammed into a brick wall over and over and over until he was several stories below the others. He could make out sparse details during his descent. On the other floors lurked the fren from before. And in front of him was the massive one they fought earlier, but healed somehow. Not just healed but stronger. His presence made it hard to stand. The pressure emitting from his aura so dense Tye nearly vomited as he staggered to his feet. The wounds he inflicted earlier weren’t visible at all. To make it worse he was on his own. The others weren’t that far away, but the hundred beast lurking between them made aiding him impossible. It made him running impossible. Not to mention that Marco was being choked to death by some phantom force he doubted the others could even see. He needed to end this, and return to his classmates. Whatever Deb had done to activate his phase two was still working. He still had a shot. The voice in his head returned as he faced down the beast in front of him. It didn’t taunt him as it had done so many times in the past. It sounded scared. It truly sounded scared as it begged Tye to, “run for your life and leave them.” The words hit his already weak stomach making him vomit once more. The beast did not attack as he became sick. The beast slowly paced back and forth waiting on him to recover. A&B stood at his side ready. Their usual fighting stance was slightly compacted from the pressure emitting from the thing before them. Tye summoned them to his body. Morphing around him, they provided armour to his torso hands and feet. He could stand easier. He felt lighter on his feet, but the pressure still weighed on him. How did this thing get so much stronger? He tried to focus on how best to attack, but the truth that they had done no real damage from earlier stalled him. He had beaten its face in so completely. Shaking the thoughts from his head, Tye rushed in.