Kneeling Demons (6)
The newly dug tunnel was far rougher than any we'd traversed so far—jagged, littered with tumbling rocks, and utterly unmaintained. Strangely, none of the miners who'd been scurrying about earlier were anywhere in sight. A new tunnel should have been a hive of activity, constantly hacking at the walls and hauling debris topside. As we pressed deeper, that eerie noise persisted without pause, and by now I had a pretty good idea what it was.
The lanterns spaced along the walls grew sporadic, then abruptly snuffed out. Beyond the reach of their light lay a pitch-black veil. I activated my night vision and stepped into the darkness. Amplifying the faint glow from behind me, my vision shifted to a hazy green tint, picking out the rocky debris on the floor.
At the tunnel's end, I clearly spotted the source of the sound. As always, my gut feeling of dread had been spot on. An overturned cart lay on its side, surrounded by abandoned pickaxes, a extinguished lantern on the ground, and a severed forearm. Hulking trolls crouched there, hoisting miners' corpses in both hands and tearing into them with wet, smacking bites.
The dead-end wall had been completely smashed through, revealing another crude burrow beyond. It all clicked. This tunnel had punched straight into a troll den somewhere on the far side.
I drew my Holy Sword, and the trolls whipped their heads toward the sound. Detecting the monster, the blade blazed white-hot, forcing the trolls to shield their eyes with their arms.
"Come on, then. I'll kill you all."
The trolls flung aside their grisly meals and charged with guttural roars. I raised the sword high and cleaved from the lead troll's neck down through its flank. Hot blood sprayed across my upper body in a violent arc.
"Fuck...!"
The stench made me curse involuntarily. As the troll's bisected corpse pitched forward, another lunged, clawing at me. Too close for a swing, I twisted aside and smashed my fist into its face. My knuckles sank into its lumpy nose, pulverizing bone and burrowing deep into its skull. The gruesome sensation of crushed brain matter made me shudder as I yanked my hand free. My gauntlet was caked in marrow and gore.
I hacked and slashed my way forward relentlessly. Even in the gloom, the sword's glittering arcs mowed down trolls in rapid succession. The first batch I'd encountered were already reduced to meat piles, and more kept pouring through the breached wall. Part of me wanted to wipe them out in one go, but that risked collapsing the entire mine.
By the time troll corpses had piled up, blocking over half the tunnel, a smaller one suddenly burst from the heap, brushing past me. A juvenile I'd missed amid the bodies. Smaller than a human, sure, but far beyond what these pickaxe-wielding miners could handle. I spun and gave chase.
"Gaaarrrgh!"
A bloodcurdling scream echoed from the tunnel ahead—the fork where Pelle waited.
"Pelle!"
Bursting out, I saw a few miners huddled on the ground, trembling. Their gazes fixed on the juvenile troll, hoisted high enough to scrape the ceiling. A thick, scale-covered hand gripped its neck—Pelle's. Her talons, like an eagle's, were buried deep in its flesh.
"Pelle...?"
"Ah..."
Her right arm fully liberated, scales creeping up to her jaw, she spotted me and hastily dropped the troll. Her slit pupils darted wildly in confusion. The mangled body hit the floor, and the miners frothed at the mouth as they fled.
Trolls were tough; it was still twitching. I severed its head with the sword. Even after it died, the blade—sensing her unleashed demon form—continued glowing faintly. Glancing back, her arm had reverted to human, a slender white wrist peeking from the tattered sleeve. The sword's light faded.
"Let's go. Nothing here."
I grabbed her wrist; she couldn't tear her eyes from the troll corpse. She flinched and turned to me.
"Come on, Pelle."
"Yes..."
She followed docilely, wrist in my grip. The inner commotion and fleeing miners' shouts had cleared everyone out. Emerging into the sunlight, we found the rest armed with pickaxes and tools.
"What of the trolls?!"
"They're coming! Block the entrance quick!"
The miners cursed my lie and surged past toward the mine. Dodging them, I bolted for the hell horse.
"Th-that woman's a monster! She summoned the trolls!"
The ones who'd witnessed Pelle's transformation were causing a scene, rallying others.
"I saw it clear as day! Her arm covered in scales!"
"What bullshit is that right now?!"
Those who hadn't seen shrugged it off as nonsense, halting uncertainly.
"More inside! The tunnel connected to their den!"
My shout sent them muttering back to the mine.
"Her sleeve's torn! I swear! She's a demon! Grab that bitch!"
I ignored it all, dragging Pelle down the slope.
We rode far from the mine before I reined in the hell horse.
"You okay?"
Pelle hunched forward, shivering slightly. I removed my right gauntlet and offered it.
"Put this on for now."
She shook her head, refusing, so I forced it onto her right hand.
"Hurt anywhere?"
"No..."
Her usual icy tone trembled now. A demon, sure, but she'd only handled paperwork in the Demon King's castle—first time in real combat, probably.
"Good job. You saved those miners."
"They... saw I'm a demon..."
"They'll write it off as nonsense. Don't worry."
But her shaking persisted. Killing a troll barehanded in the dark must've rattled her badly. Two mines left... The sun was dipping; even one more would be tight. We needed to ride now, but...
"We'll head back and finish tomorrow."
She looked up.
"I'm fine... let's hurry..."
"You sure?"
She just nodded. I spurred the hell horse onward.
At the third mine, Pelle gasped at the black maw. Her face said she was done with tunnels.
"Stay here. I'll check alone."
I left her, chatted with the overseer, and ventured in. Half-drawing the sword yielded nothing. Strike three.
Outside, the sun hung half over the western ridge. Pelle stood with her back to the mine, bathed in its glow.
"Nothing here."
Approaching from behind, she startled and turned.
"Then the last one..."
"Too late to make it. Can't search in the dark. We'll stay another night in Apenzel."
Heading to the horse, I tallied silver: seventy from Lithelm, thirty on lodging last night, forty left. Plan was catch Asenaris today, overnight, leave tomorrow. Now derailed. If we snag it morning, fine; past noon, we'd arrive Lithelm after dark even riding hard. Need to pinch pennies. Pelle gets single; I'll take dorm.
To avoid disaster, nab Asenaris tomorrow or bust.
Back at the inn, I rearranged rooms. Pelle kept hers; I moved to a six-bed dorm. She fretted over the tight budget, but no choice. No bank nearby.
During dinner, the innkeeper kept eyeing her torn sleeve.
"What the hell happened?"
"Hiking."
"Ha!"
After, in the hall, I bid her goodnight.
"Sleep well."
"...Yeah."
She entered; I went to my room. Three cramped bunks held a motley crew of varied hues, sprawled anyhow. Beats sleeping outside in the freeze. I claimed a corner bed.
Midnight, I woke. Amid snores and howling wind, I caught voices from downstairs—the innkeeper and a man.
"They're definitely staying here?"
"Handsome guy and cold woman? Her sleeve's torn."
"That's them. Where? This floor?"
I'd underestimated the northern Grayhounds. Thought they'd dismiss it; instead, they're checking thoroughly. Grabbed my bag, slipped to Pelle's door. Locked; I knocked softly.
"It's me."
She was awake, opened promptly.
"Pack up. People outside."
She got it instantly, stuffing her bag and donning her cloak. As she finished, heavy pounding shook the door.
"Open up!"
I kicked it hard. The whole thing flew off, slamming the guy behind into the opposite wall.