Blight Crawler

'What now?'Aquarius thought, sweat running down his spine. The sight of the hunched ripper hadn't left his mind yet. But now, another sound was creeping into his awareness—one that had a high probability of being another monster.

He glanced around, crouched between seemingly ordinary rubble.

As the sound grew closer, he realized it wasn't human. Another creature had found them. Aquarius gripped Ina's hand and ran toward a dimly lit corridor to his left. His body trembled at the sound of loud footsteps, but he paid it no mind.

Entering the door, he quickly scanned the room, noticing the lack of immediate threat. Only then did he allow himself to relax slightly, but the danger was still closing in, and he hadn't had any respite to rest or relax.

Ina just stared at him as he surveyed the room before letting out a long sigh.

"I thought you didn't care whether someone was dead or alive," she said. "So why are you helping me?"

"Would you want to stay in this godforsaken world alone?" Aquarius shot back. "I'd rather keep my sanity than transform into a mindless beast."

"So, what's your plan?" Ina asked, her tone probing.

"Nothing. Just that *you're* going to kill it."

"Why must I do it? Are you pitying me?"

"Yes, actually. Right now, I have invaluable information about this world, and you…" He paused. "Well, you know nothing. So, you being less of a burden would honestly be great."

Ina raised an eyebrow but calmed herself. "Does this have to do with the Awakening you talked about?"

Aquarius shoved a large chunk of molten metal toward the door, sweat dripping down his face. "Yes. We're just lambs for now, but soon enough, the timer will start."

"Timer?" Ina asked, her voice barely audible beneath the loud clash from the place they once stood.

"Shit," Aquarius muttered, glancing at her. He handed her an iron rod. "I'll try to distract it. Aim for its neck, okay?"

Ina nodded and ducked behind the metal chunk that lay by the side of the door.

As Aquarius stood in front of the door, he couldn't help but feel the weight of the world fall upon him. He was tinted by blood and he reeked, his once-tied up hair now flew in the wind, covering his eyes, his breathing was unstable and he honestly just wanted to lie and relax.

"After this maybe I can take a long shower". He grinned. "Who am I kidding".

In the next moment a ghostly figure appeared in front of him.

On its legs were a pair of sliver iron boots, and above them was nothing but tentacles surled together like a grotesque tangled yarn. It's figure was like a plant with many branches planted in a sliver boot mutated into something hideous.

There was no mouth or even a head visible, only an under belly that was at it's, moving with the monstrousity like a parasitic worm, it's purple coloured tentacles stirred in the air releasing mucus with each swing. There was only on thing Aquarius could call it. 'Disgusting'.

The creature stretched it's tentacles placing them on the adjacent wall of the door.

The wall gave up melting back to sand as the stench of the mucus filled the air with intensely nauseating smell of decayed ammonia.

Aquarius flinched holding his breath as he stared directly at the monster but that couldn't stop the scent from corroding his senses.

He staggered but still stood his ground, unwilling to let the monster get the most of him.

'Blight crawler huh, it looks even worse than I thought it would'.

Aquarius turned his back and dashed towards a pile of debris scattered around the ground.

The monster swayed towards him. 'Damn beasts and their fucking arrogance'. But he preferred the blight crawler underestimating him as a young lamb than it straight up attacking.

Blight crawler spewed it's purple venom towards Aquarius. He side steps barely dodging the attack, giving a brief glance to Ina then the pothole that laid were he stood, Aquarius gulped.

He increased his speed making the monster shriek and squirt the venom all over the room. Aquarius changed his direction again further lighting the monsters fury. But as the blight extended its tentacle to grasp Aquarius, he made the most unexpected move.

Holding his breath Aquarius turned around and faced the monster, then dashed towards it, the blight staggered then noticing his rather paler skin and ragged breathing lunged it's tentacles forward but it was little to late.

Behind him a silhouette loomed with crimson eyes burning, as it turned to react Aquarius smashed it's forefront with a large stone. With it's divided attention, Ina pierced it's center point with the iron rod sending echoes of pain through it's body.

But the blight wasn't ready to go down alone, it spewed one final blast of venom, but to its surprise Aquarius had already anticipated it. A large boulder swayed above the creature and as a drop of vemon touched the platform it stood, it came tumbling down towards the blight.

"Move". Aquarius beckoned to Ina. She moved back immediately as the boulder crunched more than half the monster.

Ina lunged forward once more sticking her rod through the blight's center and then it's movement stopped.

Ina then heard the familiar voice ring.

[You have slain a Fiend: Blight Crawler]

She relaxed at the sound of the voice, but it wasn't done.

[You have earned a Vesper]

[Connecting to Karmic Force...]

[Awakening process Activating.....]

Almost instantly Ina screamed in pain, she clenched her stomach tightly. As she heard Aquarius' voice.

"Concentrate, don't let the Kami energy consume you". She gritted her teeth and sat up crossing her legs.

And then a pulse of energy filled both her soul and body.

[Nexus points Calculated.....Designating Astral Rank]

Aquarius fell, his breath heavy as he stared at Ina's face and the energy emanating from her. He sighed as he crawled away from her. 'Can't let that corrosive thing, kill me'.

Aquarius had alot to think about, but didn't just have the time to do so.

"Tsk". He clicked his tongue in annoyance, his body still aching from the battle

'Only thinking of that bastard's face pisses me off, throwing me into Luthadel just like that, what about his so called family honor'. He sat upright crossing his legs. "But at least am alive".

He cast a quick glance at Ina. "I hope she survives, a celestial code will be better". He laughed at his remark. "That doesn't even sound plausible, the universe has to make her a star for that to happen". But he really wanted her to survive, right now he didn't know anymore people expect her. 'Staying without seeing humans in Luthadel is far worse than the Timer'.

"Well looks like I have to watch over her till she wakes up". The energy from Ina increased pushing Aquarius towards the wall, he held his thorat as he struggled to breath. "Damn it. You're not even supposed to fight during your awakening ". He murmured struggling to speak.

Slowly Ina opened her eyes and stared at the almost lifeless body of Aquarius, she rushed over to him. "Did a monster attack when are was unconscious?".

"Yeah, a very scary one". He answered

"So where is it". Aquarius gave her a wide smile. Ina just stared with a confused expression before sighing.

"Seriously"