Chapter 4. Devilium. Part 2.
The first attack came from left, where a burly man swung axe, with enough force to split small tree trunk clean through. Cian dodged nimbly aside, allowing blade whistle past ear, before lashing out in counterstrike that opened deep gash across attacker’s arm, causing him howl in pain and stumble back, clutching wound.
Before Cian could recover, two others pounced upon him from either side, their own blades flashing silver arcs. He blocked attack from left side and barely avoided his enemy from right.
Cian fought on with a fierce intensity, his blade flashing through the air as he parried and struck at his attackers. Two of the bandits fell beneath his relentless assault, their blood staining the rocky ground around them.
As the battle raged on, Cian found himself suddenly vulnerable as his blade was knocked from grasp by a well-placed strike. He stumbled back, eyes wide with fear, realizing he stood defenseless before an enemy, whose weapon glinted ominously in dim light.
Bandit closed in for kill – cruel grin spreading across his faces, anticipating a kill. But just as he raised his blade high, preparing to deliver death blow, there came sudden flash of black light from behind. Lilith appeared seemingly out of nowhere, her sword singing through air before sinking deep into flesh and bone.
Lilith wasted no time finishing job started. She attacked remaining bandits, still under her Slow spell. Her blade flashing forth to strike clean through each man’s throat, sending them crumpling in heaps lifeless meat sprawling across ground, stained red with blood spilled midst melee, raging fiercely between mercenaries and bandits alike.
Cian stood there stunned, watching it all unfold before him – eyes wide with shock of realization, dawning just how close call had been for him. He noticed Hermonius body. Huge bandit was lying on the ground, blood coming out from a wound that almost cut him in half.
Three bandits tried to run away, but Lilith used Magic arrow spells to finish them. Energy balls followed slowly moving bandits and exploded their backs. Bodies fell on the ground, all that remained of her last three foes was pile of unrecognizable flesh.
Lilith cleaned her sword against some bandits clothe and sheathed it. She glanced at Cian:
– Get to work. Gather their heads. Did you forget what Arturus said. Hermonius head will bring us five hundred gold coins, and twenty coins for each of his men.
Cian’s stomach churned with disgust at Lilith’s cold command. But his master needed the bounty for completing this job and providing proof of their victory over Hermonius’ band. With a heavy sigh, Cian began the gruesome task of gathering up the severed heads of fallen enemies. He carefully laid them out in neat row upon nearby rock – each one staring sightlessly at sky above.
Tuatha Dé Danan tried hard to ignore the stench of death, mingling among smoke, rising from burning bodies of bandits killed by Lightning spell. Yet even so he could not help, but feel a twinge of revulsion, knowing full well what had just transpired here.
Arturus came down and pale face looked at Lilith.
– Stop staring, – she hissed: – Check your merchandise.
Arturus approached pile of clothe and carefully touched it with a stick.
The thing before him was a gruesome sight – clearly the result of dark sorcery gone awry.
It had once been human, but now its body was warped and contorted into an unnatural shape. Skin hung in tatters from bones ,jutting out at odd angles, while eyes glowed an eerie yellow, within sunken sockets.
The creature’s mouth gaped wide revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, dripping with some unknown fluid that hissed as it hit ground beneath them. Clawed hands scrabbled uselessly against restraints holding fast to sturdy wooden frame, keeping monstrosity contained even now, amidst carnage surrounding all sides still.
A fetid stench rose from twisted form, filling nostrils, and making Arturus gag slightly, yet unable to look away. Knowing full well, what dangers lay before very eyes here.
– Disgusting, – said Lilith: – What is it?
– You do not want to know.
Lilith shrugged, but secretly used Appraisal spell on the creature.
Lilith’s Appraisal spell took effect, a flood of information surged through her mind. The creature before them was not just twisted by Black sorcery – it had been specifically designed to spread disease and plague wherever it went.
The monstrosity carried within its warped form an ancient plague that could infect both human and demon alike with ease. Those unlucky enough to fall victim would suffer a slow, agonizing death, as their bodies rotted from the inside out, while still alive. Such things were best left alone or better yet destroyed, or they could unleash horrors upon world known to man.
– My reward, – said Lilith with cold eyes. Arturus nodded and threw her the wallet. Lilith checked it and placed it inside her Female purse.
– Take out provisions from your magic bag, I’ll take them, You place the heads inside you magic bag, – she ordered Cian. Boy nodded and did as told. After gathering the heads, they searched the bodies and gathered anything of value, including bandits weapons. Lilith looked around. She should have left one of them alive, in case they had some hidden cave, packed with stolen treasures. But bloodlust took over, and she forgot herself.
– Let us return, – she ordered. Day turned out well. She got some coins, and will get much more, once they turn in bandit heads and exchange them for gold.
With the battle behind them and heads of fallen bandits securely packed away, Lilith led her companions on their journey towards Devilium. The mountains loomed large before them, as they began to climb treacherous paths, winding up into mist-shrouded peaks above.
The air grew thin and cold with each passing hour, making breathing difficult yet all pressed onwards knowing full well that rewards were awaiting only once they finally reached destination laid bare on horizon ahead now. As days turned to weeks, landscape shifted from jagged stone forests to gnarled trees stretching endlessly in front of them. Wild creatures lurked amidst shadows there – some natural beasts, while others seemed to be twisted by dark magic. Still Lilith and her party pressed forward, Devilium and battle with fomorians was awaiting them.
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