Beneath The Surface

Resolution 56 - If she could redo everything

Normal text
Thinking
Onomatopoeia

Astaroth's POV
Countless eldritch eyes popped open and squeezed into view from the sides. As if they're eager to see the pesky mortals that have been causing such a ruckus and disturbing their slumber. Their oppressive gazes travelled slowly, sweeping back and forth through the petrified crowd until they landed on her figure. The pupils shrunk agitatedly.

Eerie whispers mixed into the cold wind, "Traitor..."

The ghostly echo rattled her mind. Pure anguish laced within the monotonous voice. An uncanny glint flashed across the largest of eyes. Astaroth only had time to call up her second skin moments before the atmospheric pressure suddenly multiplied by a hundred times. It grew infinitely heavier. Like gravity had fallen upon them all. It was too much for Astaroth to bear. Her knees buckled and slammed to the ground as she doubled over. Half of her mask broke off from the pressure overload. Edges of her once pristine armour had chipped and cracked. The second skin wasn't enough to protect her from God's wrath. Astaroth was completely incapacitated. She couldn't even lift her head. It's like having an entire mountain smashed into her body, slowly squashing her insides to pulp. Yeah... Not a very fun prospect.

Even though the brunt of the malignant intent was focused on Astaroth, it didn't mean that gravity was any lighter on the rest. Beside her, Ahri was no better. In fact, she's in a worse state since she had just recently revived from the dead. Only to be met with a calamity that's threatening to send her back to hell again. Not only her, every single being here was forced to kneel from the overwhelming pressure. Even the self-proclaimed Void empress. And the thing was definitely not happy.

"YOU-YOU DARE HUMILIATE ME, INCOMPETENT MONARCHS!" it shrieked indignantly while being pinned spreadeagle.

As a heartfelt apology, more twisted tentacles descended from the sky and skewered the bitch on all four corners. It was crucified on the ground helplessly, only able to thrash and squirm in vain. Funny thing is, while the fish was throwing a hissy fit, humans were the ones who had the shortest end of the stick. Their fragile species was designed to be at the bottom of the food chain. The weakest of the lot. So of course they couldn't live through the weight of a mountain. Most were bleeding from the orifices, with their eardrums or eyes blown out. Some bodies were even beginning to crumple in a slow and agonising way. Now they knew how crushed paper balls felt.

It was a mess. People were being pulverised left, right, and centre. But what freaked her out most was Kali. She was, unfortunately, part of the unlucky group that's stuck with the human tag. No matter how capable she was, she couldn't possibly withstand pressure a thousand times over the limit of what ordinary humans could take. Blood was pouring out of her nose and eyes as she struggled while being pressed down. Astaroth could distinctly hear the horrid sounds of her right arm fracturing. But Kali's painful screams were the most heart-wrenching. Her ninja was about to be crushed under the behemoth weight.

Astaroth clenched her teeth so hard that she's pretty sure she broke a back molar or two. With leaden arms, she propped up her upper body. Every effort to fight against the will of the gods had her body crumbling. Bit by bit. Brittle bones cracked one after another, unleashing a world of hurt. Her consciousness grew hazy. Ears buzzed as deafening static crackled in her mind. Her sanity was on the cusps of snapping.

Just as her bleeding eardrums were about to rupture, a daunting shadow loomed overhead. Armoured tentacles looped around Astaroth and Ahri protectively. The popping sound in her ears instantly disappeared. The weight on her head subsided. A thin film of purplish energy encircled their bodies, isolating them from the ongoing chaos. She recognised the familiar brooding eyeball.

"Vel'Koz!"

It was miraculous that Vel'Koz managed to move under this deadweight. But even its undying loyalty and convictions weren't enough. The stiff armour was deforming, gradually crushing the tender eyeball in a slow and insidious manner. However, Vel'Koz didn't move a muscle. Truly obedient to a fault.