Chapter 178

The Pitt - 11:27 AM

I ran towards the dungeon alone, having sent Mercury ahead with Sara’s instructions on how to get to the hospital himself. If I had been able to use Divine Messenger, I would have been faster than him, but this deep in the Pitt there were barely any flat surfaces for it to be useful. When it came down to it, the ninja excelled more than I did in this environment.

While I had told him to start scoping the place out, that hadn’t been the only reason I sent him ahead. Now that the shock of Jamie’s transformation was gone, I was wrestling with sheer unyielding rage. It had hit me all at once. Back when this fight was just between Pustibule and myself, I was cautious but ultimately I didn’t care what happened to me.

Shoot me, stab me, inject me with poison; I dealt with that on a regular basis.

But fuck around with my friends?

I had no tolerance for that shit whatsoever.

Nobody here knew how hot my rage could get, and I didn’t want Mercury to get caught up in it. He was easy to bring over to the cause, but there were some parts of me that nobody except for my enemies should witness. I already didn’t want him to see this, but his help was necessary if I wanted to finish this in time.

[[Patron Quest: Cleanse the Presbyterian and Destroy Pustibule!]]

You’re coming up on the dungeon. Do what you need to now because I can’t see inside. No one else I asked can either, which makes me think there’s a Patron involved or the administrator is making things deliberately harder.

If Jeremiah was telling the truth about the Angel Blinds, then don’t use Break Free. They’ll make things harder for you in your Angel form than in your base form. Save the points.

Now that the warning is out of the way…

Obviously, you can’t leave a Demon to roam around a place called the Presbyterian. It’s one of the worst blasphemies I can think of, and you just know he did it on purpose. And yes, I’m aware that the hospital has very little to do with the church these days, but names count for something!

I know  you’ll be able to finish this once and for all. Clear him out of the hospital and put an end to his life for good.

Objective: Kill Pustibule permanently.

Reward: 15,000 points, an Angelic artifact.

“You got it, Sara,” I said out loud.

I didn’t slow down as I snapped open my menu. Under normal circumstances, what I had to do would have been painful. But, in order to maximize my chances of getting things done, I saw no reason to hesitate.

Thanks to defeating the Warmind Uuska back in Atlanta, I had technically cleared the second scenario. In an attempt to get another piece of Warmongering Mystic equipment from the Hats box, I had even raised the levels of my abilities to get new ones that I had been playing around with. What I didn’t touch was my stats.

It was my way to make things more challenging for me. Increasing stats from one level to the next wasn’t usually very dramatic, but that changed at this milestone and others later on just like it. From 30 to 40 was a huge leap that trivialized most things.

The difference was so large that, after the third scenario, the administrators made nearly everything in the  world tougher to compensate. They allowed the people to get used to their overpowered stats in a suddenly fragile environment before strengthening it again so it seemed back to normal. It had been a surprisingly fun state of affairs, even if the novelty wore off for me a long, long time ago.

Now, given recent events, I brought up my Status screen and did what I had been reluctant to do before.

[[Notice]]

Would you like to spend 7,500 points in order to increase the following stats?

Strength 30 -> 40

Dexterity 30 -> 40

Constitution 30 -> 40

Wisdom 30 -> 40

Willpower 30 -> 40

Yes

No

I hit Yes without a shred of hesitation.

[[Notice]]

The soulfire inside of you burns brighter.

You are one step closer to becoming a true Half-Angel.

Caught off guard by the notification, I almost stumbled as I read it. Sara had told me not long after she had become my Patron that she wasn’t sure when my new heritage was going to stop being listed as Dormant, but it seemed tied to this kind of stat increase. This was novel, new, and, since I was still in transit anyway, I wanted to give it the attention it deserved.

Clenching the Writhing Belt Whip in my hand, I pulled up my status page.

[[Status]]

Guildmaster Anthony Franklin

Class: Warmind

Race: Half-Angel (Dormant)

Patron: (Hidden)

Points: 325

Stats:

Hit Points: 1,280/1,164

Mental Points: 1,949/1,794 (300/300)

Strength: 54; Dexterity: 75; Constitution: 88; Wisdom: 101; Willpower: 114

It was still Dormant, but that was fine. It did specify I was one step closer than I was before. Just because it didn’t change in the menu didn’t mean there was no change at all. In fact, it was almost harder to tell in the unchanging stone of the Pitt but it almost seemed as though my eyesight was better than it had been before.

Not only that, but I could feel the Demonic energy getting thicker with every step I took. I hadn’t been able to do that without fully transforming first. It felt like I was slick with grease or oil. Uncomfortable, but something to push through.

I tried not to think that it made me feel as though I were being swallowed by a Slime or Ooze. Those were the worst.

The Presby came into sight not long after I increased my stats, and I came to a stop before crossing the dungeon’s threshold. My original plan had been to send out Guild Notices when I arrived, but in my haste I didn’t think about the cost. I would only be able to send out three messages before my points ran dry.

While I was making a decision, Mercury appeared in front of me, eyes a little wide and crazy as he kept his gaze on the dungeon.

“Did you get spotted?” I snapped. Taking a breath, I knew that was my anger talking. I rephrased it. “Sorry. I’m angry, but not at you. Did you get caught??”

“No, no. I don’t think so. The Princess warned me that I was close to being discovered so I got out of there,” he said quietly. I waited a few seconds as he watched the entrance to the dungeon, but didn’t give him more time than that. Reaching out, I tapped him on the back. He jerked forward before turning to face me. His eyes immediately met mine before looking up at my hair. “What happened to you?”

I paused in confusion. “Excuse me?”

“Your hair’s turned red and your eyes are orange,” Mercury stated, pointing at my head as if I didn’t know where those were. “What happened?”

That was new, but not altogether unexpected. Racial changes were supposed to make you look different. The fact that my body had changed in such a way was just more proof that my dormant heritage was starting to affect me.

“Something to unpack later,” I said evenly. “Right now, the mission is more important.”

“Sorry, Anthony.”

“Don’t apologize,” I told him. “What happened?”

“There’s a bunch of zombies in there,” he relayed, standing up straight. “But there’s also a few weird things. Like, black bodies but with a person’s head on them? And not like a person’s body but-“

“A seemingly random assortment of torsos and limbs that make something straight out of a Lovecraft novel?” I guessed.

Mercury paused. “Yeah, that.”

“That’s the end result of what Jamie’s going through,” I said through my teeth. My hand tightened over the Writhing Belt Whip again, and I resisted the urge to lash out at the wall. “We’re wasting time. Where’s Pustibule?”

“The whole layout’s changed, but he’s up in-” Mercury started, but I cut him off.

“If it’s changed, then let’s do this instead.” Reaching up, I tapped the ninja on the forehead and activated my Mental Link. Confusion, excitement, and a healthy amount of fear came through from his side, and I was careful to reign in my own emotions. I couldn’t even send him calm thoughts right now. “You go to hide near him and I’ll be able to find you. The connection will break once you’re far enough away, but it’ll snap back when we’re in range.”

“That’s pretty handy, huh?” he asked, touching his forehead where I had activated Mental Link. “Through the front doors is a cafeteria. Go across it and follow the directions to the elevators, and you’ll find the stairs there. I’ll be on the floor where he's made his home.”

“Thanks, Mercury. Now get going,” I said, pointing towards the dungeon. He gave me a quick salute before turning the corner and disappearing.

I stepped up so that my toes were inches away from the threshold. The dungeon beyond was fuzzy, as if I were watching it on an old television. Embedded in the rock walls were large, black crystals. They went around the entirety of the cavern to make a gemstone dome. It truly was an excessive amount.

Once I felt Mercury get far enough away to break the connection, I activated Aura Sense and stepped inside.

[[Second Scenario Quest: Liberate UPMC Presby!]]

Where once there was a scenario quest that made perfect sense, there is now chaos.

Then again, I allowed it. Perhaps it will be entertaining.

Certainly more entertaining than the liberation of a certain bank.

Objective: Defeat the surprise boss.

Reward: 2,000 points, 75 Guild Points, UPMC Presbyterian will be liberated.

“Thanks a lot, asshole,” I said under my breath. I continued walking.

Aura Sense came with the same kind of fuzz that my vision did. I noticed that I wasn’t hearing sounds as clearly, my skin felt slightly numb, and the smell of decay that permeated the Pitt became easier to tolerate. Apparently, the Angel Blinds did more than just blind; they affected every sense.

The doors to get inside weren’t far from the dungeon’s entrance. I could see the enemies shambling inside. Ducking under the broken glass, I felt Mercury further in before he disappeared again. Just like the ninja had said, I started in a cafeteria.

Tables and chairs were strewn about chaotically. Some were even being pushed by the zombies as they shambled about the room, patrolling in an aimless manner. There was only one door open on the far side of the cafeteria, and I figured that was where Mercury wanted me to go.

My intrusion did not go unnoticed. The dozens of undead in the room turned to face me, but instead of going on the offensive they simply went still and stared.

Every zombie here looked to be either staff or a patient, and each had telltale signs of Demonification. Some had horns, while others had skin that were different in ways that weren’t mottled and decaying, and even more had oversized teeth that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a shark’s mouth. The Conversion Grinder might not have made it to the surface yet, but this hospital had been made into a testing ground for Pustibule’s experiments.

I raised my finger towards the ceiling, and it was as if I summoned the Demon myself. A thrum vibrated through the air as Pustibule’s signature intercom activated.

Dom!

Domm!!

Doom!!!

“So nice of you to join us, Anthony Franklin!” Pustibule’s voice oozed through the hospital. “I have been expecting you! Yes, I have, I have.”

I couldn’t control the shiver that ran down my spine. There was a grating quality to the Demon’s voice that made me want to strangle him even more, and I wasn’t sure if that was because of my Half-Angel upgrade or something else. Regardless of where the feeling came from, I wanted it gone. Above each shoulder, I Constructed a pair of drills roughly the size of my fist and started walking forward.

“My minion tells me that your comrade in arms has received my gift!” he squealed joyfully. “I went through so much trouble to make that especially for your group. I did, indeed. Concentrated it myself, added it to an absolutely brilliant concoction. I’m quite the genius, you know.”

The moment the zombies started to move, I closed my eyes. With the Angel Blinds messing up my vision, I chose to focus solely on my Aura Sense. Each of the enemies were easy to identify. The necromancy magic animating them was a very dark purple, and the Demonic energy flowing through them was a very dark red. Together, they were almost completely black.

“And you may ask yourself, ‘why would Pustibule go after someone who isn’t me? Oh no, however shall I deal with it!?’ I’ll tell you why,” he said, his voice suddenly getting dark. “Because if you’re going to go around breaking my tools, then I’m going to go ahead and do the same to yours.”

I still didn’t respond to the Demon even though I was sure he’d be able to hear me. Instead, I spent my energy on the zombies. Mentally, I commanded my new constructs with Push and Spin.

They zipped through the air, zigzagging ahead of me with deadly precision. The two drills shot in opposite directions, heading towards the nearest zombies. Most of them hadn’t been changed enough from undead to Demon, and while they watched the Constructs head straight for them, they didn’t have the instinct to dodge.

Both drills spun through the skulls of two different zombies, losing minimal speed and rotation before coming out the other side. The very moment they did, I sent them to new targets even before the old ones could fully crumple to the ground. They danced through the air exactly as I directed them, unerringly seeking out each and every enemy in my field of view. 

“Yes, I know what you did to my precious, precious scalpel,” Pustibule spat. “First, you steal it from my cold, dead hands, and then you get some Angelic bastard to purify it! I don’t know which one did it for you, but I swear on my life that I will make sure I eat their wings raw while they’re choked to death with their own damned halo!”

The sound of a fist slamming into a desk came through the intercom. I still saw no reason to respond.

Leaving the cafeteria, I took note of which direction the elevators were and started heading in that direction. More zombies were grouped up on this path, clogging the hallways with cold bodies to stop me. I briefly thought about switching to saw blades, but the drills were doing well enough on their own. It would have taken me more Mental Points to change what Constructs I had, so I stuck with the more precise implements.

The zombies in front of me stood no chance, and Aura Sense showed enemies following my location on the floor above me. I Lifted one of my Constructs through the ceiling. It easily drilled its way through the floors where it continued to do my bidding. This one didn’t have as much room to maneuver as the one still with me simply because my vision wasn’t as extensive up there, but I expertly commanded it to explode as many heads as possible.

The drills were soon bouncing between the walls without any targets. Piles of zombies were lined up all around and above me, and it was starting to get hard to walk without stepping on a body or slipping on gore. Placing my hands in my pockets, one hand going into the mitt, and stopped in front of the elevator doors. Beyond one open door was the stairwell, while the other led to an office.

“Say something, you detestable Angel!” Pustibule cursed. “Don’t you ignore me!”

Something inside of me snapped. I had been trying to stay calm, to not let my anger get the better of me, but his constant yapping finally baited a response.

“You want me to say something, you damnable fiend?” I asked, hatred lacing my voice like poison. I wasn’t holding anything back. “Then you best listen. I am going to find you, Pustibule. I am going to find you, and you’re going to wish that you left me alone after I killed you the first time. You’re trying to break a tool, you say? Well, I’m saying you’re hurting my friend. Now, I know you don’t know what that really means, so I’m going to educate you in a way that will make you understand.”

There was silence as I entered the stairwell and started heading upwards. I caught wind of Mercury again for a few seconds before he moved out of range, heading towards the center of the building several floors up. Zombies were coming down, but both of my drills met in the middle to do their work. Stopping on one of the landings, I waited for the waterfall of corpses to slow before I carefully continued to ascend.

“You’re trying to corrupt my friend’s body, so I’m going to tell you what I’ll do to yours,” I continued. “First, I’m slicing off those big ass knuckle dragging gorilla arms of yours. Even you out a little. You look ridiculous, so I think I’ll be doing you a favor.”

I waited for another cascade as Mercury entered and left my mental range.

“Then, those absolutely tiny baby legs of yours. Off right below the knees, because I want to see you try to escape from me on stubs,” I threatened. “In fact, that’s a memory I’m willing to bet I’ll cherish forever. And you may be thinking. ‘Oh, damn, this Angel’s pissed!’ Pustibule, pissed is such a weak choice of word for how I feel in this situation. I’m absolutely enthralled with the idea of pitching you up like a tent by your entrails and leaving you out as a feast for the undead.”

Mercury came back into range, but didn’t leave. He stayed still, waiting patiently. That had to be where Pustibule was at, then. I made my way up to the landing and put my hand on the door. One of my drills was working on those heading down to me while the other was working on those coming up. The smell of rotted flesh was becoming cloying in the relatively small space.

“Mark my words, you lumbering malpractice lawsuit,” I said, becoming louder as I stared daggers into the door in front of me. “I will not be satisfied until I have fucking extracted every scream you have out of your lungs with as much violence as Humanly possible. I will be remembering them in my dreams for years to come and use them as a goddamn lullaby for a good night’s rest. You may be the doctor, but I’ve got myself a real sharp scalpel and I’m itching to put you on the table.”

Pustibule didn’t respond, and the thrum of his intercom disappeared completely. A small victory, but I didn’t dwell on it.

Kicking in the door, I exited into a large room that appeared to be some kind of observation room for students. I frowned as I looked at the pit of zombies. The floor plan change was a weird touch, but I assumed it was to keep people who were from here from knowing exactly where to go. Walking around the room to the other door, I opened it in time to hear Pustibule somewhere on the floor.

“-ing for, go and stop him!” he screeched.

Mercury was on the other side of the building and, based on where I felt him, hiding out in the ceiling. That was a good plan, I decided. Entering an open room that looked similar to a physical therapy center, a group of strange creatures headed right for me. They weren’t zombies, but fully Demonic creatures.

Just like Mercury had described, they were hideous. Their bodies were covered in black chitinous material and no longer made sense. Some were large and bulbous with two or three legs, while others were small and spindly and carried on several.

What made the sight even worse was that they all had the heads of people I recognized. Their mouths were sewn shut, but I could see pain, confusion, and fear in their eyes. Black & Gold had disappeared, and now I knew where they had gone.

Whether they had asked for it or not didn’t matter. That bastard Jeremiah brought them to his master for conversion. 

I felt my drills dissolve as a piercing tone erupted through the floor. It burrowed into my head, making it hard for me to concentrate. Taking a breath, I tried to Lift a broken table on the ground but found that it barely responded to me. In the next second I cycled through my Warmind abilities, and none of them worked as intended.

Pustibule was trying to neuter me. Pulling out the Writhing Belt Whip and My Golden Bowling Ball, I quietly seethed at his ability to somehow block psychic abilities when the final demon emerged from the room.

The last one to step out had dozens of legs, a twig for a body, and two small, malformed hands coming out of their middle. It was surprisingly painful to watch as they stumbled, running into the walls as if they were a young animal walking on new legs for the first time. This was the only one who’s mouth wasn’t forcibly closed, though it was clear she was terrified.

With a body that didn’t belong to her and tears streaming down her face, Olivia Hunt wailed as she ran towards me with the rest of the Demons. The room heated up as fire lit her new, grotesque frame.

I dropped the bowling ball immediately as I snapped open my menu. There wasn’t a lot of time, and I activated Cheetah Sprint to make sure I got a message out to the guild.

Last night, Olivia had been a completely normal Human woman. At the very least, she hadn’t been off enough for Kayla and Jamie to notice a difference.

Now, she was a Demon, fully and completely. Whatever Pustibule had done, it was working much faster than my experiences had told me was possible. Unwilling to take the chance, I sent the message as a gout of flames came my way. Dodging to the side, I cursed the circumstances that led us here. Fire burned through the room from Olivia’s small hands, and I rolled to my feet as I hit send. 

Give Jamie the egg. Do it now.

With thoughts of Pustibule and Olivia weighing on me, my anger reached an entirely new crescendo.