A screeching amalgam of Vampire, Elf and Green Fire is what I pictured in my mind when I threw the vial of Almarian Fire at the Sanaedhel. Not this massive explosion sending slobs of fire everywhere. The birds tried to get it out of their feather but all it did was to spread the fire further. One hit me in the chest, burning my skin into a good of red and black. I looked to Aylwin for help but he was hit too. His biceps are burning and he’s wailing in pain. He pulled off the mask, along with the green fire, and threw it at the monster. With that in mind, I ran towards the monster and unpossessed Gren. The fire burst into a giant pillar of flame burning both the Witch and Gren. God, I’d miss that body.
The Sanaedhel screeched until she was all but ash and a two red orbs which I assumed to be her eyes.
It was lucky that Carim didn’t get any of the fires on his skin. I removed his binds and awakened him with a minor rejuvenating hex he taught me. He woke up with groggy eyes but when he saw the burning mess behind us, his eyes grew wide open.
“You used the Almarian Fire?” He asked.
“He did,” Aylwin replied. “And you could have warned that you’re going to throw it, Jon. See what you did to one of my masks.”
There’s nothing to see as it’s ash just like Gren’s body.
“I didn’t know it would explode like that and we’re in the heat of the battle. Everything is going fast.”
“Almarian Fire is known to explode and it would be best to remember that” I grabbed Carim hands and helped him stand. “You should also know how to focus during battles. The beat of the battle will give you strength but it clouds your mind. Utilize the strength but retain clarity.”
“I’m um… sorry. I didn’t know.”
“What’s important is we’re alive.”
“Barely,” Aylwin scoffed. “I don’t even have a face with me.”
—
The town of Rublyn was more desolate than before. Most of the husks we fought turned to dust like their master but some retained their human semblance. Those who have their innards turned hollow died on the spot while those who are early in their transformation turned back into a human. Aylwin went to those who died and used his arcane magic to retrieve their faces. It was a sick thing to see. There’s no carving involved but seeing the sinews of skin and fat between the head and face is making me throw up. He got around ten faces but wore the body of a man with green hair and in his mid-20s. He wore his hunter’s clothing while he stashed the other faces in a satchel he looted.
When we returned to the inn, it was surprising to find the innkeeper by the fire. He is sane and he doesn’t remember us in any way. All that he remembers is that the town is facing a Marauder problem in the South. A priestess came in one day and promised that she’ll purge the problem beseeching their goods. It was a day later when the shrouded priestess returned with a tall pointy-eared woman beside her. The Sanaedhel turned the Marauder camp into husks and she turned the priestess too when they confronted on the road. With the band of armed men behind her, it was a piece of cake to invade their defenseless town. The townspeople became livestock for the Sanaedhel. Those whose body is fully drained of blood either became husks or nests for her breeding murder of crows. Some townspeople hid like the innkeeper but he was found soon.
In exchange for saving the town, the innkeeper allowed us to stay in the inn. Free of charge, of course. Other people came out from their hiding spots in the following days. The mayor hid in his vault along with his flock of distraught milk-maidens. The innkeeper told him of our deeds and we were compensated in gold and more provisions. With these rewards, we had more rewards that we had when we left Proudspire. We don’t need to sell our wares anymore to keep up afloat on the road.
On the fourth day, we left. Aylwin doesn’t want to leave. As it turns out, he possessed a local figure in their town named ‘Farkas’. He’s a chick magnet and Aylwin took that opportunity to visit every whorehouse in the town. It took serious convincing from me and Carim’s strength to pull him from a Wench’s tight embrace.
“Hnggg…” Aylwin groaned. He’s buck naked and it seemed that he’s been drinking all day. “Let’s stay for another day, please…”
“No, we’ve been bogged with obstacles since we left Proudspire and you’re not going to be one for the second time. Let’s go, and take a bath would you?”
“Jon, tell him to let us stay. I have a day with Big Bertha and after that, we’ll go.”
“What say you, Jon?”