Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Leonard gritted his teeth, feeling his hands tremble as SCP-096's cries grew louder and louder.

Leonard holstered his rifle and began sprinting across the desert. He was utterly terrified of SCP-096. Suddenly, his radio crackled to life: "Boss? Can you hear me? You disappeared out of nowhere. What's your status?"

Still running, Leonard replied, "I'm in some goddamn desert with SCP-096. I saw its face."

Alexei cursed on the other end, "гавно (Shit). Resh-1 is deploying in full force to assist you. I've contacted commander Graves and his team; they'll reach your position in 15 minutes. My team will arrive in 40 minutes. Try to get as far away as you can."

Leonard replied, "I don't think I can last more than 10 minutes. Just get here as fast as you can."

Leonard turned around and saw SCP-096 slowly rising to its feet. It lifted its head, and its gaze locked onto Leonard's. Suddenly, it let out a deafening roar and sprinted toward him at full speed. Leonard drew SCP-4112 and fixed his eyes on SCP-096.

"No choice… here we go," he muttered.

The air seemed to freeze as SCP-096 charged, its inhumanly long arms flailing, claws tearing through the ground with each monstrous stride. Its primal screams reverberated across the barren desert, a sound of anguish and rage that sent shivers down Leonard's spine.

Leonard gripped SCP-4112 tightly, his fingers brushing against the smooth, ancient wood of the lyre. His heart pounded in rhythm with the creature's approaching footfalls. Sweat trickled down his face, but his focus was razor-sharp.

"Alright, big guy. Let's see if this works," Leonard muttered under his breath.

Planting his feet firmly in the sand, he strummed the lyre, the first note ringing out like a bell through the arid wasteland. The strings glowed faintly, resonating with his intent. The sound wove through the air, and the desert responded. A fissure opened between him and SCP-096, a jagged chasm yawning wide to swallow the oncoming threat.

But SCP-096 didn't stop. It leapt effortlessly over the gap, its skeletal frame twisting unnaturally mid-air, landing just meters from Leonard.

"Of course you'd jump," Leonard hissed, stepping back as he played another series of notes. The sand beneath SCP-096's feet turned to quicksand, pulling it downward. The creature thrashed, its limbs clawing wildly, but its movements only accelerated its descent.

For a brief second, Leonard allowed himself to breathe. "Got you."

But SCP-096's screams intensified. The quicksand bubbled and exploded outward, a wave of sand and debris knocking Leonard off his feet. SCP-096 emerged, unrelenting, its pale form now stained with grit but unharmed.

Leonard scrambled to his feet, playing frantically on SCP-4112. A wall of flame erupted between them, the heat distorting the air and casting eerie shadows. The fire roared, a natural barrier that would stop any living creature.

But not SCP-096.

The creature tore through the inferno, its flesh blistering but regenerating as fast as it burned. Its rage grew with every step, the cries now almost unbearable.

"Guess that was too much to hope for," Leonard muttered, his voice tinged with panic.

He strummed a new melody, the tone urgent and commanding. The desert itself obeyed, forming jagged spires of stone around SCP-096, boxing it in like a makeshift cage. The creature smashed against the walls with its fists, each strike sending cracks rippling through the structure.

Leonard knew it wouldn't hold for long. He shifted tactics, playing a softer, more intricate tune. The spires began to collapse inward, aiming to crush SCP-096 under tons of rock.

For a moment, everything fell silent. Then the rubble exploded outward, shards of stone flying in all directions. SCP-096 stood unscathed, its hollow eyes fixated on Leonard.

"Unstoppable," Leonard growled. "Alright, let's try something else."

He played a sharp, discordant note, and the air around SCP-096 grew heavy. Gravity increased tenfold in an instant, slamming the creature to the ground. Its movements slowed, its claws digging into the sand as it struggled to rise.

Leonard ran, putting as much distance as he could between himself and SCP-096. He glanced at the timer in his vision:

[ Countdown: 23:53:37]

"Not even ten minutes in, and I'm already running out of tricks," he muttered.

Behind him, SCP-096 roared, its sheer will overcoming the crushing force. It rose, its movements jerky but deliberate. The unstoppable force was back on its feet, accelerating toward him again.

Leonard spun around, his fingers dancing over the strings of SCP-4112. The sound twisted the very fabric of the desert. A sandstorm erupted, blinding and violent, obscuring the creature's path. The winds howled, and the sands whipped around them like knives.

But the storm didn't deter SCP-096. Its cries pierced through the chaos, louder than the wind, as it closed the distance once again.

Leonard gritted his teeth, the fatigue of manipulating reality beginning to weigh on him. "You really don't give up, do you?"

He prepared another tune, this time focusing on his surroundings. The landscape shifted, forming a towering maze of stone pillars and winding paths. It wasn't meant to trap SCP-096, only to slow it down.

Leonard sprinted into the labyrinth, his breath ragged. His hands shook as he readied SCP-4112 for the next encounter. Behind him, he could hear SCP-096 smashing through the maze, its cries growing louder with each passing second.

The maze groaned and shifted as Leonard's fingers danced over SCP-4112. The lyre hummed with raw energy, its strings glowing brighter with each stroke. Towers of stone reshaped themselves, forming shifting corridors and dead ends. The ground beneath Leonard's feet rippled, creating pitfalls and ridges. The entire landscape became a living battlefield, bending to his will.

From deep within the maze, SCP-096's cries echoed, a haunting, blood-curdling wail that grew louder and closer with every second. Leonard tightened his grip on the lyre, his mind racing as he prepared his next move.

"Alright, you freak," Leonard muttered, strumming a series of rapid notes.

The air around him shimmered, and the temperature dropped suddenly. Ice erupted from the ground, jagged spikes forming a crystalline barrier that encased SCP-096's path. The creature plowed through the first few spikes, but Leonard kept playing, causing the ice to regrow instantly, thicker and sharper.

The maze became a frozen labyrinth, the howling winds of a conjured blizzard masking Leonard's footsteps as he sprinted deeper into the battlefield. He glanced behind him, catching a glimpse of SCP-096 tearing through the ice with inhuman strength. The creature's pale, bloodied figure seemed almost spectral against the swirling storm.

"You don't stop, do you?" Leonard hissed.

With another strum, he called down bolts of lightning from the storm. Each strike hit with deafening force, illuminating the battlefield in bursts of electric light. One bolt struck SCP-096 directly, momentarily halting its advance.

But only momentarily.

The creature roared louder, its body crackling with residual energy as it charged through the storm. Leonard switched tactics, shifting the melody to a slower, deeper tune. The ground beneath SCP-096 began to quake, massive fissures opening to swallow it whole. Lava surged upward, creating rivers of molten rock that cut across the battlefield.

SCP-096 paused for a moment, standing on the edge of a lava flow. Its hollow eyes locked onto Leonard even through the storm and chaos. Then it leapt, soaring over the molten chasm with ease, landing mere meters away.

"Shit!" Leonard strummed frantically, summoning a wave of energy that hurled SCP-096 back into the lava. The creature fell in with a splash, the molten rock consuming its pale body. For a few seconds, all was silent.

Leonard panted, his arms trembling from the exertion. He took a step back, his heart racing.

Then the surface of the lava exploded. SCP-096 emerged, unscathed, its screams filled with an almost animalistic fury. It sprinted through the molten river as if it were nothing, claws scraping the ground for leverage.

"No, no, no!" Leonard shouted, retreating as he played another desperate tune. The storm dissipated, replaced by a towering cyclone of sand and debris. The winds roared, tearing at SCP-096's flesh, but it kept coming.

Leonard's mind raced. Every strategy he used only slowed it down, and SCP-4112's power was beginning to take a toll on him. His vision blurred, and his fingers ached from the relentless strumming.

"I've got one shot at this," Leonard muttered.

He poured everything into a final melody, the notes echoing across the battlefield. The sand cyclone condensed into a massive sphere of compressed energy, glowing with blinding light. The sphere hovered above SCP-096 before crashing down, the explosion shaking the ground.

The force knocked Leonard off his feet. He scrambled to stand, watching the dust settle.

SCP-096 emerged from the crater, slower this time but just as relentless. Its pale, scarred form was drenched in blood and dirt, but its hollow eyes remained fixed on Leonard.

"Un-fucking-believable," Leonard muttered, strumming SCP-4112 again.

This time, he shifted reality itself, creating a vast forest around him. The desert vanished, replaced by towering trees and thick underbrush. The air filled with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant wildlife.

Leonard weaved through the trees, using the dense foliage to his advantage. SCP-096's screams grew distant, but he knew it wouldn't stay that way for long.

Suddenly, the trees behind him exploded as SCP-096 barreled through, its claws tearing through the trunks like paper. Leonard turned to play another note, but SCP-096 lunged, faster than he expected.

The creature's clawed hand struck Leonard with brutal force, sending him flying through the air. SCP-4112 slipped from his grasp, tumbling to the ground.

Leonard crashed into a tree, the impact knocking the wind out of him. His vision swam as he struggled to move, his body screaming in pain.

He looked up to see SCP-4112 lying in the dirt, just out of reach. SCP-096 was closing in, its hollow eyes burning with rage.

"Dammit," Leonard groaned, forcing himself to crawl toward the lyre.

The creature roared, its towering figure casting a shadow over Leonard as it prepared to strike again.

Leonard rolled to the side, feeling the rush of air as SCP-096's clawed hand slammed into the ground where he'd been a moment before. The sheer force of the impact shattered the earth, sending debris flying in every direction. Gritting his teeth against the searing pain in his ribs, Leonard forced himself to his feet, staggering backward as SCP-096 roared and charged again.

"No time to think," Leonard muttered, his eyes darting toward SCP-066-DE, the crimson book strapped securely to his side. His fingers twitched as he reached for it.

SCP-096 lunged again, its jagged claws slicing through the air. Leonard ducked and rolled, the creature's attack missing him by inches. The impact of its swipe splintered a nearby tree, the trunk toppling with a deafening crash.

Leonard's hand finally grasped the spine of SCP-066-DE, and he pulled it free. The crimson leather felt warm in his grip, pulsing with an otherworldly energy. The glyphs embossed on the cover seemed to writhe and shift as he opened the book, his eyes scanning its forbidden pages.

"Alright, you freak," Leonard growled, flipping to a page he'd only dared glance at during his training. "Let's see how you handle this."

As SCP-096 barreled toward him, Leonard began chanting the incantation scrawled in the book. His voice echoed unnaturally, reverberating through the air like a chorus of whispers and screams. The ground beneath his feet darkened, a crimson glow radiating outward in jagged patterns.

SCP-096 paused for the first time, tilting its head as if it could sense the shift in reality. Its hollow eyes fixated on Leonard, and it let out a guttural growl before resuming its charge.

Leonard finished the incantation, slamming the book shut with a resounding boom. A massive barrier of glowing crimson runes erupted between him and SCP-096, stretching high into the sky. The creature collided with the barrier at full speed, the impact shaking the ground.

The runes flared brightly, holding strong against SCP-096's relentless assault. The creature screamed in frustration, slamming its fists against the barrier over and over. Each strike sent ripples through the air, but the barrier remained intact.

Leonard didn't waste a second. With SCP-066-DE still in hand, he flipped to another page, his voice rising in a new chant. The energy around him intensified, the crimson glow expanding to envelop the forest.

The earth erupted as massive tendrils of shadow and light emerged, twisting and writhing like living creatures. They lashed out at SCP-096, binding its limbs and pulling it away from the barrier. The creature roared, thrashing violently as the tendrils tightened their grip.

"Stay down, dammit!" Leonard shouted, pouring more energy into the spell.

The tendrils began to glow brighter, their energy converging into a massive sphere of concentrated force. The sphere hovered above SCP-096, pulsating with destructive power. Leonard raised his free hand, his eyes blazing with determination as he directed the attack.

The sphere descended, slamming into SCP-096 with a deafening explosion. The shockwave flattened the surrounding trees, and the ground split open in jagged cracks. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the battlefield.

Leonard coughed, shielding his face as the dust settled. He squinted through the haze, his heart sinking as he saw SCP-096 rise from the rubble. Its pale, scarred form was battered and bloodied, but it moved with the same relentless fury. The tendrils that had bound it were in tatters, and the creature's screams were louder than ever.

"Oh come on," Leonard muttered, gripping SCP-066-DE tighter.

SCP-096 leapt toward him, faster than he could react. Leonard barely managed to raise the book, its crimson glow flaring as it absorbed the brunt of the attack. The force sent him flying backward, crashing into the ground with a grunt.

"Alright, plan C," Leonard muttered, struggling to his feet. He opened SCP-066-DE again, flipping to a page near the end. The glyphs on the page seemed to writhe with a sinister energy, and he hesitated for a moment before beginning the incantation.

As he chanted, the air around him grew heavy with tension. A swirling vortex of crimson energy formed above him, crackling with raw power. SCP-096 charged again, but this time Leonard was ready.

He raised his hand, the vortex descending with a thunderous roar. It engulfed SCP-096, trapping it in a maelstrom of light and shadow. The creature howled, its form flickering as it fought against the vortex's pull.

Leonard's knees buckled under the strain of maintaining the spell. His vision blurred, and his breaths came in ragged gasps. "Just… a little… longer…"

But SCP-096's strength was overwhelming. With a final, enraged roar, it broke free from the vortex, its claws slicing through the energy like paper. The backlash of the spell knocked Leonard off his feet, and SCP-066-DE slipped from his grasp, landing several meters away.

Leonard groaned, his body aching as he tried to push himself up. His eyes locked onto SCP-066-DE lying in the dirt, but SCP-096 was already closing the distance.

"Shit," Leonard muttered, dragging himself toward the book as SCP-096's roars filled the air.

Leonard gasped for breath, his body aching as SCP-096 loomed over him. Its pallid, grotesque face was contorted in a mask of pure rage, its claws gleaming in the crimson glow of the distorted battlefield. Leonard's mind raced as the creature lunged at him, its claws slicing through the air with deadly precision.

With no time to think, Leonard drew his sidearm, a customized handgun loaded with experimental rounds. He raised it and fired. The first shot struck SCP-096's chest, ricocheting harmlessly off its flesh. The second and third shots were equally ineffective, but the fourth bullet, a precise, desperate aim, hit its left eye.

The impact staggered SCP-096 for a brief moment. It howled in pain, clutching at its face, its clawed hand twitching wildly as it stumbled backward. Seizing the opportunity, Leonard bolted toward SCP-066-DE, still lying in the dirt where it had fallen.

His boots pounded against the cracked earth, his breathing ragged as SCP-096 recovered with terrifying speed. The creature roared, its long limbs propelling it forward in a blur of pale motion. Leonard dove, his fingers brushing against the crimson book just as SCP-096's claws slashed through the air behind him.

Rolling to his feet, Leonard clutched SCP-066-DE to his chest and immediately flipped it open, his bloodied fingers smearing its pages. He shouted an incantation, his voice raw and desperate. The book responded with a burst of energy, a shockwave erupting outward and forcing SCP-096 to skid to a halt.

The creature snarled, its hollow eyes blazing with fury, and charged again. Leonard barely managed to conjure a wall of searing crimson energy between them. SCP-096 collided with it head-on, the force shaking the ground. The barrier held for a few seconds before shattering into shards of light, sending Leonard stumbling backward.

"Fine," Leonard growled, flipping to another page. "Let's see how you like this!"

The air crackled as he unleashed a torrent of elemental chaos. Blazing fire erupted from the ground, encircling SCP-096 in a blazing inferno. Spears of ice shot down from the sky, piercing the earth around the creature. Jagged rocks surged upward, forming a cage that closed in on the howling beast.

But SCP-096 was relentless. It tore through the cage with brute force, its claws shattering the stone like glass. It ignored the fire and ice, its focus solely on Leonard.

"Of course you don't care," Leonard muttered, sweat dripping down his face. He flipped to another page, summoning a massive glyph beneath SCP-096's feet. Chains of pure energy erupted from the glyph, wrapping around the creature's limbs and pulling it to the ground. SCP-096 screamed, thrashing against the bindings with unbridled rage.

Leonard sank to one knee, his strength waning as he poured everything he had into maintaining the spell. "Just stay down," he muttered through gritted teeth.

The chains glowed brighter, tightening their grip, but SCP-096 roared louder, its strength seemingly endless. With a final, violent surge, it shattered the chains, the backlash sending Leonard sprawling.

The impact jarred the book from his hands again, and Leonard coughed violently, tasting blood. He scrambled backward as SCP-096 advanced, its long arms dragging across the ground as it moved with horrifying speed.

"Not like this," Leonard hissed, drawing a dagger from his belt and slashing it through the air. The blade left a trail of shimmering energy, forming a temporary barrier between him and the creature. It bought him a precious few seconds to reach for SCP-066-DE again.

But SCP-096 was faster. It smashed through the barrier and swiped at Leonard, the blow grazing his side. The force sent him flying, and he crashed into the ground with a sickening thud. Pain lanced through his body as he struggled to move, his vision swimming.

SCP-096 roared, preparing for the killing blow. Leonard forced his shaking hands to move, flipping open SCP-066-DE and chanting one last spell. A shimmering dome of golden light erupted around him just as SCP-096's claws struck.

The dome held, but each strike from SCP-096 sent shockwaves rippling through it. Leonard sat inside, his body battered and broken, blood pooling beneath him. His breaths came in shallow gasps as he leaned against the shimmering barrier, clutching SCP-066-DE to his chest.

SCP-096 roared outside, its claws pounding against the dome in a relentless assault. Each strike reverberated through the air, the dome flickering but holding strong, for now.

Leonard closed his eyes, his body trembling. "Come on, Resh-1," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "I can't hold this much longer."

Outside, SCP-096 continued its relentless assault, its screams echoing across the battlefield as Leonard prepared for the inevitable.

Léonard lay on the rock, his eyes half-closed, staring at the transformed desert around him. The cracked ground, broken rocks, and swirling debris were a reflection of a world in decline, distorted by his own will. The cracks spread slowly across the magical shield, each blow from SCP-096 eroding the fragile barrier of light. The sound of impacts reverberated in his skull, each vibration amplifying the pain coursing through his body.

The blood poured from his wounds, staining the desert floor beneath him. His breath came in shallow, labored gasps. His vision blurred and his limbs grew heavier, as if gravity itself was pulling him deeper into the earth.

"It hurts… so much…" he muttered, gritting his teeth.

His once-strong resolve faltered as his body continued to fail him. The shield was weakening, the cracks growing larger with every second, and SCP-096's relentless assaults were only making it worse.

Slowly, he closed his eyes, unable to keep them open any longer. Darkness closed in, and he felt himself slipping away from consciousness.

He didn't know if he would survive this.

His thoughts were fragmented, memories of Resh-1, of his mission, of everything he'd fought for fading into the distance.

But despite the overwhelming pain and exhaustion, he held onto one last thought.

I can't die here. I won't…

But even as his mind clung to that resolve, his body surrendered to the pain. The last thing he heard was the pounding of SCP-096's fists against the shield.

Then, everything went black.