Chapter 17: Stone Maiden and the Slug
The entrance to the Harvest Valley from the Huntsman's Copse and the Skeleton Lords' hovel was a very long and large mechanical bridge that spanned a deep, seemingly bottomless ravine and which had been raised at some point so no one on the other side could cross without permission. It took some time for it to lower so Erik and Lucatiel could cross, and once they did they saw that the operating lever on the opposite side had been damaged so only the people from the woods could operate it and allow travel.
An hour of walking later, and the pair emerged from the rocky tunnel that cut through the mountains into a gaseous location, where a veritable wall of rotten eggs and boiled cabbage assailed their nostrils. Erik gagged and coughed, while Lucatiel's ingrained training allowed her to show her displeasure with just a twisted grimace and scrunched up nose. Without her mask, the stench was much worse.
The Harvest Valley had once been the breadbasket of Drangleic, where everything from grains to fruits and vegetables of all sorts had been grown. Commoners fare like wheat and turnips were grown alongside exotic sugarcane and lemons from Lanafir, and it made the people's stomach full and happy. That is, until massive deposits of coal, iron, gold, and countless other valuable minerals were discovered. The whole landscape was torn up by the greedy Iron King who used the materials he obtained to wage war and utterly crush Alken's long standing rival, Venn.
Ever since then, the place had become a smog choked wasteland, with rivers of poison running alongside barren hills and empty mines. The fumes from the smelting furnaces blackened the sky with smoke and fumes, while the impurities were thrown away together to become bubbling heaps of toxic waste. In a decade the valley was irrevocably twisted. Nothing could grow there, nothing could live there. The miners and factory workers died quickly and soon most of the workforce was replaced with slaves and criminals as few sane peasants wanted to work in such vile conditions for so little pay. Only the magistrates and overseers profited as they pinched coins here and there.
At the far end of the Harvest Valley were the Earthen Peaks, the second mountain range in Alken and the one that separated the Iron Citadel from the rest of the world. They loomed, wreathed in smoke, and rumors said they had once been a string of volcanoes long ago.
Nestled into the side of the Earthen Peaks was Erik's destination; a large fortress that both loomed over the valley as it protected the resources within and guarded the only main road to the Iron Citadel. Erik could feel the pull in his soul urging him onwards and he obliged, eager to find out the truth behind this call.
"We'll need to be careful. These gasses are extremely toxic, as well as flammable. I don't think I should use my Pyromancy around here unless we want repeats of the black powder in the Lost Bastille," Erik stated, handing over a handful of Poison Moss clumps. "These should keep us from dying due to the poison, but be careful all the same. Eat too much of the moss and you'll get stomach cramps and nausea, plus some loose, um, bowel movements."
Lucatiel gratefully accepted both the plants and the warning, looking out over the blasted wasteland.
"If we want to avoid the worst of the vapors, we should stay on high ground and avoid entering the lower regions as much as possible. The fumes seems to be content to stick to the ground for now," the knightess observed, and Erik agreed with the assessment. They quickly moved on, wrapping some cloth around their nostrils and mouth to mitigate some of the reek.
A bonfire was soon encountered, tucked away in a tiny cave, though it was surrounded by a pool of noisome fluids. Erik had an idea to make a miniature bridge to cross, and the two were soon smashing boxes and crates and using the wooden planks to create a simple crossing. Safe from the liquids of death, they relaxed at the bonfire and eagerly refilled their Estus Flasks. As they rested Erik moaned in joy as his left hand started to come back to life again, the mystical flames eating away at the numbness which had lingered in his limb.
Rested and restored, the two Undead travelers packed their bags and made their way up several rocky inclines and a sloping hill to overlook the vast greenish-grey expanse of the Harvest Valley. It was breath-taking, both due to the sheer scale of the industry that could still be seen manned by Hollows, and thanks to the obnoxious fumes. Of course, there was something else that caught the pair's attention as they walked across the area.
A tall and thin woman sat on a large boulder, idly kicking her legs in a childish and playful manner. She had long brown hair tied back in a ponytail and wore a faded but still intact black gown that seemed a tad too short and tight for her. What stuck out the most though was her extremely ample bosom. It was practically overflowing from her dress, and both Undead travelers could not help but stare at it. Erik was almost drooling from his brain shorting out, and even Lucatiel who was straight as an arrow found herself wishing to hold those massive breasts in her hands. With a force of will beyond mere men the swordswoman of Mirrah shook her head and broke the cleavage's spell.
The chef was finally knocked out of his reverie by a sharp smack upside his head courtesy of the knightess. He turned scarlet with embarrassment. He spared a second glance at the woman, whom he now saw was playing with a skeletal foot, and made an educated guess that this was Lenigrast's daughter. She certainly fit the description the blacksmith had given the chef, and now the green skinned man's words about recognizing her on sight made sense.
"Um, excuse me, miss?" Erik asked, stepping forward. The woman looked up in surprise before smiling kindly at the duo.
"Are you travelers? I am Chloanne, an orestone trader. I travel about collecting rare stones, which I sell to make my living. I never planned to visit this gods-forsaken place. But I don't know… I just sort of ended up here. I must've just wandered in… Heh… But, now that I'm here, I've been scouting around for rare bits." Chloanne was a bubbly and cheerful young woman, and clearly a bit of an airhead. Or nearly Hollowed. It was hard to tell with some people. Erik frowned but decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. The ore merchant frowned in response to the chef's frown, misinterpreting it.
"Oh, don't look at me like that! Many of these stones are quite useful. For instance, certain stones are used in smithing. Ahh, now your ears prick up! Heh. I've extras, if you can pay. This is my trade, after all!"
"I see, very useful," Erik said diplomatically, earning himself a grin from Chloanne and a frown from Lucatiel. Something was bugging the knightess, and she wasn't sure what it was. It only surfaced when she saw the ditz flash those wide, innocent smiles at Erik that made him blush unconsciously. What on Drangleic was wrong with her?
"Anyways, Miss Chloanne, your father asked me to find you," Erik said, stating the wish of Majula's resident smith. The merchant blinked slowly, as if confused.
"My father? But he is back in Volgen, tending the forge… he is not Cursed… why would he follow me here…?"
"I'm not sure how long you've been here, Miss, but Mr. Lenigrast is indeed an Undead now, and waiting for you in Majula. He's even taken over the small smithy there, fixing the equipment of passersby," Lucatiel said, speaking up. Chloanne began to panic, and she rose to feet and started muttering to herself.
"No, no, no! This can't be! But, why… and if so… does that mean…"
"Miss Chloanne, everything is fine. He's just worried about you!" Erik assured her hastily but was forced to take several steps back as the young merchant whirled to face him.
"No! It is not fine! He always does this! Always! I want to have fun, but he says I cannot and keeps me inside, 'where it is safe!' I want to study in Melfia and learn more about Titanite but he prevents me from going, saying my place is at his side!" She stamped her foot, acting like a petulant child. "Every time I try and do something, father stops me! 'It's too dangerous,' or 'it's not work fit for a woman!' He drives me mad! I thought I was finally free of him and his overprotectiveness when I became Undead and traveled to Drangleic, and now I find out the gods have seen fit to torment me further by Cursing him as well?!"
The next things out of Chloanne's mouth were a foul tirade of swears and curses that would make even the saltiest sailor nod in approval, and made Erik and Lucatiel pale in shock. Well. She certainly had some… issues…
"Huh." That was all Erik could say. He gave a pleading look at Lucatiel but she just shrugged. Her own father had been fairly open and approving of her decision to become a knight. Of course, that was because of the money and prestige, but still.
"Uh, well, you know how the bonfires can teleport a person, correct?" the Chef inquired, and she paused in her rant to nod her head. "Well, why not just pop back to Majula for a bit, say hello to Lenigrast, and then leave again? Nothing could stop you then."
"I suppose that is true," Chloanne murmured, thinking it over. But she shook her head, dismissing the idea. "No, that won't work. He'll demand I stay, we'll argue for a bit, and then I'll give in, like I always do. Instead, I'll just stay away for now and return when I feel like it."
"Uh…" This was not going the way Erik had thought it would.
"In fact, why don't I travel with you two? We can explore the Valley and beyond, and you'll technically have completed father's request; you found me and asked me to return. And I said no. So there! A wonderful compromise!"
"Not for your father," Lucatiel said, and added "or for us," under her breath.
"As… interesting an idea as that is, can you defend yourself? Lucatiel and I are heading into a very dangerous place in search of an as of yet unknown foe and soul. It will be perilous and…"
Erik never managed to finish his argument, as he suddenly found himself flipped onto his back with a Work Hook pressed against his throat and Chloanne's foot on his solar plexus.
"I'm not a damsel in distress, sir. How do you think I made it this far?" The stone trader asked, a polite smile still on her face as she stood over the chef. Next to her Lucatiel had reacted instantly to the sudden movement, and had brought her sword down to rest on the young woman's nape. The knightess had paused and stopped her swing because Chloanne had a throwing knife in her left hand pointing at her underarm, poised to strike if the swordswoman completed her attack.
"Point made," Erik wheezed, a hint of fear in his eyes that was overshadowed by respect and awe. Emotions previously reserved for Lucatiel, which made the knightess grit her teeth in annoyance when she noticed.
Chloanne stepped back and helped the young cook back to his feet, and the group of Undead put their weapons away.
"Well, if you insist on joining us, I suppose you can," Erik conceded, and the world was lit up by the ore trader's radiant smile.
"Oh, thank you so much!" Chloanne squealed in joy, grabbing the chef and dragging him into a crushing hug. She was a lot stronger than she looked, as well as taller than the young Lindelt native, and was smooshed unceremoniously into her cleavage. Lucatiel just stood there, grinding her teeth at the sight, before glaring at Erik once he freed himself.
"*Gasp!* Ok! So… we want to head through the Earthen Peaks and reach the Iron Citadel that lies beyond. You've been here for a while. Any ideas on how to do so?"
"Well, we want to go through the fortress. It's the only way to the other side. I've checked. All the other roads and passes through the mountains have been sealed. Some intentionally, others by natural causes. But as I've explored, I found a fairly short and safe way through this quagmire. There's even a bonfire along the way. Follow me!" Chloanne smiled and spun about, leading her new friends deep into the remains of the Harvest Valley.
To Erik and Lucatiel's pleasant surprise, Chloanne's path was indeed fast and relatively safe, with some interesting loot scattered about. The only true threats that they encountered were the twisted Overseers, demented Hollowed task masters who rode atop the shoulders of mutated and tamed Ogres and fired bolts of dark magic at the travelers. They were slow though, and without the rider to direct the Ogre the beast just stood about gormlessly and were no danger unless attacked. So sniping the Hollows became the standard, and the chef and knightess quickly found that the young ore trader had unerring aim with her throwing knives.
She was also a font of interesting trivia about the local conditions, ore deposits, and rock formations. She was upbeat and always smiling, happy to chat with both Erik and Lucatiel about whatever caught their fancy. Lucatiel found herself slowly coming to like the young woman. Even her air headedness had faded somewhat. The knightess assumed it was because the thought that her father had tracked her down had galvanized her, giving her a purpose again.
That was something the swordswoman understood. Without hope or purpose the threat of Hollowing loomed much closer and came faster for the Undead without either. She was glad Erik had come when he had and convinced her to join him. She knew after traveling with the chef that she'd never had made it this far in her right mind without some form of help. Swearing herself to his service had saved her as well as helped the cook. Her musing was interrupted by Chloanne speaking excitedly as she pointed at something in the distance.
"Over there, do you see? That's the Governor's Manor! He ruled over the Valley, and his home is attached to the Earthen Peak Fortress! There should be a way to reach the Steel Road in there!" The ore trader explained, and the two other Undead looked at what she'd pointed out.
It was a large, blocky building that incorporated several smelting and refining apparatus on the front. It was made of pale yellow and grey stone like much of the other buildings but was clearly well made despite the cheap materials. The bull's head was stamped over the door frame, showing off the previous ownership.
"What can we expect inside?" Lucatiel asked, glancing down at the milling Overseers. They were deep in a ditch, and likely wouldn't give chase. A set of wooden planks acted as an improvised bridge over the gap, though further off a dirt path looped around. What were a possible problem were the shambling Steelworkers, green skinned Undead who clutched massive forging hammers. Some were wandering around the outside, and there were likely more inside. They reminded Erik and Lucatiel of Lenigrast, though these were clearly fully Hollowed. They'd encountered some on the way, and were slow but packed a mean punch. One blow was enough to lift Erik clean off his feet and throw him back quite a ways while also shattering his ribs with the force of the attack. They took them down from a distance after that.
"Not much in the way of enemies. Some Steelworkers and Poison Horn Beetles. There is a Fog Gate though at the end. From the layout of the building whatever is beyond should have a path to the fortress and the road," Chloanne said pensively, stroking her chin.
"Lead on, then," Erik said, and the ore trader obliged. The Hollowed smiths were cut down as they advanced, while Erik was almost giddy with joy when he saw the large, green and brown armored beetles.
"Lucatiel, Chloanne, can you avoid damaging the beetle's horn-like protrusion?" Erik asked, a pleading look in his eyes. The two women nodded, unable to resist the puppy stare, and they took care to only damage the lower bodies of the insects. Once finished, Erik removed his Titanite knife and sawed the lumpy carapace open, scooping out the goopy purple innards into some portable clay pots he scrounged up. The smell was awful, but exposure to the smoggy exterior had numbed their noses.
"What use is there for that stuff?" Lucatiel asked. Surprisingly it was Chloanne who answered.
"Oh, I know this! I once had some Jugonan cuisine, and they used this in it! The Poison Horn Beetle's insides are bitter and also used to make antidotes for various poisons! They mix it in with spices and rice and make something called 'curry.' It was really good! Can you make it?"
"I can indeed. In fact, I already have. I made a large amount for the members of the Twin Azure Orders back in Heide as thanks for letting me through. They didn't have any good quality Beetle meat though, so I had to make do with what they had," Erik said, separating the edible goo from the not-edible. "Furthermore, the more poison in the area, the more tender the meat, since these things thrive on waste and toxins. They mostly dwell in Jugo's deep caves where toxic fumes gather. I'm not surprised to find them here. This place is likely a feast to them."
Finished with gathering the Beetle's parts, the group advanced to the fog gate.
"Did you see what is waiting for us here?" Erik inquired, and Chloanne nodded.
"Yes, I did. It was some sort of giant slug monster. I did not get a good look before it pounded me to mulch, but it had a human-like face and hands. I-I think it may have been a Demon."
Erik gulped down old ingrained fears and Lucatiel gripped her sword harder. When men or women became enticed by Chaos, their bodies mutated and devolved to resemble their innermost sins. The oldest Demons had been around since the birth of Chaos, but new ones could be born at times. All Demons shared a common characteristic; humanoid features. This is what led to the Gyrm being driven out as abominations, and Ogres were considered to be a race of Demonic descendants.
True Demons were a threat, and even one was enough to force an entire Subjugation Squad from Lindelt or a Mirrahian Knight Battalion to mobilize to deal with it. Would it be enough with just three of them?
Still, they had to try, and Erik pressed his hands on the mist, and was drawn in. He stepped out in a circular room, a broken staircase to the right and spikes and jugs of toxic filth lining the walls. From the ceiling hung half a dozen large pots in which Hollows were stored, their moans and heads the only noticeable features.
Dominating the center of the room was a repulsive monster. Piss yellow flesh that looked wet with slime with a slug-like body. Worst of all were the face and arms; clearly once human, but the Chaos had twisted them into mockeries of what they had once been. The hands were claw-like and yet pudgy. The head was the worst. The ears had sunk into the sides of the head leaving two tiny holes, with tiny beady eyes glaring with malevolent hunger at the world. The mouth was nothing more than a wide gash, lipless and filled with fangs and drool.
The Demon's gaze locked onto Erik, and then Lucatiel and Chloanne as they stepped through. It gave a spittle spewing roar and charged.
New prey! New prey! Food food food! These thoughts slammed into the trio, driving them back in surprise as they scattered and took up their weapons. It telepathically howled at them, and the terrible thoughts it was always thinking were broadcasted to the whole word.
"Lucatiel, go around to the side and hack it apart! Chloanne, distract it with knives so Lucatiel does not get hurt. As for me, I'll throw fire at it, and hopefully together we can do enough damage to kill it for a while," Erik ordered, and the group split up.
A Demon could die. But it was like an Undead in that it could revive given enough time. Unless the soul was sealed away, a Demon would end up clawing its way back to life, then consume and destroy all in its path. Erik was not sure what would happen if he absorbed the soul of this slug demon, but maybe his unique condition would keep the monster from respawning. He could only hope.
The battle was difficult. The slug-like flesh was thick and rubbery, and absorbed the blows from Lucatiel without much trouble, only carving out small chunks with each slice. The throwing knives from Chloanne bounced off for the most part, which made her shift to using special Lacerating Knives that dug in deeper and did more damage, as well as Poisoned Knives that delivered a dose of potent poisons that just made it thrash around as the flesh itched. Out of all of the damage dealt only Erik's Pyromancy seemed to do any lasting damage, yellowed flesh blackening and bubbling under the heat. The worst threat the three Undead adventurers face was the fact that for each blow that did lots of damage, the wound spurted out gobs of burning ichor similar to how the Lost Sinner's blood had reacted.
In response to these attacks the slug monster flopped around, lashed with its tail, rolled around trying to squash them, and even heading butting the area in front of them. Suddenly, the Covetous Demon reared back and belly-slammed onto the ground, sending tremors through the floor. The Hollows began to screech with fear in their hanging containers, and Erik had a brilliant yet morbid thought.
"Chloanne, try and knock one of those pots down! The Hollow might distract the Demon and give us a few free hits!"
Chloanne nodded, her expression sour but understanding. They were too far gone now, and at least they could serve a purpose one last time. A well placed knife severed the chain on one and soon the jar smashed open and a skinny, naked Hollow tumbled out. Immediately the gimlet eyes of the Demon landed on the defenseless Undead and it lunged, swallowing it whole. The Covetous Demon didn't even chew and it grunted in pleasure.
This let Erik toss a small bag to Lucatiel, who took it in surprise. Her eyes widened as she unwrapped the tool, and then a smirk spread across her face. She hastily wiped the cloth along the edge of her sword, and soon the faint crackle of thunder filled the stone room. She then plunged her glowing yellow sword into the Demon's side and an ear splitting scream shook the Undead.
Arch Pine Resin, a rare substance harvested from Arch-trees and imbued with the powers of an element. In Gold Pine Resin's case, it was the power of Lightning, considered by many the strongest element, and a holy one. It burned away the scales and flesh of the Dragon races, it seared the souls of Demons, and it could easily incapacitate or kill a mere human.
With her sword filled with Holy magic, Lucatiel's attacks dealt even more damage to the Covetous Demon and its roars became filled with rage and pain. With Erik's flames added to the equation, and the Demon's slow and easy to avoid movements, the fight was fairly lopsided in favor of the three heroes.
"It looks tired! Let's finish this!" Erik cried, tossing a Fireball into its gaping maw. The resulting explosion knocked some of its teeth out, but they regrew almost instantly, like a shark. Still, the flames did damage, and it was only a matter of time before it fell.
The chef from Lindelt was pleasantly surprised. This monster was strong, but it was slow and had few attacks. Each of the Undead had taken glancing blows during the fight, but some Estus fixed the damage quickly. For the most part this Demon was a joke.
Lucatiel ran up to the Covetous Demon and slashed away, before it tried to roll onto her. Unfortunately for it, that was what the swordswoman was waiting for. She held her great sword out and pointed it at the head. As the blubbery beast tried to squash the woman beneath its bulk, the sharp, Lightning charged sword jammed itself into its skull and brain, and the Demon shrieked in agony. The knightess drove the blade even deeper, and soon it gave a gurgling cry, burning ichor spurted from the wound and dribbled out its mouth, before it gave a keening wail and collapsed, turning into motes of reddish brown light that scattered into nothingness.
Streams of white souls filled the three, and they sighed. Moments later a large, flickering red and black soul appeared before Erik, to the surprised gasp of Chloanne. Erik tentatively accepted it, and was drawn into its past.
Pain. That was what filled Erik's mind. It was both the pain of ravenous hunger, and unrequited love. A young man, skinny and bald and wearing black and gold magistrate robes, bowing as a royal convey appeared, carrying the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Dark chocolate colored skin, raven black hair, lips red as rubies, eyes gold and fierce. The sight of her made his soul tremble. She passed by, and he thought he'd never see her again.
A meeting. A tall man with iron grey hair and massive beard stared down at the slightly older man, who proudly showed off the results of the recently opened mines. A glance at the womon from before who currently stood beside the mighty lord of Alken, now wearing a crown and wedding ring that matched the Old Iron King's.
Tears. The queen confided in the magistrate, still bald and now slightly older though the young royal remained unchanged. Lack of attention from her husband. A secret mistress. Obsession with destroying Venn and punishing her step-son for his love. He wanted to comfort her. He dared not, and instead offered the queen some dark brown sweets. She smiled as she accepted.
Lust. He saw the queen more often now. Never alone, always accompanied by her red hooded handmaidens. He wanted her. He resisted. The finest meals and foods filled the void, and pleased the queen. She became enamored with a traveling chef. The bald magistrate gritted his teeth at the sight of a young chef who smiled and offered otherworldly sweets and treats to an adoring queen.
Disgust. The queen had withdrawn to her inner chambers in the Earthen Peak Fortress after a fight with the Old Iron King. He longed to hold her, but he resisted. He bought exotic foods and ingredients to try and cheer up the queen. She threw his kindness back at his feet.
Hunger. He ate. And ate. Alken fell, the earth turning molten and swallowing the king and his castle. The Curse ran rampant through the workers and citizens, and countless people fled. But the magistrate remained by his queen's side. Though she stayed locked away, he watched over her.
Pain. What was the purpose for all this food? The slaves and Hollows brought it to him constantly. It filled the void that had formed, gnawing into his very existence. An itching filled his mouth, and he spat out a tooth. It was sharp. He did not remember having such jagged fangs. He frowned, and reached out, absent mindedly grabbing a slave and popping it into his mouth. He savored the rich flavor of its flesh and blood. He paused. Since when had he eaten others? He shrugged. The worm in his dreams told him that all would be fine. The Chaos was coming, and so was the Dark. The gods would crumble and the current Age of Fire would be snuffed out…
Erik screamed as his mind was suddenly filled with visions of a lake of fire, while on its shores twisted shadows cavorted and played, with humans writhing in suffering in the lava and the darkness. And in the center of the fiery lake, half submerged in the molten rock and draped in shadows a twisted being sat, trapped in a cage of gnarled, petrified roots. The cage itself seemed to sprouted from the creatures body, trapping it in a prison made of its own Chaos-tainted bones. All that was left of it was two glowing eyes: one golden-brown, the other blue and purple. It raised a gnarled finger to a mouthless face in a mocking "shhh" gesture, before everything went white. The chef staggered back, gasping for air as the vision broke.
"Are you alright?! What did you see?" Lucatiel asked, hurrying to his side, Chloanne hot on her heels.
"Chaos… Darkness… and… someone watching me," Erik wheezed.
"What in the gods' name was that?!" Chloanne demanded, looking from Erik to Lucatiel and then back to the chef, hands on her hips. The Undead from Lindelt sighed.
"It's a long story. Let me explain while we loot the place."