The baby began crying immediately when I scooped it up, but stopped as soon as I dropped it in the offering bowl. It seemed to know exactly where it was and calmed down in an instant. The other babies had rushed after me, like adorable little cotton balls with tails trying to stop me from taking their friend. But they didn't come any nearer than six feet away from the bowl- and watched, like it was some kind of important ritual.
As I had no time to study them and figure out the odd behavior, I let it go. The baby walked in circles in the small bowl and eventually sat down, turned around and bit off its own tail. But it didn't bleed. It was like it was some kind of dry twig instead of an actual part of its body.
Baby Encrova flocked around the bowl and then followed the one without a tail as it leapt down to the ground and sat in front of a section of the stone wall.
What happened next was the most magical damn thing I'd seen since that grow box built itself right outside my apartment window.
A blue line drew itself from about four feet up, down to the ground, on the stone Hillock. When the stone began to melt away in favor of the blue light, it slowly formed what looked like an arched doorway. The Encrova bolted inside and... well, I followed my instincts.
And nearly fell down a set of stairs as the door magically disappeared behind me.
Figured the door was going to close, maybe... why didn't I foresee it closing behind me and hesitate for a second? I didn't usually just act on instinct, but when I did, it was usually in times of crisis. My brain probably thought of the whole cleansing task as something I had to do, or I would be in danger. My brain does that when I feel something is 'important'. Well now I'm sealed up in a stone hole in the ground, in the dark-
I took out one of my spellcards that I'd stored in my inventory- and a spoon. Ripping the card, I then curled my fingertips around the spoon head. And it began to glow with... REALLY bright light. I'd only practiced this with normal items, so I didn't know if it would be brighter in a gem or something. I just knew when I used metal or glass, the light got brighter.
The Spoon had to be held above my head, so as to not strain my eyes. But it allowed me to slowly walk down the steps without tripping and falling.
Only problem is, I have a... thing with stairs. I'm fine with going up them, for as long as anyone wants. But going down... is different. I can see how far below I can fall, when I look down a set of stairs.
Eventually I had to sit down and slowly work my way down the steps that way. Because the Vertigo was just too much. It was hard standing anyway, as the opening and this tunnel were only four feet high and three feet across. Sitting at least meant I wasn't bending down. I had to move quickly to get to where I was going before the deadline, so I ended up kind of sliding down the steps once I'd figured I could. Just straightening out my legs and lying back was enough to have me slowly but surely sinking down further into the dark... cave? Pit?
Thankfully, I only went somewhere between thirty to fifty feet down. I wasn't good at estimations in measurements, but I imagined things by their size and a Shipping container is at least thirty feet, right? That's about how far I went. When I hit the bottom, it was a bit confusing for a moment, because the baby had run ahead. But I could hear something splashing. So I investigated.
Walking through the weird maze-like underground was actually pretty easy for me. Sound may bounce around, but I could always tell which was the real sound, because it was clearer and sharper. Same for double vision. I never really understood why people couldn't tell which one was real. Unless their head had been so messed up they couldn't aim at the real thing even if they did know where it was. It was one of those things my mother told me made me a freak.
She'd say it 'lovingly' like 'My Little Freak' but it never really made me feel loved. It felt like a way she could insult me that everyone else would see as kindly, so if I got upset about it, they'd blame me.
Such resentment
A voice whispered in the dark as I got close to the sound of the water. It was dying down now, the splashing.
Come and evolve, child. Seek out the source of your resentment. Have your revenge.
I felt something, but it fuzzled against my brain. Like drinking soda with your forehead?
There is no need to fear, child, I will make you powerful.
What the hell was she talking about? I thought it was a she, at least. Could've just been a man with a high-pitched voice... or some kind of creature. So I readied myself to call for my burning knife. "Who are you?"
I didn't shout it, like an idiot. If it was speaking to me, it could obviously hear me. And I had no idea what else was down here.
I am the Guardian of this Grove. You do not carry the blood of the murderers. I will help you.
That sounded ominous, but also like the kind of lore you'd find in games. If the System had thought ahead and 'modified' these dungeons so that the creatures or people in them would have some method of being talked into nonviolence, that'd be horrible, but much better for both of us.
"I don't want to kill you," I said. "I came to heal... your injury."
I have no injury...
"It was inflicted upon you by the murderers," I improvised. "You don't know it's there. But I can heal it."
...what is the injury?
I figured they'd come to the conclusion of me coming here to purify it. Which was bad. If it didn't want to be purified...
"There are gaps in your memory that you are unaware of," I said. "I can restore them to you."
Yes... I fail to remember... many things.
Everyone does. I figured I could just convince them that they didn't remember not remembering, but real memory gaps... made it easier. "I promise that once I'm done with my ritual, you will feel much, much better."
Keep your promise and I will make you powerful... and if you don't, you will be horribly cursed.
Right.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
I breathed slowly and walked down the final hallway, slowly drifting toward the water sounds I could hear. It wasn't splashing anymore, just the ebb and flow of tide.
And when I finally entered the Grotto... I was a bit bewitched. I can admit the sight arrested me.
There was a tree in the center of a small island in the middle of a great lake. And I was irritated, because that probably meant the tree was the center of the goddamn grove. And so I stepped forward and waded into the water. Promptly, I discovered that the water went all the way up to my chest. "Ugh," I muttered as I moved forward. "I hope my armor holds out."
I could see the menu pinging with warnings that I was about to be cursed in a few seconds, because my armor would fail and the curse would touch my skin. Absorb in. I ignored it, climbed up on the island and promptly downed a curse cure. They were sold for like fifty coin a pop, but we had enough for three per person because the Guild put up some money for both myself and Carlo. The clearing of the 'dungeons' themselves would bring some benefits to the Guild, either way, after all.
I saw in the shared inventory, that someone had left a note. I plucked it out and it basically just said 'if you're still alive, tell us what's going on', but... I didn't have time for that. So I just left the Note out of the inventory, so they'd know I'd read it. I'd send them a message afterwards.
The kit was easy to pop open and set up, straight out of the inventory.
What is that!?
The voice sounded agitated and pained. It could probably feel the purifying energies. "My apologies. But like most types of healing, a bit of pain is necessary. Lancing a boil requires a needle, after all."
It was fairly easy to slip back into the persona of the person I'd been in the first few years after leaving home. When I thought my power to manipulate people would bring me riches enough to never go back home. When I felt angry at the world and everyone in it.
I don't want to hurt. The voice was quavering. I hurt so much already!
"Don't you want the hurt to stop, forever?" I asked. "I can heal this one injury for you, and that will stop the hurt from that injury. I don't know if that's all that's paining you, but... we should at least try, no?"
There was silence, so I continued setting up the kit. It was an openable table, with everything already in place. You just had to drop mana or mana-filled Flectors into the center, where an offering bowl of sorts was etched. It was like one of those chessboards you could open up and store the pieces in.
Slowly and methodically, I took out six Flectors and placed them carefully in the center. And since I knew this entity was probably going to panic soon and demand I stop... I said the incantation as quickly as I possibly could.
It wasn't any language I'd ever known before, but the voice knew it.
NO! I DON'T WANT TO BE PURIFIED!
But it was a bit late for that. Even as they screamed and tried to fling some kind of magic beam at me, I was just jumping back into the water and swimming my way across. Usually an incredibly stupid move, but staying near the tree would've been a mistake. So I had to choose between two shit options.
The purifying light was overtaking everything already, there was no way to stop it. But...
A root of some kind wrapped around my ankle and dragged me down. I'd anticipated they might be able to do something like that, but... I was not calm. I tried to be. But drowning is a recurring nightmare of mine. Even if I thought they'd be purified soon... and that I wouldn't be down under long enough to drown, my body began to betray me.
I shook, I felt weak. I can't swim up to the surface like this!
The darkness was closing in around me. I didn't have good lung strength. I was going to be forced to take a breath soon. It might've been logical to learn to swim better and hold my breath longer, if I was afraid of drowning, but... I never thought I'd have to swim again!
Damn those fucking Eldritch Bastards to hell!
And then abruptly, the world shifted around me and I was being pulled harder, harder. I had no idea how deep the water was-
But my head broke the surface. Albeit... upside down.
I coughed and dragged in breaths, thankful that I hadn't inhaled much water as I was coming up. I was surprised, so there was a little. It burned but as long as I didn't get pneumonia-
Oh, the voice was back, but it had a warmer cadence. Before, it was sharper. It wanted to harden me into a weapon. My rescuer. What boon would you ask for purifying my Grove?
I was able to slowly crack my eyes open and blinked heavily until she came into view.
The tree wasn't there anymore.
In its place stood a woman more beautiful than any I'd seen before. She had pointed ears, but her skin was green, so she could've been anything from an elf to an alien, but... I was betting on Sylvan, since it seemed she was wearing a flower petal dress and had green skin. Her hair... it defied explanation. It was inky and black, but sparkled like the night sky. And her eyes were the clearest blue of pure, clean water.
image [https://64.media.tumblr.com/f2bc267294c67b340c497d2360738630/40631b7c95feae0c-03/s1280x1920/d5d13e3112449c97abe942ccde39af44dc8da896.jpg]
"Uh..." I coughed. "What... what do you mean, boon?"
Oh my, she said with some amusement, her eyes glimmering with hidden depths. Did you not think about that, before you came?
"We were trying to avoid having to kill any more Encrova," I said.
Her hair flickered and twitched. Oh... my poor, beautiful children. They shouldn't be a threat any longer. But you must want something... surely?
"I... suppose you have a nature or healing domain?" I asked. It was awkward hanging upside down to talk.
I do, she said. Do you require healing?
"I was thinking more... can you make something for a healer?" I asked slowly as my blood rushing to my head was distracting. "My sister is still a child, she could use all the help she can get... the world has changed. Did you notice?"
Just now, she replied. The Elder Beings have rearranged things again.
"Again?" I asked.
She smiled.
And then the dizziness intensified and I felt myself hit the water.