Antvance into the Unknown

29. Live Evil, Part 4

Name: Odin Malum

Level: 4 (I)

Might: 45

Toughness: 36

Cunning: 31

Will: 32

HP: 58/72

MP: 0/0

Skills:

Demonic Convergence level 1 (I); Penetrating Bite Level 2 (II); Advanced Demon Claw Level 3 (II); Crawl Level 1 (I); Mana Sense Level 2 (I); Leaping Strike Level 3 (I)

Mutations:

Demon Eyes + 1; Infernal Claw +4; Purgation Maw +4; Tar Hide + 1; Pocket Stomach +3

Species: Initial Demon Larva

Skill Points: 1

Biomass: 9

Clinging to the wall, I take a few moments to breathe. Thirty metres up, I was mostly clear of the ruckus below, though at any moment, more of my species could emerge and begin to fight. After the second confrontation, things had taken a downhill turn and conditions in this area had deteriorated at an alarming rate.

Turns out that Initial Demon Larvae are innately hostile to each other. Not only had I been jumped by the creature which emerged from behind me, forcing me to engage in a sudden battle to the death, others had revealed themselves and had immediately set about a noisy melee, clawing, biting, and screaming at each other.

Which would have been manageable, except for the noise having attracted more larvae. In less than a minute’s time, the entire plateau of blasted rock on which I’d emerged was covered in a roiling brawl in which absolutely no quarter was given. That’s not how I operate. I like things to be a bit more planned, a little more orderly.

Without any option, I was forced to get my hands dirty and seize what I could as I fought my way out. I’d sustained wounds in the process, but they healed at an accelerated rate after I further consumed Biomass, which I did whenever I could. It was difficult, though, since the moment a fight was won, every larva nearby would abandon their own conflict to seize the Biomass for themselves. The moment nothing remained, the brawl would break out all over again. What little food I’d managed to gain had been used to fuel my recovery and upgrade my weapons. Offence trumps defence.

After fighting clear of the mess, I climbed the nearby wall, and now I finally have a chance to survey the area. Looking down, I can still see hundreds of other demon larvae locked in mortal combat, every crevice of black stone home to at least one such battle.

They are bestial, mindless creatures, without any sort of cunning or strategy. All they do is fight, seemingly without end and without purpose, though I believe I may discover something in the near future which might shed some light on the matter. Already, some of the creatures below are showing some level of dominance. Strong enough to win a fight and seize parts of the spoils to develop themselves, using the Biomass to enhance their strength and press their advantage.

If this natural cycle played itself out, then most of the larvae on this plateau will become fodder for the few, perhaps even the one, survivor.

And it is a plateau. I’d originally thought this wall was the edge of whatever space I was in, but it isn’t. I was reborn lower on this wall on what amounted to a ledge, jutting out of the side of a tall pillar rising toward the ceiling impossibly high above.

It had been hard to notice before, since my attention was directed inward and at my immediate surroundings, but now that I take in the broader picture, I’m becoming aware of just where I’ve wound up. In order to get a better view, I decide to continue to climb this wall until I reach the top. The edge is within view, possibly another seventy metres above.

My arms are powerful, and although my body is a large fleshy sack, they are enough to keep propelling me toward the top, though they’re trembling and weak by the time I reach the ledge.

Pulling myself over the lip, I dominate my weakness and force myself to dive into cover without pausing to rest. To my relief, there are no enemies present to take advantage of my temporary weakness. Once my strength returns, I drag myself out and begin to poke my noseless face about. What I see is a narrow, mostly flat stretch that is roughly circular, and terminates less than a hundred metres away in a sheer drop. All around me, a vast, underground Expanse stretches outward to the limits of my vision.

Stunned by the bizarre, illogical geography, I turn back to the ledge behind me and look down. The ledge on which I was born is still swarming with demons battling against each other. Beyond that, the ground drops away several hundred metres more to what I believe must be the floor of this vast, vast cavern. As far as I can see, in every direction, is exactly the same thing. Blasted rock. Boiling Lava. And demons. So, so many demons. The little fleshy bags with arms that are my fellow demon siblings are everywhere. Thousands. Tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands. They stretch on to the horizon of my sight, where things grow fuzzy and blurred in the distance.

What’s more, stalking amongst them are larger demons of several different forms, slaying the smaller larvae with ease and engaging in running battles against each other. Farther off are pillars rising high into the air, perhaps miles high, to connect the floor to the distant ceiling. Nothing that I see makes sense from an Earth perspective, the very idea of something such as this existing underground makes absolutely no sense.

And yet here I am.

I’m not sure exactly what is happening, but it’s clear there is some sort of race going on. A race to fight, consume, and grow. Only the winner will be allowed to survive. This blasted landscape is covered in demons.

Am I sure this isn’t actually hell? No matter, it’s perfect. This is the perfect environment for Odin Malum to thrive. I destroyed others in my past life in order to live, and I’ll do the same in this one.

The voice mentioned that I can mutate when I reached +5, which is apparently the limit for my Level of evolution. I need to mutate immediately, seize whatever advantage I can, then return to the ledge and fight for resources. I’ll have to be strong if I’m going to traverse the floor below.

This is going to be a challenge.