What's hunting them.

We were going to have to make sure mission to fully map this cave system was added.

As we went deeper and deeper following the trails of blood I had a sneaking suspicion whatever killed that team have been killing other stuff too with the fatality record being so low for this area I could only assume it had been animals before it found people.

Depending on how far this secondary Cave System went and that Monster's ability to break through solid rock wall this thing could endanger the other marked safe camping sites.

As we got closer we started to hear the screams.

"oh god, no, why"

"please let me die"

My two companions froze but something in me sparked a rage burned in me and I ran towards the sound.

They followed shortly after but that short freeze meant I was the first one to see, and I would make sure we were the last ones to see, this monstrosity.

I didn't know exactly what I was looking at but I need the light of my crossbow was showing me more than what others would see with natural light.

It seemed to fluctuate in and out of existence, a pile of writhing coiled flesh.

On its flashing Frozen horror with a faces of all it consumed, when a part of it would fade, the faces and bodies would animate, unable to extract themselves but able to scream and struggle.

* what a rare treat a worshiper of the great enemy, you'll be delicious if you don't kill me *

It's words shook something in US causing pain in my companions and rage in me.

I fired the bolts knowing that it would hurt something made of this rotten reality chewing flesh.

Knowledge of what it was continued to fill me as the boat flew.

It was already dying, the world was rejecting, it something like this not only gained power from the void it was spawned directly from it and can only survive in it.

But it found strong prey, the longer it took to digest, and the longer it took that prey to digest the longer it could hold on to this plane.

With a bolt hit that entire section disappeared and the bodies feel out, most to degenerated to survive but a few might.

Knowing what you did now about the creature, dying quickly was a mercy, at the very least you could grant these poor victims that.

It being here also slowed down the rate that the void would disappear from this area making it more dangerous for everyone.

*ahhhhh hahhh, you already have a weapon that can damage me, oh for a knight of your order to fall into my clutches all on your own, this is going to be delicious.*

It Scream laughed but didn't move.

I was about to pull a trick I'd had learned when I first got this power, dismiss and then resummer the same weapon it was quicker than reloading.

Even better for a weapon that only had one Bolt.

'no' her voice whispered to me weaker than the last time like I was farther from her.

( I unsummonely and summoned my weapon and in that quarter of a second I heard a sound of a thousand uneven legs slapping the ground, when the light from the crossbow returns it's already too late I'm inside its mouth and the light extinguishers, there's only pain as my soul and body are ground down to fuel this Monster's presence on the plane)

"ghah!" I almost lose my focus on the battle field I've never had a vision before, not like that.

* no naughty naughty goddess bending your own rules to protect this one she must be important to you did I stumble upon your favorite, or is she your only? I remember the soldier you gave her that memory from, you could have saved them safe when you saved her instead you use the memory, he took so long to finally be ground down into nothing, he called for you, you know of all the Servants of all the gods he was the one who took the longest to give up that you would rescue him*

I wanted to throw up but instead I needed to kill this thing the rage was boiling in me was about to become a problem.

I couldn't find a solution until I looked at my left arm and a solution came to me I wouldn't be able to do it myself, but I can hold the creature at Bay while my teammate did.

"Kay, I need you to trust me I'll keep it pinned in place but I need you to use your healing powers on it."

"What?!"

"It'll work trust me."

* oh ho, really going to trust memories given to you by Goddess that let her other worshipers die? *

"Yes, at least more than the words of a creature like you" Kay, sassy as ever answered for me as she made her was to it. " you better be right about this V or I'm haunting your ass."

*aaaahhhhhhhhhh* the thing screamed as it sizzled away, smaller and smaller, most of the victims were turning to dust but a few were falling out, we would do our best to save them. *how dare you do me the indignity of and inferior God worshiper forcing me from this realm! Fight me yourself knight of the great enemy! *

It seems surprised that he could affect it such, but despite Kay's disposition to stabbing she was quite a good healer.

She had everything at her current tier mastered to a point that if she just focused on doing that she could rival and be counted among other mid-tier Adventures.

* the rest of me will know that you exist now, that a knight walks the plane again, you are the last and we will make sure you die screaming for it * It's last threat felt less impactful being punctuated by it dying and the terror it was on the fabric of reality healing.

When it was gone the light of our torches and the weapon grew and made me realize it's entire time we were also fighting inside a localized void cloud.

Out of caution I'm kept the crossbow summoned and joined my best friend she looked exhausted, "Roxy keep an eye on her get her a ration then you're on watch while I heal these people."

"V why did that work why did my healing kill it,"

" The exact metaphysics of it are beyond me, but it is a wound it is a seeping infected wound on this reality, of a parasite that has breached the skin and is trying to devour."

They both froze at those words "I think I may have been happier not knowing that that was the thing..."

" we're going to have to fight more of those aren't we,"

" I definitely am, you too don't, this is more than you bargained for I'm sure if you want to bail when we get back I totally understand. "

" So as she was saying we're going to have to fight more of them aren't we. " Roxy picked up where Kay and left off defiantly making sure I knew they weren't going away.

In that moment, even surrounded by all this leftover horror, as I desperately tried to save who I could, I had never felt so loved by people who weren't family.

"Thank you"

Sadly I couldn't hide the tears her wiping them away being covered in other people's blood n' all