Sopot Boyz

Chapter IV Hallowed Be Thy Name

After waiting about twenty minutes on the beach in limbo, they were starting to get bored.
- Perhaps it's a false alarm? - Asked them Emilia.
- It's quite unlikely, it would be the first. All the whispers that we answer are caused by these creatures. - Replied Shubby with his arms crossed. Hedg was tapping his foot impatiently.
- Maybe they're already watching us? Spying on us somewhere from the shadows? - Said Ginger while looking around.
- No way Ginger. It's gonna come from the sea... - Said Hedg looking at the black mass and raising his eyebrow.
- Well how do you know? Only Shubby and Em can sense them in the physical. Or is there somethin we don't know huh? - Asked suspiciously Doc.
- Am just getting better at finding them. - He looked back and replied, giving him a rude smirk and blinking behind his glasses. Emilia could see that something's wrong with his eyes, although she couldn't see them yet. - I've spent too much time here, they can't surprise... - As he was finishing the sentence, a black, slimy tentacle shoot out of the sea and grabbed his ankle. He tripped and the monster started pulling him towards the sea. - Don't cut me mid sentence you motherfu... - Another tentacle jumped out of the sea with incredible speed and slapped his face. His glasses flew off but he caught them mid air, as if they were more important than the fact that some eldritch abomination was about to eat him. He flipped his pocket knife and stabbed another incoming tentacle. The boys got to work as more and more of them started appearing. Emilia was dumbfounded and the presence of the monster grew substantially, making it hard to act.
- Pray Em! Say some prayers! - Shouted Shubby while helping Hedg untangle himself from the slimy mess he found himself in. Bullterier raised his sword in the air and started praying too.
- O Lord of hosts, fight for us; that we may glorify thee. O suffer us not to sink under the weight of our sins, or the violence of the enemy. O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us, for thy name's sake! - As he shouted the last words of the prayer, the symbols on his weapon started glowing faintly and suddenly his sword burst into flames. He started very skillfully cutting through flying projectiles, spraying dark blood everywhere with a hissing sound.
- Isn't that a bit redundant?! - She shouted to him. Doc was trying to shoot them down, but they were moving too fast to aim efficiently. Ginger was also having a hard time hitting them, although for some reason he was standing unshaken by any hits. What was the most frightening for Emilia, was not the huge amount of tentacles but the fact that the creature haven't showed itself yet. After the initial barrage of vicious attacks, the tentacles retrieved to the sea, although the monstrous presence was still lurking somewhere in the waters. It didn't give them enough time to catch a breath. Fountain of water erupted suddenly, wetting all their clothes and making the whole area muddy. Everyone but Hedg shivered as they felt strong, cold wind on them. Huge mass of black, thick blood and guts was spitted from the waters. Remains of a giant octopus-like creature were thrown out of the water like trash washing up on the edge of the beach. Finally the demon slowly and quietly raised it's body from the vast blackness. They quickly realized that what they were fighting before was only an appetizer. The creature was towering over them. Standing over five meters tall over the shallow waters. Long body, resembling one of a centipede, covered in remains of their former enemy. That was the real deal, not the creature with tentacles. It had dozens of limbs, similar to a lobster, but each of the crustaceans leg was ending with a nasty looking, hairy spike. It's head was nothing like they've ever seen. Long neck, large gaping mouth with hundreds of uneven, yellow teeth. Around six, black eyes on each side of the creature, and several horns on it's head in a semi-circle resembling a hellish crown or diadem. It was covered in thick, slick, deep green scales.
- So eager to meet The Emperor of the Deep? - It asked with a deep, booming but almost a melodic voice, tilting it's head to the side. - So eager to become my meal? - They all took few steps back as the creature moved a little further. - You think you're all heroes hmm?
- Well, that's an exaggeration. - Replied Hedg while crossing his arms. The beast made a cackling, clicking sound, perhaps it's way to chuckle at something.
- Sense of humor is strong in you, just like your little friend. I wouldn't laugh looking at your situation boy. You don't know what powers you're dealing with. I shall end your little endeavor... - It sound like it was threatening him this time. They all looked at Hedg but he stood unshaken with a deadpan expression.
- Talkative huh? - Doc broke the tense silence while reloading his gun. He aimed the gun at the monsters head. Shubby raised his hand and pointed a finger at the creature. He started whispering.
- I command thee, kneel before powers of the fire. Give me strength o mighty Chalkydries. Give me the heat of the sun... - As he was muttering his incantation she could see fiery sparks appearing for brief moments around his body.
- Give me the boy... - He pointed one of his spikes at Hedg. - And the girl... - He pointed at Em. - And I will leave and consider stopping the Endless night...
- Now! - Shouted Hedg, interrupting the monster. With a loud gunshot, one of the eyes of the abomination exploded.
- Blaze my enemies! - Shouted Shubby as bravely as he could. She heard a loud thundercrack and something she could only describe as thin, bright, red thunderbolt shot from his fingertips at the self proclaimed emperors chest. It roared in anguish. A hellish sound, piercing their ears, forcing them to shield them.
- EXTINCTION IS WHAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN THEN! - It screamed furiously as it extended one of it's spikes at unbelievable speed, aiming at Bullterier which was the closest to him. He barely deflected it with his sword and almost got knocked to the ground. The monstrosity crawled out of the water and charged at Hedg. Doc kept shooting it, but he didn't managed to slow it down at all. Emilia started praying as it was the only thing that could really help in that situation. Ginger and Doc started running towards the beast side by side. It tried to slam it's horned head at Hedg but he somehow shielded himself from it with his arms. It ripped his skin and blood splattered all over his hands. Emperor shrieked and turned it's head around as Ginger threw himself at one of it's legs in an attempt to suplex it. Bullterier run to it's other side while it was distracted, trying to cut it's head with his flaming sword. It's many eyes noticed the trick, as they were looking around in different directions, and it ferociously hit him with it's massive horns. He fell to the ground and as it tried to finish him with another strike, Hedg grabbed it's head and tried to keep it in place.
- Hallowed be thy name... - Emilia muttered continuing the prayer. She was not sure if it was going to work. She didn't feel any different saying it. A feeling of hopelessness and frustration started to creep in. Monster screamed as Ginger broke it's leg. Shubby was screaming spells but she could hear he was scared and frustrated as as well. Doc was trying to take a shot but with everyone around it was very hard not to shot any of his friends. Frenzied demon wiggled it's body around wildly, knocking everyone but Hedg to the ground as he was still holding on it's head tightly, trying to restrain the massive creature. Doc finally put some lead into it's hideous body. - May God rebuke him! - Shubby shouted another prayer and a beam of white fire shot out of his hand, burning the side of the beast. It wailed in anguish with horrendous sound but quickly came to it's senses and started to attack again. It tried to pierce Hedg with devilish speed. She could not see it well, but she saw his hands loose their grasp on it's head...

His limp body fell to the ground. Without a scream, not even a word. Before turning to face the rest of them, the Emperor stabbed his chest and abdomen few more times. Ginger, Doc, Shubby and Bullterier screamed collectively, but she could not hear it. All she could hear was ringing in her ears. All she could see was a body left behind. Lifeless and bloodied. All she could feel, was fury building up inside of her...