Tread Lightly – Among Monsters And Men

I want to warn Vernon and Virgil about the Phantom Pain's warning to get us moving immediately, but I pause. What will I tell them? I can’t tell them that I met Alexos, he warned me not to and despite my thoughts of him being controlled, I don’t want to risk going against him. The last time I did not only did I almost die but so did three other Hunters that had nothing to do with him or me. So then what? Do I tell them I have a vision of danger? That we need to move now?

That won’t work. They may trust me, but not that much. And we can’t head back now, we still don’t know exactly how far the horde is. It could be two weeks away for all we know or a single day out from the Goliath graveyard. So, instead, I sit in silence for a while. Then, eventually, I just shake my head of these thoughts and lay down to get some sleep.

The most productive thing I can do is be ready. Be ready for any monster, ghost, Outlaw, or demon that might come after us. And I haven’t slept in a while, too long to be fully alert. I close my eyes, and while my thoughts think of the cloud Alexos conjured out of the illusory cloud, I slowly drift to sleep with a steady heart.

I wake up after what seems like an instant with Virgil patting me on the shoulder. He points to Vernon who is stretching like a cat after a long midday nap before holding a hand out to me.

“C’mon, let's get moving. Don’t want to waste any moonlight.”

I groggily take his hand as pulls me to my feet easily. Virgil notices my lack of weight and comments on it.

“You good Wyatt? You weigh almost nothing, do you need some food?”

Fuck. I forgot to overeat to counter the healing I underwent during the fight with the Short Horned Serpent. My stomach groans in need as I shake my head at Virgil and pull out some rations that I eat. While I gorge myself, I try to sneak in a bit of the information I learned from Alexos without being too obvious.

“We should probably hurry up and try to find the break’s main body as fast as we can. I’ve got a bad feeling about taking too long.”

Virgil agrees with me as he checks his weapons to make sure they’re all in shape, disassembling his lever-action in seconds and sharpening his knives.

“Yeah, that would be smart. My gut tells me a storm is coming. I can just feel the rain that is about to fall. We don’t want to try and escape from monsters in the rain or heavy storm.”

Vernon doesn’t have much to say on the matter, but he trusts his brother’s gut and complies with our quick movement. A small rush of relief flows through me at my successful attempt to speed up our journey. I smile as I pick up my things and feed Dakota his part of my rations. I try to speak to the growing fox a bit to see if he can understand me.

“Hey Dakota, you think it’s about to rain?”

The little guy sniffs into the air for a few seconds before sneezing. I take that as a yes. Just another confirmation despite the sky above being completely clear of any dark clouds as far as the eye can see. I just sigh and swing my backpack onto my shoulder with Dakota sticking his head out the top. He’s growing close to being too big for the backpack and will have to soon just follow me on foot, or paw I guess.

As a group of four, we quickly move through the graveyard of bones and I warn the two brothers of the spider I had once seen here. They didn’t take it as much of a threat until we saw another one of those giant spiders. We run past and see it fighting an enormous centipede on a colossal wall of bone. Collectively, we nope out and run even faster out of the graveyard.

It feels like the wildlife is growing more active as the threat of the break approaches. Maybe that’s why they can grow to be so dangerous to even huge settlements. They take in all the monsters they come across and monsters can somehow sense the break on their way.

Before we exit the graveyard after running through it until morning at beyond-horse speeds, several massive insects, arachnids, and other crawlies are seen in mortal combat. We do our best to stay away from them, but we get into a fight with a mantis the size of a carriage.

The fight started with jumping down from a high height above us and a frantic blow from the Boa Bugle out of Vernon’s hand that he was already playing with before it appeared. Then, a quick fight began as Virgil circled around and I distracted it. After I had its attention solely on me, Virgil jumped onto its back and wrapped several tendrils of shadows around its limbs, slowing it significantly

With a yell to Vernon to let loose a burning ball of radiance that was in his hands, Virgil jumps off of the back of the mantis. Vernon throws the ball and slams it into the face of the mantis, leaving it disoriented and then I move it and finish it off with daggers into its eyes. We spent only a few minutes scavenging it for anything to sell as it was just a 1st Sigil.

Apparently, 1st Sigil artifacts normally sell for very little which is why they still have Cutting Words. Its usefulness to them outweighs the money they could fence it for. Virgil does remove one of the blades from the mantis, saying that it can be made as a replacement for the steel in a mining pickaxe. Not much money, but better than nothing.

The only encounter we actually have to fight before we exit the boneyard of fallen Goliath is that single praying mantis. So, we make it out without much exhaustion or tiredness and continue to venture westward.

Close to midnight, we reach an area near where Harmony Town was and I warn the two brothers of what I experienced when I was there. Virgil takes the information deadly seriously and makes us all rest up before going any further. Another night's sleep passes for me and Vernon while in the late morning Virgil gets the couple hours that he needs.

Then, once rested and with the sun high in the sky, we head forward to Harmony Town. Within an hour, we see it in the distance and it looks exactly the same as when I first came here with Earl, Elizabeth, Esther, Leonard, and Lonnie. The only different parts are the deep wheel tracks and the shrapnel from Leonard’s shotgun that’s left in a few walls.

All three of us stick close together, within sight of at least another person at all times. Virgil told me that Bawkas are incredibly dangerous and have to be culled immediately when they are found within a populated area. That these men and women were unfortunate souls to be turned into Bakwas and will suffer until the first that entered our plan in the area is killed.

Once that knowledge is given to me, I propose staying here until nightfall and trying to kill the progenitor of these Bakwas. I can’t let Lonnie stay here and suffer any longer. Not when it’s my fault he’s got turned. The brothers disagree at first, but I plead with them.

“Please. This is personal. The Bakwas have to die. We can continue onward right after.”

Virgil and Vernon hesitantly agree, but Virgil sets a rule that no one is allowed to fall asleep or mess around. That we have to stay alert at all times in case of attack, and that the second the thing is dead, we are heading back west. I agree despite thinking that the rules are a bit bossy.

And so, we wait a few more hours from the current sun that is a bit past our heads until sundown. We spend our time reviewing and discussing how to kill the Bakwas as we build a small fortification in the center of the town with dressers, planks of wood, and other large objects.

But at this point, I have been going to sleep with Daydream active multiple times in a row and it’s starting to add up. Every time I do so, I don’t recover completely as a part of my Ether is constantly used even while sleeping, not allowing my body to expel it all and leaving me with an ever-growing headache.

Because of where we are, though, Harmony Town, I just ask Virgil for some painkillers while we work and move on. A little bit of exhaustion won’t stop me from freeing Lonnie. I know the risk. We have no Concoctions, but some risks are worth taking.

The conversation drifts to how mundane weapons without Ether are pointless after I get the painkillers from Virgil.

“Any strike without large amounts of Ether is pointless. Concussive force can knock them back, but only focused Ether will disable or kill a Bakwa. Fire is also useful, but I'd rather not burn to death in the town. The progenitor is no exception and is actually about a dozen times harder to fell than a normal one. My shadow-attuned Ether will not be that powerful against the Bakwas as well as they are ghosts of the night and only slip into our realm at sunfall. Vernon’s light-focused Ether will be a good bit more powerful, however, so we’re depending on two quite a bit.”

“Have you fought Bakwas before, Virgil? You seem to know a lot about them. More than even me and I almost got killed by them.”

The older brother nods and continues to stack pieces of furniture. He resumes telling his knowledge of Bakwas at the same time with a solemn tone.

“Yes. They were one of my first experiences with the supernatural when I gained my first Sigil. I was a part of a small group of weak 1st Sigileds that was sent to clear out a small infestation of Bakwas. Twelve were sent into a slum where Bakwas were reported, only two walked out.”

Vernon pitches in at this point, asking his own question.

“That person was Dennis, right?”

“Yeah, it was Dennis. Been a few years since I saw that runt.”

Curious, as to who this man is, I ask to help pass the time.

‘Who’s Dennis?”

“Some rich kid who rebelled against his family and they sent him out to die in risky missions. He and I worked together quite a bit and eventually, he was able to separate himself from the Harvey Estate. He used to be one hell of a Lawman, but I’m not sure what he is now. He might even be a 4th Sigil or dead for all I know.”

Another thing that piques my interest, is the “Harvey Estate”. I inquire as to what it is before I pick up a large wooden pole to place down for cover.

“What’s the Harvey Estate?”

Virgil answers with derision and disgust in his voice.

“A family of rich bastards. People who use their power to escape from duties and force them onto others. One of the reasons why so many are dissatisfied with the Hunters as a whole. When a family like the Harveys or some of the ones that are even worse like Shaws exist, many who join the Hunters leave because of what they see from them.”

How can people escaping from duties and whatnot make others quit being a hunter? I don’t understand.

“Is it really that bad? Like why are they so hated?”

Virgil sighs and sets down what he’s holding before turning to me.

“You should get rid of your fondness for the Hunters. They do what they can to indoctrinate children to join them, but they aren’t what they used to be. I’ve heard stories straight from Dennis, someone from one of the powerful families, that they own slaves and torture them alongside many other disgusting things that are outlawed.”

Someone would step in, right? Like what about the Pillars or the Prime? I mention these to him with a question.

“Why aren’t they arrested? Surely Hunters would step up and stop it right? Do any of the Pillars or the Prime step in?”

“No. Because these families are the Hunters. Nine of the twelve Pillars come from Estates. The Prime comes from the Harvey Estate, the largest one right now, but he rarely interferes with anything at this point. So, yeah, the Estates just run the world.”

Damn. Maybe Johnny was right. That there is something truly wrong with the Hunters. That a revolution is needed.

“Oh..”

“Yeah, oh is right. The world is a fucked up place. We just do what we can to make it better for our own, right?”

I nod in agreement as I continue to work with a little bit less motivation than before our discussion. Knowing that Johnny might actually be right and not just a crazy man who put an explosive onto me, I wake up to my childhood disillusionment about Hunters. Ma never actually spoke about them that much to me, besides my father, but whenever we went to town it was all the other kids would talk about.

It hurts to think that my dreams were never real. That the organization I looked up to is corrupt and rotten to the core. But one thing still remains, the legends. Surely, all the amazing people still exist or existed. Like Marshal Travis, The Unyielding Wall. Like Edmund Dudley.

They must want to do something to stop this corruption.

“Why don't legendary people like Marshal Travis or others do something? Even if the Pillars are mostly from these families, not all of them are, right?”

Virgil just shakes his head sadly as he continues to barricade the street that is rapidly becoming full of furniture, wood, and other odds and ends to slow down the Bakwas.

“They sure would, if they knew about it, or if they weren’t busy keeping everyone alive, or if they weren’t manipulated by the unworthy. Someone like Travis cannot leave his post to deal with internal matters. The second he leaves, demons will return alongside many other creatures of the west. “

He takes a small pause as he lifts a table to throw in the barricade before continuing.

“Others are too far in the wilds to actually interact with the central portion that is corrupt, so many reach 4th, 5th, or even rarely 6th Sigil if they are true fighters before figuring out what is wrong. And the most common reason people don’t step out is because of a Sigil that would to most seem to be the opposite. Lawman. At higher Sigils as long as one has mostly focused on Lawman, contracts, rules, and laws can be made to keep people on tight leashes. So, yeah. Many want to, but can’t. The moment people rebel, humanity will likely fall to its enemies.”

Damn. I guess that makes sense, though. Edmund would have definitely done something to stop whatever corruption Virgil is talking about, I haven’t seen it for myself, so I’m still not one hundred percent sure.

But if it's as bad as they say, Edmund would have stepped up, and with how many people I’ve met who knew of The Bloodhound, others would have stepped up too. The only way that Edmund didn’t bust down the doors of Estates is if he was busy protecting something more important. The old man was far too kind and righteous to let those things slide.

Wait, something more important? Wouldn’t that be the vault? It had so many weapons and tools inside of it, so why did he leave? Why did he take me to escape?

He had plenty of food and rations to stay within the vault for months, and when the break died down, he could have taken the things with him and ran.

So why didn’t he? Was I more important to him than the vault? But how so? I’m just a random kid that asked him for help. I suppose I’ll never know since he’s gone now.

I push down my sadness for a later time as I focus on preparing for a dash of catharsis and Lonnie’s freedom from his state as a Bakwas. It’s something that I have to do now, and I will probably never get another chance to do it. If I don’t, I’ll never forgive myself.

Throughout the latter half of the day, we create a street-wide makeshift barricade to slow down Bakwas. The main plan is for Vernon to kill as many as he can with his radiance and Virgil will guard him up close, using Vernon’s 2nd Mark Colt.

I will be the one to find and kill the progenitor Bakwa because of my Chain Eyes which allow me to spot and find it amongst a crowd of them. Virgil gave me his bowie knife that has three Sigils imbued inside it from a craftsman. Its ability is simple, yet effective. The blade is coated in Ether whenever you flow Ether into its hilt and it allows it to kill the ethereal.

Perfect for a situation like this. Virgil said it's something he bought just in case any ghost, phantom, or other incorporeal creature is the target for their bounty.

We will begin atop a large pile of debris and have the Bakwas try to fight their way up to us like climbing a hill. The vantage will help me spot the progenitor should it rear its ugly head for us. The only bad part is that we will have to be careful with our steps and footing, the mountain of debris is not the most stable thing, but with how light and incorporeal the Bakwas are, we only have to worry about our weights.

The plan is made and perfected while we wait, all our roles defined, even Dakota’s.

Dakota is our spotter, the little guy is incredibly sensitive to danger. Vernon is our main attacker who will keep the horde of ethereal Bakwas at bay and Virgil will stay near him to protect him and Dakota. And I will go out and release Lonnie from his torment himself.

And so, as night begins to fall upon Harmony Town once more, Virgil, Vernon, Dakota, and I all sit atop the six or so foot tall debris with weapons at the ready.

Waiting for a ghost to appear.