It was a pale and incredibly thin hand that the skin stuck to the bone. Elyscia watched with firm tension as the figure crawled out of the darkness.
“Hold.” Gavin held out his open hand.
Whatever it was, it wasn’t doing anything yet. They ought not to attack blindly. They had to at least figure out what it was exactly. However, from the looks of it, it looked human.
“What is that?” one of the soldiers asked no one in particular.
The figure kept crawling, its fingers digging into the soil to drag itself out. The more it was exposed to the light, Elyscia finally confirmed that it was indeed a person, not a monster or anything. Pale skin, and long silver hair. It was a woman, completely naked.
Why would there be a woman in there?
She never imagined that there would be a person trapped within that cave. Or, was it even truly human? The woman was so thin, extremely malnourished, as if she had not eaten for weeks or months. What was even inside that cave, really? Because without something to eat, no human would survive there that long.
Thus, they had to assume it was not human. Even demons had characteristics similar to a human’s.
“Sir, did the higher ups tell you what’s inside exactly?” Elyscia asked Gavin.
“They told me nothing. If you’re going to ask, I have no idea who or what she is.”
“What should we do?”
“... The heroes had us guard this place. Whatever is on the inside, we should destroy it. That’s why we’re here in the first place.”
The woman stopped crawling, as if she had become tired from moving. She just froze there like a statue, and she didn’t seem to be breathing. No movement on her back or shoulders whatsoever.
“Can we kill it now?” Avelyn asked with gritted teeth, anxious.
“Patience, kid,” Gavin curtly said before pointing at a pair of soldiers. “You two, go and check it out. See if she’s still alive.”
Immediately, two soldiers stepped forward, their swords pointed at the woman on the ground. Glaring at the woman, they warily approached her, she could launch an attack out of nowhere if they were not careful. Elyscia also sharply watched everything before her, looking for the faintest of movements.
Once the soldiers were right before the woman, one of them poked his sword into the girl’s shoulder. The body didn’t flinch. The two guards looked at each other and nodded. And then, one of them reached out for the girl’s neck to check for a pulse. However, before he could reach the skin, the woman’s hand suddenly moved and grasped the soldier’s wrist, that was protected by armor.
“What are—” the soldier tried to pull his hand away. But suddenly, what seemed like white haze emanated from the gaps of the soldier’s armor and was moving into the woman’s hand. The soldier’s eyes widened in utter shock. “S-Stop— Aaaah!”
The other soldier quickly moved in to stab the woman. However, the latter grabbed his leg and the same white haze appeared , moving out of the soldier and seeping into the woman’s hand.
“Archers! Fire!” Gavin gave the order.
The archers immediately shot their arrows at the woman. Suddenly, a translucent barrier appeared and blocked the arrows.
One of the archers cast his magic. “Piercing Swirl.”
Magic swirled at the tip of his arrow. It was a spell that significantly enhances a piercing weapon’s penetrative strength. It should allow even a simple arrow to pierce through a steel shield.
The archer unleashed the arrow, leaving a white trace of magic on its track as it shot through the air. However, to his surprise, the arrow ricocheted off the translucent shield, flying into the wilderness.
The soldiers in the woman’s hands were screaming, and Elyscia noticed their faces turning thin and wrinkly. As if their vitality was being sucked away. She had never seen something like it in her career as a knight before. Hoping to break the barrier, Elyscia took a step forward and held out her hand.
“Lightning Surge,” she cast a spell. And emerging from her hand was a big ball of condensed lightning, shooting towards the woman at a frightening speed, blowing and scattering dust in its path.
The lightning spell crashed against the barrier, and a flash of bright light erupted, followed by a shockwave. Elyscia covered her eyes to shield herself from the blinding light and the dust and debris flung into the air.
“Holy crap, that spell was powerful,” said one soldier, awed by the powerful magic spell.
“As expected of a knight!”
“Surely that also got her,” said another.
A moment later, the dust had begun to settle, gradually clearing their view. Elyscia quickly held her sword with both hands, glaring in front of her. And then, she saw the two soldiers already laying on the ground, unmoving — could they be dead already? But that was not all there was.
Their faces were drained off, they almost looked like a couple of husks. Like all the muscles, flesh, and fat were drained out of their bodies. Their eyes and mouth were wide open, as though they were frozen in the moment they were screaming in agony.
“W-What the hell? She’s standing?” a soldier uttered with a trembling voice.
Indeed, the strange person was now standing. However, unlike from the moment before, the thin, malnourished woman was nowhere to be seen. This time, it was clearly a naked young woman with pale skin as white as ivory, and long silver hair that glimmered under the sunlight, and overall she looked healthy. She had a slender and exquisite figure. A type of body that would attract just about anyone.
She was staring up at the sky silently. And she seemed to take a deep breath before spreading out her arms.
“Outside… Finally, the sky… No, is this a dream?” She looked at her own hands, looking at them from the palm and back. “No. Not a dream.”
And then she turned towards the knights and soldiers. Her deep azure eyes curiously looked at them. The girl had a beautiful, and bewitching, flawless face. A beauty that would enrapture all.
“People… Life.” She had a soft and sweet voice. She then looked at the two bodies before her. “I needed them. For nourishment… I’m sorry for that. No… I’m not sorry. Am I sorry?” Her brow furrowed.
Elyscia frowned in puzzlement, the girl was acting strangely. Like she was confused with herself. Elyscia slowly looked at Gavin, indirectly asking how they should proceed.
But before an order was given, the girl spoke again. “Still weak. I need more nourishment.”
It was at that moment that they were assaulted by a foul miasma. A cold sensation touched Elyscia’s senses, but it was not a cold of winter or the morning breeze. It was something entirely terrifying. It was the cold you’d feel at the moment of fear. The fear of failing, falling, facing a blade, the fear of death. She could feel her body weaken, and her hands began to slightly tremble.
“Everyone engage!” Gavin quickly shouted.
And the soldiers, despite the fear in their hearts, charged towards the girl. They swung their blades at her, but she adeptly dodged the attacks and quickly grasped one soldier in the face. White mist came out of the soldier's eyes, mouth, and nostrils, and his body began to turn thin, like a fruit drying up in sheer moments. Meanwhile, the girl caught a sword between her fingers.
“Monster!”
The girl tilted her head. “Am I now?”
She let go of the corpse in her hand before proceeding to another. She kicked away a soldier and evaded another one.
Elyscia swung her blade at the girl, almost hitting her in the face. “Lighting Surge.” She cast her spell at point blank. It hit the girl. However, once the magic dissipated, the girl was still standing, her skin smoking slightly.
But the girl ignored her, and she quickly grabbed another simple soldier and began sucking the life force out of him.
Avelyn drew in her sword and cast her spell as she swung her sword. “Glacial Bloom!” A burst of frost shot forth from her swing and encased the monstrous girl in flowers made of ice.
Of course, it also encased the soldier in her hand. But Avelyn didn’t seem to care in this dire situation. However, the ice flower immediately cracked and shattered apart. The girl was completely unscathed.
Avelyn’s eyes widened. “What? That was my ultimate spell!” It was supposed to be a spell that could overwhelm even the most experienced knights. But the girl just shrugged it off as if it was nothing.
The girl threw away the corpse in her hand just as Gavin stepped in from her rear. “Blazing Crescent!” He swung and sent a dense slash of flame at the girl.
The girl waved her hand. “Blackwall.” A black misty wall emerged from out of nowhere and devoured the powerful flame.
Elyscia quickly moved in to engage the enemy directly, and with her was Avelyn. The other soldiers charged forward as well, giving the knights a chance to land a direct hit by diverting the girl’s attention. Even if it meant they would be sacrificed, so be it.
However, before they got close, the girl sighed. “Enough.”
She slammed her foot to the ground, unleashing a powerful wave of pressure enough to send the surrounding humans flying away. They crashed into the trees, and others on the ground. The knights, however, quickly regained their footing, sliding on the floor.
The monstrous girl raised her hand quickly. “It’s pointless to fight me. So what about we talk?” She smiled youthfully, as if she had regained all her energy. That served to only unnerve Elyscia.
Elyscia glanced at Gavin, and the latter nodded.
“Would there be any point talking to a monster like you?” Avelyn suddenly said, visibly irritated.
The girl briefly laughed. “Do I look like a monster to you?” She looked down. “Look at me. But then again, it’s embarrassing standing naked.” She waved her hand. Fabric immediately appeared to cover her body. She was now wearing a blue and white dress, and from its appearance alone, it seemed very well made. Her skirt was just above her knees. Furthermore, she was wearing dark blue boots and dark blue socks that reached almost to her knees. She then straightened her hair with her fingers.
She was acting like a normal teenager.
“I will keep it simple for now. Do I look better?” she asked with a smile.
Avelyn frowned. She was particularly disturbed by how easy going this strange girl was. Elyscia was feeling the same. It was a bit conflicting to see someone so normal looking, yet so powerful.
“Honestly, you shouldn’t call me a monster.”
“Killing my men,” said Gavin. “It’s monstrous enough.”
“Huh. By that logic, all beings are monsters. Even humans. Bunch of heartless traitorous swines.” She sounded angry and resentful.
Elyscia slightly lowered her sword. “Who are you?”
“Oh, I have yet to introduce myself.” She then proceeded to do an exaggerated and eloquent bow. “Greetings, I am Syndra Cerzana. Nice to meet you. Does my name ring any bells?”
“... No idea,” Avelyn answered.
However, it was a different case for both Gavin and Elyscia. The former was shocked, frozen, with widened eyes. “I recognize that name…” Elyscia turned towards Gavin as he continued. “That’s the name of a hero from another world.”
Elyscia couldn’t believe it. That a hero would be here, in that cave. Plus, she shouldn’t be here, this hero. She should be dead already. Then how was she standing before them? Could it be a trick? An illusion? But why would there be an illusion about a hero who had no significance in history whatsoever?
“Oh good,” the girl who claimed to be Syndra smiled widely. “I wonder, what do they say about me? Hopefully nothing hurtful.”
“... Syndra Cerzana, one of the heroes that died,” Elyscia answered. “Among those who died in this place.”
“They ever said how I died?”
“... Just that you died while fighting monsters in that cavern.”
“What else?”
“That’s all.”
“What…? That’s all…?” Her tone darkened, making everyone tense. A dark and ominous aura was seeping out of her. “Are you serious…? THEY SAID NOTHING GOOD ABOUT ME AFTER THROWING ME INTO DEATH'S MAW?!” Her enraged voice shook the air itself, the pressure made the nearby trees rustle. The very earth beneath their feet even trembled as if in fear, the air turned cold and violent. The girl cradled her head, unable to contain her emotion. “THEY WOULD TAKE MY LIFE THAT LIGHTLY?! SCUMBAGS! THEY DARE TO TREAT ME LIKE THIS?!”
Elyscia looked around as she shivered, gripping her sword tightly as her only source of strength right now. She couldn’t believe just how much power this girl was emanating. The girl was radiating so much power that it was almost hard to breathe.
“DAMMIT ALL!” She slammed her foot on the ground, causing a small boom. But after that, she took a deep breath, seemingly forcing herself to calm down. “... Ugh, whatever. Just as what you’d expect from a bunch of scums.”
“You’d call the heroes scums?” Avelyn asked. “You disdain them.”
“They’re the reason I have suffered. S-Suffering…” she lowered her head. “Suffering that no one could understand. And now… I’m finally free.” She closed her eyes. “I can finally do what I wanted ever since that day. To kill all these so-called heroes and make them pay.” She opened her eyes, holding a fierce power and conviction within them. “They are alive, yes?”
“Of course,” Elyscia said. “But we’ll never tell you anything. We would rather die.”
Syndra narrowed her eyes. “Very well, if that’s what you want. You’re easier to talk to when dead either way. Let me try these new abilities of mine.” She looked around and flashed a small smile. “Rise of Undeath.” She snapped her fingers, and the surrounding corpses flinched.