Eternal Elysium

The land started to quake as I could feel the tremors spreading everywhere.

Behind us a large number of churners appeared on the narrow passage. But that was not the only thing I noticed. Above the churners, the ragged cloths like newborns flew up to the ceiling, latching out toward us. Behind the Churners I saw two giant silhouettes of beasts, walking on two legs, their horns twisted behind their necks and a darkish parchment surrounding their chests.

'This is troublesome.'

I was left mortified as I took quick steps back along with Chris, who had already started to run ahead. Given the narrow passage, we had an advantage if we could withstand a wave long enough, as the monsters couldn't possibly all attack at once.

However, I also didn't wish to corner myself.

That could potentially lead to an even dire situation.

'Luckily it seems the other churners inside the room have yet to arrive.'

But it won't be long before they arrive, hearing the commotion. I also needed to avoid that from happening. This was the reason we needed to run. To find a place far away to confront the enemies.

Even then I couldn't see the situation getting any better.

'It feels like I have been doing nothing but run since I came here.'

Maybe the one who survives the horror is not the one who is the strongest or the most cunning. The one who survives is the fastest… The one who survives is a coward. But he is also undeniably brave if he can return back to slit the horror's throat.

After all, survival was different. It meant coming out alive from a precarious situation, not confronting it. Only a coward could do that; only someone who clings to life dearly enough to stab his own heart in times of need can truly survive this dreadful world.

The one who runs will definitely survive… Or at least have a higher chance than those who foolishly fight.

And that was the type of person I was slowly becoming. It was not the most honorable thing to do but honor won't keep us alive.

So, currently I am a coward running away from the horrors behind me.

However, when I stop running, I will turn to face them and surely stab their hearts.

This was my determination.

Just as I was about to reach another door, trying to see if it could open and give us refuge but before my hands could reach the open space. A dark figure reached us, stretching its long arm forward to pierce through my chest.

I hastily took a step back, letting the outstretched hand swiftly pierce through the iron door.

Chris stepped back as we stood still, surrounded by the dreadful creatures.

I felt my breathing leave my body, and then the arm jerked back.

"That's how far we can run, it seems." I muttered slowly and summoned my blade, gripping it tightly.

Chris nodded, taking his own spear out in the open.

"We expected this much."

I chuckled, adopting a fighting stance, raising my blade directly at the adversaries.

"Let's kill them fast and find the others." I whispered, as behind us the corridor had opened up. The place, while not perfect, still has its use.

Chris didn't respond back; instead, he side-stepped, making sufficient space between us to not get in each other's way.

My eyes followed the beast at the back, hiding behind a swarm of Churners.

Would they move first? I doubt it. Beasts, while not the most intelligent, still were cunning enough to know how to get an advantage.

They would wait patiently. Hoping to exhaust their prey before striking us by themselves.

And that's what happened.

Not making us wait, the first to attack were the ragged cloth-like creatures from above targeting me and Chris simultaneously.

I spun my blade down and lunged it down first at the churner rushing toward me. Chris, meanwhile, took half a step forward, cutting the creature flying above us.

The bat-like creature fell with a wet thud on the ground. Its blood is splashing everywhere on the floor.

The Churners, meanwhile, rushed all at once, making my heart sink.

Gritting my teeth as I slowed them down, my blade again moved in an arc, scaring the newborns with gritty movements.

In an absurd way some backed away, feeling the blood gushing from the wound.

A horrendous scream left the Churners' mouth as I saw one lash out at the other, threatening to eat them. Then, as if on cue, one of the remaining ragged-wing creatures rushed down. Its sharp claw, filled with dark blood, reached for my neck, making me step back.

Stolen story; please report.

Just as I was about to raise my blade to cut it down. My legs buckled down as something sharp hit me in the dark. I winced, a small cry escaping my lips. Down below a churner has crawled its way up to me, trying to eat my leg.

Then it stopped—its time frozen before it could move ahead.

The creature flew past me, my neck saved from its claws, now latched at Chris, who already noticed it. He gave it a small glance as his focus remained on the beast. With a swift motion the creature suddenly fell on the floor, its body cut in half.

I swipe my blade below, stabbing the Churner's neck in a swift strike. Blood gushed out as the creature trembled, making no sound.

As I raised my head to look up, a sudden chill ran down my spine as the beast behind raised its large hands and swiped them through the floor, thwarting the many monsters away in a single scoop.

It was a gesture so powerful that even the churners that were charging at us stopped in their tracks.

Both beasts stepped forward, clearing the way as they moved forward.

"Ah, it looks like they are tired of waiting after all." I muttered, ready to face them.

Even though they were strong, I didn't see them as a threat, not as much as before, as most monsters were being killed by them only.

The strength they had in numbers was the only thing that posed a threat.

Now that the beast has taken over and come, clearing the way. The monsters had started to run away in fear of what was to come.

The bone-chilling coldness that had caught me melted away as I smiled—no, more like grinned—toward the beast coming our way.

I looked them in the eyes, matching their cold bloodlust harbored for us.

Chris raised his hand and shot his spear forward like a bolt of lightning; it pierced through the wind, reaching straight toward the beast's chest. But then it stopped midway, frozen in its spot.

One of the beasts took a step back in fear as it saw the spear suddenly stop.

At the same time I appeared next to it—the beast turned slowly—unaware of what was happening around it. The two beasts, left confused, turn their attention toward me, slower than ever. Their ferocity was nowhere to be seen as I lunged my blade forward along with a feint mixed in it.

They tried to strike me with their claws only to get tangled together, making a smile blossom on my face. My blade pressed on the beast whose claws finally came loose, coming closer, and finally pierced its hard skin. A tenebrous cry escaped from its jaw as blood gushed out.

The other beast moved closer—still slow—and tried to pull the injured beast away with its jaw only to be hit by an invisible slash from Chris.

"They sure are dumb." I muttered, pulling the blade out and delivering a powerful kick on the beast's thin frame. It stumbled back, coming in front of the frozen spear.

And then, with a sizzling sound, the spear moved like a beam of light, hitting the beast's head. Its skull cracked as it fell on the floor without making a single sound.

I tore my gaze away from it and looked at Chris fighting the last beast. Even in the dark I could see a flash of small lights as Chris continued to send an array of attacks, pushing the beast away as it left a trail of blood on the ground. It screeched in pain as it raised its hand, trying to protect itself.

'I am almost feeling bad for it.'

I chuckled and walked forward, freeing the spear out of the fallen beast's skull.

At the same time the other beast stopped moving. It remained still, frozen in its spot.

Chris sighed in relief, catching the spear I threw at him with ease and then plunging it toward the beast as its time started to move again.

A sprinkle of dark blood rushed out of its heart as if it had exploded. I grimaced as a loud, painful scream echoed throughout the corridor.

"I feel like my skills will degrade the longer I fight alongside you." Chris muttered, giving me a contemplative gaze.

"What? Why will your— Oh, yeah, that makes sense."

I was offended but didn't argue any further. It's not like he was lying.

Fighting a motionless enemy was easy!

I sighed and started to move along the dark corridor.

"We need to find others and leave." I whispered, reminding us.

Along the way we would stop seeing empty rooms where more eggs had been laid, waiting to be hatched. Throwing the fist-sized bombs inside became another part of our goal.

"Two—no, maybe three hours are left before they explode." Chris mumbled to himself.

A sense of deep foreboding was palpable in the air. But I didn't correct him. I could sense time and count it. At least my time at that. However, telling him when the bombs explode will only make him impatient.

My heart suddenly started to beat wildly as we went deeper into the corridor.

The broken, ancient and dreadful place seems to be a maze with no end at all.

Then finally I could see the end of the corridor.

Chris and I glanced at each other before rushing forwards.

Tak—

Tak—

Loud footsteps echoed deep inside the end.

"Huh." A gasp escaped my lips as I came out of the corridor.

A large hall spread out before us; broken seats lined the edges, like some ruined colosseum. Small lights flickered in the dark, but this wasn't a theater, not a place for people to cheer. It felt wrong.

From the other side four figures walked in.

I narrowed my eyes—Enzo and Summer. Next to them was Captain Maira, her armor cracked, and Jamal, carrying his heavy shield with a limp. All of them looked worn down but alive.

I almost let out a breath of relief when the ground shook.

The hall trembled as a pillar fell, crashing down and filling the air with dust.

For a moment I saw a thin line appear midair before it vanished completely. Almost as if it never existed in the first place.

Something in the air changed. It became heavy, so heavy that my knees almost buckled. I raised my head to look below at the center of the great hall.

And that's when I saw it.

A figure knelt on the hollow pit, half covered in dark red fumes. It was clad in a fierce red armor that twisted along its silhouette, its four arms pressed against the ground, claws digging deep. Its leg was bent wrong, as if a crooked branch had fallen off a tree.

From its broken back, dark fumes leaked like a twisted snake. A massive sword of bone was planted before it, the blade buried in the stone floor, the ground trembling from the weight.

No one spoke a word as we were left stunned by its might.

But then my lips moved without thinking.

'When... No, where did it come from?'