NOVEL NEXT Haunter in the Dark
The Demons and Ghosts are fighting the fragments of The Crawling Chaos, keeping them busy. While I approach Seria with my speed, standing next to her on a Magic circle.
"What is this thing's power?", I asked, looking down at the writhing mass of tendrils... it's laughing?
She spared me a moment, "Nyarla is pretty much unkillable, every time you attack them, their lose condition changes as well as their power set. It is pretty much impossible to predict what to do."
Tch, I would need Quirinus for this. But the academy would be in danger.
"Can you keep the academy safe from those scattered tendrils?", I look down at The Crawling Chaos, it is growing bigger.
"[Your Highness, The Crawling Chaos is changing into a Category-6 Void Beast.]", Utopia spoke, his voice sounding urgent, in contrast with his normal calm and collected self.
"I will assist as much as I can.", Seria nodded, "Satanic Crown - Grand Summoning Ritual."
A glowing red circle formed on the ground, covering the entire monster in Runes, restraining it - stopping its growth. While she was stalling its transformation, I grabbed Quirinus, ending the tornado.
"In the Name of Humanity.", I chanted, "Awaken, the Lance that pierces All."
The spikes resonated, sparking with red bolts of electricity and boiling lavender steam.
"O' Ancient Souls of Divinity, may you be Forgotten."
I threw my knife away, getting into position - both my hands grabbing the handle, and pointing the lance down as the wind began to pick up.
"O' Spirits of Nature, may you Return to Nothing."
Several magic circles appear in front of me, Acceleration Formation that increases my speed.
Wind, lightning, and steam combined, spiraling as a harmonious whirlwind. I flexed my right leg, ready to launch forward.
"For you, God of a Faraway World..."
And I launched, myself blazing in boiling steam and electricity—
As if time itself stopped, I pierced through the growing Void Beast - which had reached fifty meters in height. The spiral of destruction tears its body apart.
—When time resumed, Seria slashed The Crawling Chaos with her burning sword.
"May your Existence be Denied."
I swung my lance to the side, stopping the steam and lightning.
"Phantasmal... Denial."
As if the sun appeared, my combined attack with Seria turned The Crawling Chaos into nothing but minced flesh, desperately trying to reform. And in the center is an iridescent trapezohedron.
That wasn't enough, it seem—
It suddenly got hot.
My eyes snapped to the sky... what the fuck?
A giant golden biomechanical bat flew down, four wings made of flesh and machine intertwined with each other, its golden fur covered in gold pipes hissing out burning steam, six glowing golden eyes with X marks overlaying its eyes. The creature swooped in, snatched the crystal and flew into a portal... leaving everyone to stare at the shine it left behind.
What just happened?
"What is..."
"[The Fourth Harbinger of Life, Qaeidat Dhahabia the Golden Order's True Form]", Utopia explained.
"WHY THE FUCK WAS IT HERE?!", I screamed for an explanation.
"[Apology, Your Highness. I am not familiar enough with them to know— The Enigma Code just gave an explanation, "Because Qaeidat Dhahabia always look for opportunities for new collectibles.", that is what they said.]"
Fuck... it is due to my Contract with Qaeidat Dhahabia, isn't it?
I stare at the writhing mass of tendrils... it is still reforming. That crystal must be important in some way, as the randomization is over, I can't sense any changes.
Let's worry about Qaeidat Dhahabia later...
I summoned Fallen Starlight, crackling with red lightning and lavender steam boiling out of the glowing patterns on it.
Nyarlathotep, even if I don't know you well, I know you are important to Babel... someone everyone cherishes. In another... no, let's not wonder the ifs.
I pointed the rifle towards the sky, my eyes glowing a soft lavender light.
"By the Grace of Divinity..."
In front of all the Fragments of the Crawling Chaos, and several surrounding the Void Beast itself, are blooming Rose Compasses. And at the tip of the barrel is one too.
"By Human Defiance and Greed..."
I closed my eyes. Feeling the bullet inside spinning as it inherits the power of Ambition and Delusion.
"In your place, I shall Pierce the Stars."
And I pulled the trigger.
"Fallen Starlight."
The bullet travels through the barrel and hits the Rose Compass.
Pak—!
One head exploded—
Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak— Pak—
And all Fragments dropped dead, their body boiling away. As for the big one... it is burning in the flame of Hell after my shot left its body tattered.
Seria floats above it, her draconic wings in blue flame spread wide and proud. But I cannot see that on her face, there was no joy in her expression, only a solemn air.
As if this is a funeral. For an Eldritch God, the Eldritch God who decided to side with humanity...
Nyarlathotep the Crawling Chaos.
"Pandemonium Ceremony...", she raised sword, "...Divine Rebellion."
She dived down, stabbing The Crawling Chaos right in the center.
BOOOM!!!
Like a blooming rose, all of that concentrated energy burned the Void Beast, then shock, then freeze, then explode. That spelled the end of this battle. Then Seria flew away.
Clank!
The first row of teeth closed, dragging the corpse into her abyssal maw.
Clank!
The second row bites down, dragging it further down.
Clank!
Then the third row.
Clank!
Then the fourth row.
Clank!
Then the fifth row.
Clank!
Then the sixth row.
Clank!
And finally, the seventh row closed, swallowing the entire Void Beast and sinking into the water.
Selen Champlain, she isn't a native Dragon to America despite being called the Leviathan of America. Her true identity is that of a Leviathan swallowing all that comes near it in a vortex of despair in the Mediterranian Sea...
Charybdis the Abyssal Vortex.
Francis approached me, "That mark off for this year's incident."
I forgot that these things happen very often. But still... I didn't expect to see an Eldritch God dying in front of me and turning into a Void Beast.
I took out a cigarette, "Hah... even if the fight was a bit short, it was tough."
Imagine if Nyarla transforms into another place. It would spell disaster for the entire world.
"I didn't think it would happen so soon.", Seria landed, and her blue flame vanished to reveal her uniform, "You guys handle this place, I have somewhere else to go."
"Not going to say anything to me?", I crossed my arms.
"Heh.", she pat my head with a somber smile, "Good work, Charlotte. I don't think I can joke or be myself right now. I have a funeral to prepare."
This is serious, huh...
I walk over to the newly formed lake, disliking the heavy air, where the giant Leviathan slowly sinks down... I didn't even make the lake this deep.
Then Selen stepped out, completely naked without any of her scales to cover.
"So do you want me to get rid of the lake or..."
"I'm keeping it.", she stated, "Just need to dump some purification solution and everything should be fine."
"Say, how does a Void Beast taste like?", I asked.
"Horrible and slimy, this reminds me why I went to America.", she leaned back, falling into the lake, "Don't mind me, just going for a swim."
And I watch her sink.
Well then, with a snap of my finger, I return to my ship. Ambition and Delusion is definitely a strong combo, seeing how I can keep a Category-6 Void Beast in check. But that is not enough...
My Dominion can bypass the Authority of Theia—
The cat appeared in front of me.
"Charlotte."
"What is it, Avalon?", I picked the cat up.
"The Other Ego of the World. We found them."
I immediately summon Ouroboros Omniscia, merging it with Prydwen. All at once, thousands of cannons, artillery, rifles, and all of the coffin's arsenal was unleashed.
"Their location."
"The Sunken World."
"Atlantis."
"Fuck...", I don't know where that is, "Where is Atlantis?"
"Pacific— Atlantic— Indian— Arctic—"
"The Sunken World is everywhere."
"Yet nowhere at the same time."
"Can't Kalpas handle this? Wasn't our original agreement to let Shar and Chaos kill each other?", I frowned. This is a bit... frustrating.
"Unable."
"Atlantis has another ruler."
"Cthulhu, Priest of Gaia."
"Master of R'lyeh."
I sighed.
Fine... I'll do it myself.
Might as well use this opportunity to relax before the big battle. But of course, I still need to prepare myself...
I need one more weapon for Reverie, maybe I'll find it in El Dorado...
And...
"Welt Ealam, can you hear me?"
A blue screen popped up in front of me.
[ :) ]
"When will I be crashing the tournament?"
[ <5 days> from now will be the final round ]
[How would you like to disrupt the tournament?]
How should I...
I closed my eyes, thinking for a bit, hugging the cat closer to my chest.
"Right when the final round starts.", I smiled, "Ah~ the prospect of killing those things... it gets my blood boiling."
My eyes flashed a golden light, sparking a white arch of electricity.
How many mongrels shall I exterminate?
=0=0=
Somewhere far away from Libertas, a being made of pure darkness watched, its form was like a human wearing a cloak that connected to the shadows cast by the clouds above, save for a crown made of horns and a veil covering its face.
A Fragment of The Crawling Chaos approached the being in darkness, its tendrils writhing and regenerating, came from behind—
But before it could do anthing, tendrils and maws of darkness popped out of the shadows around them, all crashing down upon the Fragment. Layer on top of layer of tendrils and teeth, consuming, swallow, it was not enough, the gore kept on piling on top of each other, consuming itself, shadow eat shadow, darkness consume darkness.
Then it all became quiet, the nightmares from the shadows retreated, leaving only their master to stand alone blended with the darkness.
And the being sunk into the darkness, as if it was not even there to begin with.