Volume 2 - Chapter 16 - The Eye of Corruption

The monster continued its advance toward the group, each ponderous step sending a tremor through the metal flooring. Panels creaked and rivets rattled loose as its weight pressed down, the echoes thundering through the laboratory halls. The harsh ceiling lights flickered in its presence, shadows stretching unnaturally long as if recoiling from the corruption that poured off its body. Standing over them, the abomination radiated a suffocating aura of decay and corruption, an intimidating presence that pressed on their chests like a physical weight, every breath thick with the corruption of its existence.The giant monstrosity rushed forward and swung its arm at the group, the motion so sudden it felt like the air itself collapsed inward before exploding outward in a violent rush. The shriek of bone scraping against metal echoed in their ears. They went to dodge, but were caught off guard as the massive arm stretched forward, elongating in a grotesque lash that cracked like thunder. The sheer reach of the strike was unnatural, its trajectory impossible to predict. Ash, Xanathis, Karna, and Emma barely managed to dive aside, their weapons sparking as they scraped across the steel floor, but Ernest was too slow. He planted his feet, shield raised, bellowing a defiant roar. The impact slammed into him with the force of a collapsing wall. His shield screeched in protest, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface before the sheer force hurled him like a doll across the chamber. Ernest crashed into the ground, rolling violently until the breath was knocked from his lungs.The monstrosity’s clawed hand then swept down, reaching to crush him before he could stand. Ernest dug his fingers into the grated flooring, dragging his battered body upright, his teeth clenched against the pain. Shadows loomed over him as the grotesque hand closed in. Before it could seize him, a massive fist of ice materialized and smashed into the corrupted limb. The chamber shook with a deafening crack, shards of frost spreading across the monstrosity’s hand until the goo solidified into jagged crystal. Acrid vapor curled up as the acidic ooze reacted against the ice, the sound sharp and unsettling, like acid chewing into steel.Emma, standing right behind Karna, roared with determination. Her piledriver screeched as it locked into place, then she slammed it forward with all her might. The weapon detonated with a thunderous blast, the recoil echoing like cannon fire. The frozen limb shattered into chunks, shards of bone and gobs of goo raining across the metallic floor. The severed pieces twitched as they fell, bubbling and writhing before settling into quivering, gelatinous lumps of corrosive goo. Bones jutted out at odd angles from within the jellied mass, the remains of the deceased protruding grotesquely as the clumps shivered across the laboratory panels.For a heartbeat, victory seemed close—the monster staggered back, its red eye flickering like a dying flame—but then Emma faltered. Just as she began to back away, bone arms erupted from the stump of the monstrosity’s destroyed hand. Dozens of them, pale skeletal hands bursting through the goo like grotesque flowers blooming. They shot outward, grasping with jerky, unnatural motions. Cold fingers seized her arms and shoulders, digging into her flesh. Emma cried out, thrashing violently as they pulled her toward the writhing body. In desperation, she fired her hand cannon, the booming shots deafening in the chamber, flashes of light scattering shadows. But one skeletal hand lashed out, yanking the weapon itself into the goo. Acid hissed and spat, eating through the steel as though it were nothing. Her weapon sputtered and went silent, dissolving in her grip. More arms lashed out, wrapping around her waist, her legs, dragging her closer as the abomination’s red eye flared with a hungry, malevolent glow.Xanathis surged forward, her blade dripping crimson light as she unleashed her blood magic. The air rippled with her power, the metallic tang of blood filling the chamber. Ribbons of glowing red coiled around Emma, wrapping her like living threads before yanking her free with violent force. Emma’s body slammed against the hard floor plating, gasping for air, her face pale and drenched with sweat. Her arm was already mangled to ruin—flesh eaten away to raw muscle and bone, the corrosive slime still dripping from the wound, its acrid stench burning their nostrils.Ernest staggered back to his feet with a snarl of fury, veins bulging at his temples. He leveled his mana cannon, the barrel glowing as energy surged. With a roar he fired. The blast punched into the monstrosity’s chest with a concussive boom, staggering the massive form backward until it crashed against the giant sphere. The impact made the entire chamber tremble, sparks showering from broken conduits in the ceiling. Goo splattered in all directions, sizzling wherever it landed. Ernest dropped to one knee, teeth bared in pain as acrid vapor curled from his acid-burned arm, where the goo had eaten into the skin. His shield, already cracked and corroded by acid, had shattered completely under the backlash. With a growl of frustration, he tore the useless scrap from his arm and hurled it to the floor. His other hand snapped to his belt, drawing his beam whip. With a crackle of light, the weapon hissed alive, its glow searing through the gloom.Emma, freed but broken, cried out in agony, her scream bouncing harshly off the chamber walls. Her arm was mangled beyond recognition, skin and muscle stripped away by the acidic goo until pale bone gleamed through. Karna and Xanathis rushed to her side, dragging her back with desperate strength as Ash strode forward, planting himself as a wall between them and the advancing horror. Emma coughed violently, blood spraying across the metal floor as her breaths grew ragged. The whites of her eyes were marbled red, bloodshot veins spreading rapidly as the poison began to work its way deeper.Xanathis crouched beside her, voice sharp with urgency, her crimson eyes blazing. “Be careful, Karna. Don’t touch it with your bare hands—the goo is poisonous. Wash it first!”Karna, pale but resolute, conjured a sphere of water that shimmered in her trembling palms. She poured it over Emma’s ruined arm, the liquid hissing faintly as it touched the corrupted flesh. Acrid fumes rose in curls, the smell gagging, as the last of the slime was washed away. Healing waters shimmered faintly as Karna pressed her palms to the wound, but the magic sputtered, fading as though repelled. Her lips parted in panic. “It’s not working…”Xanathis’ face hardened, and she drew her blade. “The poison has entered her bloodstream,” she said grimly. “I’ll handle it. Keep mending the flesh.”Karna nodded quickly, forcing her healing waters to glow brighter, her hands trembling as she tried to mend the ruined muscle and skin. Xanathis sliced into Emma’s arm with practiced precision. Blood spilled freely, thick and dark, fizzing where it touched the floor. The gem on Xanathis’ sword pulsed like a living heart, channeling purified blood into Emma’s veins, forcing the tainted ichor out. The expelled blood poured onto the floor in black-red streams, fuming and foul, filling the chamber with the sharp, metallic stench of corruption.The monstrosity groaned, its massive form shifting as it began to rise again. Ash stepped forward, his polearm gleaming as he gripped it tighter, the golden cracks of his skin pulsing faintly in the dim light. Ernest, chest heaving, cracked his whip beside him, sparks hissing from the air. “So how the hell do we kill this thing?” he snarled, spitting blood.Ash narrowed his eyes, the reflection of the red core glinting in his irises. “I don’t know. But your whip won’t melt. Burn it to ash. My polearm won’t break either. Together.”The two men charged. Ernest’s whip cracked like thunder, arcs of searing light cutting glowing scars into the monstrosity’s mass. Ash’s polearm carved deep into bone arms that lashed out, severing them before they could close on him. The abomination screamed, the sound like a chorus of rattling bones and bubbling sludge, its elongated limbs smashing down with reckless fury. Each strike shook the ground like a quake, denting the metal flooring beneath them. Its swollen maw bulged grotesquely, then spat a jet of acidic goo with a roar. The torrent splashed across the chamber, hissing and popping as it ate through the reinforced plating, leaving pits of bubbling ruin where gelatinous clumps of goo clung to the torn plating, bones jutting out grotesquely from within the quivering mass in its wake. Ash and Ernest sprinted side by side, lungs burning, their hearts pounding as the hiss of acid clawed at their heels.A colossal arm slammed down ahead of them, blocking their path. The flooring panels split with the force, metal buckling and tearing apart as the shockwave rippled outward. Ash skidded to a stop, his mind flashing with the memory of the Spear of Light. His body remembered too—the weakness, the collapse, the unbearable drain. His grip tightened, but his jaw clenched. Not yet. Not unless I have no other choice.The goo hissed closer, the monstrous form bearing down on them. The massive arm swung again, but before it could crush them, Karna’s voice rang out above the chaos. “Icy Finger of Death!” She thrust her finger forward, her gauntlet glowing as frost surged through the air. The blast of freezing power raced outward, encasing the monstrosity in jagged ice. The acidic torrent froze in mid-spray, crystallizing into a wall of translucent spikes. For a heartbeat, silence reigned.Ash and Ernest exhaled, their shoulders heaving with relief.“How’s my sister?!” Ernest shouted, his voice raw.“She’s weak, but stable,” Karna called back, sweat dripping down her brow. “Xanathis evacuated her to a safe place.”A cracking sound echoed like thunder. The frozen beast split, fractures racing across its body. Then, with an ear-shattering roar, it shattered the ice and burst free. Chunks of frost and slime rained across the chamber. The severed parts melted and slithered back together, reforming as if the freezing had been nothing but a delay. The red eye blazed brighter, its malevolence filling the chamber like a wave of poison.The monster moved faster now, reckless and unrestrained, its attacks unpredictable. Arms lashed in all directions, elongating suddenly, smashing walls and floor with destructive abandon. Each strike left acid scarring the panels, the laboratory quickly filling with a choking fog.Ash, Ernest, and Karna pressed forward regardless, weaving between the massive limbs, countering where they could, every swing of weapon and crack of whip tearing chunks free only for them to melt and reform. The battle devolved into desperation, their bodies tiring, lungs burning from the poisonous air.In the shadows, Xanathis gathered her strength, her blade trembling with the crimson glow of her blood magic. She watched with narrowed eyes, waiting for the moment to strike. But then two violet eyes appeared behind her, glowing faintly in the gloom.A cold voice whispered, calm but laced with warning. “Do not interfere. Let them grow. Intervene only if death is certain. You’ve already meddled too much.”Xanathis’ lips curled, her teeth clenched tight. “Why are you here?” she hissed.“I had to deliver a replacement.” Then the violet glow blinked out in an instant, leaving only darkness, with no explanation left behind.Her hand trembled, magic fading, but she steadied herself. All she could do was watch.The fight dragged on, every heartbeat heavier than the last. Ernest staggered, coughing blood, his knees buckling beneath him. “I… I can’t… my strength—” His voice broke as he fell to the floor.The monster’s fingers split apart, elongating into five spear-like points. They shot toward him with lethal precision. Karna’s eyes widened. She called on the wind, her greaves glowing as she burst forward. In a blur she slammed into Ernest, knocking him aside as the spears impaled the floor plating where he had been. Bone and goo exploded upward, spraying the air. A cloud of poison gas erupted with it, burning their lungs.Karna gagged, dragging Ernest to safety even as her eyes watered from the fumes. She thrust her palms into the ground, summoning healing waters that cascaded over both their bodies. Then, with a roar, she slammed her gauntleted fist down. A spiraling tornado of wind tore through the chamber, scattering the choking gas, buying them precious moments to breathe.Ash stumbled forward, dodging another lash of slime. His chest burned, each breath fire. Cutting it won’t work. The Spear of Light will drain me dry. There has to be another way. He ducked beneath a swinging limb, sparks flying as skeletal fingers scraped against his polearm. He thrust out his finger, light gathering at its tip until it blazed fiercely. “Light Beam!” he shouted, launching it. A beam of pure light seared through the monster’s chest and struck its glaring red eye.The monstrosity recoiled with a guttural shriek, stumbling back. Its eye flickered, its body shuddering as though wracked with pain for the first time.Ash’s eyes narrowed. The eye. That’s the weakness. But his gut twisted as the thought followed immediately after—his light beam alone wasn’t strong enough. He needed something greater, a stronger spell, or they would all die here.Ash forced himself to concentrate, summoning every ounce of focus he had. He pictured the shape of a new spell in his mind, something more powerful, trying to mold the light into form even as the beast roared and lunged at him. Arms thrashed, fingers stabbing down like towers, forcing him to duck, roll, and parry with his polearm. Sparks flew as skeletal claws scraped against the steel shaft. He clenched his teeth, weaving through the storm of strikes while refusing to let the image in his mind collapse. At last, an orb of light began to swell in his palm, vibrating with barely contained force. Still dodging, he carved a path with his polearm, pushing forward until he thrust his hand ahead. The orb of light shot forth embedding into the monster’s chest, glowing fiercely. Skeletal arms whipped around him, dragging him closer into the acidic slime. His skin burned raw as the corrosive goo clung to him, poison seeping into his veins, but he held his ground. The orb swelled brighter, and brighter and brighter as it continued to increase in size as it pulsed brighter.The monstrosity’s bone hands dragged Ash deeper into its body, the corrosive gel searing against his skin as he fought the pain with sheer will. His body was being swallowed, only his head and one arm stretched free, trembling as he forced himself to concentrate. With his mind locked on the image of the spell, he called forth his power. “Light Burst!” he roared, snapping his finger.The orb collapsed inward, then detonated outward. Light consumed the chamber. Goo, bone, and corruption exploded in all directions. Ash was flung free, his body crashing across the metallic floor. The monstrosity slumped against the great sphere, its form dissolving into globs of goo. Only the red eye remained, twitching in the a small glob of goo.Ash forced himself upright, coughing up thick gouts of blood that splattered across the floor. The whites of his eyes were laced with crimson veins, bloodshot and wild. His clothes fell to the ground in tatters, dissolved by the acid, exposing skin raw and blistered, patches eaten down to muscle and glimpses of bone glistening wetly beneath. Each movement sent fresh agony through his ravaged body, yet he still dragged himself forward. Karna rushed toward him, but he barked hoarsely, voice breaking with pain, “Stay back! I’m too far gone. Let me end it.”He limped forward, polearm in hand, using it as a crutch. Golden cracks blazed across his blackened skin as he raised the weapon. The red eye writhed in defiance. Ash then forced his battered mind to focus, imagining a simple but precise spell that could end it all. He pictured a cutting edge of radiant power sharp enough to pierce the corrupted core—the hateful red eye glaring back at him—and willed the light to take form.“Light Edge,” he whispered. The polearm blazed, edges burning with radiant light. With one last thrust, he pierced the eye. It shattered in an eruption of shards, going dark.Ash collapsed, his body convulsing as blood bubbled past his lips in wet coughs. Crimson coils lashed out, Xanathis catching him with her blood magic and lowering him to the ground before he struck the plating. His skin was gray and waxy, his breaths shallow and broken, every exhale tinged with the sharp stench of acid still clinging to him. Karna dropped to her knees beside him, tears spilling as she poured healing waters over his ruined body, the liquid glowing but barely able to mend the raw muscle and bone that showed through in places. Sobbing, she clutched at him and cried, “You cannot die here… you must survive! Don’t you dare leave us—you have to return to your wife and daughter. They’re waiting for you!” Xanathis gritted her teeth, her hand trembling as she forced her blood magic deeper, trying desperately to purge the spreading poison from his veins. Her crimson eyes burned with frustration and grief, watching helplessly as his breath faltered, life slipping away with each ragged gasp.Then came the sound of shattering glass, sharp and thunderous, echoing like the cry of a world breaking. The massive sphere split down its center, acid‑corroded conduits rupturing one after another in a chain of detonations that shook the laboratory to its foundations. From within burst a torrent of blinding light, not just bright but radiant and pure, flooding every corner. The oppressive shadows vanished as the brilliance consumed them. Above, the ruined city glowed as though dawn itself had returned, rooftops and broken towers bathed in the searing glow. The clinging corruption dissolved into mist, recoiling and vanishing like smoke, while the poisonous haze that suffocated the air boiled away. The holy radiance washed over Ash, steadying his failing body, closing cracks, stilling tremors, and holding him on the brink of life—rescued in that instant by the flood of purification. Slowly, the overwhelming brilliance began to fade, the radiance dimming back to normal. Their vision returned in fragments, eyes blinking against the afterimages, until at last the chamber came back into focus.Karna blinked rapidly, her eyes still struggling to adjust from the searing brilliance that had only just faded. Spots of light danced across her vision, yet even through the blur she saw Ash’s battered form still breathing and stable. Overcome with happiness, she hugged him tightly, only to flush crimson as she realized his tattered clothes had been eaten away, leaving him bare. Xanathis, unashamed, held him closer. Lumin floated forward, then pressed itself against the fractured sphere. The instant it touched, the radiant light and Lumin’s glow intertwined, swirling together in brilliant waves. As Lumin absorbed the radiance, its body grew steadily brighter, each pulse dazzling, while the great sphere dimmed in equal measure. Bit by bit the overwhelming glow faded from the chamber, drawn into Lumin’s shining body until the sphere was left a husk of cracked, lifeless metal. At last, when the final trace of light disappeared, Lumin shimmered one final time before drifting unsteadily toward Ash, its glow wavering as though stumbling like a drunkard. It wobbled in the air, pulsing unevenly, before finally stopping right above him and then falling into his body, the glow fading beneath his skin. Ash’s lashes fluttered as exhaustion overcame him, his body finally surrendering to the toll, eyes closing as he slipped into unconsciousness.Emma and Ernest returned, both staggering but alive. Emma’s face went red as she caught sight of Ash’s state. “I-I’ll find him clothes!” she stammered, staggering down the hall. Karna, equally flustered, hurried after her.Xanathis remained, her expression caught between pain and relief as she held Ash close. Time stretched before Emma and Karna returned with clothes. Ernest studied the drained sphere, muttering to himself, while Emma cast occasional worried glances toward Ash.Finally, Ash stirred. His eyes opened slowly, fixing on Xanathis’ face above him. He touched his chest, feeling the warmth of Lumin within. Pushing himself upright, he rasped, “Emma. Ernest. I have a request.”Ernest raised an eyebrow. “A request? What is it?”“You said the library here holds countless books. I want you to find out what that light was—the one Lumin absorbed. Bring me that knowledge if you find anything.”Ernest sighed, weariness heavy in his voice. “That may take time. Emma’s weapon is gone. My shield is destroyed. Our supplies… gone. We’ll need our sponsors funding before we can return.”Ash smirked faintly. “You don’t need to keep calling them sponsors. We all know it’s the resistance.”Emma stiffened. “How… how did you know?”Ash chuckled, his voice hoarse. “Obvious. You said RUIN took your parents. The only ones with coin in the shattered lands are the ruin nobles or the resistance. Everyone else scrapes by.”Emma exhaled, shoulders lowering. “You’ve seen through us. But it doesn’t matter—you’re not RUIN. That’s enough for us. Still, we’ll need to return to resupply and rearm before continuing.”Ash wiped the blood from his lips, still weak but trying to regain composure. “What if I got you a bodyguard? I have an old man that owes me a favor—and if he tries to back out, I’ll kick his stubborn ass until he agrees. This little mission is already more than I bargained for, but I won’t leave you without help. I’ll force him to stand by you if I have to.”Emma frowned, worry lingering in her eyes. “But will one man be enough? What if another one of those corrupted horrors shows up?”Xanathis folded her arms, her voice steady. “There are no more signs of corruption. I even checked the shelter myself. Whatever that light was, it purified everything. You’re safe as long as you remain inside the barrier.”Karna nodded softly. “Still, if we need more, I can contact Luke. Who knows—maybe this place will jog his memory.”Emma sighed, her voice tight. “But there’s still the issue of supplies. We lost all our camping gear.”Ernest cut in energetically, eyes bright despite his wounds. “Hey, sis—they’re offering to help! We just survived all this, and I don’t think I can wait for the resistance to gather more funds to re-equip us. This is a perfect opportunity. And if you’re worried about food, there’s that inn nearby we stopped at for lunch before coming here. We could use it as our base and rent one of the wagons they hire out to travelers from the Grand Lift.”Emma hesitated, then her lips curved into a smile. “You’re right—that will work. And all we need to do is find information on that light.” She looked at Ash, determination in her eyes. “You have a deal, Ash. But who are these two bodyguards? Can we trust them?”Ash and Karna explained about Toby and Luke, their words firm and confident. Then Karna pulled out her communicator and spoke into it, “Krr… krr… Luke, can you hear me? …” Silence followed.Xanathis shook her head. “Wait until we get outside. The barrier is probably blocking the signal.”Karna lowered the device reluctantly and put it away.Ash then stood up shakily, tearing the sleeves from the clothes they had found for him, his arms fully restored, the skin smooth and whole from Karna’s careful healing. He picked up his polearm from the floor and spoke in a low voice, “Alright then… shall we leave this place?”They all nodded, Ernest and Emma exchanging grins despite their exhaustion. Together they trailed down the same tunnel Ash had entered through and finally emerged outside.Xanathis stretched her arms, tilting her head back to breathe deeply. “Ahh… fresh air at last. The stench down there was starting to irritate my nose.”Ash narrowed his eyes, glancing forward through the trees. “Let’s get moving,” he muttered. But after only a few steps, the world above them darkened completely. Irritated, Ash spat a curse. “Fuck.” His gaze fixed on the massive nightstone hanging in the sky, its shadow blotting out the core’s light. With a weary sigh, he sat down on the nearest rock.