The Gray Tower (Being Rewritten as The Erstwhile Druid)

Chapter 20: A Smile of Vengeance

Luke sprinted, legs cycling faster than he'd thought possible. Someone had attacked the Orc's Bane... but who? The boy had said it was a monster, one resembling a human. The butler was alive when the boy left. And the fact that the boy was alive meant Alford had managed to stem the invader, giving the refugees enough time to flee.

But what happened to Alford? He's not a fighter, not like Noelle, Tetsu, or I...

Rain spilled from the clouds — a few drops at first — staining the brick road. The clouds darkened as mist changed to showers, increasing in intensity. Gray clouds transformed into an ominous black, roiling along the wind’s currents. Freezing rain, each drop like needles, welcomed Luke’s anxiety. He ran, feet pounding the water and sending liquid splashing. His feet were numb, socks soaked.

Luke pushed thoughts of discomfort from his mind. None of that mattered. Alford was waiting, and he needed help. There was no way he'd abandon the butler who'd always been a welcome sight. Plus, the coffee. No one could replace Alford's coffee.

Flotsam filled the streets as water accumulated. Planks from demolished houses bubbled to the surface. The streets smelled like sewage, rot tinging the air.

Master, wait. Up ahead. Do you see that? Silver skidded to a stop, hydroplaning along the water's surface. Something's coming.

She growled, keen eyes focused ahead. Water sprayed as she shook her fur.

Luke frowned, squinting. A shadowy figure appeared in the mist, stumbling unsteadily.

"Alford?"

The shadow staggered, lurching closer.

"Alford?" Luke called out again. His left hand twitched, settling on Wolfbond's hilt. His right hand went for a dagger, but came away with nothing. He'd lost it in the battle against the red assassin. It was a natural reflex, as he’d always been a dual wielder. One blade’s served pretty well, but the lack of another blade makes me feel like I’m missing my security blanket.

Silver sniffed Luke’s leg. Wait, Master. Do that again.

"Do what?" Luke kept his eyes on the silhouette. Its pace was steady.

You just wished for another weapon, did you not?

"Yes. Wait. How'd you know that?"

I felt it. Your will was pulling at me.

"Yeah, that's great. We have bigger things to worry about though, Silver."

A tail whacked Luke. He ignored it, focused on determining whether the approaching figure was a threat or not.

The beast’s face came into view, rain splattering against its hideous features as it continued its grotesque march.

Luke retched. He fought the rising bile in his throat. Even Silver recoiled, hissing at the abomination.

"What is that thing?” Luke’s hands twitched, heartbeat accelerating. "Two years in this game and I’ve never seen anything like it."

The monster had two faces. One was on its head, sneering. On its left shoulder sprouted another face. The assassin I killed. A flash of guilt seared through Luke's gut, his stomach clenching. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear away the anxiety and disgust bombarding his emotional stability.

Corpse eater. My previous master and I used to fight against them often. Silver stated. They're tough. The more faces they have, the harder they are to kill. I haven't fought against a two-face yet. As their name suggests, they feed upon the dead and take their form.