Psychokinetic Eyeball Pulling

Chapter 11: Monsters Shall Not Pass

Astrid felt her head turn numb. Nausea hit her. Those white-eyes turned into an endless nightmare that scratched at her brain. Astrid felt like she was sinking into the frigid deep waters of the ocean’s abyss. Her arms wailed and dragged, but the water seeped through her fingers. It was like an anchor had attached itself to her waist.

Her heart beat. Once, twice, three times, it sped up, sending a furious fire throughout her entire body. Her eyes widened. Her mind churned like a high-powered engine as the surrounding scenes shattered. She spun around as a Spawn pierced its dagger above Jonathan’s head. She thrust her hand forward as her mind grabbed hold of the Spawn. Despite the lean build of the monster, the weight it brought on her mind was staggering. A scream left her mouth as blood seeped out of her nostrils. She finally halted the Spawn mid-air.

Brett leapt up as his twin daggers gouged into the Spawn. Scarlet warm liquid fell like a stream as it drenched his body in red.

With a crash, the body signalled the start of battle.

Spawn fell through the false ceiling all around them. The seafarers were scatterbrained, along with Jonathan.She glanced at the Darkness Walker. An arrow pierced through the dark hall, boring through the monster's chest. Its long, elongated arms snapped and jolted. With its arms open wide, it sprinted towards them.

Astrid believed in her team, she believed in their experience. She focused on her fight at their flank.

Level ?? - Spawn Assassin

An evolved rogue.

She was at the back with Losef. Spawn in the tens flashed their yellowed teeth. They dashed forward.

“Support me.” Losef said.

Astrid nodded. She [Crashed] the head of the two lower levelled Spawn as they rushed towards them. Then she tried doing the same to the Assassin Spawn. The monster ducked underneath the mass of matter as its body rolled along the floor, brandishing its dagger it struck at Losef’s side. Astrid levitated a piece of metal that had fallen from the ceiling and shot it towards a fish-man. Its body was thicker than others, and muscle coiled around its body like steel wire. With a tear, the scrap of metal pierced its shoulder. The monster screeched as it glared at Astrid, bolting towards her. Wrath consumed its bloodshot eyes.

Astrid quickly connected to a piece of rubble. Using [Psychokinesis], she threw it at the monster's feet, causing it to stumble to the ground. As it clambered up, one of Astrid’s dagger cracked into its chest. Another quickly followed. She flicked it upwards with her mind as it sunk into the soft, fleshy throat.

Its webbed hand clutched at its neck. Blood poured, yet it still charged forward. Astrid could feel that the monster closing in wanted nothing more than to rip her flesh apart. However, Losef stood there like an iron wall. Not even using his spear or shield, his knee snapped up at the Assassin’s chin. The spawn’s head recoiled back with a snap. The assassin continued up into the air. Losef spun around, thrashing a kick to the limp fish-man. Its body was sent hurtling backwards as it crashed into the Spawn Astrid had wounded.

Losef moved forward like an after-image, his long spear lunging forward like javelins leaving a high-powered ballista. Each strike was a kill shot, leaving a deep hole wherever the spear flashed.

Astrid heard the twang of a bow as her mind lurched. Connecting to the arrow streaking through the air she willed it to stop. Only managing to half its speed by a fraction, she stepped to the side with her Mind Barrier activated–it shattered. A pain flooded her mind and it immediately halved her mana. She felt a tug on her shoulder as the recoil threatened to wipe her off her feet. Quickly stabilizing herself, there was no pain. Adrenaline coursed through her body like a boiling stream.

Losef was quick to react as his shield was placed forward.

“You okay?” Losef’s voice went in one ear and out the other.

Astrid’s rate of breathing rose alongside her heart. “Yes.”

She looked ahead at the two archers as a hotness welled up inside of her. They were standing at the entrance to the hallway that they had come from. One held a bow that was worthy of attention. It was thicker and larger than the others.

“You guys ready?” Brett suddenly barged past Astrid. He stopped behind Losef’s shield as his head peered over it. An arrow shot past his head, slicing off a strand of hair.

“Accurate bastards, aren’t they?” He laughed and looked at the wound on Astrid’s shoulder. “Oh, that looks like it hurts, gonna cry?”

Astrid shook her head. “Quit acting like a clown and let’s slaughter them already.”

“A woman of my heart.” Brett said. “Losef, let's do this, fast and to the point.”

Losef grinned through the gaps in his slender helmet. A dull light thrummed around his shield. Losef charged forward at an incredible pace. Brett was quick on his heels.

“Damn.” Astrid mumbled as she dashed forward to catch up. By the time she made it over to them, the Spawn were dead.

With all the monsters turned into corpses, Astrid panted and touched the wetness coming from the shaft in her shoulder.

“Hey healer, need you here.” Daniel waved his hand to Rachelle.

“You want me to remove it, or–” Rachelle approached..

Before Rachelle could finish her sentence Astrid grabbed hold of the arrow, she grit her teeth and yanked it. With a spurt of blood, Rachelle's hand moved directly to the wound. A searing heat scorched the surface of her skin, it then seeped down, deeper into the flesh. Astrid gnashed her teeth at the excruciating pain. A whimper leaving her throat. With Rachelle removing her hand, Astrid glanced at the wound that had disappeared. Instead, replaced by a scar.

“Thank you.” Astrid rubbed the wound.

“Now you owe me a piece of equipment.” Rachelle flashed a smile.

Astrid’s attention moved toward the system's messages that coursed through her head.

You defeated a - Spawn Assassin - level 18!

You defeated a - Spawn Assassin - level 16!

You defeated a - Spawn Swordsman - level 11!

You defeated a - Spawn Swordsman - level 10!

Extra experience is awarded for defeating enemies above your level!

Experience is reduced for fighting within a group.

You have levelled up!

You have levelled up!

Psychokinetic level 9 -> Psychokinetic level 11

Gained 10 stat points.

Psychokinesis level 5 -> Psychokinesis level 6

You have reached a class advancement milestone!

Access the System to choose your second class!

General Skill - Mental Resistance level 1 - Learned!

Mental Resistance: Your mind was tested and you passed.

| 5% protection against mind abilities.

Experience gained!

My next class! Astrid balled her fists. I’ll wait for a safe place before looking at it.

Even more protection for my mind, I wonder what woke me up from the Darkness Walker’s mind spell?

“Pick yourself up.” Daniel walked over to the sitting Jonathan and pulled him back onto his feet. His blood drenched robe was tarnished with a dark yellow stain around his crotch and legs. His eyes filled with horror.

“Rr-right.” Jonathan mumbled, he cradled his long-wooden staff.

Daniel shook his head as he led the group forward.

“How are you feeling?” Lisa had a look of concern on her face as she nudged Astrid’s shoulder.

“I’m alright, considering.” Astrid said. She looked at Jonathan as his shoulders trembled. His head twitching at every stray sound within the halls. “Will he recover?”

“He’ll be fine. It usually wears off after a few hours. As a mage, his intelligence and wisdom are higher than usual, so it will speed up the recovery phase.” Lisa tightened a strap attached to her leather hide armour, fixing it back into place.

“Then what about the others, and you guys?” Astrid said. She rubbed at her previous wound on her shoulder. No pain.

“Hah, once you’ve experienced a few things within the Bubbled-Cities, you’ll understand that the Darkness Walker is the least of your worries. Besides, it was a low level.” Lisa said.

As they walked, the ringing sound of Astrid’s boots hitting the metal became muted and dull. A wet droplet splashed on her nose. She looked up; the droplets fell one after the other as they joined each other to fall like rain. Water crept up past the sole of her boot and, with each step, it got deeper, quickly reaching past her shins. She stayed quiet as Daniel continued walking. They turned the corner of the hallway and were met with the start of a stairwell that was swallowed by frigid cold water.

“Are you kidding me?” Brett said. “If it’s not one thing, it’s the other.”

“Alright, you guys stay here. Brett and I will go back and check if there’s another way.” Daniel said. “Losef is in command while I’m gone.”

Quick striking of metal filled the hallway as the duo bolted, their departing backs disappearing in the distance.

“Hey Jonathan.” Astrid nudged his arm. He flinched, his back bashed against the wall. “You holding up?”

“Huh? Yh-Yeah I’m fine, Sh-shit.” His open palm walloped against his cheek. “Get it together, y-you belong to the Forscythe family.” He took a deep inhale, then exhaled. His hazy eyes returned to normal. Astrid could see a faint blue glint within.

“What are you looking at?” Jonathan said. “Don’t think I can’t see your eyes filled with pity. Great princess of Sinwen, unable to do no wrong. Just like your damned brother-”

A sharp slap filled the hall, bringing with it a deafening silence.

“Mock me all you want, but don’t you dare drag my family into your childish temper tantrum.” Astrid stood tall with a glare.

Jonathan held his cheek as his chest violently rose. He pushed past the seafarers and situated himself near the rear.

Father always said don’t anger the people at your back. Ah shit, he deserved it. Astrid scowled, but she couldn’t help but keep thinking. She never wanted to be a leader, but it didn’t mean she didn’t know how to.

Soon, Daniel and Brett arrived. Their armour with new, dark, sticky blotches.

“Well, we ain’t going that way, that’s for sure.” Daniel chuckled. “Into the ice-cold water we go.”

“What did you run into?” Astrid looked at their armour with new, dark sticky blotches.

“Oh, this and that.” Brett said. “It was something eerily similar to some women I’ve seen in the upper district. You know…” Brett joined his arms in front of him and arched his back slightly. “Oh damn, didn’t know we returned to a graveyard. Who’s the culprit and why is it Rachelle?”

“You damn oaf.” Rachelle balled her hand into a fist and pulled it behind her back.

Brett grabbed hold of Daniel, using him as a human shield.

“Alright guys, that’s enough.” Lisa stepped in between them. “Are you serious Daniel?”

“Unfortunately. I’ll go for a little swim and see if I can find where it leads to. If not, then we have a hell of a fight on our hands.” Daniel looked at the stairs, swallowed under water. “This is going to suck.” Taking a deep breath, he dove in. The splash creating miniature waves. The only thing Astrid could see was a small flickering light that was quickly getting darker by the second. Then, black took its place. Any trace of Daniel was removed.

“How long can he hold his breath for?” Astrid said.

“Well, it depends on the day.” Brett crossed his arms. “Forty seconds, two minutes, six minutes. Well, we’ll find out shortly.”

“Don’t worry, if there’s ever a path. He’s the one that can find it.” Lisa said.

Astrid was getting impatient. She tapped the metal walls of the hallway. It was the only way to keep her itchy palms active. She guessed ten minutes had already long passed.

Astrid’s gaze fell onto the stairs. Bubbles soon sprouted, ascending to the surface. Everyone readied their weapons, unsure of what was going to pop out of the deep waters.

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