Before exploring the new land, we check our camp, it includes a healing spot and a merchant.
At last we get some proper equipment. The Ulysses sword and the Rune armour are both of the versatile type (better than physical against most foes) and have some decent stats.
We get some supplies and leave the camp.
Dalnos was grumbling as we were trying to walk through the hot and humid forest. Suddenly a scathing cry informed us of the presence of beasts in the treetops.
[Tch... Gotta fight when it's this hot?]
[No need to watch anything, they're here.]
Monsters appeared one after the other and surrounded us but did not attack.
Satia watched them and frowned.
[Really? I cant see anything else than normal monsters.]
[Sorry but, I hope you don't want to say your usual "I don't want to hurt them" line.]
Kaya started ordering soldiers to form ranks and Satia continued with a puzzled expression.
[No I won't, but this is the domain of half humans. That many monsters gathering is... strange]
[There is maybe someone summoning these monsters nearby...]
The moment I set foot on this land I had felt a distant but intense killing intent...
I thought it was the impression left by the land itself but maybe something is happening nearby
[The demons are calling more demons...]
With these peaceful words, Dalnos and his soldiers charged one side and we took the other one.
The forest is mostly filled with the usual fodder, like slimes
We felt the magic of a powerful invisible barrier ahead and stopped the march.
[This barrier... could it be...?]
As Satia was starting to talk tension rose in our ranks.
Passing through the barrier, a soldier with a snake like lower body came out of the forest.
[That person, ......]
[You know her?]
[She's a Naga, this Dijneer land is their home land according to legends.]
[A naga...]
The beautiful half human soldier observed us and let out a bitter laugh.
[Who da fuck you think ya are, talking to us with this smug face? An ally of those monsters?]
[Enough! Spare me your stupid ideas and insulting conjectures.]
She was different from the mindless monsters we met, dignified and full of pride.
[Stupid?? Keh! I think I'll show that uptight half beast what good manners are]
Dalnos took one step forward and took out his swords
I knew well enough how violent and aggressive Dalnos could become once a fight started.
But it didn't seem like him to draw his blades at someone just because she was in our path.
[Wait Dalnos. First let's try to talk to her!]
[If you drop your guard like that you'll be torn apart when she decides to attack!]
[Spheed! Please tell them to lower their weapons!]
[What? This half human doesn't seem harmless and unaggressive enough for me to take this risk]
But still he decided not to attack and raised his voice toward the naga.
[We sent a messenger to Niacul to inform you of our coming. Did you not hear from him?]
[This is the first time I hear about such thing.]
[You sure you didn't just kill him and eat him? It looks like a more plausible thing to me.]
After saying this Dalnos and I started to feel multiple presences surrounding us.
Several nagas and magic beasts started to appear from behind the trees.
If a fight broke out I wouldn't hold back but trying to start peacefully might be a better way.
[We came here only to access information about this divine relic didnt we?]
[I heard that the nagas sometimes impose a trial for it but share their knowledge with anyone]
[If you need something from them you mustn't fight!]
[... You... could you be...]
As she started to speak an earth shattering sound could be heard in the distance.
It was probably a magic spell... a considerably powerful one at that...
Naga [Rektina-sama! Please let us take care of this side!]
A soldier called out to Rektina as she was looking in the direction where the sound came.
After a moment of hesitation Rektina nodded with a severe face.
[Stop these invaders at all cost! Savages ignoring proper etiquette should learn through death]
With a last glare at us the Naga called Rektina turned around and slithered into the forest.
[Well I guess that settles it, there's no talking with half humans.]
They are just slightly stronger than the average fodder...
[Kuh! They're not bad at all......]
The fight was gruesome.
While we were taking care of the nagas our soldiers fell one after the other against beasts.
At this rate we wont have anyone left before even arriving at Nyacul.
Fuck these half humans murdering creeps!... Let's wipe out the whole Naga tribe!]
[Wait Dalnos!]
[Let's just tell them our real intention and let them convey it to the person in charge!]
[We should not make anymore meaningless sacrifices!]
I took a step toward a Naga grimacing painfully to speak with her but Dalnos blocked my path.
[Stop it! If you approach carelessly there's no telling what devilry she'll use on you.]
[These things attacked us with the will to kill! We should answer by granting them death!]
Naga [... Humans... You lot said that you came for our knowledge, is that right?...]
I nodded and I looked around for support but Kaya and Dalnos were glaring down at the naga.
The naga soldier grimaced hatefully and spit at our feet.
Naga [For you humans who work hand in hand with Evil we will only grant destruction!]
[I see... well getting such a clear answer is a big help in a way.]
Dalnos raised his sword and...
[ Uwooo!?]?
But within this moment the Naga group retreated behind the barrier.
[Tch! Are you fleeing?!]
Naga [You're insignificant compared to our other enemy You can just fall prey to the wild beasts!]
With these last words the nagas disappeared in the depths of the forest.
At this moment I felt a powerful bloodlust emanating from Dalnos...
[Dalnos!]
[What?! Are you telling me you're fine to let them kill our comrades like that?]
[Of course not!]
[Then get rid of them for good or you don't know what kind of trick they'll come back with!]
They are useless if they don't answer our questions and it's dangerous to let them live!]
That said he sheathed his weapons and started to reform the ranks of our scattered soldiers.
I stared at him in disbelief and turned toward Nee-san who was standing at my side.
Now that I thought about it Kaya did not interfere. Rather she seemed to accept his arguments.
[Kaya... what's happening? Why did you...]
[It is our duty to obtain information about the sacred treasure AND come back alive.]
[We're not in Macl anymore. Here we cant afford to let enemies escape or regroup.]
[Sa! Let's find a way to advance further!]
Was I wrong to try to avoid an open war?
Did Spheed and the other soldiers harbour the same ideas as Dalnos and Kaya?
Satia murmured to me so only I could hear.
[But if they refuse to acknowledge this uneasiness or go back... we have to advance]
With a stressed and worried expression Spheed came to us.
A loud thud that resembled another explosion could be heard in the distance.We couldn't afford to go back to Macl just now but the Naga seemed to have another problem. Maybe if we help them...
[I will try.]
I took a step toward the barrier and examined the magic but couldn't understand much about it.
[It's a spell from ancient magic.]
When I turned toward her, Satia was crouched over bunch of rocks and murmuring and incantation.
When her aria was over previously invisible runes appeared at the surface of some of the stones.
Interwoven invisibility and barrier spell? That was quite advanced magic...
She pointed out 3 rocks forming an equilateral triangle hidden among the rest of the rocks.
Satia, Spheed and me approached one seal each and followed Satia's instructions on how to use our powers to dispel the barrier. After a moment the rocks blinked and the barrier disappeared.
It seemed like we wouldn't have to break the barrier through brute force thanks to Satia.
You would expect that to earn her some thanks but I could only see suspicion in Kamino's eyes.
Kaya and the others had similar expressions.
[In the library of Nasatia there are various descriptions of old magic. Elves are using it too]
[When I travelled through such places I picked up a few things and have been taught others]
Satia answered to their doubts with a complicated expression and turned toward the forest.
[...So... can we go?]
[Yes... the path ahead will be long... ]
I was sure she did not talk about the path to Nyacul but I kept quiet and started to walk.
We continue advancing through the forest, killing the numerous monsters we encounter. Occasionally we hear the crash of powerful magic in the distance.
We find another barrier but we dispel it with no interruption.
W continue further and cross a river...
But a careful search revealed the equilateral triangle that was the key to open it.
[It's strange for a savage specie like Nagas to possess such powerful magic fields.]
At last Spheed voiced the uneasiness that the group seemed to have toward the whole situation.
[It is not common to all Naga races but...]
They are born from dragons and Old Gods and possess an immense knowledge and a complex culture
They have a society different from elves.The worthy are selected based on wisdom and knowledge.
[This barrier might prevent invasions but might also be a test of our knowledge.]
[Whether or not we are familiar with many arts, if we understand their magic source or handling...]
[Whether or not our specie has deep enough understanding of their culture and customs...]
When we mention half humans we instinctively think about wild and violent creatures...prone to kill for no reason at all. But that was a gross amalgam of various species.
For us Elves, Trolls, Dwarves and beast-men were all "HalfHumans". One term designating almost every intelligent creatures that differ from humans. And we judge them based on their worst.
[... Did you ever manage to contact a Naga tribe peacefully before?]
[Yes... Though it was not near Nyacul but I managed to borrow some knowledge from them.]
[...... quite a long time ago.]
She dropped her eyes as she answered. Dalnos strode toward us from the back of the line.
[If we fight again in such a disadvantageous place we will loose too many men.]
[If you two don't intend to fight so be it but at least don't drag us down and open the path!]
[Wha……?!]
Spheed placed himself in front of me and answered to Dalnos before I could object to anything.
Dalnos took a last glance at us and returned back to the soldiers while we gathered around the
stones and sent magical power in them as Satia taught us. The barrier dissolved immediately.
[Let's avoid fighting with the Nagas as much as possible then...]
[But if they see us as enemies then I will prioritise the lives of our men.]
[Please understand that there are times where you cannot survive without killing...]
[If what we need is their knowledge above all then think about it when you order a massacre]
Spheed looked at me, then Dalnos, sighed and nodded to me before going back to his men.
Satia and me exchanged a brief worried look and resumed our progress toward Niacul.
After crossing another river we reach the entrance to the Naga den.
After having progressed through what seemed like an endless jungle we arrived at the foot of a mountain. At it's base a decorated hole was open. We stopped in front of it and observed inside.
The aperture of the hole was just large enough for one person to pass at a time.
But the underground passage seemed to become much wider a bit further in.
[If we are to believe the higher ups what we're looking for is inside right?]
[We don't know what's inside that dungeon other than Nagas... In doubt, don't show any mercy.]
The soldiers nodded to Dalnos' words.
The nagas had placed another magic spell to slow us down.
As we were positioning ourselves to dispel it, Kaya came to us.
Ever since we disembarked she had been strangely gloomy and silent.U p to some time ago
I though it was the pressure from facing this mission... but many others were strange too.
[If we enter the dungeon we should better divide our forces into small units.
We cant be sure how it will be but if we are too packed in small places it'll be dangerous
[If we go in with the 3 of us we wont have problems with barriers, I think it's good enough]
[ You don't mind right?]
[Of course not]
We moved forward to take the role of scouts and the soldiers reorganised the ranks behind us.
[Of course I am...]
She eluded the taunt with a light answer.
Taken aback by Kaya's lack of repartee Kamino frowned and went back to the rear lines.
Really strange... Anyway Satia and I were observing the entrance to the tunnels
I too felt a sticky and dangerous magic power close by. Behind the barrier? Maybe
[I don't know what it is but we cannot go back. Better be extra careful for surprise attacks.]
[Yes...]
As we nodded we placed our hands on the seals that would break the barrier and used our mana.
We advanced in the tunnel and after the first turn we spotted a Naga figure in the distance.
But the Naga got caught up in an explosion that sprayed both rocks and her body on the walls.
I unsheathed my sword instantly and parried the rocks that came flying at us...
I felt overwhelming power emanating from the depths of the passage but we continued to advance.
[ An enemy attack? Rush inside and assist them!]
[Selika ......]
Satia's tense voice barely managed to snap me out it. The sight of this room covered with hundreds of freshly dismembered Naga corpses was nightmarish.I had to stop whoever did this.
But the immense magical power that made the walls vibrate with mana paralysed me.
In the distance, I felt presences disappearing 1 by 1, each time a terrified scream resonated.
[Don't!... I have to stop this! ]
I started running the next moment. I didn't want to feel any more lives being extinguished.
Such pointless massacre...I couldn't bear it, no matter if the enemy seemed so much beyond me.
[Selika!]
Another lifeforce disappeared...and yet another inhuman scream accompanied by a mad laugher...
Each step brought me closer to the wicked aura and fear invaded my mind but I couldn't stop.
In the darkness, so close to it now, I heard the sound of tearing meat and breaking bones.
Something flew toward me and I parried the hard yet soft thing which then rolled at my feets...
The bloodied head of a person, neatly cut in half from ear to ear. I raised my eyes to look forward and my vision slowly adapted to the relative darkness inside the room.
There were sliced arms, there were broken heads and there were rivers of blood...
The smell of burned flesh, boiled blood and molten rocks assailed my senses .
Numerous snake like forms had been mercilessly torn to shreds, stone pillars had been destroyed.
Some corpses were still having nervous spasms but they were far beyond any possible healing.
I took one step in and my boot got soaked in the sticky rust smelling liquid on the floor.
In the room one last Naga remained alive... fixing her eyes on a figure sitting on a pillar.
She gathered all her magic power and threw it at once at the Being that was towering her.
But - -.
The Being had mocked the effort of her opponent with a relaxed and utterly amused smile .
And then...
The upper body of the soldier exploded, blood and organs sprayed on every wall.
I could not understand what had just happened. Was it a sword attack? Magic?
Or some power beyond our knowledge?... In any case the Naga had died in the blink of an eye.
The Being was radiating godlike powers, malevolent and cruel but beyond measure. Like that of the evil deities of old: an Ancient. As I started to understand what I was facing, she spoke.
[So thou hast come...]
[Thou managed to present thyself before me faster than I thought.]
Her white slender hand,dripping with red blood, was pointing her sword at me now.
[Willst thou flee?]
I had put power in both my legs to run from the inhuman pressure but she stopped me...
"She's not something I can beat". Though my intuition was screaming this, I refused to step back.
Rather I forced myself to stay calm.Before such beings,survival instincts have to be silenced.
[Hooo?...]
Her eyes closed and she shivered with a sort of strange excitation, smiling cruelly .
[Thou hast a good smell. Young, strong willed, righteous and thou not shrinkest before me]
[Thine unwavering fighting spirit heats up this heart of mine.]
The eyes of the Ancient opened and focused on me observing my every details.The others came in.
[Woot da fuck happened here...?]
I raised my hand so they would stop advancing, talking or doing anything actually.
Some soldier had managed to enter the room but we could not move one step closer to her.
The Ancient continued to watch me but lost her smile when her eyes turned toward a soldier.
The man broke down into panic and started to run toward the exit along with most other warriors.
I wanted to run too but I was not allowed to do the same, she would erase me if I just tried.
[Selika ......]
[You're here too...?]
[Yes... at your side.]
Satia whispered to me without a quiver in her voice.
[ This is mine gratitude to thee]
[The Nagas might be desperately weak but still their barriers were rather solid.]
[I was wondering how I would make them pay for wasting mine time...]
[We did not come here to show this to you!]
[Same thing to me. Or what? Art thou dissatisfied with my gratitude? That I removed the trash?]
[I always repay mine debts.]
I gritted my teeth.
If the person possessing the knowledge we needed was among this mountain of corpses we...
[Art thou trying to tell me thou wantest more?]
The ancient stood up with a slow motion, savouring our silence and the looks on our faces.
Immense magical power started gathering around the seemingly frail body of the Ancient.
She had annihilated so many Nagas in an instant and her powers had not weakened one bit.
[You will become mine playthings too.]
[I will stop her! Send the soldiers forward in the meantime!]
[You wont be able to stop her by yourself... I will stay too.]
[ Satia...]
[ I will fight by you side.]
Her strong faith and will instilled a renewed fighting spirit in me and I took stance.
[Selika! She's not an enemy you can hope to defeat in direct confrontation.]
[I know that!]
[Spheed gather the rest of us and get your hands on what we need as fast as possible!]
[Too many have fled already. My men and I will go with him.]
From his tone he didn't seem to believe one second that this wish would be granted but who did?
[...I will hold her with them too!]
[... Sorry about that.]
Each of us took a step forward and the Ancient showed a voracious smile. She wished for it...
[Yes! This is well! Heat up mine blood! Give joy to mine soul! Now I will feel alive through thee.]
[Sustain mine powers without fail and thou shalt earn mine praises.]
With that the Ancient stepped down from her pillar and strode carelessly among the corpses.
This being is an
Ancient (or Devil):
"The Ancients are beings that acquired powers equivalent to Gods or Chosens on their own. These entities are extremely dangerous and considered aberrations by humans and most cults"
We are kind of fucked. Her multipliers alone will make any of our attacks deal 1 point of damage or none.
Only strategy here is to keep defending and healing and hope she doesn't tire of playing. We need to resist for 100 Frames.
She starts with a light beating...
...but the frailest team members can't stand her caresses.
I focus my efforts in keeping Selika up. Protection magic, regeneration, defensive mode, potions...
...and at the end only he remains on his feet.
We were somehow enduring the overwhelming attack of the Ancient when she stopped,smiling.
[Interesting! Thou shalt be granted one more reward.]
We were barely managing to keep our breaths under control when she proposed her "reward".
So? Do tell me thine wishes. Wantest thou me to kill the Naga tribe? Or maybe become my servant?
[Or maybe be absorbed within mine flesh?]
In the corner of my eye I could see Kaya on one knee, Satia was out of sight...
I gathered all my will just to sustain her proximity and squeezed an answer out of my throat.
The eyes of the ancient narrowed in a frown.
[Art thou saying thou desirest to learn mine namein place of the rewards I proposed to thee?]
[Fufu... So be it]
[As a reward for thine bravery thine ears shall be accorded the honour of hearing mine name.]
My body became stiff as stone as she pulled me toward her so she could mutter something in my ear. I suppressed my shaking body and started to feel a magic field forming around us.
My senses and reason started to break from the conflicting informations. On one side I could see this delicate blue eyed beauty but then I could feel the abomination she actually was...
