My Demons

Deep within the pitch-black confines of an underground waterway, eerie sounds filled the air – water droplets splashed onto the stone floor, insects clung to the damp walls, and distant howls reverberated meaninglessly. Amidst this haunting atmosphere, an intense tension hung in the air.

Arnal, the archer, felt suffocated by the silence and couldn’t help but whisper, “Why did we suddenly stop?”

“Shush!” Grania warned, prompting Arnal to obediently fall silent.

Observing Arnal’s impatience, I couldn’t help but wonder why she, being trained by her renowned hunter grandfather, lacked the patience that was crucial for a hunter.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I heightened my alertness and focused my senses, picking up on a faint noise.

“Kiiikiii, Kiiikiii!”

The unmistakable sound of a large rodent and a moving horde became apparent, indicating an imminent ambush.

“It’s Ratmen – they’re coming this way!”

“Ratmen? How many?”

“Seems like a lot! A whole lot!”

“Damn, again?”

Grania, positioned at the rear, grumbled as she stepped closer to my right, raising her shield. Ellen, without hesitation, fired her crossbow.

Bang, whoosh!

Flames erupted just seven steps away from me, thanks to Ellen’s molotov cocktail.

“Watch it! That was too close!”

“Oh, sorry.”

Ellen’s casual apology seemed out of place, and I wondered if she was still upset about the incident from earlier.

Suppressing my frustration, I refrained from saying anything since the others were watching us closely.

Nonetheless, the flames Ellen conjured helped Grania and me block one side of the underground waterway effectively.

Ratatat.

Suddenly, small figures began pouring out from the corner ahead.

As the dim lantern light reflected off their brown fur, Arnal swiftly released her arrow.

“Kiiikiii!”

The leading Ratman was struck by an arrow and fell, but was immediately trampled over by its companions, disappearing in the swarm.

“Keep shooting!” I urged, injecting blood into a tiny hole on my glove. The blood from the blade’s tip enveloped the weapon entirely, giving it an eerie red glow.

As the blood dyed the blade, the horde of Ratmen continued their relentless advance from the corner.

Ratmen, though small, were dangerous when they attacked in swarms, especially considering their crude spears. With their numbers, we’d be at risk of being overwhelmed if we couldn’t avoid at least one in ten.

“This won’t work. There are just too many!”

“Luke, the spell!”

“Everyone, hold your symbols!”

Upon hearing this, I quickly grabbed the small straw ball I had attached inside my shield.

Simultaneously, Luke shouted in a strange, low voice:

“Krik-iz bezdny, yaaal—!”

Whoom!

His long, drawn-out shout of ‘yaal-‘ echoed, and a momentary dark whirlwind burst along the waterway.

“Kiiikiii!”

“Kiiikiii, Kiiikiii!”

A mysterious magic washed over the faces of the Ratmen.

Most of them were writhing on the floor, glowing, while some turned and ran in the opposite direction. The most affected among them shivered helplessly, their heads slammed onto the floor.

The black magic spell, ‘Scream of the Abyss,’ unleashed an unknown fear from another dimension, incapacitating the Ratmen.

Fortunately, thanks to the symbols provided by Luke, my teammates and I were shielded from the effects of the magic.

I watched with a hint of worry as Luke cast the spell, but luckily, everyone managed to hold their symbols. It was only our second day, yet it seemed like we were getting along well as a team.

Feeling confident in our abilities, I shouted, “Grania, take them down!”

In perfect sync, Grania and I lunged into the paralyzed Ratmen.

Dealing with these large rat-like creatures, who were showing their vulnerable bellies and backs, proved to be a simple task.

Poof!

“Kiiikiii!”

As we moved swiftly, stabbing at the Ratmen, I couldn’t help but admire the potent effects of the ‘Scream of the Abyss’.

This magic induced terror was ineffective against inanimate objects or entities with strong mental fortitude. However, for beings like the Ratmen, who relied solely on their numbers and rushed headlong into battle, it worked like a charm.

The admiration was brief, as the Ratmen, who were frantically twitching, eventually shook off the magic and regained consciousness.

“Chiik!”

“Chijik, Jijijik!”

As the Ratmen prepared to retaliate, Grania held her ground, cautiously retreating, and I followed suit, swinging my Falchion defensively.

While Grania and I regrouped at the edge of the flames, Arnal’s arrows and Ellen’s wind fists continued to bombard the Ratmen relentlessly.

Amidst the chaos of fallen and scattering Ratmen, a sudden intense shockwave erupted.

“Ventus, Ictum!”

A chiming voice accompanied the wind fist’s release, generating a powerful sound wave that shattered the skull of a Ratman.

Crack!

I sighed inwardly, knowing that Ellen tended to lose herself in the thrill of using magic, and quickly cautioned her, “Hey! Conserve your mana!”

“…This is fine, right?”

“Ellen!”

I kept a watchful eye on her since she acquired magic, and although her mana score was high, she needed to be mindful of her usage.

Soon, weakened wind fists began to rain down due to my reminder.

Whoosh.

A heavy wind sound accompanied a Ratman charging towards me, but the creature tumbled to the ground before reaching me.

As it struggled to regain its senses, the other Ratmen that had charged alongside it were all wiped out.

Swiftly, I severed the latecomer’s neck and surveyed the scene. Most of the forty-plus Ratmen were dead, and the remaining seventeen or so were fleeing.

Grania, standing beside me, shook off the flesh stuck to her blade and asked, “Are we going after them?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure.”

I strained my ears to hear their fleeing footsteps.

Ratmen in the game were quite a nuisance. If even one or two managed to escape during a hunt, they would return with reinforcements.

The horde that attacked us was undoubtedly led here by a Ratman that escaped a few hours ago.

“Surely they won’t bring another horde?”

Luke responded to my mumble, “I don’t think so.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Even for Ratmen, forming a large group exceeding fifty is extremely rare. Especially in sewers, where there’s not much to feed on, this is probably the end.”

“I see.”

It was a bit disappointing, as capturing and bringing their tails to the guards would have earned us a bounty of one coin per tail.

Shaking off the regret, I sheathed my Falchion. The Ratmen’s footsteps were no longer audible.

“Alright, let’s start the clean-up here.”

Upon my declaration, the party got to work promptly.

Reflecting on my experience playing Dark World, I knew that party hunting wasn’t always better than solo hunting.

In the game, as the number of heroes in a server increased, enemies’ stats significantly scaled up as well. However, in reality, the enemies’ strength remained constant regardless of the party size.

Our party, now consisting of five members, was able to advance to the fourth floor of the sewer quickly. With myself and Grania as warriors, Arnal as an archer, and Ellen and Luke as spellcasters, our composition was quite effective.

My physical prowess and Grania’s skill with a blade formed a formidable front line, and the advantages of having more people extended beyond combat situations. We could carry a greater variety and amount of supplies and effectively guard multiple directions while on the move. Additionally, tasks like cleaning up the battlefield became more efficient with more hands at work.

As I poured water onto the blood-stained ground, creating a barrier to prevent the Ratmen’s approach, I noticed Luke approaching the sewer entrance and gestured for him to stay back.

“Luke, I’ll take care of the bodies over there.”

“Sure, are you sure about that? The water is dirty.”

“It’s fine. I’ll use my sword to retrieve them.”

Luke understood my intention and moved to join Grania.

Grania was busy collecting the severed tails of the Ratmen, with Arnal, who had finished retrieving her arrows, assisting her.

As I gathered the Ratmen’s bodies I had fished out of the sewer, I noticed Ellen standing idly by.

She wasn’t particularly useful in these situations, so I had assigned her the task of keeping watch over our surroundings while we cleaned up the battlefield. The flame arrow hovering above her palm served this purpose.

…But for some reason, her idleness irritated me.

“Hey.”

Startled by the intensity in my voice, Ellen furrowed her brows in response.

“What’s wrong?”

“Forget it, we’ll talk about it later.”

Whether my stern tone had an impact or not, Ellen’s eyes betrayed a hint of anxiety.

Leaving her be, I continued dragging the tail-less Ratmen, and as I glanced back, I noticed Luke standing in front of a pile of dirt with a sardonic smile on his face.

“You’re quite good at being mean too.”

“Mean? What are you talking about?”

“Your unknown words can cause pain, as you can see. It’s evident that Ellen is troubled by them.”

I looked back at Ellen, who was now rolling her eyes in agitation, feeling somewhat guilty for my earlier outburst.

Did I go too far? Well, it served its purpose.

Suppressing my urge to laugh, I tried to maintain a serious demeanor.

“I did it on purpose. You should reflect on your actions and consider their consequences.”

“What actions are you talking about?”

I frowned, adding more dirt to the pile.

“It’s okay if you act impulsively outside of combat, but not during a battle. I’m worried it might lead to an accident.”

“And that made you angry?”

“Well, not exactly angry…”

As my words trailed off, Luke started speaking while scraping away some coarse tree barks with his foot.

“But be gentle with her. Ellen might seem tough, but she’s been through a lot in her life. Someone needs to help her heal.”

“Really? You figured that out in just two days?” I asked, a mix of amusement and curiosity in my tone.

“Yes. It’s quite obvious.”

“True, Ellen isn’t a complex character, but you shouldn’t worry too much. She’s capable of being strong when needed.”

“I’m not worried about her abilities, of course. I would never underestimate a sorceress of the La-Palais Palace. But… I do feel sorry for her, always trying to gauge her master’s mood, almost like a kitten. She’s not as she appears.”

Master’s kitten? He’s got it all wrong.

While I pondered, Luke’s gaze settled on Ellen. There was a faint glow in his eyes.

With admiration in his voice, he muttered, “I don’t know how to describe her. A shining gem? A young sprout from a majestic tree? Perhaps a budding flower would be more fitting. She’s had a rough life, but her radiance hasn’t dimmed.”

“……”

“If someone takes good care of her, she’ll quickly shed her vulnerabilities. Then she’ll have a soul purer and more powerful than anyone else’s.”

“You keep saying that.”

He talks about souls.

If I had heard this on Earth, I would have dismissed it as pseudoscience, but coming from Luke, I couldn’t simply ignore it. After all, he’s an unofficial necromancer, able to control the dead.

“Every time I see her, I’m amazed. Ellen undoubtedly comes from a special bloodline.”

I recalled the unique scenario of the elemental wizard, where one regains the power of their ancestors. Considering the adventure in the dragon’s nest, it’s safe to assume that Ellen’s ancestors were remarkable.

But he only says such things when he looks at Ellen. What about me? I’m a Phoenix, a hero too.

“But Luke, don’t you sense anything about me?”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Luke, who had been lost in thought, finally turned his gaze towards me.

“I mean my soul.”

“Ah, your soul?”

What’s with that distant look in his eyes? It’s bothering me.

“Well, I don’t sense anything particularly unique.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, but… you seem to have experienced some difficult times. I see quite a few scars.”

Scars. It’s not a negative thing, but it does make me feel uneasy.

But whose soul did Luke see? The Phoenix’s? Or Kim Seung-soo’s?

I’m not sure. I want to ask if it’s a soul from this world, but I guess I can’t, right?

Perhaps interpreting my puzzled expression as disappointment, Luke quickly added,

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. Phoenix is undoubtedly from a noble bloodline. You possess the most exceptional physique I’ve ever seen among blood manipulators. You might even be a descendant of Jahak, the hero from the myths.”

I’m not a dog to be praised for my lineage. It’s awkward, even though I know there’s no hidden intent in his words.

As Luke lifted a tail-less Ratman, he suddenly chuckled.

“Hehe. Now that I think about it, it’s quite intriguing.”

“What is?”

“You and Ellen. An unprecedented soul and a body resembling a hero. Two individuals like you becoming companions— isn’t it a curious fate?”

Saying this, Luke glanced between me and Ellen.

Then, he burst into chuckles, wearing an expression of pride, as though admiring a masterpiece of art.

This old man seems a little eccentric too.