Chapter Nineteen: The Hunt

Following the same process as the wraith oil, Ash successfully made two bronze ranked healing potions. Emitting a feint light, the red liquid looked far more appetizing than it had any right to be.

Especially due to what it's made of Ash thought with a grimace as he looked at the potion.

Still, if it really can heal us… He would happily deal with the taste.

As they trekked out to the beach, Ash found himself worried about the fight. He had no access to elar, which made him a liability.

Dead weight

“Everything will be all right, Ash.” Rosalia laid a hand on his shoulder, smiling reassuringly.

Light, but she's the one comforting me! He shook his head,

“Honestly, I'm just worried I won't be able to pull my weight.”

“As long as you're ready with one of those potions incase my guts are forcefully removed against my will, I would say there's small chance of that being true.”

Nick grunted,

“Just make sure to prioritize healing me first. Pretty boy over here could use a few scars.”

Will opened his mouth, then closed it, his face turning thoughtful.

“I've heard ladies are into scars. What do you think, eh Rosalia?” Will wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She giggled,

“They do add a little mystery.”

Will nodded,

“Then I concur. Heal the dwarf first.”

“So you're willing to be maimed and possibly die because some women may or may not think the scars are mysterious? I think the ladies also appreciate a little sense, wouldn't you say?”

Will's eyes widened.

“Oh ho! Ash Lorcan finally shows a sense of humor!”

Ash lowered his head,

“I wasn't joking,” he muttered.

A few minutes later, and they arrived

Amalia waited for them.

She allowed the last bits of dawns ember light to die out in the sky, before speaking.

“We have come to it. I will burn this locket, and when I do, the night maiden will be drawn to its destruction, and likely attack. Are you ready?”

Rosalia tried one last time,

“Must we destroy the locket? Is there truly no other way?”

Amalia stared at her, and the half-elven girl sighed, her eyes resigned.

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“Very well. Ready yourselves.”

She held the locket up in the air, a gentle breeze blowing, and then she ignited the locket in a burst of silver-white flame.

All went deathly silent as suddenly as the blink of an eye.

Then the night maiden arrived.

______

She really is beautiful, Ash thought as he stepped back, gripping his sword tight. His friends did the same, spreading out.

Nick was in the front, with Will nearing the back, raising his bow.

All weapons had been coated with wraith oil, including several of Will’s arrows. Amalia blurred and suddenly she was very far away, though Ash suspected she was still watching.

The night maiden was indeed elven, with hair like shimmering firelight, and ethereal green eyes. Her face was lovely.

She floated just slightly above the ground, her gown spun from silver light and crushed pearls.

Ash would have been in awe had he not felt a slight shiver of fear crawl up his spine.

Nick pounded his hammer on his shield, the banging echoing into the night.

“Come on then! Come get some you light cursed monster!”

That did it.

The night maiden lashed out and her hands turned into deadly, ivory claws. There was a pulse of white light and the night maiden was knocked backward.

She hissed, and suddenly Ash no longer found her beautiful. Rather, he felt certain that this was a deadly creature out to kill them.

A hiss split the air as one of Wills arrows slammed into her, cutting pieces of ethereal light from her body.

The night maiden howled, and her form rippled, ripping itself apart, suddenly Ash was staring at five Sally of The Waters.

“What?” He stated dumbly.

Amalia had not said that would happen.

Nick's eyes widened, and he banged on his shield, trying to attract attention of a few.

He succeeded, with his shield repelling one Sally, who burst apart into white light with a shrill scream.

Another lunged at Nick from the side, but Rosalia was there with her blade flashing, cutting into the wraith.

This one too, exploded into light.

That left three more, one of which took an arrow through the head. Nick and Rosalia engaged the other two, but neither of those were the real threat.

The original Sally of the Water materialized in front of Will, who yelped, trying to scramble back.

He wasn't fast enough as Sally's claws ripped through his shirt, slashing open skin like over ripe fruit.

Will howled, dropping his bow he clutched at his shoulder.

Sally's advanced, eyes luminous orbs out of a nightmare.

“Will!” Rosalia screamed, slashing through her apparition and turning toward the archer as it detonated into smoke and light.

Ash was already running, raising his sword high he struck at Sally's back before she could finish Will off.

She flickered as his blade cut away some of her form, and then vanished. Reappearing as five more shades of herself.

Ash was at the other boys side.

He was bleeding. A lot. His shoulder looked like a cut up piece of meat.

“The ladies…Like scars,” Will said weakly, his face white with agony.

Ash shook his head,

“How can you joke like this? Here. Drink.”

Ash opened the red potion he had on his belt, pouring it down Wills throat.

The other boy groaned, and Ash stared as his flesh simply knit itself together.

“That's pretty awesome,” Ash breathed. Wills flesh was as good as new.

“That's not,” Will pointed weakly behind Ash.

He turned, finding himself face to face with a looming Sally, eyes filled with hate.

Ash cursed, flicking his blade out in a backhanded slash. But the wraith had been prepared, and her form flickered, Ash’s sword passing through her harmlessly.

He cursed, whirling around with his blade, trying to keep her at bay.

Rosalia and Nick were struggling against their own Sally's.

Ash’s Sally appeared in front of him, claws out stretched to skewer him.

A twang sounded in the air and an arrow whizzed by Ash’s ear, embedding into Sally who evaporated with a shriek.

Will was sitting up behind Ash, bow in hand. He gave a weak grin.

“Light, I'm good.”

Then he fell backward, eyes fluttering closed as he thudded into the sand. Ash checked him, but he was just unconscious.

He turned, and found Nick and Rosalia delivering final blows to their wraiths.

After they had vanished, they shared a look as silence descended on the area.

“I think,” Nick said heavily, “The Light damned thing is dead.”

A shriek sliced through the night, air vibrating as Sally of the Water blazed into existence, claws held out wide.

“Does that look dead to you?” Ash said, irritated.

He raised his sword high. Sally's form looked feint. He couldn't be certain, but he felt the wraith was on her last legs. Just a little more damage should do it…he hoped.

Nick cursed, and his shield moved up. Rosalia tightened her own grip around her blade.

“Let's get this over with. I need a nap,” Nick growled.