"What an… Interesting specimen." As Vecna's raspy voice resounded from the hood, she suddenly lowered my head, and although I couldn't see her face through the inky blackness that even my eyes for some reason were unable to penetrate, I knew she was staring into my own eyes.
While grunting in pain, she suddenly forced my mouth open, inspecting every nook and cranny. "Perfect teeth." Then she pushed my head down. "Perfect hair." Vecna then let go of my chin, causing my head to lower as I was unable to resist her overwhelming mana, though she didn't leave me be for long as her staff hit my face, flinging me onto my back.
Now that I was sprawled on the ground, I felt like I was born again, too weak to move my limbs or even lift my head; I was entirely at the woman's mercy. I tried to use my skills, like [Lightning Cloak], [Blink], [Teleport], anything I could think of, to get even the slightest edge, but it was useless. Vecna's mana was in the atmosphere, and she filled it so densely that any mana that left my body was forcefully dispersed.
Raising her staff, she dropped it onto my stomach, causing me to wince while the death mana destroyed my shirt, aging it at a breakneck speed until it simply dissolved into ash, which she blew away with a wave of her hand. "Perfect muscles." "Grr, urgh!" Uncaring for how I felt, she moved her staff down, pressing it against the hem of my pants before pulling back.
"Perfect… Manhood." 'T-This creepy bitch!' Once she finished observing my crotch, she then struck down hard at my inner thigh, which caused my blood to run cold, though I sighed in relief when I still felt my manhood. 'Oh, thank you, Goddess Eywa.' Though while my manhood was saved, what was revealed was arguably worse.
"Golden blood… Ichor of the Gods." For the first time since Vecna's appearance, her raspy voice, barely louder than a whisper, finally showed emotion as it contained a hint of shock. Though following that shock was curiosity as she struck my thigh, driving her staff straight through my muscles and bone, causing me to growl in pain while my gaze hardened.
While still unable to move, I watched as Vecna removed her glove, revealing a skeletal hand, which surprised me; she then lowered her hand and touched the blood oozing from the wound, causing steam to emit from her finger while she quickly retracted her hand. "Healing. No… Life."
As Vecna put the glove back on, she removed the staff, which caused my wound to heal visibly, and I could only assume it amazed her. However, what happened next was something I honestly hadn't been expecting; raising her gloved hand, she formed a blade of condensed death mana before swiping downwards right beside my head, only for a sharp yet familiar pain to hit me.
"Argh!" Barely able to turn my head, I looked at my arm, which she'd cut off. "I'm taking this." Watching my arm get swallowed by an inky black shadow, it vanished from my sight while my wound healed itself; my healing wasn't strong enough to regrow a new arm. I didn't know if it would ever be, but the fact that she just cut my arm off really infuriated me.
Unfortunately, I could do nothing about it… Vecna was simply too powerful. I could do nothing but furiously glare at her, and while doing so, she suddenly retracted her mana from the atmosphere, well, not all of it; there was still that faint oppressive feeling, but now I wasn't being crushed against the floorboards from its sheer density.
Clutching the stump of my left arm, Niol and I stood up while cautiously eyeing the being, though neither of us attacked her. Oh, I'm sure we both wanted to, but we both knew our positions; we couldn't do a thing to her.
"E-Esteemed Mage, m-may I inquire about your a-arrival?" Suppressing his fear and nervousness, Niol stepped forward while slightly bowing as he addressed Vecna, who slowly reached into the baggy sleeves of her robe, revealing an all-too-familiar medallion. It was identical to Master's, yet the only difference was the extra 'S' on it.
"I am. The interrogator of the Guild. Sent." As we saw, a medallion or license denoting an SSS-class Adventurer, Niol seemed a bit relieved, though I wasn't. 'Dammit, she might just kill me afterward once I give her the information she wants.' My situation hadn't changed much, and worst of all, I could do nothing about it; it really all came down to whether she'd be satisfied with my arm.
"I-I assume you wish to know about the battle, M-Madam Vecna." Thanks to my traits, I was able to stay calm, even though I didn't show it; I was still nervous. Returning her license to her sleeve, Vecna turned to look at me and nodded slowly as she approached. I instantly took a step back, though I was unable to, as she locked me in place with darkness.
"W-What are you doing? Y-You won't learn anything if you kill me!?" Despite my words, Vecna didn't seem to care at all as she removed her glove and raised her hand to me. "I. Have my… Ways." The moment she finished speaking, she placed her skeletal hand atop my head, and the instant she did, I felt my mind. No, my very soul erode.
I could feel my consciousness, my thoughts, my ego failing to resist the ego; it was like she was erasing me —and, worst of all, I could.
'M-Master! Master! Sister, do something! Master's mind is being eroded by death itself!' Trina's voice, usually loud and lively, was now quiet and full of worry. 'I can't, Trina… Dammit! Master, please, hold on and resist.' Zartha's voice was even quieter; I could barely hear her, but her usual indifference and coldness carried concern, something I'd never heard.
However, despite her words to hold on, I was fighting a losing battle; my mind wasn't my body, my soul couldn't recover from the effects of her erosion… I was going to be erased.
Death itself wasn't scary. I've faced death too many times; I've even died a few times. Dying was something I've lived with. What scared me about dying wasn't the pain usually associated with it nor the unknown of what happens afterward, but that I'd be leaving my family.
Being unable to adventure with Talis, cook a banquet for Yuki, walk the market with Michelle, lose every tactical board game to Lazuli, spar with Vanye, shop with Jasmine, learn random facts from Chloe, and even talk about men stuff with Vanimo… That is what terrified me. That is why I continue to improve myself, to ensure they are always safe; that is why I fought desperately for nearly two days against thousands of monsters, so I could keep doing exactly that.
And I couldn't. NO. I wouldn't give up! I didn't fight tooth and nail against those monsters just to die pathetically like this. 'Not like this.' Terror pushed me. Fear of losing the chance to do those things with my family is what pushed me to fight even harder against Vecna; I wanted to live, and fear was the biggest motivator… And it filled my very being.
Just like when Master died and when I cried my heart out, I managed to affect the surroundings, nature itself, with my will; it was only brief, but I'd made the world experience the same immense grief I'd felt that day. I've tried replicating that for years, but I'd long since given up. After nearly fifteen years, I've managed to awaken it. Unlike before, when it reacted solely to my emotions and was uncontrollable, my will now activates it.
'Heroes Will.' As that thought briefly crossed my mind, I commanded this power, my will to resist against the encroaching erosion of Vecna's power, and it did just that. No, it did more than just resist; it fought back. It pushed back against Vecna's intrusion; my will had previously affected the world. What was a mere Vecna compared to it?
Quickly, my fading consciousness and ego returned, my sluggish thoughts became fast and clear, and my desires resurfaced; I was Alexander Vestalis. 'Get out!' With my mental command, I wielded my will and pushed Vecna out, causing me to hear a snap while she retracted her cracked skeletal hand.
"Interesting… Very Interesting." Vecna didn't retaliate and just silently stared at her cracked hand before putting on her glove. "I have everything. I will relay the information to them. Guild Leader… Someone who can control Monsters. She's dangerous… Just as you are." Glancing at Niol, who nodded, Vecna pointed a final finger at me before she walked into the corner, her cloaked finger sinking into the shadow before she entirely disappeared along with her pressure, causing us to both sigh in relief.