As the final patrol walks by, we begin sneaking toward the cave. We want to be quick, quicker than Merava, so there is no way she can run into the cave and awaken the Spirit King. We have no idea how strong a King of the Spirits might be, and none of us want to find out. As a safety precaution, we have to arrive at the cave before Merava and stop her from getting anywhere near him.
We get to the cave and quickly proceed in. Leading the group are Kavella and Kael, who are lighting the way through the darkness. I'm holding up the back of the group along with Noah. I have a light as well, so we will know if Merava is coming.
This cave is very narrow, and it would be an extreme disadvantage for us to fight here. Only one of us would be able to attack Merava at a time.
When we arrive at the end of the cave, we come into a large cavern. There is a large red crystal on the opposite end of the cavern, and we can see that the Spirit King is clearly still intact. Good, that means Merava is not here yet. With this knowledge, we rush out of the cave and get back outside. The goal is to guard the cave entrance and stop Merava from ever even setting foot within. We'll have better visibility outside and more of a chance to intercept her. If we get into a fight within the cavern, she wouldn't have to travel very far to get to the Spirit King and release him. There would be pitifully little room for error.
I squint my eyes in the darkness, and I see a figure emerging from the shadows. I don't have even the slightest doubt in my mind. That long purple dress can be seen from here. The tangled black hair that is dragging along the ground is clearly visible. Her haunting face, gaunt and white, is shining in the light of the crescent moon. This is Merava.
There are other figures with her too. I panic at first, thinking that she brought with her a firing squad of Vitarine employees. Truthfully, though, there isn't a single human with her. The figures that emerge with her are imps. They are different from the imps we've faced before, though. One of them I recognize. It is small, shriveled and gray. At about three feet tall, I don't see how it could weigh more than forty pounds, because it is so bony and sick-looking.
I don't know why I know this, but I feel like that creature is not a normal Imp Spirit, but rather a Count. And…I feel like his name is Vuranya, but I have no way of knowing that information. Why, then, does it seem so clear to me?
There are other Imps with her. One is a fat, bulbous Imp Spirit with flashy yellow skin and purple eyes. It is clawing at its stomach like it is hungry. There's another Imp Spirit, also, that's much smaller than any I've seen before. It is latched onto Merava's shoulder, and even though it is so small, it has a huge wingspan. This one is green, and its skin is covered in silver spikes.
The final Imp Spirit that Merava has brought with her is drastically different from all of the others. It doesn't even have wings, and yet it is clearly an Imp. This one is crawling around flat, on all fours. It is a deep red color, and it appears to have deep scars carved all over its body, which is about as large as Cabel. I won't lie, it's probably the freakiest thing I've ever seen. A six foot tall Imp without wings, crawling flat against the floor. A long floppy tongue is hanging out of its mouth, and it is covered in blood. I didn't study too hard about Spirits, but even I know they don't bleed. That blood must belong to something…no, someone else.
None of these Imps are Pawn Rank, probably not even soldier rank. I realize they must be Barons, Counts, maybe even Marquis Rank. That complicates things. A lot.
Black flames appear in Merava's hands and a long, jagged scythe begins to materialize. Great, even she's got a Spirit weapon. That's not good, not at all.
"I recognize you, boy," Merava smiles. "You're the one who can kill me, aren't you? I mistook you for a fool when I first saw you, but now I see you have a backbone, after all. I liked you better without a backbone…I suppose my Imps will have to remove it for you."
Crossed Heart flies into my hands before I can realize what's happening. Merava has no idea we all have the power to kill her. As long as she thinks that power is mine alone, she might underestimate the rest of our group.
"You're right!" I shout at her. "I can kill you, and I will kill you! Do you see this sword!? This will be the last thing you see, as I drive it in between your skull!"
Merava licks her lips. My threats seem to have enticed her. "Vuranya, Caravel, Clutch, Desmos. Kill them all, but leave that boy to me."
The four Imp Spirits charge at us alongside Merava. They're moving much faster than I thought they would, and I brace myself for the impact. That impact is delayed, though, by Laela. She uses an Animus technique I've never seen before, and the ground in front of us bursts with light just before the Spirits arrive. It causes most of the Spirits to back off, with the exception of one. It runs right into the light.
I think we've succeeded in killing one, and I'm overjoyed at our instant success. I see that I am wrong, though. The Spirit has run completely through the light, and is still barreling toward us. It is the Spirit that is crawling about on all fours. It is immune to Animus techniques.
I see the gray Imp murmuring something, and a gate open near him. A single dark red imp comes out of the portal before it closes. When I look at the Imp, I see it is nothing special. Just a run of the mill Imp Spirit. That must be Vuranya's special power, to summon more Imps.
I see that the Crawling Imp has the special power of being immune to Animus techniques. I don't even want to know what horrible powers the Yellow Imp and the Green Imp have.
The Crawling Imp leaps off of the ground, right for Laela. I panic and swoop in to save her. I slash my sword at the Imp, but it reverses itself mid jump and lands just to our right. This is bad. There is no way to kill that thing without direct contact, and it cannot be held at bay with Animus techniques. It might wait until the other Imps are close, and then strike us from the side. That thing could very well be the death of us.
I see a fireball propelling toward us from the little green Imp. I imagine that the Green Imp's special power is highly advanced Animus techniques. Thankfully both Kavella and Laela know the proper Animus technique for dispelling flames, and it doesn't hurt us. If that catches them off-guard, though, we're going to be in a world of hurt.
It's about time we strike back, and Kael must realize this, because he uses the Animus technique Electrode on Merava. I don't know how effective lightning-based Animus techniques are on Imps, but maybe Kael knows something I don't.
Merava and the Green Imp are able to dispel the attack, but it strikes the gray Imp Vuranya and kills the reinforcement he summoned. Good job, Kael!
Laela's initial technique ends, and the Imps all rush into us at once. I see the group break apart around me as everyone finds an enemy to fight. I go straight for Merava. She's looking straight at me, and she's waiting for me to come. She knows that, since I'm wearing her pendant, I am partially immune to most of her attacks, so she's most concerned with killing me. She also thinks I have the best chance at killing her.
She couldn't be more wrong. Noah is a much better fighter than me, and Laela's Animus techniques are far beyond anything I've ever seen. Kavella would give Merava a good run for her money, too. I'm probably the least likely to kill Merava. Well, besides Portia. She's being guarded by the rest of the group, but she's aiming her gun around.
I hear that very gun go off, and I see Merava is shot in the arm. She looks down at the bullet, a little confused. That confusion is all I needed. Thanks, Portia!
I slice upward at Merava, but she ducks out of the attack. I didn't hit her, but I see Noah racing around the side. He strikes her in the back, and she lets out an infernal wail. I guess she wasn't expecting to take damage from anyone but me. Well doesn't she feel silly?
Her head whips around so fast I think she's going to break her neck. She snaps her fingers, though, seeking revenge on Noah. She has no idea how he hit her, but I see the steam pouring out of her wound. He got her with the sword that burns a Spirit's flesh. Good choice.
I see the area Noah was just occupying burst into flames when she snaps her fingers. It's a good thing that kid is quick, or else he'd be a goner right now. I don't see where he's run off to, but I assume he went to get a cheap shot on some other Imp Spirit.
I swing at Merava, but she guards the attack with her scythe. We fight back and forth, and we seem to be evenly matched with our fighting skill. Nope, I'm a little better. I manage to slash low and I catch her off-guard. I feel my blade connect with her thigh, and again she screams.
Her screams invigorate me. I remember the sound of Marc Olsen screaming when he was burned alive by her. That scream haunts my memories. I won't be able to properly avenge Marc unless this bitch screams with just as much pain and fear as Marc did. She deserves a horrible death, and I will give it to her.
A quick scan around the battlefield gives me an update on what is happening. Laela is engaged in a solo battle against the Green Imp. They are flinging Animus techniques at each other with unreal speed and power. Cabel and Noah have teamed up against the Crawling Imp, and it looks like they are both unharmed. Kavella is attacking the fat Yellow Imp by herself, and Kael is taking on Vuranya. Portia is…well, I think she wants to help, but she's just standing at the cave entrance with her gun braced.
I continue to attack Merava. She isn't able to get off any Animus techniques, because she's 100% preoccupied with defending from my attacks. That's exactly the way I want it to be. I'm overpowering her, and all she can do is defend. All I need to do is hold out a little bit longer. Once one of the Imps is dead, the person that was fighting it will come over here and help me finish off Merava, once and for all.
I hear a groan and I turn to my left. I see the Crawling Imp has struck down Cabel. He's lying on the floor, wincing in pain. He's bloody, but alive. I want to help him, but I can't. Noah has to save him. If I take my eyes off of Merava and let her attack someone else, they'll be turned to charcoal in seconds.
I continue my assault, and I hope Noah alone will be enough to finish off the Crawling Imp. I hear a loud crack and I notice Kavella has smashed in the head of the fat Yellow Imp. It begins to disintegrate into ashes, and I know that the battle has been won. Kavella is quick to come to my aid, and she strikes Merava in the shins from behind with her staff. I take my sword and slash across Merava's chest right as this happens. She howls and there is a burst of flames. I blink my eyes and she is gone. Merava is gone. Did we kill her!?
"Sigmund!" I hear Portia call. "She's in the cave!"
I turn to Portia and I see that Merava is running into the cave. Damn it! She must have used some sort of technique to transport herself. I need to go after her, right now, or we're doomed. We can't handle the Spirit King awakening.
I race after Merava in the cave and I catch up with her just as she enters the cavern. I tackle her and she lands face down on the floor. I can't let her get any closer to the Spirit King. I can see him from where I am, and that doesn't bode well with me.
Kavella and Kael run into the cave behind me, but Merava is able to escape my grasp and she continues running. Portia enters too, and she takes up Merava's fallen scythe. That's excellent! Portia finally has a weapon that can fight against these things.
Merava is running up to the Spirit King, and there's no way I can catch her. I run anyway, and so do my three allies. I don't know what's happening outside with Laela, Cabel, and Noah, but I hope they are still alive.
"Release!" Merava bellows as I catch her. I swing my sword, hard, and her head goes flying off. She's finally dead.
But she's the least of our problems now.