Unraveling...
Unraveling...
Chapter 1.60
Skinner breaches Liscor's defenses by paralyzing the guards with fear magic, sparking a massive battle in the city streets. Facing heavy resistance from Relc and the Watch, Skinner retreats and directs his forces toward The Wandering Inn, where Erin's Antinium friends gain individuality while defending her from an Aberration Worker.
Skinner launches a devastating assault on Liscor by casting a powerful [Terror] spell that magically paralyzes the Watch Sergeant and the guards at the city gates. With the defenders frozen in fear, Skinner's terrifying horde of Zombies, Ghouls, and Crypt Lords pours unhindered into the city. Captain Zevara and the Watch desperately rally to defend Liscor, falling back to Tesseract Street to form a defensive chokepoint against the undead tide. Relc takes the frontline, showcasing his immense strength and his [Triple Thrust] Skill to decimate the undead ranks. Pisces also joins the defense, utilizing his [Necromancer] abilities to snap undead necks alongside offensive magic like [Fire Orb].
Meanwhile, at The Wandering Inn, Erin Solstice remains unaware of the full scale of the invasion. Danger strikes the inn when an Aberration Worker ambushes Toren, ripping off the skeleton's skull and leaving him flailing on the ground. The Aberration then attempts to murder Erin but is ultimately killed before it can succeed. In the aftermath of the chaos, several Antinium Workers from the chess club—including Bishop, Vladimir, Calabrian, Emanuel, Garry, Milner-Barry, Belgrade, and Jose—awaken as Individuals. They take on unique names and identities, achieving a state of personal existence previously unknown to their kind.
Back in Liscor, Skinner observes the battle and realizes that Relc's overwhelming combat abilities make the city's defenders too formidable to quickly defeat. Assessing the threat, the undead monstrosity decides to abandon his siege of Liscor and retreats eastward, setting his sights directly on The Wandering Inn. As the danger shifts toward the inn, a decapitated Toren manages to leap out of the darkness to ambush an approaching Zombie, signaling the start of a desperate fight for survival at Erin's doorstep.
Skinner uses the [Terror] spell to paralyze the Watch Sergeant and the guards at the gates, allowing his undead army into Liscor.
Zevara, Relc, and Pisces mount a defense on Tesseract Street, with Relc using [Triple Thrust] and Pisces using [Fire Orb] against the undead.
An Aberration Worker attacks Toren outside The Wandering Inn, ripping off his skull.
After the Aberration Worker attempts to murder Erin and is killed, multiple Antinium chess club workers awaken as Individuals and take names.
Realizing Relc is too dangerous of a threat, Skinner departs Liscor and heads east toward The Wandering Inn.
Despite being decapitated, Toren leaps from the darkness to attack a zombie approaching the inn.
A rare combat skill.
aka [Triple Thrust], [Triple—] +1
An Antinium Worker of the chess club who gained individuality and took the name Jose.
A newly discovered ancient dungeon near Liscor.
aka ancient dungeon, the Ruins +10
A sapient reptilian species dominant in regions south of Liscor, generally unfriendly to Humans.
aka lizards, giant lizards +3
A species of tall, bipedal hyena-like humanoids covered in fur.
aka hyena-people, dog-people +8
A species of which Erin Solstice is a member.
aka Humans, smooth skin +4
Small green humanoids with red eyes and sharp teeth that chased and slashed at Erin.
aka Goblins, little green things +14
A class held by Relc. It grants the [Iron Scales] skill at a high level.
aka [Sergeant]
The skeletal remains of a person that Erin discovered in an upstairs bedroom of the inn.
aka the skeleton, a pile of bones +18
A small, child-like Goblin who attacks Erin out of grief and is spared by her.
aka the small Goblin, the ragged Goblin +12
A Drake Watch Sergeant whose hesitation and subsequent magical paralysis allowed the undead to enter Liscor.
aka The Watch Sergeant, [Sergeant]
A member of the City Guard who was apparently traumatized by Relc's reckless dagger-flipping on the day he signed up.
aka Gnoll guardsman, gate guard
A Gnoll shopkeeper in Liscor who is friendly with Erin.
aka the Gnoll, Gnoll [Shopkeeper] +2
A friendly and helpful Drake who works as a receptionist at the Adventurer's Guild in Liscor.
aka the female receptionist, the she-Drake +14
An Antinium Prognugator tasked by the Queen with handling surface affairs and hunting down Aberrations.
aka Prognugator, the Prognugator +4
An Antinium Worker whose mind breaks from the strain of chess and newfound desires, turning into a violent Aberration.
aka Aberration, screaming Worker +2
An Antinium Worker of the chess club who gained individuality and took the name Bishop.
An Antinium Worker of the chess club who gained individuality and took the name Vladimir.
An Antinium Worker of the chess club who gained individuality and took the name Calabrian.
aka the Worker
An Antinium Worker of the chess club who gained individuality and took the name Emanuel.
An Antinium Worker of the chess club who gained individuality and took the name Garry.
aka the Worker
An Antinium Worker of the chess club who gained individuality and took the name Milner-Barry.
An Antinium Worker of the chess club who gained individuality and took the name Belgrade.
A type of undead creature armed with magically paralyzing claws.
A class of city guards.
aka Guard, [Guards] +10
A branch of magic dealing with the dead, considered dangerous and illegal.
aka [Necromancer], [Necromancers] +4
A class skilled with spears.
aka [Spearmaster]
A general class for any individual who practices magic.
aka [Mage], [Mages] +2
An archer is a class defined by specialized equipment for ranged combat, as seen with a tall, furry individual in Liscor.
aka an archer, [Archers]
An offensive fire spell cast by Pisces.
aka [Fire Orb]
“Something’s different about him.”
“I mean, he seems different. He acts different. More confident, y’know?”
“Ew! Don’t do that! Just get rid of them outside!”
“Not many bugs around. But it’s winter. Apparently.”
“Am I near the equator?”
“It was the chess. Pawn was totally on the offense this morning! Did you notice that? He was better—I mean, he’s still learning, but he’s taking chances. I can’t wait to see what happens if he and Rags play a game. It’s like he had a massive confidence boost or something. Do you think it was what happened with Ksmvr?”
“Something’s out there.”
“I don’t know where it is. But there’s something. Something bad.”
“Ow! Get out of the way next time!”
“What was that, then?”
“Maybe someone dropped a nuke? Or a magical nuke?”
“It might be nothing. Just—keep an eye out, okay?”
“Survivors! They’re coming! Hold the gates! Hold the gates!”
“Hold the doors!”
“Get them to safety! Gates down! Move, move! Call the Watch Captain! Summon Klbkch—summon the Prognugator! Where’s Olesm? Raise the alarm!”
“Close the gates! Close—”
“C-close…the…”
“Hm. Rags should be here by now.”
“Do you think she forgot?”
“Close the gates!”
“Where the hell are the other guards? Why aren’t those gates closing?”
“Tkrn. What’s happening out there?”
“Fighting, Captain. We’ve closed off the streets like you said. That’s stopping them, but there are larger creatures out there.”
“Crypt Lords. They’re extremely dangerous. Shoot them down if you can. But what about the southern gates? If they’ve fallen—”
“Sorry, Captain. The southern gates are closed, and we’ve got [Archers] shooting down any undead that try to climb up. But all our guards on the north and eastern walls have fled!”
“That doesn’t make sense. I saw those gates closing! What could have…?”
“Close ranks!”
“Are you Human cowards or guardsmen? Put your tails into it!”
“What else?”
“The adventurers are asking what they can do. They’re fighting with our people—but poorly. There aren’t many good teams around. My people have bows. They’re shooting from the rooftops!”
“Have them pick off any stragglers that break through. We’ll hold the line here and push forwards. Now, where’s Relc?”
“He’s holding them off down Tesseract Street.”
“Good. They won’t get through that way, then. But this is insane.”
“We shouldn’t be fighting in the streets! If we can get close to those gates and close them, these undead will die outside the city. Why the hell are they still open?”
“Many of those large things are standing next to the entrance. We cannot kill them, and more keep coming.”
“Crypt Lords standing guard? That’s…”
“The Necromancer?”
“I saw him in the city earlier today. I could track and kill him—”
“Not that idiot. I mean the Necromancer.”
“Oh.”
“If it was him, we’d be dead already. There aren’t any Giants or Bone Horrors or Ghosts or any of the other undead he brought last time. No—this is something else.”
“This area is secure. I’ve got civilians holding bows, and a few mages are catching any Crypt Lords they see. You go and organize the adventurers. Tell Relc I want to see him, and find Olesm! We need his Skills!”
“No one has seen him this day. They saw him leaving the city, but—”
“If he’s here, find him! I’ve got to go. The east streets need help.”
“Begone, pest.”
“Just so we’re clear: I didn’t raise them.”
“You!”
“Ah. Hello to you, receptionist. Don’t wait to thank me for saving your life.”
“I mean you no harm. And this wasn’t my fault! I was in the city all day, and I knew nothing of this—this event.”
“Believe me, ah, Captain. I would never jeopardize my good standing with your city. In fact, I am helping to prove my innocence. I—”
“I believe you.”
“We have countless witnesses who saw the undead emerge from the ruins. Besides, I doubt a [Necromancer] of your level could reanimate more than five bodies, let alone a horde like this.”
“I—”
“Um, that is correct. But this is rather inconvenient, is it not?”
“Are all you Humans as damn crazy as this? Liscor is under attack!”
“They’re just the undead. Quite easy to subdue. I have every confidence your Watch will safeguard innocent civilians like myself.”
“If you’ll excuse me—”
“Oh, no you don’t!”
“You stay here and help! If this wasn’t your fault, then help us!”
“Can you do that back-snapping thing many times?”
“It’s neck snapping, and I have ample mana reserve. I suppose if it means exonerating myself…”
“Good. Do it!”
“I understand. I will help. Stay here and, ah, try not to put an arrow in my back.”
“I assume I will be remunerated appropriately for this?”
“Kill these things and I’ll give you a medal. Now start casting or I’ll slice your damn hands off!”
“I prefer gold, myself.”
“Fall back! Fall back to Tesseract street!”
“[Fire Orb]!”
“W-Wight?”
“Something is wrong.”
“Can’t you feel it? Something is wrong.”
“That’s Liscor. Why is it red over there? Is something burning?”
“I feel—bathroom.”
“Keep an eye on that, okay? If you see anything—”
“Watch the damned Ghouls! They’re strong enough to rip your scales apart if you let them!”
“Where are the damned Antinium?”
“Tkrn! Where are you? Get over here!”
“Here, Captain.”
“Where are the Antinium? Send a message to the Queen at once! We need Soldiers!”
“That will not be necessary, Captain Zevara. We are here.”
“Join the battle. Kill all undead. Retreat if you suffer significant injuries.”
“Watch-Captain Zevara. It is good to see you alive.”
“Where the hell were you? And where are the other Soldiers? I don’t need fifteen of them, I need every single one in your Hive! Bring them out!”
“As this is not a period of war or crises as declared by the Council, I must decline your request. The maximum number of soldiers the Watch Captain is allowed to command is fifty Soldier Antinium and a hundred Workers in a time of crisis.”
“That is exactly what’s happening! Or do you not see the undead? I am authorizing you to bring all your Hive! Bring the Soldiers and all the Workers then! We need barricades, fortifications—”
“I regret to say that is impossible at the moment. I have brought fifteen Soldiers. That is all that can be spared at the moment.”
“Why by the damned Ancestors—”
“The Soldiers guard the entrance to the Hive and the surrounding streets. We will let nothing disturb our Queen. She is in the middle of a critical process. The Rite of Anastases. She is hours—less perhaps—to completion.”
“Your Queen can take her damned ritual or whatever it is and shove it—”
“This is a state of emergency. If we can’t push the undead back soon, they will overrun this place. Your Soldiers can buy us some time, but there’s not enough. We need all fifty and soon. More than that. We need all of them! Talk to your Queen. Tell her we need help!”
“I regret that is impossible. The Queen must not be disturbed at this moment. I am sorry.”
“As soon as our Queen finishes the Rite of Anastases, we will fully cooperate in the defense of the city.”
“The Workers, then. We could use them. Not just for building. If they can fight—”
“They are unable to be summoned as well.”
“Why?”
“The Workers are in rebellion. Many have left the Hive and fought with the Soldiers at the entrance.”
“Already, three have become Aberration. We fear the rest may have as well. They are violent, and many are armed.”
“You’re serious.”
“Very.”
“If we didn’t have a horde of the undead trying to eat us all, I’d be more worried. The citizens are either in their homes or fighting with us. If these Workers kill a few zombies, I won’t shed any tears.”
“I fear the Workers are not in the city any longer. They are moving towards a Human. Erin Solstice.”
“The one who got Klbkch killed?”
“Yes. One of the Aberrations who escaped was intent on killing her.”
“Whatever the reason is, I can’t spare anyone. She’s not a citizen here, and we’re up to our necks in trouble. The Human will be on her own.”
“The Queen is all. She must not be placed in danger. Erin Solstice…is merely important.”
“Will you stay and fight?”
“I will fulfill my duty as Prognugator within Liscor. However, my position will cease in a few hours. Another will take my place.”
“Until then, follow me. We’ve got to use this moment until your Soldiers all die.”
“Anything I can do, Captain?”
“You heard the Ant. Looks like we’ve got no choice. We need to close those gates. Get Relc. He’s the only one who has a chance of cutting his way through. I’ll grab a squad and push up.”
“What is that?”
“Toren?”
“Hey, Toren. Where are you?”
“Hello?”
“Oh. Pawn. It’s just you.”
“Wait a second.”
“Who…are you?”
“H-hello? Can you hear me? Who are you? What do you want?”
“i aM AnTiNium. i haVe a NaMe.”
“You have a name? Um. Good. That’s good, right?”
“I Am iNdivIDuAL. BuT i reJECT. I rejEcT aLL.”
“Reject? Reject what?”
“YOu. ThiS is yOuR FAulT.”
“Me? What did I do?”
“YOU DiD ThiS To me. yOu mAde Me THis waY. For yOU, I did tHis. bUT alL iS SuffERIng.”
“What did I do? I don’t remember—”
“yOU knoW.”
“Please—”
“diE.”
“Stay back! I’m warning you!”
“Please. I mean you no harm.”
“…Pawn?”
“I am not Pawn.”
“I am Knight.”
“Knight?”
“I have named myself. I have chosen. I am Individual, first and last of my kind. I am Knight, and no other is like me. And I am here to protect you. We are here to protect you.”
“I—I don’t know you. I never—”
“Please, Erin Solstice. You must remain calm. We are here to protect you.”
“We?”
“The dead are coming. Please remain inside. We will protect you with our lives.”
“You? But who are you? Where’s Pawn?”
“He was kept in the Hive by the Prognugator. He remains. But we have come. We have chosen. We are Individual.”
“Individual?”
“I have chosen. I am Bishop.”
“I too chose. I have decided. My name is Vladimir.”
“I am Calabrian.”
“I am Emanuel.”
“Call me Garry.”
“I wish to be known as Milner-Barry.”
“Belgrade. I will die for you.”
“We will all die for you. I am Jose.”
“Why are you all here? Why now? Why tonight? What—what’s happening?”
“Fall back! Fall back!”
“Relc attack!”
“Heya, Captain! Mind if I take this one on?”
“Relc!”
“Soldiers, fall back. I’m going to need some room for this.”
“Clear a space. Hold the lines!”
“Not an officer. I hate fighting monsters.”
“The Gecko of Liscor.”
“You bastard! [Triple Thrust]!”
“Here!”
“Thanks.”
“Damn. This isn’t good.”
“Do you know what that thing is?”
“Something ugly? It’s—strong. All that dead flesh is like armor. I need to slice it away to get at what’s underneath. But one touch of those hands—”
“Can you kill it?”
“I can. Maybe. Probably. But give me some of those Antinium just to be safe.”
“The Antinium? Why—”
“The Ants are immune to whatever he’s doing. So am I.”
“Why’s that?”
“[Indomitable Will]. Anyone without a similar Skill should fall back. This thing—it’s projecting fear. Like a Level 30 [Mage]. Higher.”
“I got that. Can you take it out with just them?”
“I can try. But give me more [Archers] and [Mages] to get rid of the undead. I can’t have them on my back and that thing.”
“Just stop it for now while I call a retreat. We’ll set up another street and give you a chance—”
“Yeah, that’s right! Run! Run! Finally met someone with too many scales for ya, huh? Run away and…wait a second.”
“It’s…leaving?”
“He must sense you’re a threat.”
“This creature is highly intelligent, guardsmen. It won’t fight anything that can resist its fear effect and poses a credible threat. Perhaps it could win, but it won’t risk that.”
“Most of the more valuable undead specimens have some kind of survival function built into it. I surmise this being may be the same.”
“Being? It’s not undead?”
“No.”
“Okay, but where is that thing going? Is it going back into the ruins or do we have to worry about reinforcements now? Even without that monster, we’re still up to our ears in undead!”
“I don’t know! I don’t know!”
“Perhaps it seeks to wear us down first! Or maybe it goes after easier prey! I can’t tell!”
“Well, that’s just great. If it comes back with another horde, we’re cooked. But what could it want if it wants more victims? There’s only a few farming villages around here and they’re almost all north or west, not east. So where—”
“Oh no.”
“Erin.”
“It just—”
“Fall back!”