Chapter 85: The City

Ann and Rosalyn finished up quickly. Unfortunately, there wasn’t the normal time Ann would use to fully indulge in her lover. Nor did she have time to drag Kat into it. Rosalyn licked some cum off her lips that she’d demanded she used to clean Ann up, as they rejoined the other two.

“So, how’re we looking?” Ann asked.

“Not good, as expected,” Bren sighed. “The seed is another ten minutes away. They have people watching the barrier. Nothing and no one has tried to make it out. Any scouts that were sent in report the same. They still hear distant gunfire from further into the city, but the Warped prevent them from getting too close.”

“We’re gonna be the lance that breaks through,” Kat explained. “We’ve got a direction, which is more than they had before. The plan is tae go in, kill everythin’ in our way tae the survivors, then kill our way out. This is gonna be rough. They don’t wanna send in a bigger team just in case the Seed ups what it’s tossing at us.”

“I am topped up on resources,” Bren said, checking his stats.

“Same, and emptied of others,” Ann reported.

“Yup, same here. Full of the Storm. Been casting thorns here and there the last few days to make sure I had it all topped off,” Rosalyn said, summoning her staff.

“Good. We’re walkin’ intae a cityscape. Shit’s weird, from the reports. Tall buildin’s made outta weird stuff. Lots o’ hidin places fer ambushes. Be ready.”

Everyone nodded, grabbed hands, and entered the nauseating wall of light.

When Ann blinked her eyes open, she almost couldn’t believe what she was looking at. She was… home? What the fuck?

She looked around. Yeah, that was an asphalt street, concrete sidewalks. Shit, there were even street lights and signs. The sun was at sunset, just like outside, and long shadows were cast where the skyscrapers rose.

Wait. Was this… was this actually real? Had she just dreamed the last couple months? A sinking feeling in her stomach as she looked left, then right, trying to find someone. “Kat!” she yelled. “Rosalyn! Bren!”

No response.

She ran off to her left along the street, trying to find someone she knew. After a minute, she realised there was no one here. At all. The city was dead. Nothing moved that she could see or hear. This wasn’t real. It was the Seed. Looking down, she cursed.

“Of course I use the easiest way to check last,” she laughed to herself as she grabbed her swishing tail, patting it. “Shit, that scared me. Ok, where the fuck are the rest of you?”

A gunshot sounded in the distance, and Ann’s ears flicked toward the sound. “Well, that’ll be where we’re going. I should get back to where I came out. Maybe the rest were just delayed in the transition?”

She jogged back to the street corner she’d popped up on. Thankfully, the rest of the party showed up just as she got there.

“Ann?” Bren asked, looking surprised. “I thought we lost you. I was worried the Seed had separated us.”

“Yeah, it did. I’ve been here for a couple minutes. Scared the hell out of me,” Ann chuckled.

“At least it spit us out at the same spot,” Kat sighed, relief obvious in her posture. “Sometimes they’re not so nice. Ye hear anythin’?”

“Yup, southeast, or whatever that direction is. The sun isn’t in the exact same spot it was outside.”

“Let’s get a move on,” Kat ordered, taking her spot in the lead.

The open spaces were, frankly, unnerving. Knowing that Warped could be in any of these shops or alleys raised Ann’s hackles.

“What even is this place?” Rosalyn asked, looking around as they walked. “I’ve never seen anything like this. The buildings are so… big. And clean? Is that glass all over that one?”

“This, and I’d say probably don’t tell anyone else this, is some approximation of my time,” Ann explained. “The streets are right, the buildings are close, but there’s something a little off. I can’t read any of those signs, and the shops are empty. It’s… really weird.”

Bren’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. “This is what it was like?” he asked in a hushed, wondrous tone. “What do you mean by off? I mean, besides the signage and emptiness?”

“Well, for one, buildings didn’t do that,” Ann said pointing.

A skyscraper had folded onto its side. It wasn’t broken, or crumbling, but halfway up it just made a right angle and started growing sideways. She thought she saw a few birds way up there, gathered on the edge. Thankfully, whatever they were didn’t seem to notice them.

“Yeah,” Bren laughed. “That does not seem normal. What is this we’re walking on?”

“Um,” Ann looked down. They were walking in the middle of the street. Black asphalt painted with red dashed lines was currently underfoot. “We called it asphalt. I think it was gravel and tar? I think it was tar. Not really sure to be honest. Either way, it made the rocks all stick together and when you rolled it out on a road it gave you this,” she gestured widely with her gauntlets.

“Interesting,” Bren stopped and knelt to pick at the road.

“Oi, ye can do that later,” Kat barked. “Rescue first.”

“Right, apologies,” Bren started, standing and jogging to catch back up. “It is just so interesting. That the Gods would preserve a facsimile of the civilisation before us. I’ve read about Seeds with strange cities. We assumed it was an ancient race. Possibly before the Return, but I never thought I would have it confirmed!"

“Yeah, that’s great, but what are we walking into, exactly?” Ann asked, still eyeing the birds on top of that massive nonsensical building.

“Hard tae tell. Might be human Warped, considerin’ the city.”

“More nightmares?”

“More nightmares,” Kat said grimly.

“Great. Any idea what those are?” Ann asked, gesturing at the things above them.

“Not sure,” Rosalyn said, shading her eyes and peering upward. “Avian of some sort. Big, considering the distance. They all seem to be congregating up there. Maybe they like heights? They should be able to fly. Probably more dangerous when we get closer. Not in range for me to blast, though.”

“Aye, keep an eye on ‘em,” Kat directed. “Shots are comin’ from that way.”

Ann leapt as she heard a can rattle to the side. She and Kat immediately pivoted to the side, protecting Rosalyn and Bren. As they stared down the dirty alleyway. It had garbage bags with no openings, cans and other debris. Fire escapes looped and twisted between the buildings without purpose. What was pretty normal on the surface quickly deformed once they looked closer. Another rattle and a small rodent with six legs scuttled out, stood on its hind four legs, hissed at them, and ran off.

“Gods damnit,” Kat sighed, then kept moving.

Ann was paying attention to the city as they went. The more time she spent there, the more she picked out. Street signs were slightly crooked. If there were letters on signs, they were jumbled, out of order, and distorted. None of the sidewalk pavers were even. It was so close to like she remembered, but just off enough that it was driving her nuts. They passed a store, a sign with large white squiggles that should have been letters on a red sign. She swore it was a coffee chain she recognised, but it was all wrong.

Then something heavy hit behind them. They hadn’t passed anything, but Ann was ready for a fight, regardless. That rat had spooked her.

Slowly, the lump raised its oddly shaped body. It had human legs and feet, bloated to the point of being more trunks than functioning legs. The body was large, round, with rolls of fat along its sides. Arms, fleshy, with patchy fur, curled up in front of it. Dexterous clawed hands worrying at each other. Its head sprouted from the folds of slightly furry flab, a grotesque mix of a human and raccoon. Where the raccoon’s normally cute muzzle and whiskers were, was instead a drooling, gaping mouth filled with snaggled sharp teeth. It had something like whiskers, but they were too thick and drooped off its cheeks. The eyes, true to form, were small, beady things set into a black mask pattern. Topping it all off, cute fuzzy ears that were exactly as a raccoon’s were. Overall, the thing had to be about five feet tall.

“I’m gonna throw up,” Ann retched.

Almost in response, the thing wheezed a growl. It sounded like its throat was constricted by the fat of its neck, and it could barely breathe.

“Where the hells did that thing even come from?”

Another thump. They all whirled to see another of the things standing up from a pile of fat, then another landed almost on top of Rosalyn. The girl shrieked and instinctively skewered it with a Thorn.

The creature gurgled, then groaned and pulled itself off the spike with a wet squelching sound.

Kat, meanwhile, was looking up. “Shit, get to cover!”

Ann looked up and saw another form launch itself off a roof, plummeting down towards them. Normally, she’d think that was suicide, but the things clearly didn’t care about the fall.

“Fuck fuck,” Ann cursed, grabbing Rosalyn roughly as Kat did the same to Bren.

They bolted forward, dodging as another pack sailed gracelessly through the air at them. The ones behind were getting up and lumbering after them. They weren’t fast, but there were a lot of them.

“We’re not stoppin’ tae fight ‘em,” Kat shouted as they matched their speed. “Too many. Too much time, an’ we don’t know how quick tae kill ‘em.”

“Got it,” Ann shouted. “Take the alleys! They’ll get tangled up in there!”

Nodding, Kat ducked into the nearest alley. It was a good idea, but a bad one at the same time. Yeah, the smaller confines stopped their pursuers from catching up with their larger sizes, but the ones still up higher were now trying to cut them off.

Ann and Kat both shifted their partners onto their backs and really started to run.

The other awful part of this decision was the alleyway itself. Ann ducked a low hanging fire escape almost to fall head over heels as the ground dropped out from under her. A step that was far too large for human use was put there, for seemingly no reason, and she barely kept her momentum up as she landed.

Bultrite coated claws dug into the cement as she scrambled forward. Kat had jumped over the escape and had landed on her feet. Finally, they saw the light ahead and broke back into another street. They had to take a second to reorient themselves, as the path had twisted back and forth.

“We’re closer,” Kat panted, pointing up at the overhanging skyscraper. “Think they’re under tha’?”

“Only one way to find out!” Bren declared. His knuckles were white as he clung on to Kat’s armour.

They continued the run, more raccoon-men hurling themselves after them. Then they crossed an intersection, and a screech sounded from behind them. One of the things had been close, but skidded to a stop at the intersection, gesturing wildly to its fellows.

Kat and Ann slowed, gasping for breath and letting Rosalyn and Bren down.

“Need… a minute…” Ann wheezed.

“What are they doing?” Bren asked, staring at the line of Warped that was forming across the intersection.

“Oh, that’s probably not good,” Rosalyn said. “Well, maybe good for us, but also not. That’s territorial behaviour. You see it a lot out in the woods, where something’s marked its territory and defends it well enough that other animals don’t go in. Usually with predators or solitary animals. Some birds even have it with their nests. Oh. Oh, the birds!”

The Druid whirled and looked up at the building. Ann followed her line of sight to the building. There were fewer forms up there.

“Fuck, how the hell is anyone supposed to survive this?” Ann groaned.

“They’re not,” Kat said, voice grim. “We need tae go in, then hide, then move when they feck off. Gods damnit, this is gonna delay us.”

“Better we get there alive than not at all,” Bren pointed out.

Ann agreed. She nodded, still trying to get her breath back. They’d probably have to hide in the stores and buildings to try to get away.

Testing the theory, they all jogged forward, keeping an eye on the winged shapes descending from on high. They were clearly large, whatever they were. Probably Kat’s height. The first attack landed nearby, much like the raccoons. It was white and hissed as it hit the asphalt. Slowly, the edges bubbled and were eaten away. Acid.

Ann dodged another projectile as it began to rain from the sky. They ran until Kat growled and slammed her shield through the window of a shop, getting to relative safety from the acid bird shit.

“Oh, I hate this place,” Ann groaned.

“Just this one?” Kat asked sarcastically as they cleared the room. Nothing was with them.

“Raccoons are supposed to be cute, fluffy little things with these adorable little hands. Also insanely smart. Not… whatever the fuck those things were.” She retched again, the image of those beady eyes in their black masks surrounded by fat and a gaping, drooling mouth.

“Well, at least we’re out of their territory,” Rosalyn pointed out, leaning toward the window to check on the birds, but being forced to scamper back as more acid hit nearby. “I didn’t think that bird poop would be such an effective weapon.”

“Aye. Sorta hilarious if it wasn’t so deadly,” Kat chuckled, returning to the front of the store. “There’s a door in the back. Lookin’ through it looks like a hallway connectin’ things. Might be a good way tae get travel in while hidin’.”

“Agreed. We move under as much cover as possible. Time, remember, is our priority.” Bren formed up behind Kat as they pushed into the hall.

“Remind me why this is so shit again?” Ann grumbled, taking up the rear behind Bren.

“I believe we have spoken about it a few times, but reminders are always good,” Bren said, keeping an eye on their surroundings. “A seed modifies its threats to the amount of people that enter it. The smaller the party, the less threat there will be.”

“So, if someone came in alone?”

“Well, that would not be advisable. Just because the number of enemies one might face is modified, does not mean the danger is. Say our first seed together? The solo runner may have run into fewer of the vine creatures. The issue comes when numbers are not what the Warped counts on. Guardians specifically are always at the level they are. There is always one, possibly more. You saw what the Croaking Oak could do on its own. Imagine someone going up against that without any backup.”

“Point taken,” Ann said. No way she would think about going up against that thing without a healer, at the very least.

“So, aye. Soloin’ is somethin’ some mercs pride ‘emselves on, but it’s a risky feckin’ life. Not many come back alive.”

Ann fell silent, thinking as they continued. The hall wasn’t anything special. Lit by dim fluorescent lights, that had to be some magical approximation. Their boots squeaked on linoleum and the walls were familiar drywall. If it was anything else, Ann could have imagined the four of them going to a cosplay event. All decked out in armour and playing characters. Gods, if only life was that simple anymore.

Kat reached the end of the hallway first and looked through the door.

“Shite, got somethin,” she whispered. “Warped. Think they’re human. Look weak. Desiccated, almost. Walkin’ corpses. Ann?”

Ann shuffled up with her.

“There’s three o’ ‘em. Ye take the one on the left. I’ve got the one on the right. Whoever finishes first kills the one in the middle. Let’s try tae keep this quiet.”

“Sounds good,” Ann nodded.

“On me.” Kat slid through the door, leaving it open. Her armour clinked gently, but not loud enough to draw attention.

Ann, comparatively, was a shadow. Her padded paws gave her a level of silence she never would have had with feet. Silently she stalked up behind a shelf in the sort of store, and peeked around it.

The warped was as described. It was a man, thing? It was thin, had two arms and legs, but the proportions were all wrong. The arms and legs were rail thin, and its torso twisted oddly. Ribs and spine could be clearly seen as it shuffled to and fro between the shelves.

Ann caught a glimpse of Kat, who waved, then held up a hand with three fingers. A count. Simple. Three, two, one, go!

They moved at the same time. Ann slid from behind her hiding spot, extending her claws. She shoved her flattened hand into the back of the thing’s neck, hitting its spine and then passing through it. The metal cut through flesh with some resistance, but not enough to jar her. Oddly, there was no blood.

Unfortunately, the neck wasn’t the right spot to kill the thing in one blow. A head, hairless, twisted around to face Ann from behind. Its face was a gaunt skeleton, with skin stretched thin and teeth exposed in a rictus grin. The mouth opened, and it tried to scream, but Ann had severed its vocal cords, so only a wheezing gargle came from it.

Recoiling, Ann drew her claws back and stabbed it in the back, trying to hit the heart. Just like the other time, her hand easily punched through papery skin and brittle bone. It didn’t die.

Wiry arms twisted backwards, and clawed skeletal fingers grasped at her arms with a terrifying strength. The thing squeezed her and she felt the force crushing her upper arms.

With a snarl, she kicked at its legs, sending it crumpling, but it didn’t let go. She kept kicking, breaking the other leg, its hips, whatever she could get. Her hands dug into the arms grasping her and wrenched. Skin fell free of corded, dried muscle.

“Fuck this,” Ann grunted as she fell forward, pushing them both to the floor. “You’ve got weak bones. Let’s see if your skull is the same.”

She slammed her forehead into the thing’s face. It crumpled and let go instantly.

Kat had just finished up her adversary and was moving on the third shambling corpse. Hell, these were basically mummies, from Ann’s point of view. Not zombies. Those were usually all goopy and fleshy.

Ann tapped her head, her gauntleted fist, and pointed at the mummy. Apparently the things had bad hearing, but just in case. Kat nodded.

The princess charged out, swinging her sword low and severed it at the knees in one swing.

Ann pounced, and as it hit the floor, drove her fist through its skull.

“Phew, that could have been worse,” Ann sighed.

“Aye. Not bad. Reckon we’re gonna be seein’ a lot worse. It’s safe!” Kat called back.

The other two joined them, and Rosalyn poked at the bodies.

“I wonder how they were moving around all dry like that?” the Druid asked.

“Not sure, and we do not have time,” Bren reminded her.

Another gunshot sounded nearby. They were close. Then they heard a scream.

“We really don’t have time.”