The kingdom of the Malaise (34)

"What in the Serpent God's name?"

Calliope stared wide eyed at the sight happening in front of her.

From her vantage point on top of the clock tower, after visiting the time keeper.

She saw the chaos which unfolded in Stilt Village.

Before the fall of the kingdom, it was a beautiful place which was filled to the brim with fishermen that lived off the sea.

Now it was filled with monsters who lived off of human flesh instead of fish, something the infected sea life could agree with.

But even as the scene was not unlike the daily happenings all over the island.

It was rare to see such a large event happening at all.

'I knew that the Malaise'd Interloper would attack the survivors camp soon after, but he didn't even consolidate his army first.'

Her eyes traced the army of the malaise infected monsters.

A variety of commander variant monsters leading many of similar species to the death at the hands of many survivors.

Staring at the enlarged monsters leading their much smaller kind, Calliope hesitated to call for reinforcements from her sisters.

Although the survivors were all battle hardened individuals which would've had stories sung to them by many bards if they were placed outside the time loop.

They were being overwhelmed by the army of the malaise which rested on their front doorstep.

This should've led to her going to call her sisters with the magic firework attached to her belt.

But there was only one reason she hesitated.

The Malaise'd interloper which saw himself as a sort of God's chosen and usually stayed behind underneath the guard of many of his thralls sat on top of the Elite Goliath.

Noting that the Goliath actually used to be one of the many goliath's reared by the kingdom before the fall, Calliope hesitated to return and call her sisters.

Usually hidden behind horde's of powerful creatures such as the goliath underneath his thrall.

The man continued to wreak havoc on the island despite the servants' best efforts to rid the island of him.

Staring at the horde with confusion bursting in her heart.

She was soon attracted to an eye-catching figure burning brightly in the middle of the hordes of monsters.

'Wait' Her confused heart turned into one of agitation as she noticed the man in the center of the crimson flames billowing out and jumping from monster to monster.

'Isn't that the special target that my sisters explicitly told me to test!?'

---

The Malaise'd interloper had a look of satisfaction glance through his two orange eyes.

Calmly laying his back to rest against the throne of bone.

He caressed the skull handlebar fashioned out of a rather powerful banished that refused to go under his rule in favor of their loyalty to the Mama tick.

And although he wished that loyalty was instead pledged to him, he knew that some things just couldn't be taken.

So he quickly ended his life.

And as it was regrettable, the interloper turned his attention to attacking the camp to replenish his lost forces.

Each time he fought the camp of formidable survivors, much like anything that tried to make a living on the island, they were formidable.

Something that would only make the victory taste sweeter when he eventually ended the camp's livelihood.

The recent battle including the swarm of painstakingly gathered swarms of flying critters to besiege the camp of survivors left a bitter taste in his mouth however.

It was working until the two unseen variables intruded on the battlefield.

His plan, which included getting rid of the camp so that the infected monsters could later grind down the wizard and eventually turn him into a thrall had failed.

And although the plan he had formulated to end the camp and takeover the court magician had failed.

As if fate was lending a hand to him, an army of Elite monsters was loitering around the toxic sewers which had a network all over the island.

But now, the survivors camp which he had laid siege to for a few loops was set to fall with the new additions.

Those additions included a new variable which hadn't been on this island until now.

Smiling underneath his bandaged face, a tinge of pain reminded him of his current state of being.

Frowning, his orange eyes scanned the battlefield and noted where the notable figures were so that he could resurrect them into his willing, powerful thralls.

And although they would be weaker then their living selves, they would still be powerful forces that even the past king would have to tread carefully around.

As his orange eyes scanned the battlefield, soon enough, they were attracted to a crimson light which shone brightly in the middle of the battlefield.

Staring at the crimson blood fire which jumped from monster to monster amongst the blood soaked buildings.

His eyes met with the source of the red flames.

The second variable that the interloper hadn't accounted for was staring right at him.

And if he looked at the light in the variable's eyes right... It contained an unbreaking resolve which spoke of his death.

The interloper smiled. 'All the better.'

A tinge of disdain flickered in the man as he stared at the variable 'It will be fun stepping on your will and turning you into my thrall'

---

I stared at the unknown figure's eyes as conclusions rose in my mind.

'That's the leader right there.'

The aura of pride and disdain which positively emanated from the man sitting on the throne of bones was unmistakable.

The fact that he sat on top of a giant elite infected monster which looked like a zombified gorilla also helped.

Seeing that figure, I mentally marked him as a target.

Not before focusing up on the monsters which had stopped the crimson blood fire from traveling even farther.

Running amongst the red sparks, I took out the Impaler as I mentally used all the raw materials in my inventory to craft weapons in the air.

Using my cells and the blueprints, several lines of blue cells suddenly left my body.

And I couldn't see it since I was more focused on the sight in front of me.

But the wall which so annoyed me suddenly broke away.

Blue threads made of many of my cells weaved together, and underneath my vision morphed into giant weapons of war which I would soon use and baptize under the flames of battle.

Seeing that my thought process was proven to be correct, I didn't just stop at the crafting system in dead cells and quickly placed an anvil and crafting table down.

Crafting two different weapons with those crafting systems.

I watched as the monsters ran towards me.

Ignoring them for a moment, I grabbed the balanced sword and held it with one hand as the other stabbed forwards with the Impaler.

Simultaneously stabbing the eye of the charging monster and slicing it apart.

I fell into something akin to a trance as I tore apart the monsters in front of me without remorse.

And I must say, it was a beautiful feeling that I loved to feel.

Spinning around, I threw many of the grenades into the crowd alongside the deployable traps which launched their projectiles into the horde of monsters.

With a roar, a nutcracker crushed many bones before turning into a bow which shot down many of the flying monsters heading my way.

Freezing many creatures with the frosty effect of the [Ice shield] I destroyed the frozen statues with the big bone.

Stabbing through the fragments of frozen exploded flesh, the [Rapier] dug into the flesh of the creatures, throwing large air cutters at the quickly nearing monsters.

Using the [Oiled Sword] to splash the area around me with flammable oil, a spark coming from the clashing of flames quickly lit the area on fire.

And ignoring the searing sensation by using my many healing potions.

[Valmonts whip] Quickly wrapped its purple limb around many enemies and ruthlessly crashed them into each other.

Swinging the [Frantic sword] amongst the hordes of monsters, I felt something suddenly change.

And although it shouldn't have been noticeable.

I noticed the monsters were... hesitating.

Seeing that, a strange smile crept onto my lips.

+++

I honestly don't know why I do this to myself but...

I have made an original novel with my friend [Redacted].

It's name is Shrouded Wraith and is one of the many original ideas that I just had resting in my head.

But the reason why I'm shamelessly plugging with you guys is because this novel is going to have a manhua/ manhwa/ manga adaptation?

It's just getting a comic of sorts.

But yeah.

Tree