novelzi Chapter 28 30:Abysmal Descent
Chapter 28 30:Abysmal Descent
The children huddled together in a corner, their hollow eyes staring at the space behind the door through the partial gap. Zag walked in quietly, carrying a small, hidden bundle of food wrapped in cloth.
"Here, take this," Zag whispered as he knelt by the youngest of the group, slipping them a piece of bread and a small fruit.
The children looked up at him, their eyes wide with a mix of excitement and gratitude. Zag's rough hands gently ruffled the kid's hair before he stood.
"Zag, you shouldn't be doing this," Gremlin said from the shadows, his voice laced with concern. "If they find out..."
Zag turned to him, a kind smile softening his worn face. "I know the risk. But I can't just stand by and do nothing."
"But why?" Gremlin asked, frowning.
Zag's smile grew wistful. "I don't want to work here, but for my family, I have no choice." He glanced at the children, his gaze filled with quiet sorrow. "Since I can't free you, I might as well provide the little comfort I can. You're all like kids to me, alas I am here working as a bartender in a pub under evil guys."
"Can't you work anywhere else?" Saber asked nonchalantly.
"I can, but they are more evil than Wolf Gang. At least these people follow law and order, unlike others who kill at the slightest argument," Zag answered and then laughed.
"You see, the entire Night Creak is plagued with filth, so you just need to choose the least filthy one."
Gremlin and Saber didn't say anything more, just watched as Zag handed out the last of the food while looking at the kids tenderly. Despite the weight of their circumstances, Zag's small act of kindness brought a fleeting warmth to the cold, grim basement.
While they conversed, ignoring them, I focused on my own work.
.....
Name: Luke Star
Class: Novice Huntsman Lv 3
Species: Human
Rank: Acolyte
[Stats]
Strength: 0.60→67
Dexterity: 0.82
Constitution: 0.4→49
Agility: 0.7
Perception: 1.58
Wisdom: 0.8
Willpower: 9.8
Mana Capacity: 1.5
Potential: 3
[Ability]
None
[Weapon Mastery]
Dagger Style (Novice): 89%→90
Archery (Adept): 20%
Swordsmanship (Novice): 70%
The ground beneath us shuddered violently, sending us stumbling.
"Kyakk!" Chris shrieked, clinging onto Gremlin like a barnacle.
I barely managed to stay upright when the world started vibrating.
---
In the dimly lit Paragon Tavern, the air was thick with smoke, flickering lights casting long shadows across the room as Syro and Vargas sat deep in conversation. They shared a smug sense of satisfaction, relishing their plans and the control they held over their rivals.
Syro poured them another drink, the clinking of glass barely audible over the low hum of conversation and occasional laughter from other patrons.
"That boy, he's gonna surely fetch a good sum."
"Of course he would," Vargas chuckled, emptying the cup of bloodline and slamming it on the table.
"I have already sent his portrait to the Matron of Lust Clan."
"The Matron?" Syro's eyes widened in shock.
Vargas nodded briefly and spoke, "You might not know, but the Matron is interested in buying slaves who have otherworldly faces and are of a young age."
Vargas, noticing Syro's questioning look, proceeded, "Apparently, she is grooming a husband."
"Among all the slaves, the one who will be able to pass through her trial will be accepted by her as husband and become the Patriarch!"
Syro swallowed his saliva, his hands trembled, and his eyes widened in disbelief.
"This—BANG!"
But then a low rumble cut through the air, a tremor that made the floor beneath them shudder faintly.
The glasses started emitting a clinking sound and fell off the table, then kept bouncing after hitting the ground.
Vargas looked up, frowning. "What was that?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.
Syro waved it off, though he felt a flicker of unease. "Probably some scuffle outside," he muttered, glancing toward the entrance.
But the tremor grew stronger, and the floor vibrated more violently as dust sifted from the ceiling. Glasses rattled, and the murmurs of conversation quickly shifted to startled gasps.
Suddenly, a deep, ominous bell began to toll.
A sound that resonated through the walls, sending a chill down Syro's spine. Patrons exchanged uneasy looks, and in an instant, the revelry turned to panic as another quake rolled through, stronger than before.
Syro and Vargas exchanged tense glances, both rising from their seats. "Stay close," Syro muttered, leading the way out of the tavern that was filled to the brim with demons squeezing one another.
Together, they pushed through the chaotic crowd, stepping out into the open street, only to be met with a sight that froze them in place.
Above the town, the sky had been swallowed by a monstrous shadow, an abyssal darkness that blotted out the stars. The huge body twisted and writhed, stretching like dark wings, engulfing the town in an unnatural, suffocating gloom. A chilling silence fell, broken only by the horrified whispers of townsfolk, whose faces were lit by the dim glow of torches.
The shadow grew, its edges emitting tentacles fraying like tendrils of smoke, and from within its depths, hollow eyes began to emerge.
Eyes that were vast and empty, filled with a malevolent hunger. A deep, guttural wail echoed through the night, sending an instinctive shudder of fear through the crowd.
Spectral bodies began to take shape within the darkness, ghastly, twisted apparitions with faces contorted in agony. They poured out like a wave and attacked the demons, sucking the intense emotions within them to feed.
Syro took a step back, gripping his axe tightly as his usual confidence faltered. "What... what is this?" he stammered, feeling the overwhelming dread in the air.
Vargas's face was pale, his eyes wide.
"It's an abyssal monster that has broken through the barrier, allowing abyssal monsters and species to run rampant," he whispered, barely audible over the rising cacophony.
"Control your emotions. The more distressed you feel, the more they will be attracted to feed on your intense emotions."
As if in response to his words, the shadow descended lower, a monstrous form emerging at its heart. The creature was a twisted nightmare given flesh, its body an oozing mass of darkness that shifted and writhed, with countless gnarled claws and teeth glinting hungrily in the darkness.
The air grew frigid, thick with dread so potent it felt suffocating, and as the creature loomed closer, it became clear that it would consume the entire town.