The Angel of Delusion. One of the only known high-ranking members of The Bewitched to this day, and is said to be the 45th-ranking Higher Faith that served whoever their cultist leader is.
In the Desolate Lands, he was a Monarch, who ruled over a large chunk of land with the dignified Count Aldeia's surname in his hand. However, little did everyone know that he had already committed a crime that was even considered blasphemy, and when that was uncovered, he was labelled as one of the most infamous criminals alive.
⅓ of all the men who lived in his lands were modified versions of him, and he used their memories to extend his lifespan.
He also had a bit of history with Brewer, as Brewer had already determined him to be one of the culprits behind the mysterious statue that killed his entire family. However, by the time he found out, the Angel of Delusion was in chains and hopefully rotting.
"…That bastard's still alive and kicking, huh?" Brewer asked.
"Then, I'll prove that we're not versions of him by tearing off his head myself." He said, venomous hatred seeping from his voice.
Barrow was shocked at the amount of rage that was emitted by Brewer but then laughed loudly.
"I see, I see! You're an otherworlder, huh? I don't know about the other two, but since you've already proven your potential strength that could help us, I won't say anything further!"
William glanced at Sarah, and she looked back at him. He noticed that there was something up with Brewer, and so did she, but they couldn't understand what it was that bothered him.
'That Angel of Delusion guy… is he somehow linked with him?' William thought.
Just then, Duncan left the tent and passed to William, Sarah and Brewer some fresh clothes, with gloves and boots.
"We've got a lot of this as spares. They're tougher than ordinary clothes because they're suited for an adventurer, and hand-made with a large, tough-skinned creature's hide, sewn together by Soria. Don't wear them out."
William took a good look at the clothes and liked them in an instant. The material they were made out of reminded him of leather, although it looked a bit more durable and nicer to wear.
"Thanks," William said. Sarah smiled and said the same too.
Then, they hid behind a tree and dressed up in new attire. After a few minutes, they came out looking much nicer and fitter than before, although they still smelled ever so slightly like animal excrement.
"…Good," Duncan said, a small smile curling on his lips, "Anyway, it's getting real late now. Who's gonna keep watch first?"
"I'll do it," Soria said, standing up, "It's been a while since I did it first. Plus, I can sense the farthest out of anyone here once it's quiet."
Barrow yawned out of exhaustion and was the first to go into the big tent to rest. It was already going to be cramped as heck with the five of them together in that tent, so Brewer assumed they were gonna have to sleep outside it.
"Hmph… at least it's not going to be that bad. She'll be watching to keep us safe from any of the dangers anyway." Brewer said.
William agreed.
"…You know what, I guess I'll just have to get used to this lifestyle…" Sarah said, sighing.
William smiled, and then, before even he had time to think, suddenly kissed her on the cheek.
He had been so focused on everything that's happened recently that he didn't have the time to focus on her. Her face flushed immediately after, and as she stood up, she instantly face-planted herself into the ground, so hard that she accidentally knocked herself out and into a deep sleep.
"…Uh… I didn't expect that to happen???" William said.
"…Eh, she'll be fine. From what I could see, it seemed that kiss made her heart shiver more than that face plant into the ground."
William hesitantly nodded and lay down next to Sarah, heading to sleep. Or, he would have, if his stomach didn't rumble so incessantly. And so, before he went to sleep, he quickly ate some of the cooked meat that the others were too full to finish.
The next day…
…
"Ugh… my eyes…"
Somehow, William was among the first to wake up to the day's new dawn, while the others deeply savoured their sleep. His back arched and suddenly ached with pain, as he slept on the cold, dirt ground with only stray leaves to cover him.
However, the experience wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.
He turned around to face Sarah, who snored, tossed and turned in every way imaginable, seemingly in a good dream, but then he noticed something odd. Barrow was asleep on the ground when he was the first one to enter the tent.
"Ah… maybe they just switched… but then, why does he seem like he's been sleeping for a long time? That doesn't seem to be a very comfortable position to be sleeping in either…"
His attention switched to the one other strange thing around the campsite. The flagpole that had mysteriously appeared out of nowhere, was planted directly into the extinguished campfire. It was weird-looking and ominous, and the flag itself was bloody and seemed to have been made of some kind of animal flesh or skin.
Only then did he notice that the flagpole was also made out of bones.
Suddenly, a flash of darkness entered his eyes, and a piercing pain tore through his head, leaving him in agonising pain for about a few seconds.
That mind-numbing pain did disappear, and thankfully, nobody had woken up yet, but alongside the sudden pain, the flagpole and the flag itself also vanished completely.
"What the… ugh… it feels like I have a migraine or something…"
The tent was uncovered at that moment, and Sylvia walked out.
"…You're awake?"
"Yep."
Sylvia stared at him and nodded. Seeing as how the laziest-looking one was already awake, she began to wake up the others, one by one, and got them ready to enter the cave Dungeon. For some reason, Barrow looked dazed, as if he had the same migraine that William did, but he dismissed it, just thinking that it was a result of sleeping on the floor.
For some reason, it was like something was preventing him from thinking about the flag. And soon enough, it was erased from his memories altogether.
They all had gotten ready by that point and were preparing to go to the eastern part of the forest, where it was first discovered. William's migraine had not gotten better in the slightest, and it was to the point where Brewer noticed that there was something wrong.
Don't look suspicious.
As he approached to ask him about it, William's fake smile threw him off, and they had already made it to the entrance of the cave Dungeon.
"Alright guys, here's the game plan…" Barrow began.
For some reason, he managed to shake off his migraine. However, William was still suffering heavily. To the point where he couldn't make any conscious decisions of his own.
He walked away from the group and into the cave Dungeon, and by the time Brewer noticed, he was already gone, which was very, very strange, because he was, of course, a proficient Mage.
"Where's William…?" Sarah asked.
"I don't know… wasn't he walking with you?"
"Yeah, he was, but…."
Brewer took a few steps forward, and then dashed into the cave Dungeon, heavily suspecting that something was wrong.
He ran and ran, and was followed by the rest of the group, who were equally concerned, not just by Brewer's panic, but also because there were no creatures in sight. And then, they arrived at a crossroads. A cliff, deep, deep down within the caverns.
And there William was, with his eyes closed. But, something was encircling him. Something that looked similar to a "Rageful Steellion", a monster with a drooling, open mouth full of razor-sharp teeth, steel skin and four legs, each equipped with long, shimmering claws that were more lethal than swords and spears.
Nobody could run in the face of that beast, especially because of the multitude of stories told about monsters like these, which were so evil that they eventually racked up Karmic Debt, creating new, unnaturally-born and eternally evil species that could devour everything. Demonic Creatures.
But then, it spoke.
"Hah. It's been too long since I've felt the touch of human flesh in my palms. The effort I went through to trap all of you was great. From spreading the rumours around to luring or deluding anyone that came too close, like this one here."
Brewer recognised that voice in an instant and clenched his fist. His hatred and anger boiled up, but he contained it for now. Since, against a sadistic monster like this, you needed to adhere to its whims.
"What… What do you mean? Who are you?" Brewer asked.
"Who am I? Should you, of all people know my identity, Shard?"
Brewer's eyes lit up with wrath, and he took a step closer. However, the Steellion held a claw against William's throat.
"Shard… that young man who was hunting down all my cohorts for all those years. Somehow, you still look as youthful as I was expecting. Hehe, I was a little afraid that you were gonna get me next. But luckily, the servants of the Holy Empire got to me first."
"Our master, the Highest Faith, expected me to do better, so of course, I couldn't die so pathetically at their hands. I escaped, and so did my countless counterparts. Among these counterparts is me right now, a Demonic Creature variant that "I" made half a day ago."
Brewer, or, Shard, breathed in and out to dispel his current rage and gritted his teeth.
"Is your original body around here too?"
"Nope. And, for that, you must be thankful, since I only inherited the necessary parts of my personality that "I" thought were needed. The original me has become so sinful that not even us, as counterparts, dare to speak in his presence."
"But, I've talked enough now. It's time for me to kill every single one of you, and restore my full strength!"