Unmei Force: Vengeance
Chapter 16: The Witch of Elfheim, Flora
Inside a small swamp in the forest...
"Oh great, we're surrounded by enemies for all sides." Antonio muttered with a annoyed tone, observing the situation around them.
Gus was occupied in helping Farnese and Casca start a fire large enough to drive the demons away, while the others were already armed for battle, facing their enemies, which were living mud zombies, as some of their skeleton could be seen under the layers of mud, as they rose slowly out of the swamps around them, letting out eerie moans and groans.
"Of all of the monsters... It had to be mud zombies. Damn it all..." Reimu hissed with irritation.
"Hey, Reimu, do you remember that time, where we had to deal with a rebellion of dorotabo youkai?" Richard asked Reimu.
"Don't you FUCKING start!" Reimu cursed back with venom in her tone, and a furious expression. "Do you know how much times washing and scrubbing myself, as well as all of the purification charms I had to make and exhaust, just to get all that enchanted mud off me, when you let me take the full brunt of their attack!? If this turns out the same... I'm going to hog-tie you and stick multiple punishment charms on your fore-head, until you either faint or until I finish scrubbing the mud off!"
"Don't be a drama queen, it won't happen." Richard scoffed, before he then raised his weapons. "Alright, so these things are basically all mud and bones. If we destroy their skeleton well enough, they won't be able to move anymore, meaning that they're effectively done for. Go for blunt blows, if you want to end this quickly. Slashes will likely phase through the mud."
"Right, got that." Guts answered back, before he then twisted his blade around, and used the flat side to squash a mud zombie down, as it pulverised the worn bones, leaving a mud puddle on the face of the blade. "Huh. That's interesting."
Soon the fire was lit up fully, as Gus turned to the others. "The fire's ready! Elma, Farnese, Casca! Come here, it'll protect you!" He shouted, as the three of them did so quickly.
The rest of the group rushed at the mud zombies, clashing with them, as Meiling's chi-enhanced strikes were super-effective against these kind of enemies, as each strike pulverised bone with a single impact, as well as the resonance causing even more bones to break, making them very fragile to the likes of her. The others, although less fortunate, still fared well, as the mud zombies were too sluggish to land a proper hit on them.
But still, the numbers came and came, until Richard decided to use some ice magic to freeze the swamp clean, preventing more of the mud zombies being made. However, in doing so, other kinds of accursed spirits attacked, as they tried to possess the group, although they were wiped out before they could even close to that.
Eventually, dawn broke out, as the spirits began to loosen up their attack, before the group collapsed, relived that they survived another night.
"Hah... We managed to make it after all." Corrin responded back.
"We're too good to fall to the likes of them." Antonio huffed back. "So then... what do you think that we should do in the meantime? We could rest some more, although we're well rested from the last few nights."
"We could go hunting." Serpico suggested. "Our food supplies are getting quite low."
"I'll assist." Virion volunteered.
"Me too, I know how to smell some good game out." Velouria added. "After all, we wolfskins thrive in the wilds."
"Right then, then take them both with you, Serpico." Guts answered back.
Serpico nodded, before the three of them left, as the group moved onto their own activites. Isidro walked over to Corrin, as Richard threw carved wooden sticks at him and Corrin each, as the two of them caught their respective training weapons.
"Go easy on him, Corrin. He's learning, but he's not ready to fight you seriously." Richard told Corrin.
"Don't look down on me! I'll eventually get to your level, and make you submit!" Isidro growled back with a confident tone. "After all, becoming the ultimate swordsman gotta start somewhere right?"
"I'll try my best, but I know that going easy would only hurt his confidence and pride." Corrin answered back.
"Why you...!" Isidro snarled, before he then adjusted his stance for battle, as Corrin did the same.
As the two of them prepared to fight, Richard walked around, scouting around the forest for any threats. When he returned to the group, he shook his head.
"Nothing bad here. We're near the forest's edge, so we'll be likely bump into someone eventually, for directions to the nearest town on the way to Elfheim." Richard told them all.
"Right..." Judeau answered back, as he was back to his hobby of word-carving, creating a crude figure of Velouria's head. "Say, after being with you for a while, I've gotten used to this again, and I'm better than before."
"Mhm..." Richard nodded, before Gunter turned to him.
"That's quite some skill there." Gunter remarked, looking at the fairly-skilled figure in Judeau's hand. "Who did you learn this skill from?"
"It was mostly self-taught." Judeau admitted, as he flicked some more chips of wood off. "I've been working on this for a few days on the way. Decided to go with the girl with the wolf-ears, since I felt like a new topic would spark some inspiration in me."
"Knowing her, she'll be more than happy to take that from you, when it's done, and keep it in her personal collection." Richard chuckled.
"Come on, don't you have anything better to do, than to comment, Richard?" Antonio sighed.
"Nope, although I could just meditate." Richard stated. "Actually, I might just do that, to refine and realign my elemental powers."
He then sat down cross-legged on the ground, before he slowly spread his arms out, as magical power surged through them, in a visible white aura that shifted colours slowly.
"Don't bother him. He'll need his time to meditate. After all, if anything tries to spring us, we'll take care of them in a jiffy without him." Antonio told the others.
Casca and Farnese watched Richard meditate quietly, as they were both interested, but moreso for Farnese, who witnessed the magic herself several times before. In fact, she was closely watching how the magic flowed through his body.
After a while, the scouting trio returned, as they managed to bring back some deer meat, as well as some berries as a snack for them. Velouria assured the others that the berries are all safe to eat, although their edibleness is left to question, since some of them were tasteless. At the same time, the training with Isidro ended, with the boy sporting several bruises, and scowling, but he looks a lot more sturdier and skilled with a blade. Richard also woke up from his meditation, just in time to join the group in having a meal with the others.
'I must learn how this kind of magic is able to work... To be able to create such natural miracles with a mere gesture... What kind of talent and training is required to possess such a almighty power...?' Farnese pondered about Richard's magic, as she gnawed on a small piece of cooked meat.
On a rocky plain...
The group encountered a shepherd, who was moving his herd of sheep along, as they spoke with him briefly, as the shepherd was more than happy to give them directions to the sea towards Elfheim, as the less-human of the group made sure to hide their inhuman features away from the old man's eyes.
"Yeah, if you want to reach the sea and avoid people as much as possible, take this old highway over the mountain pass." He told them. "Although not wanting to be seen by people mean you've got some reason to hide."
"Indeed. Let's just say that we've got a lot of trouble pursuing us. So we rather keep to the shadows as much as we can." Gus stated. "Don't get us wrong, we're not looking for trouble, just trying to stay away from it."
"Hm. If you're heading for the Port of Vritannis, which is where you all are planning to head to. Then you best be careful." The shepherd stated. "It's becoming the military base for several allied countries. I hear armies from the land under the Holy See keep gathering here. Looks more and more like a big war against the Kushan's going to start."
The shepherd then looked over the horizon. "With the King dead, and his only child, the princess missing, Midland has no real ruler. Even if the allied forces drive out the Kushan, the territory'll be carved up real good by the squabbling lords." He continued. "If it goes badly, the kingdom itself'll disappear. Anyhow, it's no concern of shepherds like us."
Guts was surprised to hear that Midland was under the threat of being wiped out, while Farnese and Serpico grimaced at the mention of the Holy See, while Richard's expression turned stone-cold at the mention of the name. Corrin was shocked to hear that Princess Charlotte was missing, as she was about to ask the shepherd, who beat them to the punch, asking first.
"Are you Mid-Landers?" He asked them clearly, to which everyone shook their heads. "That's a pity. Then why the long faces."
"Different reasons, for each phrase you mentioned. Let's just keep it there." Richard answered back grimly.
"Wait, the princess is gone...?" Corrin asked, disregarding Richard's words, as the black-haired spell-blade turned to her with a cross expression.
"Well, it's common news around the place, but I guess that it's sooner you know than later." The shepherd responded back. "By the way, if you're really going through the mountain pass, I'd tell you to look out, because it's real dangerous there."
"Is it infamous bandits?" Virion asked. "Because we can clear them out if it is."
"Better if it were, archer. But it ain't humans up there. It's trolls." The shepherd answered back. "Anyway, that's all I can give you folk."
The group then bid farewell to the shepherd, as they continued down the path.
"Trolls..." Meiling remarked. "Could it be..."
"Pshaw. Don't get yourself riled, Meiling." Richard scoffed. "Trolls are nothing compared to their superior counterparts, the oni. So what if they have regenerative properties. Ain't going to do jack if their limbs are ripped off hard, or their bodies are sliced into ribbons."
"Right. They're that simple to take care of?" Antonio asked back, to which Richard nodded in agreement. "Right, so there's nothing to worry about. We've basically got a easy trip through here, since these trolls aren't that powerful, if Meiling and Richard believe so. How about you, Reimu?"
"Don't care what it is, if it gets in the way, it's going to get smashed into the group." Reimu stoically responded back.
The group continued down the path, as they hoped that their trip to the port would be fairly peaceful.
In the mountain pass...
Richard, Guts and Serpico were walking along the river, as they looked around for dead branches to turn into fuel for their bonfire, as they were fairly in luck, as the three of them managed to find some, although they are a bit damp, as if they were battered by rain for a long time.
"Uh oh, these are rather damp." Serpico remarked, before Richard walked over, and snatched the wet branch from Serpico's hand.
He then used water magic to drain most of the water out of the branch, inside and outside, before throwing the dirtied water into the river, and handing the branch back. 'This much better?" He asked the blonde-haired rapier user gently.
"Yeah, I guess." Serpico responded back, seeing that the branch is much more dry and fit as kindling, before a branch sailed over the side of his head, thrown by Guts.
"Alright, let's get started." Guts stated. Serpico was about to open his mouth to say something, but Guts continued on before he could do so. "Don't try to play dumb. You got us alone so you could settle the score with us, right?"
"What are you saying? I merely thought that I would deepen my friendship with you... That I would be perfectly frank." Serpico asked innocently.
"It's not wrong, but you definitely have more gnawing at your mind, Serpico." Richard answered back, before he set the branches he was carrying down on ht ground. "If you won't tell the truth, it will eventually get found. You may be good at hiding your emotions, but that facade will fall eventually, and when it does, you will be most likely losing trust than gaining it. So come clean, and we won't have to deal with the problem later, okay?"
Serpico was silent for a moment, before he then stood up, and sighed, giving Richard a serious look. "Fine. To be perfectly frank... I am thinking how nice it would have been, if you were not there in the Tower of Conviction, or better yet, dead long before Lady Farnese met you." He told Richard with a cold tone. "By going along with you, Lady Farnese is exposed to danger. If I could, I would like to make her abandon this reckless journey at once. However, this is what she herself wishes, after seeing what you have done. That face of hers, like an infant who cried its eyes out, its not like her at all. I do not know that defenceless side of her. You changed her."
"That I did." Richard admitted, before he stopped a angry Guts from approaching Serpico. "However, you are assuming this change is bad. I merely did what I considered to be right. It is not by my hand that she volunteered to believe in me. I didn't tell her to renounce her faith, I asked her to seek the truth in it. She came to me, so that she could do that. I assure you, Serpico, this is beneficial to her, because she won't be restrained in her stagnant beliefs, and see more perspectives around the world, which can give her the answer she desperately seeks in her heart. Not only that, but I did intend to protect her. I assure you, I would die before she would, and that is a iron-clad promise to myself. I could swear it to you, but you won't exactly believe my words, would you?"
Serpico was silent, before he then picked up the pile of wood, and walked away.
"You are quite hard to believe, after what you have pulled in the Tower of Conviction." Serpico stated. "Winning the faith of the refugees by slaughtering the former Father... You are quite the bold and daring one, Richard."
"...So you knew it all along?" Richard asked back.
"I take good note of your appearance. Surely it wouldn't be a coincidence if angel and man look almost alike, do they?" Serpico questioned back.
"Touche. You got me there. I guess this is what caused your Lady to turn to me for religious guidance?" Richard admitted, to which Serpico nodded.
Guts was a little miffed that Richard was being fairly buddy-buddy with Serpico, a former enemy, but let it slide when Richard decided to defuse the situation in his stead.
Suddenly, they heard the sounds of battle, as well as Farnese's screams, causing the trio to stop where they were, as they moved to rush over to the scene.
"I'm sure that the others could take care of them. However, if things get dire... We should hurry regardless." Richard told the other two.
With the other group...
Everyone was up in arms, as they were being faced with a large horde of creatures, all of them which looked like hairy, apelike humanoids with black fur and faces that comprise elements of pigs and rodents. Their eyes are wide and bulging and their snouts thick and fleshy with several protrusions, and they wielded primitive weapons like some sort of stone-age civilisation. They let out ape-like grunts, as they sized up the group, although they didn't attack yet.
"I take it these are the trolls in question...?" Gunter remarked.
"T-That's a troll!?" Isidro remarked with revulsion. "Uugggh, gross!"
"A new species of ape, that's what it is." Puck remarked, hiding in Elma's clothing.
"They seem like that they're waiting for us to make the first move." Meiling analysed the situation briefly. "They're confident that their numbers and savagery is enough to tear us apart."
"Well then, I guess we should oblige them, eh?" Antonio smirked back with arrogance, raising his blade.
The group then initiated their assault, as the front-lines of the troll horde, although fairly proficient with their weapons and quite fast for something of their appearance, they were easily slaughtered, as Antonio beheaded troll after troll using his trademark speed, leaving the bodies spraying blood everywhere, as the ladies turned away from the falling blood-drops, while the males didn't care about a bit of blood in their armour or clothes. Isidro managed to stick his blade into one of the trolls, before swiftly cutting its belly open, as the guts spilled onto the floor, and it fell onto them dead.
Virion used his bow to proper use, sniping out ambushing trolls with arrows to the heads, not taking a single moment to reload his quiver or bow, as he was firing arrow after arrow without any rest. The others were doing fine, as Meiling used her strength to make a small clearing to negate the troll's terrain advantage, leaving them with fewer places to ambush around the group.
All while this occurred, a figure watched them from the shadow under the tree, as it was a child-like figure, dressed in the purple attire of a witch, with the long-tipped hat, silken magic robes, and a sturdy wooden staff in her hands. And on top of her hat, was another elf, who was a female, with curly pink hair and pink eyes, and pink frilly clothing to cover her small chest and waist, as well as having pink butterfly wings on her back. The elf was sitting cross-legged on the brim of the witch's hat, as she was watching the battle in progress with interest.
"So... By the looks of it, they're handling this quite well. It's trolls, you know, not exactly the kind you want to fight in packs." The elf commented to her partner. "Say, do you think that means that Flora's guests are here now?"
"No... I cannot say for sure. I only see one of the three that she mentioned in particular." The witch responded with a fairly young and innocent voice. "What's more, is that their od is all strange. From the girl with the claws, I sense the strong od of a furious wolf. From the girl with the strange weapon and paper charms, her od is stronger than anyone else in this group, and it feels like the presence of a foreign god. And then there's more... I sense darkness from the elderly knight, dragon od from the ginger-haired fighter and the silver-haired swordsman, the od of a hedgehog from the brown-haired rouge that is zipping through the trolls, and strong fire magic from the other brown-haired swordsman, and a strange od from the blonde-haired swordsman with the shield and blade. And that's not to mention the demon with them, supporting them with magic from behind. She... She doesn't look anything resembling the apostles, and her od, although demonic, lacks any genuine malice in it... What are these people...?"
"All I know for sure, we've got interesting people coming our way. Hopefully, it's for the better." The elf remarked, as they watched the battle slowly wind up, as the trolls present were almost wiped out. The witch was about to leave, before she then noticed that Reimu was looking towards them for a moment, staring intently at them.
The witch froze where she was, as she didn't know what to do, as she was about to prepare a spell. However, seeing Reimu produce several ofuda in her hands, as if preparing to retaliate if she was attacked, the witch turned tail and retreated quickly out of Reimu's sight. After making sure that the unwelcome observer was gone, Reimu folded her ofuda back, and turned back to see Link take out the last troll in the area.
"Who the hell is this person... And how long has she been watching us...?" Reimu muttered. "No matter, if we meet again... I sure as hell won't be letting her go that easily."
The trio soon returned, as they checked the rest of the group, and were relieved that no-one of them sustained injuries as a result of the fight.
"Let me guess... Trolls?" Richard asked everyone, to which they nodded. "See? Not so much of a problem after all, with all of us together. But I rather not tempt fate more. Let's get moving before more show up. Reimu, you'll set the barrier down when we settle for camp, if we need more time to cover the distance, right?"
"I'll be on it." Reimu responded back, before she muttered quietly to herself. "And I'll keep an eye open for that witch..."
"What witch...?" Link asked curiously.
"Never mind about that. I'm sure that they won't be stupid to attack us." Reimu dismissed the topic.
The group continued along, before they found a man heavily injured in their path. The group sprung into action, prepared to take on whatever ambush may lay in wait, while Elma moved over to the man, as she worked her healing magic on him. He slowly stirred awake, before coming face to face with the young demoness, as he let out a startled cry and back-pedalled away from her.
"What... How did you all get here!?" The man asked with shock in his voice. "Where are the trolls? They're supposed be prowling around here, looking for me!"
"I believe that we have taken care of that problem for you, sir." Corrin assured the man with a peaceful tone. "Now, just lay back, and let our friend do her work to help you."
The man complied, before Elma finished healing him up, as he then gave her a thankful nod. "Th-Thank you all very much. You saved me." The man thanked them all gratefully. "I'm sorry that you had to see me in such a sorry state. We were attacked by trolls. There were five others beside me, but they were all..."
"They were eaten, weren't they?" Velouria bluntly answered back. "Well, it's not a good place for a old man like you to be around here. So what's your reason roaming around here then?"
"Indeed, a astute lady among you." The man responded back, before he slowly got up, testing if his wound have truly healed, as he was much more fit than before. "Such magic... It would be a miracle to have been treated by it. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Morgan, from the nearby Enoch Village. As travellers here, you might not know this, but this area has, for a long time, held many legends of fairies, witches and the like. Although that is the realm of fable and folklore, there were some who said they had actually seen them. But there has been no hard proof to support those claims, and even among natives, there were not many who believed the legends through and through... Until the cursed night came."
"Cursed night?" Virion asked back.
"The first night of winter, a pack of trolls attacked the village. Just like they had fallen out of a tale... They emerged from the darkness." Morgan told them. "Yes, ever since that night, it's like the whole world has changed. As if all that had been before was a elaborate lie. Not only do they ruin the fields and steal livestock, they even carry off our women and children. Because of the war with the Kushan, heavy taxes are imposed on the people. Enoch village was poor to begin with, and it will be all we can do not to starve to death this winter! Now we are raided by creatures of legend... It's just a matter of time before our village is wiped out!"
Everyone listened to it, as there were several shocked reactions, as they knew what had happened to the taken women and children, as Gus's grip on his weapon tightened in hearing the injustices the village had to put up with.
"Then do you plan to appeal directly to your Lord?" Serpico asked, before Velouria glared at him.
"Then what, tell him that trolls have attacked? It will be dismissed as mere fantasy. They won't care, and they'll just tax them harder in punishment." Velouria harshly retorted back.
"Then what will you do, Morgan?" Link asked.
"A legend for a legend... A witch. We thought we would request help from a witch for this." Morgan responded back, as everyone was surprised to hear the witch being mentioned, as Reimu was intently listening to his following words. "It is said that deep in this forest, lives a witch in her mansion. Only those the mistress of the mansion wills may reach that place. In any case, the villagers are too afraid to go near, but of old, there have been children who claimed they saw them. We already searched the forest for five days, but could not find anything like that... Eventually, we were unlucky enough to find trolls..."
"So there is a witch's spell cast on this forest? Then wouldn't it be a waste of time no matter how long you searched?" Isidro asked back.
"Not quite." Link answered back. "For this kind of spell, finding the focal point of it, would help greatly in breaking this. Curses that cause you to lose sense of direction, or walk in loops... We have encountered several ones before."
"Oh?" Guts asked, before Richard then stopped in front of a line of trees, as he placed his hand out, moving it along a invisible barrier.
"I can sense it here. Follow me closely, and don't hesitate. I'll rip a hole in the barrier long enough for all of us to get through." Richard told everyone.
Everyone did so, as Richard pushed out a pulse of arcane energy that ran along the barrier, causing it to shine visibly, as it slowly faded away. The group passed through the barrier, although not without alerting the person connected with it, as it was the same witch that Reimu saw before.
"Someone passed through the barrier...?" She muttered, before she then focused on the energy that caused the breach, as she then froze in realisation. "No... Could it be... Her guests... have already arrived...!? But I can't hesitate... Mistress could be in danger..."
She then chanted a long spell, as it caused several figures among the earthen ground to stir, as magic surged through their limbs and body, and the runes on their heads glowed.
On the other side of the magical barrier...
The group managed to pass through, as they found themselves facing a large mansion, that seemed to be made out of a mix of naturally-grown trees, and man-made materials, as there was countless earthen idols scattered on the ground around them, of varying sizes. On top of the house were large trunks, which covered most of the area in cool shade.
"Trees growing out of a house... No, house growing out of trees..." Corrin muttered with awe. "Such a naturally dazzling structure..."
"Damn... That's taking living in nature a step too far, if I say so myself." Antonio added.
Richard then sensed a magical energy surging around the ground, as he raised his guard, suspecting that they are not alone here.
"Hey, hey, we found it already, mister." Isidro told Morgan, who was moved to tears seeing the mansion.
"It really wasn't a dream... When I said that some children saw this mansion long ago... I was one of them." Morgan told everyone. "No one believed me, and so many years have passed that even I come to think of it as a dream."
Guts also felt the magical presence, as he was on edge as well, slowly drawing his blade.
"You feel it too, don't you, Guts?" Richard asked his comrade, as the two of the slowly walked through the grounds, as Guts nodded back. "I think that we've got a fight in our hands."
The group looked around, as they saw that the earthen idols were in many different shapes and sizes, before Isidro approached a large one.
"The hell is this stone statue? It's got some sort of afro? What is this...?" Isidro asked curiously.
"That's not a stone statue." Puck interrupted, as he floated over to the young kid. "It's a golem. A mud puppet used as a helper or house guard for witches."
"Really? Well, this hunk of stone ain't moving a single inch!" Isidro responded back, as he gave it it a kick.
As soon he touched it, the large idol suddenly rose up onto its feet, as if it became sentient immediately, before Isidro turned tail to run.
"N-No way...! These things are actually alive!?" Isidro exclaimed, as he ran fast. "Help me!"
The group moved to the boy's assistance, as Reimu threw a few tailsman at the golem, rendering its pace to be slowed to a snail's crawl, before Guts cut down both of its arms, before then cleaving through one of its legs to halt its momentum.
"W-Wait! Please, listen to...!" Morgan pleaded, as he was worried about the situation, before he was forcibly dragged back by Casca and Corrin.
"Remain here! We'll deal with these golems!" Casca shouted. "Tch... Does my blade even work against their stone?"
Soon, the damaged golem rose up, before regenerating its arms, through the growth of the stone at the stumps, before regenerating its lost leg as well. At that moment, the rest of the golems, scattered around the ground, rose up into action, rushing towards the group.
"They... They grew back...? And there's... more!?" Isidro exclaimed.
"Golems... Damnit... I never thought we would have to deal with them again..." Richard groaned, before he then attacked one of the golems, as his blade easily cuts through the ancient stone, as he manages to snatch something through the gash he made through the chest of the golem. As he pulled it out, it was revealed to be a small clay figure placed in each of the golems, as the golem that was separated from the component, crumbled into a pile of stones.
"Hmm..." Richard pondered, as he examined the clay figure closely, before he then thought of an idea. "Ah... I might have an idea to deal with this fast!"
He then crushed the clay figure, and allowed the magic stored within it seep through his arm and into his mind, as it filled him with knowledge regarding the mana signature of the golems, pleasing him greatly, before he turned to the others, who were having fairly good luck dealing with the golems.
Meiling was attacking the golem so hard, that she pulverised large golems with a single strike, clay figure and stone body both, while Velouria was less lucky, as her claws could only gouge through the rock, not slice through them. She does manage to score a few lucky kills, by breaking the clay figure within the golems, while Virion opted to dodge, since his arrows won't do much, and he wasn't sure his attacks were helping, with how the golems were regenerating each attack he did, and a lack of a visible weak point to attack. Link was using his trusty shield to block every single attack for himself and some of the less fortunate members of the group, as the only blades that were too weak to pierce the stone was Farnese's holy blade, Casca's short-sword, and Isidro's iron sword.
"Everyone, aim for the centre of their bodies!" Richard shouted, as everyone turned to him. "Gus, Link, Reimu, Antonio! To me!"
The four members complied, as they knocked back the enemies in their way, before Richard then faced them.
"Alright, I need you four to protect me." Richard answered back. "I have an idea to put this fight to end quickly. All I need to do is to invoke a magic circle powerful enough to affect all golems in the vicinity, and disconnect their sources of power to render them immobile."
"What!? Are you crazy? How exactly are you going to do that!? This is not a part of your magic studies, isn't it!?" Reimu frantically exclaimed.
"You know that Patchy knows how to cover all bases. Although my golemancy is at basic understanding, it should be enough to affect them, and flip their kill-switches. Problem is, I need time to work undisturbed. Can I trust you all?" Richard asked them.
"Right, leave them to us. You just do your magic stuff, alright?" Antonio answered back, before he then rushed back into the fray, using his blade to cut through the golems, destroying their clay figure cores along the way, while Gus and Reimu stood near, protecting Richard, and Link used his bow to snipe out the cores of the golems. Seeing that there is a weak-point after all, Virion returns to doing covering fire, as his bow managed to pierce through stone, and wipe out the golems.
From a balcony on the mansion, over the grounds, the young witch watched as Guts and the group tore through the golems with minimal difficulty, as she was concerned about how easily the guardians were being overcome by the intruders.
"Well, the game is up already... That guy knows his magic well." The pink elf sitting on her hat remarked. "What now? They'll all get busted at this rate! Not to mention that this guy below is confident that he would disable the golems if he finishes that spell of his! We're not in a good situation, Schierke!"
"In that case... We will have to resort to drastic measures..." The now-named Schierke responded back, as she held her wooden staff in both of her hands, as she quietly chanted incantations to prepare a large spell.
However, in doing so, it triggered Richard's magic sensors, causing him to halt his preparation of the spell immediately. Before Schierke could finish another verse of her spell, he pulled out his trusty bow, and fired a arrow right towards Schierke's hat, as the elf on it panicked, flying off, as Schierke ducked, allowing the arrow to catch her hat and pin it on the wall behind her. She then rose up, before she then saw Richard glaring at her.
"If you're responsible for these golems... I suggest you turn them off." Richard threatened them, as he nocked another arrow on his bow. "If harm comes to my companions... the next arrow will go through one of your hands."
Schierke was frozen where she was, as the eyes that Richard was showing were filled with grim determination, as she knew that Richard wasn't bluffing.
'What... What is this person...? He easily sensed out my attempt to cast a spell... Just who is this person who Flora had invited!?' She thought frantically. 'Either way, if I don't put a stop to this, or attempt to try anything... He might...!'
'That's quite enough.' A elderly female voice rang through Schierke's head, causing her to turn around, and look towards the large door behind her.
"Mistress... But...!" Schierke pleaded.
'You were merely doing the right thing, my apprentice, but there is no need to engage in more hostilities. Let them through.' The voice continued in her head.
"...Yes Mistress. I understand." Schierke answered back, before she then turned to Richard. "Allow me to turn the golems off. I won't do anything to harm you and your companions anymore."
Richard lowered his bow, as Schierke chanted a quick spell which deactivated the golems, causing the group to halt their attacks as well.
"Was for the best, I guess." The pink elf muttered to herself.
"Hn?" Guts grunted.
"Wh-What's happened?" Farnese asked with surprise.
"They've stopped. I think that someone did that for us." Corrin stated. "Do you know who it is, Richard?"
"I think I have a good idea." Richard responded back as he watched Schierke leave the balcony, before then reappearing through the front door.
Everyone turned their attention to the witch, as they saw her young figure, and her short curled green hair, and green eyes. She looked at them with a calm expression, while the others were surprised by who they saw.
"Woah... This is the witch...?" Antonio remarked. "Dang... She's pretty young... And adorable to add to that."
"She reminds of me of a certain someone when he was younger..." Corrin stated. "Well, I was fairly small at that time too, but I can still remember the resemblance between him and the witch before us."
"...She looks like as if she's the same age as me..." Elma stated, as she felt a bit of melancholy in stating that. "I only hope that she's able to live a proper life in this terrible world..."
"Mistress witch, please listen...!" Morgan remarked, pushing through the group. "We didn't mean to bring harm to you-"
"You are all welcome. What happened before was a misunderstanding. It seems that my mistress will see you." Schierke answered back.
"He's damn young as a witch..." Isidro scoffed. "I bet her mistress is the real witch here. What that makes her then...? Her disciple in training?"
"Much like you, Isidro." Corrin responded back, as Isidro nodded in agreement.
"Misunderstanding my ass... If I had to deal with more, I'd spank that brat for trying to beat us into a pulp." Reimu growled, before she was stopped by Richard glaring at her.
"Well, she couldn't do much even if she tried. So let it go, Reimu." Richard sternly told his companion, to which Reimu clicked her tongue, annoyed.
The group slowly entered through the doors, as Schierke guided them through the rooms, as the entire room was made of wood, and there were various furniture around the area, with books and ingredient pouches on the tables and hollowed out holes in the wall, as well as concoctions stacked on another shelf. There were also a large amount of potted plants that were located hanging around or on the ground, as the group were fairly amazed by the decorations in the room.
"Wooo! What's all this neat stuff!? Feels more like a nest than a house. I feel like I'm a squirrel or something standing around here. And it's filled with tons of weird stuff."
"This takes me back to the days before I met you guys." Puck remarked, as he flew out of Elma's cloak, and lightly on top of her head, which the demoness didn't mind at all. "Lots of magic users lived where I came from. I hung out with them a lot. Some were even as good as a host as Elma here is. Ah... the memories..."
Corrin closely examined the items strewn on one of the tables, as Schierke looked at her, and informed her. "Do not go touching things on the desk."
"I didn't intend to." Corrin responded back, lifting her arms back. "I was merely curious about these ingredients placed on them. Some of them seem to be fairly foreign to me, so I apologise if you were mistaken about it."
"I see." Schierke answered back.
"By the way, mind if I ask you a question?" Antonio asked Schierke. "You look pretty young for a witch, and I haven't seen anything that isn't creepy or evil that would be make you looked way younger than what you actually would be, with your experience as the witch. You a disciple of her or something?"
"Yes, I am her apprentice. My name is Schierke." Schierke introduced herself, before her pink elf left her head, and she gestured to her. "And this is Ivalera, my personal elf."
"Hey. I look after her." Ivalera responded back. "So no funny business, alright?"
"Huh, not even an real witch then." Isidro snorted, before he then get clocked in the head by Reimu. "Ow! The hell was that for!?"
"That apprentice controlled all those golems. Think about that for a moment." Reimu responded back.
"What do you mean... Oh... Ooohhh!" Isidro hissed back, before he then realised what she meant, as he sighed. "Fine, sorry. I guess that if someone like me can swing a sword well, then a kid like you can be a magic user this good."
"So you say, although you are quite good with your weapon, you still are lacking." Schierke critically remarked about Isidro's skill.
"Don't look down on me! I'm still training like you, damnit!" Isidro growled back. "When I'm done, I'm going to be the ultimate swordsman!"
"Alright, enough bickering." Guts informed the others, before turning to Schierke. "Could you just hurry and let us see your mistress or whatever?"
"Guts!" Richard replied with a appalled tone, before turning to Schierke. "Sorry, my friend is a bit of an impatient one. He doesn't like to talk much."
"I see. Come this way then." Schierke instructed, leading them up a narrow set of stairs, and before a large door.
She opened the door, as the group slowly came into the room. "I have brought them as you asked, mistress." She informed the sole resident in the room, prior to their entry.
The group looked around, as it was a fairly large room, as there was a large arched window before them. In front of it was a small table, with a pot of flowers, a magic book, and a teapot with a cup. And sitting on one side of the table was a elderly woman with greying hair, greyish-blue eyes, and dressed in a light-pink gown that covered her entire body. She looked at them with kindness in her eyes and a welcoming smile on her lips
"Welcome... to the Mansion of the Spirit Tree." The elderly woman greeted them, as she looked over the entire group. "Please forgive my apprentice for being impolite and hostile to you all. She is merely concerned for my safety. I am Flora, the mistress of the mansion."
'Good... That should make the next few steps easier...' Richard thought to himself, before he then nodded. "We are unharmed by the attempt. But I have startled your apprentice, and almost harmed her. If I may, I apologise for that before we continue."
"She's a witch? I thought for sure that witches had pointed noses and looked like some sort of wrinkled monster!" Isidro exclaimed.
"I-Insolence! That's merely a rumour!" Schierke argued back.
"Hoho... I accept your apology, young warrior. And as for you, little one..." Flora smiled back. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"Oh... You are... surely the one from..." Morgan spoke, as he was deeply moved in seeing Flora, stepping forward. "I remember! My mother was saved from the brink of death by the medicine I received from you fifty years ago! It's unbelievable you're just as you were then!"
"I too remember. You were that boy. How nostalgic." Flora nodded.
Farnese looked at Flora for a moment, before she then stepped forward, as Serpico looked at her. "Lady Farnese...?" He muttered to her.
"Young lady, you need not be so frightened." Flora assured Farnese, who's expression was filled with guilt and fear. "My folk were not among those whose lives you have took. Even if they were, the fault would collectively lie upon the servants of your deity. The one who spoke with you before, he is very much right about how the proper faith to your deity, is a different way than you were taught. I do not seek retribution from you as an individual."
'How'd she...!?' Farnese thought, shocked that Flora answered her potential questions in a single answer, before Flora then turned her attention to the group.
"And you... the trio of the Branded." Flora stated, before she then looked over the rest of the group. "And the companions of the black-haired warrior who has turned the fate of the world several times already."
"How did you...!?" Guts exclaimed, as Casca was equally shocked. Richard, however, seemed to understand what was going on, as he gently nodded back.
"I see now, you have been expecting us all this time, haven't you, Flora?" Richard asked back, as everyone was surprised to hear that from him.
"Indeed, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Flora responded back. "They of the Brand, guided by tiny wings. I have awaited you three."
'She knows about the Brand? Could she be a Apostle in hiding? But no... This feeling...' Guts thought to himself, as he moved his hand over his Brand, which had a soothing feeling inside of it. 'This feeling... It is so gentle... It lacks any hostility or malice like the usual things that the Brand senses.'
"Wait, then what about us then!?" Antonio exclaimed back.
"Patience, young hedgehog." Flora responded back, before turning to Morgan. "His story is of more importance for now. And that regards the trolls, does it not?
"Y-Yes." Morgan admitted back.
"I am truly anxious about them too. Trolls originate from the astral world. Rarely should they even be seen by humans, much less attack their homes." Flora explained.
"Well... in that case... Can you-" Morgan was about to ask, before Flora lifted a hand to stop him.
"Unfortunately, I cannot assist you, for this old body of mine has neither the strength nor the time left to leave this place." Flora solemnly responded back. "My time of death draws near, and now I simply wait quietly for it to come."
Elma felt a bit sorrowful for Flora, who looked so peaceful and old, then hearing the fact that she does not have long to live as well, while Reimu felt a sense of respect for Flora, if she was able to leave in relative peace for all those years.
But away from the others, Richard's expression was conflicted, as he didn't seem to be quite accepting of Flora's death as the others were.
"Then how in the world will we...?" Morgan asked.
"No need to worry. I cannot go myself, but I can have one go in my stead." Flora assured Morgan, before turning to Schierke. "Schierke, be of service to them."
"Whoa, that's a big job they gave you!" Isidro exclaimed.
"Mistress... No... I..." Schierke tried to politely refuse Flora's request.
"It is high time for you too to put your training into practice." Flora answered back. "But I..."
"There is nothing to be afraid of, young Schierke." Gunter assured the young witch. "If your mistress believes in you so greatly, then you will potentially meet her expectations."
"I..." Schierke muttered back, as she let her voice trail off slowly.
"I actually have a request for you all." Flora stated, looking at the group. "Could I ask all of you, please, to assist my disciple?"
"Whoa, whoa. I understand that you're worried about your favourite student, but we've got no obligation to go that far. Sorry, but we've got to stick to our journey." Gut strongly refused.
"Naturally, I do not ask your help for free." Flora responded back. "I think that I might be of some use to you as well. Upon your return, I shall produce tailsmans to protect you on the rest of your journey."
"You mean the kind that I make?" Reimu interjected. "Sorry, but you're going to have to offer better than that. I have made plenty of them, and they work quite as well as yours."
"D-Don't be ridiculous!" Schierke argued back. "Tailsmans made by the magi are not the same as superstitions! And even among them, my mistress's charms are special!"
"Anyone who ain't a experienced witch like her ain't going to understand." Ivalera chimed in, to which Reimu growled lowly upon hearing that.
"I understand your power well. However, neither of our powers is capable of being able to erase that curse upon them and your friend." Flora acknowledged Reimu's words. "However, I can weaken its intensity through proper magic, to protect them from being possessed, and draw less evil spirits. It may be only last for as long as your journey may be, but it is reliable."
"Wait, so that thing... It draws those spirits to us!?" Isidro exclaimed, finally realising the reason why they were chased by spirits.
"Of course, what did you expect?" Antonio sighed.
"...Guts, may I act in behalf of the group?" Casca asked Guts.
"...Go ahead. I bet I know what you're going to say." Guts relented, letting Casca move in front.
"There is no reason to reject your offer, Mistress Flora. Even if you couldn't help us as much as we expected, anything would do in this kind of situation." Casca answered back. "Rest assured, your apprentice will be safe amongst us.
"Then negotiations are complete." Flora smiled back.
"Thank you so much...!" Morgan remarked with a moved tone, as Link grabbed him, and held the elderly man close.
"It is our duty to help the innocent who are unrightfully given suffering by the cruel world. You have no reason to cry." Link assured Morgan.
"Mistress..." Schierke stated again.
"Extend greetings to everyone, Schierke. It is only manners to do so." Flora told Schierke, as the young apprentice turned around.
"It... It is nice to meet you all." Schierke timidly stated to everyone.
"Yeah, I guess that we're going to do well with you among us. Just don't zap us with something, okay?" Isidro stated.
"Don't worry. You're in good hands." Corrin assured the meek Schierke.
"R-Right..." Schierke responded back, before they headed out of the room.
At night...
Flora was sitting at the balcony outside of the mansion, as there was a wooden alcove to sit upon, as she listened to the sounds of the female members of the group getting to know each other through bathing with each other, as their voices were mostly joyous and friendly, as she could pick out some words from the voices, such as Reimu being accidentally groped by Farnese, which the shrine maiden didn't appreciate, as the rest tried to calm her down before she did something she would regret.
After a while, the doors ahead of her opened, as it was revealed to be Richard, who was in his full clothing, as he stopped right before Flora with a calm expression.
"Mistress Flora." Richard stated stoically.
"Ah, so you have told Schierke that you wanted to speak with me while the others were occupied." Flora answered back. "It seems that you are interested in having a chat with me alone. I suppose that there are things that you and I only can discuss right now."
"Indeed." Richard nodded back. "First is something that I want to tell you. I am aware of the fact that you are dying, Flora. But not only I do, but I am aware of how you will die, something that your other ally does not have in comparison to me. And I assure you, it is not a peaceful death that you have intended for yourself."
"Is that so... So his words are true then. You know more about the world and its future than you let upon on others." Flora asked back, as her expression dropped slightly into a frown. "I take it that you intend to save me somehow."
"...That's right." Richard responded back with some hesitation. "I guess that it was obvious by the look on my face, that no-one else saw but you. You are observant, Flora. I give you that at least."
"And I take it that you will not change your decision then?" Flora asked back, as Richard's expression creased slightly with reluctance, although his eyes showed that he was very serious on his decision. "At least tell me why you wish to save me, when I am merely a witch reaching her twilight years. I am not as powerful as most of your members, because of old age wearing me down. Your shrine maiden, is capable of doing what I am capable of and more, save for a few unique tasks."
"...If I tell you, will it convince you why I needed you to live?" Richard questioned back, before Flora gently nodded, as she was willing to hear Richard's reasons out. "Very well, then I'll tell you straight. I need you Flora... because only you can help a friend of mine. You might be able to guess who it is, if you were able to figure my motives."
"...It's the young demoness that you have taken under your wing, is it not?" Flora answered back.
"That's right. Her name is Elma, former Overlord of Gloom, now a mere female demoness who is working for the side of good. She is more of a beacon of hope than a servant of darkness, as most demons are considered as." Richard answered back. "I need you, because only you are capable of teaching her the magic that she needs to survive in the cruel times ahead of us. I cannot even ask you to teach you, because the turning point of your fate will come in a mere few days, far too less to be able to impart Elma with even the most basic of essential spells to protect herself."
"Why so...?" Flora asked, before she then saw Richard's expression turn to annoyance, as she then realised that was an obvious reason for it. "It is because I have tutored Schierke so well, and you have seen that she is quite capable, that you believe that I would be the most fitting tutor for Elma, I presume?"
"Second most fitting, in all honesty." Richard corrected. "However, the first on the list is engaged in matters that make her unable to help Elma for several decades at least. You are the next most fitting candidate. I have seen the power and magical experience that Schierke has, both first-hand and through sensing. Now do you understand why I care for you? I'm sorry that if this sounds harsh, but I need you because I need someone to help her. I promise you that you will not be left un-repaid for your actions. You will restore the youth you lost, and you will be able to stand alongside us, as beacons of hope and protectors of the innocent. It may sound hypocritical, considering that 'he' must have told you what I truly am, but I am a exception to the ideals I made, because... I am the demon that exists, so that none of my friends has to be. They don't need to dirty their hands with the sin and regret of ruining lives. I have endured it, so I should be the one to take those burdens to myself."
Flora was silent for a moment, before she then sighed.
"How ironic... Here, I can see the two sides of your own heart." Flora spoke in a solemn tone. "I can see the benevolent side of you, that acts as a saviour for all, giving kindness to people and working to befriend others, as well as maintain peace and unity among the worlds you have found, using diplomacy and the more noble powers at your disposal, and treating your friends and allies with the proper respect they deserve and more. And then I see the other side of you, the rage-filled executioner and the sadistic manipulator. You would do anything to ensure that your goals would be achieved, even if it would come to odds with the noble side of you. You would slay your enemies without mercy, if it would ensure that the others would fear you for your ungodly might, and you would lie to twist the hearts of people around to ensure that everything would proceed mostly to what you have planned. Ruining friendships, turning comrades against each other... Although it is for the greater good, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and your goals are noble, but your means are not. You would hold that inner darkness close to your heart, and meld it within your soul, so that you could be both the angel and devil. As a result of this, your soul is conflicted, and your emotions are as well. You are a child with a broken soul, which was reformed grotesquely through sheer determination and dark desires. Your soul burns all in your path, even your friends, though your flames are more merciful to those you respect and cherish. I cannot fathom what it is like to be in your place, Richard. Your friend, Guts... he is much easier to comprehend and understand, with his directly blunt hatred in his heart,but ever since you have worked under the chaotic goddess of the other reality, Yakumo, your very soul has become something that cannot be merely described as human or inhuman. I only wish that I would come to understand you... so that I could fix you, as it is wrong to see a twisted soul like yours linger on, even if you choose to embrace it for the sake of everyone you care for."
Richard was silent, as he nodded solemnly as well.
"Wow... I never thought that you would think that much of me." Richard remarked, before he then turned away. "You are not wrong. I am a monster of my own choosing, and I wish that there was a better way to achieve what I must. And as for my soul... You will be fruitlessly searching for the way to heal it. It is not something you could wish, after everything it had been put through, emotionally and spiritually. Just make sure that you tell 'him' about your choice. If you won't come... then I am unable to force you. Like a behelit, your will is something that very few can control, not even the God Hand can properly achieve that. If you wish to help me, then it will be by your choice and will alone."
"...You will know my answer when the time comes." Flora answered back.
"Then I will leave. May you take your time to cherish these last moments of peace that you will have, whether you choose to die or live on." Richard stated, before he then exited through the door.
Flora then turned to a part of the darkness beside her. "You may come out, Schierke. I have known that you have been listening to the entire conversation." She tells Schierke.
Schierke comes out, as her expression was very conflicted, as she didn't know what to say for a while, before she then mustered the courage to speak.
"Mistress... This man... Is everything that he told you the full truth?" She asked her mentor.
"Indeed. His heart did not waver an inch saying those words, even though it pained him to speak of it." Flora responded back, before taking a drink out of her tea-cup, filled with natural herb tea. "He knows that dishonesty would only harm his chances of persuading me to join his quest, the true one, that goes beyond merely this world."
"But... Is is true... Does he really know how you will die?" Schierke asked back. "And why... is the only way to prevent it... is for you to join him? How does he intend to avert your fate, if it was something naturally fated to be?"
"He has already defied fate a few times. Another time would be fairly easy for him. Even if the God Hand tried to stop him... it will not work against someone as determined and powerful as him." Flora answered back. "Have you not noticed that his od has been strongly restrained? So that you could not sense its true nature. You could tell the hints of darkness from what little he exposed, but the darkness within him is much larger, far too strong for even you to be able to bear sensing, my apprentice. One would say that he is a true threat to the fifth God Hand, the Hawk of Light, as a challenger for the title of being the absolute being of this world. As someone who exists out of this world, he is not bound by the laws of casualty, allowing him to rebel against the God Hand at the same level. That is why he would be titled the Rebel, or the Defiant. He is one who will refuse to allow certain fates to come to pass, using his power to twist fate and destiny to his wishes. But he will not remain forever in this world. When he leaves, the fate of the world will be left to those who remain, with the fated one to be Guts himself. That is why you will assist the man, who has contested with his own fate, surviving through the hells that were forced upon him, and encountered many along his way, that allowed him to change dramatically. Of course, I will not force you, like Richard has told me. God may bestow fate upon us, but we of mankind are the ones who choose it. That is my truest belief."
"I see... I will not forget your words, mistress." Schierke answered back, before she then left the balcony.
The next morning...
Schierke was using a feather quill to inscribe a sigil over Richard's back, as she added the finishing touches, using her glasses to help her trace the sigil carefully, while Richard sat silently, letting the young apprentice do her job.
"That does it." Schierke stated, before she set the feather quill down, before she then grabbed some purification salt from a small pouch from her nearby table, as Richard winced slightly from the pain that the substance brought to him. "It is complete now. Not on the same level of my mistress's tailsmans, but the Brand should not attract any evil spirits for two or three days."
"I look forward to that." Guts agreed, as he was bare-chested like Richard.
"Are you ready over there?" She asked the rest of the group, who were bare-chested as well, as they were slathering some sort of ointment onto their body, on every part of the body.
"This stuff tingles." Isidro commented, as he slowly rubbed the ointment on him.
"Yeah, it feels strange." Antonio answered back. "What exactly is this, Schierke? Some sort of ointment?"
"It's called femme fatale ointment. A kind of narcotic mixed from almond oil, celery, belladonna, wolfsbane and several other plants." Schierke explained. "Because it dulls the five senses, it enhance the magical sixth sense, allowing easier perception of ethereal bodies."
"So it was some sort of drug that makes you high enough to actually see those monsters, for those who find it hard to see them." Reimu stated. "Righhtt... At least it's all natural, and doesn't actually linger on for too long in the bad way."
"I know that you all have your own weapons, and seeing how they managed to fight off the golems, I will not provide those of you who are directly under Richard's company with additional equipment." Schierke stated, as she went over and lifted a bundle of items that were wrapped around in cloth, before then placing it down on the table in front of everyone. "But for the rest of you, you might need these. It's a good time to explain the things that I will give to you."
The bundle contained a green cloak with tassels on the corners, a large blade that was created from a large hardened avian feather, with a proper metal hilt, a fabric pouch with berries poking out of it, a dagger with a large and wide blade, with a thick rain-guard with a small triangle design inlaid onto it, chainmail armour made of silver, and a silver dagger, and a set of throwing knifes that had inlaid gems on their handles.
"These are..." Judeau asked.
"Magic fetishes. They are magic arms granted the protection of the spirits." Schierke explained. "I borrowed them from the mistress. With these, everyone should be able to confront the trolls even without spell-casting. First, for Serpico, this hood and sword."
She then handed Serpico the green cloak, as it billowed as if there was wind moving it, something that Serpico noted, as it continued, even when Serpico held it still. "What is this hood? It floats on its own." He pondered, before he then looked closer, as his eyes managed to faintly see something wisp-like brushing through the surface of the cloak, resembling transparent birds, limbless with round wings, and spherical heads, and a wispy tail. "Shapes like transparent winged insects, which look fairly humanoid..."
"Yes, these are the wind elementals, sylphs." Schierke explained back, as the sylphs in the cloak floated around, as some of them moved into the air. "The four states inherent to the physical world, Solid, liquid, vapor, energy, are all resonant with the workings of elementals in the astral world, earth, water, wind and fire respectively. These little ones are the ethereal forms of the atmosphere that fills this world, spirits of the wind that blow about the sky."
"How about that. So you're the guys that are the wind that always help me out. I'm Puck." Puck stated, as he greeted the smaller sylphs.
"What are you talking about? They're our ancestors." Ivalera responded back, eliciting a surprised 'Howah?' from Puck. "You're a pixie, right? Pixie's are a family of wind spirits, after all. There are all kinds though."
"What!? You mean I'm a wind spirit as well? That's odd... I don't feel like I can use the wind like the sylphs..." Puck exclaimed, before calming down. "Must be familial differences, right?"
"That is the Sylph Hood. He who wears it is clad in atmospheric current, and can sweep aside swords and arrows." Schierke explained the cloak, as Serpico already draped it over his body, before he then picked up the feather sword, which was also blessed with the sylphs. "Also granted the wind's protection is the Sylph Sword. The blade is made from a white-shouldered eagle's feather and the hilt from mistletoe growing on the highest branch in the forest. One swing can generate a whirlwind that can tear the enemy's flesh without touching it."
"Might I give it a try?" Serpico asked, as Isidro was staring at the blade with condescending eyes, muttering under his breath about how weak it looks.
"Please." Schierke answered back, before Serpico swung the blade at a set of candles, as it snuffed the flames on them, as well as rustle the plants behind them. Puck even floated over to the candle, before he lifted it, and showed that the candle itself was cut in twain by the attack, making Isidro eat his own words upon seeing this display. "This is quite handy."
"Holy... That was neat!" Isidro exclaimed with excitement, before he then rushed up to Schierke. "Alright, where's mine? Where is it? I bet I got something nice, right?"
"For you, these." Schierke answered back, as she handed him the sheathed dagger, and the pouch.
"Eegghh... A dagger? Sure, Judeau got those knifes, but he got an actual sword. Can't I get a magic sword or spear too?" Isidro complained.
"A dagger can do more you think, Isidro." Antonio stated. "Trust me, it's handy to use when you're small and fast."
"Really..." Isidro responded back dully, before he then pulled the dagger out of the sheathe, as he saw the red glow of the blade. "Huh...? This dagger... It's glowing all red."
He then saw the shapes of many small lizard-like wisps crawling across his blade, sharing the same red glow of his blade. "What the... What are these small squirming things? Lizards?" He muttered.
"Those are fire elementals, salamanders." Schierke offered to explain again. "The blade of the Salamander Dagger is magically crafted from molten made with it will ignite and burn as if struck by a hot iron."
"...Mind if I test it myself?" Meiling asked, stepping forward.
"...Sure. Go ahead and try. Not like you're going to be using it, with those fists and energy of yours." Isidro casually stated, handing the blade to Meiling, who seemed to be a mistake, as Meiling pressed the blade of the glowing dagger against her palm, startling some of the people, especially Isidro. "The hell!? Are you trying to burn your-"
Meiling's hand was fairly safe, as her dragon scales protected her hand from most of the heat, as she was fairly intrigued by this, before she then handed the dagger back to Isidro, who was frozen upon seeing that.
"It's quite effective, if it forced me to use my scales to weather the heat." Meiling commented, before she then noticed that some of the salamanders stuck to her hand, as their hot bodies danced along her palm, heating it warmly, instead of burning it. "Huh...?"
"Oh... The salamanders must have gathered to you, considering that you are partially dragon, and thus they flock to you as if you are their matriarch." Schierke answered back. "I'm sure that you would benefit from their presence enhancing your fighting abilities."
"Hot damn... This is sweet." Isidro remarked, before he then looked at the bag of berries in his hands. "Then what's this?"
"Those are consecrated berries. You can scatter the trolls if you throw these at them." Schierke answered back.
"Pass. I rather just stab through their gnarled bodies and burn them." Isidro denied back. "Although, I might keep this just in case. Thanks for the free stuff."
Schierke grumbled, before she then handed the silver chainmail to Casca and Farnese, and the silver dagger to Farnese.
"For our ladies, Farnese and Casca, silver chain-shirts, and a silver dagger for Farnese. Silver has strong tailsmanic properties, so they will serve you well." he told them, as they both equipped their armour, and Farnese held onto the dagger, feeling the faint magic pulsing from it.
"I will cherish it, Schierke." Casca responded back, as she traced her hand through the silver armour.
"And lastly, for you, Judeau." Schierke stated, handing the gem-hilted throwing knives. "It took me a while to find this weapon for you, but I managed to find something to suit you from the mistress's storages."
Judeau held the knife in his hand, as he could see that there were a few goblin-like spirits crawling through the blade, with a brownish-yellow tint to their aura. He was intrigued that even smaller weapons like throwing knives could be inhabited by spirits.
"These knives have been blessed by the gnomes, spirits of the earth." Schierke explained. "I don't exactly recall the name of these knives, but I do know that they are able to be resummoned to your hand, and burrow under earth to surprise enemies. It is also self-repairing thanks to the gnomes themselves."
"An interesting weapon, huh..." Judeau responded back, looking at the gnomes climbing up and down the blade. "I'm counting on you little guys then."
"When the time comes to use the fetishes, please envision the faint figures you see now as clearly as possible. Their efficiency is realised by the strength of your faith in their astral power." Schierke advised everyone. "And if you use this power, do not forget to appreciate the elementals for lending a hand to you. In the end, the power of the fetishes depend on them, not you."
The group members, armed with the blessed fetishes, immediately acknowledged their elementals, as Richard noticed that some of the sylphs in the air moved towards him, gathering over his right arm. Some of the group noticed this, as they were intrigued, although Reimu likely knew the reason.
"I guess it might be the fact he's well attuned to wind." Reimu suggested. "That's why the sylphes might have some interest in him."
"Then what about me then...?" Gus asked, before he noticed some stray salamanders clambering up his leg. "Oh! Then the salamanders must be attracted my fire magic, right?"
"Maybe." Reimu answered back, before the group prepared to leave.