The [Tau Rail Rifle] barked, and the air split as the shot screamed toward the woman.
In a flash, she threw up a shimmering, obsidian shield. The impact was deafening, like glass cracking under a sledgehammer, and the shield burst into fragments. Her eyes widened as she twisted to the side, escaping the deadly line of fire. That was interesting. It seemed that the [Tau Rail Rifle] packed enough of a punch to blast through her magical shield. Of course, I couldn't discount the possibility of even stronger shields in her arsenal, given that magic was bullshit.
I was already aiming again, finger tight on the trigger, but she moved like smoke, darting between pillars in the dim warehouse, her bare feet silent on the concrete. With a flick of her wrist, a black mist unfurled around her, dense and feathered, swirling into dark, razor-sharp crows.
They shrieked as they launched themselves at me, beaks glinting like daggers in the sparse light. I raised my arm, summoned the [Las Pistol], and fired, sending pulses of crimson energy tearing through the air. Crows exploded in flashes of black feathers and smoke, but more filled their place, crowding closer, faster. Well, fuck. I activated my [Blank] aura and watched as the crows shrunk or dissipated as soon as they reached me. Those that did collide against me did so with the force that was equivalent to a punch – a bit painful, but nowhere near enough to actively harm me.
I was definitely gonna bruise from all of this, but fuck it. I grinned and started blasting away at her, instead.
A flicker of movement – she was closing in.
I threw myself backward, skidding across the ground as her shadow loomed. She lunged, arm outstretched, fingers tipped with claws that dripped with a sickly red aura. I ducked, feeling the air split just above my head, and swung the rifle up, smashing it against her forearm. She chuckled, her crimson eyes blazing, and whipped around, sending a wave of crows spiraling toward me. Huh, I guess that didn't do anything.
I scrambled, raising my arm to shield my face as talons and beaks tore at my clothes and skin, sharp as razors. Blood pricked from a dozen cuts, but I fought through, swinging wide with my rifle and then firing a single shot at her general direction. The energy burst shredded the crows into plumes of shadow, clearing the air. She summoned another shield, which similarly shattered from the blast.
Or was it because of her proximity to me, while I was activating my [Blank] aura?
She sneered, stepping back, her eyes narrowed with cold fury. With a flick of her hand, another wave of dark feathers erupted around her, forming a sphere of cawing, snarling shadows. She lifted her arm, and the shadows condensed into a massive, snarling crow, eyes like embers, talons sharp enough to shred steel. "It seems I was wrong about your Sacred Gear, because I very clearly have no idea what the hell you're capable of."
"Well then, maybe you shouldn't have kidnapped my mother!" I gritted my teeth and took aim with the [Tau Rail Rifle]. The massive crow flapped its wings, stirring up a fierce wind, and launched itself at me, talons outstretched. I fired. The energy shot tore through its chest, blasting open a massive hole and scattering fragments of shadow, but the beast only faltered, rearing back before diving again, beak flashing.
Dropping to one knee, I pressed the muzzle of the rifle up into its belly as it bore down. The shot rang out, ripping through the crow, and it dissolved into a cloud of feathers that swirled around us.
The black-haired woman snarled, her calm cracking. With a swipe of her hand, a dozen smaller crows burst from the shadows, darting toward me in erratic, slashing attacks. I twisted, narrowly dodging as claws skimmed past, leaving trails of searing pain on my skin.
A grin broke on her face.
"Just what the hell are you?" she asked, her voice like velvet laced with malice. "No living being could possibly dampen magic without draining their own souls in the process."
"Why the hell would I answer you?!" I fired another shot with the [Tau Rail Rifle], which she avoided. The shot tore open a massive hole through the roof of the warehouse.
But I wasn't about to let her corner me. Summoning Crentist through our link, I felt him materialize just outside the warehouse, his silent presence like a gust of cold air. Her sneer faltered as she sensed him. And I was this close to just dropping every single unit I had on top of her, but I was saving that as a last resort for a bunch of reasons, but chief among them was that I didn't want her to know more about me if she did survive this encounter, which – considering how annoyingly strong this woman has been, thus far – was a pretty big possibility. "You and your pet abomination."
Her crimson eyes flashed as she shot me a venomous glare, realizing she'd lost her advantage. Her hand whipped up, summoning a final wave of shadows around her. The crow magic was thicker, darker, filling the air with a tense, oppressive energy. But that energy was almost immediately diminished as soon as Crentist burst inside. The woman gritted her teeth and leapt away, creating a considerable distance between herself and Crentist. I aimed the [Tau Rail Rifle] at her. "Let my mother go!"
The woman raised a brow. "Why? You've not threatened me since the moment you stepped inside this place. I have no idea what your Sacred Gear is supposed to be, but it appears related to the creation of weapons; I almost assumed that you possessed Annihilation Maker. Your pet abomination is intriguing, but ultimately of no consequence. Let me show you, little mortal, the difference between an Ultimate-Class Devil and a puny human with a few fancy tricks."
I felt a spark of something big in the air, some super magical attack, perhaps. No idea. I also did not want to fuck around and just find out. No choice, then. Time seemed to slow down to a near-halt as I summoned the [Exocrene] about ten meters away from the woman, its sudden arrival breaking apart a large portion of the warehouse and its massive plasma artillery cannon poised to fire at her at any moment. And it did.
It fired a single a single, gargantuan shot of bio-plasma right at her, a vast ball of roaring energy. The devil woman's eyes widened as she, instead, diverted all the magic she'd already gathered to hastily form a shield around herself.
As the artillery shot of bio-plasma crashed into her shield at full force, Crentist rushed for my mother, his presence weakening and eventually dispelling the magical bullshit that kept her locked and contained, before rushing out while carrying her in his arms. The resulting explosion from the bio-plasma energy brought the entirety of the warehouse crashing down, its thin metal walls and columns melting in a haze of heat and death. I only barely managed to rush out of the place by jumping out a nearby window.
And, even then, the explosion gave me a really intense sunburn that I was definitely going to feel in the morning. I landed hard on the ground, but otherwise quickly pushed myself up, ignoring all the places I was bleeding from. I was alive. I'd get to them after I made sure the devil bitch was dead.
I sent a mental command to Crentist to take my mother away from this place, somewhere safe. Not home. Not yet. Home wasn't safe just yet.
I sent the [Exocrene] back into my [Inventory] and then summoned it again beside me. Taking no chances, I had it charge its bio-plasma cannon, until it was just about ready to erupt, before sending it back in my [Inventory], once more. I breathed in and waited, eyes narrowed and focused. And, not a moment later, a massive, shadowy raven shot out of the flames and surged right towards me.
The raven barreled toward me, black wings sweeping through the air like scythes. I barely had time to draw the [Las Pistol] and fire. Shots punched through the shadowy form, but it only seemed to shrink for a heartbeat before it grew even larger, darker.
I cursed under my breath, shifting back just as it lunged, beak stabbing toward my throat. I ducked and rolled sideways, the raven's talons ripping through the ground where I'd stood. Dirt and debris sprayed in all directions as I came up on one knee, [Tau Rail Rifle] already back in my hands.
The raven twisted, turning on me with blood-red eyes burning through the smoke. Its cry split the air, raw and jagged. I squeezed the trigger, sending a burst straight into its chest. The shot blasted through, splintering its body into a spray of shadow that disintegrated midair.
But as the last wisps of darkness faded, the devil-woman emerged from the remnants, face flushed with rage, eyes wild. She clearly hadn't come out of the bio-plasma explosion unharmed. In fact, she burned in many places all over her body, her skin hissing and steaming. Still, she walked as though none of it fazed her, as though she felt no pain. She raised her arm, fingers splayed, and the ground beneath me rumbled, twisting in response to her power. "You fucking human."
I stumbled, catching my balance just as jagged roots of darkness erupted from the floor, shooting up around me like prison bars. She flicked her fingers, and the roots tightened, edges sharp and glinting. I could feel them pulling toward me, ready to tear into flesh.
Just before they reached me, I activated the [Exocrene] from my [Inventory] once again, positioned right beside me, its bio-plasma cannon charging instantly. The roots recoiled from the surge of heat and energy, crackling as the living weapon unleashed a concentrated beam right at her.
The devil-woman's eyes widened. She raised both hands, summoning a spiraling, dark shield just in time for the bio-plasma to crash against it. Sparks erupted, flames licking the edges as her shield cracked, splintering under the force. She gritted her teeth, pouring every ounce of her power into holding it together.
The beam flickered, then cut out, leaving her shield barely holding. She staggered, breathing hard, her crimson eyes blazing with hate.
"Persistent little pest, aren't you?" she spat, flicking her wrist as if shaking off dust.
"Guess you should've picked an easier target," I shot back, motioning for the [Exocrene] to pull back slightly, its cannon still humming, ready to fire again at a moment's notice.
She sneered, gathering another sphere of dark energy in her hand. But before she could throw it, Crentist's silent, looming presence brushed against her from behind. Her eyes flicked back, and her hand wavered, just for a second, hesitation bleeding into her expression.
I seized the opening, lifting the [Tau Rail Rifle] and lining up my shot. She turned back just in time to see me pull the trigger, eyes widening, but too late to react.
The shot fired, tearing through her hastily raised shield and grazing her shoulder, sending her stumbling back. Blood oozed down her arm as she clutched the wound, her gaze flickering between Crentist and me. For the first time, there was something that looked almost like fear in her eyes.
"You've lost," I said, leveling the rifle again.
Her eyes narrowed, blazing crimson. "No, now I'm done playing nice"
The surge of power that coursed through her was greater than anything I'd ever felt from her before. My eyes widened as every instinct in my body told me to move. And so I did. I moved just in time as the devil woman unleashed a gargantuan ball of black energy, so large it could've consumed the whole warehouse, and vaporized the [Exocrene], the creature reappearing in my [Inventory] with a timer, and similarly vaporized the nearby woods.
The black raven-shaped energy surged toward me, faster than anything I'd faced before. I dove to the side, but even as I hit the ground, talons carved through the air inches from my back.
I rolled, firing the [Las Pistol], crimson beams slicing through the dark, crackling feathers. They shattered into smoky wisps but reformed almost instantly. The raven loomed again, talons outstretched, its glowing red eyes locked on me.
I raised the [Tau Rail Rifle], pulling the trigger. The shot ripped through its chest, sending shockwaves through the air. For a moment, it faltered, its body splitting apart in a flash of energy. But Helena stepped through the smoke, her arms outstretched, weaving the raven back together with tendrils of black magic. It screeched, even larger now, wings blotting out the faint light of the warehouse flames.
Helena grinned, her lips curling upward, eyes blazing like molten rubies.
"You don't get it, do you?" Her voice was calm, almost mocking. "You can't win."
I fired again, the beam punching straight through her shoulder. She staggered but didn't fall. Her expression darkened, her hands glowing with sickly green light. She slammed them together, and a ring of crimson fire erupted around me, cutting off my escape.
The heat was suffocating. I stumbled back, coughing as the air grew thick with ash. The raven dove again, faster this time. I ducked, swinging the [Tau Rail Rifle] like a club, smashing it across the raven's shadowy head. It dissolved into black smoke, scattering into Helena's outstretched hand. She clenched her fist, and the smoke coiled back into the air, forming dozens of smaller, screeching crows.
They came at me in a swarm, tearing at my arms, my face. I shielded my eyes with one hand, firing wildly with the [Las Pistol] in the other. My shots clipped some, scattering them into nothingness, but the rest clawed at my jacket, slicing through fabric and leaving shallow cuts along my skin.
I stumbled out of the flames, gasping, blood trickling from fresh wounds. Helena stepped forward, the ground cracking beneath her feet as her magic surged. She raised a hand, and the air around me twisted and warped. A jagged spear of shadow formed in her grasp, glowing with an eerie purple light.
She hurled it.
I barely managed to dodge, the spear crashing into the ground behind me, erupting in a blast that sent shards of stone flying. The force knocked me forward, and I hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of me. Dust filled my lungs as I scrambled to my feet, clutching my side.
I wanted to summon every single unit I had and drop it on top of her head, but I held myself back. Firstly, she'd one-tap them all with her bullshit magic. And, secondly, I didn't need them just yet. I could survive this. Crentist was coming back. All I needed to do was to wait.
Helena was relentless. Another spear formed in her hand, her grin widening as she hurled it again. This time, I wasn't fast enough. It clipped my shoulder, sending a searing pain through my arm. I cried out, stumbling back, the [Tau Rail Rifle] slipping from my grip and skittering across the ground.
I pressed a hand to the wound, my vision blurring. She laughed, her voice cold and sharp. "You've put up a fight, I'll give you that. But this ends now."
She raised both hands, magic pooling around her in a swirling vortex of dark energy. The ground beneath her feet cracked and buckled as the air grew heavy, oppressive. A massive orb of shadow formed above her, pulsing with raw power.
I reached for the [Tau Rail Rifle], fingers brushing against its edge. The orb began to descend, slow but inevitable, its energy crackling as it burned through the air. My legs refused to move. My body felt leaden, every muscle screaming for rest. Fuck it, I'm dropping all of them-
Then, the air shifted.
The oppressive magic dimmed, like a candle snuffed out by a gust of wind. Helena's grin faltered, her head snapping toward the shadows beyond the ruined warehouse. Crentist stepped into view, his presence washing over the battlefield like an icy tide.
Helena hissed, taking a step back. "Him again."
Crentist said nothing. He never did. He moved like a shadow, his aura of nullification spreading outward, erasing the lingering magic from the air. The fiery ring around me sputtered out. The crows vanished. Even the massive orb of shadow above Helena began to flicker, its edges crumbling under the weight of his presence.
I forced myself to stand, gripping the [Tau Rail Rifle] with shaky hands. Helena's gaze darted between Crentist and me, her expression tight.
"You think this changes anything?" she snarled, her voice losing its earlier confidence. She raised her hands, summoning another wave of dark magic, but it faltered the moment it formed, dissipating like smoke caught in the wind.
I fired. The shot clipped her leg, and she stumbled, a curse escaping her lips. Crentist advanced, silent and implacable. Helena's eyes narrowed, her fingers twitching as she tried to summon her power, but it fizzled out every time, snuffed out by Crentist's aura.
She took another step back, her breathing uneven.
"This isn't over," she spat, her voice shaking with fury. Her body shimmered, dark energy coiling around her like a cocoon.
Before I could fire again, she vanished, the air snapping back into place where she had stood.
Silence fell. The warehouse was in ruins, the ground scorched and cracked, but the fight was over. Crentist turned to me, his empty gaze lingering for a moment before he inclined his head slightly, a silent acknowledgment.
I sank to my knees, the adrenaline finally leaving my body, replaced by exhaustion. My wounds throbbed, and my chest heaved with each breath.
"She'll be back," I muttered, my voice hoarse. Crentist said nothing, his presence steady, unmoving.
For now, we had won. But I knew this was just the beginning.
Hidden Quest Complete: Devil in the Details, Part 2
Objective: Survive Against Helena Stolas
Reward: 5000 War Points
Bonus Objective: Injure Helena to the Point of Fleeing
Bonus Reward: 3000 War Points
Huh, that was nice.
I turned to the Culexus. "Let's go get my mom."
Crentist led the way, moving through the shadows like a specter. The air around him felt cold, heavy, like stepping into a room where something vital had been drained away. I followed, gripping the [Tau Rail Rifle] tightly. My legs trembled with exhaustion, but I forced myself to keep moving.
We left the ruined warehouse behind, its smoldering remains casting faint orange glows against the darkened woods. My breaths came in shallow gasps, each step jarring the cuts and bruises that covered my body. Crentist never glanced back, his silent, unwavering stride a stark contrast to my labored pace. I was pretty sure an otherwise average human would've already died if our places had been switched. My durability, after all, was far from normal. I was pretty sure that, by now, I could survive a small bullet.
The trail we took was winding, the woods dense and oppressive. Twigs snapped underfoot, and the occasional hoot of an owl broke the silence. After a few minutes, Crentist stopped. He turned, tilting his skull-faced helmet toward a cluster of trees. I stepped closer, squinting through the dim light. Hidden beneath the canopy was a small, abandoned hunting cabin, its windows boarded up, the door slightly ajar.
Crentist stepped inside first, his aura of nullification brushing past me like a cold breeze. I hesitated at the doorway, my grip on the rifle tightening. Inside, the cabin was bare and dusty, save for a simple cot in the corner. My mother lay there, her chest rising and falling in steady, shallow breaths. She was unharmed.
Relief hit me like a wave, and I slumped against the doorway, the weight of the past hour crashing down.
"Thanks," I muttered, barely audible.
Crentist stood by the cot, his posture as rigid as ever. He said nothing, as always, but there was something in his stillness – a silent acknowledgment of the task completed. I crossed the room, brushing dust off my mother's arm as I checked her pulse. Steady. I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
"We need to get her home," I said, my voice firmer now. Crentist's helmet tilted slightly, a silent agreement.
The walk back to my family home was quiet. Crentist carried my mother effortlessly, her weight seemingly insignificant to him. I led the way, scanning the woods for any sign of danger. Helena might have retreated, but I couldn't trust she'd stay away for long.
The house came into view, its windows glowing faintly with warm light. My father's car was parked in the driveway. Everything looked normal – peaceful, even. It felt out of place after the chaos I'd just endured.
We entered through the back door. The house was quiet, save for the faint hum of the refrigerator. Crentist set my mother gently on the living room couch, arranging a blanket over her. I crouched beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Her eyelids fluttered briefly, but she didn't wake.
My father's voice called from upstairs. "Honey? Is that you?"
I froze, exchanging a glance with Crentist.
"It's me, Dad!" I shouted back, trying to keep my voice steady. "Mom's asleep. She's fine. Don't worry."
There was a pause.
"Alright," he called back, his tone unconcerned. He didn't know. Good.
I straightened, looking down at my mother.
"I can't stay," I whispered, more to myself than to Crentist.
Crentist shifted slightly, his helmet turning toward me. I met his gaze – or at least, where his gaze would be if he had eyes.
"You'll stay here," I said firmly. "Protect them. Both of them. From anything. You understand? But keep yourself hidden."
He nodded once, a small, deliberate motion. That was enough for me. Crentist certainly was powerful enough to deal with most supernatural threats by himself. And I was pretty sure my units needed no food or sustenance.
I stood, every muscle in my body protesting. My mother stirred, her hand twitching under the blanket. I hesitated, my chest tightening, but I forced myself to step back. I couldn't risk staying, not with Helena still out there. Everything was escalating. That situation with Helena was just a taste of what was coming. I had friends too and staying here would mean they might get dragged into this mess as well. I couldn't allow that. Helena wanted me. Fine. I was going to find her and kill her.
After that, I'd have to walk away. Far away. I had a promise to protect the world from the Supernatural and I planned on keeping that. But I also had to make sure the people I cared about wouldn't be caught in the crossfire.
"I'll be back," I said quietly, unsure if it was a promise I could keep. Crentist's silent presence followed me as I moved toward the door. I glanced back one last time. My mother lay undisturbed, her breathing even. Crentist stood like a sentinel, his aura filling the room with its oppressive, protective weight. "I'll be back. I'll make sure to visit the first chance I get. I promise."
I went back to my room, gathered my belongings, shoved them into my [Inventory], took a long and warm bath and got myself clean, and wrote a quick letter to my parents, telling them not to worry about me, that I'd be safe. I was pretty sure they'd worry anyway and mom would probably get the police to look for my sorry ass, but they'd give up eventually, since I wasn't exactly a minor and I did write a letter, declaring my intent. My parents would be heartbroken, but that was better than dead.
Then I stepped into the night, the door clicking shut behind me.