Zombie Rebirth

I beheld the weapon in all its… ordinariness. It looked like a harpoon. That was it. Just a harpoon. Granted, it was like seven-feet-long and looked like one of those really awesome old-timey harpoons that you saw in pictures or paintings from the 19th century of sailors fighting whales. In fact, after thinking about it, I was pretty certain it was a whaling harpoon. The material was hard to describe in any way other than ‘bone-like.’ It had a sharp, long tip that flared back into a barb. Once in, removing the harpoon would cause a much larger wound when ripped free. The shaft straight and unremarkable. However, it too looked just a little off from normal.

“A whaling spear to kill a kraken. Well, I’m not one to back down from a challenge.”

I grabbed the weapon, and was surprised when a box opened in my vision.

Chillspine, Finger of the Skeletal God

The remnant of a fallen God, Chillspine was crafted from the tip of one finger. If one was pointed at by the divine being, they were fated to die. This harpoon is imbued with the chill surety of the Skeletal God.

Rarity: Legendary

Requirements: Humanoid level 5 or greater, Strength over 30, fealty to the Skeletal God or no affiliation to an opposing God.

I held the spear up reverently. It was truly a work of art. And it confirmed that deities were probably real. After all, it said it was crafted from the fingertip of one. Extrapolating, and doing a little back-of-the-brain math, that made the god at least a thousand feet tall. My mind swam. It was inconceivable. I thought the Kraken was huge. And that was the exact moment it interrupted my ruminations.

A tentacle slammed through the roof of the shed, nearly crushing me. I leapt back just in time, spear gripped tightly. Without realizing it, I slashed out with the tip of the spear and watched in amazement as the tentacle split wide open. It was like the spear was three-feet-wide, instead of only an inch or so. The roar of pain from the kraken was deafening, and so violent it collapsed what remained of the shed on top of me. I huddled close to the spear, feeling its chill radiance as I held it to my chest. When the building stopped falling around me, I shook myself free of the wreckage. When I stood, all I saw was devastation. The marina had been annihilated. Nothing stood taller than a few feet. Boats lay crushed to powder. The piers were nothing more than twigs sticking out of the sand.

“Whoa.” I looked around, realizing the Kraken had disappeared. “Where did it…”

A shadow loomed over me. I slowly looked up, then broke into a flat-out sprint. The Kraken had jumped into the sky when the spear slashed its arm. It fell to earth less like a mountain and more like a vengeful god. I was in luck, though, because I had the finger of a god. Well, the tip of one, at least. I was knocked flat by the shockwave of the Kraken landing. I was back up and sprinting at the monster in less than a heartbeat. It brandished two of its arms at me, massive eyes rolling wildly. I could just feel some sort of vibration through the ground, and when it reared back, I saw it was gnashing its beak in a frenzy.

Both arms whistled as they descended toward me. I stopped, hauling back and throwing the spear with all my might. It sailed fast and true. The air itself thundered as the weapon crossed the distance. I didn’t wait for it to land, instead turning to my left and running to escape the incoming attack. I was tougher than any human in history, but I had a feeling several thousand pounds of anything falling on me at speed would still reduce me to a red paste. I was thankful the sand was so hard-packed by the water, which was still held back by some sort of invisible force.

I knew the instant the spear found its mark. The Kraken reared back again, releasing a shrill, ear-piercing scream that was both far-too-human and so powerful, it bordered on a divine act. I fell to my knees, clutching my ears. My head rang. When the scream ended, I opened my eyes to find them coated in blood. I let go of my head, only to find my hands were bloody as well. I stood shakily, realizing that sonic attack would have killed me just a day or two before. I turned back to the Kraken, and immediately understood why it had screamed. The spear stuck out of one rapidly deflating eyeball, half buried in the jelly-like substance that leaked through the massive rent it had torn in the cornea.

After the repeated knocks, slams, and sonic attacks, I had nothing left in the tank. No quips. No witty remarks. All I could do was stand, square myself up, and run back in. Either the octopus died, or I did. That was it. And I was attached to my life. So, I did just that. I stood, brushed myself off, and started a slow jog toward the wildly flailing monster. It tried to grasp the spear multiple times, only to flinch each time and writhe in agony. I almost felt bad for it. Almost. It had tried to kill me, possibly eat me, and crushed a whole lot of boats.

I picked up speed. All I had left to do was kill the thing. Just draw the rest of the owl, right? I growled as I sped up. My body hurt. I couldn’t hear anything at all. I was pretty sure the last scream had ruptured my eardrums, and I was deaf. Nor did I know how long that condition would last, or if it was permanent. I really hoped it wasn’t.

My feet pounded across the sand. The Kraken finally slowed in its temper tantrum, having spotted me with its one remaining eye. I felt something through the ground, but at the speed I was moving, there wasn’t enough time to figure out what it was. I closed to within fifty feet, then thirty, already dodging flailing arms. Finally, I jumped up the body and grabbed hold of the spear. It was covered in vitreous fluid, and I was thoroughly grossed out. It dripped off the spear like globs of clear jello. I wanted to hurl. Instead, I pulled it free, sending a shower of the substance across me. I did throw up, then. All down the side of the Kraken, which I found darkly humorous.

The monster bucked and writhed under me, challenging my precarious position. Luckily, my grip strength was unreal at this point and I held onto the eyelid as it tried to shake me free. It stopped after a long moment, though I wasn’t sure if it was because it thought it was rid of me or because it tired out. Either way, I seized the opportunity. As soon as it stopped squirming, I shimmied around the ridge between its eyes and pulled back. The spear was unwieldy for use at such close range, but I didn’t let that stop me. I plunged the barbed tip into the other eye, feeling satisfaction at blinding the monster. I held on for dear life as the Kraken went into a full-blown seizure.

I pushed the spear in farther, forcing it through the tough cornea. Vitreous spilled out of the wound. I pushed harder, sinking the spear and my arm up to my shoulder. Then I stuck my other arm in and tore a hole in the eye, allowing a flood of fluid to wash over and past me. I forced my way into the rapidly deflating sack, holding my breath and pushing closer to the core of the Kraken. A long thirty seconds later, I stood inside the flaccid eyeball, slashing away with the spear. Massive wounds opened with each sweep of the blade. I carved at the back wall.

The creature never stopped roaring, which I could feel with my entire body. Nor did it stop trying to get me out of its eye, but that ended with it doing repeated damage to its own body. Blood, both my red and the octopus’ blue, mixed with the vitreous and clouded my sight. It didn’t matter, though. I pushed harder and harder until I felt the thick skin give way. I thrust the spear forward, hooking inside the brain cavity and pulling myself in. Then I carved away at the brain. It shuddered with quick, spastic movements as I cut more and more of its mind away. Finally it shuddered and fell still. I sagged, completely spent.

The body of the Kraken was first to disappear. It drifted away like pixelated fog, reminding me of a scene from a movie. I felt the slime drift away from my body, though I still felt absolutely filthy. Still, I smiled. I had done it. I had killed a monster not only dozens of times my size, it had been ten levels higher.

Level 16 Ebon Dragon Kurco killed. Boss status confirmed. Extra xp awarded! +200 xp.

Level up!

The world started to fade to black, and I felt the spear that had been my saving grace start to fade as well.

“No!”

I gripped it harder, refusing to let it dissipate. The thing was awesome. No way was I letting an actual ranged weapon get away from me. Everything went to black.