A Fungal Dream

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Holy City, 1 week after The Catastrophe, POV:

“Sort them out! Those who you think are infected to the left, the rest to the right! Don’t let them escape!”

The knights pushed the crowd of refugees aside, some grabbing one at a time, stripping them of their cloth on the spot.

If they didn’t find any wounds on them, they would push them aside, allowing them to leave. As for the wounded, the majority of the people were pushed towards a group of knights who wielded torches and were gathering firewood, setting the poor bastards ablaze.

Behind them, the gates of the city were closed and locked with powerful magic, keeping the infestation at bay.

Not far away from the chaos, sitting in a tent reserved for the general of the army.

In it, a bulky knight was looking at the map of the city, with parts of it colored green, showing the infected sections.

“This isn’t good. If this continues, we will lose the entire city in a month. There are still important and valuable materials kept there what the fuck are the peopled from the Capital doing?”

Behind the knight a dark shadow appeared, its eyes and mouth glowing in a faint light as it whispered into its ears.

“Everything is fine. Everything is under control.”

As the whispers entered his ears, the eyes of the knight became empty and lifeless as he repeated the words of the shadow in a deadpan voice.

“Everything is fine, everything is under control.”

“You should send in more men to rescue them.”

“I should send more men to rescue them.”

“Now go. The battlefield awaits you.”

The knight walked out of the tent like a zombie leaving the shadow alone.

“…I can feel your presence. You can not hide from me.”

Slowly, the ground slightly shifted making a small hole from which something rose.

It was a pile of brown earth, which depicted vaguely the figure of a man, with glowing green eyes.

“Earth. Why are you here?”

“The same reason you are, Discord. I heard the call of earth. The ground is crying in happiness for the gift Putrefaction bestowed on the city. A sight like this must be experienced with one’s own eyes.”

The shadow stared at the mud monster for a while, then he glanced at the map.

“You know, sometimes I am grateful for the prophecy that tells us our fate. It makes it… easier.”

The shadow put his hand on the table.

“All this destruction without any materials. Make you wonder, with War’s financial aid, what sort of hellish machine he is making right now.”

*****

“Here is the sample you requested!”

The servant of that girl brought me a metal tray, which had the cut off the arm of someone, which was covered in a white fungus-looking thing.

“Thank you.”

I took the tray and started working.

It’s been a week or so since I landed in this place, and I was loving it here.

There were countless chemicals and materials to use, and the books they provided gave me insight into various matters, while my work progressed smoothly.

Naturally, I made contact with the kayeri to be sure they were all right.

The relocation didn’t possessed a problem for them and the ants behaved themselves for now, with the queen finally sobering up and taking her duties more seriously.

At first, I wanted to leave, but there was something here that just kept me here. Maybe the company I don’t know.

As I was working, I stole a glance at the hanging on the wall next to me.

I still couldn’t get used to the sight of my new face.

A pale skin, bald head, and a giant hole in the middle of my face. Through the hole, I could see what was behind me while the skin was pulled on my mouth in a way that I was constantly smiling.

Of curiosity, I used a pencil to touch the black meat inside my head, but on second thought the experience was so disgusting that I just couldn’t.

On the other hand, I found my crossbow.

It wasn’t mentioned as a skill, but if I wanted to, I could bring it out by lifting my arm and concentrating.

Doing so, the skin on my forearm would part and the crossbow would emerge, equipped with an almost endless ray of arrows.

This was also true to the other upgrades I had for this body, making me prepared for almost any situation.

“Still, I would love to look more human.

With a deep sigh, I turned to the tray and started my work.

With the fresh materials, that girl gave me, I built myself a kayeri, but this one only consisted of a head, with a pair of thin arms coming out from its ears, meant for writing down anything I said.

“Start recording.”

The arms quickly shout into action, grabbing the book next to it and a pre-inked quill.

“Test sample number seven. The mold, which I temporarily named White mold, has spread through the nutrition field sample. Unlike the previous molds, this one does not present any kind of special abilities. My theory is that the experiments my partner ran through have stripped its special qualities or given it new ones which I have never seen before. Today, I will test out my newest theory. Six five rats will be injected with water dozed with white mold particles. I hope that the mold will show its capabilities once it’s been injected by a living being. ”

While speaking I pulled the nearby cage closer, waking up the sleeping animals.

“Test subjects A and B will receive a two milliliter of dosed water into the stomach, where the food is stored and digested. Subjects C and D will receive the same amount into their hearts, the blood flow, hopefully, carry the compound through their bodies. As for E and F, I shall only use one milliliter, which will be directly injected at the base of their skull, directly affecting their brains. Perhaps the mold will cause their brain chemistry to change drastically.”

As I was speaking, I stabbed the needle reputedly into the squalling vermin, then I separated them so that the result wouldn’t be affected by their environment.

“Based on the effects of the previous mold experiments the effects should be immediate, but the possibility of it being slow-acting is likely. I will keep observing them for a week and if no symptoms show up on their exterior, I will open up one from each group. Hopefully, I won’t need to. End Record.”

The hand stopped writing and closed the book.

I stretched and went to the other table where another experiment was happening.

“Good. It's growing nicely.”

It consisted of the blaze mold, which I successfully cultivated with raw flesh, and several vials.

The plan was to turn the spores or its main body into small Molotov cocktails, which I can throw at my enemies, setting the ground ablaze and turning them into my servitors if I touch them.

Sadly, I still couldn’t figure out how to cool the substance down, it made the water boil away and alcohol was no question.

“I should try to look for some other substances that may do the trick. Does liquid nitrogen exist in this world? Nah, that's too extreme. Maybe I should try out the bodily fluids of some monster who lives in warm climates.”

While I was writing down some ideas on a piece of paper, I heard footsteps coming down here.

Immediately I turned my powers on, turning invisible and insensible, waiting for the one coming down.

“Hello, doctor! I bought good news with some food!”

It was the war apostle Sharon, her radiant smile still giving me the creeps somehow. In her hands, she was holding a plate, filled with food, which smelled quite heavenly.

Easing my tension a little, I repaired before her.

“Good day to you as well. I must still insist that you wear a safety suit and mask when you enter. The substances I am working on are quite dangerous and even if I am unharmed, I cannot promise the same thing with you.”

Plus, I do not want to get the other apostles on my ass when you accidentally die from this. I am unable to imagine myself surviving with those people jumping at me.

“I already told you that I take the antidote regularly, so there is no need to worry.”

“And I have already told you the thing you keep injecting yourself isn’t an antidote. It’s a suppressant and it's ineffective against high levels of infection. Not to mention these new strains that I am currently cultivating, which can have comelily different reactions to the serum. For what little we know, this blaze mold I am holding, that turns a normal person into a fiery monster, might make your hair color or gender change.”

The glare in her eye changed to curiosity, so I quickly hid the sample I was holding.

“Anyway, I thank you for the food.”

I sat at one of the empty tables and started eating.

“Is there any news from that guy? Mr. History if I recall right.”

“Nothing so far. He usually leaves us be, till something important happens.”

“Important. Right, if you say.”

Losing my appetite, I put one of my fingers on the plate, quickly covering its content in mold, which was then absorbed into my body.

“…Have you bought me the compounds I asked for?”

“Yes, but it was quite hard to find them. These things aren’t really used for anything. What the hell are you even making with them?”

“MNT. Just something that may make our life easier.”

(Author's note: Mononitrotoluene or MNT is the precursor of TNT. It is a yellowish-colored liquid that is sometimes used at explosions.)

*****

??? POV:

In the throne room of the holy empire, surrounded by nobles of the highest order a youth of dashing look was kneeling before the fat-king who was in the middle of eating a piece of ham twice the size of its body.

“’ mush’ So, who ‘mush’ is you? Can’t you see ‘mush’ that I am eating?”

Hearing his words, all the people in the hall had the same thought.

Aren’t you always?

The youth didn’t seem to be bothered by his remark, instead, he looked up, his eyes literally sparkling with particles of light.

“My all-powerful emperor, I came here to offer my aid in these tough times!”

“Your aid? ‘mush’ what can a ‘mush’ guy like you do? I do not ‘burp’ time nor gold for people like you.”

The emperor threw the cleaned bone and scratched his stomach.

The youth just kept smiling, seemingly not bothered by the disgusting sight.

“My emperor, I do not wish for any gain. The only thing I desire is the accord for me and my friends to clean up the infection which is plaguing our bellowed Holy City.”

This caught the interest of the pig, a gleam of greed showing up in his eyes.

“Really. And who are you to ask me such a thing?”

Feeling a sense of pride, the youth stood up, while ghostly white wings appeared from a circle shining behind his back.

“My name is Joshua, my liege. Joshua Riker, The Apostle of Holy, born to save the world.”

There was a heavy silence, the people witnessing this were amazed by this scene

Even the pig was dumb folded, droll mixed with bits of food slightly dripping from his mouth.

The only one who wasn’t affected was a well-dressed man with dark hair and a suit, who was slightly hissing at the sight of the light.

As he clenched his fist, from which a slight dark smoke came out, he whispered.

“So, there you are. My nemesis.”

*

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[

Name: Darwin Tim Right 'Plague Father'

Race: [ True Kayeri (Mechanically Augmented)] LV: 1/10 000 (1/10 000)

Main Class: [Dark Apostle of Putrefaction]

Sub Class: [Life Father]

MP: 6000/6000

Blessings: [Blessing of Nergal] [Blessing of Airmed]

Active Skills: [Basic Steady Hand] [[Hive control] [Hive Absorption] [Hive Repulsion] [Mold Field] [Basic Spirit Voice] [Aether Vision] [Steam Engineering] [Dagger Arts][Presence Concealment] [Lock Picking] [Mold Manipulation]  [Fly manipulation] [Plant Manipulation] [ Decomposing touch] [Plague Berserker]  [Inorganic conversion] [Plague Mist]

Passive Skills: [Body Knowledge] [ Plant Knowledge] [Medicine Knowledge] [Stamina Enhancement] [ Movement Enhancement] [ Reflex Enhancement.] [Basic Sponge Mind] [Perfect Stomach] [Hive Mind] [Music Instrument Knowledge[Healing Hands][Medical Senses] [Medical Mind] [Surgical Precision] [Mechanical Skeleton] [Toxic Air] [ High Regeneration] [Organic Clockwork] Demon’s Presence]

Affinities: [Basic Farming Affinity] [Basic War Affinity] [Basic Pestilence Affinity][ Basic Fire Affinity.] [Basic Life Affinity] [Basic Death Affinity]

Titles: [The One Who Saw a Thousand Worlds] [Knowledge Driven] [Chosen by Flies] [Medicine Pioneer] [Hive Master] [Giver of Life] [The 13th Dark Apostle]

]