Perspective : Conrad Garnier
Was that creature that terrifying?
Or was It something else entirely.
Brandon's face turned ashen, his expression filled with terror, as if he had just seen a ghost. He uttered in a trembling voice,
"No... nooo... this cannot be."
At that moment, a realization dawned upon me, and I was astonished at why it hadn't struck me earlier.
With a frantic and fearful tone,
Kyle exclaimed,
"We still have people unaccounted-for... and that... that must be Marcus."
I wasn't afraid because it was one of us.
No, the appearance of that creature was what chilled me to my bones.
As I shifted my gaze back to the pit, my eyes widened in horror. Gradually, I witnessed its approach—an immense, gargantuan monster. Its size was unfathomable, as it appeared shrouded in a colossal labyrinth of gnarled roots. So much so, that the sheer magnitude of those intertwining roots seemed to create an illusion of countless layers, obscuring Marcus's body inside them. Writhing leeches slithered, around his already unsettling form, as he slowly advanced towards us, each step deliberate and filled with an haunting presence.
The most disturbing of all sight was his head, It was as If something had severed it, ensnared and tangled within the roots, swinging eerily beside his massive body.
From there Marcus's face was visible, His once vibrant gaze, now vacant, seemed to peer into the depths of oblivion. The roots that ensnared his head pulsated with an, Ominous energy. As If it was drawing sustenance from the very essence of Marcus's head.
With each step he took, the ground trembled under his leg.
His movements were slow and unsettling, just like Emilia and the others. His limbs thick and sinewy, for what seemed like blue flowers were blooming out of those roots. With blood tickling down from their mouths. A very disturbing contrast against his grotesque appearance.
As it drew near, a chilling aura of death and fear surrounded us.
Kyle's voice echoed with urgency as he shouted, "Brandon! Brandon! Snap out of it!" But Brandon remained trapped in his terror, unable to break free.
Elkdrack, his face contorted with disgust, commented,
"This is an incredibly distressing sight. We must put an end to his suffering, everyone."
Patrick, his voice filled with empathy, murmured,
"May his soul find peace."
Regina, her eyes fixated on Marcus's entangled head, expressed her determination,
"We must find a way to release him from this torment."
Yuna, gently placing her hand on my shoulder, suggested,
"I have seen many in my years".
"And yet How may I try... I never get used to this".
"Let's get this over with".
Her plan was clear as she continued,
"I will freeze him and the rest's up to you".
Then,
Yuna exclaimed , "Frozen breath!"
Her mouth puffed as she inhaled deeply, and as she exhaled, a chilling stream of icy energy emerged. The frozen breath swiftly enveloped Marcus, transforming him into a statue of frost. However, Yuna appeared surprised, and her body began to emit a subtle green aura.
Confusion evident in her voice, Yuna uttered,
"It feels different... something feels different." Elkdrack, equally astonished, questioned,
"What spell was that? He's completely frozen. How come you didn't use it before?"
But that wasn't enough to stop it. As Marcus started moving once more, the chamber resonated with crackling noises. The first layer of frozen roots disintegrated, briefly revealing the layer beneath. As new roots sprouted instantly, seamlessly replacing the old ones.
It felt frustrating.
Regina expressed her concern, saying,
"How will we deal with those regenerating roots?" Uncertain of the outcome, I clung on the only idea that came to my mind at that moment.
I responded,
"Fire... We need to burn them."
Kyle, seemingly skeptical, remarked,
"Cutting, burning, freezing... It's all the same. It will regenerate again."
I countered,
"No, it isn't. "
For one thing burning is different from cutting and freezing. Because fire spreads.
[Elkdrack expressed his longing,
saying,
"If only that lady would appear again."
Patrick, cautioning Elkdrack, responded with concern,
"No, don't say that... you will upset the gods".]
With a swift motion, I reignited my blade, I felt something was causing the flames to intensify. The aura emanating from the fiery inferno felt distinct, as if an unimaginable surge of boundless energy surged through my body, flowing into the very core of my weapon. Without a second thought, I confidently stated,
"As long as it does the job."
Then I unleashed a powerful upward strike, aiming squarely for Marcus's left side where his head dangled. With a single, decisive swing, I completely severed Marcus's left side, causing his entire body to ignite in flames. However, to my dismay, the regenerating roots continued to sprout and ignite repeatedly, persisting in their relentless cycle of fiery regrowth.
That's when Brandon started sarcastically laughing,
Patrick asked,
"What's so funny?"
Brandon replied,
"My life," as he maniacally laughed. He shouted,
"This is what I deserve, isn't it?
It was crazy. He felt insane, as seeing him act that way really hit home to me. It felt uncomfortable. For some reason it felt like, Me.
But I knew that, I would never act like that.
So, why did I feel that way?.
It was very unsettling and disturbing.
All the more, It enraged me.
So, averting my attention from him, I paced towards Marcus.
As Brandon plunged his great sword deep into the ground, the sword started giving off a purple hue. He shouted, "Binding chains," as he maniacally laughed. Rusted chains, massive in size, materialized from the ground, ensnaring Flaming Marcus and trapping him.
All the while,
With my fiery sword in hand, I strategically positioned each strike, carefully carving out chunks of those roots relentlessly. I continued my assault until Marcus's lifeless body was seen, and I pulled him out of that creature.
After I successfully pulled him out, the entangled roots disintegrated into ashes. As the roots crumbled away, the other half of the creature revealed Marcus's severed head, left hand, and frozen Ron.
Marcus's body, let's say It was un recognisable.
We could only confirm his identity by the armor he wore. His left hand and head, were severed, In addition to being covered in pores and dead and burnt leeches, his body was horribly burnt. It was giving off a very nauseating and unbearable stench. That of a smoked meat, mixed with the stench of blood and piss.
Elkdrack expressed,
"Sorry! I'll be sitting this one out."
Kyle responded affirmatively, saying,
"Sure."
Regina turned to Kyle and offered,
"Let me help you."
Yuna inquired,
"Are you going to bury him here?"
Kyle responded,
"It's not ideal... We can't leave him like this. But we also can't bring him along with us. Who knows what we will run into next."
"This is all we can do, now".
Yuna pondered,
"Hmmmm."
Kyle proceeded to prepare the body, while Patrick and I dug a shallow grave for Marcus. The tools we had brought with us, originally intended for clearing snow, now served a different purpose - burying the dead.
Patrick announced,
"We're done. Bring him here."
We, with respect, gently laid Marcus's body in the shallow grave, covering it with dirt and earth to seal it. Using his arrows and a dagger, we fashioned a grave marker.
Kyle turned to Brandon and asked,
"Aren't you going to join us?"
With tears streaming down his face and trembling hands, Brandon replied,
"I don't have the right to."
(But still he should)
"It doesn't concern me".
Brandon stood at a distance, silently watching as Patrick commenced a prayer for Marcus's spirit to find its way across the field and reunite with the collective sea of souls. Holding a small bell, Patrick delicately rang it three times, his lips mouthing a sacred chant. Suddenly, a bright, luminous light enveloped his entire body, casting a divine glow in the surroundings.
I stood there patiently, as he did his prayer.
Because disrespecting the dead is the most depraved thing one could do.
Besides I had no qualms with Marcus to began with, so the least I could do was respect his departure. Even though all those Devine and God stuff never sits well with me.
With that we offered our prayer.
"In the sacred realm where souls dare tread,
Through reeds they journey, where echoes spread.
At end of sea, Saint Argos awaits, in solemn grace,
To judge their essence, their destined place.
Shall the void claim them, in endless night,
Or shall they return, in renewed light?
Their memories shed, a chance to atone,
As they tread the path, to the land unknown.
Or an abyss, passing lonely forever more, with hopes gone.
Hear this chant, in rituals profound,
As seekers gather, in prayers unbound.
Whispers of Umbricor, ever so slight,
A place revered, cloaked in ethereal might.
Celestial dew, where souls transcend,
In Umbricor's embrace, they find their end.
A realm veiled in secrets, for the twisted,
Revered in tales, forevermore.
Oh, faithful souls, in their sacred quest,
Seek Umbricor's wisdom, let the prayer guide.
Ever so soothing and ever so delight,
Seek Umbricor, with heaven in sight
So, in reverence we gather, devoutly,
Uttering words, ever so devoutly.
Umbricor, the hallowed realm thou shall seek,
In devotion, only the spirits shall speak.".