"W-what did you do?!" Esmer shrieks at me, clutching her head. Ishmel hesitantly raises his weapon, a long and slender sword that seems to pulse with magic, towards me. The other Hunters also follow suit.
"I did nothing." I hiss as I hop backwards to dodge a bolt from the arbalest at the top of the tower. Getting up into the air, I get a birds-eye view of the monster currently plowing its way towards the Church. The Hunters run out of the building, intent on following me.
It's large, easily four meters (~13.1 feet~) tall, effortlessly pushing its way through the snow. Two large horns that glow a fierce red sit atop a head of long, silver white hair that seems to flow outwards and move about on its own, regardless of gravity.
Its face is contorted in rage, with the teeth of its lower jaw jutting out, showing off two prominent tusks as well as many sharp teeth. Overall, it looks like an enlarged heavy-weight lifter, naked save for a loincloth. Its reddish skin is covered in boils and sores that converge to form the illusion of countless groaning faces in various expressions of rage and pain.
Finally, it has large chains wrapped around its arms, their ends fused to its flesh. As it spots the hunters, it lets out another roar and starts charging towards them.
*Onryoki*
*A Rare Eastern Spirit. It is created from the Mourning Air that forms above the graves of those that have been murdered, mistreated or abused, with the perpetrator still walking free. The more graves there are in close proximity that fit these criteria, the more powerful and vengeful the resulting Onryoki.
Fights using its superior Strength and size to slam and pummel its prey, but will resort to using its claw-like nails if faced with a foe that is too big or too defensive to be easily bullied by strength alone. These nails carry the peculiar property of dealing Physical Dark Damage, a very rare phenomenon.
Although it is possible to run an Onryoki out of HP, this will only dissipate its physical form. Over time, its anger and the grudges it bears will cause its scattered remains to coalesce back into a physical state once again, starting its rampage anew.
Only by appeasing its anger can an Onryoki be laid to rest. This usually involves tracking down the one(s) responsible for the death of the people who constitute the Onryoki, and punishing them for their crimes. Once the Onryoki is appeased, it will bestow a boon onto the one who helped it find peace before fading from the World, leaving no trace of its body behind.*
*Rank: 7 Stars*
"Mother above! It's an Onryoki!" Ishmel shouts in fear once he recovers from the onslaught of the monsters' roar. The other Hunters seem dazed by the roar, unable to recover as fast as Ishmel and thus unable to get out of the way of the rampaging Onryoki.
As I enlarge my body with Size Change, I swoop down towards the Onryoki. Seeing me approach, it gets its poise ready to intercept my charge. We end up in a shoving match, though the Eastern Spirit is easily outclassed by my monstrous Strength.
With a push, I manage to get enough leverage to knock the Onryoki onto its side before quickly tethering it in place with my silk and further reinforcing the restraint with Dark Shackles. If this is to be solved, then it's better to keep them alive for now.
As the Onryoki struggles against my restraints, I turn towards the hunters. "Bring Esmer out here. I'm fairly certain she has something to do with this." I tell Ishmel. He nods hesitantly before motioning to one of the hunters.
The hunter gives a nervous glance towards the struggling Onryoki before hurrying inside. Moments later, sounds of a struggle can be heard as they return, firmly gripping a very uncooperative Esmer by the upper arm.
"Let go of me! Why are you doing this?" She shouts, trying in vain to pull against the might of the hunter. The next set of protests catch in her throat though as the Onryoki and her lock eyes. Shock is evident in both of their faces, but whilst Esmers expression turns to fear, the Onryokis expression turns to blind rage.
The silk webbing gives way as the Eastern Spirit intensifies its effort to get free, but the Dark Shackles still hold strong. It's able to move a few steps forward before being yanked back by the Spells effect, causing everyone present to flinch.
"Mr Ishmel, you seem to have some knowledge on this monster, what is it?" I ask, feigning ignorance. Seeing him nervously looking at the jet black chains that restrain the Onryoki, I reassure him. "Don't worry, it won't get loose from that Spell. If it does, I still have more means to restrain it."
Ishmel nods before speaking. "It's an Onryoki. It's a strange monster, only born from the graves of those that have been mistreated or murdered. Although, their bodies cannot be able to become Undead, otherwise they become Wights instead..." He pauses, casting a steely look at Esmer who is by now surrounded by the other hunters.
"What are you looking at me for? I'm a victim as much as them! It's the Monarch, I tell you! It murdered my companions!" She shouts.
"Ms Esmer, if I wanted you and your companions dead, this village wouldn't even have known you ever lived. You'd be dead and buried on that beach where you attacked my Servants." Shadow chides. "Humanoids are the ones with clever plots and desire for a cold revenge."
Esmer's face turns pale.
"Mr Ishmel, if you permit, I have a way to make her confess, though I understand that this method is considered taboo for humanoids." I offer. "It's entirely painless. I will merely use the Spell Command on her." I reassure him, seeing his reluctant expression. "Once she confesses, I believe it is only fair that you decide the outcome."
Ishmel nods. By now, most of the villagers have crammed themselves as near the door to the Church as possible, eager to see what's going on.
"Esmer. Tell Us The Truth. What Happened To Your Companions?" I Command. My voice seems to ripple the air around me, and Esmers face relaxes and becomes emotionless, though her eyes are filled with fear and rage.
"When we were travelling through the marsh, on our way to Sern'in as per your directions, I came across a patch of Blood Widow. The roots have a strong poison that acts uniquely, instead of causing the Poison Status, it harms the Constitution Stat directly." She begins explaining.
"I am, or was, an apothecarian. I made medicines that help with curing disease. Blood Widow Root has a few uses when properly mixed for that purpose, so I knew how to handle it. Under the pretense of using it for medicine, I harvested it." Her lips pull up in twitches, as if she's fighting the smile.
"It takes a long time, but if you ingest it regularly, your Constitution becomes so low that even the slightest illness or injury can be fatal. The plan was to claim that we just barely survived an attack by the Monarch, and were cursed in the altercation. Of course, how could I know that the leader of that village had an Unique Skill?" Everyone is listening intently, even the Onryoki seems to have ceased its struggle to listen, bright blue tears streaking down its scowling face.
"So we moved here. My cover was that we weren't even planning on staying in Parshura, so my companions agreed. Once we got here, I intensified the dosage of poison. Soon, there was only me left... Then you arrived." She looks at me, tears begin to flow. Then, the effect of Command ends, she's done as she was told.
"I hate you! You killed my husband! You left us to fend for ourselves! He's buried at that beach, we couldn't even give him a proper marker!" She hisses. "If only you hadn't come here! I just needed a bit more time, then everyone in this village would hate you as I do!" Her face becomes deranged, and I suspect the only thing keeping her from throwing herself at me is the hunters surrounding her with their weapons drawn.
I glance at those present. Everyone has shocked, pale expressions. Some of the children are crying. "Mr Ishmel, I know this would normally require a proper trial, but I'm afraid we don't have the time. I have to leave to help the other villages soon. Please make your decision."
Ishmel gives the impression of having aged several years in the span of time it took Esmer to confess. He looks at her, contempt, pity and sorrow fighting for a place in his expression. "Indeed, we do not have much time, and the only thing that will defeat the Onryoki is the punishment of the ones who inflicted torment onto them." He sighs.
"Esmer Kerntill, you might not have gotten a fair trial, but I believe the circumstances and nature of your crime warrants this swift act of justice." Ishmels voice takes on a power only those who have led for many years could have cultivated. Everyone present pays attention to him, even the Onryoki.
"For the admitted murder of your twelve fellow refugees, and the attempt of pinning the blame onto the Monarch who graciously didn't claim all of your lives in reparation for the damage you caused their Servants, I sentence you to death." A gasp runs through the crowd and Esmers face turns so pale it's nearly blue.
"Monarch, I'll let you decide the manner of death." Ishmel gestures towards me as the hunters move to restrain Esmer without getting in my way.
I look at the Onryoki, reaching out with Telepathy. I feel it is most appropriate that they decide their killers fate.
"Like us"
That is the simple response I get. I nod, my brief connection with the monster letting me know exactly what they mean. I walk over to Esmer who struggles more fiercely now, panic evident on her face. I move my tail with flair, pausing just as it moves over my right shoulder, letting everyone see the poisonous stinger at the end.
"No- pleas-!" Esmer shouts as I drive the stinger into her left shoulder. She gasps in pain as the area around the wound starts to swell in reaction to the poison I've injected her with. Retracting my stinger, she falls to the ground. The veins of her neck swollen and purple.
It doesn't take long. The warmth of Power Osmosis hits me as her quivering stops, blood oozing from her mouth, nose and eyes.
*Take Dominion of Will: Esmer Kerntill?*
No.
I have no use for it. If I ever used her to make an Undead, I'd most likely be left with an unruly Raised Wight or something akin to one.
"The punishment has been delivered." Ishmel announces to everyone. A depressed mood lowers onto the village. All this death, just because of Esmers delusional plan for revenge. What would the village even do against me? What would she gain by making the village hate me?
Those questions fill my mind as I stare at her curled up form. A gasp from the hunters in front of me alerts me to the fact that there's something happening behind me. I turn around, and see that where the Onryoki once stood, there is now a gathering of deep blue orbs, each of them wreathed in pale blue flames.
They hover there for a moment before shooting off towards my chest. I'm unable to react in time as the orbs enter my chest one after the other.
*Death Lord (Great) Mutates into Great Death King (True - Unique)*
*The effect of Great Death King converts all subdued Humanoid Wills into Hitodama. Hitodama can be released and fed with MP to Summon a short lived Eastern Spirit or Undead. Unlike Undead created by the Spell Raise or True Raise, these Summoned monsters are most powerful at their creation before weakening over time. They still follow the same rules as traditional subdued Wills, and will become dormant Hitodama once again when they run out of HP.*
I feel a deep sense of urgency as I take to the skies, eager to get out of view of the humanoids gathered around me. Once I'm above the cloud layer, I pause for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. I can feel the newly created Hitodama within me, an intense sense of discomfort as I'm all too aware of every flicker of phantasmal flame.
My senses are overwhelmed, I try desperately to shut the feeling out, but I just can't ignore the writhing mass of Souls.
"Make it stop!"
I shout. I cry. All the while my mind fills with the memories of the dead. Most are scattered fragments, but all the ones that are crystal clear are the moment of death. In rapid fire fashion, I'm bombarded with the final moments of over a hundred people, each with the full experience of pain, horror and panic.
It's too much. My mind can't take it. I feel myself falling in on myself as everything goes dark.