Curse Of Genesis

Stab.

Stab, stab, stab.

With my enhanced vision from the drug administered to me, I can clearly see the sadistic doctor swinging his knife up and down again to the rhythm of the music he plays from his gramophone. The knife repeatedly makes a re-entry into my t.h.i.g.h, its swinging arc strangely resembling that of the doctor's smile.

This has gone past the point of pain, and reached the point of numbness. It is akin to the feeling of someone taking p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e of hunting small animals, getting bored and desiring to hunt bigger game. I sincerely believed that my nerves are treating pain akin to something along that line.

Beside me, a person wearing a mask held out his hands at me. His hands emitted a warm and pale green light, signifying a type of healing magic. While this green light supposedly gives the target of healing a feeling of warmth, that light looks eerie and irksome to me.

More so than relief, the sense of disgust grows the more my thought about it lingers.

"I never understood the words of the higher ups." (Doctor)

Unusually, the doctor spoke before me, while changing his tool.

"What did they say this time doc?" (John)

The healing mage seems to take his words as a conversational starter as he throws out a reply of his own. Enjoying a conversational partner, the doctor happily takes up his offer.

"Nonsense as always. Things that never made sense. It makes me think sometimes, that I shouldn't even ponder about their words. As long as I follow instructions and don't defy them, I can live on safely with this as a job, no problem." (Doctor)

"You're not answering me doc. Tell me what they said." (John)

"Create to destroy. Destroy to create." (Doctor)

The healing mage waited for a while, before looking up and staring at the doctor who appears to be a madman uttering gibberish.

"That's it?" (John)

"Hey, don't look at me like that. As if I would come up with such words that sound deep in meaning but actually meaning nothing at all. They just told me that those words are the pillars to our world." (Doctor)

"Ha! Don't make me laugh. Our world right here, the orphanage, has no meaning. And if there's any pillar to speak of, there has only got to be one type of pillar. And I call it the pillar of mindlessness." (John)

"Hou, for both staff members and the children alike huh." (Doctor)

The healing mage looked at me with empty eyes.

"Indeed." (John)

***

When my mind cleared again, I see Zenador looking at me.

[I hope that you can start sometime soon. At this point of the battle, anyone would be of great help.] (Zenador)

I grunted, feeling a wave of energy coursing through my being.

I feel... Refreshed – no, reborn.

I can't tell what exactly changed inside me. It seems weird that one doesn't know his own body well, but considering how mine has been toyed by the orphanage for years, it isn't wrong to say that I have given up on analysing my own body despite studying anatomy with Mr Niterias. Despite that, I feel that such a change within me isn't unwelcome.

In fact, it is very rejuvenating.

I find myself looking at my right hand, previously mangled by the impact of plummeting to the ground, which I open and closed it as though finishing a physical therapy.

[Stop being amazed by healing magic. Mine is only a few tiers higher.] (Zenador)

I silently looked up to the burly figure while pondering over my own thoughts.

To say that it is healing magic, isn't something I can wholly believe in.

In fact, I felt like I just evolved somehow, but I can't tell exactly what is going on.

I stood to attention and gave a salute to Zenador in respect and gratitude, to which he raised his eyebrows.

An elven salute.

[Then, I shall quickly join the fight. Please join us and turn the tides of battle together.] (me)

Zenador nodded in approval to my words.

[Very well. Let us bring victory into our embrace.] (Zenador)

We quickly rushed to enter the warzone Flurea has become.

***

"He's back!"

[Look! The one with boundless courage arrives!]

"Who!?"

"Our hope! The one who bravely fought the beast alone!"

[Fight! Fight on! If he could do it alone, we can definitely join hands and drive this damn beast away!]

[Protect our home Flurea!]

"Defeat is no longer possible now!"

My entrance to the fight has automatically send the morale into an all time high. The resistance force against the beast comprises of many differing races as heard from the differing language they yelled.

Beside me, the elven warrior Zenador seems to be no exception as his appearance further boosted their already high morale.

[Is that the Divine Healer!?]

"Divine Healer!?"

"Uoooooh! I don't care now, I'll just rush in!"

[Charge! Charge!]

I looked on in amazement as the fighters seem to send themselves into a sort of frenzy once they acknowledged Zenador's presence.

[You seem to be well known among the people Sir Zenador.] (me)

[Cut the sir. I just happen to be slightly better at what I do.] (Zenador)

Zenador gives me a bitter smile as a magic circle begins to form and expand under his feet. In no time at all, it covers an entire portion of the battlefield. As if to realise his intentions, people atop the glowing magic formation begin to show visible healing effects as well as invigoration.

War cries echo about, as though seeking to drown out the roars of the Erden Hydra.

[Now, I've done my part. Should you do yours, young warrior?] (Zenador)

In response, I give him a sheepish smile.

[My spear is still on top of the head of the hydra sir.] (me)

The look of a battle-hardened warrior turning flabbergasted has never been so amusing.

***

I currently stand atop of a roof while silently surveying the battlefield.

With my heart now already calm, I can better observe the whole situation with clarity.

To say, the situation has not gotten any better.

Firstly, ever since the resistance force against the Erden Hydra has formed and fought together, the battlefield has transformed into a different thing altogether.

Presumably, the hydra must have noticed the sudden spike in the number of opponents and welcomed it with rage. Along with that, the destruction of the area increased.

It has progressed to the point where the hydra has even dragged out its limbs and its gigantic tail to combat.

In response, the resistance force isn't doing very well.

The front liners that comprised of warriors and knights mostly wielding great swords and shields, equipped with bulky armour and emitting roars, are barely standing their ground. Cracks and ruptures on the ground visibly tells me that the force the Hydra has sent them is overwhelming to the point that some of the brave souls have already laid unmoving on the ground.

If there's any signs of a saving grace, Zenador has recovered many of them. Those that could barely stand are dragging those that still cannot move out of the range of destruction. The rest continued to draw the hydra's attention while withstanding its devastating attacks.

Behind the warriors are the support unit which can be divided into two different types of activity.

One group has tasked themselves to work with miscellaneous activity. Some of them are tossing potions towards the warriors, some of them bravely ran into danger to drag the fallen back out of danger, and some directing the front liners and warning them of any potential or incoming danger.

The second group consists of mages as they wielded their magic with a single purpose. Some provided support directly to the fighters by enchanting their weapons, enhancing fighting prowess of individuals or intensifying attacks against the hydra.

One particular group focused on healing. Some specialised in singular target healing, some did well with multiple targets while some are better at area of effect spells. They looked to be on the verge of dying before Zenador helped out, but after the elven healing specialist joined the fray their complexion seems better. In fact, the rate of healing has increased.

The rest of the supporters indirectly assisted by using spells to weaken or obstruct the Hydra in different ways, such as slowing movements, weakening incoming crashes or wielding elements to physically block the hydra.

Last but not least, the final group spread out and furthest back are the ranged fighters that single-mindedly dedicated themselves to the damage dealing role. Some are using physical weapons such as spears or arrows, while others are hurling magic towards the beast.

Amongst them, Princess Violet has kept her profile low by moving about from place to place while sending arrays of spells targeting the hydra heads in particular. Due to her meticulous movements, people could not discern the identity of the huge contributor of dealing damage.

However, in spite of this wonderful teamwork within a huge group of people, the situation has not improved.

Casualties has ceased, but the fight only seemed to be intensifying.

In this chaotic mess, I sought the ways that I could contribute as an individual.

And my conclusion is to wait.

For the opportunity that will reveal the opening of the Erden Hydra.

My eyes remained focused on a certain individual as I kept my presence low and wariness to danger about my surroundings.

Finally, it has come.

Princess Violet, in the midst of moving about the messy battlefield, suddenly noticed the appearance of Zenador. It took her a second to realise what that meant.

Without hesitation, she searched for one peculiar head of the Hydra that is swinging around in the air.

I see her standing her ground and emitting an intense aura. Immediately, magic circles formulated both behind her back and beneath her feet.

In response, I see another magic circle take shape above the Eden Hydra, who continues to rampage oblivious.

The sky begins to darken through unknown means. The once clear skies of Flurea started to gather clouds from unknown sources, congregating into one huge cloud just under the magic formation hovering in the sky.

As the fight progressed on, everyone slowly noticed the environmental changes taking place. While performing their individual roles to wage this difficult battle, they watched the skies gradually turning into a medium for an attack of unprecedented scales.

The clouds that gathered eventually shaped themselves into a copy of the magic circle they are under, and crackles of lightning and thunder could be seen and heard.

Sensing something, I catch sight of Zenador desperately yelling for a retreat. Some experienced adventurers in the midst also seem to realise something as they begin to yank those ignorant of the impeding disaster while covering for them.

Seeing everyone beating a retreat, I quickly took cover behind the roof which slanted at an angle.

My mind registered a gigantic arc of lightning that coloured deep crimson with shades of black, striking down on one distinct target. Time seem to stop as the immense flash of destruction carved itself through the air and brought down the hammer of judgement at a singular point.

The serpentine head with a spear embedded in it.

I could feel a huge shockwave slam into the cover I immediately took cover behind. It felt as if the world has momentarily descended into silence as the hydra temporarily halted. The targeted head remained lingering in place for a while, before allowing gravity to take over and slowly dropping from the sky.

While everyone stood shocked or continued to hide behind the cover they found in fear or confusion, I had already dashed out and headed towards what I had been aiming for the entire time.

I jumped from roof to roof until I came close to the falling head. Timing its descent, I take my chances and leaped into the air.

I could feel the looks on me as I soared through the air. Amongst them the stares of Zenador and Princess Violet seemed to be extremely piercing.

Landing safely, I reached out for the spear once again before I was noticed and shaken off.

A current of electricity ran through my arms, causing me to flinch in confusion.

For a moment there atop the hydra's head, I could not understand what was going on.

But knowing time is precious, I shake away my hesitation and renewed my grip on the shaft once more. With the blade still deeply lodged underneath the skin, I draw a deep breath.

Freeing my spear, I jumped once again.

The spear which I swung down with gusto caught the left eye of another head as I fell towards it like a rock.

Without wasting further time, I twisted the spear and drove it further down akin to a screw, feeling the sputtering of bodily fluids scatter about.

A roar of pain and irritation reverberated as the hydra violently shook. This time I had decided against staying still and proceeded to drag the flesh-embedded spear down the neck as I ran along it. A large chasm of flesh wound begin to appear behind me, a trail I left behind as a target.

Flames and lightning bombarded the open wound of the hydra as I had hoped it to be. Further screams of pain could be heard as I continue to head down the neck to reach the body while opening the flesh wound even wider.

I feel this particular head begin it's descent to the ground as well.

[Aim for its injuries! Roast the meat down to every muscle fibre and prevent its regeneration!]

"Stop the regeneration! Use magic and keep it that way!"

People have begin to catch on how this battle should go as they shouted to one another the new possible tasks to take in order to triumph over the beast.

As for me, I have reached the body and walked about while twirling my spear and slicing up flesh. Once in a while, I jumped and evaded incoming heads who decided to risk damaging their own body in order to rid of me.

All around me, explosions accurately catch the open wounds without injuring me, sending the hydra from rampaging about to flailing about.

But I knew that doing things like this would amount to nothing if the hydra did not react according to my predictions.

There is a limit to how much we can damage it due to its powers of regeneration. Even if we had taken measures such as using magic to seal it off, the hydra would begin to take drastic measures in order to prolong and ensure its survival.

Out of the corner of my explosion-filled sights, I clearly see one of the heads savagely biting off the one which I just cut up, by the root of the neck.

The other one which I had previously stabbed with my spear on its head was destroyed with an earthen projectile which appeared from a magic circle in front of an agape jaw of yet another hydra head.

Reaffirming the scene I see with my two eyes, I leaked an impish grin.

The battle finally enters the final phase.