Apostates and screamers part 2

As the mantle of night enveloped the surroundings, a sharp drop in temperature ensued. The trio found sanctuary in Jaska's familial abode, alongside his parents.

In the hearth of their humble dwelling, a soup simmered, concocted from pine needles and lard, procured from the beasts felled by the village hunters.

"This is a beloved delicacy in our parts," Jaska exclaimed with pride, distributing generous portions to everyone present.

The trio exchanged dubious glances, as the concoction before them seemed less than appetizing, with the needles posing a formidable challenge to consume.

Amidst the ensuing attempt to partake in the communal meal, Amala leaned subtly towards Rufus, her voice barely above a whisper.

"How long are we to remain in this place?" she inquired, her eyes seeking answers.

"We mustn't tarry long. However, provisions and a towable sled are necessities for our journey. The nearest village is a daunting two weeks trek at the very least. Our survival hinges on our preparedness," Rufus articulated, laying bare the gravity of their situation.

"Worry not. We'll appropriate a sled from the vicinity of the village leader's residence. With the cloak of night as our ally, we'll embark southward. I'm quite certain that detestable man won't notice its absence," Amala proposed, her determination evident.

Meanwhile, the village master had secluded himself within the grandest wooden structure in the village, a stark contrast to the yurts that housed the majority of the sassan inhabitants.

"Why does he isolate himself so?" Suomi pondered aloud.

"Who cares," Amala responded dismissively, her attention returning to the peculiar meal before her.

Then, Jaska approached, his eyes alight with curiosity and excitement. The trio abruptly ceased their conspiratorial exchange.

"You've encountered a snow screamer?" he exclaimed, scarcely able to contain his awe.

"Well, we didn't exactly lay eyes on it, but we were perilously close," Rufus clarified, the memory still vivid in his mind.

"Wow! You're unbelievably fortunate," Jaska marveled.

"Fortunate it didn't opt to use us as fertilizer as well," Amala retorted, her tone laced with gallows humor.

"It reserves its wrath for those who dare to disturb it. However, should it detect the winds of pandora or any demonic presence, it becomes the relentless purifier of our forests. Unfortunately, it fails to discern a significant difference between us and them. We're not its prey, but we're certainly not its allies either," Jaska's father interjected sagely, drawing the attention of the group.

The word 'demon' resonated heavily in the air.

"Are demons a common menace in these lands?" Rufus inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"They do exist here. Originating from the northern sea and dwelling in wretched territories, they are feeble yet insidious entities, driven solely by a malevolent desire to annihilate and corrupt, be it through their powers or the seduction of vulnerable souls into servitude," he elaborated, painting a bleak picture of the demonic threat, "They hand out fingers, torn from they believers, promising that a nonexistent deity, known as the blue hand, would be their salvation, but this is only to fool them."

~~

During the night, the three sneaked out of the yurt. They walked to the house of the village leader, which was not guarded by anyone. No windows were on its side, so no one could see what was going on.

Three sleds, made from juniper trees, were leaning against the walls. Rufus grabbed one while Amala was going to steal supplies.

As Rufus was grabbing a sled, Suomi felt something. Rufus urged Suomi to come with him, but she couldn't. Something was pulling him toward the building.

Suomi's instincts took hold of her, refusing to let her ignore the mysterious force pulling her toward the village leader's house. Curiosity and an inexplicable sense of urgency compelled her to investigate further. She motioned for Rufus and Amala to wait, their puzzled expressions mirroring her own.

With cautious steps, Suomi approached the entrance of the house. The wind whispered through the dense forest, adding an eerie soundtrack to her silent advance. As she reached the door, a faint shimmer enveloped her, causing her heart to skip a beat. She extended her hand, hesitating for a moment before pushing the door open.

As Suomi was about to open the door, she was stopped by Rufus.

"What do you think you're doing?!" he whispered angrily.

Then Rufus felt it as well. The ominous aura, of great power and malevolence. Pure hatred and despair. The winds of pandora creeped out from the house, enticing Suomi.

At that moment an iron spear blasted through the door, which was luckily stopped by Rufus. The wooden door shattered into small pieces revealing the house. The guards who had been with the village leader had been killed, and their blood had been used to write divine scripter onto the walls and floor.

At the center was the village leader, looking dumbfounded as to what had happened. And a small, almost pitiful night screamer, was in front of him. A demon, holding another iron spear, looking mad.

Rufus immediately tried to summon a divine sphere, but the demon was fast, about to throw another iron spear. But before he could, a stone arrow flew past Rufus and struck the demon right into its forehead.

Amala had come just in time and had saved Rufus.

The demon let out a guttural shriek of pain as the stone arrow embedded itself into its forehead. Its grip on the iron spear faltered, and the weapon clattered to the ground. The village leader, startled by the sudden turn of events, took the opportunity to scramble back and distance himself from the menacing creature.

Amala, with her bow still in hand, quickly nocked another arrow, her eyes fixed on the wounded demon. The demon quickly spread out its winds and flew away, crashing through the roof, but before that he slit the throat of the village leader, leaving him dead on the floor.

The demon flapped its wings, looking like it couldn't fly far. Before it could fly far Rufus threw a divine sphere, that evaporated the small demon.

But the winds of pandora hadn't disappeared. Instead, they grew. The pain of all the parents who had lost their children started to fill the air and form and gather around the dead village leader. It had been building for a long time, unnoticed all this time.

Suomi felt it, as the wound closed around the village leader, his body mutating. He yelled in pain as he started to morph into something grotesque.

Suomi's eyes widened in horror as she witnessed the transformation of the village leader. The pain and despair emanating from the grieving parents had infused him with an unholy power, distorting his form into a grotesque, otherworldly creature. His limbs elongated, his flesh contorted, and dark tendrils writhed across his mutated body.

"What the fuck is that," Amala said.