Silence.
Utter silence filled the devastated compound.
As the soldiers locked eyes with the devil before them, their shivering lips began to move.
It began with whispers, barely audible whispers that felt incoherent at best. Soon, it became intelligible murmurs.
However, soon those murmurings turned into deadly silence and the serious faces of the soldiers turned into looks of terror.
Their expressions contorted into that of total despair and fright, depicting absolute despair.
"ARGHHHHHHH!!!"
As the shrieks of the soldiers filled the air, the musky stench of their captain's blood grew all the more potent. It's disgusting smell overpowered the senses and filled the night air.
"Who's next?" Elish inquired, summoning more orbs around him, almost ignoring their indirect surrender.
"N-no…"
"Mercy…!"
"R-run!"
The guards shook their heads in fear, dropped their weapons, and fled.
Their cries of terror filled the air as they ran.
The clanking of their swords against the ground mixed with their despairing screams.
"I could just let them go," Elish contemplated, "after all, they're all mere fodder."
They hadn't seen his face too, so his identity was in no danger.
"But," he added with a hint of boredom, "I have to entertain myself a bit."
He launched several orbs at his fleeing adversaries, and as they were all sucked into the darkness before his eyes, he felt his tension easing.
It wasn't every day that he witnessed people desperately trying to escape, only to be torn to shreds by mini black holes.
Blood and flesh sprayed everywhere, filling the night breeze with the scent of death.
"Ah, finally. Astra's positivity and overbearing attitude were getting too tiring. With this, I can unwind a bit," he remarked, relishing the night's newfound tranquility.
Soon, the noise quieted, and the screams ceased.
"Are they all dead?" Elish wondered aloud.
He had been so engrossed in the moment that he hadn't noticed how quickly the bodies had disintegrated.
"Oh, one escaped, though," he observed. "It seems he went to inform those inside."
Elish shrugged, only to widen his lips even more.
"Good. Let's unwind some more."
With that, he approached the front door of the elegant mansion, ready to continue his macabre revelry.
*****
Elish attempted to open the mansion's door but found it sealed shut.
Realizing he needed to exert more effort, he pushed harder, causing the door to budge and fly across the room.
~BOOOOM!~
The echoes of the door crashing onto the furniture and walls in the residence dulled the sounds of Wlish's footsteps as he entered the grand house.
The interior of the manor surpassed its exterior in beauty. The wall designs, the hanging paintings, and the entire architectural structure of the house were exquisite.
"Compare this to that lousy inn," Elish remarked to himself, feeling just a tinge of jealousy.
Everywhere was eerily quiet, as if the mansion had been abandoned.
Given the late hour, Elish expected as much. However, the earlier commotion should have alerted everyone in the house, so they had to be hiding somewhere.
Elish proceeded down the hallway and arrived at the main room, the parlor.
A massive painting hung on the wall, portraying a man in his late fifties with a burly frame, a portly stature, and a well-groomed beard. He was dressed in regal attire.
"Most likely the owner of this house," Elish muttered.
This presented a golden opportunity for Elish to acquire memories of a high-ranking member of society, a prospect he found enticing.
Suddenly, Elish sensed something approaching him.
'Hm?'
~BOOM!~
A projectile was launched at him, meant to deal a fatal injury in a single shot. Any second later, and it could have even succeeded.
Unfortunately for the assaulter, Elish was just a bit faster.
Instinctively, he generated a protective shield using Hex, protecting himself from harm.
"Keep firing!!!" a voice shouted.
More projectiles were fired, causing no harm to Elish but creating a cacophony.
The impacts produced an annoying noise, and the dust and smoke that filled the air obstructed Elish's vision and irritated his senses.
"I'll have to enhance my sight. How tedious," he grumbled.
With enhanced vision, Elish could discern the source of the projectiles.
"Above me, huh," he remarked, looking upward.
About 30 men armed with unfamiliar weapons were aiming at him. They continued to concentrate their fire on his location.
~Bang! Boom!~
The unpleasant sounds disrupted the otherwise quiet atmosphere.
"What is that weapon?" Elish wondered aloud.
During his time as a Monarch, the most advanced long-range weapon used by humans was the bow and arrow.
The weapon before him was far more destructive and faster than any bow. Even the memories of the soldier he had absorbed contained no information about such a weapon.
"Tch. Useless," Elish muttered.
"[Hex #98: Haze]."
Purple smoke engulfed the entire area, rising to where his attackers were positioned.
"W-What is that?" one of them exclaimed.
"Don't lose sight of the target!" their leader reminded them.
However, it was too late. The Haze of hallucinations and madness took effect.
Elish heard screams and cries of distress. They began to shoot at each other.
"M-Monster!" one soldier yelled as he shot his comrade beside him.
"S-Stay away from me! Stay away!!!" another cried out, killing his partner.
In terror, fright, and utter confusion, they turned on each other, resulting in their own demise.
"I wonder what they saw," Elish pondered, still gazing up as they succumbed to their madness.
Before long, they were all on the floor, lifeless.
*
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[A/N]
Thanks for reading.
I appreciate those who support this book with comments and power stones.
Till the next one!