We followed the princess to a set of wooden inner-city gates that led toward a steep path. The monsters hadn’t reached this far, and it was almost possible to believe none had attacked the city. Our destination was clear: an opulent palace in gleaming white carved into the side of a cliff.
“Someone sent the monsters here,” Kumi said. “I have an idea who.”
“Guildmaster Horix?” I asked.
“Indeed.”
“Have you any proof?”
“No,” the princess said as I walked alongside her. “But I will find it.”
As we ascended the mountain, I reached into my diminished pool of Vigor. Energy rippled through my most-recently created internal pathways and formed Sunlight Ichor. Honey-like sap bubbled from my skin and collected over a dozen or so small injuries from the monster fight. The ichor caught the sunlight, and my skin stitched itself back together with a warm itching sensation.
“That’s a neat trick,” Vesma said with a jealous smile. “Faryn teach you that?”
“Faryn’s taught me a lot of things,” I teased her, “but no, not this one.”
The mountain parth gave way to a winding set of stairs that took us up toward the palace.
“Something isn’t right,” Kumi said when we reached the halfway point. “We haven’t met a single guard on the way up the mountain.”
The princess suddenly burst into action, leaping over steps four at a time. I followed after her, Vesma close behind me. As we drew closer to the palace, small rivulets of blood slid down the carved steps. Kumi accelerated her pace, and I had trouble keeping up with her.
“And you thought the battle was over,” Nydarth said, her tone drowning in smugness.
Kumi slowed before pausing at a group of figures laying on the steps. I reached her in a second and noted that the figures were Qihin fishfolk bearing the same uniforms as the soldiers following closely behind us. Neatly sliced spears laid scattered next to them, and blood soaked their uniforms. A soldier twitched, forced open her eyes, and forced her head up.
“Your Highness,” the guard croaked as Kumi kneeled beside her. The princess cradled the poor woman’s head. Blood bubbled out of her mouth with each word. “Vampiric anglers. We couldn’t stop them. They’re heading toward… toward…”
She slumped in Kumi’s arms as the color drained from her face.
“My father,” Kumi said. “He won’t be able to defend himself. Not against monsters like this.”
“Then, we’re wasting time standing here,” I said.
Vesma, Kumi, and I bounded up the staircase and over more dead guards laying in front of a small archway. We emerged into a courtyard full of peaceful pools and coral statues. Three creatures clustered around a pile of corpses on the pavestones.
“Prepare yourself,” Nydarth whispered to me. “These are not easy prey to vanquish.”
Beach-ball-sized bodies opened up into maws of razor-sharp teeth. Thin arms and hands tipped with claws as long as kitchen knives clicked together as the monsters turned to face us. But the most peculiar thing about them was the glowing lures hanging from their faces. The luminescent objects danced in hypnotic patterns.
“Ethan,” Nydarth whispered, and her voice sounded so distant. She called again, but I barely heard her this time.
All I wanted to do was put down my sword, take a seat, and watch the lures sway. The esoteric pattern held mysteries, I was certain, and if I continued to stare at them, I would discover their secrets.
An open palm suddenly cracked me across the cheek, and reality shattered the hypnosis.
“Snap out of it!” Kumi shouted.
She punched Vesma’s shoulder, and my girlfriend broke from her trance.
“Try not to look directly at the lures,” Kumi said as we advanced on the anglers.
“I hear you. Any tips on fighting these things?” I asked.
“Carefully! The moment your mind wanders, look away.”
I called forth the power of water to reinforce my Frozen Armor. If I couldn’t face this opponent head-on, then I would have to fight defensively. I’d lure them in and watch for opportunities to strike.
“I did warn you,” Nydarth whispered.
“You said they weren’t easy prey,” I countered. “You mentioned nothing about their lures.”
Kumi raised her arms, hummed a song, and water flowed from the pools scattered across the courtyard. She wove it with her fingers, created threads of Augmented magic, and directed it to me and Vesma. Aches and weariness built up over the series of fights faded away. My Vigor surged faster than ever through my veins.
“All right, you creepy bastards,” I said as I advanced toward the anglers with the Sundered Heart held in front of me. “Come and get some.”
I kept my distance and used my peripheral vision to watch the three anglers while I waited for them to strike. Instead, they remained where they were, almost disinterested. They quit staring at me and dropped their heads to the guard corpses laying at their feet. Fanged maws tore into the dead fishfolk as they feasted.
Vesma neared them from the flank and stabbed at one with her spear, not fast enough to get past its claws but enough to draw its attention. It lifted its snout from a corpse and snarled at her. Another shallow stab, and it lumbered after her. The other two anglers scrambled away from their meals and joined the first.
“I can’t look at them,” I said to Nydarth, “but you can. Give me a heads up, will you?”
“But of course. Anything for you,” she purred. “They’re taking their time and toying with you. Play it safe and back away slowly.”
I did as the dragon spirit told me and backed away toward Kumi. The princess was still humming a tune, but she drew her daggers as I neared.
“I didn’t think you could actually fight,” I said. “I thought your daggers were just ornamental.”
She frowned at me. “Really?”
“Not the time for jokes?” I asked as I remembered her father was somewhere deeper inside the shrine, probably surrounded by monsters.
Kumi grunted as she pounced on an angler. It whipped around
