《Duality Dissonance》Chapter 4.4 Cause and Effect
Advertisement
The sound of Lust’s gun shots is a minor thing, almost being drowned out from the water crashing nearby. The other two stand to each side and scan their surroundings as they anticipate an attack. The trunk of the tree becomes riddled with entry holes, where spouts of water pour back out, like someone had pulled a stopper from a drain. The electrical arcs can still be seen in the background but it's almost like the power is cut. The light shuts off and darkness rushes back upward in a wave.
Pride and Greed both look towards one another as Lust continues firing, unabated. The two express a sense of disquiet. They turn back to the tree as a large rent opens up. Pride reaches out to put his hand on Lust’s shoulder when the trunk explodes outward. A barrage of water spray and splintering wood flies out at them.
A blinding light erupts from the tree and they shield their eyes.
Greed squints into the light, seeing a figure rapidly approaching.
An elongated light swings towards Greed and he extends the staff to block it.
The staff snaps and Greed leans backwards as the object passes between his long arms.
Greed drops the broken parts, thrusts his wings, and jettisons backwards.
He regains his footing and the spear reforms in his hands.
Pride attacks the figure that’s proportioned something like a gargoyle. His eyes focus on the daunting wings behind it, which look like two larger monsters that are looking down over its shoulders.
Pride swings his sword and it’s deflected.
He steps back again, clods of dirt fall to the ground around him, and it seems to start raining.
The figure lunges at Pride and he prepares to deflect.
He meets the incoming attack and his blade is torn from his hand.
Advertisement
He dives and rolls as another attack comes back across.
Pride quickly rises to his feet, standing in water as the island seems to be sinking.
Kaplunk! sounds out from the water next to him and he recoils from it, not knowing what was there.
Other small waterfalls have begun and take place in the darkness around them.
Lust begins firing again and the attacker’s wing wraps around like a shield.
Hot lead embeds in the wing as Greed and Pride attempt to flank him.
The waterfall abruptly stops and the sound of gunfire fills the cavern.
“Look out,” Pride calls.
The shielding wing snaps outward like a coiled spring.
Lead, blood, and feathers pelt the surroundings as Lust shields his face.
Debris hits the top of the tree’s canopy and clods of dirt are redirected across, at an angle.
Pride’s sword is in his hand again as he rushes in, Greed on the other side.
The attacker’s back is to them as he bears down on Lust.
Pride swings and the attacker pivots, an overhead attack coming back towards Pride.
As Pride looks up at the attack falling towards him, debris peppers them from the side and his reflexes cause him to shield himself from the barrage.
He looks up again to see a large shadow passing across and colliding with the attacker's head.
The attacker crumples at Lust’s feet.
The sounds of creaking and cracking wood echoes around them. They look over to see the tree’s trunk snapping as it falls toward the darkness. The three look around as splashes seem to increase in frequency. Lust levels the gun at the attacker and Pride lunges towards him.
“No,” he yells, shoving the gun aside where it discharges next to the attacker’s head. Lust looks at Pride flatly as he swings the gun back towards the prone figure. Pride positions himself in the way, making Lust take a step back. “I said, no. That’s enough.” Another piece of debris zips by and Pride’s head bobs before looking around at the surrounding darkness that hides more falling debris. “Get back topside,” he tells Lust, inches from his face. Lust seems to relent and flies off.
Advertisement
Pride begins pulling at the attacker’s wing and Greed rushes up to him. “What are you doing,” Greed barks.
“We’re getting him out of here.”
“What? There’s no time. We have to leave now.”
“You’re right. There’s no time to talk. We have to get him out of here, right now.”
Greed scoffs and hurries over to the opposite side, sheathing the spear on his back and letting it glow there. He grabs hold under the figure’s opposite arm and pulls him upward.
Pride begins to fly, rising to Greed’s height. Both have a grip under the stranger’s arms. Greed begins to fly as well and they start to teeter awkwardly as the strangers weight shifts between them. They fly over to where the waterfall once was and ascend under the opening they had come through. The original opening is harder to make out as light shines through the many new openings. The canopy of the tree slides by them, brushing the gigantic wings that hang below the attacker, where it collapses onto the island. The two look up as they approach the opening. Spider webbing cracks spread to all the new openings and then the ceiling stops being a ceiling.
Advertisement
- In Serial441 Chapters
Mycology
Declan was but a teenager when he was invited to Gaia. It wasn't some popular VRMMO like the ones his friend keeps recommending, nor was it a 'game' in the traditional sense. Gaia was the stopgap to Indiri, a living breathing world, the final creation of a dead genius. Invited to this world by Eve, the overseer and an AI light-years greater than any that came before her, Declan was given a choice. To join or not to join? Well, why the hell not? Hello, this is a pretty basic VR story which I started writing out of boredom, don't expect anything too great here, it's a somewhat unique setting but with mostly slice of life comedy shenanigans with no real 'plot' since I can't reliably include stakes in a world where respawning is a thing. I'll try to upload at least once every other week but real life stuff may get in the way occasionally. **WARNING** Protagonist comes with an inbuilt wizard hat. Also, any mentions of chapter titles shall be met with falling rocks TPK. **ACTUAL WARNING** Story may or may not read like the fever dream of an eclectic sasquatch with internet connection. Do be warned, that this story has extremely slow pacing by design. Join the Discord!! https://discord.gg/p2gxqs4 Laugh at my empty Patreon!!
8 289 - In Serial32 Chapters
Of Corporate Core Competency Plans, Capitalistic Synergized Growth Projections and Lethal Target Market Analyses.
Shortened title: Core Competency Plans Also, THIS IS ON INDEFINITE HIATUS! Felicia is determined to never let a single aspect of her life slip from her grasp and some stupid teleportation accident is not about to stop her. Winn is trying very hard not to die for reasons his master archmage Talmanael keeps forgetting. A small gem is gleefully waiting to be fed while stuck inside a six-sided prison. Do any of these things have anything to do with each other? Did the author plan anything this time or is he just writing by the seat of his pants, as usual? This is my submission to the RoyalRoad Fifth Anniversary contest and NaNoWriMo 2018. Read at your own risk.
8 141 - In Serial15 Chapters
Supremacy of the Fallen
Five years ago, Suzuki Satoru lost everything. Banished back to his home world and stripped of his powers, he ekes out a meager existence in the bleak society of the 22nd Century. However, a fateful turn of events leads the exiled Overlord on a path to reclaim all that was lost..... One hundred years have passed since the "Great Vanquishing," and the people of the New World live in a time of relative peace and stability. Yet beneath the veneer of calm, tendrils of darkness encroach upon the kingdoms of man as the remnants of an ancient evil begin to stir. Will the Legend of Ainz Ooal Gown stay forever Fallen? Or will it rise again, to spread the shadow of Nazarick across the New World once more?
8 136 - In Serial34 Chapters
Amen To Spirits And Chests
Bam! The system arrives and the world resets, humanity is scattered across the multiverse, and people are dying. An uncaring system ripped 7 billion people from their lives attached a mind altering skill to them and left them alone. The people are lost and must rebuild on a thousand different worlds. Some will make but most will die. Red was another person tossed carelessly into the multiverse. Continuity adjusts and he's thrust into plan to change the world. Nobles, inquisitors, and demons cultists are working together to facilitate the birth of a great spirits, a King of Kings. Tens of thousands have died through ritual suicide, sects are empty, and the world holds its breath. Can he stop the birth of the king of kings or will he become another sacrifice.
8 123 - In Serial56 Chapters
fear street imagines
1994- Deena- Josh - Simon- Kate- Sam- Heather1978- Young Nick- Ziggy- Cindy- Alice- Joan- Tommy1666- Sarah- Hannah- Lizzie- Issac- Abigail- Constance - Henry
8 178 - In Serial10 Chapters
The Red Sun Never Sets
ABANDONED.The Cover Art does not belong to me. I found it on Google Images, but could not find the owner of the image. Credit goes to the person that drew it.I do not own any of those things above, except for the story itself.
8 182

