"Look, more wisps." The small spirits flew past Moro and Solas, ignoring them and heading off in some unknown destination. "They came from there, Laisa can't be far." Moro whispered. Solas broke off into a jog, dread filling him and urging him to run towards the room at the end of the hall.
"Solas? Solas what's wrong?! Solas!"
Solas had reached out for his magic to sense their daughter. The first he felt was her spirit itself, then fear. Laisa's fear and then…
"She is not alone…We must hurry!" So many questions ran through Moro's head. What did he mean she wasn't alone? Where was she? Who was after her? Is she alright? They couldn't reach the next chamber sooner but what greeted them was total darkness and there in the middle surrounded by wisps was Laisa, frozen in place.
Moro wanted to scream her name, beg her to come back but Solas held a hand to mouth. His attention upon the many sets of eyes that stared hungrily at Laisa. Moro pulled at his hand, bringing it low enough to hiss through her teeth at him. "What are you doing?! We have to get her away from that thing!" Despite her hushed tone, Laisa heard her mother's voice.
"Mamae!" Laisa was running until a clawed hand held her down. "Mamae! Babae!" Laisa whimpered at the weight holding her in place, crying out again to her mother and father for help.
"We have visitors!"
Solas and Moro tensed up at the sound of the creature's voice. Moro's teeth bared in a snarl as Solas held an iron grip to keep her in place, his eyes darting from the monster's eyes to his child. With a hesitant wave Solas brought like to the room, revealing the monster hiding in the dark. Their eyes widened in horror.
The monster took up almost the entirety of the far half of the chamber, towering above them tenfold. Many beady eyes littered its face, some concentrating on Laisa, some on Solas and Moro as well as squinting at the bright light now illuminating the room. The creature was gargantuan, green with slime and constantly shifting its shape with two long and large arms. The claws sharp.
"What…is that?"
The monster clicked its tongue, adjusting to the light and widening its mouth in a smile, sharp jagged teeth on display. It turned its attention to Solas and Moro both, a deep chuckle rumbling from its throat.
"Does it really matter what I am? So rude…interrupting my meal."
"Your meal?!"
The monster waves his spare hand to the wisps that dance and scurry near the chamber's entrance.
"My little toys have been very good. So many centuries in the dark…they always ensure I am well fed."
Solas curled his lip in disgust. "A hunger demon…"
"Perhaps…what I am is of no concern of yours. Tiny as this elf is…" Drool dripped from its teeth. "Old blood like this is rare indeed. You will not have it back!" His voice took on a shriek at the last remark but did nothing to deter Moro own anger. Moro shoves Solas out of her way, marching down the steps.
"ENOUGH!"
Everyone's eyes turned to Moro.
"You want to feed you pig?! I have something better for you then."
The monster burst into fits of laughter, his hand never leaving Laisa as he addressed Moro. "You are nothing! You would barely serve to sate me for a few minutes!" Moro ignored his insult, closing her eyes and willing forth the voices of the well. Making their voices brighter, hoping this creature would be able to hear them.
Solas felt it too, the hairs on his neck standing on end when he began to suspect what her plan was. "Moro! What are you doing?! Stop!" Moro was walking closer, the voices becoming louder, bellowing out at her to keep away from the creature. That this abomination was beyond help. Moro ignored their pleas, all that mattered was Laisa.
All of the creature's eyes trained on Moro within seconds, sensing the power of the well inside her. Within moments it was charging after her, abandoning Laisa and slamming Moro on her back, down on the ground with its giant palm.
Laisa wanted to run to her mother's side but was pulled across by her father who quickly placed a ward around her. A cage as well as protection. "Babae!" Solas placed his hand against the barrier, hushing her.
"I will get mamae, ma'da'ean. Do not worry." Solas turned back, the hunger demon still pinning Moro to the ground.
Moro gritted her teeth, hands digging into its meaty wrists. The beast inhaled her scent deep and long, eyes rolling to the back of its head and cackling deeply before coming inches to her face.
"There are so many of them! So much to drink and take!" The monster sent a shockwave at Solas when he ventured too close, sending him slamming against the wall. Eyes never leaving Moro as she continued to struggle in its hold. "Once I have my fill of you, I'll have them both as well."
"Disgusting pile of waste." Moro spat in its eye. A low growl and its hand traveling up to her face was its response. A ray of light emitted from his palm before slamming her away.
"Mamae!" Moro curled into herself, willing the pain to go as she shut her eyes tight. When she opened her eyes to search for Laisa she was only met with darkness.
The demon had taken her sight.
Panic overtook her as her hands searched frantically, ear twitching and fear building at the sound of the demon's chuckles echoing behind her.
"It's so much better when there is a chase!" Moro tried to rise, but the attack from earlier left her leg bloody. Laisa continued to yell for her mother. Moro crawled towards her voice, sobbing as the sounds of heavy footsteps grew louder behind her.
"RUN! I CANNOT CHASE YOU IF YOU DO NOT RUN!" The demon deliberately caused rocks and other debris to collapse making it harder for Moro to know which direction safety resided.
"Moro!" she raised her head at the sound of her name.
"Solas? Solas?!" Tears fell from her eyes when she felt a claw by her foot. "Solas take Laisa and go! NOW! Get out of here!"
Solas ignored her plea, rising back to his feet with fury in his eyes.
Before the demon could swallow her whole Solas summons a stone-fist, colliding it straight into the monster's jaw. Its teeth a broken and bloody mess as it backed away, screeching in pain.
Moro shook, flinching when Solas' hand came to rest by her cheek, moving aside hair that clung to her skin. Moro's hand searched desperately for him. "Where's Laisa?" She croaked. "Solas is she safe?"
"Hush…Laisa is fine." Solas urged Moro to stay down. He rose to his feet and faced the demon that still coward from him, its size shrinking as he got closer. Solas glared at the creature, his hands clenched at his sides.
"What is your name?!"
"Mercy! Mercy! Please!"
"BE SILENT!"
The demon cowered in fear, Solas had not held back in revealing his power. He made sure this creature knew exactly what he was capable of and the cost it would have to pay for harming those dear to him.
Solas raised his hand towards it, sending searing heat that tore at its flesh. "How many have suffered in your wake spirit? How many have you taken to sate your pitiful hunger?"
"LANASTE!" The demon howled in pain, its voice shaking the very foundations of the temple. Solas faltered a moment shocked by the elvhen that bawled forth from it. His eyes narrowed, pity filling him as the hunger spirit poured tears unending from the pain.
"You are no demon…or spirit…are you?" No answer but more whimpers and cries were heard. Solas' mouth became a thin line before he lifted both his hands, eyes glowing that stark blue before encasing the creature in ice. He sent another wave of magic through, the ice melting away to reveal an elf.
He was haggard, skin and bone. Face hollow and inked with June's vallaslin. He shook there on his knees, eyes wide and confused. Solas ran a hand down his face, a deep sigh escaping him as he recognised the elvhen man instantly.
"Belavahn…"
The elvhen man's eyes grew wider at Solas' voice. "Belavahn…Belavahn…my name…my name is Belavahn." Belavahn looked down at his hands, as bony as the rest of him. Cut, bruised and caked with blood. Tears filled his eyes, knowing the blood was not his own. His heart swelled heavy as his mind slowly remembered himself. Of what became of him.
"Ma' venuralas…we were stranded. The Vir Dithara gone…all the books gone...everything…" Belavahn buried his face in his hands at the sight of Moro and her beaten, whimpering form. His awareness of all he committed as the demon at the forefront of his mind.
Solas placed his hands on his shoulders in comfort. "The Vir Dithara and libraries of this temple were everything to you Belavahn…" Solas knew Belavahn so many centuries ago, a servant undeserving of his markings. So bright and curious, always starving for more knowledge. When the veil was made many who had no died had been reduced to isolation in their temples. It should not have come as a surprise what became of him.
It hurt him all the same, Belavahn did not deserve such a fate.
"I killed them…I killed them…" Bellavahn sobbed, sigh of relief came over him at seeing Moro across the way, her sight returned and trained on him. "Ir'abelas….ir'abelas forgive me da'len. Sathan…"
"Solas…." Solas turned to see Moro, a hard look on her face as she clutches at her wounds, breath laboured. "Help him." With a solemn nod he turned his attention back to the ancient elf, eyes shining bright once again.
"I am the one who should be asking forgiveness lethallan…the fault is mine….all of it…"
"Almost there….there…..oh no…"
"What?" Ramia asked as she caught up to Abelas up the cliff they had fallen from, Abelas pointed towards the horizon, the Temple of June was in the distance surrounded by a decent amount of the forest. "How did we get so far?!" she sighed. Ramia gave Abelas a quick pat on the back. "Come on then! We won't get closer by staring at it."
"True enough." He agreed. "Traveling at night is unwise however, we will stay in that cave for tonight. You will eat while I search for Solas in the fade. See what progress they have made."
"I won't say no to that."
After many failed attempt to catch fish with the blade end of her staff prompting Abelas to electrocute the river, both were left with an abundance of food when they returned back to the cave and made camp.
The fire was warm and welcome after the day they had had. Ramia shrugged off her cloak, removing her hair tie and trying to reduce the amount of knots in her hair. Grumbling and swearing quietly to herself. Her legs stretched out in front of her, glad to finally be able to stop and not have some form of injury ailing her.
Although she had Abelas to thank for that. Despite her mother's thought on the man he had been much kinder to her than she initially thought he would. Of course she could chalk that up to the idea that Solas would have him flayed alive if injury came to her. Some small part of her hoped that wasn't the case, she always hated conditional kindness.
Eventually Abelas came to join her, she pushed her musings to the back of her head and took a fish off the fire to sink her teeth into.
Abelas sat crossed legged by the fire. Pulling off his hood, a sigh on his lips as he ran a hand through hair, scratching at his undercut. Ramia pupils dilated at the sight of him. Long white hair in a plait behind him in a mohawk-like style. Mythal's vallaslin along his forehead and cheeks.
"Oh no." Abelas raised tired eyes at Ramia as she stared straight at him, her face slowly dusting pink at the cheeks.
"What?"
"You're cute. You can't be cute! Why aren't you bold and old like the rest of the sentinels?!" Abelas raised a confused eyebrow, unsure what could be considered the correct approach to…whatever this was. Ramia's lack of subtlety was ridiculous and…endearing?
"I can call you a da'len and waggle my finger at you from now on if that would please you. Perhaps complain about back aches here and there."
"Oh ha-ha, the old-as-balls sentinel made a joke. You're a funny man now huh?"
"Apparently a good-looking one too." That made her blush harder, causing the girl to grumble and turn away. Sleep would come early tonight it seemed as he made himself comfortable as well, placing wards to protect them and preparing his mind to enter the fade. With luck, Solas and Moro had found Laisa and made more progress than they have.