The Bent World (Formerly: Multiverse Revenge Story): Chapter 11 The Profiling Ceremony Massacre

Chapter 11

The Profiling Ceremony Massacre

The day started off so well, even the mistakes should not have led to such a moment.

In the grand scheme of things.

From what I had been led to believe and understand from that point, this event was minor. The ceremony profiler had done their job. They created a relatively minor rift in space, one that was no more than three feet tall by three feet wide.

Better still was the fact that the hole generated was a few feet off the ground, meaning that any creature was drawn to the allure of power. Which was the purpose of these events from both dimensions, the lure of untapped and unclaimed power.

Just being exposed to such power was often enough to cause a surge in the growth of an individual or creature entering the new world. Take for instance Sarina who was now a six foot ten-inch-tall monster of a female. Her growth was considered relatively minor by comparison to some of the other females, like my mother or Auntie.

All of this is to say that even with an apparent rupture in space, which means that the rift being generated will take at least thirty minutes to first stabilize itself, before it can be closed should not have been a bad thing.

In fact, protocols almost encouraged this process to ensure proper exposure of enough ambient energy from the alternate world to awaken, should a creature not come through.

No, the problem in this case came from the apparent area where the opening was made.

For the hole generated linked our world, well Earth07 to a planet that had hundred and thousands of chitinous flying insects. All of whom were now drawn inexpertly to the giant gaping hole that now connected our two realities.

Insects who at first appeared to be normal in size, only to then upon their immediate exposure and entry to our world began to grow and expand at rapid rates.

Their sudden appearance caused many of even the most stoic of warriors to pause. Others who had been trying to get into position were quickly hit by the random students and teachers who in turn knocked the stalwart guardians out of the way.

This confusion and sudden explosion of insects allowed the monsters to break free.

Insects now drawn to movement saw the fleeing backs of human kids and teachers and began immediately clinging onto and biting the necks, arms, and any other exposed areas of skin.

Their small size and their vast quantities of numbers made dealing with the pests nearly impossible. For their volume denoted the need for use of wide-ranging strikes, like massive bursts of flames or other area control attack powers.

However, their size and the fact that they were already on the children, children that the guardians had at least a minor affection towards caused even more hesitation.

“What is that?” Sarina cried out.

“I don’t know,” Auntie declared as she looked on.

Sniff, sniff.

“Eww,” was all I could get out.

Hearing me, Auntie turned to look at me and then seemed to realize something. Her mind working on ways to solve this problem immediately.

“You can smell them, even from here?” Auntie asked, her voice mixed with care and concern.

“Yeah, it smells like tar, rotting eggs, and burning tires.” I manage to get out as I pull my arm over my face to cover the rotting smell.

Hearing that, Auntie’s face went pale.

“You’re sure?”

I nod.

Then looking back at the monsters that were still billowing out, and the way many of the first responders were shooting bursts of flames, lightning, and ice up into the sky at wide angles that would avoid all students, but only deal with pockets and clusters of the now flying mass of insects, Auntie could only stare on in horror.

“Oh, this is bad,” Auntie exclaimed.

“What’s bad?” Sarina inquired.

“Those are demonic or at the very least dark aligned creatures,” Auntie cried out.

Hearing my Auntie speak, Ms. Kay who had been paying attention all along suddenly also looked shocked.

“A demon incursion?” Ms. Kay asked Auntie, with her eyes flickering to me once before back to Auntie.

“Possibly,” Auntie replied. Then her mind went to work.

“Get the kids out of here, they have all been exposed, but it might not be too late to save some of them,” Auntie declared.

As soon as she spoke the waves of monstrous growing insects began to ripple and break off, attacking the second year students.

It was clear from their movements that the insects were apparently drawn to movement. As the students who turned away to flee were the ones who were struck down first.

“Never mind, gather them close, and have them stay still,” Auntie began, then turning to Sarina she stated, “Sarina call for the rains, hopefully rain will help stop these beasts. Then if anything gets close burn or blast them from the air. Destroy anything that gest close to these children.”

At that Auntie began surging forward.

“Wait, where are you going?” Sarina cried out.

“To close that stupid rift,” Auntie declared as she charged forward the warm scent of heated vanilla rising from her as she charged forward.

Sarina just paused for a moment, staring on in slack jawed amazement at the way Auntie charged forward into the gaggle of second year students. As she approached the dark insects that had been near began to burst apart into plumes of black ionized dust clouds.

 With the insects that had tackled and begun devouring a few of the students gone, Auntie quickly directed the kids to retreat back to Sarina, pointing towards her.

Sarina for her part still hadn’t begun to move, that was when I poked her.

“What?” She asked looking down, a dazed look on her face.

“Shouldn’t you be creating that storm system that Auntie requested?” I ask.

“Auntie?” She began, only after a second shaking her head, “right Dr. Andry.”

Then another quick head shake and I smelt the unmistakable smell of salt and brine fill the air. Had her powers increased? I don’t remember the brine after smell.

Still, this was not time to think about new scents.

Honestly, anything was better than that rotting smell that was coming from that portal.

Bzzzt.

The insects, either drawn to the movement of children, or the overwhelming smell of Sarina drawing forth energy all surged forward.

Seeing them this close, I decided to help as much as I could.

Ever since my last portal experience my Telekinetic distance had improved immeasurably. Even now I could mentally feel the giant and growing insects within my range.

This was when I struck.

While many of the insects had begun to grow, particularly those that fed on the flesh and blood of children, most were still small and annoyingly nimble.

But for me, they were like stationary objects waiting to be plucked.

Surprisingly most of the monsters turned out to be quite sturdy. Only after applying no less than two of my opposing first tier power effects against these monsters did anything happen.

Of course, by these first tier fingers, I was referring to using at least two of the following effects: push, pull, lift, drop, or horizontal movement.

Just two of these effects working in conjunction with each other was enough to crush the insects, particularly if I attached the weak point where the head met the abdomen.

Squish.

I would press until an oddly satisfying crunching sensation was felt. Then I would drop the dying creature and more onto the next beast.

Push and Pull naturally worked together. Same with Lift and Drop. Horizontal motion just needed to be used against itself.

So it was that with even tier one powers I was able to kill three of the insects. Apparently killing insects in such a way did wonders for my advancement, for rather than the slow and arduous task of having to spent minutes of mental exercise each day to unlock the next Basic tier of my power, just killing one insect was enough to unlock the second. Then the third, and so on.

I used the Intermediate Telekinetic hands to squeeze the larger insects.

Then the true Telekinetic arms that I had unlocked to this point were used as bludgeoning clubs to swipe at waves of monsters all around.

Thus began my process of squeezing, popping, and swiping at swaths of insectoid monsters that dared to come within range of us.

Sarina for her part managed to generate a rainstorm, that did seem to cause the insects to pause in place. Her range for her storm seemed to coincide with the extent of my new Telekinetic range. Making it somewhat easy to believe that the rain was what was causing the slowed monsters to fall and then die.

Shiver.

Out of the corner of my eyes I could see my fellow classmates all shivering at the rain, but no one dared to complain for at this moment we were safe.

I wasn’t complaining, for I felt the surge of energy filling me with each and every monster being squeezed. While I didn’t think that these monsters would give as much energy per kill as the larger monsters, it did seem that even from using Telekinesis I was able to still siphon off a part of the power, but in a good way.

Tingle.

My mind pulsed and expanded with each use of Telekinesis, but did didn’t stop, knowing that with this type of threat, one that continued to pour out of the hole at an alarming rate. A hole that could not be closed for at least thirty minutes, every monster killed would be immensely helpful.

“I don’t feel good,” one of the second-year girls cried out.

As she spoke, I looked to see that she was covered in insect bites. Bites that even now glowed with black pulsing energy, energy that seemed to corrode the child away from the inside.

FWOOSH!

By now Auntie had made her way forward, a golden barrier erupting to life around her as more and more insectoid monsters charged at her.

“Drag the kids back,” Auntie cried out, her voice filling the open field with a level of power and poise that the original ceremony conductor could only wish to wield one day.

At her command, many of the teachers that had run away in a panic now charged back forward, grabbing students and dragging them to safety.

There were two distinctly safe areas by now.

The first was in the immediate area surrounding Auntie. By her side, many of the guards who had faltered or otherwise been able to protect the children they were assigned to now rallied. From there not one but two flame mages began casting pyrokinetic bursts of energy that burned away insects that attempted to escape from their corrupted world and enter our own.

Seeing their efforts, they were soon joined by other guardians from the other classes that began setting up a rotation that produced continuous bursts of flames all directed at the portal.

While this was happening, Auntie protected against any clusters that attempted to attack the wall of flame producers with her shield of divinity.

Finally, after over half an hour of near constant struggles, a miracle happened. The giant rift that had been formed between the two realms began to heal itself. The giant ripples of arcing energy that had seemingly shattered a hole between the two realms of existence began to shrink.

This meant that the burst of flames being used by the fire producers could calm down and not be as intense. As the surface area needing to be protected was slowly shrinking.

At this point, everyone around me let out a collective sigh of relief.

Only now did I pause long enough from scanning the horizon for more insects to crush did I even realize the horrors that lay before me.

There in the field were many bodies of children laying face down in the ground, their pristine white robes a firm reminder of where they fell.

Seeing the fallen students, ones whose lifeless bodies were left to fall and rot where they lie was another testament to just how dangerous this world was. I know this, because many of the guardians and parents from the second and third years traveled past those fallen bodies multiple times.

Granted each time they passed from the one safe zone created by Auntie to our secondary zone here under the constant stream of cold rain, they were all vulnerable. Vulnerable to monsters that could and would swoop down at any would be caregivers.

For a moment I locked gazes with Auntie, at least I think I did. She too looked out over the open field. Her goal right now was to protect the back of the workers who desperately tried to hold the line and seal off any more of these demonic insectoids from entering our realm.

That said, Auntie was apparently still human for she saw the same thing I did. She saw multiple students all laying lifelessly on the ground while experts desperately tried to gain control over the situation.

Chime.

There was a crisp burst of energy that was released by the time the portal to the other world finally closed.

As it closed, a wave of intense energy shot out, washing over everyone in waves.

I swear I could almost see the wave, or at least its aftereffects as it washed over everyone and everything. The insects that had for the moment hidden by flying high in the air, suddenly seemed to lose their unnatural boosts that they had gained in the transfer. Their bodies seeming to deflate as they all began to descend slowly to the ground.

Similarly, the wave had a direct impact on everyone around me. I felt it hit me and turn my legs wobbly for a moment, but a quick half step later and I was able to regain my balance. Sarina too was able to regain her balance.

While most of the other students around me were not as lucky, as most collapsed to their knees or to the ground entirely. Their pristine white uniforms now being soaked in the mud filled ground that we had taken to as our refuge during this time.

With the portal closed, the rest was simple.

“Sirena wind tunnel!” Auntie cried out.

“Right,” Sarina cried out, as she dropped her storm and began running forward.

Slop, plop, clop.

Her feet running through giant mud puddles that now separated our safe zone from the rest of the world.

Immediately after she stopped channeling energy into summoning the rain I felt a blessed release as the intensely cold rain that had been falling incessantly began to first loosen up. Then stop entirely.

That’s when I got to see the full effects of what a team of highly powerful and capable war maidens could do when working together.

Sarina, following the orders of Auntie, raised her hand into the air and began causing a vortex of high-powered winds to lunge upwards towards the sky. Her powers created an instant funnel that began grabbing and pulling in different insects from all over the skies into one spot.

Then once they were in place, caught and being thrown about violently in the streams being created by Sarina, I saw Auntie turning to a few of the fire mages and directing them at the vortex.

What happened next was a thing of pyrokinetic beauty. The flames created by the two fire mages reached out and were pulled into the wind vortex created by Sarina.

Whoosh!

In seconds, ionized burning insect particles could be seen bursting to life and falling gently to the ground. As a billowing flame of resistance could be seen pulsing in the sky from miles around.

From there it was only a matter of moments until Sarina directed her flame assisted air vortex towards remaining clusters of insectoid monsters that soon burst into flames.

I took this point to move forward, I immediately went to check on the kids that had been left to rot and die on the ground. Seeing that many had just laid down and hidden, I quickly waved for teachers to come and help.

Of course, this was just a convenient cover as I also used this moment to mentally find the individual straggling insects that somehow escaped the bursts of flames. Finding them with my mind right now was easy, as I apparently didn’t even need to look, as I could all but feel their corrupted essences with my mind. Drawn by their essences, I reached out to each and began crushing or otherwise popping each one of the insects that managed to escape.

That’s how things went for a few moments, until finally Auntie came over to check on me.

“You okay?” Auntie asked a note of concern in her voice.

As she spoke she immediately reached her hands forward and began pulsing a surge of honey smelling energy towards me.

Mentally I relaxed, knowing that this was the scent of healing magic.

“OUCH!”

Big mistake, as the energy she pushed into my body burned.

Not a burning that was worse than what it had been a few months ago, on the night of the spatial portal at the manor, but close.

Seeing my reaction, Auntie only nodded her head.

“You know what this means?” She asked me.

Pausing for a moment, I took in a deep breath and then nodded.

“I need to run?” I asked.

“You need to run, now!” Auntie exclaimed. While she didn’t yell, her words no less conveyed the seriousness of the situation I was in.

Not even hesitating, I nodded and then began running. Not even pausing long enough to pull off my white robe first. Instead, I just yanked it over my head while running towards a wide-open playing field before me.

Fwoom.

The garment was up, over, and on the ground within three steps. Within seven more steps I was already up to my previous sprinting speed, knowing that I would need to maintain this pace at the very least. While I ran, Auntie then began directing everyone else.

“Everyone!” Auntie exclaimed calling out behind me. “You need to run, students if you want to survive this, you need to run! If you are not at least able to keep up with my…” she paused for a second. That or maybe this was my mind’s way of slowing down the moment before and after disaster struck. While the momentary pause seemed to stretch on forever, it lasted only a half step of my pace, before she recovered and continued. “…Pookie. If you want to survive, you all need to keep up with him.”

Pookie.

For a moment I truly thought about stopping and just letting the poisonous energy from the other realm take me. But I quickly recovered and after slightly shaking my head, I just began to turn left and continue my running when I met the border of the school.

After a few paces, I guessed it was only fair. If I could call her Auntie, then she could call me Pookie. Only her though, and despite its clear cross-world meaning, I still thought it was better than Missala.

“Hey Pookie, wait up!” Brittica called out, her mocking voice hitting me as a verbal weapon in mid stride, almost causing me to break my stride for a moment.

Hearing her cry out, I just shook my head, then reached inward and found a new gear I never knew existed.

Finding it, I reached down deep and began pushing my body as hard and fast as it could go.

I also used this time to focus on moving objects from hundreds of feet away.

What few insectoids managed to flee, were quickly found and popped by my unyielding Telekinetic grip.

The insectoids were everywhere, a few dozen had managed to take roost in a nearby tree at the edge of the school property.

A few more were hiding in a drainage ditch, while others still hid in the gutters of the schoolhouse.

Yet, despite their hiding areas, their unnatural energy signatures stood out to my mind and enhanced senses.

I could almost smell them; how pungent their odor was as I got closer to their hiding spots.

In fact, I was given so much of a warning buffer that finding their bodies and squeezing them was able to be done before I was within a hundred feet of them.

Only after finding about seven clusters in such a way did a second burst of energy erupt from the stone.

FWOOSH!

This time, even at the far edges of its apparent range, I felt a surge of energy burst into and through me knocking me down to the ground.

The fall didn’t hurt, but it did cause me a bit of confusion.

Fortunately, Auntie, the amazing veteran that she was, was there to tell everyone what happened.

“That was a sign that the last of the invading creatures had finally died, offering a completion bonus!”

Again, these words being spoken made no sense, but I did know one thing, after that last surge of energy I now felt more alive than ever.

More alive, meaning that I had yet more physical training to conduct if I wanted to protect myself.

This sentiment was reinforced by the horror that I saw a moment later as I began continuing to turn and run around. Only to find that many other students had also been hit by the burst, but unlike me they were either too close, or not as conditioned as I was, for I saw their faces. Crimson red foam coming from their mouths as they fought desperately to get up, only to fall and collapse later.

The sight was horrific, as watching kids die is never nice, especially not when it looks like they are choking from their organs rupturing deep within their bodies, as they slowly bleed out in burning hot painful breaths afterwards.

Once again, I was reminded of two things. The first was that this world really and truly sucked, any world that forced kids to be exposed to such a fate.

The second thing I was reminded of, was why I trained so hard every day and why I still needed to run, right now.

Next lap.

Then the next.

Then another.

Slowly, the bodies of fallen students were gathered and piled together. I could see the way guardians struck at the cowering ceremony conductor. Though for her part, she looked terrible, her face looked half melted as it was clear she had been bitten by more than a few of the monstrous insects that exited the portal.

A small sign of justice for the travesty that had just occurred.