Chapter 7

The air became stuffy. Douma could feel the temperature drop. Was the storm here? Looking up at the sky he saw clouds and a flock of birds nothing unusual.

A man started running up the slope in his direction. He looked horrified Douma wondered why he came all the way here in a panic.

"Don't go in there!" He cried.

"What's going on?" Douma asked but the man ran past him in annoyance.

"Move! I said don't go in there you'll get killed!" The man continued running towards the construction site.

Hmm what's up with him? Glancing back, Douma assumed he was getting help or take cover from what he was warning the young founder about. 

That was when something idle appeared at the corner of his vision sending waves of alarm through his veins. It appeared for a few seconds and then disappeared into the tree line leaving no trace of its presence.

"What was that..." Douma could only guess he was not alone in this part of the mountain. The nearest sign of life was miles down, whoever it was had gotten stranded. But why would it hide from him none of this made any sense.

Unless it wasn't even human. There were eerie stories surrounding the isolated areas of Hasu Mountains, even villagers encountered the unseen in their own neighborhood. Douma wasn't afraid but the vibes he got from that figure was unsettling like something he would encounter in another world. He had to check before anyone gets seriously hurt.

As he ran towards the bushes following the trail leading to deeper parts of the forest, Douma heard voices ahead of him. They sounded like a person calling for help. It's a good thing nobody was here, the voices were a trick to lure their victims in.

Soon he reached a lake that was beside a small hut and bridge. The first thing he heard was the sound of crows and cicadas. Dead leaves fell from the trees surrounding the dark murky lake. Douma could only imagine how terrifying this place would look at night plus the voices that stopped.

"Time for some spirit extermination." Douma sneered pulling out a lotus-engraved fan from his pocket. Fanning himself, the young founder took a few steps towards the lake, looking at the reflection illuminated on the surface of the dark water.

A howl came from behind him as the young founder quickly turned around and saw a figure approaching him from the bushes. It walked slowly, keeping an eye on him.

Douma got ready as the creature paused and stared at him. The appearance of this strange animal made Douma want to crawl out of his skin it was comparable to other horrors in the universe. For something on Earth this would give anyone nightmares for months.

"So you're the creature that was watching me huh?"

Not moving an inch, the creature looked at him with a distress look on its face, groaning like someone in pain would. Douma was disturbed by how it looked like a frail human in the body of an aquatic creature. It's humanoid features alone gave off the impression that it was once a human who somehow ended up like this, a fate worse than death. If that was the case, Hasu Mountains would be held accountable and Douma didn't want that to happen.

And it won't because Douma sensed something else from it. But he couldn't make out what just yet.

The creature was still muttering, inching closer to him. It sounded incoherent and would sometimes turn into soft eerie whispers. Douma instinctively grabbed the other fan in his pocket and got into a fighting stance.

Immediately the creature screamed and ran towards him, raising its arms in an attempt to hit the young founder. Its cry was so loud flocks of birds flew away from the area to get away. Douma moved aside and braced himself for this creature's attack.

Douma evaded the creature's claw swipe and kicked the creature towards the large tree trunk at the side which broke on impact. Grunting from the pain it felt on the right shoulder blade, the aquatic creature got up and attempted to attack Douma again. This made the blonde laugh at it mockingly it didn't learn it's lesson.

"Such a pitiful creature you certainly don't have the capabilities to even fight!" Spinning his fan, Douma grabbed the creature's head and pushed it backwards causing it to fall to the ground clumsily.

With its features that were now up close, Douma could only call this walking fish a monstrosity. There wasn't any other name that came to mind. Shocking how Earth had such alien-like creatures too but he wasn't that surprised it's not like this is the first time he encountered something like this. The monstrosity was a chicken compared to its otherworldly friends.

Just then a pair of moist hands grabbed his ankle making Douma stumble towards the lake. Quickly the blonde broke free from the grip and slashed the other monstrosity with his fan. 

Now there were two of these things coming after him. Douma smirked and dashed towards the nearest one, getting a hold of its arm to which the creature winced in pain from the tough grip colliding with its friend beside it.

"Another round?" Douma covered his face with his fan and watched the two aquatic creatures that were screaming helplessly.

"I could literally just end these two in one blow but if that happens the entire mountain will collapse. This is gonna take a while cause I'm on easy mode." Narrowing his eyes at the monstrosities, Douma swung his fans to the back waiting to land another hit on the targets in front of him. 

Taking notice of this, one of the creatures got up and ran towards him at full speed leaving the other behind.

"Scattering Lotuses!" Douma summoned two large icicles in the shape of lotus petals that sliced right through the creature, cutting it in half. The other one cried and did the same only to be met with the same fate.

Keeping one of his fans in the pocket Douma grinned at the sight of the monsters lying motionless on the forest floor. Dark liquid seeped onto the grass turning the ground into a pool of petroleum.

"You were the ones responsible for the disappearances of those people weren't you? I can't let that happen."

The sky started spiraling. This was the monsters' attempt at trying to confuse their opponent with some sort of illusion.

In response to Douma's taunts, one of the alien's limbs twitched catching his attention. Douma got his fan out again the creature was regenerating at the same time its remaining limbs were joining back with its still body. 

This time glowing streaks of ice formed on the areas of its body that got sliced apart by the icicles. An expression of fury and hatred formed on its distressed face. 

"Of course they can regenerate how could I have forgotten about that boring old technique that everyone uses including myself? Time to step up the game here." Douma leaped into the air raising his foot. 

The creature caught him by the knee and flung him away. Landing steadily on the ground Douma summoned another large icicle that slashed the creature at the side of its head causing it to let out a loud scream. A minor explosion occurred from the impact the icicle had on the ground. The soil temporarily blocked the creature's vision which gave Douma the chance to strike.

 Swinging his fan the blonde bolted to the alien landing a slash on its shoulder that went off with a loud "Clang!"

Taking a step back Douma stared at the creature in shock. Its skin was hardening to endure any impact from his attacks. Talk about impressive but it was nothing compared to other tricks up his sleeve.

"I'm not even trying."

Letting out a bloodcurdling scream the alien smashed its iron fists into the ground sending crumbles of soil to Douma who leaped into the air swiftly. 

When he got down the other alien grabbed his shoulders exposing its sharp teeth that were ready to bite. Douma was unamused the monsters have changed their tactic, it didn't bother him at all he knew what to expect.

The alien released his shoulders stumbling back its teeth broke upon making contact with Douma's shoulder. Nothing could penetrate his skin be it blades, spears or anything that creates a wound. 

 "Foolish creature," Douma sneered narrowly missing the alien's tail. "It's pointless just give up already!"

Meanwhile the first alien Douma fought dashed to the row of trees at full speed. It pulled out one of the trees by the trunk and threw it at the young founder hissing in anger.

Douma quickly ducked down as the alien behind him got hit and fell into the lake with the entire tree sinking after it.

So it has superhuman strength... that's interesting but no match for what I'm about to do next. Raising his fan, a gust of cold wind spiraled towards the alien near the trees freezing it in place and covering its entire body with ice. Douma summoned ice stalagmites from the ground that stabbed the creature leaving cracks and shattered fragments.

In a few seconds the alien broke into pieces like a statue collapsing. 

"Finally now I can-

Suddenly the ground below him became saturated like the quicksand from before. Douma's surroundings were flipped upside down the last thing he saw was the bright sky turning dark and murky.

Cries and whispers echoed throughout the clearing startling Douma as he looked around to see nothing but trees and lakes similar to a regular forested area. That was until four humanoid figures started approaching him with the familiar ragged clothing and muttering.

"This is another dimension underwater," Bubbles floated past him which meant he was in a different realm filled with water only this time he could stand on the floor without getting pulled to the surface. "I'll just clean up this mess and leave this place it's so dull." 

The same walking fish Douma fought earlier lunged at him while the other three followed after it like a mother hen and its chicks. Douma elbowed the alien's head sending it backwards he did the same with the others who fell to the ground in confusion. 

From the looks on their faces Douma could tell these new opponents were bewildered by his presence in their dimension. They were the ones who brought him here in the first place they asked for it. Douma didn't even want to be in this secret hideout of theirs.