The Abyss

He who fights...

"He who fights monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze into an abyss, the abyss also stares into you..."

"Master, you've been telling me this since I became your apprentice, I'm always carful and wary; and the doctors say I'm fine, no contaminations here, and I've been taking my medicine. I'm fine." I say reassuringly.

My master let out a worried groan, his brow furrowing with doubt.

"Very well... Take care tonight, I've just got a bad feeling. You've never taken on a swarm this large on your own before and there been very strange reports coming in, even for our line of work. You should at least wait till enju returns, she could be of great use. It's always comforting to have a sorceress along with you, you never know what could happen out there."

Crossing my arms I spoke, "I don't need help this time, just trust me. I've researched the area and the expected monster types within the swarm, I've got all the required gear and even some extra stuff, you taught me to prepare for more than just the expected scenarios. Trust in the things you've shown me..."

Be grudgingly my master stepped out of my way and patted my shoulder.

"Very well, good luck my son."

With a quick grin I was out the door, and onto my mission.

It had been a long journey, a week by carriage ride. The trip had been wet and cold but I'd pressed on. I arrived at an inn along the road a few hours from my destination. My driver refused to go any further and began turning around, I quickly hoped out and strolled inside the inn, eager to warm up. I was disappointed to be met by a weak chill instead of an inviting fire. The fire pit was filled with ash and old Coals. I called out for someone to ask about a room, a heard a slight creak upstairs and took it as a positive sign.

A few minutes passed before hearing anything again so I approached the stairs and called out once more, the words had barely left my mouth when a boney hand spun me around. I nearly yelped when I saw the withered gray face of an old woman.

"Welcome... To our... Inn..." She said, seemingly struggling with the words.

After I'd regained my composure I used a quick soul sight spell to check on the strange elderly woman.

"Whoa! This is a powerful possession, this is an extremely malevolent spirit, I better act quickly. Enju usually does this but I'm sure I could cleanse her." I mumbled to myself.

I guided the woman to a chair near the fire pit and sat her down. Turning away from her for a few moments to start the fire, after the flames started to grow I turned my attention back to the woman. She was gone.

"Damn it! I shouldn't have taken my eyes off her." I scold myself.

I turn my head as I hear scratching nearby, through the now dimly lit room I could see the woman, steadily crawling along the ceiling. Her head began to violently snap back and forth, spewing purple slime from her mouth.

I prepared myself as she turned to look at me, eyes as empty as the night staring at me. She suddenly dropped down from the ceiling, her legs snapping on the landing, quickly dragging her self across the floor, nails digging into the wood.

As she approached she threw her body at me with inhuman strength and speed, sending us tumbling to the ground, she snapped at my neck and flailed her rotting tongue through gaps in her teeth. I began chanting a cleansing enchantment as I held her back.

"Haec lux in nomine mundabo!" (Latin)
(I cleanse this woman in the name God!) (English translation)

"Daemonem effugare! dimisissem eam! Ego præcipio tibi!"
(Begone demon! Begone! I command thee!)

The woman let out an ear shattering screech as I spoke. Attempting to roll away and hide.

I quickly hopped up and chased after the woman, retrieving a silver cross from my pocket. I pounced on the woman and pushed the cross against her neck, a sick sizzle crept from beneath my hand.

"Egrediemini hinc donec nunc daemonis! Mando vobis! exiturum!"
(Leave here now demon! I command you; leave now!)

The woman's body began to converse and spasm as a rush of shadows flew from her mouth, disappearing into the air.

Despite my success in the purification, the demon had damaged her body beyond repair.

The woman began to mumble so I brought my ear to her mouth, desperate to hear her final words.

"Beware- the town... It's become- one with the abyss..."

My gut turned with fear. Yet I was unwilling to turn back.

I gently closed the old woman's eyes, marking her journey to the after life.

"Nunc quiescere filii Dei." (Latin)
(Rest now, child of God.) I said as I stood up from her body.

Well I might as well keep going, I don't feel like sleeping now.

As I stepped outside, the bite of the late winter wind nipped at my cheek. I brought up my cowl and pushed onward.

As I walked, the road appeared more unkept and neglected the closer I got to the town. Likely a sign of abandonment, or the residents have possibly become immobilized or captured by a dark entity, it wouldn't have been the first time I'd come across a town ensnared by evil.

I shortly came upon the town gates, the large wooden doors seemed to been sealed by a fowl magic, long dark vines curled up the walls and into the old iron hinges and all over the door, locking them in place.

I won't be getting in through here, I turned to walk around, hoping for another entrance or a downed wall, but no sooner had my feet lifted from the ground, that the old oak gates creaked and moaned as vines retreated from the hinges, slowly swinging open. An Erie purple fog creeped out from the town, gathering around me. Knowing my objective was likely In the heart of the town I stepped inside, the gates closing behind me.

I hadn't been walking long when I saw a small child in the middle of the road, her features hidden by the fog, as I approached I could see her body had been mutilated, her arms hanging by thin strands of skin, her face smashed into a gnarled chunk of flesh and maggots.

The silhouettes of several people gathering in the distant fog.

As she spoke, a deep, gurgled voice crept from within her.

"Ut illuderet mihi venisti?"
(Are you here to play with us?)

"Maxime mihi nugas iam fractum."
(Most of my toys are already broken.)