CHPT 186: Don’t take this from me.

The setting sun was now fighting for precedence over the high climbing black gothic walls of the University as it continued to set and leave the anxious students below deeper in the dark of mid-evening.

With the increasing absence of light, the cool November winds switched to a nipping cold that forced the students to keep moving if they wanted to stay warm.

The movements they were subjected to now, were simply hops and jogging in place while they listened to Prof. Raizen speak in the supportive presence of Prof. Brennan and Prof. Callista— who only recently arrived.

"Alright students, we've got a bit of a journey ahead so I won't take too long. All I'll say is, today I won't be telling you what's inside the Tangrnt you're entering ." He stated calmly.

He received a wave of whines and questions in response to the change of events— and increase in danger at entering unprepared.

Lightning struck behind his steely eyes like an angry storm, causing the students to silence themselves as goosebumps blossomed to life on their already cold flesh.

After silence remained for a few seconds, he explained his reasoning for not sharing the information pertaining to the Tangent.

"A very important value all Heroes need is quick thinking. The ability to be faced with a problem and react accordingly on the spot is vital to your survival and the survival of others. A Hero's life is often unpredictable— as some of you know, one second you're entering a Low Ranked Tangent, then suddenly you're locked inside a hellish Deviant…." He paused and let his message sink in and remind the students of their first Deviant. "If you find yourself in those scenarios— and you will, being able to formulate a plan and create a formation amongst your team to increase survival. You'll be one step closer to being complete Heroes."

"Well…..you can't argue with that." Warren mumbled as he fidgeted with his bow.

"No. You can't, Warren." Prof. Raizen agreed before continuing, "All you can do is accept this challenge and overcome the odds with your team by planning and theorizing on the way there. Use this lengthy travel time to make something of your seemingly unfortunate odds. Be as prepared as you can be. Be that much better as Heroes. Now, let's go complete a Tangent." He said before Prof. Brennan instructed them to group up and start their trek to the Tangent.

Once again, Prof. Raizen's words inspired and further motivated Claude. As him and Frosty went to find their group, he couldn't help but notice the heat flowing through his muscles and his excitement to face the challenge head on.

"…..That much closer to being a complete Hero.." He mumbled the Professors message to himself, finding that the lesson was simple— yet valuable.

***

After joining his group, the class began their walk down the stone path at the front of the University and out the black gates behind to step into relatively untamed lands. Claude could smell the other students fear as clear as day in response to being out in the open— a natural human response since there were things naturally stronger them that that lurked in the shadows. But Claude and Frosty practically lived in the wild— and they've run into their fair share of creatures that lurk in the dark and prevailed.

So with this heightened level of calm in response to the situation, he was able to use his above average knowledge and understanding of Monsters to thoroughly explain some strategies to his team. Strategies that would allow them to be less surprised and unprepared for whatever they found themselves pitted against.

He started by simply explaining the biomes of Tangents and what Monster Species they corresponded with.

If they stepped inside and were met by the warming rays of the sun combined with expansive grasslands and hills— or little forestry in general, then they ran the risk of facing the common hordes. Goblins, DireRats, Zombies and even Centaurs.

Anything involving caves or places where traps could end them indefinitely, the smart and crafty Kobolds or Goblins could be found.

Places absent of light and warm temperatures often were home to the many races of the Undead. They could also be found roaming the dry biomes of dead forests or Desert style Tangents— but, certain variations of Gnolls were often roaming the sands of those kinds of Tangents. A low risk since they're so strong, but a risk his team should be aware of nonetheless.

They talked amongst eachother— planning, setting up and learning of what things to look out for, for around half an hour. Afterwards, most of the students were reduced to idle chatter after exhausting all their collective knowledge.

In that time, Claude hung at the back of the line— watching the rest of his team talk about varying topics. After talking for the past 30 minutes or so, he felt socially taxed and simply hung back to appreciate the weather and approaching darkness with Frosty.

Many things approached on their walk through the wild— mimicking the intense ever growing spread of night.

***

After another few miles of walking, the sun set further and the students began to run at Prof. Raizen's command.

The journey was in fact long, but what made it feel longer was the suspense and uncertainty. What's inside? What if it's something we haven't studied? What if it's extreme temperatures inside? Questions like these circulated inside the students' fragile young minds the entire journey. All the way until they came to a stop in a field surrounded by hills and oak trees like a natural earthen bowl.

At the center of the field— a blue portal shimmered like a fallen start in the darkening evening light. Whether it was from the sight of the Tangent or something else entirely, the students were hit with a new wave of discomfort.

Oddly enough, Claude felt like he was being watched. And based on the overpowering odor of Warren's fear— he must've felt the same way as he stuck close to the broad shouldered Knight, Isaac.

"Any ideas before entering?" Ursula asked him from her spot beside him, effectively pulling him out of his own head.

Claude shrugged while he eyed the Tangent.

"It could be new. Only Tangents that hold really strong Monsters or have been left untouched for too long begin to reflect their biome onto the world outside ."

"So nothing. Damn this uncertainty!" Ursula cursed under her breath.

"Alright, everyone. We're doing this the same as last time. Now with the assistance of Prof. Callista since this Tangent now has an element of surprise since you don't know what's inside. Now just like last time, whoever defeats the Boss gets a reward and no interference unless the team asks for help. We will only be a call away otherwise. Now let's get to work!" He said before teams of students began stepping inside.

Claude and his team watched the students step in and disappear until it finally was there turn.

"Please don't be Centaurs…please don't be Centaurs or Spiders.." Warren prayed as they stepped inside.

VWOOMP!

Claude would never get over the odd feeling of spaces merging in between his steps from the outside world, and the Tangents.

His foot eventually hit the ground inside, immediately he felt the hot overcast of mid day sun beaming down on his head and body.

They were in a forest. Dry ground crunched under his feet and wooden columns that were once trees surrounded them for miles, climbing up hills and surrounding small ponds with bubbling black water. Their lifeless branches twisted and stretched like the fingers of a spindly limbed old woman.

Aside from the lifeless sight, his nose told him everything he needed to know.

"Undead Tangent." He told his group as they took in the surroundings.

"How do you know?" Maris asked, eager to learn to determine the types of Tangents as well.

"Lifeless biome. Smell of rot." Claude explained without looking at her while he tapped his nose a few times.

They all began sniffing and recoiling in disgust shortly after— now aware of the faint scent of decay that hung on the air.

"God damn! I think I would've preferred the spiders." Warren said through a voice changed by the pinching of his nose.

"I doubt it. Let's go." Claude said before they wandered off deeper inside much like the rest of the students.

They walked in search of their enemies for a handful of minutes, hearing the shouts of nearby students and monsters echoing in the distance and doing nothing to soothe the teams nerves.

After walking a while longer, Claude decided to stop near a bubbling pond and use one of his most useful skills for locating Monsters inside a Tangent— or in any undiscovered area in general, [Eyes of the Wild].

"Are you just going to see what everyone else is fighting or what?" Warren asked, noticing how they strayed from the main area everyone else populated.

"No. I'm looking for the Boss." Claude replied before looking up at the birds flying overhead, full on diets of rotting flesh and intestines.

"Let's hope it's not too far. I'm tired of all this damn endurance work." Ursula said angrily while she flipped her axes.

Claude closed his eyes and reached for the sky, preparing to experience life through the eyes of the birds above when his ears suddenly twitched in response to a sound to the right of him.

He immediately dropped his hand and raised his sword, alerting the rest of his team. He must've heard correctly because Frosty spun and snarled in the direction of what he heard at the same time, tearing up the dry grass as he pivoted his large body.

"What? What is it?" Ursula asked.

"What did you hear?" Isaac clarified.

Claude wasn't sure right away but then he noticed what he was facing, "Everyone back away from the water."

FWOO!

Right after he said it, a hand erupted from the depths of the black pond next to them. It's overgrown chipped and browning nails clawed at the dead grass ferociously.

Claude studied the arm that smacked and clawed at the ground in search of human flesh.

"Awe! What the fuck— they're in the water?!" Warren exclaimed while he loaded his bow.

"Most Undead Races seem to know that shallow waters make good hiding places since they don't need to breathe." Claude explained as the hand continued to claw and the water bubbled in response to the deafening wails shaking the waters from below.

"What are they?" Maris asked in a voice absent of fear and full of curiosity.

"Definitely not Ghouls." Claude replied upon looking at the arm.

The flesh around the arm was completely absent of fluid— making it wrap around bone and decaying muscle like a tightly fit glove. Chunks of its unappealing grey flesh hung off its arm and flapped with every jerky movement it made while the other areas were simply just missing the skin entirely— leaving only the dead muscle and dirty bone to see.

FWOOSH!

Another arm rose from the pond, splashing the water onto the dead wheat colored grass and reddening it— hinting that the water may not have been water.

The arms grabbed ahold of the floor and began straining to pull the rest of its body to the surface.

Slowly, the beginnings of a head breached the black gurgling surface. It matched the color and state of the flesh on its arms— only now it revealed the cracked open skull beneath that was filled with bloody water and shriveled brains.

"RRRRNNGLGLG!" The creature groaned under the water while it prepared to raised its head.

Before it could, Maris lunged in and stabbed her sword through its skull.

Fwoo!

Shnk!

She gruesomely twisted her blade inside its head, effectively blending the insides of its skull and rendering it useless as it sunk back into the pond.

"Whatever these are. They're easy targets." She said with her eyes locked on the creature that was actively sinking back deeper into the black water. Her relaxation was extinguished further and further with every hand she watched rise from below and grab the dead monster, using it to pull themselves to the surface.

Maris quickly jumped away from the pond just in time for dozens of hands to shoot from the water and begin fighting to escape.

The sight reminded Claude of his first Night Run against the Ghouls— and then later against the Raiders.

He quickly assumed his combat stance, baring sharpened teeth, white claws and verdant eyes while Frosty snarled at the pond in front of him.

"Get ready." He said quickly followed by the first head emerging, "I think I know what they are."

"I'm all ears." Ursula replied with her axes raised and eyes the color of snow.

"RAAAGLGL!" The first to fully energy, clawed and tugged at its fellow Undead Monsters indiscriminately— ripping out thin wet strands of their hair and tearing off loosely hanging flesh as if it were simply a mask. Once it's body was out of and it stood on the bodies of its comrades beneath— it reared its head back and roared a lazy and sluggish proclamation of insatiable hunger before lowering its head to settle its sickly green, puss-leaking eyes on them all.

"They're Zombies."

Following Claude's discovery, the creatures emerged from the pond while others came running in the distance behind them. Some slowly ran with missing arms while others were missing their jaws or even portions of their hallowed out chests. They were the embodiment of disgust.

"We need to circle up!" Ursula yelled.

"Good idea." Claude replied before they all moved to form a wide circle to face the threats from all sides.

Claude faced the forest with Warren while Isaac, Maris and Ursula faced the pond.

"Aim to remove the head!" Claude yelled to them, "Warren you stay back and shoot the ones I don't get to in time. I'll get them before they reach you if you miss." He told the Archer next to him.

With nothing left to say, they engaged in combat. Claude sprinted over the dry and stiff ground with Frosty while arrows sailed over him and sunk into the chests and legs of the oncoming Zombies.

He set his sights on the armless Zombie that ran ahead of the rest. Luckily it had his sights on him as well.

He sped up, reaching it in seconds and stayed on its left side— the side missing an arm. He used both his hands to grip his sword and swung low at its leg as if he were holding a baseball bat.

SWOO!

SHLCK!

He removed its leg at the knee and then kicked it off to the side where it caused another couple Zombies to trip and face plant.

Hs was awarded no time to relax as a Zombie came in swinging to his left.

"RAGLGLGLAL!"

Swip!

Swip!

He dodged the slash of its dirty nails with a sidestep to the left and duck to the right. While he was still squatted beneath its outstretched arms, he reached out for its leg with his free hand and tripped it.

Thud!

"RNnn—Crsh!"

[+45 EXP]

The Zombie landed on its back and growled in anger only for its noises to be abruptly silenced by Claude stomping its head into a brain and skull fragmented paste with a snarl.

"Eugh!— Claude that's disgusting." Warren commented before shooting an arrow into the knee of an approaching Zombie.

Another Zombie came from behind Claude.

Fwoo!

He spun around ready, just for it to be yanked from his vision as Frosty tackled it to the ground and stomped its head— killing it the same way Claude had.

Another came running in. Claude rushed to meet its charge.

As they approached, they both reached out. Dirtied overgrown nails versus sharpened canine claws.

He reached it first and sunk his claws into its face. His fingers ripped into its eyes and gripped tightly before he viciously yanked his hand out— gruesomely ripping its face off.

"RAGH!"

SHRIP!

He could hear another Zombie behind, padding through the grass towards him.

There was no time for an intricate plan and he was much stronger than the Zombies so he slammed his fist into the hole where it's face used to be and pushed, slamming the faceless creature into the one behind it.

With the two bodies so close together, he jammed his sword through them both.

Shck!

[+90 EXP]

"Claude! A little help!" Warren yelled from behind him.

Claude ripped his sword from the Zombie kebab he made and turned to face Warren.

The last two Zombies on their side charged at Warren, riddled with arrows that missed any vital points. He wouldn't be able to kill them now. They were too close.

"Frosty let's go." Claude said to the PitWolf who just finished ripping the leg out from under a Zombie and squashing its head.

Woo!

They took off towards the unsuspecting Zombies, each focused on their targets like Wolves on Sheep.

Warren's fear exilerated Claude and gave him a boost of speed with the increased aggression and urge to find the source of the exciting scent.

The Archer continued to shoot, but it's fingers shook and caused his accuracy to plummet. Random bolts slid past the Zombies heads and sunk into the bark of trees behind them or hit their stomachs— which did nothing to slow them.

"Shit! Don't run! Don't run!" He told himself with every step they made closer to him. It didn't take long for them to be close enough to smell.

Woo!

"RAGLGAL—ACK!"

The closest lunged at him but was stopped short as a clawed hand burst through its chest, holding its dead and slimy heart. The hand quickly disappeared and a grisly flesh tearing noise fell on Warren's ears, followed by the Zombie's head hitting the floor. Claude was left standing where it fell at his feet.

[+45 EXP]

The next Zombie fell at Warren's feet growling madly only for it to be silenced permanently by a pair of huge paws sinking into its face and skull violently to create a visual that reminded Warren of smashed watermelon.

"I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Wait until after the Boss." Claude said before dropping the decayed heart to the ground.

Around the time Claude, Warren and Frosty finished, the rest of the team did as well.

Maris delivered a killing blow to her last Zombie by stabbing into its chest, twisting her blade and ripping up towards the sky to split it like a partially peeled banana.

Isaac shoulder charged a half burnt Zombie into a tree where it abruptly splattered comically against the bark. Ursula lifted her undead opponent by the throat, freezing it solid before crushing it like glass and killing the Zombie instantly.

"Is that all of them?" Ursula asked before pulling her axe from the head of a dead Zombie.

"Looks like." Isaac replied while they all regrouped near the pond— now full of and surrounded by decapitated Zombies. "They're a lot weaker than I thought they'd be." The Knight added while blowing charred Zombie flesh from his shield.

"Yea. They're just slower Ghouls it feels like." Claude replied with roaming eyes that surveyed the forest.

Ursula was about to question what he meant by his statement since they've never faced any Ghouls when a loud mob of Zombies ahead of them announced themselves.

"Round two. Let's work." Isaac said while he smacked his shield with his shining cutlass.

"Run the same formation and groupings. Warren, keep your distance at the back. I'll throw some out for you to shoot." Claude said to them before they took off deeper inside the Tangent.

***

They continued their fight with random mobs of Zombies for another 20 minutes, switching up formations and strategies along the way to increase their efficiency.

Claude's ruthless and wild high speed fighting style— combined with Frosty's help, allowed him to cut down the mobs of Zombies before they could reach the Archer behind him taking out the stragglers.

Isaac and Ursula's overwhelming strength allowed them to smash Zombies by the bunches while Maris played a role similar to Warren's— only her blade never missed its mark.

They fought comfortably, unaware of the changes taking place around them. At least some of them were.

***

"Anyone else level up again? This EXP again is amazing!" Warren shouted from his vantage point atop the hill after heads hitting the final Zombie.

"I wonder how many numbers it will show me after I slay the Boss." Maris questioned arrogantly.

Ursula pulled up behind her, "Hm. I'm sure we could guess. The Ratmen in the last Tangent gave us a bit less EXP, so the Boss here is probably a bit higher than the last one. Hey, Claude how much EXP did you gai—" She trailed off after seeing her teammate.

He sat in a kneeling position on the grass with his hand to the floor. All around him the grass brimmed with verdant life while flowers blossomed to life. Even the trees around him regained their lively brown coloring and leaves sprouted from the previously hag handed branches.

She couldn't help but notice the absolute beauty of his Element. But at the moment, she was more focused on him.

He sat still with his eyes aimlessly looking at the floor and beads of sweat dripped from his forehead. He was frozen. But he didn't look scared. In fact, he looked the opposite. He was livid. The expression of growing rage on his face matched the PitWolf that paced around him snarling out towards the entrance/exit out of the Tangent behind them.

"H-Hey, Claude? You alright?" Warren asked as the rest of the team picked up on his odd change in behavior."

"Something wrong is here." Claude mumbled.

***

During their fights, Claude slowly began to incorporate the use of his Nature Element— taking note of the stain the Undead placed on the Nature. The way he had to work to bring life back to the forest. It was something he did for the first time against the Ghouls. But that stain— that wrongness in Nature, was different depending on the kind of Monster and it's level of power.

The one Claude remembered most was the Goblin Shaman.

When he imagined seeing the power of Nature coursing through the earth, it was like an infinite forest of green. Wherever the Shaman walked, he'd blacken that forest. Ruin it, wilt the glowing leaves of a tree, burn the grass to oily black embers all around him. But it was a low level Monster, so it didn't do much to the forest he imagined.

But now, in this Undead Tangent. Something entered that wasn't here before. He knew it wasn't because he felt it enter after using his Nature to kill the last Zombie. It stepped into the Tangent and let its absolute wrongness and unnatural nature spread across the Tangent like wildfire. It took his breath away. Part of him was familiar with the feeling. He felt a similar feeling only a week ago.

"Something is wrong here." He repeated, his voice now dropping to a low growl.

"Where?" Ursula asked while the rest of the team warily looked around.

"I don't know exactly but it's coming." Claude replied before slowly getting up and rolling his neck and shoulders angrily.

"So you can't locate it, but you know it's coming?…..that's just great— perfect actually. We'll just sit here and wait since we don't know where it's coming from." Warren said, trying to mask his fear with sarcasm.

"I'm sure you'll feel it in a minute." Claude mumbled through eyes glowing like the sun.

To no ones surprise, they did.

An unnaturally cold breeze swept across the forest and sent goosebumps running up their arms while their spines tingled like freshly run bells.

"hAGHK!…HAghk!"

"Ohhhh what the fuck is that?" Warren cried in response to the sound echoing above them somehow.

It was a fleshy humanoid barking sound that covered their bodies in chills. A purely visceral sound that made you feel like it was coming from right next to you. They could hear the jaws snapping and tight flesh stretching with every unsettling bark that fell on their ears.

"Claude you're the Monster guy, do Zombies make that sound?" Isaac asked.

"No. It's not a Zombie." Claude answered while he pivoted and twisted to eye every angle of the forest.

"How can you be so sure?" Maris cut in.

"Because whatever it is came from outside…" Claude said, freaking out Isaac while also giving Warren and Ursula an idea of what it was.

"HaGHK!….haghK!"

"Oh shit." Ursula suddenly said in realization.

"Shouldn't we go get a Profess—"

"NO!" Claude snapped with a snarl, cutting off Warren instantly. "If you're afraid then leave. Even if you aren't, you should leave. But don't tell them what's here. Don't take this from me. It's mine." Claude added, speaking in halfway unintelligible snarls.

WOOSH!

Another brush of cold wind swept across the forest.

"RAGH!" Claude snarled at the sky, startling them all.

"W-What?" Warren stammered.

"It's here." Claude said with his eyes kept on the sky.

They all hesitantly followed his vision and quickly found what the Beast Tamer and his PitWolf were growling at.

Above the trees behind them, a cloaked individual hovered in the air like a ghost— a dark specter. It's large looming hood cast shadows over its face making its features indiscernible. The same could be said for the rest of the cloak that hung around the somehow levitating creature like an oversized sheet.

They all stared for a long while as the floating being eyed them when something suddenly dropped from beneath it— heading towards the ground beneath too quickly for them to see.

Fwoo!

Thud!

After whatever fell from the cloak hit the ground, another blast of wind came and the cloak went with it as if there wasn't something just wearing it.

Claude immediately realized what dropped from the cloak was in fact, whatever was wearing it.

"On the ground!" Claude yelled just in time for him and the rest of his team to see it.

In the distance, a humanoid creature walked between the trees with the grace and fluidity of a young woman— a movement that violently contrasted with its looks.

Much like the Zombies it's flesh was a greying shade of beige and rotted beyond recovery. It looked painted over its unnaturally long limbs with fingers and toes that ended in black claws. The real difference was shown in the face.

It's large forehead was twisted and contorted by its thick eyebrow bridge being forced into an ungodly expression of anger while its deeply sunken eyes were hidden completely from the shadows it created. Around its eyes, deep lacerations ran up the length of its forehead— all the way to the creatures receding hairline and down the same distance to its razor sharp jawline. The cuts looked fresh and burnt— with the glowing embers still visible. It's missing nose left only a triangle shaped opening in the center of its face that shrunk and opened with every ragged breath it made. Beneath its nose, Claude learned how it was able to produce such a gut wrenching sound.

It had no lips. The skin below its nose and above its chin simply fused into its rotted gums and sharpened teeth— allowing the entire hideous row to be seen due to its cheeks missing— ripped, probably from how wide the creature was opening its mouth or the burning lacerations. All that was left at the sides of its face were loose hanging tatters of dry decayed looking flesh.

A calmer blowing of the wind came, causing its freely flowing thin black hair to sway— moving as if it were under water, and reveal the horns that protruded from its defined temples. The deep black horns spiraled back two intertwine with the creatures stringy thinning hair like braids. The last thing Claude noticed was the glowing red stab wound in its hollow neck where flame colored veins spread like a virus over its necrotic skin.

"Holy shit…." Warren mumbled fearfully.

"What is that thing? Do Zombies even have horns? Or fly?" Isaac questioned.

Ursula was silent, already aware of what she was looking at— for the most part. One of her worst nightmares came to life in the form of an inhuman rotted female.

"Claude— if you know what this is man-"

"I know what it is. I just don't get how one was found here….how were you infected?" He responded to Isaac and asked the hellish abomination.

"Tell us so we don't die!" Warren pleaded.

Claude cleared his throat, preparing himself to say a word he didn't expect to ever say in a D Ranked Tangent in New Gloria. "It's…..it's a HexenBiest."

"A wha— is that even our language?" Warren questioned.

"No." Claude replied, "In our language it would be…WitchBeast."