There was an eerie calm after crossing the old battered sign that read Aster Town. Some time ago, the group of hot bloodied adventurers were confidently talking about how they are going to start a good line up when inside, strategizing about having long-range attackers at the back along with their few Healers while those who are expert in melee combat and martial arts keep the front. But all of that is drowned out in silence now.
The scouts returned with news, no monsters in sight. For adventurers it is bad news, how are they going to collect the bounty from an empty place like this? Nobles, on the other hand, rejoiced because it only made this journey safer; at least for now they will not be burdened with sudden attacks.
Aster Town wasn't just like any other places, it was a fairyland when described by those families who used to have villas there. Everyone's aim for coming here aside from monster loot is the underground ruin that appeared in the once iconic spot.
Consecrated within Aster is a clear pristine lake with an islet in the middle where a wide cavern can be explored underneath. Hundreds of years ago, a pantheon was over it because it was said that once a Herald came down to grace the place. Unfortunately, it has now turned into a swamp and the pantheon abandoned.
For a former sacred place to end like that it can only mean an ill fate. A curse. The townspeople are a very superstitious lot, anything that has something to do with evil is abhorred. The incident from within town spread towards the neighbouring places eventually creating this notorious story.
Sterne finds the huge disparity in reality absurd. Especially when she saw the city lord's nephew forming his own party and entered as well.
Within the barrier, it did resemble something like a cursed place. The abandoned houses of townspeople stood desolate, an empty shell devoid of life, tattered from nature's abuse. The swamp thick with moss and rotten leaves appeared particularly disturbing. On close scrutiny, it may seem deadly but to some untrained eyes, it doesn't appeal much except that it looks extra muddy. The thin film of smoke seeping out of it has unknown effects, aside from that and a few long-tailed birds were really nothing to pay extra care with.
The damp smell wafted combined with the sickly scent of nauseating putrefaction making everyone wrinkle their noses.
The most vocal ones who grew up not even seeing a lick of dirt sounded their complaints, "To think that a place known for beauty has dwindled to such an extent that even the slums in the city would look better than this."
Royce trotted beside Sterne. Hugging her arm like a frightened rabbit, he took this opportunity to stick even closer, much to Emilia and Viktor's frustration. "This place is frightening, don't inhale the smoke. Who knows what toxins it carries."
"How did you know so much?" She asked, looking down at the delicate boy only a bit taller than her shoulder.
Royce tilted his head, "I, I heard about it."
"If it is as dangerous as you say, then you must behave yourself and don't run around." She emphasized with a serious look.
"But aren't you here to protect me?" He grumbled.
"I can protect you only if you stay by my side. You agreed you are going to listen to what I say, did you not?"
"Then as you say, I shall not leave my sister's side."
She should feel relieved but she was beginning to regret allowing this boy to come. When she gained consciousness, she also gained herself a little brother— or more accurately an oversized baby.
If not for the fact that his manner and looks resemble that certain little girl she knew she would have long kicked the little snot away. With his perpetually abandoned puppy look and his butler's wailing about how his poor little young master needed a friend, Sterne would not involve herself with such a squeamish stranger.
You can tell yourself that. However, it is a fact universally known that Lady Sterne has a certain weakness when it comes to beautiful things. Her mind chided. If you are not such a person yourself you would not be in this mess!
Emilia and Viktor themselves understood the little lady all too well to know she was seduced by beauty! Their faces turned several shades of white the moment she gave in to this boy's crying.
Gram, the young adventurer beside them heard their exchange and despite his injuries, he chuckled. "The smoke coming off the swamp is not as toxic as you think, lads. Unless you mix it with blood grass but looking at the surroundings, there is not even a blade of blood grass that grows around so it's safe."
"Hello, my name is Sterne. This is Royce." She beamed. "And those are Viktor, Emilia and Mr Solis."
"Gram, you can call me that lads.'' Then he turned to Solis because he was the oldest of them five. "Pleasure to be your acquaintance Mr Solis."
Solis made a curt nod.
"Does big brother Gram know anything about blood grass?" Sterne asked mildly. She recognized this young man. He was that adventurer they saw at the square yesterday.
She frowned when she saw his injuries. They were fresh and it appears to have come from an assault. How did he end up battered all of a sudden when she saw firsthand how good his footwork and skills are? Then there was this nephew of the city lord, Sil, eyeing the big brother tauntingly since they entered. She remembered his four escorts cannot even stand against him, she thought he would at least behave himself but he appeared to be quite smug about something. Sterne felt suspicious.
It was a good guess who inflicted Gram's injuries.
"I know about blood grass." Royce joined in wanting to answer the question. "Blood grass is ground into a powder and then mixed with various substances as a monster lure."
He watched Sterne's reaction waiting for her to clap her hands in amazement. Unfortunately, he waited in vain since she already knew about that. She was just trying to make casual conversation with the adventurer Gram.
Emilia, Viktor and Solis followed behind shaking their heads. How is it that one's disposition changed entirely in just a few hours? Royce gave them the impression of a sly and mischievous brat, it was clear he was superior to them all in status yet as soon as the little lady came about, he took a huge change from a conceited young master to a whiny child?
He has taken quite a liking into shamelessly pasting himself to their little lady since they left the inn. It was unknown when exactly he became too attached, refusing to budge an inch. From the moment the little lady woke up, Royce had been hovering beside her like a fledgeling bird.
Speaking of Royce, his reasons were not at all suspicions as contrary to what the others thought. He decided to join them on a whim after eating his fill of last night's dinner. The food of Nebel thoroughly disgusted him at first sight and when he saw Sterne in the streets, joy lit up in his eyes. Who doesn't know that the little tomboy can produce something good? Until now he could still remember the meal he had at Golden Leaf making his mouth pool with saliva. She may even have something tasty kept with her, a hunch which he soon finds that is right.
Sterne kept her attention to Gram as he humored her with his experience from dungeon diving back in his home country.
From behind, the group of adventurers laughed, finding another source of entertainment for themselves.
So it appears that nobles cannot stand walking in the mud. A little discomfort and they open their mouths to cry as though it was the end of the world.
"Do you amuse yourselves so?" Said by a disdainful voice from the front. Monique purposefully slowed her steps to glare at the ignorant people behind. Folding her hands to her chest, she remarked in a disdainful manner. "The difference in station is clearly presented here as it was indeed not in our nature to wildly scamper around the mud, unlike the lot of you."
"And yet you do the same as the rest of us as of the moment."
Sil, the city lord's nephew, glared at the man who spoke. "Aster was a well-known fairyland on its hay day. It was such a place of splendor the likes of them cannot even dream of stepping into. You have not seen it before and I doubt you would have anything below par to compare it with."
"Gorgeous sceneries and breathtaking views, eh? We've seen quite a lot of those. It was almost ordinary."
The men then laughed.
"They changed ever so often as well. To us adventurers, the appearance of the place can neither bring us admiration nor melancholy as there is only the level of difficulty in our eyes." Answered by one.
"And dangers." Another added.
Sil was livid, but he was afraid of challenging them either so he chose to flatter Monique instead. A much better and safer option for him. "A lady of your extensive qualities must not bother yourself with this bunch of boorish bumpkins."
He along with his four escorts joined her retinue at some point during the long walk and regaled the irascible girl about the amusements of their newly bought estate.
"There, there, you mustn't let them affect you."
"Ill-bred and dreadfully insolent people. How could I be in a good mood when they vex me so?" She grimaced whilst pinching her nose.
"After the exploration I thought I might invite you to come to our home." Sil was all smiles. "Perhaps Miss Monique would like to see my new horse. I have just bought the most…"
Their voices floated.
The originally tense atmosphere became noisy as the crowd from behind reacted one by one and began to push forward with more energy, thanks to both of their acidic yet useless attempts to embarrass the adventurers.
Sterne overhearing the ruckus only rolled her eyes.
A mile or so of walking and they arrived at the bank of the lake.
"It's truly too bad for this place…" Gram whispered.
Not far from where they stood was a broken stone bridge that might have been used to transport goods towards the pantheon. From there, a throng of people trudged their way towards the wide steps leading to the towering temple protruding in the islet.
According to the instructions earlier, the ruin's entrance is within it.
However, as they approached nearer the fog thickened they could barely see the surroundings.
The silhouette behind the swirling mist standing against the midday sun only gave a strange feeling of unrest. As if any moment something terrible would spring out of it.
Royce held Sterne's hand on the left and on the right is the marble he 'borrowed' a little while ago and put it closer to his eyes.
"Not a hint of red. I declare this thing is broken." He shook it several more times yet it remained clear. "You said it will turn red when there is danger. It hasn't turned red, not even pink."
"Keep your eyes on the surroundings, not on the marble," Sterne advised patiently.
After crossing the bridge and climbing about a hundred flights of steps, they reached the top of the islet. It didn't take long for everyone to gather and begin inspecting the surroundings.
"At last, we arrive." The tired party exclaimed.
"The entrance is right before us, I believe the earliest people to go down are the first to earn its benefits."
"Then, what are we waiting for…?"
Others who couldn't rein in their greed, mostly friends close to the city lord, quickly gathered their men and equipment to dive ahead of the pantheon's entrance. A short while after, all of them disappeared in the dark. Those who were left just shook their heads and observed outside.
"Somehow, my instinct tells me not to proceed."
"How could they throw caution to the air and recklessly dive without proper planning?"
Due to years of neglect, tall weeds and curling vines have already encroached the vicinity of the pantheon. Sterne looked around trying to sense if there was something suspicious.
"It's too quiet around here." Royce complained as he scratched his legs when the sharp burs of weeds grazed him.
She gave him an astonished look after confirming what he said. He was right. It is too quiet. Usually, no one pays attention to it unless everyone refrains from talking. It's strange that there was not a single birdsong nor can they hear the trees rustling.
They were walking around when suddenly someone bumped into them.
"Watch your step." Royce frowned.
One of the four escorts walked towards Sterne, swerving as though he was drunk. His eyes were blood red, unfocused. With good reflexes, Royce pulled her to the side.
"Insolent—" he was about to lash out when Solis stopped him.
The escort walked away wordlessly, just when they thought it was only by mistake another one came. With the same look on his face, his movements faster, his hand formed a claw he aimed for Royce this time. Viktor chanted a spell, stopping him on the spot as Emilia sprang for an attack. All of it was done in successive flawless motion leaving the onlookers stunned.
"You… what did you do to my man?" Sil shouted in anger.
"Teaching it not to bite." Emilia eyed sharply after throwing multiple punches on the frozen escorts' vital spots. The heavy blows rendered him unable to fight swiftly.
"What's the meaning of this?" Royce snarled at the city lord's nephew throwing a fit.
"Something's odd…" Sterne murmured looking around.
His escort was dealt with just like that? Enraged, Sil turned to Emilia and pointed a finger to her face, "You dare lay a hand on what's mine?"
Emilia barely threw him a glance and spoke, "It was your dogs who attacked first."
"Don't you know who those dogs belong to?"
"Oh, we do but that is no concern to us." Royce said, displeased to answer an idiot's question, then went with a warning, "Put your pets on a leash if you still want to keep them."
For some reason, Royce's imposing attitude gave him a hollow feeling in the stomach. He is the city lord's nephew, what kind of people have the right to rebuke him?
Ignoring the childish tantrum, Emilia checked her enemy's body. When she was punching it a while ago it felt like she was hitting on a block of ice. Even his breathing has stopped. Confirming it greatly raised her alarm.
At the same time, Sterne knitted her eyebrows when she noticed the marble on Royce's hand rapidly changing colour.
"Move aside, they might have been after me." Gram said, walking in front of her and Royce.
"You?" Royce was puzzled.
But before Gram could reply, the unnatural stillness of the place reverberated with loud guttural sounds, as if a hundred souls began to moan.
"Good heavens!"
"What is going on?!"
"D-Don't tell me… the curse everyone was talking about is true." One of the female adventurers gasped.
A black ominous fog rushed out from the entrance and engulfed the whole pantheon all of a sudden then the swirling blanket of darkness, like shadows, started moving, reaching out towards them!
The whole scene fell into chaos as numerous sharp sounds dominated the place and weapons, blades of every person were drawn.
"Miasma." Sterne whispered.
"Merciful god..." Emilia said at the same time looking at the unmoving escorts below her feet.
Followed by the explosion of black miasma, several people who were hit the worst fell down like fallen trees.
Just then a nimble shadow darted near the pantheon's opening. Holding three vials of liquid frost he broke them all to different locations erecting an enormous ice wall. The temperature dropped instantly. But that was far from enough, the miasma towered higher, clicking his tongue in vexation he dug another vial inside the bag and hurled it upwards creating three streaks of blue lightning flashing brightly, temporarily containing the black fog.
"Retreat," Viktor called out, rushing back to their side.
Sterne looked at the uncontrollable wave of miasma and nodded, "Yes, we need to withdraw."
"Then, then what about the ruins?" An adventurer complained.
"This whole thing is a trap! We will be much safer at the shore." She said urgently.
"Don't listen to him!" Monique disagreed strongly. She walked towards Sterne in forceful stomping stride and pointed at her nose, "He's here to distract us so he can take all the treasures. So what of the fog?"
"If you want to die, you are free to stay here!" Royce retorted, pulling Sterne's arm.
"You!" Monique's face turned ugly.
Most of the people ignored Sterne's warning. The city lord himself and even the Chivalric Order confirmed the ruin's existence, there is no reason to doubt. Young Master Sil has not made a move himself.
Royce tugged again, "They will wake up on their own and escape."
In the next moment, the ground shook, indicating the fury of the miasma for having been restrained. The fallen bodies began to regain consciousness but there is already a tremendous change in their whole being. The same unfocused eyes and erratic movement. In the following second, they leapt to grab the nearest person and began attacking blindly.
"Too late, they already turned into scourges!" Sterne said. "Dodge. Run! Don't attack back, you will trigger aggression."
The seasoned adventurers momentarily lost their heads but after careful thought, they began running back down the path like a group of lemmings. Behind, chasing after them are bodies after bodies of scourges that look as though they have crawled out from the depth of hell. Monique and young master Sil stood confused, afraid looking at the number of people leaving the islet and the arrival of these demons.
How did it become like this? Didn't his uncle say that they need to stay here for at least a few more minutes then the path will open? What about the treasures?
Monique looked at her escorts who had already lost their wits and fled one by one leaving her.
"Wait... wait for me!" She cried.
Sil was even more confused and frightened than she was, his uncle assured him nothing would go wrong! Looking back at the pantheon and the rising miasma, he thought, will he turn into a monster if he got caught?
All the excitement he felt earlier is now changed into morbid fear.
In the middle of the commotion, Sterne anxiously looked around to find Gram who was just standing there. The five of them rushed around to search for him. Finally, after a few turns, they came into a clearing not far from the bank and were stunned to see Gram being besieged by a familiar scourge.
"Oh no…"
"Don't you find it strange that the scourge had set him as a target so soon?" Royce surreptitiously watched at Sterne's reaction.
"That's one of the young master's escorts!" She said absently.
Yesterday big brother Gram fought four of them and lost to him. They might have held a grudge and now that they turned into… into that.
"This is terrible. The scourges are known for being the persistent monsters."
"Scourges, milady?" Vikor asked, looking ahead.
"Yes, the one described in ancient texts."
"But how can such things turn into being? There were none of those in the kingdom for hundreds of years." said the worried Emilia.
"I'm not sure either." Sterned looked at the scourge fighting with Gram more intently trying to find telltale signs that may prove her conjecture.
She did see flashes of information about them in Kyrios' past but it was too few to make a conclusion.
"Does it have something to do with this town? As soon as we entered the islet they began acting strange or more precisely, I think it was when the black fog erupted." Solis, whom they never thought would open his mouth the entire time, spoke. The casual remarks were aimed to encourage conversation but unlike Viktor who is in urgent need of an answer, he seemed to just toss out the question casually.
That's it.
Sterne caught on, "It might have but not entirely. Remember the banquet last night, Emilia?"
Emilia nodded. When the city lord called for guests he served them all kinds of food. Everyone drank and ate everything on the table and she could perfectly remember the faces of those who came to partake on the feast. From start to finish, she had been by the window watching since the little lady was asleep.
Sterne asked a few more questions which she answered faithfully.
"Then… everyone is going to become like those?" Viktor asked, looking around.
"Not all of us." Sterne shook her head as she avidly watched Gram executing a sweep, followed by a right hook then a somersault kick with lightning fast moves. "Only those the city lord selected when he served a special wine last night."
"But how did you know it was from that wine?" Solis asked again with a hint of a smile.
Sterne, unaware of who was asking pointed the scourges in familiar clothing. "Emilia said the city lord opened three barrels of it. That man was the head of a caravan of tradesmen. He and his fellow leaders were quite friends with the city lord's nephew. Look, there are scourges from private mercenary and adventurer groups as well. Don't you think they were likely given special treatment on the table last night? You cannot overlook that."
Poor souls.
"What about that one, he looks different." Viktor pointed at the one fighting with Gram. The fellow has all but lost the appearance of a human. "And how could milady be so sure that they are scourges?"
"Symptoms." Sterne said. "Look at him, black nails, grey skin, enormous strength and unfocused eyes. The very image of a scourge. And it's not just him, those who drank the wine also had the same look albeit much slower to show changes."
Viktor shook his head, "Goodness, what kind of ill-fate is this?"
"Milady, I did not find those four escorts at the banquet last night. How come they appeared to be affected a lot earlier than the rest?"
Royce was also curious to know her reply.
Noticing that everyone's attention was on her, Sterne smiled nervously. "What are you staring at me for?"
"I don't know…" Royce narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "You just strangely seem to know a lot."
The rest also nodded their heads in agreement.
"Well I," she tried prevaricating but the intense stares made her all the more nervous. "I was just making wild guesses, what is so strange about it?"
"Come now, milady." Viktor urged.
Sterne threw her hands up and sighed. "Remember the quarrel at the square? It's plain to see that the escorts held a deep-seated grudge against big brother Gram after their sorry defeat in front of so many people. Earlier I found Gram's bruises which I concluded were given by those men. As for the matter of how they manage to beat him, it was likely that they cheated their way of raising their strength. Their symptoms indicate that in order to get even they might have been lured to swallow or more accurately, ate something yesterday."
It was written in scrolls, the taboos of eating a certain substance in order to push one's body to explode into another level of power. It was highly prohibited and no man in their right mind and conscience would make such a foolish decision.
"Blood Grass? That thing…"
"You all know its effect when eaten, yes? The full result does not show overnight. However, there is an explosion of strength right after eating it, though for a short while, then it goes to a period of rest. If one needs to deliberately hasten the effect they need to inhale Swamp Mist but with dire consequences."
Swamp Mist! All four pair of eyes went to the curling thin smoke coming out of the swamp and simultaneously gave a grimace. To think that the sewer-like water has that kind of power.
"Correct," Sterne said. "It's impossible to avoid getting in contact with that mist because all of us have to cross the bridge towards the islet."
"Then, why did those four escorts become mad early?"
"Good question, because they ate it early. Those who drank the wine last night did not show any effects quickly because the blood grass was diluted into wine, it was only after they inhaled Swamp Mist that the changes gradually took place. On the other hand the four escorts ate them pure."
The reason for Gram's injury was because the four of them might have gone to attack him last night. Remembering about that scene at the square made it possible for them to brew resentment if not, someone could have fanned the flames. They did not kill him right away since he is from the Freedom Federation. If once he died inside the city there will be numerous consequences from the Adventurer's Guild and their kingdom. However, if he met with an accident here inside the notorious Aster Town, that will be an entirely different issue then. Nebel City has no obligation to answer to his demise.
"Oh, so that's it." Viktor tapped his head.
Royce and Solis exchanged looks. This little girl really... is this how a twelve-year-old is supposed to act and think? Against his better judgment, Royce praised her in his mind.
"Emilia, get ready. You've got company." She warned.
Emilia stood and fixed her clothes, tied her hair into a tight bun before throwing her bag to Viktor. From the dense bushes behind them, the snapping of twigs and a low moan was heard.
Right after Emilia tightened her gloves, a mangled scourge appeared with its murky red eyes aimed at her. Why, isn't this the escort she punched mercilessly a while ago?
"Great, you're still up." She muttered springing to deliver a kick on his chest flinging him far from their party. "I may return a bit later, milady."
Because Emilia attacked him a while ago, the scourge now turned his sights towards her. It will take some time before they finish.
"Be careful!"
On the other side of the bank, explosions shook the trees, and the adventurers also began their defensive formation against the swarm. For a time the sky lit even brighter with multiple pillars of Hellflare and volleys of Stone Bullets ramming the enemies. Within seven hundred of the people that entered Aster, almost half had turned into a scourge. It was pandemonium.
The scourge knows no pain, they attack mindlessly with one goal: eliminate.
"Where are those mages, clerics and soldiers from the three Orders?" Viktor noticed that not even a shadow of those people was seen since this morning.
"They are perhaps in another location pursuing something even more valuable. Much more valuable than that fake inside the pantheon." Royce yelled amidst the chaos.
Sterne kept her eyes on Gram as he aimed for a finisher, but then her eyes caught something shining fifty yards away, atop a branch of a tree obscured by the leaves. Upset, she pulled out her Phantom Dagger and hurled it full force towards the location. An arrow whizzed forward but hitting the blade halfway, the steel tip broke slicing it neatly in between. The Phantom Dagger shot and landed a hair's breadth away from the bowman's head.
"You missed." Sil mocked after nearly getting stabbed to death. The blade gave him a fright but seeing himself not injured, he burst into hysterical laughter.
"Fool, that was a diversion."
His whole body shivered. Appearing beside him is a boy with silver hair and frigid eyes.
