East Road Quest

Chapter 89: The Soul Body

Jade gazed down at the buffalo’s head, pierced by an arrow, and asked, “Where are Sapph and Ruby?”

Emerald replied briefly, “In the cabin.”

Not wanting to ask further, preferring to see for himself, Jade hurried towards the cabin. His heart sank as he saw one wall had collapsed.

A few steps from the crumbled wall, in a grassy patch, lay Sapph and Ruby.

Ruby, who should have been in bed, was sitting up, and beside her lay Sapph, covered in blood.

Jade knelt on one knee beside Sapph and called out, “Sapph?”

But Sapph did not open his eyes.

Ruby spoke softly, “He’s sleeping, so be quiet. He’s better than he looks.”

“Better than he looks? What do you mean?”

“There’s a lot of blood, but not many wounds. If the clothes are torn, the skin underneath should be torn too, but look. The skin is unscathed,” Ruby said, pointing to her torn clothes.

A black wound was visible on her thigh.

“This is where the knife was. I pulled it out to give first aid, but now only a scab remains.”

Ruby then pointed to the leaves wrapped around Jade’s right arm and asked, “What happened to you?”

“It’s cracked.”

“How?”

“From the recoil of the Light of Annihilation.”

“Can that crack bones?”

“Maybe it cracked when I fell because of the recoil. Everything happened so fast, I can’t remember exactly when I got hurt.”

“Just from that? If you were in Sapph’s situation, you’d have fractures all over!”

“I agree.”

Sage, who had followed, had a brief conversation with Emerald and then ran straight towards the three.

Jade stepped aside to make room for her.

Sage immediately checked on Sapph and, pushing back her hair, exclaimed, “This is truly astonishing.”

There was dried blood on the forehead, but almost no wound.

“This is definitely this child’s blood. The wound should be big, but it’s already healing.”

Sage nodded several times as she checked other injuries.

“The bruising is disappearing at a visible rate. Ruby, did you do this?”

Sage asked.

Ruby retorted bluntly, “I don’t know how.”

“Then did Sapph heal himself?”

“Sapph said he can’t heal himself. Maybe it’s just natural healing?”

“Who in the world heals this quickly naturally?”

Sage was amazed and then, belatedly, surprised at Ruby.

“How are you standing now? By my calculations, you should be out for at least three days, if not a week. How?”

Ruby responded nonchalantly.

“The fastest natural healing power in the world.”

As Sage stared blankly, Ruby shrugged and added an explanation.

“There’s still some poison lingering. I’m still feeling dizzy.”

“What happened?”

When Jade asked, Ruby briefly explained the situation that had just unfolded.

The invasion of the Buffalord.

The protective magic of Sapph trying to stop it.

And Ruby waking up.

Jade nodded and stood up from his seat.

“Please take care of Sapph, Sage.”

“What will you do?”

“I’m going to deal with the Buffalord.”

Sage showed an ambiguous smile and nodded.

“You shouldn’t do something rash, should you?”

Without answering, Jade went to where Merald was.

“Will you leave it to me?”

At Jade’s request, Merald stepped back from the Buffalord’s head.

Jade looked down at the head with an arrow embedded in it and said,

“You might not tell the truth, but I’ll ask anyway. What is the name of the lord you serve, Antebas?”

The Buffalord narrowed his black eyes and retorted.

“The lord of hell I serve is your mother. She bore you!”

“I expected you to respond like that.”

Jade lightly gripped the book with his splinted right hand.

“Merald, from now on, I’m going to make this guy confess by force. He can only speak the truth, but the time is short. So we need to find out only what we need to know quickly.”

“Is it possible to do that with magic of annihilation?”

“Only against demons.”

“How does it work?”

“Watch.”

Jade read the incantation for capturing Antebas. The light started from the book and moved to his left hand.

Jade hadn’t yet laid a hand on him and said,

“Oh, one more thing.”

“What?”

Merald asked calmly, watching the scene.

Jade warned,

“There could be an unexpected situation.”

“What kind of situation?”

“It’s unexpected, so you’ll have to handle it. Whether it happens to me or to you, I’ll leave it to your judgment.”

Merald shrugged.

“Let’s see.”

As Jade brought the light closer, the Buffalord’s eyes widened in alarm and he shouted,

“Wait, what is that? It’s not the light of annihilation!”

“You know well. I thought about what painful revenge I could give you for doing that to Sapph, but there’s nothing more humiliating for a demon than making it speak the truth.”

“Don’t do it, damn you! I curse you, you who will be burned in the fires of hell!”

“If it means tasting the sweet nectar of vengeance, then I am all for it,” Jade declared, laying a hand upon the head of the buffalo demon. The spot beneath his touch began to glow golden, and a black substance started to coalesce into a sphere before him.

It was the same phenomenon he had witnessed at the Saint Santirimo Monastery when facing the demon Krauks.

To confirm that the binding incantation had taken effect, Jade questioned first, “Speak the name of the one you serve.”

The swelling black orb responded with the voice of Antebas, “Cauking.”

“As expected, it wouldn’t reveal its true name. Merald, your turn,” Jade prompted.

Without hesitation, Merald inquired, “Where is Cauking?”

Antebas replied instantly, “The swamp ruins.”

“Next to Torosimo. Just as I suspected,” Jade mused.

The orb began to lose its shape and churn more violently. It seemed to resist more than Krauks had, and Jade appeared fatigued from his earlier battle with Heldra.

Jade pressed on quickly, “Is there a hellgate in the swamp ruins?”

“There is.”

“And who is the master of this hellgate?”

“Cauking.”

Jade exchanged a knowing glance with Merald.

Merald immediately followed up, “How many demon lords rule over Elforest?”

“Only one, Cauking. All praise be to him.”

Even as the words were spoken, the orb completely lost its form and dissolved away.

This time, a searing heat accompanied the dissolution, unlike anything felt during the Krauks encounter. Ruby had been there to contain it with her hands, but now, there was no one.

Overwhelmed by the heat, Jade reflexively swung his hand, sending the black mass hurtling towards Merald.

Merald deflected the incoming mass with his dagger.

“Are you alright, Merald?” Jade asked, alarmed.

“Didn’t you tell me to be prepared for the unexpected? If this is what you meant, there was no need for a warning,” Merald replied nonchalantly, lowering his blade.

“What is this, though? It’s sticky and black like tar,” he observed.

“The essence of a demon’s soul.”

“And this? Is it a common occurrence?”

Merald presented his dagger to Jade, now coated with the black liquid and slowly dissolving.

“That’s… new to me as well,” Jade admitted.

At first, it seemed as if the metal was melting from the heat, but upon closer inspection, the blade was transforming at a steady pace.

“Looks dangerous. Shouldn’t we dispose of it quickly?”

The blade, originally two spans long, had stretched to three and twisted into a helix.

“Hmm, it’s quite a fine blade. It seems a waste to discard it over a little stain…”

Merald watched the transformation of the blade in silence, seemingly perplexed.

After a moment, the metamorphosis ceased.

The once silver blade now glistened with a dark sheen.

“Can you explain this phenomenon?” Merald asked Jade.

“I’m seeing it for the first time too,” Jade replied, pondering as he held a book.

“Perhaps the essence of Antebas has infused the object, turning it into a sort of… demonic blade.”

Jade reached out his hand.

“Maybe it can be eradicated with Antebas’s vanishing incantation. Hand it over.”

“A demonic blade?”

A curious smile played on Merald’s lips.

“Yes. Now, here…”

As Jade began to recite the incantation, Merald turned away.

“Do we need to destroy it? A good sheath should suffice.”

With that, Merald walked away, dagger in hand, towards the hut.

“Merald?” Jade called out, but there was no response.

The next morning, Saph awoke refreshed and surprisingly ravenous, devouring breakfast with an appetite that startled even himself.

In contrast, Jade struggled to shake off the fatigue from the previous day. He had a rough day, slept poorly through the night, and overslept into the morning.

Meanwhile, Saph, having healed Jade’s arm, was brimming with enough energy to help around the house. During this time, Sage had crafted new clothes for Saph. Although Saph had liked the clothes he wore the day before, they were ruined during the attack by the buffalo demon.

“It’s been a while since I’ve made clothes, but I’m glad they fit well.”

Sage positioned Sapph in front of the mirror and remarked, “It’s incredibly light.”

Sapph lifted her arm slightly and responded, “It’s similar to what humans call silk, but much lighter. It’s comfortable to wear too. Since you seem to like white clothes, I used undyed fabric. Its durability is a plus—you can wash it carelessly. You’ll need a couple more outfits like this for traveling, so if you have time, stop by an elf village to buy some.”

The new clothes were almost identical to the old ones, but they clung to her body, revealing the lines of her waist and chest quite starkly. Moreover, they were pants, not a skirt.

“It’s a bit embarrassing. Do elf women wear pants too?” Sapph asked.

“If the journey ahead was just walking on carpets, a skirt would be fine,” Sage replied.

For a moment, Sapph glimpsed through the window to the backyard where Emerald and Jade were discussing something.

Emerald, at the well, pulled up a bucket with one hand, then lifted it entirely to drink the water.

‘So elegantly drinking tea… And of course, that well was exclusively for Emerald’s use.

“It’s a pity. Just when we’ve become friends, to depart like this,” Sage said earnestly.

“Me too. There’s still so much I want to hear and learn,” Sapph replied.

“There will be another chance someday. Just take off the outer garment. I need to adjust it a bit more; the shoulder line doesn’t seem to fit. And the wound… Let’s see.”

Sage unwrapped the bandage around Sapph’s forehead.

“It’s amazing. Even though I added my special herbs, I’ve never seen such a quick recovery.”

“My thigh still hurts a lot,” Sapph said, rubbing the spot where she had been struck by a buffalo horn.

Sage felt the leaf bandage where the herbs had been applied; it was thick to the touch.

“I can’t remember how it was treated. I tried just now, but when I cast the light of healing on myself, it didn’t work.”

“I’m not an expert in light magic either, so I can’t explain it properly. You’re just a special child,” Sage could only say.

In the backyard, Emerald was now handing a backpack to Jade. Jade gratefully slung it over her shoulders, but it was so heavy that she immediately fell backward.

Emerald scratched his forehead and then pulled out a large stone from the backpack. Jade protested, but Emerald dismissed it nonchalantly.

Sapph was very curious about their conversation.

“If I could use the healing magic that was used on me for others… My original healing magic causes as much pain as the injury itself, but that wasn’t the case this time. If I could only use that kind of magic, I could offset the trouble I cause, even if just a little.”

“If you’re saying that out of politeness, drop it. No one thinks you’re a bother, what are you talking about? But do thank Ruby. She watched over you all day yesterday and through the night.”

“Ruby did?”

“When you lost consciousness, she felt she had to watch over you in return. Such a sweet child. She seems to really like flowers too.”

“Flowers?”

Sapph could no longer speak about flowers.

Sage suddenly lowered his voice and said, “There’s one secret to Ruby’s tremendous power.”

“What’s the matter?” asked Poe.

“No angel could exert such formidable physical strength. Ruby must be using magic,” Sage whispered only loud enough for Poe to hear.

“But Ruby claimed she couldn’t use magic, didn’t she?” Poe questioned with a hint of doubt.

“She does. How else would she extend and contract those chains? She must also know how to transform. She uses it unconsciously, so she believes she doesn’t,” Sage explained.

“What kind of magic is it?” Poe inquired, leaning closer.

Sage whispered as if sharing a secret, “The magic of Earth.”

Poe nodded in understanding and whispered back, “But why are we whispering?”

“If Ruby hears us, it’ll hurt her pride. Remember this for our future adventures. As long as she stands on the ground, there’s no being on Earth that can match Ruby,” Sage advised.

Suddenly, Ruby burst open the bedroom door and exclaimed, “I heard that! I won’t lose to anyone, whether in water or sky!”

“Oh, what sharp ears you have. Well then, carry on,” Sage replied nonchalantly.

Ignoring Ruby’s outburst, Poe continued, “Isn’t Ruby an angel who can only use the magic of Light? Can she use the magic of Earth too? I don’t quite understand it.”

“It’s not strictly so. While humans find it nearly impossible to learn the magic of nature, there are exceptions. Angels naturally gravitate towards the magic of Light but can quickly adapt to natural magic as well. Elves struggle to learn the magic of Light, but it’s not entirely beyond them,” Sage clarified.

Poe’s voice dropped to a whisper, “Then… can demons use the magic of Light?”

Sage looked slightly surprised by the question.

“Why do you ask?” Sage prodded.

Hesitating, Ruby spoke up, “He thinks he’s a demon called ‘White Horn.’ Demons often refer to Poe as ‘White Horn.’ Even that black bull said so yesterday.”

Sage dismissed the notion, “Just because of a horn? There are many horned species. Not all with horns are demons, and not all horned creatures have blue hair or fur. Look at your own texts. There are plenty of horned humans.”

Ruby interjected, “I’ve traveled the world, and I’ve never seen such humans.”

Sage glanced at Ruby and raised a finger. Instantly, the windows and doors shut tight.

“What are you doing, you old witch!” Ruby shouted from outside the now-sealed room.

Sage twirled a finger towards the ceiling, and a cascade of multicolored dust filled the air.

“If you’re going to be like that, even if you’re the Sage of the Dark Forest, I’ll cut you off right here,” Sage declared, and Ruby’s voice was heard no more.

“Now, no sound from this room will escape. Not even Ruby with her keen ears can hear us. Now, where were we…?” Sage mused, closing her eyes for a moment before continuing.

“Poe, you needn’t take the demons’ words to heart.”

That wasn’t the answer Poe wanted.

Poe’s silence demanded a response. Sage, with a resigned gesture, placed a hand on her hip and conceded.

“Alright, alright. If you insist on an answer, I’ll tell you. ‘All species’ can use the magic of Light. Even demons.”

“What is the ‘White Horn’?” Poe asked.

“They call it an ancient demon,” said the Sage, his voice steady. “But whether this being is an unnamed lord of hell, a bizarre lifeform born suddenly in nature, or merely a human or elf that rumors have inflated… I don’t know. Nobody does. Even the demons who speak of the ‘white horn’ likely don’t understand what it truly is.”

“Please share everything you know,” Poe requested without hesitation.

The Sage spoke without faltering, “This ancient demon appeared out of nowhere one day, devouring dragons whole and disrupting the natural balance. It’s so old that even the elves, whose history predates humans by thousands of years, know of it only as an ancient being. It’s no wonder humans are unaware of its existence.”

After a moment’s thought, the Sage corrected himself, “Perhaps your scriptures have some record of it. But it’s unlikely to be under the same name, and certainly without an accurate description. To label something an ancient demon based solely on white horns and blue hair? That’s nonsensical.”

“But one of the demons outright asked how a white horn could take on a human form. It seemed they weren’t referring to my appearance, but something else when they called me a white horn,” Poe reflected.

The Sage placed a hand on Poe’s shoulder and asked, “How old are you?”

“Eighteen,” Poe replied.

“I was going to say it might make sense if you were ten thousand years old, but that’s not the case, is it?” The Sage chuckled, removing his hand from Poe’s shoulder.

“Let me say it again, the white horn is a forgotten entity. Just because you have horns on your head… it doesn’t mean you need to concern yourself with the demons calling you a white horn.”

The Sage glanced briefly at the closed window leading to the backyard.

“What did Jade say about your horns?” he inquired.

“She said she doesn’t care,” Poe answered.

“I haven’t spent more than two days with Jade, but I believe her words are sincere. So, I hope you won’t dwell on it. Because if you do, Jade will end up worrying about it too. You understand what I mean?”

“Yes, Sage. I’ll keep that in mind,” Poe responded, bowing his head deeply in acknowledgment.