Jade and Lorena walked down the empty road that led west toward Darnathal, the full moon illuminating the path.
"So what brought you to Silvershire? Other than the spider." Jade asked, grinning.
Lorena rolled her eyes. "I needed a fresh start." She braced for a comment from Ren, but it never came. She'd been silent for the past hour, ever since they met up with Jade.
"What about you?"
"I'm on a journey," she said, then jogged to the edge of the road.
Lorena scanned the forest as Jade knelt down, a pair of what looked to be gardening shears in her hand, and cut a glowing root that stuck out of the ground.
"What is that?"
"Glowing Knotweed. I'm an herbalist."
"Is that what your journey is related to, or is it more a journey of self discovery?" Her paranoia surrounding the Priest had slipped a decent amount, allowing her to feel more comfortable around Jade. She had proven herself to be nothing but helpful, and Ren liked her, which for some reason counted for a lot.
Jade nodded as she kicked a stone along the road. "Yeah, I'm searching for a long lost herb, the Drowsilver Bloom."
"How long has it been lost?"
Jade pressed her lips together. "Oh, just around a century."
Lorena's eyes went wide and she stared at Jade.
"You're looking for an herb that has been lost for over 100 years?"
"Yep." She seemed perfectly happy with that statement. Lorena couldn't imagine a more pointless task.
"Not to be rude, but—"
"Why?" Jade finished her sentence with a knowing smile.
"Yeah."
"My father started looking for it thirty years ago, it was his legacy."
Lorena noted the past tense and a pang of sadness rippled through her.
Her father too, Ren said softly. She lost hers. I lost mine. You seem to collect us.
That's not fair.
"It's what got me interested in herbalism actually. The fact that there's this incredibly powerful herb out there that no one can find. We know it existed. There's hundreds of historical documents that discuss it. But around 102 years ago all discussion of it just disappears."
Lorena's brows furrowed. That was interesting. It sounded like someone purged the records.
"What did the herb do?"
"It helps remove blood lust from the body," she looked off into the distance and her voice took on a glassy tone, like she was trying to force neutrality into her words. "People go mad with blood lust and do things they later regret far too often for us to not have a cure."
Something cold settled in her stomach.
Sound familiar? Ren asked.
What Morrison felt, that was blood lust. It isn't the same thing.
Isn't it?
Lorena wanted to ask Jade more, but knew she shouldn't.
"Do you think it's near Silvershire?"
Jade rocked her hand back and forth. "Probably not, but the church pays to send me around to places as part of my vocational duties. Silvershire was actually a place on my fathers list that he never got to, so it seemed like a good opportunity."
Jade kicked the rock and it scattered off the road as she continued walking.
Aw Rocky, go get him.
You named the rock?
Yes, he's my friend. He's like me.
How so? The question felt like a trap, but Ren was rarely happy about anything and Lorena felt the need to try and foster a better relationship between them. Maybe this rock would be the start?
He's also trapped, unable to control where he goes or what he does. Now go get him.
The comparison stung more than it should have.
She dipped behind Jade and slipped the rock into her inventory.
"I miss home though. I've been meaning to go back but I'm bound to Silvershire by the church for another two months."
"Where's home?" Lorena asked. She was happy to keep the conversation on Jade and not herself.
Yeah, that would be awkward. So, Lorena, where's home? Well which home, the parallel world I came from, or the farm where I stole this body?
Yeah, that would be awkward. Good call Ren.
"Darnathal. My mom and brothers live in the Crafters' Quarter. I keep saying I'm going to send a letter to them, but it's hard to find someone willing to deliver one for not an outrageous fee."
We should offer to deliver it for her when we go.
But then she'd know we're going. She'd want to know why.
So tell her you have business there. Normal people have normal things, you know.
I'm not normal people.
An uncomfortable beat passed between them before Ren spoke, her voice quiet.
No. You're really not.
Lorena noticed Jade pause.
"What is it?"
"We're here."
Lorena checked her map and saw that they were standing on top of the location Jeremy had marked for them.
The road cut dead center through a clearing with forest on either side. The moon illuminated the entire area, leaving an edge of eerie darkness at the treeline to hide the creatures within.
"Do we need to summon him or something?" Lorena asked.
Jade shrugged. "I'm still not convinced he's real. Rendclaw's been a local legend for years."
Ancient rumbles shook the ground, seemingly coming from all around them.
"I'm very much real."
Lorena spun, Skinning Knife drawn, straining her eyes to peer through the trees.
"Show yourself demon! Let Goddess Veythra judge you and you shall be cleansed!" Jade yelled.
Lorena cringed. Maybe religious rhetoric wasn't the best approach.
You sold her on this being a divine mission. Ren gasped, Behind you.
Lorena turned on the balls of her feet. Two large burning orbs floated from the tree line, hanging in the darkness like twin suns. The trees rustled, revealing more details. The glint of ivory white teeth shone in the moonlight, each the size of her forearm. A massive skull, flesh rotting off the bone. Paws that could crush her in a single step.
"No God can save me. Or you," the monster growled, the sound shaking Lorena to her very core.
Run. Run run run.
It lumbered out from the tree line, each step gouging the tough dirt.
"Give yourself over to the Goddess! Repent!" Jade held her staff high, wisps of golden light floating around it.
A deep grumble, a laugh mixed with a growl rolled across the land.
Lorena slipped into Stealth and arced left to come up around the side of the beast.
Her skin burned as Rendclaw's fiery eyes tracked her every step.
"Nice try, sneaky one."
His back arched. So much for Stealth.
She dropped Stealth and leapt back in sync with his pounce. Her lighter frame carried her just far enough to miss the tip of the massive paw as it came crashing down.
I said run!
Lorena ignored Ren, Rendclaw was real. There was only one choice here.
A bolt of holy light shot from Jade's staff sending her staggering backwards several steps.
The bolt landed in a plume of light that illuminated the patches of matted fur in between large missing sections of flesh along the beast's face.
He snarled, then snapped toward Jade. She threw her arms up, a halo of light forming to meet his jaws.
Jade's scream rattled her teeth as Lorena's legs pumped. She wouldn't let this distraction go to waste.
She grabbed a fistful of fur and began heaving herself up his back leg.
Another fistful.
Another heave.
Again.
Her whole world shook as Rendclaw started moving. Footsteps followed sobs as Jade ran through the forest, a trail of blood with each step.
Rendclaw's pace was leisurely as she made it onto his back. He was enjoying this.
You two should start a club. Murderers who enjoy murdering.
How are you being sarcastic at a time like this?
My last last words were desperate and pathetic. I want this version to be funny. Maybe then Goddess Tevra will accept my death.
Lorena crawled, knife between her teeth until she reached Rendclaw's neck. Her knuckles were white against the hilt of the blade as she shoved it into the thick flesh. The blade barely sank an inch. Luckily Vicious Stab didn't care.
Combo Points (1/5)
Rendclaw continued sauntering after Jade. He didn't care either.
His health had barely moved, down to 92% at this point and most of that was from Jade's big initial hit. She doubted Jade would get another chance to do that.
Lorena risked a glance ahead but couldn't see Jade anywhere. Good, cover was important.
A battle cry echoed through the forest.
"Goddess Veythra grant me strength! Allow me to purge your world of this demon!"
Jade. Stupid. Reckless.
She needed to buy Jade a distraction. Sliding down Rendclaw's snout, her skin burned as twin suns focused on her.
She gripped her knife.
"No!" he yelled, but it was too late.
The knife sank deep into the right eye and Gouge activated.
A status in her interface pulled at her focus. She relented and risked a look.
Debuff Blinded Applied - Rendclaw is blind for 30 seconds, unable to hunt by sight, he must rely on other senses to find his prey
That was new. Rendclaw shook his head violently and Lorena lost her footing, flying through the air and landing in a bush.
She scrambled to her feet and rushed over to Jade who had her back planted against a tree.
She mimed keeping her mouth shut, then pointed to Rendclaw.
Jade poked her head out, her eyes going wide.
Now you can run! Yes! Great job.
Jade stood silently, her staff pointed up toward Rendclaw as the Gouge debuff wore off.
Rings of fiery white light circled the staff, each growing in diameter until they nearly encompassed Jade.
"Feel Veythra's holy wrath!" she roared and unleashed the spell. Each ring flew at a supersonic speed toward Rendclaw, slamming into him one by one and exploding on impact in a dazzling light show.
Lorena ran toward his back leg and started swinging at his tendons, racking up three more combo points.
Combo Points (4/5)
His health barely flickered. Not enough.
Jade needed a distraction. Lorena's mouth provided one before her mind could stop it, as her strikes clearly weren't enough.
Shaky words drew Rendclaw's attention and he spun, snapping at air that smelled like Lorena as she dashed behind a nearby tree. Her footsteps were light and quiet. Rendclaw stumbled hesitantly after her.
He began sniffing, the strength of his inhale so strong Lorena's shirt drifted toward him. He marched toward the tree she was hiding behind, roared, and slammed into it. His head connected with the tree and split it in half. Lorena rolled left, narrowly missing the falling trunk.
Jade yelled out and Rendclaw spun toward her, dread filling Lorena's gut. Rendclaw lunged toward Jade as she ran through the forest flinging spells behind her frantically.
A massive paw swiped at the smaller trees and they fell all around her. Lorena cringed as a tree came sickeningly close to crushing Jade.
They were slowly making progress against him, but it was a slog. He was at 85% health, and the Blind debuff was running out. They would need to last thirty seconds before Lorena could Gouge again, assuming she could stay on him long enough to do so.
She continued to swipe at his skin, each strike not even moving the needle on his health bar.
Rendclaw stilled, then trained his eyes directly on Jade.
Debuff Blinded has ended
Lorena slammed another Vicious Stab into the leg but he didn't care.
Combo Points (5/5)
Rendclaw lurched forward, mouth open, fangs the size of small trees chomping toward Jade. Jade threw a shield of light on herself and they both braced for the impact.
Jade let out a blood curdling scream.
Lorena glanced down in horror as Jade lay on the ground, blood pouring from a large puncture wound in her abdomen, her health hovering just above 10%.
She was still alive. She could heal. Lorena just needed to buy her some time.
The wolf licked his lips and bared his teeth. He took a step closer, standing over the helpless Jade.
Lorena did the only thing she could think of. She built up as much speed as she could, then ran up the inside of his back left leg. When gravity started to pull her down she pushed off and spun, continuing her momentum up the right leg. With a final leap she twisted and pushed toward Rendclaw's stomach. She sank her Skinning Knife into the soft flesh and summoned all five Combo Points into a Precision Strike. A surge of adrenaline mixed with the rush of Combo Points and she landed in a running start, heart racing.
Combo Points (0/5)
The wolf was down to 55% health, and more importantly, he was now fully focused on Lorena.
"You'll pay for that," he growled, his voice wet with blood.
Rendclaw turned and searched for her, its large eyes darting around, illuminating the forest floor in bloody hues.
Lorena didn't stop to see if Rendclaw was chasing her. She ran, screaming taunts back at the monster. She just needed to keep Jade alive.
She rolled as a rush of wind passed over her. A second later Rendclaw's paw came crashing down mere feet away. It flung back up through the trees and came down directly on top of her and she dove to the side just in time, the paw catching the edge of her canvas shirt.
Fifteen seconds left on the Gouge cooldown. She just needed to survive fifteen more seconds, then somehow get back to his eye. Adrenaline dulled the pain as she weighted her leg. She didn't even remember hurting it. Her legs carried her anywhere but toward Jade.
Rendclaw chased after her, growling and snapping as he ran. It sounded almost like he was enjoying himself.
Left! Left! A cave go left!
Lorena turned on a dime and ran through the trees. Her eyes were blurred, her hair matted to her face with blood and sweat. She didn't stop to brush it away, she couldn't.
The cave came into focus and everything in her yelled for her not to enter it but she didn't care. Nothing in the cave could be worse than Rendclaw.
She pushed herself back against the wall, the blood on her hands mixing with the cool dirt to make a disgusting paste.
Rendclaw shoved his snout into the cave, but the entrance was too narrow for him to open his jaws.
She needed Jade. There was no point of using Gouge before that point.
Don't leave the cave. The cave is safe. He'll get bored and leave. I promise. Please don't get us killed.
That's not helping.
You're not helping!
Rendclaw shoved his snout into the cave, one long and crooked fang nearly reaching Lorena. She took a step back, then heard a low chime from behind her.
That's not good.
She turned to see a skeleton laying in the back of the cave a few feet away. The bones started to shake, then animate. A haunting cackle rose up from the chest cavity of bones as the skeleton took to life, dark shadows connecting the disjointed bones.
Skeleton of the Fallen, level 30