Chapter 12: Deadly Poison
TL: Scaramochi
***
The battle with the demon wolves was fierce, but we won.
The three vanguards, tossed about by the quick movements of the wolves, seemed to be able to manage a three-on-one battle. It was worth it that I pretended to be upset and run away to take on one of them.
I was a bad match for a demon wolf who have speed as their weapon. It was also significant that one of them, wounded by magic, ran away in the middle of the battle.
I retrieve the ring from the lump of flesh that used to be human.
The clothes clinging to the lump of flesh made me think it was a priestess.
The other body already had no hands, so I ripped open the belly of the demon wolf and retrieved it.
It was probably a mage.
The vanguard was turning away, saying it wasn't their job, and Gina was throwing up with her hands on the wall, so I cleaned it up by myself.
I poured some of the special oil I had brought with me and lit the fire. For a brief moment, we clasped our hands together.
I couldn't let the bereaved family see them like this, and it would be a pity if they were to be fed to the monsters. I don't want them to be resurrected by the necromancer as an undead. That's why the dungeon victims were to be cremated after collecting their belongings. That was the rule.
I backed away as one of the wood golems appeared, perhaps lured by the flames.
My shortsword couldn't do much damage to the solid wooden body, so I let one of the three men with a battle axe do the work.
I can only watch as the vanguard takes their time taking them down, wishing I could just set them on fire with a firebolt and end this quickly. But I couldn't say that to the others in the sense that they were useless.
After a while, I found an archer with the throat slit. The fingers had been cut off, so I retrieved an empty arrow barrel.
Further on, I found a charred treasure chest and black bloodstains in a hollow in the wall of a three-way street with a side street to the left. It seemed to have been opened carelessly and exploded. I think the contents is didn't retrieve.
The box had managed to retain it's original form, but it crumbled to pieces when I touched it.
Inside was a single flask of green liquid. It was a powerful antidote. A useful tool that can eliminate any poison. If I bought it at a store, it would cost at least eight silver coins. It was expensive for what you could get in the second layer, but it was a small price to pay for a life.
The monster must have attacked them from a side street when they were caught in a trap. Unable to act in unison, they split up.
We followed the trail of blood from that spot and found that the blood trail split in two at a crossroads.
I headed for the passage that turned right first, and found something moving on the floor ahead of it.
A hobgoblin of good build was moving it's body up and down impatiently. Underneath it, I see what looks like brown legs.
Ted, Zoe, and Comba rush over to the hobgoblin, which rushes to it's feet, but is easily knocked down as it has no weapon in it's hands.
But it was too late. The empty eyes of the female fighter, lying in the dirt and foul smell, reflected nothing.
Gina holds me back as I try to clean up the mess. Her jawline is hard.
"I'll do it."
I shrug and hand the oil urn to Gina, though I know the dead don't care.
The vanguard group and two people on each side of the aisle stand guard with their backs to the bodies.
We went back to the crossroads and turned right. From the first aisle, it is a straight path. The passage leads to a wider area. To our left, we saw metal armor reflecting the light. As I approach it, I see it lying folded on top of itself. The armor is distorted and there is no helmet in sight. Both men had reddish-purple skin and were not breathing.
"They've been poisoned!"
Someone in the trio said.
We all looked around. From the looks of it, it was poisoned by some kind of poison. If it was a deadly poison, it would be troublesome.
Poisoning was a troublesome symptom that couldn't be eliminated by the low-level magic of a novice priest. There was nothing immediate, but if it wasn't treated within half a day, the person would die.
As soon as we retrieved the remains of the two victims, poured oil on them, and lit a fire, something fell from the ceiling in scattered pieces. It was a myriad of ice serpents.
"I've been bitten!"
"I was bitten, too."
The vanguard group screamed and ran toward the passageway from which they had come.
They were panicking.
I headed for the exit, shrugging off the rain of snakes with my shortsword and knife.
There was a small scream and Gina was standing there. Not wanting to leave her alone, I put the knife in the sheath on my shoulder and ran down the aisle, pulling Gina by the hand.
When I was sure I had moved to a safe place, I stopped.
When I looked back, I saw Gina with her hood off, pale and shaking. She sounded like she was about to cry and pleaded with me.
"T-There's a snake in my robe......."
"Did you get bit?"
Gina shakes her head, wincing.
"It still squirming inside. Take it off......."
The winning look she had earlier was overshadowed, and she looked like she was about to cry.
"Why don't you just flip up your robe and take it off?"
"No, I can't. I'm not good with snakes."
I knew it would be a hassle, but I told her to undo the waistband and roll up the robe.
I could see a surprisingly large breast bulge pushing up the thin material. I wish Tiana would grow up to this size.
An out-of-place thought crossed my mind when a blue and green snake was crawling under the white sheath.
I lifted up the thin material and quickly caught the snake's head and pulled it off. I was about to say, "I got it." when I received a strong slap on the cheek.
My hand loosened unintentionally, and the snake slithered out, it's fangs digging into the gap between my leather gloves and armor.
The pain made me throw the snake into the air, and I took the knife that was resting on my shoulder and decapitated it.
"Ouch. What the hell are you doing?!"
I glared at Gina and she apologized with a pale face.
"I'm sorry. I was reflexive......"
We were both left in the second layer of the dungeon by the vanguard, both of us ravenously poisoned.
0 Comments