I pushed away the rubble after making sure the coast was clear. The air was filled with the smell of dust as the ground felt gritty under my paws. I lifted Beth onto my back and began to slink my way up the stairs. The process was a little slow but it was better than getting treated like a living knife block again.
The stairs were extremely worn and the metal was rusted in places. In some places it was rusted clean through.
I tread carefully up the stairs on all fours as my eyes and ears were constantly searching for any kind of noise. Every once in a while I would hear a bang from outside telling me the battle still hadn't ended. But that was a good thing for us as it meant we had fewer things to worry about.
My health bar was almost back to what it once was as well. Having that axe removed was a really good choice. I would need to keep in mind that my scarabs could be useful in those sorts of ways too.
The smell of smoke and dust drifted through a broken window as I passed. Glancing outside I could see the chaos and destruction as the guardian faction and builder faction went head to head. The guardians originally had the advantage. But in the war of attrition they were being beaten.
The builder faction was constantly producing mechanical monsters that rampaged across the battlefield leaving the Guardians constantly exhausted and with less ability to fight back. And every new wave of machines proved it. Mechanical wolves, spiders, and gorillas were constantly being built as the massive spider beneath Hephaestus was producing metal.
Little spiders were constantly bringing it scrap to smelt down before spitting out a sheet of workable metal. And sitting above them looking down. I would be glad if I was never fed to the thing.
Beth tapped my head bringing me back to the moment and pointed upward. I nodded and started going up again. The sounds of creaking metal below caught our attention though and we both looked down.
The cyclops from earlier was wandering up the steps toward the floor we had just passed mumbling to himself. He seemed to be fairly unfocused as he walked though which put me more at ease. But regardless I slunk down and as far out of sight as possible.
"Where did my axe goooooo?" Came the slow voice of the cyclops as it walked. He slowly went through a doorway and into that floor. Beth and I looked at each other and I picked up the pace. I moved quietly but quickly up the stairs. I began to feel a pressure in my arms and legs as I went and steam began to float off of me in little wisps.
Beth tapped me again and motioned to stop. Realizing what she meant I slowed down to a halt in front of the 20th floor. Beth pointed at the steam. "You need to rest. Your body won't hold much longer if you push it too much." She whispered. I nodded as my thoughts turned to why this happened.
My race was undead which is true. But the system placed physical limiters on everyone so we could play fair. In essence we could only do so much work out before we actually needed a break. Either that or we were going to be covering ourselves with water to cool off as we went.
Speed sneaking was hard to do on all fours with a 100 something pound weight on your back. It was like weighted Tai Chi for dogs. Hard on the muscles and joints but without pain I hadn't noticed my limit being hit till I hit it.
My scarabs came out and started flying in a small cyclone around my head to cool me off. The wind they made felt nice against the heat.
It actually reminded me a bit of the cooler collars from back on mars. They were little necklaces that held tiny fans inside. They absorbed excess heat and turned it into power. Designed to keep us cool on the hot days. They were a nice accessory.
I couldn't help but feel a bit of homesickness at the thought. A sad expression came across my face as we rested. That expression then turned into a grimace as anger filled my heart. ( I was shot down here by those corrupt bastards. When I get the chance they will pay.) I thought as I glared out the window.
"You know... it's not as bad as it might seem here. Eventually it actually starts to feel like home." Beth said. I looked over and saw her looking out the window at the distant streets that rose within the dome.
"Yeah. But it's not home to me." I grunted out as I rose to my feet. The steam had stopped rising from my body and I felt I had cooled down enough to move again. The ground shook a bit as we moved. Beth clung to my shoulders. Each step a creaking reminder of the warzone we were in.
The shadows in the stairwell shifted with every explosion and spark of power from outside as we climbed. I continued upward till we finally found the door to the roof. I tried turning the knob and nothing happened. it would click but when I pushed it wouldn't open.
Beth tapped my shoulder and had me move out of the way. She crouched a little and rubbed the lock. Her handkerchief spread the her acidic tears across the metal as a hissing filled the air. I turned away as noxious fumes filled the air making me want to gag.
Soon I headd a clatter outside and turned to see Beth pushing the door open. She turned towards me with a cocky grin and a raised eyebrow before patting her leg. "Come on boy." She said. I shook my head with a sigh and an unimpressed look.
She laughed. "What? I couldn't help it." She said as we stepped through the door. She went first with me following behind.
The diamond sun floated in the sky maybe 100 feet above our heads. The skyscrapers peaks were so close to touching it. Yet so far. I heard a creaking behind us and my instincts went into overdrive. I ducked as an axe was sent whistling over my head.
I turned in my crouched stance to see the Cyclopes in the doorframe. "You wrecked my Axe!" The Cyclopes yelled as he held up his melted axe handle.
I raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you shouldn't have hit me with it." I said as agitated buzzing came from my bandages.
Medusa slithered out from behind the cyclops as he squeezed through the door.
"I told you they'd be up here." She hissed. Her bandages shifted as something hissed angrily from beneath. (That I imagine is her snakes.) I thought as I glanced around quickly.
The edges of the roof were six feet away from either side of me and I had little confidence in what I could possibly do once I reached them. The dark thoughts and agitated emotions started to really come out as I got sick of running away. My health was up to par again and I was raring for a fight. My sickles slid out of my bandages and a couple scarabs came out with them.
The scarabs flitted about my body like swallows readying to attack an intruder.
Medusa slid a little forward with her spear ready. "Where are you looking? To throw yourself off and save us the trouble? No. I want the points. I want to-" She hissed before I cut her off with a scarab hitting her in the face like a rock.
"Can we just get his over with?" I asked angrily. Beth stifled a laugh as Medusa regained her composure and the scarab returned. It buzzed about happily knowing it had done something useful.
I readied my sickles as Medusa raised her spear with a command. "Get them!" She shouted and the cyclopes roared.
He charged forward with great thumping steps swinging his only axe around angrily. I rolled out of the way as Beth sprayed a handful of acid into his eye.
"Ahhh!" He screamed in shock as he came to a tumbling halt. His body inches from the edge. "Aghhhh." He roared in frustration as he raised his body up. His eye had melted into a pixelated mess. I felt a little sorry for him. But knowing he wasn't in pain made me feel better about it all.
I looked at Medusa knowing Beth could handle the Cyclopes. He was blind and hardly a challenge without his sight.
Medusa meanwhile had ripped off her bandages and revealed a very pale face. It was beautiful to look at except for her garder snake hair. I peeled back my lips as I quickly closed my eyes.
"Damnit." I said as I realized I had made a very big mistake.
Looking medusa turned man, woman, or child to stone. Without mercy. Without decision or conscious thought. It was even feared by the gods in myth. Hence why Athena's shield bore the figure of Medusas face on it. To terrify her foes before turning them to stone.
I now had lost a major advantage and had now been forced into a corner. I heard a slither before a pressure hit my arm. I peeked and noticed her spear had hit me making my hp drop.
I growled angrily.
Medusa laughed. "A mangy mutt thought he could best me! Really? I've been here a hundred years boy! A hundred!" I heard her slither closer and I felt my heart begin to race. Another hit struck my head around my muzzle making my head rock backward. Another drop in hp. Fear took over. Was I afraid to die? Was I afraid to lose. Where was Beth? Why couldn't I hear her? Then I felt it as another blow came and my hp dropped into the red. The snap.
I felt like something broke within my body. like a damn holding back water breaking and letting the flood out and I came unleashed. A darkness came from beneath me in ribbons dying my body black as night and eclipsing the sun above us. Though I didn't really care about it. I didn't care about anything anymore. I just wanted it over. I was done. I opened my eyes and Medusa stood shivering before me.
/ Player has unlocked hidden skill Eclipse.
Eclipse has activated. Players skills and stats have been enhanced by 20% for 10 minutes. Debuffs Skills other than the users within the area have been negated. Health draining skill Drill Teeth has been unlocked. Congratulations Sil./ I heard Interface say.
I didnt care. I just wanted it done. Medusa turned to run but a chain wrapped around her arm dragging her around to face me in my demonic looking glory. My maw of pearly sharp teeth bared as crimson eyes glared into the depths of her terrified soul. Her face paled as I opened my mouth and chomped onto her shoulder and she screamed. I felt the odd sensation and pressure as my teeth loosened and began to spin.
It was an odd feeling. Of course pain didnt exist bit this just felt plain wierd. Like having dozens of tops spinning in my mouth.
I could feel my teeth tearing through something as my health bar began to fill again. Medusa attempted to stab me with her spear but my arm reached out caught her wrist and with a snap broke it. She cried out against me as she struggled not in pain but more so out of frustration. Her body began to shrivel away. Her once full face began to look like a dried prune.
Her screaming deflated into labored moans as her tail shriveled till it was a bony skin covered husk. She finally stopped struggling when my health was full and her body was no better than a mummified corpse. I released my hold and she fell back turning into nothing but bits of data.
I turned to look at where Beth had been standing and found a stone statue. I sighed as I rubbed my head. "I thought you were too quiet. Guess I should've said something huh?" I said as I walked over. As I drew closer I noticed the cyclopes still on the ground struggling to figure out where things were.
"You know... I was actually thinking of leaving you guys alone if you had left us alone."
His head turned as he heard my voice. The eclipse in the sky was beggining to wane.
"But now I know... There is only death for you here." I growled as I grabbed his shoulder and hip. He grunted as my arms strained to lift him. He flailed and tried to shrug me off as best as he could.
But with a roar I lifted him off the ground and above my head. His bodies weight making the ground beneath me crack. And slowly I walked to the edge as he struggled to get away. Steam began to come off my body from the strain.
"THERE WILL BE NO PEACE!!" I roared as I threw him off. He flailed about as he fell. His body struggling in vain to find something to grab as he screamed on the way down. The war between the Builder and Guardian factions waging ceaselessly below.
"Ahhhhhhh!!!!" He screamed as he fell. The sound becoming a fading echo on it's way to the ground. A few people looked up in confusion and with a shocked look moved out of the way. Moments later I heard the thump of him making impact. The ground exploding away from his body as other unfortunate gods couldn't get out of the way fast enough.
Those who couldn't get away turned to data bits from the explosive damage of his fall. The others stared up at me shocked at what had just happened. Points floating up to my body in a small stream. My points had come up to 500 from the damage I had done. It wasn't much. But I didnt care. The eclipse finally ended and my strength left me.
I flopped down next to Beth's statue and just felt terrible as I turned to look at her. She stood there in her stoic marble form without so much as a whisper. "I'm sorry Beth. I really am." I said before more banging could be heard and a certain trio walked through the door.
"What happened?" Asked Lily.