Lost Light

Lately, I have been wondering if it is truly worth it to make it to the top of this spire. This spire, despite its dilapidation and unnerving mysteries, still held beauty in it. Layers of lush forests and floral glades, houses, though fallen with time, that made cozy homes, and even some wonderful people that eased our journey, had made me realize that I had been given wonderful things. So why is it that I still craved a way upward? All that beauty had been given to us, yet Fesha and I still pushed onward as we always had, but with where we are now, I am starting to question if what we must go through will make what we get worth the effort. 

Since we have left Lanus's glade, the lush greenery had begun to fade, being overtaken more with the black growth and the carcasses it cradled. The spikes that were common in the growth were larger here, reaching heights ten times mine, and all pointed away from the layer's crumbled edge. Floors and buildings were in ruins and covered with black. Even the layer above had black threads and bubbles hanging from its bottom. Ascending each layer, the foul odor of death only grew stronger and stronger. Though Fesha and I spent much time here by now, it was still impossible to get use to the stench. The wildlife that had once ran rampant in the lower layers had gone quiet. No streams of water or the distant songs of animals, nothing but the echos of our footsteps in the dark. The only thing that was left to appreciate was the gentle light from above as we traversed the edge of this new layer. Glowing beams pierced the air, offering warmth in this blackened landscape. Though the path has gotten darker than ever, the light from above still guides us, calling us to keep going.

We walked along the layer's edge for a while, only traveling ground that was pure of the pitch black. Still, even if we avoided it, it is now impossible to not see any where ever we look. Even on ground with seemingly no growth, thin black threads spread out like webs, covering every surface. There was always black growth, always dead bodies, and always that foul odor. Fesha and I did our best to ignore it all, but it was far too much to simply phase out. It was beginning to take a toll on us, slowly driving us into madness.

Suddenly, a grunt echoed just up ahead. Fesha and I instinctively hid behind the closest, growth-free wall.

"Another one?" I ask somewhat fearfully.

"It seemeth so." Fesha responded.

I peered out from the side of the small crumbled wall to get a peek. There it was, one of those dreadful monsters. It was humanoid in nature, but had a third limb sprouting from its back that it also stood on. The black spikes of the growth twisted outward along its gray skin. Its chest and stomach was covered in black veins and boils. From its head, three wing-like appendages extended from its forehead that stretched out about one half of its height. Its not too common, but every monster Fesha and I have come across seems to always have a different form, only the monsters of these layer have completely lost their minds. Unlike Dahlea and the knight, there was not a resemblance of humanity left in these creatures now. Nothing about these things' anatomy made any sense, and they only ever grunted and screamed. Not a single coherent word has been uttered by them. Even with all these sorrowful attributes, there was one thing that still shook me that every monster had in common: they were all blind. Some had white cataracts, others had the growth covering their sight, and some even had their eyes completely carved out just like Tenebris.

We have been lucky to not face too many monsters in battle while we are here, but of the ones we have killed, it was always a pitiful fight. They moved sluggishly and unnaturally, as if they were already half dead. Even my mediocre swordsmanship that I have been practicing was enough to fight them. There was no need for the owner of this body to take over. 

We continued to hide behind the wall, waiting for the monster to pass. We waited for a while, but when I checked on it again, the monster had not moved an inch. It stood on the only uncovered part of the road. I looked over at Fesha and she nodded. We got up from our spot and began rushing toward it. It noticed us and black tendrils exploded out of its body. Though the tendrils came out fast, they immediately flopped to the ground, as it the monster could not even lift its own appendages. I ran in, my spear pointed directly at it. Another tendril exploded from its body and attempted to swing at me. As the tendril was making its way to me, it suddenly fell to the floor with a loud splat, the monster too weak to lift it. Then the tip of my spear met its uneven body as I plunged my blade deep into its decaying skin. Harrowed by the pain, the monster screamed in agony, its high pitched cries echoing into the dark. I twisted my blade out and slashed the beast once more, bits of its flesh coming off its body. I ripped my spear out and ran back. I glanced to my left to see Fesha lining up a shot from a distance, a bright yellow light glowing from in between her fingers. Then, a bolt flew out and made contact with the monster, spraying its decayed viscera in every direction.

Fesha and I both walked over to it and looked at the carnage we had made. Though our methods were a bit gruesome, we felt that we had released whoever this use to be from anymore suffering, as we did with Dahlea and the knight. Fesha and I bowed our heads and prayed for them, hoping that they could find peace after a seemingly long time in madness. With that, Fesha and I marched on, hoping that this hellscape would be gone soon.