One moment, Susan saw Jenny struggling on the strange cafeteria floor with Miriam. The next, hideous wings unfurled with a furious snap. Wind slammed Susan back with enough force to knock her against the partially melted cafeteria doorway. Jenny and Miriam were gone. All that was left of them was a new hole in the ceiling.

The cafeteria was a disaster. So much of the walls were burnt through. Pillars collapsed. Tables upended. And several places, like the cluster of tables by the large windows where Susan had breakfast just this morning waiting for classes to begin, were covered in little hills of rubble.

The worst was the floor. It looked like a black swimming pool in the shape of an oval or maybe an eye. When she’d run over it, her feet didn’t sink, so she was sure it wasn’t actually liquid. But she’d gotten the sensation of wading into water: a tightness in her chest, the sudden feeling that she was heavier, and the threat of plummeting to some dark bottom and running out of air. All her instincts screamed that it was evil.

Susan knew it was evil with every fiber of her being, and the more she looked at it, the more it looked like an ugly gash. A festering wound. The darkness sloshed inwards and wriggled and rippled... And as she stood in the entryway, trying to make sense of it, a bony hand burst out and splashed onto the surface. She couldn’t help but yelp as a head followed.

Tarnished Angel (level 1)

This one was red-haired, its pasty face as skeletal as all the others, and those empty eyes glistened before locking onto Susan. The angel screamed as it pulled itself out.

This was where they all came from, thought Susan, backing away. Then she saw something even worse. Something enormous with a head of blonde hair and a torso that was mostly bones, meat stuck to an exposed ribcage. It was a gigantic angel crawling out of a pile of rubble. Sharp blue eyes glistened with menace, and when it hissed, steam rose from its lips.

Desecrated Angel (level 44)

The name burned through Susan's mind, and she almost cried out. Her legs trembled, and she held onto the doorframe; she couldn't look away from its gaze as it crawled toward the Tarnished Angel. Several other arms burst out of the darkness, and more angels pulled themselves into the cafeteria.

Susan stepped back, horrified. How many more would surface? How many more would they have to fight?

And that Desecrated Angel... How was it still alive? It looked like a dinosaur carcass. Like the ones she'd seen in documentaries, of a stegosaur after the raptors had their fill. The creature was wheezing, eyes shining blue and bright, and when it reached the much smaller angel, it clacked its teeth.

With large, dark blue fingers, it grasped the first Tarnished Angel. The thinner creature hissed and screeched, and slowly, the Desecrated Angel lifted it off the floor.

Despite its size and the shiver of terror running down Susan’s spine, the angel was so badly injured that it seemed weak. Fragile almost. Like it was on the verge of death. Its movements were slow, its arm shook as the Tarnished Angel struggled. For a moment, it looked like the smaller angel would slip out. But then the Desecrated Angel's mouth opened wide, and Susan turned away.

She didn't want to see. She couldn’t bear to see any more of that. She dashed back up the hallway, but she still heard the sickening crunch resounding behind her.

The Desecrated Angel roared in triumph, and Susan clapped her hands over her ears. Jenny fought that thing? And Miriam... Miriam ate it?

Then she remembered what Jenny was doing before Miriam attacked. How Jenny's tentacle things were ripping open the angel's stomach; the pleased look on Jenny's face... No. I can't think about that right now. She's doing what she needs to win.

What can I do to help right now?

I have to stop that thing. Her heart thudded with hope. She glanced back through the holes in the wall and saw Tarnished Angels hissing and scrambling toward her. The Desecrated Angel lay on its back, still feeding off the angel it picked up.

If she killed it, Jenny would level up, wouldn't she? And Susan would level up too. They'd level up a lot considering how high leveled that thing was. She'd have more Energy and more stat points, and she'd be strong enough to help Jenny with her idea to save them all. They could all get out of here.

I need a weapon. She didn't have enough Energy, and her body was on the verge of shutting down, but she felt a surge of willpower, like a second wind. I can do this. I can do this.

Having a goal, a purpose, something that she could do, to help Jenny, to help everyone... it forced her forward. I can do this. Cause if I can’t... we’re all fucked.

With every breath burning, Susan rushed back to the others, trying to dodge chunks of the wall and slipping on blood. Mrs. Monique and Dule stood in front of the unconscious Oliver and Mackenzie who were resting against the ruined door of the collapsed stairwell. Sitting beside them was Leslie, drenched in blood, her clothes torn. She stared blankly up the hallway, staring right past Susan.

Dule had questions, but Susan just pointed toward the cafeteria, shouting that angels were coming.

“Fuck,” he swore, and his boxing gloves materialized around his hands.

Susan nearly tripped, coming to a stop beside Leslie as a screech echoed up and down the hall. Mrs. Monique launched her spear at the first Tarnished Angel to emerge. The tip went through its chest, and the angel flicked back, twisting in a spray of blood as the librarian called her spear back with a flash of light.

"Leslie," whispered Susan, squeezing the other girl's shoulder. "Do you have any Energy?"

Leslie's face was gaunt. Looking almost like a fish with her mouth open, she stared at the angels as Dule and Mrs. Monique fought them off. Her lips moved, but she didn't utter a sound.

When Susan had found her in the janitor's closet, she'd been lying on the floor in a pool of blood pretending to be dead. The other students around her had been very much dead, torn apart by Miriam with limbs, intestines, and bones strewn around in a sloppy mess. Leslie was barely responsive as Dule carried her back to the hallway. All she kept saying was "Dr. Lee did this," but he was nowhere to be seen.

Susan turned around, breathing hard out of frustration. She grabbed Dule's arm as he stepped back, and he flinched, his boxing glove glowing.

"There's something worse in there," she said quickly. "It's almost dead. And if we kill it, we can... we can... I just need something to kill it with.” She’d thought about bashing in its head with rubble or something, but she knew it wouldn’t be enough. She needed something definitive.

Blood and sweat trailed down the side of Dule's dust-covered face. His lips were busted, and his eyes were glazed with exhaustion. He shrugged. "I'm sorry. I'm barely getting anything from these things, and I used up too much to heal Mackenzie." He wiped his brow nodding toward Oliver and Mackenzie. "I'm not gonna leave their side."

Something hissed, and he turned as an angel rushed them on all fours, hissing, long black hair trailing. His glove made contact with its chin. There was a flash of light, and the angel blew apart as though it had been struck by a cannonball. Bits of flesh and bone splattered everything.

“Sorry,” he whispered gruffly. “Put too much into that.” He shouted and stepped away as another angel slipped by Mrs. Monique.

Mackenzie! Susan whipped around and pushed Leslie out of the way. The girl collapsed and curled into a ball shaking and mumbling something incoherent, and Susan felt a pang of guilt, but there was no time for guilt.

"Where's the dagger?" she shouted, hoping Dule would answer her. "Where's Mackenzie's dagger?"

"I don't know!" said Dule over his shoulder. More and more angels erupted through the collapsing cafeteria wall, screaming and hissing. Mrs. Monque thrust her spear into one's back then kicked another.

Susan patted Mackenzie's body down, whispering apologies as the deaf girl's ruined armor crumbled away. Then Susan spotted the handle sticking out from under her arm.

Straining, Susan lifted Mackenzie so she could pull the dagger out. Trying to be as gentle as she could, she lowered Mackenzie back onto the floor, then collapsed, arms and legs burning from the effort. She was breathing hard, and she almost wanted to laugh. What chance did she have against that angel? It was eating the other angels. It was healing. And once it recovered...

But she had the dagger. It almost felt wrong to touch the dagger. I didn't make this. This came from Mackenzie's thoughts. There was a strange magnetic field to it like it was gently repelling Susan's hand. She almost felt like she was touching Mackenzie's bare skin without permission. A strange tingling heat.

Like she was doing something wrong. But her fingers curled around it. She could wield it. And she would just have to apologize to Mackenzie when this was all over.

No stats appeared for the dagger. She didn't have access to whatever skills Mackenzie had imbued it with, but it would do the job. She glanced at Oliver. Once, I kill that thing, maybe I can regenerate your legs and heal Mackenzie.

But I'm exhausted. Her head throbbed with fear. She was terrified of what might be happening to Jenny now that Miriam had transformed into something so grotesque and monstrous.

But Jenny's just as monstrous. I have to have faith. She took a deep breath. We just have to survive. Just like a video game. She was the support, and this is what she needed to do right now. This was the best way she could support her best friend and keep herself alive. Otherwise... otherwise she was just useless dead weight.

And she would not be dead weight.

As Mrs. Monique and Dule fought to protect their little haven by the stairwell, she rushed up to them. “I’m gonna kill the thing in there. Help me!”

“What?” shouted Dule, but Susan was already moving past them, focused on her one singular purpose. A Tarnished Angel leaped in her direction. The spear flashed, striking the creature in the side and slamming it out of her way. She rushed through a hole in the wall, into the cafeteria, trusting them to have her back.

More angels crawled from the darkness. And the Desecrated Angel picked up another, dragging it across the floor to its lips where its enormous teeth snapped through the smaller angel's torso.

It was glowing. Shimmering blue light mixed with golden flashes as the angel’s flesh regenerated over its bones. Her terrible feeling was right; the angel was healing.

Mrs. Monique hurried in behind her. "Susan, what the absolute fuck do you think you're-" But then she caught sight of the Desecrated Angel, and her voice caught in her throat.

"I have to kill it," said Susan. Tears slid down her cheeks. Her legs were trembling so much that she couldn't decide if it was fatigue or fear. But it didn't matter. This had to be done. If that thing recovered completely, they were screwed.

Mrs. Monique didn't say anything more. She ran in front of Susan, taking out the Tarnished Angels as they sprang forward, hissing and salivating. Susan slashed one's arm as it reached for her. Its fingers scratched her thighs; she clenched her teeth to keep from screaming and drove the dagger through its thin chest.

With a cry, Mrs. Monique launched her spear at the Desecrated Angel. The tip bounced off the dark covering of its cheek, and its blue eyes turned toward them. Legs stuck out of its mouth as the giant creature lay on its back. Its navel was taking shape, glistening with golden light as dark, metallic covering spread across its skin. They weren’t gonna be able to break through that.

"Shit..." said the librarian, summoning her spear back. "We have to get closer."

There was still exposed flesh left. On the other side of its face. On its chest. The muscles were still forming, and Susan recognized the healing pattern from when she'd used Valescent Light on her leg. There was still a chance.

The angel noticed her right as she stepped onto the darkness. Susan stood near its enormous head feeling like she was staring down a school bus. Light crackled like electricity, and that blue covering spread slowly over its nose. The exposed muscle of its cheek moved disgustingly as it chewed and swallowed.

Susan recognized the blonde hair. It was the angel that nearly killed them. It and its mate. She wondered if Jenny had killed the dark-covered one, and she couldn't help but smile coldly. This is for Jenny.

It slurped the rest of the Tarnished Angel down, feet scratching the Desecrated Angel’s lips before vanishing, and swallowed. Blood and a mess of meat and bones oozed down a hole in its stomach, and Susan wanted to retch. But she knew what she had to do. How to kill it.

She raised her arms, spreading them wide and hiding the dagger in the sleeve of her ruined armor. Take me, she thought. I'm a much better meal than these skinny monsters. Eat me and you'll recover completely.

"Susan! Susan, what are you doing?" Mrs. Monique screamed behind her.

But it was too late. The angel lunged, twisting its body to grab her by the waist. Just as she planned. Her armor cracked against her ribs. She winced in pain, but as the Desecrated Angel brought her to its mouth, as Mrs. Monique screamed her name, Susan raised the dagger with both hands...

And slammed it down into the creature's face. She'd aimed for the eyes, but the dagger point bounced off a patch of dark covering and sliced deep into its cheek, right into its mouth. She jerked to the side, and the dagger split the skin all the way through the corner of its lips.

It screamed, releasing her so that her feet landed on its neck. She almost slipped off, but she held onto the dagger tight, metal against its teeth. She pressed her knees on either side of its throat, bracing herself with its chin between her thighs as it screamed and screamed, the vibrations jostling her bones. The sound making her ears bleed.

But she was screaming too. And she was remembering the first angel she'd seen, the one Jenny killed with a hole puncher, bashing its head over and over. Susan stabbed the angel's face the same way, and each time, the dagger slid deep inside with a hideous squish. She cut through its tongue. She stabbed the back of its throat and cut the roof of its mouth and knocked away teeth.

Whenever the dagger got stuck, she yanked it free and raised her arms to bring it right back down again. She made a mess of each eye, slicing through the gooey liquid spilling down the sides of its giant head. The angel lay limp on the floor, its breath gurgling in its blood-clogged throat, but no notification of its death appeared.

"Just die!" she screamed frantically. She turned around. The golden bursts of light had stopped, and there it was. A patch of exposed chest, translucent skin glistening with sweat right between its breasts. She could just about see through the layer of healing skin; she could see the heart pumping away within.

Susan fell forward and plunged the dagger into the creature's heart. Blood spurted out, and she twisted the dagger, grasping the handle with both hands as the angel writhed beneath her.

It pierced deeper and deeper. There was the slightest hint of resistance when the tip found the heart, and Susan thought she could feel the tremors of each heartbeat racing up her arm. But then the dagger struck bone on the other side.

The Desecrated Angel let out one final, monstrous scream. Its entire body spasmed as its heart struggled to beat against the blade. Then it went quiet.

 

You have defeated Desecrated Angel (level 44)

Experience has been awarded

+500 Energy

 

Level up!

Susan Brown, level 10 -> level 21

+33 stat points

Susan whimpered. She was lying breathless on the angel's chest, still clutching the blood-soaked dagger, only vaguely aware of Mrs. Monique cutting down another Tarnished Angel before rushing to her side.

"You did it," whispered Mrs. Monique, looking at the giant carcass and wiping blood off her face. "Holy shit."

Susan grinned, breathing hard as the adrenaline faded and fatigue surged through her insides. Her muscles felt so weak. Her head felt too heavy. She was going to collapse.

She drew up her stats before she passed out, figuring she could throw a lot more into Stamina. She gave it 25 points. The remaining 8, she applied to Durability.

Susan Brown

Human (stage ii) (level 21)

Stats:

Power: 10

Durability: 18

Stamina: 55

Agility: 11

Stat points available: (0)

Energy available: 502

When the points hit, relief surged through her. Her muscles relaxed. Her lungs stopped burning with each breath, and the exhaustion faded to a dull ache. It was still there, but her baseline Stamina was now far greater. She slid off the angel's body and stood, leaning against its side, staring at her blood-covered hands. I can do so much now...

Jenny! Jenny, where are you? Please tell me you got stronger too.

She turned back to retrieve the dagger. Blood spurted when she pulled it out, but she wiped it on her leg, wondering if it had gotten stronger too from killing the angel. But there was nothing about that in her head.

Rainbow light flickered to life in her hands. The blood evaporated, and the blisters and scratches on her palm vanished. She grinned. I can heal them. I can heal everyone. I feel so strong.

She looked past her shimmering hands at the pool of darkness beneath her feet. Maybe I can... maybe... Was Jenny's idea that this thing was a wound? Some tear between worlds that pulled their school into the Veil?

So if I can heal it... can we go back? But how? Susan knelt and touched her glowing hand to the darkness. But before her fingers could make contact, it slunk back and inward, recoiling away. No matter how she moved her hand, the darkness swished out of reach. Frustrated, she tried with both hands, trying to grasp a handful, but an arm burst out in front of her, and Susan fell back in surprise.

Mrs. Monique's spear pierced the back of the creature's skull, and its body never made it all the way through. The head toppled to the side, blood pooling from its neck, and it looked like whatever hadn’t emerged had been cut away. So there was some requirement to pass through. A lightbulb went off in Susan’s head; she remembered Jenny’s nearly dead state. How she’d held Jenny’s heart in her hand. And how when Jenny came back, she’d looked more and more like one of the angels. Maybe that was the key. That and her Valescent Light. She was sure Jenny was thinking along those lines.

"Did you hear that?" asked Mrs. Monique, wicking away the blood and looking up at the ugly hole in the ceiling.

Susan shook her head. "No, I just...." All she'd heard was her heart pounding and the angel screaming and...

"HELP ME!" screamed someone from above. It echoed all around, shrill and desperate, and Susan's heart thudded against her chest. It was a girl's voice, twisted with pain and fear.

Was it Jenny? She wasn't sure. She couldn't be sure. It might be. Oh god, please don't let that have been Jenny.

She squeezed the dagger, biting her bottom lip, staring at the hole in the wall as though she might be able to see through it if she tried hard enough.

"HELP M-"

The scream cut off, and Susan cried out.

Another hand burst out of the darkness beneath her and grabbed her leg. She jerked her foot reflexively, and when the angel's head emerged, her heel struck it on the nose. Its face crumpled in a splatter of blood, and Susan stepped away as it hissed and gurgled. She bumped into the corpse of the Desecrated Angel.

She glanced back at the hole in the ceiling, wishing she could fly up there, trying to figure out the quickest way up to the first floor.

"Something's coming," whispered Mrs. Monique.

The ceiling rumbled. Debris rained down from the hole. The cracks around it spread and grew. Something was burrowing back down to the cafeteria, and she prayed it was Jenny.