Last Rites

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After Weodrothis's consciousness returned to its main body, an eerie silence settled near the monolith. The duo's weakened breaths remained the only indication of life amidst the swathe of decaying flesh.

"Ough," Bluog let out a muffled groan.

He had been knocked unconscious from the previous incantation and was currently slumped against the monolith, a fierce headache ravaging his mind. Bluog slowly raised his left hand to apply pressure to the area, carefully massaging his body with the little strength he had remaining. Fortunately, it only took a short moment for the pain to subside naturally.

A relieved sigh escaped his lips.

Without the nagging headache, he could finally find some peace.

"Huh?" His eyelids suddenly popped open.

Bluog's previous drowsiness was immediately dispelled. He hurriedly looked towards his left arm and followed it down to his wrist. Where there had once been a stub now grew a perfectly healthy hand.

He stared in disbelief at the reformed appendage.

The fingers responded without issue, and there wasn't even a scar where the wound had been. Had he not personally experienced the pain of losing the hand, he might have mistaken the whole ordeal for a nightmare. As he flexed his new fingers, the memories of what had transpired before his coma flashed across his mind.

We were being attacked, then a golden leaf appeared. I asked for help and then...

As he reached the end of his thoughts, Bluog shakily turned his eyes towards the front.

He had been so preoccupied with the headache and reappearing hand that he had forgotten all about the creatures.

In place of the swarming canines now stood a viscous green sludge. On closer inspection, the homogenous goop seemed to be littered with pointed hooks and sharpened blades. Bubbles would occasionally form on the surface, gushing out rancid yellow pus when they burst.

Bluog laid frozen, staring wide-eyed at the disturbing scene.

As the initial shock wore off, the smell suddenly assaulted him. When the first whiff of the scent reached his nose, his body nearly reeled back into unconsciousness.

The odor struck with a devilish mix of bodily waste, rotten flesh, fermented innards, and a tinge of Weodrothis's decay. Trying to describe the harrowing aroma with words was beyond Bluog's current capability.

He quickly cupped both hands in front of his nose in an attempt to block the smell. Though the stench seemed to remain undeterred by his futile defenses as it continued to sneak in with each breath he took.

Every inhale was accompanied by a violent shudder. He could only force himself to remain conscious as his body acclimated to the scent.

It was quite obvious that the current goop was the result of his lord's merciful protection. No matter how rancid it may be, he shouldn't die just from breathing in the residual fumes.

Despicable things! Causing anguish even in death. He inwardly cursed.

Ten minutes passed.

Thankfully, he was able to persist. The stench still burned his innards, but he was no longer incapacitated by it.

Now able to function again, Bluog turned his attention to the wooden sword lying by his side. He held it in both hands and scrutinized it for any changes.

The memory of the swirling mist was still fresh in his mind. Yet, no matter how hard he looked, there didn't seem to be any changes.

He could only disappointedly place the sword to the side. With the other matters taken care of, Bluog finally turned towards the unconscious Auopi.

Her body was still firmly pressed against his, and like his injured hand, her flower had also been healed. Her breathing was still a bit strained, but her condition was undoubtedly improving. In a couple of minutes, she'd likely be awake.

He savored the moment. His arm was tucked around Auopi's back, and his eyes closed. Being so close to her filled him with strength.

Satisfied, Bluog slowly separated their bodies and forced himself to stand. He resisted the wave of fatigue that fell upon him from the sudden exertion.

They still had a mission to complete. Having received Weodrothis's protection, he'd be an ingrate if he continued to laze about.

He shot a glance at the encircling sludge.

The first task was to find a way out. Contacting the remnants of the group was a top priority, but doing so would be impossible if they continued to remain stuck here.

Dragging his tired body around the edge of the greenish goop, he searched for the shortest way across. Eventually, he found a spot behind the monolith where the gunk only stretched for around two meters.

At this distance, Auopi and he could easily jump across. However, the majority of the group was untrained and would therefore be incapable of nearing the monolith.

Ah, I'll have to find a way to bring the others across, he lamented.

As Bluog was lost in thought, a faint groan abruptly sounded from the monolith.

Hearing the noise, he excitedly turned his body and rushed back, a wide smile plastered on his face.

Bluog stood beside Auopi as he watched her muster.

Her eyelids began to twitch as she came into consciousness once more. Like him, she was also afflicted by a headache. Whilst in a daze, she had raised her arms to massage herself.

Out of sympathy, Bluog had joined in to help. He put his hands next to hers and started to apply pressure. After a little while, the pain seemed to have gone away.

The following ten minutes followed a familiar series of events. She marveled at her healed limbs, was disgusted by the goop, and nearly fell to the sudden smell. Bluog did his best to provide some relief, but there wasn't much he could do.

When things finally settled down, he recounted the series of events that had occurred after Auopi passed out.

From the initial golden leaf to the swirl around his sword, he made to include all the details.

Auopi experienced a variety of emotions as she listened to the story. She went from being anxious and curious at the start, to being awestruck and pious at the mystical effects towards the end.

In their time of need, they had been saved by Weodrothis!

Thinking of the crimson tree, she wished they were still in its holy domain so that she could kneel in reverence and offer her most sincere thanks.

But as she remembered the surrounding gunk, her eagerness visibly dimmed. The last thing she wished to do was offend it.

"We have to do our best to gather the others!" Auopi patted her chest as she spoke.

They'd previously abandoned the group in their escape, so she was determined to make up for her wrongs. Weodrothis had put its trust in them, and she was not going to betray it now.

Bluog smiled at her enthusiasm as he replied, "I've already found a path outside, follow me."

He brought her to the back of the monolith. Utilizing their qi-refining strength, they effortlessly jumped the two-meter gap.

Once outside, the duo headed towards the original location of the ambush. The swarm had chased them down surprisingly quickly, so it wasn't impossible for the creatures to have spared some fruit-folk in their haste. Best case scenario, a group of survivors was already waiting for them.

The pair cautiously surveyed the woods as they traveled. Although unlikely, there was always the possibility of another horde lurking in the forest.

Their pace was noticeably slower this way, but they had no other choice. They couldn't rely on Weodrothis to always come to their rescue at the last second. Even if it was willing to lend aid, there was no guarantee they'd be able to offer a prayer fast enough.

The risks simply outweighed the gain.

And thus, it was only after three hours had passed that they reached the site.

Bluog and Auopi were tense as they searched the area. With the size of the swarm, they'd already resigned themselves to seeing a mound of bloody corpses.

But as they reached the epicenter of the attack, there was no such scene. Only four dead bodies greeted them.

Auopi felt queasy as she stared at the carcasses. The creatures had torn through the soft flesh and mutilated the bodies. Appendages could be seen lying up to thirty feet from the host.

Yet, there was also a sense of relief. She had been expecting a lot worse, and the lack of bodies indicated a high likelihood of survivors.

"It's a miracle the casualties are so low. Our sudden departure may have actually saved the group," Bluog calmly told Auopi before walking towards the fallen fruit-folk.

His gaze was solemn as he delicately picked up the scattered bodies and lined them up. Any organ or appendage that could be recovered was also placed with the corresponding corpse.

"What should we do now?" Auopi chimed in from the back.

Bluog paused for a second.

He was only assembling the corpses to preserve their dignity. There was no precedent for what to do when a fruit-folk passed.

If this was in the fog, then they could at least be handed over to Weodrothis. But the trip back was long, and they could only carry two at a time. Returning in their current state just wasn't feasible.

What would his grace do? he pondered.

He faced Auopi and replied, "Pass me my weapon."

The sudden request left her confused, but she obediently picked up the wooden saber and handed it over.

Grasping the blade in his left hand, he walked over to the first corpse.

It was the remains of a living blueberry like him. He recalled its quiet nature and relatively meek persona. If he had to guess, chances are it collapsed at the first sign of danger.

Sigh.

Bluog closed his eyes and began chanting, "Servant of Weodrothis! Heed my words and return what has been given. In life you obeyed the creator and in death you shall start anew."

When the final word was spoken, he raised his sword before thrusting it into the blueberry's abdomen. 

"Are you insane?!" Auopi shouted at him as she watched dumbfounded. 

Bluog ignored her cries and focused on the sword.

Since summoning Weodrothis, he felt the connection between himself and the creator deepen. His current actions weren't based off reason, rather it was vague instinct that guided him. 

Hopefully this works.

As the sword lodged itself into the corpse, he felt a pulling sensation from the body. The sensation strengthened, and shortly thereafter something changed.

The blueberry started to rapidly condense towards the tip of the blade. Any moisture vanished and the body shriveled up. In a matter of seconds, the corpse had shrunk to 1/8th its original size. 

With the deed done he turned to the shaken Auopi and quickly consoled her, "Don't be worried. It has simply returned to Weodrothis. What's left in front of you is an empty husk." 

To double down on his point, he kicked the shriveled body. Upon contact with his foot, it burst into particles of dust.

"Weodrothis..." She calmed down upon learning that the event was connected to Weodrothis. No matter how unsightly it may be, she would never question her creator.

The duo was suddenly interrupted by the rustling of leaves.

They immediately tensed upon the familiar sound. But strangely, there was no clattering of jaws or pounding footsteps.

The duo readied their weapons and prepared to meet the source of the noise.

Seconds ticked by as the rustling grew in volume. Eventually, the foliage parted and from the forest came thirty-one fruit-folk.