Episode 34: Dehitri Had a Dream
Under the radiant sun, Dehitri awoke in a palace atop the clouds. Having devoured scripture like daily bread, he instantly recognized this as the Heavenly Church's afterlife—the Heaven.
So that's it. I'm dead.
He felt a swell of pride. Serving the goddess with a pure heart had truly paid off. Sure, failing to slay the manticore stung a bit. But wasn't it thanks to his brothers' care that he'd reached paradise? All he had to do now was await the trumpet-blowing angels...
Then, someone appeared before Dehitri.
A woman?
She was dazzling—beyond words, a beauty like a living work of art. Overwhelmed by her transcendent allure, Dehitri instinctively dropped to his knees.
"My Lady."
The woman smiled faintly. Dehitri had guessed right. She was the mistress of the Heavenly Church.
"Delighted to meet you in person, Dehitri. But this isn't your time yet."
"...Pardon?"
Dehitri blinked in confusion at her words.
"Didn't you summon me, my Lady?"
"What are you on about? You got your guts ripped out by a manticore claw—who do you think sent it, me?"
"???"
Dehitri couldn't grasp 100% of the goddess's words. They were dreamlike, half-remembered echoes that slipped through his mind. She was the universe's greatest mystery incarnate, after all. So he filtered her casual tone—almost irreverent—into something fitting.
I have not called you to me.
But my Lady!
Your time has not yet come, my child. You have much left to do.
What must I do?
Spread my will far and wide. Aid the weak, perform good deeds. And...
The goddess smiled with otherworldly beauty.
Help my apostle, Ian, with all your might.
Ian...? The mage Ian?
Yes. That is your goddess's desire.
Dehitri's consciousness slowly faded.
...
When he opened his eyes.
"He's awake!"
"Brother! Are you coming to?"
Dozens of knightly brothers surrounded him, praying and weeping in turns. Amid them, a sweat-drenched young mage flashed a satisfied grin.
"How's it feel to cheat death?"
Ian...!
Dehitri recognized him instantly. The great mistress of the heavens had sent the mage Ian to save him...!
He seized Ian's hand in a vice grip.
Ian recoiled in horror at the sudden manhandling. "Whoa, don't drag me to hell with you...!"
But Dehitri's eyes were glazed; he saw nothing else. Truth be told, Ian was the only one bothered by that sort of thing. Everyone else had witnessed the miracle Ian performed.
"Mage Ian! You... by the great one's command, you saved me!"
Ian gave an awkward smile. Well, he couldn't exactly deny it. He'd wielded divine magic because the Heavenly Church's goddess had lent him her power. So he just rolled with it.
"Yeah. She said you had too much left to do, so I had to save you."
"!!!"
Dehitri reeled in shock. Ian's words matched the goddess's exactly! In truth, Ian had just winged it, but Dehitri would never doubt. This was undeniable divine revelation.
Dehitri struggled to rise and kneel, but everyone held him back lest his freshly packed guts spill again.
"Mage Ian! You are the apostle sent by the goddess!"
"...Huh?"
"This humble servant greets the apostle!"
The others, Ian included, tilted their heads at Dehitri's ravings. Apostle out of nowhere? Everyone knew Ian's miracle was impressive, but calling him a divine apostle for that? Overkill.
Divine magic was like that. Magic in general, really. Borrow enough mystery's power, get great results; otherwise, zilch. Ian's healing was top-notch... but probably because the patient was a fellow believer. Gods play favorites with their own.
In short, it was Ian's divine magic plus Dehitri's faith synergizing. Impressive, sure, but not apostle-worthy hysterics.
He must've seen illusions while delirious.
Makes sense. Let's keep an eye on him.
The knights humored Dehitri's ramblings. No one took his apostle talk seriously. Tracking the escaped manticore was priority.
"Couldn't finish it off?"
"...Forgive me, Elder."
"Nothing to apologize for. I'm the sorry one—I should've fought alongside you."
The manticore had fled, wounded. No catching a determined behemoth.
"Kekeke. Knew it."
Mage Mani chimed in smugly. Infuriating timing.
"Mani! If you hadn't cast that spell..."
"Ian would've been in danger."
"..."
Mani shut them down with one line. Peak intellectual flex.
"Don't mope. That's why we prepped poisoned weapons, right?"
The knights nodded. Instant kill would've been ideal, but Plan B it was. Mani's plant toxin would steadily whittle the manticore down.
"Back to the village first."
The knights gaped. "Let it go after cornering it?"
Ian got it perfectly. He'd chatted with the manticore via his summoning compendium update.
Carnivorous beasts, when wounded, hunt humans. None are as easy, plentiful, or tasty. — Demonite
"It's heading for human flesh."
"..."
Silence fell. Destination: obvious. A human village. Not just for food—the cunning, cruel beast would slaughter for revenge. Pure spiteful massacre.
"Elder, I'll send birds to track it."
"You sure? Could put you at risk."
Ian shook his head slowly. The manticore had pissed him off beyond measure. He wouldn't sleep till he saw it croak.
"We know it's no ordinary bastard now. Gotta see it through, right?"
The knights beamed. They'd warmed to this mage—comrade, scripture buddy. How could they not?
"Thanks, Ian."
"I'll tag along too!"
"As long as you don't overdo the beans."
"What?"
Laughter rippled. They'd wounded the beast and saved Dehitri—victory. Tension eased. But the monster lived.
"Oberon. Take the birds and track its trail."
The birds launched on command, pursuing the beast's scent. The knights rested briefly, checked gear, and resumed the hunt.
As Elder and Ian predicted, the manticore headed for the nearest settlement. Retaliation: "Touch the beast who hid so well? You'll regret it!" Brazen mindset for a monster doomed to extermination anyway. But preventing civilian deaths was priority.
"M-monster!"
At dusk, farmers heading home from fields faced a forest ambush. The manticore whipped its tail, firing venom barbs. Paralytic poison crippled on hit—terrifying.
"Eek!"
Farmers dropped like flies. A young one rushed to his fallen father mid-flight.
"Dad!"
Brandishing a pitchfork, he blocked the beast.
"G-get out of our village, you monster!"
Heroic defiance. Protagonist-tier line—not for a wounded lurker!
The manticore, caught off-guard, grinned creepily and circled.
It could kill instantly but savored torment—true bastard nature.
"Kehhehe. That's your old man?"
"!"
"Here's a deal: Kill him, bring him to me. Spare the rest."
The youth scanned the fallen. Trade one life for ten...?
"Can't count? Ten humans or one. Choose."
All lies. They'd die regardless—no mercy planned. Just delight in their agony.
Cornered humans panicked, rationality gone.
"...W-what are you doing, Jon! Do what it says!"
"Shut up, you idiot! Trust a monster?"
"Who's the idiot? Wanna die together?"
They bickered viciously. The manticore howled with laughter.
Chaos incarnate, unmasked Joker, grandma-lover. Knight stress melted away.
"...You gonna listen to the enemy?!"
So when the idiot youth swung his pitchfork, it barely annoyed.
Pity he didn't off his dad—smart cookie, oh well.
"Fine! Die then!"
The manticore swiped—
Whoosh!
"Graaaargh!"
An arrow from the woods pierced its eye. Elder hurled his bow, slashing its foreleg with longsword.
"Saint Santiago Knights! Battle formation!"
Knights encircled instantly. The manticore realized its complacency.
"You vermin! Want death?!"
It roared to intimidate. Futile against faith-forged warriors.
"In heaven's name! We judge you, foul beast!"
"Your head to the glorious sun!"
"Raaargh! Begone from my sight!"
They held formation fluidly—advance, retreat—like veteran hunters.
Meanwhile, Ian taunted from afar, grinding its nerves.
"Loser. All bark, no bite—what's it change?"
"Shut it, mage!"
Mages excel at trash talk anyway. Emotional manipulation? Magic enough.
"What can you do besides threats?"
"I'll chew your skull to mush...!"
"Yeah, can't, right? Can't break encirclement? You're dying here."
"Graaaah!"
Ian baited, knights herded... plan in motion. Into the wheat field (no wife waiting). Seedlings sprouted fresh.
Enter the herb mage.
"Children of the green! Grow!"
⟨ Verdant Bind ⟩
Seedlings surged, ensnaring limbs.
"Cheap tricks!"
Writhing futilely—living vines are tough. Soldiers call weeds "green monsters" for a reason.
"Hah! Break free if you can, beast!"
Mani crowed confidently. Toxin had sapped its strength—death sentence.
"Now, brothers!"
Knights hurled gourds (Mani the seed collector). Filled with her tree sap—fire arrow fuel.
"Ian! Your turn!"
Eredis taught him flame mastery. Pyro entry's hellish; Ian cheated via mentorship.
He snapped fingers at the beast—flame mage classic. Clear skies, mysteries frolicking—perfect conditions.
"Flames! Ignite!"
⟨ Pyre Burst ⟩
Low-flash sap erupted. Drenched manticore blazed in green netting.
Pyre. Fitting end for a man-eater.