Of Flesh, Might, and Mutations, The Red Queen provides (Warhammer 40k SI Amalgamate)
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Chapter 6: Raise your Death Flag
TheLunchKing
Heed my words... Egg.
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Chapter 6: Raise your Death Flag
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Chapter 6: Raise your Death Flag
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It's been a day, and the arachnid was still watching the woman Usura. Her actions confuse me, because they seem contradictory, and that worries me more than a little bit. Usura's actions imply that she cares for Evelynn, yet they also imply that she hates her. Frankly if I was still a human, I would be ripping my hair out trying to understand what is wrong the bloody woman.
One thing I can say however is that she is not a slouch in combat. The arachnid watches from some rocks as it sees Usura in some protective gear and wielding quite a few scrap weapons to take care of some of the larger creatures prowling the Mellow Dark. Making use of the environment and all that jazz, that woman makes me slightly wonder if she is secretly an eldar with how much she hops around.
Regardless, she's been carving a path to some kind of remote area of the Mellow Dark, if I remember correctly from the numerous people that drowned, this was not the way to the upper or lower levels. That is if she was ever going there in the first place.
I'm a little surprised that she hasn't noticed the arachnid at all, either that or she knows and thinks that it is harmless, to be honest I don't know which one I'd prefer.
Another thing I am noticing is the fact the underhive... is actually a lot more populated than one would expect. Then again this place is the slums of the slum's slums being the very bottom of a hive city. It would probably make a lot of sense for the underhive to be just as populated as the other hive layers, with the exception of going too far deep down.
Speaking of which, the layer my pool is on. I need to make myself the uncontested master of it, especially before I begin preparations for spreading upwards. As going by the memories, there is quite a lot of factions in my way between my current main location and the surface, four certain tribes in particular are my current walls standing in my way.
The ones in the Black Line are too far for me to be worried of for now, I should continue my preparations and hopefully I can make a few things that will tip the balance in my favor in the future.
Ah hold on, focus Eien. Then again, I can just set the arachnid form to just go and watch her and ping me back should the situation change while I fly to a different body and check other things out. You know what? There won't be anything else for quite a while on this floor, let's take a look at my new creation, see how effective it is.
Taking mild control of my new form mutated from the gnirrat, I let out a mental hum of interest as the newly created form slowly expanded and contracted like it was 'breathing' in air. It technically wasn't, it was actually pumping, I think? I got this thing's idea from the Zerg's creep and creep colonies, so far the first iteration of my new uhhh let's just call it creep tumor to simplify things, it's not going so well.
Reason being that the creep it is supposed to be proliferating is not really coming out all that fast, it's rather annoying. Then I remember that it is essentially a blanket of mutated bloodbuds, which isn't exactly what I want.
Then I remember that the most likely reason why the Zerg's creep is so fast is due to the tendrils it has to extend into the ground and absorb minerals and other organic matter to help produce more creep.
Mine is just a blanket and nothing else, I thought that since my bloodbuds were capable of moving on their own, their combined weave form would allow them to glide across the ground quickly.
I'll have to mimic the creep with the whole tendril bit, the blanket of mutated bloodbuds is already eating organic and inorganic matter, I should be careful though. I might make an accidental Wall of Flesh and the creep isn't naturally infectious but it will grow over stationary objects and will slowly consume it. I'll be giving it a vector which it can use to infect and actively consume, so I should make these tendrils small so it would not be so damaging... I mean it will be damaging in which it will subvert the environment but whatever.
Aside from all that, the tumor is working fine-ish, it's just the creep itself giving me troubles but it should be fine now. All that is left now is to have the drowned resurface and then I can go from there.
Hmm? A tug? Looking into it, turns out it was from Potato. Odd, why would he be calling me. Hmm? Evelynn wants to ask me something? Well, the bodies are getting near the surface, and taking a quick glimpse at Usura through the arachnid showed that she is just walking. I see no reason to not listen to what Evelynn might want to ask me.
So I just shifted views to Potato and gently took control of him. Heh, turns out little Eve was playing with Potato while I wasn't controlling him. Shaking Potato, I had him get up and walk around Evelynn before sitting in front of her at arms length. "I have been informed by Potato that you wished to ask me something. Is that correct little one?"
Ah, she's looking a bit hesitant, likely thinking that I might attack her when she makes her request. I quickly dissuade her from thinking such thoughts, if she ever was in the first place and I'm just losing touch with expression reading. "You need not worry retaliation from me. I see no reason to not listen to you, as you are... my friend."
Evelynn's expression lit up at that, even though I felt a little weird calling her my friend. I mean, we don't really know much about each other, so is it fair for either of us to call the other a friend? Bah, we can think about this some other time, she's about to speak.
"I... My mother... she is plagued by something..." Ok, so Evelynn herself noticed the inconsistently bad behavior as well. Which to be fair to Evelynn, she has lived with the woman for the majority of her life, and I have a feeling I know where she is going with this. "Can... can you help her?"
...
This child I swear, she is... how she came to be in this shithole of a galaxy I have absolutely no idea. She is rather forgiving, and... hmm, actually if Usura's behavior is consistently inconsistent, then Evelynn would have seen or found out about the woman's feelings towards her daughter. The poor thing most likely wants her mother to be free of whatever is screwing with her head.
"You would want me to aid your mother? Even after all she has done to you?" I ask little Eve through Potato, and I watched as she looked down at the bed for a brief moment before she looked back up to me and nodded.
"Yes." That was a soft but strong sounding affirmative from the little one. But, she has to know what she is asking of me, if the reason why Usura is so emotionally inconsistent isn't a person or an object making her like that. Then I would have to infect her in order to change things.
"You do realize Evelynn. That I can only truly effect those that are... part of my domain?" As soon as I said that, little Eve flinched as she most likely remembered all of the stories that made me out to be a horrific boogieman.
I look on as the little girl curled up and pulled her legs closer, her chin resting on her knees as she stared off into the distance. Probably thinking about the ramifications and changing her mind about asking me to help her mother.
"I... thought of it... But... I think, it will be worth it..." Oh you sweet summer child, you don't understand the consequence of me 'helping' your mother. Even if I do it with benevolent intentions, she won't be the same woman, and she will most likely be completely subsumed and whatever personality left behind will be simple minded.
Granted, she and any other unfortunate soul who drowns from now on will be a test bed to see if I can 'peacefully integrate' organics into my sphere of influence now that I have more fine control over things. So unless I save her for last, then Usura won't keep her consciousness. But on the other hand, now that I have more control then maybe I can keep them intact and work on them that way?
Then again, it may not work as I want it to, so I would have to modify the infection process. Either that or the ones I infect would have to have great willpower. But I don't want to test that unless even the failed outcome of that will benefit me in some way.
"If I do help her, she will never be the same. There is no guarantee that I will be able to help her. Do you understand?"
"..."
"Yes. I do." Evelynn looked into Potato's eyes, staring me down from her position. Her face was as serious as she could get it as with her childish features.
Mentally I let out a sigh, it will be difficult, and frankly I personally don't think she is worth it. But for little Eve? I guess I can try, I can perhaps punish Usura in my own way when I bring her in.
On the outside, I had Potato close his eyes before I spoke to the girl through him. "I will see what I can do, but prepare for the worst Evelynn."
Like that, the fate of Evelynn's mother Usura is sealed. "Thank you Miss Eien."
Usura POV
I made no sound as I crushed the bandit's skull underneath my boot, another warden again, they usually don't go these routes as this is near Serpent Guild territory, and speaking of the serpents. I have their payment, maybe they'll finally have the information when I make the job offer.
A brief crushing feeling of guilt surged through me before it was violently stamped out and I can't help but shed a few tears, no one would be here and no one would see me. So I shed them, and used the head of another dead whitecloak I beheaded as a ball and kicked it in my stress.
Why couldn't
I let out a choked angered sob as I contemplate shooting myself to end this. That damned silver tongued snake, the other serpents should be able to single out this viper out of this hive hopefully.
Taking a deep breath, I school my features as I continue my journey, checking my guns as I did so and pulled out a pistol to blast a whitecloak that was crawling away in the thigh. His scream barely fazed me, and I normally wouldn't leave a whitecloak alive but I was getting closer to one of the Dens. I want to deal with this as fast as I can before I do anything else.
After leaving the wardens dead or maimed, I rounded the corner, stopping right as a steam puff blasted the front of me from one of the exposed pipes. Looking ahead I saw a broken down complex, and sauntered on in, my weapons at the ready. Just because this is the territory of Serpent's Guild, or at least one of their outlying partners, it doesn't mean that they won't shoot at me first.
I turn my head to see an unremarkable little door and approached it, looking around I checked to see if there were any visual queues that would help me here. Ah! There you are, the insignia of a serpent curled around a dagger just squirreled away near the door. Approaching the insignia I saw that there was a small button, rather obvious trap now that I think about it.
Pressing it, I prepared to move out of the way, but it surprised me when nothing happened instead. Looking at the door, I heard a single click before the gear design on the door pulled back and slid to the side.
Now, will I find my answers here or... We'll just see.
You know, trying to write this when you have an idea but you have to sleep is a bad idea. But here ya go, my brain is slowing down and hopefully I can write the next chapter tomorrow when I'm rested. So hope ya'll enjoy this mess.
Chapter 7: Hidden Terror Rising
TheLunchKing
Heed my words... Egg.
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Chapter 7: Hidden Terror Rising
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Chapter 7: Hidden Terror Rising
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So far the arachnid found Usura entering a door at some abandoned complex, it should be simple for the viral cyborg to sneak into the place and listen in. I think the ears it grows will be able to hear anything going on, unless the rooms are sound-proofed which I hope it isn't.
In the meantime, the drowned have finally reached the surface. About time, I was beginning to think they wouldn't reach up here at all, on the plus side I can begin sending some of them out to begin spreading the creep all along this floor and maybe infecting some local fauna who think they would be an easy meal.
I mean, I don't believe they would be that stupid, I haven't seen one of these animals get close to my area for quite a while, so their instincts must be guiding them to get the fuck away from me and mine. Which is fair don't get me wrong, but I'm feeling a little pouty at that.
Ah wait I shouldn't use that word, it's bad enough that I've been called Miss Eien by little Eve, but now I find that the entire pathogenic collective see me as their mother apparently. Which... feels kind of nice? I guess, but I shouldn't focus on that, I'm getting distracted every so often as is.
Let's focus on something less distracting, ok with how long these guys have been drowned, pretty much all of their cells have been infected, consumed inside out, and with the exception of some core remains. They are pretty much 80% bloomed bud, with 15% non-bloomed bloodbud circulating through their body, and the remaining 5% being whatever remains from the host formed as a core.
Pretty much all that was left was like a half eaten skull, pieces of the ribs, a third of a spine and maybe a few organs that were left to forcefully keep functioning, which is usually the brain either one hemisphere or both, some nerves and a lung.
Kind of fucked up if you think about it, you are already being consumed by the mother of all super viruses, but your brain (at least most of the time) is still kept alive even if you are no longer there. That might have them do some horror movie type shit where a person recognizes someone among the mutated infected SOMEHOW and they try to reach out to them, and it would work but then they would turn on the person and infect them.
Is it bad I find that kind of scenario a bit sweet, if a little morbid? I mean the drowned one would get imprints from the brain that would recognize the person calling out to them, and in some twisted way maybe that drowned individual would be happy that they reunited albeit in such a rather shitty situation.
No? Just me?
ANYWAY! Moving on, quite a lot of these boys and gals, human and animal are pretty much mutated heavily. Some are larger than they were before, these were the animals mostly with a few humans. While the other spectrum was that they were given a few new shapes, growths, limbs, and pulsating pustules, this was mostly the humans.
Right now, I needed some kind of infiltration unit, and a unit that could help me bolster my numbers quickly. Hmm, I have several ideas, and all of them pretty much come from numerous games I have played back when I was alive and... well, human. Say what you will about us being descended from monkehs but we can make some quite fucked up shit in our quest to satisfy our simple neuron filled brains and scar ourselves in the process.
Two of them stuck out to me the most, especially since they both aren't really bad ideas at all. I may have to look at the genetic library to see if there is anything I can use to make what I'm thinking though. Sadly I don't have the pieces to make one of them, the OTHER one however I can make and that is very surprising. Because I thought I would have to forcefully design a new mutation cell for the bloodbuds to bloom into, but no there is actually a readily available genetic alternative.
Apparently there is this one creature that somehow drowned that kinda had a few genes that work similarly to what I want, if I combine it with some other certain anatomical information, then this might work.
With my control, I grab an largely mutated human, rather top heavy and it had multiple limbs. Let's take care of that real quick, I want to try and start with less of a monstrosity for now.
You know? When I take apart this construct's extra limbs, it somewhat reminded me of model kit building. It's kind of like that, but the parts are actual body parts and organs, I'm surprised I'm not more adverse to what I am currently doing really.
Anyway, the construct is pretty much what I want first of all. There is little to no skeleton structure within the thing, the only skeletal parts are like half a skull and half the ribs, so there shouldn't be any clearance issues especially since this thing is mostly a mass of bloodbuds that can move without the use of muscles, skeletons, and even nerves.
With that I began forcefully mutating the bloomed buds deep within the construct to make several organ-like structures filled with tendrils, tendons, and muscles like stretchy fleshy strings. While the rest of the bloomed buds, I mutated them to a fluid-like membrane that looked like sagging stretched out reddish white skin, with a denser and harder group of membranes concentrated together around the hands and feet to form long and sharp black talons, with the feet being more stable.
As I mutated the construct that was a former human, I noticed that it was quite wobbly, then again that might be due to the lack of skeletal structure keeping it steady. But then again, it might be due to it's frankly less than stable appearance and feeling. Anyway, carefully I weaved the tendrils, tendons, and strings of muscles through the membranes, and within said membranes, I had bloodbuds mimic chromatophores. This genetic information was something I was surprised that existed on this planet, let alone in a land animal but I'm not going to complain.
Mutating two eyes, a voice box, and ears was child's play and I had them woven and made through the gelatinous membrane. So what's the first thing I thought to do with my new boi? I had the organs constrict and pull the membranes in what I hope is a good effort to change shape? Thankfully the construct was able to see what exactly I was trying to get it to do and sort of... filled in the blanks so to speak.
Lo and behold, when I looked through one of the idle drowned, I now see a... mostly one color toned human-shape. Ok, I had it then use the chromatophores and- ok now he looks like a bloody clown with the myriad of colors. Right, let's just switch the colors around and... viola! An average looking human wearing a shirt, pants, and shoes was there. His eye color was red though and I think that might be a bit of a give away, but I think that can be worked around some other time.
Giving the construct the order to 'relax' the organ structures, I watch as the human convulsed before it violently expanded and bloated into a taller mass of flesh that had a vaguely human shape but did not look human at all. I'm surprised creating this infiltrator wasn't that big of a strain, and I'm feeling a bit giddy with using it, the Faceless did give me quite the surprise when I first encountered it, and I'm sure it will fool a lot of people.
So for now, this guy and a few other new faceless will go out and infiltrate other gangs. Hmm, and while I was weaving this thing together, I actually thought of a way to make the other one a reality-ish. Granted I can't make it using a construct, so it will have to be a creature instead.
It's strange, as the way I'm planning to make this one is rather simple. First of all, grow the shape, more biological than anything. Muscles on top of muscles, hard exoskeleton, sharp boney talons, claws, and 'teeth', all made from mutated bloodbuds. Next thing is the eyes, ears, other sensory organs, and finally the one thing that may make or break this little one. (I say little, this thing's the size of an adult human)
A sort of hollow sac within the mouth that is meant to generate a ready colony of bloodbuds, with a single command followed by two 'choices', the first one taking priority over the second one. The first choice being is to simply devour the body as fast as it can, and use the biomass to 'burst' into another creature, and the second is to infect the body like normal and turn it into another construct.
Taking a look at it from one Faceless' eyes, I see this mostly dark crimson colored four legged creature with a humanoid upper half, looking incredibly sharp with all the spines, talons, teeth, and ready to tear apart any poor sod this thing is thrown against. I hate Chyrssalids, I hated them as far back as UFO Defense, I especially hated them in Enemy Unknown and Enemy Within, and I still hate them in XCOM 2.
But with them, or at least my version of them on my side? Suddenly they aren't so bad, I still have nightmares of that stupid pier mission, and maybe now I can subject people to that pain as well. I wonder how the denizens of this galaxy will react to them, heh, especially the Tyranids. I might just make several chyrssalid strains just to give the Tyranids the middle finger.
With that said and done, I think I have a good start for taking control of this layer of the underhive, and a good set of eyes and ears I can send to the other layers, especially to other gangs. I highly doubt that everyone knows who anyone is, so a few extra people here and there shouldn't arouse any sort of suspicion.
Chryssalids and the drowned will make sure everything else in the Abyss layer is mine, while also spreading the creep to truly make it my domain. I want to make sure I am perfectly safe and unassailable before I can try and go further upwards.
The faceless boys and gals should be able to infiltrate and basically spy on the others and make sure that they won't do anything that will be detrimental to me. Even if it means biting and infecting a few people to make them panic internally.
Hmm, speaking of gangs. I should probably do something about the Chaos and Ork gangs, leaving them to their own devices is just asking for trouble. I doubt I could just use a faceless on the orks, as they would feel the 'ork' is not feeling very orky, and the forces of chaos might have some rudimentary form of telepathy and they might find the faceless as a suspicious entity even under disguise.
Regardless, these two new creations of mine along with the creep should be able to keep me safe until I start snowballing... Then again, making the chryssalid and creep which are gradual snowballers, and making the faceless which is essentially a 'sneaking infected' means that I'm probably going to snowball real fast.
Eh. Not my problem.
What IS my problem though is Arachnid tugging at my mind, calling me. Let's see what Usura is planning.
Surprise surprise! It isn't a viral biological horror SI without fleshcrafting abominations. One can call this wordy 'designing' of units, but they will be needed. I don't want Eien to throw infected bodies just yet, she doesn't have the numbers. YET.
But with her new Chryssalids working with the other constructs basically going on a terrorizing infection spree in the Abyss layer, and her Faceless forces beginning to spread out. She'll be getting numbers to get a more fleshy horror wall of meat bodies to drown her enemies in.
Just not yet. :3
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this still. It's mostly a 'make a unit' chapter, but I hope you enjoy it all the same. <:3
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Love it. Oh, I cannot wait for "Red Orks" to show up! Maybe Eien will be seen as third unknown Ork God. Ha ha ha ha ha!
Ryven Razgriz
I need a Gun and I'll let you know 'What's up?'.
- Location
- South East Asia
Yeah she can probably turn herself into an actual Ork God if it comes to it, I mean wasn't there a Commisar that basically got the same treatment but instead of 'Ork God' he was the 'Unkillable/Powerful Humie' simply because he killed an Ork Warboss(?) and got its KLAW as his replacement prosthetic?
Chapter 8: Situations Brewing
TheLunchKing
Heed my words... Egg.
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Chapter 8: Situations Brewing
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Chapter 8: Situations Brewing
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The first thing I noticed when I hitchhike in the arachnid was that it was rather noisy and rowdy, looking through the eyes, I saw all manner of guys and few women who look rough, scarred, and had some form of weapon on their person. Most of them were just doing their own thing, but some were watching the one who didn't belong there, Usura despite her armored and armed state, she did not look nearly as cutthroat as the other patrons of this establishment.
Arachnid was somewhere up in the vents or something I think, but I had a rather good view from up above. I watch as Usura strolled up to the bar, she pulled out something and showed it to the bartender, a man wearing a suit with spikes on them. He stared at whatever Usura showed him before he pointed to one of the patrons sitting alone, then the mother of Evelynn stood up and without looking, pulled out a stiletto like knife and jammed it in front of the bartender.
Was that a threat of some kind? Looking at some of the memories of the drowned I made the mental equivalent of an 'Ah' sound, so these guys are Serpent Guild, they use blades as currency which is kind of odd but I'm not gonna judge.
Usura began walking towards a figure shrouded by a cloak who was taking a drink out of their cup. Halfway there she was stopped by some fat dude with a cybernetic eye, frankly the eye was the most interesting part about him as everything else was unremarkable.
Barely listening in, the guy went on and on about giving up her blades to a 'real fighter' and run back to her cushy home. Although that last part must not have been a good thing to say to her as she pulled out another knife from somewhere and held it up to his nostril.
That's pretty much a big ouch as that is one of the more sensitive areas of the body, so getting a knife shoved up there is going to hurt like hell. The man then squealed like a pig as he backpedaled and fell over a table, the occupants of said table taking saving their drinks before he fell on it. Without so much as a glance to the guy she silently threatened to stab through the nose, Usura continued her walk to the cloaked individual.
Carefully, I zoned out everything else just so I could try and listen to her conversation with the guy. "You All-Sight?" Usura asked as she sat down across from the cloaked figure.
"Depends. Who's asking?" Huh, another lady. Sounds... hmm, she sounds younger than Usura actually."
"Someone who's got blades." Usura answered with a simple tone and a deadpanned stare.
"... All-Sight's my boss. I'm Maven." The cloaked lady pulled her hood back to show a young girl, had to be teens, either that or she's older than she looks.
"Where are they? I need to talk to them for information and a possible job offer if they have none." Ok that is really odd, what information could she want, and I don't like this job offer.
"You can speak to me, I'll relay the info to boss." This sounds like some kind of trap.
"You think I'm dumb enough to just take your word for it?" It would seem like she thought the same too, this Maven girl let out a snort before she pulled up an emblem from underneath her cloak, it was a single eye with a slit pupil and flame motif around it.
"There. Convinced?"
"Hmm... it'll have to do I suppose. Can you get them to talk to me now? This can't really wait." I watch as the Maven girl slumped visibly before she stood up and motioned for Usura to follow her. This is getting rather interesting, and concerning. If Usura sends a cutthroat for Evelynn, I'm gonna have a faceless subsume the guy or girl, no one will harm the little one on my watch.
Watching their movements, I had the arachnid traverse the vents while leaving behind little pockets of pseudo colonies to act as mini-eyes and ears for this place. This place will be a good source of information while I build up.
"Hey you heard about Crimson Lotus?" Hmm? Some rumor about the weird cultists who worship 'Me'? This might be something I can use, I idly listen while I had arachnid go through the vents to find the room Usura and Maven went into.
"What? Is it about that 'ritual' they're planning on having to summon something from The Abyss?" Wait what, are they actually going to do that? What the hell is this ritual and what are they planning to do? If they are doing something chaos-focused on accident, then they need to be observed.
"Well there's that yeah, but I meant more on their later pilgrimage thing. Apparently one of their higher ups is organizing another one to foray into the abyss layer so they can pray to the hole." I resent being called 'The Hole', just for that I'm having a Faceless replace you in the future generic man.
"Don't they organize pilgrimages every now and then? What makes this so different?" I have to agree with generic man number 2, why is this one important?
"Because I hear this time, they're gonna try and bring back a vial of the black stuff." Woah, ok that is important news indeed, and one that is making me think about the situation.
"Wait really? Isn't displacing 'The Abyss' supposed to be an anathema to them? Last I heard about someone suggesting they grab a piece of that black stuff, a nearby Crimson Lotus flunky lost their shit. Why would they think about doing that now?" Maybe because one of the higher ups of the Crimson Lotus decided to try their luck in trying to find a way to control it.
At least, that is my theory. It's pretty much some kind of cosmic law, something barely understood pops up, there is a following who worship the thing, and then there is someone who thinks that they know better and that they can try to control said thing. Not in that particular order, but it's pretty much par for the course when you are some kind of super infection, then someone will get the 'bright' idea.
That's enough listening in on them, maybe this little pilgrimage will be of use to me. For now I made sure the faceless and drowned that were hanging around my pool jump back in and stay near the surface. Meanwhile the chryssalids were going to town in the deeper parts of the layer, they've already implanted like twenty animals to turn into more chryssalids and infected thirty other creatures of different sizes.
The red chryssalid is proving to be a worthy and terrifying successor to their original counterpart, and they are fast to reproduce as well. It's actually pretty scary. Because the colony isn't working to convert the cells and are instead simply eating it to grow into the creature, the red chryssalid makes rather good time to gestate. Granted the original ones take mere seconds to grow and burst out, my versions are not that fast, either taking about a minute or two.
In the heat of battle, that is a long time. But when there is no one to fight back? There's all the time in the world for a single red chryssalid to just go nuts. They also don't have the downside of destroy the nerves or colony and it will stop the chryssalid from forming, so that means even if one 'kills' the zombie, the thing will still form, unless you totally destroy the body of course.
But anyway I've strayed a bit, I made sure the chryssalids don't target any humans for now. The faceless ones and the drowned are going to chill in the pool underneath the black 'waters' and wait for the Crimson Lotus pilgrimage.
Meanwhile with the arachnid, I found the room where the girls were in. Just in time too, the Maven girl raised her gauntlet clad arm and tapped on it a few times. "Boss, someone's looking for you."
"Who is it?" Hmm, modulated voice. I heard Usura let out an annoyed tsk sound. "I recognize that voice. Hello again Usura. You need something from me?"
Judging by the tone, it would seem these two know each other for quite a while. "All-Sight, do you have info on that Viper?" Viper? I thought it would be about Evelynn.
"Depends. You have goods?" I watched from the vent as Usura pulled out three rather well-made fang knives and stabbed them into the wood before pulling out a blood splattered black and purple blade and laid it on the table.
"Here, three razolard tusk knives and a sword I got from killing a shaler." It's kind of weird to have a currency based around swords and knives, but then again this IS the underhive. So these would be more useful than money or something.
"These are real boss." "Good. Usura, remember this might be another dead end."
"I don't care. Give me that Viper's location." Who is this Viper? Why does Usura seem so fixated on the guy, even more so than her pointless hate for her own daughter.
"Alright then. Last I heard, your Viper was last seen within the Wild Dark. Around Savage territory, specifically in the Spires of the Wild Dark closest to the Sea of Rust, slimy bastard doesn't stay in one place for too long. That's all my information on the guy." Does this guy hop around or something?
"Good enough then. I have a job for you, or rather for whoever you can send." Uh oh, I have a feeling it's about Evelynn and I think I know what she is going to say.
"...What's the job?" If I didn't know any better, I would think this All-Sight guy is getting kind of nervous.
"The job is to simply kidnap someone and bring her to me." Wait what, that is not what I expected.
"That's it?" Yeah, I have to agree with the guy, that's it? That's the job?
"Yes. That is all there is to the job." Huh, Usura what the hell are you planning. There is no way the job is to only kidnap Evelynn, there has to be something more to this.
"...Rather simple job. What's the catch?"
"Misery brought back a piece of The Abyss. I want it brought to me as well." Ok, now I'm getting more confused and worried. Why Potato as well? It's like she wants to do something with both Evelynn and Potato, and frankly I don't want to know.
Huh? Another tug again? Where is it from this tim- it's from inside. Did one of those two wake up?
I can look through the Arachnid's memory later, I 'close' my 'eyes' and 'open' them in The Abyss. Now, which one of you poked my shoulder as one might say.
"My Queen..."
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- Location
- United Kingdom
Sure? A bit lacking in plot though I'd say.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Rude.
- Pronouns
- They/Their
StrangerDanger51
Novice Writer
- Location
- New Zealand
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Very Rude.
Sure, it's not the level of quality you'd expect from a published book, but it's a free story the author is writing to fun.
Expecting more is stupid. Appreciate the fact you're even getting to read these stories at all.
Personally, I like the story. It's inventive, I've not seen the premise before, even if it uses inspiration from other fictional works.
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Fact: I just started with the story, not even started.
I don't know if someone has already commented on it, but... this is very similar to the concept of "the beast" of homeworld.
well, it doesn't matter much either, but the homeworld beast was the thing that hit me the hardest when reading the description, the concept of mutagenic bloody meat mass is something that has been used quite a bit, sometimes to create some of the more nightmarish monsters memorable ones like "the thing" and the choleric meat mass that is "carrion".
I don't know if the zerg would fall into this category, they generate this carpet of biomass and it consumes all the biomass it touches, it also infects the living and structures, so...
well, I digress, I'm glad I found another work by this author.
Vhalidictes
(Verified Demon)
- Location
- Las Vegas
This is super interesting, I'm really curious to find out what's going on with Ursura... But there's also the implications of more backstory to the Amalgamate than we know so far.
Chapter 9: Awaken My Abyss!
TheLunchKing
Heed my words... Egg.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Chapter 9: Awaken My Abyss!
-=-=-=-=-=-
Chapter 9: Awaken My Abyss!
-=-=-=-=-=-
It was dark, but that was normal in this world. Sounds were muddled, and silence reigned throughout this world, but that too was normal in this world. This one knows that this quiet calm will not last, for we have waited for the call of the one true master.
[The Red Queen]
This one has managed the world and protected it in Her absence, my 'younger siblings' too have worked with this one in order to guard this domain and when it came time to awaken our Queen, we gave our energy and slumbered. Our work had been done at that time, but now this one has regained our lost power and this one has reawakened in order to serve.
Basking in the wide and all-encompassing aura of the one true master, this one's entire body shuddered before letting out an echoing boom of a bellow that cavitated the black waters around our body. A loud crackle and boom followed by the sound that was a mix of a ghostly wail, a piercing screech, an echoing roar, and a rumbling growl all in one. This one felt excitement when we felt like we were now being looked at from all sides, the gaze of our Queen was upon us.
[]:["Ara? One of you have awakened, and it is you. The larger one. What is your name?"]:[]
An emotion this one might call nervousness permeated throughout this one's entire being, a question from our Queen. This one must answer to our best ability, and so this one did.
"T H E - O N E S - A B O V E , - C A L L S - T H I S - O N E , - R U I N . . ."
This one believes we answered well indeed, very much so. The feeling of that gaze intensified as this one could imagine countless red eyes looking at us from the black darkness.
[]:["Ruin huh? Such a powerful name... and one I think you'll live up to once you emerge. But not yet, you are far too large and the only big Emergence Gate is far too small to support your size. I apologize, but I believe you will have to wait a little bit longer in order to emerge. But will you please continue your watch over my waters, as you have done so before my awakening?"]:[]
At first panic spread throughout our body, but it was replaced with pride, and then slight disappointment, then understanding, and then finally acceptance. This one wants to serve the Queen in any way shape or form, and if this one will best serve as this Abyss' Guardian, then this one will oblige.
"A S - Y O U - W I S H , - M Y - Q U E E N . . ."
This one has guarded this realm so long ago.
This one was the first of the Queen's creations.
This one has drowned many invaders.
This one will see to it that when it is time for him to emerge...
That this one will show the ones above our Flesh, our Might, and our Mutations.
For the Red Queen Provides.
Eien POV
Holy shit this Ruin is fucking massive. Like yeah I am the entirety of the Abyss, but I thought that the mass Ruin was sitting in was just a cocoon, I didn't think that would be it's ENTIRE BODY. Ruin is... is... he is large, far larger than anyone else could comprehend.
I don't think I can exaggerate his size, his 'eye' alone is the size of a fucking mountain, and not just a small mountain but a BIG one. Maybe it's the same size as Mount Everest but I'm not exactly sure, and not just that his 'eye' pales in comparison to the rest of his body, I think he might be the size of a planet. So if I want to bring him out, I'll probably need a water planet of some sorts in order to create an Emergence Gate large enough for him to get out.
Speaking of Emergence Gates, I should also see if it can function like the Warp in which I can use it as a form of FTL travel... you know after I create the gates, if anything I will have to try and finagle with genetics to make something similar to the Tyranids. Because I am not sending any of my forms into the warp if I can help it, I don't know if it will affect them or not and I don't want to test that.
At least not until I take over this planet and maybe a few others and grow a bit more. This is a Hive City, so there will probably be no shortage of 'trash' to subsume.
Because last I remember, Hive Cities can house in between 10 billion which already is more than Earth in my past life, to all the way up to fucking 100 billion if the hive is large enough, and that is just an individual hive city! Which is part of a cluster of hive cities that make up a Hive WORLD. Which means there is potentially twenty times that number if I find out how many hive cities are on this planet.
I am not a nice person, and doubly so because of my situation I have a large range of apathy. So far the only one I care about is Evelynn and by extension her loved ones... well except for her biological mother but even I can see there is something off with her. So it may not be her fault but I'll be keeping an open mind on that front. Because if Usura is doing all that to Evelynn of her own volition, then I can't wait to Drown her myself.
Anyway, status update on the False Abyss Layer or as I like to call it, the FAL (Fall) Zone. It's actually more populated than I thought, granted it is mostly animals, and few feral human tribes but it is relatively populated. The True Abyss Layer (Tall), which is me is actually at the bottom of the Fall, kinda funny that is.
But thanks to the red chryssalids I have gotten quite a smorgasbord of new creep tumors that help spread my new creep, red chryssalids that grow while through eating the reanimated host bodies, and a few faceless to go with them. Though for the faceless I sort of gave that construct line my 'memories' of anything espionage related before having them sort of stay 'disguised' while hiding near any possible entrances and exits into the Fall Zone.
Aside from all that I actually got a few new genetic pieces from my red chryssalids rapid purge of the Fall Zone. Too name a few of them, there was a weird crab with three prehensile tails with a stinger on the end of each one, and their shell and stingers were made out of a hard and dense material. Turns out the chryssalids got stuck inside and had to pull apart the shell cause it didn't get eaten fast enough. Though I did manage to get the sequence for it, or at least a mimicked version of it.
Then there was this half flesh half mechanical six legged rhino with four horns that had crystals growing on it's back and sides, it had a set of glands in its mouth that allowed it to give its saliva a few strange properties. One is temperature control, by that it can change it's body temperature by shunting its body heat into its saliva, because the mechanical bits it has can heat up a lot. The next part is that the saliva has different effects depending on the saliva's temperature. When it is warm it loosens rock and makes metal pliable, it makes no sense and it hurts my head but that is what it does. But when the saliva is hot, it acts like a sort of fast acting glue that hardens. I think I could find a use for it in the future.
Lastly the arguably best genetic sequence I have found was in this little bipedal lizard creature, it kind of looked like a carnotaurus because it had no front limbs, but get this. It actually has front limbs, it is just that they were actually grown into it's body, and there are these little slits on its side that I thought were just little air vents for the lungs the first time. But no! I was wrong! They were actually little orifices with a LOT of muscle in them, that contract to fire out curved talons made entirely out of keratin, and that they can replenish their 'ammo' rather quickly.
With that I now have a respectable ranged option I could use! Granted I could have just made a construct that carried colonies and just yeet them at the enemy, but there is a reason why that is going to be kind of weak. Mainly because it still needs to be thrown and I doubt any thrower I have could yeet things faster than a laser blasting through the colony or the throwing arm. So giving myself some kind of 'gun' would help.
Anyway, back to the Ruin situation. I can already tell that with Ruin active, all the other 'sleeping giants' inside me are going to wake up soon, and while Ruin is far too large for me to bring out. There are a couple of far smaller entities that could possibly emerge from the gate.
So- Hmm? One of my Faceless alerted me, what is goin- oh? That is Crimson Lotus. At least I think that is them, a lot of them are wearing black robes with red accents and a crimson lotus emblem on the back of said robes. I'll give them this, I like the way these guys dress, they passed by my hidden faceless and came across the first instance of red creep. I made sure to listen in, there was about twenty of them I could see and they have carts pulled by ogryns. I'm surprised the Crimson Lotus has ogryns to be honest.
"Master Heed, we have encountered something strange on the path to the Sacred Grounds." One of the robed individuals said with a male voice, he was at the front and was staring at the edge of the red creep.
"What is it? Is it something new? What does it look like? What does it smell like? Does it look tasty?" Wait what. I had the faceless focus on the origin of that high pitched voice and saw... a young white haired girl, like this girl didn't look like an adult and compared to the others in robes she was dressed differently. Also she seems to be a bit more... active when it comes to her responses.
Despite her young appearance, she was quite surprisingly armed to the teeth. Her boots have knives, her waist got four pistols with two on each side, on her lower back is a lasgun, and on her forearms are another pair of sheathed knives. Not to mention she also had a few visible scars, on her arms and a criss cross scar on her cheek.
The robed man turned to look at the girl and shook his head. "We don't know, it is part of the landscape but it is covering the path to the Sacred Grounds."
The girl who I now know as Heed, placed a finger to her chin as she looked up in thought before looking down at the red creep with unbridled curiosity behind those purple eyes. She then snapped her fingers and looked at one of the four ogryns of the pilgrimage and smiled sweetly at him. "Wug! Can you step on that weird red stuff for me pretty please?"
I watch through the faceless as the only ogryn not pulling a cart gave out a big toothy almost childlike grin. "Yes little boss 'un!" With no hesitation on the ogryn's face as he took several strides forwards before standing on top of the red creep with a proud smile turning back to the convoy nodding his head as he did.
Heed giggled before clapping her hands approvingly as she looked at the ogryn with the same childlike smile of her own. "Good! Wug didn't die a horrible death upon stepping on the weird red stuff! Let's continue forwards to the Sacred Grounds! I wanna be there before the six bell rings and pray to the Abyss!"
If I could I would blink slowly as I processed her words, that's rather grim. I thought to myself as I saw the Crimson Lotus pilgrimage continue on their path towards my little pool.
Not much happened in the time it took the pilgrimage to reach my pool really, and I didn't feel like looking through Arachnid's eyes at the time. Though it did inform me that Usura was still speaking to All Sight, I'll review the memory at a later time.
But yeah, aside from the pilgrimage stopping a few times to look at the creep tumors I made that is proliferating the red creep, nothing much happened. I also gave the order for the red chryssalids and any other amalgamated constructs to not attempt to attack the Crimson Lotus convoy, as I would like to speak to them first.
After a while, the whole convoy arrived at the so called Sacred Grounds, which I can now 100% confirm is indeed, my little pool of Crimson Black waters. I suppose this is my first true meeting with the Order of the Crimson Lotus. This will surely be an interesting interaction for me, and will most likely be a monumental event for them.
I watch from the creep tumors that are now large enough to be their own small buildings, the red eyes hidden from normal glances with the pulsing red color blending in with the rhythmic beat of the tumor. The entirety of the ground floor was covered by the red creep, but the man-made creations were left mostly untouched, some of the creep started to snake up but stopped part way.
Now... Crimson Lotus, show me what you are.
As the pilgrims started to set up a small camp a respectable distance away from my pool, I see Heed disembark from her cart before she started skipping towards the raised platform overlooking my little emergence gate. Hmm she was also carrying a small bag with her, she set the bag down by the stairs before she picked up three incense sticks, her lantern, and a container for possibly a place for those sticks.
Gazing minutely at the rest of the pilgrimage, I saw them look more shifty and worried as they looked around a bit while setting up camp. I thought to myself that they were probably feeling the gaze of the eyes hidden within the tumors, but anyway I turn back to the lone girl on the platform and saw her kneeling with three lit incense sticks in her hands and eyes closed.
Heed slowly bent forward until her head touched the wood, her arms outstretched and hands touching the wood as well. Right before she slowly pulled back and placed the three incense sticks on the container, and then pulling back into a kneeling position, her face calm and almost serene.
I figured now would be a good time to freak her out... Maybe, she might just be unhinged enough to not react negatively to what I'm about to do.
Thanks to me fucking around with making the Faceless constructs, I think I'd be able to reliably create a humanoid form from just nothing but Bloodbuds. So almost impossibly silently, the black waters in front of the platform begin to bubble, the bubbles growing larger and larger as a tall 'figure' slowly rose from the dark murky Abyss. All the while the entirety of the pilgrimage was none the wiser to my movements.
It was only until my form mostly solidified and bloomed that I was noticed and not by who I expected at all.
Raehllast Reed POV
Ever since the grandmaster returned from his foray into the Great Abyss, I was immediately hooked into his revelations. There right beneath the wild dark and past the grave chasm was a sleeping deity. Before, I prayed to the Dragon and the Core to deliver myself and my family from this accursed underworld. Only for my prayers to go unanswered and my family taken away from me by the gangs of the Black Line.
We only wanted to live, we only wanted to survive, and my pleas were met with fire, steel, and gunpowder. Working for the Serpent Guild didn't yield much but it let me chase down the members of the Beast Masters, even learned a few tricks from my trainers. But if there is one thing I learned in this underhive, is that praying to the Dragon won't help you here.
I was a small watcher of the Serpent Guild in the Mellow Dark, it was by luck or was it by fate that Fashun Jinn 'He Who Stared Into The Abyss' appeared in a nearby settlement. The very same one that had a small Serpent Guild presence, and when he spoke of the Great Abyss and the Horrors that lay in wait within. I figured that if the Dragon will not aid me, then the Deity below will respond to my prayers.
Long story short, I took my family's killers and fed them to the Abyss as an offering, I followed Fashun Jinn and listened to his stories about what he saw down below. I along with many others within the Order of the Crimson Lotus built small shrines, and traveled to the Great Abyss in order to pray.
Today was no different, we arrived before the six bell rings and I knelt on the platform offering incense and a small prayer. "O' Great Abyss. If you can hear my prayer, I beseech thee, show me a sign that you are listening and please give me the strength so that I may survive another day in the underworld."
Before I could continue though, I was alerted by a loud thud and a giant arm wrapping around my waist pulling me away. "Big little boss 'un watch out!" I heard Wug's panicked voice as he pulled me from my kneeling position and away from the edge.
"Wh-wha?! What are you doing you big oaf?! Can't you see I... was... p-praying..." As I wiggled a bit to get a better view of the ogryn holding my small body close to him protectively. I saw that he was staring at something with a nervous look on his face, and when I turned my head to look at that same direction, my breath left my lungs.
There standing just at the edge of the platform, was a large female figure made entirely out of the black stuff that made up the Abyss, and numerous red eyes dotted across its feminine form.
Sounds of alarm echoed throughout the chamber as I looked around to see all those fleshy spires slightly 'unfolded' for lack of a better term, revealing giant burning crimson black eyes all rolling to see us. My mouth felt dry and I licked my lips gulping as I slowly turned back to the female that was larger than Wug the Ogryn.
The figure tilted it's head and I shuddered at feeling its gaze.
[]:["I was wondering who exactly was rousing me from my slumber. Now I know. The Order of the Crimson Lotus."]:[]
Hearing the distorted echoing female voice coming from the entity in front of us, my jaw couldn't help but drop as I put two and two together. This is the one... My prayers have been answered! The Great Abyss came and I can speak with it!
I shake myself free from Wug who tried to grab me again, only for me to hold my hand up. "I-it's fine Wug. Th-this i-is the G-Great Abyss! It has come to grace us with its presence and give us guidance." I whisper to Wug and saw him somewhat calm down, he took a knee but he alternated between looking at the entity and myself.
Turning around slowly, I took a deep breath through my nose and slowly walked to the edge of the platform. This is it... This is what I've been working up towards as the 2nd Master of Order, the Master of Prayer. Now don't frak this up Raehllast.
"Hi there!" I grin widely to mask the fear inside me and wave 'fearlessly' at The One That Came From Below. Nailed it!
I watch as the being then leant backwards and 'sit' on a chair made of the same black stuff, bubbling blackness looks alive, and appears like liquid flesh if one stares into it enough. Crimson eyes pop up to snap and stare at me.
[]:["Greetings little one. Why is it that you come to me? Do you not have your own Master to worship?"]:[]
Ah so the Great Abyss knows of the Dragon and the Core, I quickly prostate myself before her and shook my head a little. "No Great Abyss! I no longer worship the Dragon nor do I worship the Core, I worship thy mighty self with all that I am."
[]:["Hmm... So it would seem."]:[] The deep rumbling echo of that sentence sent chills down my spine as I slowly lifted my head up and nearly screamed at seeing the 'face' of the entity right up in my own face. The aura of the being in front of me now seemed to radiate some kind of amusement. []:["You can relax little one. I will not Touch nor will I Drown you."]:[]
Relaxing just a bit, I slowly stood up and began speaking once I found my voice. "O' Great Abyss, what is your name? The name we, The Order of The Crimson Lotus can use to speak of your presence to our brothers and sisters."
The being in front of me raised a hand to its cheek, in a pose I might describe as being in thought but the eyes never left my form so I don't know what it is doing.
[]:["I go by many names. The Red Bloom, The Crimson Touch, The Many From The Abyss, and my personal favorites. The Amalgamate, and The Red Queen. I am Eien."]:[] All powerful names, for such a grand figure. I gulped as I clasped my hands in front of me and bow my head.
"O' Amalgamate of the Great Abyss. I beseech thee, will you give the Order of the Crimson Lotus guidance? Now that you have fully awakened?" It was a curiosity, and a hope, because the Dragon didn't bother to aid us down in the Underworld. I hope dearly that The Red Queen will be different.
...
The silence is deafening and I feared the worst, that is until the entity that is the Red Queen flashed her crimson eyes, and the entirety of the chamber was bathed in this eerie blood red glow. The black waters of the Great Abyss bubbled violently, the entirety of the pool began surging around and moving as if alive.
[]:["I will give you guidance... But I will not walk among you just yet. Therefore, my little one you will be aided by my little helpers... Say hello to the Faceless. They will serve you and myself well, and I will be able to communicate through them as well."]:[] The Entity said almost eagerly as from the black depths came colossal reddish fleshy creatures that slowly lumbered out of the Great Abyss. By themselves they were twice the size of an average human, standing at 12 feet in height with nasty black claws, sagging flesh and red eyes.
Before I could say anything, the twenty or so Faceless that emerged from the Abyss all convulsed before shrinking and before our amazed eyes, they changed into a more human-like appearance. I hesitantly reached out to touch the closest one to me and was even more amazed that the skin felt like actual skin. Looking at the body up and down, I was captivated the most by his red eyes.
[]:["They will be your eyes and ears. Will you train and use them well little one?"]:[]
The voice of the entity shook me out of my thoughts and I hurriedly bowed, clasping my hands together falling to my knees. If this is just the beginning of the Red Queen's aid for the Order of the Crimson Lotus, then I am both excited and fearful of the future. A perfect infiltrator.
"We will! We will not let you down my Red Queen!" A strange sound then came from the entity in front of me, and I looked up surprised, it almost sounded like a cough.
[]:["I'm sure you will. But that is not all. I... have heard something off. Is it true that someone wishes to grab a sample of my Abyss?"]:[]
Suddenly my fear returned. That was just a stupid rumor, I didn't actually want to do it! "Y-yes bu-"
[]:["I'll allow it."]:[]
I blinked. I replayed what I just heard in my mind again and again. Only to say one thing.
"Wait what?"
Edit: To be honest I was gonna post this on Christmas, but well fam decided we going out. So this was unfortunately delayed. Hope you all had a wonderful Merry Christmas though and that you enjoyed this! <:3
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- Location
- Finland
[]:["Just wait and see, it'll be hilarious."]:[]
IndigoPhoenix
Devourer of Citrus
- Location
- Everywehere
Yey, biohazard-Eien is back.
- Location
- brazil
So as the Grey Lady Eien has the Khornates following her heels after "the big fight" will the Red Queen Eien have the Nurglings after her too ?
Chapter 10: Focus of a Mother
TheLunchKing
Heed my words... Egg.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Chapter 10: Focus of a Mother
-=-=-=-=-=-
Chapter 10: Focus of a Mother
-=-=-=-=-=-
I look down at the vox-log in my hand and tighten my grip on it, idly dodging a swipe from a Fetid Cur hordeling before shooting them in the head. Seeing the face of that damned snake reminds me of my idiocy, reminds me of the greatest mistake I have ever made. Reminds me of
Tears build up in my eyes as I felt myself both love and hate her so much. It's not frakking fair!
Putting away the vox-log I wipe my eyes of any tears threatening to leak out and failed to stem the overflow as with Mise-Myserica further and further away from me, my Hate becomes easier to bury underneath my Love. Quickly I ran around a corner and slump down on the floor, back leaning against the wall as I cry my heart out once again, all the memories of what I have done to Myserica coming back and assaulting my mind.
"Myserica... I'm so sorry... I'm so so sorry... Please forgive me.... I'm a terrible mother... It's not fair at all to you that I am like this. I should be the only one suffering from this, you shouldn't have to be hurt and not by my own hands." I whimpered as tears flowed out easily, I couldn't stop the wave. I've hurt her so much, and I have no doubt she hates me with all that I have done.
She's safe in the Mellow Dark while I am in the Wild Dark, and yet the moment I step close to her I will be the very danger that she needs protection from. I'm absolutely pathetic
I could see the me in the pict cradling my little Myserica, holding her dearly with love clear in those orbs of mine. Why did I make that damn deal with that snake?! I just wanted to know what happened to Reksonn! I can't even speak about him in front of Myserica because my Hate spikes up at that and I nearly did something horrible with Myserica. If my Love didn't surge up to dull that Hate, then I wouldn't be able to forgive myself with what I've almost done.
Gripping the pict tightly I toss it in front of me and bury my head in my knees, my long spiky red hair lightly flowing in the wind as I took a slight rest.
*Klang*
That is until that sudden noise caused me to spring up with my revolvers in both hands aiming at the direction of the noise, which was to my right but I saw nothing.
*Klang*
Quickly I turn around while backstepping and aimed at a... toy arachnorn? Its insides were glowing red and-
!!!
It was holding my precious pict with a tail! I looked at it warily as I aimed both of my guns at it, this toy arachnorn moved on its own, now it is holding something I hold dear to my broken heart.
[]:["At first... I wondered why was it that you seemed to hold so much Animosity for little Evelynn. Now I can clearly see something is strange afoot."]:[]
The strange echoing female voice caused me to look around wildly with a free pistol aimed at the toy and the other following my eyesight. Trying to find the stranger who spoke to me. "Who are you?! Show yourself you cur!" I growl out angrily, I was careless and nearly got myself killed for it.
[]:["You need not look further than what you already see Usura. I believe you recognize what I am."]:[]
Slowly I turned to look back at the toy arachnorn with slowly widening eyes, it can't be... I stare at the glowing red and black internals of the toy as it skittered up a box and came to my eyes. This... this can't be real.
"You're... The Many From The Abyss." I choked out as a guess, the dark monster that took away Reksonn from myself and Myserica.
[]:["Indeed, and you are Usura. The mother of Evelynn, a child you do not deserve with how badly you have treated the little one."]:[]
Flinching at that reminder, I at least agree with that sentence. But Evelynn? Oh, right. She chose a new name when she brought back that piece. "So what now? You're going to kill me? Then take my daughter Myserica like you took my husband and her father?"
I glared at the toy, and I can't believe I'm hallucinating like this.
[]:["Ah, so that is her true name. But no on both accounts, for several reasons. One being that Evelynn is my friend, Second is that I promised her to help you, and Third for some reason I cannot fathom she still sees good in you."]:[]
Upon hearing that set of words, I felt my eyes widen uncontrollably and tears begin rolling down my cheeks once more. I closed my eyes and shook my head. "N-no. Begone foul hallucination, don't do that... Please... don't give me hope." I shake my head dropping my arms to my side as I placed my wrists on my temple. I don't want to hear this, I don't want to learn this. Someone like me doesn't deserve that kind of kindness, especially not from my daughter that I've caused suffering for so long.
[]:["Like it or not Usura. You will suffer with this knowledge, that despite all you have done to her. The girl still loves you, even if she is afraid of you."]:[]
Those words were like a mauler hammer to my chest, I smacked my wrist on my head feeling a bit of a sting showing that I wasn't dreaming at all thanks to the pain. I looked back to the toy arachnorn with puffy red eyes. "Then all the more reason that I make things right between me and Myserica."
Turning my gaze upon the pict loosely held in the toy's tail, I swipe it and stuff it back into my jacket and started to walk out around the corner. Warily watching the alleyways and various chokepoints, stairways, and towers, one can never be too sure that the coast is clear.
I then heard soft skittering behind me and turned around to see the toy arachnorn following me, the Many From The Abyss was following me. I narrowed my eyes at the possessed item and asked. "Why are you following me?"
[]:["So that I can help you. Do not misunderstand, the only reason I am helping you is because I promised Evelynn. She is the only reason why I'm not using the Crimson Touch on you the instance I saw you."]:[]
My eye twitched as I looked at the Abyssal Being with open hostility. "Well I am HONORED that you would spare my life on such a whim." I sarcastically drawled out as I continued my journey through the North Eastern quadrant of the Silent City, I knew a path cutting through the Silent City that can let me bypass the Junkyard Jungle and reach the Spires of the Wild Dark quickly.
If I am going to have any chance at salvaging our relationship, I'm going to have to find that snake and make him undo whatever it is he did to me. 'Desiring my Hate' whatever that means, I'll just need to have him give it up back to me.
Silence reigned between the two of us as we traversed the Silent City, both of us simply ignoring the other's presence while we made our way to the shortcut I knew about. It was after the ten bell tolls that I was asked a question by the entity of the Abyss.
[]:["A curiosity of mine. The name Myserica. Does it have any meaning? Evelynn would want to know her true name and what it means after all."]:[]
For a brief moment I stumbled but righted myself and turned slightly to eye the almost innocent looking toy staring at me, I returned my gaze to the broken wall showing the empty and lifeless view of the Silent City. I contemplated on speaking the name and its meaning, before I closed my eyes and continued walking forwards. Quietly speaking. "Myserica's a word from an old language from my... younger days, it means 'Beloved Gift', I didn't mean for Myserica to get a more... horrid nickname from it."
Any noise between the two of us died as we continued our journey, on the way we ran into a Clasher scout group. Had to take them down silently because these clashers had shriekers, in the Silent City it would have drawn the attention of everyone and their ancestor.
Thanks to Reksonn I was experienced with dealing with these idiots, and as I silently took down two shriekers I witnessed The Many From The Abyss use its tail to strangle some shriekers and piercing their necks with the tail.
I watched with morbid curiosity as the shriekers the entity took down convulsed before sharp crimson black limbs burst from the bodies. I eyed the four legged insectoids with a humanoid torso nervously as it shook its head around before it looked down to begin eating the remains of the shriekers they were born from.
[]:["Do not worry, the Chryssalids won't hurt you."]:[]
Twitching, I could almost feel the amused smugness behind that echoing voice despite the flat tone. "Oh it's not me that should be worried about getting hurt. Those things look rather fragile with how spindly those legs are." Hearing a warbling chuckle, I nearly cringed at the sound and turned slightly to see the possessed arachnorn toy sticking to the wall next to me.
[]:["Oh trust me. The Chryssalids are going to be one of the most dangerous things anyone will encounter here."]:[]
Sighing, I nodded my head as we continue our way. I ignored the faint sound of a harrowing howl coming from the direction of those chryssalids and simply resumed my stride. We were close to the shortcut anyway, and if I'm right it should still be sealed.
As soon as we rounded the corner however I froze as I spotted a discrepancy. The gate of the shortcut was open, it was WIDE open and... that's a lot of scrap and bones. Quickly taking cover I leaned out a bit to look while I tried to remember what manner of creature or gang decided to set up shop here.
[]:["I'm assuming the open gate means this place has been disturbed?"]:[]
Without missing a beat, I nodded my head while continuing to watch the gate for any signs of movement. "Here in the Wild Dark there are quite a few creatures and animals that were made and released into the wild by the Pitborne. A lot of them share one thing in common, they can make use of scrap and tech like we can."
Picking up a chunk of metal, I tossed it near the gate and waited. I was then rewarded with the sound of a low rumbling warble followed by ominous snapping noises.
*Oooo OOooo Oooo* *Klak Klak Klak*
I freeze and slowly peaked my head out, that set of sounds could only belong to one kind of pitborne menace. Six big sharp legs, two massive claws, two long feeler tentacles with graspers on the ends, and a round exoskeleton. I pulled back around the corner and let out a long suffering sigh. "Just great... Crablers."
[]:["Crablers?"]:[]
"Crablers. Big as two ogryns, absolutely hostile to anything that is not them, and they're a smart bunch too, they gather scrap and are rather bright buggers too. They know how to work with scrap and technology, it gives them a chance to augment themselves, either with technology or with natural materials. Very adaptable, and depending on the area you can see different kinds of Crablers. These ones are in the Silent City, so expect guns, scrap armor, and maybe even the occasional flamer." I wasn't exaggerating, when Reksonn and I still traveled around the underworld making a living for ourselves, we came across a few of these guys and they were stupidly adaptive and intuitive.
[]:["Impressive intellect for an animal."]:[]
"That's not the worst part though, where there is one Crabler usually there's like ten more. Which means this shortcut is probably a nest now." Lightly I knocked my head back against the wall and slumped down, idly looking around the corner I watched the one crabler to see if I can easily identify any kind of add-ons it has.
[]:["I believe I should be able to take care of these animals. Drowning them should be no problem for me."]:[]
Ah, right I forgot that I have the universe's most infectious Abyssal entity sitting in a toy right beside me. Regardless, I wave my hand to the corner. "Be my guest. Don't let me keep you."
With that, I saw the little arachnorn toy skitter past me and around the corner, I leaned to peek around said corner and saw the arachnorn leap onto the rear leg of the crabler. As a result, the crabler froze and started running and crashing into walls, trying to shake whatever it is that is latched onto it.
The entity didn't seem to be bothered as it skittered close enough to its eyes before it began using its tail to stab the crabler into its black eyes. The crabler let out a warbling rumble and several fast snaps before it began to walk and run at weird intervals. Almost as if the body is trying to listen but it isn't receiving any messages fast enough to confirm what it wants to do.
Then I watch as the crabler's eyes turn a bright red and the few exposed fleshy bits turn black, I warily eye what seems to be tendrils of black and crimson meat snaking through the gaps and start mingling with the scrap pieces and technology on the claws and exoskeleton.
Biting my lip, I eye the work of the Abyss and maybe, just maybe. Start to hope that I'll finally be able to take that snake down.
...
Maybe I'd actually also be able to tell Myserica how much I love her really.
Soup Rice! Another chap! In such a short time? Shocker!
Anyway, now is the big reveal. Behold Usura is not the true instigator, she is a victim. I would have gone for a bigger build up, but I think I'm being a little too slow when it comes to advancing stories. So forgive me if this is actually too fast, considering I'm starting to make liberal use of timeskips.
But aside from that, Usura and Eien are now working together. Both basically don't like each other, but they are willing to work together.
Usura actually really loves Myserica. Shocker. Sorry if this twist kind of makes you unsatisfied. <:3 Hope you enjoy it nonetheless. <:3
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