Desperation does wonders for a man's work ethic. What once would have been a week of careful testing and theory work, was condensed to a frantic twelve hours of rapid building and guesswork. Very accurate guesswork, but guesswork all the same. Sure, this leaves me in the situation where most of my gear is experimental, but at the same time, it's still stable enough to use properly. Like the kinetic overdrive feature, which I wasn't able to give proper inhibitors, thus forcing me to manually monitor it as it's in use.
Potentially life threatening, yes, but it should be more than manageable. So long as I manually control how much power goes into it, it should be rather simple. If I don't… well it'd be like if Master Chief didn't have a brain implant to control his armor. Broken limbs, and probable dismemberment. If I'm lucky. Thankfully, I had the genius idea to implement a backup system in place just in case something goes awry. It works just like that armor from Berserk, keeping me functional even when my bones are broken. Though that's about it. It'll keep some broken limbs in place by locking up in very specific ways, thus allowing me to still use the limb.
Kind of like a really advanced cast. And then, the potion injection system should react by then, thus injecting me with some gold blood in the affected area. It would be instant, but I kind of fucked up with the runes and can't figure out how to fix it. So, there's a slight delay of a few seconds before the system recognizes that I've been injured. A bug that could easily be fixed had I had the time, but considering my current dilemma, I would have to work with it.
I adjusted one of my gauntlets, flexing my hand as I got used to the suit. Right now it was on standby mode, meaning that the enchants and other systems were only working well enough to let me move at my base stats. The drain on the power supply was low enough that I could stay in this mode indefinitely, and even have a slight surplus of power gained from ambient absorption.
Giving myself one final look over, I admired my work. I had decided to go with Emery's color philosophy regarding my armor. It was mostly black, with silver highlights since silver is a color I don't use as often as I should. The reinforced glass was navy, as well as the leather components for the pseudo long coat that was used as an under suit. Dark colors should help mask any stains, and would just generally look way better.
White just isn't my color for some reason.
I grabbed my weapons, holstering them in place. The shotgun and rifle on my back, and the crossbow and super shotgun on my hips. The sword was clicked into place in the center of the two guns, and Master and Pupil were sent to my inventory. I hadn't bothered coloring the weapons, since the slightly bizarre color schemes kind of worked for them.
Right, Daria was going to be here at any moment. I should probably start shutting down the lab and… and…
A black and navy scarf caught my attention, its edge hanging from a nearby table. Walking over, I gently lifted it up from the table and held it in my hands. After staying with Emery for the majority of the morning and afternoon, I had been forced say goodbye due to my ever shortening time limit. I did my best to make sure everyone would be okay while I was gone, putting Rana in charge while I was away and leaving her with a few rules and suggestions. I was… worried. Very much so. Honestly, I really shouldn't be. Rana, despite her being kind of a cunt, was one of the most trustworthy people I knew.
That probably said something about me.
Either way, I had complete faith in them. That being said, I was still concerned as all hell. I mean, who wouldn't be? When your fiancé has a week and a half to live, you're not exactly the picture of grace under fire. I've been doing fine so far, but the pressure was mounting. If even a single thing went wrong, it could spell the end of both me, and Emery.
I took a deep breath in, and exhaled. Wallowing around won't get me anywhere. Right now, was the time for action.
"You done staring at a scarf Seven?"
Turning around, I faced Daria as she leaned against the wall. She was a bit more relaxed than when I had last saw her, though there was still a slight tenseness in her shoulders. She was clearly uncomfortable with the plan.
Wrapping the scarf around my neck and tightening it, I gave Daria a nod. "That I am. Now then, let's go."
She hummed, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes. "Good, but remember one thing Seven. When this is all over, and your kid is finally born, you're going to have to fulfill your end of the bargain."
Ah, right. If Daria was one thing, it was committed. And a bitch. Even with Emery's life on the line, she had refused to help me without some incentive. She knew exactly what she wanted, and wasn't going to back down until I caved in and gave it to her.
And I did. "Of course. I'm many things Daria, but an oath breaker is not one of them. Surely you of all people would understand that much, wouldn't you?"
A grin stretched across her face, and she placed a hand on her hip. "That much I do. Oh Seven, you crazy bastard, you better survive this. Because if you do, I'm going to ride you like an unsatisfied farm girl at the horse's stables. Only with less death and more incest."
God damn it Daria. She was making it weird again. "Can you not refer to… us as incest? It's kind of fucking weird Daria."
She raised a hand, and the lights began to flicker as shadows formed into a gate. "But it's true, little brother. Now then, I suppose we've wasted enough time with foreplay. Would you like to get to the main course? Only with more metaphors and less your penis in my hot and waiting vagina?"
Her sexual harassment was off the charts today. Something about this whole situation must've been freaking her out slightly. Either that, or she knew something I didn't. Very possible, considering the circumstances. "Maybe if you stopped being a sex pest and got on with things, we'd be a little faster. Now let's go, I have ass to kick and names to forget."
She nodded, stepping to the side and beckoning me to go on ahead. Right, all I had to do was take a few steps forward and my mission will officially begin. I'll be off to fight in some unknown realm, away from family and friends because it's my best option.
Fuck my life.
Right, no time to be a bitch. Sure, this is probably the most dangerous thing I've done yet, but it's also probably the most important one too. So, let's fucking do this.
I stepped through the gate, tensing as my body was sucked through an otherworldly realm of death and madness. Going through Daria's realm was always a fucking trip. Any words would fail to describe it really, it's ever shifting form and no clear beginning or end made it impossible to put into words. The only stable part of it was the ever present throbbing at the back of my skull, my own resistance to such a sight struggling to completely protect me from it.
And then it was over, and my feet touched solid stone. The area around me was dark, basically pitch black really. I reached up towards my helmet, pushing a button on the bottom of it and activating my night vision module.
The pitch blackness gave way to my enhanced sight, and my eyes widened. We were at the front of some underground ruins, which resembled a castle of some kind. It was derelict, heavily so, and the age could almost be felt within the air. What once might've been a beautifully gothic castle, was now little more the near rubble.
Several groans began to ring out throughout the large cavern, and armored corpses rose from the ground. Despite the obvious age, none of the weapons were rusty, and some still seemed to hold a sharp edge to them. Time to kill. I summoned Master and Pupil to my hands, and tensed my body as-
A hand grasped my shoulder, holding me in place. "Calm down Seven. They're not enemies, at least, not at the moment."
Daria let me go, taking a step forward. "Ainzool! It's been a while, hasn't it? It's Daria, and I've come on behalf of The Seventh! He wishes to make a deal with you!"
The undead stopped moving, falling into line one by one. The large doors in front of us began to open, the sound of stone grinding on stone echoing throughout the cavern. I gave Daria a quick glance, hoping for an explanation. Not that I got any, as she just stared ahead.
"Monstrosities. So, you have decided to curse me with your presence once more. Tell me, do you enjoy ruining my blessed silence with your impudence? Or perhaps, you have something of value to me?"
…I was way in over my head right now. Still, no need to lose composure now. Instead, I just gestured for Daria to go on ahead. "Well? He's asking about you. May as well lead the way."
She scowled at me, but walked forward nonetheless. Her movements were stiff, and she looked highly uncomfortable with the situation. Damn it, what the hell kind of guy can make her uncomfortable? Whatever, I can figure it out later. Right now, I had a meeting to attend.
Trailing behind her, I kept my hands relaxed and was ready to summon my blades should things go tits up. The armored cadavers didn't move a single muscle, standing as still as statues as we entered the dilapidated castle. There were no lights, so it was a good thing I had my night vision. Even if it did make things a bit wonky sight wise. The slight blue tint to everything mixed with the lack of any shadows made things look really fucking weird.
My eyes landed on the large throne at the end of the castle entrance, and I almost tripped in shock. There, sitting upon a throne the size of a small house, was a massive skeleton looking dude. His bones were a charcoal black, and there were more than a few cracks in them. He had glowing red pupils within empty eye sockets, and his teeth were somewhat pointed. What was probably highly ornate robes, was now little more than threads hanging off his body. It was a strange sight, seeing such an obviously powerful figure looking so… decrepit. Withered, even.
Hell, the only thing on his body that wasn't in shitty condition were some chains wrapped around his body and limbs. He… he didn't look anything like a "Lord of the Dead" would. At least, not how I pictured it would look anyway. Well, he did look dead, so that was probably good enough.
We stopped several dozen feet away from the throne, and Daria stepped forward awkwardly. "Ainzool, good to see you. I'm here to offer you a- "
Ainzool raised a hand, and Daria stopped talking immediately. "I care not for you, Monstrosities. No, I am far more interested in the guest you've brought with you. So, begone."
She glanced at me, an apologetic look on her face as she turned around and walked away. Now, it was just Ainzool, and me. Fuck.
His empty sockets turned to look down at me, his emotionless visage giving nothing away. He spoke once more, his voice gravelly and unpleasant. "You there, Slumbering One, what brings you to my gilded cage? Riches perhaps? The death of one who has wronged you? The resurrection of a loved one? Or is it merely foolish curiosity that brought you groveling at my feet?"
Wow. That's uh, very bitter. This guy clearly doesn't like people very much. Regardless, he's the only one who might be able to help me save both Emery and the child. So, I better push past it. "I've come here to- "
"Remove your helmet. If I wished to speak to someone faceless, I would converse with the undead."
I paused, before reaching up and grasping my helmet with both hands. The locking mechanisms disengaged, and I pulled it off my head. The pitch black room greeted me, but a series of torches lit up with black flames that somehow illuminated the room. Looking up towards Ainzool, I noticed a slight sense of regret in his eyes. And anger. "Ah, truly your cursed visage will haunt me forever Dariel. Continue, Slumbering One."
That rang several alarm bells in my head, but I swallowed my curiosity and continued. "I'm here to bargain. My fiancé, she's pregnant, but my… unique magic and blood is causing issues with the baby. The child is releasing destruction oriented magic, and it's poisoning my fiancé. I'd like to ask for- "
He laughed, a bone chilling sound that made me shiver. His hand slapped against his throne, and his boisterous laughter slowed down to a deep chuckle. "And tell me, Slumbering One, why should I assist you? You Aspects of Destruction have caused me little more than pain and misery. Indeed, if I could prevent one of you from having wretched spawn, why should I provide assistance in saving it?"
A knot formed in my stomach. I just got here. This was just the start of my journey. I needed to push forward, to save Emery and our child. I couldn't get denied so early on! I… I…
I fell to my hands and knees, fingers clawing into the stone floor as I begged. "Please! I don't know what suffering you must have gone through, nor can I pretend to ever understand it! But please, listen to my request and judge me fairly! My fiancé, my Emery, she means everything to me! And the child, oh the child, it's supposed to be our happy ending together! I don't want to lose either of them, and I will claw my way through hell and back to save them!"
I grit my teeth, clenching my fists as I bowed my head. It hurt my pride to do so, but fuck pride! This was my family god damn it! I'd dress up as Cupid and sing the Teletubbies theme song if it meant saving them.
"…I see. How surprising, especially from one such as yourself. For an Aspect of Destruction to throw away their pride… truly you are something different. Perhaps you are- no, I'm getting ahead of myself."
He cleared his throat, an unnecessary action considering he didn't even have a throat. "Very well then. I will help you save your family. But in return, I ask of you one favor."
The ground beneath us rumbled, and Ainzool flexed against the chains holding him. A growl escaped his… teeth and the black fire around us flared. "You see, I was not always the withered mess of bones you see before you. I was once… human, in a sense. Long ago, back when sorcery was still commonly practiced. It was a chaotic time. One filled with war, death, and power struggles. One day, a man approached me with a plan. An idea. To save ourselves, we must first… destroy mana from the world."
He paused, clenching his fist in anger. "Oh, I regret the day I met him! But alas, I was enthralled by his ideals, his charisma, and was blind to his silver tongue. I followed him, working alongside him to purge mana from the world. And we succeeded. Mana was purged, leaving only the remnants of it behind in the form of what you now call magic. But it would not stay this way. The world would heal, and the cycle would begin again. Unless, there was something to prevent that."
He slammed a fist against his throne, the cavern itself trembling from the blow. "He convinced me to give up my humanity, to become a lich. And then, he stole my phylactery and ran off to another realm, chaining me to my throne and cursing my existence. I was dutiful at first, sitting here for years as I waited for him to return like he said he would. Months to years, years to decades, and decades to centuries. My bitterness grew over time, and now I seek a sweet release from my post. So long as I live, I will be trapped here. Forever keeping the world from truly healing with my presence. Oh, but I tire of it! I'm so weary, and weak!"
His form slumped against his throne, and I could see the age in his form. More than just the cracked bones, but a weariness that permeated the air around him. "This is your mission, should you choose to accept it. Enter this realm, the Nether, and bring me my phylactery. It will be guarded by a… deep regret of mine. You must put this regret to rest, and return to me. Then, and only then, will I aid you."
That was a lot to take in, especially for such a short time frame. But I didn't have time for twenty questions, so I just settled for one. "You said your existence is what keeps the world from healing. Should you die, will this… Mana, return?"
He hummed, leaning his head on his hand. "Of course. My death will allow the world to finally heal. And considering how long it has been waiting to do so, I gather that it will be a quick process. Are you ready to accept the consequences of this action? The barrier between the realms will grow thinner, and the world itself will grow more dangerous. Are you truly willing to condemn the world to such a fate?"
Funny. He asked me as if it was a question I was going to agonize over. "Yes. I will do whatever I need to in order to save my family. I will deal with the consequences, and I will not regret them."
"An acceptable answer, Slumbering One."
Ainzool stretched a bony hand out, a small orb materializing in his hand. He tossed it to me, and I caught it in my hand. Giving it a once over, I used Observe on the black orb.
One-Way Gateway
ERROR: UNKNOWN VARIABLE
PROCESSING…
PROCESSING COMPLETE!
One-Way Gateway
Mythical
An orb Created by Ainzool, God of Death and Aspect of Death, Influence of Haunted Death. When thrown, it will create a portal to Ainzool's Castle. This is a single use item.
My mind was boggled. This guy… he was an Aspect. Not just any Aspect, but an Aspect of Death. Which exists, apparently. I shouldn't be surprised. Especially considering I'm an Aspect of Destruction. It would only make sense that other Aspect types exist. Still, this was a huge discovery. Also, the fuck was mythical?
Mythical
A Rank between Rare and Legendary. Items of this class are often incredibly powerful, but are technically able to be replicated through skill alone. Some of the strongest Mythical items can even rival Legendary items.
Mythical is Red in color.
Huh. Neat.
"This will allow you to return once your quest has been fulfilled. Though be warned, should you return from your quest empty handed, I will not be granting you a second chance."
Right, that checked out. Vanishing it to my inventory, I steeled myself as Ainzool waved a hand and created a deep purple portal. No words were said, a simple hand gesture answering any questions I may have had.
I locked my helmet back in place, walking forward towards the portal. Reaching out a hand, I touched the swirling purple energy. It seemed to suck me in slightly, and pulling my hand back made the portal stick to my hand slightly. Almost like a sticky jello. Taking a deep breath, I decided to take a leap of faith, and jumped through the portal.
…
Heat hit me for a moment, before I tumbled out of the portal and onto a hard rocky surface. I was quick to get to my feet, dusting myself off and getting a good look at my surroundings. It looked almost like a cave, but the stone was replaced with some red looking rock. Smashing my fist against the floor, I broke a piece of the ground off and picked it up. "Observe."
Netherrack
Uncommon
A red rock that burns to the touch. When lit, the fire will burn indefinitely. It seems to pulse with an unknown power.
Sure enough, I could feel a slight pulse from the rock, almost as if it were alive. Kneeling down, I placed my hand against the floor and focused on it. It was subtle, and I would have missed it if I weren'tlooking for it, but there was a slight… beating sensation. I could almost feel the floor shifting slightly, each beat repeating the cycle in an almost… alive way. The feeling was almost reminiscent of breathing, or the beat of a heart. I wonder…
Clenching my hand into a fist, I reinforced my hand and jammed it into the wall. I quickly pulled my hand out and watched with a morbid fascination as what looked like lava flowed out from the hole. It stopped where the hole was, and began to harden. Almost like a blood clot or something. "Observe."
Nether Lava
Uncommon
A lava-like liquid that makes up for all of the Nether's fluids. Absolutely raging, this lava is several times hotter than the ones found in the Overworld. Strangely, it seems to act as the Nether's blood.
Fascinating. This Nether, it was more than just another realm. No, it was alive in some way. A living world, with Netherrack flesh and Nether Lava blood. This changes a lot of things right now. For one, I'll have to stay on the down low for now. If this place really is alive, then I'm going to need to make sure that I don't catch its attention. Assuming that me being safe right now means that I'm, well, safe, then I probably haven't disturbed it enough to really cause any issues.
A burning smell hit my nose, and I looked down to see my scarf was on fire. Fuck! Emery's gonna be so disappointed if I lose this thing! Grasping the scarf with both hands, I quickly applied fire protection, regular protection, and mending to it. Thankfully, that managed to put the fire out, and I could see the burnt threads beginning to fix themselves.
Thank fuck.
Though that did bring me to another issue, and that was the fact that I was starting to burn up. My throat was starting hurt, and not because I was feeling particularly emotional. The air hurt my throat, almost like I was breathing fire. And the rest of my body wasn't doing much better. Sweat was beginning to pour down my body, and I was starting to feel faint. "Activate Life Support Systems at Setting: Extreme Heat."
Almost immediately, everything began to feel way better. The sweat was going to feel gross as fuck later, but at least I won't be dying to that today. Hmm, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've ever felt anything other than fine temperature wise. I guess my innate temperature resistance has limits. Good to know.
I reached over to my back, grabbing my rifle and unfolding it to its automatic form. This cave wasn't the best spot for melee combat, so I would have to rely on my ranged weapons for now. Not that it was an issue, since my guns were absolute beasts. Though I would have to hope that they would be strong enough. This place was absolutely teeming with… something. Some form of foreign energy is all I had, to be honest. Either way, I had no doubt that whatever lived here was absolutely deadly, this… Nether Energy probably mutating it drastically.
Several moans rang out from behind me, and I quickly spun around to face the sounds. Coming out from a corner, were several small bodies. Like, up to my shin being the tallest they got. Their actual bodies were… grotesque, to put it nicely. They were emaciated, and either didn't have eyes or just had empty sockets. They had gaping maws, some of them filled with rotten teeth, and others just empty. "Observe."
Untamed Messenger
Health: 5/5
Nether Energy: 10/10
Right, fuck that noise.
Aiming away from the messengers, I fired a single warning shot. They seemed to get the message fairly well, and began to shriek, scampering away. Right, now that that's settled, I should probably go and-
A deep wailing echoed throughout the small cave, putting me on high alert. I readied my rifle, waiting for whatever the hell just made that noise to pop out. And it soon did. My nose wrinkled in disgust as what looked to be a walking corpse pile. It was vaguely humanoid, with random meaty limbs wrapping together to form a bipedal form. There wasn't a head on the damned thing, just a writhing mass of flesh and bone. Fuck it, here we go again. "Observe."
Reborn Ones
Health: 50/50
Nether Energy: 5/5
I fucking hate this place.
Pulling the trigger, I filled the damned thing with bullets. Its body jerked back, peddling backwards before falling over. Huh. Guns really are the best answer to my problems.
ERROR – EXPERIENCE WAS UNABLE TO BE CAPTURED
Fucking what?!
Shifting my rifle to standby mode, I grumbled to myself and holstered my weapon, kneeling down over the corpse. Looks like this one is actually dead, so there's that. I placed a hand on it, thankful that I was wearing a gauntlet over my hands. "Structural Analysis."
Hmm… how very vile. The name was apt, considering the creatures wasn't a single entity. No, it was an amalgamation of souls and meat in a Frankenstein's monster combination. The conflicting thoughts and emotions breaking the sapience of the creature, rendering it barely sentient. Interestingly enough however, the meat wasn't what the souls were attached to. I placed a hand over the creature's center, feeling around until subtle beating sound caught my attention. Bingo.
I plunged my fist through its chest, fishing around until my hand grasped its core. Ripping it out, I eyed the core carefully. It was a brownish looking rock, pulsing in a way that reminded me of the Netherrack. On its surface was the etchings of what looked to be screaming faces. "Observe."
Soul Rock
Rare
A compressed form of soul sand, this rock can capture weak souls and trap them within it. Should one of these rocks end up in a body, it will reanimate said body and use it as its own. The wailing of the damned can be felt from it.
Ah, so that beating sensation wasn't actually like the Netherrack at all. It was the wailing of the souls trapped within it. Fucking neat. Still, waste not want not. Besides, I could probably find a decent use for it. The homunculi maybe? Whatever it is, I'm going to have to be very careful with how I work with these things. Especially considering that these soul rocks can also make beasts like this. Speaking of which.
I grabbed my auto shotgun from my back and shifted it to semi-automatic mode, pulling the trigger as another Reborn Ones tried to jump me. It stumbled, falling to a knee as it tried to stabilize itself. Not that I would let it. I quickly jumped up to my feet and rammed my fist through its chest, gripping the soul rock and yanking it free from its ribcage. It groaned, falling apart into a pile of meat and bone.
Flicking some blood off of my hand, I turned to face the approaching group of Reborn Ones. Their bodies twitched violently as they shambled over to me. I switched my shotgun to full auto mode, and just sighed.
Time to get to work.
…
Ah… this was awkward.
Daria made sure not fidget too much, keeping a calm smile on her face even as Ainzool stared her down. Truthfully, she had wanted to leave as soon as Darius was gone. Unfortunately, she knew Ainzool well enough to know that he was probably already blocking access to her personal realm. How, she had no idea. But all that mattered was that she would have to confront the man, and would be subjected to all his unnecessary questions.
"So, it seems you're making allies amongst your own kind once more. I am surprised. One would imagine that after what Humanity did to you, that you'd be more hesitant."
She clenched her jaw, folding her hands together and squeezing them. This was just what she was afraid of. "Well, Ainzool, there are exceptions to every rule. Besides, Seven has grown on me. Much like an annoying mosquito bite, or a rash."
He hummed, resting his head on his fist. It was easy to figure out what he was feeling. Boredom. "Of course. Though, speaking of Humanity, we both know that he'll sense my death. Should this Slumbering One fulfill his task, Humanity will be aware of it. And I very much doubt that he will be happy about it."
A pause as he lifted his head off of his hand and stared down at her once more. "Tell me Monstrosities, what side will you pick? Will you truly be able to do battle with Humanity like you once did centuries ago? If I remember correctly, that did not end well for you."
Damn this man and his questions. She bit her lip, letting her hands fall to her sides stiffly. "If push comes to shove, I'll assist Seven the best I can. That being said, I do not plan on fighting directly. No, I've had enough of that. Besides, Darian's Influence is a direct counter to my own. I wouldn't be able to hold my own fairly against him."
A chuckled escaped him, and he leaned back further into his throne. "Your conviction is weak Monstrosities. I've no doubt that you will leave the Slumbering One to fend for himself should the conflict grow too great. Not that I am surprised of course. Indeed, this is something you've done time and time again."
His eyes pierced into her very soul, and it frustrated her to no end that he could read her many sins like an open book. "Ah, but that is not the most interesting question, now is it? Indeed, the better question is, what would you do should you meet Humanity once again? You seem intent on battling him, but we both know that you wouldn't? After all…"
That mother fucker better not-
"He is the closest thing to a father you've ever had."
Daria took a deep breath in, her hands shaking with barely concealed anger. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to stop her face from glaring at Ainzool. "…I'll be going now. I will be back once I've sensed Seven return to this realm. Have a good one, Ainzool."
She spun on her heel and turned around, ignoring the way he cackled as she walked. As soon as she left the castle walls, she summoned a gate to her location and stepped through.
Fucking asshole.
…
It's been a while since we've had a chapter told mostly through Darius' point of view. Indeed, this will probably be a constant during this arc. With maybe the occasional flash cut to some of the other characters near the beginning or end. Either way, it's finally here! The Nether arc is finally rolling! You have no idea how long I've been planning this. And the absolutely heavy amount of lore reveals are just… juicy. This is gonna be fun.
Now onto out review of the chapter:
"*Makes Orpheus Reference*
WOOOOO! IF EMERY DIES, CHANCES OF DARIA FUCKING HER BROTHER RAISES BY 88%. LETS DO THIS!"
I'm glad someone did the math for this.
This has been A Decent Hoonter, and I wonder what song reference will end up being the title for this chapter?