[Welcome Back]
[My King]
[Devouring Power Ͱ 10+]
[Air Ͱ 2+]
[Earth Ͱ 2+]
[Fire Ͱ 4+]
[Lightning Ͱ 2+]
[Telekinesis Ͱ 1+]
[Water Ͱ 2+]
[Recharge Ͱ 0]
[Your Status, King]
[You added 3+ Fire Strength. A gift from the Queen]
[We wish you a good harvest]
The screen appeared along with the sound in Elijah's ear as he regained consciousness. Elijah's eyes blinked, he could see the writing still there and slowly fading. A small moan escaped the young man's lips as he tried to sit up. It was quiet and dark around Elijah and he turned on the lumen of his palm.
Elijah gasped as he saw the bodies of the ants lying around him, some charred, some dead without the slightest injury. He didn't count the number of dead ants, but there were quite a few.
"Oh my," he muttered in disgust.
He walked past the carcasses, hastily searching for the deformities he had left behind. Elijah felt quite drained of energy, so he decided not to use the power of telekinesis to fly. He was afraid that there were still enemies around.
After about two hundred meters, Elijah saw a mound of earth, his makeshift wall. He also saw the bodies of the dead deformities, lying and abandoned.
He decided to look for the rest of the Deformity, who had fortunately left a trail of shoe prints on the ground. Elijah ran after his comrades.
But after running only a few meters... Elijah suddenly heard moaning and screaming from another direction in the middle of the forest. Curious, Elijah veered off his previous path and into the thicker forest.
He carefully tried not to make a sound with his footsteps. Up ahead, he saw two deformities, both arms and legs severed, being dragged by five ants. Elijah hesitated; he could have killed the ants, but how could he save the Deformities who had lost so much blood? The next camp was at least a mile away. Still, they would die on the way if Elijah insisted on carrying them.
"Ah, shit!" Elijah growled.
He immediately ran forward and attacked the ants, causing the creatures to release both deformities. Elijah's palm unleashed a fire attack, burning three of the ants instantly while the other two fled.
Seeing the ants flee, Elijah immediately approached the two Deformities, who groaned in pain.
"I'll take you to the nearest camp," Elijah said hurriedly.
Using the power of telekinesis, even though it would cause Elijah to faint. But Elijah didn't care, as long as he could get the two deformities to the next camp.
"Leave us, man," one of the Deformities said weakly. "We'll never make it."
"I'll try," Elijah replied.
The two Deformities moaned softly. Feeling very guilty, Elijah touched the back of one of their necks.
"I will avenge you," Elijah said.
"Go, buddy. Go help the others," the deformity replied.
[Δραστηριοποιώ καταβροχθίζω]
[Activate Devour]
Suddenly, a light shone from the back of the Deformity's neck and from the back of Elijah's neck. Then the Deformity closed his eyes forever. While his partner just stared in horror, not understanding what was happening at the moment of his death.
[ολοκληρώθηκε το καταβροχθίζω]
[Devour Complete]
[Devour Power Ͱ 10+]
[Air Ͱ 2+]
[Earth Ͱ 2+]
[Fire Ͱ 4+]
[Lightning Ͱ 3+]
[Telekinesis Ͱ 1+]
[Water Ͱ 2+]
[Recharge Ͱ 0]
[Your Status, King]
[You added 1+ lightning power. Your harvest]
[We wish you a good harvest]
"What are you?" The surviving Deformity hissed in disbelief.
"I didn't mean it. I don't know what happened," Elijah replied half-frightened.
"You killed him?"
Elijah couldn't answer. He was confused himself.
"It didn't look painful," the deformity continued quietly.
"What?"
"Don't let me live and suffer anymore." The Deformity stared into space, then swallowed. Tears rolled down his cheeks. "Please, do to me what you did to my partner."
Elijah hesitated, but he leaned forward and touched the back of the Deformity's dying neck.
[Δραστηριοποιώ καταβροχθίζω]
[Activate Devour]
As before, light flashed from the back of each neck. Then the Deformity left the world peacefully. Elijah began to sob quietly.
[ολοκληρώθηκε το καταβροχθίζω]
[Devour Complete]
[Devour Power Ͱ 10+]
[Air Ͱ 2+]
[Earth Ͱ 2+]
[Fire Ͱ 4+]
[Lightning Ͱ 4+]
[Telekinesis 1+]
[Water Ͱ 2+]
[Recharge Ͱ 0]
[Your Status, King]
[You added 1+ lightning power. Your harvest]
[We wish you a good harvest]
"Congratulations?! I have already killed two Deformers with my hands!!!" Elijah shouted in frustration.
*
The alarm sounded and the screen read 'Failed'. Trevor sighed softly, then looked at Isaac as he shook his head quickly. The bracelet on Isaac's hand could not be opened and was replaced with a new one specifically designed for deformities. Isaac had spent nearly ten minutes just sitting and waiting for Trevor. The result was unexpected.
"You're staying in the barracks," Trevor interrupted.
"What?"
Isaac couldn't believe what he heard. He knows that fighting aliens is no game, there are probably many people who would like to be in Isaac's position right now. But Isaac did not want to leave Elijah alone.
"Go back to your place, that is an order," Trevor said.
Trevor stormed out, leaving Isaac alone in the room. Isaac rose from his seat, not wanting to be left behind, and ran after Trevor. There was a long intake of breath as Trevor realized that Isaac was close behind.
"Please, sir. I want to fight aliens, I've fought them before," Isaac said as he trotted behind Trevor. "Twice to be exact." He emphasized.
Trevor didn't answer.
"Sir, at least I have experience fighting aliens!"
"You're just getting in the way, Isaac. Maybe you were just lucky all along. That bracelet on your hand could be the cause of your death, it's already broken and who knows if your powers are completely useless."
"Go back to the barracks and don't let me drag you there!" Trevor insisted.
"I'm not a child you can order around!" Isaac retorted irritably.
"You're wasting my time, Isaac."
"And take me east of Tacoma! I can take care of myself."
"You better stay in the barracks. Because we're not fighting alone. You understand?" Trevor snorted. "We don't need a selfish Deformity."
Trevor hurried to close the gate between the Army and the Deformity barracks, while Isaac just stood there. Isaac was stunned, this time he really felt hurt by Trevor's words.
"Selfish, my ass," Isaac hissed.
The young man stared at Trevor's retreating figure.
"If it wasn't selfish, no human would survive! Do you understand that?!" Isaac shouted angrily.
Whether Trevor heard him or not, the man continued on his way to the jeep waiting outside the barracks. Irritated, Isaac turned around and was about to return to the barracks when he heard footsteps coming from one of the army barracks.
"They left you, Ninõ?" The hoarse voice with the foreign accent rang clearly in Isaac's ears.
He turned his head to see an Army man in beige pajamas limping toward him. A man in his forties, he had a cane in one hand and was missing a leg. From the knee to the sole.
"My bracelet can't be replaced," Isaac replied.
The man just nodded, then approached the gate. He struggled to sit down on the ground. Isaac sighed softly as he did the same. They both sat down, separated by the gate.
"There is another day, you should gather your strength and train well," the man advised.
"If there is a tomorrow."
"There is always tomorrow, for those who live. On this earth or any other part of the galaxy." The man chuckled softly. "What is your name?"
"Isaac."
"I am Dominic. Useless Army, after all."
"Why do you say that?" Isaac asked.
"You see this leg? There's only one. How am I supposed to fight the aliens?" Dominic cleared his throat quietly.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm more concerned about the young ones, the deformities, who died because of the leadership's carelessness." Dominic's lips curled into a frown. "If all the young die, who will defend this world? Us? A bunch of old people?"
"You don't look like you're from Tacoma," Isaac said, changing the subject. "Your accent, it sounds strange."
"Oh, I was stationed there less than two weeks before the Orb opened. I'm from Chile."
Dominic told Isaac briefly that he had two children. His oldest son had been at the Academy for twelve years, since the age of three. Now fifteen, Dominic didn't even know what he looked like. His second daughter was three. The daughter showed no strength, but was taken by Army-Deformity, claiming she would be taken to the United States. Dominic had to beg not to be separated from his daughter, so he went along and became an Army soldier.
Suddenly, Dominic was stationed in Tacoma and had never seen his daughter.
"Your daughter is stationed at the Tacoma Academy?" Isaac asked. "You're not allowed to see her?"
"I don't know. Some researchers say she's in Fall City, but I can't go there. There are too many rules," Dominic complained. "I was even threatened with death if I disobeyed."
"Fall City?" Isaac gasped in surprise.
"Yeah, maybe." Dominic shrugged. "I lost all my children. Maybe even my whole family."
"Your daughter, three years old, right?"
"Yes." Dominic nodded. "Her name is Alita, brown hair, wavy, shoulder length."
"Does she speak English?"