A Soldier's Life - 428 - Pier Pressure (minor edit 7-26-25 +200 words)

Chapter 428: Pier Pressure

I was hooked on reading about the bone devil’s poison. It was more than just potent; it was so deadly that there was almost no defense against it other than immediate magical healing. The poison found in the bone devil’s tail spike essentially turned red blood into jelly within a few seconds of entering the bloodstream. This meant the poison would have circulated through the heart and to most parts of the body before it activated and clogged all the veins and arteries. It was guaranteed death afterward.

I had the bone devil’s tail in my space, and I paged through two reference books on how to successfully harvest the deadly poison. The bone devil’s horns were also highly useful, used in the bone etching process to protect from the nether aether. It had other uses in alchemy and artificing as well.

I read some passages from the bone devil for my two protectors, and they read back passages they found helpful from the other creatures.

“The serpent is called an abyssal snake. It has a high resistance to abyssal magic, but it is not a demon. The meat is safe to eat if you get hungry. I have a recipe for some good pepper dry rub for steaks,” Bharok said seriously as he continued to page through his current book.

Baelira did not appear as annoyed with the dwarf as she initially seemed. “The same rub you used on the smoked octopus tentacles? Count me in.” The elf was reading about the shadow demon. “The greater shadow demon can corrupt and become a parasite inside a being’s aether core. It succeeded in infiltrating Sanctuary about a millennium ago. Killed the High Sentinel and took one of the ships to the mainland.”

“Is it still alive?” Bharok asked, looking up from his book.

“It doesn’t say.” She paused. “It does say six Seekers were sent after it, but were never heard from again.”

“How smart are they?” I asked.

Bharok looked at me mirthfully. “Plan to ask it to play a game of checkers?”

“You like checkers? I know a goliath you would get along with,” I retorted. Bharok’s eyes lit up in interest.

Baelira rolled her eyes at both of us. “Yes, it is fairly smart. It managed to remain hidden for months before it killed the High Sentinel and fled.”

“What does it say about being able to split into two lesser shadow demons?” I asked.

The elf quickly scanned the text before answering. “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. A great shadow demon is about four times the strength of a single lesser. The greater shadow demon can split into two lesser ones when it is severely injured, then after ten minutes, it reforms and is completely healed in its greater form. The strategy is to focus and kill one of the lesser shadow demons before it reforms.”

We continued to study until Bharok stopped us. “It is time to go. We need to get down to the dungeon entrance.”

As we descended the stairs, I asked the pair why they didn’t know about the dungeon under their feet. Baelira answered. “The gate was always locked to that outlook. When I was younger, a few of us tried to open it. The High Sentinel discovered our attempt. Instead of being angry, he walked us out onto the ledge at high tide. You couldn’t see any evidence of the stairs in the murky water.”

“I knew there was a dungeon somewhere,” Bharok stated confidently. “I just didn’t know it was under our feet. Caught the High Sentinel and five council members returning under the cover of darkness in one of the trolling ships. They unloaded a cargo in the dark. I happened to check on those crates, and most were packed with sand for the glassworks. But two of the crates had horns. I now know those horns were from spined devils.”

“When?” Baelira asked, stopping on the steps and turning to the dwarf.

“Elven, twelve years back,” Bharok said casually. Baelira thought for a moment before she continued to lead us down the steps. I sensed something had been revealed to her that she didn’t like, as she no longer participated in the conversation.

When we reached the docks, there were dozens of Sentinels scattered around the ships. Over a hundred apparitions flowed along the ceiling. These were minor spirits that necromancers could control. Not nearly as deadly as physical undead, but they could weaken an opponent. Fenlorian was standing among his trusted council members and waved us over.

“It should be between two and three hours.” He gestured toward the passage that led outside. “We’ve molded the stone to ensure everything exits from there. That’s how the passage used to be a long time ago, leading into this cavern. Do you have any questions?”

“My mother?” Baelira asked with sharp insinuation.

The High Sentinel winced as if he'd been slapped. He replied without hesitation. “Phaedra was killed in the dungeon. We must harvest the spined devils every five years to keep the alchemists supplied. The dungeon changed; there were only supposed to be thirty of the creatures, but there were forty-two on that descent. They cut off our escape and swarmed us. I couldn't get to her in time. She was impaled with dozens of the flaming spines. She couldn’t heal herself fast enough, and no healing potion we gave her could save her.”

The tension between the two lingered until another Sentinel approached with a report. “We are ready. We can collapse thirty feet of the passage.”

“Seeker Eryk, I want your team in that alcove. You are to observe only until the bone devil emerges, then act quickly. We will help restrain it. Do you understand?” Fenlorian said forcefully. I nodded, and he moved away. I could tell Baelira was seething on the inside. She must not have been told the truth about how her mother had died.

The alcove we were stationed in at least had seating. Bharok was no longer talkative as he also took a seat with a good line of sight on the dungeon exit. He fixated on it as he intermittently squeezed the shaft of his hammer. His eyes had hardened, and I could tell he was primed for retribution. The Sentinels might be better than most people at dealing with death, but they still formed strong friendships, and vengeance was on the menu today.

“This is for you,” Baelira said, handing me a bronze amulet. “It is a lesser aether shield amulet. You need to activate it with aether.” I took the bronze token and turned it over in my hand. I could see the fine lines where the runic plates were stacked on top of each other. I nodded my thanks and switched the amulet of clarity for it. I moved the blue sapphire stone amulet directly to my dimensional space rather than revealing its existence.

When nothing happened for three hours, some Sentinels started to relax. Elvish phrases echoed over the lapping waters, wondering if perhaps the dungeon was not going to release its host. That speculation came to an end when a massive snake head emerged from the tunnel. Its serpentine snout paused, while its blue-forked tongue whipped out to five feet and tasted the air. Everyone was still, waiting for it to emerge further. They needed it clear of the tunnel so they could collapse the tunnel on the spined devils.

The serpent’s scales looked green in the dim light of the cavern, but when they caught the light just right, they looked royal blue. I realized I had seen those exact scales gracing the floor of several rooms in Sanctuary. I thought they had been a unique type of polished stone. A young elf dashed across the docks, jumped up onto Mourning After, and climbed the charred mast. The snake’s head snapped to the movement, and soon it was rushing out of the tunnel.

The body seemed to keep emerging endlessly until its forty-foot length was fully revealed from the tunnel. The girth wasn't as impressive as the head; the lengthy body was perhaps four feet tall. The body moved in rhythmic waves across the floor toward its prey. Then chaos erupted as the apparitions descended, and other spells were cast upon it from all sides. No one moved to engage the serpent. They didn’t need to.

The snake whipped about and tried to engage anything as scales sloughed off, were blasted off, and wounds were torn in its hide by the frenzied assault. Bloody wounds oozed blood that pooled and streamed into the water from the stone pier. The snake gave up and attempted to escape into the water. If it were possible, the intensity of the attacks increased. The snake’s head was submerged in the water, and the body struggled against unseen forces holding it in place. The water started to churn into a pink froth as the snake’s head strained to reach freedom.

The flapping of wings echoed in the chamber as the spined devils joined the party. The devils looked like monstrous bats emerging from a cave to hunt at night. “Collapse it now!” A voice reverberated through the cavern. Fenlorian rushed out from the stairwell with four companions behind him. They raced toward the snake with urgency, trying to finish it quickly.

Runic spears and swords cut deep into exposed flesh on the snake as a thunderous boom echoed in the chamber, and a cloud of dust and rocks puffed out of the entrance with a tumble of spined devils. The cavern came alive right then as the Sentinels exited the safety of their alcoves and attacked the flying devils in earnest. Baelira tried to step out and help, but Bharok gripped her shoulder. “Not our time, girl. Let them fight it out; it is under control at the moment.”

The scene was chaotic, but it was clear the Sentinels had planned well. The snake quickly stilled, and the spined devils on the floor were hastily dispatched. I only counted six flying devils hovering near the ceiling and two bolted out through the passage where the ships passed through. The other four fired their flaming spines, but they had no chance of reaching their targets as multiple Sentinels were prepared to handle the spines. Large fishing nets were fired with magic at the ceiling, catching three of the demons, and they fell into the water, fated to drown. The hold on the serpent was released, and it slid slowly into the water. Its scales grated on the stone corner until its entire body disappeared beneath the water to join the first, also submerged there.

Soon, the only sound was the echoing cries from the devils trapped in the rubble. The Sentinels sustained only a few minor injuries, which were being treated quickly. A voice yelled. “Nineteen accounted for!” There was no cheering, just satisfied acknowledgment. The forces were repositioned to surround the entrance as the dust settled, but a repose was not given as the shadow demon emerged from the dust cloud.

Fenlorian tossed his sword aside and drew another he had not had with him in the first battle. The blade of this weapon looked to be ivory and took on a soft-white glow as he charged the demon alone. This must have been the plan, as the other Sentinels only supported him from a distance. The greater demon was still getting its bearings when the white blade connected. A hissing steam and flash erupted around the blade, and the demon howled in rage and pain. That blade, whatever its ability, was clearly effective against the demon.

Fenlorian was immediately on the defensive as shadow claws targeted him, and with every strike, he was knocked back a few feet. He was intentionally drawing the demon out to the center of the pier. He finally yelled, “Attack! It cannot divide itself!” The Sentinels closed in to end the nightmare creature.

The battle was clearly in our favor, and over the next few minutes, the shadow demon was frustrated. I think it tried to separate itself, but something was holding it back from doing so. It was just a matter of time. “We are up,” Bharok shouted happily.

My attention was drawn back to the entrance. I couldn’t see anything yet, but the dust was swirling and being pulled inside the opening, like the cave was sucking it in. I was briefly worried that the bone demon had clawed through the outer wall, and the air was being pulled outside. Then, a shadow in the cloud slowly emerged as the bone demon showed itself.

It was definitely smaller than the other one, perhaps eighty percent of its size. Other Sentinels were aware and moved away from the greater threat I was supposed to handle. The bone devil surveyed the field and launched itself toward the battle with the shadow demon, planning to give aid to its ilk. I reacted instantly, rushing to intercept it. With both of us running, it was going to be much harder to overlay the dimensional space on its head.

One Sentinel tried to block its path, but the tail whipped out, piercing the man’s chest. The tail arched overhead and flicked off the corpse with contempt. The act did slow the demon enough for me to reach it before it could attack the backs of the Sentinels in battle with the shadow demon. I noticed the tail preparing to strike me, and I had to decide whether to target the head or the tail. I chose the head.

The tail snapped toward me as the head vanished from the body. My hand went to the amulet as I sent aether into it. The translucent blue screen appeared around me, and I mentally relaxed. The tail barb missed me anyway, but the tail itself slammed into me. The aether shield reacted, flashing blue in defiance, but my body was thrown across the stone pier. I rolled and tried unsuccessfully to halt my tumbling progress toward the water.

I went over the edge into the frothy pink foam where the abyssal serpent had met its end. Disoriented, I sank quickly toward the bottom and focused on unstrapping the leather armor. My aether shield amulet was hot against my chest, boiling the water around it, and burning my flesh. I discarded it first. When I managed to get my armor off, I pulled my robes over my head and was about to head to the surface when Baelira’s glowing form was at my side. She touched me, and I nodded as a warmth spread through my body, and my lungs tingled. I inhaled tentatively before relaxing. The water I inhaled turned to oxygen in my lungs. I grabbed the aether shield amulet and we returned to the surface to see that the battle was over.

Others helped us up to the pier. Many Sentinels were studying the bone devil and casting glances at me. Fenlorian approached, his black armor in rough shape, but apparently unharmed. “Excellent work, Seeker. Dry off while we handle the trapped spined devils. Then you can join us to destroy the dungeon.”

Baelira’s gaze was not friendly, but was directed at the High Sentinel and not me. Bharok was grinning. “I was hoping he would say that. Sounds like fun.”

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