For more than half a millennium, Amaragnum finally had the taste of having a flesh. The cracking of bones as he twisted his hands, the feeling of touch as the air kisses his skin. The taste of the tongue, the sensation of blood coursing through the veins. The nerves jolting through his brain, the very essence of what invokes magic.
Five hundred years and more, he'd lost what it felt like to have a body. But now, he was agitated, eager to unleash his obsession with the magic he couldn't conjure.
"At last, with a body like this," Amaragnum said, using Natalak's mouth.
He looks at the creature; for some reason, Natalak's eyes aren't in coordination. His left, where Amaragnum took control, stares steadily at the demon's chest. And his right eye bounces, measuring the creature's alluring form and beauty.
Unable to reach, he begins to levitate towards the demoness's chest. And the moment they've reached below her neck—
"You know, Natalak, we share the same thoughts, you and I."
Right away, Natalak's right eye, which had been staring directly at the creature's bosom, quickly retracted toward where Amaragnum was looking.
Sensing the time divergence begins to dwindle, Natalak's left arm swirls in black smoke. Then without hesitation, he plunges through the demoness's chest, ripping out the crystal from her flesh.
"Yes, yes… with this I can regain some portion of my power." Said Amaragnum, eyes teeming with hunger.
Landing on the ground, and like a hungry wolf, Amaragnum didn't wait any further as he extracts the crystal's energy. Unfortunately, the ancient entity was far too arrogant, too confident.
"What the—"
Like a burning-hot iron, surging with electricity that glued itself to his hand. Even the claw gauntlet of elvish steel was slowly devoured by the crystal as Natalak felt the screams of the demons and devils enchanted into the razor whip.
Now the one who eats was the one being devoured. Somehow, the crystal shifts its hunger at Hackrash's marking. Glowing—and like strings drawn toward the crystal, Natalak felt like his skin was peeling.
Natalak screams in agony, as does Amaragnum.
Fear and panic set in; the two in one body tried to shake the crystal off, whatever ideas they had, but even hammering it into the ground didn't help.
"Cut off your arm!" Amaragnum suggested.
"Damn you!" Natalak replied, punching the crystal in hopes it would fall.
As every ounce of their life, magic and whatever they held were slowly sucked by the crystal, Natalak thought of something… pulling the purification strapped to one of his belts. He battered it against the crystal, releasing clouds of holy mist that slowly engulfed both himself and the crystal.
"I-I think it's working!" Natalak said, pulling another bottle, then another, until the crystal came free.
"You trying to kill me!" Amaragnum said, affected by the holy essence.
Nevertheless, the crystal kept draining both their energy and life even after it was detached from his hand. As Natalak began to lose consciousness, Amaragnum teleported them away, but not before firing a malevolent beam of dark energy that shattered the crystal.
Denied from obtaining his goal, Amaragnum retaliated with destruction. A petty, spiteful act, born of frustration. And in their absence, time returns to normal.
Upon which the time divergence faded; the demoness was still able to stray alive. And with her eyes that sees through indiscernibility, she saw Chifya kneeling more than fifty meters from where she was.
Panting and shuddering, she felt the sense of relief that Hackrash's mark on Natalak was no more.
Sensing danger behind her back, she lunged her legs away from that spot before the demon could stake her heart.
Unsure what had happened, the creature's chest oozed with dark blood. Oddly, the demoness paused her attack—
"Ah… the daughter of twilight." The demon said, her voice echoing as they circled each other. "I had seen your dream, Cihandar Feythiran Vishariin… I had seen but a caged, chained bird who desires the open sky."
"It's high time you return to your realm, demon," Chifya answered, unsheathing her blades.
The demon giggles. "I can see it in your eyes, mortal. And it's a desperate desire… All you have to do is ask what you wish, and it shall be given."
Chifya scoffed. "If you know what I seek, then it's quite the irony that you give. Please, freeing a caged bird only to be chained in a different cage."
"My dear, we are already bound by desires and such the moment we are born. Are we not?" Laughs the demon. "I am giving you a better offer—"
"Enough! I tire of your useless words!" The half-elf shouts, dashing toward the demon.
The creature stood, and when Chifya was ten meters away, she swung her spear with great speed. Like dodging an elusive fly, the half-elf managed to avoid the attack.
Before Chifya could make her move, another attack came. The demoness's blows followed one after another, spinning like a blade in an unbroken chain. Even though Chifya merged into the shadows, the demon could see through her mantle.
The demon laughs. "Is hiding and evading all you do? How fitting, given how you keep running from becoming a priestess."
Second, the demoness pauses her assault. Chifya moves faster than an arrow, faster than a bolt, and slices through the creature's right upper arm. She then strikes at the demoness's neck, but the serpent lady thrashes wildly, leaving only an inch-long cut in her throat. Fortunately, that single cut from Chifya's blade was enough to deliver a potent venom, and like acid, it slowly eats away at her blood.
"THE CRYSTAL! WHERE'S THE CRYSTAL!" The demoness screamed in agony, in desperation.
Enfeebled and without the crystal that fuels her, she scrambles in search of the half-elf.
Thirty meters from the creature, Chifya wheezes heavily. Her vision blurs as her shimmering white hair slowly loses its colour.
"DON'T YOU RUN AWAY FROM ME!" Shouts the serpent lady, and, with her spear pointing straight at Chifya's back, she hurls it with malice.
Vision blurred, and muscles trembled from the exhaustion of overusing her elvish blood. Her senses had still not abandoned her. Not just her wits, but the call of the realm whispers to her of the incoming attack.
The trees, the unseen creatures of the Echoes, voice in her mind, prompting her to evade the attack.
Chifya twisted aside at the last possible moment. The spear grazed her shoulder, nicking the side of her leather armour before the spear could impale itself on the earth. Then a sword was thrown, propelling its way towards the elf.
In a gamble with death, she mustered her remaining strength, drawing out her elvish blood once again. Twenty seconds before her power was depleted, it was enough for her to evade the incoming swords. And when the last sword was thrown at her, Chifya flung her blade.
At that moment, Chifya's blade plunged into the demoness's lower throat. But she too was struck by the serpent's attack, slicing through her left-side abdomen.
"Serve—"
Before the demoness could continue, her injuries began to spread. Her chest split open as dark blood poured out from the gash, mingling with the blackened flesh that began to soften and collapse. Her once-beautiful features twisted as corruption spread across her neck and face. The skin around her jaws loosened, and her once-delicate fingers began to lose shape, melting into a foul, glistening mass. Melting her scream.
Like fire eating away at dried grass, the creature's flesh slowly slumped into black ooze, until she was no more than a puddle of dark mire. Then, the puddle of mire began to move, as if seeping from the ground, but the abyss was merely reclaiming her remains.
On the other hand, the half-elf fell to her knees, hand holding the deep laceration, trying to stop the blood jetting. But unfortunately, her blurry vision worsened until, without her knowing, she collapsed with her eyes still open as her life faded away.
Cleansed and freed from the corruption of the abyss that lingers in the realm of the Echo, the spirits that were driven away return. Some appear as animal-shaped mist, while others are human. Some take the form of flying fire, while others are made of light, like shooting stars they are. And in their return, they slowly swarm Chifya.
In the darkness she was, her flesh turned cold. A faint speck of light appeared and slowly moved toward her frozen soul. Then another appeared, then two more, then another, until it became a hundred or more. And in their appearance, their light soon banished the darkness as too it warms her soul and body.
…A few days later…
In darkness, a voice echoes.
"I understand." A familiar voice said. "I'll see through it when my companions have fully recovered."
"Hmm… Then we'll wait for you at the nearest guild branch at the stronghold." A different voice, rough and old-sounding.
Immediately, a vortex-like sound erupted, then silence followed. Warmth filled the air, and the sound of crackling fire came from nearby.
After a few more hours, Chifya opened her eyes. She scanned left and right without moving her head. Strangely, she was surprised to find herself on a bed. With a quick glance at the nearby window and saw it was all but foggy and drizzling rain.
"Ah, you're finally awake."
Chifya searched for the person and, frankly, it was Sheila. Understandably, Chifya remembered the dream—the illusion—but the room she'd awakened in was different, and so was the weather.
"Is this another dream?" Chifya looked at Sheila with a hint of doubt.
"Is Natalak here?"
Sheila shook her head. "You were the only person that we've found. There were no signs of Natalak, only your blade."
"I-I see." Chifya said, shifting her legs; frankly, she frowned, alarmed by the changes in her armour.
"Oh, forgive me. I took the liberty of changing your apparel. There were few women, and they are mostly attending to the people that you rescue, and I don't have any magic about altering apparel and stuff or the other healers."
"Ah, it's fine—no need to worry about it. If anything, food would be nice."
"Wait here then, I'll go get you some food." Sheila nods with a smile and quickly goes to procure some food.
After Sheila leaves, Chifya, still doubting whether this is a dream, wanders the room. Checking for any signs of illusion. Until she remembers the mark. Too, she could still remember the vivid memories of her near-death experience, though this wasn't the first for her.
"Strange…" She whispered, hand clasping her chest. "The mark on that idiot. I don't feel a thing?"
Shortly after, Sheila came in with a plate of sliced roasted meat, a spice-filled stew, and half a slice of bread.
"What of Sei and the others?" Chifya asked, while still munching her food.
"They're at the church, helping with the healers."
"I see."
"And…" Sheila said hesitantly. "The guild sent a summons."
Chifya stayed silent, and after swallowing her food, she nodded.
"They want an interview at the nearest guild branch there at the stronghold border."
"I've read your letter. And this interview, is it regarding our past mission?"
Sheila nods. "I was told that it had some connections with Endregar's own investigation."
"And what about Natalak? Is he summoned too?"
"Not really; I just told them that one of our comrades needs a few days to recover."
Chifya nods and carries on with her meal. Letting silence linger in the room.
Once recovered and with no quest to pursue from this village, the two headed towards the church. And upon entering—
"So, finally managed to sacrifice that man?" Ugvar implored, right after Sheila left to inform their companions.
"And what of it? Did you perhaps get attached to that man?" Chifya gave a scowling look.
"Hmm…" Ugvar rubbed his chin, boldly measuring the half-elf as if mocking her. "Maybe, but not just him, but also the person standing in front of me." He added, slowly smiling at her.
Unsure what the orc was pointing at, Chifya crossed her arms and stared at him, asserting a mellow expression. Shortly after, their needling ended when Sheila and her companions arrived. Needless to say, Sei and the others caught a glimpse of their affairs.
"I'll get the teleportation ready," Ugvar said.
With the adventurers now standing in the teleportation circle, Chifya looked away so the orcs couldn't see. And very soon, they were sent to the stronghold, but not before Sheila gave a bow to the orcs and his servants.
Once their were gone.
"Ah, what an interesting destiny." Ugvar chuckles before leaving the chamber.
In the Southeast of Dolvadish, at the border stronghold.
"May I ask, Sister Chifya?" Sheila said as they were heading towards the guild branch. "About brother Nata—"
"He left." Chifya interrupts
Sheila hesitated for another word, but then mustered the courage to speak.
"Are you going after him?"
Chifya hesitated to answer, but after the guild's door opened.
"I've set aside the chase for now. Perhaps it's better this way."
"I see—"
Cutting off their conversation, a man in noble clothes and with a respected posture greets them.
"Good day, esteemed adventurers. Apologies for interrupting your conversation, Madam Sheila and Lady Cihandar Feythi—"
"Chifya, just call me Chifya, if you would. And drop the formality; we have a long day to follow, as my companions need their rest." Chifya intrudes.
The man nods. "Understood, Madam Chifya. Then I shall guide you to the meeting room, only you, of course."
"Me? Why only me?" Chifya said, raising her left eyebrow.
"Yes, your companions had already been subjected to the interview. Thus, they are no longer needed for the consultation and are free to take their rest."
The half-elf sighed. "Fine, show me the way."
"Ahem." The man cleared his throat. "Code of Etiquette, Article III, Section 2. All adventurers summoned for an official interview, or consolation, shall surrender their weapons or items before entering the designated chamber. This regulation applies to all ranks regardless of their status, reputation, or affiliation."
The man paused, allowing the words to settle before continuing.
"This measure exists to ensure the safety—"
"I got it, I got it." Chifya interpreted with a faint tone of annoyance. "Here." She continued, handing him all her items and weapons.
"Your weapons shall be kept in our custody and returned once the interview has concluded. Now, if you would." The man nods, still maintaining his composure.
"We'll wait for you here, Sister Chifya." Sheila grabs her hand.
Chifya smiled and slowly followed the chamberlain.