World Filter

The twisted metal groaned as the large Corrupted climbed down from the ruined car. Its eyes never moved off their group and with a loud bellow, it started moving rapidly toward them.

It looked similar to the other Corrupted with the exception of its height and the completely roided-out bodybuilder look.

Donny and Daphne braced for the creature and by the time it got to them he was already bringing his ax straight down toward the zombie's skull.

Just as they clashed the creature raised its left arm to block the incoming attack. The ax sunk about a centimeter into its forearm and then halted.

At the same time, the creature brought its right arm in an outward swipe hitting her side with the back of its claw

Daphne went flying into one of the structural supports bending it in the process.

“Shit Daph!” Donny gave the ax a yank and pulled it free, turning he swung it around and tried to slam it into its shoulder, but the creature jumped back.

Mark was not idle at this time he shook Grace trying to get her to focus, by now the wounds on her legs were healing. Turning back Mark raised a hand and fired off a [Force bolt] towards the creatures still forming.

The bolt hit the nearest one scattering it and stopping the process. Excited Mark quickly tried for more, managing two more before a ghastly roar behind him drew his attention back to the monstrosity.

It was charging straight at them with rage in its eyes, having smashed past Donny.

“Grace! Hit him!”

Mark didn't know if she heard him or if it was just reactionary, but she raised her hands and fired a thick bolt of lightning at the approaching zombie.

The Bad news was she missed. The good news was because it was charging directly at them it made for an easy target. So although it was able to avoid the majority of the attack. It could not stop the inherent property of electricity to jump to the nearest ground.

Its body spasmed and fell into the street.

“Good job!” and no sooner had the words left Mark's mouth when the creature started moving again. Quickly gaining control over its limbs once more, it got up off the tar and resumed its rush toward them.

Mark pulled Grace behind himself and fired off another [Force bolt] aiming for its legs, hoping to cripple it.

He hit it dead center in its left knee but he didn't have time to celebrate as all it did was rip away the flesh exposing the muscle. It was a nasty wound but otherwise did little to stop it.

Mark had enough time to push Grace to the left and himself to the right with the resulting force before it brought its claws down straight toward them.

The push probably saved his life, because instead of disemboweling him. He got four long slashes across the underside of his ribs.

Even as the pain bloomed Mark was glad for the points he’d put into Resistance. He probably wouldn't have been able to react in time if not for them and even though it was probably minor he was glad for the physical resistance it offered. His bones would have shattered on impact if it weren't for the attribute, he still wasn't sure they weren’t.

Unfortunately, his celebration was once more cut short because due to the shove both Mark and Grace dropped into the road with the creature standing right over them and its eyes were locked on Mark.

It lunged toward him.

‘Fuck this’ he thought as he began to conjure four [Force bolts] right in its face.

When something side tackled the creature with the force of a moving truck. They both went crashing into the concrete pillars. Cracks spiderwebbed throughout the stonework.

Mark spun around to the sight of Daphne pinning a creature almost twice her size up against the pillar.

Mark quickly got up just as she brought her fist down towards the creature's head, it narrowly dodged the blow. However, the force of her punch caused the concrete to splinter and crack beneath her hand.

She quickly tried to retreat but the creature was faster and stronger, it went for her throat.

Out of the corner of his eye, Mark saw a blur dash toward them with unnatural speed. He only realized it was Donny when he had pulled Grace out of range of the creature's fangs.

The following few seconds were of Daphne and Donny trying their hardest to put the creature down. Claws, fists, and ax blows were exchanged at a rapid pace.

Mark had to turn his head away to look for the other zombies that had no doubt formed. He found them pretty quickly; they were just beginning to stumble forward.

Looking towards Grace, Mark saw her following his gaze.

“I’ll take care of these ones, I don't need to worry about friendly fire,” she said as lightning danced in her palms.

He was so relieved she seemed to have snapped out of it.

Mark turned back to the three’s fight. Now that he had a moment to watch he could see that the biggest advantage the creature had over his friends was speed and strength. The intelligence was there but it was mostly savagery, when it attacked it was by instinct, and when it dodged it was because the attack was deadly. Other than that it employed no strategy, just pure aggression.

The only reason they were holding out at all was that there were two of them and they were helping one another to stay ahead.

They had to restrict its movements somehow, slow it down.

Mark had an idea, but it was a risky thing to do in battle.

The two of them were already pretty wounded and Mark didn't want to fire [Force bolts] into the fight, next thing he hits one of them. Not to mention that the last one hadn't done all that much.

But If things continued at this pace, then the creature would eventually take one of them out, and if one went down so would the other.

‘Fuck it, if it doesn't work we’re dead anyway’ he thought.

He closed his eyes and began to create a spell.

He had just killed three zombies and if his math was correct that should have pushed him to the next level. Without opening his status he willed his unspent points into Mana.

He felt the difference right away as Mana flooded his brain.

Good, he was right he was going to need it, taking a good portion of his Mana he brought it to the surface of his skin.

Then began forming his mental picture, his intent behind the spell.

Mark heard the sound of lightning detonating behind him. He ignored it.

What he needed right now was cords, rope, and vines, but most of all what he needed was permanence and adjustability.

Something long-lasting, the Mana did not like so many varying ideas, but Mark pushed it still. It fought him, unwilling to conform to the shape he needed.

Mark could feel a headache forming, still, he pushed the Mana, holding it in line demanding it took the form he desired.

It began to thrash, and the dull ache in his head turned into a piercing spike of pain.

Mark heard the sound of metal against flesh to the front. He ignored it.

The Mana began to leave the threshold of his body

Mark did not relent and clamped down on it. His eyes flew open.

“Spell incoming!” he shouted

Both Daphne and Donny were panting from exhaustion just barely keeping it at bay, but the moment they heard him they both retreated a step.

Mark released the spell and the Mana fell into line, charging out into the world. Immediately he felt feedback as the Mana grew out as two thick semi-transparent bands of force, covering the distance in a single blink. Smacking into the creature, it spread out wrapping it in multiple bands of compacted Mana originating from Mark.

The Corrupted began thrashing, pulling the bands taut, so much so that he started to lose his footing.

Mark made a quick adjustment, the band originating near his hands shot out smaller vines sinking into the ground and rooting him in place.

At first, he tried to constrict the creature but he could already feel the construct weakening due to the strength the creature possessed. He poured more Mana in but it was fading as fast as he could replace it.

“Guys hit it now! I'm running out of Mana” Mark said as he strained against the creature.

The smaller bands were snapping rapidly, he poured all but the last of his mana into the spell.

Donny and Daphne dashed forward, and the creature began struggling more, but sadly for it, it was too late.

Donny arrived first, swinging his ax downward onto the zombie's forehead gouging into its skull. By then Mark felt all resistance fading and Ping rang out in his ears.

Mark let out a ragged breath and pulled the spell back in, pleasantly surprised when he got back the remaining Mana in the bands.

Bringing him up to a mighty 8 points of Mana.

“Look around. Are there more?” he called out.

Everyone remained ready as they searched for any hiding threats. Mark noted that there was still ichor on the bridge, but it seemed still and had taken the consistency stone.

“We-we should leave if we can get to the other side, we’ll be safer once we are out of here.” Grace’s voice trembled a bit, while she pointed to the road leading to the open light.

Mark was about to say something when Daphne beat him to it.

“Grace, hold on a moment, I don't know about you but I just need a sec. I can't feel anything in my hand and everything aches. Let's just take a moment,” she said in an exhausted tone.

“But it's right there, we are so close to the exit,” Grace looked desperately at the opening.

“And I get that, but let's just pause for a moment and think this through. There may be nothing over there at all but there also could be another of those things lurking and as we are right now we’d definitely die” she let out an unsteady breath as she slowly lowered herself to the pavement.

“Why are you against me on this? It’s so close that if anything was there it would have already attacked us” Grace said coldly.

Daphne’s head shot up with a look of shock.

“Grace that's not what I meant, I just thought it made sense that we heal up here and then move-”

“No! I get it, but if those things sniff us out because we waited here too long it'll be on your head.” Grace said never tearing her eyes off the exit.

Mark had been trying to gauge the damage to Daphne when he heard this.

Mark looked up at grace, as red flooded his vision, he was at his limit.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt the Corruption pulse with pleasure, feeding off his rage.

“Enough Grace! You’re the reason we all almost died. Taking it out on us won't change that! Now it's a good plan, so let me heal you all and shut it.” Mark felt a sick sense of satisfaction when he saw her shocked face.

However, when he felt the corruption squirming in delight his rational mind took over.

If he was being completely fair, what she did was reckless and selfish, but they would have gone under the bridge anyway if the Collie hadn't rocked up.

What he couldn't rationalize was the way she went about it, trying to manipulate everyone and force them to follow her.

Indignation appeared on her face as she got right up in his.

“I don't need any healing from you,” she said, enunciating each word. Anger was evident in her eyes.

“Good, I can save my resources, now if you’re done trying to be intimidating I got work to do,” he said, not giving her an inch, only breaking eye contact when she did.

While she walked away Mark looked up at Daphne and held out his hand.

She hesitated and then placed hers in his, the tension bleeding out of her shoulders.