Beneath The Surface

Fall 47 - Villain

Normal text
Thinking
Onomatopoeia

Astaroth's POV
KEEE-

Astaroth casually lopped off the arachinid's head. More indignant screeches cried out in the silent night. Voidlings feverishly threw themselves at her, determined to gnaw her clean to the bone.

*Noisy little shits.*

Her second skin rippled, erupting out of her back. They sharpened into knives, swiftly disposing off a wave of voidspawns. One managed to slip past the death scythes and lunged at her head. Armour swiftly plated her hand as she grabbed it by the head.

Crunch!

The mutilated corpse crashed to the ground. Purple liquid oozed out, releasing a pungent odour. Astaroth's pupils constricted into thin slits as she glowered at the remaining mobs. Unexpectedly, the creatures stopped seeking death. They fidgeted on the spot, uncertain on whether to pounce or not. This was new. Astaroth had never seen these savages display actual intelligence. They're just mindless killing machines. Knowing no fear nor pain. But what's this? They're actually nervous around her? Petrified? A hoarse cackle sounded in her mind. The old man was in a good mood tonight.

*HAHAHA! Of course they're going to be scared. They're stupid but not dead. No matter how greedy they are, as long as you produced enough killing intent, it would trigger their animalistic instincts.*

Astaroth cocked an eyebrow.

So you're getting stronger?

*Most certainly, Asta. They could already detect traces of my presence~*

As she glanced around, the voidspawns visibly flinched at her gaze.

*Why don't you try commanding them?*

Astaroth took a deep breath and closed her eyes. It would have been idiotic to leave such a wide opening in front of these ravenous little horrors but she had a hunch they're too terrified to even move. All her focus was on the emptiness in her mind. Or so she thought. The once haunting silence was gradually filled by a droning buzz. It crackled occasionally. Astaroth tried to find back the familiar sensation of her consciousness spreading beyond the confines of her mortal husk. Unlike back then with Vel'Koz, it wasn't too difficult to establish a connection with these low-level pawns. The obnoxious hum grew louder and louder. Until it reached a certain threshold where everything suddenly went pitch silent. Countless foreign scenes flowed into her mind. All of which were distorted images of her closing her eyes. It's like perceiving the world through the lenses of those puny scuttling mobs. There were hundreds of her. Her senses heightened. She could feel the unearthly pain undergone by battered voidspawns with their body parts severed. Feel the agony of their legs crushed from the frenzied stampede to devour her. Experience the subtle fear creeping up their seemingly dead nerves as they watched her in a trance.

Consume.

Her orders were like the breath of death itself-cold and apathetic. Once the edict had been laid down, there were rounds of unintelligible shrieks as the voidspawns went at each other, tearing their own brethren piece by piece. They were like puppets, loyal and subservient to their marionette. Despite the surge of pain lapping her consciousness, Astaroth still stared through the eyes of those voidspawns. Watch them cut each other down. Each stab and slice sent an unbearable twinge to her heart. The pressure on her chest got heavier. She started feeling unbearably stuffy and suffocated.

After enduring for as long as she could, the agony got too much and her bloodshot eyes flew open. A mouthful of blood was spat out. Her frail mind couldn't keep up the link anymore. The hive mind collapsed. The voidlings subsequently stopped obeying her. Instead, they turned on her the moment they smelled weakness. Before they could swarm her in their sheer numbers, Astaroth waved her hand. Blue inferno shot out, incinerating the entire horde. Astaroth wiped the blood from her mouth, glancing at the bonfire of howls. Everything was set ablaze. Like the night when her sister died. She stared blankly at the depths of hellfire.