Tread Lightly – Among Monsters And Men

Several hours after the many near-death experiences in the town square, I end up sitting in a room with a doctor named Heath, Johnny, and the unconscious Primrose. She was able to hold on long enough for the doctor that Johnny employs to come and save her. He connected a tube that directly delivers blood from me to her, preventing any chance of her dying from blood loss.

But that doesn’t mean she’s out of the woods yet, the doc is still talking to Johnny, lecturing him.

“I told you not to let her fight Johnny! She got hurt getting her 5th Sigil and I warned you both not to aggravate her injuries! She has multiple ruptured organs, is missing half of her intestines, and her previously collapsed lung has only gotten worse. The extra blood may keep her heart beating, but eventually, her body will give out. Blood only goes so far when you are missing organs. At this rate, I’d give her a week to live with my constant attention. Maybe less.”

Johnny’s head hangs low. A level of emotion from him that surprises me. The almost certain loss of such a close subordinate and the loss of another too much even for one such as him. He looks up at the doc and questions him.

“Is there anything we can do? Anyway to save her? Surely there is something we can do. I’ll go personally if it requires something to be retrieved.”

Dr. Heath only grows angrier at Johnny’s proposition to personally go to help her.

“You’re no hearty buck either, Johnny! Remember when I put your lungs back together after Tamkin slit you side to side with its nails. You may be more powerful than ever Johnny because of your age and experience, but with that age comes frailty. Not everyone is Marshall Travis.

Now, all that being said, there is a way to help her. And no, it's not a Concoction as you so love to use. I can make a balm to help her body recover and seal all her wounds, but I require an ingredient as what I have currently is not enough to treat all of this. About a day or two west of here grows a plant. Called the Mandaamin. Looks like stalks of corn that emerge from the sand. The core has medicinal properties that I can enhance with the other things I have. With just a few of these plants, I should be able to shove away the pale lady.”

Johnny immediately retorts Dr. Heath because of how close the break is, but I take a moment to use Chain Eyes, curious to see if the doctor has a Sigil or not. And to my surprise, the spectacled man of medicine possesses one. One just as powerful as mine in fact. As Johnny speaks, I look at the doctor in surprise. Thin yellow manacles rotate upon the man’s skull.

“West of here? Hura is likely almost here. There's no way we can do it. There has to be another way.”

The doctor shakes his head and looks at me. The sensation of his eyes turning to me makes my surprise fade and my focus return.

“That’s not necessarily true. I heard you went off to scout the break. Tell me, young man, how far away are they? A day? Two? Maybe even three?”

I rearrange the way I am sitting before I answer him.

“Probably about three to four at the current time.”

The doctor turns to Johnny once more as he detaches the tube giving Primrose my blood.

“It’s not impossible, Johnny. Just difficult. As all things are that truly matter. If you wish to save this lady, you must risk another that you trust. Now, I have many other people to attend to. Dear Primrose was not the only one almost killed today. Yell for me if you require my aid. Your blood is no longer required, young man, her wounds have all been properly sutured so now you're free to go.”

The man in white clothes speckled with blood pushes his glasses and grabs his large duffle bag of medical equipment before walking out into the hallway. After he leaves, Johnny sits on one of the chairs beside the bed that Primrose is sleeping in and sighs while watching her labored breaths. The single lung makes it strenuous for her, a 5th Sigiled, to keep herself alive.

Silence lingers for several moments as I just sit and watch her with him. I don’t know why I do, but it just feels right. These two may have threatened my life and forced me to not only work but also risk my life for them, however, I just cannot grow to hate them.

After over a week of being attached to this artifact, which even now is struggling against the barrier I have placed at my elbow, I’ve learned that people like me are incredibly dangerous. I mean, the sight of the Bloody Palm taking over my body and killing that Amikuk with a single attack, even if it took a while to actually bring it down, makes me understand just how powerful people taken over by artifacts are.

The strength of a being with two sets of Sigils is insane. I mean, for a brief moment, I could escape from the Darkstep, whom Johnny informed me of after the fight. The lady is a legend. She’s almost a hundred years old and a sixth Sigiled Forerunner. Both things that I was told I had to ask him to learn about. How was someone that old still fighting and what is a Forerunner?

They were answered simply. Sigils give slight increases to lifespans. Not much for most Sigils, only a few years per, on average from 3-8 years. Abbot being the only exception, each Sigil of Abbot gives over ten years of additional life. This means a 6th Sigiled like Darkstep, whose true name or face is said to be unknown, even to the Pillars, would be more like a 40-60ish-year-old woman depending on how much life was given to her.

I also learned that this age increase changes with the species that takes it. With humans getting the smallest amount compared to any other creature. Most monsters gain a decade or more on average from each Sigil while creatures like demons can get up to fifty years from just a single advancement. Demons already live hundred of years, though, so that’s not too surprising, to be honest. Human's always seem to get the short end of every fucking stick. From lifespan to innate strength. We rank last in just about everything. Somehow, though, there are still more of us than demons.

The other question makes me understand just how far I must climb before I am considered powerful by any true measure. Forerunners are the 6th Sigileds that are said to either have the most potential in taking the great leap forward or have incredible combat prowess. Commonly a Forerunner has both.

Despite the ability to fight off a group of over ten highly experienced Hunters at once, Johnny is not a Forerunner. Not even close. He said that it would take at least three of him to kill a woman like Darkstep with all three of him dying in the end as well. The distance to the Angelic Realm from the Wonderous is so great that there are entire ranks within the 6th Sigil to divide those within.

And people like that woman or the other insane Hunters? Those are the kind of people I hate. The ones who enjoy killing and don’t care that those they kill are not evil. Even someone like Frederick, who didn’t want to fight but is forced to by the higher-ups, I struggle to not loathe. Where are his guts? Why couldn’t he just say fuck it and betray them like Johnny? If the man truly believed in what the Gunfighter was saying, then he would have put down his arms.

I may not love Johnny, Primrose, or any of his other goons, but I certainly have grown to hate the Hunters. From what I’ve heard recently, the organization is rapidly deteriorating into a shell of its former self. Rotting from within, and from what I just saw, I’d have to agree.

The only Hunter among that whole group that showed any true human kindness or empathy was the woman Rebecca. I’m unsure who killed her between Johnny, Primrose, and Virgil, but I hope it was quick.

Now, I know that the squad that arrived is a kill squad so they’re more likely to be a bit off the walls, but I find it hard to imagine that few are like them. Even the first group of Hunters I found had a rotten egg. The archer who ran away while his team was getting beat. I can’t even remember his name I found him so contemptible.

While I sit here pondering why I’m even sitting here, Johnny speaks up to me.

“Are you here because you’ve decided to join my cause of your own volition or are you here just to help keep your friends safe because there is no safe way out of Rustbank until after the break? Or are you here because you still think I’ll kill you if you try to leave? Well, you don’t have to worry about that one. You’ve proven your mettle. I never thought I’d see a man hold off an Artificiton of such a higher rank than him for so long, but I’ve learned for myself to not underestimate your damn family’s inability to die.

So, I’d like to apologize. I treated you harshly, and while at the time I thought it was necessary, I now see it was not. If you do choose to join me, you will have my full support. As well as that man who helped me as well if he joins as well, although at times it did seem like he was coming for my neck along with Frederick’s. I'll disregard all that, though. I need all I can get. If you trust them, I trust them. That is what I extend unto you.”

I smile at the mention of Virgil’s haunting ability to stalk people from the dark, but I do take a moment to think a bit longer before replying to him.

The apology is both appreciated and unexpected, although the barman, Roy, did say that Johnny is stubborn, not evil. I like the image of being supported by a full town, especially with the coming demon. I need the artifact that it possesses after all. The only way to do so is with both backup and resources.

The choice is pretty obvious to me. I should stay with Johnny for both the break to help kill Hura, and possibly whatever might come after.

I answer the man as I run my newly regenerated right arm over my left which has been half taken over by the Bloody Palm. The skin beneath my elbow has all turned ashy gray and the veins have all popped out with black tints. Everything underneath the thin and dehydrated skin of the part of my arm that the Bloody Palm now controls constantly squirms and moves like it's alive. I need to look into it later, maybe the name of its newest Sigil will give some indicator of how to best combat it.

“Yeah, I think I’ve decided to join you, but the answer is none of what you gave, to be honest. If I really wanted to, I think I could outrun the break with the Nightmare that I and the Boone brothers have under our control. I’m staying to kill Hura, the demon. It has something I need.”

Johnny looks at me stunned before raising an eyebrow and seeking more information from me.

“Why do you need to kill the Demon of Storms? It's foolish for you to even attempt to be honest; what could it possibly have that you need?”

I take off the hat that I have carried with me since Edmund’s death, careful not to ever get it damaged.

“The demon has the artifact left behind by Edmund Dudley, my teacher. He left behind a crimson vial of blood.”

Johnny now only looks confused by my words, inquiring for more from me.

“What do you mean? How do you know? If you do know, why don’t you already have it?”

“I advanced during that fight by entering an artifact and stealing the Sigils within it. During my trip to The Cabin, I saw the memories of the one that the artifact once was. A woman who followed the Hura. A very long story short, the memories ended up with her digging up Edmund from his grave and finding his artifact. Then, she used it which eventually lead to her death at the hands of the demon.

She used the artifact in hopes to find and hunt me down, but it only made her incredibly bestial and lose all her mental faculties. She gained incredible speed and senses, but that doesn’t matter against a bolt of lightning.”

Johnny nods interest in what I’m saying and follows up with his own words.

“Hmm. Be careful when you do things like that. It's one thing to take the Sigil from a recently deceased creature, but it's another to take it from an artifact. One is just the fleeting consciousness of the recent dead while the other has the power of months, sometimes years of built-up emotions.

But that is really bad news. Edmund may have only been a 3rd Sigil, but I’d bet his artifact is one of the highest quality. Hura will likely sacrifice some subordinates to allow the artifact to grow, possibly even up to the 5th Sigil. I doubt it'd go any higher than that. I don't know of any 6th Sigil subordinates the demon has.”

This time, I ask him a question as I am curious how artifacts can still advance while at the same time already being dead.

“How do artifacts advance if they’re already dead? Can they enter The Cabin? The Bloody Palm took the opportunity to advance while I was being attacked by Darkstep, so I’d really like to know how to prevent that from happening again.”

Johnny nods as he stands from his chair and puts his hands on the medical bed.

“No one knows why only how they do. Artifacts are unlike living things who can advance from any rank of Sigil as long as they meet the requirements from The Cabin. They can only advance with Sigils they already possess and the creature they take it from MUST be of a higher Sigil than them. That’s all we really know about it. Now, let's go out and speak to your friends, I have a proposition for you guys.”

After his explanation, he stands and walks toward the door, giving Primrose one last sad gaze behind turning the corner into the hallway. I follow him and see the Boone brothers and Earl playing with Dakota who has grown to the size of a medium dog. I knew the four were out here, but I’ve been unable to leave the room because I had to give Primrose blood and the doc wouldn’t let anyone else in.

But my surprise in seeing them is massive. Vernon is missing an eye, a bloody bandage resides where his left eye used to be and several gashes are all over his body. Virgil has a long bandage that goes around his chest that seems to be from a whip. Dakota is over twice the size he used to be and is probably close to thirty pounds as he moves deftly playing with the brothers. Earl is unchanged from the last time I saw him, but he seems quite bitter as I hear him mutter under his breath before noticing me.

“The fox is a higher Sigil than me now… What the fuck is happening….”

A suppressed laugh comes from him as I put my arm in front of Johnny who was about to speak and yell at the brothers in concern.

“What the fuck happened to you two?! Vernon, are you alright? Where did your eye go?! And why is Dakota as big as a dog?!”

They all turn to me as the other people who are in the wide hallway of the only medical building in town also look at me. Virgil speaks up for his brother who still seems to be a bit out of it, moving slowly even while rolling a ball for Dakota.

“Vernon got caught in a fight with one of the Hunters from the Vengeance Squad who was attacked by multiple of Johnny’s men. All the men were killed or severely injured when Vernon ran past looking for the alchemist’s shop. And he found it. Burning behind the man who laid out a dozen 1st and 2nd Sigileds.

The loyal idiot went into the burning building, using his adeptness in fire to keep himself from getting burned to find a Concoction. He found one, but when he came out, the man was waiting for him. The man pulled out a whip and set out to not only kill Vernon, but to take his Concoction as well for they are prohibitively expensive.

Vernon obliged to not let that happen and fought him with Dakota’s help. The fox is truly quite fast now. By the time I arrived, they had only been fighting for a few minutes and my arrival was enough to end the fight. But during my search for him, Vernon lost his left eye and took extensive injuries.

Oh, and Dakota ate some random dead man’s brain matter that gave him another Sigil. I’m quite confused about how the fox was able to take another one so quickly, but I think it’s because he’s still a juvenile. Young tend to grow rapidly in every species, humans are the only ones where children die almost every time they are given a new Sigil. Their bodies just can’t handle it.”

During Virgil’s retelling of the fight, Dakota runs up to me and jumps on my leg excitedly. Within his eyes, I see an even greater spark of burgeoning intelligence along with orange chains that wrap around him all over. I put the large fox and turn my attention back to the two men.

“Is there any way to get your eye back? A secret medicine or plant?”

It is at this point that Johnny cuts in with his proposal after waiting a few minutes for our conversation by the side.

“There are a few ways to regrow eyes, most coming from the tribes within the Borderlands or deep in the wilds. Heath probably knows one or two of them, they do have side effects, but the treatments are certainly worth it. I’ll ask him to treat you, Vernon, if you two, Wyatt, and Virgil, go and retrieve a few Mandaamin plant cores for me.”

Vernon gets excited but ends up getting too happy as he stands and has to hold onto the wall to keep his balance. Both Virgil and I look to Johnny, and Virgil calls him out on the proposition.

“And where is this Mandaamin? For you to do such a favor, I assume they are in a highly dangerous location.”

Johnny nods before informing the Virgil of some more details of the retrieval.

“That’d be right. They are westward, just barely in front of where the break currently is. They are needed to save a close subordinate's life of mine. In return for doing this for me, I’ll not only get your eye healed but I’ll acquire you some weapons. Levi has passed and his machete, Battered, is available if any can prove themselves to acquire it. I’ll give you his Claymore as well. It is a 5th Flamme, made by a master. I had it made for the man personally. So what do you two say?”

My decision is made quickly, I was already willing to do it just to heal Vernon and save Primrose, but hearing that he will give us a Claymore sells me instantly. I turn to look at Virgil who turns to look at his younger brother. Then he closes his eyes for a moment and opens them after a deep sigh.

“Fuck. Yeah. I’m down. On one condition. Send a thousand dollars to the Boone family in Purview, Graybend Territory.”

Johnny instantly nods in agreement and holds his hand out to both of us.

“Deal.”