Chapter 17: Carnifect Knowledge

"You clean up alright don't you?" Luna was leaning against the wall across from the bathroom as I exited and I experimentally flipped her my middle finger. It was impulsive, the kind of playful insult I'd pull on my friends back home that might have terrible connotations in this world but It was too late, I was committed. "Is that more of your Candle-Magic?" The jab was playful but it was a good one. I clucked my tongue at her. "Nah, its a way of saying fuck you without having to say it out loud. Looks like your Sister told you about my magic then did she?"

Luna just grinned at me. "You bet she did, she wouldn't shut up about you honestly. No, don't get too full of yourself, she's been with way more handsome men than you, that's not why she's all fluttery. Sure, they didn't ask their parents for another date with a girl who reads more in a day than they'd done in their lives but she still knows her worth."

I shook my head. "If she knows her worth then that means I should be even more honored doesn't it"

Luna let out a little huff, still wearing the same leathers she'd worn on our trek to Croftop but probably smelling better than I did even now due to what I assumed was magical perfume. "Oh please don't tell her you feel honoured by her. Did you even tell her about one single book you read? I asked her about it and she doesn't seem to remember anything past you saying "I love reading" and her immediately getting all dreamy-eyed."

I snorted. "Are you done teasing me and your lovely sister yet or should I wait for Ranyai the Butcher to skin all of Croftop and set the resultant monsters on us first?"

Luna copied my earlier hand gesture. "Did I do it right?"

Yep, that was her middle finger alright.

With only a little more banter Luna led me to a utilitarian-looking room where three travel bags of gear had been set out on a long, oak table. "Mum had the guards scrounge up what they could, we're going to stop in on the way through town and get some Chandling tools for you as well." I looked in the first bag and saw throwing knives, rope, grappling hooks, lockpicks, rations and several other useful things packed expertly into place. I reached for the second bag and saw mostly tomes, scrolls, ink, clothes and wands of black and caramel coloured wood. Luna continued talking.

"Mum said we can bring anyone we want to, but I think it's best if the three of us go alone. If these demons truly are as dangerous as you say they are then our guards will likely be torn apart. Victoria is the weakest of us at 3rd level but she's still twice as tough as Karl was in his prime." Her face momentarily darkened with guilt or anger as she realised Karl's prime was well and truly behind him now that he'd lost an arm in an attempt to save her.

I held up a hand. "Whoa, whoa, we're going to hunt the Butcher right now? And Victoria's coming with us?"

The door swung open behind me and Victoria spoke for herself. "I am, I'm untested but I know more about Carnifect-type demons than anyone else around here and I've got a few spells that should be useful in a fight."

I wanted to protest, to say this was insane, that I couldn't be doing this. But this was the whole point of my second chance, I was here to make a difference, to do something with my life and the simple fact was, I had the ability to make that difference. I had been blessed with the role of an adventurer and so the three of us had a responsibility to live up to it. So I did the right thing, I pushed down my sanity and let myself get swept up in the hunt for a demon-butcher that was slowly recovering power somewhere in the woods and caves around the Croft-Lands.

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My own bag had contained a lot of candles, a pair of oil lanterns with flasks of spare oil and a real variety of ingredients that included herbs, chemicals I didn't know how to use, powders and gels.

Selene had given us time to talk before we left town and in that time Victoria told us that a Carnifect was a type of demon that converted deceased foes and even unlucky allies into shock troops by butchering the corpse and reanimating the various parts in symbiosis with another creature. Hence the skin-wolves we'd seen earlier. "What happens to the meat then?" I didn't think I'd like the answer but I needed to know. Victoria beamed at me like I was a star student but averted her eyes when Luna made it clear how obvious she was being "Vishaya's hairy tits Vicky, tell him about the meat, don't treat him like it."

That got Victoria to blush but she still gave a good explanation of what a flesh golem was, apparently a Carnifect could either create those or alternatively it could feed the butchered byproducts of their work to another living creature, binding the imbiber to their control in a similar manner to the skin-wolves. The key difference was that instead of creating a new creature when the original died the Carnifect would increase the stats of the base creature while causing it to suffer from visible demonic corruption.

"Corruption is usually very easy to identify, unnatural eye colours and shapes, horns, scales, unnatural abilites, open festering wounds, it all depends on exactly what type of Demon Ranyai is, since he sounds like a particularly warlike specimen though I'd have to guess we'll see open wounds, combat-capable horns, claws fangs and spines."

After that there wasn't much more to do, we grabbed our respective bags and made our way to the Chateau's front doors. There we were met by the Lady Selene and a one armed man who Luna awkwardly hugged, trying not to hurt the slightly older looking man, late twenties but not yet early thirties if I had to guess. Victoria smiled even more awkwardly than Luna hugged and I waved like a dolt. "Karl, I assume." Karl gave a deadpan glance at his arm and confirmed my guess before turning his attention back to Luna. Selene held out her hands palm up and revealed a pair of items for Victoria and I.

"Your Fathers Ring Victoria, it kept him safe for many years, woven with an enchantment that can turn steel and claws though not indefinitely or perfectly." Victoria slipped the proffered ring onto a slender finger where it briefly glowed with a benevolent green before settling into its natural silver, a small pearl was set in the band and a few characters in a language unknown to me were etched around its circumference.

"As for you Jack, while my husband's other magical items were locked to the warrior classes. My own are universal, since I am a classless noble after all." Selene slipped a bracelet from her wrist and held it out. I gently took the proffered band and clasped it around my own wrist as it adapted in size to accommodate my larger forearm. "Bracelet of the Fist. This bracelet is enchanted to allow the wearer access to telekinetic skills while it is worn, any levels gained in telekinetic skills are retained when the bracelet is taken off though these abilities can no longer be used until the item is reequipped. Once per day the user can cast Psychokinetic Ram as if their skill level were journeyman"

I felt my eyes widen and made no attempt to hide my gratitude from her. "Thank you, I imagine you would like this returned when Ranyai is dead?"

Selene shook her head. "I have never been the target of an assassination, never needed to use this item nor is it likely that I ever will. You should imagine that i would like my daughters returned alive however." Her tone was dry, semi-serious but filled with the pain of a mother who knows she cannot and should not help her daughters with their current task.

"I wish there was more time for ceremony but you are all aware of how critical time is at this moment." Selene almost seemed like she would be able to leave it there, keeping up the appearance of a serious, icy-sensible noblewoman who was able to stand apart from her emotions. Instead she pulled both girls in for a hug that seemed almost natural and at least hitting lukewarm levels of visivle affection. There was no mistaking the genuine love in her voice though, i heard her clearly as she whispered in their ears. "Your Father would be so proud of you both, please come home safe."