Chapter 15: In The Cave, and In His Party

TIALA LANGARNESS’S POINT OF VIEW

 

“How far ahead is he?” I moaned, following Asmode as he used a flaming fist as a torch to guide us through the cave’s dark, winding tunnels.

 

“Who knows. He’s one fast bastard,” he stated, continuing through the tunnel at a suddenly much faster pace.

 

“Is there a reason that he’s the leader?” I asked, looking to the large man’s back for an answer, and hopping over a small rock formation on the floor.

 

“He’s a special kid. I’m a special guy, really special,” he reiterated, “but he’s something else.” He finished, leaving me with more questions than answers. “But I’ve not gotten to ask you any questions,” he added, and I saw him glance back towards me.

 

“What is there to ask?” I inquired, not wanting to reveal any private information to the man after my prior experience. I was indebted to Levi and felt that I owed it to him and Asmode that they were mistaken in their rankings of power. “I’m an elf who was not blessed by the tree, what more is there to say?”

 

“That’s rare,” he agreed, turning his head more to get a clearer view of me, “but I think your mana signature’s even rarer. Looks kind of like Levi’s,” he informed me casually. Telling someone their mana signature color or size was considered taboo among many due to possibly locking them into a mindset of only cultivating towards that element, and locking off the second path of magic.

 

“I see,” I replied, wanting to steer the conversation away from me as soon as possible, “and what element does Levi cultivate for?” I asked, a sense of genuine curiosity coming over me.

 

“All sorts,” Asmode laughed, as though reminiscing on something, “he’s a bag of tricks. Has to reel it in sometimes to make people more at ease.”

 

All sorts? Reel it in? A seventeen-year-old who was the leader of his party, and had a rather proud follower in his ranks. A true mystery. Demonfolk were only seen as superior to humans due to their extended life, being on par with humans until they reached around a hundred years old and were untouchable. Elves had the same dilemma.

 

“I think I saw something,” the large man in front of me stopped suddenly. I bumped into his back, lost in thought. I was snapped out of my stupor by his rock-hard back and went to ask what was up when I heard it.

 

Clacking. Repetitive, consistent, never-ending clacking from every direction. I leaned to the side and looked past Asmode, my eyes widening and the hairs on my neck standing at the sight. Levi, surrounded by numerous massive millipedes with a metallic glean on their shell which reflected Asmode’s makeshift torch enough to encompass the young boy.

 

“Need a hand?” Asmode asked, and Levi pointed to me.

 

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“Tiala,” he called, waving his hand and gesturing me to approach him, “help me deal with these things.”

 

“I think that Asmode should hel-“

 

“I’ll protect you,” he interjected. His confidence, despite my doubts, sounded unshakeable. I nodded hesitantly and unfurled my whip, the vine-based weapon thudding heavily onto the ground. 

“Weird choice of weapon,” Asmode chimed in, using his hand to set an exposed root on fire and provide light.

“I prefer bow and arrow,” I replied, my voice still a little shaken as I approached Levi. Asmode took a seat under the light, watching silently. The beasts seemed uninterested in me, their antennas focused on Levi entirely, all of their movements seeming to be in hopes of avoiding being too close to him.

“Let’s start,” he stated with a bored tone, standing haphazardly despite being surrounded by C-Rank beasts. I nodded, but remembered about a drawback and suddenly spluttered.

“What if you get in the way of my whip?” I asked, worried that he might get in my way, or vice-versa. “I can’t promise anything due to the cave’s limitations,” I explained, worried he would take offence. 

“It won’t touch me,” he informed me, a sense of calm in his voice that didn’t match the situation, “I’m good with plants,” he laughed, seemingly to himself. I mentally groaned at his confidence, believing it to be a product of defeating three drunken men past their prime.

“Okay,” I yelled, raising my arm and bringing my whip down upon one of the millipede-like creature’s backs, and used two hands to pull it out when I felt resistance. 

Spikes had formed on the back of the beast, and it turned, gnashing its metallic pincers together as it lunged at me. I ducked underneath, knowing that its weak point was its underside. I threw- what I believed to be a solid punch with my left hand, but retracted my hand when I felt my skin ripping.

Its legs, like small daggers, had left cuts all up my wrist and hand. Blood dripped from my wrist, palm, and fingers. I was forced to regain composure as it leaped at my face. I quickly lashed my whip up, catching its teeth in the thick strap, limiting its movement.

“Gotcha,” I exclaimed victoriously, slamming the whip onto the ground with a force I didn’t know I was capable of. The beast squealed in agony but was back onto its feet, however many it had. I quickly pulled the weapon to the side which caused it to capsize, revealing its underbelly to me.

I drove my foot into the beast and heard satisfying crunches as it wriggled, kicking my shins many times in the process. I lifted my foot and saw the beast go numb as caught my breath after the hard-fought battle, staring to the ceiling.

“Well done,” Levi yelled, clapping at my performance from behind me. I turned, slightly infuriated as I assumed he had left me and Asmode to deal with our quest entirely on our own. What I saw, though, caused me to swallow back a large quantity of vomit.

Intestines and decapitated heads which clacked slightly in their dying breaths. Levi, surrounded by white smoke that now seemed much more deadly, stood in the center of it all, drenched in the blood from the beasts. The lack of coverage on his torso ensured that it covered his body, seeping into his skin.

“Wh-“ I turned, looking for Asmode as I assumed the frail boy was not capable of such a gruesome sight. There must have been eight dead, shelled beasts sprawled out around him. Something else confused me. “How are you unharmed? I only faced one and…” I looked at my hand, the deep cuts still leaking steadily.

“You should get that patched up,” he advised lazily, slashing his sword in the air and sending a spray of green blood onto the ground from his blade. “Here,” he handed me what was left of his shirt, and I tied it around my wound. “That’s the first quest done. We’re making good progress.” 

He stepped past me, patting my shoulder and smiling as he did so, as though the carnage he had effortlessly left in his wake was nothing but a whim. I shivered under his hand, but when he disappeared behind me and Asmode’s large hand landed on my opposite shoulder, I felt safe in comparison.

“I’ll fetch the head,” Asmode consoled, taking a job I didn’t know I’d been given. I watched as the large man grabbed one of the incredibly long beasts with his two hands, and tore it apart with a singular pull. Green liquid pooled on the ground, joining with the other puddles that Levi had left in his wake.

It was then that I realized; Levi was infinitely more terrifying than Asmode. Asmode looked strong, he looked powerful, he was powerful. Levi, on the other hand, looked defenseless, acted immaturely at times, and despite seeming so much more trustworthy than my previous teammates, he was a lot more sinister.

He was strong.

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