Chapter 147: Not in Kansas

Chapter 147: Not in Kansas

James emerged into a discordant and overwhelming world. His mouth and sinuses immediately began to burn, and he squinted against the sulfurous light that suffused the air. At first he didnt know what to look at, what to take in, but burying his face in the crook of his elbow he blinked against his tears and took in the hellish landscape.

They stood on black, whorled rock that sloped down to a smoking ocean. Sharp peaks rose about them, the largest of which was in the process of erupting, belching a towering plume of dust and ash into the sky and hurling flecks of burning orange in every direction even as rivers of lava poured down its steep flanks.

A vast moon hung in the sky, a hundred times larger than that of Earth. Its pallid face was muted by the caustic clouds that choked the air, though it betrayed hints of pale white marbled with aquamarine.

A flock of leathery-winged birds flew overhead, each as large as a car, but no, they werent birds, they were fucking dinosaurs, pterodactyl-looking monsters whose screeches were lost in the distant rumble of the volcano.

Fuck! shouted Yadriel. Forget this shit, I wanna go home!

Were it not for their Indomitable Resilience and high Corporal Perfection scores James was sure his skin was be bubbling off his body. He couldnt see any vegetation anywhere. Just an unending hellscape, a palette of blacks, lava-orange, and grays.

Serenity coughed by his side, face buried in the crook of her elbow as well, then shifted. Shadows streamed toward her, flowing from the cracks between the rocks, from all around. They hid her figure, making her larger. She swelled in height, growing to some nine, ten feet, monstrous, otherworldly, and made of pure shadow.

Everyone, Black Apotheosis, said Serenity, her voice distorted, made menacing and hollow. So much better than being human.

It looked as if she was wreathed in living black flames that endlessly coursed about her. Her arms had elongated, her hands grown, and each finger was now tipped with a six-inch curved blade of pure night. Her face was almost completely hidden, but it looked vaguely like a bulls skull if one had been dipped in oil, with backswept horns.

James didnt hesitate. He activated the Benediction for the first time, and felt soothing coolness wash over him. His form grew and a message appeared before his eyes:

You have Activated Black Apotheosis

+20 to all StatsL1tLagoon witnessed the first publication of this chapter on Ñøv€l--B1n.

Shadow Resistances Active

Everyone around him swelled in size so that in moments James stood amongst a hellish pack of monstrous creatures. It became impossible to tell folks apart visually, but perhaps due to their bond as a team James realized he could intuit whom was who.

Oh, so much better, said Kimmie, her voice sepulchral. But urgh, so overly dramatic.

What is this place? asked Denzel, his voice also hollowed out. A layer in hell?

Aargh, cried Star Boy. Someone give me a Reservoir Cube!

This isnt going to work, gasped Jessica. Gotta get back. Burning up.

She hit the Bifrosts keys and the burning white portal opened up once more.

James activated Healing Grace and the scarlet tinge to their skin receded, blisters smoothing away. Wait, wait - how do we get back?

Someone else hit them both with Healing Grace.

Here, Kimmie, look: you press this key, then this one, then this one. Use Aeviternum to power the opening. Itll bring you back to Earth. Jessica shoved the Bifrost into Kimmies hands. How do you all stand this? The air blinded me in seconds.

Another pulse of Healing Grace hit them both.

Be safe, said James. Well return when weve made progress.

Fuck, next time Im coming back with a space suit. Good luck, you dirty shadow animals, rasped Star Boy, and fled through the portal.

Good luck, said Jessica, staring right at James, then she, too, retreated, and the portal closed.

Tell me you got that, said Denzel. Kimmie? Tell me were not stranded here.

Kerim stepped up to her. Show me the keys.

Kimmie did so, tapping each one in quick order. I think?

Got it, said Kerim softly. Now lets show everyone else so that we can all use it.

They took a moment, and once everyone was confident Kimmie lowered the Bifrost and looked around. You think this is what happens to a world once the Pits are open long enough?

James grimaced. I sure hope not. But fuck, yeah, I could see that being an eventuality. The demons would even see it as motivation.

Well, were here now, said Serenity. So whats the plan?

Find locals, said James. If there are any left.

Jason rose into the air, followed a moment later by Denzel and Olaf. Well see whats around.

Be careful, James called up. Those dinosaur birds looked lethal.

Jason grinned down, his bull skull face making the expression look like a leer. Not lethal enough. Be right back.

James watched the trio climb higher, fading out as wisps of toxic clouds floated between them.

Fuck, I wish Id chosen flight, said Serenity. Never thought wed be without the Wings.

Dont worry, said Yadriel. You got Dimensional Anchor. Thats sure been useful so far.

Ass, said Serenity.

Lets head down to the water, said James. Life came from the oceans in our planet. Maybe well find something down there.

You found a way to break open the nodes? Hope flared in Jamess chest. We used the Light Eternal to break into one, but the Light broke and we havent been able to do so since.

Zorathian who given End of Storms/Light Eternal brought it to clan/people. We it studied and learned mechanism. With many End of Storms we open many nodes, acquire many Reservoir Cubes. System angry. The alien - Zorathian? - passed its four-fingered hand through the air. It open Pits early.

Ha, said James. They did the same to us. Are you all fighting your way through them now?

We send dozen clan all clutches/hundreds of System Level 1,000 Zorathian into Pits. Crush svaghuathua/demons.

Fuck, Yadriel whispered behind James. Level 1,000?

Hundreds? asked Serenity.

James dry swallowed. Even in his shadow form he found it hard to not lose his breath at that revelation. Thats fantastic. You defeated the Pits, then?

Zorathians stop at Level 25.

James frowned. You stopped? It got too hard?

Hard, but not too hard.

Then whyd you stop?

The Zorathian stared at James, implacable, and then as one the six aliens resumed walking toward the shore.

James and Crimson Hydra backed away.

James? Kimmie sounded uncertain. Should I try and improve the mood?

Hold off, said James quietly. If these guys are twice our level that could backfire.

The Zorathians were as tall as Crimson Hydras shadow forms. James couldnt imagine a Nem1 being of any inconvenience to these huge dudes. Or were they women? Did they have sexes? Gender? It was impossible to tell.

You come to Arkhos/Ocean Cradle for help. It didnt sound like a question.

Arkhos? asked James.

The Zorathian waved its hand as if taking in all of the sky, the land, the sea. Arkhos. Our home. It means Hands that Cup the World Ocean. Our planet.

Yeah, we did. James raised his chin. We can help each other.

Perhaps. Come with clutch/us/we. We talk further with Clan Iron Wave elders.

Sure. Happy to. Lead the way.

The Zorathians strode forward once more. Their gait was unhurried, but the length of their steps made it so that they moved deceptively quickly. In moments they were already pulling ahead, moving inland with purpose.

Thats the way to the greenhouse, said Jason quietly, falling in beside James.

James, what the fuck? Serenity moved up on his other side. Howd they get to analyze and rebuild their Light Eternal and we got shitty Belanger dead-banging his demon wife?

Dead-banging? asked James.

You know what I mean.

I do. And yeah, looks like these guys got their shit together quicker. James kept his voice low, though hed no idea how well the Zorathians up ahead could hear. Luckily for us. If all we get from Arkhos is the ability to crack open nodes, itll be a godsend.

Zorathian-send, said Denzel from just behind.

Either way, well take it.

Kerim pitched his voice low so that it just barely carried over the storm winds and distant volcano rumblings. Theyre not allies yet. They stopped at Level 25 and didnt clarify why. We must remain alert and ready to run.

Sure. James looked back at where Kimmie brought up the rear of the group with Olaf. Keep the Bifrost handy, yeah?

Sure thing.

They followed the six aliens across the blasted landscape, till at last they crested a ridge of black rock and saw the Zorathian structure embedded in the valley below.

It was massive but built low to the ground, its huge and irregular panes of glass embedded deep within steel and stone seams, their surface opaque and iridescent. Some parts of the structure rose dome-like to the height of some fifteen yards, but most of it was low-slung and with the aspect of a bunker.

Thats so pretty, said Kimmie. The glass is all shimmery like a bubble.

Or oil slick, said Denzel.

The six Zorathians stopped and looked back up at where Crimson Hydra remained on the ridge.

Come, said the only one whod spoken thus far. You have guest rights in Iron Wave clan nursery/clutchdom/fortress. Do not fear. You will be warned of guest right revocation before being consumed/absorbed/destroyed.

And with that the six aliens resumed their descent.

Great, sighed James. Just fucking great.

And without any choice, he led Crimson Hydra after them.