The battlefield fell deathly silent. The grotesque monsters, so relentless moments ago, stood motionless.
Their twisted forms shifted slightly, not with aggression, but with reverence reverence as if paying their respect to the massive colossus advancing through the veil of smoke and fire.
Its footfalls were thunderous, each one sending tremors through the earth. The flames licking at its vine-covered body extinguished with a hiss, as though even fire dared not defy its presence.
Its form towered over the rundown houses—a grotesque amalgamation of roots, vines, and petrified wood shaped into a mockery of a humanoid figure.
At its center, a crimson core pulsed like a beating heart, bathing its surroundings in an eerie, malevolent glow.
The men standing on the front lines felt their courage evaporate, their weapons sagging in weary hands before falling on the ground.
Barret, who had roared defiance against the monsters earlier, now lowered his axe, his broad shoulders trembling.
A heavy silence descended upon the village, broken only by the steady thud of the colossus's footsteps.
Even the children in the chapel stopped crying, their terror replaced by an oppressive, choking despair.
"I…" Barret's voice cracked, his usual strength gone. "I'm going to see my family."
He turned and walked away, his axe dragging uselessly behind him. The other men didn't stop him. They couldn't.
Lucian watched, his chest tightening as Barret disappeared into the chapel.
In front, old Agnes wept silently, her frail arms wrapped around her ailing husband.
His body was too weak to fight, yet he had emerged from the chapel, his face lined with sorrow.
"Stay with me till the end," Agnes whispered, her voice trembling. Tears streamed down her weathered cheeks, falling onto her husband's chest as she cradled him close.
Soft cries began to ripple through the crowd. Mothers hugged their children tightly, whispering broken words of comfort. Fathers sat in stunned silence, their eyes hollow.
Marcus suddenly clung to Lucian, burying his face in his chest. The boy's entire body trembled like a leaf in the wind.
"Father…" Marcus's voice was a choked sob. "Thank you for everything."
Lucian froze, his breath caught in his throat.
"I… I never had a home before," Marcus continued. His tears soaked through Lucian's robes. "I was just a street rat. An orphan. A nobody. But you… you made me someone… Thank you."
A lump formed in Lucian's throat. He wanted to say something, anything, but the words wouldn't come. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms.
Shit! Is this it?
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Is this really the end?
He looked at Marcus, at the villagers huddled together in despair, at the towering colossus slowly making its way toward them.
I can't die yet!
Not when I'm only starting.
His mind raced, desperately grasping for a solution.
Think! Think!
He scanned the scene, searching for anything that could save them. But all he saw was despair.
The men had lost their will to fight. The barricades were in splinters. The massive monster loomed closer with each passing second.
"No…" Lucian whispered, his voice trembling. "Is that even something a human can defeat?"
His knees wobbled as the weight of reality crashed down on him.
It's impossible.
Only a god can face that.
The answer hit him like a hammer to the head. His eyes widened as the thought solidified.
A god… That's it!
Lucian's hands trembled as he clasped them together. His lips moved silently at first, but his thoughts quickly became a frantic plea.
System!
I don't know what kind of entity you are, but assuming you're the one who sent me to this world…
Surely you have the power to stop that thing, right?
System!
God!
Please… help us!
*
*
*
A flicker of light appeared in front of him.
Then another.
And another.
*
[Ov$r!d!ng Syst3m]
[Ov$r!de Fa!l%d]
[Ov$r!d!ng Syst3m]
*
Suddenly, a glitched panels materialized, its letters distorted and interspersed with random symbols.
"What...is this?" he muttered under his breath, the faint echoes of his voice swallowed by the eerie silence.
The interface trembled before his eyes, lines of code stuttering and twisting.
*
[Ov$r!d!ng Syst3m]
[Ov$r!de Fa!l%d]
[Ov$r!d!ng Syst3m]
[Ov$r!de Fa!l%d]
[Ov$r!d!ng Syst3m]
[Ov$r!de Fa!l%d]
[Ov$r!d!ng Syst3m]
[Ov$r!de Fa!l%d]
[Ov$r!d!ng Syst3m]
[Ov$r!de Fa!l%d]
[Ov$r!d!ng Syst3m]
[Ov$r!de Fa!l%d]
[Ov$r!d!ng Syst3m]
*
Lucian's heart sank as the words repeated over and over, the screen flickering erratically.
Is it malfunctioning? Now? When we need it the most?!
The cycle repeated endlessly, a relentless tug-of-war between unseen forces, until—
[Syst3m Ovv3rr!de Succ#$$fu|]
Lucian felt a sharp pain lance through his temple as the interface stabilized.
[Mission Recalibrating]
[Recalibration Successful]
Then, with a hollow chime, the message crystallized before him:
[Mission Updated]
[Mission: Feed the Flock]
His lips parted, a bitter chuckle escaping. "Feed the flock? Now? When everyone's going to die?"
But before he could delve deeper into his frustration, another alert followed, crisp and final.
[Bless the Lands 0/1 Hectares]
Without any deliberate action, an unnatural warmth surged through him.
Hope.
Could it be?
He watched in bates breath as the progress bar ticked forward.
[Bless the Lands 1/1 Hectares]
[Mission Complete]
[You have obtained Authority: Sedes Apostolica]
[Will you activate the Authority?]
[Warning: You are unqualified to use this Authority. Activating it will result in serious injury, permanent disability, or death.]
[Will you proceed?]
Lucian stared at the warning, his breathing shallow.
Marcus tugged at his sleeve, his voice trembling. "Father?"
Lucian placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, his expression firm despite the terror clawing at his insides.
"Marcus," he said, his voice steady. "Stop crying. We will not die here."
Marcus's tear-streaked face tilted up toward him. "R-Really?"
"Yes."
[Consent acknowledged.]
[Activating Authority...]
*
*
*
The interface went silent for a heartbeat. Then, a single phrase materialized:
[Please don't die]
A blinding beam of light erupted from Lucian, piercing through the darkness like a lance from the heavens.
The sacred ground around the chapel surged with divine power, illuminating the entire battlefield.
The monsters shrieked as the light enveloped them, their twisted forms disintegrating into ash.
The blessed earth expanded outward, and walls of light rose around, forming a radiant barrier that burned every monstrosity that dared cross its threshold.
The colossus halted mid-step, its massive body trembling as the light seared its vines.
"It's a miracle!"
"God has delivered us from harm!"
The villagers fell to their knees in awe, tears streaming down their faces as they clasped their hands in prayer.
All except Marcus.
"Father!" he cried, pointing at Lucian.
Blood dripped from Lucian's eyes. It seeped from every pore, every orifice, staining his robes a deep crimson.
Blood?
Lucian swayed on his feet, his vision swimming.
Shit…
His knees buckled, and Marcus caught him as he collapsed.
"Father! Please, someone help!" Marcus screamed, his voice cracking.
Lucian's vision dimmed, his body heavy as lead. He tried to move, but his limbs refused to obey.
No… I can't stop just yet.
His thoughts grew sluggish, his breathing labored.
I still have to kill that monster...
The world around him faded, the sounds muffled and distant.
Move!
Move!
But his body wouldn't respond.
Fuck.
This feeling…
I know it.
Lucian's mind drifted to a memory, a cold sensation creeping over him.
That day…
This is…
The ringing in his ears grew louder, drowning out Marcus's desperate cries.
Death.
