I stood firm, trying not to let my legs wobble, facing a spreading lake of poison controlled by the demon grinning in the center.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAAIWnugEklp
Five minutes. That's all I had to stall. Five minutes. Doable, right? Well, I didn't think so. I was just one guy up against a whole lake of poison capable of swallowing a whole city.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAaZeZ1iinVl
I watched as Zoganoth raised his hand, commanding the poison to rise and form spikes aimed at me.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAspw24jkadC
46Please respect copyright.PENANAoxoXoCFrTl
"Crud," I muttered, stepping back.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAkKJXzu3x9R
"Die," Zoganoth said, grinning.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAhijigwhZMm
The poison shot toward me with terrifying speed. I screamed, diving to the ground. It narrowly missed my head, causing a massive explosion behind me, filling the air with dust.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAyskl8axxQp
Turning slowly, I saw huge craters in the ground.
46Please respect copyright.PENANACfjSjafb3w
"Yeah... Five minutes my foot!" I yelled, fear gripping my soul.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAX13F6uKiFA
46Please respect copyright.PENANACmsDrTdvmB
"Five minutes?" Zoganoth stepped closer.
46Please respect copyright.PENANABiNxYJJap1
"Crud," I cursed to myself, realizing I'd blown the plan.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAt6PwKswtqw
"So, you're here to buy time, huh?" Zoganoth's grin widened. "I guess the other one didn't just run off." He scanned the area. "You little bugs... scheming away." His voice grew angry. "Not gonna work." Raising his hand high, he summoned more poison, shaping it into humanoid figures armed and armored.
46Please respect copyright.PENANA9pQ1anWxwh
46Please respect copyright.PENANA1N6H4g5meD
"Venofieldi Gundaee," Zoganoth declared, shrouded in darkness.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAjLxTcBttul
I stepped back, surrounded by beings made of pure poison.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAibuhrUMqfz
"Is this really necessary?" I asked, watching the poison soldiers aim their weapons at me.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAuvweXHTltC
Expecting them to charge, I raised my fists, ready to fend them off, even though my hand was still swollen and red.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAGvOwSPqiSa
"What?" Confusion filled me as about ten of the poison soldiers split off, running in different directions. "Stop!" I shouted, realizing they were searching for Madelyn.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAM8BVGdfkS2
"I said stop!" I dashed forward. Normally, this would've been foolish, but I felt it—the dark energy coursing through me.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAlEFI5TlBjp
I felt stronger, faster, almost weightless as I closed in on one of the poison soldiers wielding a javelin. I raised my fist, prepared to strike.
46Please respect copyright.PENANA2GjuLO6JyI
"Out of my way!" I yelled, aiming to punch the javelin away, hoping I wouldn't lose my arm in the process.
46Please respect copyright.PENANATsFn2Tzjv4
Metal clashed as my fist met the poison weapon. Surprisingly solid, considering it was once liquid.
46Please respect copyright.PENANA8bfv4uygkY
With a gust of wind, my fist gained the upper hand, sending the poison soldier flying.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAwddJhCwhLL
"Yes!" I exclaimed, my fist throbbing slightly.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAZ3HD15Nr7I
But celebrations had to wait. As I glanced up, I saw not just a few, but dozens—no, hundreds—of poison soldiers, each armed.
46Please respect copyright.PENANANY3JiyjFYg
"Well, well. Seems you're a Pillar after all," the demon chuckled. "I was starting to wonder."
46Please respect copyright.PENANAq0oKQdO6dW
Good news: I had the demon's attention. Bad news: I had all of it.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAHFMdRxbPKl
"That aura," the demon growled, its dark eyes fixed on the darkness surrounding me. "I loathe that aura!" It bellowed.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAKaaGiunEMI
46Please respect copyright.PENANA4InFVtoA4w
The soldiers, following Zoganoth's orders, charged at me.
46Please respect copyright.PENANASmNtQCOJcE
"Shit!" I muttered, feeling my legs wobble under the pressure.
46Please respect copyright.PENANA2a0glUSgsx
With a slight bend of my knees, I leaped, reaching heights I didn't think possible for me. My form wasn't exactly perfect as I soared through the air, screaming in a mix of fear and exhilaration.
46Please respect copyright.PENANA8avzvJMzww
As I hurtled towards a looming brick wall, panic set in. "Ah!" I yelped, surprised more than hurt as my fingers found purchase in the wall, allowing me to cling on. "Wall crawling. Handy," I remarked with a smirk.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAWsiYqVdZbM
Lesson learned: no more celebrations mid-battle. As I glanced up, I saw five soldiers hurtling towards me like cannonballs of pure force. They crashed into me, sending a spray of saliva from my mouth as we careened through the wall and into a neighboring house.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAtIfoicCKaJ
Yep, definitely not good at this.
46Please respect copyright.PENANALvNMtEuTZS
I quickly regained my balance amidst the furniture in the living room.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAEQVnCFy9hG
The soldiers did the same, showing no signs of discomfort or pain from their recent encounter with the wall.
46Please respect copyright.PENANA5L3PMUk5qP
I moved swiftly, throwing punches in every direction, sending soldiers flying through the walls and back outside. Thank goodness this was easy.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAEll5Z7Zs0l
With a smile, I rushed out of the hole I made in the house. Hey, I was having fun.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAdFqu8yB3C7
"Who's next!?" I called out, fist raised as I charged forward. Racing through the poison-like soldiers, my punches created gusts of wind, sending them flying. But I soon realized I was getting nowhere.
46Please respect copyright.PENANA5CubhmmAer
Glancing upward, I saw one of the soldiers jump high into the air, katana in hand. A chill ran down my spine as I dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the slash of purple energy that split the ground and the house in two.
46Please respect copyright.PENANA34BPN3VoYo
"I have to end this now," I muttered, surveying the destruction.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAPif7XDfsfx
Moving in a zigzag formation past the soldiers, I closed in on Zoganoth, ready to strike. But I found myself immobilized, held in place by the poisonous soldiers.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAnCYGGzjY9f
"Dammit," I cursed, struggling against their grip.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAexHGgBBfhh
Looking at Zoganoth, I smirked. "Do you think this can hold me?" I taunted. "I've been tearing your soldiers apart one by one."
46Please respect copyright.PENANA6jFSX6WHeP
Zoganoth chuckled, then laughed. "Shit," I thought, sensing trouble.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAwZriG2lxCg
Suddenly, I felt something fill my mouth, a taste like... blood?
46Please respect copyright.PENANA4DMVQv3vcf
Spitting it out, I watched as the red liquid stained the ground. "What's happening?" I asked, noticing the black aura disappearing.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAlJ6AcGmhOX
Zoganoth continued advancing, his words sinking into me like a weight.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAwkE1xpnM43
I gritted my teeth, feeling weaker by the moment. Then, another sensation hit me: pain, searing through my arms and stomach.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAk0t2mY43BL
"It seems you've finally realized," Zoganoth remarked, peering down at me. "Venofieldi Gundaee doesn't just attack physically; it fills the body with poison upon contact. Your dark aura protected you somewhat, but my poison was still seeping in."
46Please respect copyright.PENANAtNf2Ly4rrb
"I was careless," I admitted, struggling to speak.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAWK2gp6megf
"Indeed," Zoganoth agreed, raising his hand as if to strike.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAMkCpXDA6Ax
Just as I braced for impact, a rush of wind pushed against my back. With effort, I turned my head and saw a bright purple light in the distance.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAw7dXUNKBI7
"You," Zoganoth growled, his attention diverted.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAzvkF03jeC5
A smile spread across my face as I spotted Madelyn standing amidst the purple light and raging winds. The five minutes were up, and Madelyn was ready.
46Please respect copyright.PENANANk8ogZX1Rq
46Please respect copyright.PENANA4RnMQbh7uD
"Finally."
46Please respect copyright.PENANAODMdJFBksa
***
Author notes: Please support my work on Patreon for early access to new chapters. https://patreon.com/DarkMatteromniverse
46Please respect copyright.PENANAfd0XIS0RYJ