by Virlyce
A black mist materialized in front of Zollstock, and Seth stepped forward with two swords crossed in front of his chest. The lance’s tip collided with the swords and metal screeched as the scorpion tail pierced through the blades. Seth’s eyes widened as the spear passed through his chest and continued towards the demon lord.
The scorpion stinger lodged itself into Zollstock’s chest, and the lance throbbed as it injected venom into his heart. Seth coughed out a mouthful of blood through his mask and collapsed onto the floor. He turned his head and raised his arm towards his lord. His vision faded to gray, and his hand fell to the floor. Zollstock’s eyes were wide, and his head was thrown back. His limbs spasmed as white foam frothed in the corners of his mouth.
Tina frowned. “You probably shouldn’t have done that,” she said as Zollstock’s body twitched.
Chad sneered. “He probably shouldn’t have been so ineffective.” He walked forward and stepped on Seth’s corpse as he grabbed his lance. He twisted it in deeper, pressing it through Zollstock’s body.
***
Retter’s eyes widened at the scene before him. A body clad in black lay on top of a pool of blood at the demon lord’s feet. Zollstock’s skin was ashen, and his appendages were shriveled up, revealing an outline of the bones beneath. His chest was torn open, and his blackened heart lay in multiple pieces on his lap.
“Milord!” Retter shouted and ran towards the throne, his face pale. His spear clattered to the floor beside him. “White mage! I need a white mage! Hur—”
A blue light flashed, and a translucent image of Zollstock appeared in front of the sitting corpse. Retter fell over backwards with his lips opening and closing, his hand pointing at the ghastly image. The ghost frowned as it looked down on Retter. It flew in front of him. “Not even four horns,” it muttered and circled the sentry’s body.
“W-what’s going on?” Retter asked as he followed the ghost with his head.
A chuckled echoed through the room. “You don’t need to know,” the ghost said and flew into Retter’s body. Retter screamed as his eyes rolled back into his head, revealing their whites. He fell to the floor, his body wriggling and twitching.
Footsteps echoed from outside the throne room. A demon wearing white robes and a silver cross ran into the room with a metal staff. His eyes widened as his gaze fell on the spasming sentry and Zollstock’s corpse.
“It’s a nightmare ghoul!” the white mage shouted and raised his staff in front of himself. His staff glowed with a white light, and he smacked it against Retter’s head. “I exorcise thee, foul creature!”
Retter’s body stopped twitching, and a wisp of smoke rose out of his forehead. A translucent mouth appeared. “You fool! Stop at onc—”
“Aaaaiee!” The white mage shrieked and slammed the staff against Retter’s head.
Thunk. “Exorse!”
“Sto—”
Thunk. “Exorse!”
“You—“
Thunk. “I exorcise thee!”
A miserable cry slipped out of Retter’s lips and faded away into nothing. The white mage wiped his mouth and panted as he glared at Retter’s head. He reached into his robe and pulled out a flask. He put it to Retter’s lip and forced the liquid down the sentry’s throat.
“Good,” the white mage said and nodded while putting the empty flask away. “The ghoul’s gone.” He gazed at Zollstock’s body and sighed. “I pray it didn’t eat Milord’s soul.”
25
Vur sat up and groaned. His head throbbed, and he raised his hands to his temples, rubbing them in a circular motion. He was naked, and a star-shaped scar decorated his left shoulder and back.
“Hey, look who’s finally up,” Rella said as she flitted near his face. She pinched his cheeks apart and rocked his head from side to side. “Do you know how heavy you are? You weigh at least fifty pounds. Be glad we could carry you with magic.”
Vur knocked her aside with the back of his hand. “Where am I?” he asked and glanced around. He and the three fairies were surrounded by a dome of gray mist. The interior was dim, but a few rays of sunshine poked through.
“Rude!” Rella said and flew next to Yella while pouting.
“We’re outside our home!” Bella said and poked his left shoulder. “Does that hurt?”
Vur winced and shook his head. “Just sore,” he said. “Everything feels sore. What happened?”
“Well…,” Yella said and tilted her head. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
Vur frowned and rubbed his hands against his face. “I drank Dustin’s fire water. Then one of you tugged my ear and made me break the wall. Then … was there fire? I remember lots of fire. Maybe screaming too.”
The fairies all looked away and whistled.
“You’re a very fun drunk,” Bella said, not meeting his eyes.
“A real hotshot.”
“Really warmed up the night.”
“Anyways,” Yella said and coughed. “We can save our queen now!”
Vur stretched his arms above his head. “Where’s Tafel?”
Bella shrugged. “Probably with her mom,” she said and flew up to the mist’s edge. She popped her head outside and glanced around. To anyone outside of the hemisphere, it would’ve looked like her head materialized out of thin air. She flew back inside.
“It looks all clear,” she said. “Seems like it’s a holiday or something?”
“Or it’s a trap,” Yella said and nodded. The entrance to the mana source was devoid of the usual adventurers and students. Everyone had left because they wanted to see The Black Hounds and Swirling Wind. Or the destruction in the city.
Rella shrugged. “Let’s hurry up before people get here,” she said. “I can feel her aura calling to me.” She trembled and flew in an upwards spiral.
Vur groaned and rose to his feet. He wobbled, and Yella helped stabilize him by grabbing his arm.
“We tried healing you with wind magic, but it doesn’t remove poison or status ailments,” Yella said. “It just closed your wound.”
Bella perched on Vur’s head. “Let’s goooooo,” she said and tugged his hair.
Vur walked out of the mist and approached the entrance to the mana source. A few slimes hopped around and squelched as the fairies flew towards them.
“I missed these slimes so much,” Rella said and sighed. She hugged one and patted its head before flying in front of Vur again. The group continued onwards towards the next room as the slimes inched along behind them.
The next room was filled with flying spoons and forks. They screeched and swarmed the fairies, shoving each other out of the way. The trio petted and rubbed the utensils with tears in their eyes. Yella sniffled a few times, and Bella blew her nose with Vur’s ear. The utensils attached themselves to the slimes and followed along as makeshift weapons.
Vur stopped at the entrance to the third room with the fairies and the army of slimes armed with utensils behind him. The fairies looked over his shoulder. Rella’s mouth fell open as Yella gasped. Tears streamed from Bella’s eyes as she buried her face in Vur’s hair. “Oh no.”
“It stinks in here!” Rella said and pinched her noise. “You know the floor used to be white before? It’s all brown and gross now.”
Vur made a face.
Yella raised her head and frowned. “The ceiling’s brown too. How did that even … you know, never mind.” She shook her head and flew to the center of the room. Chamber pots and brown towels hovered above the ground, gathering around the yellow-haired fairy.
Bella picked up a slime and tossed it on top of a towel. The brown sediments dissolved in the slime’s body. “My favorite towel,” Bella said and sniffled. “I’ll never look at it the same way again.”
The slimes marched forward and traversed through the room. Everywhere they went, the floor turned white as slurping noises permeated the air. The slimes increased in size as they consumed more nutrients. A few sprout wings instead of growing and flew up towards the ceiling. Les
s than fifteen minutes later, the room was sparkling, and the group could see their reflections in the floor.
The chamber pots flipped themselves over and mounted the tops of the slimes while the towels attached themselves as well, acting as togas and capes. Bella held a fluffy, blue towel at arm’s length. She frowned at it, and a pair of eyes appeared in the center of the towel. Tears leaked out of them as the brown irises expanded. Bella sighed.
“Even if you’ve been soiled,” the blue-haired fairy said while hugging the towel close to her body, “you’ll still be the only one for me.” The towel purred and enveloped the fairy.
Rella and Yella glanced at each other and shrugged. “Onwards!”
Vur followed the two fairies as Bella snuggled up into a ball on top of his head. The army of slimes made glopping sounds as they trudged behind them. The corridor after the third room branched off into three passageways. Above the left entrance was a sign with the words ‘water elementals’ written on it. The middle passage’s sign said, “Plant Creatures – Bring antidotes.” The rightmost corridor had a sign that said, “Lightning Elementals – Bring para-resist gear.” The fairy trio burst out into laughter when they read the third sign.
“That way,” Yella said with twinkling eyes. She pointed towards the right and landed on Vur’s shoulder as she doubled over with laughter. Vur tilted his head but followed her directions. The crystals in the fourth room glowed pink, faintly illuminating the surroundings. Numerous egg-shaped objects flew towards the group and buzzed around them like bees.
“Don’t touch them,” Yella said and giggled. “They might be too intense for you.”
“What are they?” Vur asked as he reached out to touch one. A blue lightning bolt shot out of the surface and zapped his finger.
The trio of fairies smiled. “Lightning elementals. Let’s stop wasting time here and go,” Rella said while tugging on Vur’s arm. Yella snatched a tiny egg and slipped it in her makeshift pocket. The remaining eggs flew towards the slimes and attached themselves below the chamber pots, two to each slime.
“Our queen should be in the room after this one,” Rella said. The group was surrounded by a multitude of fairy-sized beds and wardrobes. The fairies changed into dresses similar to the ones they wore when they first met Vur and Tafel. The group proceeded through the room unhindered. The slimes and the rest of the objects stopped at the center of the room, refusing to continue.
The corridor to the master bedroom glowed with a dark-purple light. It smelled like iron and blood. Two metal doors sealed with orichalcum chains were at the end of the passage. Circular blue runes glowed on the metal surface. Yella frowned and flitted in front of the door. A round indent with two crossed horns was engraved on the lock connecting the chains.
“That looks like this!” Rella said and pulled out the mithril medallion she borrowed from Chad with her sticky fingers.
“How convenient,” Bella said with a raised eyebrow as Rella stuck her tongue out to the side and fit the medallion in the slot. The blue runes emitted a light that forced the group to shield their eyes. A few seconds passed, and the light died down.
“Did it work?” Rella asked as she lowered her arm.
The medallion exploded, covering their faces with soot.
“Guess not,” Yella said and coughed out a black cloud.
Rella wiped her face. “Let’s try this one,” she said and pulled out the medallion that belonged to Tina. She slid it into place, and the door shone with a red light. The group squinted their eyes and turned their heads away. A few seconds later, a click resounded through the passage, and the light died down. The group took a step back and shielded their faces while watching the medallion. Nothing happened.
“I think it worked!” Rella said and placed her hands on her hips while sticking her chest out. She flew towards the lock.
The medallion exploded.
Rella crashed into the floor.
“Well, poo,” Yella said and poked Rella’s body. “You alive?”
Rella coughed out smoke and nodded.
“Third time’s the charm, right?” Bella said and pulled out a golden medallion that had the crossed-horns imprint.
“Where’d you even get that?” Yella asked.
“I saw it hanging on Dustin’s wall, and it flew into my hands,” Bella said with a grin. She flew up to the lock and popped the medallion into place. The group ran behind a corner and squinted into the golden light that the door emitted. The light faded away, and the orange chains fell down.
“Hah!” Bella cheered and flew towards the door. She paused mid-flight and bit her lower lip. She glanced at Rella and turned back to the door.
“Nope,” Rella said and shook her head. “I’m not going near that.” She crossed her arms. The lock disappeared and reappeared in front of the floating fairy. The golden medallion exploded, and a second set of chains materialized in front of the door. Rella whimpered and peeled herself off the wall. “I hate locks.”
“Try kicking the door down,” Yella said and tugged Vur’s hair. Vur swatted her away with the back of his hand. His forehead glowed blue, and a web of light spread throughout his body. His eyes lit up with a golden light, and he dashed towards the door. His fist connected with the chains.
Hong!
The sound reverberated all the way back to the previous room, and the slimes’ bodies jiggled. The fairies were blown back three feet as the earth cracked beneath Vur’s feet. The door vibrated, but remained standing.
“So weak,” Yella said and shook her head. “You call yourself a dragon?”
Vur snorted and kicked the wall next to the door. It cracked and disintegrated, revealing a pitch-black room.
The fairy trio gaped. “I didn’t say anything,” Yella said and tilted her head towards the ceiling.
“Yella…?” A barely audible whisper leaked out from the darkness.
The fairies paled and looked at each other. “Mom!”
The three fairies flew into the newly made entrance.
“Quick, breathe fire into the room!” Rella said and tugged Vur’s hand. “It’s too dark to see. We’re coming, Mom!”
The inside lit up with an orange light as fire streamed out of Vur’s nostrils. The room was Spartan, a stone bed resting in one corner. A fairy sat on the bed with a chain attached to her right leg, leading into the wall. Her silver hair grew down to the top of her neck. A pair of golden horns, shaped like a stag’s antlers, sprouted from her temples. She wore a gray dress that reached halfway down her shins.
The fairy trio tackled their mother, hugging her with tears streaming from their eyes. Their bodies trembled as they wailed, incoherent cries blubbering out of their mouths. The fairies clung onto each other for ten minutes before they separated with red eyes and snot dripping from their noses. Vur waited at the entrance, exhaling fire the whole time. The fairy queen clapped her hands, and the room was illuminated with a pale white glow.
“We should hurry and leave before someone finds us,” Yella said and wiped her face with her sleeve.
Bella and Rella nodded while the fairy queen bit her lip. “This chain…,” she said and motioned towards her leg.
The fairy trio turned to Vur, their eyes wide like puppies. “Pleaseee,” they said at the same time and clasped their hands together with quivering lips.
Vur sighed and grabbed the chain. Cracking sounds echoed through the room as he pulled on it. A chunk of stone popped off the wall, and the fairies cheered.
“We need to take the lodestone before we leave,” the fairy queen said. “I’ll lead the way; please carry that rock for me, child.” The group traversed through the dungeon and arrived at a room with a glowing blue orb the size of a human fist. It was hidden in the corridor between the lightning elementals and the bedroom. The fairy queen had to use a spell to reveal the entrance. The army of slimes waited outside, and the queen flew up towards the orb. She hugged it, her horns glowing with a myriad of different colors that illuminated the room in
a rainbow light. When the light dimmed, the orb was gone and the queen had a sheen of sweat on her brow.
Rumbling sounds rang throughout the dungeon as dust fell from the ceiling. The ground shook and cracks spread along the walls.
“We have to leave now!”
The group dashed through the remaining rooms unimpeded while the objects and slimes inside faded and dispersed into blue orbs of light. The group stood outside the entrance to the mana source, gasping for breath. A massive crashing sound echoed through the capital, causing all the windows to rattle. The fairy trio cheered and tackled their mother again. A hemisphere of mist rose up around them, and Vur sat on the floor while clutching his head.
“Is he alright?” the queen asked and patted the fairies’ heads as she shook them off.
“He’s just hungover; you can ignore him,” Rella said and held her mom’s hand. “We missed you so much!”
The fairy queen hesitated and furrowed her brow before turning away from Vur. “Is it just you three?”
The fairy trio looked at each other and lowered their heads with trembling lips. “Yes…,” Yella said and wiped at her eyes. “Everyone else was h-hunted down by the humans. We t-tried asking for h-help, but no one w-would.” Yella choked and sniffled as she spoke.
The fairy queen brought her hand to her mouth as her eyes grew moist. “I’m so sorry,” she said and flew forward to embrace Yella. “If it wasn’t for my decision that day…”
The three fairies raised their heads and glanced at each other. Their faces split with massive grins. “Just kidding!” Yella said and tackled her mother with her arms wide open. “Everyone’s fine. We were just too excited and couldn’t wait to come save you.”
“You rascal!” the queen said as a tear leaked from her eye. “I believed you!” She head-locked Yella and ruffled her hair with her knuckles. All the fairies burst out into a high-pitched laughter that caused Vur to groan and clutch his head tighter.
“This is Vur, Mom,” Bella said as she hovered above his head. “He’s the dragon boy who helped us save you.”