Chapter 35
Where the Abyss Gazes Back
“…Her? You brought her?”
He doesn’t sound very pleased to see me. I guess I should’ve expected Zethran to be here as well, else I would’ve prepared something for the occasion.
Is your bloodline alright?
Why did you have to say that? Look, he’s going to kill you now. What have you done?
Curiously, the place Ranlan brought me to is a clearing somewhere in the forest, away from any of the villages. I said curious because there’s no one to evacuate here, nor is it a route for one. Maybe the evacuees are hiding on the trees. Or maybe Zethran’s face scared them off. The latter seems more likely.
Where’s the rest? I asked, looking around.
All I can see are Zethran, Douqi, Anlong, and Ranlan. Quite an unlikely group of people. What is this, some kind of secret gathering? Count me out, please.
“The rest?” Zethran asked back, accidently flashing his beautiful teeth at me.
The rest of Jade. Did you split chores or something?
He makes an annoyed groan as he looks at the girl beside me. “You didn’t even explain it to her?”
“Umm…it’s just us,” Ranlan said, turning towards me. “The rest of Jade are helping with the evacuations.”
Then why aren’t you?
“We, uh… slipped out.”
…Slipped out?
“Don’t you think the elders are blinded by fear? Someone needs to do something. The scouts are missing, even villagers are, and yet all we’re doing is helping people run away.”
Oh, I think I get it now.
So you’re trying to do something brilliant on your own.
“It’s not funny! We’re Jade, we’re supposed to be out there fighting!”
And that’s how it is. I can somehow see how it played out.
Anlong is not a pushover, but being a gentleman, he couldn’t refuse when Ranlan asked for his help. Next, Douqi’s motives is as easy to see as the center of the sun, fat chance there. As for that one…
“Hey, don’t look at me. It was her idea,” Zethran said.
Okay, sure, but why the hell would you go along with it?
So, what is it that you need my ‘help’ with?
“Anlong said the elders consulted you about the demon. Wasn’t that what why they brought you to the Hall of Elders?” Ranlan explained.
Anlong? I look at the boy in question.
He fidgets under my gaze, answering despite not being able to hear me, “Uh… my father said you encountered a demon before.”
Anmal, huh.
I seem to remember them saying it was all confidential. Of course, everyone knows nothing is confidential when it comes to family. Fucking church-bell.
If that’s why you came for me, you’re planning to go after the demon?
Tilting her head, Ranlan answers with a confident voice, “Of course.”
She’s not serious, is she? No, she is serious. That’s the kind of girl she is. And here I thought she only came to get me because I was absent from the group. To think that she actually needed my help…
“So, umm… You’re helping, right?”
…I guess I should’ve asked first.
“Eh?”
I’m sorry, Ran. I’m not helping you. Not when it’s a demon you’re after.
“Hah,” Zethran snorted at me.
…Is something funny, Zeth?
“Figured that’s what you’d say. This is who she really is, Ran. Not Jade, let alone demon-slayer, just a little bitch.”
“Oy, you─”
“Zip it, Ant-ling. I told you guys from the start, didn’t I? I told you that she’s just a little pallid bitch that only knows how to pull pretty strings. Just listen to her. Despite everything Ranlan did for her, she won’t even lift a finger to help her. Pathetic little coward.”
“That’s not true!” Ranlan blew at him, “I’m sure she has her─”
No, she’s right, Ran. And if you knew better, you’d run as well.
“I… I won’t run! If we don’t fight, then who will? This is the time to stand!”
Heh…
“What are you laughing about?!”
You always have to be the hero, don’t you, Ran?
Her face borders on confusion and disbelief when she asks, “What do you mean?”
The only reason you can say stuff like that is because you’ve never been ‘there’ before.
“Been where, exactly?” Zethran challenged.
Where the abyss gazes back.
“I’m not afraid of death,” Ranlan steps in with a hand on her chest, “I will protect the vale, even if I have to give my life.”
Yes, of course that’s what you’d say now. When you’re there, all that courage, all those ideals won’t help you. And when you realize there’s no one there to save you, only then, will you realize the meaning of fear.
I drop my gaze down to the ground, not because I’m unable to meet them in the eyes. My neck just happens to be tired.
I’m sorry, Ran. I’m not going, and I hope you won’t as well.
Not bothering to hear her answer, I walk away and let them talk into my back.
“Uh, so… she’s not coming, then?” (Anlong)
“Let the bitch go, Ran. All this is a bad idea, anyway. We should just get back to the others.” (Zethran)
“No, I’m not going back! Fay, I know you’ll come! I’ll wait for you! I know you’ll come!” (Ranlan)
I won’t go, no matter how many times you say I’ll come. There’s this thing called foreplay, you know. If you go for it right away, no one will come. You’d just go limp. Limp, as in, dead.
It’s fine if it was helping out with evacuations and stuff. But you want me to go after the demon. That’s the one thing I can’t do. Because I promised teacher.
So you’re leaving them, then?
…They’ll smarten up on their own.
And what if they don’t? Four scribes against a demon? You have more chances on beating Mentor Heartbreak in a fist-fight.
Don’t you think I know that? It doesn’t have anything to do with me.
Does it?
I’m not going. The elders have a plan. They’ll take care of it.
If you’re so sure, why did you leave the house?
I… I don’t know. I thought there was something I could do, but… I’m not sure anymore.
Perhaps, ‘he’ can help you.
Eh?
< Incoming transmission; ID, errlessLord. Establishing bipartite link… >
< Link established. >
I stop walking.
Not just walking, even the simplest act of breathing became impossible when I see that name.
Errless Lord, also known as…
…Thalvos?
< It’s me. >
What… but, why?
I am not prepared for this, nor will I ever be when it comes to him.
< The monastery will fall. Unless you want to fall with it, get out of there now. >
The monastery will… wait, how did you know where I am?
< That’s irrelevant. You don’t have much time. Pack up and get going. >
I… I can’t.
< Yes, you can. There’s nothing keeping you, is there? >
…Yes there is.
I still need her. She said she’d go with me if I get kicked out the vale, but would she go with me and abandon her home to demise? I can’t possibly ask that of her, but what can I do? Lie to her?
Even if I could, then what? She’d never forgive me, and that’ll be the end of our relationship. Just escape on my own, then?
…Can I really leave her behind, like I left them?
< Are you listening? Time is wasting, and yours is running out. >
No, I can’t leave.
< Care to tell me why? >
Because I can’t keep running forever.
< …I see. So that’s your choice. >
It is. I… I’ll stay. I’ll stay here and fight the demon.
Maybe we have a chance. Maybe, with teacher, with Douzhen, with Jade…
With everyone, maybe there’s a chance.
< Very admirable, but the demon is not the threat. >
Eh?
< There are worse things than demons in the world, Fay. Surely you know that. >
Worse things than demons…
…Like Grim.
And you. But I’m not so crazy to say that out loud.
< Yes. Like Grim, as well as what’s coming your way now. >
What…? What are you talking about? What’s coming?
< Storm, Fay. Storm is coming, and it will kill everything unless you kill the demon first. >
Storm? Wait, what are you─
< Connection terminated. >
You son of a…
Aargh. Curse you, Thalvos!
At least you know what to do now, right?
…Yeah. I guess I do. Running may be the best action to take, but when it’s not an option, the only thing left to do is to take the initiative and attack.
Well then, I’m sure I won’t regret this later.
--- --- ---
When I arrive, I am met with Ranlan’s heartfelt smile. “I knew you’d come back.”
Don’t be smug.
I return her smile, albeit missing the heartfelt part.
“See? I told you, Zeth.”
“Tch. Whatever.”
Okay, so we’re against a demon with an army of beasts, but that’s the easy part. And here comes the hard part—convincing these guys to do it my way.
Before you jump into anything, I’ll tell you this first; I will only help if you agree to my terms.
Thus, the gentle gaze of Zethran is on me once again. “Oh, your terms? You expect us to follow your rules?”
Ugh… don’t beat me up yet, please. It gets even better.
N─No, not just rules. I expect you to follow my ‘orders’. And without question.
Before the fiery door of hell could open, Douqi interrupts, “Agreed.”
“Who the fuck asked you?!” (Zethran)
“What is it? What’s going on?” (Anlong)
“She wants us to… follow her orders?” (Ranlan)
“What do you mean?” (Anlong)
We need a leader to direct the others. I’m the only obvious choice here.
“Say what?!” Zethran spat at me. He always seems to have so much to spray. Hypersalivation?
Erm… T─There’s two reasons why─
He raises his fists threateningly. “More like two holes in your gut!”
But there’s one already…
…I’m the only one who knows what we’re up against. I’m also the most experienced in real battles. Lastly, I am able to discern the enemies’ weaknesses better than any of you.
“That’s three.” (Douqi)
“What is it? What is she saying?” (Anlong)
“Umm… I’ll explain later, Anlong.” (Ranlan)
“What makes you think you’re better than any of us, you whiner!” (Zethran)
Oh? Tell me, then. When was the last time you were in a real fight? And I don’t mean those squabbles you call spars, where numbers are the only thing at stake.
“’Squabbles?!’ Okay, that’s it. I’m going to fuck you up─”
Before Zethran even took a step, two figures are already in front of me.
“Stop it.” (Anlong)
“Behave, big guy. Hear her out first.” (Ranlan)
Zethran clicks his tongue as he steps back, apparently calming down because now he asks, “And your pallid ass has been in ‘real’ fights before, then?”
I have. I was a battle slave in the first place. I had to fight to survive. Not only that, I also acquired a skill that allows me to analyze my opponents within seconds.
“…What do you mean?”
Ah, I can’t really tell them about Nexy, can I?
Let’s just say it’s a special kind of magic. Remember those spars I correctly predicted? That’s how I did it.
“That’s not what I’m asking.”
Hmm?
“No, well… you dropped a huge bomb just now,” Ranlan said.
What bomb?
“You said were… a slave?”
You didn’t know?
“No, I never... umm, sorry…”
Come to think of it, I never told anyone, and teacher wouldn’t go around telling people either. There’s no way they would’ve known.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Yes, I was a slave until recently. A battle slave, to be exact. Which is why, despite what you think, I know more about survival than any of you.
I leer at Zethran, directing that last part to him. His brows knits together as his eyes wander in thought, probably not even noticing my remark.
In that pleasant atmosphere, I continue,
Look, we don’t have time for pleasantries. Is there any objections with you following my directions?
“No.” (Douqi)
“N─No…” (Ranlan)
“…No.” (Zethran)
Huh?
Douqi agreeing may be an enigma, but you too, Zeth? Weren’t you going to throw cheap racial insults at me? I still have more comebacks prepared, you know? There’s even one involving anvils and your jaw.
No, wait. More importantly, there’s one other person here.
“W─What? Why is everyone looking at me?” the pretty boy said, clearly having no clue about what’s going on.
He’s not coming.
“Eh? Why?” Ranlan asked.
Do I even have to explain? He’ll bog us down.
“But you can’t do that to him!”
Do ‘what’, Ran? It’s not like he’s got any special reason for this. I’m sure he’s just here because you dragged him along, anyway.
“Fay, you dumbwit… he does have a reason!”
“She doesn’t want me here, does she?” said the boy in question.
No, I don’t, I nod at him. Run along, now. Shoo.
“Well, that won’t do. I’m still going with you.”
You what?
I shake my head repeatedly at him.
“That’s right, Anlong. Don’t lose to her!”
Don’t encourage him, Ran.
“I don’t care what you say, Fay. If you’re going, I’m going,”
“Nicely said! Hear that, Fay? You won’t go anywhere without him!”
Why is it about me, all of a sudden?
What do you think, Zeth?
“You’re asking me?”
Yeah. You’re my deputy. You take charge when I’m not able.
“What?! Why me?!” (Zethran)
“What?! Why him?!” (Ranlan)
I cock my head at him, not saying anything and instead just use my eyes to explain. Miraculously, the muscle-head seems to understand, nodding regretfully as he accepts the fact that he’s the “only obvious choice”.
“Tch, whatever,” he said as he looks at Anlong. “You’re right about him slowing us down. But he’s able. Don’t know shit about his magic, but I can vouch for him as a vimus. Also, despite how he disgusting he acts, he’s quick with his fists and his wit. He should know what to do.”
So…
“He’s worth it, is what I’m saying.”
…Alright.
I don’t get what he meant by “disgusting”, though.
Okay, then, Anlong. You can come, but only if you hang back. Tell him that, Ran.
Ranlan looks as if she still has questions about Zethran being my second, but didn’t say anything and conveys the message to Anlong.
The latter looks at me defiantly in response. “Exempt that from times when you’re in danger. Just allow me that one thing.”
Eh? Why would you─
“Oh, goddess’ sake, just say yes, Fay!” (Ranlan)
Well, whatever, I guess?
It’s not like I plan to be in danger. I’ll leave that part to the diehard monks.
“She said yes!”
I didn’t say “yes”, exactly─
“Thank you, Fay,” Anlong said with sparkling eyes.
…You’re welcome.
“Alright. Let’s go, then!” (Ranlan)
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” (Zethran)
“…Let’s go.” (Douqi)
“Let’s go, let’s go!” (Ranlan)
Gods’ grace, they’re acting like we’re on a field trip or something. Still, rowdy they may be, this kind of feeling is somehow… nostalgic.
Heh… those three are even more like children than these guys. I wonder how they’re doing after all this time?
“Demon hunter squad, let’s go!” the girl exclaimed.
Say what?
I didn’t say anything about going after the demon.
“Eh?!”
You don’t honestly think the five of us can take on a demon, do you?
“What the fuck are we doing, then?” asked the hulk.
The missing scouts. There may be survivors with information that can help with the fight.
That man too. Maybe he’s still alive somewhere…
“…So in the end, we’re still doing evacuations then,” he replied, snorting at me.
Yes. In the middle of their territory, so we might end up dead. If there’s any of us still alive by the end of it, we might be able to get some useful information back to the others.
“You’re already assuming not all of us is going back, then? Great speech, leader.”
Just so you know, there’s no guarantee on coming back alive.
I directed those words particularly to Ranlan.
“I know that,” she answered.
Yes, you know it, but do you know what it really means? What about your family? Who’d feed them if you’re not there?
A pained expression passes by her face, but she replies with determined eyes, “If the demon has its way, there will be no one to feed.”
…I see. How about the rest of you? This is your last chance to think it through.
“Hah. I’m just a muscle-head, anyway. Dying in battle is the only way there is. Seize your glory and all that.” (Zethran)
“So you do know you’re a moron.” (Ranlan)
“One more word from you, woman, and I swear…”
“...Demon or us. If it wins, everyone dies. I will make sure otherwise.” (Douqi)
Surprisingly, Anlong seems to understand what I’m saying. “I’m going if you are,” he said. Is he even using the same language?
All right, then. Where did you put your weapons?
They silently look at each other.
…You did bring weapons with you, right?
“……”
“……”
And so, I bury myself in my palms. I swear to gods, these idiot monks…
=== === ===
--- --- ---
=== === ===
There were no fire in the valley. No columns of smoke, no disease, no flood or anything of the like and yet, from the game hunters in the forests to the farmers of the hills, everyone is packing. Rivers they crossed and mountains they climbed, but not to escape a forest fire nor a flood. No, it was to escape something far more terrible, something that would make natural disasters seem like blessings.
Fear is apparent on each of their faces. For the villagers, that fear is ingrained from the stories they heard as children. For the scholars, the terror comes from historical evidence that showed how fearsome it can be.
Everyone knew the old tales. Everyone knew the horror.
Demons.
Monsters that could overpower entire nations. Monsters that shook the continent and caused the Great Calamity five centuries ago. Against one of these horrors, what can a single valley do?
However, this is no ordinary vale because here is where the Dracwhyr Monastery made home. Here is where the sky touch the earth, and here is where the augurs communicate with the heavens itself.
The warriors of the vale are no ordinary men.
But, they are still men. This is evident as the one hailed as the strongest drachtal now lie powerless in a refugee tent, far away from the glorious return he promised his people.
“Mentor, you idiot…” whispered the woman beside him.
Douzhen lies unconscious on one of the sick bed, meant for refugees and not mighty warriors like him. Beside him, Inzhi stands still, not even daring to touch his seemingly fragile form. Her strong, brave mentor, so strong and respected that he earned a chair among the elders, and now…
However, he was alive. That was one thing to be grateful for. Missing an arm and nearly bled to death, but alive.
According to the survivors’ reports, Douzhen ordered a retreat and bought time for his men. Some of the scouts got away— or what’s left of it, anyway. The rest are still missing, lost perhaps, though more likely inside the bellies of the beasts. For Douzhen to survive was nothing short of a miracle.
Reportedly, one of his men came back for him and dragged him from death, but that savior himself is now cold and buried, and thus there is no witness to what happened. From the bits of testimonies of the survivors, they were ambushed by an army of beasts, but the reports varied and no one knows the truth.
With nothing to go on, the elders decided that safety takes precedence. Villages were evacuated and perimeters were set.
Inzhi can’t help but doubt that decision. The elders were relying on the help of the augurs’ heavenly friends, but despite what her slit-eyed friend said, she doubted the mighty drachwyrs would come. It was against their law to directly intervene in matters of life and death, and this particular matter involves many of such.
As she lies deep in thought, a man comes running into the tent, looking haggard and out of breath.
“Karyat?” she said upon noting the man’s identity.
“Inzhi, your apprentice, she…”
Out of breath, Karyat couldn’t finish the sentence, but Inzhi didn’t need hear the rest.
Carried by the wind, she runs out the tent, running as fast as she can while wishing she was able to fly to her apprentice’s side in a single moment. That wish becomes stronger when a group of people stands in her way, shouting her name for whatever reason. She merely jumps over them and continues on. That is, until someone catches her hand.
“Let go, Karyat!”
“Inzhi, wait! Calm down!”
Thanks to that second of pause, she notices that she’s not the only one in distraught. Everyone around her is running around, their steps in urgency as is the ringing of the warning bells.
“Geomancer!” one of the refugee comes running at her, grabbing her and asking for things she can’t understand. More followed, and soon enough, she’s already being pulled around amongst the sea of people.
“Inzhi!”
She feels someone pulling her out of the mob, finding herself behind her Karyat’s protective form.
“Everyone, calm down! Don’t panic!”
Even though he said that to the refugees, Inzhi heard it as well. Now that her own panic subsided, she realizes that mass hysteria has taken hold of the camp. She can no longer hear the ringing of the bells as it is drowned out by the screams and the shouts and the footsteps of a rampant mass.
While she tries to keep herself from being overwhelmed, she steps towards the sounds and looks down the ridge at the edge of the camp.
Like a great river, hundreds and hundreds of refugees come running uphill. Parents forget their children, men leave their wives behind. The slower ones get trampled, and the smaller ones get asphyxiated. They escape the safety of the villages and camps to start dirtying their nails with an impossible climb at the bottom of the ridge. Beyond that hell, there’s nothing to be seen but a calm forest, hiding the perimeter within.
“Goddess…” she muttered, not even remembering her hate of the religion as she prays for salvation.
“Inzhi! Thank god you’re here!” a familiar voice called.
“Ginny, what the hell is going on?!”
“Beasts, thousands of them, just at the perimeter! The men won’t last long! The area beyond Falklar’s camp will be overrun soon!”
“We need your help, Geomancer!” a drachtal comes running over. “They outnumber us greatly, but if we can somehow impede their advances…”
“Inzhi, do you think you can cause a landslide down the ridge? If we bottleneck the enemies’ forces, we might still stand a chance.”
“Landslide…?” Inzhi looks down at the chaos below, her heart gripped by the greatest fear she ever felt. “You… want me to kill all these people?”
“There’s no other choice,” her friend said. That friend now looks so distant to her.
Then, before she could get away, she’s already surrounded by people spouting similar words. Elders, drachtals, refugees, they all sound the same to her.
“The people down there will never make it. Their sacrifice will ensure the continuity of the vale.”
“No one should have to do this. Inzhi, I’m sorry…”
“If you destroy the main roads, the beasts will have no choice but to go through the pass. They numbers won’t count for anything there.”
There they are, already making plans a through z while all Inzhi can think of is how her apprentice might be down there, amongst the people she’s going to kill.
I… must choose, don’t I?
Between the survival of the vale, the lives of the people below, and her missing apprentice… she has to choose.
A light rain falls as if the heavens blight her decision. She balls her hands, bites her lip and curses herself when she realizes, there was never any other option.
Forgive me…
She repeats those words like a prayer, knowing full well that there will be no one there to forgive her.
=== === ===
--- --- ---
=== === ===
“Is that… blood?”
I touch the substance and feel the texture of it.
It certainly is. Blood, among other stuff.
“W─What do you mean by ‘other stuff’?”
…The bodies were probably eaten by beasts. Stay sharp, Ran.
The two of us have been searching for some time, but we haven’t found any survivors. All we found were bits of blood and flesh, leftovers of a gruesome feast that probably happened some time ago. Was it the scouts? Was it villagers? There’s no way to know because there’s no body anywhere.
Starting to get frustrated, I look up and let the drizzle drop on my face.
It started showering a while ago, didn’t it? Even though the sky was clear when we departed, dark clouds now hover above the vale.
…Hey, can I ask you something, Ran?
“What is it?”
Have you ever seen some kind of spider beasts around here?
“What?”
They’re like spiders, but larger than hounders. They’re around this big─
…What a pale face. Has she turned to stone?
Ran?
“G─G─G─Giant s─s─spiders? D─Did you… s─see one?”
Umm, I’m asking if ‘you’ saw one.
“No. I n─never heard of… w─why?”
Are you scared of spiders?
“Aren’t you?!”
No, not of spiders in general.
If I have to say, I’m only afraid of one particular spider.
So those kind don’t live here?
“No! Giant spiders don’t exist anywhere, s─stop talking about it!”
I see.
So Lyrfanas’ swarm is the only source of giant eight-legs. Which means, if what I saw earlier really was one of them…
…No. Chances are little that it was one of Lyrfanas’. It was probably a monkey or something. In the first place, there’s little ways she could be here. I boarded a train and a dragon to get here, while the Mother only has her eight legs. There’s no way…
...Ah.
My hand is already grasping my left shoulder when I realize it.
The mark… it could be that she’s tracking it somehow, but even if that’s the case, catching up in just two months is…
No, don’t overthink it, Fay. There’s something more urgent right now.
As we make our way to the rendezvous, we keep our figures low as to avoid attention. We’ve been in the middle of hostile territory for a while, yet we haven’t seen a single beast. There’s no roar, no sound, nothing. And that’s what worries me.
Something’s not right.
“Yeah… let’s quickly meet up with the others.”
Even as I nod in agreement, my steps feel heavy, as if something is pulling and telling me to go back and search again. But I decided against that because it’s nothing but a misplaced hope—hope that he is still alive somewhere.
Not long after, we arrive at the place designated as the meeting point. Ranlan and I huddle together, hiding in the bushes while we look around. Noting that it’s safe, she then clamps her hands together to make a chirping sound, answered by another similar noise.
“There they are,” she said as the three guys comes out of their respective bushes.
“So? Found anything?” Zethran asked as he approaches us, his sword dangling on his belt, looking more like a dagger on his side.
“No. You?” Ranlan asked back.
“Nothing. There were traces, but we found no one. There were no beasts either.”
“Same with us.”
As those two talk, Douqi walks over to us, using his spear as a walking cane. Meanwhile, Anlong too has a shortsword on his belt like Zethran does.
Yes, I convinced these fist-happy monks to get actual weapons. I even brought my pistol, though at this rate, none of us will get any chance of using what we brought.
“What now?” Zethran turns to me.
…We go back.
“Go back? After all this?”
“There’s some regions we haven’t searched yet.” (Ranlan)
It’s way too risky to search that far.
“But we can’t just go back empty-handed.”
It’s not like I want that, but the longer we linger, the higher the risk of us never coming back again.
Ranlan pouts at my answer, but goes along anyway. I pat her head for good measure. Good girl, good girl…~
We start making our way back, but the walk is heavier. Even after all that, we found nothing to show for it, not even a glint of information. All we found out was that the beasts ate a lot. Definitely helps with morale knowing there’ll be nothing left of you.
And it was all my plan, too. My plan, and my fruitless campaign. We’d have been better off helping with the evacuations. Being a useful part in a useless whole is better than being a useless whole all by yourself.
-rustle-
Hey, keep it down, guys. We’re still not out of the─
“Fay!”
Huh? Oof─
Following Anlong’s voice, my face is suddenly met with the mud beneath us. I can hear the others dropping to the ground as well. I glance to my side to see Anlong’s face close to mine, a finger on his lip to let me know what’s going on.
We hold our breaths as the earth moves beneath us, vibrating in harmony with the footsteps of the creature in front of us.
Big, stout, as tall as teacher’s house, with leathery skin painted in a vibrant green. It uses four folded limbs to walk rather slowly, dragging its bloated stomach as its protruding eyes dart around.
…No matter how you look at it, it’s a frog.
Nexy.
< Identifying… >
< NXId >
⌠n□□□Δ□⌡ ┤Vim Rate├
│357│ │75%│
Σ⌠Δ□∞⌡ ┤Pull Rate├
│33│/97
Name
Akulay
Appellations
Salamander of Redshire
Species
Bufonaera, alpha variant
Age
51
< Subnex >
Name
< Unknown >
Titles
Salamander of Redshire
Species
Alpha salamander
Age
< Unknown >
Gender
< Unknown >
Mana Affinity
Beast – Water
Mana Pool
│33│
Threat Level
Category │B│
“I─Is that the demon?” Ranlan whispered.
No, it’s one of the alphas.
“Really? But it’s huge.”
Size does not make a demon, but yeah, it’s pretty huge.
“What do we do?” (Zethran)
What do we do, indeed?
This all seems too good to be a coincidence. There’s one of the enemy generals with none of the footmen around. One could say that it’s a golden chance to make a dent in the demon’s forces, but things that come too easy are, more often than not, a misfortune in the guise of a blessing. From my experience, at least.
It’s a |B|-class threat. We can probably kill it, but it might be dangerous. The horde it commands will likely come charging at us if we attack it.
“I say we kill it. One quick strike, then we escape before any of those scalebacks even smell us.” (Zethran)
“We didn’t come this far for nothing, right?” (Ranlan)
“…True.” (Douqi)
“I’ll follow whatever you decide.” (Anlong)
And that’s their opinions.
Not yet committing to a decision, I look back towards the creature to see its little bum dragging away.
Let’s just follow it for now while I try to analyze it.
And so we tail the beast from a distance, using the thick vegetation as cover. Thanks to the trail of broken trees and other accidental destructions, there’s no problem whatsoever in following the toad. So far, it doesn’t seem to be noticing us, but one slip and it might start raining beasts. There’s really no space to let up. Even though I say that…
“Come on, Fay. You’re falling behind.”
W─Wait…
It’s at times like these that I’m reminded of the gap between us. The toad may be slow, but I’m a snail. Ranlan even has to help me so that we don’t fall behind to beast. Although he doesn’t say anything, Zethran is surely snickering at me.
And Anlong… I even said that he’d slow us down. Now look who’s slowing who. I hate this.
I hate this, I hate this.
Nexy, please…
Oh, Nexy, my solace. I can always depend on you, right?
< Analyzing… >
Appellation, |Salamander of Redshire|: The gluttonous, infamous salamander that plagued the farms of Redshire for years before drifters chased it away. It is said that it was defeated after the drifters tricked it into eating poisoned meat.
Species, |Bufonaera|: Beasts that evolved from toads. Typically has a large appetite and a larger range of meal. They use their long tongue to snatch targets from afar, coating them in fast-acting neurotoxin while slowly dragging their prey into their humongous mouths.
|Alpha variant|: This variant is much larger in size, but also much slower. Their weight doesn’t allow leaping like their smaller counterparts, but makes up for it with the ability of mimesis, preferring to lie in wait for unsuspecting prey rather than hunting.
Neurotoxin and mimicry. We’re in luck. Those abilities can only be found in beasts that rely on the element of surprise. It should be weak on head-on battles, let alone being on the side that gets surprised.
I have a plan, I said to the others.
Hopefully, it’s a plan where no one dies.
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