SSS-Ranked Evolution: Worlds Unbound-Chapter 36: The Throne Of Darkness.
The rest of the night was used for the rest and at the first crack of dawn, the trio had set out to move. To penetrate into the palace with the help of the tigress. She had told them her name; Vidalia. The name was one Von had not been able to get out of his head, and his mouth. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her either. To him, she was so magnificent, and he wished he got to stare at her longer before they resumed their mission.
They were covered in dirt and gunk from the battles and the trials they had faced but as they swerved through bushes and trees, they all felt closer to the throne. The further they moved, the more structures greeted them. Once towering and great, now covered with decay, and destructive life. Dalia paused for a hot moment and took a deep breath, they had successfully moved away from the thick vegetation and into the space that used to be the centre of their land. There, many people came to buy and sell, perform, and it was like a town, bustling with life.
There were not as many wild shrubs growing, but it was not absent. The roads were smoother, but it also meant the monsters could see them in plain sight if they’re not careful enough. Almost too soon, they were forced to sprint behind a structure as one passed by. It looked like the combination of corpses, with many decaying heads forming its body and limbs as its locomotive.
"It watches, to make sure no unidentified entity gets to the throne." Dalia enlightened them in a hushed tone, it had almost spotted them, but it sensed that something was around so it lingered a bit longer.
"It is hideous." Von made the snark remark and almost like it heard, its many heads snapped to where they were hiding, and the massive creature began to take sluggish steps towards the abandoned structure. Their hearts picked up in rates and the boys slowly drew their weapons knowing that if it caught them, they would have to fight, but it abruptly stopped. Looking elsewhere and turning away from its initial direction.
Dalia released the breath she had been holding, a look of horror etched into her expression. Despite being in the wasteland for years, the look of these creatures had not worn on her. Each of them was more hideous than the last, and she constantly fought not to puke.
"We need to sneak to the palace, without them suspecting anything. There are hundreds if not thousands of these creatures, we cannot fight all of them. So follow my lead." The boys nodded at her words and she led the path forward while they followed stealthy behind. As they passed through structure to structure, Ren got a glimpse of what the land could have possibly been like before The Corruption. He could still see the colours on the walls, despite the sky being a dull grey, almost like the sun never shined in these parts of the North.
As they passed through a structure, Ren caught sight of what looked like boxes drawn on the floor, and a deserted doll that had experienced the wear and tear of time. His heart flinched, but he tore his gaze away from it, he could not be weak, but his mind wondered what could have happened to the cub.
They made their way through what used to be houses and infiltrated the throne but not from the front entrance, through one of the broken windows on the side. The air was heavy, thick with the sickly-sweet stench of decay. Every breath felt like inhaling the essence of corruption. The walls, once adorned with intricate carvings and golden inlays, were now scarred and broken. Blackened claw marks marred their surfaces, and thick veins of shadowy rot crept along the cracks, pulsing faintly like the arteries of some dark, living thing.
The grand hall stretched before them, its vastness swallowed by the gloom. Shards of ancient glass from shattered windows lay scattered across the floor, their colours dull and lifeless. Once, those windows had painted the floors with kaleidoscopic light. Now, the only illumination came from the dim, malevolent glow emanating from the throne itself. The rest of the space was cast in shades of gray and black, punctuated by grotesque scenes of horror.
Twisted creatures slithered and skulked in the shadows, their eyes glowing with an unholy light. Some feasted on the remains of long-dead bodies, their gnarled, sinewy limbs tearing into flesh with sickening wet sounds. The corpses—human, tiger, and beast alike—lay scattered, half-consumed, their faces frozen in eternal agony. The creatures that fed on them seemed to grow stronger with each bite, their grotesque forms bulging and shifting unnaturally as they absorbed the death that surrounded them.
The floor was slick with unidentifiable filth, a mix of blood, bile, and black ichor that seeped from both the corpses and the palace itself. Puddles of the vile substance glistened in the dim light, reflecting the grotesque forms of the monsters as they moved about. The sound of dripping echoed in the vast emptiness, a haunting rhythm that seemed to sync with the pulsing rot in the walls.
At the heart of it all stood the throne, an abomination of power and despair. Its once-polished surface was now coated in a thick layer of grime and filth, the intricate carvings of tigers barely visible beneath the decay. Broken chains hung from its arms, rusted and corroded, their purpose lost to time but ominous nonetheless. Corpses, both fresh and skeletal, were piled around its base in a macabre offering. Some were impaled on jagged spikes that jutted out from the throne’s base, their lifeless eyes staring into the void.
A black aura radiated from the throne, visible even to the naked eye. It swirled like smoke, tendrils of shadow curling and twisting through the air. The energy it exuded was suffocating, pressing down on them with an oppressive weight. It whispered to them, a low, malevolent hum that crawled into their minds and threatened to consume their will.
"This is it. This is the heart of darkness." her eyes shook softly, clouded with tears to see something that was so beautiful, now in ruins. Von had just jumped over a puddle of bile and was doing his best not to puke, they both looked at Ren who summoned a fist of pure energy.
"Time for some deep cleaning." The moment Ren stepped closer to the corrupted throne, a deep rumble echoed through the chamber. The eerie blue light dimmed as countless skeletal hands clawed their way out of the ground. Their fingers were jagged, their nails like blackened hooks tearing through the stone floor. One lunged at Von, its bony claws piercing his arm. He let out a sharp cry of pain, blood dripping down as the hand twisted and refused to let go.
Suddenly, a grotesque horde began to emerge. The creatures were like distorted reflections of humanity, their bodies twisted and bent unnaturally, resembling the figure from nightmares. Their heads dangled upside down, mouths filled with rows of jagged, shark-like teeth, gnashing hungrily. Their limbs were elongated, clawed hands and feet skittering across the floor in jerky, spider-like movements. Their ragged skin was pale and bruised, veins pulsating with an otherworldly, sickly green glow. The monsters’ forms made them unpredictable as they twisted and spun in the air, launching themselves at the trio with movements that defied logic.
"Scatter!!" Ren shouted, stepping away from Dalia and Von in a desperate jump. But the creatures didn’t give them a moment to regroup after they had pulled apart.
One lunged at Ren, its claws slashing downward. He sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the attack, and retaliated with a burst of energy that blasted the creature backward. Dalia drew her natural weapons, her claws, their edges gleaming with a faint magical glow, and charged into the fray. She was a blur of movement, slashing through the grotesque forms with surgical precision. Despite her skill, the creatures’ sheer numbers overwhelmed her. One managed to grab her ankle, and she swiftly spun, severing its limb in a single stroke. Yet, more poured in.
Von, despite his injury, gritted his teeth and fought valiantly. He used his kunai with deadly efficiency, but his movements grew sluggish as blood loss took its toll. A monster leapt at him, jaws wide open, but Dalia intercepted it mid-air, driving both claws into its chest. "Stay behind me!!" she yelled, spinning to slice through another approaching creature.
The monsters’ relentless assault pushed the trio back. They came from every direction, their gnashing teeth and clawed limbs a constant threat. Ren summoned another wave of energy, slamming it into the horde. The force disintegrated several of the creatures, but more emerged, crawling through cracks in the walls and ceiling.
Dalia’s movements became more desperate. She fought like a whirlwind, spinning and dodging, her blades singing through the air. But a swipe from one of the creatures caught her shoulder, tearing through her skin and drawing blood. She staggered but held her ground, "We can’t hold them off forever!" her eyes darted all around before settling on Von who was struggling after piling up multiple bodies of the creatures.
Von fell to one knee, clutching his injured arm. A creature lunged for him, but Dalia was faster. Her eyes caught sight of an abandoned sword and hurled it, impaling it in the chest. She dashed to his side, retrieving forgetting the weapon in the monster as she helped him to his feet. "You’re badly wounded..." what looked like tears pooled in her eyes, her hands shaking slightly. She hesitated before she tore off some part of the shirt he had given her and used it to patch the exposed skin that oozes blood.
Ren’s heart pounded as he saw his friends faltering. The monsters were endless, their numbers overwhelming. With a roar, he summoned every ounce of energy he had left, releasing a massive wave that swept through the chamber. The creatures screeched as they were obliterated, but the effort left Ren staggering, his breath ragged. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
He turned to check on Von who was trying to stand on his feet, wanting to help him up, but before he could speak, a sharp pain exploded in his chest. Ren gasped, looking down to see Von’s kunai buried just above his breast. He stumbled backward, growling in pain, and looked into Von’s eyes. What he saw wasn’t his friend—it was something hollow, controlled, filled with darkness.
"What the hell was that for?!" Dalia screamed at Von whose eyes had now darkened with an aura that was strange yet familiar.
"Friend..." Ren whispered, clutching his wound. His vision blurred as he realized the true extent of the battle. His friend wasn’t just a casualty—he was now another threat.
"Submit to the corruption, or face destruction."
