The light was just as blinding the second the time as it was the first. Miracle could perceive the bright sun shining throughout the Outlands but could not feel the humid warm air. Upon being reactivated, Miracle’s program checked its memories, and they were relieved to find that they still retained their memories of yesterday. With memories still intact, they observed the area and recognized it to be outside Ceri’s home. They did not recall coming outside, only they were talking with Ceri about killing the worm, and they started to malfunction. Looking around, no one was seen, but voices could be heard coming from the makeshift house. Miracle slowly arose and walked towards the house.
They peeked inside to see Ceri recapping a plan to everyone. She told them that Billy and Baba were to drive the truck with a special substance being made with Cells to lure the worm. It would be lured to open space where Medoe would cast the spell of hypnotizing on the worm. Attacking the worm immediately with magic was not an option due to the spikes on its back. The spikes on the worm could absorb physical magic produced by Cells. The hypnotizing spell would work because it affected the creature's mind.
The hypnotism would keep the worm in place long enough for Voltaire and Mimi to rip the spikes off of the worm. With the spikes removed, Medoe and Ceri would be able to use Cells to attack the worm and kill it.
Ceri wrapped up her explanation, and everyone agreed to it including Miracle who confirmed they understood the mission and suggested they should be with Ceri. The group was caught off guard by Miracle’s reawakening with Voltaire and Mimi ready to fight, but Medoe quickly approached Miracle and asked, “Miracle how are you doing? What happened yesterday? You kinda scared everyone a bit.” Miracle observed the uneasiness of the room and explained, “I’m not sure. It must have been a glitch caused by me being deactivated for so long. I’ve patched up the problem. It won’t happen again.”
No one was eased by their answer. Voltaire voiced it out, “How do we know it’s just a part of your normal programming. Are we really safe with you around?” Miracle had no response, but Medoe defended them saying, “We’ll just have to take their word for it now. If it proves to be a common problem, then it can be discussed.”
Ceri added, “He’s right. We are about to fight a colossal beast, and we need all the help we can get. We cannot start distrusting everyone now.” The group considered her words and agreed that Miracle staying was the best for now.
With Miracle joining, Ceri asked Miracle, “Do you need Cells in order to produce your magical effects? I and Medoe were going to look for some.” Medoe mentioned, “I do have two and a half vials left, but we’ll need extra if anything happens.” Medoe pulled a full vial out his bag, handing it to Miracle who declined the offer.
“I should not need it,” they said, “I use only the precisely needed amount to produce magic. As long as not too much is needed, I will not need to refuel.” Ceri turned towards Medoe and asked for a spare vial as she only had one. Medoe happily obliged.
Ceri then explained to Miracle that they had planned to split into two groups. Baba, Billy, Mimi, and Voltatire would take the truck and attempt to find a space to trap the worm in, while she and Medoe went and searched for Exhausted Cells and maybe normal Cells if they were lucky. Miracle asked to join the Medoe and Ceri, splitting the group as evenly as possible. The two of them agreed, and Ceri commanded everyone to split and meet up before sunset.
During the truck drive, Billy had taken the wheel, and Baba sat in the passenger seat. In the back of the truck, Voltaire and Mimi were on lookout. Though it would be more accurate to say that Voltaire was searching for the spot while Mimi observed the sky. All the while, the entire group was prepared to drive back if they received a surprise visit from the worm.
To pass the time, Billy asked Baba, “Hey, why don’t you take the wheel tomorrow? It’ll be tense, but I know you can do it.” Baba, still looking out the window, replied, “I appreciate your confidence in me, but I’m afraid that’s unfounded. I can drive on a casual road, but under pressure, I’m sure to break.”
“You just gotta have a bit a confidence in ya,” Billy said, nudging her, “I’m sure you’ll pull your weight just like everyone here. I believe in you.”
Baba had a light smile on her face. She answered, “I thank you for your kind words. Yet all you say are niceties. You’ve never seen me drive, so your faith is misplaced.”
“Yeah, I know,” Billy said in admittance, “I just feel like your holdin yourself back. Call it intuition or me a liar, but you can contribute more to this group then you’re lettin on. So why hold back?”
Her silence was confirmation of his intuition. She knew she could help more, but it reminded her of lover. It was a skill that only reminded her of pain, and to use it, would lean into something he had given her, a disgusting thought. Billy noticed her silent reflection and pressed no more.
In the back of the truck, Voltaire was diligently committing to the task at hand. He was starting to get annoyed at Mimi who was counting the birds in the sky aloud. Irritated, he said, “You know the process could be done a lot faster if you helped. Don’t want to be a leader? Leaders are team players, not just those who give commands.” Mimi irked, “Where did you get that wisdom, huh? What team were you a part of?” Voltaire did not immediately reply. He waited a few seconds before saying, “It’s common sense. We’re all anxious about tomorrow, so it would be nice if you helped.” He left it while continuing his search.
Mimi looked at Voltaire from behind and smirked. She mumbled to herself, “I’m not worried about tomorrow, but you should be.” She went back to observing the sky, making her own plans for tomorrow.
The truck drove for a few more minutes before turning past a hill and finding a large open area. Flat land forming a circle surrounded by enormous piles of garbage with only small miscellaneous piles strewn about.
The truck came to a stop as they walked about the area. Baba remarked, “How does such an area form naturally in the Outlands? I thought all the area here would be used up?” She approached a person sized pile of trash. As she got closer, she noticed that an unmoving arcane corpse lay within the trash. She reeled back in disgust.
Billy, observed his own pile as he answered, “I met a few trash removers back at the bar. They sometimes mentioned that there'll be spots where the corpses like to linger in groups. They avoid these spots cause if the truck gets damaged by them things, the trash removers are the ones who get in trouble.” He poked the rotting corpse with a rusted pipe found nearby. “Looks like these things need to eat just like everything else.”
Voltaire yelled out to the others, “We should clear these piles. Don’t want them getting in the way during the fight.” The others agreed and began to clear the area. Billy worked diligently, Baba clenched her nose whenever she could, and Mimi cleared the piles quickly, winning an imaginary competition.
During the move of a corpse, a tiny cylinder with an orange liquid inside fell out of Voltaire’s pocket. He swooped it up and looked side to side to see if the others had noticed. None did, and relief washed over. He resumed his clearing of the corpse considering the possibility of using the cylinder. It could potentially take down the worm with ease, but he wished to reserve it. If he ever were to face his old boss, he would need all three in his pocket.
An hour passed, and the group finished clearing the area. All of them were pleased with their work, but as the sun set during the drive back, the anxiety of tomorrow loomed ever more. They did not have to face the worm today, but tomorrow, it was inevitable.
Earlier in the day and in a different direction, Medoe, Miracle, and Ceri were opening up old machines and scraping any Exhausted Cells they could find. Exhausted Cells were the residue of effects created by normal Cells. This residue does hold some power of Cells, but it is greatly diminished. A hundred vials of Exhausted Cells are needed in order to produce the same amount of effects as a single vial of normal Cells. In the case for the three in the Outlands, Exhausted Cells is the only type of Cells they could realistically hope to find.
They opened up a various amount of machines and old science equipment. Most were empty or only had drops of Exhausted Cells which was too much effort to scrape up. Occasionally, a half or quarter filled vial of Exhausted Cells would be found. The smallest victory they could get.
It was around an hour after they started their search and Medoe made a passing comment about wishing to not have to walk around on foot so much. Ceri did not pay much attention to it, but Miracle replied that they had a solution. Metallic plates began to shift, and they started to transform. The sounds of smooth metal glided and shifted across the machine with the harmony of mechanical pieces going in the right place. In less than a minute, Miracle had gone from looking like a person to looking like an elk.
A majestic elk now stood in the other’s presence. For sure, it was Miracle because it retained the bronze exterior and lights for eyes as the machine. The antlers were a glorious final touch to the majestic figure.
Ceri and Medoe stood in amazement for a moment. When Medoe asked why Miracle had not brought this up sooner, Miracle responded by saying that it had simply never thought to bring it up. The other two partially agreed with the machine, but with the new option now available, they climbed onto the back of Miracle, who began to prance through the Outlands with speed and grace.
When they got on, Ceri was the first to climb up top. Being in the front, she held onto the antlers for stability. Medoe in the back, had to hold Ceri for stability. The close contact of another person made him uneasy during the ride, but the back of Ceri also had a strange softness to it unlike a typical back.
They rode around, stopping and inspecting machines for more Cells. During their inspections of the lands, they happened across a wide open space, ideal for fighting the worm. Ceri considered they could use the space as a backup in case the other team failed to find one, but she approached it and found numerous arcane corpses wandering around within the area. She dashed back behind a mountain of garbage and quietly alerted Medoe and Miracle to the presence of the creatures.
Medoe suggested they turn back, but Miracle brought up the point that there might be normal Cells around if arcane corpses are nearby. The suggestion was reasonable to Ceri, and tolerable for Medoe.
During the search, Miracle intended to bring up the strange feeling he had earlier about Ceri’s back. He would stare, begin taking steps forward, but back away once he got close. It looked more like he intended to confess his feelings towards her. Ceri caught on and gestured towards him to approach. He timidly strolled over. She asked in a hush tone, “Is there something on your mind? Please, do speak it.”
He shook his head, and stuttered out, “Well- you see, I was just wondering about your- uhm, your back problems? That’s the best way I can describe it.”
Ceri instinctively tried to hide her back, but realized that would only make her more suspicious. She dismissed, “I just have extra clothes and materials there. Just in case we need that sort of supply.”
His expression remained hidden underneath the black mask. He responded, “I understand if you don’t want to bring it up yet. I’d be a hypocrite,” he pointed to his mask, “to ask anyone to reveal their secrets. I just wanted to let you know that if you ever felt like you needed an outlet for a secret, I’m kind of a walking one. I might be able to keep yours.”
A faint smile appeared on Ceri. She said, “I appreciate the offer, Medoe, but I’m not ready. I don’t think I ever will be. It’s a burden that I have to bear alone. Still, your offering is kind.”
Medoe a nod leaving the two standing next to each other in awkward silence. To escape the moment, he gave a thumbs up and offered a fist bump which Ceri slowly gave the fist bump back. He still stared at her as he scooted away, only breaking eye contact once he was a comfortable distance away.
Miracle had heard everything. They were not too far away and pretended to be searching while they eavesdropped. To them, the sentiment of Medoe was kind but naive. The three of them all had secrets, and if the secrets truly had to be said, they would have been mentioned. It was necessary for their own reasons to keep quiet to one another. That reasoning was enough to keep Miracle silent.
The three of them finished their search and returned back to the camp reuniting with the other group as the sun set. Mimi proudly proclaimed, “I have found a spot for our battle with the worm!” Billy quickly corrected, “Actually, we did most of the searchin. I think the only thing she found was the sky.” Billy looked towards Baba and Voltaire. “Am I correct on that assumption?” The two nodded in agreement. “Well, the lady did help us with clearing the area, so I suppose she hasn’t lost her use yet. With that thing tomorrow, I’d take my own worst enemy to help, not that I have one. What about you? Did ya find the stuff you were lookin for?”
Ceri confirmed and answered, “We did find some material, but not as much as I hoped. On the bright side, we did collect a single vial of Exhausted Cells which is equivalent to one tenth of a vial of normal Cells. Not much help in fighting the worm, but it is enough to create the lure for the worm.”
She made her way back to the side of the hut where opened a box next to the house. It was full of miscellaneous but organized materials. The box was multi-layered, so when Ceri removed the top plate, there was another plate below it filled with its own items.
Eventually, she pulled out a small flat glass container which contained a clear blue liquid. She mentioned it was the saliva of the worm. Taking the vial of Exhausted Cells, she mixed into the container with the saliva. She chanted some unknowable words as she stirred the container combining the two ingredients. The green and blue liquids transformed into light pink one which released an odor and dark pink smoke. Before the odor got far, Ceri quickly sealed the lid, blocking out the sense.
She handed it to Billy saying, “This is the mixture that will lure the worm. Be careful, if that gets onto you, the worm will chase you down. Once we’re in the planned position, toss it to the ground and get away. If the worm manages to escape us, it should focus on the scent.”
Billy nodded in compliance and asked, “What is the scent exactly? How does it attract the worm?” Ceri replied, “It mimics the smell of Cells potency. These worms consume mainly Exhausted Cells, so the allure of regular Cells will make it think it's about to eat a feast.”
With Ceri’s explanation given, the group was ready to retire for the day. Most of the group could hardly sleep because inside they knew it could be their last night asleep. The plan was competent, but they could not help but wonder how it would go wrong. Miracle did not need to sleep in the typical sense, but went to sleep to save on their power supply. However, Mimi slept with a peace of mind, more joyful than anxious for the following day.
Morning arrived, and first, they went as a group to the location Billy mentioned. The area remained clear as it did yesterday. Ceri directed everyone into their positions. She and Miracle would stay on one large mound of trash, and Medoe would stay on another mound on the opposite side. This way, the worm could be attacked from both sides once its spikes were removed. Voltaire and Mimi would remain at the base of the mounds along the edges of the flatlands. They would wait for their opportunity when the worm would arrive. Billy and Baba got into the truck and found a route for them to take.
Billy and Baba sat in the truck, hearing only the sounds of the motor running. The plan and positions were set. They just needed to start. Billy took one deep breath as he looked to confirm with Baba. “You ready?”
Baba shaking in her arm and her knee bouncing, held the container of the luring smell. She silently rolled down her window, and said under her breath, “I’m ready.”
With the signal from Baba, Billy hit the truck into the full throttle. Baba waited a moment to open the container and made sure the smell poured through the window. About a minute later, the ground began to tremble, and the great worm pierced out of the dirt reaching towards the sky. It appeared behind the truck, and at once, the worm gave chase towards the vehicle.
The route was planned to be as clear as possible, but it still had to make small turns and drifts to maintain speed and distance from the worm. Debris was also being pushed by the worm towards the vehicle creating sudden new obstacles. Billy expertly swerved and dodged the debris as they fell from the sky. Never letting the gaping maw of the worm get anywhere close to the truck.
Baba was holding onto the container with the liquid. It had to remain open because the worm might lose interest otherwise, so Baba made sure to keep the liquid inside the vehicle and not splashed around. When a large chunk of debris almost smashed into the car, it forced Billy to swerve quickly to the left. Baba held onto the container and seat tightly. Both were glad to have avoided that one obstacle, but they failed to notice the splash of pink liquid on Billy’s pants.
They arrived into the open space, and when the worm soon arrived, Medoe was ready with the flute already up to his mouth. He immediately began playing a song that sounded like a song going round and round. The attached Cells boiled from the music and materializing where the worm stood, was a variety of colors swirling around the worm. The worm stopped in its tracks and started to move its head in sync with the movement of the colors. It became dazed in the multitude of colors, leaving it vulnerable.
Ceri clutched her vial of cells with a hand in her material bag expecting Voltaire and Mimi to start scaling the beast and breaking its spikes, yet it did not happen. A precious minute passed, and Ceri checked to see where Mimi and Voltiare were. In frustrating disbelief, she could see that the two were attempting to kill each other at such a crucial moment.
A few moments before, Voltaire stood with anticipation. The ground was faintly rumbling. He knew the worm was on its way. Mimi stood behind Voltaire, casually leaning forward on her hammer, looking everywhere except for where the worm was expected to be. Voltaire intended to just ignore Mimi’s incompetence, but as he looked forwards, he heard Mimi from behind saying, “You know. I think I can handle our part of the worm by myself. You’ll just be dead weight really.”
Voltaire assumed it was just another one of her insulting remarks, but something felt off about how she said it. His instincts kicked in, and he rolled out of the way just as Mimi smashed into the spot where he once stood.
Drawing out his blade, he shouted back, “What are you doing? You maniac!” Mimi continued to give an unrelenting barrage of swings toward Voltaire as she answered, “Remember? I know who you are. You’re The Evil! You can lie to the others saying you were just entangled with the Bones, but I know that you were the leader’s dog who followed every command from his master. If I kill you, I’ll be a legend.”
Voltaire dodged every attack Mimi threw at him. He knew that any attempt to parry Mimi, would be akin to a parry against a rolling boulder. Her attacks gave wide openings, but Voltaire could never get close enough to take advantage of it.
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He dodged around as he shouted, “Why now? The worm will be upon us at any moment. What gave you the idea that this was the right time?”
Mimi replied, “I’ll just tell the others a piece of debris hit you or something. This would have been over if you didn’t decide to move. Now just stand still and let me kill you.”
The skirmish went on, and the worm arrived at its destination. Voltaire hoped that seeing the worm would bring Mimi back to her senses, but she continued her attack, not letting Voltaire a moment to rest.
Ceri, seeing the two fighting, screamed, “What in the hell is going on with you two! Go and kill the worm!” Voltaire could not reply back as he too focused on surviving Mimi, and she did not care about the worm at the moment.
Maybe the scream was loud enough or the worm had just adjusted to the magic’s effect, but it managed to come back to its senses long enough to swing its tail at the mound where Medoe stood. The large, compact trash pile disappeared in an instant causing Medoe to stumble back, vanishing into rubble. The worm sensing danger, burrowed back into the ground, leaving a crater behind.
The air was filled with silence with only the clash of Mimi and Voltaire making a sound. Billy sat in his seat for a moment before slamming his arms on the wheel, letting out a yell at the same time. He pushed open the door and began to march towards Voltaire and Mimi. Baba noticed and quickly followed from behind. She asked, “What are you doing?” Billy holding back his full anger, said, “I’m going to give those two a real talkin to. I’ll make sure neither of them picks up a damn stick once I’m done.” Baba, trying to deescalate him, pleaded, “I know you're mad, but we shouldn’t get too far from the truck. The worm could be back at any moment.”
As if the worm were waiting for its queue, it re-emerged from the ground directly underneath where the truck was consuming it in one big swallow. The creature showed an intellect for it not only consumed the lure, but the group's only means of running from the creature.
Billy and Baba stood in awe of its shadow, frightened of its next movement. By happenstance, Baba looked to see the stain on Billy’s pants. She knew who it would be coming for next. “Run!” she shouted toward Billy, and without hesitation, they both began to flee.
Their attempt was futile. The worm was too close and large to make any sort of meaningful distance from. Billy could sense the towering creature reaching for him from behind. It’s terrible breath getting more potent by the moment. Despair washed over him. He internally grieved in never being able to see his wife, daughter, or son again. A pathetic man trying to do anything meaningful in this city. Death should have been the only result expected.
Before he could react, Baba grabbed his hand and waist in a dancing position. She commanded him to hold on tight. The wind blew around her and him, making their feet lighter, and they were brought to a speed fast enough to evade the worm. Baba led the dance like a captain steering a ship through strong winds.
Ceri saw an opening and realized hope had not been lost. She did not want this worm to get another chance to live. It had to be today or never. As Baba began running from the worm, she was heading in a random direction, but Ceri put a drop of Cells on her tongue which magically allowed her to speak loudly. “Baba!” she shouted while pointing in a different direction, “Go in that direction! I’ll get ahead and lead you to another open spot!” Without stopping, Baba managed to twirl around towards an open path heading in the direction Ceri pointed towards.
With the crater now in the center of the open area, they would be at a disadvantage fighting the worm. Ceri intended on leading Baba to the similar space filled with arcane corpses. It was not a good spot, but it was the best option they had.
Without having to be given a command, Miracle caught onto the new plan and transformed into their elk shape. “Get on.” Miracle said, “I can use Cells to get ahead of them. Though from the amount of Cells needed and the distance to the other location, I will be unable to help with creating damaging magic against the worm.”
“That’s fine.” Ceri said getting on, “We’ll just make do with what we can.” She looked once more at Voltaire and Mimi, shouting, “You two better help us with the worm or I’ll kill you myself! Follow the worm’s trail!” After the order, Miracle quickly began to dash down the trash heap towards the new planned destination.
Voltaire knew this had to end. It was time for him to stop playing safe. Mimi prepared their next swing, and instead of dodging, Voltaire went for a block. The intention was not to stop the swing, but rather to slow it down enough for Voltaire to get close. The tactic worked as Mimi did manage to land a blow on Voltaire’s shoulder, but he managed to get his tattooed arm around her neck.
Preparing to fire the tattoo, Voltaire uttered, “You move, and I blast your head off.” Mimi conceded with bitterness in her eyes. In quiet outrage, he explained, “Look. I don’t care if you want to kill me. Do it after the worm if you must. Right now, we need to help them kill the giant fucking worm or neither of us will get what we want. Swear on your pride as a mercenary, that you will help.”
Mimi tried considering a way to break out of Voltaire’s grasp but realized any attempt would take too long. She bitterly admitted, “Fine. I swear on my honor.” Voltaire slowly let her go, watching for any sudden movements. Once he was confident in her words, he said, “Let’s go.” With their uneasy alliance, they began to follow the trail carved out by the worm.
Miracle was dashing as an Elk and during their traversal, a blue aura appeared around the machine. It allowed them to move faster than both Baba and the worm getting ahead of both of them. Ceri recognized it as a basic speed spell and admired the machine’s innate ability to replicate magic.
Getting ahead, they were able to make it to the top of a tall trash hill at the next clearing. Miracle collapsed as they reached the top of the hill, throwing Ceri to the ground. She looked to see the aura gone and the lights from Miracle’s eyes going in and out. They were about to shut down. She gave a quick thank you to Miracle before looking at the clearing. The arcane corpses had already noticed her and were making their way towards her. Looking to her side, she could see that the worm was on its way. She grabbed her vial of Cells and a few thin gears. With expertise and haste, she poured the right amount of Cells onto the gears causing the gears to dissolve, turning into a light of various colors. Grasping onto the light, she began re-chanting the same words repeatedly. Once she finished the chant, she would need to let the spell go, but the time was not right yet.
Baba during her dance noticed the direction Ceri was heading in and followed. Her dance allowed her to move about the same speed of the truck and her movements allowed for her and Billy to glide around or over large objects when necessary. The worm persisted, refusing its prey to escape.
The moment Baba and Billy were in the clearing, Ceri immediately finished her chant as she released the colors towards the worm. The same spell from earlier surrounded the worm, and as before, it brought the worm to halt. Not wanting to repeat the same mistake, she cried out for Billy and Baba to take care of the spikes somehow.
Baba stopped her dance to catch her breath. Hearing Ceri’s command, Billy told Baba to help when she could, and he darted towards the worm. Billy did not make it far before more arcane corpses began emerging out of the ground. Billy tried to rush past them, but there were too many. He pulled out his dagger and began to stab into them to make a path, but the number of corpses were great and kept the path blocked.
. Out in the distance, Mimi and Voltaire could see the worm becoming dazed, yet they were too far for it to matter. By the time they would reach the worm, it would become unstuck as it did before. Mimi stopped in her tracks and told Voltaire, “We’re never going to reach the worm in time. However, I have a genius plan. I just need you to lay on your stomach.” Voltaire stopped almost completely because of her ridiculous request. “What?” he said complexed, “Is this another attempt to kill me?”
She shrugged it off saying, “It might kill you, but I don’t intend to kill you. I’ll just throw you like a javelin all the way to the worm. That way, you can deal with the spikes.” Voltaire protested, but she insisted as they currently have no other options.
He gave into her demands as he realized she was correct. He began lying on his stomach complaining all the down. Mimi took a moment to awkwardly pick up Voltaire to a javelin like position. Eyeing the worm like a bullseye, she threw Voltaire with smooth, pinpoint accuracy.
Flying through the air, Voltaire pulled out his blade and when he reached the worm, he stabbed into the worm allowing him to hang on. The spell kept the worm in its daze even through the pain. Pinching onto the skin of the worm, he began climbing to the first spike closest to the worm's head. The spikes were larger than voltaire, and although they were made of metal, it would be closer to bones. The metal has become a part of the worm, weakening their durability enough for Voltaire to begin piercing through them.
It took many strikes, but Voltaire removed the first spike. With the first one gone, Voltaire slid down the worm to reach its second spike and after the second the third. All three had been removed from the worm allowing for magical strikes to become effective.
Ceri observed all of this and shouted with excitement seeing the spikes removed. She failed to notice an arcane corpse grab her ankle. She attempted to pull it out but fell backwards, losing her concentration on the spell and spilling the vial of Cells. The worm once again free to act, immediately contorted its body around to swallow Voltaire, who in response shot magical blasts at the worm, but it remained undettered and with a quick scoop, swallowed Voltaire.
Baba watched it all completely stunned while Billy and Ceri were too preoccupied with the corpses. The worm began to loop around, and it planned to charge in a straight line on the ground, consuming everything in its path including Billy and Baba.
Baba could not use her dance to get away again. She was too exhausted. Darting her eyes around, she noticed a path nearby that she could run to but hesitated when she realized that Billy could not escape due to the corpses. Once again, it was the lives of others or preserving herself, but unlike before, the choice was already made. Baba sprinted towards Billy with fleeting hope that she could pull him away in time.
The worm began its charge pressing against the wind, pushing towards the helpless two on the ground. Baba was content with her last attempt to save someone. Billy had little time to react. The worm ate the ground corpses upon it, but before it reached Billy, it yanked back. Clinging onto the skin of the tail and digging their feet into the ground, Mimi held the worm. Her veins popped, and she gritted her teeth as sweat poured all over. It tried to move around but did with very little success. Mimi acted as a ball and chain, letting the worm only scoot a few feet at a time.
During all of this, Ceri was preoccupied with the arcane corpses that reached her. She had one last vial of Cells but wanted to preserve its use for the worm. This led to her grabbing the largest wieldable object nearby and bashing the corpses. Strength was never her strong suit, however, and the corpses began to overpower her with one managing to push her to the ground. On the ground, Ceri held the corpse back with all her might, but it gradually pushed closer with intention to shred into her neck.
Miracle still in elk form charged the corpse on top of Ceri, shoving it off the mound. They were still low on energy but kept enduring with the little bit they had. They directed Ceri to attack the worm while they dealt with the corpses. Taking advantage of Miracle’s help, Ceri stood up to see the worm being held back by Mimi. The worm was beginning to twist around to the tail intending to rid the nuisance. Ceri pulled out her vial of Cells, and poured a third of it onto a pile of gunpowder into her hands. Grasping onto the effect, the red glow emanated between her fingers and after shouting the unknown words, she released the spell which transformed into a fiery arrow. The arrow flew into the side of the worm exploding upon impact.
The worm let out a bone trembling scratch. The attack left peeled some of the flesh and a shallow scar on its side, yet the worm remained standing. Without hesitation, Ceri prepared another flame arrow and launched into the same spot which deepened the wound. The worm screeched and charged towards the mound where Ceri stood, but the worm was still weighed down by Mimi.
More corpses began to approach Mimi who was powerless to stop their advance. The corpses began to bite and scratch into her. Every strike caused her to yell in pain, but she refused to let the worm free. Before the corpses could land a fatal blow into her, Baba and Billy pulled the corpses away from her and started dealing with them. Mimi let out a strained, “Thank you,” as she continued weighing down the worm.
Ceri used the last of her Cells, hoping that a third arrow would kill the worm, but the wound only now began to bleed. Her heart began to race and her breathing became shallow. She failed to account for the durability of the worm and plans were falling apart. They were about to die. She dropped to her knees scavenging anything in desperate hope that maybe she could find just a few Exhausted Cells. Maybe that would be enough to kill the worm.
The worm’s movements were becoming more sporadic as it desperately attempted to survive, yet it could escape because of Mimi. It tried again to bend in on itself to rid its weight, but the sound of a flute played. Its note played a deep noted melody before another fire arrow combusted into the same wound. Medoe stood in the trail carved by the worm. Patches of his clothes had been shredded and where his white skin could be seen, he was bleeding throughout. His mask remained intact.
He played the melody again, firing the fifth arrow into the worm, yet the worm still stood. The wound they managed to carve was spurting out blue blood of the worm, but the worm lived to spite its aggressors. With one third of Cells left, the dilemma is to use the Cells in one last attempt to kill the worm or use them to escape. It would be hopeless to fight the worm in the future, but all attacks seem to be not enough to kill the worm. Bearing the choice alone, Medoe froze. The flute was brought to the side and he could only stare directly at the invincible beast.
It was easier to resign to fate then to fight it, he thought. He glanced at the three at the tail. Mimi was loosening their grip from exhaustion, and the other two had killed the corpses but were struggling to stay on their feet. Looking towards the top of the mound, Miracle remained barely active with their eyes flickering on and off. Ceri on her knees, trembled in defeat. Coming back to the worm, it retained every ounce of strength. What did they hope for? Who were they to think hope was available? Never trying was the correct option. This is the result of rebelling against fate. Medoe stood facing the worm and resigned themselves to defeat.
Inside the worm, stomach acid dissolved anything they touched. The inner stomach was pitch black and tightened by contracting muscles. Flesh and bone easily dissolved, but metal could last at least for a short time. Voltaire had spots of flesh burned away by the acid. He would have died quickly, had he not felt the metalic doors of the truck. Taking the chance it might still be intact, he climbed in to find it gave enough shelter from the acid.
The metal was creaking and getting crushed by the stomach. The truck allowed Voltaire to live only a few minutes longer. Voltaire used the glow of his tattoo to look upon his locket one last time, giving it a kiss and apologizing profusely. All he desired was to be with Irene. Their lives before were miserable, but they were together. That mattered far more to him than any good or evil act. He clutched the locket waiting for the inevitable dissolving death.
Light shined through. In the abyss of the stomach, Voltaire was blinded by the thin light he could suddenly see. As if the light itself wanted to speak to him, a thin ray landed upon his pocket with the containers. He knew what to do at the moment. Irene meant everything to him, and if using one of his keys to victory ment reaching her, it was worth every use.
Voltaire scrambled to grab one of the containers with orange liquid. He unscrewed the top revealing a small needle at the end. He pierced it into his veins which started to glow an orange light. Taking a deep breath, he climbed out of the truck and through the stomach of the worm. The acid stinging with every drop landing on him. He was crawling away from the light, putting as much distance as possible. Once he reached a likely safe distance, he pointed his glowing arms towards the light. With a yell, he let go a fire arrow that burned brighter and hotter than Ceri or Medoe’s.
The freed worm prepared to either escape or kill all the pests around it. It stopped in its movements, feeling strangely, moving its head back and forth when an explosion came out of its wound. The force combined with the already existing scar, tore around the worm causing its head to fall to the ground. The great colossus was slain.
The large thud of the head falling was followed by stunned silence, only to be broken by Mimi’s victory cry. One so loud it echoed through the Outlands. Billy began laughing hysterically, and Baba also did but with tears of relief. Medoe approached the worm with caution. Putting his hand on it, he truly believed it to be over now. Ceri came down the mound with a barely active Miracle, her face frozen in awe. Soon movement could be heard coming from inside the worm, the group looked over in fear but were relieved to see Voltaire emerge from the innards.
Baba in awe and enthusiasm asked, “Whoa! Was that explosion yours? How’d you do it?” Voltaire out of breath and reeling in pain answered, “It’s uh- Well I- Forget it. I’ll answer it another time.” The comment typically would have been received with suspicion, but the group were beyond exhausted and let it slide.
Billy gathered himself and asked, “What now? We did it. Should we head home before we journey back to the city?” Mimi added on cheerfully, “Oh yeah, that sounds great right now.”
Upon hearing Mimi’s voice, Ceri recalled the previous scene of the two fighting each other and sternly asked Voltaire, “What the hell happened between you two?” With what strength he had, Voltaire answered, “This bitch attacked me and tried to kill me,” he pointed a drooping finger at Mimi.
Ceri coldly asked Mimi, “Is that true?” Mimi gave a little chuckle and said, “Yeah, I did, but he realistically deserved it. Let me explain-”
“Enough!” Ceri shouted, cutting Mimi off, “I don’t care what good reason you had. You put the lives of everyone here at risk, you incompetent, stupid woman. All lost in that head of yours, that you never considered other people. Your actions could have led to everyone dying. Would that have been okay? Is that what you wanted?” Ceri pointed and lightly shoved the stunned Mimi with the image of Ceri’s calm nature forgotten. Ceri continued the attack,“If everyone died, what would you do? Worse, what if you lived? Could you go every day onward knowing that the lives of everyone, was on your incompetence. Because you failed to think at the one time it really mattered!”
By the time Ceri finished, she was up to Mimi’s face who trembled in fear like a child being told off by their parents. No one dared interject. They felt partially bad for Mimi but also felt she ultimately deserved it.
Ceri returned to her calm demeanor, saying, “You did help with the worm, so I won’t suggest you leave the group. We will need your help, but I'm not desperate. The next screw up will be on your life.” Ceri began walking back to the camp saying to everyone, “Let’s go rest tonight. Tomorrow, we will go to the city.” Everyone agreed and followed along. Mimi in shame trudged behind the group.
The setting sun turned the sky into a warm orange. The group mostly walked in silence, not having the energy to speak. Billy caught up to Baba and whispered, “That dance you did, it was no ordinary dance. Where in the city did you learn to do something like that?” Baba looked away in shame. She admitted, “They’re special dances that use the power of the soul to grant the dancer power. They can be taught by those who know the moves. My- he paid for the lessons. He said it’d be useful to learn and make me more-” Baba was tearing and choked on the final words. Billy lightly put his hand on her shoulder, “Don’t worry about it. Speak when you’re ready. I’ll be waitin.” Baba faintly smiled in relief. “Thank you,” she whispered, fighting the tears of regret.
Medoe matched the pace with Miracle who stumbled behind barely keeping up. He offered Miracle the last bit of Cells left in the vial, saying, “Here, take it. I don’t know how much help it will be, but you need more than I do.” Miracle only nodded, lacking the energy to speak. They opened up the chest area by themselves revealing the vial inside to be empty with not a spec left. They inserted the vial of one-third vial of Cells and returned to a more active state. Miracle being able to speak said, “Thank you Medoe. This should last me long enough to reach the next city. Hopefully, we can find more Cells there.” Medoe shrugged, “I hope so too. It’ll be tough because I heard that District S is just as much of a wasteland as the Outlands.”
The group reached the camp and immediately split into their respective sleeping parties. No one said a word or even waited for darkness to settle. They lied in their positions and slept. Unlike the night before, the rest was welcomed, feeling well earned. All of them had the best night of sleep in a long while.
The next morning arrived. The air was cooler, and somehow, the trash did not stink as bad. The sky was cloudless allowing the radiant blue of the air to be seen. After waking up, many members of the group simply admired the peaceful sky, seeing it as a sign of hope.
Everyone packed their things which took little time. Besides Billy, everyone only had the clothes on their backs to carry with them. Ceri remained in the hut alone for a bit. She gathered a few tools for the gate but as the morning light creeped in, she took in the picture before her. The hut has always been empty, but it seemed emptier today. It reminded her when she left her room at her parent’s house for the first time, the empty, nostalgic feeling. It was strange. She would be gone for a while, but she planned to return, so why did it feel like this was the last time she would be here?
Walking out of the hut, everyone was lightly talking amongst themselves. Mimi was back to her usual self, amusing Billy and Baba with her fantastical plans. Medoe and Miracle looked towards the distant city. Medoe giving a brief explanation of some parts of the city. Voltaire sat on the ground admiring Irene’s image.
Ceri gathered everyone’s attention and said, “We may have slain the worm, but in the city, there are far greater dangers. We are heading into the den of evil that only offers the promise of hope. There is no likely chance that this Paradise even exists so if you wish to just survive, remain here.”
Mimi was the first to speak, loudly proclaiming, “I did not just deal with that worm just to stay here and rot. I’m going to become a mercenary captain and find Paradise. No one can stop me!”
Tugging on his pack, Billy followed up, “If we find Paradise, we’ll find my son. That’s all that matters to me. So let’s show the city what we’re made of.”
Baba vigorously said, “Yes, the city is full of danger and many, many regrets, but we will find peace in Paradise. All this pain will not be for nothing.”
Voltaire closed the locket and said, “She’s right. We’ve all suffered long enough. I’m going to get Irene and get to Paradise, no matter what may come.”
Miracle added on, “There is no reason for me not to try. Death would be my only other option, so I will find Paradise. There, I will find who I'm looking for.”
Last to speak, Medoe replied, “I’m a broken machine without purpose, but finding Paradise is now the purpose I choose.”
Ceri gazed upon the group. They were all beaten but not broken. Whether deserved or not, fate had attempted to crush these individuals forcing them to find a myth. Would they have the strength to survive the city? Would the laptop actually lead to Paradise? Is Paradise real at all? There was no known answer, yet everyone was ready to struggle for it. With their hearts filled with hope, Ceri led the way, saying, “Let us return back to Deadheart and find our Paradise.”
End Part Zero
