A constant hum filled the air as the mosquitos swarmed about. Large looming trees stretched towards the sky as they fought for sunlight. Faint trickles of moonlight ooze through the canopy. Each flickering ray casting deep shadows within the mire. The ground unsteady, the water tainted, and the air thick with noxious fumes. None dared to venture deep into the swamp for there was nothing to gain. Only disease, death, and despair. Yet, it was the perfect spot for one of the realms most powerful creatures.
Jax grunted as he slowly worked through the cloying mud. His boots sinking into the mire with each step. Pistons groaned and joints cracked as he pulled out each leg with a plop. Sweat dripped down his brow as he marched forward. It had been six months since arriving on this planet and he just wanted it to be over. Taking a moment of rest, he leaned against a nearby tree and inspected his armor. It was the cheapest on the market. A refurbished power-suit from decades ago. Paint had chipped off and rust began to develop in the exposed metal. Some of the joints squeaked and groaned—something he’d need to fix later. It wasn’t his first option, but it was the only one he could afford. Glancing at the dented metal, he saw swarms of bloodsuckers crawling along the surface. Slimy creatures leaving trails of ooze along the metal, searching for that bit of exposed skin. Others flew around him, each landing briefly before looking for a new opening. Even though it was the cheapest, he was glad to have some protection from this hellhole. A plump thing landed onto his visor and he instinctively smashed it with his hand. A burst of sticky juices splattered the glass obscuring his vision. He did his best to wipe it off with his gloves, but it just left nasty trails behind.
“Dammit, you better be fucking worth it” He cursed to himself.
If he knew what his target was like, he’d never have chosen it. This was his first time going alone, and still had plenty to learn. So much relied on him succeeding. He’d spent years skipping meals and living in the worst parts of town. All that sacrifice to save up a pitiful amount of coin for this moment. Even still, he wrote I.O.U’s and made binding promises. All for one chance at breaking out of poverty. No wonder other slayer’s refused this bounty. One portal to this bug-infested realm and they’d be out instantly. But Jax didn’t have that kind of funding, he barely made it to this spot in the first place. With nothing left, returning home empty handed wasn’t an option. Rent was due and those that defaulted were assigned the worst jobs in society. Taking a breath, he pushed back the negative thoughts and refocused. He was here, and nothing would change that. The only option was to move forward and succeed.
But that was easier said than done. Every moment was a battle that even the air was against him. An aura of wrongness filled the space, the swamp knew he didn’t belong to these lands. As he approached the target, it began to actively sabotage his efforts. His respirator worked overtime as it filtered the fetid fumes permeating the mire. The first time he smelled the pungent stank, he had to pause and fight back the vomit. While the toxic particles were removed, it did nothing to halt that rancid odor. Thankfully, he’d gone mostly nose blind to the fetid fumes. Only a lingering annoyance and a general sense of nausea.
If he made it back home, the first upgrade he’d buy would be a scent packet. They said it was a luxury in this line of work, but that was a lie. He’d rather skip ration packs than experience this. But that was only the first bit, soon the mire burped up a concoction of putrid bubbles. Visible lines of hot filth lingered in the air, his suit blaring with warnings over the toxicity. Yet, the real danger was when it ignited. A bellowing flame would rise to the sky as the volatile gasses rapidly burned up. All around him various pockets flared upwards briefly illuminating the muck before fizzling out. One erupted close to his body and sent him flying back into a nearby tree. Once again he was thankful for the armor. If he had any money left, he’d tip the seller later.
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But the one thing he wanted the most was a simple, hot shower. This realm was set around the medieval era and the luxuries of life were nonexistent. No toilets, No running water, and just a general lack of cleanliness. Layers of sweat built up on the skin. His suit is like a walking sauna and keeping the funk trapped within. His hair matted and greasy, while his body was clammy. Worst of all, these last few days he couldn’t even bathe. He had a general sense of when the target would arrive, but couldn’t pin down the day. Instead he had to camp out in putrid leyline and wait. Each day he ate some of the rationed protein bars and filtered water. He could only hope that the water tablets actually worked.
“Just one kill Jax, you got it” He kept repeating. It was his only mantra to push forward.
He wanted some recognition, even a simple thanks for his work. All their technology and progress was due to slayers. Their targets processed and reformed into greater things. Bounties carried a heavy reward, but the barrier to entry was high. However; if they succeed, life turned great. Living celebrities that could change history. Honestly, he didn’t want to go that far. Instead he just wanted a modest apartment, the safety of a decent part of town, and a few simple luxuries.
“Finally” he mumbled.
Jax looked up as the world began to shift. While the swamp sucked, this realm did have a beautiful night sky. The moon is bright and surrounded by a halo of glittering stars. It’s delicate rays illuminating the mire in a soft, pale light. Yet, a blanket of wrongness crept in. The air thickened as the blue moon turned crimson. The world cast into a dark red hue. Trees seemed to grow under the dark shadows while the mud took on the color of blood. Even the swamp became more active. It’s gurgling globs of dripping putrescence intensifying. Panicking, Jax retreated towards higher ground. He grabbed onto one of the low-hanging limbs and pulled up onto the roots. Pausing to analyze the new battlefield.
Within moments, the bubbles thickened. Towering globs of muck were stretching upwards before exploding. In the aftermath, human-like figures remained. Each one covered in the thick mud. Dozens upon dozens crept upwards, the shapes waist high and basking in the crimson rays. That strange light slowly purged the clawing filth. Thick chunks of sludge sloughing off and revealing the innards: Corpses. All around him were hundreds of bodies, each one perfectly preserved. Jax glanced around and noticed that the field of dead were staring in the same direction. Their milky eyes and pale faces glancing off in the distance, waiting for some unknown command.
That wasn’t good, nothing in the bounty signaled this kind of power. While he had planned for a few surprises, an army of dead was not on the list. That was an incredible amount of power and nothing indicated that his target would have it. Dammit! He needed to think. He couldn’t go back, but he didn’t want to die. Dying here would be far worse than back home. Cycling through his visor’s HUD. He began the process of reserving an emergency teleport. While he wouldn’t be charged until used, it still made him pause. One click and he’d be sent to the bottom. All his hard work gone with little chance of returning. Placing it on standby, Jax decided to do a bit more scouting.
Climbing down the tree, he carefully moved towards the first body. He didn’t even breathe on approach. But nothing happened. Grabbing his knife, he walked in front of the creature. Yet it didn’t move, instead it just stared through him. Even stabbing the thing didn’t cause a reaction. It was a puppet, not a flickering bit of life behind the eyes. It was all just a ruse.
“More showy than practical.” Jax muttered. They always had an ego, each and everyone.
They were not a threat…for now. He shook off the stress and continued forward. Only this time he carefully maneuvered through the swamp, staying close to whatever cover he could find. Still, all those sitting corpses kept him unnerved. He was just waiting for them to spring to life and swarm. It wasn’t unheard of for these types to use corpses as eyes. Did his target know he was here? The entire plan relied on stealth. In fact, nearly all hits relied on stealth. One wrong move and it was all over. An emergency teleport back home and tons of fees and fines.
He knew where to go. Over the past few months he’d gotten dozens of tips and first hand accounts. Some even tried to recruit him into their organization. Jax always politely declined, he couldn’t stomach what they did. Still, as he approached the creature’s power began to saturate the area. The swarms started to retreat and the ground solidified. Reaching the final ring of trees, he waited.