Rummble!
The sky thundered.
Rain poured.
Darkness shrouded the city.
But amid the darkness, amid the ruins, a figure walked.
A massive figure.
Bald. Blood eyes, mouth torn from ear to ear.
The teeth sowed. Pieces of human flesh stuck in between them.
It missed a limb.
But it walked unobstructed.
It walked deeper into the city.
The rain washed all scents.
The rotting stench filling the air gradually lessened.
The dried blood around the city.
But it also hid the scent of living beings.
The Progenitor couldn't smell any prey.
For the time being, the survivors around the city were safe.
...
In the collapsed bank.
The rain washed the blood off the safe.
Clack! Clack!
The mechanism moved.
Creeeack!
The heavy door of the safe moved.
RUMBLE!
Lightning split the sky.
The door opened.
Dozen figures appeared.
An elderly man stood at the front.
His face dark. Brows knotted.
Gasps filled the air, muffled by the splashing rain.
Their eyes glued to the ground.
Broken bones. Pieces of flesh. And a puddle of blood.
"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
A cry tore the air.
A woman collapsed to her knees.
Her eyes trembled. Tears streamed down her face.
"Ahhhhh!'
She tightly grabbed her chest. Choking on her tears.
Before them lay a skull.
The facial skin intact, but the back of the skull opened.
The brain scooped out.
Darvin.
He has died a horrendous, unspeakable death.
Tears streamed down the faces of the crowd.
Rain soaked their bodies. Yet they remained unmoving.
They couldn't cope with reality.
He died for them.
"W-What could have done this?"
A man let out his voice. Fearful. Dejected.
"Something far worse than the demons,"
The elderly man directed his gaze forward.
The headless corpse of the zombified demon hound lay.
"A monster among monsters!"
Murerous intent flashed in his eyes.
"A monster among monsters?"
Fear crawled up into the hearts of the survivors.
"W-What if it comes back?"
The elder turned back.
His expression cold. Dark.
"Zyriel,"
He placed his palm on the shoulder of a man.
A man in his thirties. Grief strucken.
"I leave everyone in your hands."
Rummmble!
The sky thundered.
Lightning lit their faces.
Shock!
"E-Elder, what do you mean?"
Zyriel's trembling voice rang.
"Zyriel, their life is in your hands now. Lead them,"
"Elder! What are you saying!"
"Elder! What will you do!"
"Elder!"
The survivors shouted.
Panicked, fearful.
But the elder didn't budge.
"Friends..."
He turned to the survivors.
"No...We spend short but meaningful time together. I see you as my chiren. I should call you family,
A smile crept up his face.
A warm smile.
An extinct smile in this rotting world.
"My children. Someone has to stop that monster."
"Elder!"
"Don't!"
The survivors cried.
"You all are talented. Be vigilant and show no mercy. You can survive."
The smile grew warmer.
"Now, don't argue with me. We don't know if that monster will return for us."
He turned, facing the corpse of the demon hound.
"Verun, please break it."
The elder pointed at the turning wheel on the safe.
The wheel that locked the safe from the outside.
Verun wiped his tears.
He walked to the wheel.
His arms and veins bulged.
CRACK!
With a pull, the metal wheel snapped.
Superstrength.
"Elder,"
He walked to the elder, carrying the wheel.
"Please..."
His young, handsome face twisted in sadness.
Tears poured.
"Do not grieve,"
The elder took the metal wheel and walked to the corpse.
Clang!
He threw it beside the corpse.
He bit his thumb.
Thud!
And struck his hands on the ground.
"Instant Alchemy,"
BUZZ!
Lightning struck through the ground.
A glowing blue circle appeared under the corpse and the metal wheel.
The circle glowed.
Filled with hundreds of complex patterns and inscriptions.
Under the power of the circle, the corpse and the metal wheel glowed.
A blinding blue light.
"Mighty spear,"
The elder uttered.
Light erupted.
As if they stood in front of the sun.
They could only close their eyes.
The two objects came together.
As if a master molded molten metal, the objects slowly shaped into a spear.
The spear glowed.
But gradually, the light dissipated.
The survivors opened their eyes.
A spear floated in the air before their eyes.
A spear with a bone handle and a metal head.
Thud!
The elder grabbed the spear.
His face sunken, wrinkled.
He has grown several years older.
The price of instant alchemy.
"ELDER!"
Zyriel and Verun rushed to him.
But the elder raised his hand, blocking them.
"Children, let this old man do one last service to the world. One last service for you."
He turned.
And slowly walked away.
"Elder!"
Zyriel grabbed his hand.
Cold!
It was cold.
"Don't go,"
He shook his head in tears.
The elder smiled.
"Zyriel, don't worry. Follow your heart. And let me follow mine."
Zyriel's grip slowly softened.
The elder pulled his hand out.
He walked away.
Not even glancing back.
The rain soaked him.
But he was unyielding.
His back grew smaller.
Until he disappeared from the eyes of the survivors.
Their weeps filled the air.
But he was not coming back.
.
.
.
The elder walked a distance from the bank.
His grip around the spear tightened.
The gentleness vanished from his face.
The warmth left his eyes.
Murdurous intent flashed.
His face twitched.
Anger.
A thirst for revenge filled his heart.
Revenge at all costs.
RUMMMBLE!
Lightning flash in the sky.
The night lit.
The elder's eyes widened.
His step hurried.
He saw something.
But when he reached it, his body froze.
The corpse of the flying demon.
He stood, staring at it.
Rain poured.
The anger in his eyes grew.
The thirst for revenge deepened.
A thought crawled into his mind.
He crouched.
"Darvin..."
The rain muffled his voice.
"I'll avenge you!"
Madness flashed in his eyes.
Shluck!
The spear sliced his palm.
Clang!
The spear hit the ground.
The elder struck his palm on the disfigured corpse.
"FORBIDDEN ALCEHMY!"
His roar tore the night.
The madness in his eyes intensified.
"Transmutation!"
RUMMMBLE!
The sky split.
Craackle!
A red lightning crackled from the ground.
Massive red alchemy formation emerged underneath the corpse and him.
"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
His pained roar shook the air.
The raindrops around suspended in the air.
A forbidden ritual.
Thud!
He collapsed on his knees.
Red, blinding light lit the surroundings.
"UAGHHHHHH!"
Teeth gnashed.
Splash!
Blood splashed.
The elder's back tore open.
His spine and shoulder blades revealed to the air.
Blup!
The flying demon's corpse melted.
It turned into a red liquid sphere, floating in the air.
The sky roared.
Lightning raged.
The sky itself opposed the alchemy.
But it continued.
The floating sphere split in two.
Swoosh!
They hit the back.
Each sphere landed on a shoulder blade respectfully.
Crack! Crack!
Bones broke.
The back of the elder bulged.
The spheres slowly took shape.
Metallic scent of blood-filled air.
Tears streamed down the elder's face.
Tears of pain.
But he showed no regret on his face.
'For Darvin!'
His eyes bulged.
'For everyone back in the shelter!'
Determination flashed in his eyes.
'I'll kill that monster. I'll avenge Darvin! I'll secure the future!'
He bore the pain.
The sphere took shape.
Rummmble!
The skies thundered.
The process finished.
The red glow gradually dispersed.
A pair of demonic wings grew from the elder's back.
Violet demonic wings.
The skin around had healed.
But a decade had drained out of the elder.
"Haaaaa..."
The elder exhaled.
His pupils turned red.
Splash! Splash!
The alchemy circle dissipated.
The suspended raindrops fell.
Flap!
The wings flapped.
The stench of blood washed away.
Only the smell of wet, fresh rain remained.
Thud!
The elder grabbed the spear.
Swooosh!
He rose in the sky.
The demonic wings flapped behind him.
Lightning tore the sky behind him.
His gaze scanned the city below.
Calm, calculating, purpose-driven.
He set his sights on revenge.
Even if it means sacrificing his life.
Even if he sacrificed his humanity.
...
Rain splashed on the dome-shaped building outside the city.
Dozens of military vehicles parked on the road.
The engines roared.
The rain splashed on the windshields.
Vrooom!
They departed.
The military departed for the city.
The commander sat in the front seat of the leading vehicle.
His expression grim.
The axe sat near his feet.
Responsibilities weighed on his shoulders.
The responsibility of 300 lives. All under his command.
The hearts of the soldiers pounded.
They knew the mission. The risk. The sacrifice.
Their hearts sank.
The rain obstructed vision.
Yet they could clearly see the wall of flesh.
The wall of flesh built by the corpses of the fallen survivors.
Those who didn't awaken.
The rotting stench, even the rain couldn't wash, entered the vehicles.
The guts of the people turned upside down.
But they held it in.
They could only feel thankful.
Thankful that those were infected and not clean humans.
If they were not, the wall would have attracted zombies.
Hundreds. Thousands of zombies.
They passed the flesh wall and entered the city.
Rummmble!
Lightning split the sky.
What fate awaited them?
Only the heavens knew.