Chapter 24: The Geist (1/2)

Chapter 24: The Geist

The Evil Eye stared down at a Variant heading right towards Aldrich, likely drawn by the scent of blood and death

It was a three-ure with shly muscular, and it sha its knuckles across the dirt It was nearly co no ble no nails

Overall, it almost looked like an eerie, overlyout of a horror movie

Its spherical head lacked any real facial features as well Just a e-lippeda set of oversized human teeth that chattered constantly

This was a Geist

A Variants, Aldrich recalled from what limited research he was able to do in Blackwater, there were three classifications

Natural Variants - these were Variants that had seely adapted to nature They became parts of ecosystems and adopted the traits of the flora and fauna within them The Strikers with their wolf-like appearances were examples of such Variants

They needed food and water to live, could reproduce on their own, and acted generally like wild beasts, and so could be scared off or even tamed

Geist Variants - these were inexplicable monstrosities that were spontaneously spawned and very often humanoid in appearance

They were functionally i no food, sleep, or rest They also did not seem to reproduce unless they possessed a power that allowed them to self replicate They did not have any particular set of behaviors that were consistent, with each Geist having their own unique behavior patterns that hly unpredictable

Soly intelligent - it was impossible to tell

In addition, Geists had an i theher threats to civilization than natural Variants Not only that, but Geists were generally er than most natural Variants, with even the weaker ones usually starting out as a C-ranked threat

The third category of Variants were titans These were monstrously powerful Variants that were often the size of battleshi+ps or even larger These were Variants of near legend, for of the Monstering

There were twenty titans to begin, but after eight of the twelve returned to enormous nests across the world in re every few years for an attack before being driven off again

"We're leaving," said Aldrich iht with a C-rank e one, but only if he had a few advantages on his side

For example, if the Geist had abilities Aldrich and his units were ieared for just raer and sustained coht one, even with Valera

Valera could go toe to toe with it in sheer stats e to finish it off

Strong enemies with built in sustain Even in Elden World, this was the type of eneion Necromancers trouble in lower levels where they had too fewtactic

If the Geist also had powerful area of effect abilities on top of that, then Aldrich had no chance of winning

"What is that beast?" said Valera, seeing through Aldrich's eyes "It disgusts ainst life Even ood way to describe it," said Aldrich He had to agree the thing was not pleasant to look at "It's called a Geist and all you need to know is that it's above our paygrade for now We could fight it, but there's no guarantee ould win"

Valera put her helth froly skull in But I will heed your co huister us We just need to take a route around it-," began Aldrich before he paused, seeing soh the Evil Eye, Aldrich saw the Geist open its huge rotesquely and convulsed before it regurgitated out a spit covered wo her like a caught fish

She was a hero, there was no doubt about it froe and red costume He could not tell whether she was alive as her head was doith her long, dirty blonde hair covering her face like a veil She hung liue like a rack ofat a butcher's shop