"So...I take it this is your doing." Damien stated coldly. The power provided by Unstable Evolution pooling out of him like an oppressive force. It was a strange feeling. This power was intoxicating. It should've filled him with so much joy, but at the same time, it felt like it was always his. Like it was his right to wield it. His logical mind would have noticed right away that he wasn't being himself. That he'd completely abandoned trying to gather information about the enemy and was now oozing an air of superiority, but currently, he didn't care. Now he was staring down a gathering of bugs that dared get between him and his desires. That would not stand.
Without wasting any time, Damien gathered a massive amount of darkness around him. The sheer volume of it made it easy for him to coat his staff and body with it. Essentially making him one solid mass of power. As he did so, as if alerted by the change, the hidden creature let out a strange noise. A rapid clicking sound akin to stones tumbling over each other that woke the other insects from their stupor.
Without any delay, the swarm of insects charged at Damien. Attempting to continue their coordinated assault on him. Only this time, they were surprised to see him charge toward them directly. His movements so fast they had no time to react as he effortlessly slammed his staff into one of their kin. The impact so fierce it turned the insect into paste and the force spread its remains across the cave. covering both the stones and the other bugs in a spray of blood and gore. The putrid stench of exposed intestines and blood filling the area. Amplified due to the digestive fluids within their bodies.
Damien seemed indifferent to it all, however. Simply turning his attention to the next closest of the bugs. Ready to strike them down with the same indifference. 'As expected...even their insides are disgusting...' he thought as he swiftly painted the next wall with what used to be the second bug. The tide of the battle had quickly shifted as Damien mowed thru the swarm of insects. The putrid stench filling the cave as mere seconds turned what use to be an intimidating swarm into a small cluster of pitiful survivors. Just then, a sudden sense of danger ripped Damien's focus from his next target. Turning his body swiftly to see a beam of light quickly propelling toward his blind spot.
Barely sparing it much though, Damien quietly intercepted the blast with his staff. The force--to his surprise-- pushing him back slightly. 'Well....that was more weight than any of this trash had before.' He thought absentmindedly as he spotted a shadowy figure scurry away back into the darkness. A series of clicks quickly following as the last of the bugs tried to form a sad excuse of a wall between them. 'So it's a cowardly rat...' was all the thought he spared the creature. Lazily swinging his staff at the insect he'd tried to kill before he was fired on. The poor creature unable to retaliate even with that brief window the shooter had given it.
He was just about to charge head first into the swarm and end this farce when his vision suddenly blurred. His balance thrown off as he fought to keep to his feet. It was only now that he'd bothered to spare a glance at his condition. A thick layer of putrid green blood coating his clothes was to be expected with all the bodies he'd mowed down. However, just past it all was the distinct sight of fresh blood flowing from his open wounds. He'd taken a lot of damage before Unstable Evolution took hold and it was starting to feel like his body wasn't enduring too well with the excessive force he was putting it thru. Rather than be concerned, however, anger flashed thru Damien's eyes--though just as quickly it was replaced by a neutral face. His pride not allowing these insects to see him react. "Just another inconvenience..."
'It's just another inconvenience. Like these bugs or this wall. I just have to tear them all down.' Damien thought resolutely. Gritting his teeth before charging back into the wall of insects. What little remained of them being reduced to nothing even with his reduced speed. He didn't idle after, however. Quickly setting his sights on the one that had been controlling the bugs this whole time, Damien dove into the darkness. His darkness flowing to his eyes with practiced ease as the darkness around him was replaced by a black and white view of the caves interior. Only now did he get a good look at the monster hiding in the dark.
It was an elongated worm like creature with leathery skin. Along the center of its body was a row of stitches that seemed to hold its leather skin together. It seemed the flesh on the surface wasn't truly theirs. On either side of its body were three sharp blade weapons attached to flexible metallic limbs by a bolt. Lower down its body it had a series of spider like legs that it used to scurry around the ground. The first thing in its body that hadn't looked artificial. It's face was its most unsettling feature. It had a metallic face with a shade that seemed to match the metal limbs at its sides. It stuck out of the leathery fabric like it was living in some sort of cursed sleeping bag and its massive eyes only partially left its confines as they sat at the sides of its face. An eerie and sharp toothy smile clung to its face. the edges of its lips so wide, they too were obstructed by the skin bag. Damien didn't know every card out there, but he recognized this one. It was a more classic card known as 'Marionette Mite'. This one was different, however. Around its head was a metal spiked helmet with fan blade like antenna sticking out the top and a large barrel at its center.
'That must be what this bug was using to shoot at me...' Damien thought as he quickly closed the distance. Dodging one last blast from the creature before stepping into range. Marionette Mite made a desperate attempt to swing at Damien, but he swiftly ducked passed it. getting behind marionette with both hands tightly clasped around his staff. With one more powerful swing, Damien delivered a devastating strike on Marionette Mite. Sending it crashing into the cave wall with so much force the wall gave way. Sending marionette Mike crashing into the caves exterior. The flood of light engulfing the cave and forcing Damien to deactivate his dark vision.
A sense of joy momentarily filled his heart as he saw the sunlight he'd missed for all these days in the cave. The thought of finally seeing the outside filling his mind, but it was short lived as Unstable Evolution did its thing. His arrogance returning as he stood proudly, ignoring his wounds and walking out of the cave behind Marionette Mite. As he exited the cave, he noticed something nearby was watching him. It was so insignificant, however that he couldn't help but ignore it as he trained his focus on the enemy at hand. Marionette Mite was sent quite some distance away even after crashing thru the cave wall. He wondered momentarily if he went overboard but quickly dismissed the thought. Thinking about how much of an inconvenience this creature had been.
Turning his cold gaze to the crawling Marionette Mite, Damien spoke to it directly for the first time, though he doubted it could even speak. "Would you hurry up and die already...?"
The words carried no hate, concern, anger, or pity. It was non of these things. It was indifference. A total disregard for Marionette Mites existence. Like its very life was just a minor inconvenience. As it struggled to get up, Damien noted all the damage it sustained from that single devastating attack. 'Looks like it's helmet is gone. Must have fallen off or been destroyed. That's good. It's lost its range. It should have also lost some power if that equip raised their attack points. Not to mention this area is huge. I don't have to worry about it boxing me in with its size. With any luck, I--huh?'
Damien's thoughts abruptly as he realized he could think clearly again. It felt like he'd been navigating the world with a dark curtain over his eyes and it had finally been removed.His mind finally feeling like his own again. Not wasting any time, Damien quickly reached into his pouch. Retrieving his vial of 'Red Medicine' and drinking it down. Resisting his body's urge to jolt as the taste registered in his tongue. 'The ick means its working' He joked to himself lightly as his body began to glow in a red light. his wounds closing rapidly as he readied himself to continue the fight.
'Marionette Mite was a three star with a thousand attack points...It seems to be hurt a lot, so now I should have more "Lifepoints" than it does...Meaning my attack should also be at about a thousand...This is gonna be the endgame. I have more life and defense but he's got actual weapons. Not to mention the weight and reach to use them...' As he was organizing his thoughts , he finally noticed there was another creature standing between him and Marionette Mite. A small gnome like girl kneeling down with her eyes closed. Tears streaming down her face.
"wh--huh?" was all he could muster out as his brain buffered at this new variable.