A/N: Sorry it took a while for the update. Recovery from laser eye surgery sapped most of my energy, and stuff at work drained the rest. I'm all better now, so I should be able to update more often.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Trails in the Sky belongs to Nihon Falcom while Darkest Dungeon belongs to Red Hook studios. The story contains graphic violence and disturbing content, reader discretion is advised.
Seeing how the Hamlet was busy hosting the Caregivers Conference that morning, Estelle decided to head for the general store and ask about a particular item she'd been itching to get her hands on ever since she arrived at the Hamlet…
"A fishing rod, you say? We haven't had one in stock for a while, sorry," The owner said. "I'll put in an order this week, so make sure to check back with me in a week or two after the stagecoach comes back."
"Sure, no problem. Thanks!" Estelle said happily before stepping out and seeing Reynauld casually strolling down the street.
Reynauld waved at Estelle. "Greetings, Estelle. I am glad to see thou art still blessed with good health."
Having nothing better to do, Estelle decided to hang out with Reynauld for a bit. The two of them patrolled the Hamlet's streets together, making sure the inhabitants and visitors alike were safe and sound.
"This is the first time I have seen the Hamlet in anything resembling a festive atmosphere," Reynauld said. "At last, the Light's blessings shine down upon this place."
"I talked to Alfred earlier, and he mentioned you, Dismas, and Mr. Heir used to have it a lot worse when you first showed up," Estelle said. "Is it true the locals even pelted you with rotten veggies?"
"Indeed it was, Estelle. Due to certain sins committed by His Lordship's ancestor, they have a severe distrust for anyone associated with his family line," Reynauld said. "I am certain His Lordship knows more about this matter, but he appears to be too ashamed of the matter to divulge any more details."
"That doesn't sound sketchy at all," Estelle said with a flat look. "In the Bracer Guild, they always make sure to screen the people making the requests to make sure there's no criminals trying to cover up their tracks or use us as accomplices."
"I have some misgivings about His Lordship myself, but I have no reason to be suspicious so far as he does pay us and provide us with amenities. Perhaps he will be more open about this matter as we march ever closer to victory." Reynauld then paused a little before continuing. "Forgive me if I am being too intrusive, but thou hast mentioned this 'Bracer Guild' quite often during conversations. I must admit I am quite curious about this place."
"The Bracer Guild? It's basically an organization that helps keep people safe in my home country as well as neighboring countries on the continent. We have a bunch of branch offices in different towns and cities. People in need send requests to those offices, Bracers like me take the requests, and receptionists who work in those offices hand out rewards afterwards," Estelle explained.
"Interesting. I must admit this is quite an intriguing setup. Does the Bracer Guild rely on levies to recruit people?" Reynauld asked.
"Levies? You mean conscription? Of course not! We're not an army, more like a loose collection of individuals with fighting and investigation skills," Estelle began to explain. "We have pretty high standards when it comes to hiring new Bracers. For starters, each prospective Bracer needs to be at least sixteen and pass an entrance exam as well as be recommended by a current Bracer. They become Junior Bracers afterwards and need a certain amount of experience before becoming Senior Bracers. In the case of myself and Joshua, we travelled to different branches in our home country and got recommended by all of them."
Estelle then pointed at a pin she wore on her outfit, which depicted a metal gauntlet on top of a shield and surrounded by wings.
"This is my Bracer badge. Getting it was one of the proudest days of my life. It means I can be trusted with more challenging requests. When the people see this badge, they know everything will be okay," Estelle grinned. "I know the Bracer Guild doesn't exist here, so I need to work extra hard to make sure people here know they can count on someone wearing this badge."
"Thou and I are very similar in that regards," Reynauld chuckled a little before gesturing at the cross-like symbol on the cloth he wore over his chest plate. "This is the symbol of the Church of the Flame and by extension the very Light I worship. It is a great honor for me wear it into battle as a soldier of the Light. The innocents know this symbol as one of comfort and protection, very much like thy Bracer badge."
"Aww shucks. I don't think a Bracer like me can be compared to a church," Estelle said as she cast a quick glance towards the Abbey and Sanitarium. The two had made their way to the town square over the course of their conversation. "Back home, the guild and the church work together pretty often, but we're not the church's army or anything like that. We just help cover areas the others are weak at."
"Has the church of Aidios embarked on any crusading campaigns?" Reynauld asked. "Thou mentioned thy church brought mankind out of a period of darkness. Surely there must be some warfare involved to pacify the lands."
"Crusades? Nah. From what I learned in history class, the church has always been peaceful. Even during the Dark Ages, the church was more focused on education and disaster relief," Estelle said. "If anything needed to be done, they relied on the good will and cooperation of local knights."
"Thank you for thine insight, Estelle," Reynauld said. "Perhaps the Guild here could evolve beyond a simple training facility to something more like your Bracer Guild. If I may ask, what was thy profession before becoming a Bracer?"
"Me? I was just a teenage girl barely out of school. My dad used to be a Bracer, and he decided to teach Joshua and I everything he knew and nudged us in that direction. I've always wanted to protect people since…since I was young. Let's just say I have a great role model I look up to." Estelle looked down at the ground, trying to hide the sadness in her eyes as she thought back to her mom.
"Anyway, a lot of our requests involving protecting people from monsters as well helping all kinds of people and businesses gather much-needed supplies. We even did a few requests where all we had to do was help villages set up festivals," Estelle said, grinning as she pointed at the line of excited and hopeful villagers lining up in front of the Sanitarium. "Seeing something like this and knowing I helped it happen is why I'm proud to be a Bracer!"
Before Reynauld could say anything in return, the Abbey's bell rang at a rapid pace. In some of the smaller towns she and Joshua went to, a church's bell doubled as a warning sign for an impending attack. Judging from Reynauld's tense body language as well as the villagers scrambling to get indoors, Estelle deduced the Abbey's bell served a similar purpose.
"To arms! To arms! Enemies approach from the west!" the town crier shouted at the top of his lungs as he frantically rang the bell in his hand. "All residents and visitors are to head inside and bar all doors and windows!"
Yup, just as I thought. Estelle took off at a jog towards the west end of town. She glanced backwards at Reynauld walking at a brisk pace and realized that was probably as fast as he could go due to his heavy plate mail. She slowed down a bit to allow him to catch up.
"Do not slow down for my sake, Estelle! Join the others at the west side first!" Reynauld called out. "Thou art more needed there!"
Estelle nodded and took off on a full sprint. The west end's familiar putrid stench filled her nose, but that did not deter her from running. She followed the town guard members she saw along the way towards the edge of the Hamlet. Estelle joined a group of guardsmen who were huddled around a large man. She recognized him as the one-eyed man she saw in the Guild during her first day at the Hamlet.
Barristan the Man-at-Arms, Estelle recalled.
"We don't have a lot of time, so I'll make this quick. Lookouts have reported seeing a herd of Swine approaching. A mix of slashers and choppers, from the sound of things. We need to close in and destroy the enemy. They must not be allowed into the Hamlet at any cost!" Barristan said. He surveyed the group before fixing his good eye on Estelle. "Who else is coming?"
"Reynauld is on his way and should be here soon," Estelle replied. "I haven't seen anyone else, though."
"That's fine. I can work with what we have. The spearmen will form two ranks and block the road. Archers, form two ranks of four and stay 20 meters behind the spearmen." Barristan looked around at the houses and smiled after noticing ladders to the roof were already placed along the walls to each one. "The remainder will engage from the rooftops. Fire on my command."
Barristan then gestured towards the troops who wielded shortswords and shields. "Skirmishers, first squad will hide in the bushes along the road. Close in and engage the enemy either if you suspect they can track you via smell or once the spearmen clash with them, whichever comes first. Second squad will guard the archers' flanks in case the slashers decide to play smart."
"What about me?" Estelle asked before the sound of clanking footsteps signaled Reynauld's arrival. "Or Reynauld?"
"Ah yes. This is your first time responding to a raid." Barristan said. "The Crusader knows his place among the flankguard for the archers. As for you, join the skirmishers in the bushes."
"You got it!" Estelle then rushed out of the Hamlet and ducked into a bush along the road. She found herself next to a skirmisher who looked just over 14 years old. He cast a nervous glance at Estelle, and she saw that his sword arm was shaking.
"First time doing this?" Estelle whispered. "Don't worry, me too. Let's work together so we can make it out alive, all right?"
"Y-yeah…miss," the young militia boy said. "Light have mercy. I…I don't know if I can…I heard those Swine will eat you alive!"
"Hey, easy, easy!" Estelle said as she put a hand on his shoulder. "Deep breaths in, deep breaths out. Nobody is going to eat you, all right? Not on my watch."
The boy did as she said, and his shaking soon stopped. Satisfied her trick worked like a charm, Estelle laid in wait along with the other skirmishers, listening and watching without exposing themselves too much. It couldn't have been more than a minute before the foe finally showed, but it felt like an eternity.
The Swine were smelled before they were seen. The stench resembled the result of someone smearing sweat-soaked clothes in manure, burying it for a few days, then dug it back out and let it bake in the sun. The militia skirmishers around her all began to gag, as did Estelle. Some of the older troops started to shush the younger ones while holding their own noses.
Estelle peeked over the bush and saw a motley group of five creatures resembling wild boars that walked on two legs. Three of them were tall and burly, each wielding a serrated cleaver in their right hands. Their left arms were wrapped in chains that ended in a large spiked metal ball, which they carried in their left hands. The other two were far more emaciated, wielding shields and metal hooks that were bolted onto their arms. They wore thick metal helmets that covered their heads save for their snouts, and their stubby legs had metal stilts bolted on to make them appear taller.
Wait a minute, are those things nailed to their limbs? Gross! Estelle thought just as Barristan roared in the distance, and arrows rained on the Swine soon after. The barrage took down one of the hulking creatures and left the other two with arrows poking out all over their bodies. The smaller Swine were smart enough to get low and use their shields to protect themselves. At once, they all bellowed and charged in the direction of the spearmen. The sound of thumping footsteps signaled the spearmen's own advance, and the sound of battle cries and squealing soon followed.
"That's our cue! Go! Go! Go!" Estelle sprinted out of the bush and towards the unsuspecting group of Swine with their backs turned. The skirmishers quickly followed suit and boxed in the small Swine herd, who blindly slashed in all directions with their cleavers and hooks. Estelle and the others struck in a flurry of blows and slashes, allowing the spearmen to charge forward and impale the creatures on their spears. Within seconds, the battle was over and five Swine laid dead at their feet.
Barristan gathered the troops again and did a quick count for casualties. Estelle saw relief wash over his face once he saw that nobody was hurt. She also noticed that a few other adventurers had arrived besides Reynauld, although their expertise was clearly not needed. Satisfied with the battle's outcome, Barristan sent a runner to the Abbey to sound the all-clear before surveying the corpses. Wanting to record some entries in her notebook, Estelle decided to follow along.
"The big ones are swine choppers. Their cleavers can cut you up real good and make you bleed all over the place, and those flails will give you a nasty concussion," Barristan replied while Estelle jotted in her book. "The small ones are swine slashers. They got thicker armor than the others but are pretty weak otherwise. Watch out for their hooks. They are covered in disease-spreading filth. Still, something's not right about them, but I can't quite figure out what."
"I think they were starving," Estelle said as she examined the corpses. "I have some close friends who run a family farm back home. Picked up a thing or two from them."
"Hmph. Serves them right, and that explains the raid," Barristan said. "Must have been running low on human flesh."
"Great, as if those witches in the Weald aren't enough." Estelle felt a bit nauseated upon hearing that little tidbit of unwelcome trivia. "Now we need to worry about these walking pigs? What's next? Evil fish who terrorize ships and fishermen?"
"How did you…" Barristan and Estelle were suddenly interrupted by the runner who had just returned from the Abbey. "What is it?"
"His Lordship wants to see the 'Bracer' immediately," he said and gestured for Estelle to follow him. She bid Barristan farewell before following the runner to the house that doubled the Heir's residence and office. Estelle stepped inside and saw a waiting area of sorts with Alfred sitting on one of the chairs. Estelle decided to sit down as well and wait.
"I suppose you are curious regarding the reason for your summoning," Alfred said. "His Lordship has decided to dispatch you on another expedition. We simply need to wait for the others to arrive before he proceeds with more information."
The first person to arrive was Boudica the Hellion. She carried a long glaive with her and wore a set of leather armor with fur trimmings. A thick leather belt with a large metal buckle depicting a skull sat snugly on her waist. Two blue stripes ran down the right side of her face, something Boudica described as traditional warpaint during the handful of conversations Estelle had with her. Her long red hair was tied up in a messy ponytail and arranged in cornrows on the sides of her head.
"Top of the day to you, Estelle," Boudica greeted her, speaking with an unfamiliar accent. "The spirits carry tales of your valor to my ears, and I look forward to slaying foes by your side."
The second person to arrive was William the Houndmaster. He was much older than Estelle, with a face framed by thick hair and beard that was the same shade of brown as the fur on his trusted canine Annabelle. He carried a billy club and wore a tattered and patched lawman's uniform, the metal badge pinned on the jacket dented and scratched in several places. Estelle noticed his alert stance soften as he entered and saw Estelle, with Annabelle rushing towards her and barking happily.
"Hey, buddy," Estelle smiled as she got down on one knee and ran a hand through the hound's fur. She and Joshua both had soft spots for dogs and cats.
William smiled. "Looks like we're off to a good start. The hound trusts you."
The last person to arrive was Damian the Flagellant. He carried a painful-looking whip that resembled a cat-o-nine-tails with miniature spiked flail heads at the end of the chains. His garments consisted of a ragged blood-stained hooded tunic that covered the upper half of his face and exposed his scar-ridden body. Some of the scars and bloodstains looked far more recent than others, and Estelle was pretty sure all the stains were from his own blood. He also wore a collar on his neck with long spikes angled upwards in such a way that they formed an open-topped cage. Estelle felt more than a little unnerved at the man's bloody appearance as he turned and looked over her and Boudica.
"Hmm. I'm stuck with two heathens for this quest? Surely the Light is testing me," Damian coldly remarked.
"Come on, Damian. We're in this together. These two are of good character unlike the cultist acolytes and the witches," William said.
"Come along now, this is no time for a theological dispute," Alfred said as he opened the door to the Heir's office, motioning for them to go inside. "The expedition cannot wait."
The five of them filed inside and sat down in front of the Heir's desk, and he wasted no time in getting into the details. While there had been no casualties, the Hamlet's inhabitants and conference attendees were still quite frightened by the sudden turn of events. To restore their confidence and show the Heir indeed had the strength to guarantee the Hamlet's security, a quick retaliatory raid into the Warrens was planned in short order. Get in. Do as much damage as possible. Get out. Estelle was to serve as a healer for the raid, due to the Vestals and Occultists being preoccupied with the conference's events.
Once the briefing was delivered and the team assembled, Estelle made sure her ARCUS was configured to cast healing and support Arts as well as having a couple of quartz to reduce energy consumption and slowly recharge her Orbment as she walked. She and the others then set off towards the Warrens. The stench that had always haunted the Hamlet's west end grew more intolerable as Estelle and company approached, and Estelle resorted to pinching her nose shut and breathing through her mouth.
"It's best you don't do that, lass," William said. "Just breathe normally and get accustomed to the smell. You'll be a much more effective fighter that way."
"What? I…ugh…you got a point." Estelle slowly let go of her nose and gingerly took a breath, gagging the entire time from the putrid air. It smelled like a lot of somethings crawled into a giant pit and died together, then somebody decided to use that pit as both an open-air latrine and garbage dump. Nothing she had ever encountered back home smelled that foul. "I'm guessing we're getting closer if the smell is getting stronger?"
"Aye, Estelle. Be wary, spirits of ill health haunt the realm we will be entering," Boudica replied. "Take heed to avoid touching anything without proper protection or cleansing."
Soon, one of the entrances to the Warrens came into view. Estelle practically felt the hot air blowing from within, carrying the overwhelming stench. She gagged as bile rose into her throat, and her eyes stung from the foul breeze, the warmth making it even worse. The place didn't just smell like Death, but rather Death's own rotting carcass. Which the stench had killed.
As much as Estelle didn't want to go in, she knew her duty well. She deliberately took a deep breath to force her body to get used to the smell while fighting to keep her stomach's contents down, then strode inside along with the others. A torch was lit to help the team navigate the cramped corridors.
The interior was even worse than outside, with rotting flesh and various waste strewn all over the place. The ancient stone tunnels somewhat reminded Estelle of the sewer under Grancel, except for all the filth and the Swinefolk's unsettling grunting and squealing that echoed through the tunnels. It seemed the creatures were never more than an arm's length away, ready to pounce on the four human interlopers at any second. Estelle's eyes darted back and forth, scanning the tunnel ahead for threats.
"This place is normally a lot worse. Swinefolk love human flesh, but they also have a habit of leaving leftovers all over the place. Arms, legs, heads, and even entire torsos," William said. "The smell is the residue from all those rotting bodies, so even removing them won't help."
"Thanks a lot, William. I totally needed to know that." Estelle's nausea got even stronger, and she soon started to gag again.
"I'm sorry if I disgusted you, but it is something I must do for those unfamiliar with the Warrens. One cannot be an agent of justice if they cannot stomach the evil they must prosecute," William explained in a stern and tired tone. "I know this far too well."
"No, I don't blame you. You've got a point," Estelle said. "My dad never shied away from explaining to me the nastier things I would run into as a Bracer, and a cop friend told me he had to learn the same thing you mentioned during his training."
"You're acquainted with another lawman?" William perked up. "What is he like?"
"His name is Lloyd, and he was pretty new to the force when I met him," Estelle said. "He's a nice guy, and really dedicated to justice and doing good for the people."
"People like him are too few and far in between among lawmen around here." William sighed sadly before continuing. "Tell me, what became of Lloyd?"
"He and his friends were seen as heroes in their country. 'Were'," Estelle said bitterly. "Then an empire conquered his home. Now, he's working as part of the resistance and considered a wanted criminal. Still, he fights on for the sake of justice and freedom."
"I see," William said before dropping to a whisper that Estelle barely heard. "So this is the fate that befalls all those who truly seek justice."
Before Estelle could say anything else, she and the others noticed several shapes moving down the hallway ahead towards them. She fell back behind the others, staff in one hand and ARCUS in the other, ready to respond to any situation. Boudica and Damian stood side-by-side with their weapons drawn. William stood ahead of Estelle, with Annabelle growling and tugging at the leash.
Their enemy soon came into view. Estelle recognized a swine chopper and swine slasher, plus three she had never seen before. Her attention was focused on the biggest one of them all: a gigantic worm with eyes darting all over the place as well as a toothy maw that seemed like it could shoot out and bite the prey. In a split second, all hell broke loose as four adventurers charged at the five monsters.
Estelle roared as she jumped in the air and brought her staff down on the large carrion eater. The blow crushed the overgrown worm's soft boneless head, spraying semi-liquid meat and eyeballs all over the surrounding area, including Estelle. She landed with a roll and surveyed the area for additional enemies, ignoring the filth that had covered her.
"Show me what passes for fury among your misbegotten kind!" Damian shouted as he charged at the swine slasher. He quickly closed the distance and started waling on the creature with his spiked flail. It desperately tried to drive off the flagellant by swinging the hook it wore on its right arm at him. Despite its flailing, each successfully landed gouge only drove Damian into a religious frenzy which strengthened his assault. A trail of blood formed and grew in the wake of Damian's advance, his own blood mixed with that of the doomed swine slasher.
Boudica was engaged in a dance of death with the swine chopper, parrying blows from its serrated cleaver while landing gory gouges with her glaive. She started to chant some kind of tribal battle song as she kept hacking away at the towering porcine warrior, her words interwoven with the beast's grunts of pain and rage.
William whistled sharply and pointed at the swine drummer, and his trusted hound Annabelle darted towards the creature. The dog slammed into the swine and tackled it to the ground. The creature flailed and squirmed, trying to shake off the dog. Annabelle shrugged off its feeble struggle and bit into the swine's throat, snarling and tearing at its neck. The swine's pained grunts soon turned into dying gurgles and wheezes as the vice-like grip of Annabelle's jaw sliced open its airway and carotid artery, spraying corrupted pig blood all over the relentless hound's face.
Her companions' efforts left Estelle with only one opponent, something William described as a 'swine wretch' on their way out of the Hamlet. It resembled a pig for the most part, save for its atrophied hind limbs, lanky forelimbs that it used as legs instead, and a human skull that was somehow embedded into the swine's exposed stomach. While Estelle charged, the swine wretch's cheeks puffed up before it heaved its stomach's contents in an arc that collided with her. Estelle advance came to a literal screeching halt as she screamed incoherently in disgust while trying to brush off the vomit.
Estelle gagged as she tried to hold her breath, tasting bile in her mouth. She knew any effort to move again would require her to breathe in the noxious air and upset her stomach even further. She would be reduced to a puking mess and left vulnerable for further attacks. A more "Artistic" approach was therefore needed.
"ARCUS, activate," A glowing halo appeared at Estelle's feet. Soon, a pointed boulder formed in front of her and shot towards the swine wretch. The needle-like rock obliterated the pig skull in a shower of bone, blood, and brain matter. The creature's forelimbs buckled as the headless corpse crashed into the ground. Estelle surveyed her surroundings again and saw that her companions had all slain their opponents as well.
Estelle relaxed a little after making sure no foes were left standing, but the wave of nausea that had plagued her ever since she stepped foot into the Warrens hit its peak and drove Estelle down on all fours. Dry heaves soon gave way to a torrent of her own vomit as her stomach emptied onto the filth-covered stone floor. To stop the puking, Estelle tried to think pleasant thoughts and happy memories, anything to get her mind away from the disgusting carnage that surrounded her.
Joshua's warm embrace and soft lips.
Dad's smiling face every time she and Joshua visited him at Leiston Fortress.
Renne looking happy and relieved for the first time in years the day she officially moved into the Bright family home.
Tita buried face-first in her engineering work one second and rushing to hug Estelle the second after.
Kloe always taking time off from her royal duties to have tea with Estelle and Joshua whenever they were in Grancel.
Schera, Agate, Zin, and Anelace, who all helped her and Joshua mature as both Bracers and as people.
Even being stuck with nobody but the notoriously insufferable Olivier for company would be preferable.
I want to go home. To dad and Renne. They…they said they'll throw a big party for me and Joshua because it's my birthday…oh, no! NO! It's been a month since I got here. I…I can't believe I turned twenty in this dump.
She had worked through her own birthday before, back when she and Joshua had travelled all over Zemuria to improve their skills as Bracers and to find Renne. Despite being away from friends and family, Joshua was always there to treat her to a romantic celebratory dinner after a hard day's work. Whenever they were around, other Bracers would join in on the fun too. In turn, Estelle had always returned the favor for Joshua's own birthday. Down in the hellish pigsty that was the Warrens, there wasn't even Joshua to help her clean herself up and whisper words of comfort. Despite the presence of three adventurers, Estelle felt more alone than when she had only Joshua around.
I…I was supposed to be back from Calvard by now, Dad…Renne…Kloe…everyone…I'm so sorry… Estelle vomited up the last of her stomach's contents. Her dry-heaving was broken up by a few soft light sobs. It was one thing to face off against undead skeletons and fungus-infested corpses, but being splashed with the swine wretch's vomit in the middle of a hellish pigsty was something entirely. For a split second, she doubted if she would ever see her friends and family ever again. I…I…wait a minute!
Just because I'm missing my birthday again this year doesn't mean I can't see them again next year! Estelle's coughs and sobs slowed just as the sounds of carnage died down around her, and she slowly straightened. Sooner or later, me and Joshua will find our way. I just need to be patient and make it out of this pigsty.
"Anyone hurt badly?" Estelle turned her attention to her companions after she wiped off as much of the filth as she could.
"We're all fine, Estelle. I hope the swine wretch didn't spook you out too much," William paused for a second before continuing. "You'll get used to it. We all did. Just let it all out."
"I'm sure I will," Estelle said. "Let's keep going. We still have monsters to kill."
The group had a few more run ins with swine hordes that were a mix of slashers, choppers, drummers, and wretches. While Boudica, William, and Damian did most of the damage, Estelle hung back and provided either healing Arts or a good smack with her staff, whichever was needed the most. Soon, the group had a long trail of bodies in their wake and collected a decent amount of treasure from the various boxes and curios littered throughout the Warrens. Glittering gold, trinkets and baubles, paid for in blood – be it their own or those of their enemies.
"The spirits have blessed us with victory after victory today. The map indicates there is a large chamber ahead of us, and William's hound sniffed enemies on the other side," Boudica said. "One more fight, and we could return to the Hamlet with tales of our victories."
"Do not make this about you, pagan. Whatever victories we earn are done for Light," Damian growled. "It would serve you well to remember that fact."
"I do not need spiritual lessons from someone who deliberately mutilates himself. The gods only care for scars gained through combat, not the ones you give yourself," Boudica quipped back. "Doing so is an insult for those who earned their scars."
"That's enough!" William called out. "Let's just go in and get this over with."
Damian grunted and pushed the door open, with the other three in tow. The chamber smelled even worse than anything else in the Warrens, if such a thing was possible. Everywhere Estelle looked, she saw piles upon piles of spoiled human flesh and bodily waste. The sight made her gag once more, and she quickly tried to avert her eyes only to lay her eyes upon gigantic creature responsible for all the filth, with two swine wretches by its side.
It wore a helmet that obscured its face and armor on its right shoulder and arm as well as what passed for its waist. The creature carried a gigantic chipped lance caked in dried blood. Fresh scars, seemingly from sword slashes, adorned its body, and the shattered remains of bone soldiers were clear indicators of the source of those slashes. It mostly resembled the mythical centaurs Estelle read in storybooks as a child, except it was far fatter and its lower body was that of a corpulent pig instead of a majestic horse.
Without warning, the gigantic swine monster charged at Estelle, fully intent on skewering her. She barely had time to duck out of the way, only for its hulking armored front to slam into her at full force. The crack of breaking bones echoed through the chamber like a gunshot and Estelle screamed as she was launched through the air to smash into a wall.
Estelle slumped against the ancient stones, coughing up blood. Each hacking cough and labored breath caused stabbing pain to flare up in several spots inside her chest. To add insult to injury, a swine wretch decided to shower Estelle with more vomit. She let out a haggard scream from frustration and stinging pain as the acidic vomit began to seep through her clothes and burn her skin.
I can't do this. Oh Aidios, everything hurts. Estelle thought as she tried to fight through the pain and get up, only to fall on her hands and knees. She weakly crawled forward, her right hand wrapped around her staff in a death grip, and desperately tried to reach her struggling allies. My birthday. I just turned twenty. I can't die here.
She ignored the stabbing sensation in her side and forced her battered body to obey, using her staff as a support to try to drag herself upright. The effort sent a bolt of such blinding pain shooting through her back that she collapsed immediately, her legs going limp. She screamed until her throat was raw, leaving her gasping for breath as the wave of agony subsided.
I…I wonder what goodies Renne and dad made for Joshua and I, just waiting for us to come home. Estelle thought as she continued slowly crawled forward forward, trying her best to ignore the squelching sounds whenever her limbs and body touched some of the unidentifiable filth that littered the room.
Through tear-blurred and blood-caked eyes, Estelle saw the swinetaur smack Damian aside. His grievous injuries only enraged him as he charged back into the fray, shouting at the top of his lungs about shedding blood for the Light. Annabelle had just finished chewing a swine wretch's throat to shreds when the swinetaur decided to target her as well, only for William to jump in front of his hound and take the brunt of its backhand. William held his ground but collapsed onto one knee and coughed out blood.
I…can't do this…so tired... Darkness began to creep around the edges of Estelle's vision. It was an uphill battle just for her to stay conscious. We…can't make…it…NO!
Boudica seized the opening and slashed at the swinetaur's left hindleg, leaving her open to the surviving swine wretch's vomit attack. She yelped in pain and disgust as the acidic vomit spray over her back and began to burn through her clothes. She dodged to the side at the last minute, but not quick enough to avoid being grazed by the swinetaur's lance. She screamed in pain and collapsed on her knees, one hand clutching the open wound while the swinetaur readied a killing blow.
Everyone is still fighting…I can't…just…lay here! I…need to find Joshua…and make it home! With shaking hands, she pulled out her ARCUS and opted for a lesser healing ability. While it wouldn't give her a full recovery from her injuries, it took far less time to cast and was enough to put her back on her feet. With shaky but steady knees, Estelle slowly straightened herself. She still felt dull aches and pains all over her body, plus the burning sensation from the accumulated vomit of multiple swine wretches. Yet she ignored them and charged, a moment of valor shining brightly amidst the backdrop of despair.
"This isn't over yet, you freak!" Her dad had taught her the perfect move for this moment. She leaped at the swinetaur with a roar of determination and brought her staff down on the beast's helmet. "Armor…REND!"
The helmet cracked in half and clattered to the ground, revealing a disfigured pig face with the nose pushed into its skull. The creature was dazed from the severe blow to the head, something Boudica took advantage of. She threw her glaive at the swinetaur's exposed head with all her might before Estelle cast a healing Art on her. The weapon sailed through the air, its sharpened blade piercing straight through the side of the swinetaur's skull, slicing the brain in half along the way. The creature was dead before it hit the ground. Meanwhile, Damian and William ganged up on the surviving swine wretch and beat it to a bloody pulp. Estelle surveyed the area before breaking into a weak smile and preparing a group healing Art. The battle had finally been won.
"Estelle? Were you crying?" William asked with a hint of concern in his voice while she did her best to brush off any vomit and filth that clung to her. "What's the matter?"
Estelle sighed after blinking out her tears. "I…I just turned twenty. I was supposed to be back home by now, celebrating with my friends and family. Instead I was whisked here a month ago and haven't found a way back yet."
"I'm so sorry to hear that, Estelle," William put a hand on her shoulder. "A girl your age should not have taken on this burden in the first place."
Estelle smiled weakly. "It's okay, William. I'm a Bracer. I've been hunting monsters since I was sixteen, and I've missed my share of birthdays."
"That doesn't excuse missing this one, lass," Boudica spoke up. "Back in my tribe, a woman turning twenty signifies she has passed a test from the gods and is ready for any responsibility thrust upon her. This calls for celebration and revelry once we return! Isn't that right, Damian?"
"Yeah, I guess," Damian growled. "A birthday simply means another year to fight for the Light, or in your case that Goddess the Crusader says you worship. Let's just get out of here."
The trip back to the Hamlet was quick, and they arrived shortly after sunset. After they collected their pay and bonus, the four adventurers were led to a public bathhouse where they were finally able to wash off the filth that clung to their bodies. Their soiled outfits were taken away, replaced by clean ones. Since Estelle didn't have a second outfit, they gave her a long tunic that was commonly worn by the women she had seen around the Hamlet. She found her temporary outfit a bit dull, but she took solace in the fact it somewhat resembled what her mother often wore. She took a good look in the mirror and decided to leave her hair ties off for the night, allowing her long hair to dry and making her look even more like her mother. Maybe I should dress like this for Joshua and see what he thinks.
With everyone changed, they headed for the tavern — except for Damian who went to the abbey instead. The tavern was still filled with good cheer that had persisted since the conference began, and it seemed not even the Swine attack could deter it. Reynauld, Dismas, and a few others gathered at a round table off to the side, and Boudica quickly pulled her in that direction.
"Estelle, Boudica, William," Margaret tipped her hat. "Glad to see you all still in one piece. You look different, Estelle, in a good way."
"Thanks, Margaret," Estelle said. "How did the rest of the day go?"
"Pretty well, considering that foiled attack," Margaret said. "The Hamlet's inhabitants and the visitors just went back to their routines as if nothing had happened. Either they don't care, or they saw the Heir is actually doing a decent job protecting the place."
"That's good to —" Estelle stopped short when Boudica gently elbowed her side. "What did you do that for?"
"You know you shouldn't dance around this issue," Boudica said. "Everyone, today is the new girl's 20th birthday. What say we give her the welcome she's long overdue?"
"Is that so?" Dismas raised an eyebrow and smirked, his scarf had been pulled down earlier so he could eat. "First beer's on me, Estelle."
"Wh-what did you all get me into?" Estelle smiled nervously before the revelry kicked off in full force…
A/N: Yes, I know the Hamlet never actually gets attacked by anything except Vvulf's brigands in the game. But it does make sense for the various monsters to send raiding parties every once in a while. In case anyone is curious, I used the default names found in the game files for most of the adventurers.