The Black Cloud
Early in the morning the gang wakes up, they all clean themselves up before they load up their gear and leave. The mission is simple but nowhere near easy, they must kill their target, the mosquito grafted and their entire swarm. The mummified bodies acted as a trail leading them to their foe, and when they saw the black cloud on the horizon they knew it wouldn't be long until their encounter.
"Ah so you're the master of the infamous black cloud." A voice calls out behind the mosquito grafted.
They swiftly turn around, the swarm preparing to strike. No-one is around.
"I can't be imagining voices now." A muffled masculine voice comes from the mosquito grafted.
He turns back around, coming face to face with a green haired man wearing a hoodie with a mismatch of colors. A pair of scaly horns rest on his head and a scorpion tail comes out from his lower back. The masked man swings his arm commanding the swarm to attack the strange man.
The entire swarm smashes down on him, it has regrown since his first meet up with the gang, it even got bigger. His confidence quickly turns to terror as the strange man is unharmed. Fire cloaks around his body as the insects fly away.
"A fifth apostle wouldn't be too bad, but first we need to test your metal." One of his eyes begins to droop down.
"What are you!?" The masked man takes a step back.
"The name is Sean, I'm an apostle of hell and I've grafted with a dragon, scorpion, and a zombie. And you are?" He pushes his eye back into place as he aproaches.
"An apostle of hell? What's that?" The masked man cocks his head in interest.
"We are the four guardinans of hell, making sure all humans know their place, we are neither monster nor human, we are stronger than both." A wicked smile stretches across his sinister face.
"Interesting, then I am Smoke, I have the mosquito grafting, allowing be to command and control both normal and monster mosquitos." The masked man finally introduces himself.
"There seems to be six people coming this way with killing intent. If you beat them, you may become an apostle of hell." Sean sets a hand on smoke's shoulder before leaping onto a nearby cliff.
"Killing intent? Seems like a chance to show how strong I truly am." Smoke glances over to the cliff top where Sean stands.
The gang exit a forest and enter a rocky landscape, where the very earth was split apart one side was lifted and created a massive cliff face that stretches as far as the eye can see. They have perfect line of sight on the target and the black cloud, this is the ideal terrain to fight him. The cloud flares red before swirling like a vortex. The vortex explodes, and the swarm then charges towards the group. It nearly crashes onto them before Natalie and Amber could react. A third is caught in an icy cage, another third is burned to cinders. The remaining third backs away. Damian and Henry blitz towards smoke, the swarm reacts by targeting them. Chunks of mosquitos drop out, creating five mosquito monsters. The mosquito monsters soar around the other four members. Henry halts his charge, throwing a fire grenade, he disrupts the swarm. The ground under Damian shatters, causing him to stop.
"You lot look a little familiar." Smoke opens some strips on his gloves, exposing his arms.
The remaining swarm envelopes him. Damian and Henry watch it flares red and expands to be several times bigger.
"Cover your eyes!" Grant fires flash bangs.
As the group shield themselves the flash bangs explode stunning the creatures. Jason grabs two he smashes them into the ground, killing them. Amber punctures one with a flaming claw. Natalie uses ice spikes to riddle one with holes. Grant finishes the last with a mini rocket from his hand.
The swarm flies into the sky forming the familiar black cloud. Damian takes out a vial of blood. Before he can open it, it explodes.
"Did you think I would let you get stronger?" Looking up Damian sees smoke holding a gun.
Smoke takes his aim, pointing the weapon at Damian. With a flash the gun is knocked out of his hand. Henry holds out his hand as electrical sparks surge around an orb in his palm.
"Did you think I was going to let you shoot my friend?" His hand quivers as he lowers it.
Smoke takes in a deep breath. He sends all the air out at once, using it like a projectile, hitting Henry directly.
The thumping of his heart filled Damian's ears. Noticing Henry still breathing he has a sigh of relief. He closes his eyes, tightening his focus, his heart slows and everything is silent. He feels the swarm above him crashing down. Tossing a fire grenade, he disrupts the swarm and starts moving towards Smoke. With a sudden massive claw swiping at him, he leaps back to figure out what he's up against. A mosquito monster twice as big as the others.
"This is rare, I never have to use my pressure bolts let alone use the queen." Smoke raises his hand to the swarm.
Gripping his hand, the cloud condenses. As it drops three more queen mosquitos rise from the mass, they then assault the rest of the gang who gather around Henry.
Damian calmly dodges every attack the queen and Smoke sends his way. He slides under the monster's arm, it reacts by swiping with its three other arms. He jumps onto the creature's back. His dodge caused Smoke's missed attack to blow off two of the monster's limbs. Damian notices Smoke preparing another attack, he leaps off the monster. The queen is slain from Smoke's pressure bolt.
"Damn it!" Smoke looks up at Damian, the sun hits his eyes.
"Henry! Come!" Damian winds back his fist as he descends.
Henry appears right next to Damina, they both smash their fists into Smoke. Smoke lays on the ground, his proboscis broken. The duo stare at him with detest.