Storm of Souls: A Progression Science-Fi Adventure by Jeremy Bai

Author:Jeremy Bai
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Wraithmarked Creative, LLC.
Published: 2022-06-29T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 37 – Sting Raker

After filling up on coffee early the following day, we set out.

Our hope was that we would reach our destination without any more delays, get the demon cores, and then start back without having to make camp there.

The journey went smoothly, without us running into any andeddo or other demons. As we got closer to our destination, we passed through occasional patches of ambient light. Apparently, we were close to the surface.

After about an hour of travel, we climbed up a bonemetal staircase onto a platform with a dirty black and white tile floor. Not bothering with the lights, we crossed the platform and left via the only doorway there. The corridor beyond went for about a hundred feet before ending in a staircase. Six flights up, we found ourselves in an enormous cavern so tall neither divine sense nor the glow stick lights reached the top.

“We’re here,” Fumiko said. Pointing, she continued, “The Caves are that way.”

We fell into a triangular formation with me at the point position, close enough to each other that we could still communicate, but far enough apart to maximize what we could ‘see’ with divine sense.

Our footfalls were soft, but they still echoed faintly in the enormous chamber as we walked toward the other side.

I expected snarling andeddo demons to jump out at us at any moment, but it never happened. Being in the point position, I was the

first to catch sight of the doors and immediately noticed something very unusual.

“W

,” I said to Fumiko and Itsuki. “T

’

.”

After Fumiko and Itsuki stopped behind me, I took a few tentative steps forward.

Holy shit, I thought. Projecting another set of thoughts to my companions, I said, “Y

,

.”

There was a head impaled on one of the closed double doors.

A metal spike had been stabbed right through one of the eyes, and the spine was still attached to it. Dirty hair hung around it, partially obscuring its other facial features. The skin that was exposed seemed flaky and rotten.

“W

?” Fumiko said.

“Y

’

?” Itsuki asked.

“T

.”

The head’s eyes opened, and it spoke in a faint whisper that sounded like old newspaper tumbling across bonecrete. “Who…?”

“T

,” Fumiko said.

“W

?” I asked. “T

?”

“J

,” Itsuki said.

“W

.”

“T

.”

“Y

, I’

.” Not having any idea

what we would face beyond this point, I figured it would be best to

keep my Bone diamond of energy as full as possible. Instead of summoning my Duḥkha Cannon, I put my hands into the initial gesture for a Sunflare Blast. Then I walked toward the head, slowly and carefully, until it noticed me.

“Hello,” I said.

The andeddo demon’s eyes locked on my own, and its lips moved as it made a wheezing sound that I took to be speech but couldn’t quite make out.

Curious, I reached out via divine sense and said, “C

?”

“Y ,” was the reply. “W

?”

“I’ S

. W

?”

“S

R

. Y

’

…

’

’

? I’

-

. O

.

W

?”

“I

. L

,

.”

“I ’

,” Sting Raker

said. “I’

.”

“Y

’

? W

?”

“S

. T

Q

’

. T

’

.”

What the hell? Had I heard him right? These things had some sort of Queen in charge of them? “W

’

Q

?”

“T

Q

Q

. I

’

,

’

. C

?”

The unexpected request for a favor took me aback.

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