Star Warden: Slayer of Evil. Chapter 7

 

7

Leaving behind their steed to ensure their safety, along with giving Ser Gareth an extra fighter, they entered Trader's Landing's old orchards. It was now a mess of large plants covered by pods. They ranged from large enough to hold an adult body to small enough for children, their number beyond counting. The black tree at its center came into sight and thanks to the halo no creatures disturbed the duo's travel.

Disease spotted leaves hung on emaciated branches, the bark of the tree was rotting and filled with grubs, the roots were huge with cracks in the shape of disturbing smiles. Sam fought back the sense of dread the tree was emitting. A flare of light emerged from Kaguya’s staff to signal the priest as she dissipated the miracle. Wasting not a second, the Star Warden carved an opening with his sword and made his way inside the tree. He lost his balance as he rushed into total darkness discovering there was no floor to stand on.

Activating his rocket pack, he quickly stabilized himself. Kaguya conjured light to grant better visibility.

The light sadly could only illuminate so much as the darkness actively worked to swallow it whole. What could be seen is a vast and hollow structure far larger than what the tree outside appeared to be. The walls around them shifted from wood to stone to flesh and back again while a low growl could be heard all around them.

“So, up or down? If there Is any up or down right now.”

“The creature is down.” She struggled to say the words. “Forgive me being this close to the Abyss is a bit taxing. How are you fairing?”

“Just thinking about football scores and my favorite movie one-liners as psychic static. You still good?” He placed a hand on her shoulder. 

“No need for concern. I can still lead us to the creature.”

With all due haste, Sam and Kaguya descended deep into the demonic infested tree. Kaguya did her best to maintain the light as the tainted energy of the creature strongly encroached into her mind. Her very soul felt the taint of the dark energy, the destructive nature that is the Abyss. It was like being in the mind of a feral beast, sound, and fury with no thought only instinct.

They soon touched solid ground and both heroes steeled themselves standing back to back. The ground started to shift around them morphing into a green and grayish liquid that had a smell reminiscent of sewerage. The liquid began to rise and move up their bodies as a shadow darted underneath their feet.

A brief look between the two communicated their plan. As Kaguya took flight the shadow under the water moved like lightning and leaped at her. The massive spider showed itself revealing the sickly green coloring, legs made from rotting wood, and red pus-filled eyes. He leaped up to strike the spider from underneath, his joy at tricking the creature vanished when Kaguya shouted.

“No! Sam! It plays us false! It is an illusion!”

It was too late, however as he was dragged underwater by a strong force. Looking behind him he saw the spider, much larger than the illusion represented, drag him into its mouth. The Star Warden jammed Dawnbringer between the teeth of the giant creature keeping the jaws from crushing him. The spider screamed in pain as the mystical nature of the blade clashed with the dark energies infused in its body. Flung away by the force of the scream he used his freedom to fly at the spider and slash at its many eyes.

The spider's attempt to retaliate were dashed as Sam's reflexes ensured he avoided them while retaliating in turn for each failed strike. All appeared to be for naught as the creature regenerated their wounds. The environment shifted around the Warden and he found himself standing in ankle-deep waters. It was only his discipline that prevented him from being caught fully off guard and dodged the spider's attempt to impale him on its leg.

Bright light forced the creature back and it howled in pain as its skin burned off. Kaguya's spells created bright orbs of light that descended upon the spider. The creature moved erratically as the spider once again started to heal at a rapid rate. It appeared to the Warden and the Emissary that neither sword nor sorcery could end the life of this abomination.

“New plan. A boost in my strength and speed and I'll use Dawnbringer to make it harder for it to regenerate.”

Kaguya nodded in approval. “Then I will burn the remains and slay the creature for good.”

The demonic infused beast leaped into the air and unleashed black webs in all directions. One of the webs wrapped around Kaguya's right arm and squeezed with a vice-like grip. She grit her teeth to suppress a scream and used her free hand to burn away the webs with a spell of light.

Sam took flight blasting or slashing away through the webbing. He fired his ray gun at the spider's eyes. But the spider blocked them by creating a thick ray proof webbing. The environment shifted again and Sam crashed headfirst into a wall. The spider took advantage and wrapped Sam in a cocoon.

“It feels like I'm in a titanium body cast,” He thought as he desperately tried to break free.

The spider closed in for the kill opening its mouth to swallow him whole. It was that moment that Sam broke free and with the strength of a hundred men grabbed the spider and threw it to the ground. Kaguya free from the webbing, sung a Song of Valor giving Sam all the strength and speed needed.

The Warden engaged the Spider in close quarters. Despite his magical enchantments, the spider kept pace with him all the same. In a swift parry, it knocked the Warden to the ground and attempted to impale him once more. A swift swing from the Warden sliced off the leg before it could.

Then a new song entered the air causing it to screech in horrific agony. Kaguya’s eyes glowed with purple fire as she sang in a language not known by mortal mouths. The spider struggled to keep its eyes open as its malicious will tried to challenge Kaguya’s. But the power of the Abyss waned against her own and slowly the spider started to slow, slacken and fall into slumber.

The power of Abyss was strong, but in the mind of an instinctive beast, it was no match for a celestial being made flesh.

The Star Warden was oblivious to the intense mental battle and spiritual battle as he took advantage of its weakness to cut it open from beneath. With merciless swiftness, he stabbed at its eyes, legs, and thorax not sparing the creature a moment to strike back.

As it howled in pain and split apart, Kaguya summoned a circle around the creature remains. Sam leaped out of the way as the light burned away the creature. The reality created by the Spider died out and normal reality reasserted itself. Without a controlling force, anything that the Abyss created or corrupted would die.

The old orchard began to grow again and the pods dripped black goo as they died out. The plants were still shriveled and weakened but grass began to grow in the arid ground all around them. The black tree from root to branch started to rapidly decompose leaving nothing but an empty crater behind.

Leaving the orchard, with Sam carrying a tired Kaguya on his back, they arrived back at camp unmolested. The survivors were wide-eyed in disbelief as all the vines and plants had disappeared from their ruined town. They took to their knees and sang the praises of their new heroes. He was embarrassed that they were praising him for doing the bare minimum of just slaying the creature. But was aware that it was their way of showing relief that their nightmare was over at least the immediate one.

Sir Gareth walked over to him. “I must admit, this was a surprising result. You truly live up to your reputation.” The words were filled with gratitude and surprise.

“My reputation is what everyone else says it is. I simply refuse to believe in defeat until I'm dead not an easy belief to live up to. But, God never promised anyone life would be easy. Also, before you ask, she’s fine just tired.”

“Now that the creature is dead. What will people do now? Without food or water, they will eventually die out.”

Sam pondered that for a second. “That is what my dad would call the million-dollar question. Could always try to take them to the Mystic Woods safest place I know. Only problem is the long trip on foot to get them there.”

“With limited rations, they may not survive the trip,” Gareth said. “Now learning that King Alistair is dead I know no other place outside of Monmouth who could take them in. We will have to travel to Joyous Guard and rouse the rest of the Order. They will be able to protect them in the castle and we will have numbers on our side to defeat the curse.”

“Do you realize that this puts the mission under a strict timetable?”

“That is not a problem I hope, Sir Bailey?”

“Oh, I love a challenge,” Sam said with a smile “I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”

“Then let us leave with all due haste,” said Kaguya with a slight yawn. “We can give them any remaining rations and keep only that is strictly needed. Any other food we will have to forage liberally.”

“I knew if I said that enough times it would catch on.” Sam had used the phrase to describe the way they lived off the land during their travels.

The two knights made the last preparations and ensured that any excess supplies they had were given over to the noncombatants. The priest and some of the remaining fighters would ensure they were rationed and keep people calm until the escort arrived. The three then rode off for Joyous Guard at high speed deeper into the land of eternal night.

Chapter 6

Chapters 8 and 9