Rearing Demons
Chapter 42: Velmira

Chapter 42: Velmira

"Miss Ris, what are you doing here?" The path leading to the Mother of Pus was teeming with cultivators. Though fewer Antics roamed now, a scattered few still prowled among the rocks and puddles of yellow ooze.

Having finally reached the mountain where the Mother of Pus resided, Ris ignored greetings from her fellow disciples altogether, intent on reaching the Gralith before anyone else stole the kill. She knew the Mother of Pus was far from weak—almost a demi-Kyrrath, some said.

Ruling an entire region demanded formidable power, both to crush internal rivals and battle would-be usurpers from outside. For a demon to maintain such a position, strength was essential.

As she rushed up the mountainside at startling speed, a familiar voice halted her. "Ris?"

She looked over to spot Karo, another core disciple. He was busy clearing out pockets of Antics, apparently unwilling to abandon other disciples who risked being ambushed.

"What are you doing in the Eyes of Dripping Blood?" he asked. Despite wanting to rush the cave himself, he couldn’t simply leave weaker disciples to face these monsters alone.

Brune and he were total opposites: Karo took time to ensure no one died, while Brune likely raced ahead already.

"Karo, where’s Brune?" Ris demanded, somewhat breathless. It wasn’t like Karo to roam without Brune; they were practically inseparable as core disciples.

Karo shook his head. "I’m guessing he’s already at the cave, probably fighting the Mother of Pu—" He broke off abruptly. Everyone nearby turned their heads toward the middle of the mountain.

There, near the cavern entrance, stood an odd figure: a tall, impossibly beautiful woman with long white hair cascading over the rocks. Even from a distance, her features dazzled.

Her otherworldly beauty caught everyone’s attention. Though Ris herself was considered stunning, this white-haired stranger made her seem almost plain in comparison. The woman’s face was heartbreakingly symmetrical—an unsettling perfection.

"Who is that...?" Karo muttered under his breath, tension rippling through him.

"That...that thing is the Mother of Pus?" Ris exclaimed, her voice carrying shock and disbelief.

Karo’s expression twisted in confusion. "No way." He knew that a Gralith or Kyrrath might assume a partial human form, but only at Valgath rank did most demons fully appear human. Yet the woman before them showed no demonic hint—no horns, no claws, just seamless, flawless skin.

She gazed out at them with a calm, almost mournful expression, and even Karo felt a pang of sympathy. Her aura, however, unsettled Ris. Something about it didn’t feel human at all.

"If that’s truly the Mother of Pus," Ris murmured, narrowing her eyes, "her strength must be even greater than rumored."

Indeed, if the demon could disguise herself completely from Ris’s probing, it meant she surpassed Ris by a good margin. A flicker of worry coursed through Karo as he looked around. Brune was nowhere, and a new, mysterious woman appeared from the cave. He didn’t like the implications.

Still ignoring the rest of the disciples, Ris moved forward more cautiously, sword suddenly in hand, maintaining a safe distance.

At that moment, the white-haired woman spoke, voice lilting and strangely mesmerizing: "You’re quite the lovely girl. How have I never encountered someone like you?" She smiled sweetly, but something in that perfect smile made Ris uneasy.

A little too perfect. A little too choreographed.

Humans, Ris knew, were defined partly by their small imperfections—this woman had none.

"Who are you?" Ris asked, each word measured. She was strong, but she sensed an even greater danger radiating from this beauty.

"Me?" The woman feigned confusion. "Don’t you know already?"

At her casual words, an oppressive aura flared, pressing down on Ris and the nearby cultivators. Many buckled under its weight.

"Mother of Pus?" Ris ventured.

"What a dreadful name for a being so exquisite," the woman replied, an unearthly scowl crossing her perfect face. "I am called Velmira."

"Velmira..." Ris echoed, heart pounding. Named demons weren’t common, especially in the Gralith range; typically, only exceptionally intelligent, or titled

, demons possessed a name—especially one they’d chosen.

Sensing the demon’s aura briefly, Ris realized Velmira was at Kyrrath rank—maybe approaching Valgath soon. She’s more dangerous than I imagined.

Quietly, Ris edged backward, scanning the terrain for escape routes. She couldn’t handle a demon of this caliber alone, not without her own demonic form, and even then it’d be perilous.

"Velmira, that’s a lovely name," Ris commented, each step backward leaving a faint indent on the fleshy ground. "What does it mean?"

Velmira rose, stepping gracefully through thin air, her face alight with self-satisfaction. "If you must know, ’Vel’ means veil, and ’Mira’ means wonder—so, Veiled Wonder," she explained proudly. Her every movement was poised and deliberate, like a painted masterpiece.

Ris, though, felt none of that wonder. I have to get away, she thought. This demon is too cunning—too human-like. A demon with that much intellect spelled trouble.

"Isn’t it intriguing," Velmira murmured, "that a demon such as myself can bear such a name?" She flicked her wrist, and a limp figure materialized midair—Brune, unconscious, possibly worse. His body was battered almost beyond recognition.

"Brune!" Karo shouted from behind, eyes wide at the sight of his friend’s mangled form.

"This ugly fool intruded on my domain and saw what he shouldn’t," Velmira purred. With startling casualness, she began to peel down the top of her dress, baring flawless skin that made several male cultivators gawk. Desire flared in their eyes; they’d never anticipated such a sudden display.

Neither Ris nor Karo were entranced by the sight. But Karo understood enough: Brune had come here first, and paid a dire price.

Spinning toward Ris, Karo hissed urgently, "Ris, get out of here—find an elder, fast!" Then, without waiting, he charged Velmira, driven by fear for Brune.

Ris didn’t hesitate. She pivoted and bolted, pushing her speed to the limits. The Mother of Pus—Velmira—was plainly no ordinary foe: a Kyrrath with the intelligence and power edging into Valgath territory. Far beyond what either of them could face alone.

She’s a dreadful opponent, Ris thought, fleeing the mountain as Velmira turned her attention to the next intruder foolish enough to challenge her dominion.