Hide. Outwit. Survive. Always look out for number one. That's the Vetech way.
The old, leathery-skinned man had been gone from this world over twelve winters now, yet, everytime he faced a dangerous situation he still heard those words in his grandfather's croaky tone brought upon a lifetime of pipe smoking.
Serilias Vetech had been overjoyed when the old relic had finally drawn his last breath. He had clung to life for over a hundred years. Much more than Serilias would have wanted. Yet, he had to admit, the old man had played the game of life well. He had showered himself in riches and lived a long, pampered life. Serilias hoped to mimic that life.
Serilias sighed, spirits sinking as he stared at the broken gate before him. A frosty wind battered against his tunic and thin trousers, causing him to shiver.
Great. Just great. Here I had thought this was going to be an easy reconnaissance mission.
"It certainly looks like someone broke it," said Eethwrf.
Serilias rolled his eyes. No kidding. Eethwrf might have been a strong warrior, but everything he had in body mass he lacked in fortitude of the mind. Not that Serilias was going to complain. At least not out loud. The giant, lumbering brute was good in a fight. Which was good news for Serilias' odds of surviving his venture as part of the Demon-Hunt.
Commander Lena trudged forward, her ridiculously long sword hanging on her waist, and reached out for the broken wooden panels. The patterned blue paint on her face glistened against the morning sunlight. When she retreated her hand, a long slimy pus stretched, following her fingertips.
"This certainly wasn't the work of humans," she mused, bringing the strange liquid up to her face. Her nose wrinkled. "Phew. definitely not human!"
Demons!
The thought of it crossed his mind in a flash of panic.
No. No. This couldn't be. He had played all his roles right up until this now so that he didn't have to fight demons. It wasn't easy. No. Not easy at all. Why, the whole idea of being in a Demon-Hunt unit, as the name implied, was to rid the world of Elsire of the monstrosities known as Demons. Serilias, however, was following a tried and tested strategy discovered by his great grandfather four generations past to avoid actually fighting any demons. Every generation of Vetechs had executed the plan perfectly. Now it was Serilias' turn.
"A wolf?" asked Shana. She turned her head to the captain, her silky hazel hair flowing wildly behind her. She had light brown skin and eyes that could melt any man in Elsire.
Serilias smiled and not just because he loved the view of Shana's curvy figure exposed in the gaps of her armor. No. It was also the idea of fending off wolves that brought joy to his soul. The prospect of going after some feral animals was much, much more tantalizing than facing off against demons. In fact, that's the main reason he had joined Antares Demon-Hunt Branch. They currently operated on a quiet remote part of Silkriver's lower island that never saw any action. In fact, they were right at the bottom tip of the isle, far away from any real danger.
It was all part of the Vetech family plan. Step one: volunteer as a Demon-Hunt knight. Step two: bribe the local recruit to make sure they got placed in a squad that was far from any dangerous activity. Step three: return back home, a bonafide hero. Step four: live out the rest of their lives as the privileged mayor of some backwards town with dozens of servants waiting on their beck and call. Now that was the life for him. A hero who had defended humanity from the demons' scourge. At least that's what the simple-minded buffoons back home would think.
He snickered at the thought.
"Something funny?" asked Lena.
"Umā¦ no, Commander. Nothing funny. Just ummā¦ excited about the prospect of killing something. Anything, really. You know how I like danger."
"Riiiiight," said Lena with a voice that made it clear she didn't believe his facade.
"The saliva trail goes that way, Commander," said Shana. She pointed at the ground and followed the slimy trail of liquid a few feet until it was replaced by a set of boot prints.
The commander hunched down, as if standing closer to the giant boot etched into the dry mud was hard to see from a standing position. "This makes no sense. It looks like a human passed through here."
Monster fluids but yet the tracks of a human. Serilias frowned at the thought. This was strange, and strange was something he didn't like. Not at all.
The commander turned to the dark mountains off in the distance. "It looks like the tracks lead that way."
Serilias had known the stubborn woman long enough to know what she was going to say next.
"So that's where we're headed."
He hated always being right.
~~~
Commander Lena moaned inwardly at the blustering groan she heard come from behind her as she announced their destination. She didn't have to bother looking back to know who it was. It wouldn't be Eethwrf. The massive warrior had never been one to shy from conflict.
And it certainly wouldn't be Shana. Shana had been trained by her father, a renowned Demon-Hunt General from Viofell since she could barely walk. She was a superb soldier. In fact, Commander Shinok had never seen anyone hold such mastery over flame aura. Impressive, especially considering she had been alive for a mere seventeen winters.
No. The source of the screech had to be none other than her newest recruit, Serilias Vetech. The man, and Commander Lena used the word man loosely, took the term "coward" to a whole new level. In her thirty-five winters of life she had never met a man who so adequately defined the word 'milksop'.
Exasperated, Lena asked, "What is it now, Vetech?"
"Umā¦ nothing. I was justā¦ wellā¦ you know I usually would have no problem goingā¦ it's just thatā¦ wellā¦ my leg has been hurting so much after all that trainingā¦ andā¦ erā¦ wellā¦ maybe I should stay behind. Guard the village in case something happens."
"The village doesn't need guarding from you," said Lena with a voice laced in steel. "Villagers have been disappearing and I have a strong feeling that this may be the source of it."
Eethwrf nodded. "Quite possibly. Though I never heard of animals taking humans."
Lena nodded in agreement. This whole situation was beyond strange, and that was putting it mildly. Nothing ever happened in the small village of Oar's Rest. Then, suddenly, five villagers had gone missing. First it had been Merilias, the shepherd boy who tended to the sheep. Initially Lena had thought it to be a case of a runaway. Lord only knew the boy couldn't do anything with that mother of hers hovering over him. Running away seemed like something a boy looking for some freedom might have done. Twelve moons past, however, the newlyweds Kira and Thomes had also gone missing after a picnic in the nearby hills. There was the young widow too, Ivory, she disappeared after being caught outside in a thunderstorm. Then there was Mr. Serdo, the village's butcher. He had actually disappeared on a midnight trip to the privy.
"So what are we waiting for, Commander?" asked Shana. "Let's move. Father's letters say that Xeto Alcazar's Demon-Hunt has been causing all manner of ruckus for the Lunodio branch. I'm not about to let him have all the fun."
"Well, I don't know about fun, but I do think we should follow this lead. Demon-Hunt. We move!"
~~~
Shana wasn't used to walking this much, not lately, at least. It wasn't that she was not in shape. She was. Her father had seen to that. Day after day he had her train rigorously and push her body to the limits in order to be prepared for when she joined the Demon-Hunt. Unfortunately, the reality had not lived to the expectation. She had been placed in Oar's Rest, a village so far at the tip of Silkriver's sister island that she might as well have been sent off to the middle of the sea.
Shana, however, had not given up hope. Everyday she trained with unyielding rigor, determined to be ready for when her time came.
You're the shield of the downtrodden. Her father's words echoed in her mind. Your life is only worthy if you're protecting from harm those who can't defend themselves.
So she didn't complain. Didn't make excuses when they marched all day with little rest. This was her duty. Her sacred mission.
The commander suddenly stopped and held her hand up.
"Finally!" whined Serilias. He crouched and brought his hands to his knees, taking deep, screechy breaths.
The four members of the Demon-Hunt stood atop a small, grassless hill. In the distance, down a muddy path, lay the entrance to a cavern. Further down there was a high mountain line silhouetted by the bright moon that had now appeared in the starless sky.
"It looks like the tracks lead in there," declared the Commander.
A surge of exhilaration flowed into Shana's body. Yes. Finally. Something to do.
"Bbbbut it's so dark. We should come back another day," complained Serilias. "And we're all exhausted."
"Nonsense," countered Shana. "I'm as energized as a baby chick that just learned how to walk."
The commander unsheathed her sword. "That's the spirit. Let's move."
Shoulders sagging, Serilias followed closely behind as they made their way to the cave. Eethwrf, like the commander, now held his weapon in his hand: an oversized mallet that easily weighed as much as thirty swords put together.
"Can you give us some light?" asked the commander when they reached the entrance of the cave.
"Certainly." Shana took the hilt of her small dagger in her hand. It looked like a regular dagger, but it was from it. This dagger was a special weapon passed down through generations of Nerians. The blade was a gray steel infused with twenty percent bleeding iron. This special iron was the perfect conduit for her flame abilities.
With a whiff of her hand two flame crystals materialized on the floor beneath them, bringing with them some welcome warmth. There was an undyeable beauty in seeing lively flames locked in the orange gems as they floated lightly above the ground.
"I really do think I should stay here," Serilias said, standing indignant and irritated. "I meanā¦ someone has to be here in caseā¦ um...someone comes looking for us."
"You're coming," ordered the commander with finality.
Serilias pouted, but he produced no more complaints as they walked into the cold cave.
They moved in relative silence, following the trails of slime? Pus? Shana couldn't really tell what it was anymore. The deeper they went, the colder it became, even with the furnace-equivalent crystals at their side.
A moment later a fork on the path appeared, effectively cutting the cave in two.
"Aaargghhhhh....!"
Shana turned in a circle and faced Serilias. "Are you trying to announce to everyone that we're here?" she hissed in a hushed whisper.
The frail man shrugged. "No. It's just that look there on the wall. That most definitely looks like blood." His eyes glanced around nervously. "Blood, blood, blood. Who knows what could have caused it?"
Shana turned to where Serilias was pointing. Indeed it was blood. But there was something strange. It wasn't splattered as if something had died here. Instead there was a straight line of it across the wall, almost as if someone had taken their bloodied hand and streaked it across. This amount of blood, however, was too much to have been from a single bleeding hand.
Eethwrf ran his fingers across the grim paint. The crimson passed over to his fingers.
"Fresh," he said as he brought up to his nose. "Very fresh."
Fresh blood. That made no sense. There was no trace of a fresh kill anywhere close. There wasn't even any blood on the cavern floor.
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully as a smile formed on her lips. This new turn of events excited her. There was a mystery afoot, and she was just the person to solve it.
~~~
The commander wasn't surprised when the wide grin appeared on Shana's lips. She expected as much from the girl.
Serilias, on the other hand, was a completely different matter. The man was shaking so much that she swore she could almost hear his bones rattling inside his boots.
"We will split from here," she pointed to the path to the right. "I'll take the other one."
"Wouldn't it make more sense to break in groups of two?" asked Shana.
"Perhaps. But my order stands."
Shana and Eethwrf nodded.
They were good soldiers. They would do as they were told.
"We meet back here before sun up."
"Hard to tell when the sun comes up inside a cave," offered Serilias.
"True. But you're all capable. I'm sure you can surmise the time."
"Got it," said Shana. "Let me at least light a torch for you, Commander, before we split."
Lena pulled a torch from her back sack. A moment later Shana pressed her dagger against it. It grew red with heat, a scorched kiss from its serrated edge igniting the oil. Shana returned a nod as she sheathed her blade.
"Be safe, everyone. Remember, we are Demon-Hunt."
With those last words she turned and moved down the cavern. A slight sense of dread filled her bones. Not for herself, bur for her Hunt."
Commanderā¦ helpā¦ pleaseā¦
The pleading words of a soldier from a lifetime ago suddenly burst in her mind. No. No. She closed her eyes, trying to shake the image of the dying girl away. Yet it remained. In her mind she saw the girl, blood gurgling from her mouth as the sword pierced her neck. Then she saw Roccas, the boy who had joined her Hunt at the tender age of sixteen. He was young. Much too young to have been caught in that ambush. To have been cut down like a rabid dog.
I don't want to die. His last words echoed in her mind.
Lena shook her head again, her hand reaching for the cavern wall to keep herself steady.
Concentrate, Lena. That was a long time ago. It won't happen again. Not again.
Nonetheless, as she stabled herself, she couldn't shake the feeling of dread gnawing at her gut. There was somethingā¦ off about this place. She'd felt it as soon as she had entered the cave. The deeper she went, the more robust the feeling became. Yet, she couldn't... wouldn't stop now. There was something going on here, and she was determined to find out what it was.
~~~
Hide. Outwit. Survive. Always look out for number one. That's the Vetech way.
Yet, here he was, trudging inside a bloody cave with two imbeciles who didn't seem to understand the danger they were in. If his grandfather could see him now. He could imagine the tongue lashing he would be at the end of now.
That's what you are. Is this why I survived for? To have my lubberwort of a grandson meet his demise in a cave? I swear by the Goddess Ortha that you are a loiter sack, a complete loiter sack! I should have known the Vetech lineage would have ended with you!
"Shut up, old man. You're already dead. It's my time now."
"What are you mumbling back there?" asked Shana.
"Ummmmā¦ nothingā¦ nothing." He stared at the girl's behind and licked his lips. Her features piqued by the light at her feet, she looked as tantalizing as ever.
"If it has nothing to do with the mission, how about you keep your nothing to yourself?"
Serilias frowned but remained quiet. He would have to show the girl some respect once they were bonded for life. Of course, she didn't know she was going to be hers one day, but he planned to wear her down. Once she saw his sizable sapphire coal mines his family owned back home, she was sure to beg for his affection.
Skreeechhhh!
Serilias' heart froze. What in Elsire was that?
"What was that?" asked Shana, mimicking his own thoughts.
"Came from up ahead," offered Eethwrf, pointing directly in front of them.
Yes. Serilias saw it now. It was hard to see what it was, but there definitely was something hunched over by the cavern wall.
He gulped. Voice trembling, he said, "Yeah. We should really get out of here now."
Ignoring him, Eethwrf and Shana trudged forward, though more cautious than they had before. As much as Serilias didn't want to get close toā¦ whatever that thing was, he also didn't want to be left behind in the darkness. So, ever hesitant, he followed some distance behind the two idiots.
As they got closer, the hunched figure took form. It looked human. At least the visible part of it did. It wore a ripped dark blue tunic that exposed a protruding spine. The skin, however, looked off. The natural pink color of it had been endowed with an unnatural hue of dark green. Or was it black? It was hard to tell in this darkness.
"Hey, are you well?" asked Eethwrf.
Stupid question.
Eethwrf moved closer, now resting his giant hand on the thing.
"Don't touch it," hissed Serilias.
As in on cue, the thing looked up, revealing two yellow orbs where the eyes should have been.
Serilias recoiled, stumbling backwards.
"By the angels," gasped Shana. "It's the shepherd boy who went missing."
"Thā¦ that...thatā¦" Serilias gulped. "... thing is not a boy." As the words dripped from his mouth, the light shone the rest of the thing's body, confirming Serilias claim. The boy's hair was a matted mess. Some kind of dark liquid was dripping from a deep gash on its cheek where the skin of the neck should have been.
"What happened to you?" asked Eethwrf.
The creatureā¦ thingā¦ or was it boy? Serilias didn't know anymore. All he knew it was that when it stared up at Eethwrf, Serilias didn't see a human anymore. He saw a monstrosity. It whimpered. Actually whimpered like a dog that was about to be put down.
"Get away from that thing," warned Serilias.
For once, Shana agreed with him.
She reached for the hilt of the dagger that hung at her waist. "Eethwrf. You should move back. At least until we can see what is-"
It happened so suddenly, that even the Eethwrf, with all his training, was unable to react to it. The creature lunged forward, digging its teeth into the warrior's hefty neck. A pained scream reverberated in the cave, followed by an explosion of blood from the source of the bite. With his hands, the monster scratched at Eethwrf's face, ripping apart the skin from his chin and cheek.
Whifffff!
The dagger flew directly into the creature's head. Its eyes grew for a split second before falling forward. There it remained unmoving.
The whole affair, from the bite to Shana's dagger piercing the cranium had taken but a few seconds, yet it had felt like a day.
"I knew we shouldn't have come here!" shrieked Serilias. He wanted to run. To sprint toward the entrance and never look back. Yet, he couldn't. Not without Shana. What if there were other of these things in the cave? Who was going to save him, then?
Unlike himself, who stood frozen in abject terror, Shana ripped a piece of her blouse and applied pressure to Eethwrf wound. It mattered not. The blood that gushed out was too much. Even in the dim light, Serilias could see Eethwrf's face turning pale.
"Stay with me," pleaded Shana.
The giant warrior lifted his hand. Or had it been a spasm? He tried to say something, but only gurgling sounds and gushes of blood emerged from his mouth. A second later his eyes closed and his body reeled back against the wall. It remained there, unmoving like a statue.
Shana's chest rose and fell in rapid breaths. She gritted her teeth and pulled the dagger out of the monster's head.
"We have to go back. Report this to the Commander."
Serilias still stood frozen, her words barely an echo in his mind.
Shana marched over to him and set her hand on his shoulder. "Did you hear me? We have to find the Commander."
How could she still be functioning after what they just saw. A monster had just murdered Eethwrf. He could be next!
"Serilias. Move!"
The finality in her voice broke him from his stupor.
"Y.. yesā¦ yesā¦" He turned and he followed close behind. He had no plans to end up like the giant fool who lay lifeless on the cavern floor. No. He would die warm in his bed surrounded by beautiful dames and dozens of bottles of ale.
~~~
Commander Lina reached behind her and unsheathed her giant broadsword. She shouldn't need it, not in this empty cave. Yet, something now felt even more amiss than before. Almost wrong. What was it? Was it the scent of decay that now permeated the cold cave?
Rauuuuugh
Lena's head jerked ever so slightly. A second later the groan came again, this time louder than the first time.
There was something in here with her. That much was clear now. And if her suspicions were correct, this person had to be the one responsible for the recent disappearances that the village had gone through. Most likely this person thought no one would come looking for them this deep in the cave. Well, this person obviously didn't know Lena.
"Come out," called the Commander. "Whoever you are."
She waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
"I said come out. Bandit? Prison escapee? Cannibal? Or anything in the middle. I don't care what you are, come out now or I'll drag you out of the shadows."
Her threat was met with silence.
"You want to do this the arduous way. That more than works for me."
She tossed the torch ahead of her and grasped her sword with both hands.
It's at the moment that she saw him. He wasn't clearly visible. In fact, the light from the torch only illuminated his face and his bountiful belly. However, there was no mistake. It was the most definitely the butcher who had gone missing some moons ago. What was he doing here of all places?
"Mr. Serdo. Are you well?"
The butcher grunted as a way of an answer. He took one step forward, where he stopped and continued to stare at her with a blank expression in his face.
Lena gripped the hilt of her sword tighter. She was acutely aware that her heartbeat had intensified.
"What happened here?"
The butcher opened his mouth, revealing countless lesions within with blood gushing out of them. Another second and his eyes eroded into nothing, quickly replaced by glowing yellow orbs reminiscent of a dying candle.
"What in the demo-"
Suddenly the butcher moved. Much faster and unexpectedly than she had ever seen any man move, especially one this size.
In a split second he was upon her, bringing with him the stench of rotting flesh.
With a gasp of horror Lena jumped back. Her foot caught on something, which caused her to stumble onto the wall. The butcher turned to follow after her.
Regaining her composure, Lena thrust the end of her sword forward. She felt the familiar split-second force of the skin struggling against the weapon. A moment later the blade ripped skin. Still screeching like a wounded animal, the butcher fell on top of her, knocking her down.
For a long moment nothing happened. The cave fell to a monotone silence, only broken by Lena's rapid breaths. That had been close. Too close. Her mind swirled. What could have driven the man to behave this way? And his eyes, they were just like a demon's. Now only empty sockets remained. Then the thought hit her like a smack to the face. Her team! Had they encountered something similar? Taking a heavy breath she placed her palms on the man's shoulders to push him off of her. She was just about to heave him aside when the yellow glow reignited within his sockets.
How? He's dead!
With a hiss he lunged at her neck. Her hands moved to intercept, but it proved futile. The butcher's teeth sunk into her neck, ripping through the skin.
"Aaaaaaaā¦.aaaaaaa," her pained hallowed screams bounced off the cavern walls.
The decayed teeth sunk even deeper. Bones shattered. Even through the pain, she could hear the spitty hiss of the butcher as he bit hungrily.
Have to push offā¦ have toā¦
The pain was overbearing, making it impossible to think straight.
Have to pushā¦
With inhuman strength, the butcher reached under her tunic where her belly button was.
No.. no! where the last pained thoughts that ran through the Commander's mind as the butcher's decayed flesh ripped into her stomach.
~~~
Eethwrf was dead. Even thinking those words felt wrong. Eethwrf couldn't be dead. The man had survived dozens of battles. He had hunted down demons. Had served alongside Lord Efer for over twenty winters in Kallus.
Yet, it was true. He was gone. Here one moment then gone the next. The idea of having to explain to his daughter of six winters that her father was not coming back didn't sit well with Shana.
As they arrived at the section where the cavern split, Shana stopped, catching her breath.
"Why are we stopping?" complained Serilias. "We need to keep going until we're out of this cursed place."
"We're not leaving without the Commander."
"Damn her. We need to save ourselves."
"We leave no one behind."
"But-"
"I'm not going to debate this. Go if you wish, but I'm going after the Commander."
Shana knew Serilias would never go off on his own. He was too much of a coward."
"Soā¦ umā¦ what-"
Harghhhhhh!!
Both Serilias' and Shana's heads turned to the sudden sound that emerged from the darkness they had come from.
Serilias moved beside her. "Iā¦ I don't like the sound of the sound."
Thanks for pointing out the obvious, she thought, though the words she actually said were, "Get your sword out."
"Iā¦ have a confession. I nā¦ never really learned how to use a sword."
Shana reached for her partner's waist, pulled out his weapon and placed the hilt of the sword in the palm of his hand. "Pointy end goes through the gut."
Wide eyed and at the edge of tears he mumbled, "But I haveā¦"
She met his gaze. "Serilias. Whatever you know or don't know doesn't matter right now. Hold the weapon and defend yourself."
But Serilias wasn't looking at her anymore. No, he was looking past her.
Shana turned to the path where she'd come from, there, in the darkness, something lurked, lumbering from side to side. It was but a gray silhouette against the dark cave, but as it dragged its feet closer, it took terrifying form. A disfigured figure, with flaps of skin dangling from a rip on its chin. Eyes that were nothing but a red glow coming from the pits in its skull. Skin that looked unnaturally purple. Green bile dripping from scratches in its shin. A huge gap in its neck that had been torn apart, revealing flesh and bone.
"It's Eethwrf," shrieked a terrified Serilias.
Eethwrf! No. It couldn't be. He was dead. Yet, here he was. Standing before them as if the injury he had received was nothing but a mere inconvenience.
"Eethwrf," Shana said hoarsely. "How are you here?"
He didn't answer. He grunted some unintelligible sounds as inched closer, bringing with him the scent of rotting flesh.
He's dead. Dead. I saw him die.
The thoughts were still rattling through her mind when another creature appeared beside the giant undead warrior. No, not a creature. It was Ivory! The woman who had disappeared the night of the thunderstorm. Except, she had obviously been dead for quite some time. She had been beautiful once, not anymore. Her skin was a sickly pale with lines of protruded red veins throughout her face. Most of her hair had fallen off, leaving only a few white strands.
"Shana," whimpered Serilias. "There's more."
Shana didn't need Serilias to tell her what her eyes were seeing. Indeed, more undead appeared beside Eethwrf and Ivory. It was three first, then five, then sevenā¦ eightā¦ nineā¦ tenā¦ she finally stopped counting at fourteenā¦ They all eyed her hungrily.
Shana took her dagger on her hand and willed the energy within. The energy rose from her belly and extended up to her shoulders, down her arms and through the weapon. The dagger glowed a translucent orange as she willed her power through it.
She had endured countless fights with the living who had tried to send her to the after-life and fail. She was damned if she was going to let a gang of corpses do it.
"C'mon!" she said, feeling exhilarated. The creatures moved at her, screeching with mouths open as they did. "You rose from the dead once, but I promise you there will be no more coming back once I'm done with you!"
~~~
"C'mon!" taunted Shana. Was that an actual grin? Yes, she was grinning. Serilias couldn't believe it. What was wrong with this girl? "You rose from the dead once, but I promise you there will be no more coming back once I'm done with you!"
They attacked.
Savagely.
Hungrily.
Relentlessly.
Serilias tumbled to the cavern floor and closed his eyes. This was it. This was how he was going to die. So much planning completely wasted!
Grunts and screeches filled the cavern.
A second passed.
Then one became three.
Three turned into five
And five trickled to twenty.
The grunts and screeches continued, yet, what he didn't hear was the sound of Shana going down. Could it be that she was actually stillā¦ alive?
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
The mass of the undead were all around Shana, swinging their arms hungrily.
Amazingly, the girl was moving through the creatures, cutting them down with lethal efficiency. Serilias watched in awe. It was beautiful, like watching an artist at work, moving through the motions without thought, just mastery of the craft.
One by one they dropped around her.
Serilias gasped as a creature came behind her. Surely the girl was done for.
Shana must have had sixth sense because she turned and drove her knee into the creature's gut, followed by a dagger to the neck. A gust of flames burst from the dagger, ripping the neck apart. She swung in a perfect, deadly arc, removing three more heads.
Eethwrf, who was still, standing, swung at Shana. Amazingly, the girl crouched under the attack, grabbed the massive arm, and then used it as leverage to climb on it so she was now standing on Eethwrf's back. Still holding the arm, she pulled back and dug her foot on the side of his head. With the force she created, she sent the giant man into three other undead. All four collapsed to the ground.
She rolled so that her back was facing down and in one fluid movement she kicked another creature in the face, flipped back to her feet, and dug her blade into a monster's forehead.
Eethwrf collected himself and turned his attention to Serilias.
His heart froze as he saw the lumbering beast head right at him.
"Get away," shrieked Serilias. Hand trembling, he clumsily tossed the sword at his former partner. The weapon bounced off the armored chest and fell on the ground.
Unfazed, the creature continued toward him on all fours.
"Get away," screamed Serilias. "Away!!!!!"
The monstrosity didn't heed his shout. It came over him as Serilias shrieked for his life. Eethwrf opened his mouth and went for his neck.
Serilias had heard that when one was about to die, your life flashed before your eyes. Yet, it was not his life that he saw. All he saw was an open mouth dripping with bloody saliva that was about to end his life.
My life! My life! My life! Mylife! Mylife! Life! Life! Life!
Suddenly, mere inches away from ripping into his neck, Eethwrf grunted and his face fell forward. A moment later his head came off and dropped on Serilias' lap.
Shana! The girl had saved him!
"Serilias!" she screamed. "Pick up the sword!"
Yet, he didn't pick up the sword. He couldn't. He mustn't. His life was much too precious.
As the thoughts ran through his mind, more creatures emerged from the darkness. Where were they coming from? There seemed to be no end to them.
Shana breathed in and drove her sword into the cave floor. The stone formed to five balls of a lava-like substance. She stood still as the orbs flew forward, ripping the creatures to shreds through a cacophony and grunts and hisses. Yet, for every body that dropped three more seemed to take their place. She desperately looked around her, calling on flames to encase her arms and hands.
You could save her, his mind stupidly suggested.
Conviction filled his body. What was wrong with him? How had it taken him so long to realize it? He now knew what he needed to do.
He picked up the sword and took a tentative step toward her. The creatures' attention was all on Shana. He could easily take down a few before they noticed he was there.
Then, all of a sudden, the dream of him sitting comfortably on a satin chair surrounded by servants came crashing down. First, he saw the grand governor palace dissipating into nothingness. Then, the lustful nights with the many elven women of Fa'hatis who would no doubt gravitate to his bottomless supply of gold also disappeared.
Hide. Outwit. Survive. Always look out for number one. That's the Vetech way.
The words of his grandfather were still reverberating in his head when recognition flashed in Shana's eyes. At that moment they both knew that Serilias had made up his mind.
"Serilias!" pleaded Shana in vain as she cut down yet another creature. Please. You have a sword. Just a swingā¦" Shana's words blended into a shrill scream as a creature moved beside her. No. Not just any creature. It was the Commander! Her face looked disfigured and there was a giant hole on her gut where her insides had poured out, but it was most definitely her.
"Help!" he heard Shana plead as the Commander overtook her and knocked her down. The rest of the monsters swarmed in for the kill.
Serilias nodded a silent no. He couldn't. He mustn't render aid. Why, if he did such a thing the creatures might come after him next. No. No. No.That certainly couldn't be allowed. Better that they take their time with Shana, giving him the time, he needed to flee. Why give up his life for a single girl when he could have droves of them back home.
"SERILIA-" The pained scream of death came to a sudden halt as Serilias sprinted down the cavern. He did not look back.
Hide. Outwit. Survive. Always look out for number one. That's the Vetech way.
~~~
The Commander was dead. She knew it. Felt it. Yet, her body moved without her will. Her legs dragged themselves down the dark corridor, feverishly inching ever closer to the noise that came from up ahead. She had tried to use the torch to cauterize the wound, a fruitless effort.
Why is this happening? Even as the thought raced through her mind, she realized that she wouldn't be conscious for long. Something dark and sinister was overtaking her, clouding her thoughts. How long would it be until she lost all faculties and became as brain dead as the butcher?
Something or someone is doing this! She realized as her body moved forward. But who? Why? For what purpose?
"Aaaaarghhhhh," a grunt emerged from her dead lips as a wave of terror ran through her body.
Up ahead a speck of light appeared. As she moved closer it got brighterā¦ and brighterā¦ and brighterā¦
As she neared the source of the light she heard the sounds of flame aura and weapons meeting flesh. A moment later her eyes confirmed what she already knew.
It was Shana. She was battling, desperately holding back a mass of creatures who had surrounded her. All around, the shrill screams of undead mingled with the focused attacks of her protege.
Dread burst in her mind as she realized that the girl was probably the last one alive of her Deomon-Hunt. No. Not again. Another Hunt lost under her watch. More deaths. More failure.
"Aaaaaaaaarghhh!" The urge to kill filled her mind with purpose.
Kill the girl. Kill the girl.
It wasn't just an urge to kill. No, she also hated her. Hated her with every fiber of who she was.
No. I need to help her. Yet, as much as she struggled her body didn't comply. It moved forward at a determined pace.
Shana tuned just in time to see her old Commander beside her. Her eyes opened in shock as Lena pushed her body over her, knocking her down on her back.
"Help!" screamed Shana.
Except no help was coming. This Demon-Hunt was going to meet the same fate as her previous one. Apparently that was Lena's legacy: one of death.
~~~
The Commander is dead too!
That was the last thought that crossed her mind as the woman who had been like a second mother knocked her down. She grunted as her back slammed against the ground.
She screamed for help, but none came.
Her body was beyond tired. She had used so much of her aura that she almost welcomed death.
She made one more desperate plea for help, but a scratch to the neck cut her scream short.
The Commander's putrid smelling saliva dripped on her face. The creature growled and took hold of Shana's head. It lurched it back and moved toward the neck.
Solitude! No! She was not going to die here. Her father had spent way too much time training her to now go down to an army of brainless dunces.
"Get off!"
She put all her might on that scream, accompanying with equal force of energy. She felt it course through her body and explode out of her, engulfing the cave in a blinding light.
~~~
Soon what was left of Lena would all be gone, killed by the power that was quickly overtaking all her senses. She opened her mouth, moving in for the kill.
Was her teeth digging into Shana's neck the last thing she would see?
A sudden rush of heat burst through body followed by a flash unlike anything she had ever seen before. Next thing she knew her body had been thrown through the air. She smashed against the cavern wall with a loud crack. She then collapsed to the ground. No, that wasn't actually accurate. Her body never touched the ground. Instead it fell over the body of an undead.
On its own, Lena's head shot up.
Even with the miniscule part of Lena that was left within this corpse, she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Shana's body was radiating so much energy that she almost seemed to have a glow encasing her entire frame. She knew the girl was powerful, but this powerful? All the corpses that had come to life lay in piles, stacked over one another. Their skin had been charred. Hair completely dissolved. The stench of rotting flesh engulfed the cavern.
The body that was once Lena stood. She growled and moved toward Shana.
It moved slowly and clumsily. No doubt the effect of the power it had just endured.
The darkness moved ever closer, about to take her consciousness. Soon all semblance of the woman that was once Lena would be gone. That woman who loved to stand in the rain. The woman who had sparred with so many recruits. The woman who had ran the trail of Gestrude alongside her sister all those winters ago. The woman who had once been a rumbustious child with no direction in life.
Somehow, it mattered not. Strangely, she was glad. Glad once she saw the determined eyes in her protege's eyes. Shana was going to end her. She wasn't going to let her corpse be taken over and roam Silkriver killing people in its wake. Shana was going to survive! Someone of Lena's Demon-Hunt would make it, ensuring that her legacy would not be one of death.
Shana's steeled gaze settled on the Commander. She mumbled some words that Lena couldn't discern.
Good Girl was the last hazy thought that ran through Lena's mind as the darkness took over and snuffed out all that had once had been Commander Lena.
~~~
Shana pulled herself to her feet, muscles aching in agonizing protest. She took a look at the creature who had once been the bravest woman she had ever known. Somehow it was still alive. Bunglingly, it got to its feet.
Was the Commander in there somewhere? If she was, she showed no signs of it. All she displayed were savage teeth dripping with pus and a willingness to kill. Yet, strangely, the eyes lookedā¦ sad. They had yet to turn into the familiar glowing orbs like the others.
Noā¦ I must be imagining things.
Shana's chest felt heavy as she realized what she had to do. Her Commander was gone. She would not have wanted to go on like this, a twisted parody of who she had once been.
"Thank you for everything," she muttered with hurt in her voice. Somehow, she found the energy to infuse her dagger with flames.
A second later Shana dashed. Saturated with fire, the dagger punched through the neck, sending a stream of blood pouring out. The body convulsed for a moment, before collapsing to the ground. There, it remained unmoving.
Shana looked away. She couldn't stand to see her Commander like that. Breathing heavy, she blasted one more gust of fire at the mass of corpses. The flames took hold and began to spread. Soon only dust and ash would remain.
In the midst of the suffocating smoke, Shana turned away and headed down the path that would lead her out of this cursed place.
~~~
Hide. Outwit. Survive. Always look out for number one. That's the Vetech way.
The thought crossed his mind as he continued to sprint down the cold cavern walls. It was dark. Too dark. He could hardly make out where he was going.
Idiot. He couldn't believe the thought of saving the girl had actually crossed his mind for a moment. Sure it had been a fleeting thought, but still. Had his grandfather taught him nothing?
He could have cut one undead down one or even two, then what? Was he supposed to simply take out the other hundreds of corpses?
Lubberwort, the voice of his grandfather rang in his mind. Not just in his mind, he could literally see his wrinkled face and gritted teeth staring back at him. Seduced by a luscious body. All that I have taught you has been for naught. I always did tell your father you were a miserable failure. Prone to ideas of being a 'ero.
"Shut up, you old waste of skin!" yelled Serilias. He was aware that his voice was loud and manic, but he didn't care. And why should he? He was the last Vetech left. He was the man now. "You're dead. Hear that, you miserable piece of dung? Dead. Dead. Deaaaaaaad!"
The face of the man dissolved.
"That's right!" he yelled. "Get lost."
Though the image of his grandfather was gone, the stench still remained. It smelled of death, like the last few months of the man's miserable life as he had wasted away confined to a bed.
Serilias took another whiff. This time he had to bring his fingers to his nose to pinch it. The stench was unbearable. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn it was coming from inside the cave.
A small feeling of dread crept down his spine. Shouldn't he have been out of the cave by now? There had only been one way in and he had followed it. Or had it? Doubt now plagued at his mind. It's possible there had been another path they hadn't seen on the way in.
No. No. Impossible. Yetā¦ why hadn't he emerged from the cave?
Gragghhhhhhhhh!
A suffocating feeling of dread suddenly overcame him. He stood in silence and for a long time nothing happened.
Graghhhhhhhhhh!
He tensed. There was no mistaking it. He had definitely heard something directly in front of him.
"Who is there?"
No answer, only continued growls and hisses.
Ghargh!
This sounded like a mix of a sickly caught and sneeze. And it had come from behind him!
Serilias looked back, momentarily unable to make a sound.
It was one of those undead things from before! It had a misshapen head, almost like someone had taken a club to it. Peeled skin dangled from its arms and forehead.
How? When had it moved toward him? Had he taken a wrong turn somewhere?
"Get back. Back I say!"
Yet, the monstrosity moved toward him, mumbling as it went.
He recoiled back, only to realize another one of the creatures was moving toward him. This one was female with empty sockets where eyes had once been.
"I'm Serilias Vetech. The richest man of Fa'hatis and I order you to stay back!
Despite his order, the monsters closed around him.
The memory of Eethwrf lumbering about latched to his mind. Was that going to be him? A bloodied corpse lumbering through Elsire?
Useless Loiter sack! He heard the voice of his grandfather accusingly say. I knew you would be the end of this family.
"Shut up! Shut up!"
He tumbled to the ground.
Mouth open, the woman moved down toward him, bringing with her the stench of death with it.
Whimpering like a dog. Mucus oozing from his nostrils. Shaking like a newborn calf. That was not the Vetech way.
Yet, that was his reality now.
The thought was still in his mind when the teeth ripped into his neck and claimed his life.
~~~
Perspiration trickled down Shana's back as she finally emerged from the cave. The hue of orange and yellow tinted the distant skyline, the telltale sign that the sun was rising.
Where was Serilias? Had he managed to escape? Or had been caught by one of those things inside?
She didn't know and it didn't matter anymore. Whichever of the two was the case, she had a feeling she would never see him again.
Besides, she had far more matters to attend to now.
The losses of the Hunt would not be in vain. She would make sure of that.
What had happened today had not been a mere freak event. The dead coming back to life? That screamed to her like art that most in Elsire considered nothing more than children's tales: necromancy aura.
Yet, she had seen it with her own eyes. Would her word be enough to convince the higher ups at Allied Kingdoms? As much as she hated to admit it, the answer was a resounding no. She was very young and as such her word wouldn't carry much weight.
Stillā¦
She recalled her father's letter mentioning that the young Xeto Alcazar commanded his own unit over at Lunodio. If he could do it, then she would do the same.
What was the name of that unit again? Icefox? Darkcentipede? No it was something with a wolf.
She thought for a moment.
Ahhhā¦ yesā¦ Direwolf. She liked that.
She took a breath, feeling the warm fiery aura coursing through her. She now knew what she had to do.
Flamewolf.
That would be the name of her Hunt. A unit that would be dedicated at uncovering who or what kind of power was behind this. It was bound to get worse, but Shana was not going to stand by and let it happen.
Lena. Eethwrf. I promise that I'll avenge your deaths.
Determination thrummed inside Shana as she began her trek back to the village.
"I'm coming for you," she whispered, making the promise audible.
Whoever was behind this, she would make them regret the day they crossed Shana Nerian of Flamewolf, of that she was certain.