Chapter 30: Wild and Untamed

"Hold fast!" The command thundered through the confines of the underground tunnel, echoing with the weight of authority and urgency. The clamor of battle, punctuated by eerie screeches, reverberated through the labyrinthine passages, causing the very walls to tremble and dust to cascade from the low ceilings.

Amidst the chaos, the chosen elite of the Ntuli Tribe, a resilient civilization of Outsiders in the midst of the apocalypse, stood firm. Twenty-one warriors, united in purpose and resolve, clashed fiercely with a band of rogue Elder Gods, most likely serving as scluts for a larger body. 

They had crossed the boundary demarcating the territory controlled by the Den quite some time ago, and the expedition had been underway for half a day. Along their journey, they had encountered numerous renegade abominations, each skirmish further testing their mettle.

The Den itself remained a considerable distance away, typically reachable within a day's travel. However, relentless packs of Elders continually impeded their progress, frustratingly prolonging their campaign.

"Ugh, this is infuriating! Can't they just drop dead already?" groaned one member of the party in frustration.

"Hey, Isha! Stop charging ahead on your own and stick with the group—hey!" scolded Tyla, a short woman with silver hair, as she watched her impulsive companion dart into the midst of the enemy, disregarding the safety of the group.

As Isha danced amidst the looming Elder Gods, the azure chains wrapped tightly around her arms began to unravel, unleashing a deadly torrent of chaos and destruction. Each chain, infused with a mysterious energy, glowed with an intense neon-blue light, accentuating her movements with bursts of color. With a fluid grace, she moved like a whirlwind among her colossal foes, striking with precision and ferocity.

The chains, now weapons in her skilled hands, crashed against the tough, scaly and cartilaginous bodies of the Elder Gods. Each impact echoed with a sickening crunch, as their formidable forms were reduced to grotesque remnants. Despite their massive size, which dwarfed any human, the Elder Gods moved with an unsettling swiftness. These creatures, defying the normal constraints of physics and biology, manipulated their forms in ways that should have been impossible. The concept of shape, size, and form was mostly irrelevant to these ancient beings, adding a layer of unpredictability to their movements.

Yet, Isha was faster. Far more dreadful in her speed and agility, she seemed to anticipate their every move

Isha's chains snaked around the limb of one of the monstrous beings, gripping it with unyielding strength. Standing firm, the young Native lady yanked hard from the other end. Demonstrating a burst of power that belied her human form, she sent the massive creature soaring through the air. A fierce battle cry erupted from her lips, echoing across the battlefield.

"Hooaaarrggh!!!" The captured Elder God, now reduced to a makeshift weapon, became a terrifying flail in Isha's hands. With each swing, she decimated any foe daring enough to close in around her.

Her azure eyes blazed with an intense, ferocious light as she stamped her right foot into the ground, anchoring herself. Gritting her teeth, she pulled fiercely on the chain.

 "Get over here!" she growled ferally, dragging the Elder God back toward her with primal force. As the creature neared, she thrust her left arm—wrapped tightly in chains—forward, piercing through its head. The impact was so powerful that the creature's head exploded upon contact.

A gruesome noise filled the air as brain matter and remnants of the Elder God scattered across the scene, splattering Isha with dark, sickly violet blood. 

"Woah." From a short distance, Huey whistled in amazement at the spectacle before him. With a casual flick of his wrist, an air slash tore through a row of advancing Elder Gods. Since the ambush at their current location began, Huey hadn't moved from his spot, effortlessly slaughtering any Elder Gods that came within range of his black sword. His ability to manipulate the blade's length, allowing it to grow, extend, and shrink at will, made his lack of movement all the more astounding.

As the dust settled and Isha's frenetic energy momentarily subsided, she regained a semblance of her usual calm. Her gaze shifted to Huey, the indifferent figure amidst the chaos, and her eyes narrowed. The resurgence of her emotions was palpable, stirred by the stark contrast he presented. Despite the carnage surrounding them, Huey remained pristine—his body unmarred by the battle's bloody toll, his chest bare and conspicuously clean. This odd detail caught Isha's attention and fueled a mix of curiosity and irritation. 

That frustrated Isha more.

"Don't get any ideas, you idiot," a voice coldly warned from beside her. It was Tyla, her tone as icy as her demeanor. "That's not a monster," she added, nodding toward Huey, who maintained a cold and distant expression as he effortlessly tore off the head of an Elder God with his bare hands.

Isha was tempted to ignore her companion's words, but curiosity got the better of her, prompting her to glance at Tyla and raise an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean? If he's not an abomination, then what is he?" she asked, her voice tinged with scorn.

Tyla, her fist still buried in the carcass of an Elder God, took a moment to respond as she withdrew her bloodied hand.

"Our monster,"

Her answer hung in the air, heavy with implication. Huey, despite his detached facade, was part of their team—a weapon as formidable and controlled as any divine tool of war. Yet, unlike the creatures they fought, his allegiance and origins remained enigmatic

The words "our monster" ignited a deep-seated rage within Isha, triggering memories that scorched her soul. Aisa—sweet, brave Aisa—who had been caught tragically in the crossfire between Huey and Barak, suffered a death so gruesome and unwarranted that it haunted Isha's dreams. Aisa was more than a sister to her, and her loss was a wound that refused to heal. Despite this, the village council and even the Chief had allowed Huey, the catalyst of that disaster, not just to walk free but to reside among them as if he were one of their own.

The injustice of it all was suffocating. It irked her beyond measure that this man, this 'demon' as she saw him, was allowed to live leisurely within their midst, a constant reminder of the pain and chaos he had helped cause.

Her internal tumult was interrupted by the sharp command of their leader. 

"If you have time to stand around and glare, then move your flat asses already! Kill the abominations or die trying!" His voice cut through the noise of battle, snapping Isha back to the present.

With a painful grit of her teeth, Isha cast one last searing glance at Huey, who remained disturbingly composed amidst the carnage. She turned away, her body tense with unresolved anger and a resolute thought echoing in her mind: 'That's the 'abomination' we should be getting rid of!'

Despite the chaos of the ongoing battle against the Elder Gods, a part of Isha's mind plotted and seethed. Huey's presence was a stark reminder of past tragedies, and she knew that something would have to be done. But for now, the immediate threat demanded her focus, and with a heavy heart, she charged back into the fray, her fury channeled into each swing of her chains.

All throughout the entire time, Huey pretended not to notice the feverish gaze sent at him from the warrior girl, but couldn't care less.

No, that's not right.

"She must have been mesmerized." He mused internally.

He was actually quite enjoying the focused, and passionate gaze Isha sent him, thinking it to be infatuation to his form.

In his mind, the women of the Ntuli Tribe, to which Isha belonged, were fascinatingly intense. "Are all Outsiders like this? That girl's a complete battle freak!" Huey thought, recalling the way Isha had ferociously dismantled their monstrous foes with moves that reminded him of a 'Mortal Kombat' game. 

"But if she's really into that sort of thing, she might like what she sees," he speculated with a touch of arrogance.

'I don't know if I should be excited or cowering,' he thought, barely restraining a stupid grin from cracking his mask.