Selra was confused.
After being saved from the noises, she didn't know what to do. Things were just so sudden that by the time she notices everything was already over.
She knew she has changed, not only from the noises but also by the thing that saved her. Her creator.
Power covered her entire body, disgusting power that she hate with her every essence. Salra wasn't Salra anymore.
If the human Salra was shaped by her life then the Salra now was shaped by the scale and that inhuman laugh. One to worship and one to hate.
For now, she'll find back what is rightfully hers as the owner of the scale. Afterward, she'll surely finds her creator. She'll worship it.
And she'll kill it.
* * * * * * * *
I woke up with a painful headache, I would even say it's the worse headache I have ever have. Thankful it went away very quickly, giving me energy to think.
I was here to do the mission. Right the mission...
My vision focused on the buildings around me. More specifically, destroyed buildings around me. Everything was destroyed and fire burns at every corner. The sky was dark red and although the crack was gone, a gigantic entity looms above where it was.
It's height reaches over the cloud and only it's lower half was visible. It was in sitting in the sky, half of it's burning and the other half withered and rotten like an old log.
It's 'leg' was muddy and constantly... moving and it's 'toes' were long and unnaturally smooth.
What could only be described as an abomination is what it was. I can feel the urge to puke simply by looking at this.
THIS was left unnoticed for a whole day? This destruction? I feel immense fear just by thinking about how things would go if that thing decided to do anything. Did I get too greedy believing the plushie words?
The time! Checking my phone I could help but be relieved that only 30 minutes has passed by when I was unconscious.
Wait... it only took 30 minutes for this mic damage to spread? No I need to observe the situation carefully.
I couldn't spot anyone as I look around. Where did all the people from before go?
I felt an ominous premonition. I felt as though something like this has happened before. What exactly is it?
...! That's it! An illusion space. I have heard it when the plushie was telling me what happened when I lost that one day of memories. Something in particular sticks out to me and that was illusion space. Plushie said that if I find myself in a completely different place then I have a high chance of entering an illusion space.
I have no way of proofing that this is an illusion space. However this destroyed city could be considered an entirely different place with the normal bustling street from before. More importantly, it's the only hope I could cling onto right now.
There's one thing that could proof it though. I took out my special phone and open the [Help and advice] app. There, one button was grey out while the other still shining. The button was of course [Give advice].
If I'm right then the cost would be minimal and there's a chance for me to ask something different. If not then I'll still be able to find a way out of this mess. The only problem is that I won't get any more help from this thing for half a year but that's the least of my concern right now.
After clicking, a small adorable plushie appeared in front of me. It seems to look better than before?
"Hiiiii. Man I'm tired of greeting you so let's get to the point. Your guess is correct, this is a illusion space." [Plush]
"And I'm guessing the way to get out of this place is... that thing?"
"Oh how smart~ just kidding! An exit to an illusion space is always reachable not some huge as thing in the sky. Think again!" [Plush]
I almost forget that it's very frustrating to talk to this thing, especially with it's recent addition of insulting me whenever it could.
"I guess... since it's not that thing maybe the thing that... summoned it?"
"Hmmmm! Ding ding ding we have a winner! Go find the place it's summoned from, it should be obvious!" [Plush]
I didn't go right away and hesitated in front of it. Since it didn't disappeared instantly like last time it should understand what I want too.
"Why are you standing around like an idi- no a dummy for?" [Plush]
"... I should be able to ask another question right?"
"There we go, speak up like a man! I intend to teach you about growth type later if you learn about Karma, how's that?"
"What's that?"
"Don't worry about it. If you complete this mission then you'll get to learn about it anyway." [Plush]
That's good enough for me. Sensing my satisfaction the plushie also disappeared and I quickly get to searching.
The search was much harder than I expected, especially with that thing always at the sky. Even though it's just an illusion, I get the feeling that the more time I spent under it the more uncomfortable it gets.
Have to find the exit quick!
As if my prayers were heard, I managed to find what appeared to be the exit. Inside a normal looking house, corpse hanged upside down. Despite there being no wind inside, they swayed around the house seemingly welcoming any visitors as the next one to be hanged.
There weren't any signs of wounds on their bodies and one wouldn't be able to recognize them as corps if not for their missing noses and eyes.
Although I was an avid horror media fans, the scene before my eyes were enough to scare me half dead. I could feel my heart beating loudly and my legs started to lose strength.
Not good! I slammed the door shut and falls down the street. I wasn't sure if what happened but I'll be dead if I spend long enough there.
I wasn't sure if the exit is actually inside but I saw a 'black hole' inside the house, one similar to what Plush description. I also felt an indescribable calling was in this place and I knew I had to go in even if there's no exit inside.
Question is how do I get in? Looking through my skills nothing seemed to help the situation. I checked my backpack to see if there's anything that can help and the lighter caught my eyes.
If everything burns down then there won't be any hanging corpses right? A dumb idea for sure but it's not real anyway so there's no harm in trying?
Trying to start a fire was harder then I thought. Since the outside burns too slow and can't spread much I spent more time finding gas and flammable liquids than trying to start a fire itself. It was a great success though and on my fifth attempt I managed to start a raging fire.
I thought I have to wait a while for the fire to burns everything down but it was burning much MUCH quicker contrary to my expectations.
In the end all it took was 4 minutes for the house to burn down and luckily there weren't no flying corpses! Through the debris, a black hole the size of 2m was revealed.
What caught my attention wasn't the possible exit however but a dagger. It seems to suck in everything, leaving behind a glow so bright yet so dark at the same time. It has a type of beauty no humans could be described. I subconsciously touched it before I noticed and I felt extremely happy. My thoughts started to slow down as the only thing I was capable of feeling was the sheer joy of holding this thing.
* * * * * * * *
Inside my backpack, notifications could be seen on the phone.
[Found an item with similar essence!
Upgrade to the phone is available,
would you like to?]
[Warning: owner's ego is unstable.]
[Activating countermeasures to item of similar essence.]
[Calculating best course of action.]
[Creator interferences! Absorbing item to upgrade the phone!]
[New features available in: 1 month 23 days.]
* * * * * * * *
As soon as the dagger disappeared my thinking resumed. Inside my hand was no longer that dagger but a fragment. The fragment still gives off an alluring glow but was nowhere near as bad as before.
Fuck! I nearly died again!
Who would do something as evil as putting a deadly trap at the exit? Maniacs!
Putting the remaining fragment away I only wish to get out of this place as soon as possible. I jumped through the black hole and hope whatever is happening outside isn't as bad as in here. Knowing my luck it's probably ten times worse.
* * * * * * * *
Outside, in a dark room.
Two hooded figures revealed themselves in the darkness. One wore a clown suit while the other have boar mask. A rough voice was heard echoing in the room.
"How many of them appeared?" [Boar]
"About 17, some even rank 4. They catch on faster then expected." [Clown]
"And how about the plan?" [Boar]
"Still going smoothly. About 23 have already been corrupted and one potential anomaly appeared. We might need more time to reach the full effect though." [Clown]
"How many rank 4?" [Boar]
"About 3. Some are hiding so it's hard to tell." [Clown]
"That's good enough. I'll go stall some time, you continue on with the plan." [Boar]
"Try to stall for longer than 15 minutes. I'll report your sacrifice back to 'her' personally." [Clown]
No voice replied leaving the high pitched voice of the clown to endlessly echo inside the room.
* * * * * * * *
Back in reality, I managed to return safely. The place I'm still at the same place from before and non of the buildings were destroyed or on fire. Up the sky there wasn't any huge entity either but a crack still looms above and the hand is still there. However it seems like it didn't manage to enter as every time it reaches in something similar to a barrier reflected it.
Perhaps everything is still relatively ok for now. Outside the street... countless hooded figures were moving unconscious people from the street. They simply throw them up to a huge pile. The scene reminded me of a cult and I swiftly gets out my shotgun in case someone notice me.
So far I haven't obtained any of those 'amazing treasures' that Plush mentioned and instead I almost died, twice! Is this what being scammed feels like because it sucks.
I decided to move out since those hooded guys didn't seem to enter the houses. Although my fear from before still lingers, most of this should be a normal house... right?
Sneakily entering one when no one was around, I camped at the windows of the second floor, observing the street from above.
While sorting out the information in my mind, a strange noise emitted from the house. It was like those noises that animals do before attacking except ten times worse.
Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
WHY CAN'T IT BE A NORMAL HOUSE FOR GOD'S SAKE.
Ignoring my inner turmoil, a beast rushes out from the darkness and pounced on me. It's sharp claw penetrated my shoulder and blood poured out from the wound.
I shoved the shotgun inside it's mouth and with I pressed the trigger as fast as possible.
BANG!
The beast head didn't blow up but it staggered back, 2 gaping holes on it's head.
Though I was out of immediate danger, the loud noise would surely attract attention. I need to move out of here immediately.
I only managed to pick up my backpack when a strangely high pitched voice gets into my ears.
"Well what a strange rat that has snuck in here." [?]
Frozen in place I couldn't help but think I messed up. Peeking back a figure in a clown outfit greeted me with an exaggerated bow. With just a look all my strength has somehow disappeared.
All my plans, all my hope left the instant I saw him. The only thing present in my mind was that...
It was futile.