Fiend

Biodata

Background

Records of the Demon Hunter Order describe an era when humans and Fiends lived on the same earth. People sheltered behind city walls and hid at night to avoid them 32. The Gospel Church's Isaiah used the term “Fiend” for adversaries of God; the Order's Apocalypse instead recorded knowledge used to hunt them 28 41.

Demon Hunters sought to kill people before their mutation was complete. At that point, the victims were still human and could be killed with ordinary weapons; a fully transformed Fiend required other methods 29. Lorenzo identifies Wall's mutated corpse as an early warning he failed to recognize 28.

Appearance and Varieties

Fiends have no single body shape. Humans emerging from the Underground Palace bear twisted, rotting forms that no longer resemble their former selves 27.

• Former humans — One Fiend retains a ring on its claw and has exposed muscle, pale bone, multiple hands and clusters of eyes 32.
• Stomach-Chewing Grass — An immobile, plant-like Fiend whose red, hair-like tentacles pierce and devour prey. It relies on mobile Fiends to hunt and provide it with access to victims 29.
• Sabo — After taking Secret Blood, he develops elongated limbs, additional arms, tumors and bone blades while retaining some ability to reason 34.

Abilities and Threats

Mental contamination

• Observing a Fiend—even by sight, sound or smell—can induce madness. Lorenzo states that reading about one can also be dangerous 28.
• Its presence intensifies fear and negative emotions. While fleeing one, Eve becomes paranoid enough to aim her gun at Lorenzo 28.
• Objects it has touched, and even ash left after its death, can cause harmful effects such as nightmares 28 30.

Physical resilience and mutation

• Fiends can possess strength, speed and vitality beyond those of ordinary humans; some retain human-level intelligence. They are difficult to kill with ordinary fire or sword strikes, although physical attacks can still affect them 33 36 41.
• Contamination can drive people mad or turn them into Fiends. The Purification Agency fears an uncontrolled outbreak in Old Dunling could spread through its transport network 30.

Countermeasures

• Early intervention — Demon Hunters target victims before full mutation, when swords and guns can still kill them as humans 29.
• Containment and firepower — The Purification Agency detects anomalies with Geiger Counters and deploys soldiers, artillery and Incinerators to prevent an outbreak from escaping 27.
• Secret Blood — The Demon Hunter Order developed it so humans could wield monstrous power against Fiends. Its user also risks erosion if control fails 41 50.
• Lorenzo's blood and weapons — His blood ignites white flames in a Fiend when delivered by bullet or blade. He also carries a holy-silver-plated Nail Sword made for fighting demons 33 45.

Major Incidents

• Underground Palace — Fiends emerge from the palace, prompting a Purification Agency assault intended to leave no survivors. Inside, Eve encounters a former human transformed into a Fiend, while Lorenzo discovers Stomach-Chewing Grass 27 29 32.
• The Radiance — Passengers become part of a monster horde, and Lorenzo and Eve fight toward the engine. Lorenzo identifies the attackers nearest them as low-level, mindless walking corpses, but warns that stronger monsters may be among them 49 50.