Salvos

“[Manifestation of the Old Gods]!”

My pair of [Faux Limbs] were raised towards the heavens. The golden disc above shone radiant rays that parted the clouds. I waited. My companions looked at me; their anticipation was evident. And I was excited to see what came next too.

Unfortunately, nothing happened.

“Uh, Salvos…?”

Edithe spoke up uncertainly. I pursed my lips and waved my magical fiery arms.

“Give a second— come on, why won’t you work? [Manifestation of the Old Gods]!”

Daniel exchanged a glance with the [Mage]. My companions were, quite clearly, puzzled by what I was doing. He raised a hand apprehensively.

“I don’t think it’s working.”

“No, it has to!”

I insisted. It was a hunch at first, but now I was instinctively drawn towards using it. Maybe it was intuition, or it was simply misplaced optimism. However, it felt like something was missing. I began pouring more mana into the tip of my [Faux Limbs] as I repeated myself.

“[Manifestation of the Old Gods]. [Manifestation of the Old Gods]. [Manifestation of the Old Gods]...”

Edithe and Daniel looked at each other with concerned expressions. They waited for a moment as I continued. I needed something else for this Skill. Something I didn’t have right now. But I had it. Deep within. I just had to reach inside.

My companions started.

“Salvos—”

And I closed my eyes as something was forced out.

“[Manifestation of the Old Gods].”

I gasped. My entire body froze. I felt a reverberation run through my chest. It was like a violent heartbeat; an electrical pulse. I could feel my breath taken; power surging; an aura collecting. It caused me to viscerally shudder as flakes of rainbow-colored flames wisped off my skin against my will.

My companions recoiled as the divine fire burned them. My divinity leaked out, even though my Grand Skill wasn’t active— even though it couldn’t be active. Yet, some of it leaked out. Through sheer will and force, I called onto my Divine Essence for but a single moment, and it answered.

It powered my Skill— [Manifestation of the Old Gods]— and it filled my vision. The rainbow-colored flames that sparked off me quickly receded to my body, covering me in silver mist. It sank back into my chest, and the world grew intensely more vivid.

Daniel and Edithe stared up at me as a ripple ran through my body. The hidden scales at my forearms hardened. My perception of everything was altered. It was like I could see the pebbles on the ground— the cracks in the dirt. I saw a hare rushing through the open fields. The forest and a meadow hundreds of miles away. Edithe opened her mouth and her voice blared.

“SALVOS?”

I recoiled, tumbling to the ground. My companions sputtered in a panic as I covered my ears with my [Faux Limbs]. I closed my eyes and yelled back at them.

“S-stop it!”

They tried to argue, but another set of [Faux Limbs] shot out and covered their mouths.

“I can’t—”

I gritted my teeth as I activated my spatial sight. I didn’t use my eyes to see. Instead, with magic, I realized we were getting close to the ground. Steeling myself with a deep breath, I swerved up right before crashing into a rolling hill.

Once I was back in the air, I stopped and just hovered there. My wings flapped gently behind my back as I slowly tried to open my eyes. I blinked a few times, letting the influx of light seep in— trying to acclimate to my new vision— before shutting my eyes again. I spoke softly to my companions, explaining what had happened.

“I can hear… see… too many things. I can smell the air… the birds… the— it’s all so disgusting.”

I wrinkled my nose, covering it with another, another [Faux Limb]. But my sight and my scent weren’t the worst of it. In fact, it was quite mild to my most enhanced sense: my hearing.

“What do mean—”

Edithe started, and I physically cringed. Daniel quickly covered her mouth, shaking his head at her. He moved his lips subtly, whispering.

“Can you find the Demon with this?”

It was soft enough that it didn’t hurt me to hear it, but it was still slightly grating to my ears. I pursed my lips and answered.

“I can… try.”

I had a better sense of scent, sight, and hearing. If I used it right, I could possibly track down this Demon. My eyes fluttered open once again. This time, I took it all in. I didn’t shy away from it. I accepted it without fear.

A bright light flashed. The crimson clash of night and day shone directly at me. I looked past it, clenching my jaw as I cast my gaze over the expansive landscape. My head grew dizzy. The world started to spin. It was disorienting.

I could almost see through the leaves of the faraway tree. I could almost see the intricate detail on the surface of a blade of grass— the dew that matted its edges during twilight. There was so much detail to take in. So much I never would’ve seen all the way from up here.

But I faced it. And I scanned through the vast landscape. I saw everything in hundreds of miles: the ants crawling under a pebble; the [Merchants] traveling down the dirt road; the city bustling with life. I could pick out any individual face— look in through the open windows. Yet, there was so much.

It was overwhelming. I could see either everything at once, and that meant I saw nothing. It all became a blurred mashup of a painting to me. Was it up ahead? Was it to the side? Was it directly below?

I didn’t know.

I needed something to help me focus— narrow down what I was looking for. Give me a sense of direction.

Scent wouldn’t help here. I didn’t know what the Demon smelled like. Perhaps if I had gotten a whiff of him with this Skill before— but no. All that was left was to…

I breathed deeply— then made a disgusted face. And I uncuffed my ears.

All at once, a cacophony of voices assailed me. I heard wailings— the cries of a baby. The screams of a child. The growling of a dog. The crickets, the pindrops, the wind—

My entire body tensed up. It was far worse than being able to see all. What I heard made me want to scream. I opened my mouth, but let nothing out to spare me from further torture. I listened. I heard everything from the adventure at their camp.

“I said send a missive to Helena Warshade now—”

To the little boy at his home.

“Is the Primeval Demon really dead? Can things finally return to—”

To the food vendors alongside the streets. To the [Traders] haggling their deals.

“Yes, this dagger was forged by the finest [Magecrafter] in all of Serinus’ School of Sm—”

To the monsters, to the animals, to the insects, to the birds, to the wind. I heard it all, and tears streamed down my cheeks.

My mouth hung open, unhinged. My pupils dilated as they vibrated on the spot. I would’ve ripped out my ears there and then if not for the fact that it would’ve made absolutely no difference. I had to end the Skill.

But I had to find the Demon. I couldn’t just give up. But what was I even searching for? I didn’t even know. But I had given myself a task. But I was in so much pain. But it wasn’t killing me. But I couldn’t bear it. But—

And as I was overwhelmed with sensory-overload, I heard it.

Perhaps it was because it was a familiar voice— or perhaps it was because I recognized the word, accompanied by a tone so commonly thrown my way— but I picked it out. Amongst the babble. Amongst my sanity. I heard it.

“Demon!”

My head snapped to the side. My vision narrowed. I went from seeing everything at once, to only a single thing. And it was so clear, even though it was hundreds of miles away. Even though I wasn’t anywhere close. All I heard was what was happening there. All I saw was a princess being attacked by a Demon. I whispered.

“There you are.”

And the world around me warped.

“What… is that?”

Willow’s voice drew Faith’s attention. She had been talking with Gavyn— ruminating their situation— when the carriage suddenly came to a halt. The carriage driver leaned forward, narrowing his eyes as Faith blinked.

A creature barred the path ahead of them. It looked like a crocodile. Except far larger. With wings that somehow blended into its surroundings. It took Faith a moment to use [Identification] on the monster. And when she did, her eyes widened. It was a Demon.

“No…”

An assassin. Sent to stop her. Just as she’d anticipated. And it was incredibly high-leveled. Faith called out to the carriage driver.

“Get us—”

But the Demon leapt forward. With a single bite, it snapped the enchanted carriage in half, taking the driver and the horses into its jaw. Gavyn and Willow leapt towards it, ready to throw their lives away, but Faith was faster.

She raised one of her rings.

“The Prisoner’s Terrarium!”

A domed vortex rapidly formed around the Demon. It stopped both Gavyn and Willow from charging to their dooms as Faith pulled herself out of the carriage-wreck. The other bodyguards— the rest of the caravan— rushed to her side, but she only shouted at them to retreat.

“We need to get out of here! That’s not just a monster. That’s a—”

Faith started, but the spell shattered. The barrier broke apart as she spun around, looking at the giant winged crocodile leap out.

“Demon!”

She pointed another ring its way, shouting.

“Ray of Frost!”

Gavyn and Willow both pulled back as the blast of ice struck the Demon. It fell back, the entire landscape freezing over. But the Demon simply got back up, brushing the snowflakes off its fur. Faith gaped.

“H-how? That’s an Epic Grade artifact..”

The Demon snarled, not caring for her words. It barreled straight for them. None of the bodyguards here would’ve slowed it for even a second. Maybe Gavyn, but that made no difference. Everyone was as good as dead—

And there was a flash. The Demon drew back as the world opened up between them. Faith blinked a few times as a familiar figure emerged from thin air. The Fallen Queen of Elutra’s jaw dropped.

“Salvos?”

It wasn’t just the silver-haired girl. She carried in her arms Daniel Song— the [Hero] of Earth A1. And a red-haired woman. A [Mage]. Faith didn’t recognize her, but she heard of Edithe Dawnrise in reputation.

The three Liberators of the Plaguelands. The trio that nobody could defeat.

It was almost a familiar sight to Faith. Not long ago did Salvos save the former princess against a powerful Demon right on time when it looked like all hope was lost. It was happening again.

A shred of hope burned within Faith as she got to her feet. A susurration ran through her escort. They pointed at Salvos— noting her new level since they last met her. They grew hopeful as Faith opened her mouth, expecting Salvos to cut down this Demon like it was nothing.

“You guys—”

But all Salvos did was drop to her knees, covering her ears and closing her eyes shut.

“I-I can’t…”

She groaned while on the ground. Daniel and Edithe landed right next to her. They hesitated as the Demon raised a brow, still growling. It looked confused for a moment— which confused Faith more than anything.

Daniel and Edithe looked down at Salvos then turned to each other at the same time— the only ones standing before the Demon.

“I think this is up to us, huh?”

Daniel shifted his feet, and Edithe sighed as she raised her staff.

“Well, fuck.”

The Demon bared its teeth and lashed out again.