《The Devil's Luck》 David vohler On the roof of a ruined apartment, a young man leaned by the side of a hover-fighter, the word splinter etched on the side of its red hull. His short black hair fluttered from the wind, wearing a red jacket and dark gray cargo pants. Taking in the scenery around him, an overgrown city, he didn¡¯t know much about geography when he was a kid. But he was sure this was a city somewhere in India of the old world, or at least somewhere nearby. The previous city landscape is now filled with vines and greenery in and around it, interlinking with concrete and steel, combined with the many strange animals that now inhabit them. Making for a very alien scene of green and grayish brown. Checking his watch as he waited for a few minutes, looking down at the burning sky bridge connected to two buildings not far away from where he was. A ringing sound called out from the watch on his wrist. ¡°Aye?¡± ¡°What the FUCK did you do?!¡± a loud voice ranged out. ¡°You said help you get rid of the roaches, so I took care of them. Is there an issue?¡± ¡°That was our only way out asshole,¡± The sound of gunfire reverberated out as he looked at the building below through a binocular. On the side of the building laid a fire escape, which seems operational enough. ¡°Fire exits on the right side of where you are, use that instead. Besides, do you want to go back to that roach nest again?¡± ¡°I¡­ fine, just keep a look out for anything outside. We¡¯ll see what we can do.¡± ¡°Copy that.¡±Answered David, his eyes sharp as he turned to look around the building echoing with gunfire and flashes of arcana. activating the splinter¡¯s Grav-Engine, lifting and circling the perimeter. Scanning the ruined structures of the overgrown city around for any potential danger. A ping on his display lit alight, signaling a large creature nearby. With a frown, David flew towards the thing, utilizing the onboard scanner to determine what class it belonged to. And an image was revealed to him on one of the panels, a truck-sized, flat-bodied amphibian was moving its way, climbing between the ground and walls. On its arrow-shaped head laid dozens and dozens of eyes. each of them varied in size and shape, almost like they were grafted onto. On its back were hundreds and hundreds of holes, each filled with strange nodules, some shivering within the holes while others exploded to reveal dragonfly-like bugs, each of them the size of a whole thumb, or about 10 centimeters long, according to the scanners. ¡°Flat-bodied, many-eyed for tracking, its back filled with egg sacs. Amphibian?¡± With a grimace, he turned the fighter¡¯s 2 dual laser blasters toward the creature and fired without hesitation. Two streaks of charged concentrated light struck the creature violently, charring the skin. Letting out a loud screech, Its back rippled as the egg sacs began to gyrate and rupture, unleashing the horde of bugs into the sky, their wings buzzing aloud. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Disgusting things¡­ Lifting his hover-fighter high as he continued raining down punishment, the beams burning their way through the endless swarm. Unfortunately, this [R&D P.3] dual laser system, developed by the E-wild corporation, has a terrible cooling system. Prototype weapons tend to be quite flawed after all. A flashing Red lit brightly on one of the panels, indicating an inevitable overheat. And it did, giving the swarm more than enough time to catch up. David quickly titled the fighter backward, trying to gain as much distance as he could, barely managing to dodge some of the swarm. With the laser blasters overheated, he could only buy time for the next volley. There was not much one could do when dealing with sheer numbers, maneuvering himself at the edge of the swarm¡¯s attack range. After a few twists and turns, nearly got himself caught by a few stragglers. the green light shone once again, the laser blasters now cooled and ready for firing. With a wide smile and a vicious look, he lets out the burning torrent of blinding lights once again, this time more careful and deliberate. Scorching away the swarm, only to realize a fatal error, their numbers don¡¯t seem to be dropping. Instead, their numbers were starting to increase steadily. Immediately, David began checking on the scanner, and a realization struck him dumb. There were two of the damned things below, which means reproduction and stabilization of new species, a problem for the city to solve later¡­ if he and his fighter could survive and deliver the information that is. The splinter kept weaving and dodging, the laser blasters blasting away the swarm by the dozens each time. And yet there was no sign of stopping, and the fighter¡¯s core can only do so much. ¡°Shit¡­¡± How should he deal with this situation, wracking his mind. A blip on his watch lit up, catching his attention. ¡°Ok, our guys are out of the building, how is the situation around the perimeters?¡± ¡°BAD, new Mana beast species, possibly class 4. Amphibian, flat-bodied, egg-sacs on its back filled with swarm-type bugs. Many eyes possibly for tracking prey items, and from its moving pattern. Getting closer to your position.¡± ¡°Fuck, Ok how long can you last?¡± ¡°Not for long, I¡¯ll have to leave in 5 minutes. How fast is the evac?¡± ¡°Not fast enough. Hold on for 10 minutes, then get out of dodge. We¡¯ll be long gone by then.¡± ¡°8 minutes, and extra pay, got that?¡± ¡°¡­understood.¡± The conversation was halted when a loud crash struck the behind of splinter, turning his head to see 2 bugs somehow managed to grab a hold of the back of the fighter, their mandibles tearing into the hull. ¡°FUCK,¡± With a grunt David spun the ship in a 180 degrees turn at full speed, flinging the 2 bugs away into the distance, and the swarm was still coming. ¡°You mother fuckers are gonna pay for that later.¡± Spat David venomously, continuing to duck, dodge, and weave between the swarm, occasionally firing the laser blasters when he needs to. Trying to hold out for that 8 minutes mark, and not before long, the signal was given out. Indicating the success of the evacuation, he quickly fled. Leaving the swarm and the 2 large size creatures behind, the shrieking of indignation fills the ruin of the old city. Pitreres In the afternoon, as David flew the splinter, he could see the walls of the [Pitreres]. A stream of people moving in and out of the gate below, they could be explorers, researchers, fugitives, and many others. The city would accept all, the city¡¯s blood flow, as Asha would call it. Its metal wall stood 50 meters above and below the ground, combined with an arcana-shield generator, forming a dome over the top of the city. Those shields are capable of withstanding even a class 10 Mana beast¡¯s attacks, there were even those that boasted that they could even withstand a mystic. But that¡¯s none of his problems anyway, if such things were to appear, he would be long gone. Arriving at one of the air docks on the upper part of the walls, ignoring the curious looks from the people around him, a clapping sound could be heard from behind him. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again in one piece, David. How were the ruins today, found any interesting artifacts?¡± the man asked, dressed in a luxurious suit and tie of gold and ivory, his fingers clad in jewelry. A cascade of blond smooth hair reached his back. His face seemingly glowing with smooth white marble-like skin, the embodiment of ¡®born in purple¡¯, Asha Tallard, son of the E-wild corporation¡¯s CEO. A genius businessman at the age of 22, and an adept historian of human history by the age of 23. An utterly perfect example of human potential. And a huge pain in the ass, according to David. ¡°The fuck you do want? Don¡¯t you have some tax crimes to commit?¡± Quipped David, waving his hand dismissively at Asha¡¯s arrival. Looking back at the damage on his fighter, letting out a sigh. ¡°My my, what could have caused that much damage? And to someone as skilled as you?¡± ¡°Just shut up and leave me alone.¡± ¡°Really now, That¡¯s quite a lot damaged and I am sure you are running quite low on cash lately¡­ Isn¡¯t that why you are going back to mercenary work?¡± David sighed, a tired look in his eyes as he look over ¡°What do you want exactly? either spit it out or shut up.¡± ¡°Oh nothing, I was just wondering if you were free for a dinner trip with me to the Exaca restaurant tonight.¡± Asha revealed a dashing smile, directing it at David. He could only sigh as he looked around at the docks. The workers moved about doing their jobs, the guards carefully watching out for any potential dangers from beyond the walls. He, on the other hand, could see the attention drawn towards them. there are people watching their every movement, every word spoken, every minor expression that they made. And yet this bastard still acts this way¡­ ¡°When?¡± asked David, a frown on his face as he turned back to his fighter, deciding to ignore the man standing by his side. ¡°Tonight, remember to dress well.¡± A satisfied expression on his face as he turned back. ¡°No.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Pitreres, what was once merely a military outpost built by the Mataph empire 50 years ago, a frontier to invade the Diocese of Newbigia. And yet, the city had somehow developed itself into a trade center between the 2 powers. Even declaring itself a neutral city 20 years later, causing the empire to go into a rage, if it weren¡¯t for the guarantee of independence from Newbigia. One could say the current city would be nothing but a molten heap of concrete and metal. One nation lost a developing city and the other was more than willing to help weaken them, now with the new discovery of a ruined city predating the Calamity south of the city 10 years ago. The value of one such city will only increase exponentially, pushing the 2 powers closer and closer to the brink of war. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Dressed in a black suit and tie that doesn¡¯t seem to fit him, David walked through the glass door of a large restaurant, a large display at the front showing the name of Exaca. A towering skyscraper nearly 60 meters tall, it is one of the most prestigious restaurants in the city, its menu made from the flesh of Mana-beasts, processed in meticulous details to feed mortal man. One could expect only the wealthiest of people to be allowed to enter such places. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.Entering through the beautiful gold-rimmed glass door, he stepped towards the reception. ¡°Hello sir, do you have a table reserved?¡± asked the beautiful hostess, David responded with a grumbled nod. ¡°David Vohler.¡± ¡°Oh, I see, yes we do have a private room preserved for you and Mister Asha. Please come with me,¡± the hostess walked out from her own desk and lead the way. ¡°You sure it¡¯s ok to leave the reception like that?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t worry sir, there will be another hostess there for the other guests.¡± The hostess lead them to the elevator, it seems that the table was set to be at the roof garden atop. As the elevator opened to reveal a scenery of green and ivory, the many bushes revealed countless roses and violets. Beyond it lies the lights of the city below, people moving and in a rush between the roads and intersections. At the far center lies a fine dining table of white marble, two chairs sat on opposite sides. It was there that Asha sat, he called out ¡°Stop inviting me to dinner, people get weird ideas. In fact, many have.¡± Sitting by the other side, unbuttoning his collar for a more comfortable breathing. Revealing a firm and built chest, in spite of his height. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t really mind,¡± a smile on Asha¡¯s face, revealing a slight blush on his cheek. David could only sit in silence, mouth twitching subtly at those words. ¡°What¡¯s the job?¡± ¡°Straight to the point, you never disappoint. I am sure glad I got you out of that ice block.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°By the way, you know I love to study history, but you never once told to me what life was like all those years ago. What was it like before the calamity?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence overtook the room as David¡¯s eyes faded. ¡°¡­Life was simple, no giant monster threaten to flatten towns and villages, people would camp in the wild for fun, not for survival. Enough games what do you want, who do you need killing?¡± tired of his constant teasing, David simply asked as he rubbed his temples. "Oh no, I don¡¯t want you to kill anyone. No no, I need you to do something else,¡± answered Asha, taking out a black box. ¡°I need you to take this to Berton.¡± David frowned, a courier job is not something he was expecting. ¡°why not send it to the caravan guilds, I¡¯m sure they can do it safely and fast. Certainly more so than me.¡± David Laid his back on his chair leisurely. ¡°The item within this box is very important. And you know what I¡¯m planning on doing, there are most definitely spies within those guilds¡­ And, you¡¯re the only one I trust enough for this.¡± "¡­who am I getting it to?¡± ¡°Morel booker¡± Just as Asha spoke those words, the door to the elevator opened, and the server lead a tray filled with a variety of food from within, each of them letting out a scent of Mana. As the two began their dinner, David was the first to bite into the weird-looking sausage. Feeling the explosion of flavors, leaving a rare grin on his face which Asha took note of. David, picked at the piece of stir-fried, naturally grown carrot, as he bit into it, the crunchy and sweetness seems intoxicating. Taping on the black box by his side, pushing for an answer. This is much better than those nutrient blocks, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°Back to the matter at hand, Morel Booker. Fugitive of Mataph empire, ex-military, Luarian birth. What am I transporting to him?¡± asked David, swiping his oiled mouth with a handkerchief ¡°It¡¯s a Cypher, a level 3 to be more specific. And the expected term limit is by the end of this month, that¡¯s 2 weeks from now.¡± Asha answered perfunctorily, a nonchalant smile as he bit on a slice of meat. David froze at those words, his voice speechless, his eyes wide. A Cypher is not something one can just transport so easily, it is the pinnacle of human arcana research. And Asha just decided to dumb this to him?! ¡°What the fuck?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Asha, clearly amused by his expression, continued to act leisurely, like asking a simple favor from a friend. ¡°It¡¯s just a courier mission, nothing you can¡¯t handle.¡± Temy ¡°Hey Chau, you ever wonder if this was a gift? Like really¡­ I remember fantasizing about it you know? moving things with my mind, walking on water, and all that. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s pretty cool?¡± Waking up from his bed, David looked around the small room that he is in. A small apartment, by the side of the road in an unassuming neighborhood, a quiet place, a peaceful place. It¡¯s been 4 years since he woke up from that ice block in the ruins, technically speaking we weren¡¯t dead, but it might as well be. David was indeed not born in this era called Namuyen, he was born in 2030, 10 years before the awakening. He remembered when his home in Vietnam was sunk underwater from the tsunami, when Africa slammed into Eurasia, turning both the Mediterranean black seas into giant lakes, Japan turned on its side¡­ literally. And that¡¯s just some of the major ones that he knew of. Another would be when nature was infused with Mana, growing out of control, causing the complete collapse of humanity¡¯s fragile infrastructure. It wasn¡¯t even the animal-turned-monsters in the wild that really did the most damage, not the out-of-control elemental storms nor mega-earthquakes. but the animals and pets that lay within human cities. Feral cats, dogs, rats, horses, cows, and many others, all gaining supernatural powers and abilities, turning their fangs against their self-proclaimed master. He could only laugh at how he once wished that magic became real, if only he knew how bad the consequences were. Of course, humanity also gained those benefits, gaining supernatural powers. That is, until now, hundreds of years into the future. Where all that magic has turned inside out and devoured anyone who would dare to do such a thing. Those who dare attempt would now be called mystics, witches, mad men, and hunted down for their insane desires. He didn¡¯t even know how he was locked in that ice, he remembered going out to battle with his groupies of supers, fighting against a giant polar bear. Then came a white light, then nothing. Shaking his head, David decided to go check out the air dock. The damage to the fighter shouldn''t be that bad right? It¡¯s just a few bugs after all¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª In the early morning at one of the air docks on the walls, a baffled voice could not help but yell out. ¡°3 MONTHS?!?!¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said, the fighter is a no-go. That thing shouldn¡¯t even be on the field, it¡¯s just a prototype at the end of the day anyways.¡± Said a giant man, his height a towering 2.5 meters, with a giant scar over his left eye leading to the back of his bald head. A rugged full beard covering a wide jawline, his body bulging with muscles. Rough grayish skin resembling that of stone, identifying him as part giant. Who could imagine his name to be Temy, what a ridiculous name for a ridiculously big bastard. ¡°FUCK, Okay¡­ what''s the damage?¡± asked David as he rubbed his temple, standing in the middle of the air dock, the many workers and engineers giving him strange looks as they continued working. To think the fighter would be so damaged that it would take 3 entire months to be fixed. ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s start with the obvious, the laser blaster¡¯s cooling system is completely done for, and yes, I¡¯ve seen the combat log, quite a situation that you¡¯ve got yourself into I¡¯d say.¡± Laughed the head engineer of the E-wild corporation, clearly having a fun time reading his logs. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.¡°And not to mention the burnt-out thrusters you caused by using such abrupt movements, I would advise you don¡¯t fly in such a suicidal manner in the future. Now, the crux of the matter is the reactor and conduits. You see, the Splinter was never meant to be a combat ship, acting primarily as a scouting and reconnaissance vessel.¡± The part-giant gave David a knowing look. ¡°but someone, for some indiscernible reasons, wanted to strap not just one, but TWO laser blaster prototypes onto the darn thing. And firing it recklessly without thinking about the consequences. And thus, drawing too much power from the reactor as a result. Leaving it no time to cool down and vent the corruption build up. Luckily, that person was able to return mere hours before the reactor reach its limit, managing to avoid a complete meltdown. If that person were to stay back a bit later, well¡­ he would be in a first-class seat to a class 3 witch storm...¡± The dock master lets out a wild cackle as David stood in disbelief, he was that close to death? A ring on his watch as he looked down, a message from E-wild Corp saying the payment from the previous mission had been confirmed. Looking up at the imposing man whose outward appearance could strike fear with a glance. ¡°Thank you, I will take everything you just said to heart,¡± David solemnly nodded his head, causing the big man to let out another cackle. David could not help but shake his head, ¡°Well, shit¡­hey, You have anything I can use for transport in the meantime?¡± The old head engineer tilted his head at the question, rubbing his bearded chin for a few minutes. ¡°Hmm, while we do have vehicles for traversing the wild, do note that we never move alone. To do so would be suicidal, unlike you, none of us wish for an early death.¡± David could not but have an odd expression as he listen, he doesn¡¯t have a death wish¡­ or at least he doesn¡¯t think so. ¡°Where were you planning on going anyway? I thought you would be resting now, one mission per month is all you need to keep your particular license with the corps. I still remember the faces of those bastards, seeing you swagger in with your special card.¡± The head engineer laughed, looking at the young man furtively, there were also those weird rumors that¡¯s been going around. David, though somewhat tone deaf, could feel in his bones when someone would think of weird things about him, turning his eyes at the old engineer while trying to keep his mouth from clenching. He still remembers those raunchy rumors some of the idiots in the bar had spread about him and Asha. ¡°It¡¯s a job, commission work. Not like anything that you were thinking about,¡± David glared at the man, causing him to cough lightly. ¡°Ahem, right. Well, we can give you either a simple rover or a motorbike¡­buut if I remember correctly we should also have a hover-cycle somewhere. They¡¯re fast, capable of gliding through difficult terrain, and¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re also extremely hard to pilot, not to mention the high maintenance would make it impossible in the wilds, you just want to get rid of it don¡¯t you.¡± David interrupted, staring hard at the giant, if looks could kill this will be it. The head engineer let out another loud cackle before rubbing his head while looking quite conflicted about the issue, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, that thing is eating up a lot of my time actually. Technically speaking, I am the only one capable of maintaining it. As no one here knows a damn thing about Runic circuitry, and none of these schmucks were willing to learn.¡± The old engineer glared in a general direction, scaring some of the dock workers in view, some just simply ran. The rage of this part-giant, though rare, is well-known amongst the workers. the Doctor After talking to the head engineer for a little bit longer, deciding to use the motorbike. He was given access for a simple G-H, though some 10 years out of military use. It¡¯s a rugged, low-maintenance MK.3 Arcana engine that ensures a persistent and continuous speed and high durability. Its outdated manual corruption disposal system would also need to be taken into account. It was not until mid-day that he was allowed to leave, going to the second location on his list. Link Brewers Pharmacy, a subsidiary of the E-wild corporation, specialized in the research of medicine and combat stimulant. Looking at the seven stories high square building, he made his way inside through the sliding doors. The receptionist already standing by, waiting for his arrival. ¡°Right away sir, he should still be in the lab on floor 3,¡± David nodded at the receptionist, making his way to the elevator. Letting out a sigh as he waited for the lift to reach its destination, rubbing his temple with a sense of reluctance. He really didn¡¯t want to meet this ¡°person¡± if he could help it. As the lift door opened, the smell of chemicals and burnt hair lingered throughout the floor, causing a slight irritation in his nose. Following the scent, he made it through the hallway, leading to a big sliding door. Upon entering the lab, he found the ¡°person¡± he was looking for. Dressed in an oversized lab cloak, light gray fur covering the exposed part of its body. Red eyes filled with a maniacal and shrewd gleam, a pair of yellow front teeth sticking out from his mouth. Sharp clawed fingers holding onto a few vials of unknown liquids. Standing at the table at the center, pouring some strange liquid into a beaker. A long prehensile tail swaying by the side, grasping another vial. Its ears twitching and orienting themselves in different directions. A series of shelves lined the walls of the lab, some opened while others are locked. Strange and unknown plants and animal parts place orderly on some of the shelves, who knows what uses those things have? He didn¡¯t dare to imagine. Standing roughly just over 2 meters tall hunched, this lumbering figure turned its head to look at him, a smile appearing that sent shivers down his back, revealing jagged, but clean teeth. This is a Rat-ling, not like the other races that evolved from human primogeniture, but a proper Mana beast race that originated from old-world rats and mice, grown gigantic and maniacal. David could accept the fact that Temy, in spite of his giant descent, still looked ¡®human¡¯ enough. But this ¡®thing¡¯¡­ he could remember when they came out from the underground, a near-endless cascade of slaughter, pain, and suffering. What was once a terrifying horde had evolved into an entirely new and ¡®intelligent¡¯ race, further cementing the idea that humans are no longer the sole master of Earth. Or should he say, Foia, as they call it now. ¡°Well, hello David. It¡¯s good to see you again. I assume that you¡¯re here for the reverie pills? ¡± Said the hunched rat-ling ¡®thing¡¯, his voice ratty and rasp. Placing down the vial into one of the holders on the table. It walked to the sink by the wall to clean its hand. ¡°¡­yes, I assumed that you have my share ready for purchase?¡± said David, trying his best to keep his speech as neutral as he can. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.The rat-ling, clearly aware of David¡¯s inherent unfriendliness, smiled in response as he walked to one of the medical cabinets by the walls. Reaching out to grab a box, opening them to reveal 2 bottles, each of them labeled with about 30 pills. ¡°Yes. I have about 2 bottles ready for purchase, I assume this payment will be via the E-wild corporation sponsorship program?¡± ¡°Correct, I also need some other things. Mainly of the [Tsunami] class.¡± David placed a black card on the table at the center of the lab, Asha¡¯s personal card that he had been given. Every time he used this card he felt like selling his own soul, and every time that bastard would use this against him. ¡°I see, off the record is it?¡± the rat-ling spoke, this was not the first time David had done these kinds of purchases, but the [Tsunami] class medicines are something else entirely. ¡°[Tsunami] class combat stimulants are powerful drugs, capable of allowing heightened senses and reflexes, enabling an extreme proficiency in combat, and other scenarios. You know this already, but they are highly regulated¡­ making them difficult for¡­ unregulated deals.¡± The rat-ling in turn frowned, causing David to tense up, a memory of the mad horde resurfacing in his mind. ¡°It is a non-issue, you and everyone know my relationship with the E-wild corporation, considering their connections with the many faculty of the city. No one will pressure you, not in this city.¡± ¡°One box, and a favor. Where will you be going on this next trip?¡± asked the Rat-ling after some time, going to one of the locked cabinets and retrieving a small box the size of a fist. Putting it on the table, his eyes carefully observe David¡¯s expression. ¡°Berton, got some business needs doing there, I would also like some Bezoar and Lift if you have any.¡± Answered David perfunctorily, reaching his hand out to grab the bottles of pills. ¡°Berton¡­¡± the rat-ling lets out a low growl, pulling on his whiskers gently, his hand reaching to one of the shelves to grab two other boxes. David on the other had been watching the rat-ling¡¯s every move, his hand laid on the pistol holster at all times. ¡°Yes¡­ I think I do have some work for you.¡± Locking his eye with David¡¯s, a smile on his pointy face, this time more vicious and vile, ¡°If I remember correctly, you also do assassinations, yes?¡± The silence was all that was left, as the two locked eyes for a split second before David responded, his eyes sharp as a knife. ¡°Depends on who it is¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª David finally left the hospital. Letting out a sigh of relief, shaking his head in exasperation. ¡°What kind of mess have I gotten myself into this time?!¡± As he muttered to himself like a madman, he noticed a car was driving by him on the road, the man driving it was looking at him with a smile. Salt and pepper hair tied into a bun, an old yet healthy glow face. There was no doubt that he was augmented and dangerous, causing David¡¯s scalp to tingle. He was none other than Evra Darvora, the lord of [Pitreres] city. ¡°Mister David, please, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Said Evra as a door on the side of the car opened, beckoning him to enter. ¡°Lord Evra¡­ I appreciate your hospitality, but I don¡¯t dare to intrude.¡± David bowed his head, planning to flee the area as quickly as possible. The last thing he needs right now was getting pulled into the city power struggle, can¡¯t these people leave him alone for fuck¡¯s sake. ¡°Come now, it¡¯s just a quick drive. Nothing too complicated, where are you headed now¡­ you don¡¯t want things to escalate do you?¡± said the lord of the city, his face smiling a charming smile. Mother fucker, what do you mean escalate¡­ ¡°Hold on one moment sir,¡± said another voice, causing both him and David to turn their head at the source. An auburn-haired woman, one can tell just by looking at her to know she was also augmented. A smile on her freckled face. ¡°Mr. David has business with me, and he is needed quite urgently.¡± departure Arriving back at E-wild HQ, going through the same route he had been to a multitude of times now. The unknown woman, walking by his side, was utterly unknown to him. David himself, though reluctant to follow Asha in his shenanigans, was considered one of his ¡®true friends¡¯, and would often be introduced to others of Asha¡¯s cohort. From company branch leaders. From high-level administrators and political leaders. Asha was determined to drag him kicking and screaming into the high society of the city. It¡¯s been 4 years since he was back from the ice, and now, amongst the people of Pitreres. David had become one of the most connected people within it, there was rarely anyone of significance showing up without him knowing. one way or the other. So, who was this? That even the city lord would not dare interfere. Someone from Mataph? Newbigia? Or maybe even Hohia up north? The woman, still smiling as she walked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll know soon enough,¡± the woman said as she struts ahead, the black combat body suit accentuated her muscular physique, not to mention, she was also¡­ quite well endowed. Shaking his head to ignore that thought, the faster he got to Asha¡¯s office the better. Opening the door to Asha¡¯s office, David rush his way to his desk, away from that augmented woman. ¡°Ah good to see you¡¯re back, how was the meeting with Dr.Nikhil?¡± seeing the two people together, Asha was delighted. Putting down the pen that he was using as he gestured to David to sit down. ¡°Things went fine, got my medicine. So Who¡¯s this?¡± David stood still, pointing at the woman behind him, who is currently outside by the door of the office. ¡°Ah yes, my apologies, please come on in,¡± waving his hand at the woman. Causing David to frown slightly, he knew that Asha is extremely particular about who he invited to his office. So this woman was trusted? If so why hadn¡¯t he met her before. ¡°Thank you, young master Asha.¡± The woman entered, sitting on one of the chairs opposite to Asha¡¯s table, ¡°Well, sit down already. Do you want to stand there forever?¡± Ignoring the woman, David continued looking at Asha. Causing his face to blush, grabbing the side of his face shyly. ¡°Aw shucks, you''re making me embarrassed, but now is not the time to flirt. So please, sit down, by the way, her name is Ukissa.¡± With a twitch in the corner of his eye, David took his seat. As the atmosphere within the room slowly calmed down, Asha straighten his pose, a cold look on his face. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.¡°Now let¡¯s get down to business, Mataph is planning something.¡± Those words caused both David and Ukissa to straighten their backs, what does he mean by that? ¡°There seems to be movement in Thouxy, soldiers gathering, increased military presence within the city, and the likes. The empire is planning something. War is not on the table at the moment, but it has been boiling for a while. So¡­ David, I want you to transport the item to Berton as quickly as possible. Also, Ukissa here was the one who retrieved it for us, I hope you two can get acquainted.¡± David nodded at her briskly, while Ukissa simply smiled and waved her hand. ¡°What else?¡± Asked David, he was sure there was a reason why Asha called him here, Asha was never one for pointless meetings. Though the bastard seems like the type to enjoy doing that, if not just to annoy him. ¡°Due to the situation at hand¡­there is a high chance that you will meet with, interruptions during your trip, if there was such a thing¡­ you have my full permission to deal with them as you please, and you lady Ukissa¡­¡± Asha spoke, his eyes as cold as permafrost, turning his head over at Ukissa as she leaned in, a serious look on her visage. ¡°I would have you return and relay this info to your council. Pitreres is ¡®unofficially¡¯ under the protection of Newbigia, the same can not be said about Jarte.¡± So that¡¯s where she¡¯s from, David thought. The only coastal city south of old Luaria, unconquered by Mataph during their war 70 years ago. Luaria, that was the name of the old kingdom here before the Mataph empire invaded, if he could remember correctly. ¡°Thanks for the warning big boss, I¡¯ll go back tomorrow to talk with the council.¡± Nodding in agreement, she looked over to David, an obvious smirk on her face. "You sure you know how to handle yourself in the wild?¡± ¡°I can take care of myself.¡± Answered David perfunctorily, not even bothering to look back as he left the room. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Pitreres, despite being a growing trade hub of the area, only has one main doorway at the southwest, it is here that David will begin his transport mission. Sitting on his [G-H] bike, his hands grasping the handles, familiarizing himself with its controls. The part-giant, Temy, sat on a box by the side scratching his beard in boredom. ¡°Is everything good?¡± ¡°Yeah, the engine is stable. The controls are quite smooth as well, thanks Temy.¡± ¡°HAH, I got the infamous Devil to say words of thanks. That in itself is quite a reward.¡± The part giant laughed, turning his gaze at the people currently running around doing maintenance and tasks. The walls are quite old after all, despite the constant upgrades being done. ¡°Just be careful alright, I don¡¯t want to lose another one.¡± ¡°¡­Thanks.¡± Revving his motorbike, David sped out of the gate. The bike did not create a loud rumble but a small high-pitched whirring. Watching the young man drive his bike into the wild, the part-giant returned to his work, singing a Yotunn tune as he does. the bird and the pseudopod The sound of screeching could be heard from the distance, as a chase was going on in the sky. A hideous-looking vulture the size of 2 people, flying after what could only be considered a literal pseudopod moving about at the same speed. Yes, even the microscopic had become macroscopic after the awakening. How would something like that even end up in the sky? And yet, there it was. Looking through the pair of binoculars, David was observing this chase. A spectacularly bitter expression on his face as he does, for it is this very path that he must trot through in order to reach Berton. Looking around the plains around him, a plain of sheer nothing, covered entirely of grass, disrupted by a few trees here and there. A giant mountain in the north, it¡¯s gonna be an uphill battle from here, literally. I should be in Afghanistan, right? Or Pakistan? I Really should take a look at the world map after this. Grabbing at his head in exasperation, letting out a sigh as he continued observing the battle. Apparently, that pseudopod can shoot lightning from its body, who knew¡­ ¡°Think you idiot, think¡­¡± David, currently hiding under a tree, the [G-H] covered by a simple Camo-blanket. It¡¯s essentially just a blanket that changes color to fit its surrounding, nothing too fancy. A road laid out before him, leading uphill in a swirling fashion, with 2 supernatural monsters duking it out in the sky above him. ¡°Can¡¯t just sit here twiddling your thumb can you?¡­ fuck it.¡± David muttered to himself, to overthink would take forever, and he had a schedule. Revving the engine lightly, a bitter smile couldn¡¯t help but appear on his face. ¡°This is so fucking dumb¡­¡± With that same smile, David drove the bike at high speed. He could feel the wind striking his face, the blood pumping through his heart. A loud screech behind him called out, that¡¯s right, the 2 creatures that were fighting had stopped, and set their eyes on him. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª So there he was, driving on an old worn-out road with two monsters chasing him at what could only be described as ¡°break-neck speed.¡± A flash of light and heat blasted out on his left only a meter away as a bolt of lightning had struck, it¡¯s that damn pseudopod. David pushed the bike to its top speed, dodging and weaving like his life depended on it, because it was. For some ungodly reason, the wildlife of this new world is particularly hostile to humankind and their offspring races. As lightning bolts rained down left and right, drops of sweat flew off of his face as the wind blew by. The loud screeching of that giant bird becoming closer, that thing, though faster than he is, was terrible at turning directions. This can¡¯t go on, the bike though theoretically could constantly absorb ambient Mana to power its engine. Also has a limit to its venting system, not to mention the waste that it will need to expel, lest a witch storm would occur. A witch storm¡­ could that work? David had a dangerous thought, a harrowing thought. Turning his bike to take a detour, he turned away from the road, the beasts did not let up. The grass field really did not make his trip easy, slowing down his speed. One of the small indicators on the handles, a blinking informing him that one canister of three was filled, and the ¡®waste¡¯ will need to be ejected soon. The Arcana engine that is powering this bike was old and had 4 stages, the absorption of ambient Mana, the purification of said Mana, and the final conversion to usable energy and exertion. The first absorption is self-explanatory, and the second is the most important part of the engine, as the ambient Mana is completely unusable for any kind of machinery without it, that is, if you want it to function and not gain sentience and go on a killing spree. And this one was an old one with no way to exhaust the waste ¡®corruption,¡¯ instead storing them in small canisters. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! David drove his bike far, far away from the road. The beasts weren¡¯t the sharpest tools in the shed, as far as Mana-beast are concerned. After gaining some distance from the two creatures, making a sudden stop. David pressed one of the controls on the handles, causing a hatch on the bike to open. Revealing a chamber with 3 metal cylinders the size of a drinking can, two of them are still blue, while one was becoming a brownish red. Looking through his rear mirror, the two of them were getting closer and closer. He began to speed up again, a bolt of lightning struck him nearly blind, barely missed by half a meter. Causing him to drive away in a panic. Taking note of his surrounding rapidly, looking around for any form of indent on the ground, somewhere he could stop, to get away from that lightning-spewing amoeba. Seeing a semi-large dip on the right, making up his mind and turning abruptly. Nearly falling off the bike as a result, the dip looked as if something large had collapsed to the ground at a high speed, but that¡¯s not the point. The point is that it is deep enough for what he was planning. Driving directly into that dip. Practically crashing into it, causing the giant bird thing to sneer in delight, realizing that he was stuck. It dived down, spreading its claws and wings, determining to kill him then and there. A vicious and jubilant screech called out from the giant vulture, finally it got itself a human kill. What the fuck is a vulture even doing here anyway? fuck you vulture. David thought furiously. But something caught its eye. A small metallic cylinder flew by its head, causing its eyes to widen. There was something wrong within that thing, something dark and dangerous, its instincts driving it to flee the area as fast as it could. It was too late, as David sat on the ground, holding up his pistol, aiming his gun directly at the cylinder. A bloodied and manic smile on his face. As a single second passed by, the sound of a click rang out. David was always a good shot, able to kill a bird from a kilometer away with ordinary pistols, shooting something like a can at such close range was as simple as pulling the trigger. Before the hideous creature could even blink, an explosion by the side of its head erupted. causing a black and viscous goop to explode outward, splashing against its eyes. The vulture violently flapped its wings, stopping flight abruptly, falling on the ground outside of the hole David had crashed in. A jolt of pain finally hit David as he looked at his broken left arm, that crash was quite bad, a bunch of bone fractures, a cracked left arm, and a few broken ribs. But there¡¯s something more important to deal with, like that damn pseudopod in the sky. It was gone. David frowned, apparently that thing was smarter than the vulture. The bird however was struggling to claw at its own face, rubbing its head against the ground violently. Letting out a screeching one after another as it struggled to remove that liquid, a gruesome scene. As he slowly get up from the hole, aimed his gun at the head of the thing and emptied a whole magazine. Riddling the head of the vulture with holes, causing it to tense up, letting out a death rattle before turning into a limp corpse at last. With so much happening on just the first day, David could not help but collapse on the ground. Temy was right, maybe he does have a death wish. Breathing heavily as he pulled out a syringe with the [Lift] label on the outside. straightening his left arm with his legs as David stabbed the needle, bracing for the pain that is to come. Gritting his teeth, feeling the searing sensation as his arm slowly and painfully repairs itself. After sitting by the vulture¡¯s corpse for nearly half an hour, finally he could move his body again. Looked around for any danger, noting that there was nothing here but empty plains, grass, and sparse trees. Climbing down the hole to get his bike, thankfully still in one piece, if not a little dinged up. The [G-H] was truly a sturdy thing, after dragging it out with a little bit of effort. David got up on the seat, placing an empty cylinder into the hatch, and closed it. ¡°What a fucking mess¡­¡± David smiled bitterly, shaking his head as he continued his journey. Android Hours passed by, reaching too far into the night. David had never been this far away from civilization since he woke up 4 years ago. Sure, riding into the night is dangerous, but hey. The faster he reach Berton, the faster he could get away from the wild. It wasn¡¯t until he saw a small glow flash by in the small forest on his right that he stopped abruptly. A curious look showing it to be¡­some sort of artificial signal. His curiosity turned to cautiousness as he squinted, trying hard to find out what it is that was sending that signal, what could it possibly be? Soon the answer revealed itself, what he saw was a humanoid figure, but mechanical in movement, its purple optics observing every movement David had expressed. Its once shiny metallic appearance had turned brown and red from rust, its head had no facial expression, only an empty plate with 2 eyes, watching his every move. This was once an android, corrupted by the ambient Mana. A nightmare to all living things, whether human or beast. It quickly breaks into a sprint, reaching out both of its hands as multiple voices began wailing out of its head plate. ¡°Wa¡­wAit, PleASe COme baCK.¡± ¡°StoP, RUn aWay.¡± ¡°RUN¡± ¡°HELP US¡± A cacophony of voices screamed out at the same time from the chasing android. Causing David¡¯s scalp to tingle, he swore he might go bald from stress at this rate. Driving the bike to get as far away from that thing as he could, revving the bike to full speed. He could feel the thing gaining behind him. Damn the bastards who designed those blasted things. Gazing at his rearview mirrors, and indeed, the damned thing was still chasing him. All he could do now was let out a chain of profanities, and drive as fast as he could, without crashing this time. Turning his eyes at the mirror, something was moving between the hands of the android, a pair of tendrils phased into existence around each arm. Their tips opened like flowers and revealed a purple eye in each, both were glaring at him and his bike. Something bad was gonna happen if he didn¡¯t do anything, damn it, Damn these things to hell. Pushing his bike to go even faster, he could feel the handles shake and swirl, trying his best to keep it straight, the bumpy old road definitely wasn¡¯t making it easy. How is that android still gaining speed, how?! David looked back at the horrid sight, the tendrils, still steady as they kept their gaze on them, swirling around the android¡¯s arms and hands like snakes. One of them began glowing as illusory words and symbols were formed and swirling around it. ¡°Fucking shit.¡± A panicked David could only yell out, there was nothing he could do. If he let go of even one hand, the bike would crash, if he doesn¡¯t do anything he would be struck by whatever the android was doing. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.Looking back at the rearview mirror, a grim determination was echoing in his mind. With both hands, he grasped hard onto the brakes. Better to crash and have a chance of survival than dying to whatever the android was doing. With a loud crash, both he and the android collided hard against one another, flinging both of them forward. He could feel himself being launched into the air, everything else was a blur of sounds and sights. Nearly blacking out from the impact, his body wracked with pain, and his mind disoriented. Blinking a few times from the rush of adrenaline, he could see in the corner of his eyes the state of the android. It was bisected from the lower half, yet the two tendrils were still there, raising high and looking at him. At least, the weird symbols and runes on the other one were gone. The crash must have disrupted whatever the hell it was planning on doing. A mechanical whirring, however, redirected his and the tendril¡¯s attention. As multiple lights shined down the road ahead of him, the rumbling of wheels through the ground. The android now bisected, jumped using its two remaining arms, and quickly fled the scene, leaving him behind. David, now ¡®safe¡¯, lets out a relieved sigh. Thankfully, from what he took note of, that damn thing seemed rather weak. Though, more than enough strength to rip him in half. And the fact it¡¯s an android makes it very difficult to kill, as demonstrated by its ability to escape with half of its body gone. Damned machines, if he could go back in time. He would beat up the guy who designed those things. The lights were getting closer and closer, all he could do now was yell out for help. They could be the ones Asha warned him about, trying to interrupt his delivery. But damn, anything would be better at this point. With his right hand barely functioning, he pulled out another syringe with the label [Lift] and slammed it into his heart. Feeling the pain of his cells being forced to replicate and regenerate, he lets out a gratified sigh. These lift medicines are really something else, capable of healing just about any kind of physical wound one could imagine. That is, if you were willing to deal with the increased risk of cancer that comes along with it, and even that was something a Bio-mancer could fix easily. And with the support of E-wild corp at his back, he could easily find people to help him out. He was really lucky to find himself mingling with the son of the CEO. The lights down the road quickly came to view, a convoy of 4 vehicles. 2 combat vehicles and 2 transports. Quickly he found himself at the gun barrel of one of those vehicles. ¡°Identification and purpose,¡± a voice rang out from the speaker, a slew of soldiers pour out from the 2 transports at the center. Forming a formation around the perimeters, three of them aimed their barrels at him. Letting out a defeated sigh, David could only raise his hands. Catching the face of the man who stepped out of the front transport. Long wavy hair that fell to his shoulders, and a pair of cold blue eyes. Donning a regal black suit with gold at the rims. Standing almost a head above everyone else, smiling at David as he looked down at him. ¡°So, Mr. David. May I know what is your purpose for coming here in the middle of the night?¡± Kane David sat by the burning campfire, his hand tied behind his back, with of all things¡­ zip ties. It seems that no matter what, the power of zip ties stands supreme. ¡°It¡¯s good to finally meet you face to face, David Vohler,¡± said the man in the suit. His face gleamed with a knowing smile, taking a seat right next to him. ¡°You know me?¡± David stared back at the man, donning an expressionless face. ¡°Oh yes, indeed. I¡¯ve heard of many tales of you and your suicidal tendencies, in spite of your denial of all these things. And that of your miraculous escapes, always running around mindlessly, entering all sort of troubles, yet always managing to get out alive, no matter the situation.¡± He bit onto a piece of cracker from a ration pack, the soldiers around him seemingly watch full of their surroundings. Some could be seen patrolling the outer perimeter. Not the typical mercenary, David thought. ¡°You know¡­ there are very few people that managed to catch my attention, even fewer make it out alive. So I¡¯m quite curious as to how you will make it out this time. Also, yes, I am the one that the Mataph Empire sent over to stop you from transporting ¡®that¡¯ item to our friend, so there is no need to guess who I am. I can see that you also know of my name, yes?¡± A sneering smile now dons the immaculate face of this man, David could only scowl as he open his mouth and respond. ¡°The empire¡¯s head hunter, Kane, the Butcher of Chalbiamai.¡± A light frown now formed on Kane¡¯s face as he listens, the soldiers around becoming nervous at the sight. ¡°What do you know of what battle, really? Of the sacrifices my people gave to win that war?¡± He shove down what remained of the cracker before letting out a damning gaze. ¡°Those Norks didn¡¯t just openly accept Koblins, but take them as their own. They let them interbreed with human kin and created countless abominations to serve their damnable gods. Turning them into mindless beasts, kidnapping innocent women and children to spread their own damned kinds.¡± He leaned close to David, a pair of cold and vicious eyes on his maddened face. ¡°If it were up to me, I¡¯d erase their very existence from our history books.¡± As quick as a snap of a finger, he leaned back, entirely nonchalant as if nothing had happened. ¡°Alas, I am not the one to make that decision. And so, here I am, stuck doing errands for the empire, heh. Maybe this will knock me down a few notches, as they might say behind my back.¡± Another soldier walked towards the pair, bringing with him a small black box. ¡°Sir we found it, but it¡¯s locked, there¡¯s bio-mantic security and runic encryption. And we don¡¯t have the necessary equipment.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Kane lets out a light chuckle before taking the box, tapping his fingers against the small rune in front. The box was not that big, slightly bigger than a human fist.¡°There¡¯s no need for that, I can open it myself, watch.¡± David could only clench his fist tightly as he watch Kane¡¯s hand glowed with Mana, tapping on the hole a few times before opening easily. The bastard continued to smile all the while. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°WHAT?!¡± yelled a man on a giant monitor, his face a vicious anger. A scar over his forehead. On the opposite sat Asha, relaxed and unperturbed. ¡°That is not for you to decide, where is lord Evra?!?¡± the man slammed his hands on the table as he lets out a growl. The man, now fully enraged, had been on this call for hours. The man wondered if he might die from high blood pressure or not. ¡°Lord Evra is currently sick with the common cold and is currently unable to receive anyone at the moment,¡± Asha answered, taking a sip of red wine. ¡°What?¡± His loyal butler by the side simply nodded as he called out. ¡°There is another call for you sir. This one is the representative from the confederacy of Hohia, it seems he is very eager to speak with you.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± said Asha, a dashing smile on his face. ¡°Now, the real work can begin.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Kane sat in one of the transport, David by his side, zip-tied and gagged. He could only watch as the other guy played with the strange glowing crystal marble in his hand. A clear glassy exterior concealing a swirling torrent of numbers and symbols within. This is the first time David saw an unimplanted cypher, just looking at it made him nauseous. These things definitely weren¡¯t meant for humans to look at. ¡°Beautiful isn¡¯t it? Unfortunately¡­ this wasn¡¯t one of those from the pre-Calamity. To you it might be fantastical and mystical. But these are nothing but inferior copies.¡± David casted his gaze over to Kane, he could see the same smile. Why did he have to meet another lunatic like Asha, did he have an affinity with these people or something? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª A flash of light pierced through the darkness, its source stood a soldier decked out in combat gear. Looking around the vicinity with caution before talking to his earpiece. ¡°Northeast clear, returning to base.¡± ¡°Copy that.¡± Another voice spoke out after, ¡°Hey, do you guys wanna go for a drink after this? I heard Berton just got some good beer transferred over from the capital.¡± ¡°Focus on the job Miguel.¡± ¡°Oh pleaaase, it¡¯s just an android, what can it even do now? Crawl around on its hands?¡± ¡°Focus on the job Dumbass.¡± Another voice spoke out, this one much more gruff and old. ¡°You really have no idea what the fuck we¡¯re doing do you?¡± ¡°Clear comms you idiots.¡± A commanding voice yelled out, causing the others to shut up. ¡°But old coot¡¯s right Miguel, so shut up and stay alert. For both your and our sakes. These androids are called the Anti-life for a reason so shut up and stay alert.¡± Khunduled Cyphers, the peak of human arcana research, made after the first calamity that nearly wiped out humanity. David knew what they were and what they were used for. But he didn¡¯t know how they were made. Nor how they were first designed, he just knew that they were the key to humanity¡¯s survival in this new world. Why was he telling him this, why he was even alive at this point. Does he like to see him struggle? ¡°Heh, I can see your expression you know? I¡¯m just¡­ interested in how you might escape this place, no need to look at me like that.¡± Said the man, staring down at David amusingly like he was a zoo animal. The man turned his attention back to the ball, letting out a sigh as he puts it in his shirt pocket, looking back at him with a smile. Reaching out to pull out the gag. David licked his lips, about to open his mouth to speak, his attempt was interrupted by a ring on the watch on Kane¡¯s wrist. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°We got an issue, sir. Two of our guys disappeared, last reported scouting northward. No response had been received from 30 minutes ago, I think it¡¯s time we go, sir.¡± "All right, gather everyone. We are leaving, now.¡± Quickly was the message relayed, and the soldier packed up with immediacy. ¡°Sir, what about him?¡± Said the driver, his gaze pointing at David. ¡°Leave him be, we have bigger things to deal with.¡± Kane tapped on a tablet, his eyes focusing on the views from the various cameras on the convoys. Moving through the wilds at night is extremely dangerous, even with a fully armed caravan, let alone this small convoy. But with the possibility of an android tailing them, they had no other choice. The engines whirred and they began moving, the headlight cutting through the darkness of the road. Moving up the sloping hill. Soldiers raised their guns through the port holes of the vehicles, ready to shoot down anything that showed up. A shrill voice screamed aloud by the right, as turned around there was a dark shadow whizzing by, matching speed for speed. A closer look reveals a ghastly sight. The shadows cast by this thing would make one mistake it for a centaur, though such things did not exist, a closer look would make one realize that it was anything but. It was the android, now fused with the body of a massive tiger, its upper torso laid where its head should be. The thing, now lost its lower half had somehow attached itself to the decapitated body. Muscle and sinew, fused with metal and wires. Black tendrils transporting black liquid to and fro, the body itself also seemed wrong. Its belly looked torn opened and resowed together, possibly to add more weight to balance out the now heavier ¡®head¡¯ of the thing. Black wisps of smoke streamed out of every orifice, everywhere it walked left behind a black sludge, turning the grass black and dead. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Khunduled save us¡­¡± said one of the soldiers, his mouth shivering, his eyes were immediately covered by the partner by his side. ¡°Close your eyes, moron, don¡¯t look directly at it. Anyone looking at that thing too long will go mad.¡± The horrid thing lets out another shrill scream, David who sat inside could also hear it, and feel its effect. ¡°SaVe UuUsSsS¡± ¡°GIve Us SAlvATiON¡± ¡°JoiN US¡± ¡°KILL US¡± David clenched his teeth, a barrage of distorted voices rang out from the back of his head as if the voices came from behind him. he could feel it crawling through his ears, like maggots borrowing in dead flesh. Digging deeper and deeper into his ear and brain, he breathed heavily, a stream of sweat falling down. Oh shit, the driver. David shot up in a panic, if the driver went mad they would be really on a highway to hell. He could see the drive, his head dripping with sweat, the smell of shit and piss waif through the air within the vehicle. With bloodshot eyes, the driver was still there. Driving the vehicles straight and true, he could tell whatever the android did would have been enough to destroy a full convoy of people. What¡¯s worse was that whatever it did, it didn¡¯t do it this early afternoon. David shivered at the thought, what the hell was that chase earlier? Was it just toying with him? Oh¡­ oh no... It was, these things were like that. Corrupted machines don¡¯t feed on Mana, they fed on pain, suffering, and despair. If they did capture a living being they wouldn¡¯t kill it, they would torture it and drive it to despair to feed. ¡°Shit¡± Kane uttered by his side, a bead of sweat fell down the side of his cheek, so something that made him sweat bucket, and the driver to even shat himself, was only enough to cause him utter the word ¡®shit¡¯? With a sigh, Kane moved to the right side of the vehicle. Practically pushing David back, leaning his body out of the window as he chants an incantation. ¡°Khunduled, the golden owl The guardian of the earth-born The eyes that see through the void I pray for the darkness I pray for the eternal night I pray for the echoing abyss Grant me a shadow, to maim and harm By the darkness, by the eternal night By the abyss beneath.¡± David was startled. Staring with wide eyes as he sees the man¡¯s eyes turned pitch black, a stream of golden liquid pours like tears. Small golden feathers materialize around him, quickly swirling together like a small tornado, and flow outward, sinking to the ground. A crack flowed behind as the spot where the feathers landed erupted, revealing a massive and pitch black owl with 3 golden feathered wings gods, myths and legends Gods, myths, and legends. These were the things that he heard as a kid, the stories were many. From the two sisters to the hundred-knot bamboo, the legend of lac long quan and au co, the story of the earth god and water god. He had heard and read many comics book and novels about epic fantasy adventures, and how they would save the world with the assistance of gods to fight demons. But they were just that, stories. Something to fantasize about, the world back then had no such gods, sure religions and such things play a big role in society, but science would still reign supreme. And now? The gods in this were as real as the earth that he walked on, their influence shifts the direction of the world. Hell, the reason that there were so many different races was because of their tampering. This was a recorded event in the history books, some would even call this a blessing, saying that their race was superior to others by divine providence, calling themselves the future of humanity. He heard about those so-called priests and ¡®holy¡¯ people, but to see it in person? Something about how Kane¡¯s presence changed sent a shiver down his back. As if he had become something far more terrifying than that android that was chasing them. But now wasn¡¯t the time, and there was not much he could do, simply stuck between a bunch of soldiers and a demonic android. He was utterly trapped. Looking at the 3 winged owl currently fighting the android, he was damn sure that thing was just playing with him. These 4 years were nowhere near enough time to prepare him for something like that. The android stopped, looking over at the owl now standing in its way. The convoy is now long gone, its limps shivering with a furious aura. Finding so much food was rare, but its feast was interrupted. The black wisps flowed out even more viscous, almost becoming a liquid, letting out a deafening screech. It charged at the owl, at least this will be able to abate its anger somewhat. The golden owl, spreading its pitch-black wings and flapped at the android, unleashing from within a torrent of black and gold Whirlwinds, shredding everything it touches. As the two creatures battled, one a mechanical abomination, the other a ¡®holy¡¯ manifestation of a god. The convoy has now gone far away from the battle, their soldiers sighing in relief, one of the soldiers how ever, turned his gaze over to the corpse of his partner. The man looked at the android for too long, causing his eyes to burst, his body now twitching wildly. He had become brain-dead, like some of the soldiers from the other vehicles. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.Not a single shot was fired, the scream alone was enough to utterly decimate them. What would have happened when they were caught, he couldn¡¯t even imagine. ¡°Miguel, help me wrap up the dead. Grab the body bag from the back please.¡± Said the old soldier from before, Miguel did so in silence. The old man shook his head, this world is not meant for humans anymore. People like him no longer mattered. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Ketiz dragged his tired body as he slowly trot his way through the darkness of the alleyway, his mind tense, paranoid. It hasn¡¯t been long since he killed his master, but there was no doubt they¡¯ll find out soon, these humans are terrible, mean, they beat him and hurt him, so this was simply justice. Something smells, Ketiz was one of the smart ones, he knew so. Much smarter than the humans, he bet. Why else would he manage to break free? He saw an old human covered in ragged clothes, they wore clothes to keep warm, unlike his kind. He had no need for clothes, the fur on his body would keep him warm, but maybe, maybe that humans have valuable stuff, useful stuff. Like food, water, he needed those, sneaking his way slowly to the side. It seems like the human was sleeping, wait¡­ no, he wasn¡¯t breathing. So the human died, Ketiz knows death, he was close to death a few times, so he knew what it looked like. The sounds of moving boxes are not far away, they must be here for him, he must be quick. Grab what he can and run quickly, searching the old human as quickly as he could. Finding a cold touch on the hand of the old human, a gun. A metal gun, Ketiz was amazed. Ketiz knows these guns are simple, obsolete. The human now use Mana guns, they still fire metal, but more powerful, faster too. This one uses fire powder, it seems to only have 3 bullets left, maybe he could still surprise the humans with this. Yes, they would not expect him to have a gun, they would be surprised. Giving him enough time to kill them, yes, yes what a good idea. Continuing to search the body of the old human, Ketiz also found 3 more bullets, now he has 6. He also found a wallet, money, useless to him. He can not exchange them for anything, he would be caught by humans if he was found out, to exchange money for things would need him to meet humans, useless. The sound is getting bigger, they are nearer, not good. He needed to hide, but where¡­ The sewer, yes, that¡¯s it. They would not go down there, they are weak, need special clothes to go down there, unlike him. Darting his eyes to see a manhole cover, a smile gleaming from his long face, his whiskers frilling with joy, he moved quickly, scuttling towards the entrance on all fours. Lifting the cover and jumped down, his ears twitching, hearing for any noises below. His tail dragged the cover back to the entrance and closed it. He was free. ¡°Slave no more, Ketiz is free.¡± The Rat-ling whispered to himself, his eye squinting in joy as he ran deeper and deeper into the sewer system. Fading into the darkness of the sewers. Cars haunted David sat by the chair as the convoy move quickly and silently, the heavy air of fear practically smothering it. What transpired before laid heavy on everyone, him included. Looking over at the man currently tapping on the tablet beside him, Kane seems to be undeterred. Talking nonsense constantly, he didn¡¯t know this man was so talkative, blanking out once in a while as he listen to his endless ramble. ¡°And so the Mataph empire was formed. Not by physical prowess but by communication and the heroics of the emperor, Sharako¡­¡± Why would I care about your empire¡¯s creation story, can¡¯t you smell the shit that your driver spewed out an hour ago? Please, shut the fuck up, I beg of you¡­ So there he was, re-gagged and bound, stuck in a convoy of the enemy. while their boss was essentially torturing him with his endless talking, this day could not get any worse. Then something came up that made him think otherwise, the convoy stopped. Looking forward he could see the front vehicle had smoke coming out of it for some reason. Causing Kane to frown and return to tapping on his tablet, switching on the watch. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Sir, we have a situation.¡± ¡°Damn it all, what?¡± ¡°Our engine malfunctioned, something went wrong. We¡¯re checking on it now.¡± ¡°Haaah, fine.¡± Tapping on his watch, ¡°everyone stop, check your engines. 15-minute break, then we move out again.¡± Running his hand through his hair in frustration, Kane glanced over at David, a curious look on his face as he undid the gag. ¡°you seem awfully calm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already stuck here with you, there¡¯s a murderous android outside and that thing you summoned. No way in hell I can escape anyway.¡± Said David nonchalantly, unfazed by the gaze. Looking out into the night, his eyes full of caution. ¡°That¡¯s true, but I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re one to give up so easily. What plans you got?¡± David only looked back, a blank look now etched on his face. ¡°Plans? What plans would work against a god¡¯s servant like you?¡± Kane could only laugh lightly as he shook his head ¡°I am not a god¡¯s servant. The golden owl and I are in a partnership. I do what I need to do and he help me as much as he could he could. It¡¯s give and take, contractual. No worship needed.¡± This time, David was curious, leaning his head back. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The question cause Kane to freeze up, showing an incredulous look. ¡°That¡­ I can¡¯t tell you, but I can tell you this, don¡¯t trust the gods too much.¡± Those words struck David as very odd, a man who just summoned a ¡®holy¡¯ beast from a god, telling him not to trust the gods he served. He knew these ¡®gods¡¯ are not to be trusted, but to be taught by such a person. Shaking his head in self-derision, one thing at a time David, one thing at a time. Kane quickly left the vehicle while the driver sat at his post, he should be the one to leave instead, he was the one who shat himself after all. It was not until moments later that David felt that something did not feel right, he could feel a chill run down his back, looking at the reflection in the rearview mirror. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.A bloodied face, his eyes bulging from both sockets, blood dripping from both of his ears. The man is very much in an unstable state, muttering what little bravery is within him, David began speaking. ¡°Hey¡­you ok?¡± As if finally noticed his presence, the diver turned his head. Normally, when someone turns their head, their body, particularly the shoulders, would also turn with them. This is because most humans would only be able to turn about 70-80 degrees on each side. This man turned his head, this is true, but the degree to which his head turned was a little too much, a little too far back, a little beyond the limit of human physiology. Enough to send that same chill up David¡¯s scalp. Not again¡­ that fucker Kane, he knew¡­ The driver lets out a smile as he answered the question, blood flowing from between his teeth and down his mouth. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± Turning his head back to the front, the sound of bone snapping back could be heard from his neck. David was now damn sure that Kane knew, and have decided to ditch him. ¡°So, where are we going?¡± asked David, now knowing that this place is no longer safe. Began looking out for anything to help him escape, the zip-ties binding his hands behind his back is going to make things more difficult, that is for certain. ¡°We are almost there, we are almost there¡­ there... Yes¡­ yes, just a little more, yes¡­ yes.¡± The man muttered to himself, continuing to ignore David. His eyes looked in front of the vehicle and into the darkness ahead, an excessive smile on his face. The sounds of screams echoed out from outside of the vehicles, a battle had broken out. The sound of flesh tearing and weapons discharge filled the outside. Fuck my life¡­ Now bound, and deathly afraid. David quickly look around the vehicle. The cypher is gone, and his weapons and tools confiscated, those fuckers were really thorough. Good fucking jobs you dunces. If the driver attacks, I could still kick his face in, so that¡¯s something¡­ maybe? Think you idiot, think¡­ ¡°Khsh¡­ kkhhssshhh¡­he he, he he he¡­¡± The sound of Laughter spewed out from somewhere, causing the veins on his forehead to pulse madly as he turned his attention to the source. The radio, the fucking radio player on the dashboard of the vehicle. The entire damn thing was compromised. The damn car is haunted¡­ And just as when he thought his luck was at its worst, the vehicle began whirring up its engine and drove off. with him inside, along with the mad driver, who wasn¡¯t even holding the steering wheel. Leaving the convoy behind, and into the cold dark night. *Pak* The driver abruptly pulled out his combat knife. ¡°Come you son of a bitch, I¡¯ll kick your head off.¡± David silently mutters to himself, getting ready to really give a good kick. *Vrrm* A loud screech came from outside as something slammed onto the back of the vehicle, a soldier, his body mangled and battered. He was too focused to take a look around on the outside, looking behind in a panic, he could see a scene of absolute chaos, the soldiers had turned bestial, attacking each other without quarters. Kane was nowhere to be found. ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­ ha¡­ ha¡­¡± the series of low laughter rang out from the dashboard stopped, and taunting smile appeared on the face of the driver as he held the knife. ¡°Hiii¡­¡± the man spoke softly, his smile widening, ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ talk¡­¡± Berton So no shit there he was, sitting In a haunted car with a possessed man, moving towards an unknown location in the middle of the night. Been a long day, man... ¡°What¡­ what do you, want to talk about?¡± David spoke hoarsely, his body and mind under heavy stress, today has been nothing but a downward spiral of fear, pain, and regrets. But he is still alive, best keep it that way, if he had to lick the scrotum of this fucking guy he would. ¡°You¡­ you have his scent.¡± The driver spoke, his smile widening even more, distorting it into a horrid visage. ¡°Pitreres.¡± ¡°What do you want from Pitreres?¡± muttered David, he had never heard about a corrupted machine being able to communicate with the living. This is unprecedented from what he knew, this would be able to change the path of history of the current conflict between man and machine. But why did it have to start with him?! God damn it all. And what do you mean I have someone¡¯s scent?! Who?!?! ¡°Yes¡­ help us find, someone¡­¡± David clenched his fist when he heard those words, trying his best to stay calm. ¡°May¡­ May I know his name?¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t know, don¡¯t remember. Just knew he was there, don¡¯t know when¡­¡± the driver spoke, his face morphing slowly to reveal a different person, dark short hair, a short nose bent a bit to the left, uneven eyes, and a mole at the center below the chin. A face of a broken man, a dying, sad-looking man. ¡°Find him, and we will be¡­friends¡± The morphed face reveals a toothy smile, way too happy, too strange. And way above David¡¯s pay grade ¡°Well¡­I can help you find him, but I¡¯m a bit stuck right now. So this might take a while before I could¡­¡± David said dejectedly, lowering his shoulder and shrinking his stance to look as weak as possible. The driver lifted his finger to reveal a small white orb, its interior flowing with strange words and symbols swirling like a torrent. The smile on his face stayed solid as if plastered to never fade. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll help you.¡± The driver reached his hand out in a flash, causing David to lean back to kick him on instinct. With a crack, his head was bent backward, broken. And yet the hand continued reaching out, David swore he could still see the face smiling. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The moment the right-hand reached and touched his chest, David could feel the air leaving his body as a heavy sensation laid upon it. His body was paralyzed, unable to do anything against this ¡®thing.¡¯ He could feel the searing pain coalescing on his chest as if someone was ramming a hot iron brand onto it. He couldn¡¯t even let out a scream. The driver, now having his head snapped, reach his knife over to David¡¯s back and cut the zip ties binding his hands. Leaning back toward the steering wheel, as if nothing had happened. His head lopped on one side, but his face remains smiling. ¡°Tena¡­cious, I like yooouu¡­¡± the man said, his voice gurgling from the blood in his throat, as if unaffected by the violent kick. David, still paralyzed could feel something crawling up his back and nearing his face, the sound of chittering, the sensation of a thousand legs crawling up onto his face. ¡°Something¡­ to help our bond¡­ yes¡­ that¡¯s the word¡­ boooooond¡± He could feel something crawling on his face, struggling to breathe through the paralysis, feeling whatever was digging into his face. David could feel the damn thing crawling into his skin, digging into it¡­ Slowly, the paralysis faded out, leaving him tired and vulnerable. Wondering if it weren¡¯t for the training he experienced from his childhood, would he be able to endure this? Getting up slowly, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the rear mirror. The black tattoo of an encircling centipede now crawls under his skin, moving from his left ear and across his face and eventually down his neck. ¡°A gift¡­ and an assurance¡­¡± the driver spoke, placing the white orb into one of David¡¯s pockets, his hand bent backward awkwardly, like a puppet on strings. The vehicle also stopped moving, before David could even utter a word, the door on his side of the seat sprung open, and a force pulled him out. Tossing him onto the ground, and just as suddenly the vehicle drove away, off the road and into the darkness. Leaving him in a daze, exhausted beyond measure. And just like that, he ¡®escaped¡¯ the convoy. Dragging himself off the ground and standing up, he could see a light at the end of the road. He could towering walls of Berton, no shorter than that of Pitreres. ¡°Jesus¡­Christ¡­ I¡¯m alive?¡± Staring at the scenery in utter disbelief, he broke into a dash towards the city, he needed to get there and fast. He needed safety, a new set of clothes, a new mode of transport, and to find out whatever the fuck that thing had just implanted under his skin.