PAIN VS GRUNGIR
After a bout of training the next morning, I ventured outside above my lair to enjoy a moment of fresh air and take in the view. Looking over at the town, I squinted—something was off. It somehow looked bigger?
I reluctantly dismissed my familiars and flew over to scout the town. With the speed of my flight, I arrived at a perfect viewing distance within an hour.
My heartbeat accelerated as I scowled in frustration—dozens of Fire Kingdom wagons, noted by the famed hell-horses, surrounded both town entrances. Who was here? Who led them? How many were there? My mind ran amuck with questions, and I yearned to find out.
I glanced at the guards suddenly moving around on the scaffolding; one of them could surely see me. I bolted into the sky, high above the clouds, before returning to my lair. I needed to know, but first, my meal of Blades was waiting for me within the southern plains.
Back within the border of my lair, I took my training outside. I wanted to test out two-handed casting and was worried about my lack of control. The last time I used Lesser Sun inside, I nearly caved in the Chamber.
According to Raw Teaching of Magiks Vol. 1, this was called dual casting—using two mediums of near equal strength to cast one spell to further increase its power but also increased control difficulty.
When night came, I welcomed it with a great sacrifice of deer, rabbids, and wolves. From their corpses, I brought forth three black arachnids, three cave arachnids, two blindinus, one hawk, and one caballus.
We marched south, my familiars slaying and feeding off any fiends or animals we ran into. Wolves howled in the distance as we passed by the tower. Distant laughing resounded in the darkness as we passed the camp's ruins. Finally, we turned southeast towards the low mountains, and my familiars bolted after newly discovered fiends—lagardientes; oversized red lizards glowing from internal lava-breathing chambers. They usually lived underground and only came up to cool off or drink water.
They spat fire at my familiars but were mostly cowardly creatures and turned tails just to be caught from behind and ripped apart. We trudged up a steady slope towards the woody hills, discovering more lagardientes—dead. They were certainly slain by the Blades—left to become meals for my familiars.
As we got closer, I saw several slightly burned trees, and further in front of them were fallen trees. My hawk alerted me to activity and movement at the base of the mountain. I took a deep breath as I understood the signals—a camp of tents surrounding campfires. Seven gents ambled around at its center, and four more were patrolling the edges of the camp. The four were spread out to the south of the camp. Their fortifications were made of layered logs and stone. A lit cave entrance at the rear was wide and tall enough for a bison to fit through.
One of the patrolling Blades, second from the west, took notice of my hawk resting within the tree and began to fire at it with his bow and arrow. I was about to call my hawk back, but an idea came to mind. The other patrolling blades and the gents at the center of the camp were too far to take notice of the Blade shooting at my hawk—either that or they did not care too much.
I slowly led him away from the camp as he focused entirely on my hawk. Once he was a couple of feet from camp—deep into the woods—I allowed him to land an arrow. He eagerly rushed towards its landing spot—a trap—where my three black arachnids pounced on him before he could utter a word.
I crept into the woods, pulled out the arrow from my hawk, and allowed it to take a bite out of the slain Blade before sending it back into the air—not a single Blade took notice of their missing counterpart. I wondered if this ploy would work again and ordered my hawk to taunt the first one from the west. He simply stared at it with slight amusement and soon noticed his counterpart to his right was missing.
He slowly ambled over towards the spot carefully. To my dismay, he called over to the other patrols and the gents at the camp's center. They all began to converge at the camp's south point, and I took advantage of the situation.
I swiftly moved west and around them. I snuck into their camp and caught more Blades snoring within the tents. I hid behind the barrels and wagons to the left of the cave entrance. The Blades were still converging and discussing something I could not hear. With Petty En Sight, all I saw were Archers and Warriors, with two Blades having Archer/Warrior classes.
Eventually, one Blade went out south in search of his missing counterpart. Meanwhile, I gathered mana into the ground below me, directing it towards the mouth of the cave. My familiars pounced on the unlucky Blade sent out to search, but unfortunately, he was able to let out a scream of terror.
The Blades at the camp fanned out, two to each post, leaving one to wake up the Blades within tents. Their number increased from nine to fourteen, though their classes were all Warriors or Archers.
Neither of them decided to investigate the woods; they all stood still, waiting for whatever lurking within the thicket to come out charging. And so I made it happen, ordering one of my black arachnids to charge in—
BLADE
Arachnids!
He shouted and swung at my black arachnid, but my familiar stopped mid-charge, turned, and fled back into the woods.
BLADE
Somebody warn the Captain!
Half of them volunteered and charged toward the cave.
BLADE
Not all of you, ya dumbasses!
And before the closest one could enter the cave, I unleashed my mana, causing three sturdy walls of hardened dirt to explode from within the ground and block the entrance.
BLADE
What the fuck is going on!?
My attack was not done yet; I pictured the same Earth technique I used on Ignoc—Earth Spikes—I spontaneously named it and spread my mana throughout the camp. Like a stampede of buffaloes, the ground rumbled, and sets of earthly spikes erupted one after another, splitting the camp in half.
I leaped out from my hiding space and charged the right side while ordering my familiars to take on the left side. In their disarray, I effortlessly slayed three Blades with Dominion Authority before avoiding arrows fired at my skull. I Quickstepped up towards an Archer and jabbed my claws through his face. I grabbed his body and used it as a shield to deflect another onslaught of arrows.
My sword flew around, catching the remaining Archer off guard through his back. The remaining two Warriors turned tail, but I telekinetically pulled them back—one broke free with his Willpower while the other fell prey to my Fire Blade through his back.
As I Quickstepped after the last one, I questioned if these Blades were even fit to be called Blades. I was a single vampire, and Blades were meant to hunt cursed creatures. But then, Clifford, Mac, and Bone came to mind. Clifford might have stood a chance, but even he and the others were far weaker than me. But, they were Vampire Knights. Was there a part of my immortality I was overlooking that aided my rapid growth in power?
And just then, the Black Knight, Eldritch, and that Sword Master Solid came to mind and put the thought to rest. If any one of those monsters were here right now, I would have been forced to flee.
Focusing, I chased after my prey and conjured a Water Sword. I repeatedly lashed out water blades through the back of the fleeing Blade, causing scorching mana burns. He spun around to attack with a howl of conviction. I materialized my staff and let out Lesser Sun, incinerating him instantly.
I exhaled and faced my familiars, who were done long before I was. A sudden boom echoed from the cave. I looked over as another boom echoed into the night. Those Blades in the cave were hammering away upon the earthly walls, but with what?
I brought forth two forest arachnids and sought to use their size for defense. I positioned them in front of the cave entrance while ordering my cave arachnids to climb around and hang from above. I summoned two blindinus, three Slashers, and two Defenders and had them stand ready in front of the forest arachnids.
Another loud boom echoed, and I thought out loud to myself,
PAIN
Why am I waiting for them?
I rushed the walls and placed my staff onto it. I caused spikes to form on the other side of the wall. Afterward, I shattered the wall, sending the chunks forward with Lesser Push. My Slashers and Defenders charged in. I scanned the bodies inside as quickly as I could—Grungir, Kinan, Demolisher—charged me and swung his Iron Warhammer +2.
My sword flew in, and as we collided, a spark flickered from out the hammer before an explosion ripped outward, hurling me back. I bounced off the ground and began tumbling, unable to catch my footing. I called my sword and used the momentum of my tumbling to grab hold of it.
I hovered upward, just at the roof of the cave's entrance, and eyed the red-haired Grungir who gave chase, his (Health Aptitude) Iron Puri Chest Plate, Petty Health Regeneration glistened in the moonlight with every turn and evasive dash he made.
His face and choice of weapon annoyed me—pitch-black skin with claw-stripped gray patterns across his face. He reminded me of Eldritch, but unlike her, his body glowed constantly with Willpower, and each of his blows put a dent into the limbs of my forest arachnid. He was agile enough to dodge poisons from my forest arachnids—almost—poison blotted his bare hands, and he glared at me with his red pupils as if I deliberately poisoned him.
As for his other Blades, they were being slaughtered by my blindinus and Slashers. Their blows did nothing against my Defenders. I flew down, and as I touched the ground—
GRUNGIR
Calamity!
He smacked his hammer against the ground before him, causing it to explode with lava beneath me and my forest arachnids. But I was quick to counter, squatting down and covering the ground beneath myself with Water—turning the lava around me into puffs of steam and dirt.
Signals bombarded me from my forest arachnid as they were set ablaze by the attack. My cave arachnids dropped down and gave chase after the fleeing Blades. Hmph, his fellow Blades either fled or were slain, leaving him to defend himself alone. He slammed his hammer into my blindinu, shattering its head. I approached him, washing my forest arachnid in Water as I neared. They shrugged off the mana burn and gave chase after the blades, leaping over Grungir, who attempted to flee deeper into the cave.
He turned, glaring at me with pure hatred.
GRUNGIR
You fucking cow! I'll kill you!
I remained silent. Stashing my staff, I commanded my sword to return to my hand. This gent was tough, and I needed to be careful. If more Blades like him lingered within the caves, I must be ready to flee at any moment. I should poke this beast before me and understand his movements.
I swung my sword, shooting blades of Fire at him using my sword as a medium, but they were flimsy flames that had no effect on his Willpowered body.
GRUNGIR
Pathetic bitch.
He growled as he readied his hammer.
I swung faster as I approached, and the second he leaned forward to move, I multicast Earth into my swing, sending bolts of hardened dirt to crash into him. His balance waned, and I lunged for his neck.
He swayed backward, spun, and swung his hammer—I flipped over it, landed in a crouch, and swung at his armored leg. It was as if I attempted to slice into a tree trunk. His hammer came down, and I Quickstepped slightly to the right.
A spark—I Quickstepped away from him moments before his hammer caused an explosion. He gave chase, Quickstepping after me, and I easily dodged his wild heavy swings—refusing to parry any of them because of the explosion.
GRUNGIR
Impulsion!
He struck his hammer handle into the ground while a bit away from me. I was shocked when I felt a strong force draw me into him.
GRUNGIR
Ten Gongs!
I let go of my sword, allowing it to fly in for a parry. I quickly formed a shield of gelatinous water around my arms as the weight of an elephant rammed into me. The blow was devastating, and if not for my layers of protection, I would have surely lost my arms to that attack.
Still, the explosion hurled me back into the cave wall, knocking the air out of me. I fell to a knee, both arms weak and shaking. Grungir leaped after me, hoping to finish me off—my sword flew around and collided with his chest, glancing off his armor but pushing him away.
GRUNGIR
Ya nothing without your minions, ya pathetic whore!
He bellowed as he took a moment to catch his breath.
GRUNGIR
Who are you!? Were you sent by Murphy? Did that bastard send a cow to kill me?
He raised his hammer into both hands and took a step toward me.
GRUNGIR
As if I, a gent, will lose to a damned cow.
VOICE
Grungir!
I looked over at Kratos, Kinan, Warrior/Hunter/Scribe sprinting, his dual axes in each hand and seven gents at his tail. Hmph, they got around my arachnids and familiars.
GRUNGIR
Stay back!
He shouted.
GRUNGIR
You can count on me to end this bitch's life!
I stood, the feeling of my arms returning, and I materialized my staff. I commanded my sword back into its sheath. Despite having poison in his blood, Grungir was quite resilient. I felt Kratos's glare travel up and down my body as I stared Grungir down.
KRATOS
Vampire!?
Grungir and I glanced at Kratos. Grungir took another look at me and finally took notice.
GRUNGIR
You...
His face lit up with realization,
GRUNGIR
The poison—ya were the cursed whore that killed Jobe, weren't ya! And Perkins!
His visage was tinged with a trace of hurt and rage. He was perplexed, and I seized on his ire with a soft smile.
PAIN
Perkins? The liar? He was gent, was he not?
His grip tightened around his hammer, and I squinted at him,
PAIN
You guys are not the Silver Blades, are you?
He spun his warhammer with ease as he circled me.
GRUNGIR
I am Captain Grungir Warsong of the Iron Kingdom Legends and the future king of the Iron Kingdom.
He stopped in front of Kratos and his gents as if to protect them from me. Hmph...
GRUNGIR
And I will avenge my gents.
He growled.
PAIN
Good luck.
Shouts and commotion echoed out from behind him, and he whipped around. I pounced on his distraction and sent my sword for his head. Amazingly, he responded by materializing a medium steel helm upon his head just in time.
PAIN
That was some fine reflexes.
I uttered.
My forest arachnids had sprayed poison upon Kratos and his gents from behind. They seemed to have no clue how necromancy worked.
KRATOS
Don't worry about us Captain!
Grungir Quickstepped at me,
GRUNGIR
If I kill ya, the rest will fall.
And he swung down his hammer at me.
BLADE GENT
Kratos behind you!
Kratos, an idiot who wore no armor but robes, was such an easy target that I could have killed him several times with my sword alone. Instead, I used my staff to Teleport behind him and stabbed him through his back with a Fire Blade. I thought he had some form of magic, so I brought out my staff, but he did not.
GRUNGIR
Kratos!
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
His cry was as bloody as my hand as I ripped up through Kratos' body. The remaining gents came at me, but my sword left its sheath and sliced at them.
GRUNGIR
No!
He shouted in pain and charged at me—I swung my staff, blasting him into the cave wall with Telekinesis. The remaining blade gents still attempted to come after me, but I Quickstepped away from them and allowed my familiars to keep them busy.
I watched Grungir recover and cover his body in Willpower.
PAIN
Was he not a gent?
I taunted, gesturing with my staff, and his anger exploded in a single word—
GRUNGIR
Bitch!
My sword, which I held out of his line of sight behind me, was radiating with heat across my back.
PAIN
If I am a cow and if you are killed by me. What does that make you?
He raised up proudly, his body glimmering with a faint aura of Willpower.
GRUNGIR
I am King Grungir—
He Quickstepped—
GRUNGIR
King of Iron—
—and my sword, heated to an insane degree, sang through the air and sliced through his right shoulder. He tumbled mid-sprint and bounced along the cave floor before resting on his back just before my foot.
My sword returned to my hand, and I cooled it with water before sliding it into its sheath. Grungir sat up and grabbed at his shoulder in pain. The sight of his right arm, warhammer, and a trail of blood in front of him sapped his will to fight.
GRUNGIR
I am... King Grungir.
He squeezed at his severed shoulder.
GRUNGIR
Seventeen more years...
He whined in pain. He stood, his back towards me, as he staggered to his severed arm. My familiars were long done slaying Grungir's gents and stood by as we watched Grungir's sorrow unfold. He lumbered over to Kratos' ruined corpse and fell to his knees.
GRUNGIR
Seventeen more years, Kratos.
He sobbed softly.
GRUNGIR
I am King Grungir!
A wave of Willpower came over him, and he pounced to his feet.
GRUNGIR
And I will fucking kill—
My charging Defender bashed him across his face, sending him back down to his knee—face to face with one of my black arachnids.
It pounced at his face, stabbing into his sturdy skin repeatedly before he shoved it off. His jaw was broken, his eye pierced, and blood oozed from his neck, but despite the beating, he gathered up more Willpower and rose to his feet.
GRUNGIR
No!
He turned,
GRUNGIR
I must live!
He declared, attempting to flee from the cave.
GRUNGIR
The queen will not go unpunished!
He limped past me.
GRUNGIR
Murphy will not go unpunished!
His face scrunched up in anger, fear, and pain as I watched him go.
GRUNGIR
None will go unpunished!
My black arachnid gave chase, rolling after him, and just as he was about to reach the exit, my black arachnid leaped out from behind him, spinning into the air before slamming into him—giving him a deadly hug.
My mouth fell agape in horror as my black arachnid's webbing thoroughly and efficiently sliced through his armor and body—I was not expecting it to cut into him so quickly, let alone his armor. It then squeezed harder, reducing him into chunks of limbs and flesh. Was there anything it could not slice? I shivered—I would never want to run into a wild black arachnid after witnessing such power. Never!
Grungir was the only Blade to put up a fight; the rest—despite their numbers—were weak and cowardly—not that I blamed them. If it were me, I would flee as fast as I could. Additionally, I would not be so dumb to flee further into the cave. Was there another way out? My arachnids and remaining familiars were still hunting them down within the cave's tunnels. If there is another exit, I will find out sooner or later. I spent some time draining blood from the nearby slain Blades.
At the entrance alone, dozens of them were dead before me, and I quickly noticed, compared to the Blades I hunted outside in the wild, that these Blades were fairly young—some were boys as young as thirteen years old. And I also saw that every one of them was a gent.
I shrugged and began to haul the bodies together. Midway through my labor, my familiars noted a few kinans that posed no threat. They were fleeing toward the exit, and I stood, sword at the ready for them.
As my eyes came upon the two ylguens dressed in bloody rags, my body was far from ready as blood bolted into an erection, and my mouth fell agape. They stopped in fear before me, and I clenched my jaws. Then, pretending to scratch my neck, I scratched hard into my skin to calm my lust.
I quickly scanned them and read Sakura, Lady, Ylguen, Cook and Ino, Ylguen, No Class. They embraced each other, sobbing in fear between my menacing familiars and me.
PAIN
Who are you two?
I asked.
Sakura, her rose-colored diamond eyes, glanced at me, but before she could utter a word, movement shuffled from behind them.
I gawked as a naked, Dihn, Gent, Kinan/Ylguen, Cook escorted another poorly dressed ylguen, Hinata, Lady, Ylguen/Kinan, No Class toward us. He spotted me and leaped in front of the two ylguens, his fist up, ready to brawl.
I grimaced at his mutilated genitals and his fat, milky-colored stomach with black swirls spiraling out toward the rest of his body. His body was riddled with wounds, cuts, stabs, burns, and bruises.
They kept coming, two more naked mixed gents, five poorly dressed ylguens ladies, and four young naked bains covered in so much hair, it made no difference.
These mixed-race individuals were a rare sight indeed. But I had to put that aside for now as Dihn's hazel eyes, shadowed with a tiny hint of sickness, glared at me through the hazel strands of his unkempt hair.
DIHN
You guys run for it!
He charged at me, and I telekinetically forced his head into the ground and pinned him there.
HINATA
No, please don't kill him!
She cried out, stepping forward, but Sakura pulled her back. By the gods... these ladies were goddesses, but I had to restrain myself.
PAIN
Try this again, who are you lot?
I asked again, even though I had a strong clue.
DIHN
We're from Raycon Village.
He garbled from the dirt.
DIHN
Refugees.
PAIN
Refugees?
I lifted him up, and he spat out dirt.
PAIN
From what?
DIHN
The war. The Neorine War.
He coughed and straightened up. I averted my eyes from his nakedness. Despite being part ylguen, he was a horrid creature to look at.
DIHN
Raycon Village gladly accepted us.
I was about to respond, but one of my cave arachnids was sending me an unclear visual—I figured the area around it was dark.
I raised my sword at Dihn,
PAIN
This wilderness now belongs to me.
I glanced around, my eyes holding on to the bains, who showed no hint of resistance. Dihn grimaced in pain and frustration. His hands balled into fists.
DIHN
We were hunted down by vampires!
He wailed.
DIHN
Lost our homes! Our second home! And then nabbed by that fool Grungir—
PAIN
I could not care less!
I bellowed, shutting him up as if I would care about his story. I had my own problems to deal with.
PAIN
If you do not want to be at the mercy of someone else. Pick up a sword. If you do not want to fight.
I stepped aside,
PAIN
Then keep running.
I glared at him until he noticed the hint. He eagerly gestured his lot to follow him, and they slowly advanced toward the exit. Sakura hung back and faced me. My Petty Interference tingled.
SAKURA
We're just going to die out there.
She whispered softly, but I simply glared back at her.
DIHN
Sakura! Let's go!
If she was attempting to use her beauty to court me—
SAKURA
Can't you help us?
DIHN
Sakura!
I anticipated her asking that stupid question. My fangs edged out further as I clenched my jaws and tightened the grip on my sword as the memories of Sora, Hugo, Nines, Clifford, Mac, Bones, and Locness came at me like a storm.
PAIN
What makes you think I would want to help you?
I asked through my teeth. She backed away, and I Stashed my sword.
PAIN
Do you not see what I am?
I shouted, brandishing my extended claws and fangs. She took another step back, and I took a deep breath. She finally turned and followed her lot outside.
DIHN
—in damnation is wrong with you?
My hearing picked up. It was not her; it was that damned thing that I knew was a curse.
SAKURA
I don't know, he seemed—um, I don't know.
DIHN
He?
Faith wants to give me someone to care about every year, just for them to be snatched away. As if I would let it do that to me again. Positive they were gone, I sat before my bloody pile of Blades. My breathing shook as the thoughts of those I could not save continued to torment me.
I slammed my fist into the ground and telekinetically ripped off the armor of the closest Blade. As I began to siphon off his blood, the enticingly thick and sweet flavor of their blood pushed out the annoying events that had transpired.
Skills Acquired:
Petty Night Vision
Petty Sound Vision
Petty Blood Control
Petty Blood Manipulation
Passives Acquired:
Petty Danger Sense
Petty En Reflexes
Petty En Scent Detection
Actives Acquired:
Spell: Blood
Vampor Increased:
Lesser Night Vision(1%)
Lesser Sound Vision(2%)
Lesser Blood Control(2%)
Lesser En Scent Detection(2%)
Lesser Danger Sense(2%)
Lesser En Reflexes(1%)
Lesser Quickstep(3%)
Lesser En Stamina(10%)
Lesser En Strength(10%)
Lesser En Hearing(11%)
Lesser En Sight(11%)
Lesser Heat Vision(3%)
Lesser Interference(21%)
Lesser Body Control(14%)
Petty Mana Sense(40%)
Petty Day Vision(16%)
I thought the amount of vampor would never stop. But once it did, the thought of Clifford and Mac came to mind and how they barely drank blood on this scale. By the time I was done, I had gained a heap of vampor aptitude, and my familiars had scouted the entire cave. The arachnid that sent me the hazy image still awaited me.
I made my way toward it, but not without testing out Blood and Petty Blood Control. I was able to cast Blood using mana and noticed it was no different than Water until I began to solidify it—it became hard as iron, and with Petty Blood Manipulation, manipulating the form of blood took nothing but a thought—swords, mallets, hammers, shields, claws, and even armor.
Going a step further with Petty Blood Manipulation, I could heat the blood, turn it into bloody mist and back, control the rate of my blood, increase my regeneration, and slightly heal my familiars. However, my arachnids did not have blood except in their eyes and skulls.
Unlike my other casting spells, I could cast Blood and use Petty Blood Control to command it with my mind and body gestures alone. And the blood that oozed out from my slain victims also succumbed to my control.
I directed the blood of the slain Blades to assemble into my raised palm as I walked through the lit tunnels with a soft grin. Of course, my ability to control blood paled compared to Dominion Authority towards the point I still had to put in a bit of thought and body gestures to get the blood to do what I wanted. My range of absolute control was also limited to roughly three feet around me—noted as I could keep the orb of blood floating by my side without a thought.
Continuing down the tunnels, the walls were lit with torches nestled in sconces nailed into the cave walls. Beneath the torches were barrels of vegetables, crates of clothing, and plenty of pull wagons.
I arrived at the point where the cave was divided into four tunnels, a spacious area cluttered with desks, tables, shelves, a board displaying a map—identical to the one Perkins had—weapons racks lined with swords and halberds, and... iron puries? Distracted, I rushed toward a pull wagon lined with roughly chiseled iron puri bars.
I saw more wagons at the mouth of the fourth passage, just past the wagon where I was looking. Petty Danger Sense began to tingle at the back of my skull. I continued into the dark passage using Petty Night Vision and Petty Sound Vision. With Petty Body Control, I muffled my steps so they would not obstruct my vision. My nostrils perked up, and I caught a whiff of a peculiar scent—a musk—that seemed to be pointing me in the direction of my prey.
Petty Danger Sense intensified—a Blade was hiding—and with my enhanced reflexes, I clawed through the neck of the hiding Blade with such precision and speed he barely uttered a word. Bruno, Gent, Kinan, No Class, Eighteen held a dagger above his head as he fell out from within the crevices of the wall, and with his death, Petty Danger Sense quieted down.
I took another look at his corpse; I could see people's ages and sex now? Fascinating. I stepped over him while commanding his blood to converge and add to the floating orb of blood. Moving past him, the passage led slightly deeper, up a gentle slope and into a gigantic clearing filled with scaffoldings, supports, shabby stairwells, pulleys, mining equipment—
As I stepped inside, my mouth dropped open. The number of levels that spiraled up and around the clearing as I cocked my head upward astounded me. Numerous wagons carrying crates of shoddily cut iron puries were parked to the right of where I was standing.
I sucked my teeth,
PAIN
Perkins is fucking liar...
As if they were all here to seek out a dumb rich gent. They were clearly here to exploit this cave, and by the looks of it, they were here for several months, maybe even years. Grungir was spouting off crap about becoming King. He was far too weak to become a king. But, I believe they may have recently sought to explore the wilds, and since Perkins knew of Oralath's name...
I shrugged,
PAIN
A good thing I lied.
I turned to leave.
PAIN
Nobody deserves my honesty. Not anymore.
Back at the cave's bifurcation, I moved in the direction of my cave arachnid. I crept through the first tunnel lit by a lone torch and came across a double wooden half-door. I squinted at its crude etchings, "You fifteen boy?" Bewildered, I moved on through the wooden half door, and a wall of rotten stench hit me. What in damnation did my cave arachnid come across? If it was leading me to where the gents shat... I might need to get rid of that arachnid.
The cave walls widened briefly, and a sconce was nailed low against the cave wall, revealing a dead naked lady upon a bed roll. Cinderel, Kinan, Tailor, Thirty-Two—her face recently beaten brutally. I clenched my jaws and peered forward.
I continued, fully aware of what I was going to see. I passed two more slightly spaced-out openings containing no dead ladies but soiled, dirty bedrolls.
Though I had mentally prepared myself for this, I was unprepared when I finally reached the end of the tunnel. This was disgusting. Rude and insensitive. Over fifty naked dead ladies laid before me in a pile, brutally beaten, stabbed, or mutilated.
I stepped forward and realized I was wrong; the area was actually a dugout, and the pile doubled—
PAIN
How could they leave bodies like this?
I grunted as Petty Scan filled my head with their names and ages. I spotted bain and ylguen ladies and reluctantly pulled them out of the pile with Telekinesis. I instinctively wiped my hands on my robes before summoning them as my familiars and quickly desummoned them.
Active Acquired:
Summon: Undead Bain Ritual
Summon: Undead Ylgu Ritual
I backed away from the pile and directed my familiars to exit the cave. I eyed one of the young girls, her skin pattern closely resembling Locness, as fire ignited within my palms. Tears formed, and I heated them away.
Hmph... and I thought I was an animal. I lobbed the orb of fire onto the pile, and once it began to burn, I crouched down and conjured a wall of earth to enclose the area. I took a deep breath and sat against the wall, allowing my mind to wander.