The Crimsons are resilient. More so than Lavinia thought they’d be given how quick she’s subdued them. Though, perhaps the outcome would have been a lot different if the Trirax wanted to fight, if she’d missed the first shot with the GroveStaff and had to confront all three instead of two startled demons.
The last Trirax trudges ahead of Lavinia, her long legs and splayed feet dragging against the dirt as her arms hang limp beside her. Her lethargic movements are the only lasting consequence from Lavinia’s blood drain, no matter how much more blood she sucks out, the Trirax refuses to die— resilient.
Lavinia’s own lethargy from absorbing one of the Crimsons passed before the Trirax woke from its bloodless slumber, giving Lavinia time to decide a new course for the hunt. As the Crimson crystal rewarded her with three levels right off the bat, Lavinia debates whether to devour her hostage now and reap yet another 12ESQ or keep her alive so she leads Lavinia to this city they spoke of, Corym.
Lavinia glances at the ring she swiped off the Trirax she devoured, a gem sits on the crown, gleaming an array of colours. She’s ready for Corym, with the ring and the small pouch of Essence tokens, Lavinia figures she’ll fit right in.
“Where are you taking me?” the Trirax pants, nearly tripping over her feet.
Growling, Lavinia slams the GroveStaff and the Trirax surrenders to her wordless demand. Turning her attention inwards, Lavinia reflects on her current abilities. As meagre looking as the Trirax are, their single eye acts as the helm of their offensive capabilities and from what she’s seen of the grey-skinned and the brief battle it would be prudent to keep ahead of her prisoner.
While there’s no competing with the depth of Essence the Trirax hold claim to, Lavinia’s pathways have stretched to accommodate a greater pool of Essence. It would be possible to use {Crimson Blink} a second time or even third time if she doesn’t exert too much beforehand.
[Available Essence Points— 10]
Faith:30
Agility: 19
Intelligence:10
With 10EP left to spend since the Trirax forced her to use some on [Faith], Lavinia mulls spending even more on the Attribute. It is the governing Attribute after all, with it she can reduce the cost of using her Perks and could entertain a fourth use of {Crimson Blink} if she uses up all the points.
However, Lucy triggered a new Attribute, [Intelligence] and its Perk, {Inspect}. It’s become glaring how much she doesn’t know since she got the Perk, most things have their names and even use.
Intelligence (INT): Intelligence governs mental acuity, analytical thinking, and knowledge. Enhances aptitude for magical pursuits.
As it says nothing about helping her hunt, Lavinia’s reluctant to spare precious EP on the Attribute— it also reminds of Lucy and carries the weight of the best and worst of her. Through gritted teeth, Lavinia sacrifices 4EP to [INT], dedicating the remaining 6EP to [AGI], a far more important Attribute ensuring her {Crimson Blink} as well as herself move quicker.
Name: Lavinia
Race: Demon
Class: Vampiric
Age: Immortal – 67days.
Crystal Essence: [Pink]- Lvl.8— 43.41ESQ
[Available Essence Points— 0]
Faith:30
Agility: 25
Intelligence:14
Perk: {Reais Smite}, {Blood Rush}, {Wave Shot}, {Crimson Blink}, {Inspect}
Soul Bond: Curse Marked; Master Henry Vanavil
Satisfied with what she’s improved, Lavinia turns her full attention to the lazy walking Trirax ahead of her and asks, “Who are you?”
She looks over her shoulder and Lavinia uses the GroveStaff to poke her head away. Groaning, the Trirax huffs, “You should release me…while you can.”
Brows knitted, Lavinia demands in a full breath, “How did you know I understood?”
Again, the Trirax tries to look over her non-existent shoulder only to meet the GroveStaff ready. Resigning she mutters as she trudges ahead the desolate landscape, “Everything that comes out of there comes out the wiser.” She says bitterly.
Blinking, Lavinia found herself agreeing with the sentiment. The wild demon she was sniffed out blood on a trail of sightless feeding continues to exists within her as an abstract experience, barely visible in the self-awareness Vampiric Demon she exists as now.
“What is it?”
“Hm? Don’t you know?” The Trirax sounds surprised but weakly lifts her arms in a shrug, “Still Pink so your ignorance isn’t unreasonable, I’m sure you’re very confused. Must be why you’re doing this, you’re confused.”
Lavinia frowns unimpressed by the attempt to manipulate her with words, she narrows her eyes and pokes the Trirax’s side with the GroveStaff, her patience wearing thin, “Not confused, explain.”
Breathing deep breaths, the Trirax nods, “The Dungeon tests humans for their worth in another world, some humans mine its gems and resources for their settlements here but mainly…it’s a test of might and right.”
To an extent Lavinia’s experience confirms what the Trirax says about the place. Satisfied with that answer, Lavinia presses on, “Hunted that demon on beach. Didn’t eat. Why?”
It was something that confused her all this time. She understood killing the grey-skinned for the pouch of Essence tokens but whatever value they have couldn’t be enough alone to ignore a perfectly good meal.
“Haha, couldn’t have a snack while you were crushing our heads” The Trirax says with a bitter laugh.
Her answer doesn’t satisfy Lavinia so she rephrases, “Why keep only Essence tokens?”
“Same reason you’d be better off letting me go once we get to Corym. You let Jonn escape...he’ll have told everyone by now, told Prime. He knows what you’ve done.”
Lavinia whacks her side with the GroveStaff and demands, “Answer.”
Nursing her side, the Trirax lets out a soft growl as the two past the crack in the ground where Lavinia threw the GroveStaff. “It was all that mattered. That demon stole from Prime thinking he’d travel somewhere with those riches. We were after him, blasted him but he ran off faster than we could keep up. Guess he died from the wounds, serves him right.”
Riches.
In the vast expanse of desolation, parched earth and red dirt, life and all living collects into the dense forest of trees ahead. Even at a distance, Lavinia's sharp senses catch a symphony of sounds emanating from the forest, as if calling out in a chorus that beckons all who can hear.
Jonn, the Trirax’s leader escaped into the forest; Corym must lie within it. Lavinia leers at the thought of Corym, a city full of demons plausibly as vulnerable and Essence rich as the Trirax. Moreover, getting there means she can finally eat her ear grating prisoner and absorb her for all she’s worth. With a grunt she urges the lethargic demon forth, closing the distance one step at a time for now.
***
Gaps in the foliage leak the meagre red light sky in, ensuring Lavinia and her prisoner are not completely in the dark. The earth is loose and soft between her toes, lush with sweet smelling flowers and spreading moss over stone surfaces. Tall imposing trees with grizzly barks carry the whispers of the forest wind on their fine leaves, a strong scent of blood mixes with the perfume of the sprawling forest.
Beyond her sight an incessant thumping reverberates throughout the forest, rattling bald birds out of their nests, cracking eggs against the gnarly, thick roots snaking from the trees. Lavinia stifles the urge to groan and lash out at every thump as the closer they journey to Corym, the louder it booms.
Having drained the Trirax a third time it’s no issue watching her back, her inspiration to escape or even fight back seems to have given out after the third time. However, the drain does nothing to stop her talking—
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Aaannnd— thuuoomm!” the Trirax lifts her arms, barely getting them all the way up as she whoops in forced excitement. She looks back with her single eye half-lid and bloodshot, but Lavinia pokes her cheek away with the GroveStaff, “Okay, okay. Just checking if you’ve still got the edge, good news, you still do.”
Lavinia growls, ploughing through and over knots of roots, vines and the occasional rotting corpse. The constant thumping and chattering sends a persistent ache through her head. She sneers at the Trirax eager to be rid of her.
A cacophony of hoots and rumbling follow, reminding Lavinia of her first walkthrough this forest. The curly-tailed demon's grunt and growl amongst themselves close by and along with the thumping, Lavinia grows weary of the edge of their territory— handling a prisoner and fighting an enraged curly-tailed wouldn’t be prudent right now.
The lead Trirax’s footprints went dead many thumps ago, forcing her to rely solely on her prisoner’s sense of direction and desire to remain useful under threat of consumption but she is daring, “Stop playing. Corym, where is it?”
Her Trirax prisoner responds with a hearty chuckle for a demon drained of blood and energy, “It’s miserable enough that I’m here, prisoner to some Pink youngling, I know you could be worse, you could be eating me right now.”
As if on command, Lavinia’s stomach lets out a loud growl.
“Ignore your stomach, you don’t want to eat me right now. I don’t know why I said that.” She quickly retracts the statement and through pants asks, “What’s your name? Do you have one even? I’m Seraph.”
Lavinia’s lips part to answer instinctively but instead says, “I am hungry, take me to Corym.”
Seraph, the Trirax, shakes her large prism shaped head at this as she lazily vaults over a fallen trunk in the path, “Corym. What do you think that place is? How do you even plan on getting in? I know Prime has eyes searching for a fork in the path like you. Jonn would’ve warned him, you chased after him after all.”
Trying not to furrow her brows any deeper, Lavinia inhales deeply before answering, “See Corym. Then eat you before I approach with ring.”
A short pause prevails before Seraph bristles, “What? That’s the plan? It’s a good plan but I think you’re missing where-”
“Enough talking. Moving in circles.” Lavinia says with an undercurrent of rage, tapping a tree with the GroveStaff, “Marked this tree before, seen it three times. Take me or I will eat you now.”
Seraph’s stiffens at being called out and silently leads Lavinia off the travelled path to thicker foliage. Another thump reverberates through the earth, rattling up Lavinia’s feet as Seraph cuts through bushes, coming onto a wide, open swamp. It’s murky waters, tangling flora and sinking soil only serve to annoy Lavinia more. Digging out of the gunk, Lavinia follows after a fast pacing Seraph, strolling through the wet gallery of fat bulbous plants and their buds.
“Wait. Slow down.” Lavinia demands, the cumbersome weight of the GroveStaff coupled with her own has her struggling to keep up through the swamp.
Seraph spares a look over at Lavinia, a smirk finds her rubbery lips as she takes one more step forward. A loud snap rings alarm bells for Lavinia faster than the peeling buds and premature flowers blossoming all around them do.
The plants, much like last time she was in the forest, release a noxious gas into the air, “Seraph!” Lavinia growls, ripping her foot out of a particularly wound mess of vines underneath the swamp.
The gas thickens, clouding up what little light the deep red sky provides allowing Seraph to slip away without a word. Lavinia waddles out of her trappings choking and coughing away as she searches for the disappeared Trirax as she powers through persistent vines clinging onto her.
Groaning and straining against their pull, Lavinia chokes down gasps of the poisoned air as she slashes away at the vines and roots wrapping around her feet and waist. “Seraph!” She sneers, stumbling out of a puddle, shawl wet and damaged from her careless slashing.
The thick fog of gas clears as she walks through aimlessly. The loudest thump rattles her senses as it booms from right beside her, billowing wind and dust the same as the day it threw her to the wind and to Lucy.
It clears the air and with ringing ears Lavinia is treated to a full view of the demon city, Corym. Tall, large walls guard around the city and its gate, made of obsidian crystals and hard timber, the city makes an imposing first impression sitting across the swamp with a significant moat between. Spires and towers extend from within the walls, telling of an expanse to be explored. The twisted swamp’s murky waters and tangling flora form a natural defence for the city and the deep, dug moat full of inky water and creature’s unknown ensure nothing comes in without the drawbridge coming down.
But before that…
“I told you to set me loose while you had the chance.” Seraph voice drips with condescension, safe from Lavinia on the other side of the moat, watching as several wiry-framed, green creatures lurk around and behind Lavinia, forming a tight circle.
Having a look, Lavinia casts {Inspect} on her visitors, returning their mischievous grins with a stern glower.
[Level 3— Goblin]
[Level 7— Goblin]
[Level 3— Goblin]
[Level 4— Goblin]
[Level 5— Goblin]
“Don’t think that’s all! I know just how strong you are, you fiend!” Seraph calls across as with a proud wave she’s backed by three more— {T-2/L-1— Trirax}, “Thanks for bringing me home! Show her some hospitality!”
***
One hand to another, Lavinia twirls the GroveStaff as the Goblins menace their way closer, tightening their encirclement. Out of the five, two of them are significantly smaller than their counterparts and about the same size as Lavinia herself. Her eyes narrow on the [Lvl.4 Goblin] inching towards her along the others, twirling a long chain with a spiked bulb at the end of it.
It catches her glower and grins balefully, “Niak nal!”
Whatever it roars signals the others Lavinia has a quick glance at into a mad charge. Startled for the split moment, Lavinia sets her foot in and executes a partially formed plan of attack.
With a synchronized intensity the three Trirax blast Essence beams as Lavinia sprints towards the [Lvl.4 Goblin]. It releases the spiked-bulb, letting it snap at Lavinia— a massive burst of Essence spreads throughout her pathways and she swiftly sidesteps the attack, springing from the ground on all fours as she pounces the [Lvl.4 Goblin].
[{Blood Rush} Active!]
Heaving, Lavinia crushes through the goblins chest with the GroveStaff, blood splashing over her as she stands to swing wildly behind her, catching an approaching [Level 3— Goblin] by the jaw.
Lavinia lurches for it only to retreat as she narrowly avoids a precision-guided Essence beam aimed at her head. She narrows her sights on the perpetrator standing on the other side of the moat, flanked by Seraph and two other Trirax. She starts off running for the target when a goblin snatches her mane, with a heave the goblin launches her skyward where the world spins and twirls relentlessly.
Her descent comes swift but she rights herself midair with the GroveStaff, flinching as the goblin brandishes its metal club and slams it through her hastily defended side with devastating force. Lavinia splashes across the swamp, smashing into the side of a tree with a sickening crack in her back and shoulder. Her body slides down the trunk as her senses ring away with the still spinning world, blood drips out her gasping mouth, her breath stained with its strong scent.
The bolstering effects of {Blood Rush} quickly put her back on her feet, her enemies cackling as they sprint into the thick of the forest she’s been thrown into— an indirect respite from the Trirax precise Essence Beams.
Lavinia strengthens her shaky grip around the GroveStaff as the largest of the goblins marches in, dragging the offensive metal club through the slush of the swamp.
[Level 7— Goblin]
Nothing but rags hang about its loins as it struts forward, swinging its club forward it yells the same words again, “Niak Nal!”
Two goblins surge out behind it one of them being [Level 5— Goblin] and almost as large as the [Level 7— Goblin]. Chattering, the goblin lunges at Lavinia with a wooden spear. Lavinia skirts back, leaping away from its jabs and the swinging short swords of a [Level 3— Goblin] that joins the fray. Her agile footing keeps them at bay while she commands a roaring orb of Essence to life within her free hand.
“Wave Shot!” callously swinging the unstable orb towards the [Level 7— Goblin] Lavinia catches her pursuing goblins off guard, watching with tired delight as her powerful orb erupts in a flash of blinding light and expansive energy. The explosive force delivers a nasty blow to the goblins within its arcing blast.
The thin shockwave cut deep into the [Level 3— Goblin], nearly ending it outright as it gasps for air, with its torso split open and pouring into the swamp. Lavinia sprints past its body not bothering a glance as she leaps from root to root with the GroveStaff poised. Essence coursing through her arm as she prepares to smite a dazed [Level 5— Goblin]. Leaping off a root she two-hands the GroveStaff descending with all the force of her jump, “Reais Smite!”
The GroveStaff crushes through the goblin, shattering its skull into a grotesque mess as Lavinia’s devastating blow threatens to split its limp body in two. With keen pleasure Lavinia notes how the GroveStaff shimmers and bristles, lapping up her Essence and delivering it with possibly triple her usual strength— double without {Blood Rush}.
“Rawwrr!” The [Level 7— Goblin] slams its metal club around, sending mud splattering through the air and toppling a nearby tree with a single swing as it huffs and puffs. A meaningless display to Lavinia setting her GroveStaff behind her and sliding out the dagger in her other hand. The blade shimmers to life, wispy tendrils of smog gathering around its edge.
The goblin takes a step only to fall face first into the mud right after— Lavinia stands behind it, dagger slick with blood and the goblins backside slit open like a fruit, exposing its spine and ribs. She breaths with some relief, “Crimson Blink.”
[{Blood Rush} Disabled!]
A wave of exhaustion washes over Lavinia as her use of {Blood Rush} comes to an end, push it any further and it’ll burn through the core of her Essence and leave her more vulnerable than triumphant.
As she looms over the dying goblin, bubbles ripple out from where its face sinks into the mud. Lavinia’s ears perk at the creep of a twig snapping behind her and she turns dagger first to face any challenger.
“Hey!” Seraph’s voice calls from another direction. She growls, inching away from her spot as she scans the trees for extra company.
“Stop!” Seraph calls out again, “Nope, not there. Here…oh, not there either. Hahahahah.”
Her laughter rings throughout the swamp— she’s close, so close. Lavinia sneers and taps into her diminishing pool of Essence to activate her weapons when an Essence Beam knocks her shoulder apart, shredding into it from behind and flinging the dagger out of her hand. Stifling a scream Lavinia throws herself to the side, finding refuge behind a large tree she quickly tends to her slipping left arm— without her shoulder to keep it in place only a couple bloody sinew and tendons have it still attached to her.
With her right hand she squishes her left back onto where it’s supposed to be, drowning the area with Essence and hoping for the best as her healing kicks in to high gear.
A shadow blocks out what light peers into through her tree’s canopy, Lavinia looks up and finds a Trirax hanging upside down, it’s single eye red with bolstering Essence— a beam ready to let loose upon her head.
“That’s not the proper way to tend to a wound.” Seraph’s voice whispers right into her ears this time and before she can turn to confirm the phantom, she snatches Lavinia’s arm, tearing it off completely and tossing it into the swamp.
An anguished moan passed Lavinia’s lips as she rolls over on her side, her mind boggled with the sundering agony. Seraph appears in her sight, snatching her chin from the mud so Lavinia looks up at her as she spits in her face, “There how does it feel?”
“Seraph!” A booming voice hollers out from the direction of the city. “What is this mess all about? You return and have my expensive security force slaughtered!”
The voice sends a chill through Seraph, changing her fierce glare to one of meek obedience and gait as she straightens up in search of a proper response with Lavinia scratching for an escape at her feet.
“Uh, I...I meant to get rid of the one that almost killed Jonn and I!” she yells.
“Don’t yell at me! Bring yourself and the one responsible to my feet!”
Seraph shares looks with the Trirax in the tree, it gives her a shrug and hops down. With its help Seraph hauls Lavinia through the mud, letting her blood mix and swirl with the dirt and plants.
Lazy eyed and covered in mud, Lavinia spares a final glance around, making eye contact with the curious looking Trirax clad in full robes and floating above their heads. She blinks and the soft darkness within her eyes overwhelms.