Chapter 53: vs. Demon King Gorgon

Chapter 53: vs. Demon King Gorgon Meanwhile, in the department store kill-box, Isabelle’s world had narrowed to the next swing of her sword, the next parry, the next desperate gasp for air. BOOM! She ducked under the club of an Ogre, the wind from its passage shrieking in her ears. She came up, driving her dark blade, Dáinsleif, into the creature’s side. The impact was a sharp, final crack. A small shockwave rippled out, and the Ogre collapsed. But her victory was short-lived. Another took its place, its face a mask of stupid fury. "How many more are there?!" Reina yelled, her knuckles bloody. She was fighting with a savage economy of motion, but even her explosive power was being worn down by the sheer, unending number of targets. "They have to run out eventually!" Fenris howled, tearing the arm off an Ogre that had gotten too close. They had formed a tight circle, a tiny island of defiance in a sea of green-skinned rage. They were losing. Slowly, inexorably, they were being ground down. Chloe and her team crept down a long, dark hallway. The flickering lights above them made strange shadows move along the floor and ceiling. Every step they took was slow and careful. They knew this path was full of traps, thin wires that could release poison darts, pressure plates that could trigger alarms, or worse, summon more Ogres. No one spoke. The only sounds were the soft rustles of their gear and the faint buzzing of the overhead lights. Each step felt louder than it should. Chloe’s heart pounded in her chest, and she had to remind herself to keep breathing. "Almost there," she whispered, mostly to herself. They had been moving through these back tunnels for what felt like hours, avoiding guards, dodging traps, and staying in the shadows. Now they were finally close. The Transfer Array was just ahead, a powerful device that the tyrant had used to send Ogres into battle upstairs. The hallway ended at a massive metal door. It was taller than any of them and wide enough for two Ogres to walk through side by side. Strange green runes glowed on its surface. They pulsed with a soft light, like the beat of a heart. Chloe didn’t need anyone to tell her this was it,the entrance to the Transfer Array. Chloe opened it. The door gave a low, grinding groan. A moment later, it began to open. CLANG! The sound echoed down the hall like thunder. Everyone flinched. If anyone was nearby, they’d definitely heard that. Inside was a large, open chamber. The first thing Chloe saw was the round platform in the center. Strange symbols glowed faintly across its surface, and lines of green light pulsed outward from the middle. At the center of the platform stood a huge crystal. It was tall, jagged, and glowing with energy. The entire room buzzed softly, like something alive. The Transfer Array. Beautiful, and dangerous. But they weren’t alone. Three Ogres stood inside the room. Two were near the platform, leaning on their massive clubs, looking bored. The third sat on a raised seat at the back. The moment the big door opened, all three turned toward it. Their eyes went wide. Their muscles tensed. They roared in surprise and fury. Chloe reacted fast. "Plan B," she whispered sharply. Before the Ogres could charge, Reina and Fenris burst from the shadows on either side of the door. Chloe raised her bow, already holding three arrows between her fingers. She let them fly. THWIP! THWIP! THWIP! Two arrows slammed into the first two Ogres. One hit a shoulder, the other buried itself in a thick neck. Both Ogres crashed to the floor with loud, painful groans. But the third Ogre was faster. He raised his club just in time. The third arrow struck wood and metal with a loud CRACK! and shattered. The Ogre roared and rushed at them. Fenris was already moving. He’s claws flashing. He slashed at the Ogre’s legs, trying to trip it. Reina’s hand lit with orange fire. With a shout, she hurled a burst of flame into the Ogre’s back. The creature staggered, growling in pain as its skin burned. Chloe ran forward. She drew her sword and aimed low. With a hard swing, she sliced into the Ogre’s knee. The creature dropped to the ground with a howl, swinging its club wildly, trying to hit anything nearby. But Chloe wasn’t done. She stood over the Ogre, breathing hard, blade ready in case it got up again. Then came a loud, blaring alarm. Red lights flashed along the ceiling, and deep roars echoed down the halls. "Reinforcements," Chloe said, eyes wide. She turned toward the hallway and saw shadows moving in the distance. More Ogres were on the way, and fast. Her heart sank, but only for a moment. Fenris looked at her and gave a sharp nod. "Go!" he barked. "We’ll hold them." Chloe turned and sprinted to the center of the platform. The crystal buzzed with energy. She placed her hand on its surface. It felt cold and rough, almost like stone and metal mixed together. Power hummed beneath her palm, sending tingles up her arm. Behind her, she heard fighting, Fenris growling, Reina shouting, the Ogre howling in pain. But Chloe shut her eyes and focused. Her Master’s voice filled her mind like a whisper in the wind. She could feel the commands waiting in the crystal, the pathways that brought Ogres to the upper floors. She reached out with her thoughts, found the right one, and cut it off. The change was instantaneous. One moment, Isabelle was preparing to meet the charge of three more Ogres pouring from the service entrance. The next... there were no more Ogres. The entrance was empty. The seemingly endless tide had stopped. Silence descended on the room, broken only by the ragged, panting breaths of the Wrecking Crew. They stood amidst a mountain of Ogre corpses, confused but alive. "What happened?" Reina gasped, leaning on her knees. "Did he run out?" Isabelle looked towards the now-silent entrance, a slow, tired smile spreading across her face. "No," she said. "Phase two has begun." A voice echoed in her mind, cold and clear. It was Lord Ragnar. The highway is clear, Commander. I think it’s time you took a little trip. Isabelle nodded to her exhausted team. "Our turn," she said. They walked over to the now-quiet Transfer Array on their side of the battle. She had no idea how it worked, but she trusted her master. She stepped onto the stone platform. The world dissolved into a dizzying swirl of green and black light. The sensation lasted only a second. They materialized in a new place. They were in a large, opulent room, gaudily decorated with gold-painted furniture and animal skins. Piles of bones were strewn in the corners. And sitting on a throne made of melted, stacked televisions, a half-eaten leg of some unfortunate creature in his hand, was Gorgon the Tyrant. He looked up, his single tusk stained with grease, his eyes wide with pure, unadulterated shock as five of his most hated enemies appeared in the dead center of his private throne room. The half-eaten leg dropped from his hand. Isabelle raised Dáinsleif, its dark metal humming with deadly intent. "Hello there," she said, her voice like ice.