Chapter 8: Raid on the Shadow State
As the group continued north, Solana had a whispered conversation with Hannah. “Why does she smell so good?”
“I think it’s a vampire thing.”
“What?”
“It feels like a sixth sense. People who we are, uh, compatible with, smell good?”
“Like, people who we would enjoy turning into a vampire smell good?” asked Solana.
“Yes, I think so. We don’t have to turn them into vampires though. We’ll probably like them regardless. It’s more about their mind than their body.”
“So, when we rescue Garfield, if he smells good, that means my sixth sense is telling me I want to make him into a vampire?”
Hannah released an aura of killing intent unlike anything Count Polonio was capable of producing. She glowed red as she turned to look at Solana, eyes fully open, pupils reduced to near-dots. “Don’t you DARE!”
“I won’t! I won’t!” Solana promised after she fell back on to her butt. The rest of the group was afraid and just acted like they didn’t see anything.
--
As the group set out from Lightforge, Yttria casually looked Eleha up and down. ‘Ugh. More competition. Dammit Hannah…’
--
Eri began to say his goodbyes. “Through that exit, it’s just a short distance from Nightrock Gate to the Shadow State. They have a checkpoint set up, so you’ll need to get your story straight before you depart. I’ve never been over yonder so I’ve got nothing to offer you there.”
“We understand,” the princess acknowledged. “Thank you for all your help guiding us through your nation.”
“Twas nothing. I’ll stop at Kegshield on my way back and help myself to a little you-know-what.”
“How filthy!” Solana shouted.
“Ale! It’s ale, lassie!”
“Oh…” Solana received another headpat from Hannah.
--
“So to review, Hannah, you, and I are pilgrims from the Foucault Empire, visiting the main temple of the Shadow State to pray in a sign of reverence to our god Col. Yttria and White Glow are our guards, Solana is our servant, and Eleha is a dark elf we met along the way who was curious to visit the Shadow State?”
“Yes, Princess,” Kay confirmed. That’s the most believable story I can come up with considering this party. Solana will need to hide her pointy ears, but that should be easy for her, right?”
“Yes!” Solana rounded her ears and then darkened her hair color to disguise her elf-like features. Hannah pointed back at the Zodiac animals.
“What do we do about them?”
--
Several guards monitored the approach to the Shadow State’s northern-most paved entrance from the west. For the first time that day, a group approached. Most were on foot, although a few rode animals. Strangely, none appeared to be dwarf merchants or the like.
“Halt. Present yourself for inspection and state your business.”
“Good day. We journeyed here to pray at the main temple.”
“Praise Col! However, first you’ll need to answer my questions.”
“I would be delighted!”
“…What are you riding?”
“This is my family’s pig. He’s very smart.” The pig snorted angrily. “She’s very smart.”
“Huh? So you two just ride the thing?”
“Yes, she made the journey much easier on us.”
“And what are you riding?
“The dog!”
“I see… So, where did you journey from?”
“The Foucault Empire.”
“That’s quite far away. Why would you journey so far?”
The princess’ expression suddenly got serious. “Are the believers here less devout than where we are from?”
“Huh? No, of course not!”
“Then I’m sure you understand. It’s a shame we haven’t made the trip sooner. This is quite overdue!”
“I-Indeed. What are your plans for after you enter the nation?”
“We will proceed straight to the main temple. “Once our pilgrimage is complete, we will return the way we came. Hopefully, we can make this visit more often in the future.”
“I see. It would be shame for me to get in the way of such loyal believers. What about the rest of your group?”
“Guards. Most of them we hired, plus we have a couple of servants with us.”
“Ah, well to do, I see. I’m sure you’ve already thought through your donation to the temple.”
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“Of course!”
“And what’s with the dark elf?”
“We met way back west of the Dwarven Mountains. She’s a bit of an outcast among her people, but we became fast friends when we learned of our common interests and beliefs.”
“Do load up on our produce before you begin your journey back west. Anyway, welcome to the Shadow State. Praise Col!”
“Praise Col!”
The party marched through the checkpoint gleefully. Off to the side, two guards glancing down at a stone console of some type looked at each other and nodded.
--
After traveling east through farmland for a few hours, the party made camp for the night.
“I was worried the main temple would be hard to find, but it seems my concern was unwarranted,” said Kay.
“Yes, to think every road is littered with signs pointing to the main temple…” the princess responded.
“Eleha, what do your people think of Col?” Kay inquired.
“Nothing much. We care little for the gods. According to legend, long ago, my people were used and abused by dark divine entities. As a result, we remain fiercely independent of outside influences.”
Solana decided to speak up. “What about outside influences named Hannah?”
“…A force majeure.”
The warrior from White Glow tapped Brooke on the shoulder. “Is it just me, or are we part of a very weird group?”
“It’s not just you. We’re doing this for the Duke.”
“I want to spar with him again…”
“Me too…”
“Damn it. I’m an archer so I can’t spar with him.”
“Actually,” Eleha interjected, “I’ve been wondering about you. You carry yourself like an archer but the bow you carry doesn’t seem well suited for you.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Unlike the elves from down south, we vary our bow designs quite a bit. If we make it through this, I’ll help you find the ideal bow size and shape for you.”
“Good for all of you…” the attack mage of the group whispered to nobody in particular.
--
“There it is.”
“Yes, princess. Remember everyone, to stick the plan. If something goes wrong, don’t panic. Just keep your cool and pretend everything is fine. For now, we’re just here to pray and to learn more about the ‘wonderful’ temple.” They each nodded.
As the group approached the large outdoor concourse in front of the temple, they noticed a crowd of people praying. These believers paid the group little mind as they marched to the temple as planned, goofy smiles of pretend religious fervor on their faces. When they were halfway across the concourse, Hannah and Solana both suddenly grunted and collapsed onto the paved ground. The people praying then jumped up and formed a large circle around the princess’ party.
Yttria and Brooke attempted to help Hannah and Solana. They were awake but barely able to even move. “Impressive, isn’t it?” a man asked as he walked down the stairs from the main temple. “I never thought I’d actually have the chance to test it!”
“What have you done!?” Yttria shouted.
“It was the very height of folly to bring vampires directly to our lord Col’s temple. After all, none detest vampires more than Him.” The man gestured to a stone console near the bottom of the stairs. “We can detect vampires at each of our checkpoints, and our anti-vampire barriers are nothing like that junk the elves use.”
“So we only need to defeat you and then bring them out of the circle or shut down the barrier, right?”
“Yes, perhaps you all are stronger than you look. Perhaps you could overcome this unfavorable situation. Of course, we’ve taken precautions.” The man nodded to another who operated the stone console.
The princess’ entire party struggled to remain standing. They were each feeling incredibly weak.
“This barrier isn’t as debilitating, but that’s only because its targeting is less precise. We will not allow anyone, whether vampire or otherwise, to oppose our lord. The very land you stand on is holy, in direct line-of-sight from the great door to the temple.”
The man turned around to face the temple and bowed down while making a reverent gesture of some type. He turned back around.
“Although it is only once every few hundred years, Col himself walks out through that door to gaze on the world below him. We cannot allow, even for a moment, belligerents to be the first thing he sees should he choose to emerge. I’m sure you can understand.”
“Guh. What will you do with us?” Yttria asked, continuing to speak for the party. Although she was down on one knee, several others including the princess were already horizontal, just barely able to keep their heads raised due to the fatigue.
“Whether you live or die depends on what we learn when you answer our questions. Our many questions. That doesn’t go for the vampires though.”
Yttria too collapsed, although she remained awake.
“That’s enough. Keep only the anti-vampire barrier running. Now, bring it here.”
A subordinate brought the man an ornate wooden stake. “I’ve heard this very holy item was used to slay the last vampire to walk under the sun or moon. To think there were two more.”
The man walked over to the collapsed vampires. Yttria and the others were no longer under the effect of the barrier, but their energy was recovering only very slowly. They couldn’t stand yet.
“I’ll start with you.” The man looked down at Hannah, who was lying on her side. He kicked her on to her back and shifted the stake to a two-handed grip. “I hope you’ve made your peace. Well, honestly I don’t. Goodbye.”
The man brought the stake down directly into Hannah’s heart. The tip of the stake snapped off as a ping noise echoed through the concourse.
“Huh?”
“What are you doing?” a voice called down from the top of the stairs. Everyone looked up at the temple to see a man emerging from the now-open door. He was back-lit, so his features were impossible to make out. He just looked like a black form approaching.
“M-My lord!?” the man called out hopefully.
“No, your immigration request is denied.”
“Garfield…?” Hannah asked weakly.
“Good idea about that hidden metal in the armor, Hannah.”
“Garfield!” yelled everyone in the party except for Eleha and Solana.
“W-Who are you?” Garfield chose not to respond as he finished descending the stairs. He came to a stop adjacent to the stone console.
“You’re actually lucky your wooden stake was the first to give. Had you succeeded, all my negotiations with your god would have been for naught.”
“Silence! Don’t speak of my lord Col that way! You interloper! You have already failed! Do you not realize where you stand!?”
Garfield glanced down at the 2-meter circle inscribed into the ground around him.
“Activate the disintegrating—“
“«Teleport Swap».”
“—barrier!”
The man and Garfield switched places. A deadly barrier activated in the 2-meter circle Garfield had exited a moment ago. The man screamed and then turned into dust.
“Yttria.”
“Yes!”
“That one doesn’t count.”
“Yes…”
Eleha, now back up on one knee, turned to Hannah, who was still on her back. “What does he mean?”
“He… doesn’t… like… to… kill.”
“Ah…”
Garfield raised his voice to address the entire congregation. “I have a message from Col. He said he thinks this old decrepit temple looks like shit and you should build him a new one.” Garfield turned to face the temple.
“Garfield, what are you—“ Kay tried to ask from her position on the ground.
“It looks like I’m finally going to use this one,” he said, mostly to himself. “It used to be a favorite of mine. «Circle Of Hell».” A 100-meter radius magic circle appeared, floating in the air above the temple. One second later, flames rose up from beneath the ground and extended upward into the heavens. For several seconds, this column of hellfire burned everything within that 200-meter wide circle. Then, it disappeared, leaving only a dusty crater behind.
The stone console was not caught in the blast, but apparently its power source was interrupted because the anti-vampire barrier suddenly dissipated. Hannah stood up. The rest of the party had been starting to stand up as well, but in response to Garfield’s spell, they collapsed again. The attack mage from White Glow fainted entirely.
“Garfield!” Hannah flew at Garfield, literally. He caught her in his arms and then put her up on his shoulders like a parent might with a child. He walked over to his allies as the ring of Shadow State opponents collapsed, wailed, and otherwise had a miserable time.
“Sorry about that,” Garfield said matter-of-factly, referring to his disappearance as though it was only a minor inconvenience for everyone. “I needed to negotiate for Col to agree to leave Hannah alone. He kept arguing about a second vampire which I didn’t believe but, judging from what I just saw, Solara, are you a vampire?”
“It’s Solana!”
“Oh, sorry.”
“It’s a long story…”
“Oh? Forget it, then.”
“Hey!”