Chapter 11: A Fiery Night
It was daytime; the mountain air felt refreshing as a light breeze blew through. We set up camp near the hidden village and it was time for a strategy meeting. Or I should say it should be time for a strategy meeting, but Faust wasn't having it.
"Tch. Why bother planning? Our Gospel tells us everything we need to know."
"I didn't realize you were that stupid." I retorted.
This argument began roughly half an hour ago and nothing I was saying was getting through. I really didn't want to deal with this right before the attack.
"The hell you'd just say!" Faust stood up rapidly as the tobacco leaf fell from his mouth.
"Tsk. Tsk. You should know that the Gospel is quite vague. So in order to fill in the gaps we need to form a plan."
"Hmph. Fine." He settled down.
"Now first things first. Our group is quite small compared to the Demons so in order to counteract their combat strength we'll need to ensure our initial strike kills the majority of them. Once the Demons go to sleep for the night we'll start by taking out any guards stationed around the village silently. Then Faust, Sado, Sergei, and Fogg will use the explosion technique to set fire to the village. Sergei will poison the mana in the air which will restrict our ability to cast spells, but will severely weaken the Demons in return. So the tradeoff should be worth it in the end. There is one Demon you are not allowed to kill under any circumstances..."
"WHAT!? The fuck do you mean there's one we can't kill! This is outrageous."
"Tch. Will you just shut up and listen? My Gospel stated there's one that must be kept alive." I lied.
Faust simply replied with an angered grunt and sat down.
"Prylla is currently scouting ahead to identify the target. So once we receive confirmation and find the house the child lives in we'll make sure that we don't set fire to that one. So for now complete any last minute preparations. The fight begins at nightfall. Dismissed."
I returned to my tent so I could mull over the rough map Prylla made the day we arrived. I was reviewing the map I had Prylla make the other day which would serve as the basis for my plan. She had gotten a rough layout of the village. There were about seven houses in total with about four people occupying each home. The largest of the seven belonged to the village elder. In total there were about twenty eight Demons residing in the village. Of that number there were only three children. One of those children was the child Prylla was talking about on our journey.
I knew we wouldn't be able to bring that child with us as that would prove quite awkward. So I decided just to give the child an easy opportunity to run away. That should prove sufficient enough in my mind. I laid down on the bed inside my tent and let out a loud sigh. That was when someone entered the tent.
"I found her." It was Prylla.
"Do you know which house she'll be inside?"
"Yes..." She quickly scribbled on the map sitting on the floor.
I got up from my bed to look at it. It was a house in the far side of the village far away from the entrance. So if I'm correct, which of course I am, I'll be forced to contend with the village elder. In the Demon Clan the village elder tended to be the most powerful of the group.
"Alright then. What about guard positions?"
"There seems to be only eight guards. Which are stationed here..." Prylla went through and marked all their positions.
"Alright then. If we strike from..." I went through the guard positions with her to find the most effective route to get rid of the guards.
"I think that covers everything." Prylla wiped her brow.
Now all that was left was to wait for nightfall. I informed the others of the finalized plan which they all seemed to be in agreement with. I passed the time inspecting my cross-guarded dagger and rummaging through the supplies. The time passed by and night had finally arrived.
We quickly began to move as we approached the entrance to the village. The area was a large flat area in the mountains near the Kararagi border. There was a mountain river that gave way to a beautiful waterfall and a small lake. It's a shame this beauty would be engulfed in flames. As we approached the entry gate we spread outward. There were two guards ahead on either side of the gate wielding tall spears. I placed the mask on my face as we began to approach. I chose to have Sado and Fogg flank from the sides while Prylla, Faust and I caught their initial attention. Sado and Fogg were to dispatch them before they had a chance to speak.
As a safety measure I activated Future Sight and tuned it to 30 seconds ahead. I slowed down my pace as Faust and Prylla followed my lead.
The guards notice us, but don't seem to know who we are roughly five seconds later they're decapitated.
Just as my eyes predicted their heads fell from their bodies. They make a muffled thump as they hit the ground. Next it's time to enter the village proper. I walk through the gate first and inspect our surroundings. There's no one around as I planned. I signal for the rest to follow and they enter and disperse on their individual assignments. So far so good. I started walking forward through the village paying close attention to my surroundings. I walk by the first house and crouch under the window as I crawl past it.
It didn't take long for me to reach the village plaza. There I would wait for everyone to reconvene after they remove the rest of the guards keeping watch for any night owls. A few minutes passed and the group joined me in the plaza.
"We dealt with 'em." Fogg spoke.
"Alright proceed with the next phase."
At my command the four waved their hands and fires erupted throughout the village. Four of the seven houses were completely engulfed in flames in a matter of minutes. I turned towards Faust who I could see take a deep breath.
"Che- Che- Che- Che-" He started clicking his tongue. "That's the smell I've been longing for."
Everyone besides me raised their hoods over their heads to hide themselves and I pulled the anti-recognition mask out of my robe and placed it on my face.
"From now on we won't speak our names."
"Understood. Lady Archbishop." They spoke in unison.
"We were never here."
"Understood. Lady Archbishop."
"Slay them all. Spare the one." A sickening feeling starts bubbling in my stomach.
"Understood. Lady Archbishop."
Now on high alert some of the Demons began to rush out of their homes. There was fire everywhere; the gorgeous field that once contained their livelihood was engulfed in fire. The smoke rose upwards and the scent of burnt flesh began to permeate the air. The Demons in the houses that erupted in fire were rolling on the ground a faint glow could be seen from their foreheads. A glow that would normally be the saving grace was now turned against them. Sergei had already begun poisoning the mana in the air which meant the Demons would be severely weakened by their horns instead of strengthened. I could hear the sound of flesh being ripped apart as the others began their slaughter.
Prylla stayed with me as we rushed towards the rear to ensure the survival of her friend's daughter. There was but one obstacle in our path. Before us stood a man elderly in appearance with brown eyes and grey hair that goes down to his neck. He wore a montsuki haori jacket similar to many of the other members of the tribe. On his head were two towering horns and in his hand was a thick steel blade.
"So, this is the village elder? I'll handle this." Prylla nodded in affirmation and ran off to ensure the child would escape.
"You've come where you're not welcome, Witch Cultist." The elder spoke his voice seemed more like a low growl.
"Hm? Is it not within my right to stand where I please? You don't own the open air after all. If you could show me a certificate of ownership of this space in which I occupy I might consider leaving."
"I am Setanta the elder of this village. Outsiders are not welcome here. This is a law that has passed down through the Demon Clan for generations. There will be no exceptions. There will be no mercy shown to those who trespass on this sacred ground..."
"Who gave you the right to decide such… Tell me…
...have the Demons not committed unforgivable crimes against their own people?"
"We would sooner go into ruin before we bend the law. The Pride of the Demon Clan comes first and foremost."
"Then remember this...
...it is your Pride that has led you to the destruction of your people. Nothing else."
"Enough of this. I am Setanta, Elder of the Demon Clan." He raised his sword.
"I am the Sin Archbishop of the Witch's Cult representing Pride, Deneb Arided." I drew my dagger. This was the one person in the village I would feel no mercy towards, a child killer had no right to live.
"Ga… aaaaaaaah-!" The elder let out a mighty roar as he raised his blade.
I could see his reason leave his eyes as I dodged his first strike. He was fast to say the least. If I didn't have future sight I was sure I'd already be dead.
He turns around and attempts to bisect me.
I jumped up as the dull sword whizzed past my feet. I could feel the pressure of the wind rise towards me as I landed back on the ground. I swiped my dagger towards him which he blocked with his sword. I jumped back and started to circle him. He remained still as I got behind him. I considered jumping forward…
He swings his blade in a circle.
I pulled an additional dagger from my robes and launched it at his head. His blade moved behind him and the dagger struck it with a loud clunk. The smoke of the village around me and the smell of burning flesh.
"Gaaaaah!"
Screaming in the distance and the sound of a sadistic tongue clicking in the distance. It felt suffocating. I can't fail here, not when I've come so far. Steeling myself for Setanta's next strike I ducked beneath his blade as it came towards me with tremendous force.
Nearing his leg I slashed at him. I could feel the blade tear through his flesh as I passed by him.
"Guaaaaaah!" He let out another roar.
He spun back around as he raised his sword above his head. I watched as it crashed down at me.
He is about to cut off my head.
No, I refuse. I move my dagger to intercept his blade.
"El Vita!" I increase my weight the moment the blade strikes my dagger. The force of the strike causes a small crater to form beneath us as he tries to push through. I slide out from his blade and dive towards his chest. He takes a hand off his blade and smacks me away. I tumbled a few feet away before regaining my footing.
We face each other once again and he dives at me. I move out of the way as I feel his body pass by me I raise my blade in response and stab him deeply in the back. Letting go of the blade I continue forward and turn back around. He stumbles a bit as he rips the dagger out of his back, dropping it to the ground.
"Hnk."
I pull another one out of my robes and prepare for the next exchange.
He's going to rush me while swinging his sword wildly.
"Murak."
I jump into the air as he runs at me. Now that I am above him I channel my mana into my dagger.
"El Vita." I dispelled the effects of Murak and increased the weight of my dagger as I fell back to the ground above Setanta. His horns flashed brightly as he turned his head. As I passed by him he attempted to move out of the way, but my dagger cut off half of his left horn.
I landed on the ground with a loud thud and I turned to face him once again. Half of his horn was lying on the ground and blood was seeping down his face. I looked around to see the state of the village.
Fires engulfed most of the homes by now. If there were anyone still inside they'd most certainly be dead. One of the cultists was battling three Demons at once while another seemed to be struggling against a single Demon. Blood and guts lined the pathways as Demon bodies were piling up. Another Demon burst into flames nearby and another looked like it was sick. I figured that was Sergei. The one battling the three I presume was Faust. The one struggling is either Sado or Fogg.
"Che- Che- Che- Che- Che-" The click of a tongue and the three demons Faust was fighting began to burn. Their faces melted as their eyeballs evaporated in the blazing heat.
Facing the elder once more I prepare my final strike. I pushed my Focus Point to the furthest I could set it. One minute ahead.
He runs at you and slashes several times.
I wait for the elder to begin moving, taking note of the position of his head in relation to myself. Using the afterimages provided by Future Sight I began my final assault.
"El Shamak." The immediate area around the elder was engulfed in a torrent of shadowy fog. I raised my dagger as I launched it into the smoke while quickly grabbing the last of the ones hidden in my cloak. I threw the rest of them into the smoke at the spots I mentally marked.
The smoke cleared and I was left with the visage of the elder on his knees with several daggers sticking out of him. The price of Future Sight began to take its toll as a splitting headache engulfed my brain.
"Gah!"
I grabbed my head as I stumbled a bit. I quickly returned my Focus Point to ten seconds and the headache faded. A cultist quickly approached me who I assumed was Prylla.
"My Lady, I got the girl out of the village we should escape now. The reincarnation of the Demon God is coming. Lord Archbishop has arrived with the rest of the fingers, but she's tearing through them. We don't have much time."
"Fine. Fine. Carry me. Let's leave. Hah- Hah-" Prylla picked me up and began running out of the village.
In the corner of my vision I could see a blue haired girl in a white kimono exiting the flaming ruins of her home.
"Che- Che- Che- Che- Che-"
The faint sound of a tongue clicking with glee in the distance.