The Crimson Champion

Chapter 6: A Beast In The Caves

Spiritus and I walk up the mountain path silently. As we go up, my bracer beeps. "Another mission? Xerkhon better not be trying to stop me with this..."

I check my bracer and I read the mission out loud. "A crazed beast is loose inside the caves of the Lorgel Mountains. I understand you are trying to get to your village, but this is very important, so I would like you to take the path through the caves so you can defeat the beast on your way there."

"Hmm... Alright, fine. I may as well kill two birds with one stone. Let's go, Spiritus!" We continue to go along the path until we see a cave entrance.

I go inside and carefully move through the cave as my eyes adjust to the dark. I summon my katana and cast a quick lightning spell on it so I can see better.

I notice that some of the caves are kind of small, so I de-summon Spiritus for now. I slowly but surely go up through the caves, moving quietly so I don't attract attention.

I think to myself as I walk: Heh. Lorelei and I used to explore these caves all the time when we were kids, although we stopped once we found a strange chasm, deep in the caves. It seemed like it was...empty. Endless. We heard a strange voice whisper to us to leave or be devoured, so we ran away and swore never to explore that far again. To this day, I still wonder who or what that being was. Maybe one day I'll go find out.

Eventually, I emerge into a massive cavern that I believe is most of the way up the path to Virkom. I look at the wall and notice a strange emblem on the wall. "Hmm...I wonder what that is..."

I summon Spiritus and approach it, but as I do, it moves! The "emblem" crawls off the wall and reveals itself to be a massive turtle-like beast that can stand on its back legs! It looks at me and roars, then it jumps into the air and burrows down into the ground!

"Shit! What the hell is this thing?!" I ready my katana and sprint to the other side of the cavern as I feel the creature approach me from underground.

I leap out of the way right before it comes up under me. I quickly run over to the massive beast and I try to attack its legs, but all I seem to do is anger it even more!

"This thing has to have a weak spot somewhere..." Spiritus growls from his relatively safe place across the cavern and spits an exploding fireball at the beast's face. The fireball's explosion manages to scorch its face.

I look at the beast's rocky shell and get an insane idea. "Maybe I can climb it and hit its head! Spiritus, keep it busy!" Spiritus continues to spit fireballs and keep the creature's attention as I carefully climb its leg.

I observe that the rocky spikes on its back are easily climbable so I carefully use them to scale the beast. Sensing what I'm doing, it roars and thrashes, trying to shake me off, but I hold on tightly.

As I climb, I sense a strange dark aura coming from the beast that's similar to the dark magic Yuri used against me. "What the hell...? Where did this monster come from...?"

I manage to reach its neck and I notice it's heavily armored. "Damn!" I carefully hold on to a part of its neck and try to climb around. As I do, I look up and notice an old cut in its throat area. If I can find a way to stab into it, I might be able to kill it!

I get a ridiculous idea, so I cautiously climb back around to its shell and go down. Once I'm on the ground again, I run over in front of the creature, trying to bait it.

"Hey, slowass! Why don't you come at me for real?!" The beast roars loudly and leaps in the air. I quickly sprint away as it moves in the air to dive and burrow underground again.

I carefully watch the ground shaking and I try to determine where it'll come out of. I see it coming directly for me so I stand there, and at almost the last second, I jump backwards and its scorched head erupts out of the ground!

I hold my katana at the ready and I leap at it as its throat area comes up out of the ground. I yell and I manage to stab my katana firmly in the creature's old wound as it rises.

It screeches in pain as I drive it deeper in the cut. I use all my strength and I force my katana to cut downwards, so I viciously slice open its body as I descend.

The beast growls as I finally reach the ground, leaving a massive wound down its body, but I notice it's not bleeding. I stare closely at the creature and I notice that its blood is somehow refusing to leave its body. I can only think of one reason why this could be happening.

"What the hell? Can this monster somehow use blood magic?! I thought it was gone from the world!"

I quickly try to think of something. If I don't find a way to cancel out its magic, it'll eventually heal itself completely! I look over at Spiritus and I grin as I get an interesting idea.

"Let's see if I can make your blood boil even more..." I point at the slowly healing wound. "Spiritus! Exploding fireballs, now!" Spiritus growls and spits multiple exploding fireballs at the monster's open wound.

I throw my katana, and right before the fireballs hit the strange barrier, it pierces the core of a fireball and explodes it early, setting off a chain reaction that explodes all the fireballs and destroys the barrier.

The beast cries out in pain as it starts to bleed. It slowly collapses onto its knees and falls over, dead, then it suddenly dissolves into a strange red mist that stinks of blood and floats away.

I sigh in relief and I approach the wall it originally was on, looking for clues about the strange beast. I look carefully and I notice a secret door on the wall, so I use my strength to push it in.

I go through a strange corridor and I reach a shrine. I narrow my eyes as I notice the statue of the god the shrine is for.

The name is long gone due to time, but the statue looks very similar to Xerkhon. I look at the offering bowl and I see what looks like dried blood crusting it.

I growl. "Xerkhon, you have some damned explaining to do...!" I furiously shake my head and I turn to leave. I leave the secret door open behind me and I take the path that I know leads to the village.

As I continue up along the path, I remember playing in these parts of the caves close to Virkom with Lorelei. I take a closer look at a wall and I smile sadly as I see the crude drawings we did there as kids. "Lorelei, I really hope you're alive..."

I emerge out of the caves into the open and I blink a few times as my eyes adjust to the bright light. I look around and I walk towards the familiar, yet strange buildings in the distance. "Something feels... different."

I enter Virkom's main square and I see that the buildings are starting to fall apart, like no one has paid attention to them in a long time. "What...? Where are all the people?"

I straighten as I faintly hear someone drop down behind me, knowing in my soul who it is before she even speaks. "After that day, Yuri had them all killed to prevent anyone from speaking of the...incident."

I sigh sadly, not turning around. "I was told you were alive, but I came here because I had to know for sure..." I hear her approach me, so I turn around to face my old friend. Lorelei smiles sadly as she looks at me. "Hey, Red. It's been a while."