Chapter 23 - The Den

After a long night of talking with Sorbec, John awoke and gathered his belongings. As he was leaving, he noticed Sorbec was still sleeping. John left quietly and began heading west. Unsure what a leviathan's nest even looked like, he was sure he'd know when he saw it. The sun was still rising as it was warming and melting the powder snow slowly. "We got some knowledge." Doren said. "Yes, we did." John stated. "If it could wipe out an entire battlefield of demons and angels on it's own. Is it wise for us to look for it?" Ampol asked. "You didn't expect me to stop trying, did you?" John returned. "Not with you." Ampol replied. After two days of walking, John spotted a mountain. As the mountain got closer, he noticed a cave near the base. Outside the cave, everything was wilted and barren. "I'm going to guess and say that, this is it." John said. "One way to find out." Doren responded. "John, I know your curiosity is peaked, but remember we are one. Our lives are tied to yours as well." Ampol warned. "I know." John replied. Another day passed and John was just outside the cave. Quickly making a makeshift torch to use, John entered the cave. The sides were smoothed over, the ceiling was jagged but the floor was bumpy. Being extra cautious as he walked through this cave, using all of his senses to scout it out. After a little ways in, it opened up into a huge room that had several small holes going outwards. Hundreds of holes that could fit a person walking normal. After half a day of exploring this cave, John found nothing. "This is massive." John stated internally. "Wonder how many leviathans could live in this cave." Doren responded. "Hard to make a guess when no one has seen them. Even if they did see them, no one could report the size or any other intel. If they found one, they were doomed." John replied. As John made his way to the exit of the cave, he felt something. It was almost like a cold chill, just enough to make him shudder. "What is this feeling?" John questioned. "It's like we're being watched." John continued. "We can't feel anything around." Ampol responded. "I've been searching for any signs of life." Ampol continued. "Whatever is watching us, has done it's best to stay hidden. It's presence is hidden but we can feel it through your human side." Ampol stated. "What kind of history did humans have with the leviathans if we can feel them, however angels and demons cannot." John questioned. "This mysterious and powerful creature can't have a good relationship with humans. Humans have been weak since the beginning, even demons and angels can erase their existences with a snap of our fingers." Doren explained. "Hello! I'm John! Is anyone there?" John yelled. "You, a human, have entered my home, uninvited and brought along a demon and angel." a whispered hiss hit John's conscience. "I don't mean to intrude, I was told this was abandoned." John replied. The hiss returned, "It was, we move between the dens. The few of us that remain and its quite unfortunate for you as our existence has to remain a secret for survival." "I don't wish to reveal you." John pleaded. "It doesn't matter, dead people cannot reveal anything." the hiss responded. John's hair began standing on end, goosebumps covered his body and he became overpowered by this creatures killing intent. "Please!" John pleaded. "I want us to live peacefully, alongside each other." John continued. "How interesting. A human, bonded with filth and evil, wishes to coexist." the hiss returned. The killing intent reduced allowing John to gain his bearings. "I know that your species is on the verge of extinction. I want to rebuild your species and to allow peace to come to this land for all." John continued. "If you truly want peace and coexistence then you can answer this question. Depending on your response, your fate may be sealed. If we revived, and our brethren cannot abide by the rules and decided to feast upon a city, how will that be dealt with?" the hiss questioned. "All I can do is pass judgement of what crimes were committed, however the punishment shall be carried out by the respective species to the extent they can." John answered confidently. "Interesting human." the hiss responded. "Your answer is interesting, however even though you're quite interesting, I haven't eaten in a long time and I'm quite famished." the hiss stated. "Your smell is appealing to my appetite." the hiss continued. The killing intent skyrocketed and freezing John in place. "Doren, Ampol!" John yelled. "Full power, let me remain in control." John stated. In an instant both swords appeared in John's hands. His body split showing the angelic power and the demonic power. "How amusing!" the hiss screamed. "You smell wonderful!" the hiss continued. "I've erased armies of each of them. How do you plan to stand against me with only one of each?!" the hiss questioned. In an instant John hopped backwards, out of the dark was a long snout that snapped shut where he was just standing. John's feet still in the air when he felt his arm being struck by what felt like a scaly rock. "Arghh!" John yelled in pain. The scaly rock sent him into the cave wall, feeling the rock behind him give away with the force. John landed into another tunnel system as the wall separating them was broken through. "We can't take many more of those." Ampol stated. "I'm concentrating on healing you as quick as I can but that was a lot of damage." Ampol continued. John regained his footing, "I have to get outside." John stated internally. "It wouldn't help, the sun has begun setting. It will be dark before we get out there." Ampol reminded him. "Well then, let's give it our all." John replied. John quickly began jumping around the cave tunnel when he managed to catch a glimpse of this creature. It had a long tail with a spearhead tip, four legs, wings and was covered in scales. The scales were hard enough to cut the flesh on his arm just by touching him. "This isn't going to be easy, in fact it's almost impossible." Doren stated. "Then let's do the impossible." John retorted. Quickly springing in for an attack, John swung both swords down parallel to each other on the side of the creature. His attack had no effect, not even a scratch on it. "How durable." John thought as he was quickly resuming his bouncing around the cave. John began targeting it's front right leg, focusing attacks on a few scale plates at a time. After unleashing a dozen of quick and powerful attacks on the same scales over and over, they showed a crack. John could feel the pain in his hands as he stuck this solid creature. Dodging the razor sharp teeth snapping at him and the tail swinging at him, the terrain began to change drastically. The tail was crumbling the walls around him and it was getting used to John attacking its front leg so John began targeting all the legs. The creature had a very long neck with the scales spiking on its neck. After dozens of hits he made a bare spot on each leg, finally breaking the scales away. John began working on the scales under its neck. The neck twisted quickly and it let out a snarl and a black slime like liquid spewed from the creatures mouth. Covering the walls and ceilings around it, the slimy liquid began melting the rock as if salt in water. John quickly adjusted his route, to avoid the slime, still working on the neck scales. John could feel his body begin to slow due to exhaustion. He' has been fighting for hours, bouncing around and attacking. He could feel his speed has reduced by about 25%, the leviathan is catching up to him. "We have to finish this quickly." Doren stated. "I know. I have an idea." John responded. John skidded to a stop in front of the leviathan, "Have you had enough yet?" John asked. "In all my battles, you're the only one to break any of my scales." the hiss stated. "You are intriguing." the hiss continued. "Then lets end this!" John yelled. John quickly dashed towards the leviathan. The leviathan twisted its neck to snap its snout at John, John quickly jumped above its head. John threw Doren's sword at the now unscaled front right leg, jumping from the ceiling, John placed his foot on the handle of the sword and kicked off it with all his force. The sword went sailing through the air and impaled it's leg, the leviathan let out a loud screech of pain. John used Ampol's sword and placed it on the unscaled throat of the leviathan. "I don't want to kill you!" John yelled. "How could a mere human best me in combat?" the hiss questioned. "Submit to me!" John yelled. "I'd sooner die." the hiss responded. "Have it your way then." John retorted. With all of his force, John plunged Ampol's sword into its throat, he could feel the scales on the opposite end stopping the blade. John began thrusting harder against the scales, his hands, arms and shoulders now covered in the leviathan's blood. John felt the leviathan fall limp on his blade, fumbling to the ground in exhaustion. "I won, somehow." John stated. As he raised his head to look at his kill, the body of the leviathan began fading away into an ashy dust. After it faded away there was a black lump laying on the ground, a perfect sphere. Jet black but it was pulsating. John fumbled over to it and grabbed it, "what is this?" John questioned. "I don't know." Doren and Ampol responded. "You hold my heartstone, as a sign of being bested in battle, I too shall become infused into you." a hiss said. "Unbelievable." John managed to get out. "How did a human best me?" the leviathan hissed. "Humans have been weak from the beginning but we have the ability to adapt. We learn to improve, our weakness is also our strength." John responded just before he passed out from exhaustion.