1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:09,060 Speaker 1: [rock music] 2 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:52,540 Speaker 1: Mortal Steel. [suspenseful music] Episode three, 3 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: part four: Hail Mary. 4 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: Ethan watched as a demon swooped toward him. 5 00:01:02,060 --> 00:01:02,780 Speaker 2: Overclock! 6 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: There was no reason to shout. He could have turned it on with a thought, but there 7 00:01:08,620 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: was a layer of performance here that mattered to his second mind for some reason. 8 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:19,740 Speaker 1: The bio-overclocking kicked in, and time slowed to a near standstill. The swooping 9 00:01:19,780 --> 00:01:24,380 Speaker 1: demon froze in mid-flight, its bat-like wings beating the air as if it were made of 10 00:01:24,420 --> 00:01:30,140 Speaker 1: molasses now. Its elephant-like trunk was parted, the thousands of needle 11 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: teeth dripping some vile green fluid. A dozen more like it circled above him. 12 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:42,300 Speaker 1: Below them, 23 humans in biker leather were mounting rusted motorcycles in slow 13 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:48,220 Speaker 1: motion. Only seven of them had visible signs of demonic tainting, the same bone-like 14 00:01:48,260 --> 00:01:52,260 Speaker 1: protrusions piercing the skin around the faces, necks, and hands. 15 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:54,060 Speaker 2: Give me an inventory. 16 00:01:54,900 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: Icons covered Ethan's HUD. Most of them were gray with red crosses through them. 17 00:01:59,860 --> 00:02:05,340 Speaker 1: Apparently, he was missing most of his arsenal. Weapons, The Messenger, 18 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: Holy Fire, grenades, and something called Trinity. 19 00:02:12,580 --> 00:02:17,820 Speaker 1: Below that was another category of tools called combat mods. Again, most of these 20 00:02:17,860 --> 00:02:22,460 Speaker 1: were grayed out. It seemed pointlessly cruel to flaunt his full potential in front 21 00:02:22,500 --> 00:02:28,140 Speaker 1: of him like this. Perhaps the nuns could explain it later, if he survived. 22 00:02:30,220 --> 00:02:35,740 Speaker 1: Of the 23 combat mods listed, only three were available. Neck Cracker, 23 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:38,940 Speaker 1: Tether Grapple, Hydraulic Heel. 24 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:41,060 Speaker 2: Explain Neck Cracker. 25 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 1: Instead of a verbal explanation, his field of vision was overlaid with a hologram 26 00:02:46,060 --> 00:02:51,900 Speaker 1: depicting his body and an enemy combatant, not unlike the combat simulations. 27 00:02:52,780 --> 00:02:57,700 Speaker 1: If the hologram could be trusted, the Neck Cracker looked to be gruesomely effective 28 00:02:57,740 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 1: at close range. 29 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 2: Explain Tether Grapple. 30 00:03:01,660 --> 00:03:07,540 Speaker 1: Another hologram. This time, Ethan actually laughed. He couldn't remember 31 00:03:07,580 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: the last time he'd laughed. Why didn't he laugh anymore? He was watching a 32 00:03:13,340 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: demonstration of the suggested uses for Holy Fire when his second mind started 33 00:03:18,180 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: chirping. "Bio-overclock warning. Heat build-up. Danger." 34 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: If he didn't release the overclock now, the excess heat would cook his own brain. 35 00:03:29,260 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 2: Release overclock. 36 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:36,500 Speaker 1: Time started again. The flying demon parted its tentacle mouth. It was large enough 37 00:03:36,540 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: to wrap around 10 people. They would be eviscerated in short order as well. 38 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:47,700 Speaker 1: Ethan glanced up at the circling demons. He made no move to dodge the dive. 39 00:03:48,260 --> 00:03:50,900 Speaker 1: Instead, he stepped forward to meet it. 40 00:03:51,540 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 2: Hey, ugly. 41 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: 200 pounds of drooling demonic flesh slammed into him. 42 00:03:57,600 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 2: Ugh! 43 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: They both went flying from the impact, but Ethan held onto the beast by the base of 44 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: the flapping mouth- 45 00:04:03,540 --> 00:04:03,860 Speaker 2: Ah! 46 00:04:03,860 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: ... preventing it from closing around him. They rolled around on the ground outside 47 00:04:07,980 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: the church as the creature screamed and flailed to get free. He finally let it go, 48 00:04:12,780 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 1: then stepped out of range of the gnashing talons. When he looked down, his right 49 00:04:17,420 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: hand was missing. Exactly as planned. The demon 50 00:04:23,260 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: took to the air again. 51 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 1: The creatures were embarrassingly uncoordinated on the ground. A half-centimeter 52 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:35,380 Speaker 1: wire ran from the demon back to the stump of Ethan's right hand. 53 00:04:35,940 --> 00:04:37,220 Speaker 2: Come on and give me a lift. 54 00:04:37,700 --> 00:04:39,860 Speaker 1: The Tether Grapple stopped reeling out wire- 55 00:04:39,900 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 2: Ah! 56 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,420 Speaker 1: ... and he was pulled violently across the sidewalk. 57 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 2: Ugh. 58 00:04:43,340 --> 00:04:48,180 Speaker 1: Dragged backward on his heels, the sound of roaring motorcycles drowned out the 59 00:04:48,300 --> 00:04:52,780 Speaker 1: screaming demons. [motorcycle engines running] A pack of four humans rode toward him 60 00:04:52,820 --> 00:04:57,780 Speaker 1: at full throttle as he was dragged along the ground, helpless to get away from them. 61 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: They stood up on their bikes, nail bats raised. The first biker rolled up to him and 62 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:09,220 Speaker 1: swung her nail bat down at his exposed stomach. Ethan caught the bat and pulled. The 63 00:05:09,260 --> 00:05:13,900 Speaker 1: woman fell from her bike, slamming into the church's sign with bone-crunching force. 64 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:20,100 Speaker 1: Her bike kept rolling for a dozen feet, then toppled over, which gave him an 65 00:05:20,220 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 1: idea. The second biker was smarter. He feinted with the club once- 66 00:05:25,660 --> 00:05:26,180 Speaker 2: Whoa 67 00:05:26,220 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: ... then buried it in Ethan's chest. The nail bat stuck, and the rider sped past, 68 00:05:31,140 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: circling back for another pass. Pain and damage sensors lit up in Ethan's HUD, but 69 00:05:37,140 --> 00:05:42,900 Speaker 1: his face didn't so much as twitch. Pain was only information 70 00:05:42,980 --> 00:05:43,380 Speaker 1: now. 71 00:05:43,420 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 2: [inhales] Ah. 72 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:50,740 Speaker 1: Ethan still slid backward, moving farther away from the church down the street as 73 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:56,300 Speaker 1: the flying demon struggled to climb higher. Apparently, he'd misjudged how much they 74 00:05:56,340 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: could carry. Or maybe it was just dragging him along intentionally. Either way, he 75 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: couldn't get his hand loose. The third biker tried the same trick as the second, 76 00:06:06,840 --> 00:06:12,404 Speaker 1: feinting for his first swing. Ethan kicked off the ground, lunged, and grabbed the 77 00:06:12,464 --> 00:06:17,784 Speaker 1: tainted man's arm instead of the bat. The man had just enough time to look 78 00:06:17,864 --> 00:06:22,864 Speaker 1: terrified. Then Ethan ripped him off the motorcycle, using the momentum of the 79 00:06:22,944 --> 00:06:25,504 Speaker 1: falling man to mount the bike himself. 80 00:06:28,764 --> 00:06:32,704 Speaker 1: He swung onto the seat and gripped the sides of the bike with his heels to keep that 81 00:06:32,924 --> 00:06:37,924 Speaker 1: useless flying creature from pulling him off it. The fourth biker sped up next to 82 00:06:38,004 --> 00:06:40,664 Speaker 1: Ethan and flashed a toothy, yellowing smile. 83 00:06:42,744 --> 00:06:47,324 Speaker 1: She lifted her nail bat, intending to bring it down on his head, steadying herself 84 00:06:47,384 --> 00:06:51,744 Speaker 1: on the motorcycle with the other hand. No thanks. I've already got a ride. Then he 85 00:06:51,804 --> 00:06:57,104 Speaker 1: drew the messenger and shot out her front tire. The wheel was shred to shrapnel, and 86 00:06:57,144 --> 00:07:00,964 Speaker 1: the rider flipped over the handlebars and smashed into the side of the brick 87 00:07:01,004 --> 00:07:01,464 Speaker 1: building. 88 00:07:03,464 --> 00:07:08,344 Speaker 1: Ethan lifted the messenger to the sky. Time to put this thing out of its misery. 89 00:07:10,304 --> 00:07:16,024 Speaker 1: Then he lowered the gun. Perhaps it just needed a little more motivation. 90 00:07:16,904 --> 00:07:20,524 Speaker 1: He gripped the sides of the motorcycle with his legs as hard as he could without 91 00:07:20,584 --> 00:07:25,124 Speaker 1: crushing it. Then he used his combined mass as leverage to pull back on the flying 92 00:07:25,184 --> 00:07:30,464 Speaker 1: demon. There was a distant screech, and then Ethan swung the demon with his tether 93 00:07:30,504 --> 00:07:36,244 Speaker 1: grapple, pulling it off course as easy as pulling a kite. He smashed his living kite 94 00:07:36,304 --> 00:07:41,384 Speaker 1: into another, the crunch of hollowed bones audible even at street level. 95 00:07:42,164 --> 00:07:47,344 Speaker 1: All the while, he rode down the ruined streets of old Los Angeles, weaving between 96 00:07:47,464 --> 00:07:52,504 Speaker 1: rusted cars. He swung the tangle of two creatures into a third with another 97 00:07:52,584 --> 00:07:56,904 Speaker 1: sickening crunch. There were three of them at the end of his tether now. 98 00:07:59,064 --> 00:08:04,824 Speaker 1: A tangled screeching mass of pale flesh a hundred feet above him. Ethan swerved to 99 00:08:04,904 --> 00:08:10,144 Speaker 1: avoid a bus, its rusted frame sagging on long deflated tires. The flying 100 00:08:10,204 --> 00:08:14,524 Speaker 1: counterweight lurched left in the air. Ethan and his bike were slammed against the 101 00:08:14,584 --> 00:08:19,604 Speaker 1: rusty bus. His shoulder was torn apart down to the titanium 102 00:08:19,684 --> 00:08:23,724 Speaker 1: endoskeleton. This time, he screamed. 103 00:08:29,664 --> 00:08:34,024 Speaker 1: Aim was information. Of course, a lot of information. 104 00:08:35,564 --> 00:08:40,064 Speaker 1: Sparks flew as he tore through the side of the bus, dragged by the monsters. The 105 00:08:40,164 --> 00:08:44,484 Speaker 1: sound of rending metal filled his ears and the messenger was nearly torn from his 106 00:08:44,544 --> 00:08:48,704 Speaker 1: hip. He was finally pulled through the other end of the bus, busting through the 107 00:08:48,764 --> 00:08:50,484 Speaker 1: last of the rusting metal frame. 108 00:08:53,604 --> 00:08:58,944 Speaker 1: It was then that the demons finally realized what was holding them down. In that 109 00:08:59,024 --> 00:09:03,824 Speaker 1: moment, they stopped fighting to get free of the tangled tether and flapping in 110 00:09:04,064 --> 00:09:09,664 Speaker 1: unison to climb higher into the air. Uh-oh. Then Ethan was 111 00:09:09,804 --> 00:09:15,644 Speaker 1: lifted into the air, motorcycle and all. He had a moment 112 00:09:15,724 --> 00:09:21,564 Speaker 1: to reflect on his situation as the ruined cars and buildings grew smaller beneath 113 00:09:21,604 --> 00:09:21,924 Speaker 1: him. 114 00:09:24,244 --> 00:09:29,864 Speaker 1: Why was he riding a motorcycle in the sky? Why had he grappled these monsters 115 00:09:29,924 --> 00:09:34,584 Speaker 1: instead of simply putting them all down with the messenger? Real life wasn't like 116 00:09:34,644 --> 00:09:39,584 Speaker 1: those old action movies. When you had a targeting computer, you didn't miss. 117 00:09:40,484 --> 00:09:46,104 Speaker 1: His second mind, which usually confined itself to answering direct questions, spoke 118 00:09:46,184 --> 00:09:52,144 Speaker 1: up. It didn't use words. There was no need to use words. It spoke directly to his 119 00:09:52,184 --> 00:09:57,124 Speaker 1: intuition. Because presentation mattered. 120 00:09:59,564 --> 00:10:04,944 Speaker 1: Far below, thirty-seven dirty human faces were pressed to the windows of the Church 121 00:10:05,004 --> 00:10:10,704 Speaker 1: of Immaculate Conception, looking up at the man riding a motorcycle through the sky, 122 00:10:11,724 --> 00:10:17,724 Speaker 1: leashed to monsters like it was something he did every day. Ethan pulled 123 00:10:17,784 --> 00:10:23,644 Speaker 1: on the motorcycle's throttle. Though the wheel spun uselessly in midair, it 124 00:10:23,724 --> 00:10:29,204 Speaker 1: made the engine whirr. Because presentation 125 00:10:29,564 --> 00:10:35,304 Speaker 1: mattered. He let go of the throttle and pulled the messenger. The trio of demons 126 00:10:35,404 --> 00:10:40,564 Speaker 1: swung him and his bike in a wide arc through the sky, turning him almost horizontal 127 00:10:40,604 --> 00:10:45,664 Speaker 1: at the end of his tether, with a perfect view of the biker gang far below, 128 00:10:46,324 --> 00:10:47,344 Speaker 1: gawking up at him. 129 00:10:51,384 --> 00:10:56,544 Speaker 1: He dropped seven bikers in as many shots, the blue line showing estimated bullet 130 00:10:56,624 --> 00:11:00,984 Speaker 1: trajectories ending in satisfying sprays of red blood. 131 00:11:03,784 --> 00:11:08,964 Speaker 1: He continued sailing in an arc over their heads, gripping the bike with his legs and 132 00:11:09,024 --> 00:11:14,804 Speaker 1: waiting to see what they would do. As he'd hoped, with half their number already 133 00:11:14,944 --> 00:11:19,924 Speaker 1: dead, the tainted bikers decided they'd had enough. They sped away from him down the 134 00:11:19,984 --> 00:11:25,584 Speaker 1: car-choked streets. Unlike their more twisted cousins in the sky, these people still 135 00:11:25,664 --> 00:11:31,604 Speaker 1: felt fear. A proximity alarm forced Ethan to look up. The flat side 136 00:11:31,664 --> 00:11:37,084 Speaker 1: of a concrete building was flying toward him at lethal 137 00:11:37,304 --> 00:11:42,544 Speaker 1: speed. Overclock! Time slowed to a crawl, 138 00:11:43,324 --> 00:11:48,884 Speaker 1: with Ethan and his motorcycle just twenty feet and one short second 139 00:11:48,984 --> 00:11:54,984 Speaker 1: away from becoming a stain on the side of the building. He queried his second 140 00:11:55,124 --> 00:12:01,064 Speaker 1: mind. Well, now what? A tactical hologram flashed in front of him. 141 00:12:01,484 --> 00:12:06,644 Speaker 1: He watched it, then grimaced. Was this really the only option? 142 00:12:07,524 --> 00:12:12,544 Speaker 1: He watched a few different simulations, most of which ended with him mangled at the 143 00:12:12,624 --> 00:12:16,484 Speaker 1: foot of the building in front of him, next to the burning wreckage of his 144 00:12:16,564 --> 00:12:22,420 Speaker 1: motorcycle. He got the feeling his second mind showed them more for emphasis 145 00:12:22,540 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 1: than actual strategy. This was his only option. 146 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 2: I better not get a ticket for this. 147 00:12:31,260 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 1: Time unfroze. Ethan's second mind helpfully notified him that if the old world laws 148 00:12:37,140 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: still applied, he had already accrued 73 traffic violations. But since this was 149 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:49,140 Speaker 1: the side of a building and not the road, he was safe up here, legally speaking 150 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:54,740 Speaker 1: anyway. The building flew at him. Ethan leaned back on the bike and extended his 151 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:58,380 Speaker 1: heels. He waited for the moment of impact and... 152 00:12:58,380 --> 00:13:03,420 Speaker 1: [motorcycle revving] [building crashing] He fired the hydraulic 153 00:13:03,500 --> 00:13:09,080 Speaker 1: heels. Two sets of three-inch steel plates shot out of his heels and smashed into 154 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: the building. 37 tons of crushing force counteracted the impact. The side 155 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: of the building imploded. Head-sized chunks of concrete showered the interior. 156 00:13:22,060 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: There was a quick zipping sound on the other side of the building as the flying 157 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:31,180 Speaker 1: demons were diced into pieces, the sudden force causing the wire to cut through them 158 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: like a scalpel. Even if they were dead, there was enough mass to act as a 159 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:42,860 Speaker 1: counterweight. He hung off the side of the building, suspended by the 160 00:13:42,940 --> 00:13:48,740 Speaker 1: tether next to the gaping hole he'd kicked in. His second mind warned of hairline 161 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:54,580 Speaker 1: fractures through his titanium endoskeleton in his legs, hips, and spine. 162 00:13:55,520 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 1: He ignored them and, still gripping the motorcycle between his 163 00:14:00,700 --> 00:14:06,540 Speaker 1: unreasonably powerful thighs, pulled back on the throttle. The machine 164 00:14:06,780 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: roared. [motorcycle roaring] The spinning tires met concrete, and he used the 165 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:16,420 Speaker 1: counterweight of the tether to pull the motorcycle against the wall. Then he drove 166 00:14:16,540 --> 00:14:22,100 Speaker 1: up the side of the building. He raced past blown-out windows toward the open sky, 167 00:14:22,620 --> 00:14:27,780 Speaker 1: where the rest of the flying demons circled above. Ethan smiled. 168 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: They were just more corpses waiting to happen. 169 00:14:38,140 --> 00:14:42,180 Speaker 1: [upbeat music] Part five, Almost Invincible. 170 00:14:44,660 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: Xorkek the Imp, servant of The Chained One, bowed before the possessed human 171 00:14:50,540 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 1: who called himself The Stalker. Xorkek was almost three feet tall, which was 172 00:14:56,580 --> 00:15:02,500 Speaker 1: tall for an imp, but still dwarfed by the possessed, even when seated on 173 00:15:02,540 --> 00:15:07,900 Speaker 1: his throne. The Stalker's right side, his holy side, 174 00:15:08,500 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 1: was beautifully transformed. His right arm was twice the length of a normal 175 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 1: human. The elongated fingers on that hand had a tendency to move around on their 176 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:25,220 Speaker 1: own, constantly feeling the world around it as if he were blind. Xorkek 177 00:15:25,260 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: supposed he was, in a way. Even after all these months, the transformation 178 00:15:31,140 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: was still incomplete. The left side of The Stalker's body was that of a normal 179 00:15:36,660 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: human, the remains of the original host. Annoyingly, that man 180 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:46,860 Speaker 1: barred one of The Chained One's children from entering this world. He could not 181 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:52,700 Speaker 1: understand why The Stalker was delaying in such a beautiful process. What 182 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: purpose was there in holding on to human weakness? There were still so many humans 183 00:15:58,660 --> 00:16:04,420 Speaker 1: crawling around in this city. Had they done anything redeeming recently? No. 184 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: The strongest of them had died decades ago. Perhaps that was why The Stalker was 185 00:16:10,140 --> 00:16:14,540 Speaker 1: losing his territory war. Still too human. 186 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: Well, whether Xorkek served this host or the next, it didn't matter. 187 00:16:21,900 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 1: A child was ready to be born, and he would see it into this world. 188 00:16:26,940 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 2: Get up, Xorkek. You said I should bow. I said you should show 189 00:16:32,300 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 2: respect. I am. You're incapable of respect. I 190 00:16:38,219 --> 00:16:40,500 Speaker 2: am here to serve you. 191 00:16:40,580 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: Then The Stalker snatched Xorkek off the floor. 192 00:16:43,300 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 2: Ah. 193 00:16:43,660 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: A mix of emotions flooded him, elation at being noticed by his holy half, 194 00:16:49,980 --> 00:16:55,900 Speaker 1: and terror that his elongated fingers wrapped around him, threatening 195 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:56,620 Speaker 1: to crush him. 196 00:16:56,980 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 2: What happens if I [Xorkek grunts] kill you again? Uh, war. I'm 197 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:08,900 Speaker 2: already at war. I am an emissary, protected. The hordes will converge 198 00:17:09,020 --> 00:17:12,880 Speaker 2: on you, expunge you like human cancer. Ah. 199 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:18,220 Speaker 1: The Stalker opened his hand, and Xorkek fell to the floor. He let the arm drop to 200 00:17:18,260 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: his side, so long the elbow nearly brushed the floor. 201 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:25,880 Speaker 2: Report. I hate looking at your kind. 202 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:32,420 Speaker 1: And not for the first time, Xorkek wondered if he'd chosen the wrong human as 203 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 1: host. Gaining inside knowledge of a human stronghold had been an offer too good to 204 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:44,500 Speaker 1: pass up. It wouldn't matter in a few more months anyway. No host could 205 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: resist forever. 206 00:17:46,140 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 2: A human priest gave an unholy sermon in your territory. He desecrated a building 207 00:17:51,340 --> 00:17:53,880 Speaker 2: with it. He was looking for you. 208 00:17:54,200 --> 00:18:00,160 Speaker 1: Though his transform half continued its blind, ambient touching, the human half 209 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:05,700 Speaker 1: of The Stalker went unusually still, just for a moment. 210 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 2: Did he seem unusual in any way? [growls] 211 00:18:11,380 --> 00:18:16,640 Speaker 1: How was he supposed to know? What did it matter anyway? The Stalker stood 212 00:18:16,700 --> 00:18:17,400 Speaker 1: abruptly. 213 00:18:17,700 --> 00:18:23,064 Speaker 2: Send an emissary team. Ah. Bring him straight to me, unharmed. That is 214 00:18:23,104 --> 00:18:23,784 Speaker 2: important 215 00:18:24,084 --> 00:18:29,904 Speaker 1: Xorkek waved his barbed tail around nervously. This was not good. He 216 00:18:29,984 --> 00:18:35,944 Speaker 1: was becoming less and less certain this possessed would honor his pact. Um, I 217 00:18:35,984 --> 00:18:41,604 Speaker 1: have bad news, Holy One. He destroyed half of the riders I sent to kill him. 218 00:18:42,204 --> 00:18:47,464 Speaker 1: Some mixers were there as well. The stalker grimaced. Such a human expression. 219 00:18:48,184 --> 00:18:52,944 Speaker 1: Even though half of his face was covered in bone plating, he brought his human hand 220 00:18:52,984 --> 00:18:58,764 Speaker 1: to his face, contemplative instead of furious. Fortunately- In that 221 00:18:58,844 --> 00:19:04,484 Speaker 1: case, send the strongest demon we have. That would be the spine eater, 222 00:19:05,224 --> 00:19:10,444 Speaker 1: which was insane overkill. This was the kind of weapon you used against buildings, 223 00:19:10,884 --> 00:19:14,004 Speaker 1: not people. The spine eater. Send it. 224 00:19:15,884 --> 00:19:21,824 Speaker 1: Holy One, forgive me, but it's just one man. The stalker narrowed his eyes and 225 00:19:21,924 --> 00:19:27,383 Speaker 1: Xorkek considered running. This one was unhinged, even for a 226 00:19:27,424 --> 00:19:33,124 Speaker 1: possessed. Not anymore. And if he's what I think he is, we're going to need 227 00:19:33,184 --> 00:19:38,824 Speaker 1: more spine eaters. Xorkek bowed again, still uncertain whether that won him any 228 00:19:38,904 --> 00:19:43,804 Speaker 1: favor, then rushed off to release the weapon. He didn't relish the thought of having 229 00:19:43,864 --> 00:19:49,064 Speaker 1: to round it up again later, but at least he wouldn't have to feed it for a while. It 230 00:19:49,144 --> 00:19:55,024 Speaker 1: was a pain gathering living humans every day. They were so 231 00:19:55,204 --> 00:20:01,104 Speaker 1: fragile, and the spine eater wasted so many of them. But he wasn't gonna be the one 232 00:20:01,164 --> 00:20:04,924 Speaker 1: to tell it to stop playing with its food. It sucks. 233 00:20:04,924 --> 00:20:15,364 Speaker 1: [mysterious music] 234 00:20:15,464 --> 00:20:21,244 Speaker 1: Ethan pulled the trigger of the messenger until the ammo ran dry, and still the 235 00:20:21,304 --> 00:20:26,764 Speaker 1: demons came. Not just the flying ones, but nightmarish crawling 236 00:20:26,924 --> 00:20:32,364 Speaker 1: things like giant cockroaches with human heads growing from their backs. Corpse 237 00:20:32,444 --> 00:20:38,064 Speaker 1: nests, disgusting demon spawn made from human corpses. Ethan 238 00:20:38,204 --> 00:20:42,284 Speaker 1: washed away another wave of corpse nests as they crawled over the edge of the 239 00:20:42,344 --> 00:20:48,304 Speaker 1: building. The burning napalm, consecrated by the nuns, did much more than burn the 240 00:20:48,344 --> 00:20:53,824 Speaker 1: monsters. It simply disintegrated them. Then the 241 00:20:53,904 --> 00:20:59,424 Speaker 1: napalm, dramatically titled Holy Fire on his HUD, ran 242 00:20:59,504 --> 00:21:05,324 Speaker 1: dry too. Ethan searched frantically for more enemies. The hellish creatures 243 00:21:05,364 --> 00:21:11,104 Speaker 1: had swarmed the rooftop in droves. It felt like the entire city had emptied 244 00:21:11,164 --> 00:21:16,884 Speaker 1: itself of monsters to greet him. He was out of ammo, out of grenades. 245 00:21:17,444 --> 00:21:23,004 Speaker 1: He'd even used the motorcycle itself as a makeshift club until it had finally 246 00:21:23,104 --> 00:21:28,464 Speaker 1: fallen to pieces. It was a shame it was too late to contact the manufacturer. 247 00:21:29,504 --> 00:21:35,144 Speaker 1: Ethan would have enjoyed telling them just how far it had exceeded manufacturer 248 00:21:35,244 --> 00:21:41,124 Speaker 1: standards. He waited a moment longer, but blessedly, 249 00:21:41,804 --> 00:21:47,764 Speaker 1: there were no more demons. It was silent on the rooftop, except for the soft 250 00:21:47,864 --> 00:21:52,804 Speaker 1: sound of smoldering corpses. Music. 251 00:21:54,064 --> 00:21:58,824 Speaker 1: He spun the messenger in his hand and holstered it, and spared a moment for a 252 00:21:58,984 --> 00:22:04,864 Speaker 1: simmering look at the horizon. That was enough presentation for 253 00:22:04,964 --> 00:22:05,544 Speaker 1: one day. 254 00:22:07,524 --> 00:22:12,344 Speaker 1: He climbed down the building, careful not to strain his endoskeleton any further. 255 00:22:13,104 --> 00:22:18,044 Speaker 1: The nuns had asked him not to get it too dented, after all. It seemed unkind to make 256 00:22:18,084 --> 00:22:23,604 Speaker 1: them work any harder. Despite the duration of his escapade, it was a short walk back 257 00:22:23,644 --> 00:22:29,644 Speaker 1: to the church. It was evening turning twilight by then. The last rays 258 00:22:29,704 --> 00:22:35,344 Speaker 1: of sunlight bled at the edges of the horizon, turning it a wicked purple by the time 259 00:22:35,404 --> 00:22:40,984 Speaker 1: he started up the stairs to the church. A red warning sign flashed on Ethan's 260 00:22:41,083 --> 00:22:46,904 Speaker 1: HUD. I told you to turn those off. The warning sign turned from red 261 00:22:47,704 --> 00:22:52,984 Speaker 1: to black. His optics switched to infrared and Ethan stopped in his tracks. 262 00:22:54,084 --> 00:22:57,464 Speaker 1: Class A demonic threat. 263 00:22:59,024 --> 00:23:03,684 Speaker 1: Fifty combat simulations ran in the instant it took his human brain to catch up. 264 00:23:05,444 --> 00:23:06,664 Speaker 1: Fifty defeats. 265 00:23:08,684 --> 00:23:13,324 Speaker 1: It was the sound of chewing that shook him from his stupor. Two bright orange eyes 266 00:23:13,444 --> 00:23:19,284 Speaker 1: watched him with casual interest from the front doors of the church. The splintered, 267 00:23:19,964 --> 00:23:25,764 Speaker 1: ruined front doors of the church. A dark river, nearly black in 268 00:23:25,824 --> 00:23:28,784 Speaker 1: infrared, ran from the pile of 269 00:23:30,384 --> 00:23:34,404 Speaker 1: human pieces next to the demon. It, 270 00:23:35,924 --> 00:23:41,424 Speaker 1: it had killed them. A booming voice rattled in Ethan's mind. 271 00:23:42,364 --> 00:23:48,364 Speaker 1: A metal man. The demon rose from its haunches, standing at 272 00:23:48,404 --> 00:23:54,184 Speaker 1: its full height. Ethan's second mind went wild, dumping information into 273 00:23:54,224 --> 00:23:59,024 Speaker 1: his thoughts. Nine feet, seven inches, six hundred seven pounds, 274 00:23:59,524 --> 00:24:05,324 Speaker 1: four-inch chitin armor, regenerative abilities, psychic abilities unknown, six 275 00:24:05,364 --> 00:24:10,244 Speaker 1: hundred and twelve combat simulations completed, zero percent chance of combat 276 00:24:10,304 --> 00:24:16,284 Speaker 1: success. Shut up. Eight hundred and fifty combat simulations 277 00:24:16,364 --> 00:24:22,084 Speaker 1: completed, zero percent chance of combat success. The demon took a step 278 00:24:22,164 --> 00:24:27,404 Speaker 1: forward, letting the mangled person it was eating fall from its claws. 279 00:24:28,288 --> 00:24:34,128 Speaker 1: Ethan selected Trinity from his weapons list, the only one remaining. 280 00:24:35,588 --> 00:24:40,968 Speaker 1: Three spring-loaded blades shot out of his left arm, the points of a cross 281 00:24:41,768 --> 00:24:46,948 Speaker 1: extending over his hand from the wrist and out to the left and right. 282 00:24:48,208 --> 00:24:53,848 Speaker 1: One thousand twenty-one combat simulations completed. Zero 283 00:24:53,908 --> 00:24:58,188 Speaker 1: percent chance of success. Retreat advised. 284 00:24:59,548 --> 00:25:04,328 Speaker 1: Instead, Ethan stepped forward to meet the monster. 285 00:25:04,328 --> 00:25:45,248 Speaker 1: [rock music] 286 00:25:45,308 --> 00:25:50,088 Speaker 1: Xorcax stepped through the burning portal into the holy realm. Stepping through 287 00:25:50,148 --> 00:25:55,008 Speaker 1: portals wasn't like walking through a door. You were completely incinerated in the 288 00:25:55,068 --> 00:26:00,508 Speaker 1: process. You were remade on the other side, assuming the power that 289 00:26:00,568 --> 00:26:06,548 Speaker 1: resided there allowed it. A portal could be a fast death if you were not faithful or 290 00:26:06,808 --> 00:26:12,568 Speaker 1: useful. So far, the Lord of Darkness itself had deigned to allow Xorcax 291 00:26:12,628 --> 00:26:13,848 Speaker 1: continued existence. 292 00:26:15,668 --> 00:26:21,468 Speaker 1: Xorcax climbed into his seat at the bar. A slave demon poured a glass of blood 293 00:26:21,548 --> 00:26:27,168 Speaker 1: for him without comment. Good. He was above this creature, at least. 294 00:26:28,148 --> 00:26:32,748 Speaker 1: A few minutes later, two more imps wandered in from their own portals, looking 295 00:26:32,828 --> 00:26:38,628 Speaker 1: nearly as troubled as he did. They were about Xorcax's size. A little 296 00:26:38,708 --> 00:26:42,568 Speaker 1: smaller, maybe. Xorcax was pretty tall. 297 00:26:44,128 --> 00:26:49,728 Speaker 1: They sat down in the high chairs on either side of him. Surely, the Holy Ones could 298 00:26:49,788 --> 00:26:55,148 Speaker 1: find more suitable seating than this. A chair meant for a human baby was 299 00:26:56,028 --> 00:26:57,348 Speaker 1: simply not regal. 300 00:26:59,408 --> 00:27:05,068 Speaker 1: He spilled some of his blood drink. Damn it. But the slave demon mopped it up 301 00:27:05,128 --> 00:27:05,588 Speaker 1: quickly. 302 00:27:06,708 --> 00:27:09,508 Speaker 2: Hey, Xorc. Another tough day? 303 00:27:12,808 --> 00:27:15,288 Speaker 1: Oh, you have no idea.