Queen's note: Okay I did not get to the point I wanted but once more this story is going off in its own direction no matter what I did. I needed to break it up again.

Garnets

Chapter Forty One:

Wrath of the Pained

In some ways there was a disturbing similarity between the Doom Slayer King and those of hell he hunted, but even more differences. In this case that odd instinctual want to hunt and eat the clearly injured primordial power to become stronger-

The biggest difference most of the time, was that the Slayer could and would rain in that flash of altered instinct. His interest was very caught, but he could ignore that hunger easily. Pushing back the memory of the raw Wraith soul partly absorbing into his core in Hell.

Would a power boost be nice?

Very much so, but the Slayer could easily live without it now. Yet the thought of a broken, corrupted Wraith that could affect the human survivors over time was… worrying.

He turned to look at the child he held at a pat on his chest for attention. Heather signed a question. Do you feel the ghost too?

She lifted her hands to touch behind her ears, tapping there.

The Slayer considered, glanced over as the other humans were groaning and waking up. He moved, closer to the sense of the Wraith and over the wall. Finding a safe isolated place to set Heather down and crouch on his heels.

What is ghost? The Slayer asked, huffing and now had to ignore the other primordial scent as he focused. Feels… hurt?

Heather nodded, relieved someone else seemed to understand. Ghost yells at evening and dawn. No one wants to talk about it. I think… ghost is sad? Sometimes kids go missing when lots of…'yelling?'

The demigod frowned deeply inside his helmet. That was not a good implication, yet there were no dome-like shields like on either Argent D'nur or the old Argenta colonies to block out the hell portals from certain areas.

Little flower know where ghost is? The Slayer tried, just in case, and got a head shake.

Sounds felt are…felt by the big dock. The big-big dock. Heather tried to put in words what she had noticed living in the city since her and her mother came here. It was hard to describe to someone that was not her mother, who could understand sign language even better than Heather, and always helped her learn new ones.

She turned to look around, Heather pointed to the rough area where the shipping docks were. Where it seemed like the 'voice' of the ghost always came from. Where people that were not a part of the… government? Malisha? Business? Army? The girl just knew that no one that was not Dock Security was allowed there.

The Slayer looked over that way, rising up to stand up at his full height to get a good look in that direction. Same place as where he sensed the wraith being. He looked at the girl, debating on summoning a portal to plop the tiny human through, but then if a Wrected had been dealt with… that would mean the other Night Sentinels would not be on the fortress. Lily was not there either.

Even if Vega was the Slayer was not actually aware that the old AI would have been perfectly capable of taking care of Heather. Nor did he know how VEGA had been almost solely responsible for taking care of every human on the Mars colony. Including the youngest generations that were not so accidentally born on the red planet. Those that he had moved to be safely evacuated at the first hints of something going wrong before the Argent Wave.

He could not catch the scent of any hell growth, and thus many demons in this area now. It should be safe enough, and Heather might be able to tell him some more about this fallen city and its residence.

The Slayer gave a warning huff at the girl, turning back as he picked her up, trying to look at the bag on her as it meowed.

He still liked cats. The demigod hoped this one would not hate him too for being the reason it was taken away from its home and routines again. The Slayer tried to be smooth as he just cleared the wall again, hopping down to the ground almost in his full stride. His head looked back and forth as he kept catching movement, but not of a demon or creature.

The Slayer was being watched, peeked at. Unsure humans that scattered away in fear or confusion at the giant of muscle and alien metal that did not have an exposed face.

He was mildly… miffed one might say, not fully upset or angry. Not truly annoyed, but still upset at the large buffer of space he was given. The Slayer could start to see active signs of life now the closer to the water's edge. Not just on the docks but the carefully bordered up buildings right by the edge. Two or three stories up he could see farmed plants in all the windows here.

Humans were still trying.

The Slayer made a pleased sound somewhere in his lower chest. He wanted to investigate at some point, but was reminded of his… inhumanity with the wide berth he was given.

The Demigod looked down as Heather gripped the top edge of his stained chest plate. Drawing his attention to the tiny hands as she pressed the side of her head to the thick armor.

She looked up and let go to sign, her expression curious, not fearful. What is that feeling? Is it sound?

The Slayer slowed his pace in an alley, a bit surprised at the question. He gave a deep, but neutral, growl in his chest. Almost at once, Heather pressed the side of her head to the stained armor. She relaxed a bit, not all the way but just that distinctly enough for him to notice.

That's me. The Slayer signed as he stood still for a moment, aware of souls not far. Yet distracted by this oddity of the human child he held suddenly losing all the fear and trusting him. He was talking her and the child was trusting if not believing in him?

Not for the first time he wondered what was happening to the humans on earth. Yet it was hard to really… not 'care' but… understand?

The Slayer did care about humanity, quite a lot really. He would likely always be loyal to his once birth race, always tied to humanity. Even if he was anything but human himself.

Yet there was always something like a buffer one might say to the whole of the humans. He was detached from them, yet… yet finding it a little easier to understand or just attach to these random humans he found. This little one being so fascinated by the feel of him.

That young boy that was willing to be picked up by the hulking armored man in his not quite dream. The docker woman that was skin and bone that did not seem to hate him for severing her arm from the gore nest.

…the little cool, soft feeling of Lily sleeping against his side, trusting him to keep the nightmares away.

The Demigod struggled internally to put words to what he was feeling. Trying to remember what things were called or linked to. To understand what these half thoughts and emotions were. He could not, not then, as John focused on the girl instead. Then he was distracted by seeing a little feline nose poking out of a torn gap in the bag. Daring to offer a finger tip to the kitten to sniff as the half formed thoughts tried to solidify for him to understand.

The distinct and and too familiar sound of first one cocking gun then several from two sides snapped the Slayer's attention back into sharp focus. Though he did not move from his stop at first.

Almost letting the human guards, soldiers, filter into the alley to surround him, as if curious what they thought they could do to his mass.

The armor they had almost looked a bit mish-mashed, though one seemed like it used to be military. The tallest of those here just came up to his chest, maybe collarbone with the helmet.

"Hmm?" The sound that came out of the Slayer was deceptively lazy. He tilted his head, the subtle shift of his stance had the Demigod going from calm fascination, to a predator looking over Heather's head at the other humans.

He saw the shiver in one human, a coiling tensing of muscles in another.

The Slayer growled a warning as Heather finally reacted to the guard/soldiers.

"...put the child down." One said to the Demigod's right, shifting but lowering his rifle a bit as he was not that confident it would hurt this hulking form. He took a breath and spoke, "Identify yourself and put the child down slowly. Safely."

The giant of a man tilted his head faintly, glancing at the girl to note how she gripped tighter to the edge of his chest plate. The Slayer turned to face the speaker, lifting his free hand to sign in his own shorthand. No. Small one wants to stay with.

There was a hesitation, the younger man looking at the others, "What, that was sign language? Put the child down, if you go with us we can find a translator."

The Slayer snorted, cutting the smaller human off as he stepped over, right up into his personal space to make them have to step back. He had a hold of the barrel, hearing the others charging or cocking their weapons and shifting to a fire stance. Slowly, and very deliberately flexed his hand to not take the rifle but… crushed its barrel.

The man in front of him swallowed thickly, and audibly. Backing up as his rifle was released to show how this new person… being [monster?] seemed to chuckle. Then lifted his head and attention shifted to look over the man's head as if hearing something.

The dock guard was nudged and sent into another human who had to shift gears in order not to fall with the first. There were no shots, these men though were unsure they had good trigger discipline. The fact that this giant of muscle armor was already at the exit of the alley and looking around as if just trying to sort out what was going on.

"If that was not one of those older class space marines at one point, I don't know what is," One of the men in the back said, his accent not Australian but this was still his home.

"Whose armor was like that?" another asked, starting after as their unit more or less had to follow this stranger to keep up. It was almost as if they were forgotten about.

"Doesn't look human made, a few things written on it, in the older english aside." The first thought as he studied his now broken riffle, unloading it as it was definitely not safe.

"...he's heading to the shipping docks." Someone noticed, it was almost a straight line this giant was taking really. Pausing now and then as if listening, or…sniffing?

There was a long pause as the five men exchanged worried looks.

"...that thing can't be… calling to him…it…him?" Someone whispered, not noticing the giant tilting his head.

Now the Slayer was definitely interested, and stretched out his legs into his full ground eating stride of 'walking.' Hearing the scramble behind him when the humans realized he was moving again and trying to catch up. He definitely needed to find that wraith.

He found the security gate before the wraith, and just walked right on up. Aware that the humans behind him had been talking over their own comms as he saw people hustling. The slayer slowed, reaching up with his free hand to knock his knuckles against his helmet, getting Vega's attention.

"I'm attempting to open a communication line." Vega said promptly, "There is an interference coming from deeper in the shipping yard that is blocking my attempts."

Definitely a 'broken' or injured Wraith, it could not control the energy it was putting out. The Slayer slowed, looking at Heather as she was reaching up to pat her hands over her ears, looking puzzled.

Could normal humans sense Wraiths?

The pause was just long enough for the humans that found the Slayer in the alley to catch back. More than one was gasping for air from almost having to run to keep up. Not getting too close thankfully as the Slayer was distracted by studying the gateway ahead of himself. Just debating on sending Heather after all through a portal when the not so hidden Wraith seemed to finally sense him.

There was a pulse of raw primordial power that once more almost brought the scent of silvery scented blood to the Slayer. He took a slow deep breath, listening as much as feeling for…

There.

It was the not quiet voice he could sense from the Wraith.

Fear-rage-pain. Anger-want. Protective-fear. Worry-pain. Trapped-awareness.

It was… stuck somewhere? And knew he was coming now. Well that was interesting.

As well as tempting, as for a moment the Slayer felt that hunger for power before it was firmly squashed down. A short sound came out of him, a mix of warning to the humans trying to finish their blockade ahead of him, as well as answering the other primordial being.

Demand-inquisitive.

Healthier jumped as if she heard that, but then clasped her hands over her chest and looked up at the Slayer with wide eyes before trying to sign. What was that?

The Slayer hummed at her, chuffing but looked back and forth. Taking a sudden right as he avoided the humans and the added risk to Heather, scanning the walls around and the buildings. With a five step running start he was able to get the momentum to go up a wall of the protective building. Salt crystals crunching under his right hand and boots as he grabbed a roof edge to pull them up and over.

Small child was carefully pinned against his chest plate, the Slayer took a good look around. Semi-distant yells were the only reaction he heard from the blockade as the demigod started to walk along the roof. Trying to pinpoint where the Wraith was as he sensed a mix of fear and anger. Mostly fear came from it.

It seemed to know who and what the Slayer was, and it was rightly scared of the Unchained Predator of hell. Yet he could sense that it was trying to stay in place to… protect something?

The Slayer dropped his right hand as he found the clearest path with the least amount of humans. His fingers brushed Last Gift's hilt, feeling the living weapon wake up from the trance-like state that could be called its version of sleeping. For once the crucible was not hungry, still sated from the demons earlier.

The crucible was still ready if needed though.

Looking down, the demigod shifted to move Heather to his right side, letting her sit on that forearm now. Freeing his left arm and the easy use of his arm blade as there was a shout. Ignoring it, the Slayer was walking again, well able to just clear or climb up the buildings or the stacked shipping containers. Able to more or less take a straight line to where the Wraith was… in a converted building instead of bothering with the winding path below.

He found where the Wraith was then, one of the original control areas, or sorting buildings of the original shipping yard. There were crates that had been stacked and welded to be another layer of wall two high in an attempt to keep the walls protected more. Not that it did more protection than just some camouflage that building from the lowest of demonic creatures.

The broken 'scent' of power would attract anything with more awareness.

Crouching on his heels, the Slayer tilted his head as he watched the human here starting to get word of… well most likely him now. He had a moment or two though to watch their body language. How these humans were tense and holding themselves. How some seemed more taught and a few were oddly relaxed as they were at least partly able to sense or hear the Wraith.

Were the humans responsible for the Wraith's pain?

It seemed unlikely that they could hurt one on their own, more likely they had somehow found it?

A small hand patted the Slayer's chest plate, making him look down at Heather. She lifted her hands to ask a question. Why is it sad?

He blinked under the visor, listening intently to the not quiet sounds and the emotion tied to them. Sad?

Ghost is sad, and scared? Heather tried to explain what she felt and 'heard' as she put her hands behind her ears, then to her chest. Definitely sad.

The Slayer started to shift his attention to the girl before a warning whistle and then yell distracted him. He glanced down, and was definitely spotted as he noticed the weapons lifted. There was a hesitation he did not understand, not realizing at first that it was because he was holding Heather.

Shifting the girl to make sure she was safely tucked between his arm and chest while standing. Left hand lifted to shield as he found a way down to the ground on the other side of the shipping containers smoothly. The girl was safe from being shaken up as he stretched his legs to full stride. Heading to what seemed like an open door.

Warning-frightened. Loyal-protective-fear.

The Wraith had pulsed to find where he was, and recoiled; it seemed to just now realize how close the Slayer had been this whole time. He could distinctly catch the smell of primordial blood now. Different then his own, or the traces around the warped corpses in hell. It smelled almost like ice and… mercury? Something with a sweet undertone that normal humans would not be able to smell, and oddly edged with… green. Growing live green things that reminded the Slayer of the gardens in the Fortress.

He growled a clear warning as a human swung around a corner to his right with an energy rifle raised. The Slayer watched the human fumble and lift the weapon as they were almost too late spotting the confused child still in his arms. Heather waved at the smaller man… woman? In that odd, not really bothered way of a kid.

The Slayer stared hard at the human, not meaning to glare as he was trying to sort out if this was a skinny man in armor or a lean woman in armor. He huffed at the new human, looking back and forth as he looked for a door.

"I don't know who you are," The human spoke, making the Slayer glance back at them. Her? They sounded like a 'her,' as she dared to step closer, the rifle aimed down now with the safety on, "Please put the child down, and come with me."

The Slayer tilted his head, confused as he wondered why she would ask that. He was the best thing to protect the little flower from anything, even with an injured Wraith around. Do you sign?

It was an off chance, but though the woman seemed to hesitate as she recognized it was sign language, she did not know what was asked. "...is that sign? I don't know what you're saying. If you can understand me please put the girl down."

The Demigod shook his head clearly, if anything there was a subtle shift that held the girl a bit more firmly. Letting Heather grasp at his right shoulder and poke at a black char stain on the armor. She looked up and started to sign.

The woman watched intently as attention seemed to shift off her as the giant of armor and muscle focused on the child. He sighed back to her.

…did this stranger pick up the reported kidnapped girl because they both could sign? Or was something else going on that she could not pick up? The woman lifted a hand slowly, tapping her comms into a wide band, "Target intruder spotted by the ghost containment building, east side. Do not, I repeat: Do. Not. Come with weapons drawn. He has that child reported as kidnapped. I need anyone that can do sign language here- I said do not draw weapons!"

The gunshot was heard over the open line, as well as a girl's voice screaming and then the inhuman snarl. She could not fully follow the movement as the other person swung around the far corner of the building and seemed to panic and blindly fire. Something burned on Becky's left hip, but she was aware of the child being not so much dropped but plopped behind the giant's right leg as a weapon practically appeared out of nothing.

A side arm that fired right back, three quick shots. It did not even buck in his massive hand as the soldier, guard, was hit in his hand, foot and knee. Not fatal shots but definitely incapacitated them as the giant swung around to level the weapon at Becky's arm, not head or vital spot… just her elbow joint.

Becky barely glanced away to double check that the safety was on her rifle. Moving to set it down and lift her hands palm up, "I don't want to fight with you big guy. I just want to make sure that girl is safe."

The Slayer growled at her, his free hand flexing, then the blade snapped out on that left arm.

There was a pulse from inside the containment building that Becky felt, and watched as this stranger snapped his head to the wall. As if looking right through to where the 'ghost' being was in the containment. He stooped to pick up the shivering girl, and Becky was able to spot how this stranger was moving to shelter the young girl as he scanned for another threat. Then spotted one of the welded shut doors.

He lifted his left arm and with two quick swipes the welds were broken. More sliced like butter really. The Slayer turned to shield Heather against his side and kicked the door, letting it collapse inside.

Someone yelled at the crash.

The slayer awkwardly paused, peering in as Becky peeked from the side to see who had been run over by the door.

Oops.

The Slayer looked beyond the door at a bone rattling shriek from farther inside. The space was wide open, a warehouse like space with a… hole? A grated space that had vents. There was not much in the open space but equipment and lifts that went down. There was an underground section of the facility.

Another door banged open, and humans were hoofing in as the Slayer slid Heather down in front of him before pulling out that device from earlier in the day. It was already hooked up to let Vega get full access to this new system by the time someone yelled at the demigod.

"Freeze! Whatever you are- drop your weapons and get on the ground!"

"Sir! Don't lift your weapon against him!" Becky yelled from where she was in the side door that used to be wielded. Seeing the giant of a man lift his head.

The Slayer growled as he glanced behind him, hearing and feeling the Wraith shutter and hiss from… below. Why is there a Wraith here?

"Drop your weapon and get on the ground." The lead human snarled at the bigger being, his own plasma rifle raised. "We will open fire on you and kill you."

The Slayer snorted at that, glanced down and motioned Heather to get as low to the ground as she could. Stay down, stay still, small flower.

The girl made every effort to stay behind one of his legs as well. I'm scared.

"Get down on the ground now or we will open fire!" The human almost screamed.

"Do not be aggressive like that- the child is in the line of fire!"

Vega's soft, rich voice spoke calmly in the Slayer's helmet. "I can not access any speaker systems, there does not seem to be any here. But there is what seems to be a Wraith in the lower complex made. There are concerning entries about 'children offerings' to it."

The Slay gave a low, deep growl as Primordial slipped out.

Anger-demand.

Everyone paused at the earthquake cracking like sound edged with something like a cassowary sound. The demigod got up, turning to glare at the humans, finding several promptly backed down and away. A few almost dropped weapons as these humans were fully in focus.

"I think he's pissed." someone whispered, easing back from the apparent leader as that man realized he was basically alone now.


Reviews!

XFireStoneX: Mwahahah close! and also I like that fact! also, did you mean chapters 37-38? It is not the same creature as that demon!

Red Viy: There's not a lot on the Wraiths proper, so I'm running away with the bits I was able to find.