Chapter 62 - The Mausoleum of Moonshadow (4)

Darkness fell over the elves’ sanctuary. With the seed that had served as their sun gone, the underground realm was buried in darkness once more.

The only lights were the red eyes flashing in the air and the jade-green eyes on the ground. Their gazes were riveted on one another. The red eyes seemed almost at ease, but the green ones were not. A pitch-black shadow had fallen over their pure jade hue.

SKREEEEEE!

Every elf on the ground let out a chilling scream. They were grief-stricken and hollow. Utterly despairing. They could only shudder at the terrible sense of loss.

The World Tree’s seed had been their only hope. Had it sprouted and become a new World Tree, the elves would have regained their former glory. Untainted brethren, free of the moon’s curse, would have been born to avenge them upon the moon.

For that day alone, they had endured a full five hundred years. All those years of suffering had come to nothing in an instant. Their only hope had been buried in moonshadow—swallowed down a human’s throat.

Humans. Again.

Despair began turning to fury. Indescribable rage surged within them. The elves howled in a frenzy, their wrenching wails echoing through the sanctuary.

Hundreds of fiends began racing along the World Tree’s roots, their eyes fixed on Maphel’tan and Raguel in the air.

SKREEEEE!

Their bodies crumbled. Their withered legs were breaking under the pounding of their sprint. Yet the elves did not stop. Even as their bodies shattered, their mad charge continued. Fragments of their broken bodies became gray-white dust, scattering on the air.

Several leaped through the swirling gray dust. Murderous gazes and sharp claws bore down on Maphel’tan.

"Hand over the human!"

"Rip his stomach open! Get Mother out!"

Just before their hands reached him, Maphel’tan flew higher. The elves lunging at him fell helplessly. Even as they plummeted, they never took their eyes off Raguel. An unfathomable obsession had congealed in their gazes.

Maphel’tan looked at Raguel and clicked his tongue.

'Looks like he has no intention of waking up.'

He needed Raguel’s power now. Frustratingly, the boy was unconscious. The shock of seeing Maphel’tan’s appearance might have played a part, but the true cause was the toll of absorbing the seed. Digesting the World Tree’s seed took considerable time. It might even take a full day or longer. Maphel’tan would have to buy time until then.

He immediately began condensing demonic energy. An enormous spear shaft took shape in his black hand. The fell spear, Turabak. At present, it was his only means of physical attack.

He swung Turabak wildly. He knew nothing of refined stances or special techniques. He simply lashed out with brute force.

CRAAACK!

Several leaping elves were struck by the shaft and sent flying straight into the World Tree’s roots. The heavy impact shook loose the elves climbing them, sending them tumbling down.

"I shall help as well!"

Heat gathered in Zal’karin’s mouth. He spat out fire. A flame no bigger than a rat turd swept over the horde of elves.

It made no difference whatsoever. Hundreds upon thousands were still crawling up the roots. Their screams continued to echo.

'There’s no end to this.'

As his frustration mounted, a whistling sound threatened to tear through the air. Maphel’tan looked down. A dense swarm of dots was hurtling toward him.

'Arrows!'

He hurriedly beat his wings, escaping the volley in an instant. Arrows streaked across the empty air.

'First, I need to get out of this cave.'

The elves on the ground were readying their bows again. Countless fiends still leaped from the World Tree’s roots, aiming for Raguel. Sooner or later, an attack would get through. He needed more room.

Maphel’tan turned toward the cave’s exit. At that moment, the earth convulsed. The underground chamber shook as though it would collapse. The deep-green forest below split open with a crack.

A sour, rank stench rose from the fissure. Before long, an enormous cylindrical mass of flesh burst through the forest. An earth dragon made of rotting flesh. Long ago, it had been a mythical beast that made the elves’ land fertile. Now it was nothing more than a corrupted demonic beast.

It opened its enormous maw and shot into the air. Stench and monstrous cries filled the space above.

The corners of Maphel’tan’s mouth lifted. His hearing and sense of smell were overwhelmed, and he could barely think, but a way out had opened. He intended to make use of that worm.

He did not dodge the massive body hurtling toward him. He merely held his fell spear upright. The beast’s maw engulfed him, but it could not swallow him. The long spear lodged in its jaws, preventing them from closing.

Blackish-green blood spurted from the roof of its mouth. The revolting fluid drenched Maphel’tan. The beast began convulsing in pain, its thrashing bulk sweeping elves away.

The earth dragon roared and twisted this way and that, straining with all its might to swallow him.

'... I have to hold on.'

If he went down into its stomach, it was over. Its digestive juices would dissolve him until nothing remained. Maphel’tan gripped the fell spear tight.

Faced with his desperate resistance, the earth dragon changed tactics. Throwing its massive weight behind the blow, it slammed its maw into the cave wall.

BOOOOM!

Part of the stone wall came crashing down. A terrible impact struck Maphel’tan, and black blood burst from his mouth.

"Gah, huuugh!"

Yet he did not release the spear. He was activating his power.

"... Insignificant creature, take me out of the sanctuary."

Pitch-black demonic energy rose. Maphel’tan’s command began transforming into the ancient demonic tongue.

『 The lowly creature shall guide the thirteenth end outside (Zul’mek thar’kai vel Thirzen’dal, kar’az vel uth'vakar). 』

Huge masses of demonic energy drained away. Weakness swept through his entire body. Maphel’tan could feel himself reaching his physical limit.

'Is twice in one day too much?'

The power Words of Command had numerous limitations. One was its enormous consumption of demonic energy. Any Apostle could use it, but not all could do so with equal efficiency. Issuing specific, detailed orders several times a day required considerable mastery. Maphel’tan’s stature still fell far short of Apostles such as Garnish, the Second Apostle.

Maphel’tan swallowed a groan. Would he have to find another way? As he pondered that, the earth dragon’s rampage stopped.

'... Could it be?'

It sagged limply, then suddenly launched itself forward. It was heading for the cave’s exit.

'It worked!'

Words of Command had taken hold. Bereft of reason, the earth dragon rammed its head into the exit. The opening, tiny compared to its bulk, widened in an instant.

Rocks came pouring down. Broken rubble battered Maphel’tan’s body. He immediately folded his wings around Raguel. Black blood coated him from head to toe, but that did not matter. Protecting Raguel was what mattered most now.

Maphel’tan stomped down inside the earth dragon’s mouth.

"You idiot! Be careful!"

It did not understand. It merely burrowed through the stone even faster. Wounds covered Maphel’tan’s entire body.

* * *

BOOOOM!

Rubble flew in every direction. An enormous mass of flesh squeezed through the shattered rock face and burst out.

Maphel’tan immediately pulled the fell spear from its maw and spread his wings. Now that Words of Command had run its course, the beast would turn on him again. He had to put as much distance between them as possible.

'As high as I can.'

He flew up to the mausoleum’s ceiling. The gray forest spread out beneath him. He would be able to catch his breath, however briefly.

Hovering in the air, Maphel’tan looked at Raguel. His appearance had changed considerably. His brown hair glowed with vibrant amber hues, and his once-dry skin shone. Above all, his ears. They rose into sharp points, like those of the elves of old.

He was an elf now. A being unlike any other in this world. He had been reborn as a High Elf.

Maphel’tan sighed.

"So, when do you plan on waking up?"

Raguel had to regain consciousness before those creatures awoke. Once the fallen elders stirred from their long sleep, Maphel’tan would be hard-pressed to survive. They were nothing like ordinary elves. Each was a mighty figure who represented their race.

Most of the elven elders had perished five hundred years ago, but a few had survived and still lay buried here. With his strength, Maphel’tan could not even hope to stand against them.

'It would be best not to encounter them at all, but...'

If he did, he would have no choice but to use his last resort.

Maphel’tan stared at Raguel.

"So hurry up and wake."

Unfortunately, his desperate wish went unfulfilled. His expression suddenly twisted. A chill seeped through his body. Sensing malice, his demonic energy stirred ominously.

'Already!'

He looked down. Amid the withered forest stood a lone figure with color. A darkness as deep as Maphel’tan’s—no, deeper—was staring straight up at him.

"Fuck!"

Maphel’tan immediately shot through the air. That overwhelming presence had to belong to one of them. His instincts were warning him not even to come face-to-face with it.

He picked up speed, intent on buying time however he could. He hugged Raguel tight.

"You need to open your eyes. As soon as you can."

His wings began beating desperately. He would not be able to hold out for long.

* * *

His brain seethed. Every brain cell convulsed. Countless pieces of information and memories were forcing their way into his mind.

A history of being trampled and ravaged flashed past in a panorama. Fire and iron violated the deep-green forests. The earth cried out before greed and malice. The breath of fairies turned to acrid smoke, and nature’s children screamed instead of singing.

Beneath the baleful moonlight, countless elves groaned in human captivity. Their screams echoed without end.

Raguel wept. Every scene that appeared before his eyes tormented him. The elves’ emotions were becoming his own. He felt as though he would come to hate humans. He was ashamed even of being human himself.

Loathing for the moon welled up within him. His sense of self began to warp. He wanted to drain every drop of red blood from this body.

"Great Saint! How could you be so cruel?"

No answer came. The entire panorama simply vanished in an instant.

His surroundings slowly began to brighten. He could see dense leaves. They were not a lush green. They had withered to gray. His chest ached.

"Ghh, ugh."

Clutching his chest over his heart, Raguel sat up. At that moment, a chilling voice reached him.

"... Raguel, there’s a limit to how long you can keep someone waiting."

A fearsome being came into view, groaning with its back against an enormous tree. Raguel’s green eyes trembled.

"M-Maphel’tan...?"

The Demon gave a faint chuckle.

"Yes, it’s me. This is another first for us—meeting like this."

Maphel’tan’s entire body was covered in wounds. He was all but dying.

The fear that had lingered in Raguel’s heart vanished completely. Concern welled up in its place. He rushed straight to Maphel’tan.

"W-what on earth happened?"

Maphel’tan spoke through his coughing.

"Keeping you safe gave me a bit of trouble. Now it’s your turn. Show me you were worth the investment, Raguel."

Even as he lay dying, the Demon wore a faint smile.