Chapter 7: Kadavrus the Defiler

The person, creature, or something in between towered over them. Billowing black robes that had seen better days encompassed the body. The head was covered by a slacked hood, and the face hidden by a decrepit mask. It's fingers were long and unnaturally sharp. In one motion, the claw like hands swung at both of them.

"Move!" Both evaded without a scratch. "Distract him!"

"Shut it!" Alyssa lined up a shot. "I've survived here longer than you!"

Her arrow flew towards the creature only to fall short. Not due to distance, but a risen Skeletal Rhoa to which the arrow harmlessly bounced off its bone head.

"It resurrected that fast?" She held back a slur of unsavory words. "This might be a problem."

"You don't say."

They fought on, striking down risen creature after creature to no avail. Flasks were already halfway empty. A few stray arrows managed to hit the necromancer but it shrugged them off like insect bites. If this kept up, they would be overwhelmed.

"I have an idea and you're the bait!" A bolt of fire smacked a rhoa square in the head.

"Great, what I always wanted."

"You said you wanted a distraction?" Her voice heavy between breathes. "Run around and circle them up. Get a nice big cluster for me around our master of death, and I'll take it from there."

Stryer had doubts, but she had proven herself so far. Pitted against immortal death, he downed a portion of the QuickSilver flask and ran hard. The necromancer was content to watch its prey be chased with sick amusement. As little kids in a playbox, the skeletal rhoas charged at Stryer.

What the hell was Alyssa doing?

Then he saw it. Arrows, green hue arrows rained down relentlessly. Further back he saw Alyssa as she marched her shots into the air. One arrow became many, and master and minions recoiled in pain.

"Every three volleys you've got an opening, use it!"

The arrows halted, giving Stryer a chance to pounce on his stunned foes. He wasted no time. Charging in, frosted blades stung deep into undead skin and bone. One more volley, one more dash, and one final cry of anguish. The job was done.

Both of them stood like vultures overlooking their prize. The necromancer lay in a crumpled mess with lifeless bones scattered around. Alyssa put forth a sly smirk.

"What's got you gleeful?"

"Nothing important really, just satisfaction of culling the corruption and the thrill of a tough fight." Her eyes beamed with pride. "What about you, Stryer? Missing the Oriathan arenas yet?"

The Grand Arena was always home to spectacles to behold. Gladiators and Duelists gave it all on the arena floor in blood, sweat, and often their lives. But Wraeclast offered a chance to prove oneself beyond doubt and reach new ends, ascend if one will.

Stryer laughed at the idea. A duelist like himself had aspirations a many, but….did she just use his name over title?

"I do miss it, true." He sheathed his swords and noticed a duller pair of eyes than before. "But this land provides it's own challenges all the same." He pointed at the carcass. "More than that, I think I miss the maidens and their adoration."

"Hmm, I'm sure there were a few less pure maidens as the nights went on."

How could one rebuke the truth? "That's not, wrong, entirely."

For the first time he heard her genuinely laugh. "Alright Duelist, time to go claim our prize."

Lioneye's Watch

Their eyes met only for a brief moment before the Karui turned away. He was a monster amongst men, a living one though. His tattooed body darkened and muscular, with biceps thicker than Alyssa's neck. In his hands he carried a large tribal maul. Most likely a joke by the Blackguards, yet they failed to realize how truly deadly it could be in capable hands.

"When did the muscle get here?"

"Not long after you left." Tarkleigh stopped his house cleaning. "It's a rare occurence to see a Karui for me. Majority of the time, the Templar Order deem it fit to kill them where they stand. For good reason after seeing his strength with my own eyes."

Steyer's curiosity was peaked. "And when did you see it?"

"He felled Hillock."

Tarkleigh's face was void of emotion as he spoke. Monotone, he meant it as it was said. Stryer and Alyssa shared a mutual exchange.

"Felled? How?"

"A large club to the face, repeatedly." Disbelief of reality accompanied his words.

Stryer on the other hand felt a surge he could not hold back. "I stuck bloody sword through its head!"

Alyssa giggled. "Apparently it took a more blunt approach, similar to how I have to be with you."

Wraeclast, land of the undead and now this. He really missed the fair maidens of Oriath right now.

The Karui had moved on to Nessa, engaging her in heavy dialogue. Others of the camp seemed to be a little more lively than usual. The medicine chest had worked wonders in the capable hands of Nessa, or as much as one could hope in this remote watch. Stryer caught Alyssa linger a glance at the sinewed figure before remembering something.

"That's right, there was another topic of discussion." She nodded at him. "We can worry about your shortcomings later, show him the stones."

"Stones?" Stryer forgot he carried them. "Oh yeah, here they are."

Tarkleigh inspected all three, weighing them in hand and running his fingers over the grooves. "I've seen this before."

"Really? Where?"

"I was running down a wounded rhoa one night's eve and came across a watery cave. These glyphs were engraved on the wall, as if to be socketed." He handed them back to Stryer. "If you're going to do something with that cave, I should warn you to be wary."

"There's something worse than Oozeback or Hailrake?"

"When I glimpsed into the cave that night, there was something behind the mists of the falls. Looked a bit like one of those sand spitters, but the size of a bloody ox." Tarleigh laughed but it felt empty. "I reckon it'll be nesting down in the flooded depths, somewhere below that submerged tunnel. Probably will get hungry and come looking for you."

"This land is ever bountiful in offering ways to die."

Alyssa nudged him. "If you're not too careful, that Karui will take the kill from you like he did with Hillock."

With that, there conversation ended for the day. Stryer and Alyssa conceded that examining the wall would be their next task. According to Tarkleigh, the forest inland brought with it promise of fresh game, fruits, and berries. The residents of Lioneye's Watch aside, they could use the food just as much if they were to survive here. It was a mutual reliance everyone shared.