I don't remember my dreams. No, rather, I hardly see them. Somehow it so happened that, most of the time, the only thing I see while I sleep is solid darkness. I close my eyes in the dead of night and open them on a sunny morning, full of energy. Sometimes I really wish that my brain would come up with an interesting night viewing for me, so that I would plunge into the realm of Morpheus and marvel at how unlimited and diverse imagination can be.
And then I regret it very much.
***
The eyes open. The pungent smell of mold and dampness cuts into the nostrils, waking you from... sleep? The eyes narrow. There were long lamps on the ceiling, burning a poisonous red hue. Disgusting. It is impossible to lie down any further, you need to get up. The legs sink down, the feet feel cold and wet tiles from something. You straighten up and start looking around. The walls were dull and cracked, and the children's beds looked more like hospital beds where the bedding had already rotted. In addition to the cracked paint, there were stains and stains on the walls, consisting of an incomprehensible and nasty substance. There is no desire to approach, much less contact with this liquid.
Step one, step two, the legs slowly move towards the doorway, where a trail of the previously described substance followed into the darkness. The unknown. At the same time frightening and enticing the unknown. There was no other way, just this nerve-racking opening. You walk around the footprint on your toes quietly, just so you don't touch it with your fingertips. Mistake. You slip and fall forward into that very darkness. The blood lamps light up, illuminating the long corridor ahead. Lucky for you, there was no more mud and you only fall on a battered and rotten wooden floor in places. At least it's dry.
On the sides were open, slightly rusty, iron cabinets designed for children, and at the very end, lo and behold, there was a wooden door with a window closed by a curtain. You get up and slowly follow the end. A mysterious feeling is created along the way. It's like the hallway is getting more and more winding and long, like the place is trying to hold you longer. He wants to play with you again.
You're speeding up. Your legs are racing like crazy, just to get to the end, just to beat this constructor. And the environment reacts. One by one, the lockers begin to creak their doors, only to open and close at their own frantic pace. The noise is pressing on your ears, you want it to finally end. But it doesn't end. It doesn't want to end.
You smash through the door at crazy speed and fall to the floor, holding your sore shoulder. Another disgusting joke by whoever is behind it. But now what?
"Motoyasu?"
An unexpected voice, as if it had escaped from the depths of hell, rang out in the dark void. And then it came out into the light.
"Are you hurt, Motoyasu?"
An unnaturally long human-like creature was born with a purpose... incomprehensible. He was wearing a dirty teacher's work uniform with a badge on which his name had been crossed out many times. In his right hand he held a long ruler stained with blood. But the scariest thing is the face. Open eyelids with missing eyes, an open smile without teeth and a tongue stretched to the ears. It was standing over you, and you were sitting in a victim's pose, holding your breath.
"How many times do I have to tell you that we cannot afford permanent treatment for irresponsible children like you? Are you trying to ruin us?" The creature has abnormally bent over you, looking not into your eyes, but into your soul.
"But... but they're on their own!.."
"NONSENSE!" Don't try to justify yourself. "Whenever something happens, I only hear excuses! Who do you think you are?! A VICTIM?!" His infernal voice reached to the very depths of the subconscious."Just because your parents are dead doesn't make you special! You're just as worthless as the others."
Lowering your head, you stare resentfully at the floor, clenching your fists so that your knuckles could turn white. And so it is every time. Every time you're bullied, even those who are supposed to protect you are only indulging in the general harassment.
"And so that you learn your lesson once and for all, give your precious console to other children."
A blood-red light shone behind the entity, showing that they weren't the only one in the space. A dozen faceless children stood quietly behind the "tutor", waiting to receive their reward.
You raise your head and look pitifully at the creature. This is your only remaining thing from that life. And now they're trying to take her away, too. You want to say a word... but your lips don't even try to open. You're in no position to contradict. The path to the cherished thing caught fire, all that remained was to walk to the room and pick it up.
The console was in another room, and you had to walk a little to get to it. However, it wasn't that simple. Yes, it only needed to be taken away... but from what…
It was in the wall. It was glued to the same creepy substance that covered the entire wall in the room. Sticky, moving frighteningly, as if it were completely alive. It's disgusting. Involuntarily, hands reach out to the native thing in order to pull it out of this trash. You grab, you start pulling... no, it doesn't give in. Not the slightest shift, no result. You pull it, you pull, you use all your strength.
"No, wait!"
And she is being dragged into the depths until there is nothing left on the wall but slush. Failed. Even with this. In retaliation for your actions, black, substance-covered hands slowly began to come out of the wall. When you turn back, you find that there is no passage anymore. And slowly turning forward, it only takes a couple of seconds to…
"AAAAAAA!.."
You wake up screaming in your bed in the dead of night. Goosebumps run over your skin, and cold sweat forms on forehead. It was a nightmare. Just another terrible nightmare. You may be indifferent to the terrible monsters that inhabit these lands, but your inner fears will scare the hell out of you.
***
This time, I suggest you take a break from our protagonist for a while and look at the story from the perspective of another Sacred Hero. And, in my opinion, the most suitable candidate is the inimitable Spear Hero. In the main story, Motoyasu Kitamura acted as a kind of antagonist of the main character, who only after experiencing true betrayal and failure could... correct himself in a special way. But now that the Shield Hero is no longer the duped and maligned Naofumi, and Malty Melromarc is no longer a companion and lover, Motoyasu is waiting for a completely different path.
***
Morning. Usually, a new day begins with waking up from a nap on a soft bed, stretching your limbs, and getting to your feet. In the case of the Spear Hero, the morning, ironically, began at night. Therefore, when his faithful companions knocked on his room in order to pull their leader out of the realm of dreams, they were horrified to find him sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall. He definitely didn't feel like sleeping anymore.
But everything is fine... it seems. His lovely companions wished him good morning, invited him to breakfast, and then went downstairs. With a sigh of relief, Motoyasu got out of bed and went to take a bath first. He always adhered to the rule that you should start the day clean and finish it clean. The tavern they were staying in had a small bathroom where they could retire and clean themselves. Fortunately, it was free now.
After bathing, the Spear Hero put his face and long blonde hair in order. He thought more than once that it's time to get rid of that hair. But every time Kitamura imagined himself with short hair, he immediately rejected the idea in disgust. It's better to go through a little suffering every day in order to remain human.
Returning to his humble abode, the Spear Hero opened the closet doors and pulled out his clothes and armor. He now possessed modest equipment, which he was lucky enough to knock out at a discount from a blacksmith, as his companions also required protection. But soon he will accumulate enough funds for a new, high-quality kit. The main thing is to get a worthwhile job.
After finishing dressing, Motoyasu went down to the first floor of the tavern, where he immediately joined his teammates, who were dutifully waiting for their leader. Kitamura sat down opposite, leaving his spear next to him, and first of all, examined the girls. Elena, having nothing better to do, was poking a knife into the table, while Raino was enthusiastically reading a book. But you can ask me: where is the "third"? Didn't it say earlier that three people joined the Spear Hero? Maybe the observer is already starting to develop dementia from such infrequent meetings?
The answer is quite simple. The third, already former, partner couldn't handle the responsibility and ran away from Kitamura's group as soon as the opportunity presented itself. What happened? Let's focus on the fact that her expectations of further travel were shattered as soon as the girl was pushed into a puddle of harsh reality. Motoyasu felt depressed that day, because not only had he lost one combat unit, he had also spent money on that combat unit himself. But never mind, one day he will find this traitor and make her answer for all the embezzlement.
With this in mind, we currently have a team of the already familiar Motoyasu Kitamura, the newly elected Spear Hero, whose journey is just beginning, and his two companions. The knife-playing, green-eyed, red-haired, short-haired girl is named Elena Haven. Originally from a noble family, she became the companion of the Spear Hero for the sake of helping him on his way... partly. The main reason, previously not mentioned, is that Elena doesn't really want to work. And in order to no longer hear the reproaches from her parents that she spends her days idling and playing with magic, Miss Haven became the partner of the Legendary Hero. This added to her respect from the public, and also gave her the opportunity to raise her status. After all, what prevents her from embracing another sweet and innocent Hero?
Raino was sitting on her right. A young girl with long curly blonde hair and blue eyes like the sky. Unlike Miss Haven, Raino actually joined Kitamura in order to support him in his future adventures. She's well-read, she's proficient with a sword, and she doesn't talk much about herself. Almost two weeks after being drafted, Motoyasu knows almost nothing about this girl, while Elena has managed to unravel everything about herself and her family in great detail. Maybe she's hiding something, or she's just not very sociable. In any case, she turned out to be a loyal and capable companion.
"What's the plan for today, Mr. Kitamura?" Raino asked with proper respect after closing the book.
"Actually, today I was thinking of doing the same thing as in previous days," Motoyasu did not try to come up with something new. So far, there is little activity in the world, since the level of him and his companions was not so high to start traveling. "We need to accumulate as much experience as possible so that the upcoming Wave will not be a difficult battle for us."
"Walking through the woods again, or what?" Elena asked indignantly. "Damn, we've been doing the same thing for almost two weeks now. I'm going to lose my mind about this."
"No one's keeping you here, Elena," Raino snapped at the pretension, without taking her eyes off the jug of water. "If you're so tired of hanging around with us, you can follow the example of Lesty and go to your parents the same way. I don't think a day will pass before they force you to run some miserable store in Zeltobl."
"No, thanks. I'd rather kill rabbits," Elena quickly realized that she was on the losing side in this situation, so she stopped whining.
"Not to say that Elena is wrong," Motoyasu decided to stand up for his lazy partner. "We do the same thing every day, in fact. Yes, we are becoming stronger and more experienced so that we don't fall away from the first onlooker we meet in the coming Wave, but... I would like to have a little variety..."
In the game that Motoyasu played before the draft, from the very beginning your character was thrown into the thick of events, where, in addition to the standard leveling, there were a huge number of quests of varying degrees of difficulty and interest. He literally didn't have time to get bored. He wishes now, while they are sitting and bored in the tavern, an unusual order suddenly appeared…
"Um... and-excuse me?.."
Kitamura's previously closed eyes widened dramatically as the unknown person addressed him. Undoubtedly, coincidences are possible. But not as accurate.
"I'm listening," the Spear Hero replied in a businesslike tone.
A young boy, about sixteen years old, appeared in front of the Spearman's eyes. He was wearing simple clothes and a battered brown raincoat. The guy was very excited about something, judging by his folded, but still shaking hands.
"You're the Sacred Spear Hero, aren't you, sir?" The kid asked with caution.
"Your eyes don't let you down. It's me, personally," Motoyasu confirmed his status with a slight smile.
"Oh, what a blessing! Did I really find a Hero?!" The kid was talking to himself. Either it was just a weird fanatic, or he just needed help from the Hero. "Um... how should I put it more precisely..." he hesitated abruptly. "More precisely, we really need your help!"
"What do I owe you?" Motoyasu was wary. The kid was literally almost in a state of panic. It looks like there really was a case, and it was serious.
"A terrible accident happened in my village... almost all the cattle got terribly sick!" The guy explained the situation.
"If the cattle are sick, then what prevents them from going to doctors instead of the Hero, alchemists there ... magicians in the end?" Elena put in her five kopecks.
"It's about the disease itself. It's... well... n-no, you need to see it for yourself to understand."
"Hmm, that's a pretty good idea," Raino also didn't stay away. "Unfortunately, none of us here is a doctor. The disease was not explained to us, so there is a possibility that you are either fooling us or leading us to certain death," the girl did not stand on ceremony and said everything as she thought. "Mr. Kitamura, what do you say?"
"I don't know…
"We'll pay you! As long as it takes! Just please help us!"
Motoyasu frowned. The situation was twofold. On the one hand, Raino was indeed right. There was little information about the situation, especially since it required skills that no one in the Spear group possessed, which could lead not only to a lack of any results, but also to a deterioration in the current situation. But on the other hand, what kind of Hero would he be if he didn't at least try to do something? Especially when Kitamura gets paid for it. With the money he gets, he can finally buy himself some normal equipment.
"What kind of Hero am I if I don't help those in need so much? Okay, I accept your request," Motoyasu said affirmatively.
"Really?! Wonderful! Thank you so much!" The guy beamed with happiness. "Then let's not waste a minute! Get ready and get in the carriage, it's standing next to the entrance!" With these words, the kid ran out of the tavern in joy.
After stopping following him with his gaze, Motoyasu turned his attention to the strangely staring partners.
"What?" he asked expectantly.
"Despite our explicit refusal, you still accepted the call for help," Raino explained. "I don't even know whether to praise you in this situation or knock you on the head.."
"I'm just unhappy that you chose some kind of hassle," Elena did not hide. "God forbid, I'll get infected with this stuff, I have such an immunity...."
"Well, since Mr. Kitamura has agreed, it means that he will also pay for our treatment later."
"That's right."
"So, since when did you become friends?" Motoyasu was confused by the sudden alliance of the two women. "Well, it doesn't matter. Let's quickly pack up and go. There's no time to waste."
Said and done. Ten minutes was enough for the Spear Hero's group to pick up all the necessary things and set off outside the capital. Looking out of the carriage, Motoyasu only watched as the gates of the town went further and further away. Instead of urban structures, there was now just a well-trodden road, and Mother Nature herself on the sides. Forests, bushes, and green grass. Despite the general gloom going on in the Majestix, the world didn't feel so harsh outside, even with the perpetually cloudy weather.
Kitamura and Miss Haven were sitting inside the transport, surrounded by sacks and baskets of various items, from food to clothes. At the same time, Raino settled down in the driver's seat, where the kid was driving the cart.
"You're using filorials to move the cart," the girl remarked. "Aren't you afraid that your infection will also affect them?"
The filorials were meant to be creatures that were used as the pulling force of a wagon. They looked like an ostrich completely covered with feathers of different colors. For example, at the moment, the cart was pulled by two birds of bluish and green plumage.
"We have moved all the filorials away from the sick so that they do not get hurt. So far, none of them have been infected."
"And the horses?"
"They were less lucky..." the guy did not go into details.
"It's lucky that at least you still have the opportunity to get out of the village," Kitamura shared his opinion. "What if something happens…"
"I h-hope it doesn't come to that..."
"Well, you've strained him again," Elena accused her leader.
"Hey, I'm already trying to smooth things out as much as possible. And anyway, why are you so annoyed today?"
"I don't like it all, it's just," the girl turned away from the Spearman, crossing her arms. "It feels like it's happening to me again," she said softly.
Kitamura fell silent. It seems that Elena is experiencing some kind of painful sensation when talking about this topic, so the Spear Hero decided not to pursue the conversation further. At least for now. As the leader of the group, he first of all needs to maintain good relations with his partners, otherwise he will not achieve a strong alliance, which may damage performance. Well, do not forget about the human factor, after all, Motoyasu worries about his allies. It is necessary to wait until the girl calms down and then return to this topic.
The rest of the route passed quietly and silently. Everyone was waiting for what they would see upon arrival. Kitamura even wanted to light a cigarette from his imagination, but it was impossible to smoke in the carriage. Smoking for him has always been a way to relax in the moments of the fuss. While living in his world, Motoyasu had seen enough horror films that vividly reflected the essence of body horror, when the authors bring the degree of abomination to the absolute, creating disgusting and insanely incomprehensible creatures. But that was just a sick fantasy. Now there was a chance to face something like this in person. Moreover, the group finally arrived.
A quiet village far from the big city. Pretty sweet, doesn't have the same creepy nature as the capital, and she's certainly not poor, which is also a good thing. That's why it feels so strange, knowing what you're going to have to face right now.
The whole village was waiting for the cart. As soon as the wheels stopped, the filorials were quickly unhooked from the transport and taken to their separate pen, and the boy coachman ran to the head of the village with a happy face. It is understandable, the "salvation" has arrived. However, it wasn't that the villagers were very happy about this rescue, because as soon as the Spear Hero's group appeared in front of the village people... the reaction was strange. There were some disdainful glances, whispers among themselves, and the situation escalated sharply.
"They don't seem very happy to see us," Elena remarked, scratching her head.
Motoyasu also felt that they were not very welcome.
This was not how heroic work was imagined. It's such a pleasure to have civilians looking at you dubiously when you appear, and talking to each other about something. And no one dared to say anything directly, as if they were trying to avoid contact with the Spearman. They were afraid that they would get hurt for it.
"Everyone's shut up!"
And abruptly, everyone fell silent. A middle-aged man with a large build came to Kitamura through the crowd. It looked like it was the local elder, since a few words were enough for him to silence the people. Glancing at Motoyasu and his companions, the man mumbled meaningfully, and then spoke:
"You must be the new Spear Hero, right?" A question that didn't need an answer, it's already obvious. "Well, he's not exactly the one we need, but who knows? Maybe you can help us," the head said in his deep voice.
"They didn't send me away as soon as they saw me, and thanks for that," Spearman said with relief.
"As I understand it, the kid has already brought you up to date. In that case, I won't bother. Come with me."
The route ran through the whole village, to the very end. As they walked, Motoyasu's eyes darted around the village, trying to take in every corner. The atmosphere was tense. For the most part, the residents hid at home, afraid to even try to go outside. And those brave souls who were not afraid to cross the threshold of their own door, tried to dress as tightly as possible, because they were afraid that the sore would reach them.
"How long ago did it start?" Raino decided to ask.
"About three weeks ago," the head replied calmly. "At first, we didn't attach much importance. Animals sneeze, nothing much."
"And then what?" The girl continued her interrogation.
"Then they became very weak, they stopped getting out of the pens. And then... you'll see, basically." They've already arrived anyway.
Standing in front of the pens with sick animals, the Spear Hero's group was slightly alarmed, as if they were in a horror movie. As luck would have it, the clouds in the sky thickened even more, which made it even more eerie. The head of the village opened the doors of the pens and motioned for the group to enter first.
Smell. A strange smell, slightly smelling of rot, was the first thing our heroes felt. Elena immediately covered her nose, because she couldn't stand the stench. Motoyasu quietly wandered forward, not trying to look at any of the pet monsters.
"You can go into any pen, there are no healthy here," the man decided to make the choice easier for him.
"Dude, you just made it harder..." the Spearman muttered to himself.
To decide where to go, whether you want to or not, but it was necessary. Motoyasu couldn't think of anything better than to choose by mental counting. The choice fell on the third door from the entrance on the left side. Kitamura did not stand on ceremony and began to slowly bring his palm to the door handle, as if expecting that after opening something would jump on his face and subsequently deposit a new life inside his body. What he saw... was pretty disgusting.
Let's omit the moment with the fact that the worm was the size of a pig. Here you pay attention to something else. There were small black stripes all over his body. These were blood vessels. And in some places they were enlarged, which caused growths to form on the body. And already this very black resin was flowing out of them. Rotten, if I may say so.
"My God..." was the only thing that came out of Spearman's mouth.
"Ugh!" Elena reacted sharply. "That's it, I've had enough, I'm going outside! I'm going to puke!"
"Hmm…"
Raino reacted differently. She began to stretch her hand towards the worm in order to examine it more closely. But then Motoyasu grabbed her.
"Are you crazy? You climb up to him, and even with your bare hands," the Spear Hero scolded her. "Let me…"
As soon as his fingers touched the sore, the previously completely motionless worm began to violently jerk its head from side to side. He was in incredible pain. And only more rot flowed out of the growth.
"And so it is with everyone," said the elder sadly, who was watching the Spearman's research from the side. "We don't know where it came from and we're scared as hell to come in contact with it."
The Spear Hero mumbled in displeasure. The situation was difficult and it was necessary to act immediately. It wasn't enough for the disease to reach people. But what to do? What should he do in this case, when none of your companions, nor you yourself, are capable of treatment? Motoyasu had an idea.
"I need some kind of unnecessary container," he said firmly and clearly. "Something to put the rot in. Preferably a small one."
"What are you up to, Mr. Kitamura?" Raino asked cautiously.
"I'll collect the necessary material and take it back to the capital to look for answers," the leader of the group answered her shortly. "Most likely, I'll arrive in the evening or at night."
"So you're going to leave alone?"
"Yes."
"And what do you suggest we do?" The girl asked a completely logical question.
"Keep an eye on the residents. Try to visit everyone and make sure that none of them is sick," Motoyasu instructed.
"...okay."
It was clear that Raino didn't want to send Motoyasu alone. For his safety, or for anything else, we won't know. Nevertheless, she did not resist his will. The Spear Hero was given an empty bottle, once filled with a miraculous potion, into which he poured the necessary "material."
Elena begged to be taken with her as soon as she found out that Kitamura had decided to go to the Majestix. She was even ready to get down on her knees and pray to him as to some kind of deity for the rest of her miserable life. Of course, none of them went anywhere. Right now, Motoyasu must be more focused on mission than ever. And people like Miss Haven can get on your mind any way they want.
When Motoyasu returned to the village gate, he noticed a familiar carriage and a young driver waiting for something. After quickly explaining the whole situation to him, the kid agreed without hesitation to give Spearman a ride to the capital. Kitamura felt a little better knowing that at least someone was genuinely happy about his efforts to fix the problem. As soon as the filorials were strapped back onto the cart, the boys didn't pull away and immediately, at first, rushed towards the capital.
"It's lucky that we took these birds to another place in time!" the kid said happily. "Now we'll find out what kind of sore it is and cure everyone!"
"You're pretty optimistic," Spearman remarked.
"Of course! I knew from the very beginning that the Holy Hero would definitely help us! My mother told me that Heroes from another world have always been much more knowledgeable than we are. That's why they always coped with any difficulties."
"Heh... then it's time to check if she made a mistake."
It took only a couple of hours to get there, and now Motoyasu is wandering the streets of the capital, looking at a bottle of rot. But one thing is... where to go? To whom? The city is huge in its scope, the right place can be located either a few steps away or a few kilometers away. And there's no one to ask anymore, rain is already starting to drizzle from the dark clouds. No one wanted to wander in the rain. He also asked the kid to stay at the gate and wait for him. Motoyasu had no idea how long it would take him to find the answer.
A slight tremor haunted the blond. Now that he was alone, the memory of a recent nightmare made Spearman swallow. His breathing became ragged, and images from his dream surfaced in her head one after another. Especially this rot... its smell, its texture... no, you can't get distracted.
But besides not knowing where to go, the Spear Hero couldn't even read anything. Yes, there is a translator, but it only helps with speech. In this case, it is possible to translate the text only if you study it. And it takes time, a lot of time. And obviously, Motoyasu did not have such an opportunity. And going into every store, asking about what they're doing there, can take a lot more time. Dead end. Maybe our hero really needed to take Elena with him. She could read the signs for him.
Unable to come to terms with his mistake, the Spear Hero turned off the path into a quiet alley, where no one could disturb him. Pressing himself against the wall, Kitamura reached into one of his fanny packs and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Cigarettes from his home world, which he enjoyed smoking on the balcony in the evenings. His main source of dopamine. His main savior in difficult times. Without going far from the bag, the blonde also took out a cheap lighter, which nevertheless served him well and still does not upset him. The mechanism is triggered, the tongue of fire flashes down and ignites the tip of the cigarette. Motoyasu takes a drag on the tobacco product and then slowly exhales the cigarette smoke. The tremor was gone.
"Just a little more and they'll run out..." the Spearman thought aloud, glancing at the almost empty pack. "I need to find out the same thing here, or I won't live that long."
The guy doesn't even remember exactly when it all started. The rebellious period was so blurred that insignificant things dissolved into memories like scattered dust in the wind. One thing he knew for sure – now this stuff was with him for the rest of his life, like a parasite that no one could help him get rid of. As no one can help him in the current situation.
"Motoyasu?" However, the miracle came from nowhere. Motoyasu hastily put out the bull against the wall and quietly dropped it to the ground so that no one would see what he had littered here.
"Yo, Jun! What are you doing here at this time?" Kitamura was immediately delighted.
The Shield Hero, covered with a cloak, went about his own business with a bulging backpack on his back. Next to him, in the same raincoat, stood a disgruntled little girl, about fourteen years old. The Spearman couldn't see them very clearly, and it wasn't necessary at that moment. More importantly, now he had a chance to find out where to stomp.
"Yes, I sold monster skins and used the money I received to buy everything I needed. Now we're going to the hotel as soon as possible, so as not to get wet," Iwatani replied with lightness in his heart and some enthusiasm. "What are you doing here? And where's your group?"
"Argh, why right in my heart?" Jun made a confused face, as if a question mark had appeared above his head. "I have a little business here.…"
"Judging by the way you're averting your eyes, something is clearly going wrong," the Shield Bearer guessed what was happening. "Can you enlighten me?"
"Didn't someone say we were in a hurry to get to the hotel?" The girl suddenly broke into the conversation, tugging at the Shield Hero's cloak.
"Go without me for now, Raphtalia. I'll catch up with you later," Jun's companion sighed wearily in response.
"The plug in every ass..." she said softly, and walked away. Iwatani frowned and muttered something to himself.
"I'm sorry. Her character..."
"Forget about it. Mine aren't a gift either..." The Spear Hero understandingly encouraged his colleague. "Well, here's the deal..."
Motoyasu told Junpei everything that happened today. From what he heard, the Shield Hero already managed to turn pale and was even glad that this happened to the Spearman, and not to him. He listened attentively to his workmate, and then, when Motoyasu finished his story, he asked to give him a bottle. Kitamura did not object and handed over the container with the substance. At first, Jun looked at the black, viscous liquid in a transparent bottle, and then opened it to sniff – in vain.
"What a horror..." the reaction was expected. "How did you not suffocate there?"
"I'm already breathing in cigarette smoke every day, somehow I've already gotten used to dubious smells," Motoyasu shared his revelation.
"Coming back to your problem, I don't really understand all sorts of sores and the like... but I think I know who can."
"Come on."
"There's a good alchemist who runs his shop. I've been to see him a couple of times, and I think he'll tell you something," Motoyasu beamed at the news. "I can walk you out if you want."
"That would be great!" It didn't take long to persuade him.
Saying to himself that Raphtalia would kill him, Jun took his colleague to the alchemist's shop. Along the way, they discussed their adventures and the endless days of leveling up. Jun was annoyed to hear from Motoyasu that the Sacred Heroes couldn't gain any experience with each other. It was back in the early days after the summoning, the groups of the Spear and the Sword Heroes decided to hunt monsters together and realized with horror that only their partners had earned experience. Ren spent a long time recovering from this misfortune. But now Iwatani is armed with new information and will keep in mind that he will not invite any of the Heroes with him.
In the end, they reached the alchemist's shop in about fifteen minutes. After exchanging pleasantries, the Shield Hero went on his way, and the Spear Hero went inside. And immediately he had the feeling that he was in a pharmacy, so strongly the aroma of potions and decoctions was similar to the smell of medicines. The room was much smaller compared to the same forge. On the sides were colorful liquids in containers of different shapes. Well, in the middle there was an empty counter, to which the owner of the establishment arrived a couple of minutes later.
"What do you want, sir?"
An elderly man in his fifties or even sixties got out of the back room. He had a wrinkled but rather pleasant face, with intelligent blue eyes that seemed to sparkle with curiosity, as well as thick gray hair combed back and gathered into a careless ponytail along with a short-cropped beard, streaked with gray. The alchemist was dressed in a simple but sturdy leather apron, over which lay a dark brown jacket with leather patches. Around her neck was a thin silver chain, on which hung a small vial, probably containing a valuable elixir. The shirt is plain linen, with the sleeves rolled up, revealing the arms. Trousers - wide, comfortable, made of thick linen, in the color of the jacket. On his feet were rough leather boots.
"Hello!" Motoyasu greeted her somewhat awkwardly. "My friend recommended you. He said that you can help with my situation."
"It depends on what you're asking, young man," the owner said in his quiet but insinuating voice. "Although I am a capable person, I am not good at all paths."
"I just need you to take a look at this."
Kitamura handed the alchemist a familiar vial of the substance. He looked at the object questioningly, and then silently took it for himself. Turned it around, turned it over, and heard something gurgling inside, but flowing over. And then he opened it and sniffed…
"The familiar smell..." the Spear Hero was surprised by the man's reaction. He showed no sign of disgust. "If you'll excuse me, I'll do a little experiment."
"If necessary, then for God's sake."
Taking out a metal container from under the table, the old alchemist poured the contents of the vial into it, in order to conduct a quick experiment with it. From the inside pocket of his jacket, the man took out a small device, which he placed under a container with a substance. After turning the gear on the device several times, a long and burning tongue of flame came out of this tiny thing. It was a lighter. The fire began to slide along the bottom of the container, heating its metal surface. And in the end... there was a reaction. The liquid began to rush upward, complementing this action with a subtle, annoying squeak. It was as if she was alive.
"As I thought..." the alchemist summed up the experience. "Where did you find this disgusting liquid, I'm not afraid to ask?"
"In a village nearby," Motoyasu did not hide the details. "This morning they called me to help, I come there, and all the cattle are sick with this stuff. At least they managed to hide the filorials."
"Ah, that's it. I don't even know whether to please you or annoy you, but you've stumbled upon one of the nastiest monsters in these parts," the alchemist explained. "But the fact that you hid the filorials is not a good idea."
"What do you mean?"
"You see, it's just the way it is in nature that these birds are the main fighters against parasitic monsters. Not only are they unable to get sick themselves, but they can also smell all sorts of rubbish," Kitamura had a culture shock at that moment. "Well, I think you've already figured out how to deal with it."
"Yes... yes, I guess..." he couldn't believe that the answer was literally on the surface. Right next to him. "Thank you very much…"
"Alvin is my name, Mr. Spear Hero," the shopkeeper finally introduced himself. "I hope I was useful to you."
"More than enough! I will definitely repay you for this later!" Motoyasu rushed towards the exit. "Good luck!"
He ran. He put all his strength into legs just to get to the cart as soon as possible. Now that the pieces of the puzzle were in place, it was simply unforgivable for him to delay. He ran as fast as he could. And when he got there, like a madman, he began shouting to the coachman to leave as soon as possible. The carriage started moving, and the birds ran faster than before. The boy didn't ask the Spearman anything, it was already quite obvious. He understood exactly what he was dealing with and how to counter it. A happy smile appeared on the kid's face. But at the same time, Motoyasu was staring thoughtfully at the floor. Kitamura wondered how the fight with this monster would go. He doesn't know what it looks like, he doesn't know where this monster is. One thing is clear — this monster is scared to hell of fire.
They arrived in the evening, when instead of a bright sunset it was only dark outside. And again, our hero was greeted by the whole village, even if there was scanty hope in everyone, nevertheless. And then they saw him. There was determination and confidence in his eyes. He knew exactly what to do.
"Unhook the filorials! Urgently!" The Spear Hero commanded. The residents immediately picked up and took the birds off the cart. After that, Motoyasu took one of them by the strap and dragged it to the pen.
At the same moment, Kitamura's teammates arrived.
"Mr. Kitamura, what's going on?" Raino asked worriedly, hurrying along beside the Spearman.
"Yes, why did you drag filorial?! Do you want him to get sick too?!" Elena joined the conversation.
"No one here will get sick anymore! Quickly take the filorials and follow me!"
The girls did not contradict him and immediately ran after the birds. The villagers watched as Motoyasu fearlessly strode towards the infected cattle. They were still whispering among themselves, just like when the Spear Hero had just arrived in their unfortunate village. But now, they were talking about him in a different way. It looks like they've started to believe in him.
When Motoyasu reached the end, he met an elder he already knew. He was seriously worried, because he was afraid that the Spearman was going to do something like that, after which he would regret that he had agreed to trust him at all.
"What are you up to?!"
"Get out of the way!" Kitamura ordered the head. "I get it. I know how to get rid of the infection!"
"Then get Filorial out of here and you can do whatever you want!" The man was worried about the safety of the birds.
"That's the point!" Motoyasu abruptly grabbed the elder by the shoulders. "They're the key to salvation! They'll find the thing that infected your cattle!"
"...what?.." He couldn't believe his own ears. "What do you mean, they'll find it?"
"Just trust me... please."
"...Argh, damn you! Okay, do whatever you want!" The elder has resigned himself. In the current situation, it could be the only way out.
The doors to the pen swung open. The Spearman went to the same worm he had visited on his first time. The stinking smell no longer had any effect on him. He called filorial over to the sick creature, who bent his head towards him.
"Que!"
After a couple of seconds, the bird straightened up and began to turn its head in different directions, as if a sensor had caught the signal. Without much hesitation, Motoyasu jumped on the bird, and it immediately went to the exit. By this time, the partners of the Spear Hero had arrived with their birds. Without saying a word, the whole group headed towards where filorial, who had smelled something, was running.
"How are the residents? the Spearman asked. "Are there any infected people?"
"No one," Raino reported. "We asked everyone, even those who did not appear on the street. No one got sick."
"It's just a pity you left out the moment when we, or rather, I, invited everyone into the house," Elena added with displeasure.
"This is the second one. The main thing is that you coped and found out about everything. Well done," Kitamura praised the girls.
They walked further and further away from the village, loitering on the grassy ground. On and on, until filorial's instinct led them to a swampy area.
"The swamp..." Elena drawled unhappily. "Of course it had to be a swamp…"
"Agree. The place really begs to be inhabited by some kind of parasite," Motoyasu managed to tell his companions about what the alchemist had told him. "And how did the residents not think to look here?" the blonde asked.
"I don't think they would have even come here with threats. Think about it, who in their right mind would want to stomp into a swamp? Especially if they suddenly find out that a monster lives here," Motoyasu tried to explain. "It's possible, though unlikely, that they don't even know he exists."
The group walked through the quagmire and other abominations to their goal. The soft, viscous soil beneath their feet absorbs sounds, creating an atmosphere of silence, interrupted only by the whisper of the wind and the distant cry of birds. Tall reeds and dense thickets of reed beds grew on the surface of the swamp, and among them one could see rare flowers, bright and lively against the background of gray and brown hues. The water in the streams is murky, with a greenish coating, in which algae and mysterious creatures hide. Shaggy shrubs and willow trees can be found along the edges of the swamp. Their roots, like writhing snakes, are submerged in water. Looking at these inhospitable landscapes, Elena was covered with a layer of goosebumps.
They didn't have to be scared for long, because the group finally reached their destination, the cave.
"Okay, I admit, the swamp is still a good place," it seems that Miss Haven is much more afraid of caves
The entrance to the cave was littered with rocks and roots, and wide bushes grew around it, creating a feeling of abandonment. But that wasn't what attracted our adventurers, but the black substance on the ground that led directly inside. Apparently, they had obviously come to the right place.
"Stay with me, okay?" The Spearman asked.
And they went in. It was dim inside the cave, and Raino had brought a lamp with her, which she handed to Motoyasu. The air was filled with dampness and faint sounds that came from the depths of the cave were rushing through ears. The heroes walked slowly, the trail of unknown sludge leading further and further, becoming wider.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Raino said.
"It can't be good here," Elena answered her softly.
They had gone so far that now the whole space was covered with this vile tar. There was still just a little bit left. Pressing their noses, the group walked a little more until…
"Que! Que!"
The Philorials screamed, and their voices echoed through the cave. The bird Motoyasu was sitting on stopped abruptly and fixed his gaze on one point. Motoyasu dismounted from the bird and shone his light at where it was staring at. It was a pit. A huge, deep pit, into which the trail of substance led. The companions approached the Spear Hero and also looked down.
"And then what? I'm definitely not going down!" The red-haired expressed her "ew".
"It won't be necessary," Kitamura replied cryptically.
After hanging the lamp on his belt, the guy took out his own cheap lighter from one of his fanny packs. Kitamura started the mechanism and released the flame outside. The tongue of fire danced smoothly, giving off a small but warm light.
"It's time to say goodbye, old friend," with these words, Motoyasu threw the switched-on lighter into the pit.
The silence lasted for several minutes. Then a sonorous, prolonged, inhuman scream rang out, foreshadowing the appearance of the culprit of the celebration. And it came out. Absolute darkness, animated and made flesh. This creature, larger than any ship, filled the cave, its outlines lost in the impenetrable blackness. The skin, if you can call it skin, was a pulsing mass devoid of any structure, eternally wet, slimy, leaving behind a trail of vile, black mucus. From this shapeless mass, like the sinister branches of an ancient tree, countless tentacles emerged-thick, covered with suckers, capable of crushing even the strongest armor with ease. And in place of the face is a gaping mouth that occupies the entire head, studded with razor-sharp teeth that seem capable of grinding an entire army into dust. From the depths of the mouth came a foul smell of decay and putrefaction, mixed with something ancient and inexpressibly alien. Even the sound of his breathing is a low, hollow groan that shakes the earth.
"Get ready!" Motoyasu shouted, pointing his spear at the enemy.
To begin with, the monster decided to play a little with his food. The tentacles stuck into the rocky surface. They sent minions into battle. The same slimy and vile creatures, similar in shape to the human structure. As soon as the giant creature's limbs detached themselves from the surface, the smaller creatures immediately attacked our heroes. The filorials immediately ran away, fearing for their skins. Motoyasu rushed to the left, while Raino attacked the monsters on the right side.
Motoyasu deftly wielded his spear, as if performing a complicated dance. The shape of the weapon has changed. Kitamura stabbed a spear into one of the creatures, knocking it to the ground, after which the sparkling monster slid over the rocks until it exploded into atoms. Instead, a powerful electric wave swept through the other monsters, pushing them away and killing them. He didn't have a second to rest. Constantly appearing minions and tentacles attacking stealthily forced the Spearman to be in constant motion.
At the same time, the agile Raino slashed her opponents with a razor-sharp sword. The creatures were crumbling almost into small pieces from her speed and precision. Black sludge sprayed in all directions, hitting the swordswoman herself. But she didn't pay any attention to it. Now that their lives are on the verge of death, cleanliness is the last thing to worry about.
It took at most ten minutes, but the horde of monsters didn't stop. On the contrary, there were more and more of them, while the group's mana and energy became less and less. Motoyasu quickly saw through the plan. The monster was waiting for the moment when his companions would be pretty exhausted, so that then he would have enough speed to knock them down. However, he couldn't do anything against it. His legs are in an incessant tango, and his hands are almost juggling a spear. Neither he nor Raino could do anything about it. But there's another one…
"Elena!" Raino shouted furiously, not looking up from the fight. "Are you going to do anything in this life?!"
"Elena!" The exhausted Spearman joined in. "We need your help! Urgently!"
Miss Haven was standing at the entrance, measuring something with her index finger outstretched. When her calculations were done, she took out her weapon from her hip pockets. The folding shuanggou revealed their formidable appearance, forming a cross at her feet. Sighing calmly, the girl said:
"Pan or gone..."
She took off and rushed towards the monster with incredible speed. The tentacles immediately tried to reach her. In vain. With acrobatic precision, the redhead dodged the creature's limbs, immediately chopping them off with her swords. But it was far from over. Elena climbed onto one of the tentacles and began to run right along it, deflecting other attacks, then jumped onto another, and repeated this trick a couple more times until she was close enough to the top of it's head. Or rather, to the mouth. Making a high jump, Miss Haven spun in the air, purposefully aiming for…
"No!" Spearman blurted out in shock.
The mouth closed, and with it the partner disappeared. What was she thinking of to make this suicidal move? Motoyasu was angrier than ever. As if releasing an inner demon, he began to deal with other monsters with greater force, but now moving towards the remaining companion. They had to run away, they couldn't handle this thing. He began to reproach himself for agreeing to this request at all. After all, if he hadn't decided, Elena…
The monsters stopped. All as one. They grabbed their heads and started shaking them at a crazy pace. Something's wrong.… Looking at the main monster, Motoyasu and the shocked Raino saw their main opponent begin to swell. The same moans came from his closed mouth, but now they seemed to be painful. A couple of seconds and…
"Oh, shit!" Motoyasu was in the wild... delighted.
The monster burst into flames, illuminating the entire cave. Its vile mouth seemed to spew fire, which destroyed the monster with its heat. It was burning up, dying right in front of their eyes, until eventually it dropped dead. Victory. The minions literally exploded as the monster died. It was finally possible to exhale.
A creature leaped out of the burning mouth, glowing with a bright peach light, resembling a phoenix. As soon as she landed, the bird immediately disappeared and an old acquaintance stood in her place. Elena stood in a proud pose, smiling maliciously.
"What? Got scared?" The redhead mocked her companions merrily.
"You're a fool!" The swordswoman yelled at her furiously. "He almost ate you, and you're standing here as if nothing had happened, and mocking us!"
"Well, he didn't, did he?" You can't get rid of me that easily," Miss Haven replied, smiling broadly. - Well, what can I do if, unlike you, you dirty ones, I don't have a single drop on me. Caution, that's all.
"We'll fix it now!" Raino attacked Elena.
"Noooooooo! Don't come any closer!"
While the companions were fooling around, Motoyasu decided to check his status. When he opened the menu, he was horrified to discover that the encounter with this monster had raised his level from the nineteenth to the twenty-fifth. He wanted to take some material from the defeated enemy, but now it was impossible to get anything useful from him. The main body was burning, while the severed tentacles melted and turned into slush. It was sad, of course, but the level raised several times was also quite pleasant to the eye.
"Well, that's it, girls, stop messing around!" The Spear Hero commanded his companions. "It's time for us to return to the village."
"Motoyaaaaaasuuuu!.." Elena moaned pitifully at the top of her voice, covered in black mud. "Do something to Raino, or I'll kill her right here!"
At the exit from the cave, familiar filorials were already waiting for them, and our group reached the ill-fated village, where they were already welcomed with open arms. The disease had disappeared, and the household monsters were once again more alive than anyone else. Motoyasu told the elder everything about the swamp and the creature that was hiding in it, to which he promised that he would deal with it. How? That's the second case. Now, in honor of the long-awaited victory over the disease, the village decided to organize a real celebration, to which our heroes were invited.
The evening was spent in songs, dancing, and delicious food and drinks. Tired of the celebration, Spearman went out onto the porch of the pub, where he met a bored and already clean red-haired woman and decided to approach her.
"Are you bored?" He asked his partner.
"Hm?" Elena was distracted from her thoughts and looked at the Spearman. "No, I just don't want to sit there anymore. It's so noisy…"
"Oh, I agree. I'd rather hide in my crib right now and sleep."
"To wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night again?" Motoyasu's eyes widened.
"How do you know that?"
"When you sleep in the next room and you learn something different. It's none of my business, of course, but your constant nightmares have been bothering me lately. Is something eating at you?" The girl asked with concern, looking Kitamura in the eyes. He saw in them a compassion she had never seen before.
"No," he replied calmly. "It's probably just because I see so many creepy creatures every day, hehe," Motoyasu replied cheerfully, scratching his head. Of course it wasn't true, and Elena saw it perfectly well.
"Well, okay…"
The Spear Hero wanted to smoke, but then he remembered about his donation. It was a shame, but it was a sacrifice for the benefit of the common people, as befits a Sacred Hero. Though at the cost of his healthy nerves.
Leaning against the wall, Motoyasu stared up thoughtfully, and then asked:
"Tell me..." he decided to ask about the very words that Elena had said not so long ago. "When we were in the carriage, you said that all this reminds you of something. What did you mean by that
"I had a pet when I was a kid," Elena decided to reveal all the cards. "I loved him. I always took care of him and played with him outside. But one day he got sick. He stopped walking and started vomiting blood. The doctors said it was too late and there was nothing they could do to help him. And then, one day, he went somewhere. I searched for him all day, and then at night I found his dead body in the forest."
"I'm sorry," Motoyasu said, sympathizing with his partner's long-ago loss. "Losing loved ones is always very painful, especially when something like this happens in childhood. I'm sorry that I brought up this topic."
"It's okay," the girl reassured him. "I've been resigned for a long time…"
In order to defuse the situation, Elena decided to start a conversation about something else.
"Nevertheless, these filorials turned out to be useful. I couldn't even imagine that these stupid birds would be such helpers."
"You're right about that, they really turned out to be quite useful…"
Maybe we should get one?