My (Monster?) Hero Life

Chapter 84: Close Call

Kace felt the bile in his gut race up his throat as he took in the sight of their assailants. The creatures had the upper half of rotten fish with two long arms that ended with hands that had three digits. A long claw graced the end of each one of them. Their lower half resembled that of a worm. They wriggled around as they protruded from the walls.

Their eyes were pure white. Marking them as blind. Kace realised now why Grugda had been trying to prevent any noise or vibrations. These strange Earthfish creatures clearly used it as a means to hunt their prey. The closest one opened its mouth to reveals rows of sharp fangs.

A strange gurgling noise emitted from its throat before vomiting a yellowish fluid towards him. Kace sidestepped as best as he could in the close environment. The fluid caught hold of the end of his coat. Kace watched on in horror as it quickly melted the fabric to nothing. Leaving a large hole in what felt like a second skin to him.

'There's no saving it. I'll have to replace it as soon as I get the chance. If I get the chance.' He thought with a hint of loss. As though he had just watched a close friend bite the dust.

"Kill them quick! Don't let them spit that shit again!" Raven bellowed in full captain mode as he witnessed the effects of the acidic vomit. 

The crew was one step ahead though and had already begun hacking away at the Earthfish. The rotten scales that covered their upper bodies were quite tough, though. Making it quite the feat if they managed to cut through to the flesh beneath.

Very soon after the initial shock members of the crew who had succeeded in injuring the creatures began to cry out in dismay. The Earthfish bled a substance that was similar to the vomit. As the weapons became coated in the acidic blood, they would start to smoke as the metal slowly melted away.

'Thank fuck that shit didn't get on my skin!' Kace felt glad for the first time since they had arrived back on the Island. His eyes wavered around the area and noticed that Raven's enchanted blades did not suffer the same fate. 'Well in that case...'

Kace drew the blade at his hip and used Cursed Armoury to shapeshift it into a short one handed spear. With a lunged he pierced it straight through the creature's eyeball and directly into the grey matter seated behind it. After flopping around for a bit, the creature became as dead as a doornail.

"Aim for the eyes!" he yelled, quite pleased to see that his hunches were correct.

Not only were the eyeballs soft enough to allow easy penetration without having to struggle against the scales. He was also right in assuming since his weapon was reshaped with magic that it would also not be affected by the blood. 

The earth beneath his feet sizzled as the blood dripped from his spear. 'Note to self. The shit still burns.' He chuckled to himself as he began a massacre within the confines of the cave. All around him members of the crew were beginning to scream as they caught up in the acidic showers.

It posed little threat to him now. Combining the knowledge he had just gained with his kinetic vision allowed him to make short work of the creatures. Sure, it was unfortunate that many were beyond saving and would have to be left behind, but why bring sacrificial pawns if you are not going to use them right?

Grugda decided to follow Kace's lead and created a spear made of the earth for himself. He could not recklessly use his magic in here in case it caused a cave in. Luckily his reach combined with the spear kept him at a safe distance. He thought himself to be quite lucky when he noticed that his makeshift weapon was not affected by the acid either.

Sophia was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Literally. With an intact piece of wall behind her and one of the grotesque creatures in front, there was nothing that she could do. Unlike the others, she did not have a weapon to hand, and her ice magic could cause her allies to become sluggish if the temperature dropped too much.

Luckily though her undead nature was the only thing saving her skin at that moment. Without a heartbeat, a need to breathe or involuntary bodily movements, the creatures were pretty much completely unaware of her existence. All she could do was wait until an opportunity presented itself for her to slip past it.

Mr Thomas gave a hearty roar as he lunged at a nearby Earthfish with his blade. Unaware that at that moment, he had exposed his back to another of the creatures. His roar was like a bright beacon to its senses as the now-familiar gurgling noise came from its throat.

Kace noticed the dire situation that the quartermaster had put himself in. Cursing violently he moved as though the hounds of hell were snapping at his heels. Grabbing ahold of Mr Thomas by the back of his collar, he swung him around and launched him towards Captain Raven, who had cleared a path forwards.

He landed at Raven's feet with a loud yelp. Turning around to ask him what the hell he thought he was doing, he noticed how close he had come to almost certain death. 'What a guy! Watching my back even in this situation! Guess I should be glad I gave him those pistols then.' Mr Thomas grinned as he thought that his random act had just saved his life.

Kace drove his spear deep into the eyeball of the offending Earthfish. Halting its attempt at vomiting prematurely. When he was satisfied that it was completely dead, he withdrew the weapon. 'That was close! That fucker almost got the key destroyed!' He thought with an intense feeling of annoyance as he glanced past the grinning Mr Thomas to the pack that was still on his back.