NOVEL NEXT 1.15. Beneath the Spires
Days passed quickly as he continued to stock her up with food and water. She always kept him at a distance when he did show up and never talked as he quickly left. She looked torn every time he appeared, and the pain in his heart and soul never lessened.
Before he knew it, a month had passed and Luna had broken into the Core Foundation stage. Her solid core was filled with air Qi, creating a nebulous of energy around her. It was like an unruly storm as she meditated day and night to get it under control.
He tried to congratulate her, but she quickly ran away. Leaving the last of his supplies for her, he returned to the industrial area. Nearly the entire sector had been cleared of Forsaken, and he had even gone back and cleared out the houses and apartments along his route.
He never settled into a new shelter, leaving him to sleep in the open, under the stars. He meditated on his soul as often as he could, trying to understand it as he compressed and pulled in his energy. Over the next few months, he was going to clear the rest of the city before leaving. He didn't know if Luna would be going with him anymore, but he hoped she would.
It was three months after the incident before Luna decided it was time to test her new strength. All of the nearby Forsaken were gone and the city nearly dead, but still, she needed to experiment.
Her new core thrummed with power. She could feel it spinning, and then her heart started to ache. She couldn't help but remember that James used to have a solid core. He had lost everything nearly half a year ago and was reduced to something inhuman.
I should try talking to him again.
Looking around his shelter, she knew with her supply of food, he wouldn't be back any time soon. He had been visiting less and less every week until she hadn't seen him in nearly a month. His eyes were always pained when he was around. The pressure of his aura was gone, but the few times she had felt it, she was surprised how welcoming it made her feel.
Leaving the shelter, she started walking. Pushing Qi into her muscles, she flowed across the ground as if she was the wind itself. She knew the one place that James hadn't gone was the city center and it was likely the only place that she would find Forsaken.
With her mind made up, she set her direction and rushed through the streets. Slowly the few multistory buildings transitioned into towering structures as the whole environment changed.
She slowed to a stop when she came across the first giant footprint that had torn apart the road. Claw marks had shredded the side of a skyscraper, filling the streets with rubble and glass. The air swirled with death, but she couldn't hear the sounds of anything moving.
Swallowing hard, she kept searching, hoping that there was at least some Forsaken around that she could kill. Months of meditation had allowed her to manipulate the air in new ways, and she hadn't been able to see what sort of damage she could do.
What she wasn't ready for was the sound of the world breaking. The ground didn't shake, but as she turned the corner, a towering Forsaken stretched high into the sky, sniffing the air.
A hand large enough to grab her whole with room to spare rested on the ground as the monster was bent over. Its body was just as large as it crushed the street underfoot, leaving another giant footprint behind.
She made the mistake of gasping. That's all it took for the Forsaken to notice her.
James brushed off his hands as he dismissed his sword. He had grown in the last few months, reaching heights in strength he didn't know were possible. It still wasn't enough.
Turning to the sky, he watched his flock of vultures cry at him before flying towards the city center. Frowning, he started following. When one swooped down and pushed against his back, he picked up his pace. Then he heard it.
The creature that had claimed the city center was on the move. Its heavy steps filled the air as it gave chase to something that had entered its territory. His heart nearly stopped when he realized there was only one thing that it could be.
Pushing his body to the limit, he entered the streets of skyscrapers and followed the sounds of fighting. The ground shook as the monster slammed the ground over and over again and the air screamed as it was used to attack.
Dammit!
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Turning the corner, he found the towering monster sweeping its hand across the street, tearing into buildings and flinging rubble all over the place. Amongst the destruction was a certain wolf, throwing out attacks as she tried to flee. Why she wasn't escaping was beyond him.
"Luna!" he screamed.
She snapped her attention to him before leaping back and avoiding a clawed hand. "Help!"
Glancing at the giant, James was overwhelmed by the sheer scale of its soul. It drowned out his senses and he knew there was no absorbing it. Not at his current level.
Rushing through its legs, he jumped over a hand and reached Luna in seconds. Grabbing her around the waist, he started to run, only to feel something latch onto his soul and start pulling.
What the hell?
Looking over his shoulder, he snarled as his soul was being sucked towards the giant. Summoning his sword, he slashed through the link, breaking the connection before rushing off. The lumbering giant crawled after him and he took one last look at it before rounding the corner.
It didn't have eyes and only slits for a nose, but it was the mouth that terrified him. A gapping circle of razor-sharp teeth and no lips seemed to suck in the world as it reached for them. Its pale skin matched its white soul and the few cuts that Luna left were already healing.
Picking up his pace, he fled down the street as the giant followed him. His eyes strained to scan anything nearby in hopes of finding shelter. What he wasn't prepared for was another maintenance building leading into the tunnels below the city.
Rushing to the entrance, he noticed the door was already missing and didn't hesitate to flee down the stairs. Luna whimpered on his shoulder as she clung to him tightly.
"It's still coming!" she screamed.
He didn't respond as he took random directions and tunnels to get away. The red lights pulsed overhead but before long the sound of the stomping giant stopped. The monster roared, shaking the world before it sounded like it was retreating.
Breathing heavy, he set Luna down and collapsed against the wall, falling to his butt. Luna joined him, her arms latched around his as she found comfort in his presence.
"I'm sorry!" she panted. "I'm so sorry!"
James rested his fingers over hers as he looked up and down the halls. "We should be able to reach your shelter from here. We just need to find our way through the tunnels."
Shaking her head, she grabbed his arm tighter. "Not yet…"
Frowning, he calmed himself. "We can't kill that thing. It has our scent now. We need to leave town."
Nodding, she scooted closer until her tail was wrapped around him and her head was resting on his shoulder. "Can we sit for a minute?"
"Yes," he said softly. Silence started to stretch for minutes before he whispered, "I missed you."
"Your aura feels safe and welcoming to me," she said equally as soft. "I shouldn't have avoided you. You've suffered so much."
"Not enough for what I almost did to you." Closing his eyes, he tapped his head against the wall. "I never want that to happen again. We should separate as soon as you are safe."
"No!" Clutching him, she shook her head.
"Why not?" he asked in surprise.
"I…I want to see the world. I want to know what energy you are using and why it makes me feel warm and safe. Why did it use to make me scared? What changed? Even now, I feel like I belong next to you. Don't leave me with so many questions."
Those are flimsy reasons. What am I supposed to tell her? What if nearly die and try to eat her again? Will I be able to stop myself?
"I'll slap you," she said suddenly.
"What?"
"If you lose control. I'll slap you and kick you between the legs until your mind clears."
Wincing, he pulled away and looked at her. "Umm…"
"It's decided! I'm staying with you. After all, you promised that you would keep me safe."
"Yeah, until you reached—"
A growl escaped her as she squeezed his arm. "Are you going back on your word?"
"No, but—"
"That's what I thought. Now. Where are we, and what all can we find down here. You never did find that tub you promised me."
Frowning, he felt her tail sway against him as he tried to form his thoughts. She wasn't making sense and yet she wouldn't relent when he tried to reason with her.
To distract himself, he looked over his character sheet. He had grown, but it still wasn't enough.
Name: James Matson
Soul Strength: 7.017
Soul Skills
Soul Siphon
Soul Strike
Soul Blade
Soul Vault
Soul Crafting: Level 5/10
Soul Water: Level 4/10
Skills
Regeneration: Level 10/10
Pain Resistance: Level 9/10
Heat Resistance: Level 10/10
Poison Resistance: Level 5/10
Rot Resistance: Level 8/10
Corruption Resistance: Level 6/10
Corrosion Resistance: Level 8/10
Piercing Resistance: Level 5/10
Slashing Resistance: Level 2/10
Improvised Weapons: Level 3/10
Crude Tanning: Level 6/10
Crude Leatherwork: Level 6/10
Crude Armor Crafting: Level 6/10
The amount of Soul Strength he was gaining was so miniscule that it had moved decimal places. He didn't know how strong he could become, but he had a long way to go. That's why he was going to start focusing on gaining regular skills. He'd absorb what souls he could, but the road was too long. It had become a marathon, rather than the sprint the first few months were. The scary part was that there were still Forsaken out there that he couldn't eat. Where were those things during the war and why hadn't they attacked yet? How much danger was the world in? Was anyone strong enough to defeat them?
"So…wonderful weather we are having…"
Turning to Luna, he opened his mouth to respond, but she was wringing her hands as she sat with a red face.
"It's wonderful," he agreed. "Once we get out, we should enjoy it together."
Smiling, she stopped her hands. "I'd like that."
Glancing down the tunnel, he stood and offered her a hand. "Ready?"
Gripping his hand firmly, she pulled herself to her feet. "Ready."
Smiling, he let her go and started focusing on his senses. The underground was the one area he hadn't cleared out yet. In the tight quarters, they were going to struggle to fight as a team.