Thurars (I)

[Gustang get out of that building!]

There was no reason for me to ask why in this situation, I instinctively rushed to Clara's side and scooped her up in my arms, holding her like a princess. Without a second thought, I leaped out of the window, feeling the rush of wind as we plummeted towards the ground.

[By the power of the arcane and the forces that bind the universe,

I call upon the energies of the earth, air, fire, and water.

Leviosar altilium, rise above the ground and take flight,

Let my spirit soar, and my will be unbound.]

"Everything around me was a blur as I fell from the 12th floor of the hotel, the ground hurtling towards me at an alarming rate. But then, just as suddenly, I felt myself slowing down, as if caught by an invisible force. In an instant, I was weightless, holding Clara in my arms as we floated just inches above the ground.

My heart raced as I realized that my incantation had worked, but just barely. Had I been even a moment too late, we both would have been reduced to a pulp upon impact. As relief flooded through me, I focused on gently lowering us back to the ground, every muscle in my body straining with the effort.

For better or worse, we had cheated death.

"Wait, I'm pretty sure it was still day time why is it this dark?"

[I didn't expect them to arrive this early]

"What do you mean?"

[The invasion of the Thurars marks the beginning of the end. These entities are among the first to arrive in our world, having been closest to the reality wall when it shattered, and as a result, they've already infiltrated our reality with alarming speed. Their arrival is just the first stage of a cataclysmic event that threatens to unravel our very existence.]

"How much are there approximately?"

[Billions take it or leave it.]

"Double it and give it to the next person."

"Gus… tang what did you just do?"

"Uh... I need to explain everything later. For now, please find a safe place to hide and take as many people with you as possible!" I warned Clara urgently, trying to keep my voice calm despite the sense of impending danger.

As I spoke, my gaze shifted upwards towards the window of the room I was in, only to find a Thurar glaring down at me.

[Rather than targeting the heart, which can regenerate, focus on the head and brain to bring it to an end.] advised me Brook, as I was planning to [create] a flame spear.

[By the power of the eternal flame, I call upon the spirits of fire to lend me their strength. Ignite this spear with your fury and grant it the power to vanquish all who oppose me. So, mote it be.] I recited as fast as possible before it could reach me.

I reached out and grasped the half-formed flame spear as it materialized before me. With a flick of my wrist, I hurled the weapon towards my opponent, aiming for the Thurar's weak spot with an accuracy I developed while learning Wushu.

The spear sliced through the air, leaving a trail of blazing fire in its wake, until it struck the Thurar right in the center of its forehead, to avoid the falling corpse, I jumped backwards two meters.

The Thurar fell in front of me, still twitching and crawling in place. I swiftly thrust my spear into its forehead and twisted it, eliciting a faint khrjik from the creature. It stopped moving, and I pulled my spear back.

I stood there; I was shocked by my own performance. It was strange, I thought, that I could feel guilty for stepping on an ant by mistake, yet feel no sense of guilt or fear from killing this eldritch being.

But this was not the end. As I looked up, I saw a massive army of Thurars stretching endlessly in the sky, rushing towards the ground to feed on us…

I heard Clara's voice behind me, shouting for everyone to follow her to a nearby hideout. She was leading the evacuation of the one-star civilians who were staying in the hotel.

"don't misunderstand me Gustang." She said as she stood behind me, then added "I'm not upset that you didn't tell me about your ability, I'm upset at the fact that I can't recognise it, after this let's have a conversation"

"Ah… sure let's meet at Sebastien's cafeteria"

.

.

.

As I focused on my determination, I started running. I ran and ran, watching in all directions as people screamed and fell in pain but continued to fight. As I ran, I killed three Thurars in my way. Just two days ago, I was powerless, but now I had a newfound strength and resolve.

I continued to run, scanning for anyone in need of help. I searched for children, elderly individuals, and women who may be more vulnerable in the chaos. As for men, I trusted that they were warriors and could handle themselves in the fight. I knew that I had to act quickly to get as many people to safety as possible, and I pushed my body to its limits as I raced towards the next group of survivors.

"Target their heads! That's their weakness!" I shouted to the other fighters, hoping that they could hear me over the chaos of battle. We had to take down billions of Thurars quickly, and targeting their weak spots was our best chance.

As I scanned the battlefield, I noticed Liam in the far distance, suspended in the air and taking down a couple of Them by smashing their heads with gravitational forces the problem is that they came from the space so it needs a high force to defeat them.

Ruby was backing him up, using her ability to teleport between shadow gates and strike at their weaknesses with precision. It was clear that she had learned this tactic through multiple tries.

"They can handle themselves," I thought, watching as the three-star and four-star blessed took down tens of Thurars without breaking a sweat. As I made sure that everything was alright on their side, I decided to move on.

But then I heard a faint cry for help. Amidst the chaos and screams, a single voice in true pain called out to me. I knew that I couldn't ignore it, even with everything else going on.

"H… elp..." I heard a woman's voice, gasping for aid. Following the sound, I arrived at the scene, but I couldn't locate the source of the cry.

Then, I realized it was coming from under the rubble of a small building.

[Mighty forces of the earth and sky,

lend me your power, hear my cry.

Grant me the strength of a thousand men,

to overcome any obstacle again and again.

With this surge of energy, I shall stand tall,

and conquer all challenges, big or small.]

After reciting the strength boost incantation, I felt a surge of power coursing through my body. I lifted the boulder and cleared the rubble, only to be met with a heart-wrenching scene. A mother lay before me, injured and bleeding, with a gaping wound in her back. I quickly removed the rubble from around her and lifted her out of the hole she was trapped in. As I did, I noticed two small children lying unconscious beside her. They were less injured than their mother, but it was clear that she had taken the brunt of the damage to protect them.

[By the power of light and life,

I call upon the forces of healing,

to mend and soothe all wounds and strife,

and bring renewed strength and feeling.

With each word I speak, with each breath I take,

I channel the power of divine grace,

to restore what is broken, and heal what is ailing,

and bring peace to this troubled place.

So let this magic flow through me,

and mend what is hurt, and make whole what is torn,

let the power of healing set us free,

and restore what was lost, and make us reborn.]

As I cast the healing incantation to mend the injuries of the mother and her children, the words I spoke began to take shape. However, before the spell could fully manifest, there was a sudden shattering sound, and a sharp, searing pain exploded in my head. I cried out in agony, feeling as though someone were breaking open my skull and clawing at my brain with bare hands.

As the pain in my head became too much to bear, the space around me suddenly distorted and everything went pitch black. It was as though I had been transported to another realm entirely. Then, a voice - eerie and disembodied - spoke to me.

"A reality anchor has been applied successfully," it intoned.

A rea…lity…Anchor?????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Then, the pitch-black scene gradually faded, and the space around me began to brighten. I was once again able to see the chaotic world around me, with buildings on fire and people screaming in pain.

[Gustang? What the hell just happened to you] Brook's voice echoed in my head, as I was recovering from the brain damage I just received.