Chapter 22 - Waystation (Patreon)

Elania turned without missing a beat and hurried after the monks. If he didn't need any help, he didn't need any help, and she didn't want to have to fight that thing anyway!

It didn't take her long to catch up, with the sounds of battle going on behind her lending her sprint a little more speed. There was an explosion, and more roars and gusts of wind, interspaced with what sounded to be falling rock and heavy thumps.

'What the fuck is going on back there?'

"Maurice! Hurry up, we can't slow down."

"I'm sorry Taniel! That rock took a chunk of my HP, it's slowing me down."

"Dammit!"

Elania caught the interplay and realized one of the novices was slowing the group down. The mention of HP caught her attention almost as much as her rapid gain on the group did. A thunderous shake of the cave walls sent everyone scrambling for balance, including her.

"Come on we need to go!"

Seeing that Maurice wasn't going to be able to pick up the pace, Taniel suddenly lifted the man up and started carrying him in a fireman's carry. It didn't even slow him down, and the group was able to pick up the pace.

'He's stronger than he looks.'

The offshoot from the tunnel they had been traveling along quickly reached another section, and they continued in what Elania hoped was the right direction. She didn't really have any choice and had no idea how Tanyan was navigating for them.

As they rounded a corner, a roar interrupted as a Darkwalker stood in their path. It slowed them down for a moment, but upon seeing the number of them in the group, the beast did the sensible thing and turned and fled from them.

Suddenly the cavern roof exploded downward just behind them, and the Manzitore slammed onto its back before it recovered and let out a challenge at them. Rocks began to levitate around the monster, and then those flashed forward at a horrifying speed.

Elania only caught the glint of an arrow flying down to intercept one of the rocks before it erupted into a massive explosion sending the group flying off their feet. A whirlwind of hot air and dust-filled all of Elania's senses.

The pit in her stomach told her they were all going to die. Sure the fight with the Darkwalker Demon had been more visceral and close, but she had been hopped up on monster essence. She'd had enough time to conclude that she had gone totally batshit-crazy by even joining the fight.

"I told you all to get out of here! GO!"

Marcus's voice cut through the ringing in her ears somehow, and Elania managed to get back onto her feet. He didn't need to tell her again. She hauled the first novice she found up onto his feet before finding Taniel.

"Come on---"

The man was kneeling over Maurice, who had a bloody chunk taken out of his skull by a rock fragment.

"He's dead." The monk whispered, the shock evident in his trembling voice.

"We gotta go!"

Taniel pushed Elania away as she tried to help him up, but Tanyan managed to convince him with a few words. "The others are counting on us."

Taniel pulled off the basket-backpack and strapped it to his front. Elania thought about offering to carry it for him, but despite its bulk it didn't seem heavy enough to slow him down.

They pushed through to the next cavern and the next, finally making progress at leaving the sounds of battle behind them.

---

"Here!"

Elania wasn't sure how long it had been since they had last heard the combat. At least several hours in her mind, as the group had devolved into a pained silence as they trudged through the caves.

A few times the scenery changed hues or they passed a stream of running water, but for the most part it was nondescript. Elania actually found herself becoming bored, but she shook it off, preferring that to the alternative.

So she concentrated on following the steps of Tanyan.

She bumped into the basket when he finally came to a stop quietly.

Taniel was at the entrance to a new cave, gesturing them forward.

"This is it."

The party quickly moved into the open space in the center before spreading out. The cavern was a small bubble, with the single entrance as a choke point. Elania realized that the walls weren't just raw stone as she followed. They were smoothed, and all around the room, there were carvings.

Near the center was a pedestal, but Taniel led them over to a section that was the obvious 'camping' area of the room. There were rooms cut into the wall with visible hooks to make it possible to hang coverings to give a small amount of privacy. A round depression nearby was meant for a cookfire as the metal spit was built right into the stone.

Even precut logs were still lying nearby in a neat pile, although there was a lack of kindling. It was apparent that this way-station was well taken care of and if what she had gleaned from them earlier, they had just stayed here a few days before.

Considering the distance they had traveled already, she doubted she'd have ever made it this far on her own even if she had spent a hundred times longer randomly exploring as she had done before.

"Taniel, what about Marcus? Is he going to be alright?"

There was a long pause, and she thought he might not answer when he finally frowned at her and spoke.

"If anyone would make it, it is probably that man. He has been doing this for decades."

"I guess that is why his level is so high."

"Most guides are at least over 200 or they won't be taken seriously. That and they have a combat class with a lot of high level skills geared for combat."

"How do you get a class? I don't have one."

He glared at her, and his voice became curt, "Probably because you are a demon."

She shrank inwardly when she heard the anger in his voice. She wasn't sure how the question had brought it out, but it reminded her that the monks were doing their best to keep her at arm's length because of her new 'race.'

Tanyan had been listening and piped up, though, not having an issue with answering.

"You need someone from the class you want to train you in the correct skills. That or find a manual with details on the class. Most classes evolve as you gain skills related to it as well. You usually have to know the name as well."

Elania wanted to ask more, but Taniel pressed his pack into Tanyan's arms and sent him to set up their room.

The novices, minus Maurice, quickly followed that example and went to work setting up the rest of their living spaces. Taniel seemed to want to avoid her questioning and went to stand guard at the entrance.

Elania didn't have any task to do herself, so she went and found a spot in the furthest away space from the others. She didn't have any drape of her own to hang on the hooks of her room, and the others didn't have extra, so that was the best she could do to keep a bit of privacy.

The furniture wasn't really furniture, or rather it was, but it was directly built into the stone. The bench and chair were carved right out of the stone and were meant to have some bedding or cushion set on top.

Elania pulled out her bedroll, leaving the Mana Shard in her backpack. The leather roll didn't even compare to what Elania would consider a modern sleeping bag, but at least she wouldn't have to sleep on the bare stone.

She had companions she could talk to now, even if they didn't seem to trust her. That somehow made her feel even more lonely than when she had been actually alone. Eventually, she curled up into a ball and fell asleep.

---

Taniel glared at nothing in particular. He realized he had taken out his anger toward his own failures to protect Maurice on the demon, but he had been hard-pressed not to. She pretended to be so clueless in a blatant attempt to garner some type of sympathy.

He wasn't sure if she had experience pretending to be friendly and harmless or not, but she did an excellent job. He had almost found himself forgetting that she was not to be trusted. How could anyone trust a demon when a human was a delicious snack to them.

No, the treachery and guile of demons forcing unfavorable and unbreakable contracts with mortals was well known and established. People like Marcus might be capable of controlling or even capturing a monster like her, but even contemplating such a thing was foolish for most people who valued their lives.

The thought made him think of his mother, who had made a pact with a demon to try and save his father's life from an illness. He had died anyway, and the demon had taken her soul soon after, leaving him alone and an orphan.

That was why he owed the Conclave his life, and he had failed his mission to repay their kindness by protecting the novices in his care. Maurice... hadn't deserved to die like that.