Chapter 588: Empire’s Invasion [6]


    “Vige leader,” curtains to a little hut parted, “-we have guests.”


    “Is that so?” stood an older man, “-very well. I’ll head for the guild house, how’s the guild leader doing so far?”


    “He’s doing just fine,” said the young man, “-I’m afraid the guests aren’t people we can trifle with.”


    “Don’t say so,” he walked in a perpetual hunch, “-it’s disrespectful to the humble visitors. These eyes have seen many o’ things, dearest nephew, you need to start seeing what the world truly has in store. Sense the soil, feel the wind, be in-tuned with nature, for she’s the only guide in our limited escapade in the living world.”


    The presumptuous horse-drawn carriage remained in in sight. Multiple curious folks peeped to be turned away. The adventurers held their guard, many of them remotely said to scram. When safety was dire, the fighters always did their very best to safeguard the quaint little vige. And so, in respect for the protectors, the vigers did as was told. Aided by the young man, the vige elder stepped into a ustrophobic room. Two guards d in white and gold bore the Krestonian crest. Between them stood a smaller-sized emissary.


    “Good day, traveler,” said he.


    “Silence,” fired one of the guards, “-don’t dare speak to our lord in such jovial manner.”


    .....


    “Slow it down,” said the emissary, “-no need to bust a cap. The vige elder looks just about right.”


    “And what does that mean?” inquired a tougher-looking beastman. Sharp canines stood ever so watchfully. As a member of the ck-wolf tribe, the guild leader had the boon of emotional sense. The ability to read a person’s emotion and see a few seconds in the future. Many o’ ambushes had been won thanks to said skill. Adventurers about were few but fairly high-ranked, the lowest being Tier-6 Emerald.


    “Calm it, Rody,” said old man Elm, “-there’s no need to be rude.”


    “Ahem, elder, I’vee with a message from our lord. The vige of Oda is required to give 90% of the harvest to contribute to the holy church’s campaign against evil.”


    “How rude,” cried Rody, “-are we to give up food to aid in our brethren’s extermination!”


    “Kotfa,” said the emissary, “-don’t do anything stupid.”


    “But sir,” he raised an arm, “-the demi-humans are being far more insolent. We should have them burned to the stakes, what’s the deal in keeping this vige safe?”


    “Silence!” *smack,* “-don’t speak outside thy station, do you hear me?” he red, “-go on outside, worthless piece of turd, this room doesn’t need thee.”


    *Tsk,* ‘-this is all your fault,’ screamed the expression, the curtains flung aside, whilst the hand immediately made for the hip.


    ‘Something’s wrong,’ squinted Rody, ‘-why would a messenger send away his guard. No one would be so foolish,’ an eyebrow rose towards the nearest adventurer.


    “If you would excuse me,” he followed behind.


    “Can we get back to the topic?” asked Elm, “-if 90% of the supplies are taken away, we won’t have any food left for the winter. Things are tough as is up north.”


    “Doesn’t seem that way to me,” remarked he, “-the vige is very prosperous for one located so far into the wild. Isn’t Noctic’s Hallow after the northbound forest?”


    “No, no, thend of the nightwalkers is sacred. Even our people are scared to approach their territory. It’s quite a distance away, perhaps a 4-day walk, maybe 5, I can’t quite remember.”


    “What about the harvest, let’s suppose, the vige refuses to contribute?” interjected Rody.


    A gale carried dust and stones, ‘-why was I the one reprimanded?’ he leaned against the carriage. ‘-This vige sure is empty for and of heretics.’


    *Pew, pew,* ambled few giggles towards the vige center, “-Demonlord, I’m going to y you with my divine weapon of destruction!”


    “Ha-ha!” grimaced Honye, “-rubber bands isn’t going to hurt my devilish armor. I stole the power of the gods, and now,” arms around Annie’s neck, “-she shall be my goddess, mwahahahaha.”


    “Oi look,” they skid to a stop, “-a shiny carriage.”


    “I wonder who’s inside.”


    ‘Kids?’ thought the guard, ‘-they look normal enough,’ the eyes narrowed, ‘-forget about it. They look disgusting.’


    “Hey mister!” waved Annie, “-are you an adventurer?”


    ‘Who, me?’ he pointed to himself.


    “Yes you,”ughed Ota, “-who else is around here,” they broke into hysteria.


    ‘Why you little,’ he scowled to be met by equally perturbing grimaces.


    “Hey mister, answer me,” said Annie, “-are you an adventurer or not?” the adorable expression watched in awe, “-so pretty.”


    “Annie, don’t go close to him,” cautioned Honye, “-he’s a guard of the church,” quick to grab her cor,”e on, run, father said to not get close to them,” and off they bolted. Actually, one would expect so, Annie dodged to have her hat fall, tiny little horns revealed her race.


    ‘By the grace of god,’ he held his crest, “-you’re a demon,” the face petrified.


    “Mister,” said she, “-are you an adventurer, or not?”


    “GET AWAY,” *ng,* des met followed by an explosion.


    “Are you ok?”


    “W-what happened?” the cheeks felt warm, “-Is this my blood...”


    “Annie are you ok?” pleaded the man, “-are you ok Annie?”


    “I’m safe,” she smiled, “-my wounds heal quick. Thank you for protecting me, f. I guess I was a bad girl.”


    “Not your fault,” he reached around for a tight embrace.


    “What in the hell happened?” the vige folks ran to the carriage. The meeting promptly halted. A menace of a presence exited the guild-house, “-f, tell me what happened this instant?”


    “It’s him!” cried Ota,”-the white man tried to kill Annie.”


    “You pieces of shit,” *woosh,* ws made for the envoy’s neck.


    *Poof,* “-Elder,” eximed Raulf, “-why did you stop me?”


    “A man mustn’t always resolve to violence,” a secondary apparition of himself sprawled out the back to halt the strike, “-natures granted us the boon of life. One mustn’t be so quick as to take what isn’t theirs.”


    “I’m sorry,” the ws retracted. Even the guard couldn’t react.


    “As for you, envoy, go to the master and say, the vige of Oda isn’t going toply. Our protectors, the n members of Noctic’s hallow will stand as our beacon of hope. A man who lets his subordinate strike at an innocent child shouldn’t get his ego stroked so much.”


    “GO AWAY!” chanted the crowd.


    “GO AWAY!”


    “GO AWAY!”


    Visibly annoyed, “-whatever, we’re leaving. Heed my warning, Vige elder, this isn’t thest you’ve seen of us. Our masters are less patient than us,” hooves faded into the distance.


    “Get out of here!” cried f, “-you damned coward.”


    “Here, the hat, you dropped it,” said Honye timidly.


    “Thank you,” her smile had him blush.


    “Ota, Ota,” quick to change course, “-did you see old man Elm’s technique.”


    “Of course, I did,” said he with chin up and arms crossed, “-the movement was far too slow for me, the divine de.”


    “Is that so?” chuckled Elm, “-then I guess I’m getting old,” they allughed.


    “Don’t worry, Honye,” said a little whisper.


    “Father?” he spun, “-what are you doing here?”


    “The repugnant smell of righteousness caught my nose. Don’t worry about Annie, she’ll soon see you as the stronger boy.”


    “Shut up dad,” he shied away into the open-field, ‘-what is he saying anyway. It’s not like I like her or something.’


    The father followed after, “HONYE, don’t stray off course.”


    *Righteous being that dwells in the very fiber of what is real. I, humble servant of the true God, call upon thy favor. Bring forth cmity to the impure, cleanse the earth, and rid the world from what I deem unworthy. Come forth, Enta.*


    A shining suit of armor dashed from the carriage and onto the field. Chatter followed Honye’s father as did Ota and Annie.


    “GET AWAY FROM HIM!” cried the man pelting across the field. All yed in slow-motion, the elder gestured, Rody leaped to no avail. *Thrust,* blood smeared across the golden field, the de ran across his father. “D-dad?” he stared.


    “-Why did you run off, damn brat.”


    “I didn’t m-mean,” no other words muttered, the de dug further to pierce the boy’s heart. *click,* the handle snaped 90 degrees, both father and son were dismembered and flung in an explosion of blood. A golden canvas painted red, it was only a few hours ago that the boy came around the y. A mutted arm crashed against the tree. Honye’s head rolled over to Annie’s feet, the expression stuck between relief and fear. Reality set in, panic lit the path aze, women hastily grabbed their kids and ran. The men effortlessly stood at the sudden events, “-COME WITH ME, YOU TWO!” screamed f, “-we’re RUNNING.”


    “B-b-but,” she mumbled, “-what about Honye... he gave me my hat. I haven’t said thanks yet...”


    Rage burnt into the throat, ws, and muscles bulged, a single pounce cracked the very ground.


    *Yah,* whipped the coachman, “e on!” begged the envoy, “-the beast is after us.”


    “Foolish entity who daredy his hand on my family,” ambled Elm, “-the patience of the wise is long, once at a stop, the never-ending descent into darkness foils even the believers,” the second-self blew exponentially, giant palms mmed to crush the fiend.


    *p,*


    “What’s the matter now?” sighed Igna.


    “Mosquitoes,” returned Julius, “-what else.”


    “There’s repellent in at the back.”


    “Should have said so earlier,” a few little sprayster, “-where are we headed now?”


    “To Oda Vige. We need supplies. The fish’s all but eaten.”


    .....


    “What about the wall?”


    “Should be half a day’s work. We also have the secret technique.” The jeep pulled into the vige’s vicinity at around 14:30. The sky muddled into a grey stop, rumors and information from éir said the vige to be a cheerful ce.


    “Did something happen?” asked Igna toggling off the engine.


    “I don’t know,” replied Julius, “-the feel sure doesn’t seem right. Kind of like the one at Ect.”


    “I get it,” circled to the back, “-priestess, what will you do, stay here ore with?” Her response was but a distance stare. “-Silence means staying, have fun.” *click,* her ankles were cuffed to the jeep.


    “Might find some job, éir said there’s a guild on the southern passage.,” closer to the center, the heavier the feel. ‘The soul,’ a jolt went up to his spine, “-they linger.”


    “Pardon me?” nced Julius, “-something the matter?”


    “People recently died. I can feel the presence of a darker entity. They weren’t killed by weapons... it’s repugnant, the same odor from the church followers, louder than the crest.”


    Vigers were gathered around Honye’s house. Thedy lost her child and husband in a single day, the moments burnt deep in her heart. Parts of their body were missing. The stain of blood on the dried stone path was fresh. The women mourned, Annie and Ota sat silently beside theirrade not knowing if he’d wake. Thess’s always cheerful expression stuck the same as him.


    “Mother,” whispered Ota, “-Honye’s a liar, why won’t he wake up. He hasn’t defeated me... how can he leave without the princess...”


    “Shut up,” said she, “-enough is enough, at least be silent for his funeral. Honye isn’t going to wake up anymore.”


    “TRAITOR!” he bolted into the street with teary eyes.


    “Someone stop him,” cried f, attempts were fruitless, the nimble brat escaped into the dim outside. His mother made after him. Those inside were too mournful to care, the whole vige saw what happened without exception.


    “Where are you running off too,” wondered Julius quick to stop the boy.


    “Mydy,” spoke Igna, “-is this the escapee?”


    “Yes,” she nodded, “-thank you for stopping my bratty son.”


    “No thank you needed, ma’am,” said Julius. Asking questions would be rude. An exchange of nces led inside to a modest yard. People stood around with heads hung low.


    “Hello, may I help you?” asked an adventurer.


    “We apologize for the intrusion.”


    “It’s no problem,” said the elder, “-by the looks, you boys are adventurers?”


    “Yes,” firmed Julius, “-I’d greatly appreciate if we could stay and pay our respects.”


    “Don’t worry,” he gave a soft pat, “-I’ll be off to gather some herbs.”


    “Might I be of assistance?” interjected Igna.


    “What a kind boy you are,” he grinned, “e on, follow me.”