Volume 01 - Chapter 5: For Whom the Tales Are Told (Part 03)

A dreadful ten minutes of claustrophobic crawling later, we, to our surprise, pop out back onto the main path from which we broke off earlier. Unsurprisingly, however, is the army of Wheezers staring up at us in shock.

“Run!” Wolf bellows, pushing each of us in the opposite direction of our persistent enemies.

Like before, the main path shrinks as the walls and ceiling close in on us, forcing us into single file. Seconds before we hit an apparent dead end, the path broadens, leading into a massive cavern.

Wolf grinds to a halt, Mizuka bumping into her, me into Mizuka, and Koishi into me. Mizuka pushes me back, barking to watch where I’m going. Not wanting to knock Koishi over, I push myself forward, slamming back into Mizuka, who knocks over Wolf, all three of us falling, limbs tangled together, our lamps extinguishing as they roll away. A soft something presses against my face as Wolf emits an adorable yelp.

“W-What are you trying to pull?!” Wolf attempts to free herself, the squishy sensation pressing further into my face, suffocating me.

“I-Idiot.” Mizuka’s voice cracks, and she produces a sweet gasp.

I say nothing, because I can’t, and don’t dare move. This must be my last bit of bad luck. Not that this is so bad. Although I’m not too enthused about facing Mizuka’s and Wolf’s inevitable wrath…

“Umm, Master, Leo, this isn’t the best time to…” Koishi grabs my arms, trying to help but only making it worse. “Something’s…over there.” She gasps, stumbling backward.

A horrible wail echoes off the cavern’s lofty walls, soaking into my brain, near bursting my eardrums. In a flash, Wolf untangles herself and pulls me and Mizuka to our feet. Readying Caliburn, I face forward, not wanting to look but raising my head in slow motion.

Dome-shaped with a high ceiling, a vast space stretches before us. An eerie, green phosphorescence lights the room. A black haze drowns the floor, hovering, shifting, masking all up to our ankles.

In the back of this enormous cavern—it waits, extending from a swamp of shimmering slime. Human-shaped, but not human. Not at all. Green like phlegm, black as night. Towering over us, its elongated limbs resembling a spider’s legs. Bloated, the veins of its stomach like cracks on a broken mirror. As if it were…pregnant.

“The Downer.” Wolf holds still, poised to strike. “I’ll make this quick. Kill any Wheezers in my way.”

“U-Understood.” I choke back vomit. “Be careful, Wolf.”

“Don’t need you to tell me.” She takes a step forward and crouches. “I’m off.”

Bursting forward, she clears half the cavern in a single step, cutting through the haze to reveal a floor of uneven, obsidian rock. Stopping at the edge of the slime pool, she leaps into the air and swings at the Downer’s ugly, misshapen head. It goes flying as Wolf uses its chest as a springboard to return to stable ground. Black slime splashes the walls as it collapses. Another miserable wail leaks from its slack-jawed mouth as it sinks beneath the filth.

Wolf freezes, waiting. We three on standby bear witness in silence, bodies rigid. Faint wheezing reaches my ears, but I can’t avert my eyes from the wretched beast. Fat hands burst from beneath the surface, searching for the edge. With trembling arms, the Downer pushes itself out of the swamp and onto the floor. Slime dripping off its bent-over body, it stands and stumbles toward Wolf, who backsteps several paces. Yet it does nothing but attempt to straighten its humped back, staring at Wolf with shining eyes of absolute darkness.

The wheezing draws nearer. I pull the girls forward and face the Wheezers. They seep through where we entered, one after the other, slow, not in their usual clamor. Instead of toward us, the first heads left, while the second goes right, the rest following suit. They form a circle around the perimeter of the cavern, surrounding us, preventing our escape.

And again—nothing. They don’t attack us, chase Wolf, or even protect the Downer. They stare at Wolf, the glow of their eyes brighter than ever, as if they were waiting for this all along. Three rows on the right, three on the left, and a swarm near the entrance. An audience for this bloody performance, watching and waiting with bated breath.

The Downer looks to each side, raises its arms, and belts another scream. Wolf leaps forward and punches its right knee, snapping the leg in half with a loud crunch. It falls to its knees, the damaged leg bent in, bone poking through severed flesh. The Wheezers thrash about, cheering or booing; none can tell. Wolf lands another punch to its head, blood spraying as the beast slams to the floor.

“It’s finished.” Wolf turns, flinging blood off her hands.

“Good work.” Mizuka gives a quick thumbs-up, still on guard.

As Wolf walks back toward us, the Wheezers hush, watching her every step. A soft sob whispers in my ears, echoing from every direction. Koishi gasps, both hands covering her mouth, terror filling her eyes. Wolf flips around, fists at the ready.

“Impossible,” mouths Mizuka, eyes wide at the horrible sight unfolding before us.

The mass of filth twitches, its crying growing louder. A bubbling resounds, like boiling water overflowing, sizzling as each drop touches flame. Pressing its arms into the earth, the Downer straightens its legs, stands, and finally raises its head, madness in its dead eyes. The head inflates. The leg bends back to normal. No evidence of Wolf’s assault remains. The Downer has revived.

“You’re supposed to stay dead!” Wolf puts considerable distance between herself and the beast.

“W-What happened?” I step closer to Mizuka.

“It…seems to have regenerated.”

“As in its wounds healed? In such a short time? That makes no sense.”

“It doesn’t, but again, the power held within a single one of my fragments is immense. Regenerative abilities are fairly common among monsters of this variety.”

“And this monster is…?”

“I don’t know for sure. Or perhaps I don’t remember. It’s likely one related to this particular fragment and…the girl.” She nods at Wolf, who launches another assault.

“Can we kill it permanently?”

“If so, the strike would have to come from Caliburn. If one wants to defeat a magical beast, they need to use a magical weapon.” She points at my sword, its glow a tad dimmer.

“Are you telling me to fight?”

“I’m not telling you to do anything. But if you’d rather sit and watch Wolf kill that thing a thousand times over, be my guest.”

“So, I am going to fight…”

“You understand, good. Besides, if you do, Wolf might not think you a weakling anymore.” She laughs, wearing a warm smile. “Just don’t die, got it?”

“…I’ll do what I can.” I grip Caliburn tight, edge forward.

Wolf continues her assault, smashing each of the Downer’s limbs to pieces. Yet a mere minute after crumpling to the ground, it revives, wailing louder than before. It swings long, tree branch arms at Wolf. But not a single swipe connects. It’s too slow. Rather, Wolf is too fast. After each dodge, she counterattacks, destroying the limb. She’s only pummeling its head and limbs, avoiding the torso and using the upper chest solely for leverage, not daring to touch its bulging stomach.

“Need some help?” I ask, as she lands near me after loosing another flurry of punches that grounds the Downer.

“You asked me the same question on the last battlefield…My answer is the same. Do what you want. Just stay out of my way.”

“Wouldn’t cooperating be better?”

“I got no reason to trust in your fighting ability.” She performs a variety of arm and leg stretches while the beast bubbles back to life.

“Maybe. But didn’t you trust me to hold off the Wheezers?”

“Only ‘cause you killed a few earlier. I doubt you’ve ever fought anything like the Downer.”

“Have you?”

“…No.”

“And you’re doing well. Why not give me a chance?”

The beast stumbles to its feet.

She sighs. “Fine. Follow my lead. When I dodge, you strike, understand?” She bursts forward, not waiting for an answer.

I dash to the Downer’s left, out of its line of sight. Screaming, it puts its hands together over its head and swings down at Wolf, who dodges at the last second. Legs leaden, I bolt for its ankle, driving a diagonal slash that cuts all the way through its slimy skin and thin bone. It sweeps an arm toward me, smashing into my sword-turned-shield. I’m flung across the cavern, flying for a few seconds before skidding across the ground; my clothes tear at their seams.

Mizuka and Koishi call my name and ask if I’m hurt. Standing, I find I’m not in pain and tell them so. Caliburn’s power must give me some potent pain resistance. But not damage resistance. Meaning, I’ll incur some horrendous injuries when this is over…

“Get the other one!” Calls Wolf, a sharp snap sounding as she destroys the Downer’s left wrist.

“The leg?!”

“Obviously!” She slides underneath it, forcing the beast to turn using one leg.

As it takes an aimless swing, I run straight for the remaining ankle but wait to strike. Finished turning, it whips both arms at Wolf. Halfway through its onslaught, I cleave another diagonal slash that separates ankle from leg. Stopping, it faces my direction, screaming as it prepares to send me on another flight. Yet, unable to stay upright without feet, it crashes, dispersing haze.

“Excellent!” Wolf crouches low, her mad eyes resembling the Downer’s.

The second it hits the ground, she rockets into the air and crashes down on its head, fist first. It bursts like a watermelon, showering Wolf in dark crimson. She keeps punching the head, ripping it to shreds with her spikes. Blood and bits of flesh scatter with every strike. Her eyes stretch open to their absolute limit as she forms a hideous smile and laughs. A high-pitched giggle growing louder with every ounce of blood that paints her skin.

“It’s dead.” Standing behind her, I reach for her shoulder, but stop halfway.

She stops throwing punches but remains on her knees, silent, head down, arms limp at her sides. The Downer stays down, what remains of its head scattered across the floor, blood streaking on all sides. Wolf is once again drenched, her back alone left clean.

“Maybe.” She clutches her shirt, twisting it.

“I don’t think it’s going to recover from that.”

“If it does, I’ll butcher it again and again and again…” She giggles, trembling.

“S-Sure, but why don’t we assume it won’t and bail? Come on.”

“I…can’t.” She presses her palms hard into her eyes.

Before I can respond, I find myself frozen in terror.

The Downer does not bubble but twitches, each of its joints creaking, body seeming to move against its will. Wolf shoots up and backsteps, pulling me along with her. The Downer pushes itself up without effort, its headless neck spurting green goo, and drags itself toward the black pool using its forearms.

Falling inside, its body sinks into the slime until fully submerged. Two rows of Wheezers follow, and the surface of the pool boils, thousands of dark bubbles bouncing and popping. A minute passes before the bubbling ceases and the Downer pokes up through the filth, rearing its ugly, restored head.

“Stop.” Wolf falls back to her knees. “Stop, stop, stop!” She clutches her head, shakes back and forth, screaming.

The Downer responds in kind, its cries melting my brain. I raise Caliburn, its sapphire glow half-faded. Mizuka shouts something I can’t understand. Wolf goes quiet, stands, and pops her neck. The Downer drags itself from the pool, gallons of slime splashing into the haze. It stomps its feet in a rage and slams its fists into the ground, sending dirt and rock flying.

“Looks like it’s ready for more.” Wolf punches the air.

“It looks angry.”

“Which makes it easier to kill.”

“You’ve proven that’s impossible, Wolf. Wouldn’t it be better to retreat? Think of some other way to defeat it?”

“No. If I retreat now, I really will be a coward.”

“Listen, if we don’t find some way to make it stay dead, we’ll run out of energy fighting. Then we’ll be the ones getting killed. And I don’t know about you, but I can’t come back to life.”

“Even so, I won’t retreat. Far as I’m concerned, we just have to keep it out of that pool.”

“How are we supposed to—”

“Shut up. It’s coming.” She dashes toward the approaching beast.

It jumps, almost landing on Wolf, who kicks the ground, gliding left. The Downer turns, swinging one arm after the other, its attacks more coordinated. Wolf accelerates, running circles around it, striking whenever she finds an opening. She smashes its elbows, knees, drives a fist into each eye, but it doesn’t fall, only stops, waits for its body to heal. Then, their dance begins anew.

Wolf repeats her assault, forcing the Downer to stand still for a few seconds. She screams for me to cut off its feet again. Raising a battle cry, I run and swing at one of its ankles, bisecting it. Wolf flies into the air and drives a foot into its chest, sending it to the ground. After dodging, I leap and cut off its other ankle.

“The hands!” Wolf sprints toward one of its splayed-out arms.

I dash to the other and swing down from on high, chopping off half its forearm. Blood blasts in a geyser, covering my hands in a disgusting warmth. Wolf pummels its wrist, shredding flesh and cracking bone until the limb divides in two. The Downer wails the whole time, wriggling; its bloated stomach stretching, threatening to split.

We both bolt toward the source of the cries. Wolf’s bloodshot eyes capture mine, and she orders me to cut off its head. I raise my sword and strike, but stop halfway upon seeing the tears flooding from the Downer’s black eyes. Is this what we’ve been maiming, butchering, killing? A helpless creature tormented by something beyond my understanding. The tip of my sword kisses the floor.

“What are you waiting for?!” Wolf grabs my hair and shakes me a few times before pushing me down. “Forget it. I’ll do it!”

Again, she lays into its head, stomping its neck, bashing its skull against the ground, digging her knuckles further and further into its eye sockets. She screams; it screams. Each crying tears of blood. Ripping, tearing, shredding, grinding—into nothing; flesh blending with dust, blood drenching each of us.

It stops crying, stops moving. Again, what’s remains of its head is naught but an oozing neck. Wolf’s quiet giggle shifts into a mad cackling echoing throughout the static cavern.

The shuffling of feet and wheezing resound, different from usual—sad. The Wheezers surround us, forming a circle around the Downer. Wolf spins to confront them but stays still. Standing, I point my sword at them, mind empty, heart seconds from bursting.

They draw closer but don’t care about us, only taking a few glances at Wolf, who screams at them to back off. Small groups form and lie upon where each limb was severed. Wolf tries to keep them away from the neck, kicking at them. Her struggle proves futile. Hundreds pile on its neck, a murky, pulsing mound producing a chorus of dry wheezing.

“That’s it! We’re leaving!” Shouts Mizuka.

“R-Right…Wolf, let’s go.” No response. “Wolf, this looks bad. Come on.” I try to grab her arm, but she swats my hand.

“I’m not…a coward.”

“We’re not retreating. We just need to back away from whatever’s about to happen.”

“No! I can’t…I won’t…not without, not without!” She grabs her head, writhing as she screams in tune with the Downer’s bubbling.

The Wheezers melt, pools of slime forming around each missing piece of the beast. They boil, envelop the wounds, pop and hiss before seeping beneath the haze. In their place are the Downer’s restored limbs. The remaining Wheezers double back to their comrades on the sidelines. More Wheezers crawl from the massive pool, replacing those that melted.

This is hopeless.

“Wolf!” I barrel into and wrap my arms around her, dragging her away from the horror.

“Let go!” She struggles, slamming her fists into my back with insane power.

Caliburn protecting me, I withstand her blows and haul her to where Mizuka and Koishi wait near the entrance. A mass of Wheezers blocks our way, silent and unmoving, their red eyes focused on the Downer’s twitching body.

“Clear a path, Leo,” says Mizuka, shielding Koishi.

“What about Wolf?” I ask, as she continues to thrash in my arms.

“Do as she asks and release her.”

“But she’ll keep fighting.”

“And? If that’s what she wants, I don’t see any reason to stop her at this point. We’ll retrieve her once we discover some sure method to kill the Downer.”

“No. I’m not abandoning Wolf. She’ll fight until she can’t anymore.”

“Surely she’ll retreat before that happens.”

“She won’t.” She’s not a coward like me. “There has to be another way.”

“Were there, I’d have thought of it by now! We need time to strategize in a place where we’re not in danger.”

“G-Give me a second. I’ll…think of something.”

“No, you won’t, Le—”

A wail more wretched and sad than any before rattles our bones. Wolf goes limp, her body sliding from my arms and slumping to the floor. Only her torso remains visible as the black haze caresses her.

The Downer towers, head raised, continuing to scream. Louder and louder, the walls of the caverns vibrating, dust raining from on high. Wolf stares up and cries, thick tears mixing with the blood on her cheeks. The Wheezers jump in a frenzy, edging closer, their circle narrowing. I bounce to Mizuka’s side, sword raised, head swimming. Koishi plugs her ears as Mizuka glares ahead.

An eternity of a minute passes before we’re drowned in silence. The Wheezers kneel on mangled legs, pressing their heads against the ground. The Downer lowers its head, something moving inside its gut, trying to break free.

Rising on stiff legs, Wolf treads forward, face down, heading straight for the Downer. I take a step forward, but am stopped by Mizuka grabbing my arm and shaking her head.

As Wolf reaches the Downer, it moans and lurches forward, collapsing to its knees as the Wheezers surround it and Wolf. It opens its long arms as if signaling for a hug and eeks out another weak moan. Wolf jerks as if awakening from a deep sleep and edges toward the monster’s bulging stomach.

“Wolf!” Shaking off Mizuka, I run forward while swinging my sword at random.

The Wheezers impede my path as the Downer wraps its arms around Wolf, who lays her head on its stomach, whispering something. I push close enough to hear her speak a single word.

“Mother.”

She whispers the word over and over, voice cracking as she sobs. The Downer makes no sound, only closes its eyes and smiles. A smile reminding me of home.

A sizzling sound hisses all around us, intensifying the longer Wolf stays in the beast’s embrace. One by one, the Wheezers melt like they did before. Soon enough, they’ve all melted, leaving behind a massive, black puddle.

Wolf keeps crying, speaking that word, pressing harder against the Downer’s stomach. Yet, whatever emotion she experiences in its arms draws to a close. The Downer fades, not melting, but fizzling out; its body cracking before turning into shimmering, silver particles drifting through the air—like dust in sunshine.

First the limbs, then the head, and finally, its stomach; smaller now, as if whatever was trapped inside had broken free. And then, it’s gone, taking the black haze with it and leaving behind an impossible sight.

Gold. Piles upon piles of gold. Diamonds, sapphires, rubies, necklaces, bracelets, crowns, every treasure imaginable spreads before us. Wolf stands atop a small hill of coins, arms at her sides, staring up, a sad smile on her pale lips. Mizuka and Koishi gasp in surprise but remain still. In the back of the cavern, where the pool of slime once was, is a mountain of treasure with a curved something stuck in its center.

“…A sword?” A now-familiar sensation blazes in my chest.

My brand aches. Caliburn glows brighter. I must collect that sword, make it mine, protect it, treasure it. I trudge forward, blade clinking as it drags along the gold. No one tries to stop me this time. I shouldn’t. I might gain another curse. But I must. So close. Just up this mass of treasure, all worthless compared to the prize at the peak.

A colossal greatsword half-obscured, the visible portion a head shorter than me. The handle is dark gray, carved out of bone. The blade itself is made of black steel with accents of scarlet. Etched near the bottom are faint depictions of sword-wielding warriors and flying beasts engaged in a chaotic battle. The blade grows broader approaching the tip. Its true size can only be revealed by claiming it. I wrap my fingers around the handle.

“Leo!” Mizuka glares from below, pointing at me.

“What?” I pull on the sword, unable to make it budge.

“That is not for you to claim.”

“H-Hold on, I’ve almost got it!” I yank harder. Why isn’t it coming out? I pulled out Caliburn in an instant.

“Idiot! Get away from—”

An unfamiliar sound renders us deaf for a moment. Not wailing or crying, but a great roar. Not like Wolf’s, but deeper, ancient, primal, and…angry. The ground shakes; coins disperse. I slip and fall to my knees but don’t release the sword. Mizuka screams for me to come down, that something’s coming, but I can’t bring myself to let go. I must have this sword.

Another roar, louder. The ground shakes harder. Hunks of rock fall from the ceiling. I’m raised into the air as the hill of gold slides away, revealing a mass of rough, red rock. No, skin. A huge head pops out from beneath the treasure, connected to its giant body by a long, thick neck. Scales, horns, diamond eyes, gaping nostrils, and bladed teeth. Just like in my storybooks. Oh? Could it be? I’m standing on—

“A dragon?!” Mizuka waves her arms, eyes spinning. “Leo, you idiot! What have you…come down already!”

“I can’t fall from this height!” That, and I’m not about to let go of this sword.

“Do what I—”

A massive chunk of ceiling plops right in front of Mizuka. The dragon stands, stomps the ground, and whips its long, forked tail. Rocks rain from on high, gold and jewels dancing through the air as they hit the ground. This cavern won’t remain intact much longer.

“Go! This place is falling apart! Take the others and escape!”

“What about you, Leo?!”

“I should be safe up he—”

The dragon roars again, stretches its sinewy wings, and flaps them hard. Flying low, it circles around the cavern. Higher, another circle. Higher, two more times around. It plummets to the ground and pulls up at the last second, straightening with its head pointed toward the ceiling. It smashes through the top, revealing a dawn sky and taking me along for the ride.