[ Check Chapter 2 here ]

…The two sides were matched in power even though one of them was an inhuman being… “What’s the matter? Why are your swings so weak?” Said Hoda.

The Huntress was overwhelmed unexpectedly by the fighting spirit of the Executioner. On the other hand, the Huntress did not understand why she was suppressed despite the fact that her opponent was clearly human. She did not sense any malevolent energy from her opponent and that made her lose her focus more and more.

“A human does not need to become Undead in order to show their monstrous side” said Hoda again. “My sword, the only true friend I had in this life, tells me always about the emotions of the criminals I execute through their blood. Well, of course, there is no hexing in this. It’s just my thoughts. Do you want me to tell you what my sword says about you?” added the royal agent.

The Rogue knew that her foe was toying with her psychologically. She knew that her morals were far higher than hers and because of that she was pressured.

“shut up!” She yelled at her and then under frustration the Rogue attempted to launch a powerful strike with her utmost strength and speed that no human would be ever able to keep up with them.

It told me that you are a loser who still dwells on the past, unable to escape from its shackle.” Hoda read well her opponent and anticipated a raging attack. She evaded and countered by piercing her with a jagged silver blade.

“Anyone you faced was a mindless and hollow husk and this is why you could crush them. But I’m not one… Even though I’m a mad soul.” Said the Executioner while kicking her away.

“How? How is that even possible? A human making me struggle?!” The Huntress was extremely shocked and in pain. “This silver dagger is imbued with a special poison against the vile beings you mentioned. Oh, you are one of them too! I forgot that.” The Executioner mocked her foe and grabbed her from the neck. “You’re no different than the many I slaughtered. I killed both men and undying and to me, it was the same. All of you are fragile and meek. You just deserve to be stepped on like what fate is doing to the whole world. Hehehehehe…”

The sword pierced the middle of the Huntress’ chest. Then it started moving within her innards, causing twice the pain she would normally feel. “You will not die easily; that’s for sure since you’re a vile being. But I will not finish you off. I would like to see your suffering. The faces of desperate Undead are much enjoyable than those of hopeless humans.”

The losing side fell to the ground, with a lot of blood boiling from her chest. It seemed like it was reacting to something within the body. “Maybe… this is it: maybe… My wish will be granted at last…” It was the Huntress’ last thought before finally succumbing to unconsciousness. It felt as if she was released from a terrible strain.

The Executioner was then curious to see the face of the Huntress and tried to take her mask off. However, she could never do it as it was linked firmly to her skin by uncanny tendrils. “Tsk… can’t that be taken off?! No… it is a part of her own body. Interesting but sad. I hope you survive the deadly toxin so we can ‘play’ more. Otherwise, no Undead could make it past few hours.”

It was black. Or perhaps it was the ceiling of a cell. The Huntress woke up while rats and maggots were engorging her flesh. Around her were very rotten corpses and even skeletons of the deceased. She stood up and evicted the vermin away from herself. She was not concerned at all with what was around her. Only one fact did bother her.

“I’m not the same as before. I’m weakened terribly because of that poison. And they took my bag too. I don’t have my Blade nor… The Book of the Dead… this is gravely troublesome.” Said the Huntress to herself.

Her hand was touching the cold wall of the cell and so she concluded that it was the underground, probably beneath the castle of Persolis.

“If I had my full power, breaking through this iron door would be trivial. Alas, all of my body is fighting this arcane toxin. I have to call it… »

A mass of energy accumulated around her grasp but it made her even more weakened and forced her to kneel. She used the power to dislocate the mask from the right. She tried to force it out. A lot of blood spilled from her face and she was feeling intense pain. But in an instant, from her back, two hands made of pure blood appeared and tried to take the mask and so she instead returned the mask to her face.

“Geez… I hated to resort to this but I had no other choice. This will buy me some time. I have to hurry.”

The cell’s door was uprooted as if it was nothing. The Huntress came out of it with a scythe made of pure shadow. It was a long corridor of cells and it was forsaken. There were no signs of guards or jailers. Only whining and wailing of few prisoners were heard. She examined every cell. There were few alive, only they were all at the brink of insanity if they did not slip already. Undoubtedly, they wallowed enough in this darkness to lose any hope and their only solace was in the insects gnawing in their remaining flesh.

A powerful flame was set into every cell, burning every one of them. It was indeed an act of mercy. But the Huntress heard unusual mutterings. It was someone praying: “The one who stands on water; with one hand the wheel of the sun is heightened; with the other hand the fruit of the dead flowers; and around the head; the crown of all fates. Rod… Rod…”

The door’s lock of her cell was broken. She was frightened as it was supposed to her turn this night. “Merciful Rod, have mercy! Have mercy on this poor soul of yours!” It was a nun crying and begging. “The Huntress approached her. Once the maiden took a glance at this shady newcomer, she was agape and said: “Is this Death? Is this my punishment for giving up on life, my Rod?”.

Despite the fact that she saw an ordinary scythe instead of a shadow scythe, the look of the Huntress’ outfit and mask made her think that it was Death himself finally coming to harvest her soul.

“You still live, young woman. I’m not what you are thinking about. I’m among the living like yourself.” said the Huntress.

“If that’s the case, then did Saint Simon send you to save us?! Ahh…Thank Rod… I have no words to express my relief…” Said the nun with great relief.

The Rogue fainted knowledge and asked her to dig up information.

“So what did happen to you? How did you end up here?”

“We were going in a pilgrimage to the holy city of Horis. Then, we were seized and locked up in this dungeon by heretics. They were tribal knights in disguise and among them was Pylyp, the bishop of Perun… We were betrayed. I still cannot believe what did happen to us… There were many others, but they’ve been taken away… And I’ve heard screams and echoes in the distance, ever since… My sisters might have ended up being sacrifices for their pagan deities… And I’m the last one remaining.”

“That’s so unfortunate! But you must be safe now by my side.” Said the Huntress with a gentle and comforting tone.

“My name is Acina. It is a blessing to meet you, kind warrior of the Church. I have nothing to offer you for now…but… It is always an honor to please an upstanding member like you.” Stated the nun.

“Let’s move. And don’t forget to watch your back. This place must be very treacherous.” Said the Huntress.

The two moved through the corridor to a dead end. “Maybe the exit is at the other end.” Said the maiden. “We shall go to see by ourselves.” However, the other side was a dead end too.

“Is this place cursed?!” Acina was frightened. The Masked Reaper did not say anything and started instead touching the wall bit by bit. Once she sensed something in one point, she stroke it with her scythe, making the wall degenerate into nothingness. “It was a hex to prevent you all from leaving in case you break out of your cells.” She said.

“Oh! You must be one of the closest warriors to Saint Simon for having such divinity! praise the Mighty Rod!” boasted Acina. The more she spoke, the more it made the Huntress think about this land. “They said Crodon brims with a lot of profanity and deception. And so I came to cleanse it. Alas the rumors did not prepare me…” Thought the Huntress.

The small passage led them to a large cave. It was muddy and the only sound was the dripping water. Bones and skulls were seen from time to time alongside few ignited candles. The Huntress began to get dubious. It was too calm for a wicked place. If it was Persolis’ hideout, then it should be full of his agents!

Her instinct was not wrong. Shades were encircling them and were moving behind the stone pillars in the cave. “We’ve got some friends.” Said the Huntress while prolonging her dark scythe.

Somewhere far from that cave but still in the underground, a pit of the damned, one should say. Mountains of corpses and bones were accumulated everywhere and it was guarded by Red Eyed Tribal Knights. Hoda was cutting someone to pieces. Her victim was probably one of Acina’ sisters. Hoda did not care at all about the scream of this poor soul and continued to strike her with an axe.

“Executioner, maybe you should have killed her first and then continue the search. I don’t want my basement to be polluted by their cries.”

“But that’s a part of the deal. I will search for the item you want in the way I want. For that I gave her one of your potions that prolongs one’s life even with fatal blows. I can’t get enough of these humans.”

“This one seems clearly that it doesn’t have the thing I need. That means it must be within the last of these filthy girls.” Added Persolis while he was checking on the corpse of the maiden.

“Why are your dead Apostles so late? They must have brought her by now,” said Hoda.

An awkward silence filled the place. “Why didn’t you finish that scummy assassin?! She must be coming this way now! There’s no other explanation!” Yelled Persolis. Hoda did not care and instead threw the axe approximately at his feet. “Ooooh!” It did not hit him but he feared it. “That’s the way I do things, sir Persolis. She is poisoned by that Occult Matter brought from the capital by Sir Stribog, she won’t last for long. And furthermore, the few guards here should be enough for that and if she’s not killed already, let me remind you that I defeated her at her prime.” Explained Hoda while retrieving the axe.

“If it’s as you say, then I must leave now, the festival must start at Midnight. I assume you are going to succeed no matter what. Kill that huntress and bring me the artifact from the last maiden.” Said Persolis while leaving the pit with few of his knights.

“Damn this bloodthirsty monster, this woman is more terrifying than any other monstrosity I have ever faced or knew. I wonder what will happen if she decides to become one like us…” Thought Persolis.

Acina was lying in the ground. But she was not injured or anything. She was just tainted by the blood of the flayed corpses around her. Heretics were slaughtered without any mercy and torn apart into pieces. All of them wore black robes engraved with peculiar scripts and symbols and they were all masked with skull-like veils.

The Huntress was leaning at one of the stone pillars. Blood was drippling all over her body because of the many injuries she sustained during her fight.

Acina stood up and tried to nurse her but the Huntress refused and said: “Stay away of me.”

“Hmmmm… Hehehehehe…. You want more? Don’t ya?!” an inner and seducing feminine voice was talking with her.

“Church warrior!??” asked the nun. “It’s nothing. Their souls are trying to possess me.” Answered the Huntress. “May Rod protect you from this evil!” Added the maiden.

“You feared death and then you hated it. And you loved life and then you cursed it. When will you stop lying to yourself?” Added the bewitching voice.

“Shut up0!” Shouted the Huntress while grabbing her mask strongly.

“Hold on, Church Warrior!” said Acina.

“Heh… I feel so guilty about lying to her… Forget that already… How I will be able to proceed with my body not being able to regenerate as fast as before?” Thought the Undead killer.

“Hein?! You have been always ignoring yourself! Then let me tell you your absolute fate: you will never be able to escape it unless you take the decision. What is it? Life, death or something more or less?” claimed the voice.

“Shut up… Shut up! Be gone already!” screamed the Huntress and then she took a knife and stabbed her head between the eyes. “Church warrior!” cried the nun.

“It’s okay. I bested the evil spirits.” The Rogue said that as if nothing did happen to her. “You are not harmed?! How could this be? Is this Rod’s blessing?” wondered Acina. “Yes. Let’s move on.”

In the outside, the rain was thrumming the land and drumming on the leaves of the oak trees. Besides the droplets of water, only heavy footsteps were heard in the dark forest. They were slow but reechoing in the cold and empty woodland. A knight was riding forth in coat of mail, into the roar of this cold storm. Expect this knight was headless and he had his helm held within his embrace. His horse was undead and covered fully with armor. Unexpectedly, it seemed like the knight was observing the horizon even though he had no head. Besides he did return his helm to its place and forth from the dark behind it, a peculiar jade light flashed out.

“What’s with this place?!” The nun was so frightened seeing the piles of corpses and bones everywhere. They reached the pit of the damned. She was hiding behind the Huntress who was taking extreme precaution as she was sensing an imminent hostility.

“Yeah, that’s the bloodthirst of that Hoda. But I don’t know why I’m still confused. Is she really alone? I’m sure someone was watching us from the shadow all this way up to here,” thought the Huntress.

“Congratulations! You must have killed all of Persolis’ apostles out there!” The sound of Hoda was waving from behind the mountains of the dead.

“Was the Book of the Dead taken by Persolis?” asked the Huntress.

“No, it’s with me. He said that he became less interested in it since he discovered something much greater,” answered the executioner.

“Let us settle our score, shall we?” Declared the Rogue.

TO BE CONTINUED