Chapter 158
The Fire of Revenge Rages
Fire.
All-consuming. Ever-flickering.
In good times; it provides warmth in cold nights and safety from the night creatures.
In bad times; it could devour forests and turn everything you cherish into ashes.
Illumca had never understood why she was gifted with the affinity for fire. Even when she was first kissed by the gift. Even so, it had always been with her, in good times, in bad times.
But that was all. She did not feel the need to understand. She never tried to understand.
It was only after having experienced Cultivation Deviation and hurt Connie did Illumca began to really try to understand fire in its all-consuming glory. Knowing that the clue to the location of those who betrayed her had only fanned the flame.
At nights she would stare at the fire of a candle for hours on end while others slept. Watched it flicker, struggling to stay alive until the wick ran out and the fire died with a quiet tremble.
Thus, she began to understand fire.
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After downing two bottles of Mana Potions, Illumca began to recite a verse in ancient Elvin language. It sounded beautiful, flowing like a natural river despite her awkwardness. However, she was interrupted by a cutting attack that dug deep into the stone floor, sending debris and pieces of pebbles into the air.
Though she managed to roll away safely from the attack, the added pressure of Merida’s new limb made it harder for Illumca to evade her attacks. Small wounds accumulate on Illumca’s body. And with one moment’s lapse of concentration, she was caught by a swipe of her hand.
“Finally caught you, you little bitch!” Merida laughed triumphantly as she squeezed tight and brought Illumca up to face her.
“Now, I can finally erase the final obstacle to Istia with my own hands!”
Then, the monstrous Merida realized that even after being caught, Illumca did not stop mumbling to herself in Elvin language, whose words she could only barely recognize due to its age since it fell from use.
“What are you doing? Why are you still able to look at me like that?!”
“…med khayah nur,” Illumca spoke, licking the blood leaking from her lips. “Nur-Ar-Rahu!!”
When she announced her spell, Illumca’s body glowed white hot. So hot that Merida’s hand could not hold onto her anymore.
Illumca rose into the air, and hundreds of runes written in ancient Elvish script appeared out of nothing.
Merida unconsciously took a few steps back. All her instincts told her that she should not be hit by the Spell. Only then did Merida realized that she had been separated far from Hanad and that she was at the very end of the Research Chamber and that the only way to escape was being blocked by Illumca.
“There is nowhere for you to run, Merida. I lured you to this spot for that very purpose. And now…you will burn.”
Illumca raised her hand. At that moment, yellow flame bursts violently out of the runes, striking everything in the area. Merida, whose body had become so large, was ample target for the Spell.
“AAAGH!!”
The scorching pain that hit her flesh caused her to recoil. The ground that had been stricken by the flame kept burning underneath her, and she had to switch between her legs as they were burning, making it look like she was dancing.
Illumca watched as Merida danced a dance of pain and madness. She watched her scream; at first in hate and anger, but gradually turning into begging for mercy. Not once did she laugh; not once did she smile. She merely watched until the Spell ran its course and the screams turned into muffled moans.
Then, Illumca made her way through the remains of the chamber, still burning hot. Even though fire licked her skin, it did not harm her.
Illumca looked at the large body of the Deathbound Husk that had been charred black and gave its leg a kick. It instantly crumbled and its torso fell onto the ground.
The thing that used to be Merida looked at Illumca with fear. Her tears had dried out from the heat and her hair had been burnt into nothing, leaving a charred scalp.
However, strangely enough, Merida’s torso and face was still soft flesh, as if untouched by the fire.
Illumca cupped her hands around Merida’s cheek gently.
“Do you know? Human bodies burn surprisingly quickly; but you won’t burn as quickly. Because I can control how hot and how fast my fire can spread. Such is the power of Nur-Ar-Rahu.”
She smiled.
“How does it feel? The pain of having your body burn and char. The smell of blackened flesh entering your nose; a pain so powerful and excruciating that it ate at your mind?” Illumca said with a loving voice. “I want you to feel this pain. A pain resembling what I experienced when your poison took its root in me.”
“S-spare me…” she let out a moan of pain, too exhausted to say anything else.
“Spare you?” she let out a small chuckle. “There is nothing left of you to spare, Merida." she forcefully turned Merida's face to look at what was below her waist. "Look, even as we are talking, your body is turning into charcoal; my fire still hungers for your body.”
“I – I can tell you…where your mother is…!!”
“Speak, then I might consider keeping you alive,” Illumca said as she took out a bottle of Potion. “This might heal you enough to keep you breathing.”
“She is…with my daughter…in the Demon Capital…under Ged-Abinadab…” she pulled in a struggling breath. “…I can…get you there…!”
“I see,” Illumca said.
“Then…!”
Without saying a word, Illumca poured the content of the bottle onto the ground.
“Y-you…promised…!”
“I promised that I’ll consider it. And this is my answer,” Illumca spoke with spite. “There is no salvation for you here, False-Tongue; only death. And at this moment, it is mine to give at my discretion.”
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With that, the fire that had been kept at bay by Illumca’s will, now began to crawl onto Merida’s torso. The slight relief she had was replaced by renewed pain.
“Rest assured. I will send your daughter to accompany you in Sud-Ghazid soon.”
“AAGH!! Curse you!! Curse you!! AAARGH!! Nakir-Sud-Mara takes your soul!!” she screamed curses through her burning throat. Repeating them again and again until her voice became hoarse, until she was gone.
Reflected in the eye of Illumca, the horrific scene stirred a sense of fulfillment in her. However, she knew that this was only the first step. For there was still work to be done.
Yes. So much more yet to come.
Unbeknownst to Illumca, this action of hers had changed something within her. But at this moment, she was too preoccupied to notice.
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At the same time Illumca and Akula were fighting against Hanad and Merida, Connie and Martell had made their way through the Demons guarding the Main Chamber of Bet-Zebek.
Behind them and all around them were corpses of the Demons who were standing in their way.
As Martell retrieved the swords from the bodies of his victims, Connie was looking at the large stone door, wary. The door itself was nothing special, save for the fact that the faces on the reliefs of what seemed to be Goddesses – evident by the bountiful bosoms and long robes - had been scratched so badly, one could not see who they were.
She could feel the ominous presence coming from within. The smell of rot and the distinct smell of old burial sites.
Suddenly the giant door opened, as if inviting them in.
"So, the mastermind is inviting us in,” Connie commented.
“Careful, Mistress. This might be a trap.”
“Oh, this is definitely a trap,” Connie replied. “Nevertheless, he had invited us in. It would be bad manners to reject. Come along, Martell.”
With his Mistress bravely entering the mouth of the proverbial danger, how could he not follow? So, he did.
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After they entered through the door, all they could see was a stony path, illuminated by a few candles placed strategically along the path. Martell’s fur straightened when he saw the mounds of skulls and bones piled against the wall. He was used to seeing dead people by now, but the sight of such things still disturbed him.
After a few steps in, Martell’s ears twitched when he heard the sound of the heavy stone door closing behind them.
And then they heard a voice that brought to mind of old gravestone and long abandoned caves.
“Well met, dear…guests.”
The thousands of candles within the chamber suddenly lit up and they could finally see the figure of the Demon called Bet-Zebek. Sitting on a throne of stone, the Demon – enrobed in kingly garment and headdress of some old, forgotten religion - dwarfed them in size still.
The unusual appearance of the Demon, whose eyes were teeth; whose mouth were rotten and crawling with maggots caused Martell to take a few steps back with horrified expression. Connie could not help but be surprised by how far the Demon looked from what she knew. How vile and unpleasant the Demon before her looked. She stopped her urge to vomit and began to speak.
“So, Mister B. Finally, we meet.”
“There is no Mister B, human. I am Bet-Zebek the Bone Eater. Ur-Nagud of the Bereaved Dead Banner. Mister B is simply a persona used to create order within the chaos that is the underbelly of your town,” the repulsive creature said from his throne, his eye sockets opening and closing with clattering sounds. “Of course, you know this – “
Before he managed to finish his sentence, Connie had already jumped towards Bet-Zebek and unleashed a deadly Energy Blade at him, but it met a resistance by an invisible wall. The wall shimmered white where it was hit by the attack, before disappearing once Connie’s Energy Blade dissipated.
“Mistress?!” Martell shouted in surprise at Connie’s sudden attack.
“It’s useless. The Barrier I’ve erected is strong enough to withstand attacks of even an Ur-Kulak.”
“Evidently, you’re the kind of Demon that use their heads,” Connie said as she landed softly onto the floor. “I hate that.”
“Hah, and here I thought we could have a conversation, before I snuff your life out like these unfortunate warriors around us,” He gestured towards the many skeletons strewn around the main chamber. “Look at them. These are warriors from all the Races, that have fallen in this Dungeon. Men, women, beginners and veterans. All of them died because they dared to challenge the unknown. Risking everything for that one chance of riches beyond their wildest dreams. Dreams, without the brains to actually think about how to achieve them realistically.”
“But you are different. I’ve heard the reports. The rumors. Now that I see you in the flesh, I see that you are someone like me, who – as you say – use their heads. I’ve underestimated you, seeing as you have the capability to destroy something that I have been working on for a long time…in barely a week. It was quite…frustrating.”
Connie chuckled as she picked up one of the skulls from the mound. “Oh, I dare not take the full credit. After all, it was thanks to your underling that I managed to glean your purpose.”
“It was a mistake to trust an inferior creature. It is a mistake I will not do again. I suppose you are all only fit as food. After all, we are superior to all the Races that exist in Grea. Just as humans feed on cows and pigs, it is only right that we feed on you.”
Martell was perturbed by the callous way the Demon spoke of eating his kind and was about to say something in return, but Connie stopped him as he threw the skull she was holding across the room where it joined another pile. “That does make me wonder,” she asked him “Why do you eat humans? Why do Demons not eat other things? Cows have meat, just like humans. So do fish and pigs.”
“…Intriguing. No one has ever asked me that before,” the Demon tapped his chin, “In fact, I’ve never heard of any one of the Races ask any of us this question,” he chuckled through his half rotten mouth. “This, I can answer. It’s because the flesh of those of the Races are abundant in Mana.”
“Why not eat monsters then? Their bodies contain Essence Crystals that contains Mana,” Martell asked, trying to make sense of Connie’s choice to converse with him. Despite his urge to throw up from the subject of conversation, his curiosity won out. From all thee books he had read about Demons, they always said that they eat the Races, but they never said why.
“We Demons are unable to digest them. Only the flesh of the Races contains enough Mana to sustain us. The only problem is, you see, unlike your cows and pigs, humans are capable of fighting back. The effort to gather food compared to its rewards are high risk with low reward. Therefore, I proposed to Maluk Sedi Ged-Abinadab a plan. A plan to create a human farm.”
“In which you chose Greyvault…as the place of your trial,” Martell’s eyes widened when he began to understand the implications of what the cruel Demon was talking about. And the massive changes to the dynamics between the Demons and the Races that will happen were it to come into fruition.
“Yes, it is one of the most remote places in Calendia. And most importantly, one with enough population for me to work with.”
Drugged and unable to fight back, humans will then be reduced to nothing more than cattle, ready to be slaughtered at their whim. Though Martell had just a little understanding of morality, what he just found out made him shudder.
“But do not despair. As you will not be able to see how Grea will change once I return to Yamulnakhat.” The Demon sneered the only way someone without skin could.
Suddenly, Martell fell onto the floor, his body was losing strength. Connie too, fell to her knees. “Y-you…what did you do to us?”
“Ah, you see…the reason I entertain you with this little conversation is to allow the poison to spread inside you. Odorless, colorless. This is a poison that can paralyze even an Ur-Kulak,” Bet-Zebek raised his arm. “By the blessing of Nakir-Sud-Mara, I gift you the envy towards the living! Arise once more to serve me, until your thirst for carnage is filled! Raise Undead!!”
Black smoke expanded from Bet-Zebek’s body and scattered into the mounds of skulls and bones. One by one, the bones connected to bones. Deceased warriors raised their arms once more, thousands of them.
“And unlike you, my soldiers here do not need to breathe,” the Undead Demon laughed at the two figures struggling to stand up.
“I…I can’t…” Connie coughed.
“M-mistress…!”
“…I can’t…believe…” Connie then stood up with a chuckle. “I can’t believe you tried to poison me! Me! With such a weak concoction! I am offended!”
“What?!” The sudden turnaround took Bet-Zebek by surprise. “Did the poison not work on you?! Nevermind! You will still have to face my soldiers!”
“Chen, take care of Martell!” Connie shouted.
The slime quickly slip out of Connie’s sleeves and covered Martell in its gelatinous body.
Connie took a deep breath until her diaphragm almost touched her back. She then opened her mouth wide and vomited grey colored fog that crawled across the floor with great speed until they enveloped the skeletons.
Once the fog dissipated, the skeletons seemed to not have been affected by anything and kept walking towards them with weapons at ready.
“You fool! Whatever you did, it did not work on my soldiers!” Bet-Zebek laughed. “Attack, my skeletons! Show them despair!!”
But his gloating suddenly turned into surprise as the skeletons who had taken a step suddenly had its front leg crumbled at the slightest movement. This was quickly followed by another and another.
Bet-Zebek had to watch his army instantly crumbled into white dust. Whatever bones that were left whole were as brittle as chalk.
“#822,” Connie said as she licked her lips. “Bone Dissolving Poison. A staple for all hidden business,” Connie commented as he rubbed her cheek. "You've been flaunting your Undeads so many times, do you think I won't have prepared myself against them?"
While Bet-Zebek was still digesting this sudden turn of events, Connie’s blonde hair began to turn red.
“Now, it’s my move!”