“The study of demonic biology has been a field of calculated estimation at best, and completely irrelevant at worst. While the typical demons usually have a twisted form of humanoid body structure. Many times, demons are just as often completely unpredictable in how they are formed. Therefore, the scientific community has yet to establish any standardized codices concerning the matters of demons. Only vague classifications relative to their perceived power have been assigned. With categories ranging from demonic slave, lesser demon, greater demon, arch demons, demon princes, and demon kings. All pertaining to their strength rather than actual ranks or positions in a yet unknown hierarchy.”
- Biologist Professor Carl Watson, Pathfinder’s Guild, “Lifeforms Of The Wastelands And Beyond”
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Arteria was a resilient city. One that had weathered many catastrophes and this was but one more notch under its belt. Or so Sophie hoped.
The closer the assault squadron got to the Arena, the greater the feeling of dread. She knew what was inside, knew how ill prepared the handful of guards there would’ve been. Judging by the stern faces of the men and women beside her, they were just as aware of the ramifications should the monster have breached the security cordon. Even Korvin maintained a neutral expression, the Inquisitor’s crafty demeanour vanishing to be replaced by one that seemed far more combat oriented than Sophie had expected of the tinkerer. But then again, he is a senior Inquisitor. Had to have gotten there somehow.
A few hasty barricades had been set up, likely warnings from the initial outburst of demonic violence. However, if the left behind weapons and lack of bodies were any indication, there was a very real chance that the monster had already consumed all the defenders here as a fuel source to replenish its losses in the square.
They heard the ear piercing roar before they saw the demon. With no more need for a guide, the troopers moved ahead of Sophie followed by the templars. Inquisitor Korvin cautiously moved past her, leaving her in the rear. Though she noted how he held a strange looking jar in his hands.
Following the soldiers, they navigated one more street to stumble upon the Arena’s entryway. As the legionnaires slowed down, Sophie had the sinking feeling that her worst fears had begun to be realized. In seeking for nourishment after its fate with the Gods and then the church, whatever’s left of the monster sought sustenance in the largest gathering of people. An instinct that had led it here.
Ahead of them, a few scattered souls cowered in hidden recesses, popping out as their salvation arrived. Sophie felt her world grow dark as her eyes took in the devastation ahead of her. Where there had once been pristine steps and a squad of bluecloaks. Bloodstained steps thick with the blackened tar of the monster tainted the approach. Instead of guards, a few of the women from within the arena had escaped to hide out here, likely too afraid to venture further in fear of another monster. Where the large double doors once welcomed guests, only a hole with the splintered remnants of the doors remained.
“Foss. Run back and get reinforcements, now. Have them cordon off this arena and establish a perimeter.” Captain Urden ordered, the first to break out of the stupor besides the Inquisitor.
“Yes sir!” The soldier saluted as he sprinted back the way they came from.
“Ruben, Delaney, tend to the survivors and wounded.” The captain gestured at two of the clover legionnaires.
“Sir yes sir!” The two in question replied.
Inquisitor Korvin motioned to his subordinates and one of the templars nodded, making the sign of the Goddess across his chest as he joined the two legionnaires.
“One of the templars shall keep this area secure as well.” He informed the captain.
“Thank you, my lord.”
“If there is nothing else, we should hurry.” Korvin continued.
“Of course, my lord.” The captain saluted.
“We’ll split into two squads of four and one of three.” Korvin seized command, “Captain, take one of yours, the adventurer, and Purifier Everad. Purifier Razlin can handle your sergeant and two more. I shall lead whomever’s left myself.”
Captain Urden looked as if he had another idea in mind. But as it was an Inquisitor who had issued these instructions, the captain simply saluted once more. “As you say, my lord.”
“Barnes, with me again. Sergeant Horta, take Estevez and Fawkes. Leonard and Teela, you’re with the Inquisitor.” Captain Urden barked his commands with a renewed sense of authority.
“Sir yes sir!” The legionnaires all echoed.
“Let’s get moving! Bring whoever you can out. Our main goal is to clear the arena before engaging the monster, understood?”
“Sir yes sir!”
“Let’s go!”
Following his commands, the group rushed into the arena. The once dusty halls now thick with traces of demonic corruption. Purple sap formed the buddings of the demonic vines they had seen earlier. Loose stonework fell to reveal where the creature had simply barged through, little splotches of blackened tar-like blood still moist from the impact.
Trapped within the corridors and away from the open skies, the pervasive taint felt even more suffocating. Where outside she felt the corruption, here, it practically seeped into her bones. It was like a prickling sensation. She could practically feel death oozing from every pore of her body, the attempts to reshape her very being only halted by how quickly the corruption was absorbed by the emptiness within.
“Alright. We’ll-”
“We’re going this way.” Sophie declared to the captain, catching both him and the Inquisitor off guard.
“I didn’t think-”
“It’s alright, captain. I have faith in her judgment.” Korvin recovered quickly enough, reassuring the captain with a small smirk on his face.
Sophie didn’t like that, no matter how much she appreciated the support. He's up to something, I just know he is.
“Very well.” The captain nodded thoughtfully, recomposing himself, “Adventurer, lead the way. Horta, stick with the templar, you two as well with the Inquisitor.”
The room squadron responded with determined if nervous nods. They could all guess that whatever lay ahead would not be pleasant. More-so with how eerily quiet the whole building was. Only scant footsteps and the occasional monstrous growl echoed down the halls of the Arena. Beyond them, only ghosts answered any querying gaze.
As the assault squadron split into three. Sophie led her group down the one pathway she had memorized. Straight to the rooms where she and watchman Baxter had helped tend to children. She nervously gripped the heavy blade in her hand, uncertain if anxiety or the metal itself weighed her down.
“It’s too quiet.” Purifier Everad growled meancingly from behind his masked helmet. The templar walked along casually. Though from where his hands were placed and how he always had his dominant foot ready to launch himself forward, Sophie suspected that he had just as much doubts as the rest of them.
“Aye. Too quiet. Keep your eyes peeled.” Captain Urden grumbled.
Pushing forward another hallway, Sophie recognized the side corridor that led to where she had met Keely. Curious, she held up a fist to halt the group before motioning down the hall. Getting the gist, Barnes set up at the intersection while the other three pushed their way forward.
Their boots and armour echoed down the hallway, the sound of her own thumping heart nearly deafening her as she walked. The ever growing sense of dread was interrupted by a soft clattering from ahead of them. As one, the three raised their weapons, steel now fully drawn in anticipation. Glancing behind her, she caught sight of Barnes readying himself as well, just in case.
Stolen novel; please report.
The purifier motioned for her to move forward, gesturing that he had her covered. Annoyed at being volunteered without consultation, she nonetheless reassured herself that both the captain and templar were highly skilled combatants, they could keep the group safe. She inched forward, one cautious step at a time. Wanting to bait out the creature rather than be ambushed, she lightly tapped her sword against the stone walls, letting the metallic clanging carry down the hallway.
In the distance, she could hear some faint shuffling in response to her blade. Dropping into a combat pose, she readied herself. Tapping the blade against the wall, this time more rhythmically. A few more clatters echoed in response, of which the others behind her also heard. Moving to investigate the noise, they got closer when some rocks started being moved. I don’t like this. It feels too deliberate.
Making a split second choice to engage or not, Sophie pulled back a little, holding her hand up to keep everyone, mostly herself, calm. Waiting for more movement but seeing nor hearing anything. Sophie took a chance that her instincts were right.
“Is someone there?” She called out.
Suddenly, a small pile of rubble collapsed into a big plum of dust and stone, making the entire party take a collective step back. From within the dust cloud, a terrified looking girl stumbled forward, having accidentally leaned too far forward in her hiding spot. Petrified, she froze on the spot as she looked at them. Only when both sides seem to register each other’s humanoid features did shoulders begin to relax and breathing to happen once more.
“I… I…” The girl stammered.
Sophie’s eyes narrowed before widening in surprise. It’s her! The girl guarding the door!
“It’s me, Sophie.” She whispered softly.
The girl flinched at the noise but paused her quivering, taking a brief moment to study her, in particular the distinctive elfin ears.
“A-ahh…”
“Easy, easy. We’re here to help.” Sophie held up her free hand.
Behind her, the captain motioned for Barnes to come over. The crossbowman took care to scan the surroundings as he approached.
“What happened here?” Sophie asked.
“They… they came so fast… shhh…” The girl unsteadily held a finger up to her lip, “I-if you make too much noise, they’ll here you…” she mumbled absently.
Stars above, she needs help. Sophie nodded, gently moving close in an attempt to secure her.
Lost in her own world, the girl barely cared as she began trembling once. Almost at the same time as she started, a distant shriek echoed from far down the corridor. The girl jumped towards Sophie, forcing her to defy her instinct to swing the sword against an attacking, allowing herself to tumble to the ground as the girl practically tackled her.
“It’s coming… it’s coming… it’ll eat you, and you, and you, and you, and me. It’ll eat, eat, and eat.”
“Easy now.” Captain Urden adopted a far more soothing voice, “We’re with the legion and the church, let’s get you out of here.”
The girl flicked her attention up towards the captain with what looked to be hope in her eyes, a brief shimmer of clarity returning to her haunted gaze.
“Barnes.” Captain Urden hissed, “Get her out of here and to the rally point.”
“Yes sir.” The other legionnaire nodded before turning to Sophie with a silent plea.
Scooting the girl off of her, Sophie got back to her feet and tried to coax the girl to follow the legionnaire, “Go, it’s safer outside. I promise. But do you know what happened to the others?”
The girl shook her head, muttering the phrase, “It ate them, it ate them.”
Sophie hid her reaction, the gate churning news adding another damper to the already catastrophic day.
“Go, the legion will get you out.” Sophie repeated.
“Come on, miss. Let’s get moving while the coast is clear.” Barnes added.
With great reluctance, the girl finally started moving. She inched away, a small shuffle at a time, but she was following Barnes. Seeing that, the group shared a few glances of tempered relief. It was a small bright spot amidst the likely tragedy that had occurred here. But someone lived, and that was a small enough glimmer of hope that others would’ve too.
With their situation established, the remaining three continued onwards. The once discussion room that the frightened girl had guard was nothing more than a ruin. Upturned tables and chairs as someone had desperately tried to barricade themselves there. But with the still moist splotches of blood on the wall, Sophie could guess that whoever it was did not leave the room alive.
“The taint of demonic energy is getting stronger. We’re on the right track.” The purifier informed them as they walked into another corridor.
Purple and black pus now oozed from the walls, the remnants of the demon’s secretions. Buried within the gelatinous globs, Sophie could occasionally see the mostly decayed bones of its victims. A few however, did not get properly digested and their fleshy visage only unnerved her even more.
Before Sophie could take another step, the templar reached out and stopped her. His nearly silent movement despite his armour nearly making her shriek when his gauntlets grabbed her shoulders. The man raised a finger to indicate silence and readied his longsword.
The captain took up the flanks alongside Sophie, the two now following the templar’s lead. The purifier muttered something under his breath and Sophie felt a cool breeze brush past her. The templar’s blade now glowed a dull yellow. Divine magic, like Mila’s.
His magic triggered something. Likely a reaction by the corruption as it sought to purge the offending mana. Shrieks, cries, and skittering echoed from down the hallway. The immune response had been triggered, and the corrupted guardians were approaching them.
The first to round the corner was much like a zombie. A humanoid form twisted in unnatural ways, rushing towards its target with reckless abandon. Blackened veins that glowed ever slightly purple. Vines and other demonic flora twisting around it. Bursting at the seams in other places. The disjointed horror half sprinted, half shambled at them. An easy enough mark as the templar’s holy blade cut through the creature like butter. The corrupted flesh sizzled away into nothingness as the mortal form was released from its struggle.
More rounded the corner as the trio prepared for battle. But it was what came with these monsters that nearly made Sophie collapse. Skittering creatures, their tiny little limbs defiled by the corruption charged alongside the horde. Reforged from their diminutive forms by the taint, they moved just as quickly as their larger brethren. The sight of them shattered her will completely.
Part human, part orc and part demon creatures snarled as misshapen teeth gnashed at them. They moved like a horde, circling their larger counterparts. Sophie closed her eyes, what had happened here was now firmly etched into her mind. It told her all that she needed to know. The makeshift nursery had been overrun. Not that she had expected anything else. But to have held or even cared for some of them, however awkwardly, mere hours again. She could not raise her hands again.
Purifier Everad paused for a brief second before his templar instincts kicked it, slashing and crushing them into little pulps of fading corruption. The captain was much like Sophie, taken aback and frozen in place. He thankfully recovered quickly enough, muttering a small eulogy for the fallen.
Neither of them asked for her, too concentrated on survival or understanding the ashen expression across her face. One of the critters managed to bypass the others, getting ready to lunge at her as she just watched. It looked eerily reminiscent of the one that she had held alongside Keely. Like most things tainted by instinct, the tainted critter let out an anguished cry as it prepared to leap at her. A cry that sounded far too close to a wail.
Using a malformed leg, it shot towards Sophie, forcing her to react. She let out a mournful howl of her own as she raised her blade in its path and looked away, letting fate decide. Unable to adjust in time, she felt the weighty bump as it impaled itself. This felt wrong, it was wrong. Such innocence had no right being twisted in such a way. She kept her eyes closed and tried to ignore the pained flailing.
The demon must go, she resolved, her determination gradually hardening once more. Such mockery of life cannot go unchallenged. Not in the Goddess’s name, nor my conscience. As the flailing stopped, she gingerly opened her eyes. The two soldiers had made some progress, pushing deeping into the corrupted horde. The creature at the tip of the blade had stilled, its tiny face looking almost upset at having been denied the chance to live at all. Another part of it spoke of the agony such a being must’ve felt at such horrific transformations. Stars above.
“Forgive me.” She whispered.
With a heavy heart she thrusted her blade forward to shake off the critter. It left a small slathering of blood and demonic pus on the metal underneath. Her eyes glazed over the fallen critter, her breathing growing heavier as she tried to fight off her own unease.
Ahead of her, the two soldiers fought on, having mostly cleared the hallway of the corrupted. Body parts and pieces littered the battleground. The vicious display unsettled her even more. Hells, so many… she shuddered, Goddess… Keely and the others…
“Adventurer, get up. We have to keep moving.” Captain Urden reached over for her.
Sophie weakly accepted his help, letting the legionnaire pull her up to her feet.
“Grieve later. We have to keep moving.” He urged her.
“The captain is right. The demon gains more power the longer we tarry.” The purifier chimed in from the front. The templar dispatching the last of the corrupted that harried them.
“Right… right.” Sophie mumbled. Goddess grant us strength.