When Fordola returned to the village, she couldn't force herself to look at anyone near her, at anyone who lived here, and desperately tried to understand what was going on. She couldn't bear to look at their spiteful, distrustful faces once again. She couldn't care about their whispers. Some of them must have seen her running out in panic, perhaps even noticed the shade of a dark aura around her. They thought her to be dangerous, for sure, and with good reason, of course. Yet they had no other choice but to accept her presence here unless they were to go against Raubahn himself.
Truth be told, Fordola was not proud of her behavior, either. She gave in to her emotions easily and forced herself to the brink of despair just because of a vision that explained to her the truth of the new blasphemy. Instead of trying to keep calm and explain to the others who Charlet was, she ran away and almost succumbed to the transformation, becoming yet another beast to torment her people. What an ironic end that would be for her, someone who tried to atone for her sins…Only to become utterly consumed by them. It was her fault that Charlet became a monster, and it was her duty to grant him peace.
And for that, an explanation was in order.
Fordola returned to Raganfrid's house, only to notice that it was rather quiet. The woman couldn't hear any voices echoing inside. Did they leave to search for her? She didn't go that far, were that so, they would've definitely crossed paths. Perhaps, they were busy with something else. All for the better, she felt a desperate need for some time alone with her thoughts. Even though Fordola knew that no thoughts or recollections would make her accept the crime of cowardice she committed, she needed to relax as much as possible before continuing the hunt. She would be too unstable otherwise.
"You're back!" - As Fordola walked towards the old table, she heard Milisandia's relieved voice. The au ra woman was still there, drinking what little tea remained there in solitude. Her eyes lit up immediately when she saw her companion. "Raubahn said that you'll come back, but I was still quite concerned. Come here, have some tea."
"Fine…" - Fordola responded coldly and sat on the chair opposite Milisandia. "Is it just you here?" - The woman wondered.
"Yes. Raganfrid wanted to look for you, but Raubahn convinced him that it's better to give you some time alone; they decided to go and pick the best hunters that can assist you with the blasphemy."
"Raubahn wasn't fearful of me possibly becoming a blasphemy, huh?" - Fordola crossed her hands, only to have Milisandia shrug in uncertainty.
"He said that he believes you are resolved enough not to and that his attempts to interfere will make it worse. I can see why he'd think that." - Milisandia noted after taking yet another sip.
"I see…" - Fordola took a deep breath and looked at the table, avoiding eye contact with Milisandia at all. She thought about her friends again, the friends she left behind to a terrible fate.
"You knew him, right?" - Milisandia asked in a quiet, cautious voice, to which Fordola could only reply with a faint nod. "I'm so sorry… It's a horrible fate, but hearing about it can't be as terrifying as actually seeing the transformation." - She reached out to Fordola, extending her hand, to which the rogue woman felt no urge to respond at all. Milisandia's sympathies were genuine, yet they weren't what Fordola needed. "If I can do anything, I…"
"You can't bring him back." - Fordola interrupted her in a snappy voice. "He's gone forever, turned into a bloody monster who we now have to hunt like some animal. If you want to be concerned, be concerned for someone who deserves it!" - She raised her tone as Milisandia recoiled away from Fordola. She looked aside with silence, unable to come up with a response or simply not wishing to disturb the grieving woman anymore.
For a split moment, Fordola felt vindicated in her retort. She couldn't watch someone pitying her for something she didn't deserve, for her own failures. Milisandia knew this feeling, too; she knew how empty words were when one experienced loss after loss, unable to stop this spiral of madness. Those feelings were overwhelming. They were so…So hurting. It felt long for Fordola, this euphoria of disdain, but she knew that it began to wear off almost immediately as common sense began to return to her. Fordola realized that her aggression was pointless, especially to someone who carried her own sins with her. Fordola took a deep breath before allowing herself to relax and take a look at the au ra with eyes gleaming with regret.
"Sorry, I…There was no point in being so rough." - She said, making Milisandia focus on her once again. The woman wasn't disappointed or angry, leveraging a kind smile at Fordola.
"It's alright. I didn't want to force it upon you." - She reassured Fordola. "Just wondering, but it's fine if you don't want to talk about it."
"He was my friend, a brother of one of my compatriots among the Skulls. The brother I ordered to kill months ago in the battle between Eorzea and the Empire. Never seen Charlet since and has never tried to seek him out. He was a kind boy, never wishing to hurt anyone. All he bloody wanted was…Was for all of us to stay alive." - A tear fell from Fordola's face as she struggled to talk, yet she knew that hiding the truth was far from productive. "Not all of us did because of me…Because I killed them! All for a losing war in which I found nothing but defeat and disgrace, a madman's goddamn toy…"
"I'm sorry…You shouldn't blame yourself. I was told that there was no other choice but to deny Zenos, and considering what he did to his own people…This might have been the end for all of you." - Milisandia tried to convince her, and while Fordola understood that she had a point, it didn't help with the pain.
"I should've seen him, should've come and told the truth, should've done something!"
"Were you afraid that he will despise you if he learns?"
"I…Yes, I was. Every time I tried to put it into words, every time I thought of what I could say, all of it ended with shame and pain…I decided that there was no way to do this without breaking his heart. A coward's decision!" - Fordola smashed her fist on the table, barely able to maintain her fury. "I wonder if his refusal to attack anyone is because some small part of his soul is still…Damn it!"
"I want to say that you were defending him in your own way, but…" - Milisandia looked down and let out a faint chuckle of shame. "We both know it's not true, is it?"
"If I was there for him, he might not have become this monster…He wouldn't have been alone." - Fordola admitted in a quivering voice before taking a look at Milisandia. "You know, don't you?"
"I do…I just pray that you find peace one day, as well." - The au ra spoke with warmth.
"Is it about your family?" - After those words, Milisandia looked surprised that Fordola wanted to know more, but the woman was desperate to change their topic. She didn't want to even think of Charlet, much less talk.
"Uh-huh…" - Milisandia sighed. "I remember how we tried to conceal the truth of oversoul from Allie, our youngest, until the very last moment, even though each of us was ready to die in those weapons if there was a need for it. We didn't want her to know that we would suffer; we wanted her to live in blissful ignorance and to be the last of us that remains. It was pointless, in the end. Those lies would delay her suffering, perhaps, but they would make it only worse when the time actually comes to understand." - The au ra spoke in a quiet, pained voice. "And then she had to perish in this machine anyway, as did Alfonse…They both deserved to live…So you know this feeling? You must."
"Which one."
"When whatever you do, you have this creeping thought at the back of your mind which tears you apart…When you survived at the cost of others, others who deserved it more…What do you do?" - Milisandia asked, striking Fordola's soul.
"Every single day." - Ever since the battle, Fordola knew that feeling. This feeling of pointless, cruel sacrifice brought her friends death and her nothing but deserved shame and contempt. "Every bloody time…"
"My brothers don't understand this, not completely…Well, at least Ricon doesn't. He always told me that I should've stayed with them and father, should've just let it go…But I can't. I would love to be with my brothers and live the life I always wanted…But I'm a murderer, just like you. I killed people, innocent good, people, and motives don't matter. I might have done it for my family, but I can't ever change the past… That's why I want to help. With rebuilding Ala Mhigo, with hunting the blasphemies, with…I don't know, clearing up the rubble, anything!" - For the first time, she raised her voice as Fordola could notice tears forming in her eyes. "Sorry, I'm getting too emotional. It's not about me, after all…"
"It's hell, isn't it?" - Fordola's grim voice echoed through the room. "Bloody hell."
She remembered them sitting in silence, not sure what to say or perhaps simply not wanting to speak at all. After all, those who died because of them could not be brought back, but they were forever etched in their memories as an agonizing reminder of their gruesome past which became both their present and future if they even had a future.
Thankfully, they did not have to wait for long. Soon, the door behind them opened, and the iron bull walked in.
"Milisandia? "- He called out to her moments before noticing Fordola. "You're back, good." - He could clearly see that both of them weren't in their best shape, Milisandia still hadn't wiped all of her tears, but he didn't react at all. Fordola could see it in his eyes. All Raubahn cared for was the hunt.
"Have you found more men?" - Fordola wondered.
"Aye, we are ready to set out further into the Peaks…" - Raubahn looked at Milisandia. "Also, we talked to Raganfrid about you… You'll stay here for now. He shall give you a weapon, and you'll help defend the village from other blasphemies; there are more roaming around than the one you've seen, even if not as strong."
"W…What?" - Milisandia stoop up. "But I came all this way to help with the powerful beast! I can aid you, I promise!"
"You aren't a trained fighter, girl. Just because you can fight doesn't mean it isn't suicide for you, and I should've seen that earlier." - Raubahn responded harshly.
"But you agreed to take me!" - Milisandia shook her head. "It doesn't matter how skilled some of us are, I…"
"Enough!" - The general shouted furiously. "This is an important mission, and I will not have someone who brings more weight than use at my side in it. Gaius would not be appreciative if he learned that I allowed his daughter to die in a foolish fit of heroism, and I have enough on my hands. If you want to be of use, you'll help Raganfrid protect the village. Understand?" - He concluded without a shade of sympathy.
"I…" - Milisandia took a deep breath and recoiled. "Alright, I understand…"
"Good, it's for the best." - Raubahn said before looking at Fordola. "Let's go; the beast awaits."
…
As expected, they set out immediately.
Fordola did not get an opportunity to speak with Milisandia. Raubahn and four hunters left as soon as everyone was ready to begin. Fordola managed to only get a glimpse of Milisandia staying with Raganfrid, but she noticed the disappointment in her eyes as they set out. Fordola understood this desire; Milisandia wanted to jump at every opportunity to fight for her atonement, as did Fordola. This was the only way to keep this pain at bay, at least temporarily, to keep the illusion of making steps towards a distant, unattainable state where they would no longer be tarnished by their sin. This moment would never arrive, of course, but they dared to hope.
Now, all that mattered was Charlet. A reclusive blasphemy who still didn't dare to attack anyone, possibly still influenced by Charlet. Fordola didn't dare to dream of saving him. She knew that not a single blasphemy was reverted among all that had formed in Ul'Dah and beyond. Now the boundless peaks had become its hiding spot, and the woman was bracing herself before facing Charlet again.
When the squad was surrounded by the rocky spires around them with the burning sun rising high above, they knew they had gone into the beast's domain. Now they only had to scour the area patiently, careful not to miss the beast hiding behind some of those mountains; otherwise, it wouldn't be long before the hunters became the hunted. The squad found a small plateau where they decided to take a short break while closely watching the nearby areas. They had to be in good shape; they were to face the monster in the open. This left Raubahn and Fordola on guard of their place while the soldiers watched the areas surrounding it. There was no way the monster could approach them and remain undetected.
"You sure that was the right choice?" - Fordola asked out of the blue after a while of her staying with Raubahn beneath the shadow of a large cliff. The smell of dust, sweat on Fordola's skin, and silence forced her to get distracted, to think of her fallen friends again. She couldn't allow herself to succumb to emotions, not again.
"Huh?" - The stern general turned around.
"Leaving Milisandia behind. I've seen her fight in Werlyt; she's better than she seems." - Fordola noted, thinking back to fighting side by side with her and Valdeaulin and how impressive she was with Gaius's gunblade.
"I explained this to her already; no point in going over it yet again." - Raubahn retorted in a snappy voice. "She would hold us back, you know it. And we are here to kill the beast as quickly and effectively as possible." - There was no point arguing with the general on this one. He was determined and wouldn't allow anyone to stand in his way.
"Well, at least I spoke my piece." - Fordola sighed before Raubahn walked forward, continuing to look over the area. It was silent so far, yet Fordola couldn't help but feel as if something, someone, was nearby, watching them closely. Perhaps those were just her memories and thoughts of Charlet that made him feel his presence, yet she couldn't force them off. Yet for now, they remained stranded here, and there were some words that remained unsaid. "Hey…" - She called out to Raubahn, making the general turn around. His tired expression was enough of an indication of his distaste and desire not to be distracted.
"What?"
"I'm sorry." - She uttered dryly, yet the quivering of her voice was enough to. "About Sultana, I mean. She meant a whole lot to you, everyone knows that and…" - She paused while trying to pick better words, but Fordola noticed Raubahn slowly clenching his fist. "Bah, I'm terrible with words. She didn't deserve a bloody death like this; no one does."
"I failed her." - Raubahn's crushing words echoed in Fordola's ears. "After all she did for me, after all, she gave me, that's the most I could repay with. Failure to protect her."
"You were protecting her, you were fighting the blas…" - Fordola realized that those words were revealing what she saw in the echo vision, but it was too late to hide it.
"That's what you saw back in prison, then?"
"Yes…Yes, I did."
"I wasn't there for her at that moment, and that is simply not good enough. There's no excuse. I gave an oath I broke twice now, and she had to pay for it!" - He tried not to shout, yet the rage festered within the general. "I cannot make this right, but I can avenge her. That's why I will not stop hunting those monsters; exodus is damned."
"Are you just going to hunt down every single beast you hear of until your tire yourself out? What sort of vengeance is that?"
"It's not just about that." - Raubahn retorted. "The slaughter in Ul'Dah did not occur naturally. Fandaniel was there; Estinien encountered him in the city, that basted killed an innocent to make another fall to despair!" - Hatred raged in Raubahn's voice. "He knew that we would meet at Ul'Dah to convene. This outcome was exactly what he wanted. His schemes killed Merlwyb, Hien, Nanamo…And I have no doubt that he had a hand in Limsan cataclysm, too. He is still out there, plotting and preparing, sowing the seeds of chaos all around the world. And if he notices how resilient Ala Mhigo is, how efficient and powerful we are when resisting this nightmare…He will come here to plunge us into chaos." - Raubahn took a deep breath. "And if he comes, I will be here to destroy him, whatever the means."
"Are you trying to lure an ascian here?" - Fordola said with doubt. "Do you know how many people are at risk because of this?"
"It's not in my power to lure him; I can only prepare. All of the spies in the city have been given a warning. They know exactly who to look for; our best mages are working on a trap. If he comes back, I will have his head, and I don't care if he's an immortal being. We are waiting for him." - Fordola admired Raubahn's resolve, yet it still seemed like inviting an absolute disaster. Fandaniel was unhinged and a brilliant schemer while also having considerable magic power as an ascian. His was the privilege of withdrawing from the field at any point he wished, leaving nothing but chaos and misery in his stead.
"And what if he possesses a different corpse? How are you going to find him this time?"
"He didn't do it when infiltrating Ul'Dah, at least from how Estinien described him. I can only hope that…"
His words were interrupted by heavy steps from beneath their plateau as the shadow befell on the ground below.
"Do you hear it?" - Raubahn wondered as he sheathed his sword.
"Loud and clear." - Fordola stood up and prepared for the coming battle. After looking over the land beneath, the two of them caught a glimpse of the beast that had emerged.
It was as Milisandia described. A hulking monstrosity with purple skin and a distorted, pale face reminiscent of a mask, its teeth and claws were razor-sharp and white eyes were absolutely empty, as of all life had been sucked away from them slowly, along with what remaining essence of Charlet there was.
The other hunters noticed it, too. They began to descend from the nearby mounts and peaks, rejoining Raubahn and Fordola. All of their blades and crossbows were sheathed as they prepared to face the monster. So far, it behaved just as they expected, wandering aimlessly across the peaks, stumbling around weakly. Fordola walked to the edge of the cliff, closely following its every step. A lonely, wounded creature, who she would never care for if not for the knowledge of whose essence, whose soul it corrupted and took away forever. There was nothing that would make her think of Charlet in this beast without the knowledge, but now she could see his phantom shimmering before her, a shaking, scared boy who walked towards the castrum, calling out to his friends in a pained, faint voice. A wounded soul subjected to suffering and loneliness. As she watched him, Fordola heard the beast wail suddenly…The monster raised its hands to the air and let out a distorted, terrifying sound that pierced Fordola's ears.
"Ghurgh…Urgh…" - It was not too loud, and this made it worse. Like a sick animal dying from a deadly disease, every sound it made was that of a tormented soul. It sounded like a cry to Fordola, a despaired, last-ditch attempt to cry for help. A cry that they were here to silence.
"Fordola, let's go." - Raubahn interrupted her gazing, beckoning for the woman to descend to the ground where they could fight the beast. They could try to shoot it down from the plateau, of course, but it would easily climb it if necessary while depriving them of any space.
Fordola had to let go of her musings and follow her crew as they ran down to the ground while keeping their eyes focused on Charlet's back. The squad was swift to take cover and watch the beast's movements.
"Here it is, still hasn't noticed us yet." - Raubahn said with anticipation. "Archers, prepare yourselves. You'll be our cover. Warriors, after me."
"At once, sir." - One of the soldiers responded as he signified that he was prepared to follow the general.
"You're with us, Fordola."
"Aye, aye…"
"Listen, I know it was your friend once, but it isn't anymore. It is a monster that ate his soul and formed its own being around it; there is nothing left of him in this thing. To kill is simply to cleanse his name and grant peace. I'm sure he wouldn't want to know that a monster is using his body to slaughter others." - Raubahn spoke commandingly, forcing Fordola to nod in agreement. Despite all of this, however, she couldn't stop thinking about Charlet and the reason for this blasphemy behavior. So far, it has not killed a single person, not a single one, despite having its chance.
The squad made its way towards the monster, approaching closer, step by step. Fordola knew that Raubahn was eager to strike, but before they reached its back, the monster heard something. It turned around swiftly, unraveling its white, phantom-like face to the warriors. There was not enough time to hide; the attackers were within the monster's reach as its shadow arose over them.
"Damn it!" - Raubahn said as he clutched his sword, they were incredibly close to ushering the first strike, yet the beast noticed that as they stood before it. Yet it stood in absolute silence, even taking a few steps back and not attempting to attack. Could this be fear in its eyes? Did it simply not want to slaughter them all? Fordola didn't understand. The blasphemies who couldn't behave rationally and shouldn't be able to. This made the woman feel the range creep inside her soul. Why couldn't it make it simple? Why wouldn't it attack them with rage and screams, wh? Why wouldn't it just reaffirm everything Raubahn was saying… Fordola's hands shook.
"F…For…" - The monster's distorted voice echoed, making the woman recoil in horror. It tried to form words, tried to speak. As she watched the beast extend its hand as if trying to reach out to her, Fordola felt a primal urge. An urge to drop her weapons, to run towards this beast, towards Charlet and embrace him, saying a thousand apologies and promising to be there for him, to undo her mistake…
"C…Charlet?" - Fordola asked in shock, making the beast make a few sudden steps forward. This got the soldiers on edge as they pointed their blades at the blasphemy.
"Not another step, monster!" - One of them shouted.
"I…" - The monster began to shake as it looked away from Fordola. "I…Coward…Coward…Coward…" - It began repeating a single, aching word, getting louder and louder each time. The monster clutched its head with its hands, its body continuing to flail.
"It's me, Charlet, Fordola!" - The woman stepped forth. "Can you hear me?"
"Coward coward coward coward…."
"Please, I mean you no harm! You've been tormented much, and I'm… I'm sorry I haven't been there for you; if I could go back and change that, I'd, I…" - She felt her eyes tearing up as she realized how horrific this experience must have been for Charlet and that there was nothing they could do but put him out of his misery, no matter how agonizing it will be for everyone involved.
"C…COWARD!" - The monster screeched in agony.
"Enough of this!" - Raubahn shouted and charged forth; Fordola did not even get the time to shout for him to stop. Nothing would stop the iron bull now. When he approached the blasphemy, Raubahn sliced its leg, inflicting a wound upon Charlet. The beast reeled as the black blood began to fall to the ground, making the monster scream. The other two soldiers were quick to follow Raubahn and join him in battle.
"What have you done? He wasn't even hostile!" - Fordola shouted in disdain, but it was too late to change anything. She had to run and join them; it was time to fight. The four fighters surrounded the beast with two more archers unleashing their arrows upon it. They didn't do much to sound the blasphemy, but they forced it to become even more terrified and, therefore, enraged.
"Come on, let's end it!" - Raubahn's rallying cry was the final straw for Charlet. The beast screeched, spitting some of its blood, before grabbing the nearest soldier so quickly that even Fordola couldn't move in to defend him. Moments later, Charlet tore the man apart with his bare hands, drenching his body in crimson. It tossed the body aside, forcing it to be pierced by the nearby rocky spikes while it focused on the other warriors, still continuing to scream and roar. A horrifying sight, yet the one Fordola was used to.
"You bastard!" - Raubahn shouted before running towards it once again. Charlet managed to evade his strikes by jumping to the side, however, and his gaze was now turned towards the second soldier. It was going to end him as well…
The moment Fordola realized what was about to happen, she rushed toward them, standing between Charlet and the soldier.
"No, stop, don't do it, for gods' sake!" - It might have been her imagination and wishful thinking playing tricks with her, yet Fordola could swear that the beast paused. "Please…Focus. I…"
She was never able to finish, for the arrows that were launched from behind struck the beast's eye, causing Charlet to recoil and continue screeching. Almost immediately, it spat some ebon bile at both Fordola and the soldier. The woman knew it was about to strike due to resonant and moved away swiftly, only getting a small fraction of poison on her elbow, causing her to clench her teeth in pain before scribbling it away. The soldier was not so lucky. The black bile stroke his face, slowly burning it away along with skin and body. He collapsed to the ground soon after, and all life was taken away from him.
Before the blasphemy could attack again, the arrows continued to pierce its skin, forcing the monster to retreat. Fordola expected another attack, but to her surprise, the blasphemy just turned around, hastily retreating from the battlefield.
"No, get back here!" - Raubahn was about to strike it from behind, yet the monster was too quick. It ran away from the peaks to the lower ground, leaving the remaining warriors watching its escape. Fordola knew exactly where this road went; it was the path they took when traveling from the village. It was making its way there.
There was no time to waste.
…
No, it couldn't be too late, not yet.
Without hesitation or doubt, Raubahn, Fordola, and the two archers rushed after the beast towards the village as sweat dripped from their tiring bodies, but they did not even slow down. Fordola prayed that they would be lucky and Charlet would seek another place to hide, she chose to heal his wounds and run away, but she knew that this hope was a hollow one. The monster would inevitably run into the village, which means that either it or the soldiers that protected the village would initiate the confrontation.
When the squad reached Ala Gannha, Fordola's worst fears were immediately confirmed, for the beast had reached the village. Charlet stood at the edge of the village to the south, roaring and screaming at those who fought him.
"Come on, we need to aid the others!" - Raubahn commanded. "Archers, prepare to shoot, Fordola, with me!" - There was no time nor reason to question orders; the lives of the villagers were a priority.
Raubahn and Fordola made their way toward the battlefield as quickly as possible. The closer they got, the better outlook did Fordola get. Charlet was fighting three soldiers, all of which carried spears in their hands, attempting to pierce the beast's violet skin. Some of their strikes got the monster. It was not as quick to evade all of them, but with each of those, Fordola could feel her heart beat quicker. This would enrage the monster, even more, robbing the warriors of any chance to survive.
She was proven right in a few seconds as Charlet roared and spat its toxic bile at all the soldiers. Two of them caught some of it, immediately forcing them into traumatic pain. The third one evaded the blast, but before he could continue the battle, Charlet pulled one of his giant legs up and stomped on the soldier, squashing him to death in seconds. However, soon the blasphemy reeled with pain as the warrior's spear pierced its food. This made Charlet take a few steps back, leaving a trace of ebon blood as he tried to pull the spear away from the foot. After it finally succeeded, the flow of blood became even less controllable, forcing it to pour all around the sand. The two archers helped; they maintained positions from which they continued to launch their arrows at the monster. Instead of fighting the wounded soldiers, Charlet looked behind him. The beast's eyes focused on a lone child, a boy frozen in horror and despair with a shaking body, as he was too terrified to run away from the beast.
Before Charlet could do anything, however, Raubahn and Fordola reached the village. A powerful strike from the iron bull immediately forced the blasphemy aside, as well as forced its focus to switch towards Raubahn.
"Don't even try!" - The general taunted the beast as it moved towards him, screeching in rage once again. Fordola, meanwhile, rushed to the terrified child, who still couldn't force himself to look away from the monster. The woman kneeled before him, grabbing the child's hand.
"You need to run, now!" - She spoke loudly, trying to pull him away from his trance. "Hide in your house; we will deal with the monster! You need to go!"
Eventually, she could feel the boy's hand shivering slightly as he was slowly allowing his mind to reinstate control. In a few moments, he rushed away as quickly as he could, right to the opposite side of the village. This cleared the battlefield slightly, even though there were still people Fordola could see that hid behind the houses and rocks nearby. Now it was time to rejoin the battle and help Raubahn with the struggle.
"By Rhalgr!" - A horrifying voice echoed from behind Fordola. When she looked behind, she noticed Raganfrid followed by a few soldiers, Milisandia among them, witnessing the monster arise before them.
"That's the one I saw in Ala Mhigo!" - The au ra shouted as she sheathed her blade.
"To arms! End the beast!" - Raganfrid gave a command to his soldiers, making all of them rush forward, bypassing Fordola and throwing themselves into the heat of battle. In a few moments, the furious monster was completely surrounded. Fordola could see Charlet stumbling as it tried to find its way out, but it was too late to leave. Its movements grew careful as the beast turned towards Fordola, peering into her eyes once again. She despised having her visions, utterly despised them, yet the image was clear before her once again. Twisted, broken, and corrupted pale mask, but behind it…She could see his horrified face, his tears rolling down his cheeks, desperately trying to reach out. Fordola knew it wasn't there, yet her imagination, the power of her twisted echo, made the picture so vivid that, once again, she had to hold herself back.
"Charlet…Can you hear me?" - Fordola tried to ask calmly, once again making a mistake and giving in to her weakness. "Answer me…I know you can!"
"F…For…" - The monster's distorted voice echoed from his mouth, but despite his attempts, it still turned out to be a cacophony of broken sounds that pierced Fordola's ears. For a moment, it seemed like Charlet could calm down, but this was but a momentary respite. Soon the monster shivered and unleashed a powerful roar. "Coward, coward, coward!" - His bestial voice repeated one word, again and again, and soon after, Fordola realized what it was about to do.
"No!" - The woman rushed to stand between Charlet and Raganfrid, expecting the monster to run, but she made a mistake by not stopping and entering a defensive stance until it was too late. Charlet continued the onslaught, pushing Fordola aside to the nearby hut with one hand while grabbing Ranagfrid with another.
"No…What are you…Let me go!" - The elder screamed as Charlet's mighty hand slowly squeezed his body, making the old man shiver and clench his teeth in pain. Raganfrid was not ready to give up; however, he attempted to punch the beast as hard as he could with his right hand, showing the spirit of a true warrior. It didn't take long for Charlet to get too tired of this as the blasphemy grabbed Raganfrid's hand with two of its large fingers, looking into the eyes of a man who was overtaken by horror. In the next instant, Fordola saw a stream of crimson blood flow from Raganfrid's hand, or whatever remained of it…It was completely torn off in an instant, tossed aside by the beast. Raganfrid's agonized screams echoed in Fordola's ears as she watched him get drenched in blood while his body flinched uncontrollably.
This wasn't Charlet; he would never hurt someone like that.
"That's… It's not you! It can't be you!" - Fordola screamed with fury, more so to convince herself that this was just a beast to be slaughtered and not the residue of her friend. She rushed towards the monster, hoping that if she was quick enough, Raganfrid could still be saved. As she ran, she noticed how the beast was slowed down by a few more arrows piercing its skin, but what truly made it reel was a strike from the side.
It was Milisandia. As she quickly evaded Charlet's black bile, the au ra managed to get an opportunity for a perfect strike. Her blade was the one to pierce the blasphemy's leg just above the heel, wounding one of the weaker spots in the blasphemy's skin. Raubahn and the few soldiers that remained with him used this opportunity to continue battling it, slowly draining Charlet's legs of all the energy he could have. The monster tried to spur its poison once again, but Fordola and the others were ready and evaded it easily this time. When Fordola got close enough, she jumped as high as she could, trying to reach Raganfrid and the arm that held him.
She succeeded in penetrating Charlet's arm, leaving a grievous wound on him as the monster continued to roar. A sudden surge of pain like this was enough for it to pull its claws away from Raganfrid, dropping the bloodied elder on the ground. His arm was torn off, and the body was full of red marks, most of which had fresh blood in them. Fordola ran towards Raganfrid, noticing that he was still breathing. She grabbed Raganfrid's shoulder, trying to help him get up.
"I…Damn it…AARGH!" - The man coughed and shouted uncontrollably; there was no strength left in him to move.
"I'll get you to safety, and then we'll deal with others. We'll…" - There was no time to waste; Fordola looked towards the nearby houses and shouted as loudly as she could. "Help! Raganfrid is wounded; he needs help!"
Thankfully for Fordola, she noticed a lone woman hiding behind the nearby house; after a brief pause, she ran forward and looked at Raganfrid with worry.
"I'll… I'll take him! You should help the others!" - She spoke gravely, even if Fordola could still sense come doubt in her voice.
"Thank you…Bring him to safety." - Moments after Raganfrid fell unconscious, Fordola passed him to the lone woman before turning back towards the battlefield. Shortly before she could rejoin, however, the beast stopped resisting. Charlet let out another roar before turning around, trying to avoid his pursuers. Raubahn attempted to push him down with yet another slash, but he couldn't reach the monster.
"Don't you dare run, you coward!" - Raubahn shouted at the monster with vigor, making Charlet run even faster.
"Coward, coward, coward…" - Fordola could still hear him speak this word, as distorted as the sound was. It was already clear that were Charlet to continue to run at such a speed, they would not reach him in time.
Fordola heard a wall being crushed as she witnessed the rabid beast running through the nearby house that stood in its way. It completely demolished the building, forcing the stone from which it was built to fall to the sand around it as the smoke and dust rose into the air.
"Seven hells!" - Raubahn shouted as he rushed towards the house, followed by Milisandia, Fordola, and others. He must have still hoped to catch the beast, but by now, Charlet had already left the village and charged back to the peaks. There was no way to catch it now. "Damn you…". - Raubahn breathed heavily, trying to keep his rage, but he couldn't maintain it for long, for a dark aura on the ruins of the small house.
Someone was inside.
"There are more of them; get ready!" - Milisandia shouted as she held on to her blade. There must have been people inside it, terrified due to the blasphemy attacking…And having this monster break through their wall must have been the last straw.
Two minor monsters arose. One was reminiscent of a crimson snake, while the other maintained a form of a nightmarish hound; it had five legs and two scaly tails, all while its red skin was devoid of any fur, as empty as the monster's eyes.
"Defend the village!" - Raubahn commanded as he stood in front of his warriors, getting ready to clash with the beasts. Fordola expected to join, as well, but it did not turn out quite as she expected.
"Die!" - Raubahn screamed and charged at his enemies, beginning with a serpent-like monster. It wished and attempted to trap Raubahn in the coils of its coils, but the attempt was absolutely futile. It was only for a moment that Raubahn's movements were restricted, forcing the iron bull to struggle. Sheer seconds after, however, he grabbed his sword, clinging to it, and sliced the snake's body in half. The beast screeched for a moment, but Raubahn would not allow it a single moment of respite. His next move was to cut off its head, forcing the beast to dissipate into ash.
"Argh…" - Raubahn breathed heavily as some of the dark blood still drenched his armor and skin, causing the warrior to grunt in pain. Yet this was not at all the reason for him to stop; his next target was the hound. "You took her away from me…All of you! I will not allow a single one of you to walk this earth, not a single one! Until my last breath!"
The hound attempted to attack, scratching Raubahn's arm with its claws, but such aggression only invigorated the iron bull's rage. After only recoiling for a sheer second, Raubahn charged at the blasphemy, plunging his sword into its neck. The hound howled in agony as it was forced to the ground by the unyielding warrior.
"And that's for all of you, monsters!" - Raubahn continued to mutilate the hound, plunging his sword again and again, first beginning with the monster's eyes. He sliced both of them, forcing a river of blood to flow down the beast's head. It still tried to retaliate and pierce Raubahn's neck with its sharp teeth, but it was far too weak to succeed. After a few more strikes, it stopped breathing and dissipated. Raubahn was left alone, wounded and breathing heavily, still clutching his sword as if the battle hadn't yet ended. Fordola could see the rage festering in his eyes, his clenched teeth, hateful expression. He yearned for more, yet the blasphemy was now gone back to hiding.
But then Fordola noticed something else, as did Raubahn. Another echo, another surge of darkness emerging from behind the rubble, another rotten scent sent by a monstrous blasphemy.
"Another one!" - Raubahn charged toward the aura without a second thought, not even considering the possibility that the blade was not what this person needed just yet.
"No, wait!" - Fordola shouted, reaching out to Raubahn but without success. The iron bull had already stormed the ruined house, getting himself as close to the aura as possible before freezing…Fordola hastened her step, eager to find out what it was that happened. As she stood beside Raubahn, she saw a horrifying picture.
A vengeful warrior with his blade sheathed, looking with the eyes of a man who wants to kill, hatred and agony that have bottled up in his heart ever since Nanamo's demise. All this rage and hatred, the brutal, merciless desire, all directed at the young boy, shaking and terrified as he had to witness his parents transforming into beasts. Now the dark aura swirled around him, as well, and Raubahn's rage served only to make his defeat even more pressing.
He could not be saved, not anymore.