Dorian's eyes widened with determination as he swiftly pivoted to his side. He barely managed to evade the plummeting, worm-like creature that swung down from above.
With a resounding thud, the beast crashed into the ground exactly where he had stood just moments before, the impact sending debris flying in all directions and obliterating everything in its immediate vicinity.
Heart pounding, he cast a fleeting glance at the chaos left in the creature's wake.
Without wasting a second, he pushed off the ground, sprinting toward a nearby building. With a powerful leap, he soared onto the rooftop, landing with agility.
Run, run, run, run, run, Dorian started running.
As he reached the end of the railing, he leapt over to the next building, then to the next one after that.
Behind him, monstrous, worm-like creatures began to erupt from the collapsing structures, sending shards of debris flying in every direction as the buildings cracked and crumbled.
Each of these writhing beasts slithered toward Dorian, eager to tear into his flesh.
At the front of these nightmarish creatures were rows of razor-sharp teeth that quivered with glee.
Without looking back, Dorian sprinted ahead, refusing to become food for these grotesque horrors.
As Dorian leapt to another building, he suddenly saw another giant worm erupting right in front of him.
Behind him, more worms were closing in with alarming speed.
Dorian gnashed his molars and His heart began to pound like a war drum.
This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. This is bad.
Dorian despaired.
Finding no other escape, Dorian decided to stand his ground, gritting his teeth. Just as the worms were about to crash into him, he jumped sideways.
The massive worms collided with one another, sending violent shockwaves rippling through the air.
Dorian staggered back from the impact, grabbing hold of the railing for support.
The worms quickly adjusted their focus, searching for the small human.
"..."
Their unseen gazes settled on Dorian, causing him to shudder.
One of the worms shot forward with terrifying speed.
Its jaws clamped down on Dorian.
Fuck!
Dorian cursed inwardly.
But just then a bright light shot out from one of the buildings.
It pierced straight through the worm's head just before it could devour him.
Flesh and a strange yellow liquid exploded across Dorian's face and the surrounding rubble.
The remaining giant worms froze, as if gripped by hesitation and confusion.
Dorian looked toward the source of the light.
Before he knew, more and more light flashed from high above,
Spears of searing light crashed from the sky like divine wrath!
Each blast tore through the flesh of the gigantic worms. Chunks of translucent meat the size of cars sped out.
Within minutes, all the gigantic worms in the surrounding vicinity were annihilated, leaving only yellow pus-covered flesh and intestines scattered around.
Dorian covered in fleshy remains of the worms, sat limply on the cracked floor, his eyes vacant.
Raspey breath echoed in the deathly silent environment.
…
Three shadowy figures descended upon the remains of a massive worm, their gaze locking onto a lone young man seated on the ground, slathered in slime and translucent flesh.
Instantly on high alert, they raised weapons resembling oversized crossbows and aimed them at him.
"Hey! Who are you?!" one of them shouted, their strange weapon pointed in his direction.
Without responding, the young man suddenly convulsed, then doubled over in a fit of violent coughing.
Dorian vomited out a yellowish-white liquid, the remains of his undigested food.
Then, his eyes started darting from the armed intruders to the ground, wearing a bewildered expression.
"Who are you?!" another man barked.
"..."
Dorian was unable to answer his question.
Not getting a reply, one of the men stepped forward, and shouted, "Show me your [curse] now!!"
Curse? What curse?
Dorian pondered to himself, confusion clouding his thoughts.
Caught off guard by their demands, he chose to remain silent.
"..."
But then, a thought struck him.
Slowly lowering the fabric that covered his chest, he exposed the translucent membrane, jagged bones, and a pulsating heart beneath. The three figures gasped in unison.
"What kind of [Curse] is that?" one of them inquired, eyes wide with curiosity, "What kind of ability does it have?"
Dorian paused, considering the question before answering truthfully, "I have no idea."
They stood still for a moment, then cautiously approached Dorian, their weapons still at the ready.
"What are you doing here, beyond the walls? How did you get here?" one of them asked, still wary of Dorian.
"Uh, I can't remember," Dorian replied, feigning amnesia. It seemed like the only plausible answer he could come up with at that moment.
They exchanged meaningful glances before one of them stepped back and began murmuring something under his breath, as if communicating with someone through a device.
The other two remained vigilant, their unfamiliar weapons still trained on him.
After nearly a minute, the one in the back cautiously moved forward and whispered something to one of the two in front.
Then, one of them extended his hand toward Dorian and said, "Come with us; we can help you."
Dorian was wary at first, but feeling that they were his only hope of escaping this city of worms, he held back his suspicions and thought of going with them. He can face whatever problem comes up after this when the time comes. Right now, he had to find refuge from these gigantic worms.
As Dorian grasped the enigmatic figure's hand, he felt an uneasy cold in their touch, as if he was touching a dead man.
In that instant, featherless wings, sleek and shimmering, began to unfurl from the figure's back, stretching wide like batwings.
With a powerful leap, they surged into the air, lifting Dorian off the ground. He felt a rush of exhilaration coursing through him as they ascended, the ground falling away beneath their feet.
"...!"
Dorian let out an involuntary gasp, as the world stretched out below him like a vibrant tapestry.
From this stunning vantage point, he surveyed the sprawling cityscape below, where crumbling, rundown buildings dotted the landscape, painting a picture reminiscent of an apocalyptic dystopia.
But what captured his attention the most was the colossal wall that loomed in the distance, its sheer height almost reaching for the heavens themselves.
The towering structure appeared formidable, casting an imposing shadow over the land, and Dorian felt an intriguing mixture of fear and curiosity as they flew toward it.
…
In a slightly messy office, Officer Neal reclined in his rusty chair, which creaked under his weight, behind a desk that seemed drowning in paperwork. Piles of documents, reports, and various stationery cluttered the surface.
In the corner of the table was an unusual creature. It resembled a crow with deer antlers on its head.
Officer Neal furrowed his brow in concentration, his mind racing.
After receiving information about an unexpected movement in the 10th Ward beyond the walls, known informally as Worm City, he promptly dispatched three of his most capable officers to assess the situation.
They were well-trained and had experience dealing with such occurrences. Still, it seemed they had already stumbled into a problematic situation that made them engage in battle right after their departure.
The worms in the Worm City were typically known for their lethargic nature, preferring to stay low-key and shunning unnecessary movement. They usually thrived in secrecy, avoiding confrontation unless necessary.
What could have provoked them?
With a frustrated groan escaping his lips, Officer Neal leaned forward, rubbing his temples as he muttered, "What on earth is taking them so long to report back?" He felt a nagging worry creeping in.
Just as he finished his mutterings, the antlers on the Crow began to produce faint clacking sounds amidst vibrations, and a raspy voice echoed out.
In the worm city?! A human outside the walls?! How is that even possible?!
Officer Neal was taken aback by the message from one of his subordinates.
There's no way someone can get beyond the walls.
The world beyond walls is a zone that lies outside the Angels' territory. For a human with an unknown origin to emerge indicates a serious anomaly.
Something is definitely wrong with that human. What should I do? What orders should I give them?
With confusion swirling in his mind, Officer Neal struggled to grasp the implications of this development and prepare appropriate orders for his team.
After a moment of uncertainty, he reached out and touched one of the Crow's antlers, asking with a hint of worry,
"Is he hostile?" Neal asked, anxiety creeping into his voice.
"Can he be communicated with?" he pressed.
"Then listen closely. Restrain him with miasma chains and bring him inside the walls. Stay alert at all times, and make sure he doesn't do anything suspicious."
With this brief exchange concluded, Officer Neal made a tough decision to go himself and assess what this human beyond the walls was like!