Damien's palm throbbed. Herald had taken a veritable knife of rusty energy to it, carving runes into his body—something that he was disturbed to find he was almost getting used to. Almost. Shaking his hand off, Damien walked into the main room of his small, mountain lodging.
Pain or not, he and Sylph had a lead. Herald had given him a way to detect the Corruption when they grew near it, even if that power did come with the requirement that he had to use it.
Sylph stood near the entrance of the room, watching him with a concern. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Don't worry," Damien replied, grabbing his coat from where it laid on his bed and pulling it on. "I'm fine. It stings a bit, but the healing water already took care of the worst of it. I'll be fine soon."
"If you're sure. How do you use it?"
"I… Well, I'm not sure yet. Knowing Herald, it'll probably just hurt a bunch when we get near something."
"No better way to find out than to put it to work, I guess," Sylph said.
"We should stock up on supplies, at least to get us a week or two. And more changes of clothes. You can't have many left after soaking most of them with blood."
Damien glanced inside his travel pack and grimaced. Sylph wasn't wrong about that. Maybe Herald was trying to bankrupt him by making him burn all his gold on clothes.
"Okay, let's take a trip to the general store first. I'm sure he'll have something," Damien said.
"That should work," Sylph allowed. "What about magical herbs? I don't know how long we'll be out, but if it takes all of our break, it might be a good idea to have some."
Henry?
"Pretty much useless for you now. After core evolution, power growth can't be cheated. The herbs could probably have a little bit of a benefit for you, but it would be nearly negligible. I'm just too amazing. They might still be useful for Sylph since her core is still comparatively small, but it's also very unstable right now. She should avoid fiddling with anything that touches her core for at least a year."
Damien relayed Henry's words. Then he paused.
Wait. I used, what, two herbs? You made me save my gold for two herbs?
Henry gave him the equivalent of a mental shrug. "I'll be honest, I didn't realize how awesome I am. I suppose your naturally high magical energy helped, too, but I'm sure it's mostly because I'm just the most incredible companion in mortal history. Also, I forgot. Your library's books were too interesting. Maybe consider not being boring—then I'll remember things better."
If you had a throat, I would be strangling you. Do you remember how much of that damn goop I had to eat at the mess hall? I could have spent money on real food!
Henry cackled. Then he gagged. "Stop thinking about it. You're making me relive the memory, too."
"Maybe no herbs, then," Sylph said, breaking Damien out of his internal conversation. "No point carrying around a bunch of breakable glass. We'll probably end up smashing it in a fight by accident."
"There's something else that you should get, though," Henry said. "I want more books. You've been lax, and I'm bored."
I can't bring a bunch of library books around while we hunt the Corruption. They'll get damaged, and the librarians will kill me. Also, no.
You suck. You want me to get you books right after finding out I could have actually been enjoying my meals?
"Bah. Just let me read some now then. Somehow I doubt that the Corruption will have any interesting reading material, and if we do end up running into anything else from the Void, it will probably be horrible conversation. Besides, goop or not, my methods work. I've forgotten more things than you'll ever know. Would you really be sitting around thinking about plants when there are a dozen better and more interesting ways to get stronger?"
I— Seven Planes, you're annoying. I guess that's kind of fair. I'll stop by the library and we can look through some books for you, but I better not hear a single damn complaint for the rest of the summer.
"Wonderful," Henry said, sliding back into the depths of Damien's psyche. Not a single one of them believed he'd actually stick to that promise for a second. Damien shook his hand out as the new runes on it tingled. It was mildly uncomfortable, but the feeling faded quickly.
"I think Herald wants us to go," Damien said, heading into the bathroom to collect some personal supplies for the trip. Sylph mirrored his actions, packing everything into a small backpack that she'd bought at some point.
While she packed, Damien took a moment to check his bracelet. He'd grown a lot since he'd started Year One, and while his physical prowess was still pathetic compared to Sylph's, he was more than pleased with his advancements—particularly those in Magical Strength and Energy.
Damien Vale Blackmist College Year One Major: Undecided Minor: Undecided Companion: [Null] Magical Strength: 9.9 Magical Control: 2.9 Magical Energy: 20.2 Physical Strength: .51 Endurance: 1.5 "Let's go, then," Sylph said as Damien dismissed the bracelet's information. "And we'll hope that the clerk hasn't left for vacation as well."
They were in luck. After the short walk from their room to the general store, the two of them found the clerk sitting at the counter, idly spinning a top. He let out a slow yawn, then glanced over in their direction.
The top clattered to the table as it lost momentum, and the man smacked his lips. "Still here, huh?"
"Leaving today, actually," Damien said. "We're going on a small road trip and need supplies."
"I can do that," the clerk said, giving them a lazy grin. "I assume you want the budget kit?"
"What's that come with?" Sylph asked.
"Two person tent, sleeping rolls, rations for two weeks, two water skins, and a few other basic survival supplies like emergency knives," he replied.
"It'll only run you five gold."
"What's the tent made out of?"
"Treated and runed canvas. It won't leak, and it'll hold up against any normal weather. Walk into a thunderstorm and get hit—not my problem."
"That'll work," Sylph said, dropping a few coins into the clerk's hand.
He put them into his pocket and wandered into the back, reemerging a minute later with a tarp bundle. There was a rough strap across it.
Damien took it from him and slung it over his back. "I've also got to get a few changes of clothes. Messed all of mine up. Nothing fancy, just hardy."
He counted out the coins that Sylph had paid for her own set of clothes and handed them over to the man before he could even say anything. The clerk grinned.
"You're coming here too often if you're memorizing prices. Get out more," he said as he walked into the back. The clerk came back out shortly after with another bundle that Damien stuffed into his travel pack.
"What kind of merchant tries to get people to shop somewhere else?"
"One that doesn't make commission from the lame stuff he sells," the clerk replied. "Anything else I can get for you two?"
"That's it," Damien said. He and Sylph bid the man farewell and wished him an enjoyable summer before heading back out.
Henry gave him a mental prod. Damien bit back a laugh and rolled his eyes.
"Let's drop by the library really quick. This shouldn't take long."
Sylph nodded, not even questioning the change in plans. They reached the library a short while later. Only one of the librarians was currently working, but the balding man gave them a cordial nod as they walked inside.
Right. What do you want?
"Just let me look around. I'll figure it out soon enough," Henry replied, gently taking the reins of Damien's body. With a grumble, Damien offered up no resistance and let his companion commandeer him.
Henry directed Damien over to a section near the middle of the library that seemed to be entirely concerned with modern fashion. The eldritch creature burned through about twenty of the novels within a few minutes before wandering down an isle to the rather small "fantasy" section of the library.
"I never understood the purpose of these," Henry said, using Damien's voice, to Sylph, plucking a book out of the shelf. "It's just…made-up stuff."
"I don't read much fiction," Sylph said. "Never had the chance. I'd like to, though. It's nice, reading about someone else's problems and forgetting about your own. Not everything has to happen to you for it to be real."
Henry harrumphed. He flipped the book open and scanned through it within a few seconds. Then he set it back on the shelf and picked up another one beside it before proceeding to burn through the entire row.
"I thought you didn't see the point in those."
"I'm just making sure they're all equally unimportant," Henry said, his face buried in a thick novel. "Now be quiet, I'm getting to the good part."
Sylph smirked. Henry finished off the rest of the section, then peered around the other side. Damien's face fell when Henry realized that he'd already gone through everything in the section. He caught Sylph watching him and cleared his throat.
"That's good enough for now."
He tossed control of Damien's body back to its rightful owner and slipped away, leaving Damien with the slight sensation of embarrassment.
"At least he's progressed from smut," Damien said with a sigh. "I've had a few of those memories leak in, you know. Nothing I wanted to see."
"I'm sure," Sylph said, cracking a grin. "Anything else you need to do here?"
"Nope," Damien replied. "I'm good. Let's go."
They headed back out of the almost entirely deserted library. It felt strange for the great steps to be so empty, and it was eerily similar to how the campus had felt during the evacuation caused by the monster horde.
There was nothing left for them to do on campus to prepare, so Damien mentally reached out to get Herald's attention. It took considerably more concentration than speaking to Henry, and it also left him feeling slightly slimy.
You're up. Which direction do I go?
The runes on Damien's left palm started to grow warm. As he turned toward Sylph, the temperature grew colder. Damien paused, then slowly spun in a circle. The heat grew to a peak toward their south and grew colder the farther he got from it.
Really? You turned me into a compass?
Herald didn't respond. Damien sighed and nodded toward their south.
"That way."
"Do you have to spin in a circle each time we figure out where we're going?" Sylph asked, grinning as they started in the direction that Damien had indicated. "You might want some fancier shoes if you do. You could put on a show."
"Ha ha, very funny," Damien said, rolling his eyes. Then, in a slightly quieter tone, he added, "nd yes, I do."
Sylph laughed. Damien was just glad that there weren't other people around to see him occasionally raising his hand and waving it around in the air like a limp noodle. They walked through campus, occasionally running into another straggling student.
Nobody offered them any more resistance than a passing nod. Before long, the campus buildings started to thin out. A wide, cobbled road that ran through campus stretched out over the grassy plains and disappeared into the distance.
They followed it, minutes turning to hours as the sun traced through the sky overhead. One or two far reaching campus buildings occasionally popped up, but they eventually faded into the distance as well, leaving them alone on the road.
"You'd think there would be more people traveling in this direction," Damien observed.
"They probably all already did—or they just used the portals," Sylph said. "I suppose that doesn't work too well for us, though."
"I think Herald would have told me if that was faster," Damien said after a moment of consideration. "It wants me to find the Corruption quickly, and a compass doesn't lend itself well to teleporting around. I have no clue how close we actually are, just the direction we're supposed to head in."
"Well, it's better than nothing, I guess," Sylph said with a shrug. "We should think about making camp soon, though. We want to start before the sun is completely set."
Damien nodded. They walked for a short while longer before stepping off the road. The whole area was relatively flat, so it wasn't too hard to find a spot where they could put up a tent. Sylph fiddled with the bundle, unwrapping the thick beige tarp to reveal several metal poles and stakes.
She thrust the stakes into the ground, then assembled a frame with the remaining materials.
Once it was standing, she tossed the tarp over it, slipping it through hooks in the stakes to hold it in place. Damien blinked, his plans of offering her help dying before they reached his lips. She'd set the tent up so quickly that it almost felt like it should have been a spell.
"What?" Sylph asked.
"Nothing," Damien said. "I was just impressed you set it up so quickly."
"It's a tent, not a puzzle," Sylph said, slipping inside it. Damien pushed the tarp aside and followed her in. He had to crouch to avoid smacking the top of the tent with his head.
It wasn't the largest amount of space, but the clerk had been true to his word. There was enough room for both of them to sit or lay down, and that's all they needed it for. Damien pulled a strip of soft jerky from his bag and popped it into his mouth. The rune on his palm tingled as it continued to grow warm and cold depending on the direction it was facing.
Seriously? I'm not looking right now—can't you turn this thing off?
There was no response. Damien let out a weary sigh.
"What's wrong?" Sylph asked. "The jerky isn't that bad."
"It's pretty good, actually," Damien admitted. "That isn't the problem.
Herald isn't turning off the Corruption detector, and it works by making my hand warm when it's pointed in their direction. At least, I think that's how it works."
"Well, at least your hand won't get cold at night if you point it in the right direction," Sylph said with a chuckle. She pulled out a fluffy brown sleeping tarp and slipped into it, yawning. "We should set up a watch schedule."
"No need," Henry said, slipping into Damien's shadow and rising up from the ground. His voice was a discordant whisper, but he spoke aloud so that Sylph could hear him. "I'll keep an eye out. I don't need to sleep anyways."
Sylph's eyebrows rose a small way, but she gave a small nod. "That would be helpful. Thanks, Henry."
The eldritch creature let out an affirmative hum as Damien took out his own sleeping bag and settled down inside it. The tent fell silent aside from their breathing and Henry's occasional shuffling.
It wasn't the most comfortable place that Damien had ever slept, but it wasn't unbearable, either. His thoughts faded away as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
The following morning, gentle traces of pinkish-orange sunlight peeked through the thin flap at the front of the tent. Damien blinked as his conscious thought returned. Sometime during the night, both he and Sylph had shifted so that their backs were pressed against each other.
He yawned, not moving for a minute as his mind churned back to life.
Sylph was the first to stir awake. Damien heard her breathing pattern change ever so slightly. She didn't move immediately, but after a few moments, she rolled over and sat up. Damien followed suit, still rubbing the last of the sleep out of his eyes.
"I still don't know how you can constantly wake up so early and not look the slightest bit tired," Damien grumbled, trying to comb his messy hair back with his hands.
"Practice," Sylph replied, a small grin tugging at one side of her lips.
"And a small amount of self-loathing."
They both chuckled and climbed out of their sleeping bags. Henry wordlessly returned Damien's shadow to him, giving them a small wave before vanishing completely. They had a quick breakfast of jerky and water before packing everything up. Once again, Sylph managed to do just about everything in the time it took Damien to pull up a single tent stake.
"How are you so good at this? Do you practice setting up a tent daily or something?" Damien demanded.
"Not recently, but I used to do it every day," Sylph said, stuffing her belongings back into her pack. "And this is the same issue of tent that I was able to get my hands on several years ago. I didn't have a choice but to learn, as it wasn't always safe to stay outside in the forest without any sort of protection from the elements."
"You know, I probably should have guessed that," Damien muttered.
"My bad."
"It's fine," Sylph replied with a shrug.
The two of them made their way back onto the cobbled road, and Damien held his hand up, feeling a bit foolish as he turned in a circle to find where the hottest direction was. It still pointed them straight down the road, so they set off once again.
A slight chill hung low in the early morning air. It wasn't enough to be uncomfortable, and it helped push the last of the sleepiness away. The road started to slope and curve as they walked, the flat plains turning hilly. The grass around the road got taller as well, although it never encroached on the stones' pathway.
They walked for several hours, and the sun tracked up through the cloudless sky, chasing the chill away far too quickly for Damien's liking.
As it reached its peak, Damien's palm started to tingle.
He stopped, glancing around as he realized that his hand was no longer as warm as it had been. Sylph glanced back at him. "What's going on?"
Damien moved his hand around. The runes were now directing them off to his right, away from the path. "I think we're meant to get off the path now. I guess the Corruption isn't in the next city."
"I suppose that does make a certain degree of sense," Sylph said. "But how close is it? Is there really so much of it on the continent that we can find more of those monsters this quickly?"
"No clue, and Herald doesn't seem to be in a talkative mood," Damien said as they stepped off the pathway and into the tall grass. "I suppose we'll find out, though."
They pushed through the grass with Damien at the lead, walking toward whatever version of the Corruption that Herald was leading them toward.
The dirt was considerably less fun to walk on than the cobblestone, and Damien didn't want to think about what small creatures might have been hiding within it.
Henry? I don't suppose you've got any idea what we're heading toward or how far away we are from it? If it's like ten days away, this is going to be really annoying. I'd love if I actually had an idea of where we were heading rather than just a general direction.
"I can check," Henry said. "But if the Corruption isn't basically on top of us, I doubt I'll find it."
What about the Void? I know you said they weren't free, but how tightly are they bound? If it's something similar to what happened between us, they could be directing their hosts toward the Corruption as well.
"I'll keep an eye out," Henry said, slipping into Damien's shadow and separating from his body. "Just keep walking for now. None of the Void are so close that they'll be a problem before I get back, and I don't think we're right on the Corruption, either."
Henry shot off. Damien followed the trail of rustled tall grass before Henry vanished into the distance.
"Checking for the Corruption?" Sylph guessed.
"And the Void," Damien said, following after Henry. "We probably aren't too close, though. I don't know how close we are, but something tells me that the answer is 'not very.' I'd ask Herald, but I'd rather avoid speaking with it as much as possible. We've got enough rations for a week, right?"
"And some," Sylph said. "Not enough water for that long, but there should be a stream somewhere along the way. There are a lot of them near Blackmist. I saw them on a map in the library early after getting to the college. We can wander for a little while before we have to consider stopping by a town to restock."
"Are there any on the way? Now that you mention it, a map might have been wise."
Sylph smirked. "I memorized most of it—the important stuff, anyways.
There's a town in about five days that isn't completely out of our current direction. That should be fine."
Damien nodded, and they fell silent, following the guidance of the mildly annoying runes on his hand. They continued for nearly an hour before spotting a dark flash blurring through the grass.
Henry sprung up before them, faint tendrils of energy curling up from him and evaporating into the air. "No Void. Nothing within fifty miles. But I think I found what Herald's leading us toward."
"Oh?" Damien asked, cocking his head. "It's a something? Not the Corruption?"
"A cave," Henry reported. "About two hours of travel down the road.
There's a deactivated portal inside it. It was pretty well hidden, and I wouldn't have given it much thought normally, but it's the only thing in this direction aside from a tiny village that I don't think is of any relevance."
"A portal?" Sylph's brow tightened. "Can we trust Herald? If it's old and out of the way, I'm going to assume it isn't active."
"You'd be correct," Henry said. "It's dead. I could fix it, and that means Herald can as well."
"I don't think we've got much of a choice," Damien said with a sigh.
"Unless we want to turn around, that is."
"We can see what Herald does once we get there," Sylph said. "If we don't like it, we can just leave. He can't force you to do anything, right?"
"No. Well, probably not," Damien amended. "I'm pretty sure he can't.
If he can, he's been keeping it secret for a very long time, and I can't imagine what the purpose of that would be."
"That's a bit more doubt than I would have liked," Sylph said, eyeing Damien with a wary frown.
"Henry can do a lot more than Herald can," Damien said. "He's a bit of a third party. I wouldn't worry about Herald for now. I'm almost certain he can't do anything outside of our contract."
"I'll take your word for it," Sylph said. "Just try to give me some warning if you go crazy. It's only fair."
"I'll do my best."
They both chuckled, though there was little mirth in their laughter.
Henry returned Damien's shadow to him, and the small party continued onward through the hills.