193 Chapter 193. Apex of Misery
Positioning his minions around him, Michael quietly watched his surroundings. Any more attempts to converse with the woman would earn him only contempt.
He couldn't see why the fight was necessary yet, but he knew that Airidah strongly believed that her choices were correct.
The only problem was that Michael heard the exact words from Lilith in Nevesk's chapel after witnessing her descent there.
And if one thing was certain, it was that the Necromancer didn't want to repeat the tragedy the demoness caused there.
A strong sense of unease shook his mind, and he felt the hairs on his head stand up, even if it was long to his shoulders. Realizing what was happening, Michael quickly used Evade to dash to the side.
*CRACK* *BOOM*
Looking at the small crater left behind by the lightning bolt, his face turned sour. His minions received a similar treatment, and a single bolt was enough to remove half the Life Points from the Reapers and around 70% of the Cold Mages.
'Luckily, my Golem is tanky enough. The problem is that Airidah is still hidden. If it's a Stealth skill... then let's try this.'
*ROAAAAR*
A ghastly roar escaped the Quarterback's throat as it used his taunting ability. Then, out of the shadows, Airidah appeared and cast two spells at it.
One was a small whirlwind that turned into a five-meter tornado and exploded upon hitting the Golem, sending him stumbling ten meters away. The second was the same Lightning Storm the Risen Remains used.
Its damaging power was obviously less, but Michael didn't want to take any chances. He immediately cast Decrepify and lunged at the Druid.
Slowed, Airidah couldn't retreat in time, and the Necromancer's sword, as well as an illusionary scythe, cut through her shoulder. Reap successfully created a Corpse, which Michael immediately used Corpse Tendrils on.
Unfortunately, the vines pierced through the empty air as Airidah vanished.
'The wound was too shallow. Still, I managed to dig into the bone, so she should be unable to use her left hand anymore. As for her invisibility, I can take care of it again with the same method.'
Solitude was flat but only about ten square meters. Since Airidah chose this place as their battleground, she wouldn't leave the ring.
Patiently waiting, another massive bolt of lightning zeroed in on his head. After evading the first one, a second one sniped his landing place, forcing Michael to use Blood Mist.
"AAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
After his form congealed back three seconds later, Michael's body was still shaking. It was the first time he felt such ridiculous pain while in his Blood Mist form.
Confusedly, he looked at his full Life Points and couldn't make heads or tails of the situation.
Once Golem's taunt was off cooldown, he used it and assaulted Airidah. Unfortunately, his Skeletons died to the continuous Lightning Storm the Druid was casting as if it was free.
Annoyed, the Necromancer didn't summon them back since they would die again, and it would only be a waste of Corpses. Instead, he kept evading and damaging the woman every time he could.
After more than half an hour of dodging and chasing, the Druid was at half hit-points. Then, she made the biggest mistake she could.
'Summoning!? Against me? You must have dementia!'
Through the two Wraiths she summoned, Airidah turned invulnerable, and the torrents of lightning strikes and small tornadoes chasing him increased considerably.
Getting rid of the Wraiths removed the invulnerability, but Michael had to use Bone Storm to tank most of the damage. This didn't work as planned, as eight of the twelve Corpses he prepared to deal with the woman were gone, but fortunately, getting zapped or hit with exploding whirlwinds didn't kill him as a result.
The struggle continued, and Michael kept stacking Corpses as Airidah kept chanting druidic spells. Earth spikes and vines slithering and locking onto his feet, added to the lightning and tornadoes, made the woman a nightmare to deal with.
Unfortunately for her, after becoming invulnerable and summoning four Wraiths when she hit 25% Life Points, the Necromancer had created sufficient Corpses after enduring lightning strikes and evading all other spells she threw his way.
'My Quarterback is gone, and I cannot use his taunt until he rejoins the battle. But... he is no longer needed.'
Detonating all the Corpses on the peak, a thick, dark miasma rose from the ground that not even the wind and rain could wash away.
Seeing the damage numbers appearing above seemingly nothingness, Michael cast another Decrepify on that area and charged in. Using Reap again, his sword cut diagonally from above where he thought Airidah was, drawing a large swathe of blood.
The woman fell to the ground, and her 'Boss' status was gone. Judging by the many wounds Michael inflicted on her, no potions could save her.
Blood flew out of her lips with every cough as her lifeforce weakened considerably. She only had minutes at best.
[*Cough* The stronger prevails... so be it...](Airidah)
"*Sigh* was this really needed? What of your people? Because of this single mistake, you ruined the prestige that took an entire life to build."
[It was the right choice, Wanderer.](Airidah)
"I can't argue semantics with you, Druid. We don't have the time. What did you give Lilith?"
[I... I told her of the wards around Astaroth's prison... how to break them...](Airidah)
"Prison!? Shit!"
[*Sigh* My people have forgotten what it took to defeat Astaroth... *Cough* they must learn again...](Airidah)
"And if they can't? If Lilith awakens Astaroth, and nobody can defeat him this time?"
[If they cannot vanquish him... how can they stand against the full might of Hell... *Cough*](Airidah)
The woman's breathing stopped, and her face looked strangely peaceful. Shaking his head, Michael had his minions dig into the dirt and rock with their weapons and hands after resummoning them, building a proper burial site for the Druid.
"You liked watching the storm from here, so I hope it serves as a decent resting place. I don't know if your choice was right, even if it technically makes sense. There were better options to choose from, such as asking for help. Nobody is born alone in this world. That's why we can ask others to get us through tough times. Is what makes us humans..."
[ Main Quest complete - Apex of Misery
Reward 1: 56,196 experience points
Reward 2: 3,430 gold coins. ]
[ Main Quest issued - Parting Embers
Objective: Speak with Yorin in Braestaig
Description: Airidah could not be reasoned with and had to be stopped. Now Scosglen has lost one of its greatest Druids and a hero of old. You should return to Yorin in Braestaig. ]
Soaked by the rain, Michael returned to Braestaig on horseback. With Airidah gone, most of the spirits found peace and returned to their slumber.
As for the others, his horse simply ran faster than them.
Upon entering the outpost, he found Arlo and his daughter at the inn.
[You're back.](Arlo)
"Mhm. How's Braestaig treating you?"
[*Scoff* I trust Chieftain Asgail. Can't say as much for the shiny sprags and their preaching. All I've been getting from them is hard eyes.](Arlo)
[Isn't that because you're giving them hard eyes, too, Dad?](Maisie)
"..."
[...might be. But they bloody deserve it.](Arlo)
That earned laughter and cheers from the other glenfolk hiding in the inn from the rain, making the Necromancer roll his eyes.
These people were unsavageable.
"How is Yorin fairing?"
[*Sigh* I see he carries the burden of his father. His promise, his failures... A child shouldn't suffer from their parents' misdeeds...](Arlo)
[Do you have misdeeds, dad?](Maisie)
[Pfft! None to compare to these Cathedral gobshites.](Arlo)
This time, even Michael laughed at their antics. Arlo was hardheaded and didn't seem to back off from a verbal confrontation until his daughter intervened and put him in his place.
It was both adorable and amusing to watch.
"You can return home whenever you want. It's safe now."
[Ah... I see...](Arlo)
[That means you talked some sense into Airidah?](Maisie)
"Not exactly..."
[What happened there?](Maisie)
Looking tonguetied at the girl's clear eyes, Michael was sent into a daze. Was it truly the best course of action to kill Airidah? What if she could be talked sense into?
What if he had restrained her and tried a more peaceful way to solve this instead? If not, he could've run away. Nothing was stopping him from doing that.
Seeing Michael's paling face, Arlo furrowed his brows and placed a hand on Maise's head, drawing her attention.
[Easy, lass. Best to leave some things unsaid...](Arlo)
Walking out of the inn in uncomfortably wet clothes, he found Merryn to hand the runic charm. A person died, guilty or not.
But the mother and child had no sin to be punished for due to the greed of a thief.
[You're back!](Merryn)
"Hmm. I've brought the charm."
[Thank you! Truly! I was scared when I saw Yorin return alone, but he said you can handle it by yourself. I'm happy to see he was right!](Merryn)
The woman walked inside the forge where he caught a glimpse of a bed on which someone rested.
[ Side Quest complete - Stolen Artifice
Reward 1: 11,239 experience points
Reward 2: 1,960 gold coins
Reward 3: Salvage Cache. ]
Caught in his thoughts, he returned to the Waypoint, where he found Yorin talking with the sultry Chieftain.
Next to them, the strange pile of wooden beams he had seen previously when Asgail and the Knight were bickering had not turned into a weird totem. Turning his energy vision on, he saw the wooden structure drawing energy from the earth and extending tendrils to the walls.
[ Talismans, candles, and carvings decorate this central totem. The woody, almost sweet smell of burning pine hangs in the air. It seems the commitment to the Old Ways is strong here. ]
Turning from the Sanctuary's introduction to find the Yorin's hopeful eyes shining, Michael nodded after taking a deep breath.
"I found Airidah."
[How did it go?](Yorin)
"...she's at peace now, I hope."
Calmly, the Necromancer explained the course of the conversation, as well as his fight with Airidah. And finally, the result of the battle.
[I-I never... thought it would turn out like this... *Sigh* 'Heroism and sacrifice are often entwined in the course of fate.' My mother's words.](Yorin)
"How strangely fitting... We can only hope her sacrifice was sufficient."
[I must tell my father what had happened... what Lilith has done. We cannot let her destroy anything else.](Yorin)
[ Main Quest complete - Parting Embers
Reward 1: 39,337 experience points
Reward 2: 2,940 gold coins
Reward 3: Sigil of Braestaig (Rare ring). ]
Reading the description of the ring, Michael turned pensive.
[ Description: Airidah's gift to Yorin; a druidic wardstone set into a ring inscribed with runes that bear the promise to keep the wearer safe. A gift from the past to safeguard the future. ]
Remembering the boy's last words, a strange thought popped into his head.
'Is Lilith really to blame? Yes, she tempted them with power just like she did to Donan, but ultimately, it was them who failed. Donan resisted. They didn't. Afterward, the actions they took... It wasn't Lilith who ordered them. They simply followed their wishes.'
A TV series in which the Devil walks the world of men has the main character say, 'The Devil made me do it! The Devil made me do it! It was as if I had time to sit beside them daily and tempt them. How narcissistic and self-centered. I have better things to occupy my time with. It's their choice to make, not mine.'
It was another moral dilemma, where Lilith bore part of the blame, but only that. Humans can't be absolved of their sins or the consequences of their actions just by blaming the devil.
[Are you okay?](Chieftain Asgail)
"*Sigh* Sorry, a bit tired and soaking wet. Is there anything I can help with? I promised to do so when I returned."
[There's no rush, but if you could, please. Some of our finest hunters did not return from the hills. Became prey themselves when the fog came with hunger. Now, their bodies lay bare for scavenging. It's wrong in all ways.](Chieftain Asgail)
"..."
[They should be marked with charmes of passing. The rites of the Old Ways to see them to peace. You're now well familiar with our lands and as brave as those we lost. Could you see them to proper rest?]((Chieftain Asgail)
Accepting five Wards of Passing alongside the Quest, Michael ignored his wet and cold body as he summoned the horse and returned to Airidah's previous domain.
Upon exiting the gates, he heard the voice of one of the women previously talking shit about the Knights of the Cathedral. She wasn't planning to stop anytime soon.
[The fog disappeared and so did the Knights, praising their 'Father' for his deeds all the way. What a crock of shite!](Beitris)
Laughing from the bottom of his heart, the Necromancer returned to the hills, searching for the bodies before it was nighttime.
