The berserkers rage was such an odd feeling. It was like nothing she'd experienced and everything she ever was all at the same time.
It was blinding and deafening and overwhelming. They were in a tundra so cold she could see the steam rising from her, but a different cold still permeated her frame. Infecting and expanding as her exhaustion multiplied.
But like she said, the rage was blinding. She couldn't see her exhaustion. She could only feel that maddening itch climbing towards the summit of her spine to nestle in her brain. She could only see the center piece of her anger. The catalyst.
Claude Grey— Ursula's best friends….. girlfriend? How he landed what looked like an Islandian super-model in the making she'd never know.
That was a lie. She knew exactly how. It was the same reason he wasn't with them now.
So much had changed since she was captured. But he was the same. Even as new reckless people surrounded him.
"Are you fucking stupid?!" She roared through the snowfall and thundershowers that left black plumes of smoke and steam sizzling in the distance.
"I'm the smartest woman you have ever met, daughter of the Red Knight." Naz answered casually.
"Can't be. The smartest anyone wouldn't send a child into a cave to blow it up!" Ursula stood over her, shrugging off Claude's surfer friends as they tried to be the calming waters to her and Naz's fiery collision.
"Look around, Berserker. We are not children anymore. We are heroes in training. He IS a hero. I thought you'd know this. He spoke so highly of you. I no longer know why. You neuter him— with your comments and poorly timed outbursts. He is a man of power and action, yet you speak of him like a baby with no legs. He stands, Ursula. More tall than you."
Ursula snorted steam, "Yea cool story, Medusa. That doesn't change that fact that a teenage boy is still IN THAT CA-"
A second explosion hit. One even louder than the small scale crumbling caused by Darius and Enzo. The other supporters of his mad heroism.
In the distance, green roots and massive thick stalked flowers rose in the snow from the rubble of the cave. Like hands of a green giant reaching to score the sky.
The group went silent.
Poisonous smoke burned the plants as they rose, but they healed and continued to grow, others fell into the deep pit of the now gutted cave. More earth crumbled even further from the cave— even closer to them, as if the whole thing was built on some massive crater made by an asteroid.
"NOOOOO!"
Ursula's stomach should've sank. But she was never one for sadness.
[Berserker's Rage...89%]
She could feel Naz still eyeballing her. Not even bothered with Claude.
She opened her mouth. She opened her gods damned mouth.
"Where is your confidence in your friend, berserker?"
Ursula spun back to face Naz, swinging in a wild haymaker.
Naz slithered past the blow like a snake lying in wait, looping her arm underneath Ursula's to punch her in the windpipe as she positioned the rest of herself at Ursula's backside.
Ursula coughed up blood and spit as she went down. Taking a knee in front of Naz.
Immediately the students, pulled Naz away.
Ursula didn't get up. And the beginnings of an argument never came.
She was too busy looking at the steaming— charred, boots in the melted earth before her.
The Island-dogs took off. Finn picked up Juli, "HOORAY!"
She looked up and found Brink standing with Claude in his arms. His university Uniform was a tattered burned mess. His cloak was simple streaks of cloth blowing in the wind. His white skin was cut and bruised, tiny pebbles embedded deep in wounds almost made it look like he was transforming into a volcanic rock.
His Mohawk was a frayed flaming mess. Even still, with low eyes, he smiled wide as he hefted the unconscious Claude into a more comfortable position.
"Hah…." He exhaled smoke. His comically bushy eyebrows and striking orange eyes livened, "Me and this guy are gonna get married. Naz, I don't wanna hear a thing. You didn't watch him throw a forest at a giant skeleton. I AM CRUSHING HARD on this baldy!"
Darius fought off a laugh of relief.
"Welcome back, heroes." Naz replied.
"I just want to know where that was at the start of the fight." Carmen whispered.
"Strong men hold themselves back when they're plagued with kindness and consideration. The same can be said for men who are young and inexperienced." Percival said from the other side of the students. His bald darkskinned head collected snow as if he was a timeless statue.
"Was that poetry?" Goren asked from beside him.
"In motion." Was all he replied with a bow.
DING
[Tangent Complete!]
[Congratulations! You and your team have slain the Undead Primal-Hunter. Collect your loot and exit the Tangent as soon as possible!]
[59:59…..58…..57 seconds till Erasure of Rift….]
[+350 EXP]
[+1 Skill Point]
DING!
[Destruction of Mount Chicxulub Recognized!]
[+1 Stat Point]
[You have Leveled Up! You are now Level 3!]
[4 Stat Points available]
Ursula swatted her system screen away and got to her feet.
Before Brink could fall over, she took Claude out of his hands. He looked so small in her arms. His bald head was covered in bruises. His tanned skin was covered in soot and sweat. She cringed as his left hand fell from his stomach and into the light.
More vicious wounds should've been leaking blood but were instead patched over with wooden roots and plantlife. As if it was infecting him. Or he was becoming the green. Claws of thorn adorned each finger. Fire spitting weeds bloomed on his knuckles. She hid his hand and joined the others on their way out.
At least that was the plan until she stopped at the sound of a hideous wet squish.
She looked down at the melted ground and found a snake squirming beneath her foot. A small black scaled thing with sandy yellow eyes. It raged at the severance of its spine and bled out, dying with the cruelest expression she'd ever seen.
She fought off a shiver and pushed onward as the others collected what loot they could.
It wasn't so easy to get a feel for her world anymore. She was confident she knew the outside all the same.
But in the Tangent, with Claude, Naz, Isaac, Darius, Brink, Carmen, Percival, Juli, Finn and beyond. She wasn't so sure of it simply being advantageous vultures wearing the skin of heroes. She wasn't so sure the university experience could turn them into such things.
She saw too much.
She saw zealots.
Psychoes.
Battle fiends.
Explorers and politicians.
And enigma's with dreadlocks.
"Let me help." Goren came up beside her.
Hesitantly she held Claude out to him as he began to work his healing magic.
"Ursula, you alright?" Warren asked.
"No. Not at all."