As the world quakes, fissure seems to appear on the ground. They were as deep as few meters to more than a dozen meters. There width were also greater than one or two meters.
Flesh storm has been draining and playing with the lives of every living being for years.
Without vegetation to hold the ground together or even the flesh storm to continue holding it. The accumulated damage is released at once and causing the ground to explode.
But for such an explosion to happen something else is also needed, an catalyst. Something that would break that fragile balance.
However, Steel doesn't have the luxury to wait and see what causing this destruction. The ground under his feet is disappearing.
He tries to keep his feet but couldn't as the ground cracks under him. Threatening to swallow him whole.
He yelps and barely manages to not fall down into the crack. Pushing his clawless fingers into the ground to not slip away.
Keeping River on his back while also not falling into the dark abyss was not what he expected to be doing.
'it was suppose to be an easy take and leave kind of deal. Who is breaking the world apart just to make my life difficult. You…'
He curses in his mind. And those curses are being heard by river. She is oblivious to these curses and even towards the world around herself. Such a pure soul.
Steel grinds his teeth and push himself of the edge. Throwing River near his side and breathing heavily he gazes at his surroundings. He didn't like what he saw.
Countless Devil spawns are being consumed by the ground. While others that are lucky enough to not fall are either gluttonously eating the rotting flesh or killing the less fortunate Devil spawns.
Looking at the dreadful seen, he grimaced. Then he picks up River and starts running into different direction.
Fissures have made traversing these lands far more of a challenge. Not to mention, hiding from these abomination is just adding to the difficulty increase. And the screams of devils are just the background music.
Whoever made this fantasy setting didn't made it beginner friendly. Steel is going to be so salty in the reviews. One star only.
While in his idle thoughts, a rude and hateful fellow reviewer interrupts his path. It is a Devil spawn that is double the size of Steel.
It has three limbs. Two as legs and other as a arm. The outside is covered with scales and it has no face, just an opening to eat with five teeth like mandibles. Also a singluar eye near the toothy hole.
Steel couldn't help be disgusted. And say out loud.
"ugly slug.."
And it seems like the devil didn't like that comment. So it lunges its singular arm at him with full force. Hurting his shoulders, and the wounding him quite deeply.
Steel yelps in pain and takes out his mundane knife to stab it. Making the Devil to retreat its limp.
Dispite its odd appearance. The devil spawn is quite formidable. And that slug wouldn't be happy just by hurting him a little.
Steel couldn't really fight while carrying someone on his back, not that he have any experence fighting a straight on battle. So Steel just runs away towards other abominations.
The slug runs with two of its legs while trying to slash at Steel with bloodlust. it is as fast ,if not faster, as Steal. Only reason it hasn't already catch up to him is cause it isn't really caring about the gound. Making the vile abomination stagger again and again.
But it wouldn't be long before it catches up to him. However, before that happens another abomination jump from afar onto the Slug. Giving Steel a chance to get away.
Devil spawns doesn't spar even their own kind. They fight constantly with each other, even killing and devouring themselves. So it isn't surprising to see them trying to kill each other. But ignoring another creature like Steel is a discrepancy in this situation.
It is because of his elusive nature. Hard to perceive at one glance by anyone. So the other devil spawn just attack the slug out of territorial nature.
As the two devil spawns fight. Steel takes this chance to slips away without being noticed.
The slug watches with its singular eye as its prey gets away.
After running far away, enough to not see the slug and the other abomination. Steel stops and looks at his wound. It isn't that bad so he can probably manage. But it still hurts a lot.
He cry in pain a little and then stops himself. In front of him, few hundred meters away the catalyst of this destruction is present. His eyes widen as he watches.
A devil spawn that is towering over the others. It possess five arms, each bigger in width than Steel himself. For whatever reason, devil spawns love not being symmertical and also being ugly. As it has a face that shouldn't even qualify as a face and it is split opened to reveal countless teeth. however, the most noticable feature perhaps is its legs or roots? That are deep underground. Spreading far above and as much as below.
These roots are the cause for the fissures to appear.
A voice in the head speaks.
[it is…weird]
Ignoring River's nonchalant comment. Steel frowns.
First of all, she called him weird too. and now she is calling that ugly thing weird. Why is she putting him and an abomination in same category?
Secondly.
This thing is definitely is the cause of these fissures. And caused this increased difficulty and all the pain. He can only curse and run away in panic.
'Hell, utter hell… can someone just get me out of this?'
No one, except, River hears his inner cry for help. But she doesn't even understand what is so bad about all these events. It is quite entertaining than the monotonous flesh storm. So lively in here.