Chapter 79: That Sappy Goodbye

"I'm going to miss you."

Music

"I want my mace, Yech. My shield and cane, too. Give me back that flask—"

"You fucking glutton, you're worse than I am. Take it! Go on, take it. We'll get you your shit. Come on."

"Ray. Come here, boy. Come on."

There's a whimper, a bark. The water runs red, speckled with flecks of confetti, golden flowers and viscera. You all head down a new path, making your way through the ruins for some time. Yech leads you back into the countless passages you escaped through.

You all stick together. Your pulse calms down. The fear of death is fading fast, and you can't help but be forgiving. You can't help but show your compassion. You know you've been quick to judge, and quick to kill, but you can't blame Yech for his behavior.

You've done so much worse.

"We did it, Yech."

"We sure did. You were crazy back there, Richard. I mean, not just literally. That was incredible. You probably couldn't hear me, could you?"

You're hissing through your teeth, so exhausted that every motion is agony. You try to not show it, and hold back the blood rising to your lips with each step. "Not a word, Yech. Plenty of expletives, but—"

"Oh, shut the fuck up. I was cheering you on, you fucking maniac. Thirty TWO times! UNBELIEVABLE! You're a fucking legend. You're—"

"I'm not a God, Yech."

"You sure had them all thinking otherwise!"

A silence falls between you two for a long while. The the rush of water and your soggy footsteps are a reassuring break from the violence and sin.

"Thank you for staying your hand, Yech."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't fucking mention it."

"Thank you for saving me. I can't begin to imagine everything you've been through."

"I knew you were worth it."

You both come to a stop in an expanse of the waterway littered with corpses. There's stacks upon stacks of bodies. Their skin is flayed off of their bones. A void lies in their wake. There's a clawing sensation at the back of your mind that you'll never forget this, not for as long as you live.

Yech gingerly sets you down, letting you rest in the low tide as he fishes for your mace, shield, and cane. He finds them rapidly, while you tend to Ray. He's trembling. Your dog— with scars over his face, the healed injury in his side, the fear of battle and of Storm— stuck with you until the very end. He hesitantly licks your face, as if to confirm that it's still you.

You pull him into your arms, holding him close, reassuring him as best as you're able. "We did it, boy. We did it. You've been such a good boy, Ray. Such a good boy. I owe you more than anyone, don't I? We're going to get you home safe. Just you wait."

Yech offers you your cane one more time. You grasp onto it as firmly as you can, permitting yourself to be helped back to your feet.

Leaning hard on the support, you take your mace, your shield, and the flask. There isn't even a pause as the archdemon pulls you back into his arms, sobbing, "I'm g-going to miss you—!"

"I swore I would come back, Yech—"

"Bullshit, I know you never want to see this shit ever again—"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"Now would be a good time to start, you asshole!"

"I meant it, Yech. I meant every word." You pull back for a moment, looking to him earnestly. "Truly."

There's wine flowing freely from the demon's eyes and nose as he sobs, pulling you back into his arms. "Take care of yourself! Please, give yourself a little! I'm so proud of you. Everyone is. Take good fucking care of yourself. Don't listen to any bitches. Don't take shit from anyone! You're a fucking legend. You're the greatest. I'm going to miss you, Richard—"

You both hold each other for several long minutes while you let the demon cry.

He calms down, pulling back at long last. You put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll miss you, too. Thank you. For everything."

"I did my fucking best. You'd better make something of it."

You start to turn, to walk away, and realize there's absolutely no way you can climb back up. "Yech—"

"Oh. Shit. Right. Just a second."

There's a motion and a wave. The sorcerer creates a branch that rapidly picks up you and Ray. Before you know it, you're being lifted back to the stretch of stone and rock above.

Your dog panics slightly, but you quickly command him before shouting to your ally below. "Wait—!"

"I'm shit at good-byes, Richard!"

"Thank you, Yech!"

"You're welcome!"

"Don't let Remigius bully you! Take care of everyone!"

"Shut up, Richard!"

"I'll come back! I'll find a way!"

"Go home!"

"I will!"

With a gentle push, you're placed back on the stone and rock above. Ray seems like he's going to melt down, but you rush to his side, reassuring him as best as you can.

By the time his anxiety is placated and you look back down to the rock below, Yech is already gone. There's a banner left behind in his wake.

THANK YOU!

A few tears catch in your eyes as you shoulder your things, and set off without looking back again. It's slow going. Your body is wracked with tremor, exhaustion, and weeks of travel with scarcely any rest. Your robes are covered in blood, and are soaked with filthy water. Your hair is slick with viscera, soot, and the remnants of battle. You know there must be a pallor on your face, and such deep bags under your eyes that they would surely take in any light before you.

You've earned far more scars than you entered with, and not just along your body, but you wear it all with pride. Not that you have any need for it.

Not in the darkness beyond. You are out of torches, and step forward with your cane and your faithful mastiff. You feel along the smooth wall, the murals, the moss. It's safe here. The gentle incline continues up for longer than an hour, as your pace is much slower than it was when you first descended from the top of the ruins.

You walk in relative silence at first, and do something you haven't done in a very long time. You speak aloud to your best friend— without fear of judgement, or a demon at your back.

"We did it, Ray. We did it. We're going home."

Without any scrutiny or question, he looks up to you in the darkness. He's still relying on your guidance and protection.

"We're going to be alright, despite everything. Despite reaching the bottom of the world. The abyss. We learned. We grew. We felt. We know. We were given the Relic of Mercy. We were given so much. We met an archdemon. We allied with another. There are— there are two more out there somewhere— but we don't care, do we, boy?"

His silence is reassuring.

"That's right. We're going to rest. For a long while. We made a promise."

You mutter to yourself, and give thanks to all the Gods as you approach a series of familiar red webs. Crimson clings to them, dramatically more reassuring than they once were. The corridor opens into an expanse of death, and the lair of a demon so powerful even you could not take Vengeance on him.

There's a rumble deeper than the depths of the earth. A colossal spider descends from his webs before you. His body eclipses your sight, as he scurries rapidly forward on such dexterous legs you wonder how old he truly is.

The demon bears teeth like stone, pocketed with carnage and sin.

You are so past being afraid of this monster that you smile back to him. "Malimos. Long time, no see."

His laughter intensifies. That split-jawed, stony face leers at you with so much amusement you wonder if he might actually die. "Richard, how good it is to see you once more!"

"I could say the same."

"Oh, the tales, the lies, the myth, the legend that has spun through my many webs, and all thanks to you!"

"You've heard everything, haven't you?"

"I have heard so much. I fear that my laughter will carry until the end of time, if I am to endure one more strand of your exploits! I dare say I cannot waste any more of your time, or it may be my undoing!"

You're already walking through his domain, heading towards the exit. "You don't want to hear any more, Malimos? I'm surprised."

Ray's tail is down, his ears back, cowering from the spider as the reek of old blood and moss hits you. You gesture wordlessly for him to come to your side as you head out the very same way that you once came.

The spider leers, his grin encompassing his face as he croons to you. "I may yet wish to hear more. So many tales have traveled along my webs. So many gifts have been bestowed upon my children. There is little you can tell me that I have not already heard. You have said much. You have done so much more! There is a rumor— spun out of legend— that a priest and an archdemon have allied for the first time in history. I may wish to facilitate this unholiest of unions."

There's a skittering, as the demon creeps behind your back.

You hesitate, pausing before the exit. There's a drip of blood and of sin onto the ground behind you. The demon is salivating at your potential.

"Will you accept a messenger? A more discreet means of communication? I can gift you my smallest child. Someone to take home, to send to and fro whenever you see fit! A final souvenir!"

I never want to see another spider for as long as I live. Taking a demon back to the Church of Mercy is the worst possible thing I could do.

"I mean no offense, Malimos, but no. Thank you. I have my own clergy— my own children— to attend to. There is no telling what might happen, were they to discover such a gift."

There's a rumble, a roar, and an earth-shattering quake as the demon laughs at you one last time. "Very well! Very well, Richard. I will wait, I will bide my time, I will creep and crawl as I always have. We will be here, no doubt for another age! We will be waiting."

There's a shudder, a prickle down the back of your neck, and the vague sensation of a spider. You brush it off (literally), making sure there's nothing on you before you turn and leave.

Picking through the crimson strands feels like it takes an age. Ray helpfully tries to eat through a fair number of them, as you both steadily ascend back to the surface.

To your joy and endless comfort, light filters into the passage.

Your heart is unusually light, after everything you've been through.

After what feels like several hours of trying to manipulate your weary legs, your cane, your dog and your soul, you emerge into the sun.