Memoirs 189 - It flinched (Patreon)

[Quest completed: Slay the Abyssal Vilewyrm]
{Skill points awarded: 7}

The Vilewyrm’s cavern was a chaotic scene of activity as the duke’s men scurried back and forth, tending to their wounded comrades and carrying away the fallen. Allyssa, Shin, and Fynn were all helping, with Allyssa distributing healing potions to those in need.

Considering it took the young Shielder a day or two to concoct even the smaller batches of healing potions, Scarlett intended to make sure the duke compensated her generously for these.

Of the few dozen who had joined this expedition under the duke’s banner, perhaps half were still in a conscious state. Of those, roughly half were well enough that they could move around freely after some healing.

Scarlett stood beside Sir Home, facing the lifeless, teeth-filled maw of the slain Vilewyrm. Strangely, the demon’s carcass still emitted a smoldering light from in between its scales, even though Scarlett had ceased using her magic for a while now. Peculiar, but as long as it posed no threat, she didn’t care much.

Sir Home’s expression bore an air of grim seriousness as he examined the Vilewyrm. The sweat and grime from the battle still clung to his face. “It seems you were correct in that we were dealing with something far beyond our expectations, Baroness,” he said. “This was no mere dragon.”

“The lake outside was a rather telling sign, I would say.”

The man knelt down beside a pool of dark, ichorous blood that had begun to congeal. Drawing a dagger from his belt, he collected some of the viscous liquid and inspected it. A faint, golden light danced along the blade, and wisps of smoke rose from the blood.

“It’s been a long time since I last encountered one, but I suspect that what we just faced was a demon of the Blazes.”

Scarlett observed the blood. “I believe you are correct.” Her eyes scanned their surroundings. “It would explain the unusual state of the lake, and why the creature chose this specific location as its lair. Due to its connection with the Wandering Realm, the Faywild Basin is a realm diametrically opposed to most demons, which would have deterred it from venturing further in. At the same time, the Faywild offers abundant prey for a demon seeking to accumulate power in the Material Realm.”

The knight captain regarded her as he rose. “Perhaps you’re right. You seem well-versed in these matters.”

“There are numerous subjects in which I am well-informed. It often proves beneficial to be so. The question now is how the demon came to manifest in this realm in the first place.”

This was a question Scarlett already knew the answer to, of course.

Her gaze lingered on the Vilewyrm’s lifeless form, moving from its horned skull down to its wingless body and scarred scales. Even though its physical form was now dead, its essence would likely have returned to Malevolence, where it might be plotting its revenge. Though given its limited intelligence, that might not amount to more than a desire to rend her apart when it returned to the Material Realm.

Not that it would have any such chance anytime soon. On the list of things she had to be concerned about, it ranked pretty low.

The real nuisance here would be dealing with the logistics of extracting this body and getting it back to Bridgespell, where it could be displayed and harvested for materials. Despite not being a true dragon, an Abyssal Vilewyrm’s body still had some valuable resources.

Fortunately, handling all of that wasn’t her responsibility. She only needed one specific part of the demon, and the rest was the duke’s concern.

She turned her attention to Sir Home. “When do you anticipate your men will be prepared to commence the journey back to Bridgespell?”

The man’s gaze shifted to his people. “Our current condition, combined with the late hour, would make it a challenging endeavour to return immediately. We will have to establish a camp here and resume our journey at first light with those who are in direst need of treatment in the city. The rest will remain here to begin dealing with the aftermath.” His forehead creased together. “We also need to thoroughly investigate the lake outside to assess any potential future threats it might pose. It’s worrying that a demon this formidable appeared in this region without anyone’s knowledge.”

“An understandable concern,” Scarlett said.

“I can’t offer more than an apology for the predicament this places you in, Baroness,” he continued. “Can’t imagine a noble lady such as yourself would relish spending the night in this swamp. But we can’t afford to escort you back for the time being.”

“That is quite all right. I believe I will manage.”

She wasn’t in much of a hurry now that the Vilewyrm was dead. She had forewarned the coachman of this possibility, and he would travel to one of the nearby settlements and return in the morning. Technically, she could depart without the duke’s retinue—her own party was enough of an escort—but that didn’t fit her purposes.

“Seeing what you did to the demon earlier, I’m inclined to agree.” Sir Home studied her for a moment, a contemplative expression gracing his features. “When I was informed you would be joining the expedition, I was under the impression that you lacked combat experience.”

“I suppose I have proved that assumption incorrect.”

“Abundantly so,” the man remarked. “I doubt any commander wouldn’t welcome a mage of your calibre in their ranks.”

Scarlett met his eyes, discerning the unspoken question beneath those words. He was questioning why she hadn’t initially participated as a combatant and had only intervened towards the end.

Looking at how much damage his men had incurred, she felt the answer was self-evident.

He probably knew as much.

She turned back her attention to the Vilewyrm. “I will be waiting patiently until we are ready to resume our journey in the morning, then. Until then, I can handle myself, so you need not concern yourself or your men with my well-being and can focus on your own matters. There is much to be done, especially with regard to our quarry.”

She wasn’t sure if they intended to transport the entire Vilewyrm back in one piece or if they were dividing it into portions. Nonetheless, it would be a considerable undertaking without an archmage available to do the job for you. She assumed the captain and his people had access to some spatial bags and similar tools, but they were unlikely to be enough on their own.

As long as she got her share, it didn’t really matter much.

Sir Home kept his eyes on her for a few moments longer before turning away. “I’ll keep that in mind. If any issues arise, please bring them to my attention first.”

With that, he left her to her own devices and headed over to where some knights were clearing a space to set up a tent for the wounded near the cavern’s edge.

Scarlett maintained her focus on the Vilewyrm, contemplating how best to proceed from here in order to ensure she didn’t get in Rosa’s way. She had eliminated one of the obstacles from the bard’s path, but now the question remained of how she could get Rosa what she needed from the Vilewyrm without outright handing it to her. She had considered a couple of alternatives, but which was the most suitable would have to be decided depending on the circumstances.

After some time, Fynn approached her quietly. She frowned upon noticing the watchful expression on his face. “What is it?” she asked.

His eyes were fixed on the cavern’s entrance, leading out into the swamp. “I’m not sure,” he said in a cautious tone. “But something feels…strange.”

Strange?

Scarlett shifted her gaze to the entrance, but despite her enchanted glasses, she couldn’t see anything.

An alert cry suddenly pierced the air from one of the knights to her left.

She whirled around, witnessing a man unsheathe his sword as a four-legged creature with dark purple and crimson scales and sharp features emerged from the shadows before him, its mouth agape to reveal words of menacing teeth.

A demon.

Throughout the cavern, the duke’s men prepared for another confrontation, positioning themselves to protect their wounded comrades as a dozen more demons materialized in their midst.

Scarlett regarded the new arrivals with a larger frown. The Vilewyrm didn’t have any mobs accompanying it in the game, as far as she could recall. They should have already taken care of everything in the area.

Then another possibility dawned on her.

Her lips curved upwards in a faint smile. This might be exactly what she needed.

Rosa trailed Malachi through the dark swamp, her mood uncertain, casting furtive glances at the shapes moving in the shadows around them.

Demons.

She still wasn’t entirely sure if this was a good idea. In fact, she knew it was a terrible idea. Malachi dealt with creatures Rosa had been taught to fear her entire life with alarming ease, and now she was entangled in it as well.

But Malachi didn’t stop at merely dealing with demons. She used them. Kept them captive. Commanded them.

Fed off them.

If Rosa wasn’t so desperate to learn more about the being inside her—the demon inside her—she wouldn’t have touched any of this business with a barge pole. While Malachi seemed to have control over the demons under her, they were still demons. One misstep and you were dead, your soul devoured by a denizen of the six Blazes.

But in Rosa’s circumstances, someone like Malachi might be just what she needed.

The woman had seemed dubious when Rosa first met her, but it hadn’t taken more than a single glance for Malachi to deduce Rosa’s problem. A single glance for her to recognize that Rosa needed help. And it appeared she was willing to provide it.

Willing to provide Rosa a chance.

Maybe it was naive of her, but Rosa was ready to overlook a lot of things because of that.

Scarlett hadn’t sent her here without reason.

After their initial encounter the night before, Rosa had admittedly been apprehensive about what Malachi might demand of her. However, she had been surprised when the woman had instead suggested she take some rest.

At that point, Rosa had harbored suspicions—not that they still weren’t there—and even after being offered a bare room with nothing but an old bed in one of the houses, she hadn’t dared to sleep. Her mind was mired with enough thoughts of demons and the entity inside her to keep her awake for a whole week.

That’s why it had been a shock when she woke up at noon the following day, feeling more rested than she had in a long while.

That was also when she had realized that not only was the owner of this secluded farmstead far from an ordinary person, but the same seemed to go for the place itself. It somehow appeared to shield Rosa from the usual torment that her passenger subjected her to in her dreams.

From there, she had found Malachi outside, performing strange rituals involving the bodies of critters and other animals in the light of day. It had been a disturbing sight, but far from the worst Rosa had witnessed.

When Rosa had inquired about what they would be doing now, and how she could earn the information she needed, the woman had simply advised her to be patient. There were preparations that had to be made.

Rosa’s presence apparently presented a rather intriguing opportunity for Malachi.

Time had passed until nightfall, at which point the woman had gathered up and revealed several of the demons she held captive. More than Rosa had first seen in that underground area from the previous night. Using some strange form of magic, Malachi had compelled them to obey her and then informed Rosa that they were going to retrieve some special object. An object that would prove advantageous for Rosa and that Malachi had temporarily lent away.

Rosa hadn’t expected that to involve them trudging through a swamp in the middle of the night, though.

Klert in hand, Rosa wiped the sweat from her brow and followed Malachi until they reached a small lake at the heart of the swamp — or what was perhaps supposed to be a lake. Right now, it resembled nothing more than a large cesspool of a dark, revolting goo. Rosa could practically feel the malevolence emanating from it.

Malachi pointed across the lake, her eerie green eyes gleaming under the night’s shroud. “That is where we will find what we are looking for.”

Despite the lack of light, Rosa could see where she was pointing without difficulty. It was a large opening in a cliffside, reaching deep into the stone. Before departing, she had been given a potion of some sort that granted her vision even in the dark, similar to those fancy glasses Scarlett owned.

“What’s waiting for us over there?” she asked, taking a cautious step away from one of the demons that ventured a bit too close for comfort.

“An Abyssal Vilewyrm,” Malachi said, her hand shooting out to grab the demon’s head and pressing her long nails into its hard skin. It squirmed, but the woman didn’t seem to care. Finally, she released it, allowing it to escape back among the trees, where it blended into the shadows.

Rosa watched the display with ambiguity in her heart, unsure whether to be disturbed or encouraged by the sight. “That name certainly sounds…intimidating. That, and dangerous.”

“Very.” Malachi’s lips curved into a chilling smile that sent shivers down Rosa’s spine. “It should have grown quite nicely.”

Without further words, she started moving towards the cave, Rosa following suit. Outside the entrance, a collection of odd stone altars caught Rosa’s eyes. She didn’t like the look of them. Nothing that had both blood and large claw marks on it was a good thing.

Malachi halted as the demons that had formed up around them began to growl and make other sounds.

“Humans.”

“Humans.”

“Humans.”

“Hmm.” A thoughtful expression appeared on the woman’s face, and she turned her gaze to Rosa. “We have guests. Stay close to me unless you want to become their prey.”

She gestured towards the demons, who entered the cave in front of them and disappeared among the shadows inside. Malachi followed shortly after, and Rosa didn’t have much choice but to do so as well, her brows knitted in apprehension.

Her already-existing concerns had only increased upon hearing the demons mention other people. That meant there might be a confrontation of some kind when they encountered each other.

As they ventured deeper into the cave, Rosa soon started hearing voices echoing off the walls. It sounded as if there was a large group further inside.

Malachi stopped her as they reached a corner that led into a vast cavern. Within, a group of knights and other people bustled about, helping people lying on the ground and setting up camp. Rosa’s eyes widened upon seeing the colossal dead dragon lying at the far end of the cavern — or rather, something that looked like a dragon. The palpable presence it exuded, even in death, told a different story.

This had to be the Abyssal Vilewyrm.

Rosa’s gaze froze when it continued moving across the space and fell upon faces she recognized.

Allyssa and Shin, standing among a cluster of wounded soldiers, tending to them with potions and bandages.

Fynn, wearing a scowl on his face as he scanned his surroundings.

And Scarlett beside him, standing there like a queen surveying her domain.

What were they all doing here?

“Serendipitous beyond measure, to a suspicious degree,” Malachi’s raspy voice sounded out in a low tone next to Rosa. “But I will not back down from exploiting it.”

A scream erupted from one of the knights when a demon suddenly appeared before him, growling like a rabid dog. Like an explosive wave, the reaction spread throughout the people in the cavern as more demons revealed themselves.

“W-Wait.” Rosa moved closer to Malachi, but the woman didn’t even seem to notice or care. “I recognize some of them. Don’t—”

The first knight howled in agony as the demon sank its teeth into his arm. The man hurled the creature away with his full strength, cradling his injured limb as he reached for a sword. Chaos descended upon the cavern as the remaining demons lunged at those in front of them, marking a start to the fighting.

Rosa was about to step in to help when she suddenly felt her left forearm seized by a grip like stone, nails digging into her skin and preventing her from moving. She looked up to meet Malachi’s intense gaze.

“We’ll remain here,” the woman stated in a tone that brooked no argument.

Rosa stared at her. The surge of panic that had overtaken her at the thought of Scarlett and the others getting harmed faded, and strangely, locking eyes with this admittedly terrifying woman, she found herself growing oddly composed.

With Malachi’s hand firmly grasping her forearm, Rosa shifted her stance and awkwardly positioned her klert so that her left hand could reach the keys on the neck. Still maintaining eye contact with Malachi, she cranked the instrument with her other hand as she began playing a melody. The soft notes rang throughout the cavern, healing the injuries inflicted by the demons, and more.

Surprised exclamations rippled through the area, and from the corner of her eye she noticed both Shin and Allyssa turning their heads at the sound, yet no one seemed to recognize where it had originated from or where she stood.

Malachi didn’t utter a word. The woman simply kept her grip on Rosa and turned her head to gaze towards the opposite end of the cavern where the deceased Vilewyrm lay.

Rosa’s attention also shifted in that direction, landing on Scarlett as the red-haired woman observed the newly appeared demons. Fynn, Allyssa, and Shin had immediately sprung into action when it happened, helping fight back the demons, but Scarlett remained motionless for some reason.

She finally raised a hand when a demon grew too close, conjuring a blaze of fire to repel it before Fynn even had to go and help from where the young man fought two other demons by himself.

Scarlett’s attention seemed to turn to an older man in armor who was battling three demons at once near the Vilewyrm, weariness etched across his face as she slammed one demon into another with a tall shield.

Rosa watched as Scarlett approached the man, summoning several fires to assist him in keeping the demons at bay. Stopping beside him, Scarlett engaged in a brief conversation and gestured towards a group of injured and tired knights struggling to remain upright against the assault of four demons.

The man nodded in response before leaving the demons he had been fighting to her, heading over to aid the others.

Rosa’s throat tightened as she witnessed all three demons fixate their gazes on Scarlett. Yet, the noblewoman simply stepped aside, creating an opening between her and the demons that led to the Vilewyrm while also summoning several more fires to form a barrier between her and them.

Rosa blinked when the demons opted to run past Scarlett instead of engaging with her.

“Curious,” Malachi commented, observing the scene.

The three demons advanced to the midsection of the Vilewyrm and then began tearing into it. A gruesome spectacle unfolded as they ripped into their larger kin with a swiftness that defied imagination, scattering entrails and chunks of flesh in all directions as they burrowed deep into its body.

Scarlett summoned some more of her magic to attack them from behind, but the woman’s assaults seemed lacklustre compared to what Rosa had witnessed from her before. Either Scarlett was nearly out of mana, or she had no intention of stopping the demons.

In less than a minute, the trio of demons reached the heart of the Vilewyrm. Exiting from it drenched in thick, black blood, one of them carried something in its mouth that appeared to be a dark shade of purple. They all moved in unison and sprinted past Scarlett in the direction of Rosa and Malachi.

This seemed to serve as a signal for the remaining demons to retreat as well. One by one, they disengaged from their skirmishes with the knights and hurried towards the cavern’s entrance, leaving behind a bewildered crowd of onlookers.

Malachi pulled at Rosa as she began turning away. “It appears our task here was simple. That’s all we need. Come.”

Rosa lacked the strength to resist as the woman dragged her away. All she could manage was to cast one last perplexed look in Scarlett’s direction, filled with questions.

What exactly had just happened?