Dealing with a Dangerous Root Problem
Laphicet is seen doing some cleaning around the church on both the inside and the outside as a way to pass the time since he didn't have much to do here, the chore he is doing right now is cleaning the windows. He sees Astaroth sitting on the grass playing her guitar working on a new song she came up.
"(That guitar look more advance than the old fashion one, that must mean this world must have some technology here like in my old world.)" Laphicet surprised of that.
"Hey Laphicet, you feeling hungry yet?" Velvet asked walking up to him. She is now wearing a red rag with a brown belt around her waist, and a white apron.
"Well, I almost done with the windows. So yeah, I think I could use a lunch break." Laphicet smiled.
"Then go get Belial, she should be in her office." Velvet said as she walks away to Astaroth to let her know about lunch being ready.
"Okay." Laphicet said and flew up to the second floor close to a window where he sees Belial looking bored. He knocks on the glass getting the Demon Lord of Vanity's attention.
"Oh, Laphicet." Belial surprised and walks to the window, opening it.
"Boy, you almost gave me a heart attack like that though seeing your cute little face could put my mind at ease." Belial said as Laphicet blushes from being called cute.
"Well, I just came to let you know that lunch is ready." Laphicet informed as he comes in.
"Then we better be on our way." Belial said as they both walk downstairs.
Once everyone is at the table and thank the universe for the food, they start eating the stew Velvet with some of the veggies and meat in the fridge as she explained she used to cook for her family well before being sealed away, and the three are surprisingly overjoy of how great this is in their mouths.
"Oh my, Velvet, dear, you have really blew away my expectations and my taste bud! I haven't eaten anything this good in a long time before I came to this village." Belial complimented, also believing that this stew is even better too.
"You said that about the other meal I cooked up for the last four days." Velvet smiled.
"Only because it's true and I'm going to keep saying it until you accept some compliments." Belial proclaimed and continue eating.
"So, Velvet, you used to cook something like this all the time for your family?" Astaroth asked curiously.
"Only until I was old enough to handle the kitchen by myself, I learned how to cook from my mother before she passed away and I've been helping out with the house a little more." Velvet remembered the good times she would cook for her family and friends.
"Bet that traitorous man enjoyed your cooking too before… you know." Laphicet guessed which made Velvet a little angry with sadness.
"Yeah, he used to say that my cooking would surpass my big sister someday and even said I could open up a restaurant if I want to." Velvet mentioned.
"That sounds nice, your business would have been booming if you weren't betrayed and sealed away in that mountain." Belial stated.
"But why did he betray you like that, you said that you two were close and he just threw that bond away like it was trash. It's not right." Laphicet angered, slams his hands on the table.
"Believe me, I would love nothing more than to smash the fucker's face with my hand demonic hand." Velvet glared at her bandage arm emitting a demonic aura.
"Now hold on, while I wouldn't care much about revenge and other things like that, I believe you still need to lay low as you've been free from your prison and it's only a matter of time before the Seven Mortal Sins and Heavenly Virtues realizes this. Not to mention the whereabout of this man as well." Belial pointed out the worse for Velvet.
"It doesn't matter how long it takes me, I'll find that bastard and end his life just as he tried to end mine." Velvet growled.
Laphicet took a deep breath realizing that he is letting his anger get the better of him and is trying to comfort Velvet from her dark past, she has been doing okay living here in the church and getting along with some of the villagers like Kamoana and Medissa and Dyle too.
"Hey Velvet, how about we go take a little walk around the village to help calm your mind?" Laphicet suggested.
"Sure, I can't be stuck in this place forever." Velvet accepted the invite.
"(That was easy!)" Laphicet thought.
"By the way, I hope you don't mind me asking the name of this man who betrayed you." Astaroth wondered if she or Belial have heard of this guy before.
Velvet hesitated at first thinking she didn't want to get these people involve with her any further, but something inside was telling her that they are already involve since Laphicet promised to help her find the man.
"Well, the man's name is"
"Lady Belial! Lady Astaroth! We have trouble!" A voice yelled from outside.
"Uh, that sounded like Medissa." Laphicet said.
"And she said that we have trouble, we better go check it out." Belial said and everyone quickly finish their stew before going outside to meet the snake woman.
"Please come quick, something has happen and he wants you to hear him out." Medissa said.
Everyone quickly ran to the main gate of the village where they found a very injured man covered in buries and bleeding from a few wounds.
"Lady Belial… please, help me." The man groaned in pain.
"Don't worry, mister, the Great Demon Lord of Vanity is here." Belial said.
"Hey, isn't he one of the men who comes to our village to drop off some new supplies for us?" Astaroth guessed and Belial soon recognized him as well.
"What happened to you, I hope it's not to give us for the usual delivery because that's not due until three weeks from now." Belial asked.
"Me and my friends actually came out here for a little camping trip, but then suddenly we were attacked by some kind of wood demon." The man explained.
"Wood demon, like a monster tree or something?" Laphicet guessed.
"We never knew that we were right on top of the demon or perhaps it was under us waiting to strike, all we knew is when its roots pierce the flesh it would drain the life any living creatures for food. We tried to fight back but we barely hurt it at all, and it killed my friends, I ran away as fast as I could to get here." The man explained more and cough a little blood from his mouth.
"Root Head." Velvet said getting their attention.
"Did you said Root Hed?" Belial asked.
"Yeah, and if you know what Root Head is then that demon needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible before its roots reaches here in the village." Velvet warned.
"Where did you last see this demon?" Belial asked.
"Northwest from here." The man answered.
"Don't worry, we'll handle that weed." Laphicet promised.
"Velvet, let's go back to the church to get you dress for battle." Belial said.
"Wait, you want me join you guys?" Velvet asked surprise.
"Of course, we can't have our Lord of Calamity have soft muscles when we're about to face some troublemaking demons." Belial chuckled as she stands up and her breasts slightly bounce.
"Wait, Lord of Calamity?" The man puzzled.
"Don't worry about that, just be sure to get some rest and heal." Laphicet advised then when his hand touches the man, the silver flames burst and cover the man.
Everyone thought that Laphicet was putting the man out of his misery, but the opposite happens, the silver flames are actually healing the man from all the bruises and injuries he got from Root Head and the flames disappeared showing the man's body is okay like nothing happen to him.
"My word!" Medissa shocked.
"Did I do that?" Laphicet asked himself.
"Thank you very much, Silver Dragon. I, Benwick, am forever in your debt!" Benwick bowed at Laphicet.
"Uh, you're welcome." Laphicet chuckled and wonder how exactly he did that.
"We'll figure that out later, right now we got a nasty root to pull out." Velvet reminded.
(Later in the Northwest Area)
Laphicet is seen flying close to Belial, Astaroth, and Velvet as the women are running faster than a few cheetahs making their way to where Root Head is and hopefully stop it in its tracks.
"So, how exactly are we going to find Root Head?" Laphicet asked.
"I only read little about them, Root Heads are known to take the nourishment from their victims and taking the heads while leaving their bones behind. They also got the strong type which I'm hoping it would catch our scent soon." Belial explained.
"In order words, bringing me along would make the job easier." Velvet figured out.
"Hey now, you're making it sound like I'm a rude lady." Belial pouted.
"In a situation like this maybe, but I won't hold it against you since you did gave me these sweet new clothes." Velvet smiled as she looks at the new style she is wearing right now.
Velvet new outfit is now a revealing ruby-red corset which reveals her midriff and the top half of her breasts. It is possible her clothes have been torn during her adventures. The red corset has an insignia visible below the belt which it hinders below. The same belt rests of her hip and above her torn, black jean trousers, which now look like shorts. The jean trouser has a chain, multiple belts wrapped around her right leg and a few which spirals towards the lower half of her left. Over her corset, she wears a black jacket in the form of a robe with red-velvet lacing; the jacket is ripped towards the bottom and is tightened towards her chest by the belt. She wears protective armour on her footwear as well as one extra armour plate on her right shin. She wears the same armour in the form of an arm protective gauntlet which rests above the same material as her coat; the material arches its way up to and wraps around her middle finger, highlighted by a rhombus-shaped piecing.
"Glad you like them, I thought about trying them on myself, but the chest area was too tight for me and the weapon isn't my style." Belial bragged causing Velvet to look down at her chest and back at Belial.
"Yeah… glad I could make this look better." Velvet said, feeling a little jealous.
Laphicet suddenly felt something in his nose and sniffs a couple of times in the air getting a weird and dangerous scent.
"Hey girls, I think I smell something." Laphicet alerted.
"Really, could you be smelling Root Head?" Astaroth asked.
"I don't know, but it's definitely something bad and… it's right under you!" Laphicet gasped pointing at the ground.
(Music: Rules of Nature, Metal Gear Vengeance OST)
Belial, Velvet, and Astaroth quickly jumps out of the way as a big, rooted round thing pop out of the ground showing to have sharp teeth and one big red eye.
"So, I'm guessing that's a Root Head?" Laphicet asked.
"Yep, and it's damn ugly as I remember." Velvet glared.
"Stronger, I must devour life to become stronger!" Root Head yelled.
Laphicet notices the human skulls hanging from its mouth probably from the people he has eaten before including Benwick's friends which made him angry, the silver dragon boy clinches his fist and grinded his teeth as the anger inside of him is raising and want to make this monster pay.
Root Head unleash its root-tentacles at the demon women to consume their flesh, but they never made contact as the demon destroys them: Belial with her large demon sword, Astaroth using her guitar like an axe with the edge being a blade, and Velvet using her lance-blade from her gauntlet. Belial jumps high and downward strong slicing Root Head in half as it cries in pain a little.
"Nice one, Belial!" Astaroth said.
"Don't let your guard down, I don't think that was the main body." Belial warned.
"That's right, Root Heads only send in these little puppets to get the nutrients and bring it back to it." Velvet informed.
Then four more Root Heads came out and attack them as they dodge the root limbs and slashing them away, Laphicet release a silver fire breath that burned one Root Head into ashes and saw the hole it came out of. This gave Laphicet an idea.
"Okay, let see if this works." Laphicet landed next to the whole and release his fire right into the hole hoping his plan would work.
"Laphicet, what are you doing?" Velvet asked as she slashes away some more root tentacles.
"Finding the main body." Laphicet answered.
The scene shows the underground small tunnels where the Root Heads are coming from and the silver flames spreading through the roots making their way to the main body, one giant red eye opens feeling the flames coming and once it reaches the target. The rooted demon roars in pain shaking his body underground causing a little earthquake, and the pain forces it to come up to the surface as it tries to put the fire out from burning it.
"Well, now that was a creative way to lure out a rat." Belial impressed with Laphicet's idea.
"Come on, let's ignore these little ones and go after the big boss!" Laphicet suggested and flew to the true Root Head.
"No need to tell me twice." Velvet smirked as she and the two Demon Lords quickly follow her.
Laphicet flew over the trees and saw the giant body of Root Head as he roars in pain with the silver flames still burning it, Laphicet decided to use this opportunity to dive down for a strong punch on the top pushing it down a little. Root Head's many eyes see Laphicet figuring out that he was the cause of those flames and send its tentacle roots to attack him, Laphicet reacted faster and flies around dodges the roots trying to grab him and slashes at them with his little claws and some kicks too.
"Laphicet!" Belial called out and jump at the main body slashing at the legs though they quickly grew back.
"Let see if you like a rock music!" Astaroth shredded her guitar hard and fire a powerful, pink soundwave that causes the roots to crack.
Velvet dodges more roots while slashing them into pieces at the same time, but then she felt her leg being grabbed and before she could cut the root off, more root-tentacles came out wrapping around Velvet tightening on her body.
"Oh no, Velvet!" Laphicet gasped which left him open to be capture by Root Head.
"Why you dirty weed!" Belial insulted then she and Astaroth are trap as well, strangely in a little erotic way.
"Oh, I don't like this." Astaroth moaned as she can feel the roots rubbing on certain parts of her body between the legs.
"Hey now, who gave you permission to-AH!" Belial gasped as the root-tentacles on her breasts tighten.
"Like Hell I'm going to get kill by a perverted plant." Velvet ripped the roots off and unleash her demonic left arm.
Velvet glared at her arm remembering the man she fought all those years ago before being sealed in that mountain, then she looks up at Root Head thinking it is time to pull out the weed as she charges at him. Root head sent some root-tentacles at her to absorb her nutrients though she easily smacks them away with her demonic arm and jump at the large body, grabbing it with her demon hand and Root Head's demon aura is being sucked into Velvet's arm.
"Whoa, what's happening?" Astaroth asked.
"I think Velvet is absorbing its demon energy." Belial said.
Root Head became weaker and weaker until it was all gray and its roots became very weak that the others can simply shake them off.
"Now that's a mighty impressive ability, absorbing demon energy is a rare trait to have these days and you, young lady, is the rare kind that I like." Belial complimented.
"Thanks, now I think it's only right that you would send it off." Velvet gestured.
"Very well." Belial walked up front and raise her sword.
"Root Head. For your defiance against my land, I, Demon Lord Belial of the Mortal Sin of Vanity, sent you to Hell!" Belial declared as she swings her sword unleashing a flaming flying slash attack that burns Root Head until there was nothing left of it.
"Okay, now let's head home and tell everyone the good news." Belial said as everyone soon walk back to the village.
(Unknown Location)
The scene sets on a large room with several giant statues of some women representing the Demon Lords and Archangels though all the seats are empty, all except for one sitting with her eye reds open.
"Hmm, I think something interesting is happening." The woman smirked.
KO a new chapter is done and hope you all enjoy it!
Velvet has showed her skills with a blade and revealed her demonic power against the rooted demon though that is only a fraction of what she can do, and it wouldn't be possible if Laphicet hadn't come up with the idea to find the demon. But it looks like they can have caught the attention of a certain prideful demon and they will have to be ready for whatever is going to happen next.
Root Head is a demon from the Inuyasha show.
KO comment, favorite, and follow through of how this story will go!