Apocalypse game, p.42
Apocalypse Game, page 42
She nodded. “I like them.”
“That’s what I thought. Well, welcome to the team, guys.” Ray waved us over to the table. “Well, come and see what we’re dealing with and let’s set you four up with a quest. Something a little dangerous, but that pays well.”
I paused and narrowed my eyes. “Another test?”
He waved us off. “Oh, no. You just seem strong. I don’t want to waste your time with small fetch quests or middling exterminations. They need to be done, but the pay is garbage, pardon my language.”
I walked over and looked the map over. It was of New York, but a section of it, the Bronx, was circled in red marker and littered with scribbles and post-it notes. Several army men, literal army men, were dotted around. Two were stationed at the 145th bridge, where we’d crossed, so I guessed them to be checkpoints.
“We’ve had an increase of monster activity around Central Park the last few days, and we’re losing good men trying to clear them out and keeping them from pushing closer toward us. Not to mention the extra manpower is leaving the rest of our perimeter vulnerable, so I’d like for your party to head over there, figure out what’s going on, and put a stop to it.
“I won’t lie. It’s probably going to be dangerous. Mid-tier beasts are rampant in that area, but this speaks of something bigger. Maybe a high-tier or even a boss-tier monster. Are you up to the challenge?”
I looked up from the map and at my friends. Finn gave me a thumbs-up while Adeline and Salvatore nodded.
I turned back to Ray. “You can leave it to us.”
He nodded, a smile forming across his lips as his eyes glowed with delight. “Excellent!
Investigation Quest: Lost in New York
Discover the reason for the increase of Beasts near Central Park and put a stop to it.
Difficulty: Hard
Reward: 3050 Exp
1,263 AC
I accepted the quest and turned back to my friends. “You guys ready to head back out into the concrete jungle?”
“You know it,” Adeline said. “Let’s get to grinding.”
Chapter 28- The Statue King
With all of us in agreement, we checked over our weapons and left. We were three miles from Central Park, and I was betting it wouldn’t be a casual stroll. Once we left the safety of the stadium and passed the checkpoints, we’d be swallowed up by the chaos of the city.
I really didn’t want any surprises for us, and I thought it was time to use one of the stat points I’d bought.
Character Page
Name: Killian Dunn
Race: Human
Class: Demon Lord (King)
Health: 650/650 (715)
Mana: 700/700
Stamina: 650/650
Level: 19
Exp: 1714/2906
Skill Points Available: 3
With my new skill points, it took nearly everything in me not to spend them instantly. Shadow Mist, Barrier, and Coagulation were all skills that I desperately wanted. But I couldn’t just buy them because I wanted them. This wasn’t a game where I could respec if I screwed up and made a bad choice.
I had to play this smart.
My mana isn’t anywhere near enough to grab a bunch of spells. Shadow Mist is powerful, so is Barrier, but they have such a high mana drain that I wouldn’t be able to use them effectively right now. When I get stronger, then I can think about them.
But for now, there’s one ability that I think could come in handy, but I just didn’t want to waste one of my few skill points on it. Now I can.
I selected it and bought it.
Demonic Gaze (Passive): Grants user perfect night vision and the ability to sense the flow of mana in the world. (Can be combined with Tracker and Bloodhound skills)
Cost: 0 Mana
It was like someone had jammed two ice picks in my eyes. Agony shot through my head for a split second before the pain receded and my vision returned to me. When I blinked the tears away, the world seemed brighter, more colorful. The gray-washed buildings were mottled now, a hundred different shades to them rather than a uniform city.
I cried out when the pain hit me, and the others stood around, staring at me with concern.
“Kill, you okay?” Adeline asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, just picked up a new skill. It hurt worse than I was expecting.”
Salvatore hummed. “A skill hurt? That doesn’t sound right.”
I stood, and when I looked at them, they gasped.
“Holy shit.”
“What─” I stopped and sighed. “Alright, what happened to my eyes?”
It was the only explanation I could come up with.
“Uh, hold up. You may want to see for yourself.”
Adeline pulled a small mirror from her spatial ring and handed it to me. I took it and groaned.
Damn, I wish I’d have known. I might not have taken the skill if I had.
My eyes had changed slightly. They were still a pale, ghostly blue, but my pupils were now thin, golden slits, like a cat’s.
I sighed and held the mirror away from me.
“Well, it’s not that noticeable from afar, but if anyone gets close, they’ll know. Looks like I need to find a new cover story.”
Finn nudged me with his elbow and clapped me on the shoulder. “I dunno. They’re not inherently demonic. Could still pass for a Magician. Which, by the way, was a brilliant little lie.”
“Thanks, you were pretty quick on your feet with yours too.” I snickered. “But seriously, Gloom Knight? That’s a strange name.”
He shrugged. “It’d be a cool guild name. Eh?”
I just shook my head as I pulled out the map I’d taken from the hotel and checked our route. That done, we set off.
It didn’t take long for us to run into our first pack of monsters, about five of the large lion-esque Pallid Beasts. They turned at our footfalls, but we didn’t give them a chance to react.
With Displacement primed, I fired off two quick spells, absorbing huge chunks of their bodies and scoring several critical wounds.
As the mass of meat and sinew landed at my feet, I unslung my new rifle and flipped the safety off. A quick pull of the trigger sent a cascade of bullets into the seeping wounds my magic had rendered. Bright red numbers lit up over their heads as my rounds punched holes through the beasts.
Combat Results!
2 Killed (Pallid Beasts): 448 Exp!
Experience Boost (+27.5%): 123 Exp!
Total Gain: 571 Exp!
AC Earned: 300!
By the time I’d killed my two, the others had taken down the rest of the pack. Pride filled my chest as I stared at my friends with fierce smiles across their faces.
We’ve grown stronger, but I shouldn’t let that make me overconfident. This city hasn’t bared its fangs quite yet.
As we continued, the monsters thinned significantly.
There were fewer beasts out as we got closer. A handful or more at any given time, but mostly they traveled in pairs or only one at a time. We gave them a wide berth when we could and slipped past without conflict.
After an hour or so of walking, we were at Central Park, staring at the remnants of a massive tent city.
Cheap metal dividers and white tents were everywhere, along with the discarded remains of food wrappers and water bottles, medicine, and a myriad of things tossed about amid thousands of blackened, desiccated corpses. None were whole. They were all torn to ribbons and in the later stages of decomposition.
The still winter air kept the smell from drifting towards us, but the sight was more than horrifying on its own to make me want to hurl up my breakfast.
This is what the beasts are capable of. Even to those with skills and classes, they were no match for Callisto’s pets.
“So, this is what they meant when they said New York was overrun. We shouldn’t be here, quest or no,” Adeline said, covering her mouth with her forearm.
“This place gives off a sinister aura. It’s unsettling. And we haven’t seen any monsters in a while. I don’t know what the quest was hoping for us to do, but we’re not going to find answers here,” Salvatore said and backed away.
They’re right. The quest said to investigate, and Ray said that there were more monsters around here. Well, the dead bodies would probably be the cause of that, but even if there are a million corpses throughout Central Park, it doesn’t come close to the number of people who used to be in the city.
We turned away and quickly started walking, canvassing the area for any signs that would help us make sense of the quest.
“Anyone wondering where all the monsters went? I’ve only seen a couple of Carnival Beasts and one Pallid Beast in the last few minutes. This area was supposed to be overrun. If that was true, then where are the rest?” Adeline asked.
“My guess is something is keeping them away from this area. Good news, it might be some questers. Bad news, it might be a giant fucking Lovecraftian monster who melts our minds. Anyone want to place bets?” Finn asked.
Adeline and I laughed, and even Salvatore grinned.
“I’ll take that action,” Adeline responded.
“Alright, I’m game. What are we betting?”
“Hmm,” Adeline paused, running a hand through her hair. “Two hundred AC says it’s just a bunch of questers playing janitor.”
“I’ll take those odds,” Salvatore piped up from the back.
I waved them all off and scanned my surroundings. Nothing but the wind blowing trash and detritus through quiet streets. “Alright. Bets have been placed. Now let’s keep searching the area and investigate like we’re supposed to.”
“Alright, you heard Captain Killjoy. Fun time is over.” Adeline glanced over at me with a teasing grin.
I jabbed my finger at her with absolutely no heat. “Watch it. You’re close to being demoted back to underling. If you’re not careful, I’ll promote Salvatore to henchman ahead of both of you.”
She pouted, but her eyes lit up. “What’s he got that I don’t?”
“Subtlety.” Salvatore smiled as he spoke.
We all laughed as we walked through the streets. But even with our moods so high, something unsettled me.
The more we searched, the more foreboding the area became, like a ghost town. Desolate buildings and streets with only empty cars and cracked cement to keep us company.
After another few hundred feet of not seeing anything at all, a chill settled in my eyes and then crawled down my spine. It was a familiar sensation, only so much more pronounced. I recognized the icy pulse that slithered over the back of my neck.
The same presence that trailed us from Newport had returned. Something had eyes on us again.
This time, I was certain.
“We’re not alone, guys. Something’s watching us.”
Everyone stopped and crouched, looking around for enemies, but after a frantic search around us, they came up empty. There was nothing or no one with us on the street.
“I don’t see anything. Are you sure you’re not paranoid?”
“No,” I said with a shake of my head. “Something's been following us since we were in Newport.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Adeline asked.
“Because I half assumed it was the Midnight Beasts, but this time I’m certain. Demonic Gaze seems to have affected my perception a bit. Something is watching us right now.”
The heaviness persisted, and the intensity increased until I nearly choked on the malice directed towards us.
Whatever it was, it hated us, and it was furious.
A ruffling from above caused me to jerk my head up.
Something large darkened the clouds before a charcoal gray creature with an elongated body broke through them and plummeted towards us. The draconic beast unfurled its wings and glided to the skyscrapers surrounding us.
It gouged huge chunks from the building as it landed, its massive talons digging into the concrete, shattering dark tinted windows. Glass glinted in the sunlight as they fell to the asphalt like drops of rain.
The monster’s movements were stiff as it slithered along the building. Cracks appeared up its limbs and down its body, spiderwebbing out as it moved. Concrete dust spilled and drifted down like snowflakes, and from within the fissures, a bright orange welled like blood and dripped out, lighting up its body as if lava flowed through its veins.
It turned its head as more cracks spread over its mouth, and as its glowing orange eyes glared at us.
“Um, is that a dragon?” Adeline asked.
Inspect.
Monster (Boss-Tier): Statue King
Health: 15000/15000
Mana: 8000/8000
Exp: 5463
AC: 4,000
“Nope, it’s a fucking Lovecraftian monster who wants to melt our brains,” I said.
“Um, can I take back my bet?” Finn asked.
“’Fraid not.”
“Shit, well, then let’s kill this thing.”
The crumbling vacant-eyed stare of the enormous concrete dragon was haunting as it narrowed its eyes with far more intellect than most of the monsters we’d faced.
It’s one of the kings, so it will have human intelligence.
It stared down at us from the side of the building. Each time it moved, more dust and blood appeared from within the cracks.
The Statue King wasn’t attacking us. It was just looking at us like it was waiting for something.
Finally, it spoke in a heavy, gravelly voice like stones grinding together. “Demon Lord.”
The last thing I wanted was to get into another debate with a monster about how I was a traitor, but I needed to stall for a bit of time.
That thing has fifteen thousand health. How the hell do we beat it?
I turned to the others, who were staring at the beast with the same obvious thoughts flowing through their heads.
“Guys, you got any ideas?” I asked in a hushed whisper.
Finn shook his head. “No, Hermano. All of my new skills are close quarters. I’m useless at range.”
“Adeline?”
“Maybe, Hellstream could probably do some damage, but it doesn’t have any flesh, so I don’t know what the hell my flames are going to do to it.”
“We’ll figure something out. Just stay on guard. I’m going to try and bring it down.”
I didn’t really know what Displacement’s limits were, but it was my best spell if I wanted to even the playing field. The best result would be if I could remove its heart. A perfectly timed Displacement spell, and that would be the end of it. Though I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be that easy.
As I tried to cast Displacement, some ineffable tug on the back of my head told me that it wouldn’t activate. That it wasn’t strong enough to penetrate so deep into the Statue King.
I snorted. “Yeah. Knew it wouldn’t be that easy.” I frowned and held up my hands. “Alright, you big ugly garden ornament. Let’s see how you like this.”
Once more, I cast Displacement. This time I aimed for its front leg, the one gripping the side of the building. Displacement activated in an instant, and an invisible sphere the size of a tire consumed the space where the dragon’s leg had been, severing it almost entirely, but it wasn’t enough.
It roared a deep, unending bellow that thundered through my bones. The Statue King shifted, trying to dislodge from the building, but I was faster.
I gritted my teeth, forcing down the pain of its roar. “You’re not going anywhere!”
I cast it with my off-hand, aiming for the other side of its leg. This time, it neatly cut through the rest of its foreleg. Two huge chunks of the dragon appeared in front of me as I took its leg.
The Statue King lurched to the side, its newly acquired stump sending a rush of the roiling magma of its blood pouring out and dripping down the building, melting through the concrete. It tried to right itself, but the weakened building crumbled under its grip, and the dragon lost its balance.
It toppled off the building, trying to use its wings to stabilize itself but failed before it crashed to the street below it, cracking the pavement and crushing more than a few cars under it as it landed.
As I looked at its health, I couldn’t help but grin. My opening move and the subsequent crash had taken nearly three thousand of its health.
A good start.
Without a word, the others sprang into action.
Finn summoned his Abyssal Armor, and with a smirk, two massive axes drenched in swirling shadows appeared in his hands. He took off like a rocket for the dragon, his massive legs covering the distance in a few seconds as he leapt into the air and brought both axes down on the stone dragon’s hide.
The blades of darkness cut through its stone flesh with ease as Finn scored two deep gashes across its flank. Steam curled from the wounds as it bled its lava-like blood that stuck to Finn’s axes and melted the metal.
His axes twisted and warped as the dragon let out a low hiss.
Finn backed away and laughed, his bright, shadowed face lighting up as the axes dissolved in his hands and reformed in a second. He now wielded the claymore that I’d seen before. He stepped and brought the blade down, hewing a third laceration that bit deep.
The Statue King turned, lashing out with its tail. More cracks spit down its length as blood oozed, and it whistled, trailing dust in its wake as it angled for Finn’s chest.
He stood impassive, switching his claymore to his off-hand as if were as light as a feather, and he brought his palm up. Void Shield appeared as its tail struck. The drowning abyss swallowed a mouthful of the dragon’s tail before the momentum died, and it tried to pull back. Finn pressed his assault, swinging his sword down at the retreating tail.
It snipped a thin section off before the Statue King could bring its tail safely back.
The king roared and lunged at Finn. He was too slow with the added weight of his armor and sword and couldn’t get away in time. It scooped him up before any of us could move and clenched its claws tight.
Metal squealed and then crumpled, and Finn let out a horrid yell that was swiftly cut off by the dragon’s shout of fury. It threw Finn several dozen feet before he slammed into a parked taxi, buckling the driver’s side door in as he landed with a dull thud.
