Harrowing Path

Logistically speaking, our info and supplies were not doing so well. Not only were we severely lacking in stardust power to fight demons, but we also didn’t even know the true power of the enemy.

That’s okay though. We’ve been in tighter spots and made it through. Well, this might be the worst situation of my life to date…but I had confidence on our skills, and a prayer in my heart!

“How do we storm the castle, Old Man?” Indena asked.

“Without knowing the layout, rushing in there would be a terrible idea.” Uncle held his chin and tipped his hat down, trying to come up with a possible way to get more info. “We don’t even know what the streets are like.”

The biggest issue right now was that our maps couldn’t download schematics of this location. And even if we could get the maps filled out, who’s to say the demons couldn’t just change the road ways enough to be unrecognizable?

The next best option was to send out scouts to gather info for us, but nobody was safe enough to travel out there aimlessly…

Well, maybe I had an idea…but was I willing to risk my pet snake, who I loved so much?

I snuck into a corner and started whispering to Samael…

“Samael, you think you could maybe get us info on the roads?”

“Sss?” He hissed.

“Yeah, remember how we’ve used you to scout a few times already? I think you’re the only one who can do it safely.”

“…” He slithered down to a table, then looked like he wanted to bite one of the crystal hearts on my arm. “Ss.”

I think he was giving this plan a go.

“Alright.” I pulled off the heart from my arm. “Here. Now that you’ve said it’s okay, we can tell the oth…”

I turned around and saw everyone freakishly crowding around me, staring on with bug eyes.

“…others…?” I finished my sentence. “Were you guys listening?”

“We were,” Uncle replied.

I started pouting, stomping my feet in frustration. This was supposed to be a secret incase Samael didn’t want to do it!

“That’s actually not a bad idea, Yalda,” Emily said. “If your snake is brave enough for this, then we’ll be in business.”

“That snake’s brave enough, trust me.” Indena commented.

He had done this a few times already, so I think he’d be good. But the problem is that there were a lot more threats this time, so would he be safe?

~☆☆☆~

Like all the times before, I could see and communicate from the spare heart in Samael’s mouth.

As Samael slithered through the streets and through buildings, I was drawing down a map of what I was seeing.

It was perfect! My map was really coming together before too long, and Samael was easily able to evade the notice of any of the Night Hags. Even when he was about to encounter one, they were just lazily laying on the ground, not caring if he passed by them. Maybe snakes didn’t bother them?

“How’s the map coming along?” Uncle asked.

“Oh, it’s great!” I continued to jot things down, but I didn’t want them to see until it was finished. It’s an artist thing, you know? “There’s so many safer routes we can use. I’ve marked them in green.”

Samael was slithering into a vent, since there was a lot of Night Hags on a particular street…but he ran into a problem. That black stuff, glowing red at the core, webbed up the path. I didn’t want him touching it, so he took an alternative route, extending his time out.

Finally, he reached the entrance to the castle. It was at the end of this big circular plaza place.

The demons were actually fortifying the position, setting up Bowalkers on the roofs, Night Hags in the crevasses that would make it simple for them to jump us. A very tall demon with a military esc helmet was calling the shots.

Was that the demon lord? No…he didn’t look imposing enough for that.

He pointed out to the streets, scattering large numbers of demons out onto the roads. There was something big…stomping in the fog, but it was really hard to tell what it was. Samael was too afraid to check.

Since we had all this info though, Samael returned here to us.

“Done!” I said, signing the corner of the map. “We’ve got a path, ladies and gentlemen.”

It wasn’t perfect, and I’m sure we’d face demons…but based on what Samael found, this would be the best way to go.

“Alright, let me see…the map?” Uncle looked a little shocked, then he face palmed. “Oh boy…”

Indena took a peek at the map drawing. “What the hell is this? It’s a bunch of squiggles and lines!”

Emily gave me a fake smile, then patted my head. “Good job.”

“She could bury treasure and nobody would ever find it with this paper.” Indena said.

You know what? I’d like to see them draw a better map from a snake’s perspective! I for one think it’s a work of art!

My pouty face turned up to the max, and I stuck my tongue out at them.

“Turds!” I called them all.

The maximum pouty face started to fail and I got really sad. Was my drawing really that bad?

*Sniffle* *Sniffle*

Uncle let out a sigh, then knelt down and pointed to a smiley face on the map.

“This is where we are, right?”

“Yeah.” I said.

“And this big birthday cake is the castle entrance, yes?”

That wasn’t a birthday cake. It was big tower thingies around the fortress. Big fire pillars were rising out of their tops. I don’t know if fire was actually coming out the top in real life, but I took some liberties with the drawing.

“Yeah. That’s the entrance.”

“And these angry faces everywhere are supposed to be enemies?”

“Yeah.” I nodded.

“Okay…” Uncle did his best to trace out the green route from our current location to the castle, asking me to clarify a few spots. “This should work then.” He handed the paper back to me. “We’ll gather some gear and set out.”

Emily raised her hand. “It might be safer if I stay with the sleepers here. I can tend to them. Plus, you guys are better equipped to fight demons then I am.”

Uncle nodded. “I was going to suggest you remain here. Indena, Yalda, and I will go.” Uncle turned to me. “You’ll be navigating. I have an idea of where we need to go, but just in case…”

“Okay.” I could understand the map, so that wouldn’t be an issue.

“Good. Let’s get set and ready to leave.”

“Yes, captain.” Indena playfully saluted.

~☆☆☆~

After gearing up, we took to the streets again. Indena was the only one who altered her arsenal, taking fire proof gloves with stardust knuckles on them. I’d have to make sure to re-grow the stardust every so often.

The night hags were quick to find our position, sending word to their friends. Not much time passed before they swarmed us again.

“Take that!” I jabbed my spear at one.

Uncle was doing the balk of the work here with his broadsword. His wide sweeps cut down dozens of the little devils at once. Indena was doing her best with the stardust knuckles, but she could only take so many at a time.

To make things a little more complicated, there were a lot of people laying around the ground. Some were getting buried in snow, Night Hags were sitting on their chests. Indena would melt the snow, and we’d take out the hags.

Carving through these little guys was like mowing an overgrown lawn. It just takes so much time, and we had to keep watch for things we didn’t want to cut over.

THUD!

THUD! THUD!!

CRASH!

A car went flying, hitting a building and landing on some Night Hags!

Uncle dove in to move me out of the way. Then we all stayed quiet, awaiting what was at the end of the street…

THUD!

Amidst the fog ahead, something big stomped its way toward us…

This thing looked like an oversized Night Hag, but with a more melty looking, feminine face, kinda like a stereotypical witch mixed with a hyena.

Whenever it would go to strike something out of its path, its arms would swell with red veins, then it would slam into the object and send it flying.

“What is that?!” Indena questioned.

CRASH!

Windows shattered as a big mail box hit a building!

Uncle covered over us to protect from falling debris.

-WARNING! Harrowing Class demon sighted!-

-Harrowing Hag identified. Tagged; Foe-

According to my HELP tab, Harrowing class demons were the equivalent of Dire class monsters. Big, mean and very strong.

In the rampage of this harrowing demon, it looked like it got exhausted very quickly. It took hold of some of the people laying on the street and begin to drain them of their mana for energy.

She wasn’t fast, but she made big strides using her powers to swell her legs and leap forward.

A big arm nearly back handed Uncle, but his sword clashed with it just in time.

The stardust energy was burning the skin of the Hag, but like a dull knife, couldn’t cut through it.

Her other arm reeled back to hit Uncle, but I stabbed it with my spear.

“RAAAG!” she screamed in pain.

Little Night Hags started to crawl out from the folds in her back…YUCKY!!!

Indena hit them with fire before they could get to me, but that also got the Harrowing Hag’s attention.

“RAAAH!” She screamed and pushed Uncle aside, then she attempted to reach Indena, only to be thwarted by my spear.

“Take that, ugly!”

I got her right in the chest, but I must have missed the heart.

Indena used a flamethrower attack to blast the demon back.

“If only that stupid witch were this fugly…I wouldn’t feel bad messing up her face.”

While stumbling backwards, the hag flailed her arms around wildly, crashing them into lamp posts and walls. Uncle waited for the moment to jump in.

She recovered, then seemed exhausted, slumping over and taking heavy breaths. Then she started looking for people to steal energy from.

Indena and I swiftly moved in and started dragging people away. The Hag set her sights on them, but slowly inched her way forward.

Uncle now saw an opening, racing in and stabbing his broadsword right through her back!

“RAAAH!” She screamed, then rays of light burst from her skin!

She exploded into sparkling dust! Leaving a pile of ash on the ground. As with several other demons, a person was slumbering in the ash, this one was an elderly woman.

As much as we wanted this to be the only big threat, we could hear more of these abominations ahead…time for a little detour.