The Dark Somnium - "I'm a Swat Officer that was called to a Locked Down School"

Episode Date: December 30, 2023

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I've seen a lot of really disturbing stuff throughout my life, but nothing from my past experiences could have stopped my hands from shaking so hard right now. I don't know what is going on at this school in that godforsaken room. I was never the type of guy who got excited for assignments, whether it be hostages, bomb threats, shooters, the adrenaline rush only lasts for so long. The fear kicks in quickly after, only got one life after all. The worst cases are the ones with kids involved. I have a niece who's innocent and carefree beyond comprehension.

My skin crawls thinking about her being exposed to those kinds of situations. Safe to say, I wasn't looking forward to whatever task lay ahead of us when we were called in. When we arrived, there were already six or seven police vehicles parked outside, with a massive crowd of evacuated students standing outside. A lot of them looked a combination of utterly shocked and terrified. like they'd just been chased through a cemetery by a machete-wielding demon. As we entered the building, we were getting caught up to date by one of the police officers, but he was hardly any help.

We don't know what to do. They're in room 203, but we can't go in there. Can't go in there? What do you mean? Dex, our unit leader, asked him. He stumbled out a mostly incoherent response, skin pale and eyes wide as he did so. From his expression, you'd assume that he'd been to hell, or something of a comparable nature. Obviously, we weren't taking this lightly.

We tried getting more information out of him, but he was adamant that he didn't know anything beyond the fact that we couldn't go into the room under any circumstances. We'll figure it out. Dex ended up saying to him, realizing that trying to converse with the guy was getting nowhere, the officer simply nodded his head in response. Not confidently, though. We traversed into the school and up to the second floor, all alert as hell. In the utter silence, the place was rather eerie.

Not that I ever liked school regardless. Once we ascended the stairwell, room 203 was just to our right. It wasn't really what we expected. No blood, no signs of a struggle, just a room. However, it wasn't silent in there. We approached the door cautiously, listening intently to what was going on inside. It sounded like a teacher giving a standard lecture, but obviously that wouldn't have warranted a school-wide evacuation and subsequent police backup. Jensen, another officer, tapped me on the shoulder, pointing to the crack underneath the door.

I didn't see it at first, but a small stream of blood had begun oozing out from underneath. Ah, shit, I thought to myself. Even though I was expecting something like this sooner or later, it was still jarring to see. I wanted to bust down the door right then and there, unleashing a flurry of lead into the perpetrator's skull, but that was obviously impulsive. He might have had hostages, or wired the door to explode upon opening or something of that nature. The police officer's words also stuck to my brain. Sure, he seemed like a maniac, but people don't just become that way through arbitrary means.

He'd definitely seen something bad lurking behind the door, and I wasn't eager to find out what. Still, we had to figure out a plan. I tried listening closer in an attempt to discern what the person was saying. Now, I wasn't sure if they were speaking too quietly or if they were using another language entirely, but I couldn't make out anything explicit. But the more I listened, the more obscure their tone and speech patterns appeared to be. It wasn't like somebody giving a lecture at all. It was more akin to somebody monotonously reciting a series of separate and unrelated passages

in succession. Eventually, Dex stepped up, banging on the door. What's your purpose here? You got any demands? At the moment, we're willing to cooperate. But we can't do that if you don't communicate with us. No response. We tried negotiating for ten minutes, but the speaker paid no attention to us, simply continuing

their obscure diatribe to the audience of presumably captive and horrified students. Forget it. Dex said, frustrated. I hate dealing with crazies. He pulled out a radio and began talking to another unit. Soon enough, two more teams were on their way, one to monitor the windows from the outside, and one to take a position in the room directly under 203. We were trying to consider every possible angle here.

About 15 minutes later, the outside team showed up. Of course, there was nothing much to report on, given the fact that the windows were boarded up from the inside. Still, they had multiple snipers take vantage points. They were more or less there in case things went absolutely belly up. This is some bullshit. Axwell, another officer, said, If they end up never telling us anything, are we just gonna wait here forever?

Like it's my die of natural causes instead. I wasn't going to be the one to say it, but I sure was thinking it. There were no easy solutions for situations like these. Another five minutes elapsed before the ground team showed up, announcing to us over the radio that they were making their way to the room underneath. The radio crackled once again. Hey, Dex? Dex picked it up.

Yeah, something wrong? I don't think we should go inside. What? What the hell are you talking about? He was cut off by something rather charring, a noise, more so the absence of noise. Whoever was inside that room had stopped talking, Dex put the radio down, ready to negotiate once again. You finished? Can we talk now?

Suddenly and wholly unexpectedly, the door opened just a crack. Thankfully, I was on the side closest to the doorknob, which meant I wasn't able to see anything inside. But as for the three officers who did, including Dex, I'm not quite sure what happened to them. I remember feeling a gust of boiling air seeping out and seeing some kind of deep purple glow emanating from within. At a point, I thought I could see Dex's eyes beginning to leak blood. That may have just been my imagination. All I know is that I blinked a few times from the heat, and a few seconds later, two of the officers

were gone, and the door was closed, leaving Jensen by himself, kneeling on the ground while covering both of his eyes with his hands. We tried getting him to talk, but he wouldn't budge. In fact, he wouldn't move an inch from his bizarre position. At that point, I was beginning to panic hard. This evidently wasn't a normal situation at all. Lee was so frustrated, banging on the door and barking out orders as if whatever messed-up entity lurking in that room cared at all about his grievances. And then he made a drastic mistake.

He took his rifle and began breaking the door down with it. He managed to get about halfway through before succumbing to whatever fate Jensen had just before him. I turned around, seeing him also covering his eyes, frozen in the position on the ground. I tried not to look at the purple light flowing out from the holes in the door as I made eye contact with Axwell. We were both ready to get the hell out of there. I took the lead, rushing towards the stairwell, but after two seconds of running, I heard a scream from behind me. Some kind of large, insect-like appendage shrouded in a dark, violet smoke had burst through one of the holes, grabbing him by the waist. I reckon that if I were a single second later, it would have done

the same to me as well. I tried shooting at the thing, but my bullets simply bounced off it. It pulled Axwell in shortly after, demolishing the door with it. The room was completely open now, but I wasn't planning on investigating. Just like that, I was the last man standing. I bolted down the stairwell and threw the first floor hallway, only to find the path to the nearest exit blanketed in the same smoke that was coming off of the appendage. There was no way in hell I was going to try traversing through it.

I picked up my radio attempting to contact the floor unit instead. Where are you guys? What's going on? A shaky voice answered on the other end. You... You better hide. Hide? Why don't we get our asses out of here instead? I'm looking outside of the window right now. Something's happening out there.

Given all the commotion, my mind had automatically filtered out the noise. I concentrated, hearing suppressed screams and sporad. a gunshot emanating from beyond the walls of the school. Oh, come on, I muttered. I did as I was told, stumbling into a stray classroom and barricading the door behind me. The room I'm in now doesn't have any windows, so I can't tell what's going on outside. I've been checking for new updates on my phone, but nothing. I'm also adverse to using my radio to call for help, because it might give my position

away. I don't know what the hell's lurking out there in the hallways, but I can certainly hear something moving around. Not sure how far it is, though. I guess I'll just have to wait here until somebody comes from me. Let me tell you something about myself. I'm not an incredibly smart guy. The fact I've even made it this far is somewhat baffling to me.

I mean, I've got endurance, I guess. Not a terrible shot either. But when it comes to decision-making and thinking before I act, well, there's something to be desired there. While waiting in the classroom, I thought I was hearing someone in here. with me. Of course, I was already on edge, so this pushed me over my limit. I stood still, anticipating absolutely anything. Then I heard it, a sneeze, but my brain didn't register it as a sneeze until afterwards. At the moment, my frenetic mind filtered it through as a threat.

It'd come from a closet in the corner of the room. So, like the jumpy idiot I was, I fired off a reactionary shot, busting a hole in the wooden frame. Yo, relax! Whoever was inside shouted. They kicked the door open, hands up in a don't shoot position. It was a kid, maybe around 15. Oh, thank God. He exclaimed upon seeing me.

The cops are here. First of all, I'm not a cop, I responded. Second of all, get ready to run. We've made too much noise here. The kid was confused at first, but it didn't take long for him to realize what I'd meant. I could hear whatever atrocity, that had been lurking in the halls, now standing right outside, with nothing but a wooden slab separating us.

I raised my rifle as I simultaneously busted down the door. It was an inexplicable entity. I'd always pictured what I believe demons or aliens or what other extra-dimensional creatures would look like in my head. An understanding cultivated through exposure to movies and video games. Still, seeing something like that existing right in front of your face was enough to make idea of staying sedentary in a room cut off from the rest of the world for the rest of your life, not so bad. I can't think of any pre-existing creature on Earth to compare this thing to,

so I'll just try describing it. A mass of pulsating, fleshy blue spheres joined together atop a mechanical, arthropod-esque body, with two bulky robotic arms ending in large claws. Surely some experiment gone horribly awry. Not sure why it was here, though. The kid behind me got a glimpse of it as well, rendering him utterly speechless. The robot centipede creature lurched forward, managing to slash open my protective vest like it was butter. Fortunately, the creature was also a glass cannon. I emptied about half my magazine into its bulbous head, bursting open each one of its spheres. It retracted erratically, swinging wildly and undulating its body, destroying the room in the process.

I'm pretty sure that I'd blinded it or something. Come on, kid! I shouted at him. We ran out of the room as the creature continued its destruction. There were a ton of questions swirling around in my head, of course, the main one being where the hell we were heading next. I took up my radio and asked the officer on the other end if things had settled down outside. No response.

But from what I could hear, it sure as hell didn't sound like it. Where are we going? The kid asked. Beats me, I thought to myself. What are you still doing here? I asked him instead. Well, I was in the bathroom when it happened. Okay, still doesn't explain why he didn't evacuate with the rest of them.

Look, I was watching YouTube in there with my headphones in, and I didn't hear anything, right? When I came out, everybody was gone. And I was hearing weird shit coming from near the entrance, so I found a place in hid. It happens, you know? Does it really, I thought. But I wasn't going to bother lecturing the kid about it, not the right time or place. Also, I hardly cared. if I'm being honest.

At the moment, we were stuck between a rock and a hard place. Inexplicable, unknown events were transpiring outside, while some kind of creature-feature ritual fest was going on inside. I reckoned that we simply needed to find another place to hide until everything blew over. If it was going to blow over at all. I did have my silent reservations about it. I didn't want to admit it either, but the kid being there made things so much more complicated for me.

Yeah, yeah, not very heroic, I know. We turned a corner, almost running into somebody in the process. I had a mini heart attack as I began raising my rifle again, only to realize that it was another officer. I stopped in an attempt to talk to him, but the guy just ran right past us, with a near catatonic-like expression on his face. Of course, that could only mean one thing. Something was chasing him.

Regudgingly, I took a quick peek down the corridor he'd come from, seeing us seven foot tall, impossibly muscular humanoid covered in purple flames slowly walking towards us. The ground began to crackle with each one of its steps. Where the hell are you going? You're just getting a preview of the new empire. Jesus Christ! I didn't let the kid finish a statement, dragging him away and pushing in front of me as I ran.

As we navigated through the halls, I was beginning to hear a chorus of voices from the floor above. They sounded like kids, but obviously not the regular kind, more so ones that had been transformed through the means of otherworldly rituals. Truth be told, I was actually planning on quitting the force sooner or later. I had fun saved and a solid plan to go with it. I never wanted to be a career officer, but I just couldn't pull the trigger and look where that reluctance got me, right in the middle of who the hell knows what. Eventually, we found ourselves in another classroom.

again barricading the door behind us. This one had windows, so I immediately ran over, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on outside. But I couldn't understand what I was seeing. It was pitch black. I checked the time. It was only 4.30 p.m. I presumed that the windows had been covered up, but the idea was quickly discarded when, through an apparent haze outside, a hand pressed up on the glass, a hand with a bloodshot eye at the center of the palm. It pressed harder, causing a web of cracks to form. At that moment, it seemed like there was nowhere safe to go, nowhere to hide. I dragged the kid out of the room once again, only to find the colossal fireman waiting for us there.

He was grabbing the officer that had been running away earlier by the neck, choking the life out of him. I emptied the rest of my bullets into the blazing monstrosity, causing said monstrosity to flinch only slightly. He chuckled, low and throaty, as he dropped the officer's life. lifeless body to the ground. Guns are something, aren't they? A shitty remnant of an old world. He stepped forward, throwing a punch directly at me. Despite using both my forearms in a cross-guard position to block,

the impact still sent me flying into the lockers, rattling my bones and singeing my uniform along with the skin underneath. The kid screamed, darting away from the scene. A good decision at the moment, but at the same time, well, he was pretty much screwed. I wasn't in much of a better position myself, trying to find my feet after being staggered by a single punch. The fireman continued to approach me, eyes fanatic with a grin that was beyond deranged

as the flames roared across his body. I was still trying to pull myself together as he got within a few meters of me. But then, almost out of nowhere, his head was cranked to the side by a swift, blurry fist, sending him reeling. I looked over to the adjacent corridor, seeing a brawny figure wearing a suit of black body armor and a skull-like mask. He stood there, fist outstretched, with small purple embers resting atop knuckles from the impact. Hey there.

He said through the holes in his mask. I'm the backup. Did this guy just say backup? It was a bizarre thing to consider, since I thought we were supposed to be the backup. But then again, stranger things have happened. In fact, stranger things were actively happening. Backup? What backup?

He ignored my question, putting his attention back on the fireman instead. Not that I minded that decision, to be fair. The fireman jolted back up, releasing a vortex of flames that nearly singed my eyebrows off. The new world will have no place for fodder like you. This is... He was interrupted by another bulky fist being drilled into his jaw, rendering him immediately unconscious. The backup nonchalantly shook the flames off his hand, dusting stray embers from his clothes in the process. Weird how the cool-looking ones usually end up being weak.

Seemed like a level-3 threat at least. Level three what? What is this? Who are you? I launched a series of feverish questions, Adam. Hmm. If I tell you, I'm going to have to brainwipe you. The response froze me for a second, and then he burst out laughing.

No, I'm kidding. I wouldn't be the one to do it. The suits would. What? So who are you? I'm Cass. U.S. military.

Holy Soldier Division, class two. What the hell did you even just say? I responded, utterly baffled. I wouldn't expect you to know about it. They brainwip everyone who does, after all. Okay. I said, trying to compose myself. So what's going on here?

Your guess is as good as mine, buddy. They call me up for these weird missions all the time. They've labeled them unique situations requiring divine intervention. Divine, holy... What's all this shit about? As I finished the question, a writhing purple pinnacle broke through the roof, dripping a caustic liquid that dissolved the floor beneath. Ooh, uh, that looks like a level six.

He turned back to face me. You can stay and find out. I wouldn't recommend that. It might get a bit hectic. I didn't take his advice at first. His advice at first, thinking that I'd die instantly if I tried going off by myself, I stayed and watched as the tentacle descended further, furiously wrapping itself around Kaz's torso. But instead of being dissolved, he began attempting to rip the appendage apart with his own bare hands.

During the scuffle, a small drop of liquid found its way onto my arm. It stung like hell as it seeped into my tissue, feeling like a boiling needle being drilled into your skin. As soon as that happened, I was out of there. But, of course, I still had no idea where I was going. I could hear even more commotion going on outside, including some kind of booming robotic voice, followed by the sounds of rocket launchers. Eventually, I found what I believed to be another officer, standing at the end of the hallway

with his back turn to me. Hey! I called out, half whispering, hoping to draw zero attention. When he didn't turn around, I began walking towards him. About three steps in, the rational part of my brain began pulsating. causing me to stop and consider my situation. Yeah, there's no way this guy's going to be normal, I thought. My conjecture was proven right when he turned around,

revealing a mangled face resembling the rough design of a conventional jackal-lantern. He was also holding a glowing purple knife. The former cop let out a giggle so painfully unnatural to the point where it felt like fingers were running down my back. But I quickly realized that it wasn't the laugh that spurred that odd sensation. Somebody was literally touching my back. I whipped my head around, seeing a tall, pale man dressed in a charcoal black suit with violet, swirling cyclones for eyes. Do you understand now?

Do you sense your ultimate duty? He said to me, smiling like a lunatic. You too could be a poet of the new world as one of my messengers. Uh, messengers for what? I asked, trying to stall for time as I inch towards. an adjacent hallway to run down. For me, of course. The prophet.

The new Messiah. Oh, you know, I don't know. I stammered out, trying to avoid his hair-raising glare. Or I could just send you to hell right now. So turn into a demonic jackal lantern or die. Both fantastic options, really. Luckily for me, a familiar figure staggered into view a few moments later. It was Kaz, looking like he'd been through a meekron.

She's, that was tough. He said, breathing heavy, he bent over for a moment before looking up at the pale man. Oh, shit, this asshole again. He muttered, the pale man's face devolved into an explicitly malicious grimace upon seeing Cass. A heretic calling himself holy. You dissidents should have killed me when you had the chance. Nobody's calling themselves holy, the last time. That's just the title they gave me.

me, you idiot. The pale man let out an ominous chuckle before levitating. Do not take my name in vain, Heretic. Kaz looked over at me. Hey, buddy, you better get out of here. I'm only going to be able to keep him occupied for a few minutes. This asshole is a level 10. I still had no idea what that meant, but it sure as hell didn't sound good. In any case, I ran from the situation as the two clashed behind me. As much as I hated the situation, I hated my weakness even more.

Despite my growing resentment for the job, one thing that kept me going was the general perception of the SWAT as some badass protectors of the public. But I hadn't saved anybody since entering the school. In fact, the kid, God damn it, the kid, I was going to let him die here, wasn't I? Not that I could do much, though. I wasn't so safe myself, being chased by the blade-wielding officer. But what did I spend all those years training for? I'd been in life or death situations before, but did I run?

Hell no. So why was I running now, just because paranormal factors were being thrown into the mix? I laughed at myself, reflecting on my cowardice. I stopped running and drew my own knife. Time to deal with this myself, I thought. Time to become what the public thinks of me. I stepped forward as the demon officer rushed me. I managed to dodge his first swing, giving me an explosion and confidence.

I capitalized on the adrenaline rush, slamming my knife into the back of his head. But then the knife shattered upon impact, and my heart subsequently dropped. The officer turned around, flinging me about 20 meters back. My whole body was stinging as I pushed myself back up. Yeah, never mind. Screw it. I was still trying to find my balance as the other officer continued striding toward me. Like I've said before, near-death experiences were hardly alien to me, But in every previous situation, my life still felt like it was in my own hands, as if I had

at least a marginal degree of control over my fate. But at that moment, the prospect of death felt imminent. And it was the scariest moment of my life. As the distance between us continued closing, I spotted two figures turning the corner at the other end of the hall. I thought they were just more creatures at first, but then I realized they weren't moving like creatures, and they sure didn't look the part either. I picked up my pace, quickly stumbling to a stop right in front of them.

It was a man and woman, both appearing to be in their mid-20s. The man was tall and built, sporting what appeared to be a mechanical exoskeleton over a tank top and cargo pants, while the woman was of a more slender physique, wearing a thick jacket and tight black shorts. She also had a pair of large robotic goggles around her head. Whoa there. The man said. You all right? Out of breath, I replied mostly incoherently, simply pointing at the officer over my shoulder.

The woman's expression remained stagnant as she drew a ridiculously large pistol from her jacket, firing off a round that caused my ears to ring for around half a minute. But when I turned around, the officer's entire upper body had been obliterated. Well, that'll do it. Now, maybe you can help us out and we'll call it even. You see, we're looking for a dickhead named Trent Raisin. He also calls himself the Messiah or something. He's got a big bounty on his head that we'd really like to grab before anybody else does.

Now, have you seen him around? I had a decision to make here. I could have lied to the bounty hunters, claiming that I had no idea where Trent was in order to avoid whatever hellish clash they would have engaged in. But at the same time, I was thinking that they'd actually be able to take them out, which would have meant at least one huge problem being solved. Also, it was pretty obvious that hiding by myself would only be a temporary reprieve. Something would find and kill me eventually.

There was obviously no chance of me defeating the Messiah by myself, but the bounty hunters, well, I was hopeful. With that in mind, I began retracing my steps, leading the two towards the corridor where Trent and Kaz were about to throw down, hoping that the latter had at least managed to weaken the former. However, as soon as we turned our first corner, we came across five middle school-aged kids. They all had a faint, dark, purple smoke rising from their bodies with blacked-ow eyes and fang-like teeth.

I suppose the assumption could be made that they might have been possessed. What made it even more complicated was the fact that they were kids. Could we really just kill them? All right, let's think of a way to incapacitate and restrain them. I acted first, attempting to grab one of the kids. and put them in a chokehold. Like I said, I'm not the smartest guy. As soon as I got close, the kid grabbed me by the arm and swung me into the lockers with

beast-like strength. The bounty hunters simply laughed in response. After wiping an amused tear from his eye, the man stepped forward, drawing an extremely large blade from his exoskeleton. He rushed forward at a dizzying speed, slicing each of their heads off in immediate succession. All right. He said, completely unfazed by what he'd just done. Let's go.

What did you? I began stammering out. They were kids. We could have... Could have what? The woman said, stepping by me. Got in your ass ripped apart by them? Don't tell me you were thinking they could be changed back.

It really doesn't work like that. I stood there for a second, horrified by their blatant cruelty. But the realization quickly dawned on me. What else could we have done? It wasn't so much that I was disturbed by what they'd done. That part seemed inevitable. It was more the attitude they displayed whilst doing it. Well, you're coming at what?

We'll ditch you right here if you don't move. I forced myself to get over it, under the reasoning that I was going to forget that any of this had happened. Well, I tried to forget. The idea of a brain wipe was sounding pretty good at that moment. When we got to the corridor where I'd seen Trent last, it was empty, no bodies even, just a lot of bloodstains on the ground. As we were about to head off to keep searching, a voice called out from behind us.

What's going on over here? It was deep and gravely in a tone that was both reserved and implicitly aggressive. We turned around, seeing an older man, maybe mid-forties, clad in dark green tactical gear. His hair was cut short and one of his eyes had a gnarly scar running through it. He chewed on his cigar, seemingly analyzing the three of us. Are you my targets? He asked, probably not expecting an answer. The male hunter shook his head.

I don't think so. Who the hell are you? Calhoun. Class one, holy soldier. Another one? I thought to myself. Let's see. I'm sensing no power coming from him.

He said, pointing towards me. You too. What's your business here? He gestured toward the hunters. Our business? Nothing to do with you. Calhoun sneered before dropping his cigar and stomping on it. You're impeding official U.S. military business.

I fucking hate bounty hunters. Get a real job. The male hunter sneered back as he stepped forward. What? Like yours? You a real saint, you simver and puppet. Calhoun's lips curled into a really unpleasant smirk. Good.

Throw the first punch. Makes it ever better for me. And then, before I could say anything at all, they were fighting. Each of their swings and kicks were devastating, shattering the ground and busting open metal lockers with each missed strike. It truly was a clash between Titans, and it was infuriating to watch, given this situation. What the hell are you guys doing? I called out. Can't this wait?

I turned to the female hunter, expecting her to be some voice of reason. But of course, she was also insane, watching the fight with a huge smile clustered onto her face. Oh, God. Was all I could mutter out. While the fight had started off pretty even, Calhoun was quickly gaining the upper hand. He stopped one of the male hunter's slashes by grabbing the blade. You don't have any experience, do you, boy? He said, before snapping it off and plunging it into one of the hunter's eyes.

Despite the grievous injury, the hunter simply let out an exasperated grunt and persisted forward. He began swinging his naked fists, managing to connect a few times with Calhoun's ribs, but the holy soldier hardly seemed defected, grabbing the hunter by the head and drilling his knee upward, shattering the jaw. Calhoun finished him off by pulling out an extremely sought-off shotgun and blasting the hunter's torso to hell. I could only watch an abject shock as the inexplicable scene unfolded in front of me. But I'd be lying if I didn't admit to being somewhat astonished by the whole thing. I was nearly in a state of morbid awe. I looked at the female hunter, expecting her to be absolutely fuming.

Instead, she just sighed, before drawing her own gun and immediately blasting a shot at Calhoun. Point blank, I thought, I looked up, seeing Calhoun with his fist outstretched, the veins on his hands pulsating. He opened his hand, dropping a massive, bloody bullet to the ground. Ah, shit. Not hard. The woman rehostered a weapon, appearing to be somewhat worried. All right, you old bastard.

She removed her goggles, revealing a pair of large, bright red eyes underneath. She grunted, before releasing what could only be described as a beam of optic energy. The blast ripped through everything in its path as she followed Calhoun with it. At a point, it was inches away from cutting me in half had I not jumped, but no dice for her. The guy was just too fast on top of his overwhelming strength. He evaded her blast with ease before he rushed forward, decapitating her with one chop to the neck. Her head went flying before landing at my feet. It was a sight that caused me to gag.

I've seen my fair share of rough stuff, but the state I'm located in is one of the safest in America. Maybe if I was based in a rougher place, my resolve was. have been higher, but that just wasn't the case here. Calhoun turned to me, wiping blood from his hands. "'Swat, huh? I can respect it. You're still getting brainwiped after everything's said and done, though.' I opened my mouth, searching for a response, but there just wasn't anything I could force myself

to say. "'Cans yourself lucky,' he said in response to my apparent apprehension. "'It'd be easier for me to kill you on the spot. I'm letting you live out of the kindness of my heart." That seemed like faulty logic, I thought to myself, but whatever. There was obviously no use arguing with the guy. What the hell's going on outside? Is it safe? Obviously, I wasn't terribly excited at the prospect of some state-ordained brain-wiping

procedure, but at the moment I was just trying to survive. I began following Calhoun as he began traversing the corridors. Where are we going? Looking for the Messiah. Once I get rid of him, we can go home. It was something that seemed far easier said than done, but I really had no other option than to follow the guy. He seemed strong enough, after all. He was shouting up a storm as we walked through the halls in an attempt to provoke Trent to come out.

It was something that made the Harris on the back of my neck stand up. We went drawing too much attention, although it didn't see. seemed to matter much, since Calhoun either punched or shot a hole through any creature that attacked us. After a few minutes of this, somebody took the bait and met us in the hallway. But it wasn't Trent. It was a tall, wiry man, with the dark, slick-back hair, wearing a leather jacket and tight jeans.

What now? I thought to myself. Another government guy, more bounty hunters? You're causing quite a ruckus out here. The man said, walking towards us. Looking for somebody? Yeah. Don't think it's you, though. I can tell that you're no stronger than this guy. Gestering towards me.

Cool ability. I can tell you're pretty strong as well. Calhoun scowled, already annoyed at the conversation. Where's Trent? You another one of his lackeys? I thought he only recruited the strong. Can't imagine he'd choose fodder like you. Yeah. Can't imagine it either. As soon as he finished the statement, thick black veins began to bulge out of his neck. He stuck his arm out to one side, and before I could blink, it morphed into a terrifyingly familiar

sight. It was the same insect-like appendage that it grabbed Axwell earlier. I could see Calhoun's eyes beginning to widen up upon realizing his misjudgment. He took a fighting stance, rushing the man faster and more furiously than he did the female hunter. The man swung at him, but Calhoun was swift enough to dodge the strike, managing to punch a hole through the man's torso. But instead of reeling in pain, the man simply continued grinning. Tough guy, huh? Good for you. Still, with a gaping hole in his stomach, the man extended his other arm, transforming it into some kind of massive, fleshy, vainy axe. He swung it forward,

managing to slice a portion of Calhoun's forearm off. He barely managed to dodge what would have been a fatal blow. Come on. Don't force my hand here. As he said this, I could see the hole in his stomach beginning to regenerate. It was a messed-up sight, to say the least, but it didn't end there. The man's legs seemed to revert back into his torso, with a collection of long, arachnid-esque legs quickly popping out in their place. This feels as gross as it looks, you know? At this point, he'd become far faster than Calhoun. He crawled onto the walls and ceiling, before splitting Calhoun's head down the middle with

his hand axe. When he landed back on the floor, he'd return to his normal human self once again. And then he turned to face me. Look at that. My jacket's ruined. I was running before he'd finished his sentence. However, he didn't seem to be putting much effort into the chase, whistling as he marched behind me, sustaining a moderate pace at best. I ran like hell for around ten minutes, evading straight creatures in the process.

At a point, I found an empty computer lab and barricaded myself in there. It didn't take long for the man to find me, though. But for whatever reason, he didn't barge in a medium. Instead, he's talking to me through the door, telling me that no matter what I do, I'm going to be transformed into one of Trent's messengers, that he has a quota to fill. But then, shortly after that, he broke in. Final stage of grief is acceptance. The obscure man was approaching me with a calm demeanor, which made him even more frightening.

Can't we skip the other four? There's only two outcomes for you here. I didn't respond, causing him to sigh. It was less of an attempt at defiance and more to do with me being at a loss for words. Okay. How about I introduce myself? Get us acquainted. I'm Shen. You? Uh, Pete. Okay, Pete. Believe me when I tell you there will not be another chance like this for you. Right now, Trent's in a good mood. But once he finishes converting the rest of schoolchildren

into cannon fodder for his army, he's gonna go on a fucking walking rampage. At that point, it'll be too late for you. He's not entirely there in the head, so you can't really try reasoning with him, you know? Besides, I'm trying to get on his good side by converting competent soldiers. If you're trying to recruit people, then why'd you kill Axwell? I asked him, feeling a momentary hint of anger amongst my general shock. He shook his head. Who? Look, if I killed one of your kids, cop buddies, then boo-hoo. Like I'd even give a semblance of a fuck. I'm only after the strong

anyway. I scoffed. Well, I don't know what the hell you want with me then. You should have tried recruiting the guy he just killed. He seemed strong. Shen stood up, letting out a sigh. Sure, that meat had had a decent physical strength. But look where that got him. I chopped his head like a melon, and look at you. You're still alive. You could do the same to me. How am I different? Listen, you dense fucker. It's true that I could kill you right now, but I'm choosing not to. Fuck what you think being strong means. The stuff you've been fed by Hollywood and the media and shit, that's all nonsense.

The strong are the ones that end up surviving. Self-preservation is the only thing that matters. If you can punch hole through buildings but end up getting taken up by a bigger fish right after, how are you anything but weak? He slammed his hand down on my shoulder and what I assumed was supposed to be an encouraging pat. However, I could feel it dislocate from the impact. You're still alive, huh? Have some confidence in yourself.

I reeled from the pain, causing Shen to chuckle. I can't lie, though. You normal humans sure are fragile. He put his hand back on my shoulder, softer this time, and I could feel my bones shifting back into place. With my pain being alleviated at the same time, I was stunned. Hardly comprehending what had just happened. What the hell did you just do? Not only does my own body regenerate, I can heal others as well.

I'm basically Jesus, aren't I? Maybe I should call myself the Messiah instead. Is there a difference between the two? I don't know, but don't get too excited. I stand by what I said earlier. There's only two options for you. Either you willingly undergo the transformation right now, or I beat you down until you do.

Do? What do you... Before I could finish my question, he stomped down, effortlessly crushing my kneecap. I always thought I had a decent enough pain tolerance, but I could have never prepared for something like this. Enough? You want to come with me now? But despite the excruciating, overwhelming pain, I didn't concede.

For whatever esoteric reason, my mind was stubborn, barring me from giving in. Maybe I really just hated the idea of turning into some demon creature, or maybe it was something else, another driving force I couldn't explicitly identify. Well, shit. One leg is usually all it takes. But don't you think I'm going to heal you and let you go like that, eh? Why are you following that guy? I asked him through the pain, hoping to stall him more than anything else.

You really think that guy is some savior? Shen chuckled. I'm not a fucking idiot. Of course not. Trent's just an overpowered lunatic. Unlike him, I'm not some clown-teared cart-eared. tune villain. I'm just rational. But right now, I stand zeroed chance if I were to take him on. If you can't beat them, then join them until you can beat them. What's his goal? What's he

been trying to do? Hmm. Well, what happens when a really psychotic guy gains godlike powers through an arcane ritual with roots dating back to the inception of mankind? One that involved killing over 250 people. Each in an extremely obscure manner. over the course of 15 years. As you can see, shit hits the fan, and the rest of us end up scrambling. He squatted down, getting eye-level with me. I told you, didn't I? When the storm hits, the strong always find a way to survive.

It's a simple rule. Do you understand? He smiled when I refused to respond. Let's just see how long this tenacity lasts. One of his arms abruptly transform into a slimy, xenomorph-like. mouth with rows upon rows of jagged teeth. Now this is going to hurt, a lot, but all you need to say is a few words to make it all stop.

I can only remember the following half hour as a bloody blur. The pain was followed by moments of fleeting numbness, only to return with even more intensity. Shen must have dealt me fifty fatal blows, only to heal them up and repeat the process right after. He'd slice me in half at the torso, stomp on my ribs, crush my lips. Rush my legs, etc. At one point, I lost consciousness after choking on my own blood, only to be awakened seconds later with my jaw dislocated. What's the principle behind this persistence?

You got a chip on your shoulder or something? I could only wheeze in response. Despite getting dangerously close to my breaking point, I was operating under the logic that there was no point giving in if I'd already pushed so far. Live on your feet or just die. My old man's words popped into my head. He'd always been a kind of asshole, but at the moment I clung on to the advice. The whole situation was ridiculous.

The torture was simply an attempt to get me to convert, and I couldn't fathom why the guy seemed so hung up on it. But the further he went, the more my mind was beginning to adapt. The pain was nearly impossible to endure for the first few minutes. After ten minutes, it was only somewhat excruciating. After twenty, I was beginning to get used to it. 30, I was laughing. It was as if a switch had flipped in my brain.

Maybe he really had driven me to some transitory state of madness. My rationality had faded, with the torture session suddenly seeming utterly absurd as opposed to anything else. Even Shen seemed surprised at my reaction. Oh, come on. This is getting frustrating. Did I mess up your brain? I made sure not to touch it.

He furrowed his brow. Or is this just your inner willpower manifesting? Maybe you've got some shit going on that I'm not aware of. His arms reverted back to their normal form from the flesh saws he'd been using to hack me up with. Despite him fully healing me up, the pain still lingered throughout my entire body. Either way, this isn't going to work. He stretches his arms out before fixing his blood-stained collar. My blood, mind you.

Guess I'll just have to let you go. Those words were enough to sap me back into reality. In my excitement, I tried to stop myself from saying something stupid that, might change his mind. But, like I said, I'm an idiot. Yeah, good. I stammered out. He gave me a confused squint before explaining his decision. The transformation likely wouldn't have worked on you regardless. You could say I was testing you out there. Those with strong enough wills end up resisting it. No point in trying to convert somebody who can't be converted. Can't say you haven't earned my respect, though. Guess I'll leave it like this. He turned and began head. He turned and began

heading towards the door. Shit's still crazy out there. Let's see if you can survive this. He grinned at me once more. If you managed to make it out here alive, I might just have to admit you're stronger than me. Also, don't tell Trent that I let you go, if you see him, of course.

And with that, he was gone, leaving me with a faint stinging sensation throughout my body. What a goddamn weirdo, I thought to myself. But I was still alive, now more determined than ever. to keep it that way. I stayed put until my senses had stabilized, only leaving when a vainy eye stalk burst through the ground in front of me. Chen was right. It was still as dangerous as ever.

I traversed through the area, avoiding any potential conflicts until I came across somebody familiar in one of the corridors, a large man wearing heavily damaged armor and a skull mask. Kaz? I called out to him. The bulky figure turned around. Oh, it's you. What happened? Your clothes are all torn up. Yeah, we need to get out of here. Kaz nodded, seemingly clutching his chest in pain.

Couldn't agree more. What happened to you? I asked, approaching him. Did you beat Trent? He shook his head. Not even close. He ripped out one of my hearts a few seconds after you left. Oh, that sucks.

And then I thought about what he'd say. dead. Wait, one of them. He nodded. I'll be fine. I had four. Now I just got three. I just pretended to play dead.

I nodded, not really needing or wanting a further explanation. I already called it in. We can't deal with this guy. Nobody in our division can. Except for one. They're sending in the big gun. And who's that? Kaz let out a big exhale.

Judas. The tone in his voice as he said it was. was rather alarming, almost as if he were naming the devil himself. So this Judas guy, he's going to come and fix all this? Well, he'll probably be able to kill Trent. The problem is he'll kill everybody else in the process. He's like a somewhat sentient natural disaster. Any place he gets assigned to usually ends up getting wiped off the face of the earth.

In fact, there's a good chance that every single person in this town will die if the fight lasts long enough. The cover-up process gets complicated afterwards. But I'm not the dust guy. But, yeah, you could say that he's quite the nuisance. That's why we got to get the hell out of here before he shows up. I used to have six hearts, you know, but then I got caught up in the aftermath of one of his little outings. The cast started walking, and I followed. Well, if this guy's so volatile, then why does the government let him out?

Obviously, for situations like this, they're willing to sacrifice a smaller town as opposed to nuking the whole place or something. And honestly, I'm willing to bet that Trent could survive a nuke. He'll probably eventually wipe out a good portion of the earth if we don't kill him now. Let's call Judas a necessary disaster. Jesus. Also, the government has no way of controlling him regardless. At the moment, they've managed to brainwash him into excessive. accepting and embracing good old American ideals.

But I reckon he could change his mind and snap at any moment. And then, well, we're all done for. Better to get on his good side while we can. So what the hell is this guy then? Who knows? Nobody but the top echelon of officials with the highest clearance have any info about him. Kind of scary when you think about it. No, I'd never been a conspiracy theory buff,

but I did my fair share of research into the matter. But even then, I never could have imagined something like this. After about five minutes of walking, Kaz said he needed to rest for a bit, given his injuries. We've taken refuge in another classroom ever since. There's a rotting corpse in here, but every other room we've come across had been occupied by something far worse. Right now, we're trying to figure something out, a plan, so to speak. Kaz estimates that we have between 40 minutes to two hours before Judas arrives.

This isn't even a matter of hiding until backup arrives anymore. The situation has become immeasurably screwed, and we need to find a way out of here. That's the new objective, but given the circumstances, that may be tough. I began wondering how a body would already be rotting if Trent had invaded only some hours prior, and then the corpse stood up. I'm not sure what I was even thinking. That thing hardly ever resembled a human to begin with. The entity that I thought had been a simple corpse began to begin with.

writhing its way up, its skin comparable in appearance to an amalgamation of thousands of tiny, shifting, brownish-gray cells, while its limbs were strung together by thick, pulsing veins. Its face began morphing, eventually taking on the appearance of a human. Not just a regular person, though, a really good-looking one. It was as if somebody stitched the head of a run-way model onto a giant, deformed alien. What's the threat level on that thing? Pretty weak, right? I asked Cass, hoping to hear one or two.

That might be a five or six. I cursed under my breath. Like moths drawn to the candle. The demon model began speaking. Humanity goes out of its way to seek pure beauty, disturbing my beautiful slumber in the process. But they don't deserve to bask in the presence of this beauty. The paragon of aesthetics, Callos, will now exterminate you disgusting mongrels.

We're the disgusting ones? I thought to myself. But before we could actually say anything, he rushed forward. A large, ghastly hand outstretched. One strike from him would likely have scrambled my organs. Luckily, Kaz intercepted him before it could happen, drilling his fist into Callos' chest. The impact sent him flying into a wall. but also managed to tear apart the skin on Kaz's knuckles in the process.

God damn it. He said, shaking his hand. What the hell is your body made out of? It doesn't end with you freaks, does it? Calos chuckled as he dislodged himself from the wall. There was now a deep hole in his chest, but he didn't seem to mind it too much. Luckily, you didn't aim for my face. You scum would have been begging me for death.

He was interrupted by another punch from Kaz, but managed to block it. with both his arms this time. That one was undoubtedly headed for his face. Pretty good reflexes. I love when they start rambling. Callos grimaced in anger. Oh, you're going to regret being so smug. Sub-humans should know their place.

I could obliterate you fools right now, but I'll leave the dirty work to Trent. He spat on the ground in front of us before storming out of the room. I breathed the sigh of relief in response. Could you have to be? taken him? I asked out of curiosity. Maybe, but let's not call that lucky. We might have to deal with him later. That whole situation had taken up about five minutes. We couldn't afford to waste any more time, immediately darting out of the room right after. What are we going to do? I asked him as we ran.

We're going to have to brave it outside. When we get there, just close your eyes and keep running like From beyond the walls of the school, I could hear a chorus of witch-like shrieks, along with bursts of high-pitched maniacal laughter. Safe to say, my options were pretty shitty. It was either face whatever the hell lay outside, or deal with the mysterious, yet apparently devastating Judas. I believe they call that going up shit creek without a paddle. Except the water is acid, and the bow is just a rotting horse carcass.

As we got closer to one of the exit doors, still. Still blanketed in the purple smoke, mind you, the floors began rumbling below us. Kaz was right. There was no end to this incomprehensible nightmare. A shadow began casting itself from one of the adjacent corridors ahead, getting exponentially larger with every step. We skidded to a stop before making contact with whatever the hell was coming. A monstrously sized canine scraped the walls and ceilings as it crashed into our path.

I suppose canine would have been the best way to describe this thing. It hardly resembled any earthly creature at all, but it ran on four legs and stuck out its tongue a lot. A tongue covered in additional mouths lined with spike-like teeth. A tongue dripping fluid that dissolved the floor beneath. Charcoal black fur with red eyes blinking all over. Bones shaped like saws located at every joint. Four larger eyes on its head that chudded outwards, twisting and turning to scope out the environment. I could hear Kaz's chuckle in utter disposition.

belief. Yeah, boy. If we were running hard before, we were pushing ourselves to the brink now. Kaz was faster than me, of course, but I didn't lag behind hard enough to warrant him carrying me or something. My daily five-mile runs weren't for nothing. Eventually, we made it to a stairwell, scrambling our way up with no room to spare. I nearly had a heart attack when I turned around, only to see one of its eyes following

us up the stairs. Fortunately, Kaz punched it away. When we got up, we were drenched in cold sweat. Kaz took off his mask, which was half broken, revealing a blonde-haired blue-eyed guy likely in his late 20s underneath. Not really what I was expecting, to be honest. He let out what sounded like a frustrated exhale as he ran his hands through his hair. We've made some mistakes in our lives, haven't we? What do you mean?

He looked up at me, eyes squinted in disbelief. Look where the fuck we are. Where we voluntarily chose to be. At that moment, I had nothing to say in response. We rested for a few moments before entering the corridor ahead of us. We couldn't go back down, after all. As soon as I stepped into the hall, I was met with a familiar sight. Room 203.

The door was now busted open, along with the surrounding walls. The purple light was as blinding as ever, and I tried my best to not stare too much. From inside, we could hear a cacophony of cries mixed with a deeper, chanting voice. It took me a second to realize that the cries definitely belonged to the remaining schoolchildren, and one of them sounded awfully familiar. All right. Just run past this door. No looking, full speed.

We'll find another way out. But the kids, they're... Don't think about doing anything stupid. There's no guarantee that we'll even get out of here alive. Don't make this shit even more complicated than it is. We were both given tasks that we had no chance of succeeding in. It's not our fault, but now we need to run. Obviously, he was right, but I didn't want him to be.

I rarely tell anybody the true reason why I decided to join law enforcement. It really wasn't for any kind of recognition. Not so I could pretend to be some swashbuckling badass either, no matter how much I lied to myself about it. Certainly not for the pay. It was because I had a strong resolve spurred on by one fateful incident. Back in my university days, I used to be parted. part of a baseball club, one that held late matches that lasted well into the night. On one of those nights, I was walking back to my apartment around 1 a.m. when I heard a cry that

was muffled quickly coming from a sedan parked on the side of the road. As soon as I heard it, I stopped. Now, I was no hero. I still don't think I am. Truly nobody special. I was just a simple person with simple ideals, ones that I never had a reason to act on until that night. Before that, I wouldn't have believed that I had it in me. We all fantasize about doing these things, but when the time comes to act, our rationality and self-preservation instincts bar us from doing so. But sometimes, raw passion and idealism manages to override everything. Long story short, I shattered the sedan's tinted window with my bat, before nearly bludgeoning

a human trafficker's head in. I'm sure it was something that the 13-year-old girl, being bound and gagged in the back, couldn't have forgotten, but it was hard for me to stop myself. Afterwards, the girl's parents hugged me whilst bawling their eyes out. That was the first time in my life I felt genuinely fulfilled with myself. It was a good thing, but I didn't kill the guy as well. They managed to interrogate the names of other traffickers involved, and locations where the kidnapped were being held.

I enrolled in the police academy a year later after I graduated college. Those memories flooded back into my mind at a rapid pace, a reminder of my results. solve, the real reason why I was in this situation in the first place. It was true that I'd lost my passion over the stagnant years, but all it took was one push to bring it all back. At that moment, I was completely unarmed, save for two stun guns and a taser on my belt, but that didn't stop me from rushing right in. Never said I was smart, did I? Cass cursed at me from behind, running to catch up. Obviously, I had no idea what to expect upon entering that room, but there was only one detail that I needed to know. There were kids in need of help. My eyes stung as the

purple light invaded my senses, but despite how much it hurt, I felt oddly drawn to them, as if whatever was emitting the glow was just begging me to look. But that was obviously a bad idea. So I forced myself to stare ahead at the rows of blindfolded kids tied to their seats. There was also a person at the front of the room where the teacher would have stood whilst giving a lecture. They were wearing a large, dark cloak and had bone-like fingers that were constantly twitching, forming consecutive obscure symbols. On top of that, they were chanting in a voice that was deep, devoid of any emotion at all. Obviously, the mastermind behind the whole ritual thing. I was on an adrenaline high, so I did the best thing I could think of at that moment.

I clocked the person straight in the jaw. They slumped over and their hood came off, revealing a pale, borderline emaciated woman with symbols and scars etched through her face. I turned around to face the kids. A few of them seemed aware of what was going on, but most of them seemed completely out of it. For whatever reason, I thought the taking off their blindfolds was going to be a good idea. But that couldn't have been farther from the truth. I ran to the kid nearest me and ripped off the thin piece of cloth wrapped around his head. For the first few seconds, his terrified eyes were on me, and then they drifted to the front of the room. fixating on the glow. In an instant, his eyes turned black and his teeth grew sharp and large.

He launched his head toward me, biting my forearm in the process. I reeled from the pain, but managed to kick him off before he could go for a follow-up mouthful. But the possessed kid was relentless, as if his life had suddenly been reduced to serving a singular goal, to inflict as much carnage as possible. With his mouth agape, he scrambled toward me again, only to be knocked out by a single flick to the forehead by Kaz. Smart move. He said, shaking his head. At least they aren't nearly as strong as the fully transformed ones I came across earlier.

Looks like you interrupted the process. Did you kill him? I asked, concerned at the prospect. 90% chance I didn't. What the fuck are you doing? I told you the plan. No detours. I gestured around the room.

We got to save them. How? You want to march them all out into the hallways, single file, and just walk him? out? What are you going to do if we come across another creature or another freak? You think I'm going to be able to protect them all? I'm not asking you to. I'm just, I sighed in frustration, because I knew he was right. Am I just selfish? I thought. I know there's no way we can save all of them. So why the hell am I forcing it? Why am I risking our only shot at getting out of here just to make myself feel better? It was a rather annoying predicament. People always die, don't they? Not everyone can be

helped, but then there was something to consider. Could we really allow the kids to become possessed? Or was it better to commit the unthinkable right then and there? Maybe it wasn't so unthinkable, given the circumstances. But were there really fates worse than death? I'm leaving in ten seconds. I'll help you out, but not if it's going to get me killed in the process. There was no time to balance the ethics here.

Guess he can't save everybody, I thought. I got up, preparing to leave when I heard something that's stopped me in my tracks. That kid. I'd forgotten about him. The kid I had encountered earlier. I turned, seeing him tied up in the back of the room. There were tears streaming down his face, and his nostrils were spewing snot. An unsightly child, no doubt about it. I took a deep exhale. Oh, come on. Don't tell me you know him. Barely. But barely was enough. Maybe I couldn't save them all, but I could at least save one. I darted. to the back of the room, untied the kid, and began dragging him towards the door, still averting

my eyes from the glow. Hopefully that wasn't a mistake, Cass said, preparing to step out of the room. But before I could offer any words of reassurance, I could feel my feet sink into the floor, and then a pounding headache. Oh, great. The woman I'd knocked out moments prior was standing back up, her eyes glowing, a menacing violet. You interrupted me. What's wrong with you?

She extended a finger, and I was inexplicably launched into a wall. Kaz tried rushing her, but was buried into the ceiling. Shit, the fucking Esper. Esper? You've got it all wrong. She formed a fist. I could see Kaz's torso being punctured by a seemingly invisible force. Another one of his hearts began floating out of the wound before being crushed in the air.

Damn it! Espers don't exist. I'm controlling entities beyond your comprehension, beings that have been in this room all along waiting for my command. Your brains have filtered them out in an attempt to keep you same. Good for you. All of a sudden, I could see an invisible hand that was simultaneously rough and slimy, firmly grasping my neck,

beginning to choke the life out of me. The woman then pointed at Kaz. I'll have to deal with this one later. His will seems rather hard to break. One of the strong, but you... She turned to me. You're nothing. The most glory you can hope to gleam out of this world is existing as a disposable soldier in the Messiah's Legion.

Just accept it. I felt my body get cranked to the side. I knew it was coming, so I closed my eyes. She simply laughed at this. Pathetic. I could feel another hand forcing my eyelids open, exposing me to whatever obscure force was waiting in front of me. And as I expected, I couldn't begin to understand what I was looking at. The strange purple overwhelmed my field of vision, but it wasn't only an external stimulus.

The light seeped deep into my senses and into what I assumed to be my soul itself. I could feel it gnawing away at my lucidity, my humanity, my humanity, my. own sense of self. The light in front of me began to morph, showing me scenes of an utterly inconceivable nature. Maybe it was another planet, another realm, another level of consciousness entirely, but that didn't coincide with the current plane of existence, colors that I'd never seen before, nearly tearing my brain apart at the very implication of their existence. Eventually, an otherworldly appendage reached out to me, beckoning for me to follow. At the moment, I really didn't want to. it was something that seemed utterly out of my control.

However, I was still clinging on to my own reality, forcing a motivating mantra to reverberate throughout my mind. Three simple words. The strong survive. I'm not entirely sure what I was doing at that moment. Perhaps my will was functioning implicitly without my brain really understanding what was happening. In any case, the enigmatic beings in front of me began dissolving back into the uniform light, and I was gaining back some control of my own consciousness.

And that's when I told myself something that broke me out completely. Whatever's in front of me, it's just a damn light. When I came back to my senses, blood was dripping from my nose, and my head was pounding something fierce, but I was alive, and I was still myself. The woman's face contorted into a furious glare. You can die instead, then. It was a fatal mistake. In her rage, she'd focused all of it.

her attention on me, leaving Kaz to his own devices. As he dropped from the ceiling, he punched her head clean off, immediately grunting in pain afterwards. Two hearts gone. What a shitty day. I expected him to be pissed at my rash decision when he turned to face me. But while he certainly wasn't happy about what it transpired, I could also sense a hint of something else in his eyes. Now, I don't want to get ahead of myself, but it might have been admiration. Just grab the damn kid and let me. Let's get out of here." For a moment, I was still hung up on the idea of saving the rest of them, but I tossed

that aside when spider-like legs spurted out of the woman's severed neck and began crawling back to her body. We all ran the hell out of there. Now that I knew I was more or less capable of withstanding the purple light, I was also confident in traversing through the smoke and right out the exit. This is going to work, I thought. As we ran, the kid asked me if he could take off his blindfold. I had completely forgotten about it.

Oh, shit, yeah, take it off. He did so, but nearly screamed when he caught a glimpse of the bloodied Kaz. I covered his mouth before he could attract any unwanted attention. That's Kaz. Don't worry about it. We descended down the stairwell at the opposite end of the floor. We were about 40 feet away from the exit when we heard gunshots coming from the corridor up to the left of us. Shit.

Is that bad news? From what I'd seen, none of the messengers needed guns. And I assumed it wouldn't have been one of the creatures. By that logic, it must have been a friendly, probably. But the question was, what were they firing at? We moved up a bit closer before a figure stumbled into our vision. A familiar one. Dex?

He turned his head, eyes widening and surprise. Pete? You're still alive? Nice. Just give me a second. He darted back down the corridor at speed that took me by surprise. He was like a blur. A few moments later,

And after hearing what sounded like an intense struggle, he walked back out, accompanied by two more people. One was a woman with strawberry blonde hair tied back into a ponytail, wearing a torn-up jacket, khakis, and boots. One of her arms was mechanical, and portions of her neck also appeared to be robotic. Cass seemed to recognize her. Cecile. They roped you into this as well, huh? He turned to me. Another holy soldier, class zero.

Pretty tough. Also, the only one I don't mind looking at. She nodded, bent over in exhaustion while stretching out her bloody robot fingers. Yeah, real happy to be here. What the fuck happened to you? Where's that asshole Calhoun? I didn't say anything. The last person was rather unamusing, a middle-aged man of average build tinkering around with a small, spherical device in his hands.

He glanced up at us. I'm Joel. Good to meet you. And then he immediately went back to doing whatever he was before. Sure, it was strange behavior, but in the context of everything else that had happened, not so much. I was glad to see Dex, but it begged the question. How did he survive? What happened?

He stepped forward, seemingly sensing what I was about to ask. They forced me to stare at the purple thing. They got me as well. Then she saved me. He gestured towards the seal. But... He continued. holding up his rifle.

As you can see, I'm a bit wacky now. I didn't notice it at first. His arm and the gun had become fused together, connecting at the right elbow in a disturbing amalgamation of metal, plastic, and flesh. I was too late. They got the transformation started. I walked up towards him, seeing an abnormally large veins running up the right side of his neck to his chin.

One of his irises had also turned into a dark red. Yeah, it's pretty freaky. whatever this is. I must not have been holding my shock too well, because he chuckled. If you're feeling bad for me right now, I'll knock you out. I survived, didn't I? I'm stronger now as well. I knew he wasn't the type to fish for sympathy.

No matter how distraught he was about his current situation, he wasn't going to show it, nor did he want anyone else to dwell on it. So I obliged him. How do you reload that thing? Don't need to. He replied, holding it up. It's weird. I can.

still feel my hand inside of this thing. The trigger's in there as well. Every time I pull it, it shoots, no jams. No need to reload. Insane rate of fire. Not quite sure what the bullets are made out of, though. I'm thinking it might be bone fragment. Well, that's something.

I stammered out. We can continue this little reunion outside. Cass spoke up. Judas is inbound, you know. I figured, but we can't leave. Why not? They've set up the dome. We're trapped.

Caz was silent for a moment before staring at the ground. Shit. He spat in frustration. The dome, like what, made out of glass or something? Just break through it. I said, confused at their sudden complacency with the situation. Look, the state has a lot of shit that you would never understand. Now, I don't know what this dome is made out of,

but I can guarantee that none of us could even crack. except for Judas, that is. They're containing the whole area until he shows up. We're basically sitting ducks now. But they know you guys are in here, don't they? Ah, no, I get it. What's a few expendable soldiers to the fate of the world at large? They always do this shit.

Finding excuses and covering shit up. You ever wonder what happened to that airplane that went missing a few years ago? Judas happened to it. But whatever. Nothing we can do about it. He was angry at first, but at the moment, he sounded more or less resigned to his fate. That's just like you, Kaz, giving up so quickly. She tapped Joel on the shoulder.

How's that thing coming along? Yeah, yeah, progress is being made. Give it about 20 or 30. Cecile turned back to face us. We found him lurking around in the halls. Thought he was a teacher at first, but he wasn't freaking out or anything. Said he came here to pick something up. wouldn't elaborate.

Not sure where he came from or what he's all about. All I care about is that he can apparently get us out. Get us out? What the hell is that supposed to mean? It means what it means. You say this Judas guy is going to come and muck up everything. You also say there's an unbreakable barrier outside, that the government's gone and left you for dead. He looked up for the first time in a while, grinning.

How surprising. We just got to find another way. But don't worry about those logistics. Just keep me alive a bit longer, yeah. Kaz hardly reacted to the proposition. I didn't blame him. The whole thing sounded wonky at best. But again, stranger things, I should have stopped being surprised.

Well, we got nothing better to do, I guess. Let's find somewhere to hide. No can do. Apparently, we need to be outside when this happens. The doors to the football field are still open. That's where we're heading next. "'Cas let out a sigh and a chuckle at the same time. "'Nothing's easy to day, is it?'

"'Nothing's ever easy. "'Should have stayed in school, I guess. "'By the way, who's the kid?' "'I looked over at him. "'It looked like he was about to shit himself "'as he hugged the lockers while simultaneously trembling. "'Oh, a straggler, but I'm not just going to leave him here.' "'I responded.

"'Ciseo rolled her eyes before walking up to him. "'You got a name, kid?' Harris. Well, Harris, are you strong? Probably not. She just shook her head, laughing. You remind me of my little brother. I'll get you out of here, alive.

She raised a fist and pointed it towards him. But you will have to promise me something as well. You may not be strong, but you're going to have to try. Don't be an easy target, all right? Still shaking. Harris lifted his fist and connected it with hers. Yeah, she got too strong for her own good and gives terrible advice now. Kaz whispered to me.

Afterwards, Cecile began heading towards the field entrance. The rest of us followed behind her, with Harris and Joel squished in between us, the latter still fiddling with the device. Yeah. Dex said, placing his pistol in my hand. You're looking a bit empty there. I'm not sure how much that'll help, though. I was a bit concerned about that as well.

Still, it felt better having some kind of weapon in my hands. In retrospect, I should have picked up the bounty hunter's gun. Firing at once likely would have dislocated my arm, though. We made it to the field without much problem. We ran into a few creatures along the way, but they were taking care of rather easily. Once out on the field, we looked up, seeing the octagonal patterned barrier above and around us. It was rather hard to see through, but a few things were for sure. It'd become dark outside, and there were helicopters and vehicles surrounding the place.

The area still within the barrier, but beyond the field, was also littered with corpses, both human and creature alike. But our biggest problem was standing right in front of us. An extremely tall man, probably eclipsing eight feet. His hair was long and red, seemingly floating atop his oversized shoulders. The top half of his head was covered by black cloth, obscuring his eyes. The rest of his body seemed to be covered in black bandages, wrapped tight so that his hulking physique bulged through. He was also holding a long, thin sword that emanated the same red glow as his hair.

I have to say. He began speaking in a calm but explicitly hostile tone. That's a tough barrier you've set up here. You're trying to keep us in, are you? He lifted his sword pointing it directly at us. A pointless effort. The Messiah's going to burn this world down and create a superior one from the ashes. Kaz let out a bored grunt, interrupting the swordman's spiel.

Holy hell, you people are lame. What's the point of any of this? Idiot. Should have kept him talking. Buy us some time. The swordman let out a patronizing laugh. Lucky, I'm the one you're dealing with. Unlike those savages.

I don't get offended so easy, but you lot must be confident. Better for me. Come and give me some stimulation before you die. We got any time to come up with a plan? My question fell on mostly deaf ears. The swordman was already on the advance. Just stay out of his range. Cecile yelled at me.

The man stepped forward before swinging his oversized blade at Cass, missing his throat by inches. Out of my range? He said, smirking. Good luck. He marched back a few steps before furiously slicing the empty space in front of him. I couldn't understand what he was doing until it hit me. My hand began stinging, and I looked down to see my left pinky finger severed.

I could feel another sharp pain brush against my cheek scraping the side of my ear. The phantom blade. No mortal swordsman could ever hope to match divine techniques. The man said. I wasn't even trying to kill you there. The swordman looked directly at me. Latent potential's the best kind. Can't squander it.

Well, you know how the same goes. And Dex said, raising his arm rifle. Never bring a knife to a gunfight. He fired off a hailstorm spray of bullets, the recoil pushing his entire body back a few inches. I could see the metal flesh joint of his elbow pulsating with the barrage, but he ceased fire after only a few seconds. Let he go.

I looked over to the spot where the swordman had been standing, an empty space as anticipated. In the absence of any kind of warning at all, he suddenly appeared behind decks, already in the process of swinging, only to be intercepted by Cecile's metallic arm at the last moment. They clashed, seemingly matching each other's strength as they pushed their respective weapons, with the pressure destroying the turf beneath them. That's a strong arm. Using all your strength there. Hell no. Well, good. I haven't started trying yet.

He pushed her hand back, launching her into the barrier above like a pinball, before she bounced back and crashed into the ground. A crater forming upon her impact. It was a surreal sight, watching her climb out moments later, with hardly a scratch on her. How did she... Barriers. Kaz interrupted my question with the answer. With her arm, she can form protective barriers.

around her entire body. That's her specialty. Cecile had a worried look on her face. Yeah, but hard to use that for offense. She was obviously lying when she claimed she wasn't using her full strength to hold the sword back. It seemed as if it nearly taken everything out of her, yet she was launched away like an afterthought. Safe to say, we were in the presence of a truly deadly enemy. I looked around, seeing Harris hiding by a tree while Joel sat calmly in front of it,

still fidgeting around with the device. Unfortunately, the swordman followed my gaze over to them. What have those two been doing? I mean, one's just a kid, but the other. I could see Cecile's face drop. They're not part of this. You said you wanted a good fight, right? The man turned to face him.

Yes, but I'm also here to eliminate anybody that stands in the way of the Messiah. Is he doing something important over there? Something I should be concerned about?" Kaz shook his head, ostensibly trying to remain stoic. Well, if you don't want to tell me. He readied his blade, preparing to launch another set of phantom strikes right at them, but before he could, Kaz was on him. The swordman blocked a punch with the hilt of the blade before slashing Kaz across the chest,

causing him to wince. Kaz pressed forward, relentlessly sending a barrage of fist the swordsman's way. However, just about all of them were blocked or perils. by the man's one free hand. Soon enough, he sent Kaz reeling with a palm strike to the chin. Apparently, he didn't even need the sword. Decent enough strength? But your technique is basic.

He said, twirling the blade in his hand. Disappointing performance out of you lot. Take care of you all in a matter of minutes. What do you mean took care of? I looked over, watching as the tips of her mechanical fingers transformed into long, whirling drills. I really do hope you keep underestimating us. Can you defend from three positions at once? It wasn't hard to figure out what she meant.

They were going to attack simultaneously, but the swordmen seemed to revel at the challenge, simply smirking as she said this. I've taken out entire armies. Come at me. Cecile went first, darting erratically toward him, as to avoid any phantom slashes. At the same time, Kaz was pulling himself back up,

flexing his knuckles. He clenched his fist before rushing at the man's back. Standing farther out was Dex, with his rifle trained directly towards the fray. The man was far too fast for him before, but with distractions in play, he saw a chance. The three converged their attacks all at once. Caz threw a fist toward his back. Cecile swiped to him with her drill fingers from the front, and Dex sprayed like hell. But it didn't come close to working. The whole exchange was over in a mostly incomprehensible flash. Dex's rifle arm had been sliced in half, and Kaz's face stomped into the dirt. Cecile managed to hang on for a bit longer, carrying a few of his swings with her fingers,

before being forced to activate one of her protective barriers once she started being overwhelmed. But even that didn't hold up, as it was cut into smithereens shortly after. The swordman then plunged the blade into her stomach, causing a spurt of blood to erupt from her mouth. At that moment, I realized the only thing I was good for was buying some time. I drew my pistol and fired off a few futile shots. He didn't even bother evading the bullets. They shattered upon impact with his bandaged skin.

With the other three out cold, he turned his attention towards me. It's curious to me why Shen left you alive. Are you strong? I blinked once, felt a rush of air nearly launched me backwards, and then opened my eyes to see the man standing right in front of me. His speed was beyond comprehension. He lifted a hand and gently swatted me backwards. Well, gently for him, the impact left me breathless as I was propelled about 15 feet into a chain-link fence.

Doesn't seem like it. He said, still advancing towards me. But maybe there's something I'm not quite understanding here. I'll have to take it up with Shen later. In the meantime. He turned his gaze towards Joel and the kid. The latter was shitting himself, while the former hardly seemed to notice what was going on around him. I was still trying to find my lungs as the swordmen began to approach them, about to ruin what was apparently our only way out.

I began crawling towards them, observing their interaction as I did. What have you been doing? The swordman asked Joel while the kid remained frozen. Surprisingly, Joel remained absolutely calm. In fact, he didn't do so much as glance up. Are you just going to pretend I'm not here? The swordman said, bending down so that they were at eye level. That's a valiant strategy.

Is it going to work, though? What if I just grab that thing out of your hands and crush it? Then what? Joel chuckled, still not looking up. Go ahead and do it then. They always make that mistake. What? I've been around.

Don't want to facilitate any more destruction. Every night, I think about the countless worlds I've visited that have been reduced to nothingness simply because one fool wanted to show me their bravado. The strong always end up being the instruments of their own demise. He held the device up, nearly shoving it into the swordsman's face who backed up instinctively. I'm not doing anything for any particular reason. It's true that overwhelming responsibility must come with overwhelming power. I'm doing this to ensure that you have a universe to live in.

But at the end of the day, I'll spare you no pity if you try and stop me. If you decide to be the fool of your world, I can see the swordman's swallow as he backed up. further. I didn't blame him. Joel said the words with such force and conviction that even I was beginning to believe him. Well, what is that thing? The swordman asked. Joel looked up at him for the first time since he'd been approached, something that you could never hope to understand. Okay, try me. Joel sighed, rubbing his eyes. You understand the concept of the multiverse, don't you? The swordman tilted his head. What does that have to do with anything?

Just hang on, let me explain. It'd be ignorant and straight up arrogant to assume we'd be alone not only in the universe, but in this entire plane of existence as well. Okay. The swordman scratched his chin. Assuming that, we understand that there are additional realities, not only parallel, but adjacent, above, below, and in any other conceivable direction from us, like a roadmap.

Beyond that, there will be instances where sometimes, Different realities begin bleeding into each other, creating a... Okay. The swordman stuck his arm out. I get it. Joel raised his eyebrow. You're trying to buy time. Joel chuckled.

Well, not anymore. A robotic fist suddenly drove itself into the side of the swordsman's temple. The hit sent him crashing headfirst into another tree. I looked over to see Cecil with her arms stretched out and fist detached. Smoke rising from the end of the wrist she'd shot it from. How much more time? She asked Joel, wincing with every word, has blood poured from her stomach. About five.

Five minutes. Do we have that kind of time? Look, I'll be honest. It'll more likely take eight. Dex ran over, clutching his severed rifle arm. There's fucking hurt. I think the gun on my skin cells literally fused or something. Is the sword guy dead at least?

Almost like a response, the swordman bolted back up, clutching a bloody wound. on the side of his head. Let my guard down. Got a fast talk on your side. Nice trick. He picked his weapon back up. I got to hand it to you lot. Really didn't think you'd get one good hit in on me.

Cecile's mouth was agape in disbelief. That fist is capable of tearing through ships. Well, then look who's stronger than a fucking ship. The situation became infinitely worse when, And Brando and its master busted through the field entrance. They were followed by the lady who'd been conducting the rituals, along with Calos and Shen. Shen, that bastard's expression was beyond smug as he strolled out towards me.

It was almost the visual equivalent of a taunt as if he were asking me the silent question. Wonder how you're going to make it out of this. You're already here. These guys didn't give you any trouble, did they? That's not going to go down well with the boss. The swordman scoffed in response. No trouble at all. And then, from above, the world's biggest asshole, the one who's apparently both the mastermind

and muscle behind it all, the orchestrator of this whole shit show. The Messiah, aka Trent Raisin, in his pale-skinned, black-suited vortex-eyed glory. With a faint violent glow surrounding him, he descended, floating down at a calm, constant speed. All of my messengers are here. He said, his feet touching down on the turf. All you people are the only ones left. One last chance. Transform yourselves and become a part of my divine lesion.

The world's going to change, regardless of what you choose to do. The following few seconds were both silent and tense, only to be broken by Cass, who began chuckling uneasily, like somebody who'd found themselves in the most drastic of situations, forcing themselves to laugh in order to cope. You feel that? He asked Cecile. She simply nodded, a defeated expression on her face.

It didn't take long to figure out what they meant. It was like an overwhelming presence, slowly sinking your entire body into the ground. But not only that, there was also a more esoteric effect to it, like your very soul was somehow being compressed. I was blinded by an extraordinary light as the already overwhelming oar I grew heavier. With my eyes still closed, I heard a piercing shatter from above. When my senses returned to me, I looked up to see that portion of the dome had been smashed open. The culprit was standing right at the center of everybody else. It looked like a winged man made out of sheer golden light.

Well, more like a titan. He towered over anybody else in the vicinity. All of Trent's messenger stepped back, likely feeling the dangerous presence exuding off the entity. But not Trent himself, his feet stayed firm. The gold man moved forward, leaving behind a trail of yellow fire wherever he stepped, before speaking in a voice so thunderous that it caused my insides to tremble. From the crossroads that connect heaven, earth, and hell, Judas has arrived. Eight minutes.

It might as well have been in eternity. Judas versus the Messiah. Kaz muttered, as the two Bahamas stared each other down. It's almost comical. Pretending to be a god, truly despicable. The mere sound of Judas's voice was enough to induce a migraine, like being shouted at by a military drill instructor through a megaphone directly into your ear. Trent remains surprisingly composed.

Who's the one acting like a foe? Scott. Judas, is that what you call yourself a treacherous snake? Judas took a deep breath before responding. I don't know if it was just my mind playing tricks, but I swore I could have felt the air pressure drop when he did so. I don't come from your... He began lifting into the air, his gigantic wings producing rough gusts of wind in the process. This world doesn't deserve a reprieve, but as a paragon of virtue, you, I'll grant a light in the darkness, a gift to your miserable species by killing you first.

I'm not sure which one I ate more. Dex muttered under his breath. Trent laughed and sneered before holding up his hand. My disciples, this is our first trial. Once we eliminate this degradation of a deity, we'll be on the path of solidifying ourselves as the legitimate question. He looked at Judas, his eyes swirling like hell. You're strong, sure, but you never could have been an ally.

Do you honestly believe I would ever ally myself with a mockery like you? You are to me what an answer is to a human, below nothing. Callow stepped forward and cracked his knuckles, causing bits of bizarre residue that constituted his skin to fly out. You sure hard to look at, aren't you? He said before rushing towards Judas, his arms grew larger and larger as he ran to the point where he began adopting ape-like movements. As he got within a few feet, he raised a fist, now the size of a boulder, and attempted to strike. A subtle smirk formed across Judas's lips before he casually flicked it away with a single finger, tearing the entire limb off in the process.

Callos was left speechless, hardly being able to comprehend what had just happened. What? It was the only word he was able to articulate before his head was disintegrated by a yellow beam that Judas shot out of his eyes. Judas remained still afterwards, silently beckoning for anyone else to try. Brando and his master took the challenge next, only to explode from a single punch, showering the area with dog creature guts. The ritual lady was third, attempting to bind Judas in place with her powers. However, it made no difference to Judas.

He nonchalantly stepped forward as blood began leaking out of the lady's mouth. Her eyes wide and utter disbelief. Not only am I familiar with these beings. I conquered them centuries ago. He raised a hand, causing the woman to lift up with it. The crux of my power exists on a level you couldn't hope to comprehend. It's shameful that you would even try. He closed his fist, simultaneously squashing the lady into a bloody, baseball-sized mass of

flesh. She turned out to be wrong. Esper's certainly did exist. Trent's messengers were suddenly down to two. Well, so said, turning to Shen. Guess you're up. Why don't you give it a shot instead, big guy? You know the pecking order, don't you? The strong go last. Right. Shen said, stepping forward, I can see him trying to hide a smirk. The strong. A pair of dark bony wings suddenly popped out from his back. Looks like all my problems solve themselves. He said, lifting up towards the hole in the barrier that Judas had created. I really do hope you all kill each other.

Right before flying away, he turned his head towards me and winked. Another silent question. Are you going to survive this? So is grimaced. He's trying to save his own ass. Unsurprising. I'll chase him down later. No need to worry about scum like him.

He extended his blade, pointing it right at Judas. I hope you know that the powers you've seen so far pale in comparison to mine. And yet, mine pales in comparison to the Messiah. This is hopeless for you. Trent's expression remained stone-like as he said this. In response, Judas held out his hand. A colossal, blinding, golden blade materialized in front of him, with smoldering sparks shooting out from it in every direction as he grasped.

I was once a swordsman, back in my mortal days. You could have called me a prodigy. He pointed his own weapon at Sos. I haven't met another practitioner of the blade that could duel with me in over 2,000 years. Let's see if you can evoke a shred of fighting spirit out of me. A prodigy, huh? Sos responded, marching forward. Everyone's a prodigy these days.

He reached up and removed the cover from the top half of his face, revealing four sharp, slanted, clowing, crimson eyes, with a fifth, larger and circular at the top. I don't like doing this. I never feel like myself. It's like I go into a frenzy every time. The ensuing battle was completely incomprehensible to me, but one thing was for sure. Sose was definitely holding back when he fought against us.

The two were respective red and gold blurs zooming through my field of view. Absolutely overwhelming my human sense of vision and reality, I couldn't follow anything. After about ten seconds, they stopped, sliding backwards in opposite directions on the field. Judas didn't seem to have a scratch on him, while Sose looked like he just swam through a sea of needles. He exhaled as blood dripped from cuts covering every inch of his body. I'm impressed. You defended 830 out of 1,000 slashes. But still, you couldn't let me.

them all. Oh, you're going to force it, aren't you? He took his sword and ran it down his abdomen, shredding his bandages before ripping them off completely, revealing massacred skin beneath. I'll have to resort to forbidden techniques. He took his sword again and lopped off his right forearm. A few seconds elapsed before a new arm grew in its place. It was dark and vainy all over, with a giant mouth at the center of the palm.

The veins quickly expanded, enveloping the rest of his body, covering his wounds as they did so. He grasped the sword with his new hand, with the mouth biting the handle, keeping it in place. They rushed each other again, or I assume they did. At that point, they must have been moving at beyond hypersonic speeds. I couldn't see anything at all, not even blurs. The gusts of wind being produced from their clash sent me flying backwards, and I could feel a sharp pain invading my eardrums. time they stopped after only five seconds. Once again, they both skidded into their respective directions.

I looked over at Judas, who was still looking no worse for wear. Soes was unmoving, seemingly frozen in place. At first, I couldn't discern just how bad his injuries really were. I am surprised, Judas said. He turned his head, revealing a small cut on the side of his neck. Nobody's been able to draw blood from me in fifteen hundred years, and that took me in entire military mind of a type 2 civilization. Soes remained still. This time, you defended 14,000 out of 15,000. Suddenly, soes began falling apart one square inch at a time,

before turning into a pile of cubed flesh on the ground. Still not enough to earn my respect. And with that, we were down to the final two. How much time has passed? I asked, whispering. Two minutes. Cecile muttered. in response. I looked over to see Joel still picking away at the device.

Oh, God, I thought. Trent stepped forward, facing Judas directly. He smiled. I know what you are. And what is that? Just another trial. Judas scoffed. Whatever you say. Trent began ascending upwards, the dark oar surrounding him growing in intensity. You've shown me the light, Judas. What I need to do in order to reach ultimate divinity? Six portals suddenly materialized around him. I'll show you my true strength.

I won't live in anybody's shadow. Not yours, not even the existing gods themselves. From each portal, dark, armored, dragonous creatures emerged, breathing black fire in their wake. Each one was about the size of a school bus. These beings are physical manifestations of my own aura, an extension of my deepest soul. Take them out, and then I'll fight you myself." In the meantime, he turned to look at us. I'll have to eliminate the riff-ruff.

Trent sent one of the creatures after us while the other five rushed Judas. Kaz stepped forward, attempting to stop the dragon in its tracks. He managed to halt it for a few moments before getting launched backwards. The creature released a massive gust of flames from its oversized mouth, nearly scorching my skin right off. At that point, all I could do was evade. Oh, damn it! If Tred pushes Judas too far, we're fucked!

Cecile struggled to block with her biomechanical arm as the dragon swiped at her. I looked over to see Judas effortlessly cutting each of the dragons down as they attacked him, utterly unfazed as he was engulfed in their fire. However, the creatures remained relentless. At the same time, we were struggling immensely against just one. Kaz stood up, limping back into the fray, only to be blasted by flames as the dragon tossed to seal aside. He grunted in pain as his skin was burnt to a crisp. Shit.

Can't avoid it now. He muttered, plunging his arm into his chest. Before anybody could ask what he was doing, he pulled both of his remaining two hearts out. Cass, what the hell? He just grinned. You got to keep your best tricks to see. secret to the last moment. He took both organs and slammed them together, causing them to inexplicably fuse into one. Against all logic, the new larger heart began beating, and he inserted it back into his

chest. As soon as he did this, the dragon charged at him again with a fury of slashes and fire. I was almost certain he was done for, but then the smoke cleared. Cass stood there, already in the process of healing from his burns. Grabbing the dragon by the neck, he was also a little. He was also so bigger. His already massive musculature seemed to have been augmented to ridiculous levels. He threw the dragon upwards before taking its head off with an airborne roundhouse kick. What the hell was that? We don't need to dwell on it. Kaz responded. He looked over at Joel. Please tell me you're fucking done now.

Joel held up two fingers and Kaz cursed. We turned our attention to Judas, who'd cut the rest of the dragons into smithereens. Are you going to keep wasting my time? If you're going to fight me, just do it. Trent lowered his head slightly. You're still looking down on me, aren't you? His voice had begun to waver, although he didn't sound scared, just angry. Judas smirked.

Then give me a reason not to. So be it. Trent closed the portal before a thick, dark violet smoke immersed his entire body, Eventually forming what appeared to be a massive dragonhead atop a giant, humanoid body. After years of exploration, humiliation, and torment. You off so bad that it caused you to take on this ungodly form. Everybody! The dragonhead version of Trent charged towards Judas, roaring something fierce.

Judas stepped back, readying his devastating blade. He dodged the attack and swung hard at the head, but his blade shattered upon impact. Visibly surprised, he left himself open for a two-fisted strike that buried him into the dirt. But Trent didn't stop there, unleashing a frenzy of follow-up blows that shook the ground around us. Eventually, Judas caught one of his punches and retaliated with an eye-beam blast. The force was enough to send Trent up and threw the barrier, before he heaved away from the beam and dove right back down.

Judas dodged the calamitous landing, the force of which reverberated underneath us, staggering everybody. They stood up, staring each other down once again. I see. You're different from the rest. No normal willpower could have yielded something like this. You're motivated by something esoteric, aren't you? Experienced hardships incomprehensible to most others.

You wouldn't understand? I'm sure I wouldn't, which is why I'll take you fully seriously. Know that from this point on, I won't be looking down on you. All right. I heard Kaz say from behind me, I guess this is how it ends for us. I really wish I did something better with my life.

I looked over at Joel, still feverishly doing something with the device. Before I could even ask, he held up two fingers. But we didn't have two minutes. I appreciate it. But I still view you as nothing but a trial that needs to be overcome. An enemy. And nothing beyond that. Of course.

I'd be insulted otherwise. The realization of impending doom was a hard one to swallow. We were about to be collateral damage from a clash between genuine titans. I was less than insignificant in that moment, an utterly irrelevant presence. Yet my understanding was that if we were going to die anyway, I might as well try some. Something. We were so close. Just stall, I thought to myself.

Before the two could engage and simultaneously guarantee our destruction, I stepped in and began shouting. Hey, wait, just wait for a second. Confused, they both turned to look at me. Who the hell are you? You people are still alive. Yeah, look, I just wanted to ask you a question. I turned to face Judas. Why do you work with the U.S. government?

They got dirt on you or something? What? He responded, sounding somewhat angry. Yeah, you know, it just seems weird how... You think I work for your species? It even pains me to speak in one of your pitiful languages. I could demolish this pathetic country considered some great empire by you people at any moment. So, uh, why don't you?

I was treading on dangerous waters here. Judas let out a short laugh. Why would I disclose that information to you? I have my own goals on this planet. I won't waste any more breath on you. I sneaked a glance over to Joel, who was now holding up only one finger. I turned back, this time addressing Trent. Look, man, what are you even trying to prove?

Are you mocking my resolve? A fucking pest like you wouldn't understand. I agree with Judas, the human species in its country. Current state is worthless at all from the ground. I took a deep breath, calming my quaking nerves, speaking as slowly as possible. I mean, I get it. Some bad shit happened to you in the past, but bad shit happens to all of us. Why don't you just cope with it in a normal way like everybody else?

What? I could feel his bloodless piercing my soul. I sounded calm on the outside, but my heart was ready to collapse. Got it! Joel's voice came from behind me. He stood up, grasped the device, and shot some kind of beam onto the ground in front of him, opening up what looked like a blue, swirling vortex. Jump in, now!

He shouted. I didn't need to be told twice. Cecile, Kaz, Dex, Harris, and Joel himself began leaping in one by one. As I frantically scrambled over, motivated by the sound of Trent bailing towards me from behind, ready to utterly wipe me off the face of the earth. He almost did so as well, scraping the back of my neck with one of his talents as I jumped through, being the last one to do so. However, I made it.

Some way, somehow, I'd escape that hellish school. The relief was euphoric. But now a new question presented itself. Where the hell were we going? I hardly understood the time I spent in that vortex. Whenever I opened my eyes, all I could see was a uniform blue around me. It felt like I was in a perpetual freefall, but utterly still at the same time, as if I was slowly descending within a space devoid of any matter, where the very concept of time was irrelevant.

I remember the color fading and weightlessness lifting as my feet hit solid ground. Still in a daze, I swiveled my head around, taking in the alien scenery. There were stone islands all around me floating in near darkness, illuminated by only an obscured sun above. I looked over the edge of my own island, seeing what appeared to be a vast ocean beneath. What the hell is this? You made it. I was worried there. I turned to see Joel, along with everybody else, sitting about 20 feet away from me. Harris, the kid, was passed out next to them. Made it, I began to respond. Where? That'd be a long explanation. At least we're away from the school, right? At that moment, I was stunned. The environment around us.

The weightlessness, my injuries, every impulse culminated into a wholly indescribable state of mind. But one thing was sure, I felt alive, more than I'd ever been before. It was a feeling comparable to the night I'd busted that car and rescued that girl, but just a tad more extreme. Well. Dex began. What now? How the hell are we getting back home?

Home? I'm sorry, but... His eyes wand. it over to Dex's rifle arm, which was slowly regenerating. How are you going to explain that away? A simple brain wipe won't do the trick there. We've seen too much. We'll never be able to rest if we go back.

Well, then what the hell are we supposed to do? Cass shrugged, looking down at the water. Ah, I was getting kind of fed up with Earth anyway. Only got one heart left. Maybe I'll try seeing something new before I kick the bucket. seal sighed. She paused, seeming to consider it. Eventually, she smiled. Fuck it. I'm down. Like an extended vacation. She held up her mechanical arm, looking at the stump that resulted from her shooting her hand at Sose.

This sucks, though. We can get you a new hand. It won't be a problem, especially once we get the bounty. The bounty? Joel nodded. I think it's been enough time. He took the device and shot it at the ground, creating another vortex before subsequently disappearing into it. The bounty, I thought to myself, he can't mean. About three seconds later, he came back through, struggling to lug a bloodied, beaten, and unconscious Trent. This is some lucky shit. He's still alive, which means we're getting paid double.

He's still alive? Relax. Joel held out his hand. I know where we can cash it in, quick units, and then we can go and explore whatever the hell we want. So you came just to get the bounty? I asked him. He nodded. Well, where the hell are you from? Earth originally, bounced around a bit here and there, seen a lot of stuff, and I'm not ready to go back just yet. He walked over to the edge of the island, peering down. If you had the option, why would you ever choose to stay in one place? Makes no sense to me. I'd like to see what's out there during this little

stint of consciousness I've been given, not just desks and offices. He pointed down, and we followed his finger. Things like that. In the ocean below, an utterly colossal creature surfaced, a skyscraper-sized prehistoric looking entity trudging through the cosmic, watery expanse. I could see Joel's eyes widening at the side of it, an expression of pure marvel. Hardly see the same thing twice these days. Never ceases to amaze me.

Anyway. He said, getting up, that's what I'm after. And if any of you want to tag along, I'm not going to stop you. The company is good sometimes. It was a daunting proposition. I knew next to nothing about the guy, nothing about what was to come. If I were to accept, I was tired, both physically and mentally, after seeing what I already had, did I really want more? And yet, that feeling of adrenaline lingered.

A spark in my veins confirming just how alive I truly was. I suppose there's no choice for me here. Dex said, looking at his arm. Seeing something new doesn't sound too bad anyway. I've already made up my mind. Guess I'm in the same boat. All eyes fell on me. I'm not going to survive out there.

I'm still just a regular guy. If we go through something like that again, I paused for a moment, reflecting on the events of what it transpired. I'm still alive, aren't I? Doesn't that mean anything? Was I just lucky? Joel smirked. I knew a guy once, human, just like you, but he didn't hesitate to follow me into the unknown. Why were his ideals so different compared to yours?

I shook my head. Couldn't tell you. Well, Joel said, grasping the device in his hand. I can see it on you. Something tells me you'd appreciate unfamiliarity. Let me show you around a bit first. If you still want to go back to Earth and deal with the aftermath of everything that's happened, then more power to you.

I'll take you. I didn't know what to say. Was I supposed to agree to something like this? To go off with some seemingly crazy stranger into the great unknown? A voice in the back of my head prodded me towards a simple revelation. Why not? Was I really being fulfilled by everyday life? It'd be hard to argue that I was.

I looked over at the kid who was still passed out. What about him? Damn, I guess he's our responsibility now. Joel responded. We'll just drag him along till he wakes up. I didn't know what to expect from Joel's little interdimensional tour. More hostile creatures, more insanely powerful beings with God complexes, anything seemed to be on the table.

And anything was exactly what I got. We went to an assortment of varying worlds and realities, all measurably different than the last. We visited a tropical-like series of cliff. where stone statues the size of mountains casually sauntered above. We went to a world comprised entirely of a molten ocean, where giant ships would fight off robotic squids, unending tundraws with towns made out of ice, a giant arena where people in armor riding a top grotesque beast would fight to the death, a sprawling cyberpunk-esque megacity.

This was also where Joel dropped Trent's body off. In return, he was given a neon stamp on his index finger, which quickly faded into a skin. Any time he wanted to purchase something, he'd simply pass the finger through a holographic screen presented by the cellar. Yeah, Earth's lacking behind, he said to me, this is what you call high technology. At some point during all of this, the kid woke up, presumably nursing a nasty hangover. At the exact moment he did so, we were paddling across an underground lake surrounded by subterranean settlements populated by mole-like humanoids.

He looked absolutely horrified as he took in the scenery. Where the fuck are we? He asked, his voice cracking in the midst of the sentence. After explaining the situation, more or less, he could only sit and stare at the boat floor. Let me go back. He said, addressing nobody in particular. I'm sorry, kid, but that's a bad idea. As Kaz went on to explain, his absence from the evacuated crowd was a problem.

If the government presumed him to be dead and his body was never found, it'd be a simple matter. However, if he were to suddenly come back, hours after the incident, things would become exponentially more complicated. They won't only keep pestering you. They'll also be bothering the people closest to you, like your family. And trust me, maintaining confidentiality is something they don't take chances on. It's unfair. Yeah, well, Kaz began to respond before being cut off by Cecile. Everything is unfair.

You need to remember that you can't control everything that happens to you. When shit goes south, you just have to be strong. Don't expect a savior. Become your own. That little pep talk rendered the kid speechless as he stared back to the floor. Seeing this, she patted his back for a brief moment. But for now, We'll help you through it.

Eventually, Joel transported us to a more peaceful location. It was a seemingly perpetual field of tall grass and magnificently colored flowers bathed in the light of multiple sun shining above. I come here when I need to relax. You got to let your adrenaline shoot down every once in a while. Makes it feel even better when it spikes back up. Joel said he turned toward both the kid and I. So you've got a decision to make.

I won't try convincing you two to come more than I already have. It's up to you, really. A decision. I weighed my options carefully. If I went back, my best outcome would be getting brain wiped and then shoved back into my SWAT unit. But Kaz had explained the wiping procedure, and it did not sound fun. Apparently, the more classified information you were aware of, the more wipes it took, each one being a more dreadful experience than the last.

On top of that, there was no guarantee that. the procedure would work 100%. In that case, they'd just hit you with the lethal injection. No chances on confidentiality, after all. On the other hand, if I were to go off with Joel and do who the hell knows what and who the hell knows where, my future was an absolute mystery. Maybe I'd have decades of fantastic stories to tell. Maybe I'd die in a week. But Joel sure seemed fulfilled with what he'd been doing.

A sensation I hadn't felt much in years. I looked down at the kid, whose face was still sullen. It was funny. I used to fantasize about being in his position when I was younger, to be put into extraordinary circumstances escaping the mundanity of school life. Maybe the fantasy was better off as just that. Make believe. But then again, we were already here, and going back didn't seem to be an option.

You know what, Joel? I smiled at him. Let's go see what's out there. He smirked back. Good choice. He threw the device onto a small clearing in the grass. Let's get something to eat first. I'm starving here.

Before he summoned the portal, he turned back to face all of us. By the way, my friends call me Rust.