Soul of Blades - Chapter 25: The Endless Enemy (Patreon)

Authors note: I've added a new arc that I quite like, I don't want to change the trajectory of the story, but I want each world to have well-defined arcs and characters, as they all serve a greater purpose. The new Arc in Pyra is one I'm pretty pleased with. I'm looking forward to seeing how you guys receive it. Enjoy.

Chapter 25: The Endless Enemy

Tension filled the clearing, as all present prepared to reach for their blades. The knights listened in silence, ears straining eagerly for the Barons' order in the wake of their duel.

“Come find me when you're in town, Alex,” he said, as he turned, sheathed his rapier, and leapt into his horse's straddle in one swift motion.

“I have a job for you. It's something only you can do, and the pay is nothing less than life-changing.” he continued, his voice smooth and calm, as if they hadn't just had a protracted battle. “We’ll discuss the terms of your retainer once you arrive.”

The Baron then raced off into the trees without another word, his men following his horse on foot, disappearing into the thick forest. The group watched in silence until they could no longer hear the clatter of hooves and armour.

The tension that had gripped the clearing began to dissipate, and the group of onlookers turned their attention back to Alex, who stood there, breathing lightly with a thin sheen of sweat, his Mana Blade still humming with energy.

"That was... intense," Finn said, breaking the silence as he eyed the departing figures.

Ayla agreed. "That was insane! I've never seen anyone go toe-to-toe with the Baron like that."

Finn nodded in agreement, his eyes shrewd with understanding. "I have, a few times. But you did better than most, that blade of yours is something else."

Ayla chimed in again, her voice tinged with admiration. "And that last move, when you finally got through his defences! That was great!."

Keir, who had been silently observing, finally spoke, "Yes, but… that bear... it wasn't natural. The way it moved, the metallic sheen on its fur. A simple bear, as strong as an Orc Horde leader." he shook his head.

Finn nodded, his expression grim. "System-evolved creatures are becoming more common- more widespread. Imagine a Revenant gaining even more power. Or a wraith, or even a Spider Queen.” He shuddered at the thought. “It's worrying."

Alex, feeling the weight of their words and an insight into their lives, said thoughtfully, "Seems like you all have been dealing with these kinds of threats for quite a while."

Lyra glanced at him. "Yeah, it's part of the job. Keeps things interesting, at least."

The wounded gryphon, a massive creature that had been observing the duel, now limped into view.

Ayla approached the gryphon, her hand extended carefully to avoid startling it.

She gently petted its feathers, feeling the gratitude in its eyes as it limped closer, its injured leg clearly bothering it. Despite this, Its movements displayed a mixture of pain and gratitude. "It's hurt," Ayla whispered, her hands gently exploring the griffin's wings.

She reached higher, her hands gentle as she further inspected the griffin's injuries. "Easy there, big fella," she cooed, ruffling its feathers in a soothing manner.

The gryphon was large, much larger than Alex had expected, but somehow less imposing than its first impression had led him to believe. Although clearly dangerous, it seemed almost peaceful, like an elephant, capable of trampling you to paste but choosing not to.

Tentatively, he joined Ayla in ruffling its feathers.

The gryphon let out a low, rumbling sound, almost like a purr, as they continued to care for it.

Ayla, while tending to the griffon, added, "This griffon was just defending its territory. It's lucky we were here. And thanks for the Bear, Alex. We should give him some of its pelt.” Her eyes turned to the rest of her party.

“We wouldn’t have this bounty without your help.” Keir agreed, gesturing towards the bear's metal corpse. Alex imagined it would make some formidable and flexible armour. Keir continued “Your maneuvers against the Baron were quite unique. Unorthodox, but effective.”

The conversation paused as they all looked at the griffon, now standing more confidently. It stood as tall as several men, and the sun's Sheen reflected off its gold and silver feathers. It eyed each of them with a soft cooing ruble that shook the grass around them before it sauntered off towards the treeline, its gait slightly improved.

“You’re welcome, Kier," Alex said as he watched the gryphon, its wings parting the treeline with a soft brush as it slowly retreated into the forest. "And the way you guys handled the bear… That was some impressive teamwork," he said, his respect for their skill evident.

Lyra, wiping her brow, replied, “Well it’s far from our first battle, and thanks, you weren't that bad yourself.” She gestured towards his scorched clothes and singed hair. “Took you way too long to beat him, though.“

Lyra, Finn, Keir, and Ayla burst into fits at her comment as Alex flushed red and attempted to muster a response.

***

And then, days later, they arrived at the settlement. The group stopped at the edge of the town, looking over the small congregation of life. A scattering of buildings and stone structures nestled in the lap of a valley.

Ahead, stone and timber houses stood neatly lined, their roofs of slate and thatch worn but otherwise well-maintained. The main street was bustling with townsfolk, some heading to the market where stalls brimmed with fresh produce and fabrics.

The smell of freshly baked bread wafted from a bakery, mingling with the scent of roasting meat from a nearby tavern. Children played near a fountain in the town square, where water cascaded over carved stone. The town, nestled comfortably in the valley, thrived under the watchful eye of the Baron’s castle, perched on a nearby hill.

The sight of other people brought Alex a sense of relief, a small comfort in his journey. There were others like them, others who had also been swept away by the system's tide.

"We should get going," Ayla finally said, breaking the silence." With that, they set in motion, the perimeter of the settlement a visible silhouette against the dying light of the day.

Finn followed, an air of casual nonchalance about him. His eyes scanned the scenery, but he managed to keep the conversation light. "I can't wait to see what 'levels' these townsfolk are," he chuckled, a hint of mischief flashing across his eyes. "I wonder if there's a 'Master Baker' or a 'Supreme Whoreson' among them. Maybe a 'Grand Maestro of Ale',"

A ripple of laughter spread through the group, momentarily replacing the undercurrent of uncertainty that had followed their journey. Keir, usually stoic and reserved, allowed the ghost of a smile to cross his features. Lyra, on the other hand, rolled her eyes, albeit with a fond shake of her head.

Amidst the bustling main street past the town's entrance, the sound of hammers and saws mixed with the chatter of townsfolk.

As Alex peered around him, the surroundings revealed small signs of recent turmoil. Signs so small they were easy to miss. Among the stone and timber houses on the outskirts, some bore deep scorch marks, their walls etched with claw marks and gouges. A small scattering of buildings here and there were reduced to rubble, leaving gaps like missing teeth in the neat rows of existence. But a few buildings among hundreds were easy to miss, and would soon be forgotten, as people, their faces marked with fatigue, worked to repair and rebuild.

"Did something happen here?" he asked, eyeing the scattered damage. “It looks like the aftermath of an attack?" His tone took on a mixture of intrigue as he observed scratches along the walls and floor as if someone- or something- had been dragged away against their will.

Lyra glanced around, her gaze sharp and assessing. "A colony, and most likely a Queen are nearby.” She said, the word carrying a weight that was impossible to miss.

“The Endless Enemy.” She whispered in awe, her face solemn. Alex studied her as she spoke, and notice how her eyes lit up with excitement beneath the facade of melancholy. She practically vibrated on the spot in contained glee.

They had mentioned this before, ‘a foe that attempts to conquer foreign lands’, he remembered them saying.

Kier drew a finger along a damaged wall, tracing the scar of a deep gouge, “An Arachne colony- and Queen— lethal creatures. It's unheard of for them to appear in this region, though.” His voice carried a grim acceptance, his brows furrowing as he squinted at the damage. “Horrible things. Hordes of predators abroad that wage wars wherever they lay. They constantly steal land and bodies to keep their young alive and use hosts to maintain their numbers. They evolve through feeding, you see.” He continued with evident disgust. “At birth, they cannot surviving without feeding on strong species, assimilating them.” He paused as if visited by a distant memory. “There have been rumours throughout town of a colony nearby, though doubtful.”

Ayla, her expression grim, added, “They're a real menace. People taken, turned into... it's bad, Alex.”

Finn, leaning against a nearby wall, responded with a dry tone, "Yeah, they're trouble. Steal you from your home to feed their unborn young. You’ll be eaten from the inside out. And if you're truly unlucky, the young might inherit on your qualities and hunt those you love. Fate worse than death, that.” He took a long draw of what Alex assumed to be tobacco. "The last time they were around, it led to a long and difficult War. Looks like history is repeating itself." He studied the scratches and gouged holes from afar, “and they're not just rumours. I told you I've seen one, they've been here.” He pointed toward the rubble. “Others in town have too.”

“One can only hope it's true.” Lyra chimed, the corners of her lips seemed to fight back a smile at the thought. “If so, war will come sooner than one could hope.”

At this, the others sighed and tutted in disagreement.

Keir turned to face Finn with a thoughtful nod, "It's not that we don't believe you, but it's doubtful.” He then turned to Alex “The last sighting in this region was over a century ago. If it's true then this is new. For this century, at least."

Ayla, her demeanour calm yet sombre and resigned, added, "They've been at war with the other lands- with all of us, really. But not out here."

Keir, his face etched with concern, interjected thoughtfully. "Yes, but the signs suggest the frightening possibility.”

Alex absorbed their words as they informed him, the gravity of the situation dawning on him with each spoken word. It was Lyra who concluded with a decisive tone, "See a Arachnae, any at all — it's them or us. Kill it on sight.”

Kayla began to argue that was superstition, and that the common house spider was no more related to the Arachne than they were, but all but Keir seemed to shut her down.

They need death to survive, grow, and evolve, Alex thought as the argument continued, a grim realisation setting in. Bodies to make themselves stronger, it was a gruesome cycle. According to them, around the globe these ‘Arachnae’ colonies and all their pupae were hunted, their existence a perpetual war against all other life forms. Alex pictured nations united against this common enemy, tirelessly fighting to take back land from these nightmarish creatures.

Yet the Queens- a handful across the world- remained shrouded in mystery and myth, and as far as he was aware were never uncovered. At least not by any who survived their encounter. But someone had to have survived and perhaps even faced one in order for the rest of the world to be aware of the Queens existence at all. There was a breadth of history he was clearly unaware of.

Whole wars just to find them...These queens, hiding out there, somewhere. Turning death into life for their own kind. The idea was wild, almost too much to take in. People fighting, and dying, all to stop these creatures from spreading

Alex pictured it – the queens, hidden in their territories, turning the dead and even the living into feeding grounds. It's horrifying. Being trapped, helpless, as their eggs hatch in a corner a room and unleash spiderlings that promptly eat you alive from outside in.

Alex shuddered despite himself.

A race of monsters fighting for survival while being hunted to extinction. People's fear had even led to killing harmless common spiders, a misguided superstitious attempt to stop the Arachne's proliferation.

The queens were key to their reproduction, and the pupae were their babies, all targeted to prevent their evolution into more formidable beings. Each hunted down in a desperate bid to stifle their growth into future forms, or worse;

New Queens.

And with the system causing everything to change, how much worse could these creatures become?

Alex glanced at Finn with new understanding, realizing why the sight of the evolved bear grown far beyond its limits had caused him such concern.

So, these… Arachne colonies... Queens… they're like a plague, he mused. He then glanced at Lyra’s peaceful expression, her soft smile maintained throughout the discussion. And she had the nerve to call this world peaceful?

Alex, with Lyra and Finn, heaved the heavy carcass of the bear towards a Tanner, or perhaps to a high-level leatherworker, one capable of skinning the metallic creature. After the metallic pelt was removed and prepared, they would take it to a blacksmith. Alex was looking forward to discovering what his share of the highly durable material would be turned into.

As they walked, a scream sliced through the evening sky, followed swiftly by another. Clashes of steel rang out in the distance. From the direction of the town's border, the distant roars and yells of men and women could be heard. Some of them screamed like babes.

“Spiders?” Alex turned to Lyra inquisitively.

Lyra scoffed. “Surely not.” She said. “It's likely some beast, amped up or high on the system's twisting. Orcs, perhaps."

They get high here?! Purely out of curiosity, Alex wondered what kind of drugs a magical world’s society produced. He imagined any magical drug would be insanely addictive- probably inescapable once consumed.

He made a mental note to avoid dodgy health potions.

Lyra broke into his thoughts. "Finn, guard this," She pointed at the gargantuan bear carcass and then nodded at the rest of the group. "We’re investigating the border. You're free to join us if you wish, Alex. We would not mind the help.” She looked at him inquisitively and with gratitude, but there was no expectation or demand held behind her gaze.

“See you there,” Alex smirked and raced ahead.