The Deep and The Surface

Chapter 2. Demons Are Everywhere

World is in danger. Karcak and Snakeface troops attacked every lands they passed. Human, Elf, Dwarf, and Qunari race were being in great threat.

Many of them was slaughtered to the death or be converted into creature like Snakeface's troops.

The first human city which had fallen was Unlai, the capital of Ulrisi Saden. Then other cities followed to fall like Unlai.

Previously, we had followed Salian's journey. Salian was one of few refugees who survived from Snakeface's attack.

Together with Ajona, his friend who has been died caused by Snakeface's infection, Salian went away from his home which has destroyed by Snakeface's troops.

They're both trying to obtain any reinforcements that reserved to fight against Snakeface troops. But, their reinforcement was still outnumbered. They couldn't resist attack from Snakeface until their troops became to decrease.

At a village named Rocky village, Salian's forces had been destroyed by Snakeface troops. At the village, Ajona died slain by Salian to prevent the man transforming into Snakeface troops.

Now, Salian must go alone to look for anything that can help him to fight Snakeface. Recruiting new companions included. Although he must train new recruits who was untrained.

Vandra was first recruit who was an untrained person. So, Salian must train Vandra patiently.

"There is a Snakeface out there. You have to eliminate it before it catch you to transform you into like it," Salian said when training Vandra.

"Sir, I think we have to find another recruits. I have heard about a group of mysterious knight called as 'Blue Collar'. Might they are wardens, maybe," Vandra said to divert topic.

"What warden did you mean? Did you think I have never heard about them? The Blue Collar was just a rumor without evidence. Just like Bloody Saber, the sword that can slay the Archdemon like Karcak," Salian replied.

"Why are you so desperate, sir? Don't talk as if the Blue Collar doesn't exist. The Bloody Saber does exist defended to your faith, sir. Think about that," Vandra talked as he looking at a tree.

"I have no faith since the Light Scholar became apostate. Whereas I have put trust on him. He lied to me about the Bloody Saber's existence. He talked that the Bloody Saber does exist but he takes his words back about it after he became apostate," Salian said frustratedly.

"Did you mean Father Oilan? So, you know him? That's interesting but embarassing. Father Oilan became apostate caused by his sister death. After that, he assumed that the maker has abandoned him," Vandra said as he walking to the tree while holding his short sword.

Salian was curious about what Vandra did. Then he followed the guy.

"Hold on, Vandra. It is a light circle. Someone created it. Maybe he or she needs help," he said as he approaching to the light circle.

"Where do you know? I think this is just a magic circle. Maybe someone created it to cover himself from attack," Vandra said as he put his sword into scabbard.

"I know about this, Vandra. This magic circle shows any codes that say someone needs help not so far from here," Salian said as he touching the magic circle until it disappears.

"You know about magic?" Salian asked curious.

"Not much. We have to move. I smell a bad smell twenty meters behind us. Smell of Snakeface troops. They have disgusting smell. Wore than corpse smell," Salian said as he leaving.

Salian and Vandra went to west. They're going to a place that was believed by Salian where someone was waiting for help.

When arriving at a wide barren area, suddenly several creatures that looked like giant shrimp with terrifying appearance. They have dark black colored.

They were very wild. They're attacking Salian and Vandra using their six tiny hands.

"Maker! What is that?" Vandra shrieked in panic as he trying to flee.

"Whatever they are. We have to fight them. We can't let them touch us," Salian said as he resisting those creatures attack.

Salian and Vandra fought those creatures carefully. They didn't want those creatures touch them because it had very sharp tiny hands.

"Vandra, you have to run away! You will die if trying to fight them!" Salian shouted as he slashing one of those creatures that fighting him.

Sword s***h couldn't hurt the giant shrimp. It looked like had iron skin. So, sword couldn't hurt the creature.

"Oh, crap! What should I use to defeat this creature?" Salian swore as he falling back.

Suddenly at south of the battlefield, someone shouted.

"Over here. You can't fight them by mortal weapon. You need magic to support you to fight those creatures."

Salian saw at the person who shouted just now. The person was a girl with black long hair, dressed in covered clothes colored red. The girl was beautiful but had a strange aura.

Suddenly the girl attacked those shrimp creatures using lightening bolt which came out from her palms.

Those giant shrimps fell down onto the ground in burning condition. After the magic strike, the rest of those creatures ran away then dissapeared behind woods.

Salian and Vandra looked each other when the girl came to them.

"Finally, there are two another living human. I have been waiting here for long. I need help," the girl said when arriving front of Salian and Vandra.

"Who are you?" Salian asked as he staring at the girl. "What help did you need?"

"My name is Sheila. I am a traveller. I meant I and my father are traveller. But, in our way, we got serious problem. My father is trapped inside a cave fulled by demons. My father can't escape from the cavern. The demons are very tough. My father's magic skill couldn't defeat them," the girl named Sheila said in panic tone.

"So, you want me to help your father? That's weird for a mage asking help to non-mages for helping mage. Moreover we must fight demons. That's very very weird," Salian said in confuse. "Just mage could fight demons or spirits. I am a swordman without magic knowledges. Please tell me what your reason is to ask help from me."

Sheila stared at Salian for a while. That made Salian confusing.

"Don't look at me like that. Please talk," Salian said inpatience.

"You are not Blue Collar Knight. But I see Blue Collar Knight spirit inside yours," Sheila finally said.

But her words made Salian got confuser.

"Don't talk tale to me. Blue Collar is just bedtime fairy tales. I have never believe it," Salian said.

Sheila smiled then approaching Salian.

"You have hard life, fighter. By the way what is your name?"

"I thought you can guess our name, witch. I am Salian Oderahood. Then he is Vandra Darjono, the fighter without ability," Salian said to introduce himself and Vandra. "Back to the topic before. What is your reason to ask help from me?"

"I told you few moments ago, Salian. You have Blue Collar Knight spirit. That's my reason. Because of that, I believe you can help my father from demons crowd. Please, help him," Sheila said as she begging to Salian.

"But I can't help him without your support, witch. You are a mage, a powerful mage. You should be able to help your father by your magic ability," Salian said as he staring at Sheila.

"Sir, maybe she will be our new companion. We need more people to establish our forces to fight Snakeface," Vandra whispered to Salian.

Salian was silent while thinking. Then he looked at Sheila.

"Alright, I will help your father as I can. But I have a request for you, witch," he said in sure.

"Thank you, Salian. But what is your request to me?" Sheila asked.

"I want you to join our forces. We are gathering people who has strong ability to form forces to fight Snakeface and it's leader, the archdemon Karcak," Salian said making Sheila pupils widener.

"But I can't promise, Salian. I am sorry. My father still needs companion to reach his life goal," Sheila spoke in doubt.

"You are both can join us, of course," Vandra tried to negotiate to the girl.

"My father will not come in. He will stay away from this commotion. He didn't care about Karcak and his Snakeface troops. He just cared about his life goal," Sheila said in sad.

"What is your father's life goal, witch? Obtaining holy book from the westland? But, alright. I understand it and I will not force you to come in," Salian said as he staring unhappy at Sheila.

"Don't call me 'witch'! I am not an old woman with bent nose!" Sheila scolded Salian. "Thank you for your understanding, Salian. I hope you don't cancel your intention to help my father."

Salian noded his head.

"I will help your father as I can. But I need your magic ability to fight demons or evil spirit. Now, lead me to the demons cavern," he said.

Sheila led Salian and Vandra heading to a cavern located at the barren area.

"This area isn't a desert. This is just an empty land without trees or grassfield. This land is very dry as a bone. Impossible for living thing to live here," Vandra commented when passing the dry land.

When arriving front of the cave, they stopped their steps.

"This is the cave. I will try to open magic barrier which block the cave entrance. That is magic barrier high level that was casted by a demon's emmisary," Sheila said as she casting spell to open magic barrier which blocked the entrance.

Few moments later, the girl still didn't finish her spell yet. She was looked like in tired. Cold sweat dripped of her face.

"No, no, Sheila, stop it! You can't open the barrier. You will die if you don't stop to cast the spell," Salian shrieked as he trying to abort what Sheila did.

But Sheila didn't budge. She still casted the spell until her dripping sweat turn into blood.

"Maker damn it!" Salian drew his sword then jumping to the barrier then slashing it.

Baaaaammmm!

Suddenly Salian thrown back so hard followed by Sheila who was also thrown. Then they're both falling to the ground in overlap.

"Ahhh! Get of me! Your body is heavy!" Sheila moaned as she trying to push Salian up.

"I am sorry." Salian got of from Sheila's body by rolling his body.

Meanwhile Vandra looked that the barrier has disappeared.

"It's work. Your cooperation was successful," he muttered.

They're three entered the cave after it's magic barrier had been removed by Sheila and Salian.

"I don't think we can sleep together. Your body is very heavy," Sheila said in front of Salian and Vandra.

"Sleeping doesn't need to overlap like people from pre-historic periods, mrs. mage. Moreover I have no plan to sleep together with a mage who has strange aura," Salian replied made Sheila looking at him curious.

"Everyone saw me as a strange girl. I don't know why. Maybe because I am a mage?" she said as she looking at some artifacts scattered on the ground. "Sleeping that I meant is making love, Salian. When making love, the man is overlapping the woman, doesnt they?"

Salian chuckled.

"That's not like you think, mrs. mage. Why did you think as if we will make love?"

"Because I want it, Salian. I wanna have a child to complete my life. I think you are the best to me to get descendant," Sheila said making Salian and Vandra looked each other.

"I am not interested, mrs. mage. My life is about to fight to free this land from Karcak's grip. One thing you must know, I am a widower. I don't want to loose my beloved woman anymore," Salian said making Sheila's pupils widener.

"I am so sorry, Salian. But, you must believe that you won't loose your beloved person anymore. By the way, look at these artifacts. Maybe we can do something to them," Sheila said as she looking at an artifact on the ground.

Without any words, Salian drew his sword then slashing an artifact by it.

Suddenly earthquake occured. When earthquake, some mystique creatures appeared then attacking Salian, Sheila, and Vandra.

"What have you done! You made them angry," Vandra shrieked in panic.

"This is what should be done. Don't worry, I will support you with magic. Hiaaaaaa.....!" Sheila said as she casting spell to attack those terrifying creatures. "You must kill them all, Salian. Then you can obtain something important that can help us to open next barrier."

"Alright, lets do it." Salian attacked every spirit creatures which approaching him.

Those spirits were very tough. That made Salian and his friends couldn't fight them easily. Even Vandra was hit by those creatures attack.

"Vandra, fall back! This is regreted. But I have to do that in order we can enter next door," Salian shouted as he trying to protect Vandra that was in grave situation.

"I will help both of you with my magic ability. I have to cast Stone Fist to bring these creatures to the death!" Sheila shouted as she casting new spell named 'Stone Fist'.

By the new spell, Sheila could annihilate several creatures which was attacking Vandra and Salian. But she didn't realize about another creature attack her sneaky.

"Aaahhhh!" Sheila screamed in pain then falling down to the ground.

"Mrs. Mage!" Salian shouted then slashing the creature that attacked Sheila.

Salian succeded to kill the creature. Even all those creatures have been succesfully annihilated.

But new problem is the only mage, Sheila fell in unconscius because of the creature sneaky attack.

"Mrs. Mage, Mrs. Mage? Damn it. She is in unconscius. I hope her injure isn't severe. We can't keep going. We have to heal her, Vandra." Salian tried to make Sheila regain from her unconscius.