《Aspect of the Beast》


 Prologue

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    Blood ran down the side of his face forcing one of his eyes closed as he heaved for breath. The adrenaline had long since fled his body, leaving behind only sore muscles forced passed exhaustion. Dragging a deep breath into his burning lungs the man slowly straightened back, pushing against the weight of the steel breastplate.


    Raising his head, he looked up into the dark clouds covering the sky. Thunder roared in the distance as the first raindrop fell from the sky, striking the man¡¯s cheek before mixing with the blood and rolling down his neck. More joined the first as the clouds finally broke under the weight and shed their tears for the scene below.


    Closing his eyes for a moment the man focused on the cool water spattering against his overheated and bloody body. For a few blissful moments, the sound of the rainstorm drowned out the clamour around him, separating him from the rest of the world.


    ***


    The boy ran downstairs at the sound of his mother calling him. Bursting into the kitchen he saw his father sitting at the head of the table with his brother at the side, wolfing down his breakfast. His mother turned towards him and smiled.


    ¡°You better hurry, or else your brother will eat it all,¡± she said.


    ¡°No fair!¡±


    The boy complained dashing forward to claim his meal. His father eyed him with a raised eyebrow, a slight smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.


    ¡°All¡¯s fair when it comes to food, boy,¡± he said, his arm stretching out, quick as a viper, to snatch the piece of bacon the boy had just placed on his plate from the stack in the middle of the table.


    The boy looked at his father with an expression conveying a deep sense of betrayal while his mother covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing.


    ***


    Pain shot through his arm as the wooden sword struck down onto his shoulder. A cry escaped his lips as the boy dropped his own practice sword and clutched his shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t drop your weapon boy. It''s connected to your life. Lose it and you may very well lose the other,¡± his father said, looking down at him with a stern gaze. The morning sun glinted off his bare chest as he reached down and helped the boy back up.


    ¡°But it hurts like hell. I can¡¯t help it.¡±


    ¡°Listen to me. Pain is a fleeting experience, you must learn to overcome it. If you fear pain you may end up doing or not doing things that you will regret for the rest of your life. And trust me, regret will stay with you and hurt a lot more than your shoulder does now. Understand?¡±


    The boy nodded.


    ¡°Good, now pick up the sword and come at me again.¡±


    ***


    The fire burned bright, casting a glow that lit up the surroundings. A teenaged boy sat next to the fire keeping an eye on the sizzling rabbit suspended over it. The fat burned away slowly dripping onto the flame and sending the smell through the air.


    ¡°How long ¡®till we can eat,¡± his friend asked next to him.


    ¡°Soon, you don¡¯t want to rush cooking rabbit.¡±


    ¡°Like you would know, it is the first time you¡¯re doing it, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    He gave a smile that he hoped looked mysterious.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve done this hundreds of times.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re full of shit.¡±


    ***


    He downed the last of the ale and slammed the tankard against the table. The tavern was packed. But that was to be expected as it was the only one in the town. He glanced at his empty tankard and wondered where the ale had disappeared to. Tilting it forward his eyes hunted for the hole that was sure to be found at the bottom.


    He quickly abandoned the search in favour of getting a new tankard, one that was complete¡­ and filled with ale of course. Standing up carefully on the unsteady ground he made his way over to his brother who seemed to be arguing with one of the other men.


    Seeing the argument take a turn for the worst he dashed toward his brother and pushed him out of the way just in time to block the incoming fist with his face.


    ***


    The starlight mixing with that of the fires burning in the pits spaced evenly through the open field. Loud music travelled through the air and people danced in the open field or sat around the fires and chatted while sharing drink.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    The festival came each year after the harvest and brought along with happiness to the small town. Sitting next to one of the fires, the young man watched the people who dancing under the starlight. He paid particular attention to one of them. A young woman with long raven black hair that swirled around her as she moved, eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the others around her. There was a smile on her face, one that spoke of joy in such volumes that he couldn¡¯t help but stare.


    ¡°Mesmerised brother?¡±


    A voice came from next to him, snapping him back to his senses.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± he replied looking at his brother. The man wore a knowing smile and nodded his head.


    ¡°Ah, young love.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a year older than me!¡± He retorted causing his brother to burst out laughing.


    ¡°And much wiser for it!¡±


    ***


    His face was expressionless but his eyes betrayed the pain in his chest as he stared at the coffin. His mother was kneeling in front of it crying, with his brother trying to comfort her. The disease struck as fast as it was deadly. Four people had passed away already and his father was the fifth.


    He stood in front of the other town guards who came to mourn the loss of their captain, a man they had all respected. He stared at the coffin holding the corpse of the man that taught him so much. He might have been hard on him at times but it was never without reason, and always with his future in mind.


    His sore throat constricted and a single tear rolled down his cheek as the coffin was lowered into the ground. Together with the other guards, he saluted the old man one last time.


    ***


    Bending down over the bed he reached out and brushed the long black hair out of the women face. She gave a soft moan in her sleep before opening her eyes and looking up at him. She blinked a few times then smiled brightly at him.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he said with a smile.


    ¡°Hm. Are you going off?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my shift is starting soon. Got to show the new recruits how things are done,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t long ago since you were one.¡±


    ¡°Time flies,¡± he said moving his hand over her swollen belly. He bent down and kissed his unborn child.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back before nightfall.¡±


    ¡°Stay safe,¡± she said.


    ¡°Always do.¡±


    ***


    Sitting on a chair in front of the house, he gazed at his two-year-old daughter playing on the grass. The sunlight shone through the trees, glinting off of the black hair she inherited from her mother. A smile touched his face as he saw her eyes widen in wonder as she discovered a beetle and poked at it.


    Footsteps sounded behind him with the creaking of floorboards as his wife stepped outside. She looked toward their daughter harassing the poor bug before shaking her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be teaching her numbers yet I find you two like this,¡± she said looking towards him.


    ¡°Let her enjoy herself, it¡¯s too nice a day to spend it on things like that,¡± he replied.


    She raised an eyebrow before turning to their daughter, only to see her running towards them laughing with her arms outstretched, clasping the beetle. She was shouting near incomprehensible words, eager to show off her new prize to her parents.


    A chuckle escaped his wife as she saw the scene.


    ***


    He stood on top of the platform looking out over the wooden walls of the town towards the wood. The night air was cool against his skin, a welcome change from the heat during the day. The raining season should start soon. Already farmers were beginning to plant their crops in preparation.


    The town still had a surplus food after paying their dues to the kingdom the previous year, it should have been a peaceful time yet his face was more clouded than the overcast sky.


    A young man stepped up next to him, one of the other guards that joined two years back. The man gave a slightly sloppy salute.


    ¡°Captain.¡±


    He nodded towards the man, putting him at ease. The guard turned and gazed over the forest before speaking.


    ¡°Do you think those bastards up north will make it this far?¡± The guard asked in a worried tone.


    He shook his head.


    ¡°They¡¯ve never managed to break through the army at the border, I doubt this time will be any different.¡±


    Even though he said so, he couldn''t shake the uneasy feeling in his chest. He heard that the army they sent was much bigger than the previous times. It seemed they were really determined to take a piece of the Empire this time.


    His words managed to ease some of the young guard¡¯s fears though, as the man nodded before taking out a wineskin and passing it to him. He uncorked the skin and took a gulp, savouring the sweet taste as it rolled down his throat before passing it back to the man.


    ***


    His wife hugged him in a tight embrace, her tears wet against the side of his neck.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± she whispered.


    He shook his head.


    ¡°I have to. The kingdom is even conscripting militia from the nearby towns and villages. Someone has to show those pitchfork-wielding farmers how to fight.¡± He said jokingly as he returned her embrace, holding her tight before breaking off, and gripping her by the shoulders to look into her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you know it,¡± he said with a smile on his face. She returned his look before nodding with determination.


    He knelt down and embraced his four-year-old girl. Her tears streaked down her face. She didn¡¯t completely understand what was happening but she knew he was leaving and didn¡¯t want him to.


    ¡°Be good, and listen to your mother alright? I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡±


    ¡°mhm,¡± she mumbled, nodding.


    He smiled and put his hand on her head before standing up and walking towards the door grabbing his short sword and shield on the way. He gathered his resolve and stepped and outside, walking down the road towards the temporary gathering outside the town walls.


    He didn¡¯t look back for fear that his resolve might crumble if he were to look at their faces again. The only reason he was doing this was for them.


    ***


    The sound of a horn cut through the rain bringing the man back from his thoughts as all the sounds around him rushed into his ears. The screams of the wounded and shouts of soldiers echoing around the battlefield.


    Slowly he opened his eyes looking up at the falling rain, it seemed as if time slowed down as he spotted the individual drops directly above him before they splashed against his face, washing off the blood from his body, both his and others¡¯.


    He lowered his head to look in front of him. The corpses of allies and enemies littered the field, the blood and rain draining into the ground turning it into mud that squelched beneath the boots of the soldiers and militia around him as they took up their positions.


    Far to the front, the northerner army began their second charge forward. A wave of flesh and blood running towards them at full speed. The man looked around him, at the myriad of expressions of those around him, excitement, anticipation, anger and fear, so much fear. He was standing at the frontline this time, something to be expected as the previous frontline soldiers were all before him. Their broken corpses a constant reminder of his fate.


    His mind was strangely quiet as he stared at the charging army. He slowly raised his short sword in a two-handed grip, his shield lost in the previous clash.


    Just as the two forces were about to meet an image flashed through his mind. An image of his daughter playing in a field of grass, the sun glinting off of her black hair. With a smile on his face and a calm in his heart, he brought down his sword.


    If his sacrifice could help secure her future, then it was one he would gladly give a thousand times over.

 Chapter 1

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    How long had it chased him? Without the passage of a sun, he could not be sure, but he knew it was toying with him. It casually trotted after him as he tried to get away. The now familiar ashen landscape streaked past his vision, only to be replaced by more of the same. The distance between them decreased so slowly that it had almost given him hope at times.


    But now it was coming to an end.


    It was only a few paces away now. He was not looking back. The last time he did that he was momentarily stunned when he saw the hunger in its eyes. Somehow he knew it would be the end of him if it caught up, but he was powerless to stop it.


    A slight tremor ran through the ground before it burst apart next to him under the weight of the creature. The left head of the beast didn¡¯t waste any time as it snapped towards him.


    He stepped down onto the ground as he tried to fling himself out of the way. But the beast was faster.


    Pain shot through him as its teeth sunk into his side. The massive head pulled him off the ground, shaking him in the air before flinging him away.


    He landed a few meters away rolling a few time before coming to a stop. The sharp pain quickly faded only to be replaced by a sense of emptiness the scared him even more.


    Gritting his teeth he looking down at the white substance that comprised his body. A row of black holes was sunk into his form. Tiny black veins could already be seen spreading out from the teeth marks, making their way further into him.


    A low growl that shook the very air snapped his attention back to the culprit. The beast was slowly walking towards him, its pitch black form striking a sharp contrast to the lifeless grey surroundings. Its jaw split its left head in two, a long black tongue licking the remaining white matter from its teeth as the right head¡¯s gaze locked onto him.


    At least he thought it did. It had no eyes to speak of, only hollow depressions where they should have been. This did not stop the shudder running though his being as he gazed upon its face.


    Hurriedly he tried to get to his feet only to find his right side unresponsive. The black veins were spreading down his arm and leg. Somehow he knew that even if the creature were to leave right now he would still fade into oblivion as the corruption consumed everything he called himself.


    It was then that he felt some¡­ force¡­ reaching out, tugging gently at the barren landscape, searching for something. Desperate for any small piece of hope he reached out towards the force and it instantly latched onto him.


    A white glow surrounded him and quickly grew stronger causing even the beast to stop in its tracks as it cautiously observed the phenomenon.


    He clung onto the light as it started to pull him away from the most horrible thing he could imagine. Pain and loss surged through him as he felt the corruption digging deeper into his being, unwilling to let the prey escape.


    The beast finally made up its mind and lunged at him just as the white light suddenly intensified ripping him out of the bleak reality.


    ***


    He groaned, opening his eyes, only to be assaulted by a bright light hovering above his head. He squeezed his eyes shut once more, plunging the world into darkness.


    He could feel his body, the muscles on his bones. He could hear the sounds of someone or something shuffling in the background. He could smell the stale air surrounding him. For some reason, these sensations brought him joy, as if they had returned after a long absence.


    Once more he opened his eyes, slowly this time, savouring instead of shunning the yellow light. Just the sight of something other than the listless tones of grey excited him. Then he frowned.


    Grey? Why would¡­


    He tried to focus on the fleeting thought only to have it fade quicker than a dream. The sound of footsteps approaching pulled him from his thoughts.


    A head came into view blocking out most of the light, it was that of a middle-aged man with wild black hair. The sharp green eyes like knives cutting through his flesh to peer at his soul. The eyes were cold and almost emotionless, save for a hint of anticipation.


    ¡°Hmm. Seems to have worked,¡± the head mumbled. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    A question. Directed at him? Probably.


    ¡°¡­What happened?¡± He asked, unsure of what was going on. He faintly remembered a field filled with the dead and dying. Was he dead?


    No.


    For some reason he sure that this wasn¡¯t the supposed afterlife he had heard about from¡­ somewhere. This was something else.


    ¡°Confusion. To be expected really. Not every day a person gets pulled back from death¡¯s grasp,¡± the head straightened, bringing the light back into view.


    He blinked turning his head towards the side as the surroundings came into focus. The head that had spoken to him belonged to a thin man wearing a white robe over loose fitting clothes. The man was busy scribbling notes in a book.


    Taking the opportunity, he quickly scanned his surroundings hoping to find some clues to make sense of the mess inside his mind. A desk stacked with open books and scrolls. A table supporting jars filled with liquids and pieces of strange creatures. Stone walls covered in strange symbols, some of which seemed to pulse with a dull glow. His eyes turned towards the light widening in surprise at what he saw. A ball of yellow floating in the air, seemingly free from attachments.


    He shook his head, trying to clear his mind but the room stayed the same. His confusion deepened. Some of these things shouldn¡¯t exist. As soon as the thought came to him he once more tried to focus on it only for it to fade away before he could find the origin.


    Magic. Unbidden a word sprang into his consciousness as he looked at the floating ball of light.


    Magic?


    He knew the word but¡­ but what?


    ¡°Any other symptoms? Nausea? Pain?¡±


    The old man¡¯s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to the man and saw him staring back hand poised over the book ready to add any new information to the pages.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± He asked.


    The man¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Memory loss? Unexpected. But still acceptable.¡±


    The scribbling sounds started again, continuing for a few seconds before the man looked at him again.


    ¡°You are here as a voluntary subject to my resurrection experiment,¡± the man stated, focussing on the word voluntary, but his attention immediately was pulled to another.


    ¡°Resurrection?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes. The current spells have a lot of restrictions and require sacrificing others. Quite archaic if I have to say so myself. Why we are still stuck with those ancient formulas are beyond me. Thus I am improving it.


    You volunteered for the experiment for a price. Which shouldn¡¯t even be necessary by the way. You are a part of history with this spell of mine, that should be payment enough.


    Even with the reward, you were the only one to accept.¡±


    The man¡¯s faced turned into a scowl, halting his animated monologue for a second.


    ¡°Sheep, the lot of them. Unable to take even the slightest bit of risk even if it meant improving something that would change the very world.¡±


    The man sighed shaking his head, but he wasn¡¯t listening. He felt a throbbing pain lance through his head as memories surged forth. Memories that had a distinctly foreign feeling, as if they didn¡¯t belong in his mind.


    He remembered growing up on the streets of the city, living in the alleyways. Stealing what he needed and struggling each day just to survive. People of higher standing never paid any heed to the poor and those a little better off than him could only cling to what they had for fear of losing it.


    But he survived, doing what he needed in order to move forward, hoping for a chance to change his fate. He was a young man by the time the chance came. Rumours of the mage outside the city searching for volunteers for an experiment to improve resurrection magic, something thought to be impossible.


    The pay was good. Three pieces of gold could support him for a few months if he lived like a human, or maybe even a term or two if he stretched it to the maximum. But he had different plans.


    His father was a hunter, a monster killer, and he would follow in his footsteps. But for that, he needed equipment, training and supplies, things he never could gather while worrying about when or what his next meal would be.


    Killing the creatures that threatened the human population was risky but he would be able to finally make a decent living. He would be able to walk tall among the masses instead of slinking through the alleyways.


    The experiment was dangerous though. To be resurrected you first have to die.


    But he was sick of living like a rat anyway. If this could give him a better life he would take that risk.


    He shook his head trying to clear the intruding memories from his mind.


    No.


    That wasn¡¯t him. That life didn¡¯t belong to him, it didn¡¯t feel right. He looked down at his hands. Young. Thin and scarred, but young. There was no sense of familiarity as he looked at them, instead, they felt uncomfortable¡­ weak. An image flashed through his mind of large calloused hands gripping a steel sword as blood and rain-streaked over them. Just for a moment and then the image was gone.


    This wasn¡¯t his body. A faint feeling of panic rose in his chest as he opened and closed his hands, making sure that they were really his.


    What the hell happened? Resurrection magic? He may not remember much, but he was sure he had never heard of such a thing. Would the empire have been driven to such straits if they could resurrect the fallen soldiers?


    Empire?


    War. A great war spreading through the land. Militia being conscripted in villages. A young girl, crying as he walked away, forcing himself not to look back.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Are you listening? Do you feel anything out of the ordinary?¡± The man asked noticing his strange behaviour.


    ¡°¡­No. I just¡­ remembered how this all happened,¡± he replied.


    There was a wild look in the mage''s eyes that caused his instincts to call out for caution. He didn¡¯t know what the man would do if he found out that the spell he obviously took so much pride in had a serious flaw. He felt bad for the young man whose body he wore. But he knew the boy was willing to risk his life when he volunteered. After all, he had his memories.


    At least that was what he told himself. A shiver ran down his spine as he saw a bleak and desolate expanse of grey earth and sky.


    ¡°Ah. That¡¯s good,¡± the man said, scribbling down a few more notes.


    ¡°Memory loss¡­ only temporary. Yes, a promising start indeed. Very well I got all I needed from you. You can pick up the payment from my assistant when you leave. And congratulations on coming back from the dead.¡±


    He nodded with a forced smile and got up from the table he was lying on, he just wanted to get out of here and sort out his thoughts. Following the memories in his head, he quickly made his way out of the room and down a flight of tone stairs.


    The mage¡¯s ¡®experimentation¡¯ room was located on the third floor while the second held an area filled with books and alchemical equipment. The walls had a few symbols drawn onto them, though they weren¡¯t as numerous or intricate as that in the first room he still found his eyes drawn to them.


    He was making his way through the room when he spotted the mage¡¯s assistant. The woman, who seemed to be in her early twenties, was busy mixing different substances in one of the containers while constantly referring to an open book in front of her. Her shoulder length brown hair was tied behind her head to keep it out of the way, exposing the pale skin of her face and neck. It seemed as if it had been a long time since she last saw the sun.


    ¡°Hi,¡± he said, causing her to jerk and almost drop the beaker she was holding.


    ¡°Sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to startle you. The mage said you would have something for me?¡±


    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s you!¡± she said seemingly surprised to see him. ¡°Master¡¯s spell actually worked? That¡¯s amazing.¡±


    Her eyes shined with interest as she looked him over.


    ¡°Is that unusual?¡± He asked a bit taken aback. If it truly had such a low expectancy of working, did the boy really have a death wish?


    ¡°Well, nobody has ever been able to resurrect someone without a sacrifice. This achievement is sure to spread like wildfire.¡±


    He frowned, feeling a bit uncomfortable since the spell didn¡¯t really succeed.


    ¡°Oh! I didn¡¯t mean to make you uncomfortable with your¡­ death. Sorry, wait here and I¡¯ll get your payment.¡± she said before quickly moving off to a desk on the other side of the room and began rummaging through the clutter. It seemed as if she didn¡¯t often come into contact with other people.


    Mages liked to keep to themselves and were rarely seen in public, spending their time focused on researching spells and potions and such. The thought intruded upon his consciousness as he watched the assistant. A thought stemmed from knowledge not his own.


    The woman finally found a pouch of coins and removed three gold pieces from it handed it over to him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he replied as he tried to keep his expression neutral.


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll show you out.¡±


    She began walking towards the stairs leading down. Along the way, she questioned him about his experience after coming back to life. Since the mage hadn¡¯t asked him to keep quiet he said what he told him. A bit of temporary memory loss being the only side effect seemed to greatly surprise the assistant.


    Was it really this unusual? Perhaps he should have faked more serious symptoms, but since the boy didn¡¯t seem to have any idea of side effects of resurrection, it might have done more harm than good.


    From what he could gather from the short conversation with the mage¡¯s assistant, resurrection required certain conditions to be met, one of which was a willing sacrifice. This combined with the fact that only a few mages could cast the spell, made it impossible for common people to ever hope for. Usually, only nobles and royalty would ever have the chance at resurrection. As such, most common people had little to no knowledge of the process. He was no different.


    The woman led him outside and hurried back through the door, probably to discuss the experiment with her master.


    The mage¡¯s tower was built on top of a hill just outside the city. From where he stood he could see the towering walls of stone surrounding the city, hiding all but the tallest buildings from sight. He couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at their size. Standing eight meters tall they towered over the forms of the people moving in and out of the city.


    From the memories of the boy, he could tell the city was stretched out around a large river that flowed through the middle. The clear waters coming in at one side seemingly fresh and vibrant, and by the time it left the other side, it was a murky brown colour, carrying away all the filth from the city¡¯s inhabitants.


    The surrounding area had been cleared of trees for about two hundred meters on all sides, after that a massive forest claimed the ground, quickly blocking out his sight.


    Taking a deep breath, he started down the path that led down the hill, toward the large gates of the city.


    A few groups of people were lining up at the gate, slowly walking through an arch set into the gateway, as he made his way over. The arch had numerous strange runes carved out onto its surface, glowing with a faint light even visible in the daylight.


    A squad of guards stood next to the archway, eyeing the people as they made their way into the city. Apparently, the archway was supposed to reveal monsters that were concealing themselves but it would seem the boy never had an interest in how it worked. The runes were reminiscent of those he saw in the mage''s tower, however, so he guessed it would have something to do with this magic that seemed to be commonplace here.


    Most of the people going into the city were armed and armoured, some with swords and axes and others with bows and knives. These were probably the hunters from the boy¡¯s memories, like his father had been, those that make a living by killing the beasts in the surrounding forest.


    To his surprise, the majority of them wore leather armour, unlike the steel of the guards at the gate. He always preferred steel himself, even if it was heavier.


    A dull pain shot through his head as he saw himself looking down while strapping a heavy steel breastplate over his chest.


    With a mixture of anticipation and need, he clung to the memory hoping to see more, but the vision stopped after he finished strapping on the armour. With a thought, he tried to see what happened afterwards but the ache in his head suddenly spiked as if he had slammed his head against a wall.


    He grit his teeth in pain and opened the eyes he couldn¡¯t remember closing. One of the armed men standing at the back of the line gave him a strange look.


    ¡°You okay?¡± The man asked with a frown.


    ¡°Yea, just a headache¡±


    The man merely nodded and went back to looking at the front, to a group of people standing to one side. Seeking a distraction for the pounding in his head he followed the man gaze.


    A group of seven people, better armed than the rest stood next to the gate, talking with one of the guards. Even though they looked relaxed he got the feeling that was only a facade. Small details sprang to his attention. The way they stood a few feet from each other giving each of them enough space to draw their weapons at any time. The occasional glace one threw out to the surroundings, quick but covering everyone around them. The bored look another had as he looked to the sky, yet his eyes were constantly moving as though expecting to see something hidden in the clouds.


    The most noticeable features of the seven, were their pale red eyes they all shared. More like those of a predator than a human.


    Hushed whispers travelled through the crowd, as they looked at the group with a mixture of respect and fear.


    "That¡¯s them isn''t it"


    "Yeah, I heard a group of beast eaters came to the city. Didn''t think I''d see them here."


    ¡°Shhh! You got a death wish?¡±


    "They aren''t going to let them into the city are they?"


    "Why not?"


    "I heard they go mad for no reason"


    Beast eaters?


    He scanned the group once more, frowning at the ominous name. It seemed familiar, but he could not place it.


    As he looked at them, one of the men in the group suddenly turned and looked him straight in the eye. A shiver ran down his spine as he stared at the red eyes of the man. Not finding anything worth his attention, the man broke eye contact and scanned the surrounding area.


    After a few more words were spoken between one of them and the guard, the group walked through the archway and headed into the city.


    The crowd kept talking between each other about the group as they made their way forward. He found his thoughts focusing on them as well, but for different reasons. He really needed to sort out the memories inside his head. He was lost in a place he knew nothing about. His only guide the half-understood memories of a dead man. If he wanted to survive he would need more information, and quickly.


    He soon came to the front of the line and walked through, while the guards were looking at him. As he passed through the archway, a cold sensation ran over his skin, as if he stepped out into a winter breeze.


    One of the guards eyed the runes, but seeing no reaction, the man waved him through the gates.


    The cobbled street ran through the city, buildings lined on either side. People were everywhere. Some hurrying along the street, while others chatted with those they knew giving a lively atmosphere to the city.


    He studied the strange sights all around him as he let his feet guide him without paying much attention to where he was going. Most of the buildings were made out of stone, giving quite a different image from what he was used to in the village where he grew up which mostly consisted of wooden buildings.


    As he made his way deeper into the city the buildings became larger, many of the houses having two floors with some even having three. He saw a man wearing colourful clothing riding down the street on a creature that was reminiscent of a horse, if horses had six legs and six eyes. The man cast him a frowning look when he noticed he was being stared at by someone dressed in little more than rags, but was soon out of sight. It was only then that he realised he had stopped in the middle of the road to stare at the strange beast.


    A d¡¯yar.


    The name of the beast came to him, along with an image of a man in armour riding one of the creatures while smiling down at him. The man had been someone important to him, he was sure of it.


    No. Not important to me, important to the boy.


    He quickly shook his head trying to clear his mind. The memories of the boy were beginning to seem more natural. The thought left him more than a bit unsettled. Would he still be himself if he couldn¡¯t distinguish between his own past and someone else¡¯s?


    The reality of his situation quickly became more real. He was in someone else¡¯s body in a completely foreign place. He thought the strange happenings at the tower had left him prepared for the things he would encounter but it seemed he had been mistaken.


    Looking around more memories flooded his mind.


    He was running down a street, this street, hoping to snatch something to eat from the market at the end. Maybe Gurd, the baker, would be busy with a customer today giving him such an opportunity.


    He closed his eyes trying to clear the unwanted thought. He needed to find a place to think.


    His feet carried him through the winding streets into the slum area of the city near the western wall as memories, sparked by familiar sights, kept clawing at his mind, demanding his attention. Each time they would show a scene and leave him thinking he really was that boy for the briefest of moments.


    He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall of a nearby building in a dark alleyway. He slowed his breathing trying to regain his calm as he knew he had done many times before.


    An image came to his mind of a man that towered above him, holding a wooden sword. His father. His real father.


    ¡°Remember. Always keep calm in battle. Rage may give you strength and fear may lend you speed, but a clear mind will keep you alive.¡±


    Once more the memory stopped, but this time he didn¡¯t try to pursue it, he just took the advice and slowly breathed in and out.


    Finally feeling a bit better he opened his eyes. An empty crate was overturned against the wall, a few torn and dirty blankets inside of it.


    He saw himself staring out of the crate as rain poured into the alleyway. He was covered in the blanket, its meagre warmth the only thing that he could cling to.


    He quickly blinked a few times looking down at the crate.


    This was his home. Or at least it was where the boy had slept for the past couple of terms. Here in the dark alleyway in the poorest area of the city. He remembered going out early in the mornings to see if he could find something to eat, coming back late at night. Most of the times he had gone to sleep hungry.


    He remembered the other street kids he had befriended. Brad, with his shaggy brown hair, who lived nearby. The boy always had a knack for finding an unguarded meal. Cole the lanky boy who was always begging for scraps in the market place. Dale who he had found one winter morning leaning against a wall, chest unmoving and cold as the winter chill.


    He reached out to steady himself against the crate as the memories flitted across his consciousness one by one. His throat felt as dry as the desert as he swallowed what little saliva he had. How had he ended up like this?


    Once again he saw the man riding on the d¡¯yar, smiling down at him as he returned home from hunting in the forest. His father, or the boy¡¯s. He saw his mother standing next to him, a term before the illness claimed her life. The image then morphed into his father face, a mixture of worry and determination in his green eyes, as he told him not to worry. A horde of monsters were heading towards the city, and all the hunters were called upon to man the walls and help protect their home.


    That was the last he ever saw of the man, he was still a young boy back then. Ten terms ago. The officials later came to reclaim the house, claiming that only those who contributed to the wellbeing of the city could own property. Forced out on the street he had to fight to survive each day.


    His hands pressed against his temples as he slowed his breathing and regain the calm that seemed so elusive. The boy had lived a hard life. Perhaps that was why he was willing to take part in the mage¡¯s experiment. A quick death or a better life, both had their attractiveness to someone in his position.


    Seeing the face of his father leaving to protect him and not coming back struck a chord. A coldness formed in his heart as he thought of himself doing exactly the same, in a different life.


    He saw looking at a young girl, telling her not to be afraid as tears formed in her eyes, promising her he would be back.


    What¡­ what was her¡­ name?


    His eyes widened as he racked his mind, desperate to find that all important piece of information. But there was only emptiness. His hands were shaking as he looked down at them. He brought them up to his face, feeling the wetness rolling down his cheeks as a sob broke through his gritted teeth.


    How could he forget?


    He could feel the haziness of his memories, like a fog surrounding them, blurring the edges until only the silhouette could be seen.


    Why? Did he die? Could a person¡¯s death erase their memories?


    But that couldn¡¯t have been the case. He could still remember certain scenes in vivid clarity, yet they weren¡¯t complete.


    No. it wasn¡¯t a fog that surrounded his memories, but pieces that simply weren¡¯t there, ripped from him, leaving the rest in broken parts. Like a chain snapped too many times to be used for the very purpose it was created.


    Even his own name seemed to be lost, only the name of the boy rising in his awareness.


    Y¡¯rid.


    He leaned against the wall and slowly sunk down next to the crate holding his head in his arms. He tried to control his breathing as his father had taught him, seeking to clear his head, hoping it might relieve him of the questions that gnawed at his mind.

 Chapter 2

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    The sky had begun to darken by the time Y¡¯rid stood up from beside the crate. The few hours he spent trying to sort through his memories had left him unsatisfied and mentally drained.


    But the time had not been entirely wasted. He had combed through the boy¡¯s memories, whose name he now carried. After a while, they had completely lost the intruding feeling they had at the beginning. If he didn¡¯t know any better he might have mistaken them for his own, thinking the feeling of wrongness stemmed from his resurrection.


    But he did.


    A series of scenes were retrieved from the depths of his mind. Scenes of a life completely unlike that of the boy, yet he instinctively knew that they belonged to him and him alone.


    At first they appeared to be utterly random. An image of him sparring against a young man was followed by one of him running through tall grass chasing a slightly older boy, laughing as he did so. He barely had a handful of these memories, yet he held them close, comforted by the sense of familiarity they brought him.


    After a few hours, he finally had enough to form a crude and broken outline of a life. His life. A few childhood memories, only enough to be counted on one hand, showed him images of a family. Images of a father, a mother and a brother. Even now a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he held those pieces in his mind.


    He remembered standing on top of a wooden wall looking out over the road leading into a village as his fingers hit the hilt of the sword at his side, tapping out a rhythm that he could not place. He was a soldier or guard of some kind, of that he was sure, but this only seemed to spark more questions in his mind. Questions he had no answers for.


    Then there was the scene of a small girl with raven black hair, playing in the sunlight. As soon as the image came to mind he felt his throat constricting and a longing in his heart. Yet he could not force himself to loosen his grip on the memory. Like a man offered water after almost dying of thirst, he clutched at the memory, watching those precious few seconds unfold before the scene faded to nothing.


    He desperately tried to push his mind to see more but was once again assaulted by a splitting headache. Not willing to give up the pushed his mind further. The pain increased and his vision began to darken before he finally relented, finding himself lying on the ground gasping for air.


    He knew she was important and knew why, but he could not bring himself to say the words. So he had sat up silently as he calmed his mind, carefully filling away the half-remembered scene.


    There was one memory though, that stood out even more, yet for entirely different reasons.


    ***


    He watched as the wave of flesh, bone and steel approached. He could hear shouts and cries of fear and rage echoing beside him as he stood in line.


    To his left stood a man clutching a pitchfork, the callouses on his hands earned by long days on a farm, not by swinging a sword. The laugh lines covering his face spoke of an amiable personality, yet currently his face was twisted in fright.


    To his right stood a soldier in rough iron and leather armour holding a spear. At first glance he might have seemed more prepared than the militia, his teeth barred in an expression of rage. But the wide eyes and pale face betrayed him. No amount of training could prepare a man for death.


    He didn¡¯t know those standing at his side and they didn¡¯t know him. In the chaos of the first clash, he had been separated from the two of his own men that came with him. He could only hope that they weren¡¯t among the corpses strewing the field in front of him. In the melee, there was no time to protect those at your side, not when you had to fend off multiple weapons while swinging your own.


    He could just make out the expressions those that charged at them, a mixture of bloodlust and fear that mirrored those on his side.


    Why?


    More land? Riches plundered from the dead? What use were such things if you weren¡¯t alive to enjoy them?


    His melancholic train of thought was interrupted as the sides met. The incomprehensible shouts and curses mixing together in a deafening cacophony of noise as he added his own.


    A sword flashed downward, without form or technique, as the wielder sought only to inflict as much harm as possible. Years of experience took over as he stepped to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade while driving his own through the cracked leather armour of the enemy.


    The shout of rage from the assailant turned to a screech of pain as he ripped out the short sword from the man¡¯s chest in a spray of blood. He stepped past the falling man leaving the killing blow to those behind him as he slashed, aiming for the neck of the next man.


    By some stroke of luck, the man slipped on the blood-soaked ground, causing the blade to flash past his eyes. But the man¡¯s luck didn¡¯t last long as his follow up kick took him square in the face, knocking him unto his back before a pitchfork nailed him to the ground as he wailed.


    He spared the man no more attention as he raised his short sword in a two-handed grip to deflect the incoming swing of an axe aimed at his face.


    The shock of the blow ran through his arms and he almost dropped his sword, barely managing to alter the axe¡¯s path enough to miss him.


    He stepped forward once more, regaining his stance as he swung the sword across the axe wielders legs, dropping him to his knees. His raised his sword and was just about to strike at the man¡¯s neck when a sharp pain tore through his side. Reflexively he turned his head to see the shaft of a spear sticking out from between his ribs.


    The axe-wielder didn¡¯t let the chance go by as he slammed the axe against his knee, the rough blow struck with the flat of the blade but the weight behind it was enough as his leg gave way with a sickening crack.


    He dropped his sword as he fell to one knee. He reached out to steady himself against the ground before he felt the spear being ripped from his side forcing a shout of agony from between his clenched teeth. Nearly blinded in pain he looked up to just in time to see the spear thrusting towards his head¡­


    ***


    With a heart trying to break out of his chest he had reached down to side, half expecting to feel the warmth of blood soaking through his fingers.


    His breath had come in gasps as he pulled his hand away and stared at it. The memory had simply been too vivid, he could almost smell the stench of blood mixed with the shit and piss from the field of corpses, their bladders loosened in the embrace of death.


    He had to spend the next few minutes focused on his breathing, slowly calming his racing heart before he thought of the implications the memory had.


    It didn¡¯t really surprise him to see his own death, on some level he had known he had died after he woke up in his current body. Yet suspecting something had happened and seeing it, even reliving it, was entirely different.


    It didn¡¯t help that it was the most detailed memory he had of his old life. He supposed it made sense, given the impression a death such as that would make on a soul. Yet the parts of his memory that were missing seemed to be entirely random.


    Was it truly just chance that he had been robbed of knowledge he desperately wanted, but at the same was left with that¡­ monstrosity¡­ that had his hands shaking when he thought about it?


    He spent a few more minutes after that trying to pull out more of his life from whatever depts they were hiding at, but nothing came to mind. He knew there were more pieces, but he simply could not find them.


    Finally deciding that it would not come to him by sitting here and thinking about it, Y¡¯rid had stood up to the darkening sky.


    He looked down at the crate and the few blankets stuffed inside it. The boy might have lost his pride along the way, but he¡¯d be damned if he was going to live like a rat.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Turning around he left the crate behind and made his way towards the centre of the city. Using the memories of the boy as a guide he made his way towards one of the cheaper inns in the city.


    He was exhausted after the day¡¯s events, more so mentally than physically. Tomorrow he would have to decide on a course of action, but for now, he¡¯d settle for a hot meal and a proper bed.


    The streets were beginning to empty as the night descended, leaving the atmosphere much more subdued than what he first saw. He few people that were on the streets hurried along to reach their lodgings before the cold really began to set in.


    He didn¡¯t see many guards patrolling the city which he found odd at first, until he realised most of them who were on duty would be up on the walls. Violent crimes seemed to decline in priority when you were under constant threat from things that wanted to eat you.


    He arrived at the door of the inn about half an hour later. The faded paint on the wooden sign above the door depicted a crude mug next to what might have been a bowl of soup or a baked potato. He couldn¡¯t tell, but the warm light spilling out from the underneath the door and the mirthful voices inside was all the convincing he needed. Pushing open the door he stepped inside.


    The interior of the tavern was simple yet inviting. A few wooden tables and chairs were arranged haphazardly while a large fire burned on the hearth to his right. A few girls were swerving between the tables bringing food and ale to those sitting at the table chatting with one another.


    At the far side of the room was a large counter behind which stood an even larger man, his shirt stretched tightly over his protruding gut. His double chin wobbled as he spoke animatedly to one of the girls.


    A few glances were cast at Y¡¯rid as he entered, but they quickly turned back, not finding anything worthy of their interest.


    He made his way over to the counter at the far side and stood in front of the big man, who finished whatever he was saying before turning towards him.


    ¡°You want something?¡± The man questioned in a bored tone.


    ¡°How much for a room?¡±


    The man frowned before slowly looking over Y¡¯rid, his gaze lingering on the torn shirt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m good for the coin,¡± Y¡¯rid said, a bit taken aback before realising he looked like a beggar.


    ¡°Hmm. Two silver pieces for a room, three if you want a plate and a mug. Anything else is extra.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the room and food.¡±


    He fished out one of the gold pieces he got from the mage¡¯s assistant and slid it over the counter. The man raised an eyebrow when he saw the glint of gold before he snatched it up and bit into the side. He raised the coin to eye level to examine the marks before he grunted, a small smile on his lips.


    The coin quickly disappeared into his clothing and he produced two much smaller gold coins and seven thin silver ones that he pushed towards Y¡¯rid. He then reached below the counter and pulled out a black iron key that he added to the coins.


    ¡°Up the stairs, third door to the right. Just take a seat at one of the tables when you want and one of the girls will bring you your food.¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded at the man¡¯s words while picking up the key and coins before putting them in his pocket. He walked straight to an empty table near the left wall. All the ones by the hearth were already crowded with people and he had no interest at the moment to speak with others.


    He had the suspicion that the innkeeper had taken a bit more than the three pieces worth he had charged, but had no way of knowing. The boy didn¡¯t come into contact with coins very much and certainly not with gold.


    He did know that there was no standard of coins in the city and that most were judged based on weight. This was made even worse when the purity differed from coin to coin. But honestly, he was too tired to spare more than an idle thought to such things.


    Y¡¯rid spent the next few minutes observing the other patrons while he waited for his food to arrive. There was a group of what he assumed to be hunters, with weapons strapped to their sides. They were arguing loudly about some sort of beast one of them saw in the forest. All of them seemed to have different opinions as to what it was yet all of the names were entirely unfamiliar to him.


    There was another group of armed men and women in the inn, but they were more focused on eating than talking. The way they carried themselves gave him the impression of a group of guards, perhaps hired by one of the wandering merchants that make a living travelling from city to city selling wares, though he could not be sure.


    A few more people were sitting drinking and laughing as they simply relaxed after the long day.


    The sound of footsteps approaching the table drew his attention away from the others. A brown haired girl with angular cheekbones and a slightly oversized nose stepped up next to him and placed down the plate and mug she carried.


    He thanked her as she turned away before examining the food in front of him. A lump of mashed potato covered with gravy made up the lion¡¯s share of the meal, with a piece of meat that looked like it came from some type of bird making up the rest. The mug was filled with an opaque yellow liquid he recognised as mead.


    A low rumble came from his stomach as he started to dig in. The mead was warm and tasted a bit watered down and the food was bland, but he was too hungry. He quickly devoured the meal before letting out a satisfied sigh and sitting back, slowly drinking the remaining mead.


    The unimpressive meal had tasted heavenly to him. The boy had eaten whatever he could get his hands on which meant that most meals consisted of a fruit or a piece of bread and water. Occasionally he might have gotten his hands on a few copper pieces or maybe even a silver or two. But those were few and far in between, and he usually saved those for when he couldn¡¯t find any food.


    Once in a while when he wanted to treat himself he would buy a skewer of some kind of meat that looked suspiciously close to rat. It was one of the best meals he had back then, even if it pained him to hand over the few coppers it cost.


    Though he knew they weren¡¯t actually his memories, the way they sprang to mind made it almost seem as if it were.


    Y¡¯rid finished the mead and stood up from the table making his way over to the stairs, leaving the lively atmosphere behind him. It was still early but he just wanted to sleep, perhaps the new day would bring him new insight.


    The second floor consisted of a long plain hallway with a number of rooms to either side and a few candles burning in depressions in the wall to provide light. His room was at the far end. Opening the door he stepped inside before locking it behind him.


    A small window in the wall to his left showed that night had already fallen, the full moon just visible from where he stood, barely giving him enough light to see his surroundings. He stood for a moment and allowed his eyes to adjust to the semi-darkness as he inspected the interior of the room.


    The room itself was simple, a bed stood against one wall with a chest in front of it to store personal possessions, not that he had any. Anything of value the boy had, had already been traded for his survival.


    Y¡¯rid didn¡¯t bother to take off his clothes as he threw himself unto the bed. It didn¡¯t take long for sleep to start dragging his mind into the darkness.


    His last thoughts were of the few childhood memories he had, the familiar faces flashing before his eyes. Somewhere out there were people who remembered him for who he was even if he himself didn¡¯t. The thought left him in an odd mixture of comfort and loneliness as his consciousness sunk away.


    ***


    Outside of the city, on the fourth and highest level of the tower stood a man in a white robe hunched over a desk covered in notes. Crumpled pieces of paper littered the floor and several old tomes were opened and being used as references.


    Larann¡¯s ink-stained hands danced over several notes at once as he drew and revised the Old Tongue runes that crowded the pages. His sharp green eyes pierced through them, seeing an array of runes so complex that it would leave most mediocre mages dumbfounded. Only those that specialised in resurrection would be able to comprehend them, but even then, few would be able to recreate them.


    He had always thought of magic as being similar to music. The runes were the instruments, the mage the musician and the energy that composed reality was the medium through which the notes travelled.


    In the hands of a novice, even the best of instruments would sound painful, while a master could create wonderful pieces using inferior instruments. But put the right instrument in the hands of a master and he could make you weep tears of wonder and heartbreak.


    Even though he had spent most of his life researching runes he only knew enough to make him aware of his lack of knowledge. The sheer depth and understanding the ancient mages had had of the world around them never ceased to amaze and awe him.


    Just the thought of capturing an idea or concept and binding its very essence in a collection of lines and curves that could bend reality boggled the mind.


    And so much was lost.


    He stopped his movements for a moment as he pulled back his wandering thoughts.


    The experiment had been a success. Even if it had cost him most of his remaining resources, he couldn¡¯t help a grin splitting his face as he thought of the day¡¯s events. Sure the memory loss was unexpected, even if it was only temporary. But the core of the spell had succeeded.


    It had taken more than half of his life researching resurrection and then months of editing and rebuilding to circumvent the sacrificial requirement, but it had been worth it. If one requirement could be changed then the others could as well.


    He fingers curled into a fist as he thought of the so-called nobles¡¯ use of the magic. Of the herds of brainwashed slaves, their only purpose in life to willingly give their lives so that those wretched ¡®nobles¡¯ could regain their own after they lost them to the indulgent and gluttonous lifestyles they clung to.


    His head turned towards a wall on the side his study, his gaze piercing through the wall to land on the stone coffin lying undisturbed in the dark room beyond. The runes of preservation etched onto the lid faintly pulsating with energy. The hard edge in his gaze faded as it was replaced by a much gentler look, tinged with sadness.


    If only he could¡­


    No. Some mistakes couldn¡¯t be undone. The best he could do now was to use his efforts to make up for them.


    He would break through the requirements that allowed resurrection to hoarded by the few. He would ensure that it was available to all. In doing so he would free the people from the fear of the monsters that threatened their very survival. He would usher in a new golden age. One that rivalled that of the ancient times.


    This magic would be the key, the stepping stone towards something that would change the world.


    But it would require a lot of time and work. The experiment only signified the beginning.


    He turned back to the notes, his gaze sharpened once more, dipping the pen into the inkwell before he resumed his life¡¯s work.


    Perhaps¡­ after it is complete¡­


    Despite his efforts, he couldn¡¯t entirely stop the small ray of hope that took root in his heart.


    ***


    The tolling of the bell awoke Y¡¯rid from his slumber. His eyes snapped open in the darkness of the room. For a moment he forgot where he was as he stumbled off of the bed, his eyes wide as they tried to adjust.


    The tolling sounded again, reverberating through the air. He could hear shouts coming from outside and the frantic scurrying of footsteps from the room beside his.


    He forced his breathing to even out as the memory of the previous day returned to him.


    The shouts were increasing in volume as more people were awoken throughout the city. Even alone in the room he could feel the tense emotion that swept through the inn. He quickly swept through the memories he inherited from the boy as he listened to the sounds of people rushing in the street underneath the window.


    Then it came to him. A memory from a long time ago along with the accompanying feeling of dread and abandonment.


    There was only one reason for the ringing of the city¡¯s Watch Bell.


    A monster wave was approaching.

 Chapter 3

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    With a heavy heart, Y¡¯rid made his way to the door and opened it. The sound of voices could be heard coming up from the tavern area below, though he could not make out the words.


    The door across from him opened and a man stepped outside while strapping his sword belt to his waist. He recognised the man as one of the hunters he saw that evening. The man spared him a glance and gave him a curt nod as he strode towards the stairs.


    Y¡¯rid paused for a moment before following, deciding to see if he could gather any information on the situation.


    Sounds of a heated argument reached his ears before the sources came into view, the voices becoming clearer as he headed towards the common area.


    ¡°-that¡¯s why we should be on the wall! If the creatures break through its already too late,¡± a female voice spoke, the frustration in her voice clear as day.


    ¡°Like hell! I hired you to protect me and my merchandise, not to play at being a hero to the city!¡± Another voice refuted, this one male.


    Y¡¯rid scanned the area as the ground floor came into view. The large innkeeper was nowhere to be seen. In the corner of the room, one of the serving girls was comforting another whose eyes were wide and face pale.


    Near the front door stood an armed woman next to six other people, all wearing similar armour which he remembered having seen that evening. A long scar ran across the woman¡¯s face, stretching from her brow to the corner of her mouth, marring what would otherwise have been a pretty appearance.


    Her expression was dark, giving one the impression about to draw the blade her hand rested on, as she stared down a man dressed in colourful clothing. The man, however, held her gaze without wavering which was quite impressive in its own right.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually going agree with Mirik here, captain," one of the armed men next to the woman spoke up. "A few more hands on the wall won¡¯t make much of a difference but there are always a few monsters that slip through the cracks.¡±


    The woman''s head turned towards the speaker, causing him to take half a step back under her gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to see a few more hands on the wall,¡± the hunter Y¡¯rid saw said over his shoulder as he passed them. But before anyone could reply he had already exited the building and turned around the corner, disappearing into the city.


    ¡°Look. I¡¯m paying you to get me to Lok. If you want to go then go, but don¡¯t bother coming back.¡±


    The colourfully clothed man, who he assumed to be Mirik, said. This caused the woman to focus her attention back on him, to the visible relief of the other man.


    The sound of heavy footsteps drew Y¡¯rid¡¯s attention away from the argument and towards the other side of the room. From behind the counter, a large man appeared through a doorway leading towards the back. It was the innkeeper. He was carrying a massive wooden balk on his shoulder, clearly straining under its weight.


    He walked to the door before putting the balk down against the wall with a heavy thud. Taking a moment to regain his breath he turned to address the people in the room.


    ¡°Anyone who wants to leave should do so now! Once this I close this door you can bet your ass it¡¯s not opening until all this is over!¡±


    The woman turned back towards the man she had been arguing with. She glowered at him for a few more moments before she spoke, never breaking eye contact.


    ¡°Dan, Torin, you two go to the stables and keep a watch on the d¡¯yari. Make sure nothing spooks them, we¡¯re going to need them if the wall¡¯s breached.¡±


    The man who had been in favour of guarding the merchant opened his mouth to say something before one of the others grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards the door.


    Giving one last look to the people in the room, the innkeeper lifted up the balk and dropped it into place onto the iron brackets beside the door, sealing the entrance.


    ¡°We do what we¡¯re paid to, merchant. Nothing will happen to you or your precious wares.¡±


    The woman¡¯s words held more than a hint of derision, causing the man¡¯s eyes to narrow before he turned away, making his way towards the stairs.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure nothing happens to him,¡± one of the mercenaries who had been standing by said as he turned followed the man.


    After a quick nod, the woman turned towards the innkeeper making his way to the counter.


    ¡°You have anything stronger than that vile mead you¡¯ve been trying to kill us with?¡±


    Glancing over his shoulder, the large man grunted in what seemed to be affirmation before he strode off with her and the other only other female mercenary following.


    Y¡¯rid looked around before heading over to the two remaining mercenaries that had taken a table near the fireplace, their backs turned towards the few glowing coals that were still giving off heat.


    The men looked up as he approached but made no move to stop him as he sat down across from them.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been in a lot of these¡­ situations?¡± He asked.


    There were a few moments of silence as the men looked him over before the one on the left gave a sigh and spoke.


    ¡°More than I¡¯d have liked to.¡±


    He looked to be in his late-forties, his short black hair beginning to grey at the sides.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you can say the same, huh lad?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say that I have, no. To be honest, waiting here doesn¡¯t seem like the most productive thing to do.¡±


    The man on the right chuckled. He was younger and more heavyset than his companion, one of his eyes a dull white indicating its lack of sight.


    ¡°That¡¯s all you can do. Unless you want to help defend the wall, and I can guarantee that you don¡¯t want that.¡±


    Y¡¯rid turned his attention towards the man.


    ¡°You¡¯re speaking from experience?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I am. Trust me when I say it¡¯s a horrible thing to watch death approach.¡±


    The scene of the battlefield flashed in his mind before he pushed it to the side, though something must have shown on his face as the older man raised an eyebrow while watching him.


    Just then the sounds of footsteps pulled his attention away. Y¡¯rid looked up to see the serving girl who was distressed earlier. It seemed as though she had managed to calm down a bit even though her face still looked a bit pale.


    ¡°Um¡­ the Sandri said to ask if you wanted anything, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Sure, bring us three mugs of mead,¡± he said, pulling out one of the silver coins he had.


    The conversation had brought back something he would rather not have thought about, plus he still wanted to know a few things from the mercenaries so buying a round didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea.


    The girl nodded before she took the coin and walked off.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll never say no to free drink, even if the swill they serve here can barely be called that,¡± the younger mercenary said.


    ¡°As if you can tell the difference,¡± the older one replied though he did nod approvingly at Y¡¯rid before he continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m Kaine, and this here is Dalton,¡± he said gesturing towards the other with a jerk of his head.


    ¡°Y¡¯rid.¡±


    ¡°Old Tongue huh. Don¡¯t see many with names like that in these parts,¡± Kaine said, bit surprised at his name.


    ¡°Old Tongue?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    The name was familiar but the boy whose body he had didn¡¯t seem to have much knowledge about it other than knowing it was a different language.


    ¡°Yeah. An old language, that was supposedly widespread an age back. I don¡¯t know of any that still speak it, though down south you¡¯ll find people here and there whose names stem from it. Family names usually. Which raises the question as to why I know more about it than you,¡± Kaine said.


    ¡°My parents died a long time ago. I didn¡¯t know it was a big deal,¡± Y¡¯rid replied. It wasn¡¯t a lie exactly, as the boy¡¯s parents had indeed died a long time ago.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t. I just travelled with a scholar once who talked too much.¡±


    ¡°Have you been a mercenary a long time?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    The serving girl arrived at the table holding three mugs which she placed before them. The two mercenaries immediately reached for theirs and took a sip and Y¡¯rid following suit. The mead had cooled down during the night yet it hardly improved the taste. Kaine grimaced before taking another sip.


    ¡°I have to admit, Dalton guessed correctly when he called this swill.¡±


    ¡°Go screw a goat old man. I know my drink,¡± the man in question replied, causing Kaine to chuckle.


    ¡°To answer your question. I was a hunter for most of my life, only joined up with the Iron Core two terms ago. I¡¯m old enough to be content with the number of beasts that want to eat me while we¡¯re escorting people from city to city, without actually going out to look for more.¡±


    ¡°The Iron Core only does escort jobs?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    ¡°Mostly.¡±


    Something in the man''s tone made it clear that was all he was going to say on the matter, so Y''rid decided to change the subject. There was something he really needed to know.


    ¡°You have travelled a lot during your time as a hunter, right?¡± Y¡¯rid asked


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen any places without any of these... monsters?¡±


    The man sighed and shook his head.


    ¡°There are no such places. Believe me, I¡¯ve searched for them.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    His eyes gained a far-off look as he stared into the mug he held in his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been to the great jungles in the east and the beastmen that walk them. I¡¯ve been south all the way to the Split and spoke to the seaborn people traverse it. I even met a few of the Anuneri Desert folk from the tip of the world¡­ they were travelling this way, seeking escape from the sand-dwelling beasts that plague them there. Nowhere is safe. Not really.¡±


    ¡°Never heard you talking about those things old man," Dalton, who had been quietly drinking his mead, spoke up.


    ¡°Yeah well, it brings back memories I¡¯d rather forget,¡± Kaine replied before taking another gulp from the mug.


    Silence fell over the table as the sombre words reminded the mercenary of their current situation. Y¡¯rid¡¯s mind, however, was working to process the information.


    It really is a different world.


    He had hoped that maybe he was just trapped in some forgotten corner of the world he knew. That he would still be able to find his way back if he just knew the direction to take. But the flash of recognition he had hoped for when he listened to Kaine never came. If anything the world he was in just seemed stranger.


    What now? If he couldn¡¯t get back, would he ever reclaim his past? Would he ever truly know who he was?


    He raised his mug and downed the rest of the mead, trying to drown out the emptiness he felt growing in his chest. It didn¡¯t help.


    He was just about to call the serving girl for another mug when a deafening roar tore through the air and caused a tremor to run through the ground. Y¡¯rid froze as his mind went blank at the sound.


    ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Dalton shouted, his eyes wide as he stared the direction it came from.


    ¡°Something you never want to see,¡± Kaine muttered before his head snapped towards the captain sitting at the counter along with another female mercenary, the glass forgot in her hand.


    ¡°Captain, we need to go. Now!¡± The mercenary shouted. She turned and stared at him for a moment before waking from her stunned state.


    ¡°Dalton! Go help Kale get the merchant and his bags down here. Kaine go find Torin and Dan and get the caravan to the front!¡± The woman ordered.


    ¡°Captain, there is no time to load the caravan, if behemoths are joining the wave then the wall is already as good as breached.¡±


    As if to prove Kaine¡¯s point, another roar, this one slightly higher pitched, could be heard coming to the far west of the city.


    ¡°Do as you¡¯re ordered!¡±


    The captain shouted as her hand dropped to the hilt of her sword. Dalton was already up and sprinting towards the stairs, not looking back.


    ¡°Yes captain,¡± he replied after a brief moment of hesitation.


    ¡°Take my advice and run, lad. Run as fast and as far as you can in the opposite direction.¡± Kaine said as he passed Y¡¯rid who was still stunned by the roar.


    The eastern wall was far away on the other side of the city, just imagining what kind of monster could produce such a noise at such a distance caused his heart to race.


    Kaine¡¯s last words only registered by the time the man had already lifted the wooden balk and was heading outside.


    ¡°Keep that door closed!¡± The innkeeper screamed, coming from the room in the back.


    Neither Kaine nor the captain paid the man any attention as she urgently said something to the woman next to her before speeding up the stairs.


    Deciding to take Kaine¡¯s advice, Y¡¯rid stood up and jogged over to the door. Even with the boy¡¯s memories of the previous monster wave, he didn¡¯t really see it as a threat, at least not until he heard that roar. He had absolutely no intention to meet the creature capable of such a feat, of that much he was certain.


    Outside the streets were still relatively empty as most stayed behind their locked doors, hoping that the threat would soon pass. The thundering of hooves on cobles drew his attention towards his left as he saw a man riding a d¡¯yar at breakneck speed down the street in his direction.


    The man wore the typical armour of the city guards that Y¡¯rid had seen, but unlike the others, his armour was stained with dark blood. Several long tears ran over the chest plate, exposing the bloody flesh beneath, though it couldn¡¯t have been very deep as the man was still riding.


    ¡°The walls have been breached! Head to the west gate!¡±


    Shouting as he rode down the street the man quickly passing him, repeating the words as he did so. Y¡¯rid wasted no time and head off into the direction the man was going. He could hear the sounds coming from inside many of the homes, as people scrambled to escape in the wake of the dire news. It would seem Kaine was right in his prediction.


    Behemoths huh?


    He looked over his shoulder towards the eastern wall of the city, but the dark of the night obscured his sight, even with the full moon in the sky. He could still clearly hear the roars in his mind though, driving him to pick up the pace.


    Quickly making his way through the streets, he relied on the memories of the boy to choose the quickest route. Along the way he could see more and more houses with open doors as men, women, and children came running out, clutching a few possessions they were unwilling to abandon. The news the rider carried must have reached them.


    The quiet was quickly replaced by the distressed screams of adults and crying of children, creating a scene of chaos before him as he jogged.


    He clenched his jaw as he saw the scene, yet he could not do anything other than shout a few words of encouragement as he passed them. Not that anyone paid him much mind.


    Suddenly he was forced to a stop to avoid colliding with an armoured man as he rounded a corner as the street he was traveling along joined up with the main road. As he took a step back he saw a procession of impressive looking knights surrounding a few carriages as they jogged alongside them.


    Their armour was blackened and their faces obscured by the full helms they wore. They looked especially fearsome in the moonlight, even though the clean state of the armour made it clear that they had not seen battle this night.


    He recognized them as the city lord¡¯s Blackguard. Their job was to protect the lord himself and deal with any intruders that trespassed in the keep grounds. The boy had only seen them a few times as they stuck to the richer areas in the city, but they had left an impression.


    He fell in with the few people that were trailing them along with some that had come the from the same street he had.


    They had barely gone a few dozen meters when one of the people at the back screamed something Y¡¯rid couldn¡¯t quite make out. Turning back, he saw a man pointing up into the sky with a fearful expression. He followed the man¡¯s gaze to see three large shapes in the sky. Their dark form framed against the moonlit clouds behind them.


    The Blackguard seemed to have seen them as well as three of them broke off from the formation following orders that were bellowed from one of the carriages. They drew their swords at their hips and stood at the back as the rest picked up their pace.


    Something struck Y¡¯rid as odd about the scene, but he quickly pressed it to the back of his mind as he moved forward. The rest of the civilians quickly ran towards them as the beasts started swooping down.


    The woman in front had just reached the three them when one took a step forward and swung his sword. The sword whistled through the air cleaving it apart in a well-controlled arc of red.


    The woman fell forward, her head tumbling from her shoulders as she did so.


    For a moment everyone stopped and stared uncomprehendingly as the three raised their swords, looking not towards the beasts but at the civilians.


    They¡¯re¡­ using us as shields.


    Apprehension filled his mind as reality dawned on him. Confusion and disbelief showed among the faces of the group and, for a moment, silence filled the air. It was shattered almost immediately by a piercing screech.


    Y¡¯rid felt his vision swim as the sound invaded his head, echoing on the inside of his skull. His knees weakened and he sank to the ground clutching at his head, his hands pressed over his ears, but it did not help much. All around him the other people were doing the same.


    Vaguely he saw two massive claws appear from the corner of his eye. They slammed into the chest of the figure beside him. cracking sounds reached him as he heard the man¡¯s ribs breaking, he could feel the warm blood that splashed against his face. Then the figure was gone, lifted up into the air.


    Slowly he regained control of himself as he shook his head and looked around him. A few feet away stood a massive from over the corpse of a young girl. Its wings resembled that of a bat, being clawed at the middle as it supported itself on their folded states and its hind legs. That was where the resemblance ended.


    It was covered in patched pieces of dark fur. Its head was elongated into a snout that split in two as it stretched its long neck down and snapped its jaws shut onto the girl¡¯s arm with a wet crunch. A long tail swivelled before spearing through a man that was rising to his feet beside it.


    Y¡¯rid stared in abject horror as the monster ripped the girl¡¯s arm off her corpse before swallowing it whole. He quickly rose to his feet but froze as the creature¡¯s head turned towards him, the girl¡¯s blood leaking from the gaps in its teeth to drip on the ground. A low growl escaped it as its black eyes stared at him, almost causing his heart to stop.


    He was just about to run for it when a whizzing noise reached his ears followed by a dull thud as an arrow embedded itself in the creature¡¯s neck. It tried to scream in pain as it swung its neck but the arrow disrupted the sound forcing it into a hoarse croak as the creature flapped its wings and rose into the air.


    Looking back he saw a bloodstained hunter holding a longbow as she pulled another arrow from the quiver on her back. She wasted no time in sending it flying through the air towards the rising monster. The arrow sank into its back yet failed to stop it as it gained altitude.


    Y¡¯rid scanned the area around him. Broken corpses were lying on the cobles and screams filled the air as people pulled themselves onto their feet while others were huddled down in fear. To the other side, two of the Blackguard were engaging in a losing battle against one of the creatures a few meters away from the corpse of the third knight.


    He sped over to the fallen sword lying next to the dead knight. He had just reached it when another screech hit him. Once again he found fell to his knees as he grit his teeth against the pain in his head.


    A hand suddenly grabbed onto his shoulder before he was tossed through the air. He hit the ground on his back knocking the air out of his lungs. A sharp cry of pain echoed through the air followed by a crash.


    Regaining a bit of mobility after a moment, he pushed himself up onto his elbows as he stared at the fallen beast that was trying to stand up a few feet away from where he had stood only moments ago. Its left wing was hanging on by a few strips of flesh as dark blood pumped from the wound in spurts.


    Striding towards the beast was a man lightly gripping a thin blade pulsating with a yellow light. Pale red eyes focused on the beast as he made his way next to it before swinging the sword. The yellow light swept through the struggling beast¡¯s neck, seemingly effortlessly, as its head fell to the ground.


    The death of one of its companions drew the ire of the beast that was still engaging the two knights. It roared as it charged towards the man, flapping its wings as it glided over the ground. The man calmly watched as the beast approached, waiting until the last moment before diving to the side with inhuman speed. He rolled to his feet as the beast passed him, yellow mixed with red as the sword in his hands sliced through its side. The tail of the creature whipped towards him as it passed, striking a glancing blow against his shoulder with enough force to throw him flat on the ground.


    The man stood up with a grunt, his arm hanging limply at his side. He quickly moved to the dying beast and dispatched it with another swing of his blade. Y¡¯rid could barely make out the movements at the speed at which the exchange took place.


    Scanning the air for the last of the monsters, the man saw it just as the beast dove down and sunk its claws into the archer that had wounded it.


    The woman cried out in pain before the monster¡¯s jaws snapped shut around her head, silencing her forever. It yanked its neck to the side, ripping her head from her body.


    The man sped over, his footsteps causing the creature¡¯s head to snap towards him. But it was already too late as it only had time to register the threat before the blade stabbed through its skull.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± He said, looking towards the people who were still breathing. He didn¡¯t wait for a reply as he pulled the blade from the corpse and strode down the road in the direction of the west gate.


    Y¡¯rid struggled to his feet and lurched over to the fallen sword he was trying to pick up before. He felt a piece of his mind calm down as his fingers closed around the black leather grip. Looking around he saw the few surviving civilians following the man. Their stride was unsteady like his own but fear drove them forward.


    He was just about to do the same when he saw a small boy shaking the body of a man lying on the ground, seemingly oblivious of the fact that the lower part of the man¡¯s body was missing.


    ¡°Get up! Get up!¡± The boy repeated as tears streamed down his face.


    With wobbling steps, Y¡¯rid made his way over. He reached out and clutched the boy¡¯s shirt pulling him from the corpse.


    ¡°No!¡± The boy struggled as he tried to reach out toward the dead man.


    ¡°He''s dead!¡± Y¡¯rid shouted. Harsh, he knew, but they could not afford to waste time. Not now.


    The boy fell silent as he heard the words, his hands hanging limply at his side. Y¡¯rid turned and strode off after the rest of the people while pulling the boy along.


    After a few steps, the lingering effects of the screeches began to wear off and the group began to increase their pace, the distant roars and screams driving to move faster.


    A few more groups of people joined them as they made their way through the city, including a group of a bloodied city guards and hunters who took up the rear.


    They reached their destination without further incident. The sight of the open gate causing a stir through the crowd as relief set in. Even though they weren¡¯t safe yet, they could at least begin to believe that such a thing was possible.


    Following in the footsteps of the red-eyed man they quickly passed the gate and headed towards the forest. Y¡¯rid could see a crowd of people already gathered about a hundred meters away, waiting for something.


    He kept his grip on the boy to force him to keep up while his other hand clutched the sword he had looted. The screams and roars were fading behind them now as they put distance between them and the hell that used to be the city.


    As they joined up with the other group, the man who had led them here strode off towards three other people standing a bit away from the crowd. It only took a glance for Y¡¯rid to distinguish the pale red eyes they all shared.


    ¡°Why are we waiting here? We need to go!¡± Someone shouted from the crowd, sounds of approval coming from many of the others.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up! There are still a lot of people in the city. Have a bit of empathy, coward!¡± One of the bloodstained guards replied, sparking an argument that quickly turned heated.


    They quickly quieted down however when they saw another group of people coming from the city towards them, this was quickly followed by another, both led by red-eyed hunters.


    As soon as they joined the crowd the two moved off towards the others.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± one of the two women among them said.


    ¡°What about Jerick?¡± another asked.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t make it.¡±


    A look of pain flashed across the speakers face then disappeared as quickly as it had come.


    The other sighed and started to move off into the woods.


    ¡°Hey! What about the rest of the people?¡± The guard who had spoken out earlier asked.


    ¡°They are already dead,¡± the woman replied. ¡°Make no mistake. The only reason the monster wave isn¡¯t here yet is that they are too busy feasting on those that remain in the city.¡±


    Her words quickly doused the spirits of the people gathered here, as they thought of the friends and family they had lost.


    The guard didn¡¯t look satisfied but held his peace, his eyes laden with exhaustion. The crowd started heading down the dirt road leading through the forest, sticking close to each other and the illusion of safety that their numbers brought.


    Y¡¯rid gave one last glance over his shoulder toward the city, his hand tightening around the hilt of the sword, bringing him some small comfort. Then he pushed the boy forward to walk in front of him and followed the others into the forest.

 Chapter 4

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    The sun had already risen by the by the time they slowed down. It would have been better if they could have kept going but they had already been walking for hours by this time and the people were exhausted.


    There were sighs of relief travelling through the crowd as they finally stopped. One of which came from Y¡¯rid himself. The boy had tried to keep up at first, albeit with a bit of prodding, but it didn¡¯t last long.


    Soon Y¡¯rid was forced to carry him on his back. The boy barely reacted when Y¡¯rid picked him up. He could only hope that the kid would be all right. He had witnessed things that no child should.


    Carrying both him and the sword had drained Y¡¯rid of all energy. The feeling in his arms had been reduced to a burning ache.


    Focussing on his breathing was the only thing that helped to keep his mind from wandering. Whenever it did the helplessness he felt in the clash with the flying monsters threatened to overwhelm him. His heart would begin to race as he thought of the searing pain in his mind, halting all movement and causing even his thinking to slow.


    How do these people survive with those things out here?


    The thought rose in his head more than a few times during their flight, yet the answer remained the same. The actions of the red-eyed man were still clear in his mind. If he hadn¡¯t seen it himself he would probably have dismissed it as a tall tale.


    He was faster than any human Y¡¯rid had seen. And the glowing yellow sword had left a deep impression on him. But the part he found most impressive was something he didn¡¯t realise at the time. It only came to him after he had replayed the scene in his mind a few times.


    The creature¡¯s screech didn¡¯t affect him.


    At least not in any way Y¡¯rid could tell. Even if he had the man¡¯s speed and that sword of his, he doubted he would have been able to defeat one of those things. But he would have been able to put up a fight. At least that would be the case if not for the horrible sound the things produced.


    Life and death could be determined in a single moment. If you were robbed of movement in such a fight, then you would have zero chance of surviving. You were entirely helpless. And he was getting much too familiar with the feeling for his liking.


    The boy woke up as he lifted him off his back, he had fallen asleep sometime during the walk. Y¡¯rid glanced at him as he sat down next to him. The boy sat silently and stared at the ground, his eyes unfocused.


    Y¡¯rid didn¡¯t know what to say to the boy. What could he say? Any comfort he could offer would seem hollow coming from a stranger like him. Thus he only sat next to him and observed the other people around them.


    There were about two hundred people from what he could tell, an abysmally small amount when one considered the number that once lived in that city. A constant reminder of all those that didn¡¯t make it.


    They probably weren¡¯t the only ones that escaped. The city lord and the blackguard almost certainly made it along with any others that lived near the western gate and some that were quick enough to act when the wall fell. But even so, most would have perished.


    The group he was with consisted of mostly civilians along with around two dozen guard and hunters. And of course the six red eyes. Beast eaters he had heard some of the others call them. Though he doubted that was an official title, it did hint at a rather dubious background.


    The road they were travelling on was a simple winding path, surrounded on both sides by immense looming trees that quickly obscuring one¡¯s view. It was little more than two carriages wide and stretched from one city to the next.


    From what little pieces of conversation he picked up from the others he was able to tell that it ran from the city of Riversedge, the one they came from, to the city of Lok. Lok was about four days travel away under normal circumstances. How long it would take them now was anyone¡¯s guess.


    He sighed looking at the sword lying in front of him. It was well made, as to be expected of the equipment of the city lord¡¯s knights.


    It had a double-edged blade little over a metre long. It was a simple design, one that sacrificed aesthetics for practicality. A black leather-wrapped handle extended past what one would need for a one-handed sword, allowing it to be wielded with both hands even though it lacked the length of a true two-handed sword.


    It was a knight¡¯s weapon, yet the blood that stained the blade was that of an innocent woman. Thinking of the scene caused Y¡¯rid to shake his head sadly. Crossing his legs he placed the sword on his lap and licked his thumb before beginning to clean off the dried blood. He had enough to weigh down his mind, without the constant reminder of that.


    He saw the boy watching him as he worked to clean the blade. Showing interest in something was probably a good sign, even if it was superficial.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Y¡¯rid asked him.


    The boy was silent for a minute, but he didn¡¯t press him. Instead, he kept on cleaning the sword. Eventually the boy responded.


    ¡°Hadi,¡± he muttered.


    Wiping off the clean blade with his sleeve, he turned to look at the boy. His skin was a light tan colour like most of the people he had seen. He had dark hair, almost black in colour with brown eyes. At the moment however they appeared dull with dark circles underneath them.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Y¡¯rid. You have any other family, Hadi, other than the ones that were in the city?¡± He asked.


    He felt bad asking the question, knowing it would bring up bad memories, but it was important. His thoughts turned out to be correct when the boy dropped his gaze to the ground, his lower lip quivering slightly, before shaking his head.


    Y¡¯rid turned away from the boy to look out over the other resting people and the forest beyond them.


    An orphan from a monster wave. Another one.


    The story was all too familiar, as the real Y¡¯rid¡¯s memories surfaced in his mind. The nights of freezing cold and days of unbearable hunger. How many children had similar stories? Probably more than he would like to know.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find a place for you,¡± he said.


    The boy didn¡¯t respond, but then again, he didn¡¯t expect him to. Hadi had become his responsibility when he had pulled the boy away from what was undoubtedly his father¡¯s corpse. Y¡¯rid was still wrapping his mind around his current situation and now he had to look after someone else.


    But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to regret it. In fact, it might even be fitting.


    A part of him still felt like he owed something to the person whose skin he now wore. If he could keep this kid from the fate that led to that person¡¯s demise, would that not be a start to repay his debts?


    The sight of one of the beast eaters walking across his vision drew his attention. It was the same man that saved hi the previous night. He wore a loose fitting coat around his shoulders with a bandage underneath it across his chest.


    Y¡¯rid tracked the man with his eyes as he made his way through the spread out crowd to a small circle of stones a bit away from the rest of the people, where one of the other red-eyed hunters was busy starting a fire.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Y¡¯rid said over his shoulder to Hadi as he stood up and started making his way towards the two.


    They seemed to hear him before he was even halfway there as the one who had walked over looked up and watched his approach, his gaze pausing for a moment on the sword Y¡¯rid carried.


    I should really have picked up the sheath.


    Y¡¯rid though, mentally shaking his head. He knew there was no time for such things then, but the sword was beginning to seem like more effort than it was worth. The thought was quickly dispelled as he thought of what might be lurking behind those tall trees.


    Y¡¯rid reached the two and stopped before them. He stabbed the sword¡¯s tip into the hard ground before opening his hands in what he hoped would be recognized as a peaceful gesture. He nodded at the man who simply held his gaze, his face expressionless.


    ¡°Thanks for your help in the city, I would not be here if not for you,¡± He began.


    An awkward moment of silence passed before the man looked at the sword again, a look of recognition passing over his face before nodding back at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± He said turning back to the now small flame beginning to come to life in the kindling.


    The other man gave a dry chuckle and looked up at Y¡¯rid from his seated position.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind Ritter, he doesn¡¯t speak much to strangers,¡± the other man said.


    Y¡¯rid nodded, turning his gaze to the fire before continuing.


    ¡°Well, thanks. But there is something a want to know. That¡­ beast-¡°


    ¡°Kahtri,¡± The man, Ritter, interrupted.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Y¡¯rid focused on him, not expecting the reply.


    ¡°Kahtri, that is what they are called.¡±


    ¡°Well, that kahtri. How were you still standing after that screech it made? I could barely think, never mind actually fighting against it.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t affect me,¡± He replied.


    The other man shook his head before turning his pale gaze to Y¡¯rid.


    ¡°The kahtri are a common sight if you head up north. They are fast and strong but their bodies are relatively fragile, their bones and muscles less dense than most creatures of that size. Thus they rely on their voice to keep prey from fighting back, but there are a few tricks one can learn to dampen the effects¡­ though seeing them here was a surprise,¡± he said. His last words muttered under his breath, but they didn¡¯t escape Y¡¯rid and Ritter¡¯s notice.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°Which is why we can¡¯t waste time here,¡± Ritter replied causing the other man to sigh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bring that up again. Besides, the horde will disperse in a day or two. Any damage they could do would have already been done by then,¡± he said.


    ¡°They are not the problem, only an effect.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Y¡¯rid asked, an uneasy feeling rising in his gut.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± A voice came from his left.


    He quickly took a step back and looked towards the newly arrived man. He shared the same pale red eyes of the other two, marking him as one of the six. His black hair was a sharp contrast against the pale skin of his face. His hand was resting on one of the two short swords were strapped to his right side.


    The new arrival locked eyes with Y¡¯rid and he had to keep himself from reaching for the sword at his side. Even though his posture looked relaxed with a slight smile upon his lips, he somehow gave off the impression of a predator waiting to pounce.


    ¡°He¡¯s one of the people Ritter led out of the city,¡± the man sitting next to the fire said.


    ¡°Oh?¡± The man the man said, turning to face the other one.


    The man seemed familiar. It was only a moment later that Y¡¯rid realised that this was the man that had stared at him yesterday before he entered the city gates.


    He seems a bit too vigilant for-


    His thought was cut off as the man suddenly drew his sword and swung it towards him. Y¡¯rid had no time to think in the face of the assault. Reactions drilled into his mind from a time he couldn¡¯t remember caused him to step back hastily, narrowly avoiding the swipe that flashed past his chest.


    He reached out his hand closing onto his sword, pulling it out of the ground in a backhanded grip as the man stabbed forward. Y¡¯rid swung the sword just in time to strike the blade off course and it passed to his left, but leaving him open. He instinctively stepped to the right as he tried to gain a proper stance but his body couldn¡¯t right itself in time as the man¡¯s fist struck a solid blow to his chest.


    Y¡¯rid stumbled backwards. He reversed his one-handed grip on the sword and swung it in an arc to fend off the man¡¯s overhead swing. Once again he barely made it in time before the man¡¯s boot lashed out, sweeping his legs out from under him.


    With a heavy thud, he landed on the ground, the back of his head striking the compacted dirt. He was just about to try and roll away when he felt a mild sting come from his cheek. He looked up to see the man¡¯s sword pressed against his face. He froze, knowing any sudden moves would do more harm than good now.


    ¡°What the hell Holin?¡± The man sitting at the fire exclaimed, confusion clear in his voice as Ritter just looked on with interest.


    The man didn¡¯t answer as he slowly withdrew the sword while keeping his gaze focused on Y¡¯rid. He drew a finger over the bloodstain on the blade before bringing it to his lips. A frown crossed his face for a moment before he relaxed, an easy-going smile spreading over his face.


    Holin quickly wiped and sheathed his sword before holding out a hand to Y¡¯rid, who stared at it uncomprehendingly for a moment. His heart was still pounding in his chest, his hands shaking slightly with the adrenaline coursing through his body.


    ¡°Sorry ¡®bout that. Had to be sure,¡± he said in a friendly manner.


    Y¡¯rid was stunned by the man¡¯s sudden change in demeanour. One moment the man was trying to kill him, the next he wanted to help him? A trick? No, if the wanted to kill him he would have done so. Was he simply insane then? Although the other man had seemed surprised, Ritter didn¡¯t. Did that suggest that this was normal behaviour?


    After a few seconds of silence, as different thoughts raced through his mind, Y¡¯rid reached out and took the man¡¯s hand, but kept his other hand clenched around the sword''s hilt, and was promptly pulled to his feet.


    ¡°Had to be sure of what?¡± He asked warily raising his hand to his cheek and seeing his fingers tipped with red.


    ¡°That you are human. You smell¡­ different,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Shapeshifter?¡± Ritter asked, a hint of caution to his voice.


    ¡°No. Just something unfamiliar.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what those runes on the city gate were for? You were there when I entered,¡± Y¡¯rid said. His wariness turning to anger before switching back to caution. Could this man actually smell that he wasn¡¯t from here? How?


    ¡°I never saw you enter,¡± the man said. ¡°You could have snuck in when the wall fell. Besides, the quickest way to find out if you¡¯re human is to fight you. A shapeshifter wouldn¡¯t have reached for the sword in such a situation. And blood doesn¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Holin has the best nose among all I¡¯ve met. If he says you¡¯re in the clear, then you are,¡± the man sitting by the fire said.


    Ritter nodded his agreement, his previous caution nowhere to be found.


    Holin smiled at Y¡¯rid. ¡°You have talent man. Your movements are dull, But judging from your figure I doubt you have trained at the sword very much. Your instincts, however, are on point. A few months of training and we¡¯ll be able to turn you into a passable swordsman.¡±


    ¡°Training him?¡± Ritter asked.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Holin replied. ¡°Some new blood will do us good. And it''s not like these people have bright future ahead of them. Most will suffer when we reach Lok. The lucky ones will have a hard life ahead of them.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Y¡¯rid asked, his mind catching up to the conversation.


    ¡±Most cities don¡¯t take kindly to those that can¡¯t pull their weight. It depends from city to city but Lok is one of the older and more¡­ ¡®strict¡¯¡­ cities in these parts. Somehow I doubt there would be enough room for all these refugees. Unless your noble but I¡¯d wager that you are not,¡± Holin said looking pointedly at the worn shirt Y¡¯rid wore.


    ¡°Surprised?¡± The man by the fire asked. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be. Cities have limited space. The hunters and guards should be fine, even with families. But the others? They best hope they can be useful to the city or they will just burn through whatever coin they have before ending up on the streets. And from the streets to someplace even less desirable.¡±


    ¡°So most of these people are doomed? Surely there have to be other options,¡± Y¡¯rid said


    ¡°Well, there are refugee camps,¡± the man replied. ¡°But they usually don¡¯t last long. The more people you have in one place the more attractive a target they become to the creatures that roam the wilds. The only way to live in relative safety is to offset the number of civilians with defences, guards and hunters. Hopefully, a few wealthy merchant families with eyes on nobility will try to reclaim Riversedge, but that can take a very long time.¡±


    A solemn silence descended on the group, each lost in their own thoughts. Before the man spoke up again.


    ¡°You should get some rest, we¡¯ll be moving again in a few hours.¡±


    Y¡¯rid bade them farewell after a moment but his mind was elsewhere as he made his way back to where he had left Hadi. It wandered as he looked towards the people that survived the attack.


    Here and there, expressions of anger and heartbreak could be seen, but most simply looked drained and lost. At first, he had thought they were worn out after the horror of the attack and loss they had to endure but after hearing the man¡¯s words he knew that this was something more. They were truly lost. They had lost everything they had known and worked for in a single night, but it was more than even that, they had lost their futures.


    If he could feel lost without his past, would they feel the same without their futures?


    This was definitely not the life he wanted. Even though he didn¡¯t truly experience the life on the streets his body had lived through he still had its memories. A life that had driven his body¡¯s previous owner to such desperation that he was completely willing to risk certain death for three gold coins. And by what the man had hinted at, Lok seemed even less forgiving than Riversedge had been.


    Y¡¯rid looked toward the boy that hadn¡¯t moved in the time he was away. He was still sitting silently hugging his knees. In his mind, he saw the black-haired girl playing in the sun.


    What would the old him do if he saw her in such a state?


    For better or worse the boy had become his responsibility after he had pulled him away from that hell of the previous night. Back then he had merely acted without thinking of the consequences. Would he have turned away from the burden if he had known then what he did now?


    No.


    He would not. He didn¡¯t need to the memories of his previous life to tell him that. And if they said otherwise then he wouldn¡¯t want them in any case.


    He walked over to the boy and sat down. The boy didn¡¯t react.


    ¡°You should try to get some sleep,¡± Y¡¯rid said, repeating the advice he had received only minutes ago.


    He reached over when the Hadi didn¡¯t respond and placed his hand on the boy''s shoulder. The action seemed to startle him, as the boy quickly recoiled and stared at him. With a sigh, Y¡¯rid repeated his words before lying down to follow them himself.


    Thinking about how merciless the world could be, he closed his eyes and waited for sleep to free him from the exhaustion of his body and weariness of his mind. But sleep was an elusive thing and, when it finally came, it brought with it scenes from the night before.


    ***


    Shortly after Y¡¯rid had left the three red-eyed hunters were still staring at the fire in silence. Finally, Ritter broke that silence, bringing up the subject they had all been thinking about.


    ¡°We should head back," Ritter said. "The weaver should be informed.¡±


    ¡°You know why we can¡¯t,¡± Rhone, the man who sat by the fire said. ¡°Many already view us as little more than beasts, if we leave now it¡¯ll just help solidify their superstitions.¡±


    ¡°We were sent here for confirmation. Every moment we waste here will only make matters worse.¡±


    ¡°We were sent to investigate. We need to retain good relations, or at the very least acceptance from the people,¡± he replied. Ritter was a good man but he placed too little value in people outside their order in Rhone¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be here if not for us. Jerick already lost his life in that city. Getting these ones out should be enough,¡± Ritter said. The mention of Jerick struck a nerve, causing Rhone¡¯s eye to twitch. An unnecessary death of one of theirs. If they were on their own then there would have been no reason to hold back. It was exactly because they had to prevent further estrangement that he had died.


    ¡°It should be. But it won¡¯t,¡± Holin said with a sad smile. ¡°People always expect those with the power to solve their problems for them to do so, and we still need them. Stronghold won¡¯t survive more than a few generations on its own,¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t matter if we get wiped out before then,¡± Ritter replied. ¡°The behemoths are one thing but the kahtri are another. I¡¯ve never seen one outside of the frozen forest. Something¡¯s driving them south, and we better hope that something is mundane hunger.¡±


    A few moments passed as his words set in before Rhone spoke up again. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for the others to get back. One of us can go ahead and send word to Stronghold, the rest can keep travelling to Lok. I doubt those back home would be happy if we returned without supplies.¡±


    ¡°No they would not, and I rather enjoy being on Lori¡¯s good side.¡± Holin¡¯s words brought a smile to his face, albeit a forced one. If given a choice between facing a hungry behemoth and an angry Lori he would have to think about it. Not for too long¡­ but he¡¯d hesitate.


    A few minutes later Holin turned to look towards the east. Rhone followed the man¡¯s gaze to see Kali and Red emerge from the forest and walk onto the path. The man¡¯s senses never ceased to amaze him. Even if he took pride in his own he knew he could never hope to match him in that regard.


    They walked side by side as they approached, the big man towering over the smaller woman. Red had a steel breastplate over his chest and a greataxe on his back, his dark skin a telling sign of his desert folk heritage. Kali stood in stark contrast to him, dressed in light travelling leathers and a black recurve bow in her hand. The two newcomers quickly joined them by the fire.


    ¡°The path behind is empty. They are not following,¡± Red said as they arrived.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same to the sides,¡± Kali added. ¡°It seems the surrounding creatures have all been caught up in the wave.¡±


    ¡°Something less to worry about. That¡¯s always good news in my opinion,¡± he said.


    ¡°Uldar is just. His will moves in cycles. Turbulence followed by peace,¡± Red said with an absolute certainty.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather He just stick to the peace and be done with it,¡± Ritter said


    ¡°It is not the way of the world. Hard times are necessary to keep the people from softening,¡± Red replied.


    The man¡¯s belief always made Rhone a bit uncomfortable. People of faith were rare in these parts. Followers of the Balancer even more so. He never knew what to say to such conviction. But even though he couldn¡¯t share it, a part of him also couldn¡¯t help but admire it.


    With his god standing at his side, Red would face an entire monster wave by himself without flinching if it was required. Rhone couldn¡¯t think of a single person he would rather have watching his back.


    ¡°We were just talking about sending someone to the back to inform the others of the monster wave,¡± Rhone said


    ¡°Good,¡± said Kali. ¡°The sooner they know the better. Who were you guys thinking of sending?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t decided yet, we were waiting for you and Meera to return.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t have to wait long,¡± Holin said, nodding towards the front.


    They looked to see another woman walking towards them. She wore a hooded brown cloak covering most of her features. To her waist were strapped a row of daggers and a short sword.


    She walked over to the fire and sat down, throwing back her hood to reveal her youthful face and short brown hair before speaking.


    ¡°I found them. The city lord¡¯s company has joined up with a few other troops and carriages. Mostly nobles and their guards, though there are a few civilians mixed in with them.¡±


    ¡°How far away are they?¡± Rhone asked.


    ¡°We could probably reach them in three hour¡¯s time if we press this lot a bit, but I doubt they¡¯ll be moving soon. It looked as though they just set up camp a while ago.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s give the people a few hours more to rest before we catch up. We were just discussing sending someone back to the enclave,¡± he said


    ¡°Oh? We¡¯re not all going back?¡± Meera asked


    ¡°No, Rhone wants to get these ones to Lok,¡± Ritter said with a hint of displeasure.


    ¡°It¡¯s a wise decision, not to mention the right one. We should help each other where we can, selfishness won¡¯t do us good in the long run.¡± Kali said.


    ¡°That being as it may, Ritter is right in thinking that we should inform the weaver. But we also need to help get these people to Lok and get supplies. Anyone want to volunteer to go back?¡± Rhone asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go. My Aspect is the least suited for fighting around these people, at least not if you want to leave a good impression,¡± Ritter said with a grimace while pulling at his bandage in distaste.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too,¡± Meera said. ¡°You¡¯ll need someone to watch your back and guarding people isn¡¯t for me.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Rhone said.


    He turned back towards the fire and fed the flames a few more pieces of wood. It was an old habit of his. The sound of the crackling wood usually helped him think but this time he couldn¡¯t quite settle down.


    It was true what Ritter had said. Behemoths were a rare sight in these parts but not totally unheard of. The kahtri were different. And if they were moving south, then maybe some of the other things stalking the north would also.


    And he didn¡¯t know why.


    The thought unsettled him. After all, the number of cities decreasing further north wasn¡¯t because of the cold.

 Chapter 5

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    Lying on his back, Y¡¯rid stared up at the patches blue sky visible through the branches looming over him. He had been awake for half an hour already, his sore body reminding him of its need for rest. His eyes were heavy yet he couldn¡¯t return to sleep. Not that he wanted to. What little sleep he had got was disturbed by the light of the early sun¡¯s rays and plagued by visions he didn¡¯t want to relive.


    So he began thinking. There was still a few days before they reached Lok and he needed a course of action. This world was filled with dangers he couldn¡¯t face and to his mind that left him with two options.


    Either he had to do everything he could to avoid those dangers or he had to overcome them. Both paths had their drawbacks. If he chose the first he would need to find a place where he would be safe from the things he saw the previous night. That pointed to a city, preferably one with bigger walls than the last.


    Considering what he had heard that morning, this posed a problem. Lok seemed to be an unforgiving place where one would need plentiful coin or skillsets to survive, neither of which he had. The coin he had got from the mage wouldn¡¯t support him for more than a term, even less since he had to support both himself and the boy.


    He also didn¡¯t have any skills he could rely on. Stealing had barely allowed his body¡¯s previous owner to keep himself alive and he had no intention to live like that kid had. Could that even be called living? Besides, the idea of feeding off of other people to support himself didn¡¯t sit right with him. Not when everyone was struggling to get by.


    From his own memories, the only things of use seemed to be a few half-remembered lessons at wielding a sword. That might be enough to get him a position as a guard but that would put him back into the danger he was supposed to avoid with this course of action. Even if he found the idea oddly fitting.


    The other choice was to face the threats of this world, and for that he needed strength. He would need to learn how to protect himself against the monsters that roamed this land. And he had only seen one person in action who could actually do that, Ritter, one of the six hunters and the reason he was still alive in the first place.


    Holin had said they could train him after all. However, the impression the man had left was less than favourable. He was skilled, definitely, but he also seemed a bit deranged. Y¡¯rid realised he was still holding a bit of a grudge against the man but how could he not? The man had attacked him because he thought he smelled strange.


    Were these truly the people he had to turn to for help?


    Thus he began racking his mind to find other option, only to arrive at the same conclusions as before. Like he had done for the last thirty minutes.


    The sound of people moving through the crowd drew his attention away from this dilemma. Some of the guards were walking through the crowd of people and speaking to them after which they started gathering up what little they had.


    Y¡¯rid watched as one of the guards approached another group close by.


    ¡°Start getting ready, we¡¯ll be moving soon,¡± the guard said before moving on towards him and the boy that was still sleeping a few feet away.


    The man had just opened his mouth when Y¡¯rid spoke.


    ¡°I heard. Why are we moving again so soon, I thought the monster horde wasn¡¯t coming way?¡±


    The guard looked annoyed but still responded.


    ¡°One of the beast eaters found another group of survivors a few hours¡¯ travel from here. We are going to join up with them.¡±


    He proceeded down the line of people repeating the message.


    Y¡¯rid looked around him at the gathering crowd before his gaze settled on the boy. He had been awoken by the commotion as he was sitting up and observing those around them. The dark circles around his eyes a clear indication of the same tiredness Y¡¯rid felt.


    At least he got more sleep than me.


    ¡°Come on.¡± He said before standing up. He picked up his sword in one hand before offering the other to the boy. Hadi stared at it for a second before he reached out. Y¡¯rid pulled him to his feet and they began making their way down the road along with the rest of the people.


    Even though the pace at which they travelled wasn¡¯t as fast as when they left the city, they were still moving at the speed of a brisk walk. The tall looming trees began to pass them by, the sun glinting off of the dew that clung to the moss on their roots. The scenery creating a peaceful atmosphere that belied the danger forest concealed.


    Hadi scanned everything around him with a curious expression as they walked, gazing at the silent green giants and the clumps of wildflowers that grew between them. The resilience of the child¡¯s amazed Y¡¯rid as he observed him.


    This is probably the first time in his life outside the walls of a city.


    Even though he thought the boy was only distracting himself from the memories of the night, it still pleased him to see him take an interest in something. It gave him hope that the boy would recover from the trauma he suffered.


    Unintentionally his thoughts began to stray back to his own problem. No, it was their problem he supposed, though he didn¡¯t expect the boy to actually help solve it. A weary sigh escaped him.


    Having had enough of his thoughts running in circles, he decided to follow the boy¡¯s example and gazed at the forest around them. For the first time he actually just looked, enjoying the sight of nature thriving around him. The Looming trees rising up from the undergrowth, their height easily thrice that of the massive walls of Riversedge he had seen. As if mocking mankind¡¯s pitiful constructions.


    The trees quickly grew in number as he peered past those next to the road, and soon his entire sight was blocked by a wall of wood. The bark old and gnarled, strange creeping plants stretched around their moss-covered roots and up their trunks, searching for whatever few rays of sunlight they could capture.


    As he felt himself becoming immersed in the sight, faint sounds started to reach his ears. A small animal scurrying through the undergrowth, A bird chirping far off into the forest, its call carried by the light breeze that weaved silently through the trees.


    Y¡¯rid closed his eyes took a deep breath savouring the crisp freshness of the air before opening them again. It was hard to connect this peaceful sight with the things that dwelled deeper in, so he didn¡¯t try. He just enjoyed the experience.


    Y¡¯rid realised something as he looked towards Hadi. This might have been the boy¡¯s first time outside, but it was his as well. Sure the Y¡¯rid from before had gone outside of the city walls in the past, but never into the forest. Afterall to go into the forest alone was to court death. Most people would spend their entire lives hauled up in the city, hiding behind its walls and the safety they promised.


    Safety?


    Y¡¯rid thought with a snort. What safety? There was no safety at all, only the illusion of it to calm the minds of the people. A mass lie they chose to believe in so that they wouldn¡¯t give in to despair.


    An overly cynical perspective perhaps, but one that he felt was rooted in truth.


    As he looked around at the forest he realised that was not the life he wanted. He didn¡¯t want to stay hauled up in Lok for the rest of his life, hoping that no monster horde would come to end it. He wasn¡¯t exactly sure what he wanted to do but as he looked out at the forest surrounding them he suddenly felt the need to see more.


    The mercenary he had met in Riversedge had spoken of his travels, and at the time Y¡®rid simply listened to the parts he wanted to, searching for something familiar and ignoring the rest. But now he wondered what the great jungles actually looked like. He wondered what the beastmen and seaborn were.


    It was a superficial desire but he clung to it. Up until now, he had only wanted two things. To figure out who he was, and to get to safety. The first was an enigmatic web he had no hope of unravelling quickly. He had a feeling that it would come to him with time, either that or it wouldn¡¯t come at all.


    The second was merely a desire stemming from the primal fear of death. A fear shared by all and certainly not something he could truly call his own. So he held onto this new want that sprouted inside him.


    However, this was not something he could pursue at the moment. It came with a price, the very least of which required him to be able to defend against the monsters out there. And it wasn¡¯t just himself he needed to defend, he thought, gazing down at Hadi walking a step behind him.


    And there was only one place that he knew of that could offer him that strength. There, far down the line at the very front walked a pair of people. Many of the others seemed to be hesitant to get too close to them, isolating them in the leading position they had assumed.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± Y¡¯rid said as he tapped the boy on his shoulder and started quickening his pace.


    They quickly moved through the crowd to the front where Y¡¯rid found the man who had started the fire a few hours ago along with another woman carrying an unstrung bow on her back.


    The man turned to him as he noticed their approach.


    ¡°Back again, I see,¡± He said.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± The woman beside him asked looking at Y¡¯rid with curiosity.


    ¡°He came out of the city with Ritter¡­¡± the man replied before looking questioningly at Y¡¯ridA case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Y¡¯rid said, realising that he never gave the man his name. ¡°I¡¯m Y¡¯rid and this is Hadi. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± the man said. ¡°I never gave you my name either did I? I¡¯m Rhone and this-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m Kali. It¡¯s nice to meet you two,¡± said the woman with a friendly smile.


    ¡°The same to you,¡± he replied. ¡°I had a few more question to ask you if you don¡¯t mind. I actually wanted to do so before but¡­¡±


    His voice trailed off, not exactly sure how to bring up the subject of the other man attacking him. Seeing this, Rhone guessed at the reason and chuckled.


    ¡°Yeah, Holin can have that effect on people sometimes. Most don¡¯t know what to make of him, and I get the feeling he prefers it that way.¡±


    ¡°What happened with Holin?¡± Kali asked.


    ¡°Your regular meet and attack,¡± Rhone said with the hints of a smile on his face.


    ¡°No harm done,¡± Y¡¯rid quickly said his hand subconsciously touching the thin scar on his cheek. ¡°At least not much.¡±


    Kali looked between the two of them seemingly confused which Rhone chose to completely ignore.


    ¡°Well, we still got an hour or two to go before we reach the camp the Blackguard set up. So what¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    Y¡¯rid¡¯s hand tightened around the sword¡¯s hilt. Despite his efforts to stay calm a hint of anger entered his voice.


    ¡°The Blackguard huh?¡±


    The change in his tone didn¡¯t escape Rhone¡¯s notice as he looked at him with a frown.


    ¡°You had trouble with them?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly personal,¡± he said. ¡°But they used the people as decoys for their own escape. If Ritter hadn¡¯t come along¡­¡±


    ¡°Shameless bastards,¡± Kali said in disgust.


    Y¡¯rid turned around when he heard Hadi¡¯s footsteps come to a halt. The boy was staring out in front of him with vacant eyes. He mentally cursed himself speaking thoughtlessly. Y''rid stepped towards him and laid a hand on his shoulder, causing the boy to look up at him.


    ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t thinking,¡± he said.


    ¡°Is he your brother?¡± Kali asked in concern as she stepped up beside him.


    Y¡¯rid paused before shaking his head.


    ¡°¡­ I see,¡± She said before kneeling down in front of the boy with a bright smile.


    ¡°Hey,¡± She said in a conspiratorial tone, ¡°want to see something secret?¡±


    Hadi paused for a moment and looked at her before nodding his head unsurely.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll show you,¡± She said and grabbed his arm before starting to pull him away to the side of the road. ¡°I found it this morning.¡±


    The boy looked back at Y¡¯rid in confusion before following her into the woods.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them,¡± Rhone said. ¡°Kali can handle anything that might still be around.¡±


    ¡°If she can cheer him up, then that¡¯s more than I can do,¡± he replied.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t doubt that. She¡¯s good with children, also with people in general. So what happened?¡± Rhone asked.


    Y¡¯rid sighed before starting to recount the events that happened the previous night as they walked, from the point where he followed the Blackguard, to where he pulled the boy away from the corpse.


    Rhone shook his head sadly, ¡°I would like to say that their actions surprise me, but truth be told, these types of things are more common than you¡¯d think. Kali said she saw a large group of people and a couple of the Blackguard pass her by, before the main force, while she waited outside the city. No doubt those were their family. The nobles usually have a lot of ways of keeping their people loyal.


    After all slaughtering innocent civilians to save yourself might seem unthinkable. But what if you thought it was keeping your family safe and would also be your best chance of seeing them again? People often do horrible things when placed in bad situations. Do you blame the one who gave the orders? The one who did the action? Or the monsters for their very nature?¡±


    He sighed, ¡°It would be best if you could take it in stride.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can,¡± Y¡¯rid replied, the scene of the woman getting cut down replaying in his mind.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t blame you if you can¡¯t. If it was only your life to think about, but it isn¡¯t really though, is it?¡± Rhone said nodding in the direction Kali and the boy and disappeared in.


    ¡°Well I wasn¡¯t planning on seeking justice against a legion of armed knights,¡± Y¡¯rid replied dryly.


    Rhone laughed, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would. But just harbouring a grudge and telling people of their actions would already earn you their scorn, and out here¡­ No one would think twice of someone disappearing when going out to take a shit.¡±


    Y¡¯rid¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and he felt a chill run down his back. That¡¯s right, they were out in the wilderness, a place where monsters roam. If the Blackguard were willing to kill someone who didn¡¯t cause them harm to suit their own needs, why would they refrain from doing the same to him if he became an obstacle?


    ¡°Anyway, let us steer away from this topic, it¡¯s not good for my health. You said you had questions?¡±


    Y¡¯rid was silent for a few moments before he made up his mind. If he did not want to contribute to this very system that he found himself despising, then he would have to find a different path, and for that, he needed the strength these red-eyed hunters had.


    ¡°I would like to join you. Holin said you could train me, and I remember what you said of the life of refugees. I need to get stronger if I am to survive, and not just for myself.¡±


    Rhone¡¯s head snapped towards him, the surprise on his face making it clear that he never thought Y¡¯rid would actually take the offer Holin had made.


    ¡°You would be better off in a city,¡± he said. ¡°You have some talent. You could get a job as a guard or a mercenary, not the safest job but it pays well.¡±


    Y¡¯rid shook his head. ¡°I have already thought about that. I don¡¯t want to live caged behind a wall, never seeing the outside of it. And being a mercenary simply won¡¯t work while I have to support Hadi. Besides, I doubt either of those would be able to give me confidence in my survival. I saw three of the Blackguard unable to fend off one of those kahtri and they were supposed to be the best trained and armed fighters in the city.¡±


    ¡°What do you know of us kid?¡± Rhone asked, his tone gaining an edge to it.


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know much,¡± Y¡¯rid replied. ¡°I know that you¡¯re a group of hunters. I know the people around here call you beast eaters, though I don¡¯t know why. But beyond that, I know that you are also the most skilled fighters I have seen.¡±


    ¡°Beast eaters huh?¡± Rhone said his gaze becoming unfocused. ¡°I doubt they even know where the name comes from. But there is an underlying truth to it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°There is a price to pay for everything,¡± he said. ¡°The more you receive the higher the cost. If you join us, chances are you won¡¯t survive. This path you seek may very well claim your life, what would it have been for then huh? What would happen to the boy if the only support he has crumbles away?¡±


    Y¡¯rid stared at the man for a moment.


    Chances are I won¡¯t survive?


    ¡°No,¡± Y¡¯rid said shaking his head, though whether it was to support his answer or to deny the hint of fear that crept into his mind, he did not know.


    ¡°I still want to join. If my choices are between living a life that isn¡¯t a life, abandoning a child who relies on me or taking a chance at gaining the strength I need, Then there really is no choice at all.¡±


    Rhone looked at him, his pale red eyes locked onto his own. After a few moments, he simply sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Holin what you said. He is the one who brought it up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Y¡¯rid replied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet.¡±


    They continued to walk in silence for a few minutes before Kali and the boy showed up falling into step alongside them. Hadi was carrying a clear crystal with a blue centre that glowed in the sunlight. The whole thing was about the size of the boy¡¯s forearm. A smile stretched across his face as he stared at it.


    Y¡¯rid could not blame him. He had never seen such a thing and he had to admit it was beautiful. The crystal seemed to have tiny impurities inside of it that created the illusion of movement as Hadi spun it around in his hands.


    He wanted to take a closer look himself but seeing the expression of wonder on the boy¡¯s face he simply let it be.


    Kali seemed to pick up on the strange atmosphere between Y¡¯rid and Rhone and gave the man a questioning look to which he only shook his head. She frowned for a moment before shrugging and began to tell Hadi of a circle of great trees far to the east that were so tall that their top branches pierced the clouds. And of the half-beast warriors who lived in them wielding blades and arrows of crystal against any monsters who intruded onto their lands. The boy hung onto her words and, after a while, Y¡¯rid found himself drawn into the tale as well.


    ***


    It took them another hour to reach their destination. Sounds of relief ran through the crowd as the makeshift camp came into view. A few knights in black armour were patrolling the perimeter of the camp. To the one side, an orderly line of tents stood next to a row of d¡¯yari while on the other side a trio of lavish carriages was stationed with a few more of the Blackguard standing guard around them.


    A few more caravans and carriages could be seen further into the camp, though these were much less ornate and guarded by mercenaries wearing a mixture of leather and steel. Off to one side, a crowd of civilians could be seen sitting and lying in the shade of the tall trees.


    The Blackguard patrolling the area were the first to notice them, one of them running to the camp to report the situation.


    A few moments later another of the Blackguard, this one wearing a red pauldron on his right shoulder, came out of a large tent and walked towards them.


    ¡°Did you lot come from Riversedge.¡±


    Even though it was phrased as a question, it clearly was not.


    ¡°Yeah, we brought them here,¡± Rhone replied from near the front ignoring the man¡¯s tone.


    The guard turned towards him, his eyes widening for an instant as the man¡¯s red gaze met his. The guard then nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform the city lord of your arrival. You can move to the civilian area over there,¡± the man replied pointing at the group of people in the shade of the trees.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rhone said in an easy-going tone as he walked towards the area with the rest of the crowd following.


    They quickly arrived at the group. Some of their own immediately went over to others they knew, warmly greeting them as they never thought they would see each other again. Other simply found a spot and laid down, exhausted from the travel.


    Rhone and Kali found a place a little away from the rest of the people and sat down. Motioning for Hadi to join them Y¡¯rid turned and walked towards the woods, when nature called you had to respond.


    As he made his way, he scanned through the camp until his eyes caught onto a particular caravan standing by itself away from the rest of the camp. The caravan¡¯s sides were covered in glowing runes pulsating with a light visible even in at this distance. On the front of the caravan sat a girl Y¡¯rid recognised. It was the mage¡¯s apprentice he had met in the tower.


    So they made it?


    It didn¡¯t really come as a surprise to him. In fact, if anyone was to make it he supposed that spot would go to the man seemingly capable of breaking the rules of reality.


    Pushing the thought out of his head he made his way past the perimeter of the Blackguard and into the forest, stepping over roots and around bushes. It was not easy going but eventually the camp disappeared from sight.


    After he had relieved himself and was making his way back he heard a shout just as the camp came into view.


    ¡°You there! Stop!¡±


    Y¡¯rid paused and looked to the side see one of the patrolling Blackguard walking his way.


    ¡°Where did you come from?¡± The man questioned.


    Y¡¯rid pointed over his shoulder to the forest.


    ¡°I went to take a piss.¡±


    ¡°The rules specifically state that if you want to relieve yourself you have to go in groups of at least two, where is the other person who went with you?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I just got here with the new people,¡± Y¡¯rid said looking confused.


    Why would they go in groups?


    The man narrowed his eyes and looked him over before his gaze stopped on the sword Y¡¯rid carried.


    ¡°Where did you get that?¡± The man asked, his hand closing onto the hilt of the sword at his side. ¡°That¡¯s a Blackguard¡¯s sword.¡±


    Y¡¯rid¡¯s heart began to pound in his chest. He doubted this man would believe him even if he told the truth, in fact, he seemed on the verge of attacking him. Y¡¯rid mentally prepared himself for a fight as he opened his mouth to speak.


    ¡°I-¡°


    ¡°Is it?¡± A familiar voice interrupted him just as he began.


    Both he and the guard turned towards the sound to see a man leaning against a tree a just few feet away. How neither he nor the guard had heard him approach was beyond Y¡¯rid.


    Holin relaxed against the tree with one hand resting on the hilt of one of his swords. An easy-going smile that stretched across his face yet didn¡¯t seem to reach his eyes. His focus centred on the guard causing the man to take a step backwards as his red eyes made themselves known.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like one to me. Must be a trick of the light,¡± he continued.


    The guard looked around for support but found no one. Hesitantly he started to repeat himself.


    ¡°The rules-¡°


    ¡°Require people to go out in groups. Does the two of us not count as a group?¡± Holin interrupted the man.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t here-¡°


    ¡°Now how would you know that? You didn¡¯t seem to notice me earlier,¡± The smile on face stretched a bit further causing the guard¡¯s face to drain of colour.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad we agree. Run along now.¡± Holin said his free hand making a shooing gesture.


    The guard hesitated for only a moment longer before turning and retreating at a fast pace.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Y¡¯rid said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know they had such rules, in fact why do they?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Holin asked turning his attention towards him. ¡°It¡¯s quite common actually, it¡¯s a preventative measure against shapeshifters as they rarely travel in groups. Of course, a shapeshifter could easily have killed the guard but the method¡¯s obvious holes haven¡¯t made it any less popular.


    Come on, we only have a few hours of light left, and we have a lot to do.¡±


    With that, the man turned around and started walking off leaving Y¡¯rid standing with a confused expression on his face.


    ¡°What do we have to do?¡± Y¡¯rid asked, hurrying to catch up with him as he seemed to glide over the ground, his steps smooth and soundless.


    Holin looked over his shoulder as he walked.


    ¡°Rhone told me you want to join the order,¡± he said with a grin that seemed a bit sadistic as his eyes focused on him. Y¡¯rid couldn¡¯t help but draw a sharp breath.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for some basic training.¡±

 Chapter 6

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    Y¡¯rid breathed in¡­ and out, focusing on the air as it passed over his parched tongue and settled into his burning lungs before being expelled, taking with it a small part of his frustration. The light breeze, barely detectable from sight alone, weaved through his open collar and sleeves, cooling down his sweat-stained body. But not enough to truly make a difference.


    He narrowed his eyes, staring down the predator in front of him. With each clash he had become more certain that this thing wasn¡¯t a man. It wasn¡¯t human at all. It was a ghost wearing the flesh of the living for its own twisted amusement.


    Just one cut.


    That was all he wanted. A line of red to counterbalance the ache of the bruises covering his body. A single scratch to allow him to hold onto what remained of his pride and provide visible proof that his opponent was, in fact, not untouchable. With a focused mind raised his sword parallel to the ground, the tip pointing at its target.


    In contrast, his opponent didn¡¯t seem to take his challenge seriously at all. In fact, if anything, the man seemed a little bored.


    Holin was standing in a relaxed manner. Seemingly oblivious of Y¡¯rid as he held his sword in one hand while the other slowly traced its edge, searching for any chips that might have sprung into being over the few hours they had been at it.


    Y¡¯rid launched himself forward, closing the distance between them as his sword thrust forward in a silver line aimed at centre mass. Holin twisted past the blade, his own sword swinging out as he batted Y¡¯rid¡¯s to the side before stepping passed him like a shadow.


    A blow to the back of the knee sought to force Y¡¯rid to the ground, but he refused. With a shout of effort, he spun around upon his other heel, swinging his sword in a monstrous arch meant to cleave through all in its path.


    His eyes widened as Holin came into view, already standing outside of his sword¡¯s intended path. Their eyes locked for a moment and he saw the edges of the man¡¯s lips curl upwards as he sprung towards him.


    The moment Holin¡¯s feet touched the ground he leaned back, his momentum carrying him as Y¡¯rid¡¯s blade passed harmlessly a few centimetres above him. Pushing up from his back foot the man regained his balance just as Y¡¯rid was struggling to keep his. Holin¡¯s arm was a blur as he drew the dagger strapped to his thigh and held it up in front of Y¡¯rid¡¯s face with a smile on his own.


    Eyes wide, Y¡¯rid felt the weight of his own swing pull him towards the blade. Unable to salvage the situation, he let go of his sword and threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding impaling himself on the dagger.


    A dull pain shot through his shoulder it met the ground alongside the clattering sound of the sword a few feet away.


    Snapping his eyes open he found the dagger repositioned in front of them, a short distance from robbing his sight.


    Holin shook his head as he looked down at Y¡¯rid.


    ¡°You¡¯re letting your feelings get in the way. That last swing of yours was horrible. Keeping to the offensive was the correct decision, but you wagered everything on your last attack, the moment I stepped out of your reach, you had already lost.


    And your natural style of fighting is not suited for a long sword like that. You have a habit of utilising quick strikes and thrusts. Something I approve of, I might add, but that turns your sword¡¯s weight and reach into a hindrance rather than an advantage.¡±


    Holin sheathed his dagger and extending an arm to him which Y¡¯rid grabbed and used to pull himself to his feet.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Y¡¯rid replied. ¡°I¡¯ve got used to the weight of the sword but it still feels¡­ clumsy. But it is also the only the weapon I have.¡±


    Holin nodded.


    ¡°We''ll get you a suitable blade when we reach Lok,¡± the man said. ¡°That one you¡¯ve got there is a fine sword, you should be able the get a fair price for it, at least enough to purchase something more to your liking.¡±


    Y¡¯rid retrieved his sword and looked it over. While he was sparring with Holin he had felt as if something was missing. It wasn¡¯t until he had instinctively raised an arm to block one of the man¡¯s strikes, which he would have lost if Holin didn¡¯t pull back at the last moment, that he realised what it was. A shield.


    He could remember fighting with a sword and a shield in his previous life. The memories were vague but sparring with Holin had shown him that something remained, drilled into his mind by who knows how many hours of training. It was simple things, like the difference in where to place his feet when thrusting or slashing, or how to react to a sudden strike.


    That said, right now he needed every advantage he could get, and if these memories could be one then he intended to make full use of them.


    ¡°How do you move so fast?¡± Y¡¯rid asked the question that had been on his mind for a while now. ¡°Ritter was the same, I could barely follow his movements.¡±


    ¡°Training¡­ amongst other things,¡± the man replied.


    ¡°Other things?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he said, a grin spreading across his face, one that didn¡¯t look friendly in the least. ¡°If you live long enough that is.¡±


    Y¡¯rid was about to ask more when a voice interrupted them.


    ¡°You two finished playing?¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked over to see Kali standing nearby alongside Hadi.


    ¡°The food is just about ready, I thought I¡¯d come warn you before Red laid claim to your share,¡± she continued.


    Y¡¯rid felt a stab of hunger in his gut at the words, reminding him that he hadn¡¯t eaten in almost a day.


    ¡°I have a good grasp on your abilities now, we might as well call it day,¡± Holin said, looking up at the sky that was just beginning to darken as the last of the day¡¯s light started fading.


    Y¡¯rid barely suppressed a sigh of relief at the words. He had been slowing down over the course of their ¡®training¡¯. The breaks between clashes had also increased but he couldn¡¯t leave a bad impression after he had told Rhone he wanted to join despite the man¡¯s warning, so he had forced himself to continue.


    Kali gave Y¡¯rid a knowing look before she turned around with Hadi, Holin and himself following. It only took them a few minutes to reach the edge of the camp. He and Holin had been training some distance down the road to avoid distractions or at least so the man had claimed.


    They quickly passed the perimeter and headed towards the warm glow of a fire at the edge of the camp. Two people were sitting around the few flames still flickering above a bed of glowing coals over which some skinned animal the size of his leg was being roasted. It had an elongated shape with four short libs and a tail, giving the impression of a lizard, but at that size and without any skin, Y¡¯rid couldn¡¯t be sure.


    Facing them sat Rhone quietly sipping from a wineskin he had produced from somewhere. Across from him was a huge man whose back was turned towards them his hands extended out towards the heat.


    Kali walked over and sat down next to Rhone with Y¡¯rid and Hadi joining her.


    ¡°You are Y¡¯rid,¡± The big man said as Y¡¯rid sat down between him and Hadi. ¡°Good to have new companions.¡±


    The man clapped Y¡¯rid on the back with a smile, the force of the blow driving him forward almost sending him into the fire.


    ¡°I¡¯m Redna¡¯kheer,¡± the man said.


    ¡°Just call him Red, we all do,¡± Holin said as he took a place on the opposite side of the fire.


    ¡°Good to meet you Red,¡± Y¡¯rid said.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the man nodded before turning to Holin. ¡°What does he look like?¡±


    ¡°Slow, predictable, a bit emotional, but he has talent,¡± Holin replied grinning at Y¡¯rid.


    ¡°Passion claims all young warriors,¡± Red said laughing. ¡°Skill comes later. If the price is met.¡±


    The man¡¯s hand reached out to touch a pendant hanging around his neck. It was a simple square of a white metal that Y¡¯rid didn¡¯t recognise, bound by a brown rope. What drew his attention was the symbol carved into the square, it a combination of two loops divided by three straight lines. It looked oddly reminiscent of the magic symbols he had seen.


    ¡°Is that a magic charm of some kind?¡± He asked, curiosity driving him to find out more of this power that was capable of defying death.


    Red smiled


    ¡°Not magic. Something much greater. It is the name of Uldar.¡±


    ¡°Uldar is the god of Balance,¡± Kali supplied. ¡°The name is written in the same language that the magic runes come from.¡±


    ¡°The god of Balance?¡±


    ¡°He watches all things,¡± Red said. ¡°Keeps the world from falling. What is taken is given.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t heard of Him,¡± Kali said. ¡°Though perhaps I shouldn¡¯t be. Not a lot of people worship Him these days. He keeps the Balance. By definition, He will never tip the odds in your favour even if you devote your life to him.¡±


    Red shook his head, ¡°You should not seek to gain without offering the same. What is taken is given and what is given is taken. As it should be.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°That is-¡°


    A yell interrupted Kali. They turned towards the sound, seeing a commotion forming around a distraught and bloody man that and one of the Blackguard that was questioning him. Rhone turned to Holin.


    ¡°Well?¡± He asked.


    ¡°The man and one of his friends were attacked when one had to take a shit,¡± Holin replied. ¡°He didn¡¯t get a clear look, but from the description, I¡¯d say it was a steelwolf.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked at Holin in surprise, he tried to listen to the shouting but they were too far away to make out anything specific.


    He actually heard them from here?


    Rhone sighed, ¡°Well that¡¯s the end of the peace. It seems the beasts are returning.¡±


    ¡°At least we caught up with this group,¡± Holin added. ¡°Would have been hard to protect two hundred people by ourselves with a handful of guards and hunters.¡±


    ¡°Hm,¡± Rhone nodded before turning back to the fire and turning the roasting creature. ¡°Just about done.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have to do something?¡± Y¡¯rid asked, a bit taken aback by their relaxed attitudes.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Holin asked. ¡°The beasts won¡¯t likely attack the camp, not with this many people here. But going out in the dark to kill a steelwolf doesn¡¯t make sense. It will take a long time to track it down, and one less won¡¯t make any difference.


    The best we can do is to help guard the camp in the off chance that something¡¯s brave enough to take a chance. Losing people between cities is common. With this many civilians, if we make it to Lok with less than thirty casualties, then I¡¯d call that a win.¡±


    Kali sighed and shook her head sadly. Looking around at the camp, Y¡¯rid could see the fear on the faces of the people.


    ¡°If you want to relieve yourself, I¡¯d suggest you do it during the day and don¡¯t stray too far from the rest of the group,¡± Rhone said in a stiff tone.


    The man had been oddly distant ever since Y¡¯rid had expressed his desire to join them. Perhaps he thought Y¡¯rid would be a burden. In that case, he would just have to prove him wrong.


    Rhone reached out and lifted the roasting creature from the fire by its skewer. The aroma of the cooked meat made Y¡¯rid stomach growl, casting aside any hesitations he might have had eating the strange creature.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Holin said as Rhone drew a knife and cut into the flesh. He quickly divided it into six pieces, which he gave out. Y¡¯rid took his and Hadi¡¯s, tumbling it from one hand to the other in a feeble attempt to keep his hands getting burned. Before reaching for his sword and skewering the pieces again, setting the blade across his knees and waiting for it to cool.


    Holin snorted as he watched the scene, his own piece hanging on the dagger in his hand. The other¡¯s all did the same except Red. The big man didn¡¯t seem to notice the heat as he bit off almost a third of the tail he was given, silently chewing as the remaining piece sizzled in his hand.


    Y¡¯rid stared at the man.


    ¡°What?¡± Red asked still chewing on the meat.


    Y¡¯rid looked to the others, though they seemed used to the sight.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it burn? It just came off the coals.¡±


    The big man laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m from Anuneer,¡± he said. ¡°You leave your food outside there and it¡¯ll be charred in hours.¡±


    ¡°He should know, the same happened to him,¡± Holin said with a smile nodding at the man¡¯s dark skin.


    Kali chuckled though Rhone only shook his head. Red grinned.


    ¡°Children wait for their food to cool, paleskin,¡± he said, his hand shooting towards Holin¡¯s portion on his dagger with surprising speed. Holin saw the move coming though, and snatched his dagger away before the man¡¯s hand could close onto it.


    Red merely smiled and went back to eating.


    ¡°How did you end up here?¡± Y¡¯rid asked. He remembered the mercenary he met in the tavern talking about the Anuneri desert at the tip of the world. He didn¡¯t know where the tip was but seeing as his surroundings consisted of an overgrown forest, he assumed it wasn¡¯t close by.


    ¡°I came with a group. Left the desert when I was young. Wandered a while and ended up in a fight with a warrior of the order,¡± Red paused as a big smile threatened to split his face in two. ¡°I lost. Badly. Ended up joining them after.¡±


    Y¡¯rid began to enjoy the man¡¯s way of speech, definitely not one to mince words.


    He turned back to the meat on his sword and pulled off a piece before popping it into his mouth. It was a bit bland and chewy but it was good. Especially on his empty stomach. He pulled off another piece and handed it to Hadi who hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off of the meat since Y¡¯rid took it.


    The boy quickly stuffed the meat into his mouth. Y¡¯rid smiled and began disassembling the pieces, alternating between himself and the boy.


    An hour later found Y¡¯rid busy wiping down the blade of his sword with the shirt he wore. Probably not the best idea since he only had the one, but seeing as it was torn and caked with dried sweat and dirt, he doubted it would make much of a difference.


    ¡°You should get some sleep,¡± Holin said lying on his back with his eyes closed. ¡°Tomorrow you will need your energy.¡±


    Y¡¯rid felt his mood drop a little, suddenly all the bruises he gained that day seemed to scream out in unison. He sighed. This was the path he had chosen, if this is what it took to gain the strength he wanted then he would see it through.


    Only Kali was still up, throwing a few pieces of wood onto the coals for warmth as she was on first-watch for the night. The perimeter was constantly being patrolled by the Blackguard but they didn¡¯t seem to put much faith in the knights, something Y¡¯rid wholeheartedly agreed with.


    He finished cleaning the sword and laid down next to Hadi. The hard ground was uncomfortable but he was worn out enough to ignore it.


    Less than thirty huh?


    The thought crossing his mind as he felt sleep closing in on him like a predator hiding in the dark. How many would they lose tonight?


    ***


    Y¡¯rid stumbled through the undergrowth, following Holin as the man swerved around bushes and jumped over roots with a practised ease.


    ¡°I thought we were scouting the area for beasts,¡± Y¡¯rid said as he yanked his leg free from the thorny vines that had latched onto it, tearing a new hole in his trousers.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we a straying a bit too far from the group?¡± He continued with a grimace.


    Holin had woken him early in the morning, dragging him off to the woods as the rest of the group were beginning to stir. They had already been walking for an hour and the sun was just beginning to show itself.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Holin turned to look back at him amusement flickering in his eyes as he watched Y¡¯rid pulling leaves and twigs from his hair.


    ¡°No,¡± He replied. ¡°We are here to hunt, the best way to learn is by experience.¡±


    ¡°Hunt? Last time I checked neither of us brought a bow¡± Y¡¯rid said.


    Holin paused, looking at Y¡¯rid in confusion.


    ¡°Why would I want a bow? I use blades.¡±


    Realisation crossed the man¡¯s eyes a moment later and he gave a derisive laugh.


    ¡°It seems you have mistaken the nature of our targets,¡± Holin said. ¡°Out here, the creatures don¡¯t run away from you. Out here, humans are the prey.¡±


    He grinned as Y¡¯rid stared at him.


    Turning around, he walked a few metres before kneeling down.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Y¡¯rid made his way over and looked towards what the man was pointing at. On the dirt, there was an impression that looked like a partial footprint. It was about the size of his head with two deep grooves towards the front.


    ¡°This is the footprint of an ald, an omnivorous creature that frequents these parts. We have been following it for the past thirty minutes.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked back the way they came, he hadn¡¯t seen any traces of such a thing, not that he had been looking but if its footprint was any indication of its size, then surely he should have noticed signs of its passing?


    He mentioned this to Holin to which the man snorted.


    ¡°There were many signs, though not as many as you left, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Holin said. ¡°These things were born to navigate the forest. You, on the other hand, have spent the last hour making sure that any hungry predator would know exactly where to find you. Though given the amount of destruction you left, you might get lucky and trick them into thinking you¡¯re a behemoth.¡±


    Y¡¯rid paled a bit at the thought.


    ¡°How do I avoid leaving tracks in this?¡± He asked looking around at the bushes surrounding them.


    ¡°Well look at you, you finally did the first thing right, asking your betters for advice,¡± Holin said. ¡°Focus on what you are doing. Avoid going through bushes even if you think it¡¯ll be easier, step on rocks and roots, try to avoid sticks and the ground, especially if its wet. Just watch what I do and try to do the same. It won¡¯t happen overnight but eventually, you¡¯ll get better at it.¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded. He was a bit annoyed at the man¡¯s tone, but the thought of being tracked through the woods was far more disturbing.


    ¡°Good. Now let¡¯s get moving. We¡¯re getting close.¡±


    They started up again, this time with Y¡¯rid trying to follow in the man¡¯s footsteps which slowed him down even more. It was uncomfortable and the roots were more slippery than he thought causing him to frequently lose his balance, slowing them down even more, but this time Holin seemed willing to wait for him as they made their way between the trees.


    Y¡¯rid was just stepping onto a rock when a twig hit him in the face, swatting it away he looked at Holin who stared at him in annoyance.


    ¡°Look at what I¡¯m doing,¡± The man spoke in a low tone while holding up a fist. ¡°This means stop, How do you expect to see what¡¯s going on around you if all you look at is the ground?


    No, don¡¯t answer that. Follow me and move as quietly as you can, I can hear the beast.¡±


    Holin bent down low and began creeping forward, slipping from tree to tree. Y¡¯rid tried to copy him and did so with partial success albeit without the silence.


    After a few minutes¡¯ worth of sneaking, Holin held up a fist. Seeing it this time, Y¡¯rid froze. A few seconds passed before Holin looked towards him and slowly gestured for him to move forward. Y¡¯rid did so in agonizingly slow motion, taking a few seconds to plant each step.


    Finally reaching him, Holin pointed to a small clearing about thirty metres away and barely visible through the trees and bushes.


    There, standing in the clearing, was a strange creature. It was about twice the size of Red, with two powerful front limbs each ending in a three-fingered hand. Its narrow waist tapered down to a single hind leg that was riddled with strong muscle which almost seemed like lumps at this distance. It had a thick neck ending in a surprisingly small and elongated head with four massive branching horns extending outward.


    Y¡¯rid watched in fascination as it moved, stepping with its front limbs before swinging its hind leg forward. He watched as it reached down, one of its hands grasping onto a tree root as thick as his leg. Its muscles bunched as it started to pull, the root giving way with a loud crack. Slowly it raised its prize to its mouth, its head nearly splitting in two to accommodate the size of the root. With a crunch, it ripped off the edge of the root and started chewing it.


    Y¡¯rid¡¯s heart began to speed up at the sight as he imagined the power contained in those arms and jaws.


    Holin leaned over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°It may be a young one,¡± Holin whispered, ¡°but you still shouldn¡¯t underestimate it, they are faster than they look.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked at the man in disbelief.


    A young one?


    And what did he mean you shouldn¡¯t underestimate it. Who would underestimate that?


    Holin chuckled silently at his expression. ¡°The trick to taking one down is to wound or preferably disable one of its legs before it can close the distance. Stay back and observe what I do.¡±


    Holin started moving forward once more, his footsteps soundless as he slipped from tree to bush keeping himself out of the creature¡¯s sight. He slowly approached until he was about ten metres away while the creature was still chewing on its root.


    Y¡¯rid watched as Holin drew the dagger at his thigh, spinning it around so that he was holding the blade in his hand. He slowly peeked over the top of the bush setting his sight on the beast before he sprang up. His arm drew an arc over his head as he threw the dagger at the ald.


    The beast barely had time to look up before the blade thudded home into the joint on one of its front limbs. The ald roared in pain as it crouched down before its hind leg launched it through the air at blinding speed straight at Holin. The man quickly dove to the side narrowly avoiding the swipe the beast aimed in his direction.


    As the ald landed, its wounded arm gave way causing it to smack its jaw into the ground before it could right its self but by then Holin was already back on his feet and charging towards it, blade drawn. With a jerk of its head, it tried to impale the small creature that dared wound it but failed to do so as Holin dodged to the side, his sword flashing across the beast¡¯s exposed neck in a pray of blood that painted the ground red.


    Holin jumped backwards to avoid the arm that shot towards him in a final effort to drag its killer down with it. The ald tried to get to its feet but its limbs were already being drained of the power they once held as its lifeblood spilt onto the ground.


    It gave a few more jerks as its eyes stared at Holin, filled with fear and hatred before it finally stilled.


    Holin walked forward and thrust his blade forward through the beast¡¯s eye and into its skull, ending any life it may have still had. The man straightened and breathed deeply before motioning for Y¡¯rid to join him.


    With his eyes locked onto the creature, Y¡¯rid slowly walked forward. A part of him was still unconvinced that the thing was truly dead.


    ¡°Quite skittish aren¡¯t you?¡± Holin asked with a grin.


    ¡°It ended so quickly,¡± Y¡¯rid said. ¡°I thought the fight would last longer.¡±


    Holin shook his head.


    ¡°You always want to end a fight as quickly as possible,¡± he said in uncharacteristic seriousness.


    ¡°Especially against beasts and extra especially against beasts as large as this. An ald has immense endurance and strength. Luckily, few things can survive having their throat slit. If the fight had dragged on for even a minute or two it might have ended very differently.


    Always remember that we are horribly outmatched by the things we ¡®hunt¡¯. A single blow from one of these and you¡¯re life is at an end. That¡¯s why you have to learn how to use its weaknesses to your advantage and not hesitate to strike when the opportunity presents itself.¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded. It was the same with the kahtri. On some level, he still thought of humans as superior even after the things he saw during the monster wave. It was a belief so ingrained in him that he found it hard to shake, but every time he saw one of these monsters it showed him how false the thought really was.


    Perhaps less thirty really is all we can hope for.


    ¡°Now comes the fun part,¡± Holin said, his grin returning to its rightful place. ¡°Now I get to watch as you drag this thing back to the road.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked at him for a moment, then at the corpse, then back at Holin.


    Surely the man was joking.

 Chapter 7

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    Y¡¯rid looked towards the city as it came into view. High stonewalls surrounded the hill on which it was built. Halfway up the hill, a second set of walls shielded a massive structure several stories high with towers growing out of it in a haphazard manner giving off an oppressive atmosphere.


    It was the oldest city in the Imorril Forrest, through which they had been treading the past seven days. Lok had started as a keep, built centuries ago. Over time it kept expanding, eventually swallowing the surrounding buildings until it reached its current state. Unable to expand further, new buildings were constructed around the outside of the walls as the lower class citizens were pushed out of the inner ¡®city¡¯.


    In time, a new wall was erected to shield the outer region from danger, forming the city¡¯s current appearance. A single entity that housed less than a third of the city¡¯s population and took up more than half of its space, surrounded with the sprawling ¡®poor¡¯ quarter.


    At least that is what Holin had told him when he asked about their destination. Over the past couple of days, he had spent some time talking to the four hunters and some of the other refugees, learning more about his surroundings, something the previous Y¡¯rid never really cared about.


    It was already well past noon with the sun nearing the three-quarter mark in the sky as they exited the tree line. In the same manner as Riversedge, the forest had been cleared for nearly three hundred metres around the city to allow at least some measure of warning if beasts tried to approach.


    The four-day trip had ended up taking nearly twice as long as they had been forced to stop early each day as nearly four hundred people sought out what food they could find.


    The hunters, guards and mercenaries had to spend a few hours each day in the forest hunting for food to supply themselves and those they cared about. While others got only what edible plants and berries they could find, or a few mouthfuls of watered down broth sold at exorbitant prices or the promise of debt.


    Of course, this didn¡¯t apply to the nobles and merchants as they always took their share first, since most of the guards and mercenaries were in their employ, to begin with.


    Holin and the rest also contributed what they could spare from hunts, gaining a bit of goodwill from the poorer refugees and easing their wariness some, but the four of them could only do so much. Y¡¯rid started helping Holin and Kali set up traps for small animals after the man had shown him how. Most mornings he found them empty though.


    During the day Y¡¯rid would travel with Holin, slowly he learned how to walk through the forest and what the weaknesses of the more common beasts were. He had yet to actually hunt anything himself since the smaller animals required stealth, and the beasts required skill, he didn¡¯t yet possess. But he was making progress, albeit slowly, and the thought kept him going.


    Evenings would find him and Holin sparring or going through basic sword forms and movements. These he picked up with noticeable ease. Holin even let him borrow one of his shortswords during their sparring, claiming that learning how to fight with a longsword if he planned on using a shorter blade would not only be a waste of time, but might also end up teaching him bad habits when he switched over.


    Y¡¯rid tended to agree with him on that. The moment he started practising with the shorter blade he could feel a distinct difference. It felt more natural, the forms and strikes more fluid. It just felt right. He was still missing a shield, though, but when he brought up the subject Holin had laughed at him.


    ¡°Shield?¡± the man had asked. ¡°You want a shield? In case you haven¡¯t been paying attention, we¡¯re not fighting men. A shield wouldn¡¯t even inconvenience an ald with more than four times your weight and a steelwolf would simply slip past it as if it wasn¡¯t there in the first place.


    ¡°Shields have no place in a fight against a beast, quite simply because there is no fighting against beasts, only killing. The best you could hope for is to use it to deflect strikes, and a shield was made to block more¡­¡±


    His voice trailed off and he stared at Y¡¯rid as a frown slowly creased his eyebrows.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± he mused to himself, ¡°yes¡­ perhaps that might work.¡±


    ¡°A shield is out of the question, but a weighted bracer¡­¡± The corner of his mouth curled upward as a questionable glint appeared in his eyes. ¡°That might work. I tried one for a while but could never get used to it, takes a lot of practice to use properly. I have seen it done, though, and if paired with an agile weapon it can be¡­ devastating.¡±


    ¡°A weighted bracer?¡± Y¡¯rid asked unfamiliar with the concept.


    ¡°Yes, a bracer combined with a heavy metal plate. They are designed for redirecting attacks. Opening up an opponent for a clear strike. Quick and close. I can teach you the basics, but there is someone at Stronghold that can take it a step further.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said nodding to himself as his smile took on a predatory look.


    ¡°Are you listening?¡± Hadi asked tugging on Y¡¯rid¡¯s leggings to get his attention.


    Y¡¯rid looked down at him and smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m listening, you almost caught the thieving lizard.¡±


    Hadi gave him a suspicious look before continuing with the story, telling Y¡¯rid of his own hunt of one of the forest lizards that scavenged anything edible they could from the campsites.


    The boy had begun growing more comfortable around the group after the first few days. Kali helped a lot with that, teaching him the names and habits of the birds and small animals that they saw on the road and around the camp they set up each afternoon. Something he took to with great enthusiasm.


    It was nice to see the boy take an interest in something, which he felt was a sure sign that Hadi was recovering from the trauma he had suffered. Hadi did still sometimes wake up screaming in the middle of the night, but other than trying to reassure the boy, there wasn¡¯t much he could do about that. And while he supposed that only time would be able to truly heal Hadi¡¯s mind, seeing progress being made had lifted a burden from him that hadn¡¯t known was there.


    The line of people crossed the open field towards Lok. As the neared the city a group of people came out of the gates and awaited them. Y¡¯rid recognised their armour as being part of the Blackguard. It must have been the advance party the city lord had sent out yesterday. Among them stood another group guards wearing similar uniforms and a tall man in a robe.


    As they reached the gate, the robed man approached the carriages belonging to the lord of Riversedge, after which the carriages continued through the gates followed by the rest of the nobles and the mage¡¯s caravan.


    The rest of the people were organised in a rough line as the robed man produced a scroll and started to take down the names of the people entering the city.


    Being near the back of the line meant that Y¡¯rid and the others were some of the last to head through. By then the scribe seemed thoroughly annoyed at the job he had been given but a quick look at Rhone and the rest forced him to put a smile on his face as he took down their names and waved them through.


    The city gates were framed by an arch of glowing runes, reminding Y¡¯rid of those he had seen at Riversedge. Stepping through it he felt the familiar chill running over him confirming his suspicion.


    ¡°Are shapeshifters really so common?¡± Y¡¯rid asked Kali who was walking beside him and Hadi. ¡°There seem to be all these measures against them yet we haven¡¯t seen one all the way here.¡±


    Kali shook her head.


    ¡°They are quite rare actually. But it only takes one or two to wreak havoc in a city like this. Once it¡¯s inside it can feast on anyone it finds before simply taking on a different appearance. I heard it started a long time ago, before these detection arches were common. A few of them wandered into a city and a few weeks later the city fell.


    They aren¡¯t very powerful beasts but the suspicion and fear they sow is what makes them terrifying. Not knowing whether the person you see passing you on the streets is a human did much more damage than the shapeshifters themselves.


    People began attacking others out of fear if they judged them as suspicious, and this fear was the very thing that caused them to appear suspicious to others. A cycle that caused the whole city to descend into chaos and weakened its defences, attracting even more beasts in the process.


    It wasn¡¯t long after that the detection arches became a necessity. Just having them reassures the people, even if most will go there entire lives without ever hearing of a sighting of a shapeshifter.¡±


    ¡­These people are already outclassed by beasts, the only thing they have in their favour is numbers. If they start to turn on each other¡­


    Suddenly it made sense why people went through all of this trouble to keep these creatures away. Y¡¯rid forced the thought from his mind as he started to study his surroundings.


    The streets of Lok were narrower than those at Riversedge, the buildings seemingly packed closer together, utilising every bit of space they could, with cramped alleyways running between them.


    Rhone turned towards the others.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left before the shops close and I want to leave early tomorrow. Kali, would you and Red go and purchase the supplies?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she answered and Red gave a nod.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll go and get us rooms at the Tankard, they had decent prices last I recall. Holin, can you see to getting a d¡¯yar? I don¡¯t want us too weighed down to act if we run across trouble¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± Holin said. ¡°We need to get Y¡¯rid and the boy some supplies¡­ and new clothes. Just being around that thing he calls a shirt is robbing me of my sense of smell.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked down at his shirt. It was torn and stained with dried blood and dirt, its original colour only a memory. He hadn¡¯t really noticed the smell, but then again he might just be used to it, and having some extra clothes seemed like a very attractive prospect now that he thought about it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Red and I will take care of it,¡± Kali said.


    Rhone looked towards them and nodded.


    ¡°Right. Then meet me at the inn in two hours¡¯ time?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Kali said as she and the others split off, leaving Holin, Hadi and himself.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Holin said, ¡°I know an arms dealer with a rather impressive range of weaponry and armour.¡±


    The man gave him a weighing look.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have any coin?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I do actually,¡± Y''rid said producing heavy gold coins he got from the mage¡¯s experiment and the change he got from the innkeeper at Riversedge.


    Holin raised an eyebrow seeing this and quickly snatched one of the mage¡¯s coins from his hand. He raised the coin to his face and inspected it.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Therien gold. Where did you get this? No wait, why in the hells are you walking around in rags when you have this?¡± The man asked.


    ¡°I never got a chance to spend it,¡± Y¡¯rid said before holding up one of the gold coins he got from the innkeeper. ¡°I assume it¡¯s worth more than these?¡±


    Holin looked at the coin and laughed.


    ¡°A lot more.¡±


    His thoughts went back to the innkeeper. Back then he thought the man had seemed a bit too eager when he saw the coin, even if the man had hidden it rather well.


    ¡°How much more?¡±


    ¡°Therien gold is the purest coins you get,¡± Holin said. ¡°What you¡¯re holding there is common trade gold. Not nearly as pure. A Therien mark is worth five to ten trade gold pieces, depending on their weight. Didn¡¯t you ever learn this?¡±


    Y¡¯rid shook his head, ¡°Wasn¡¯t really in a position to need to, if you couldn¡¯t tell.¡±


    ¡®Five to ten¡¯, and he gave me two. Three gold pieces for a room worth two silver.


    He shook his head. Even if the man was most likely dead, he couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly annoyed at the thought.


    Holin narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s the expression of a man that just realised he¡¯d been done in. Any chance you had three of the marks?¡±


    Y¡¯rid hesitated before nodding.


    ¡°What did you buy?¡± the man asked tonelessly, though Y¡¯rid thought he saw a flicker of amusement in those pale red eyes.


    ¡°A room at an inn,¡± Y¡¯rid answered grudgingly.


    A short moment of silence passed before Holin burst out laughing. It took him a whole minute before he finally stopped, his joy obviously increasing as Y¡¯rid¡¯s expression became increasingly dark, even Hadi joined in after a while.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Holin said still chuckling as he flicked the mark back to Y¡¯rid. ¡°We really don¡¯t have much time left before the shops start closing.¡±


    They quickly made their way through the streets moving deeper into the city and up the foot of the hill. The buildings appeared to be getting bigger the nearer they got to the inner wall, here and there some could be seen that were made of stone instead of the wood that clustered the outer edges of the city.


    Most of the larger shops were found near the inner wall, turning the area into an unspoken merchant quarter. It was here that Y¡¯rid bought a few pairs of clothing each, from tailor¡¯s shop, for himself and Hadi, along with two backpacks in which to place them as well as a few bits and pieces such as they might find necessary on the way to Stronghold. Simple tarps to form a makeshift tent and blankets in case it got colder.


    Getting out of his stained rags came with a relief that surprised even him. The feeling of wearing clean clothes a welcome change. He used his old clothes to wrap up the longsword he still carried, having had enough of the wary gazes people kept casting his way when he walked with the drawn weapon.


    They continued on their way as Holin led them through the streets, seemingly familiar with the place, until they reached a large stone building with an open heavy wooden door reinforced with iron. Above the doorway hung a sign that depicted a sword and an axe crossed behind a helm above which a few unknown words were written.


    Holin stepped through the doorway with Y¡¯rid and Hadi on his heels. Weapons of all kinds were hanging on the wooden racks littering the shop, even spilling over to the walls. Opposite the entrance was a stern-looking man dressed in leathers and sitting on a chair, a heavy mace resting against his leg to dissuade potential thieves from trying their luck.


    ¡°Welcome!¡± An enthusiastic voice came from the side.


    Y¡¯rid turned to find a short man standing up behind a counter.


    ¡°Here at Jhoel¡¯s-¡° the man stopped mid-sentence and stared at them, or at the hunter, to be more precise.


    ¡°Holin!¡± the man shouted, hurrying over to greet the man in question. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you. You haven¡¯t been around in an age! I thought you were dead.¡±


    ¡°Jhoel,¡± Holin said with his usual smile as the short man launched into a monologue composed of questions the other man never got the chance to answer.


    Taken aback, Y¡¯rid realised he had got used to the red-eyed hunters being treated with wariness and suspicion wherever they went. It surprised him even more that the man was talking like this to Holin of all people. It had taken himself a few days to get used to the strange atmosphere the man seemed to generate. This Jhoel didn¡¯t seem to have any such reservations though.


    ¡°Unfortunately this isn¡¯t a social visit,¡± Holin said when the man paused to take a breath. ¡°We are here to get some equipment for Y¡¯rid here.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The man said, seeming to only now notice that he was standing next to Holin. His surprise disappeared as quickly as it came, though, replaced by a sly smile and a glint in his eye. ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°A shortsword and some armour,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Ah yes! A small blade for those quick opponents, and a spare of course, in case the first one grows feet, perhaps a dagger as well? And a skinning knife, no hunter worth his salt would travel without one. I see you already have a big sword for large beasties, but you¡¯ll need a sheath though,¡± Jhoel said with barely a breath between sentences as he gestured towards the cloth wrapped long sword Y¡¯rid was carrying.


    ¡°Luckily you came to the right place, as I can supply all of those things. And then the armour, how could I forget? I have full plate that¡¯ll turn an ald¡¯s strike, and leathers darker than night itself. A pair of each, yes? A silent hunter when needed and a giant of steel when the time calls.


    Some oils to maintain their integrity is a definite requirement, but of course, a discerning hunter such as yourself knew that, and that being the case, you¡¯ll be happy to know that I just received a shipment of the rarest preserverants from the great Split. They even keep away those nasty insects, a sting at the wrong time and it could lead to dire consequences-¡°


    Y¡¯rid stared at the man as he continued rambling off a list of items he was certain would be needed, arms swinging in over exaggerated gestures to imprint their importance.


    Y¡¯rid looked towards Holin for help, but the man leaned back against the doorway, clearly amused at the scene.


    ¡°No,¡± Y¡¯rid interrupted the man after a few moments and held up a hand. ¡°I only need a single sword and a set of armour. And I want to sell the longsword.¡±


    The merchant frowned at his words, though he quickly perked up again at the mention of the wrapped sword.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s have a look then,¡± Jhoel said gesturing to the counter.


    Y¡¯rid unwrapped the sword and placed it on top of the wooden platform. Moving up to the blade, Jhoel ran his hand over the steel before picking up the blade.


    ¡°Good steel. Above average craftsmanship. But the edge is a bit damaged, and is that a crack? Difficult to tell but it does seem so,¡± he sighed shaking his head sadly. ¡°Might even have to reforge the blade, now that I think about it. I¡¯ll tell you what, since you¡¯re with Holin, I¡¯ll give you ten silver pieces for it. I¡¯ll even through in a small discount on the shortsword.¡±


    ¡°Come now Jhoel,¡± Holin said, finally stepping in. ¡°There is no crack in the blade, and that¡¯s Drav steel, don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t recognise it. The price of that alone would be nearly a gold piece, if you take into account the craftsmanship then a fair price would be closer to three pieces.¡±


    ¡°Absurdity!¡± The merchant shouted, looking personally affronted. ¡°The price of Drav is on the decline, it is not worth nearly as much as it was, and this blade has so many chips I might as well sell it as a saw!¡±


    Y¡¯rid watched as the small merchant tried to stare down the red-eyed hunter. Holin merely chuckled and began lauding the blade¡¯s merits while the merchant kept berating it. After a few minutes of back and forth, the price was settled at a gold piece and twenty silver.


    ¡°Good, good,¡± the merchant said with a grin before continuing, all signs of his earlier outrage wiped away, as if it had never been there in the first place.


    ¡°So a shortsword and armour you say,¡± the man said and showed them to two of the wooden racks that were filled with blades in different shapes all ranging around half a metre in length.


    ¡°You have any weighted bracers?¡± Holin asked.


    ¡°Weighted bracers? You mean the ones¡¯ the Slaan like to use?¡± The man asked. ¡°I think I have one or two here somewhere, not exactly great sellers, those.¡±


    The man started walking off to the other side of the shop with Holin following.


    Y¡¯rid looked through the blades carefully. He immediately discarded all of the curved blades. One of the strengths of a shorter blade was thrusting attacks, which was much harder to do with such weapons.


    He eliminated a few more options as he inspected the swords and gave a few practice swings with each. he kept on narrowing down the choices until he was finally down to two. A single-edged sword with a straight back and ending in an angled cross-section, and a double-edged sword whose blade started off at about an inch-and-a-half wide at the hilt and slowly tapered down to a sharp tip.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Y¡¯rid asked Hadi standing at his side.


    The boy frowned in concentration, seeming to take the matter very seriously before he pointed at the second sword.


    The blade was about half a metre long with the hilt adding a quarter of that. It was made of a dark steel he didn¡¯t recognise and heavier than he expected, while the hilt was of some type of beast horn.


    Just like the other blade, it felt comfortable in his hand, and the tapered blade would make it more suitable to quick stabs which he liked. Y¡¯rid nodded, having made up his mind and took the blade and its sheath off the rack.


    ¡°Wonderful choice!¡± the merchant¡¯s voice came from the side of the shop. Y¡¯rid looked in the direction to see him and Holin walking towards him.


    ¡°What type of metal is this?¡± Y¡¯rid asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.


    ¡°Ah, that is the finest Blackmountain-alloy you have there. Incredibly durable and very rare,¡± Jhoel said.


    ¡°Not that rare,¡± Holin corrected. ¡°Just uncommon given the distance from Blackmoutain to the Imorril forest. It is very strong though, a good choice¡­ if you don¡¯t mind spending half a day to sharpen the blade.¡±


    Jhoel gave Holin a sidelong glare before turning back to Y¡¯rid


    ¡°That may be true but it also means that it will keep its edge better that most other metals. And-¡°


    ¡°Yes-yes,¡± Holin interrupted. ¡°I think he already decided on that blade. Here, have a look at this.¡±


    Holin handed him the bracer he carried. Y¡¯rid reached out and took hold of it, only to almost drop it when the man let go. His eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the strange bracer. It was heavy. Heavier than the Blackguard sword.


    ¡°How am I supposed to fight with this thing?¡± He asked looking doubtfully at Holin.


    ¡°With practice,¡± the man said. ¡°You should take it off as little as possible. Eventually you¡¯ll get used to the weight¡­ or maybe you won¡¯t. But if you can learn to use that thing correctly, then it¡¯ll mean much more than a shield.¡±


    It covered his left forearm completely and had an inch-thick metal plate attached to it, curving slightly around the outside of his arm and extending all the way to his knuckles. The inside of the bracer consisted of thick padding that morphed into a glove with open fingers.


    He swung his arm through the air a few times to get a feel for it. It felt strange, like having a shield morphed into his arm. The weight threw him a little off balance, but he thought he would be able to get used to it, though how much use it would be remained to be seen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try,¡± he said.


    Holin grinned.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    After that Y¡¯rid looked through Jhoel¡¯s armour, as the man praised each piece that managed to catch his eye. He ended up settling for a set of leather armour reinforced with steel at the joints and chest. He had originally planned on getting something heavier but after seeing some of the beasts in the forest, he had come to the conclusion that no armour could stand against them.


    The way to fight against them was to avoid getting struck at all, and heavier armour would only slow him down and restrict his movement. That said armour did have its place against some of the smaller more agile creatures, so he settled on something in the middle.


    He also ended up buying a dagger for himself and a knife for Hadi, eventually giving in to the boy¡¯s pleading. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good idea, but Holin convinced him that the boy should get comfortable around blades, a thought he found disturbing, yet was unable to argue with. After all, just being alive in the Imorril forest seemed dangerous in and of itself.


    After another round of haggling with the merchant, they settled on a cost of a therein mark and eight trade gold pieces. This along with the earlier expenses left Y¡¯rid with a single trade piece and seven silver.


    But he was satisfied, finally being able to get out of his torn rags and into some armour felt right. Having a proper sheath for his sword also helped. The weighted bracer didn¡¯t though, but he told Holin he would try it out so he would, he owed the man much more than that after all.


    ***


    Rhone sat in the corner of the packed tavern drinking ale from a mug. The Leaking Tankard was just as he remembered it, even if he hadn''t been here for a long time. The big fireplace heated up the stonewalls and provided a pleasant atmosphere making it one of the favourite social gathering points in the outer quarter.


    Serving maids swerved between rowdy patrons as they carried trays of mugs, the sound of many voices in conversation overlaying each other in a light-hearted drone. Even so, it did little to improve his mood.


    A tipsy man stumbled in his direction, aiming for one of the chairs at his empty table.


    ¡°Greetings my fellow-¡°


    The man¡¯s voice halted as he met Rhone¡¯s gaze. Holding up his hands the man backed away, retreating to another part of the tavern.


    Rhone mentally cursed himself for not trying to act more friendly. They had a bad enough reputation already without him making things worse. And this after he frequently told the others to try to make a good impression.


    Swallowing the last of his ale he called over one of the serving girls with a gesture.


    The girl hurried over as her golden eyes focused on him, her black hair and dark skin hinting at Anuneri origins.


    ¡°H-how can I help?¡± the girl said, a slight stutter betraying her nervousness.


    ¡°Just another mug,¡± Rhone said giving her a friendly smile that seemed to ease her tension, if only a little.


    ¡°Coming up,¡± she said before hurrying away.


    At least they¡¯re not attacking on sight¡­ or screaming in terror.


    Rhone thought as he remembered a trip he and a few others made to the south a few terms back. There he had seen his share of both, and had more than his fill. At least here, near the north they were still welcomed, if not with open arms.


    In some places, they were seen as heroes, but the further they strayed from Stronghold, the worse it got. In a world where danger lurked in every shadow, the unfamiliar was abhorred. Rumours grew to outlandish proportions and replaced truth without anyone even noticing.


    Unfortunate that most rumours did have a grain of truth at its heart.


    He wiped the frown off his face and replaced it with a smile as he saw the girl return with his ale after with he thanked her and gave a generous tip, which actually managed to elicit a genuine smile from her.


    Small steps.


    A large figure appearing in the doorway drew his attention. He watched as Red looked around before spotting him and started walking over with Kali on his trail. One of the patrons, thoroughly engaged in a tale he was telling, took a step backwards and bumped into the wall of muscle and steel that was Rhone¡¯s companion. Already unsteady on his feet the man tumbled to the floor.


    The conversations muted a bit as the man looked up, face twisting into a scowl before he saw who he had bumped into. Red reached down with a single hand and lifted the man by his collar, pulling him upright.


    ¡°Balance is key,¡± the big man said with a serene expression.


    ¡°Y-yes,¡± the man replied, the events transpiring a bit too fast for him to keep up in his inebriated state.


    Red and Kali reached his table and sat down as the tavern conversations resumed at their previous pace.


    ¡°And here we find you brooding in the corner,¡± Kali said.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t brooding. Did you get the supplies?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we arranged for the merchant to meet us at the North gate tomorrow morning, that way we can pick up the d¡¯yar Red got before heading over. And you were,¡± she said with a smile before a look of sympathy replaced it.


    ¡°You can¡¯t keep dwelling on the past,¡± she said in a gentle tone as she reached over and placed a hand on his own. ¡°You should try to get to know Y¡¯rid, he really is a nice guy.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he replied with a forced smile.


    That¡¯s the problem.

 Chapter 8

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    A rhythmic tap travelled along the road as the six hoofs of the d¡¯yar struck the ground in a lethargic pattern. A soft breeze blew through its short brown fur as the mid-day sun warmed the beast.


    They had picked up the d¡¯yar that morning from the stable Red had found, before heading for the northern gate of the city. There they had met the merchant as arranged by Kali, next to a wooden cart filled with supplies, most of which consisted of grain and seeds. A request from one of the people at Stronghold, Y¡¯rid had learned.


    He had observed the d¡¯yar for a while after they left the city, half expecting it to try and run away as they left, but it seemed content with pulling the cart along, four of its six eyes closed while the other two showed a laziness he didn¡¯t expect from a beast.


    Now that he thought about it, he wasn¡¯t even sure if it counted as one.


    ¡°Are d¡¯yari beasts?¡± He asked, turning to Red, who was walking beside him.


    The big man looked at the creature in question.


    ¡°They are not aggressive. Further west and south, in the plains, wild ones roam in herds. I heard they are fearsome opponents. But I have yet to see such a thing.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to,¡± Rhone replied from the front. ¡°The only things stupid enough to attack a herd of wild d¡¯yari are those that don¡¯t value life. Facing down a charging herd of thousands of these things? Just let me get struck by a behemoth. It¡¯ll be a quicker and less painful death.¡±


    ¡°Then why do all the ones I¡¯ve seen look so docile?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    Rhone turned to him after a moment¡¯s pause.


    ¡°They grow confident in herds. As long as you keep them in small groups, they are easy to manage. Just give them food and water and they¡¯ll follow along without too much prodding. For a large group, you¡¯ll need to keep an eye on them at all times. If the group has a few hundred, then you can forget about controlling them. And in the plains, there are herds that number in the thousands.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked toward the d¡¯yar, its chest was broad and its six legs knotted with muscles. He imagined facing down a thousand of the things charging at full speed and shuddered at the thought.


    That¡­ would be bad. Very bad.


    ¡°I want to see the herds,¡± Hadi said and grabbed the beast¡¯s tail from where he sat on the front of the cart. It merely turned its head to look back at him, two more of its eyes opening as it stared at the boy before giving a snort and turning back.


    Red laughed


    ¡°Maybe you will little one. Looking at this one though, I think those tales of wild herds are a bit far-fetched.¡±


    Y¡¯rid was about to voice his agreement when he saw Kali emerge from the treeline, making her way over to them. She and Holin had gone scouting the road ahead after they had left the city to make sure there weren¡¯t any surprises along the road.


    ¡°See anything?¡± Rhone asked as she joined them.


    ¡°Nothing to be concerned about. There¡¯s a group of seekers heading this way. I spoke to one of their scouts and they haven¡¯t had any problems the last few days, other than a few steelwolves that the scout thinks have been shadowing them.¡±


    Rhone nodded.


    ¡°What are seekers?¡± Y¡¯rid asked Red.


    ¡°Fanatic followers of the travelling god.¡±


    ¡°He is one of the elder gods, right?¡± he asked, remembering a conversation with Kali about the religions of different regions, though he had to admit, he had only been listening as an excuse to take a break from sparring with Holin. Even then he had only used one ear.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kali said as she fell back to the side of the cart and ruffled Hadi¡¯s hair, dodging out of the way when he protested and tried to grab her arm.


    ¡°So¡­ are they seeking their god?¡± Y¡¯rid guessed, taking a shot in the dark.


    ¡°No. they-¡° Kali turned towards him. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. You mostly talked about Tu¡¯her himself,¡± he replied, mentally giving himself a pat on the back for remembering the god¡¯s name.


    Kali gave him a suspicious look. ¡°I don¡¯t see how I could have talked about him without mentioning seekers. But in any case, They are the ones who search for the land Tu¡¯her promised his people.¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded. ¡°I see.¡±


    He was lost. Promised land? He vaguely remembered that Tu¡¯her supposedly travelled the world, so maybe he found some kind of refuge, away from the beasts? If so, why didn¡¯t he just tell his people where it was?


    After the few days on the road from Riversedge to Lok, he was hard-pressed to imagine people travelling through the wilderness without a clear destination. In his mind, he could still see the expressions of the refugees from Riversedge, the blank looks of those who lost their place in the world. Though perhaps that is what drove these seekers?


    He was starting to regret not paying attention to the conversation back then. But he couldn¡¯t ask now as that would mean admitting he wasn¡¯t listening. He shook his head. It didn¡¯t matter. Everyone¡¯s life was their own after all.


    They kept walking for a while longer before the sounds of a mass of people moving through the forest reached them. Faint at first but growing in volume until the group of seekers rounded a bend in the road, bringing them into view.


    A large caravan was being pulled by four d¡¯yari and surrounded by people dressed in brown and green leather and cloth, wielding a variety of weapons. On top of the caravan sat a man with a strung bow across his lap as he pretended to inspect an arrow while his focus never strayed from Y¡¯rid and the rest.


    ¡°Ho, travellers!¡± A bearded man called out from the front of the group with a pleasant smile on his face.


    Y¡¯rid looked past the caravan to see another coming around the bend also surrounded by people, though noticeably less armed than the first, some of them barely older than children. The scout Kali had mentioned had probably informed them of the group''s approach.


    And they¡¯re not taking chances. Is banditry common here?


    He couldn¡¯t imagine that it was. Not with the dangers that lurked in the forest. Perhaps the seekers were just being vigilant.


    ¡°Seekers,¡± Rhone said in an easygoing tone as the man approached them. ¡°You heading for Lok?¡±


    ¡°hm,¡± The man nodded as he stepped up between them and the caravan that continued along the side of the road. A few of the others did the same, trying to look casual as they formed a disorganized defensive line.


    ¡°Well if you¡¯re going in Riversedge¡¯s direction, then I suggest stocking up at Lok, the city fell a few days ago.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes widened. He took a breath before shaking his head. ¡°No city is safe anymore.¡±


    ¡°They never were,¡± Rhone said.


    ¡°All the more reason for our journey then. Mortend awaits us,¡± the man said and paused, looking at the group before continuing. ¡°We would always welcome those who seek the Sanctuary. The road might be long, but it is worth it. Though I don¡¯t suppose a follower of Uldar would take the offer.¡±


    Red shrugged. ¡°Balance cannot exist with absolute safety. You are searching for a place that does not exist.¡±


    The bearded man¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked at Red. Y¡¯rid also couldn¡¯t help his eyes straying over to the big man. From what he had seen, Red had an easy-going personality. He didn¡¯t expect the man to so casually shrug off someone else¡¯s faith.


    ¡°Thank you for your offer,¡± Rhone quickly interjected, ¡°but we¡¯re still needed here. We wish you good fortune on your quest.¡±


    The man grunted before turning back towards the caravans that had just passed. Y¡¯rid scanned over them until his gaze met the eyes of a young girl looking at them through the open shutters before a woman hurriedly pulled her back inside.


    Children?


    He frowned looking at the caravan.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Kali said in front.


    He turned back to see the others were already continuing on their way.


    ¡°There are children in the back caravan,¡± he said looking back at the now closed shutters.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kali said, looking at him. ¡°They are searching for the Sanctuary. They wouldn¡¯t leave their families behind¡­¡±


    Her word trailed off as she stared out in front of her.


    ¡°I saw the dangers on the way to Lok,¡± he said as he felt a hint of anger rising in his chest, ¡°and you know them better than me. What do you think their chances of survival is if they go towards Riversedge?¡±


    Kali stayed silent for an uncomfortable moment. ¡°Well, maybe they are not going in that direction or perhaps luck will be on their side and they¡¯ll avoid the beasts still in the area.¡±


    Red snorted, but didn¡¯t comment.


    ¡°And this is what the travelling god asks of his people? To place their families¡¯ lives in the hands of luck?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    ¡°Of course not! The seekers¡­ they are different¡­ they dedicate their lives to finding a safe haven. And not all-¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t find what isn¡¯t there,¡± Red said. ¡°Seekers are seen once and never heard from again.¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s because they found the Sanctuary, or maybe they can¡¯t leave once they¡¯re there,¡± Kali refuted.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Rhone said, causing the others to quiet. He continued in a softer tone. ¡°This argument leads nowhere, and we still have a lot of ground to cover.¡±


    A strained mood clung to the group as they walked on. Kali seemed to have lost her normally talkative mood, and Red never had one to begin with. Rhone didn¡¯t seem to feel the need to break the silence either as he walked in front. Hadi, sensing the atmosphere looked between them, before quietly paying the knife he got in Lok.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Y¡¯rid barely noticed this though. He was still irritated by the irresponsibility of people dragging their families into danger in search of something no one knew the location of. Their willingness to risk everything for a better life might have been praiseworthy if they didn¡¯t place their faith in what seemed to be luck. As it stood, it seemed reckless at best.


    But why did it bother him so much? Wasn¡¯t everyone¡¯s lives their own? But what of the girl he saw in the caravan, did she choose to risk her life on this search?


    ¡°Is that our new thing? Brooding together?¡± Holin¡¯s voice came from behind.


    Y¡¯rid spun round to see the man walking up to them, a big forest lizard in one hand. He just couldn¡¯t get used to how quiet the man was, even if he was almost certain he was doing it on purpose to mess others.


    Holin drove a thin dagger through the lizard¡¯s head and into the side of the cart, nailing it in place. ¡°I take it you¡¯ve met the seekers then. A strange group of people, but then again aren¡¯t we all? You know, I once knew this mercenary named Two-shits-¡°


    Rhone sighed as Red burst out laughing.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to hear that story again,¡± Rhone said. ¡°Once was enough. We need to set up camp early, I want to be back on the road with first light. Someone needs to go see if Watchman¡¯s Point is taken. If it is we may need to push through to Ald¡¯s Creek. If you have nothing to do-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Kali said quietly and unslung her bow from her back before setting off. Y¡¯rid frowned as he looked in her direction.


    ¡°Well then,¡± Holin said, turning towards him. ¡°While we¡¯re walking, why don¡¯t we practice a few sword forms?¡±


    Y¡¯rid suppressed a groan, what the man really meant was that he was going to have to spend the next few hours swinging a sword while being criticised the whole time.


    ***


    Kali had returned to meet them on the road a few hours after she had left, confirming that Watchman¡¯s Point was indeed empty. Other than that she didn¡¯t speak much, still seeming a bit withdrawn.


    They arrived at their campsite some time later. With a name like that Y¡¯rid had expected something more. Perhaps an old outpost or something similar. What he found was a simple hill a short distance from the road that had been cleared of trees and bushes.


    Like they had done the previous nights, Y¡¯rid and Holin set out into the forest to set a few traps while the rest set up camp. Moving through the forest didn¡¯t take all of his focus like it did a week ago, allowing his mind to wander.


    ¡°Does Kali have some history with the seekers?¡± he asked causing Holin to stop and turn to him. The man shrugged.


    ¡°I suppose it isn¡¯t a secret,¡± he said before walking on. For a moment Y¡¯rid thought that was all he was going to get for an answer before Holin spoke up again. ¡°Her father was part of the order. A good hunter. In fact, he was the one that put Red in his place, long ago, when the big guy was running around challenging anyone that looked at him strangely.


    But I guess he just wasn¡¯t cut out for it. He was a believer of Tu¡¯her, the travelling god, which isn¡¯t bad in itself, but he became obsessed with the promised land. Convinced that it was the answer to the world¡¯s problems.¡±


    A hint of malice entered his voice but disappeared so quickly that Y¡¯rid doubted he heard it at all.


    ¡°He eventually left with a group of seekers,¡± Holin said, ¡°proclaiming that he¡¯d be back with the location of the Sanctuary. Presumably, he is still searching. Either that or he has given up or died. Kali was still young at the time and he was the only family she had. After that Red had stepped in and watched out for her for a while. Until she passed the ritual of course.


    Now focus, I don¡¯t need you breaking through the undergrowth and scaring off the animals. We want the locations of the traps to be as undisturbed as possible.¡±


    ¡°Wait. What ritual?¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Holin said holding a finger to his lips, though Y¡¯rid could see the amusement flickering in his eyes as he ignored the question.


    Y¡¯rid followed Holin in silence through the trees as he thought of the man¡¯s words. A few times he had brought up the characteristic red eyes of the hunters in the order, yet each time the subject was sidestepped or he was directly told that he¡¯d know when the time came. He felt as if a piece of the puzzle had been revealed to him but instead of clearing things up, it just raised more questions.


    He sighed. Whatever this ritual was he would find out eventually. He was too committed now to back out. Not that he wanted to, in any case. He placed his focus back on moving through the forest, avoiding the undergrowth where possible and stepping on the roots and rocks. Seeing the ease Holin had when striding silently over the ground had sparked a desire to do the same.


    After they had walked a while Holin started to set up the traps, instructing Y¡¯rid whenever he had questions. The man seemed to share his knowledge freely if asked but remained silent otherwise. This was something Y¡¯rid had brought up with him once, only to get a rather blunt reply.


    ¡®The first requirement to learn is to recognise that you don¡¯t know shit.¡¯


    At first, Y¡¯rid had simply assumed the man was not a good teacher, but the more he thought about it the more he began to appreciate the truth in the simple statement. After that, he began observing what Holin did, actively looking for questions to ask so that the man would explain the process.


    The trap he set up this time was a simple deadfall, consisting of a large slab of rock and three sticks. Holin took the leaves he had plucked along the way and crushed them in his fist before rubbing them into his hands to mask his scent, something he had explained when Y¡¯rid asked him.


    After that he quickly set up the trap, one stick straight into the ground with another on top of it at an angle, one end holding up one side of the rock while the other balanced on the third stick that was set horizontally into a groove carved into the first. If the horizontal stick was nudged, the whole thing would collapse bringing down the rock onto whatever had caused the disturbance.


    ¡°What are you going to use as bait?¡± Y¡¯rid asked, noticing that the man didn¡¯t have any small lizards or such on him as they had used the previous times.


    ¡°This,¡± Holin said, pulling out a small vial which he uncorked. He stuck his fingers into it and pinched out a few small whitish crystals which he then sprinkled onto the end of the horizontal stick and ground.


    ¡°Salt?¡± Y¡¯rid guessed.


    ¡°Yeah. I asked Kali to get some back in Lok. A bit expensive, but it works well and won¡¯t spoil. It¡¯s not really necessary today but it is a good idea to keep a small vial with you for when you can¡¯t find bait or just don¡¯t have the time.¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded. It seemed like a bit of a waste to him, but he could see the merit in having some for emergencies. If Holin had told him about it before he might have bought some. If he had asked Holin what he needed for building traps then the man might have told him.


    After setting up the trap they moved on. They set up a few simple snare traps as well as another deadfall that Holin made him construct. It took him a lot longer than it had Holin, and the structure had collapsed twice almost crushing his hands underneath, but he eventually got the trap stable enough that a breeze wouldn¡¯t set it off.


    Returning to camp they found the other four sitting around the fire. Rhone was busy throwing some green vegetables into a pot that sat on top of a bed of coals. Whatever else was in the pot made Y¡¯rid¡¯s mouth water as the aroma spread through the air alongside the sizzling sound of frying meat.


    Back in Riversedge, the hunters had been forced to leave behind some of their belongings, as no one expected the wall to fall. Obtaining a pot was easily done in Lok, and increased the number of possible meals quite a bit, something Y¡¯rid was quite looking forward to.


    ***


    Y¡¯rid walked through the forest, keeping his steps as light as he could, as he followed the landmarks he had marked in his mind the previous evening. He had already been visited most of the snares, all of which were empty. The only ones that remained were the two deadfall traps and the last of the snares.


    The chirping of birds echoed through the forest as he approached the location of the first deadfall. As the trap came into view he saw it had collapsed. He quickened his pace, Hoping to find a something underneath. Al of the game they had eaten so far had been caught by Holin and Kali, it didn¡¯t feel right, leaching off of the others. Supplying a meal here and there should be the least he could do, after the help they had given him and Hadi.


    He reached the trap and lifted the rock with a heave. Nothing. Maybe whatever had sprung the trap was quick enough to escape¡­ or large enough to render the trap ineffective. The thought caused his back to stiffen as he hurriedly scanned the surroundings, looking for any signs of a passing threat. he was just about to relax when he saw it. A partial footprint left on a patch of dirt, half hidden by leaves and twigs. He would have missed it had he not been looking.


    With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he reached out and brushed away the fallen leaves, revealing the print. It reminded him of a wolf, but the paw was almost as big as his hand. Certainly bigger than any wolf he had seen in his previous life.


    Steelwolf?


    He had heard Holin describe them. Lean creatures that reached a man¡¯s shoulder in height, with a distinctive silvery-grey coat and sly temperament making them prone to attacking when their prey least expected.


    Taking a few deep breaths, he looked at the surrounding trees, as his hand felt for the blade at his side. After a few minutes he judged that the beast must have already left. He turned towards the direction of the camp, then stopped.


    He still had to check the other deadfall, and retrieve the last of the snares. He could go back, but that would mean giving in to fear. It would mean admitting his reliance on others. Rhone had warned him of the dangers of joining their order the first time he brought up the subject, yet he had decided then to continue.


    It probably left last night anyway.


    Having made up his mind he stood and headed towards the final deadfall trap. His gaze kept darting to the shadows cast by the trees as he walked, expecting to see a pair of eyes observing him. But none did. As he neared the location of the trap a sound caught his attention. A scratching sound as if something was digging in the dirt.


    His eyes focused on the trap as it came into view. The slab of rock had fallen on top of a brown rabbit, pinning it to the ground. It seemed to have just failed at getting away, its hind legs crushed by the rock. Deep grooves could be seen in the dirt as it had evidently been struggling for a while now but was unable to free itself.


    Y¡¯rid watched the rabbit as he approached, its ears were shorter and snout longer than those of his old world, but it was still unmistakably a rabbit. The rabbit turned its head towards him as it heard his approach, its struggling ceasing for a heartbeat¡¯s time before it begun to renew its effort it panic. Even if it got free now it wouldn¡¯t survive, with its back legs broken.


    He knelt next to it and pulled out his dagger from its sheath as he reached down to grab the animal¡¯s neck. The rabbit suddenly stopped its struggle, staring at him. No, not at him, he realised. Its gaze was aimed to the side ever so slightly.


    Y¡¯rid froze as his heart began to speed up. He strained, focussing al his attention on his hearing as he willed the sense to expand. Then he heard it. The soft crunch of a leaf crumbling under pressure. His eyes widened as he dropped his dagger and went for his sword. His hand, slick with sweat closed on the hilt just as he heard a pounding on the ground. His instincts screamed at him to get away, to move. Trusting them, he dove to the side, rolling on his shoulder as a figure shot passed him, its form a blur in the corner of his eye. He swung one leg underneath him as he spun towards it. His eyes catching the creature just as it lunged at him. Unable to draw his sword in time he raised the bracer on his arm to shield his face from the threat.


    The jaws of the beast snapped shut onto the steel, the force behind it driving Y¡¯rid onto his back. The wolf jerked its head from side to side, dragging him on the ground as he struggled to keep his arm covering his face. He felt the warm spit of the of the beast¡¯s snapping maw fly onto his face as he grit his teeth.


    With a snarl, he let go of the sword¡¯s hilt and drove his elbow into the wolf¡¯s side, again and again. With one last strike he pulled the bracer a bit closer to his face to bring the beast nearer as pushed his forearm into its side with all his might, barely managing to tip the creature of balance and onto its side. Keeping up the movement he rolled on top of the wolf reversing their positions as he pushed down onto the bracer forcing it deeper into the beast''s jaws and pinning it to the ground.


    It struggled fiercely as it began to panic, but Y¡¯rid kept his weight on top of it as he reached out with his other arm grasping for the dagger he dropped while not daring to take his eyes off the wolf. His hand crossed over something hard lying onto the ground and in desperation his fingers latched onto it. A rock. With a wide swing, he struck the side of the wolfs head with the rock. A yelp of pain escaped its maw as he raised the rock and struck again before the beast finally got its hind legs between it and his chest. With a growl, it thrust its legs outwards throwing Y¡¯rid off into the air. He fell hard onto his back, pain lancing through his body, but he ignored it as adrenaline coursed through him. He scrambled onto his feet and drew his sword just as the beast was lurching onto its own, one of its eye sockets caved in and the side of its head covered in red.


    With a roar, Y¡¯rid charged forward holding the bracer in front of his head as he thrust out with the sword. The sword drove into the creature''s side as he barrelled into it, slamming the bracer into its face in an effort to keep its jaws at a distance. Together they tumbled onto the ground with him on top. The beast¡¯s howl mixed with his own cry as he twisted the blade and pushed it deeper into the flesh, the warm blood spurting into his hand and armour. The wolf kicked a few more times but he pressed it down with all his weight as its struggles grew weaker before it finally stilled. He laid there for a few more moments, his the side of his head buried in the coat of the wolf before he released the blade and pushed himself off of the corpse. He fell onto his back and heaved for breath.


    His lungs burned, but the air had never tasted sweeter. A chuckle escaped his lips as he laid there, soon it grew to full-blown laughter, the likes of which he had not felt in a long time. The sheer joy at being alive ran through him as he stared up at the sky through the canopy of branches.


    ***


    Holin stood with his arms crossed as he watched Y¡¯rid finished off the wolf from between the trees. As the wolf had followed Y¡¯rid, he, in turn, had followed it.


    He shook his head. A horrible display. The kid saw the tracks, and was cautious at first but through it to the wind when he saw the rabbit. Holin had been tempted to beat the wolf to its target just so he could beat some sense into the young man himself.


    Yet despite his criticism of the Y¡¯rid¡¯s performance, he couldn¡¯t stop the smile forming on his lips. He knew it. The kid had potential. It was rough and unrefined, but it was there. Riddled with flaws though, a natural talent with the sword leading to an overreliance on the weapon.


    A notion that was proven when he dropped his dagger in favour of his sword, a sword he should have realised he didn¡¯t have time to draw.


    He would have to beat that habit out of him. A glint appeared in his eye as he thought of the training to come.


    Many of the order were growing increasingly stagnant. Contented with just surviving. Even the weaver¡¯s focus had started to shift to understanding the beasts¡¯ movements, attempting to stop only the most dire of threats while allowing the rest to fester like untreated wounds.


    No, something needed to change. He didn¡¯t know what but he knew there would be a need of hunters with the right mindset. An unrelenting mindset. The kind that would barrel into a steelwolf.


    His thoughts strayed back to when he first noticed Y¡¯rid. He saw back then that there was something about him, something buried deep beneath the surface.


    Oh, how he looked forward to seeing the kid¡¯s Aspect.

 Chapter 9

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    The tents were already packed up by the tie Y¡¯rid made it back to camp, dragging the carcass of the wolf behind him. His arms burned with effort, only the fact that he had already cleaned the beast, cutting out its stomach and entrails, made it possible for him to get this far.


    ¡°Your back, we-¡° Kali¡¯s words came to an abrupt end as she turned and saw the wolf he dragged behind him. She looked at a loss for words before she finally turned to him. ¡°Are you okay? Any wounds?¡±


    Y¡¯rid shook his head. ¡°No. I got lucky.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Red exclaimed as he strode up to them. ¡°Too modest. There is a fire in you. Killing a steelwolf is good work.¡±


    He clapped Y¡¯rid on the back, causing him to drop the corpse and stumble forward a step. Y¡¯rid didn¡¯t bother picking it back up as he made his way over to the campfire, where the last of the night¡¯s embers were just beginning to die out.


    Hadi sat next to the pit and stared up at him as he made his way over and sank to the ground with a heavy thud.


    ¡°Did you kill that?¡± Hadi asked, his eyes wide.


    Y¡¯rid smiled at him and reached over to the boy¡¯s head before stopping. His hand was still covered in blood. He settled for a quick squeeze of the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sure did.¡±


    Hadi looked at him for a moment before staring at the corpse of the wolf. ¡°It is so big¡­¡±


    ¡°You want to go and see it?¡±


    A flash of fear mixed with eagerness passed over the boy¡¯s face.


    ¡°¡­Can I?¡± Hadi ventured unsurely.


    ¡°Of course, come on,¡± Y¡¯rid said standing up with a groan as his legs protested. He really wanted to stay at the fire, but this was a good opportunity for the boy. Seeing that the beast was indeed dead might help with some of the fears he had been carrying with him.


    Y¡¯rid walked behind Hadi as the boy slowly made his way over to the carcass. He stopped before the wolf and quickly glanced at Y¡¯rid then back to the wolf. Slowly with an unsteady hand, he reached out and touched the fur before pulling back. He reached forward again but this time with more confidence and placed his hand on to the beast''s side.


    ¡°It feels so hard,¡± Hadi said in amazement.


    ¡°A steelwolf¡¯s fur is tough,¡± Y¡¯rid said, ¡°it is one of the things that makes them so dangerous.¡±


    Hadi stiffened at the word for a moment and looked at Y¡¯rid. He smiled down at the boy before leaning closer. ¡°But if you know what you¡¯re doing, you can take it down.¡±


    ¡°Oh, an expert now, are we?¡± Holin¡¯s voice reached his ear. He turned to see him and Rhone walked up to them.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Holin said nudging the beast¡¯s head with his foot, ¡°I thought you preferred a sword. It kind of looks like you decided a rock is more your style.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked at him. ¡°It snuck up on me, didn¡¯t have time to draw the blade.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes,¡± Holin said, nodding his head. ¡°Out there in the forest, their silver coats blend in real well with all that green and brown, quite common to mistake one for a tree¡­¡±


    Red chuckled as Y¡¯rid stared at the man.


    ¡°Come on Holin,¡± Kali said. ¡°He lived his whole life in a city with no training. Taking down a steelwolf without backup is an achievement. Hell, I saw a few veteran guards and hunters fall to them at Riversedge.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not diminishing his kill,¡± Holin said with a smile while raising his hands in defence. ¡°Just looking for room for improvement. And at first glance there appears to be a lot of it, look at that, your thrust pierced a lung but missed the heart. I fear we have grown lax in our training. We haven¡¯t even sparred the last two days.¡±


    Kali gave Holin a flat look.


    ¡°You¡¯re set on joining the order huh?¡± Rhone asked.


    Y¡¯rid nodded. He thought it was clear at this point, but something in Rhone¡¯s voice gave away the seriousness the man felt.


    Rhone stared at him for a moment before nodding. ¡°Well, let¡¯s skin the wolf and get it onto the cart.¡± He turned and smirked at Holin. ¡°Since he¡¯s yours Holin, You¡¯ll have to do the honours of showing him how.¡±


    Holin scratched the side of his neck as he looked at the wolf. ¡°¡­Sure¡­ Well first off, steelwolves are a bit tricky, The fur grows deep into its flesh-¡°


    He stopped and looked up, staring off into the forest.


    ¡°What is-¡° Kali began but stopped as Holin motioned for her to be silent.


    He walked a few steps towards the treeline and tilted his head, staying completely still. The relaxed atmosphere had vanished, replaced by a silent tension as the others focused on him.


    ¡°¡­Something¡¯s heading this way,¡± Holin said quietly, ¡°something big.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell what?¡± Rhone asked.


    Holin shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not moving fast but those aren¡¯t the movements of something roaming the wild. It¡¯s moving with purpose.¡± He looked at them, then at the corpse. ¡°I¡¯d wager it¡¯s following the blood.¡±


    Kali¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You think it¡¯s a gorger?¡±


    Holin nodded, ¡°sounds like one.¡±


    ¡°Another thing that doesn¡¯t belong here,¡± Rhone muttered under his breath, before raising his voice. ¡°Everyone get ready to move. Kali, throw those packs onto the cart. Red, strap in the d¡¯yar. And leave the wolf here, we don¡¯t need a gorger on our trail.¡±


    Kali and Red sprang into action.


    ¡°No,¡± Holin said. Y¡¯rid turned back to him to see the man staring off into the forest, his hand gripped the sword at his waist, its blade half-drawn. ¡°We can take it. There¡¯s four of us and one of it.¡±


    Rhone spun towards him. ¡°Absolutely not. We don¡¯t have a full team, and I won¡¯t risk injuries weakening us further. Not to mention fighting while trying to protect these two is foolish.¡±


    ¡°I can help,¡± Y¡¯rid said, a hard edge to his tone. Didn¡¯t he just prove that? He might not be as fast or skilled as them but he could pull his own weight.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t,¡± Rhone said. ¡°Killing the wolf was good work, though I don¡¯t doubt there was some luck involved. But a gorger is a different game. You¡¯ll just get in the way.¡±


    Y¡¯rid opened his mouth to protest but Holin cut him off.


    ¡°He¡¯s right. You won¡¯t be of help¡­ at least not yet.¡± He said over his shoulder, sliding the blade back into its sheath. He turned around and gave Rhone a thin smile. ¡°So let¡¯s go.¡±


    Reaching out Y¡¯rid took Hadi¡¯s arm, and led him to the cart as Red was strapping in the d¡¯yar. He lifted the boy and placed him on top. Kali quickly threw their packs onto the cart as well before Red slapped the D¡¯yar on the romp sending it towards the road and as he ran alongside it with the others quickly following.


    The sounds of frantic bird calls reached Y¡¯rid¡¯s ears alongside a faint thumping of footsteps. He looked back to see a flock rising out of the treetops a short distance into the forest. He watched as a big bird of prey rose above the treeline. It had just risen when a long tendril of flesh shot out and wrapped itself around the bird before pulling it back into the forest. His breath caught in his throat and steps faltered as he stared, unable to trust his eyes.


    ¡°What was-¡°


    ¡°Keep going!¡± Kali shouted and grabbed his arm, pulling him out of his daze as she ran down after the others with him in tow.


    The sounds of heavy steps were getting nearer now as the group reached the bottom of the hill and turned onto the road. A sharp crack echoed through the air, the sound of snapping wood. Unable to resist, he looked back, and could just make out the outlines of a mass of tendrils above the crest of the hill, writhing in the rays of the morning sun.


    Then they passed the trees on the side of the road hiding whatever creature those things belonged to from sight.


    ***


    Y¡¯rid stumbled back as he retreated, almost tripping over the uneven ground. His gaze flickered down for a moment before he looked up again, but the damage was already done. Seizing the chance Holin stepped to the side and swung one of his swords aimed at Y¡¯rid¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look away,¡± he said as Y¡¯rid spun towards him and raised his bracer to catch the blow. The heavy strike shook his arm as Holin¡¯s second sword darted in in a straight thrust. Y¡¯rid threw himself to the side, rolling on his shoulder before pushing himself up and away, just in time to avoid the follow-up slash from his opponent.


    ¡°Don¡¯t block, guide. That thing on your arm isn¡¯t a shield so don¡¯t use it like one.¡±


    The words were followed by Holin as the man closed the distance between them, barely giving Y¡¯rid time to plant his feet. Holin struck at him, but Y¡¯rid expected the attack. He caught the blade on the bracer and guided it upwards and over his head as he ducked underneath it. He stepped in and stabbed forward with his own sword. Holin leaned to the side, allowing the blade to pass him by. The man stepped forward and swung up his knee striking Y¡¯rid¡¯s chin with a loud crack.


    His head snapped back and he winced in pain. Acting on instinct he dropped his sword and reached down grasping Holin¡¯s knee. He yanked his arm back throwing the man off balance as he pulled himself forward driving his shoulder into Hoiin¡¯s chest. They tumbled to the ground in a sprawl of limbs.


    Holin laughed as he rolled away while Y¡¯rid scrambled to get to his sword. He had just reached it when he saw Holin springing towards him out of the corner of his eye. Knowing he didn¡¯t have time to stand, he swung the blade at the man¡¯s feet hoping to drive him back. Holin jumped over the swing, one boot coming down onto the flat of the blade, pinning it to the ground. Y¡¯rid released the sword and rolled onto his back raising his bracer to fend off the strike he knew was coming as he reached for his dagger. Just barely making it before Holins blade clashed onto the hide that wrapped the bracer. He drew back his arm to stab at Holin¡¯s leg when the sudden touch of cold steel at his throat halted his movements.


    Holin grinned at him from above, then sheathed his swords before holding out a hand. ¡°You¡¯re getting better, If I still used one sword you might have had me that time.¡±


    Y¡¯rid glanced at the man¡¯s arm as he took hold of it and pulled himself up. He couldn¡¯t help the feeling of satisfaction that rose in him as he saw the scar on the man¡¯s forearm. In a month it would barely be visible, but that wouldn¡¯t take away the memory. The first time he had got the better of the man in their sparring. Granted Holin had been way too relaxed for his own good, but that didn¡¯t cause his flesh to heal faster.


    That was a week ago. After that Holin had switched to using both his swords. Y¡¯rid had yet to win a second time.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t get used to this ¡®guiding¡¯, when I see the blade coming my way I want to avoid or block it,¡± Yrid said as he unwrapped the hide from bracer. The true strength of the bracer was in bringing your opponent closer, opening them up for a strike. But time and again he would find himself switching back to using it as a shield.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°You''re already better at it than I was when I tried it. A few more months and you¡¯ll be using it like you were born with it,¡± Holin said.


    Y¡¯rid nodded as he walked over to Hadi and sat down against the tree next to the boy.


    ¡°How did I do?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Good,¡± Hadi said with a smile.


    The boy had taken to watching their sparring ever since they left Watchman¡¯s Point, two weeks ago.


    ¡°And me?¡± Holin asked.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ bad,¡± the boy said, laughing.


    Y¡¯rid chuckled as Holin shook his head in mock despair. He leaned back and rested his head against the trunk of the tree enjoying the cool breeze after the spar.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so set on using real swords,¡± Y¡¯rid said watched Holin inspect his swords for nicks, part of the reason why he wrapped the bracer in hide instead of exposing the steel.


    He ran his fingers over the deep cut in the leather on his shoulder. He had gained a few scars here and there from sparring with Holin, but the one on his shoulder was the worst. Granted to him after he couldn¡¯t raise his bracer in time. Just thinking about it made the wound itch. Thankfully the stitches didn¡¯t come loose this time, it seemed like it was finally beginning to heal.


    Kali had sewed up the wound with a needle and thread when he first got it, something which he felt quite grateful for considering Red had wanted to give him ¡®the desert¡¯s touch¡¯, which amounted to sticking a sword in the fire and pressing the hot blade onto the wound, searing it shut.


    ¡°What?¡± Holin asked as he looked towards him. ¡°You want to swing sticks at each other?¡±


    Y¡¯rid shrugged, ¡°it doesn¡¯t have to be wooden swords, we could have got a pair of blunt blades at Lok. Damaging your sword while sparring seems wasteful.¡±


    ¡°First of all, there is no such thing as a wooden sword. That¡¯s a stick you¡¯re talking about. And second, you will do a lot more sparring and training than actual combat. If you use a ¡®training sword¡¯, then you¡¯ll get used to the that blade¡¯s weight and length, instead of the one you¡¯ll stake your life on.


    Replacing your sword more often and gaining a few small scars are a lot more preferable to losing your life because you misjudged a strike, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    Y¡¯rid shrugged. It did make sense in a certain way, but going into a fight with a damaged blade and having it break in the middle of it seemed a lot worse.


    ¡°Let''s head back,¡± Holin said looking up at the darkening sky. ¡°We can continue this tomorrow.¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded and pushed himself off the ground. Walking nearly ten hours a day and spending another two training with Holin had begun to put some weight on his previously emaciated frame.


    Still too thin for his tastes, but at least he didn¡¯t feel as weak as before.


    ***


    The warm glow of flames welcomed them as they reached the camp, casting shadows along the trees that stretched and swayed in the flickering light. Rhone was talking with Kali at the fire while Red was off to the side, practising with his greataxe.


    Y¡¯rid , Hadi and Holin joined the other two by the fire as he watched Red flow through his movements. Each of his steps was heavy but precise as he strode forward while the axe danced in his hands. His swings never-ending, one flowing into the next as he spun the axe in his hands, continuously in motion. The way he handled the weapon made it seem almost weightless as the blade twirled in the air, a sharp contrast to the sound the axe made as it tore through it.


    For once he was happy that Holin was his sparring partner. If he tried to block one of those swings he would probably end up with a broken arm.


    ¡°You set up traps?¡± Rhone asked looking at Holin.


    The man shook his head. ¡°Not really, we still have more than enough meat from Kali¡¯s korabarr, don¡¯t we? More would just spoil.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked over to the beast¡¯s corpse lying next to the cart. A korabarr, Holin called it. It looked like a strange mixture of ox and boar. Curling horns and tusks extended out of its thick skull, with a hump on its back pierced through by bone knobs growing out of its spine.


    They had found it next to the road the previous day, right where Kali had left it, a single arrow pierced through its eye and into its skull.


    ¡°I want to trade a few beast pelts at the next city to regain a bit of the coin we spent on supplies. It also wouldn¡¯t hurt to get a few days¡¯ worth of dried meats. We still have to head through Nightwood. Seeing as you and Kali bring in the food and she¡¯s an archer¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Holin said, nodding in understanding, ¡°I suppose we could start gathering some if you want, though we could always just make camp earlier and start walking in the night. It¡¯ll only take a day or so to adjust.¡±


    ¡°Let''s leave that for when it''s truly necessary, three hours of hunting in addition to another three for cooking, that would set us back quite a bit,¡± Rhone said.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss the long days,¡± Red said with a sigh as he walked over. He set the head of the axe to the ground and rested his one arm on the haft.


    ¡°I noticed the night setting in sooner,¡± Y¡¯rid said, ¡°but is¡­¡±


    He frowned. He wanted to ask why winter seemed such a big deal to them but he couldn¡¯t get to the word. Now that he thought about it, he also couldn¡¯t get remember the word for seasons. He knew of them, but that was it.


    He sifted through his inherited memories but nothing came up. In fact, the boy had no concept of such things. Then it struck him. They didn¡¯t have seasons here. What he had at first mistaken for winter from the boy¡¯s memories, when cold winds would blow in from the east and he would almost freeze in the alleyway, were simply colder periods. Cold fronts that lasted for weeks, but they weren¡¯t tied to changing seasons.


    Holin chuckled. ¡°I forgot you spent your entire life in Riversend. Must be nice to have that even split between night and day.¡±


    Red nodded as he looked at him.


    Even split? He supposed the days weren¡¯t much longer than the night from what he could remember, but it wasn¡¯t that different here. The nights did seem a bit longer but that was the change in¡­ except it wasn¡¯t was it?


    ¡°Why are the nights longer than they were a few weeks ago?¡± Y¡¯rid asked tentatively, still unsure as to how such a thing was possible.


    ¡°They grow longer the further north you go and shorter further south,¡± Kali said.


    Y¡¯rid surprise must have shown as Holin grinned. ¡°Wait till we reach Stronghold, by then the night will be twice as long as the day.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Hadi asked doubtfully, looking at Holin as if the man was trying to trick him, a sentiment Y¡¯rid was inclined to share.


    Kali smiled at the boy. ¡°Oh yes. If you keep heading north you¡¯ll even reach a place where even the sun does not dare to show its face.¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes stretched as heard this. He was way too trusting of her in his opinion, even if a few tall tales wouldn¡¯t do harm. But looking at her now he couldn¡¯t see the mischievous twist in her smile that she usually had when telling the boy such things. It really seemed like she believed what she said.


    ¡°You saw this?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    ¡°Well not personally,¡± She admitted, ¡°but I-¡°


    ¡°I have,¡± Rhone said drawing the others¡¯ attention. ¡°Siar¡¯Amni, the Eternal Night.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± Kali asked, the hint of excitement in her tone causing Rhone to snort.


    ¡°Cold and dark,¡± He said poking at the fire with a branch to spread out some of the glowing embers to the side. ¡°The ground is covered in ice. No plant life can survive in that, not even vines or firesaps. At least none that we saw. We only made it to the edge before turning back. No wood meant no fire, no warmth and no light.¡±


    Rhone stood up and walked over to the korabarr pulling out his knife as he did so.


    ¡°Kale told me he once found an old journal in the library,¡± Holin said. ¡°One of the old hunter teams apparently made it through. There was no sun by which to measure the time it took, but the one who wrote it kept an eye on the stars and estimated about eighty days of travel, from one end to the next. They only made it thanks to the mage that went with them, and even then only two members of the team survived.¡±


    ¡°Why did they even try that?¡± Kali asked.


    Holin shrugged. ¡°The journal didn¡¯t say.¡±


    ¡°Pilgrimage?¡± Red suggested. ¡°Deep in Anuneer is the Endless Day. Some say Uldar¡¯s city sits in the heart. Those that go into the Endless day to search for it return after two days. Their skin charred and flesh cooked. Either that or they don¡¯t return. None have made it a third.¡±


    ¡°You said a mage went with them?¡± Rhone asked as he paused cutting off one of the beast¡¯s legs. ¡°Perhaps they were searching for ruins from the Old Age, some might have survived in that lifeless place.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know about that,¡± Holin said. ¡°But is the journal is to be believed, then the Night isn¡¯t as lifeless as you might think.¡±


    Y¡¯rid gazed up at the night sky. How would people have survived long enough to build whatever those would be ruins once were, in an environment seemed like it was designed to kill you?


    Perhaps one day he¡¯d go and see this Eternal Night and Endless Day for himself. He smiled as he shook his head at the thought.


    ***


    Y¡¯rid sat by the firepit, his back towards the flickering flames. His eyes scanned the dark trees, the glow of the fire just enough to light up the trunks of the nearest ones surrounding the small clearing where they had made camp. He suspected the others would sense any danger approaching them before he did, even if he was the one on watch. Especially with Holin choosing to sleep outside, with his back to a tree rather than in a tent.


    He looked up at one of the treetops, the bright star visible to the right of it had moved just a bit. About halfway into his shift, he guessed. The chill of the night was slowly seeping into him, making the warmth at his back seem all the more alluring. He shook his head and took a deep breath, savouring the crisp air as it raced down his lungs.


    Standing up as silently as he could, he stretched his arms a few times before walking quietly towards the treeline. The sounds of the forest nightlife reached his ears as the crackling of the flames faded to the background. A rustling through the bushes, a buzzing from an insect and the far-off howl of some beast staking its claim to a small part of the giant forest. These were enough to banish the drowsiness he felt earlier. A reminder that they were most certainly not alone.


    He then began a slow circling of the site, careful not to stray too far from the light of the fire. The half-moon and stars gave enough light to not trip over a root or rock, but not quite being enough to pierce through the shadows cast by the trees.


    He sighed, this was not the first time he envied Holin¡¯s hearing. Completing his circuit, he walked back to the fire, once more savouring the light and warmth it gave off. Like he did each time he walked around the camp.


    At least it¡¯s not raining.


    Keeping watch in the rain was even less enjoyable than it sounded. They would have two people on watch at a time then, but of course, that also meant longer shifts and less sleep for everyone. Which was just about the best part of it. The rain would seep into your clothes and skin while simultaneously obstructing your sight and denying you the warmth of a fire.


    A shiver ran through him at the very thought of it, and he reached over to throw a few more pieces of wood onto the dying fire. Y¡¯rid turned away from the flames and sat onto the ground a few feet away, on the opposite side from where Holin slept a few meters from the fire, certain that the man would sense if anything came at them from that side.


    Now is as good a time as any.


    He took a deep breath in preparation for what was to come.


    He closed his eyes for a moment and delved into his memories, past those of the time since Riversedge, and past those of the boy whose body he wore. No, what he wanted lay deeper. Into those he knew was his.


    Images flashed past him, a few clear but many more obscure and murky, fading away as soon as they came. Gritting his teeth he latched on to one.


    He stepped forward, one of the man¡¯s arms were slung over his shoulder, the other with an arrow pierced straight through it, slung over the shoulder of Hen. They had been had been patrolling on the wall when the merchant came riding in like a demon was chasing after him, his face pale from blood loss and twisted in pain.


    Already there was a small crowd forming around them as he and Hen half-supported-half-dragged the man the barracks. The man kept repeating a name under his breath that he couldn¡¯t quite make out. Worry showed on the faces of the crowd as they muttered among themselves while others shouted to him for answers. Answers he didn¡¯t have.


    Finally, he reached the building. Already he could see his father- no, his captain, striding towards them, his face grim enough to make a stone winch.


    ¡°Go to your homes!¡± The captain shouted at the crowd, the edge in his voice quickly dispersing the majority, though a few of the braver ones stayed.


    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked as he reached them, Thomas and Cor following short on his heels.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, he came riding in and hasn¡¯t been making any sense.¡±


    The captain stepped forward and lightly slapped the man across the face, though lightly might have been the wrong word for a man built like him. The merchant¡¯s head knocked to the side and shut him up before he turned and stared at the man who had slapped him.


    ¡°What happened?¡± The captain repeated.


    The man¡¯s eyes were wide. ¡°Bandits. They were upon us before we could do anything. Mela- Oh gods, she-¡°


    ¡°Where and how many?¡±


    The man seemed taken aback by the question but the look in the captain¡¯s eyes left no room for debate.


    ¡°Passed the old bridge, a dozen, maybe more.¡± His voice broke as he shook his head, tears rolling down his cheeks.


    ¡°Tom, get him to the healer. Cor go find Hano. Tell him we have need of him and his hounds.¡± He turned around to look at the gathering group of guards as more started to appear, decked out in armour that had seen better days, their expressions a mixture of anger and fear.


    ¡°Listen up men!¡± The captain shouted as he stared in the eyes of the guardsmen. ¡°It seems a group of misbegotten wretches have taken a liking to our town. They think they can take what they want without any consequences. Today they settled for a merchant¡¯s caravan. Tomorrow they might set their sight on your wives and daughters. Now tell me, would you be able to call yourselves guards if your family has to fear for their safety everytime they step outside these walls?¡±


    He could see the captain¡¯s words take effect, as the thought of their loved ones in danger passed through the other guards¡¯ minds. As the thought of Reena fleeing from a group of armed men passed through his. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. He could see the determination take hold on the guards¡¯ faces as he was sure it showed on his.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think so. We¡¯re guards because we protect that which we care about. And now that they are in danger, it is time for us to do so.¡± The captain''s voice was met with nods as the baying of hounds sounded in the distance, quickly approaching.


    The captain turned to him, his stony expression flickered for a moment as he laid a hand on his shoulder. ¡±Remember what I taught-¡°


    Y¡¯rid stifled a grunt as mind recoiled, feeling like he had run headfirst into a stone wall. He reached out and stabilised himself with an arm to keep from toppling over, while his other hand clutched the side of his head.


    He slowly released the shaky breath he had been holding before taking in another one.


    Focus on breathing.


    Slowly he felt his head begin to clear as the pounding in it began to settle. For the past few nights, he had been trying to regain what pieces of his old life he could. More often than not he just ended up with a headache, but sometimes he got something back, an image or a scene.


    Tonight he had got more than he expected but the price seemed to be getting steeper as well, the headaches getting worse. This time, at least, he had something to show for his efforts. And one thing stood out from the rest.


    Reena. Black hair with a striking resemblance to the girl he saw in his memories weeks ago. Her mother?


    A first he had thought his memories were simply missing, maybe even blocked. He had hoped that they would clear up in time. But the more he tried to retrieve the more confused he became. The memories weren¡¯t complete. It seemed as though they were torn apart and all he could do was to pick up a piece here and there. Whenever he tried to follow one to its conclusion it would end in pain.


    He looked down at his hands, at the slight tremor running through them. It scared him. Yet he couldn¡¯t stop himself from trying to get more. To understand.


    But he couldn¡¯t remember memories he didn¡¯t have, could he?


    He shook his head and stood up. He began walking to the edge of the perimeter to do another sweep of the surroundings. This, at least, was something that didn¡¯t require answers he didn¡¯t have.

 Chapter 10

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    Rhone looked at his son as the boy''s face contorted with pain.


    Come on.


    He willed him to succeed. He had to. The boy groaned as he knelt on the ground and trying to keep still as the battle raged inside him. He fell forward onto his hands, onto the blood-soaked ground. His fingers curled up into fists, scratching deep grooves into the earth.


    Rhone watched as the boy''s mouth split open and a scream tore its way out of his throat, twisting halfway through into something more primal, more bestial.


    Come on, fight it!


    Rhone grit his teeth, the hand clutching his sword so tightly that his knuckles cracked. He denied the dread that was slowly seeking to seep its way into his gut. He denied the fear as it crept into his mind.


    What if he-


    The thought tasted of bile.


    No.


    He watched as the boy''s limbs contorted and flailed as he fell into the blood-soaked dirt. His face swung around, twisting this way and that.


    For a moment the boy''s head turned in Rhone¡¯s direction and his gaze locked onto that of his son.


    His heart sank as he failed to see even the slightest bit of recognition in it.


    ¡°Rhone,¡± The weaver said, catching his attention, ¡°it is time.¡±


    He looked to towards the grizzled old man, one of the people standing in the circle surrounding the boy and the corpse. He saw the look of pity in the man¡¯s eyes.


    His jaw clenched as he felt a fire rising in his chest.


    ¡°No,¡± He said. ¡°He still has time, he can still do it.¡±


    His words were laced with desperation as he looked around at the circle for support. Most of them avoided his gaze, those that didn''t, looked back at him with the same pitying eyes. His gaze caught onto Dane¡¯s. The man looked back and slowly shook his head.


    Rhone''s gaze snapped back to the boy as his back arched upwards at a nearly impossible angle, as he looked around, taking in all the people around him.


    For a moment, Rhone felt his heart lift. But the gazes of the others... none of the relief he had hoped to see was there, instead, there was only sorrow.


    The boy¡¯s head slowly turned to him. He felt the world dull as the colours around him lost a bit of their vibrance. He knew what was coming, he dreaded it more than anything, yet he could not look away. The boy''s head finally faced him and /its gaze locked onto his. For a moment, all feeling seemed to fade away as their eyes met. Those weren¡¯t the vibrant ochre of his son¡¯s eyes, nor were they the pale red the boy had longed for.


    What stared back at him were eyes the colour of fresh blood, shining in the glow of the moonlight.


    The thing twisted its head sideways, a mouth that belonged to his boy opened, dripping with spit and blood. It stared at him, at the sword in his hand. A low growl emerged from its throat. A throat that was raw from screams held back, twisting the growl into a hoarse wheeze.


    He watched as it crouched down and barred its teeth before leaping towards him.


    With a shout of pain deeper than any physical wound, he swung out the blade, a grey streak flashing through the neck of the thing. He dropped the sword and stepped forward catching the falling body and pressing it towards him. His eyes watered as he heard the sickening thud of something hitting the ground behind him.


    He did not want to think what was.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Slowly he sank to his knees still clutching at his son. A broken sob forced its way out of his throat as his vision blurred from the tears.


    He did not know how long he stayed like that. At some point, the others had left, though he didn¡¯t notice when.


    All he knew was that the body was cold by the time he let go of it.


    And the world... the world was less.


    ***


    Rhone''s eyes snapped open, the dark fabric of the tent meeting his gaze. For a moment he just stared at it, tracing the lines of the fabric, not wanting to let his mind wander. The best way, he knew, was to focus on something else.


    Focusing on a past he couldn''t change led to madness, a destination he had narrowly escaped, all those years ago.


    Every time he thought he had made peace with the memory, it seemed to crop up again, clawing at wounds that never fully healed. He doubted that they ever would. He did know if he wanted them to.


    Shaking his head he stood up from the bedroll and pushed his way outside. The tent opened up, revealing a pit containing a dying fire a few arm''s lengths away, fighting a losing war against the cold of the night.


    He looked past the fire to see Holin standing at the other side it, looking out into the forest.


    "I still have a while to go," Holin said, still turned away from him. "Besides, Kali has next watch."


    Rhone shook his head, more out of habit than answer, as the man had his back turned on him. Though it wouldn''t surprise him if Holin had somehow noticed, he seemed to have eyes on the back of his head.


    "I''m up now. Probably not going to get much more sleep, might as well do something useful."


    Holin looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. "Well, If you want, then I won''t stop you."


    He turned back to the forest, making no move towards his own bedroll lying a short distance away. The only times Rhone had ever seen him using a tent was during rainstorms, even then, he usually kept the sides open. Rhone moved over and joined him.


    "Anything interesting?" He asked.


    "Footsteps," Holin said. "Nhilynxes by the sound of it. They were circling the camp a while back. They seem to have drawn away but every now and then they begin again. Might be building up the courage."


    "Any chance you can tell their numbers?"


    "Not with any reasonable amount of certainty. If I had to guess... about half a dozen."


    Rhone grunted. Half a dozen nhilynxes could cause them some trouble, but they were cowardly creatures. As long as they didn''t feel completely confident, they probably wouldn''t take the risk of attacking.


    They stood in silence for a moment, the only sounds coming from the crackling flames and the forest''s nightlife. Rhone looked back towards the other tents pitched near the firepit. He had been on first watch, with Kali being the last. In a few hours, they would pack up and be back on the road again. A few more days until they reach Dusk-


    "I saw footprints when I was out scouting yesterday," Holin said, interrupting his thoughts.


    "I would guess that is a normal occurrence. I would be more worried if you didn''t find any."


    "These were not the kind I expected to find," - Holin turned to him, - "It seems a swarm of ilari passed through here."


    This caught Rhone''s attention.


    "Where were they heading?" He asked after a moment''s thought.


    "North."


    He stayed silent for a moment. "At least they are heading back."


    "The question is what are they doing here? Normally I would just have put the sighting out of my mind, but things have been a bit strange lately. First the khatri at Riversedge, then the gorger at Watchman''s Point. Now this. Once wouldn''t have been much of an issue, twice is a bit strange, but thrice?" -Holin turned back to look out over the forest, his lips curled into a smile- "Something''s driving them south."


    The thought was certainly unsettling, though Rhone couldn''t blame Holin for coming to that conclusion. In fact, his thoughts had reached a similar destination.


    "When we get back to Stronghold we can consult with the weaver, maybe one of the other teams brought in some more information," Rhone said with more confidence than he truly felt.


    "The old man is too conservative. If you ignore a threat for too long it can quickly grow to something you can''t deal with."


    "He is conservative because he has to be," Rhone said. "The order is shrinking. More ritual Bindings end in failure each generation."


    "Don''t get me wrong, he has done a good job, it''s just not enough. That''s why we need more. Fresh blood, so to speak, and lots of it."


    Rhone felt the piece of information click into place, his eyes widening in recognition.


    "That''s why you''re training the kid," He said.


    Holin shrugged. "He has talent."


    "One would hardly make a difference."


    "No. but it''s a start. We could spread out. Reclaim one of the old forts, build up strength and numbers instead of trudging on as we do now, fighting a losing war."


    Where would you find the people to join?


    He wanted to ask but the answer came as soon as he thought about it. He knew full well the lure that the promise of power and a few tales of glory could be.


    Holin clicked his tongue in annoyance. Rhone turned towards him, the question not needing to be asked.


    "They thought better of it. I was hoping for a chance to stretch my limbs."


    He turned away from the forest and walked to his bedroll near the campfire. "You good with taking over the watch?"


    "Yeah, you go ahead," Rhone said, his mind still on their conversation.


    Having more hunters of the order would no doubt increase their strength. They could send out more teams, help more people. Maybe they could, as Holin said, reclaim a few of the old forts. But how many would they lose in the attempt? How many people would fail in the Binding? When do the means outweigh the end?


    Rhone glanced around the camp, his gaze stopping momentarily on Y''rid''s tent before he looked back into the forest.


    Talent huh?


    The dream resurfaced in his mind. It required more than talent to become a part of the order.


    He sighed. He liked the young man. Stubborn at times but he had a clear head, willing to learn and take advice. An uncommon quality in someone his age. From what he could tell, he cared about the wellbeing of other people, something which seemed to become rarer with each passing term. Or perhaps it was just his perspective that had changed.


    How many people like him would fail, losing their lives when they could have contributed in less precarious ways?


    Holin could train him if he''d like, and the man could get others to take up and train new members, but he was done. He had enough on his conscience without adding more to it.

 Chapter 11

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    Y''rid knelt next to the trunk of the tree, his body concealed behind the bushes in front of him as he strained his hearing, trying to pick up any sound that might give away the position of the alds. From time to time he thought he could make out the snap of a branch in the distance or a low thump from a footstep. He shifted the sword to his other hand to wipe off the sweat from his palm onto the soft moss that partially covered the trunk.


    He looked up at the light shining through the treetops trying to keep his mind from fixating too much on the situation, Focus was important but placing too much tension on the body was hardly a wise thing to do at a time such as this. The few bits of sky he could see through the canopy was tinted orange, it was going to be dark soon.


    They would reach Dusk tomorrow, the last city before the Nightwood forest. Taking the last opportunity to get some trading material and meat he, Holin and Kali had gone out to hunt. Holin had noticed the trail left by the alds a short while after they entered the forest and had decided this to be a good time for Y''rid to learn to hunt in a group. The hunters of the order usually worked in teams, Y''rid had learned, with a full team generally consisting of between 7 to 10 people.


    Apparently, this was necessary for taking down some of the larger beasts. Some even required teams to work together, if they were to have a reasonable chance to kill the beasts without casualties.


    Picking up movement out of the corner of his eye, Y''rid quickly turned towards it to see Holin silently making his way over. The man reached him and crouched down.


    "Right," He began. "Two of them, one adult and one juvenile. I''ll head out first, give me a few minutes then follow. Stop when you see them. I''ll make the first move with Kali acting as support. You move in when you get the opportunity, but don''t charge in at the first chance you get, wait for an opening, and keep your wits about you."


    Y''rid nodded. his heart began to speed up again as the excitement and nervousness in his gut began to grow.


    "Good." With that, the man moved back into the undergrowth and quickly faded from view.


    Y''rid waited a few more minutes before he started to move forward, keeping his footsteps as silent as he could. He was the last one to get into position for this reason. Kali didn''t have to get close and Holin could sneak past almost anything. If he gave away his position then they would be ready to take advantage of the distraction while at the same time drawing the beasts'' attention from him.


    At least that was how Kali had phrased it. Holin went another direction and simply said he couldn''t sneak up on a dead hild in the middle of the night, a creature that didn''t have any sense of hearing whatsoever.


    Moving past the bushes that obstructed his way, he kept his ears open, listening for any sound of their targets. Soon enough he could hear them. The heavy thuds for their footsteps and the snapping of branches that at first had barely registered were now clear, bringing back memories of the first ald he saw with Holin. The ease with which it tore through roots and the strength contained in those powerful limbs were not something he would soon forget. And that was a juvenile. Once more he wiped the sweat from his palms. Yet despite this, he could feel the excitement building up inside him.


    In a strange way, he found a part of himself looking forward to this.


    After he had killed the wolf he had gone hunting with Holin a few times, working together to take down some of the smaller beasts in the forest. But nothing nearly as large or dangerous as an ald.


    He slowly made his way over, the sounds growing louder along with the beating of his chest. He moved from cover to cover trying to keep himself hidden, before finally spotting movement through the trees. Quickly moving up to the next tree, he pressed his back against it.


    Slowly he peeked around it, letting his eyes take in the creatures as they came into view. The nearest one was about the same size as the one he saw a month ago.


    Was it really only so short a time since he came to this place?


    His thoughts stumbled to a halt as his gaze landed upon the other, it stood further away from him that the first, but that only accentuated its size. Calling it big was... wrong. Horribly wrong. About nine feet tall if he had to guess, standing hunched over on three legs the size of small tree trunks. It faced away from him, but from the sounds it made he could tell it was chewing on something. It turned its head to scan the area, and he caught sight of the lizard dangling from its maw. it was the size of his leg. He heard the snapping as the beast bit down before taking hold of it in one paw and tearing it in two, blood running down its massive jaw.


    He saw the beast swallow before throwing the other part into its mouth as well, it quickly followed the first half down into its gullet. Y''rid swallowed. He preferred it when these things were eating roots.


    He dragged his gaze away to scan the area for Holin. To his surprise, he actually spotted the man. He was off to the side, only a few strides away from the smaller one, pressed up against a tree, hiding him from the ald''s sight.


    Holin looked towards him and caught his eye. The man raised a hand and signalled a countdown while his other pulled one of the heavy throwing knives he kept on his belt.


    What use is that going to be?


    Y''rid shut down the thought before it could expand. Was that really the most important thing to be thinking about right now? Perhaps it was the mind''s way to distract him from what was to come?


    Realising that he was still doing it, Y''rid looked down at his sword, drawing his attention back as he took a few deep breaths. He looked back up to see Holin reaching the end of his count, a wry smile on his face as the man looked at him. Holin reached the end of the count before he suddenly paused, his eyes snapping towards the side, looking passed alds.


    A hissing sound echoed through the air as a blur of motion shot out of the treeline. It struck the big ald with enough force to send it stumbling forward as it latched on to the beast. Y''rid''s eyes widened in surprise as they took in the sight of the new creature. it had two long thing-looking arms ending in oversized claws that closed onto the ald''s neck while the rest of its body tapered down into a long tail that wrapped around the beast''s waist.


    Its head was tall, its cone-shaped forehead reaching up with two vertical rows of black eyes running down it. On its back was a growth-like protrusion with glowing patterns running down next to it, pulsing with a blue light.


    The ald tried too roar, but the sound came out as a loud wheeze through its constricted throat, it reared up onto its hind legs as it reached for the caws of the creature on its back. The creature opened the jaws and bit into the ald''s neck, before a loud hissing sound emerged from it.


    The air shimmered as the ald began to thrash about trying to shake the creature. Y''rid instinctively turned away as a heatwave washed over him, stinging his eyes. He forced himself to look back at the scene as his mind raced to process the turn of events.


    The other ald roared at the creature and charged forward. The creature, realising its predicament, released the ald from its mouth and inhaled. Y''rid watched, transfixed, as the protrusion on its back inflated in moments, forming an orb-like structure almost as large as the rest of it. The pale grey skin and a purple membrane stretched over it in a patchwork.


    the air rushed through its mouth and into the orb on its back, filling it up and lifting the creature into the air, as its claws tore open the neck of the big ald. The ald trashed and flailed as it panicked from the blood streaming out of its now ruined neck. To Y''rid''s horror, he saw the skin on its back blackened and half-melted, the stench of burnt meat filling the air.


    But the creature clearly wasn''t fished. The hissing sound started again and the creature charged into the younger ald, too fast for Y''rid''s eyes to keep track of it, all he saw was a blur and a trail of shimmering air. Its claws latched onto the horns of the younger ald holding its face in front of that of the beast as it opened its mouth.


    The ald began yanking its head from side to side as the heat wave came and the orb on the creature''s back deflated. but the creature held on, refusing to release its hold on the beast.


    This time Y''rid could see the skin of the ald blistering and cracking as it burned before starting to melt. The beast screeched in pain and tried to swat the creature but it was too fast. The creature threw itself over the ald and it spun in the air, its long tail acting as a whip, striking the ald across its back with enough force to drive it to the ground.


    The hissing sound came again as the creature dove towards the grounded beast and sank its teeth into the beast''s neck. The ald swiped at it, the blow catching the monster''s side, sending it through the air, but it quickly righted itself as the orb inflated once more, carrying it into the air as it inhaled.


    For a moment it stared down at the struggling beasts before swinging its head towards a tree to the side. The one Holin was hiding behind.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "Shit!"


    Y''rid heard the curse a moment before the thing accelerated towards the tree and whipped its tail around the trunk. A resounding crack rang out as the limb struck the bark, but Holin was already rolling towards the side, barely escaping the blow.


    Holin rolled to his feet as the creature retreated into the air before plunging down again. He ducked to the side and swung his sword catching the creature''s arm just above the wrist. the blade sank deep before the creature passed him ripping out the blade in a spray of purple liquid. Y''rid could hear the sizzling sound of the blood as it landed on the ground and plants.


    The creature struck its uninjured arm into the ground and pivoted around it, swinging towards the man. A whistling reached Y''rid''s ears moment''s before an arrow sunk itself into the creature''s side. The creature released a series of grating and clicking noises as it withdrew into the air, giving Holin enough time the right himself before it dived down once more.


    He narrowly avoided the tail that came swinging his way, whistling through the air as it did so. But the creature was faster, it reached out and caught a hold of his shoulder, dragging them closer to each other. it opened its mouth and blew out the scalding air. Holin cried out as he twisted his head trying to protect his face. he swung down the blade still clutched in his hand, this time succeeding in severing the creature''s arm at the wrist before rolling away, dodging the spray of purple blood from the stump.


    The creature hissed and accelerated towards Holin who was trying to get to his feet, he couldn''t avoid the tail as it struck him in the chest and threw him through the air. The man landed with a heavy thud near Y''rid. He could see the burnt and cracked skin across one half of the man''s face leaking blood through the broken surface. He saw the creature prepare for another charge as he snapped out of his daze.


    With a shout, he leapt from the undergrowth to meet the beast as it plunged down. it quickly turned its sight upon him as it swung its tail. Y''rid crouched down and raised his bracer hoping to guide the strike overhead. The glancing blow struck the bracer with enough force to lift him off his feet and send him spinning into the air. His vision blurred with the motion, the ground rising up the meet him all too soon as he struck the earth, knocking the air from his lungs.


    He grit his teeth forcefully pushed himself up even as the world spun around him only to find himself face to face with the beast. Time seemed to slow down as he stared at its twin rows of eyes as it opened its maw. With a wet thud, its head jerked away, an arrow sting from the side of it. it gave a series of clicks as it turned its head towards the threat. Only for another arrow to strike it, piercing the orb on its back. a hiss came from it as the air was expelled from the orb, driving the creature back.


    It struggled for a moment, before regaining balance as the purple blood sealed the wound with the arrow still inside. Y''rid raised his sword as he saw the creature preparing to dive once more.


    A growl came from behind him. Before he could even turn he saw a shadow flash past.


    Holin.


    Y''rid watched as he charged at the creature with a speed that outclassed his normal movements.


    The creature lunged forward swiping its remaining claw at Holin. He ducked to the side, his blade flying across, slicing through the top of the creature''s claw. It roared in its clicking tongue as its tail swung after him. He dived to the ground, rolling underneath the whipping limb with inches to spare.


    Y''rid moved to support him as another arrow hit the orb sack on the creatures back throwing it off course with a hiss before it righted itself. With the creature out of the way, his eyes focused on Holin as the man rolled to his feet.


    No


    he realised, his movement stopping dead in their tracks. It wasn''t Holin, it couldn''t be. it wore his armour and carried his sword, but it was definitely not a man. not a human. Half of its face was blackened and cracked but the other half revealed wrinkled hairless skin. Its mouth elongated into a short snout, lips twisting upwards into a feral grin, revealing pointed teeth. its ears, higher up that they should be, stretched far further than any person''s could and ended in sharp points. Its one remaining eye wasn''t the pale red he had come to know. it was a glowing bright scarlet with a vertical slit for a pupil.


    He could barely track the movements of the half-beast as it charged forward, to meet the creature as it sped down towards it. the creature reached it and opened its mouth to spew out the hot air inside of it. The half-beast moved forward and crouched down while striking the underside of the creature''s jaw slamming it shut. The beast''s hand snaked around the creature''s neck and pulled down as it lept upwards swinging onto its back. it jumped through the air, the sword in its hand flashing out across the orb.


    Gas and blood exploded from the creature''s back driving it to the ground as the half-beast twisted in the air to avoid the liquid before landing on into a crouch. The creature tumbled onto the ground. it opened and closed its mouth frantically, trying to draw in air, but the ruined orb on its back failed to inflate.


    The half-beast strode over to the dying creature. it tried to drag itself away, but its mutilated limbs failed to latch onto the ground, leaving lines of sizzling blood as it struggled. Its tail swung towards it, trying to keep it at bay but the half-beast avoided it with ease, its eyes locked onto that of the creature.


    It ran forward and leapt, twisted over the creature to slash down before sailing over to land on the other side, avoiding the blood spurting from its half-severed neck.


    it turned and looked around, its eye momentarily resting on Y''rid. He tensed and raised his sword as their gazes met, the bloodlust in that shining eye clearly visible.


    Its lips curled upwards, showing the sharp teeth in a twisted mutilation of a human''s smile.


    "Holin!" A familiar voice came from the trees followed quickly by approaching footsteps. Kali emerged from the treeline and jogged towards the half-beast. A snapping sound came from it as it dropped to one knee. clutching its chest. Y''rid could just make out the jaw and cheekbones breaking beneath the skin and rearranging themselves into a familiar face. the ears on its head sank down and grew shorter as they returned to their original form.


    Within moments, the beast was gone, replaced by Holin as he knelt on the ground.


    "Are you okay?" Kali asked kneeling down in front of him.


    he chuckled, then winced as the movement pulled on his burnt face. "Broken ribs... half a face," -he said, his voice strained- "Other than that... just great."


    "We need to get you back to camp."


    Holin nodded.


    Kali looked over to Y''rid. "Come and help me support him."


    Y''rid hesitated, still holding onto his sword as he looked at Holin.


    "Afraid I''m... going to eat you?"


    Y''rid paused a moment longer before nodding and seething his sword. Holin hardly looked to be in any condition to cause harm. And he owed the man the benefit of the doubt. He would have his answers though.


    "What was that, and more importantly, what are you?" He asked as he walked over to Holin.


    "You wanted... the power of those... from the order. That is... what it looks like," Holin answered through gritted teeth, ignoring the first question. "Kali... the skin on its back. We need those runes."


    "We don''t have time for that, we need to get you back-"


    Holin looked up at Kali, meeting her gaze for a moment before she nodded. She drew a knife at her waist and moved towards the corpse.


    "Come," Holin said waiving him nearer. "Help me up."


    Y''rid moved over and slung the man''s arm over his shoulder, helping him up. He had to resist the urge to recoil as the smell of burnt meat reached his nose.


    "That... bad huh?" Holin asked looking at his expression.


    "How can you even talk?" He asked.


    "Side effect... Aspect. Dulls pain. Not enough... though."


    "Got it," Kali said, standing back up. she clutched a piece of skin, chunks of flesh still sticking to it, in one hand. Moving over she took Holin''s other arm and draped it over her own shoulder.


    They set off, moving as fast as they could through the undergrowth.


    The sight of the half-beast still ingrained in Y''rid''s thoughts, leaving him to wonder what he had got himself into.


    ***


    Rhone sat by the fire pit, slowly feeding the small flames when heard sounds coming from the trees off to the side. He looked up to see Kali and Y¡¯rid trudge out of the treeline carrying Holin between him, his arms across their shoulders.


    ¡°Red,¡± Rhone said drawing the man¡¯s attention away from his training. Red looked over before his gaze focused on the three.


    They quickly made their way over to them.


    He moved to Holin and looked at the man¡¯s face, even in the low visibility of twilight he could see half of it was a ruined and burnt mess.


    ¡°bring him over to the fire,¡± He said, moving off to get the waterskin by his pack.


    Y¡¯rid and Kali took Holin over to the fire and laid him down next to it.


    Rhone immediately knelt down and splashed some water onto his face causing Holin to groan before gritting his teeth. With a cloth, he padded the man¡¯s face trying to clear off some of the blood to see the extent of the damage. His skin was blackened and cracked, his eyelid shut and burnt into the eye socket.


    He had some experience with wounds, all hunters did. But this was out of his ability. His thoughts strayed to Jerick. The man had always been the best healer among the team. But he wasn¡¯t here anymore.


    He drew his thoughts away from the fallen comrade. The horde at Riversedge had caught them unaware, Losing only one in that battle while saving so many of the citizens was already an achievement.


    ¡°How does it look?¡± Holin asked.


    ¡°An improvement,¡± Red said standing behind Rhone, though his tone sounded a bit forced. ¡°Adds some colour to that pale skin of yours.¡±


    Holin started to chuckle before grunting in pain.


    ¡°Wait here. I have something that might help,¡± Red said moving to the cart.


    Rhone turned away from Holin, given Red¡¯s background, he most likely had more experience with burn wounds than most of the order, and certainly more than any of them.


    ¡°How did this happen?¡± He asked, looking at Kali.


    ¡°Something attacked us while we were out hunting,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Something?¡±


    He had never seen a beast gain the drop on Holin.


    She held out what looked like a piece of skin, dripping with blood. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen something like it. It looked almost like a rish, but,¡± ¨C she shook her head - ¡°it was fast Rhone. Holin could only keep up with it using his Aspect.¡±


    He felt his eyebrows raise, rish were herbivores, and not aggressive at all, choosing to flee at the first sign of danger. Definitely not something that could do this kind of damage.


    He reached out and took the skin from her.


    Why did they take the skin-


    His thoughts stopped dead in their tracks as he spread out the skin on the ground. His eyes locked onto the patterns carved into it.


    Old Tongue.


    Carving Runes into flesh. He knew of only one group ever to have any success in such an endeavour. The beastmen form the Orr Caverns. But they did so to themselves, and only in specific arrays, supposedly handed down over generations. Arrays meant to fulfil specific purposes. This was something else.


    Could they really be so careless as to experiment on beasts with such a thing?


    ¡°Thoughts?¡± Holin asked.


    ¡°These runes¡­ No, just a hunch. We need to get this back to the stronghold as soon as possible and have Kale look it over. If someone is using runes on beasts¡­¡± His voice trailed off as his mind raced through the implications.


    Red walked over with a jar of some ointment that he began spreading across Holin¡¯s face. ¡°Anuneri recipe. Nothing better for burns.¡±


    Red looked at Holin¡¯s face.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to lose the eye,¡± He said in a flat voice.


    Holin grimaced. ¡°Figured¡­ as much.¡±


    ¡°We need to get you to a healer,¡± Kali said with worry, a frow forming on her face as she looked down at him.


    Rhone turned his mind back to them. ¡°We are a day¡¯s travel away from Dusk, If we push through now, we might make it by midday tomorrow. The mage there should have some basic knowledge of healing at least.¡±


    Kali nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll make some space for him on the cart.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll start packing up,¡± Red said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± Rhone heard Y¡¯rid say, moving over to the tents he and Red had set up.


    Rhone quickly smothered the fire with sand he scooped up from the earth, but his mind was elsewhere.


    A long time ago some people had tried to copy the Orr beastmen. The results had been horrifying and left more than one city a lifeless corpse. If this was applied to beasts¡­


    He could only hope that this was an isolated case. Maybe the would-be mage was killed by his experiment and it escaped afterwards, only to wind up here?


    Then the sightings of the last few weeks came to mind, starting with the khatri.


    ¡®Something¡¯s driving them south.¡¯


    Holin¡¯s words echoed in his mind, causing his gut to tighten and an unease settle between his shoulders. Somehow he doubted this had been an isolated case.

 Chapter 12

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    Y¡¯rid sat with Red and Hadi at a table in the common room while waiting for the others to return. He swirled the tankard in his hand, watching as the golden liquid sloshed against the sides. The late-afternoon sun filtered through the windows, casting rays of light and revealing the dust swirling in the air.


    The common room was rather quiet, only a few guests eating and drinking, placing orders with the nearest tavern maid. A sleepy looking innkeeper was sitting at a counter off to the side, his head propped up on his hand, and eyes half closed.


    Y''rid took a sip of the ale.


    ¡°Is Holin going to be okay?¡± Hadi asked at his side. He had been asleep in his tent when they reached the camp the previous evening. Seeing the man in the state he had been in had struck the boy quite hard. He had kept sneaking glances at Holin as they made their way to Dusk.


    Perhaps he had come to build faith in the hunter¡¯s skill as he had sparred with Y¡¯rid. Seeing him like that might have shaken that faith.


    Y¡¯rid looked over to Red, directing the question to him.


    ¡°He should be fine. Most mages know some runes that can heal,¡± the man answered.


    ¡°There¡¯s different magic that can heal?¡± Y''rid asked.


    Red shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know much about magic. But the runes are an old language. There is more than one way to say something.¡±


    Y¡¯rid frowned. Just what exactly was the magic? How could a language have so much power over reality?


    He long thought of this, after all, it was magic that brought him here. But the others weren¡¯t much help, with none of them having any talent or training in the art. The best he got was that there were different levels of magical talent. Most people had almost none and were unable to use it even if they knew the runes.


    Then there was a second group that could activate runes by feeding them energy from an external source. Apparently, Ritter, the man that had saved him back at Riversedge, was one of these. He was also the only one in the team that could use runes. Unfortunately, he had gone ahead before Y¡¯rid had joined them.


    The last group of people were the rarest. Belonging to this group required a talent for magic and long training to utilise that talent. These people could use runes in different ways and ''activate'' them by their own power.


    This explanation was rather vague, but it was the best he had received.


    To understand more he needed to speak with someone in the last group, a mage. But these people usually held positions of extreme importance in this society. One could only request an audience if you were someone important, or had a lot of coin.


    Now and then, nobles or very wealthy traders would try to convince a mage to take one of their children as apprentices. Sometimes they succeeded, but more often than not, they didn¡¯t.


    Kali had told him of a mage that was a part of the Order though. She had suggested he speak with the mage if he wanted to know more. At the same time, she had also warned him that it might be futile. Mages tended to value and hoard their knowledge more than anything.


    When we reach Stronghold¡­


    Perhaps he could speak to the mage if he told him of his origins. Surely that would be enough to get the mage¡¯s attention?


    He thought back to the beast they had fought the previous day. There were runes carved into its flesh¡­ At first, he hadn¡¯t thought much about it, not that there had been much time for contemplation. But after Seeing Rhone¡¯s reaction to them, he knew it was definitely not a natural occurrence.


    The others didn¡¯t say much about it, but he could see the unease it brought to the group. He could feel the tension beneath the surface as they had made their way here. Even Hadi seemed to pick up on it. Only Red seemed unaffected, leaving him to wonder if anything could faze the big hunter.


    The front door of the tavern creaked open, letting in a cold breeze that blew against Y¡¯rid¡¯s skin. He looked up to see Rhone and Kali enter and shut the door behind them. They made their way over.


    ¡°So?¡± Red asked as they reached the table.


    Rhone sat down and waved to tavern maid, gesturing at Red¡¯s tankard, while Kali spoke, ¡°The mage is working on him now. She apparently knows a few runes that might be useful, ones that could accelerate the body¡¯s natural healing. She should be done by tonight, though he would still have to take it easy for a few days.¡±


    The maid arrived with a new tankard. Y¡¯rid caught a glint of silver as Rhone passed a coin to her and raised the tankard to his lips as she left.


    ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯ll buy some supplies and get back on the road,¡± Rhone said, putting down the ale.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait until Holin is healed?¡± Kali asked.


    Rhone shook his head. ¡°We need to get back to Stronghold as soon as possible. That beast you faced in the forest... we need to know what¡¯s going on. When we get back, we can check with the other teams, see if they found anything like it.¡±


    ¡°What if they did?¡± Kali asked.


    Rhone fell silent and looked at the tankard in his hands before speaking, ¡°Then we coordinate with the others. Find out where these things are coming from and put an end to it.¡±


    ¡°That might be more difficult than we think,¡± Kali said. ¡°If Holin is right and that creature was once a rish, then what would happen if whatever changed it turned its sight¡¯s towards more dangerous beasts?¡±


    ¡°Whoever drew the runes would need the beast alive. The stronger the beasts are, the harder it will be to capture them alive. If I¡¯m correct, then the reason that won''t happen is the same as to why no one has the Aspect of, say, a gorger.¡±


    ¡°Let''s hope you are right then,¡± Kali said.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather have the mage that drew those runes long dead by the time we reach Stronghold.¡±


    ¡°What exactly is this Aspect?¡± Y¡¯rid asked. ¡°Holin mentioned it when he¡­¡±


    He paused and looked over to Hadi. Probably best that the boy didn¡¯t know that.


    ¡°I suppose we need to discuss what you saw,¡± Rhone muttered.


    Rhone threw back the tankard downing the rest of the liquid. Then he stood up. ¡°Walk with me.¡±


    With that, he turned and strode out of the inn. Y¡¯rid looked at the others, to which Kali only shrugged. He stood up and followed after Rhone, giving Hadi¡¯s shoulder a squeeze as he passed the boy.


    The cold air outside sent a shiver down his back as he stepped through the doorway. He saw Rhone walking a few paces ahead and quickly shut the door before hurrying to catch up with him.


    Y¡¯rid fell into step alongside him and waited for him to speak but he didn¡¯t. A few people passed them as they walked, going about their own business, though they made way for the pair whenever one of them caught Rhone¡¯s gaze.


    One man was busy stacking wood into the braziers lining the streets, getting ready to light them for the long night. With the day being so short, people were active long after the daylight faded.


    After a few minutes¡¯ walk, they arrived at the wall surrounding the city. It was a sturdy construct made of multiple layers of wood, ten feet tall and wide enough to support the walkway on top. Rhone walked to a staircase set into the side and began making his way up with Y¡¯rid following.


    A guard stood at the top and moved to intercept them when he noticed the two, but halted when he looked at Rhone. He took a step back and nodded warily at them, allowing them to pass. They continued along the top of the wall until they were away from any guards patrolling the walkway.


    Rhone then stopped and looked out over the forest past the clearing.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Y¡¯rid began after a while, seeing that the other man didn¡¯t want to start the conversation. ¡°What exactly is the Order?¡±


    ¡°The Order¡­ are simply a group of hunters dedicated to keeping the tide of beasts at bay,¡± Rhone said.


    ¡°But it''s not that simple, is it? What are you? Shapeshifters?¡± Y¡¯rid paused. ¡°Holin¡­ transformed¡­ into something. Something not human. I might not know a lot about hunters, but I know that is certainly not simple.¡±


    Rhone nodded. ¡°Let me ask you a question. What do you think of the beasts that roam this forest?¡±


    Y¡¯rid frowned. What did he think of the creatures? These powerful, primal things that seemed to prey on any weaker than themselves. This had actually bothered him for a while. Not the monsters themselves but his acceptance of such things.


    He had pondered this thought until he realised that this acceptance stemmed from the memories he inherited from the body¡¯s previous owner. After all, to him, these creatures hadn¡¯t been unnatural at all. To him, they were simply a part of life. A looming threat that hung over everyone, yes, but one that he grew up with.


    ¡°They are a threat to people,¡± He finally said. ¡°They are the reason why we hide behind walls, and why most people never leave the cities they are born in.¡± ¨C He felt his voice rise ¨C ¡°They rob people of their families. Wives of their husbands, husbands of their wives and children of their parents.¡±


    He could feel the thoughts and opinions of the boy overlaying with his as he spoke. He tried to keep his voice calm but he couldn¡¯t stop the hint of anger that flared to life inside him, anger that tried to hide something far more painful. He would have been hard-pressed to find the point where one¡¯s thoughts stopped and the other¡¯s began.


    ¡°And so you want to stop them?¡± Rhone questioned, looking towards him. He met the man¡¯s pale eyes for a moment before looking out at the forest.


    What did he want?


    Revenge for the death of his father? The boy¡¯s father? The impulse was there but it felt lacking. He knew he would never be able to find the one that killed the man. Even if he did, what would it accomplish?


    Killing beasts to prevent others from sharing the fate he did? How many would he be able to kill himself? Even if he killed one every day for the rest of his life that would certainly not even put a dent in their numbers.


    Deeper then.


    His own family? The women and the girl he left behind? Even as he thought of them an ache grew in his heart. But on some level, he knew how unlikely it was to ever see them again. He found himself in this world as the result of an experiment, one that obviously didn¡¯t go exactly as planned.


    Yet it was magic that brought him here, if anything could take him back then it would be that same magic and the mages that used them. The wielders and scholars of powers barely understood. If anyone could find a way back to his previous world than it was them. But would they not have done so if it was possible? His own world was certainly a lot more hospitable than this one.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    No matter how he approached the problem, he found himself without the necessary knowledge. Holin had once mentioned that Stronghold had an extensive library, dating back to its founding. Though few other than their resident mage, who spent most of his time there, had much knowledge of the scriptures inside.


    He might be able to gain some insight there. It was a dim hope, but it was the only one he had. And to explore this hope he had to join the Order. He didn¡¯t know the answer that Rhone was looking for but he doubted that that was it.


    There was something else he also wanted to know though.


    ¡°What is the ritual?¡± He asked. ¡°I heard Holin mention it. At the time I assumed it was some sort of initiation but, looking back, there has to be more to it.¡±


    Rhone stayed silent for a moment, his face unreadable before he finally answered. ¡°The Order was created to combat the strongest of the beasts. A skilled group of hunters can take down an ald, but some beasts remain above the reach of people. To kill a gorger would require many people. I¡¯ve seen a group nearly a hundred strong get their numbers cut in half before they managed to kill it.


    ¡°To face such creatures, people have to rely on more than swords and bows. So groups of people began searching for ways to increase their power. They turned to magic. Some succeeded. The Order was one of those that did.


    ¡°Back then they had decided that to face beasts they had to harness the power of beasts. And take it for themselves. The binding was created. A way to capture the essence of a beast and merge it with a person. That is what you saw. Holin utilised the essence of the beast inside him, his Aspect.¡±


    Rhone paused, letting the information sink in.


    ¡°And he is in control of this¡­ Aspect?¡± Y¡¯rid asked. He could still clearly recall the bloodlust he saw in the eyes of Holin back then. It definitely didn''t feel like anything he had felt from a person before.


    Rhone nodded.


    ¡°And all of you have this ability?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The Binding increases your physical abilities and grants but also grants an Aspect. Whether this was intentional when the ritual was developed or not, it always happens. Though the effects of your Aspect depends on a number of factors. Some are barely affected. While others¡­¡± Rhone¡¯s voice trailed off.


    ¡°Why are you the only ones I¡¯ve seen so far,¡± Y¡¯rid asked. He had only seen the group he had been travelling with, and most people seemed surprised when they saw them. ¡°If this ritual gives you the power to resist the beasts, why aren¡¯t there more of you?¡±


    ¡°The Ritual does not come without its costs. One at the initial Binding and one you have to live with for the rest of your life. Many do not survive the first. Back when you said you wanted to join the Order, I told you that you would likely not survive. I meant it."


    Rhone paused for a moment. "I asked you what you wanted to do about the beasts. Having a clear goal can help you through the Binding. The stronger it is, the greater your chances of success. Everyone has lost something to the monsters. Some seek revenge while others simply don¡¯t want to live in fear. These reasons may seem strong to you but when faced with the essence of a beast, more often than not, they are found lacking.¡±


    Rhone turned away, his eyes gaining a far-off look as he stared out at nothing in particular.


    ¡°I still have things I need to do,¡± Y¡¯rid said, more to himself than Rhone as the image of the girl¡¯s face sprang to his mind.


    Rhone turned to him and looked at him for a long while, before finally nodding. ¡°I hope it is enough.¡±


    They stood in silence for a few moments before Rhone spoke up again.


    ¡°It is not too late you know,¡± his tone was gentle. ¡°You say you still have things to do. You and Hadi could make a life for yourselves here. A good life. Don¡¯t be too eager to through away the opportunity. You could join a hunter group or the city guards.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rhone said, as Y¡¯rid opened his mouth, ¡°don¡¯t answer me now. Think about it. We¡¯ll leave tomorrow. No one would blame you if you decided to stay.¡±


    Rhone turned to walk away before stopping. He looked back over his shoulder. ¡°And if you do decide to stay, I ask that you keep this conversation to yourself. We already have enough trouble with the suspicions and fear from others without more stories to feed the flames.¡±


    The man walked away leaving him alone on the wall.


    Y¡¯rid considered Rhone¡¯s offer. He really tried to. He could make a life for himself here, or in some other city. But he knew he would regret it. He would always wonder about the life he left behind.


    However, even if it wasn''t by his own will, he was given another chance at life. Wouldn¡¯t he be a fool to trough it away in search of one he had already lost?


    He found himself walking along the pathway on the wall, the conversation replying in his mind. Nothing came without cost. Red would say that there always needs to be balance.


    From the moment he had seen Ritter in action at Riversedge, he suspected that there was something more to them. This only increased when he started training with Holin. The man¡¯s movements were too fast and too precise.


    He could attribute it to the man being a genius when it came to swordplay, blessed with ability beyond that of average people. That illusion was shattered when he saw the half-beast, the man''s Aspect.


    From his inherited memories he knew the boy, his body''s previous owner, had never really paid much attention to anything that wasn¡¯t of immediate importance. He was sure he had heard of the beast-eaters when living in Riversedge, but couldn¡¯t recall any details other than the general wariness most had of them.


    Thinking back to the reactions others had towards them, he finally felt like he understood a bit of it. He doubted many people had seen the Aspects of the beast-eaters, but stories and rumours would certainly have sprung up.


    Two prices, Rhone had said. Maybe this suspicion was the second price, the one they carried with them. But it felt like there had to be more to it. It felt like Rhone had been a bit vague when talking about the ritual, even if he had emphasized its danger.


    But he knew they didn¡¯t owe him any explanation. He should have been happy with what he had already received.


    Y¡¯rid watched the guards as they patrolled the wall, scanning the horizon for anything that might pose a threat.


    The way he saw it, he had two paths ahead of him. One familiar, a path he had walked in his previous life, though the scenery was different, he was sure it led to the same place. He might have been content with it were it not for the nagging suspicion that there would always be a part of him that felt something was missing.


    The other path he could barely see. It wound its way through the unknown. Where it ended, he could only guess. How far it stretched was an even greater mystery.


    He stared at the forest in the distance. At the twisting trunks of the old trees. Passed them into the darkness of the deep. He lifted his gaze to see the rays of the setting sun shining through the canopy, revealing the vibrant green of the leaves spotted with colour here and there from flower-bearing trees. Higher up, the background sky was painted a bright orange that faded to a light blue.


    Even in this world, were beasts thrived, beauty was abundant. Thoughts of the Endless Night, the glowing plains and the great jungles filtered through his mind.


    Becoming a beast-eater might end his life sooner than he wanted, but it would show him so much more. It might also help him recover the knowledge he had lost and return him where his heart longed to be.


    He small smile touched his face. He realised then that he had already made the choice.


    ***


    Lerann carefully went over the constructed rune array, making sure that each of the Two-hundred-and-forty-seven runes was flawless and in its proper place. As he had done for the last thirty minutes.


    He nodded to himself and waved towards Shara. She had been his assistant and student for nearly twelve terms now and was quite familiar with his mannerisms. She would probably want to make a name for herself soon. Just thinking of spending all that time to train a new one gave him a headache.


    She quickly returned with a man in tow. He was dressed in clothes that had seen far better days, the frayed edges as dirty and unwashed as the man himself. Just another sign of unequal opportunity. Lerann shook himself before his mind could start to drift. His work would change that.


    ¡°Lie down on the table,¡± he said, gesturing to the stone table in the centre of the room, surrounded by the carved runes.


    He missed his tower. He had spent so much time to get everything into the right place, only to have it overrun by beasts. At least he had managed to complete one resurrection, even if it was barely in time.


    Today would mark his second trial and, if everything went as planned, the start of a new future. Altered runes and a reconstructed array, the largest and possibly the most intricate change anyone had ever done to a spell since the ancient times. A task not for the frail minded.


    He had long pondered as to why the great magi of the Old Age had placed such requirements on the spell to begin with. He had finally reached the conclusion that there simply was no need to refine it back then.


    There might not have been any want for resources at all. And while this did not entirely explain the requirement for a human sacrifice, there could have been other reasons for that. After all, they only knew what the spell did, not what it was used for.


    If only he could go back in time, and study under one of those great mages. The things he would be able to learn¡­


    The man got onto the table and laid down. Lerann stepped up next to him and placed his hand on the man¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Close your eyes and relax. Do not fight it.¡±


    The man nodded and Lerann felt his defences drop. He quickly formed a simple array in his mind, locking the runes in place and willing his them into existence.


    A simple spell commonly taught to students, one designed pull out energy from the environment, lowering the temperature. He had modified it a bit, however, to dull the senses to keep the target from actually experiencing it as more than a cool breeze.


    For a simple array such as this, he didn¡¯t even need to physically draw out the seven runes that it consisted of, he could simply keep the image locked in his mind and fuel the spell from there.


    He felt the effects take hold as the man¡¯s skin started to cool and his heartbeat began to slow. A minute later and he was looking at a fresh corpse. A peaceful death, one many would have preferred.


    Even if the array didn¡¯t work, he would probably have saved the man from starving to a slow and very painful death. And the man would also have contributed to the betterment of everyone¡¯s lives, something certainly worth dying for.


    Lerann took a few steps back until he was outside of the array carved into the floor. He closed his eyes and turned his focus inward as he spread his arms with his palms pointing down.


    He gathered his will into his palms and slowly extended it downwards, reaching the first of the runes. He felt a small piece of his energy drain, like an involuntary breath escaping from his chest, until the rune couldn¡¯t hold any more. He shifted over to the next rune in the array and repeated the process.


    The felt the connection to the runes build as he poured power into them. Even with his eyes closed, he could feel them beginning to light up as he went through them. The pulsing energy was dim at first but quickly brightened. By the time he reached the hundredth rune, the floor was glowing. He felt the weariness building in his body, but he pushed through, continuing to power the array.


    His hands began shaking, his forehead dripping with sweat. Even the simple act of standing took effort, but still, he kept pushing forward, willing the runes to activate and calling the concepts bound to them so long ago into reality.


    Finishing with the last rune, he let out a shaky breath as he opened his eyes, almost shutting them again against the blinding light, the visual image overlaying with the mental one. He felt the hair on his arms rise as the energy contained in the array hummed through the air with each pulse, like the heartbeat of some giant animal.


    In his mind he recalled the array, going over each rune as he forged the connections between them, stringing the ancient words together into a coherent concept. A sentence of power forcing reality to bend to its will.


    With a building excitement, he grasped at this structure and guided it to the corpse lying on the table. The runes flared in a sudden burst of energy before winking out.


    He stumbled to the side as a wave of weakness rushed over him. He reached for the wall, trying to keep his balance. His body ached, but he ignored it and blinked rapidly, trying to adjust his eyes to the sudden loss of light, unwilling to miss a single moment.


    With unsteady steps, he walked over to the table and pulled his notebook from his robe. He patted his robe searching for the quill, but could not find it.


    ¡°Quill!¡± He shouted over his shoulder at his assistant, not daring to take his eyes off of the now spasming corpse. ¡°Get a quill and ink!¡±


    He reached the side of the table, instinctively forming an array for light in his mind, willing the ball of brightness into existence over the corpse as he bent over it. The simple light spell consumed the last of his energy, but he didn¡¯t care, he had to see the results of his work.


    The body continued jerking for a moment before stilling.


    No, it has to work.


    The eyes snapped open and a hoarse mumbling cry escaped the corpse¡¯s lips as it started flailing. Its eyes turned in different directions, one of them focusing on his face as the other swivelled around.


    Startled he took a step back as the body reached up and began clawing at its own chest. Wrangled sounds escaped its mouth as its ripped at its own flesh, as if it was trying to shed its form.


    Transfixed, Lerann stared at the coprse, blood spurting out of its chest as its hands tore at it. One of its hands closed onto a rib and pulled with a loud snap. A few drops of blood landed on Lerann¡¯s face, the warm sensation barely registering as he took in the sight.


    The corpse struggled for a few more moments before giving a final strangled croak and falling limp, its chest a ruined mess revealing the bloody organs inside.


    Lerann focused on the wound for a moment before looking at the lifeless and glazed eyes of the corpse.


    For a few minutes, he silently stood there as his mind raced to process the events, trying to find any meaning in the horrific sight.


    Where had he gone wrong? The array was supposed to work. He had been so careful in its construction, slowing improving and building upon the original he had used at Riversedge. Even if he had misunderstood a few runes, they shouldn¡¯t have produced such a result. Not after his previous success.


    Did the man go mad in his time he spent after death? No, that couldn¡¯t be the case. There were records of resurrections being done days after death. As long as the body was preserved it should still work.


    Did his spell somehow damage the man¡¯s soul? Not impossible but rather unlikely considering his first test''s result.


    Maybe a fault in the binding of soul and body then? It certainly seemed like the man didn¡¯t have control over himself. But why would he claw at his own chest like that?


    Questions raised in his mind, possible scenarios that he struck down as soon as they came. But they didn¡¯t stop coming.


    He sighed. He would have to go back to the rune array. Deconstruct each rune to try and figure out the flaw and then rebuild it from his previous attempt.


    He tried thinking back to the conversation he had had with the previous subject back then. He wrote everything down in his notes, but he had gone over them a hundred times. Nothing pointed to anything like this. He had simply been too ecstatic at his success and too eager to improve his spell to thoroughly question the young man.


    I should never have let the kid go.


    Mentally berating himself, he turned around to see his assistant standing behind him. Her face was pale and her eyes focused on the corpse, the inkwell and quill forgotten in her unmoving hands.


    ¡°Get someone to clean this up,¡± He said as he walked past her, barely noticing the widening of her eyes and horrified expression. ¡°And find out if the man had any family. Send them his pay if he did.¡±


    A setback this may be. But it was only that. Simply another obstacle to overcome in the reshaping of society and their understanding of magic. A small price for freeing his entire species from death and oppression.


    He had much work to do.

 Chapter 13

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    Rhone stood at the edge of the broken bridge, peering into the darkness. In the starlight, he could just make out the glittering reflection of the light off of the surface of the enormous river running below.


    "Well¡­ shit," Holin muttered at his side. "What do you reckon did this?"


    Rhone turned to him. The lowlight revealed the new skin covering the side of the man¡¯s face. It was smooth and stretched, pulling the side of his mouth into a sneer. The most disturbing part was the that the new skin had grown to cover the hollow left by his missing eye, leaving an indent that he kept scratching at.


    "Could be age," Rhone said. "No one maintained the thing. It¡¯s not much of a surprise that it finally gave in.¡±


    "We¡¯re not going to get the cart through that river," Holin said.


    Rhone nodded. "We''ll have to find another way around. Erah¡¯s Crossing could work, but that would set us back too long. Two weeks to get there and another two to get back on the right path."


    "How about Blackflow?" Holin asked.


    Rhone rubbed his chin in thought. If the bridge there was still intact they could shave more than a week off of their journey.


    "Worth a shot," he said, walking back to the head of the bridge where the others were waiting.


    "No way to get across the river, we''re going to try Blackflow," Rhone said as he and Holin joined them.


    "Blackflow?" Kali asked with a look of confusion.


    "Old settlement," Holin replied. "It was built next to the river, at the mouth of an even older bridge. It was overrun by a horde some two terms back."


    "How do we get there?" Y''rid asked.


    "We actually passed the road heading towards it a few hours ago," Holin said. "Though the entire thing was overgrown, since the only place that path leads to is the settlement."


    "No one tried to reclaim this settlement?" Y''rid asked.


    Holin shook his head. "Not that I know of, but I guess we''ll know for certain soon enough."


    "Let''s get going,¡± Rhone said. ¡°We should be able to reach it by tomorrow evening. If everything goes well, we can be out of this forest by the end of the week."


    "Finally," Kali muttered. "I''ve had enough of this place."


    She and him both. This stretch of the world before you reached the Glowing Hills always made him uneasy. The long hours spent in darkness brought up memories of the Eternal Night. No, he much preferred the welcoming light of the vine-covered Hills.


    Thankfully the journey had been mostly quiet since they had left Dusk. He was old enough to prefer a dull journey.


    ***


    After two days¡¯ travel, they reached Blackflow. The path they had taken could barely be called a path at all. All manner of plants had reclaimed the area abandoned by humanity. From time to time they had to stop to clear out some of the bigger bushes to allow the cart to pass through. It was a slow process and one that set them back by another full day.


    Y¡¯rid looked towards their destination. Through the trees, he could just make out walls that were mostly covered in greenery leaving only a few places where the grey stone could still be seen. The scene made it seem as though the place was some long forgotten fort, instead of a supposedly thriving settlement merely two terms ago.


    As they exited the treeline he could make out more of the wall, or more precisely, he could make out more places where there were supposed to be wall but wasn¡¯t. The path led straight to the gateway, through the gates themselves were no longer in place. One laid off to the side, partially sticking out from a hedge while the other was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Guess that settles the question as to whether someone tried to reclaim it,¡± Y¡¯rid muttered under his breath.


    ¡°Not that surprising,¡± Holin said. ¡°Not many people want to live in this part of the world. The only reason it was built in the first place was to serve as a waypoint for people travelling through the forest. In recent times, Erah¡¯s Crossing was quickly replacing Blackflow, even before it fell.¡±


    ¡°Erah¡¯s Crossing huh.¡±


    ¡°Half a copper if you can guess the name of the noble who founded it.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked at the man. He kept expecting to see the face he had grown used to. The spell, while clearly having worked wonders, couldn¡¯t reconstruct his face as it had been before.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shot in the dark and say Erah,¡± Y¡¯rid said.


    Holin held out a hand. Y¡¯rid paused for a moment before holding out his own, into which Holin dropped half a piece of a bent copper coin.


    ¡°Lovely,¡± Y¡¯rid said in a flat voice. Where did the man even find half a coin?


    Except for the occasional bird call and scurrying of some small animals, the settlement was quiet as they entered. The houses were torn and broken, some even half collapsed under the assault they had faced. The streets were overgrown with weeds sticking out of the cracks in the hard compacted earth and cobblestones.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find some place to rest,¡± Rhone said. ¡°Then we can check on the bridge.¡±


    The others nodded and they began making their way down the main path through the once flourishing city. Walking through the silent ruins of civilisation gave off an eerie feeling that made Y¡¯rid¡¯s skin crawl.


    ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± Holin said as they reached an intersection with another road heading deeper into the settlement. He crouched down and traced over the surface of the ground. Y¡¯rid walked up to him and looked over the man¡¯s shoulder. It was faint, but he could just make out a thin impression in the dirt.


    Holin stood up and walked a few steps looking at a few more places where the tracks were visible. Here and there a small shrub growing in the road was partially flattened, small twigs broke off from the stems.


    ¡°A cart passed through here not too long ago, probably only a few days, otherwise the rain would have erased the signs already.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell how many people?¡± Rhone asked.


    ¡°No¡­ not too many though. A small group maybe.¡±


    ¡°Scavengers?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t see their returning tracks,¡± Holin said. ¡°Though they could have gone back with another route.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they were travellers heading north?¡± Kali suggested.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Holin said while nodding. ¡°A good sign for our hopefully still intact bridge.¡±


    They followed the tracks heading deeper into the city.


    ¡°There,¡± Kali said after a while pointing to the side of a building. Lying next to it was the remains of a beast. Most of it had been reduced to bones, though here and there a few pieces of flesh still clung to it. It was difficult to tell but it looked like it would have reached about the height of his waist when it was still alive.


    ¡°Nhilynx,¡± Holin stated as he knelt next to it. He grabbed its remaining hind leg and twisted it, revealing the shaft of an arrow that had broken off. ¡°Killed maybe a week ago.¡±


    ¡°The people whose tracks we saw?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    Holin raised his head. ¡°I¡¯d wager it was them.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± Rhone said. ¡°I doubt we¡¯re going to find anything useful from what¡¯s left of it.¡±


    They continued and soon found a caravan overturned in the road. Its covering had been ripped open and the contents sprawled out into the dirt. A mass of wooden crates containing everything from clothes to fine sets of cutlery was pouring out of the caravan.


    ¡°Scavengers,¡± Red stated walking over to the pile of things on the ground.


    ¡°Holin,¡± Rhone said grabbing the man¡¯s attention. He nodded off to a building on the other side of the street when the man caught his gaze. Its door was broken down leaving the entrance wide open, the light spilt in through the open doorway and onto the red-stained floor inside.


    Holin nodded towards Rhone and the two made their way over. Y¡¯rid followed behind them, curious as to what they hoped to find.


    ¡°Red, you and Kali stay here with the cart. See if you can find anything valuable among the remains, and keep an eye out for movement.¡± Rhone said.


    Red nodded as Kali unslung her bow and began to string it.


    Y¡¯rid scanned the houses surrounding the street and walked up to Holin as the man looked towards the ground at the side of the house.


    ¡°Something was dragged out here, then carried off,¡± the man said.


    ¡°Dragged off by that¡­ nhilynx?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    ¡°Not likely. The trail¡¯s wrong. I¡¯d say this happened afterwards.¡±


    ¡°What do you expect to find here if all of this happened a week ago?¡±


    It was Rhone that answered him. ¡°Hopefully nothing. But some beasts take to making their dens in the ruins of old cities. With the other bridge down, more people might be taking this route. If we have the opportunity to make it a little safer, shouldn¡¯t we do so?¡±


    The three entered the house. Y¡¯rid glanced at the dried bloodstain as he stepped past. The stain they saw was only the end of a much larger one that stretched from further within. He could make out bloody handprints and scratches left in the wooden floor. Whoever had died here had not done so easily.


    Two doors branched out to either side, stretching into large rooms just visible from his line of sight, while a corridor stretched further into the building.


    Rhone nodded to Holin then pointed at the two rooms to the side before he stepped towards one of them. Holin gestured to Y¡¯rid and walked to the other. Y¡¯rid followed him, trying to keep his footsteps as soft as he could.


    They reached the doorway and Holin stepped inside, quickly scanning the room. Y¡¯rid went up beside him. It was once perhaps a rather lavish room. Now the carpet on the floor was stained with dirt. The table in the middle of the room was overturned and missing one of its legs and the cupboards to the side had their drawers pulled out and scattered over the floor.


    Y¡¯rid snapped his head to the side as he felt a tap on his shoulder. Looking up at Holin he saw the man gesture back to the hallway with a jerk of his head. He nodded and followed him back. Rhone was already waiting for them as the stepped into the hallway.


    They made their way down the corridor, passing two other rooms with more of the same inside. Approaching the last room at the end of the hallway, they found the door broken open, leaving only a piece still on its hinges.


    Rhone strode through with Holin and Y¡¯rid short on his heels. Y¡¯rid¡¯s eyes were instantly drawn to the rotting corpse at the far wall, next to a broken window. The head and lower half of the body was nowhere to be found but the ripped leather partially covering the torso proved that it had once been a person. Its chest was torn open with large chunks of flesh missing.


    Holin gave the corpse a glance before looking at the window. ¡°Blood on the edges. Perhaps the poor bastard tried to escape? No sign of a den though, even temporary one.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rhone said. ¡°Nilynxs don¡¯t hunt like this in any case. If they got one and pulled him outside, they would have settled.¡±


    Holin grunted. ¡°Yeah. This was probably some roaming beast that smelled the blood of the one they killed. Just bad luck.¡±


    They moved back outside. Red and Hadi were busy poking through the wreckage of the caravan while Kali was keeping a lookout.


    ¡°Find anything interesting?¡± Holin asked as they made their way over.


    Red shrugged while still looking through some of the wooden crates that littered the ground. ¡°A few pieces of jewellery. Some coin.¡±


    ¡°Place those on the cart and let¡¯s find a place to rest,¡± Rhone said.


    They quickly found a building still mostly intact near the centre of the town, not too far away from the wreckage of the caravan. It was a large two-floor construct made of stone that probably belonged to a noble of sorts or maybe a rich merchant. Now the windows were broken and the door hung askew on its frame.


    A musty smell entered his nostrils as Y¡¯rid stepped inside, a faded and frayed carpet laid in front of the doorway, whatever design it had once held had been worn out by the weather and covered by dust.


    ¡°Secure the building,¡± Rhone said as he moved to the hallway, Red followed him as Kali waited outside with Hadi by the d¡¯yar. Holin and Y¡¯rid took the stairs to the second floor, the half-rotten wooden steps creaking as they did so.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The second floor opened into a square room a dozen strides across, with two doors leading to rooms to the side and back. Y¡¯rid made for the side door as Holin made his way to the back. He pushed on the handle of the door but it refused to budge. Using a bit of effort he drove his shoulder into the door and forced it open. Dust swirled into the air, lighted by the sunlight drifting in through a window to the side. He pressed down on his nose trying to prevent the sneeze that was building up, given the amount of dust in the air he knew he would be hard-pressed to stop once it started.


    After a moment he managed to hold back and looked inside of the room. A bed stood at one end next to a desk with an old wardrobe to the side covered in carvings of vines and flowers, thought the thick layer of dust and cracks spread across it detracted from the beauty it must have once held. The doors of the wardrobe were wide open and some of the clothes were tossed onto the ground alongside the drawers from the desk. The floor itself was covered with a soft brown fur from a beast¡¯s skin that served as a carpet.


    Y¡¯rid looked around and was about to step back outside when something caught his eyes above the desk. It was a drawing of a family, the edges of the parchment it was done on had been eaten away by something but the image at the centre was still relatively unmarred.


    He stepped closer and traced his hand over the edges of the picture. A tall man stood next to a smiling woman with a small girl standing in front of them, all facing towards the artist that had drawn them.


    Did they manage to escape the horde? Was the family living their lives somewhere else, or was this the last piece of evidence that they had ever existed?


    ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on it,¡± Holin¡¯s voice came from the doorway. Y¡¯rid turned towards the man.


    ¡°You see something like that,¡± ¨C Holin nodded towards the picture ¨C ¡°you ignore it and go on with whatever you were doing. That¡¯s why it¡¯s the only thing untouched in here.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked around at the mess that was made of the room. ¡°Why didn¡¯t they take it with them?¡±


    Holin shook his head. ¡°This wasn¡¯t done by those that lived here. This was the scavengers that came after.¡±


    ¡°What makes you so sure?¡±


    ¡°When a horde breaches the walls of a city, you don¡¯t have time to search for everything you have of value. You just grab your coin and run. No, this was done by scavengers. Also explains why the picture was avoided. Old superstition among those that pick through ruins.¡±


    ¡°Is it common for people to loot fallen cities?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes. There are even a few ¡®salvaging¡¯ teams that do just that. The city lord of Lok probably sent out a team to Riversedge himself the day we left. Provided he could find a few loyal enough not to disappear with whatever they found.¡± He said with a chuckle.


    ¡°You seem to know a lot about that,¡± Y¡¯rid said.


    Holin shrugged. ¡°We all started somewhere.¡±


    Y¡¯rid stared at Holin¡¯s back as he left before he shook his head and followed the man down to the first floor.


    ¡°Clear,¡± Holin said as he joined Rhone at the entrance to the house.


    Rhone nodded. ¡°On our side too. We can stay here.¡±


    Red unstrapped the d¡¯yar¡¯s harness and led it inside before giving it water while the rest of them unpacked the cart.


    Rhone moved to the fireplace and started scouring through the house for firewood, which he eventually found. It was dry and cracked, having been cut down long ago. But, like most things, it would still burn.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see if the bridge is still intact while we still have daylight left,¡± Holin said. ¡°Anyone want to come?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Red answered.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Y¡¯rid said. ¡°I want to see a bit more of the city while we can.¡±


    Treading through the forest quickly became tedious, especially when they were travelling through the night half the time.


    ¡°I want to go too,¡± Hadi said.


    Y¡¯rid smiled at the boy. ¡°Sure, you can come with us.¡±


    They left the house leaving Rhone and Kali behind to tend the fire and keep watch. They continued down the way they had been going when they found the house, roughly in the direction of the river at the northern edge of town.


    ¡°Have either of you been here when the city was still alive?¡± Y¡¯rid asked as they walked through the settlement.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been here once,¡± Holin said. ¡°It was a long time ago, back when I first joined the order.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t born in the order?¡± Y¡¯rid asked. He didn¡¯t think the man was but from what he knew most of the beast-eaters were born in Stronghold, they joined the order because their parents were a part of it.


    ¡°No, I joined just before Red did.¡±


    Red nodded.


    ¡°So what did you do before?¡±


    ¡°This and that,¡± Holin said with a half-smile, twisted by the new skin.


    Y¡¯rid waited a few moments but it seemed that the man had no intention of elaborating.


    ¡°What was the city like?¡± Y¡¯rid asked getting back to his original question.


    ¡°Like most cities. Lots of people trying to make enough to live by. From what I heard, it did better than many though. Its location was its greatest asset. Trade flowed in between the north and the south. And having the river to one side meant they didn¡¯t have to worry about attacks from a large area. Not that it mattered in the end.¡±


    The group fell silent after that. Y¡¯rid looked around as they walked, trying to imagine the place two terms back. A place filled with life. He tried to rebuild the houses in his mind, and fill the streets with people, but each time his gaze would get caught on the ruin of a house or the overgrown weeds in the road, breaking the illusion.


    A dull pain ran through his gut causing him to sigh in resignation. He had put it off long enough.


    ¡°You go on,¡± He said to the others. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up after I deal with nature.¡±


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Holin said with a chuckle. ¡°Last night¡¯s stew won¡¯t do you any favours. Hopefully some creature doesn¡¯t join the fight. Wouldn¡¯t want you to be outnumbered.¡±


    Y¡¯rid groaned, thinking back to the stew of last night. Hadi had convinced Kali to let him help, who in turn had convinced Rhone. A pinch of fireroot ended up being the whole satchel. The meal had quickly turned into a battle of willpower, with tears streaming down his face with each bite. The only one who seemed fine was Red. He even went back for seconds.


    He was not looking forward to this.


    ***


    Y¡¯rid walked out of the alleyway, one hand supporting him against the wall of the building at his side. He stepped out into the road, closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief, enjoying the cool air of the evening as it brushed against his sweat-stained forehead.


    Never again.


    He¡¯d rather starve.


    On a whim, he set off down the road, deciding to take a small detour to the riverside. It shouldn¡¯t be hard to find the bridge and the others. He just had to reach the river, and then he could walk along it.


    Gazing at the broken stones the street consisted of, he noticed an impression the size of his chest every few steps with cracks spraying out of its sides. These cracks had long since been filled with grass and other greenery. But even then it failed to completely hide the indents.


    With a start, he realised that he was looking at tracks. They were tracks. Tracks of something massive. They were obviously old, the tracks being overgrown as they were, but this did little to ease his mind. Perhaps they were created during the invasion of the horde that fell the city. He could just imagine people screaming as they fled for their lives from such a monster.


    He pulled his thoughts away from the subject, lifting his gaze to the sky. Perhaps he was overthinking it. He had been feeling morbid ever since they entered the city. There wasn¡¯t much he could do about it, being surrounded by all of this. He obviously had no personal connection to the people that lived here, but seeing the ruins had left him with a bleak state of mind that he could not seem to shake.


    Y¡¯rid sniffed the air as the wind turned, carrying a faint sour smell with it. He looked around trying to catch a glimpse of the cause but couldn¡¯t. Shaking his head he continued along the path. The smell did not go away, instead, it grew stronger as he went further, eventually forcing him to breathe through his mouth in an effort to lessen it.


    He was just starting to consider finding another way when he saw an unmoving figure lying on the floor of a building across the street. The entire front wall had been ripped away, exposing the interior and causing the roof to sag dangerously.


    With hesitant steps, he approached the building, the sickening smell of rot mixed in with the sour stench as he did so. Suppressing the urge to gag, he stepped inside the building. He saw the figure lying inside was only half of one. Only the top half remained, the waist ending in a bloody mess, with a streak of blood and entrails leading deeper into the building.


    The blood on the floor had long since dried and hardened, but it still seemed more recent than that scavenger they had found. That was as much as he could tell though. He would need to get Holin over here if he wanted to know more.


    The man, judging by what was left of the face, wore leather armour. Though it had been so thoroughly stained and matted with gore that it was hard to tell at first. An empty sheath was slung across his back, the blade it once contained nowhere to be seen. The only arm the corpse had left was splayed out to the side, some of the flesh gone, displaying red and white bone beneath.


    What caught his attention however, was the ring on the man¡¯s finger. The blood failed to completely cover its golden surface, though even this was secondary to the markings on it. Lines of faintly glowing runes surrounding some unknown design were engraved on its surface.


    Y¡¯rid knelt down and tried to pull the ring off to get a better look at it. He frowned as it wouldn¡¯t loosen from the ruined digit it was on. He pulled out his dagger and slowly drove the tip of the blade into the base of the finger, severing it, before he removed the ring.


    Unable to stand the smell any longer he stood up and turned to leave when he heard a faint high-pitched growling sound.


    He froze. Slowly he turned around and scanned the building. The sound came again, from the direction of the blood trail and through a doorway led deeper within.


    Y¡¯rid glanced back at the opening to the outside, the fading light beckoning him. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself and drew his sword as silently as he could. With his eyes on the doorway, he snuck forward, regulating his breathing to steady his heart.


    He reached the edge of the doorway and peered through. Beyond was a large room, sparsely furnished and worn down by age and disuse. At the end of the room, he saw bloody tracks leading to the source of the sound.


    Against the far wall, was a litter of strange creatures, lying on top of each other in their sleep. They were about two feet long with four legs and oversized heads, covered in brown patchy fur. He saw one of the creatures give a growl and bite one of the others causing it to yelp and roll over making more room on the pile for it.


    Y¡¯rid drew his eyes away from the litter and scanned the room for any signs of the parent. There were none. Silently breathing a sigh of relief, he turned to walk away before stopping.


    They were only pups, but they would grow up. That¡¯s what pups do. And when they did¡­


    Best to end them now.


    He stood up and quietly made his way over the sleeping brood, he had made it halfway across the room before one noticed him, blinking its eyes as it looked at him. Three eyes, one in the middle of its head and one at either side.


    It opened its mouth, the lower jaw splitting in two as it weakly roared at him, doing its best to scare off the threat.


    Knowing there was no point in stealth anymore, Y¡¯rid quickly closed the ground between them as the others started to stir. He raised his sword and thrust forward, through the open mouth of the small beast and into its skull, ending its scream.


    Y¡¯rid yanked out the blade and stood over the others, stabbing down repeatedly as the pups began struggling, each thrust claiming a life and, hopefully, saving even more.


    Quiet returned to the area as the last of the creatures died.


    Y¡¯rid didn¡¯t stay any longer. Keeping an eye out for any sign of the creatures¡¯ parents, he exited the house and headed in the direction Holin and the others had gone.


    The sounds of rushing water entered his hearing a few minutes later. He emerged from the line of buildings to a slope leading down to the running river a few strides away. A short wall was built between it and the path leading along its bank. Far to the right, he could see the bridge. From here it looked like a massive structure spanning the breadth of the river with supporting pillars sinking into the water. He could just make out the three figures he was looking for on top of it.


    Y¡¯rid walked to the low wall and jumped over it. He knelt at the edge of the river and dipped his sword into the water, using his hands to wipe the blade clean and drying it on his shirt before returning it to its sheath.


    Putting the thoughts of the beast litter out of his mind, he walked over to the bridge. He could see Hadi waving to him as he approached. A smile touched his lips as he waved back.


    ¡°You survived!¡± Holin shouted from the bridge. ¡°Would have hated to put all those hours into your training only for you to be defeated by something that¡¯s already dead.¡±


    Y¡¯rid shook his head, suppressing a smile.


    Cocky one-eyed bastard.


    Red snorted. ¡°It wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as you say. I¡¯ll make you some hasra sometime. Then you can see what real food tastes like.¡±


    Holin paled a bit. ¡°Oh, gods no. I¡¯m not eating your sand poison. Can you even cook?¡±


    Red shrugged. ¡°You can judge for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done,¡± Holin said turning to Y¡¯rid as he joined them. ¡°We had a nice thing going here before you showed up.¡± - He paused, his smile turning into a grin - ¡°Not so bad my arse. Or should I say yours? Look, the man almost lost his stomach.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked down, following the man¡¯s gaze, to see a few bloodstains from the pups still clinging to his leather boots.


    ¡°You almost died!¡± Hadi asked, looking at Y¡¯rid.


    ¡°No no,¡± Y¡¯rid said and ruffled the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°Holin is just speaking through his arse. Don¡¯t listen to him.¡±


    ¡°I found one of those dens Rhone mentioned,¡± Y¡¯rid continued, looking back at Holin.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Holin said with wide eyes and raised eyebrows, his surprise clearly too exaggerated for it to be real.


    ¡°Just a few young ones,¡± Y¡¯rid continued. ¡°Barely old enough to walk.¡±


    Holin¡¯s smile faded as a frown creased his forehead. ¡°The den was unguarded?¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded.


    ¡°Strange,¡± Holin said. ¡°Nhilynxes?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the corpse we found heading into the city right? I Don¡¯t think so. Unless they change a hell of a lot as they grow up. These had three eyes and a split jaw.¡±


    Holin¡¯s frown deepened. He turned to Red after a moment of silence. ¡°You know of anything like that?¡±


    Red shook his head.


    ¡°Show me,¡± Holin said turning back to Y¡¯rid.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he replied turning back the way he came. ¡°Does it matter though? They¡¯re dead now.¡±


    ¡°Killing a beast¡¯s young is a tried and tested way of getting yourself hunted down. Best you know what¡¯s coming for you.¡±


    The thought gave Y¡¯rid pause. ¡°For us, you mean.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡± Holin asked.


    Y¡¯rid ignored the man and thought back to the litter. The thought of a beast wanting revenge hadn¡¯t entered his mind. ¡°So I shouldn¡¯t have killed them?¡±


    ¡°I would have suggested using the young as bait for a trap. You could still try, but many beasts can recognise death among their own even better than we can.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the parents got themselves killed?¡± Y¡¯rid suggested.


    ¡°It never hurt being positive, I guess.¡±


    They made their way back along the river to the street that Y¡¯rid had emerged from.


    ¡°This territory is claimed,¡± Holin said.


    Y¡¯rid looked at him to see the man scrunching up his nose. He sniffed the air the faint sour smell entered his nose again.


    ¡°It gets worse,¡± Y¡¯rid said as he led them down the street.


    It did get worse the closer they got to the building. By the time they reached it, Hadi had covered his mouth and nose with his shirt in an attempt to block out the stench. Y¡¯rid stopped walking as he looked at the boy, remembering the body inside the house. The boy had seen worse during the horde, but there was no need to put him through more. Y¡¯rid turned to Red.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here with him,¡± Red said as he opened his mouth. The big man reached down to pick up the boy and place him on his shoulder.


    Y¡¯rid gave the man a grateful nod.


    He and Holin entered the building. Holin barely looked at the corpse before moving on, following Y¡¯rid as he went to the dead pups.


    Holin tilted his head as they reached them. He reached down and picked up one by the head turning it around to face him.


    ¡°So?¡± Y¡¯rid asked. ¡°What are they?¡±


    Holin was silent for a moment before answering. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    The man frowned and picked up another, holding the two side by side. As he did so, Y¡¯rid noticed small differences. Both and three eyes and split jaws, but one¡¯s centre eye was a bit to the side and higher up than the other. The other¡¯s lower jaw seemed a bit misshapen, one half being longer than the other giving it a lopsided appearance.


    ¡°This is wrong,¡± Holin said. He put the two to the side and reached for another pulling up its paw. It had five digits on the limb, while its other limbs had four.


    ¡°Subtle differences among creatures of the same species is not uncommon, but this¡­ this isn¡¯t subtle at all. And in one litter. Look at that one, it doesn¡¯t even have a tail like the others, and there is no sign of a wound. Still though¡­¡±


    He stood up and threw away the pup in his hands without sparing it a glance as it hit the floor with a thud. ¡°These things have certain traits that almost look reminiscent of a nhilynx.¡±


    He turned and walked back to the entrance with Y¡¯rid behind him.


    ¡°A species you just haven¡¯t seen yet?¡± Y¡¯rid asked


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t explain the variation. They were changed somehow.¡±


    ¡°You think these are the same as that floating creature you killed?¡±


    ¡°That one had runes carved into its flesh. It was twisted by someone,¡± Holin said. ¡°These were born.¡±


    A thought struck Y¡¯rid as he heard this. ¡°A second generation?¡±


    Holin took a moment before replying. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought as well¡­¡± ¨C He shook his head ¨C ¡°We¡¯ll need to see the parent. If it really is¡­¡±


    Holin paused as they stepped into the first room and looked down at the corpse of the man on the floor.


    ¡°This man wasn¡¯t killed here. He was dragged from somewhere else. This happened a two or three days after the scavengers passed through I¡¯d wager.¡±


    He nudged the corpse¡¯s hand with his boot, where the finger had been severed.


    ¡°Oh right,¡± Y¡¯rid said pulling out the ring. ¡°I found this on the man.¡±


    Holin took the ring and turned it over. He licked his thumb and rubbed the ring clean of blood, showing the runes surrounding the sigil in the middle.


    ¡°Tale¡¯s Flight,¡± He muttered.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Messengers. The best there is. Founded and supported by a group of mages, they only accept those who can use runes to join them. Each of them has a few runecrafted toys to use when the need arises. Few other than mages can hire them¡­ unless you shit gold and piss silver. They always get the job done though.¡±


    ¡°For that reason,¡± ¨C he knelt down next to the corpse and looked it over carefully, turning it around and tracing his hands across the armour, ¨C ¡°they are sometimes used to send word to other cities of dire threats. Such as hordes.¡±


    He scratched at a piece of the leather vest on the chest, clearing the dried blood from it. A small cut, no wider than Y¡¯rid¡¯s thumb was long, could be seen piercing through the leather.


    Pulling out his dagger he plunged it into the chest next to the cut. He wiggled the blade to widen the cut enough to stick two fingers into the chest of the corpse. Y¡¯rid could see him concentrate as he felt around before his eyes widened. With a grunt, he yanked out his hand pulling out something else as well.


    Using the cleanest part of the corpse¡¯s clothing he wiped the object and then turned it over.


    They both stared down at the black arrowhead lying in his palm.


    ¡°Well¡­ shit.¡±

 Chapter 14

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    ¡°How can you be certain he was part of Tale¡¯s Flight?¡± Rhone asked, holding the black arrowhead and ring in his hands.


    ¡°He wore the ring,¡± Holin said.


    ¡°Just the ring? No other runecrafted equipment?¡±


    ¡°None,¡± Holin said shaking his head. ¡°Though they were probably looted by whoever killed him.¡±


    ¡°Runecrafted equipment is worth a lot, right?¡± Y¡¯rid asked with a frown. ¡°If someone killed the messenger, would they not take the ring as well?¡±


    Holin shook his head. ¡°Anyone with enough power and wealth to buy items like that would recognise the ring. If word got out that you had one, you would be drawing attention to yourself. The kind you do want. Some very powerful people are behind Tale¡¯s Flight. And they take their reputation very seriously.¡±


    ¡°Then why not dispose of the ring?¡± Kali asked. ¡°Surely they could easily have just thrown it into the river.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they thought they did,¡± Holin said. ¡°The beast whose lair that was, was already eating the corpse. If we had found the bones a week later there would have been no sign of human interference. Anyone who stumbled across it would have assumed that the man killed by a beast.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps that is what they wanted?¡± Y¡¯rid suggested. ¡°Whoever killed him.¡±


    ¡°Could be,¡± Holin said before turning back to Rhone. ¡°Then there is the problem with that beast litter. They weren¡¯t natural. I think they might be the offspring of an experiment similar to the mutated rish.¡±


    ¡°They could simply have been a failure of a litter,¡± Rhone said. ¡°One of the parents could have been malformed, carrying the traits down the line.¡±


    ¡°Would a malformed beast survive long enough to breed?¡± Holin refuted. ¡°And there were no common deformities they shared. If you had seen them, Rhone, you would know for yourself.¡±


    Rhone rubbed the side of his head, he could already feel the headache that was starting to form.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be a coincidence that the messenger was found in the den of those beasts,¡± Holin continued. ¡°If he was placed-¡°


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Rhone interrupted. He would not let this conversation spiral down into some conspiracy. ¡°There is no evidence pointing to a connection between the dead messenger and that mutated rish you killed. Nor is there any to suggest that this beast litter was the result of another mutated creature. If you hadn¡¯t faced that thing back at Dusk, do you think you would have come to the same conclusion?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps not,¡± Holin admitted. ¡°But I did face it, and I can tell you, something was off about that litter.¡±


    ¡°Without proof, all we have is suspicions,¡± Rhone said. ¡°And that simply is not enough.¡±


    ¡°However,¡± he continued, looking Holin in the eye, ¡°if there are more of those things and if they can bear offspring, then the Order needs to know. What we can do, is to try and find the beast that spawned the litter.¡±


    ¡°What I want to know,¡± Kali said, ¡°is why that messenger was killed. Tale¡¯s Flight doesn¡¯t come cheap. Whatever message he carried should have been important. Important enough to end his life.¡±


    Rhone sighed. ¡°This isn¡¯t a problem we will solve today. We don¡¯t know where the messenger came from, where he was going, what he was carrying or even if it is connected to these beasts. We need to focus on the things we can do right now.


    And that is to try confirming if the beasts were indeed mutated through magic. Holin, you said the den isn¡¯t far from here? Hopefully, the parent we are looking for hasn¡¯t returned yet. If we can get there before it does, maybe we can get to the bottom of this.¡±


    ¡°That might not be necessary,¡± Holin said drawing the attention of the others. ¡°Y¡¯rid here was the one who killed the pups, and I was inside the building as well. If the beast didn¡¯t return between when he killed them and when I arrived then it would have both our scents, otherwise, it would still have his.¡±


    Rhone frowned and looked at Holin. He was about to ask the man to elaborate when comprehension dawned on him. ¡°You want to use him as bait.¡±


    ¡°Both of us actually. But yes, if this beast is like most, then seeking out the one that killed its young would only be expected, no?¡±


    Rhone turned to Y¡¯rid. ¡°You wanted to join the order. You might not be a part of us yet, but this is too important a chance to pass up.¡±


    He expected the kid to waver or perhaps be a little too eager to prove himself, neither would have surprised him. What did was that Y¡¯rid merely nodded, his eyes filled with determination. Rhone held his gaze for a moment before nodding back.


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then,¡± he said. ¡°Holin, I want you and Y¡¯rid outside in the open. Kali, you get somewhere with a good vantage point. If you spot the beast, check if you can see any of those runes on it. But don¡¯t engage unless you are sure you can take it down. The more proof we have the better. Red you¡¯ll take the building opposite the street, I¡¯ll take this one. Try to keep out of sight, when it goes for Holin and Y¡¯rid, then you and I flank it. The boy can stay here with me.¡±


    The others nodded as they began to make preparations, leaving Rhone alone in front of the fireplace.


    Despite what he said about the lack of evidence, he knew the odds were against all this being a coincidence. But he had to lead this team, he couldn¡¯t allow himself to be swayed by assumptions.


    His thoughts strayed back to the messenger as he turned the ring over in his hand.


    Just what did you know?


    Whoever had killed the messenger was certainly not an amateur. Tale¡¯s Flight are no pushovers, and if word got out that you tried to take out one of theirs¡­ the mages behind them wouldn¡¯t let such a slight go.


    But then there was the arrowhead. Rhone opened his other hand and gazed down at the arrowhead. The black surface was smooth and polished, the edge thin and razor sharp. He held up the arrowhead to the fire, allowing the light to reveal the semi-transparent nature of the material at the edges where it was thinnest.


    Vhiros, or its more common name, Blacksteel. Named after what it resembled rather than what it was. It was not a metal at all, but instead a type of crystal that grew in the Orr caverns.


    Holin and the others might not have recognized it, but he did. After all, he had seen them before, a long time ago during the ¡®uprisings¡¯ of the Orr beastmen. That was also the last time he had seen runes carved into flesh that didn¡¯t kill the bearer.


    The uprisings. It was a stain on both species. Beastmen attacking human settlements and slaughtering innocents. Bounty hunters and mages hunting down Beastmen for their rune-engraved skin.


    But those times are over, the cost of the treaties paid for in blood.


    Why would they strike out now?


    ***


    Y¡¯rid sat with his back to the small fire they had built in the road. On the other side sat Holin facing in the opposite direction.


    He kept his eyes away from the flames. If the beast was to appear, he doubted he¡¯d have the chance to wait for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.


    ¡°You think the beast will show up?¡± Y¡¯rid asked over his shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± came Holin¡¯s reply. ¡°But I think it will. Even if it decides not to attack it should still track our scent.¡±


    ¡°What if it never comes into view? Will we try to track it down tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I doubt it. If it doesn¡¯t, then hopefully Kali will manage to get a look at it. We need to get this information back to Stronghold, even if Rhone says we need more proof. We can¡¯t afford to spend too long here.¡±


    Silence fell on the two as Y¡¯rid stared off at the flickering shadows cast by the fire behind him. The light fell onto the ruined buildings, giving them a haunted look that caused him to the tension in his body to rise. Would Kali really be able to see the beast in this?


    From the time he spent with the group, he knew she had exceptional eyesight. A product of the ritual, or so he was told. Yet the main reason she didn¡¯t like the forest was the lack of light, as she pointed out on numerous occasions, and it wouldn¡¯t help that this night was a cloudy one.


    If he was being honest, he had had quite enough of this forest as well. In fact, he was looking forward to seeing the glowing hills that would come after this. Apparently, they were named so after the vines, plants that gave off a light of their own in darkness.


    It sounded strange, and at first, he had thought Kali was joking when she said so but, after talking to the others, it seemed to be real. Unless they were all trying to make him look like a fool. But they probably could have found easier ways to do that, he figured.


    Either way, it had to be better than spending most of your time in darkness. Starlight sounded nice until you had to walk through the woods in it. The number of times he had tripped over a root had long since disillusioned him to its wonder.


    Despite his efforts, he found his thoughts straying back to the corpse that had contained the arrowhead and the beast they were waiting for. Just what had he found himself in? Didn¡¯t people have enough trouble surviving as it was?


    ¡°So, tell me about Stronghold,¡± Y¡¯rid said trying to find something else to focus on.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to see it for yourself to understand. I know I did,¡± Holin said. ¡°It¡¯s old. Older than any city I know of. The settlement surrounding the fort is high up in a mountain with the fort itself being built into its side. Some of the books and scrolls in the library are so ancient that they can no longer be read, the parchment crumbling and the ink faded.¡±


    ¡°It survived so long?¡±


    ¡°It did. It was once the heart of the Order.¡± ¨C Holin paused for a moment ¨C ¡°But its age shows more than its strength. It also shows the waning thereof. Many of the houses in the settlement are abandoned and many of the rooms in the fort aren¡¯t in use. Now, it is all that¡¯s left of the Order.¡±


    Y¡¯rid turned towards the man. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the question, isn¡¯t it?¡± Holin said, his back still turned towards him. ¡°If you want to know more, when we get to Stronghold, go over some of the old maps and compare them to the newer ones. At one point there were more than twice the number of cities there are today. From time to time new ones were founded, but they fell even quicker.¡±


    Holin looked over, the firelight reflecting off of his pale red eyes. The intensity in that gaze almost caused Y¡¯rid to break eye contact.


    ¡°We are a dying species,¡± Holin said, pausing for the words to sink in. ¡°It¡¯s happening so slowly that most would never even take notice. It won¡¯t happen in our lifetime, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact.¡±


    ¡°A dying species¡­¡± Y¡¯rid repeated.


    Holin chuckled. ¡°You had your chance to live in blissful ignorance. You gave that up when you decided to join to Order.¡±


    ¡°Though,¡± He added, his voice a barely an audible mutter, ¡°there are some that would argue that point.¡±


    He watched as Holin pulled a flask from his belt. He uncorked it and took a sip before stretched out his arm, holding the flask towards Y¡¯rid. Y¡¯rid leaned over and took it.


    He looked down at the flask in his hands, his eyes looking past the stained glass and red liquid within. What did this mean to him? The thought had sent a chill down his spine, yet somehow he knew it couldn¡¯t compare to the apprehension that Holin felt.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Should I be more concerned?


    If what Holin said was true, then this was more dire than anything he had faced. Yet, the dread he felt was a far-off thing, seemingly insignificant to the anticipation of the coming beast.


    Was that because it wasn¡¯t an immediate threat? Perhaps simply knowing there were other worlds with humans somehow made it more acceptable for the existential threat on this one?


    Or maybe he didn¡¯t care as much as he should because part of him wasn¡¯t really from this world? After all, he had already made up his mind. He would try to find a way back. Back to those he left.


    His moved towards the wooden house, each step heavy after a long day¡¯s work of training recruits.


    As he neared the house he could smell the aroma of roasting meat and sweet berry pastry. A familiar smell, and one that spoke of home. Through the wooden door, he could just make out the laughter of a little girl.


    He smiled as he reached for the handle.


    It was here that the memory ended. The newest addition that he was able to retrieve from the depths of his mind. Yet he feared it might have been one of the last. Each time he tried to remember an event from his previous life, he felt like he was pulling it from up a web of darkness. A darkness that seemed to infest all of them. The harder he pulled, the tighter it clung.


    Usually, that left him with a massive headache and sweat dripping down his forehead, even if the headaches were getting worse. But the last time was different. When he latched onto the memory and pulled¡­ it reached out.


    The darkness had seemed to stretch outward. It might have been his imagination, but the feeling it brought was not. The moment that happened he had felt a fear, colder than any far-off threat, spiking through his heart. It had felt alien, yet at the same time, familiar. But most of all, it had felt dangerous. More so than anything he had faced before. It had brought with it a sense of powerlessness he had never experienced before, and one he didn¡¯t want to experience again.


    A raindrop fell onto his face, splattering against his forehead and pulling him out of his thoughts.


    He brought the flask to his lips and took a swig. The burning sensation ran down his throat, barely dulled by the sweet taste that lingered after. He raised the flask to his nose, smelling the sharp fruity scent of the drink.


    ¡°What is this?¡± He asked looking at the flask.


    ¡°Some fruit spirit Red found among the scavengers¡¯ wreckage,¡± Holin said.


    Y¡¯rid took another sip before handing it back. Holin reached over, his hand bumping against the flask, almost knocking it out of Y¡¯rid¡¯s hand. Holin clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Fucking rish.¡±


    ¡°Still having trouble with the eye?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    Holin sighed. ¡°I¡¯m getting used to it. Still have to concentrate on everything I do though. Things seem nearer or further than they are.¡±


    ¡°Maybe some sparring would help with that.¡±


    Holin grinned. ¡°You still wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    ***


    Red sat cross-legged on the floor of the building, his axe beside him, leaning against a table that held a burning candle. The candle was the only source of light in the dark building, its flame sputtering as the wax melted around it. He listened to the pitter-patter as the rain started beating down on the roof.


    Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a piece of cloth and unwrapped it to reveal the silver necklace he had taken from the scavengers¡¯ loot. It was a thin silver chain onto which hung a silver leaf, etched with swirling patterns. Idly he wondered if Teyra would like it.


    She always had a strange sense of beauty when it came to such things, even for a wet-lander. If it was back in Anuneer, he would just have gone out to find the biggest beast he could take down and bring her its heart. In fact, he had done just when he had first taken an interest in the healer.


    She had nearly killed him herself when he stumbled through the door, covered in wounds and luging the chest-sized ko-ari organ on his shoulder.


    He smiled as he thought of the memory. Back then the fire was still flowing in his veins, barely quenched by the miserable defeat against Loan, Kali¡¯s father. But that was different now. Now he could look back at that youth and shake his head in amusement.


    He fingers traced the amulet that hung around his neck. Strange, that he would find his god here, in these rain-soaked lands, so far away from the bright, shifting dunes of his birthplace. It took him the long journey to the opposite end of the world to recognise what had been around him all along.


    The balancing hand of Uldar was everywhere, yet only those who looked would ever see. Recognising that balance had allowed it the flourish inside of him as well, something he, up until that point, hadn¡¯t even realised he needed. The ritual had taken all the fire from his veins and bound it together, creating the need for a calm to oppose the storm. After all, balance had to be upheld.


    He carefully wrapped up the necklace again and placed it back in his pocket. With calm had come patience. He could wait a while longer.


    He looked around the room, his eyes flowing over the old stone walls. It had taken him some time to get used to the structures when he first came north. Here people built up instead of down.


    His gaze caught onto something near the opposite wall that made him pause for a moment. A shifting of the light, partially revealing a brown fur covered form before it shifted again, hiding it from view. He forced his gaze to continue scanning the walls while watching the spot out of the corner of his eye.


    It shifted again, almost like space itself was realigning to hide whatever was there from sight.


    Keeping his movements slow and relaxed he stood up and rolled his shoulders, careful not to give away any sign of tension. He reached over and gripped the handle of his axe, heaving it onto his shoulder, as he pretended to study the stone walls.


    He didn¡¯t have to wait long before he saw a slight movement again. A ripple through the low-light revealing a dark brown paw before it seemed to fold away, leaving only the wall behind it.


    Red slowly turned his back towards it, his eyes unfocused as he strained his hearing. Unconsciously he tightened the grip on his axe. He would only get a single chance before it realised it had been seen.


    Time seemed to stretch as he waited, he could feel the moments between each heartbeat. Then he heard it. A faint clicking as nails tapped onto the wooden flooring.


    Three strides.


    He judged the distance, waiting for the next step. He didn¡¯t have to wait long before the sound was followed by another.


    One more.


    The moment the next tap came he spun. He stomped down onto the wooden floor, the plank cracking beneath his boot as he swung the greataxe from his shoulder in an arc in front of him.


    He saw the air shimmer as the tiniest bit of resistance came from the blade before it forced its path through. Long hours of training kicked in as he stepped forward without hesitation, swinging the axe over his head to keep the momentum before bringing it down in a vertical slash.


    The axe bit into the wood with a thunderous crack and the air twisted as the beast retreated, barely having dodged the attack.


    ¡°It¡¯s here!¡± Red bellowed, yanking the axe out of the floor and charging after the retreating creature. He watched as the air shifted, whatever magic hiding it from sight unable to keep up with its rapid movement. It swirled around the retreating form, revealing parts of it before it covered them up again, leaving only a distortion in place as another part opened up.


    Red sprinted through the room after the beast, following it as it turned a corner and dashed into the next room. He entered just in time to see it shoot through the window at the back. His eyes locked onto the door in the far wall. Sprinting towards it he lowered his shoulder and charged into it, the wooden divide holding for half a moment before he burst through it in a shower of wood and splinters.


    ***


    Kali crouched at the edge of the roof, her bow was strung and clutched in her left hand along with two arrows, the rest being in the quiver on her back. She had her hood pulled over her head to keep the rain from her eyes as she kept glancing around at the ground, trying to make out any movement.


    This was why she hated Nightwood. The only source of light in the long nights were the moon and stars, and now, the one time when she actually needed to see, it was not only cloudy but also raining. If not for her enhanced sight she would have been blind.


    She stood up, walked to the other side of the roof and gazed down at Holin and Y¡¯rid sitting next to the struggling fire in the road. It wouldn¡¯t last much longer even if the rain was little more than a drizzle. It would slowly work its way through the flames to the wood, just as it was working its way through her clothes, seemingly having set its sight on her bones.


    Still, the warm glow looked so inviting. She watched for a few moments as the flames started to sputter and dim. Good. Now they will have to share her pain.


    She shook her head, berating herself. Of course she didn¡¯t want them to, besides, the fire is giving a bit more light to the surrounding area for which she was grateful. But it looked so warm¡­ and she was stuck up here.


    She stood up and walked along the edge of the roof, hoping that movement might help. She reached the end and leapt the two strides to the neighbouring roof. Like most cities, the lack of space forced the buildings to be built right next to each other. Something that, in this case, provided her with a large, if uneven, area to move in. In fact, she could probably reach most of the city without having to touch the ground.


    She was about to turn back around, when a loud crack reached her, coming from two buildings away. From the one Red was in, she realised with a start.


    ¡°It¡¯s here!¡±


    She heard the familiar voice shout. Without wasting time she ran towards the edge of the roof, nocking one of the arrows as she did so. She reached the end and looked down just in time to see something jump through the window of the building in question. She tried to focus on it but for some reason, she couldn¡¯t get a good look at it.


    A loud crash echoed through the area as a door leading to the road splintered and Red stumbled out. He looked around before facing in the direction of the shimmering figure. She drew the arrow in a smooth motion and sighted down the shifting form, realising that the shimmer was the creature they were waiting for. Aiming a little in front of it, she waited for it to pass her before releasing the arrow and letting it cut through the air before ramming into the blurring figure.


    A loud cry went up from the creature as it was knocked to the side, but it managed to keep its footing and sprinted forward once more. Knocking and drawing the second arrow, she aimed at the creature again. She lifted the bow a little to correct for the distance when a break in the cloud cover caused the light of the moon to shine through. A glint in the distance caught her eye, some seventy strides away. A chill, colder than the rain, took hold in her when she saw it.


    ¡°Get down!¡± She shouted and threw herself flat on the roof. Instinctively, she reached within, to the part of her mind where her Aspect resided, and called it into being. She felt her sight sharpen and the darkness retreat. She barely registered the raindrops as they seemed slowed down in the air, all of her attention focusing on the cloaked figure holding the bow in its hands.


    She heard the thwack of the bowstring and the whistling sound of an arrow as it travelled towards them. her eyes traced the projectile as it headed towards Red. She saw him following her command and duck down just in time as the arrow sailed over him.


    A wave of relief washed over her, quickly replaced by anger a moment later. She surged to her feet, her body moving in slow motion as she drew back the nocked arrow and calculated the distance, before releasing it. It soared through the air and hammered into the stone next to the figure¡¯s head, a finger¡¯s width away from ending its life. The figure raised its arms to cover its head and dived into the alleyway to its side, disappearing from sight.


    Kali felt time return to its normal speed and her strength drain away as quickly as it had come, taking with it the clarity of her sight and leaving only a pounding in her head in return. She forced her eyes open and scanned the buildings looking for any signs of more archers.


    Looking back to Red, she saw him having moved to the side of a building on the opposite end of the road. He made his way in the direction the beast had run while keeping close to the wall. Holin and Y¡¯rid soon joined with Rhone following behind them.


    Ignoring the tiredness in her limbs, brought on by the use of her Aspect, she began walking along the edge of the roof as well. She kept an eye out for any other potential threats as she did so. Since she had the highest vantage point it fell to her to point them out should any arise.


    They slowly made their way forward until they reached the alleyway the archer had disappeared in. Kali held up a fist for the others to see, stopping them as she crept forward. She reached the edge of the roof next to the alleyway and peered down quickly scanning the area. Near the far end she could barely make out a shimmering form struggling against a wall of a house, but no sign of the archer.


    She pulled back from the edge. ¡°The beast¡¯s injured!¡± She shouted. ¡°No sign of the archer.¡±


    She watched as Rhone said something to Holin, after which the man disappeared into a side street along with Y¡¯rid. Rhone looked up to her and made a circling gesture with his hand. Nodding she set off across the roofs to get a look at the surroundings as Rhone and Red made their way down the alleyway.


    Try as she might, she couldn¡¯t find any other figures hiding in the surrounding area. She gave the search a few more minutes before grabbing onto the edge of the roof she was on and dropping down to the ground, some ten feet below.


    The impact sent a shock through her legs which she ignored. She looked around once more before making her way back to the alleyway.


    She reached the entrance to see the two men standing over the corpse of a beast, the twisting of shimmering effect seeming to have disappeared. She made her way over.


    ¡°-never seen anything like it,¡± Rhone said to Red.


    The man grunted in response and looked over to her as she approached. She joined them and looked down at the creature. It had a sleek quadruped figure covered in brown fur that failed to completely hide the markings that had been engraved into its flesh.


    Her arrow was still sticking out of its side, probably having pierced a lung. The adrenaline that had no doubt run through its body was perhaps the only thing that had carried it this far. Though, looking at its nearly severed head, that was not the wound that killed it. She glanced at Red¡¯s axe, to see the blade stained in blood that dripped onto the ground as the rain mixed with it.


    The beast¡¯s head was long and triangular shaped, ending in a mouth that split into three parts, with a long tongue that hung onto the ground. It reminded her of the description Holin had given them of the beast litter they had found earlier that day.


    ¡°No one else here,¡± she said. ¡°I think that archer might have been alone.¡±


    Rhone nodded. ¡°Red said the beast could hide in plain sight?¡±


    ¡°It was strange,¡± Kali said, thinking back on the figure she saw as it had sped past her. ¡°It seemed as though parts of it appeared before they disappeared again. Like there was something that covered it up.¡±


    ¡°We saw something similar,¡± Rhone replied after a moment. ¡°Though a strike to its neck had stopped that effect. The runes seem to have been tied to its life somehow¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± She asked. ¡°Do you know?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rhone said. ¡°Looking at its form, it seems to have the basic shape of a nhilynx, though that is where the resemblance ends.¡±


    He took out a knife and began skinning the beast.


    ¡°We are taking that back?¡± Kali asked.


    Rhone nodded. ¡°Perhaps Kale might be able to give some insight into the runes.¡±


    It was true, she doubted any mage had as much knowledge of beasts like the one in Stronghold did. And he might have come across something similar in the records of the library.


    She turned her head at the sounds of approaching footsteps to see Holin and Y¡¯rid making their way over.


    ¡°Any luck?¡± Rhone asked as they joined them.


    ¡°No,¡± Holin said. ¡°Could barely make out a track or two in these conditions. We¡¯d never catch up while having to search for the trail. Not to mention, the rain would probably wipe it out before we found our assassin.¡±


    Rhone gave a curt nod. ¡°I suppose it was too much to hope for.¡± ¨C he turned to Kali ¨C ¡°Did you get a look at him?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°He was cloaked. To be honest I couldn¡¯t even tell if it was a man or a woman.¡±


    Rhone fell silent for a moment before turning to Holin. ¡°Those tracks. What do they look like.¡±


    Holin frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Humour me.¡±


    Holin shrugged. ¡°Average size boot. Solid heel. Maybe favouring the side of his foot a bit... why?¡±


    ¡°Human prints huh?¡± Rhone muttered under his breath.


    ¡°Well hell, I¡¯ve never had a beast shooting arrows at me before,¡± Holin said. ¡°Is that something we have to watch out for now?¡±


    Rhone snorted and focused on his work as he finished removing the pelt. He stood up and turned to them. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get back. We can still get a few hours¡¯ sleep before daybreak. Something tells me, the archer wasn¡¯t expecting to find us here. I doubt he¡¯d be back. Especially now that he lost his pet.¡±


    The others nodded and they began making their way back to the house.


    ¡°So,¡± Holin said, breaking the silence. ¡°You still think we lack the evidence to suggest a connection between the beast and messenger?¡±

 Character list

    Titles:


    Hunter - A person who hunts beasts for a living.


    Beast eaters - A common and somewhat disrespectful name for members of the Order of Thal.


    The Weaver - Title for the leader of the Order of Thal.


    Characters:


    Y''rid - Result of an altered resurrection experiment. Lost most of his own memories and gained those from his bodies previous owner.


    Rhone - Leader of the beast eater group that Y''rid travels with.


    Holin - Member of the beast eater group that Y''rid travels with. Serves as a scout and trapper for the group. Y''rid''s teacher.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Kali - Member of the beast eater group that Y''rid travels with. Serves as archer and hunter in the group.


    Red''nakheer (Red) - Member of the beast eater group that Y''rid travels with. Hails from the deserts of Anuneer far to the south. Serves as a frontline warrior.


    Ritter - Member of beast eater group that Y''rid travels with. Half-mage able to use rune-crafted items. Sent ahead of the group after the fall of Riversedge.


    Meera - Member of the beast eater group that Y''rid travels with. Sent ahead of the group after the fall of Riversedge.


    Jerick - Deceased member of the beast eater group that Y''rid travels with. Killed during the fall of Riversedge.


    Hadi - A young boy Y''rid rescued during the fall of Riversedge. Traveling with Y''rid and the rest to Stronghold.


    Lerann - Mage that resurrected Y''rid. Focusses all his effort on altering resurrection spell.


    Kale - Mage living in Stronghold. Works with the beast eaters in exchange for access to the library of Stronghold.


    Loan - Member of the beast eaters and Kali''s father. Left on a pilgrimage when Kali was very young to find the promised land of his god, Tu''her. Presumed dead.


    Teyra - apothecary in Stronghold. In a relationship with Red.


    Uldar - The Balancer. Elder god.


    Tu''her - The Traveller. Elder god.

 Chapter 15

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    ¡°Would you stop that?¡± Kali''s voice travelled through the air.


    Y¡¯rid looked over to see her staring at Holin as he scratched at the patch of skin covering his empty eye socket.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your face, is it?¡± Holin replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s disturbing.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Holin said. ¡°I¡¯ll stop-¡°


    He paused mid-sentence and looked around. ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°Hear what?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± Holin stared off into the distance.


    Y¡¯rid tilted his head, trying to catch any hint of what he had heard, but only the sounds of the forest reached his ears. Then he heard it, a faint drumming noise. But it was coming from much closer than he had expected. He looked towards the sound to see Holin taping on the skin-covered eye socket with his index and middle finger, beating it like a tiny drum.


    ¡°Oh, for the love of¡­¡± Kali said, shaking her head as a slow smile spread across Holin¡¯s face.


    Y¡¯rid couldn¡¯t keep from chuckling, though luckily he wasn¡¯t the only one, as Red started laughing as well. Even Hadi joined in, though whether he actually found it funny or just enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere was a mystery.


    ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± Kali said, walking ahead of the group. ¡°I¡¯m going to do a bit of scouting while we still have some daylight left.¡±


    The trees slowly began to thin out as they continued, signifying the end of the forest. Four days had passed since they left the ruined city.


    Rhone had wanted the group on full alert until they were clear of the forest, and Y¡¯rid was looking forward to a full night¡¯s sleep. These last few nights they had doubled the watch when they slept, with two of them awake at all times. This was to prevent them from being caught off guard in case anyone was following them. Even though they had not found anyone, the few hours of sleep had taken its toll.


    Perhaps they could set up a few traps today. Ever since they had entered Nightwood, they had mostly stuck to dried rations, moving as quickly as they could. And after Holin¡¯s injury, he hadn''t been trapping or hunting, simply getting used to seeing with one eye. The only times they had fresh meat was when Kali managed to find and kill some small beasts during her scouting in the scant hours of daylight.


    The lack of sleep and proper food had led to a weariness that slowly began to affect the group. Finally, Rhone had stated that they would set up camp early today. Originally the plan was to wait for the next city, but that was still two days away and a rest would do them all good. A weary man dropped his guard easily, and in the wilderness that led to unnecessary danger that often proved fatal.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Holin muttered.


    ¡°The ridge,¡± He said, noticing Y¡¯rid¡¯s gaze and nodding forwards. ¡°It runs on for miles. Serves as the border between the Glowing Hills and NIghtwood.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked to see the blue sky just visible between the trees. The ground had been sloping upwards for the last half hour and seemed as though they had finally reached its crest.


    They stopped for a moment as they reached the top of the ridge. From the vantage point, Y¡¯rid could look out over the treetops and into the distance. Past the trees, he could see the sloping rocky hills that gave the area its name. The hills were populated by stands of trees and bushes, forming thickets that ranged in size from a few dozen trees to what appeared to be small woods that covered entire hills. Far past them, he could just make out the outline of a mountain range that stretched into the sky.


    ¡°Why are they not glowing?¡± Hadi asked from his seat on the cart.


    ¡°The hills do not glow, only the vines do and only when it''s dark,¡± Rhone explained. ¡°Once night falls you¡¯ll see the all those groves light up.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± The boy asked, the excitement clear in his voice.


    ¡°Really,¡± Rhone replied with a smile.


    ***


    ¡°So this will start shining when it gets darker?¡± Y¡¯rid asked rubbing one of the leaves of the vine between his fingers. It had a smooth, almost wax-like, texture to it. The leaves themselves were a bit longer than his hand and half its width. Like the rest of the vine, they were coloured a deep orange. From what Y''rid could see, the vines seemed to range from yellowish-brown to deep red, the slightly different shaped leaves indicating different species.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Holin replied.


    Y¡¯rid looked up at the rest of the plant. It covered most of the tree¡¯s trunk on which it grew, with shoots hanging down over the branches, drooping towards the ground.


    ¡°How does it work?¡±


    Holin shrugged. ¡°They are parasites. They feed on the plants they grow on. It¡¯ll keep on growing and branch out to nearby plants and trees as it does.¡±


    He pointed to the small hook-like appendages that grew from the vine¡¯s main body and into the bark of the tree. Y¡¯rid grabbed one of the hooks and pulled lightly, but the plant refused to budge. He pulled harder until the hook gave way with a tearing sound.


    ¡°If you want to know how they glow, however, then you¡¯re asking the wrong person.¡±


    Y''rid looked at the hook. It had extended into the tree the length of his thumb, with tiny roots branching out the sides that helped to secure it in place.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be good for the things plants feed on, right?¡±


    ¡°Quite the contrary, the plants tend to grow near them. These groves probably wouldn''t exist without them.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked at the tree¡¯s surroundings. Sure enough, when he looked at nearby trees, it did seem as though the grass and shrubs around ones with these vines were larger and more numerous. In fact, when he looked at nearby trees without them, they seemed to be leaning towards the vines, almost as if their branches were reaching out to them.


    ¡°Strange,¡± He muttered.


    ¡°In any case, that¡¯s not why we are here,¡± Holin said as he finished placing the snare. He looked towards Y¡¯rid.


    ¡°You done with yours yet?¡± Holin asked.


    ¡°I was talking to you,¡± Y¡¯rid said.


    ¡°And I was talking back. Yet when I look in front of me I see a set snare, and when I look over there, all I see is you staring at a tree.¡±


    ¡°Yeah-yeah,¡± Y¡¯rid said shaking his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t place the snare directly next to one of the vines, find a place that would be hidden in shadow, and preferably on a trail, if you can find one.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked around the area searching for a good spot to set up the snare which mainly consisted of a length of rope ending in a loop. He found a spot between two nearby shrubs, a few small twigs were broken of between them and he could just make out an indent on the ground that may have been a print. Tying the end of the thin rope around a low branch from a young sapling to the side, he pulled the branch down to put a bit of tension onto the rope. He then tied a stick to the rope where it reached the ground and stuck it into the earth. After this, all that remained was tying a loop to the end of the rope and laying it onto the trail, using some leaves and twigs to prop it up and hide it from sight.


    When the animal, stepped through the loop it would pull on the rope, pulling the stick out of the ground which would then release the tension in the rope from the bent branch, yanking on the rope and causing the loop to tighten. The main difficulty was to strike the stick into the ground deep enough that the tension wouldn¡¯t pull it out on its own, yet shallow enough that a passing animal¡¯s tug on the loop would pull it out.


    The simple trap relied heavily on luck and was only able to trap small animals, such as rabbits or forest lizards. But they were quick to set up and if you had enough of them, catching dinner was quite feasible.


    After that, they continued through the thicket setting up a few more traps including two deadfalls and a small pitfall.


    Y¡¯rid looked up as they finished the last of the traps. The evening light of the sun was shining through the treetops, lighting the ground in patches as the chill of the night began to set in.


    Once again he vowed to himself to get a proper coat next time they were in a city. The air kept getting colder as they continued their travel north, making Y¡¯rid endlessly grateful for the blankets he had bought at Lok, which seemed like a lifetime ago. But that could only help so much. Treading along the road in the early morning with a blanket wrapped around him wasn¡¯t the most comfortable experience he had ever had.


    ¡°We still got an hour or two left,¡± Holin said as he looked up at the sky. ¡°Let¡¯s find a clearing and see if you can remember how to swing a sword.¡±


    ***


    Y¡¯rid raised his arm, pushing against the blade with his bracer and sending it curving over his head. He thrust forward with his sword, but Holin stepped to the side and brought up his second sword in an upwards slash.


    Y¡®rid leaned back allowing the sword to sail past him, but Holin had already recovered the first sword and swung it forward. A dull pain shot through his side as the sword struck him with the flat of the blade.


    ¡°Four,¡± Came Holin¡¯s voice, taunting him.


    Y¡¯rid took a step back and reset his stance, his blade at his side pointing forwards and slightly up, while his other arm that held the bracer was raised, in the same way he would have held a shield. A remnant of his old life that he still found hard to shake.


    He launched himself forward and slashed his sword in a wide arc, forcing Holin to take a step back. He feinted a thrust to Holin¡¯s right-side as the man stepped forward. Holin raised one of his swords to parry the blow, his eye momentarily glancing towards it.


    Y¡¯ri pulled back the thrust as he struck out with his fist, aiming at Holin¡¯s blindside. Holin twisted to the side just as his fist reached him. Y¡¯rid barely felt any resistance as Holin spun with the blow, his sword flashing towards Y¡¯rid faster than he could dodge, coming to rest against his neck.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Five,¡± Holin said and pulled back his sword. ¡°Going for the opening was good, but predictable. A good move that your opponent is expecting is worse than a bad one that he doesn¡¯t. If I were-¡°


    Holin¡¯s words were cut off as Y¡¯rid swiped forward, aiming at his feet. Holin jumped over the strike, giving Y¡¯rid the opening he had hoped for. He swung his bracer into the man¡¯s chest, sending him stumbling back as his feet hit the ground. Not letting the opportunity go, Y''rid grasped onto the leather vest of the man and pulled, keeping him off balance and close, where his swords would be a hindrance. Dropping his own, his now free hand darted along the bracer and pulled the knife he had secured to its side without stopping its movement, before coming to rest just below Holin¡¯s chin.


    ¡°One,¡± He said, unable to keep the corner of his mouth from twisting upwards.


    ¡°Six,¡± Holin replied as Y¡¯rid felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned his head to look at the tip of one of Holin¡¯s swords.


    Holin chuckled as Y¡¯rid released him and stepped back.


    ¡°Gutsy,¡± Holin said. ¡°I was wondering what you planned with that knife. In such close quarters, a knife is more useful than a sword. But dropping your main weapon¡­¡±


    ¡°Still,¡± He continued with a grin. ¡°I can appreciate the move.¡±


    Y¡¯rid shook his head. ¡°Not fast enough though. Mutual destruction isn¡¯t exactly the outcome I was looking for.¡±


    ¡°Practice,¡± Holin said. ¡°You¡¯re getting better, two months ago and you couldn¡¯t land a hit even when I only used a single sword. You''re also starting to use your off hand more, which is good. One of the strengths of the weighted bracer over a shield is that is leaves you hand open.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still learning how to use it,¡± Y¡¯rid replied. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten used to the weight, but it still doesn¡¯t seem natural.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help you much there. There¡¯s a man at Stronghold who I¡¯ll introduce you to. He taught me the basics and he knows a lot more about them than I do.¡±


    Y¡¯rid opened his mouth to reply when a light coming from the side drew his attention. He looked over to see the vine on one of the trees starting to glow. Its red surface started to shine with a deep light, quickly followed by the others as they lit up one by one.


    In the span of a few moments, the surroundings were lit up by the shining vines, bathing the nearby greenery in shades of red and orange.


    Y¡¯rid stared at the grove around them, taking in the sight.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite something, isn¡¯t it?¡± Holin said.


    Y¡¯rid nodded, unable to take his eyes off of the plants.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough practice for today,¡± Holin said after a few moments. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the camp.¡±


    Their trek back to their camp was easier with the help of the vines. Y¡¯rid kept glancing around as they made their way back, the lighting gave the trees a completely different appearance than they had during the day, he might have gotten lost had he been alone.


    He stopped in his tracks when they eventually emerged from the tree line. They had set up camp near the top of one of the hills, next to a large thicket that covered the side of the hill. Looking out over the area from here, he could see nearby hills, populated by the intermittent stands of trees, all of them awash with the glowing red and orange coming from the vines.


    The glow made it seem as though fires were raging inside of the groves, just out of sight. It had an oddly beautiful quality to it.


    ¡°Take it in,¡± Holin said, waving his arm at the surroundings as he moved off to the fire in the centre of the camp. ¡°Soon you¡¯ll grow used to it.¡±


    Y¡¯rid saw Rhone standing with Hadi at the edge of their camp and made his way over to them.


    Rhone turned as he approached. ¡°You and Holin set up the traps?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Y¡¯rid replied. He nodded to the view. ¡°Now I can see why the area is called the Glowing Hills.¡±


    Rhone nodded. ¡°I remember when I first came out here. Further up north, you have even more of the plants than here, but there is something captivating about the isolated clumps of light spanning the Hills.¡±


    Hadi tugged at Rhone''s leggings. ¡°What is that?¡± He asked pointing at something far to the right.


    Y¡¯rid looked over to see a strange creature descending from the sky. It had a bulbous body with long tendril-like arms hanging down from its underside. The moonlight caught the top of it while the warm light from the grove beneath shone upon its underside, causing a strange sight as it lit up the creature.


    With a start, Y¡¯rid quickly judged the distance between the top of the hill and the grove under the beast. The fact that he could make out its shape at this distance showed its monstrous size.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Rhone said with a smile. ¡°That is a cloudstrider, they live high up in the sky during the day and come down to hover over the groves of the Hills during the night.¡±


    ¡°Is it a threat?¡± Y¡¯rid asked with a bit of hesitation. He wouldn''t know where to begin, fighting something of that size. It dwarfed any beast he could think of.


    ¡°No, they are peaceful creatures,¡± Rhone answered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen them attack anything. They don¡¯t even have mouths as far as I can tell.¡±


    ¡°How do they eat?¡±


    ¡°Stories say that they eat light through their skin. And drink the rain in clouds. Though, a beast of that size surviving on light and rain is something I find a bit hard to believe.¡±


    A deep moaning sound echoed through the sky from above. Y¡¯rid¡¯s had snapped up to see one of the creatures descend on the thicket covering the side of the hill they stood on. He quickly took a step back as he realised he had underestimated the sheer size of the creature. Its egg-shaped body was probably thirty strides across, with its numerous ¡®arms¡¯ twice as long as the body itself.


    As he stared at the creature, he realised he could see through its skin and into its flesh, making out the dark organs inside of its body.


    Rhone chuckled. ¡°As I said, they are peaceful creatures. One of the few species that are.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked over to them and saw Hadi looked staring up at the beast with wide eyes. With another deep groan, the creature began floating deeper over the thicket.


    ¡°Well,¡± Rhone said after a moment. ¡°I¡¯m going to start with the food. Kali managed to get a pair of rabbits while you and Holin were out¡±


    ¡°Can I help?¡± Hadi asked.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Y¡¯rid turned to him as Rhone clapped Hadi on the shoulder and walked towards the fire with the boy trailing behind him. He gave one more glance at the cloudstrider in the distance before following them. The things in this world never ceased to surprise him.


    ***


    Y¡¯rid laid on top of his bedroll in his tent. If he strained his hearing he could just make out the crackling of the burning firewood outside. He looked up at the ceiling, watching the movement of the hide tent as the wind brushed over it.


    He knew he was distracting himself. Their travel these past few days had left him with little time to himself. Little time to delve into his memories. Now was the perfect time to do so.


    Yet he was hesitant. What he had experienced last time had unnerved him more than he wanted to admit. His hand brushed over his chest as he looked at the tent ceiling. From what beast did this hide come from?


    No. Enough of this. He wanted to know what lay in his mind, he needed to know. Delaying wasn¡¯t going to help him.


    Y¡¯rid closed his eyes. Slowly and steadily he breathed in and out, focusing on the air as it filled up his lungs before it was expelled. For a few minutes, this was all he did, clearing his mind of any stray thoughts.


    The previous times, when he had tried to retrieve memories he had plunged into the chaos with no plan, no course of action. This time he would try a different approach.


    Carefully he turned back time in his mind¡¯s eye, running through the events of the day. Eating the stew Rhone had prepared. Talking with the others around the fire. Looking at the cloudstriders as the descended from the sky.


    He went back further to seeing the vines light up. To nearly besting Holin in a match for the first time. The corner of his mouth twitched as he replayed the memory but he drew his attention back before it could wander. He went back further, the speed at which he drew up the memories steadily increasing as he went through them. Here and there were memories from his previous life mixed in as well, those that he had regained. The beast den at Blackflow. The fight against the mutated beast. Time spent on the wall of the village as a guard during an uneventful shift. The first time he killed a steelwolf.


    The moment when he bought his armour and sword at Lok. The fall of Riversedge. All the way back until he reached the rune-inscribed room he woke up in, then back to the moment his mind was flooded with memories that weren''t his. The resignation of selling his own life for three gold pieces. Begging in the streets of Riversedge. Shivering in an alleyway during a cold night. The moment someone came to tell him his father had died at the hands of the horde. Flashes of a childhood that didn''t really belong to him yet was a part of him all the same.


    Taking a deep breath he tried going back further as he reached the end. At first, there was nothing, his memories had ended, leaving only emptiness. But he knew there was more.


    Refusing to give in so easily he pressed further trying to remember what happened before he woke up in that room. It came slowly at first. Whispers of conversations, just out of his hearing. Scenes shrouded in a shadow so deep that he could barely distinguish between light and dark. These began to flit through his mind.


    Before there had been some innate order to his memories. An order shaped by time itself. These, even without seeing them, he could tell they were jumbled together, jumping around without rhyme or reason. The shrouded images would change constantly, the whispers would grow softer, louder, sometimes disappearing all together only to emerge as a torrent of incomprehensible noise in his ears.


    He resisted the urge to latch onto one of the scenes, to draw it into the light, to force sense onto it as he had done before. Instead, he pressed on. Deeper he went, the scenes and sounds flashing quicker and quicker until, without warning, they started fading, replaced with a darkness the seemed permeate through the surroundings.


    For a moment he was confused. He thought that maybe his concentration had been broken. Then he heard it. A soft tapping noise just outside his reach. He focused on it, willed it to come closer. Slowly it did so, moving closer and closer to him, or perhaps he was moving towards it.


    Hesitantly he reached out in his consciousness, trying to pull whatever it was out. As soon as he did so, the noise stopped. It left him alone in a deathly silence. Somewhere along the line, he had blocked out all the outside noise. No longer could he hear the crackling of firewood or the rustle of the winds. A cold began to spread over him. A feeling of isolation and wrongness so strong that he could barely focus.


    The tapping returned as he felt a ripple around him, moving through the darkness. His instincts screamed at him to move, to run. Then he felt it. Even in the darkness, he could sense it drawing nearer. He waited no longer, retreating back to the light. But as soon as he began, it reached out and grabbed him, a force wrapping around his consciousness. A dread he had felt only once before assaulted his heart. It pulled, halting his retreat. Dread turned into terror as thoughts flashed through his mind, irrational fears threatening to steal what little remained of his reason. He felt himself being drawn deeper into whatever lay hidden within. Somehow he knew that if it got hold of him, it would tear him apart and consume him.


    With an effort will he gathered his strength and pushed against the force. For a moment, he stopped moving towards it. His will clashed with the force pulling on him and, for a horrible moment, he stayed stuck between the two, unable to move back to the light, yet refusing to fall into what lay in the darkness. Then, ever so slowly, he inched away from whatever was hidden in the darkness. He felt the grip around him weaken until, finally, he broke free, ripping himself from its grasp.


    Without looking back he withdrew his consciousness from the darkness.


    With a gasp, Y¡¯rid¡¯s eyes snapped open inside the tent. He sat up and bent forward, heaving for air as a wave of nausea washed over him and his head threatened to split into two. Pushing himself to his feet, he forced his legs to move.


    He threw open the hide curtain in the front of his tent and stumbled out. He could hear a voice coming from the other side of the camp but he ignored it, moving away from the tents. He only made it a few steps away from the last one before he fell to his knees and retched.


    His head pounded as the contents of his stomach spilt onto the ground leaving behind the sour taste of bile in his mouth. After what felt like an hour the contractions of his gut finally stopped, his throat burning and sore.


    Supporting himself with a shaking hand, he pushed off of the ground while his other hand gripped his head.


    ¡°For a moment I thought some creature had climbed down your throat while you slept,¡± Holin voice came from behind him. Y¡¯rid looked over to see the man standing by the fire, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.


    Y¡¯rid made his way over and slumped down next to the fire. Holin stretched out a hand holding a waterskin. Accepting it with a grateful nod, Y¡¯rid uncorked the skin and took a gulp of water. He swirled around the cold liquid before spitting it out to one side, in an effort to remove the sour taste from his mouth.


    ¡°So?¡± Holin asked.


    Y¡¯rid was silent for a moment, waiting for the pounding in his head to calm down before he replied. ¡°Must have been something I ate.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Holin asked with a smile, his gaze carrying a glint from the flames as it held Y''rid without blinking.


    Y¡¯rid merely nodded as he took another swig from the waterskin. Even the relief it brought to his sore throat failed to draw his attention as he stared into the flames. The warmth from the fire couldn¡¯t suppress the shiver that ran through him.


    What the fuck was that?


    He had no idea, all he knew was that he had been lucky to escape. But it was still there, inside of him. Why? How?


    He had fears like everyone else, yet, in the past, he could always overcome them. When the threat was in front of you had to keep moving, keep fighting. But how could a man fight his own mind?


    Was it even a part of his mind? It definitely didn¡¯t feel like it. But if it wasn¡¯t, then what was it?


    He sat there for a few minutes until felt a pang of hunger in his gut. He sighed. Now his body was turning against him as well. First it threw away the food he ate and now it wanted more.


    Shaking his head he moved over to the pot standing nearby, this at least was a problem he could solve.


    ***


    Holin grinned as he walked along the edge of the camp. He felt it again. He had always trusted his senses. So when he felt the feeling, like an itch at the back of his neck, he had looked over immediately to find Y¡¯rid stumbling out of his tent before retching like he had drunk a tavern dry.


    It was the same feeling he had felt a few times during their trip, the same he felt when he first met him. He knew something was off with the young man, something was different. This was what had sparked his interest in him. There was more to Y¡¯rid than he let on, his intuition told him so and he trusted his intuition.


    Interesting times were ahead once they reached stronghold. He started whistling through his teeth as he walked, the wind carrying the notes into the night, twisted and stretched by the half-grin that refused to leave his face.

 Chapter 16

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    Clove was built in an area between two low hills, around a stream that ran through the valley. Large fields were cleared and cultured on the sides of the hills that faced the city. Throughout the fields individual trees grew, though he couldn¡¯t tell from this distance, Y¡¯rid suspected they were covered in light-producing vines. Each tree was surrounded by some brownish stalk-like plant, with the trees themselves arranged in loose rows running along flattened ground on the sides of the hills. This created two odd ¡®stepped¡¯ hills, each step covered in a mixture of green and brown.


    Y¡¯rid¡¯s attention pulled away from the fields and towards the flurry of activity surrounding the gates of the city as they came into view. He swallowed the last piece of dried meat he had been eating and looked at the commotion. Caravans were leaving in groups with people tagging along on foot carrying heavy packs on their backs. There was a team of guards at the gate itself, keeping order as the people left.


    The group made their way over to the gate. One of the guards stationed there turned to them.


    ¡°Welcome to Clove travellers, though if you¡¯re looking for refuge, you¡¯d be better-¡° He stopped as he got a better look at them. ¡°My apologies, hunters. I did not recognise you.¡±


    The guard said something to one of the others near him, causing the man to speed off into the city.


    ¡°Might I ask you to wait with me for a moment while the captain comes? He is still busy dealing with the aftermath of last night,¡± The guard said.


    Looking around Y¡¯rid could see the expressions of anxiety and worry lining the faces of the people making their way out of the gates.


    ¡°What happened here?¡± Rhone asked.


    The guard¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Beast attacks.¡±


    ¡°Attacks? Plural?¡±


    The guard nodded. ¡°Been three weeks now. They just seem to keep on coming.¡±


    Rhone frowned. ¡°Three weeks? Hordes don¡¯t last that long. If they do they should have moved on.¡±


    This isn¡¯t a horde. Or maybe it is.¡± ¨C the guard shook his head as he looked at the line of people fleeing the city ¨C ¡°I¡¯m not sure anymore. Certainly, if all the beasts we faced so far came at once it would have been, but thankfully their numbers were few enough at any one time for us to drive them off. Only to have them return a few days after. The last attack, last night, was the biggest so far.¡±


    The guard turned back to them. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve faced a situation like this before?¡±


    Rhone shook his head slightly. ¡°Can¡¯t say I have.¡±


    ¡°I figured as much, unnatural is what it is. Especially with the marked creatures leading them.¡± The guard turned his head and spat to one side before striking his chest with his fist. ¡°Ward keep us strong.¡±


    ¡°If not for the southern lord¡¯s expedition,¡± the man continued. ¡°I fear you might have found us in dire straits. But that is why you are here, yes?¡±


    Rhone glanced at the others, though his face revealed nothing.


    ¡°Tell us about these ¡®marked creatures¡¯,¡± Holin said.


    The guard turned towards him. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a good look myself, hunter. Most of us were busy enough dealing with the ko''ari and rock apes. Though-¡° the guard hesitated and looked around at the people leaving the gates. He turned back to them and gestured with his head to the side.


    They followed the guard a bit away from the gates until the man was certain they were out of hearing. ¡°One of the others was in the thick of it. Claims there were glowing patterns on the beast, like what those mages use. He said he saw a rock ape the size of an adolescent behemoth. It sounds insane but I¡¯ve known the man for years, served with him for most of my time here. I¡¯m not saying he¡¯s never told a lie, if you believe him, then he¡¯s bed half the women in the city. But he¡¯d never lie about something such as this.¡±


    The man looked back to the gate. ¡°I asked Nai later about what he saw but he simply said he must have been mistaken and it was a ¡®trick of the light¡¯. Most of us assume the captain forbade him from talking about it, given the trouble rumours could cause. Gods know there are enough of those things floating around already. Might mean something to you though.¡±


    The guard looked at them with an intensity, probably hoping to gain something from their expressions. If he found anything, he didn¡¯t let it show.


    ¡°And these people are all fleeing the attacks?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    The guard laughed, though it sounded a bit strained to him. ¡°Can you blame them? Many say that this is a prelude to a horde that¡¯s forming. I might have taken my family and gone myself. But I reckon the road would be even more dangerous without the protection of the walls. And safe places seem to be in short supply.¡±


    ¡°And this southern lord you mentioned?¡± Rhone asked.


    ¡°Aye, about a week ago, they show up. A mage and a company of soldiers. Says they¡¯re here for an expedition to some old ruin. I don¡¯t know much about those things, but I¡¯m grateful for whatever brought them here. The mage and soldiers do some fine work. They helped us more than a few times during the assaults.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked towards the gate at the sound of approaching footsteps reached him. A man dressed in steel armour with a sword at his hip was walking towards them. The man¡¯s face was and marred by a long scar that ran down from his grizzled hair to the short beard on his chin.


    ¡°Captain,¡± the guardsman said when he saw the man, saluting with his fist over his chest.


    The captain nodded to him ¡°You may go Warren.¡±


    He turned to the group. ¡°I am sorry I didn¡¯t meet you sooner, but we did not expect you to be coming from the south. Or at all, if I¡¯m to be honest. Please follow me and I¡¯ll take you to the citylord. He can discuss the particulars of the matter.¡±


    Rhone raised an eyebrow. ¡°Lead on then captain.¡±


    The man nodded and began walking towards the gate. ¡°Please forgive me if I seem discourteous, hunters, it¡¯s been a rough couple of days. We don¡¯t know when the next attack will come. We have been forced to double the patrolling guard in the city, just to show the people that order still exists. Most of us haven¡¯t had a half night¡¯s sleep in three weeks.¡±


    ¡°It is understandable captain,¡± Rhone said falling into step alongside the man. ¡°Your man told us you have been having some trouble with beasts that¡­ aren¡¯t quite normal?¡±


    The captain gave a glance around, though most of the civilians stayed out of the way of the well-armed group. ¡°Yes. We have been trying to keep it quiet for the sake of safety. People are already as high strung as they can get, with more leaving the city each day.¡±


    The captain nodded to the side, where a man was busy boarding up the windows to his house, hammering large planks into the wooden frames.


    ¡°My guards are the only thing keeping the panic in check,¡± The captain said.


    The streets were oddly quiet as the made their way to the centre of the city, at least when compared to the commotion at the gate. Here and there Y¡¯rid saw people speaking in hushed tones or hurrying along the street on whatever business they had.


    ¡°The citylord has done his best to keep the peace. Whatever peace can be kept at a time like this,¡± the captain said. ¡°We faced hordes before, but they all followed the same pattern. First, more beasts would be found daily and nearer to the city. Then would come the quiet, a day or two of stillness. Finally, the horde would show up. As terrifying as the build-up can be, it is predictable. This¡­ this is different. And I don¡¯t like different.¡±


    The man fell silent as they continued, soon reaching a high wall surrounding a large estate that bordered the stream. In a city where space was limited, a plot like this could only belong to the most powerful, the citylord.


    Two guards, decked out in full armour, stood at the gate. The saluted the captain as he walked up to them.


    ¡°Keep an eye on the cart will you, Gerrin,¡± The captain said with the man in question and the guard in question saluted once more and stepped forward to take the reins of the d¡¯yar. ¡°Your possessions will be safe with them, hunters.¡±


    Rhone nodded as Hadi clambered down from the cart. The captain turned and led them through the gate and down a walkway lined with two rows of trees covered in red and orange vines. At the end of the walkway stood the double doors of the large building. A man dressed in fine clothing opened the doors even before they had reached them.


    ¡°Thank you, captain,¡± The man said. ¡°I¡¯ll inform the lord, you can return to your duties.¡±


    The captain grunted and turned to Rhone. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me if I don¡¯t stay, hunters, but I¡¯m sure you can understand.¡±


    ¡°Of course, guard captain. Thank you for the escort,¡± Rhone said.


    The man nodded before turning and walking back the way he had come.


    ¡°If you will, hunters of the Order,¡± the finely dressed servant said. ¡°Please wait inside a moment while I inform the lord of your arrival.¡±


    Rhone nodded as the man left down the hallway after they had entered, leaving them alone in the room.


    Y¡¯rid glanced around, taking in the dark, polished stone floor and the woven tapestries that decorated the walls, showing scenes of heroes covered in shining armour and fighting with monsters he hadn¡¯t seen before. Hadi was immediately drawn to the tapestries and started studying the beasts in detail.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°What is that?¡± The boy asked pointing at one of the depicted creatures. It stood on two legs with two long, oversized arms that were swinging towards a warrior with a large claymore. The warrior reached around the creature''s chest in height but was beating back the monster if the wounds on it were any indication.


    ¡°That is a rock ape,¡± Rhone said as he strode up next to Hadi. ¡°They are quite common in the area.¡±


    ¡°Have you fought one?¡± Hadi asked.


    Rhone nodded. ¡°A few times.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Y¡¯rid heard Holin say. ¡°The citylord was expecting reinforcements from Stronghold.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡° Rhone said with a smile and clapped Hadi lightly on the shoulder before he turned to Holin. ¡°He probably sent word to Stronghold when the attacks started, though it would have taken the messenger at least two weeks to get there, and that¡¯s with rotating d¡¯yari. They must have assumed whoever they sent found us on the road.¡±


    ¡°The people here seem to have a lot more respect for you than the other cities we were at,¡± Y¡¯rid said. ¡°Or is that just because they are facing beasts?¡±


    ¡°No, not just that,¡± Kali replied. ¡°The cities this close to Stronghold are used to having us around, we often buy supplies from them and help them out when they need it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°These beasts though,¡± Holin said. ¡°¡¯glowing patterns on the beast¡¯ sound familiar, does it not?¡±


    ¡°It seems the ones we encountered were not the only ones,¡± Rhone said. He looked at them. ¡°For now, don¡¯t say anything about what we faced. Let¡¯s see what we can find out first.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Holin said. ¡°But, we are not actually going to stick around are we?¡±


    ¡°Our first priority is to get back to Stronghold,¡± Rhone said. ¡°If the threat already spread this far, then we need to know what¡¯s going on there. Gathering more information won¡¯t hurt though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kind of interested in this-¡° Holin cut off his sentence and soon the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway.


    The servant reappeared. ¡°The citylord will see you now.¡±


    Rhone nodded toward the man and they followed him as he turned down the hallway. The hallway was decorated with various paintings, some showing scenes of the surrounding Glowing Hills, others showing the city itself. Finally, they reached the end of the hallway. Two heavy, wooden double doors, carved with delicate patterns, stood blocking their path.


    The servant knocked on the doors. A moment of silence followed after which one of the doors swung open. Standing in the doorway was a man dressed in heavy steel plate armour and a full-faced helm. On his left pauldron was an engraved image of a hill with a single tree on its point. The man had a shield on his back and a morning star hung on his belt, the spikes capped with some type of blue metal. The armour and weaponry gave off an intimidating appearance, made even more so by the man¡¯s tall stature.


    The man¡¯s eyes, visible through the slit in the helm, scanned over them, lingering a moment on Red before he gave them a terse nod and stepped to the side.


    Rhone took the lead and walked through the doorway, the others following with Y¡¯rid and Hadi at the back. Y¡¯rid saw Holin wink, or blink, at the man as he walked past with a grin. To his credit, the man didn¡¯t show any reaction to Holin or the scar that marred his face.


    Inside the room, at the far end, sat a middle-aged man behind a large wooden desk. The man was wearing a large fur coat that was unbuttoned and hung loosely over a red shirt with gold embroidery around the collar. His hair was beginning to grey and he sported a neatly trimmed short beard.


    The man looked up as they entered and stood up from behind the desk that was littered with various stacks of papers. Y¡¯rid could see the dark rings under his eyes as he moved around the desk to greet them.


    ¡°Ah, the hunters of Thal. I am Ashrin. Welcome to my city, though I wish it were under better circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, citylord,¡± Rhone said.


    The man nodded. ¡°When I sent word to the Stronghold of Thal, I did not expect to get a response so soon, or at all, if I¡¯m honest. I figured you¡¯d be too busy further up north.¡±


    The man looked them over, his eyes momentarily stopping on Y¡¯rid and Hadi. ¡°But you didn¡¯t come from Stronghold, did you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rhone answered. ¡°We were actually on our way back there.¡±


    ¡°Then my messenger must have met you on the way? Thank you for delaying your return then. At this point I¡¯ll take all the help I can get. Though I am unsure whether the few of you will make much of a difference. Even if you are hunters of the Order.¡±


    ¡°We are here, others are not,¡± Red said simply.


    ¡°While our reputation might be exaggerated,¡± Rhone said, ¡°there is a reason we have it in the first place, citylord. Perhaps you can give us an overview of the situation? What we heard on our way here was quite disturbing.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I am being rude,¡± The citylord responded. ¡°I assure you that I am not ungrateful for your arrival. But our current ¡®predicament¡¯ has taken its toll. Civility seems to be in increasingly short supply these days. Of course, I¡¯ll give you whatever information we have at the moment, however sparse it may be. Perhaps you can shed some light on the situation.¡±


    Rhone nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s start at the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I believe this started three weeks ago,¡± Ashrin replied and sighed. ¡°A beast attack ended in the death of a merchant convoy just outside of the city, in plain sight of the walls. The guards on duty said they never saw the beast approach, only heard the screams. They went to help but it was already too late. Only one of the merchant¡¯s hired mercenaries were still alive at the time. They could get little from him before he succumbed to his wounds. He raved about rippling air and invisible monsters. Naturally, they took it as the pain-induced ravings of a dying man.¡±


    Y¡¯rid¡¯s thoughts immediately went to the beast they killed in Blackflow. Kali and Red spoke of seeing something like that when they encountered the beast, could this have been something similar?


    ¡°And it was not,¡± Rhone said.


    ¡°Back then I certainly didn¡¯t believe it. Now¡­¡± Ashrin paused, shaking his head. ¡°The guards on duty were stripped of payment for negligence and the dead were buried. The matter was considered handled. Until two days later when there was another attack near the walls. A group of farmers tending the dosh fields on the slopes of the hill east of the city, all dead. That night we faced the first assault on the walls.


    Beasts charged the walls at the dead of night. Not many. Not a true horde. Merely a large group, mostly consisting of rock apes. We faced attacks like that before, and much larger ones than that. Every few terms, one of the ape packs in the region would grow too big and try their luck at the walls. At first, this was no different. The beasts scattered after they lost a few of their number.


    In the aftermath, the captain of the guard doubled watch on the east wall where the attack took place, in case of a second. And three days later there was another attack, but this time from the west. With most of the guards on the east wall, we suffered quite a few losses before reinforcements came and were able to drive them off. A few days later, another attack, from the north. And no longer were they just rock apes.¡±


    Ashrin paused once again and rubbed his eyes before continuing. ¡°By then even the blind could see that this was not a normal assault. Each time the beasts attacked, the diversity in their numbers grew. Each time, they would do so from a different angle, as if testing our defences. And each time they would retreat after reinforcements arrived.¡±


    ¡°Retreat?¡± Rhone asked, a frown creasing his face.


    Y¡¯rid found himself mirroring the expression. Even though he had been at Riversedge he had never actually seen a horde. But everyone knew at least a little of such things and the constant threat they posed, and he had picked up a few pieces of information from the others during their travel.


    It was common knowledge that a horde would form when the beast population overexpanded, eventually decimating the local animal life and forcing the creatures to seek their food elsewhere.


    There was, of course, hunting between beasts as well. But when the numbers grew above a certain point they would form into massive groups that rampaged through an area until their numbers had dwindled enough.


    Why they didn¡¯t just slaughter each other as soon as they came into contact or how they chose when to disband afterwards were still some of the great questions that had plagued many scholars of this world. Over the years there were some theories written down by the Order and stored in the library in Stronghold about these very questions, however, none had ever been proven.


    ¡°Well, perhaps retreat is the wrong word,¡± The citylord conceded. ¡°They would scatter, running back into the hills. It would seem as though the group broke apart, only for it to come again a few days later.¡±


    ¡°Hordes don¡¯t follow tactics,¡± Holin said, for some reason, the seriousness of his tone struck Y¡¯rid just as much as the information Ashrin gave them. ¡°They are driven by primal instincts.¡±


    ¡°That is what the guard captain and the rest of the hunters in the city said,¡± Ashrin said and nodded. ¡°Like a mob, only driven by hunger instead of emotion. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case in this situation.


    As their numbers grew there were sightings of strange creatures with glowing markings on their bodies, creatures unlike anything the hunters and guards in the city ever came across. A large rock ape so riddled with muscle that it seemed deformed, hurling rocks the size of a man¡¯s chest at the city¡¯s defenders. A nhilynx setting itself on fire somehow, and jumping to the top of the walls in a single leap.¡±


    The citylord gained a far-off look as he spoke of the beasts revealing the disquiet he felt. He rubbed his chin and focused back on Rhone suddenly, as if he forgot they were still there for a moment. ¡°I sent out messengers to all of the nearby settlements and to your Stronghold. I doubt any would be willing to send a part of their guard here though. The best I could do is to try and entice a few mercenary groups to join the defence.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to excuse my ignorance, lord Ashrin,¡± Rhone said. ¡°But isn¡¯t Clove aligned with Hilt and Vhiren? Surely one of them would be sending reinforcements if you sent messengers.¡±


    ¡°Two months ago that would have been the case but now, with recent events, I¡¯m not expecting help from them to arrive anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°Recent events?¡± Holin asked.


    Ashrin gave Holin a strange look.


    ¡°We have only returned north a while ago and haven¡¯t really had much chance to catch up on the happenings here,¡± Rhone explained.


    ¡°Truly?¡± The citylord seemed genuinely surprised. He looked to the rest of the group. When no one refuted the comment, he shook his head. ¡°Then you picked a strange time to return. The beasts have begun stirring all over. Sightings of Kytin as far south as the Ribs. Herds of jaerdi migrating from the Frozen Plains.


    Three days ago a mercenary band joined us from Hilt, brought with them tales of an entire swarm of khatri claiming Eron¡¯s Peak nearly two months ago. Supposedly only the twin mages of Torn is keeping them away from the city itself. And those are some of the less outrageous tales.


    New stories seem to arrive with each person coming to Clove. Most of them are undoubtedly pulled straight from the arse of some rumour-monger with a few bits added on for good measure, but even if only one in ten were true, that¡¯d be enough for most cities to grow wary. Old alliances are starting to show cracks, and ours is no different.¡±


    The man¡¯s tone was bitter towards the end. ¡°The only bit of luck we¡¯ve had is the Therien mage that showed up here a week ago. Without him, losses would have been a lot higher.¡±


    ¡°Therien mage?¡± Holin asked incredulously. ¡°One of the Golden Lord¡¯s mages is here?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Never thought I¡¯d be grateful to a southern lord. The mage helped with the defence. With him acting as support, we were able to reduce further losses among the guard and mercenaries. Yet still, the attacks come every few days.¡±


    A few moments of silence passed as everyone digested the information. Cities fell quicker than new ones could be built, Holin had told him a while ago. And that was under normal circumstances. One of the reasons cities could survive at all is due to the connections between them. Help could be requested if there was a specific problem a city couldn¡¯t handle on its own.


    Sometimes, Rhone had once told him, neighbouring cities would band together to attempt to cull beast number when they grew in order to prevent hordes from forming. Sometimes they were successful. If they all started focussing on weathering the storm themselves, then the situation was probably a lot worse than it first seemed.


    That is even without factoring in the damage to trade that such a situation would cause. Not all cities had the means to actually provide enough food for all of its citizens. Like Lok, back in the Imorril Forest. At first, he hadn¡¯t noticed the lack of fields and simply assumed there were enough hunters in the city to provide for the people. He later found out that the city itself was a sort of trading hub for those nearby and acquired much of its produce through trade. Some of the northern cities were probably in a similar situation.


    Rhone finally broke the silence, bringing the conversation back to the topic at hand. ¡°Any specifics you can give us about these ¡®marked beasts¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The mage took to calling them ¡®rune-beasts¡¯,¡± The citylord replied. ¡°Said the markings are of the Old Tongue. I suppose that could account for some of the things we¡¯ve seen.¡±


    The man walked over to his desk and rummaged through the stacks of paper on it, before finally pulling out a few. ¡°Here are the reports of the guards who engaged them. Though you might have more luck if you talk to the mage. He managed to kill one of these beasts and took the corpse. Wanted to study the runes, I believe. They are tough creatures to be sure. But they can be killed. I don¡¯t suppose you know anything about these beasts?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll first have to go over these reports,¡± Rhone said as he took the papers from Ashrin. ¡°And we¡¯ll probably need to talk to the mage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send word to him that you are in the city, though he¡¯d probably have heard by now. Perhaps you could make yourselves seen in the meantime. Most people grew up hearing stories of your Order. Just seeing you might help raise the men¡¯s morale.¡±


    Rhone nodded and Ashrin waved them to the door.


    ¡°As you were, hunters,¡± he said, turning back to the papers on his desk. ¡°I still have to deal with the rest of this. Let me know if you find anything of import.¡±


    On cue, the armoured guard opened the door and the servant reappeared. They walked in silence as the servant led them out of the estate. They had come here for information and while they had found it, it only seemed to raise more questions.

 Chapter 17

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    Y¡¯rid and the others made their way through the city heading towards one of the inns they passed on their way to meet with the citylord.


    ¡°So,¡± Holin asked, ¡°are we really going to help them?¡±


    Rhone shrugged. ¡°This is an opportunity to learn more about these beasts, perhaps even to find the source of them.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not exactly at full strength here. Five of us including Y¡¯rid, who has yet to undergo the ritual. I¡¯m all for finding the source of these things¡± ¨C Holin rubbed the side of his face as he spoke ¨C ¡°but this seems like something that calls for more than one hunting party.¡±


    Rhone sighed. ¡°It does. But whatever is going on here is something we need to look into. The sooner the better, considering how far these beasts have already spread. In any case, simply seeing how these beasts operate in a group would be valuable, and the two we¡¯ve encountered so far were completely different. Perhaps we could find some similarities if we had more to observe, some common trait that might be useful, either in killing the beasts or in tracking down those responsible. If we truly can¡¯t handle the situation then at least we would have gained some insight that we can take back to Stronghold.¡±


    ¡°I think we should help the people here,¡± Kali said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why we are part of the Order in the first place? And didn¡¯t you just tell the citylord that we would?¡±


    Holin laughed, ¡°Do you think the man would have been so forthcoming if we told him we wouldn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kali asked incredulously. ¡°You¡¯ll just abandon them to their fate?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do what we can,¡± Rhone said reassuringly, but his voice gained an edge as he continued. ¡°But there is only so much a handful of people can do, no matter who they are.¡± ¨C He held up a hand as Kali started to say something. ¨C ¡°Our first priority should be to find the source of the beasts and stop it. Failing that, then gathering as much information as we can and taking it to Stronghold is the next best option.¡±


    Kali looked to Red for support, but the man merely shrugged.


    ¡°The true threat is not here,¡± the big man said. ¡°The beasts moving south.¡± ¨C He shook his head ¨C ¡°That is worse. That much movement shows a greater imbalance. If left on its own it may fester. That cannot be allowed to happen.¡±


    ¡°And if these rune-beasts are responsible for the disturbance? Should we not try to take care of the threat?¡±


    ¡°That is why we need to find more information,¡± Rhone said.


    Kali muttered something under her breath that Y¡¯rid couldn¡¯t quite catch.


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Holin said. ¡°This mage that arrived here, the first mage of the Golden Lord. Months away from Theer in a city that is being attacked by beasts created by a mage¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions,¡± Rhone said.


    ¡°Oh come on, surely you have to admit it is a little strange.¡±


    ¡°I prefer to deal in facts, Holin.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have many of those.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to find them, won¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°This ¡®Golden Lord¡¯ a big deal?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    ¡°He is a citylord in the south,¡± Holin answered. ¡°Hell, he is the citylord in the south. Comes from a long line of lords, all of which have inherited the title of Golden Lord when they took over, tracing back to the first¡­ how many generations ago?¡±


    ¡°Six,¡± Rhone answered.


    ¡°Right, for six generations a single family has ruled over Theer, arguably even built it. The capital of the south, shining beacon of humanity, and a light in the darkness. At least that is what they pride themselves as. A collection of three cities, under rule of the Golden Lord, who under him has three mages, the Three Pillars. The first of which finds himself here.¡±


    ¡°So why would that make the mage a suspect?¡± Y¡¯rid asked. ¡°Don¡¯t mages travel?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t and they do,¡± Rhone answered.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Holin said, ignoring Rhone. ¡°You have to understand the significance of Theer. It has immense sway in the far south. Even though it consists of three cities, it¡¯s influence no doubt stretches further. It is rare that a city stays in the hands of a single family for even two generations, the more profitable and important cities are even less likely to do so. Yet, the Golden Lord¡¯s family has kept Theer for six. He is also the only person I know of who has mages pledged to his service. And I heard that the First Pillar is quite famous himself.¡±


    Holin looked towards Rhone, who stayed silent for a minute before finally speaking, causing Holin to smile.


    ¡°Immanus,¡± Rhone said, still looking to the front. ¡°If he is still the First Pillar then he should be over a hundred and fifty terms now, plenty of time to build a reputation.¡±


    Y¡¯rid felt his own eyes widen involuntarily and heard Holin give a whistle. ¡°That old? How?¡±


    Rhone shrugged. ¡°How else? Magic.¡±


    A hundred and fifty terms. More than eight times his current age. Even if he tried to convert the time he spent in his previous life and added them to his current, he guessed that the mage would still be around three times that.


    If he¡¯s that old...


    He felt his heart speed up. Perhaps this mage would know of a way to send him back, or at least point him in the right direction. Surely he must have come across similar cases in that time?


    ¡°And now, as I said before,¡± Holin said, ¡°this mage is in a small city far to the north right when said city is attacked by creatures created by a mage.¡±


    Y¡¯rid pulled his attention back to the conversation, forcing the spike of longing to the back of his mind. Now was not the time for this. He needed to spend some time and think this through.


    ¡°A ludicrously thin connection,¡± Rhone said, looking at Holin. ¡°You are attributing the situation to the Therien mage because Theer and the mage themselves are unusual.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not attributing anything to anyone,¡± Holin said with mock offence, before smiling. ¡°I¡¯m merely pointing out what I see.¡±


    Rhone sighed. ¡°You are expecting a certain answer. Don¡¯t you think it will cloud your judgement?¡±


    ¡°Instinct doesn¡¯t cloud judgement, it points one in the right direction.¡±


    ¡°Instinct?¡± Rhone asked with a raised brow. ¡°Let''s hear it then. Why?¡±


    Holin looked at a man walking their way, he waited until the man passed before he spoke. ¡°Theer might be looking to expand, gain a foothold in the north. Or the mage might be testing out new magic and chose to do so here to avoid collateral damage.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take three-fourths of a term¡¯s travel to get to Theer,¡± Rhone said with a shake of his head. ¡°The distance also wouldn¡¯t allow for any significant interference from Theer regarding the governance of the city, and trade would be nearly unattainable. For the same reason, the mage testing out magic is also unlikely. It would take less time to take a ship with the seafolk to Eidir, which would leave them with the entire Belt between Theer and any possible collateral.¡±


    Rhone looked at Holin as he finished speaking. Holin stared back with a raised eyebrow, not that he had more than one to raise.


    ¡°Again,¡± Rhone continued. ¡°The connection is too thin, much too thin, that¡¯s why we need more information.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t like it,¡± Holin said causing Rhone to sigh and Red to chuckle.


    They continued walking in silence for a few minutes before they reached one of the largest inns they had passed by on their way here and the only one with a stable.


    Y¡¯rid and the rest waited outside with the cart while Rhone went in to get rooms for the group. The building was a large stone structure with high walls and some type of straw-like roof.


    The people passing on the street were far fewer than the city¡¯s size would suggest, just like when they first entered. Those that he did see, either kept their heads down when they made eye contact with the group, hurrying on their way. Or they greeted them with ¡®hunters¡¯, or a nod, before standing up a bit straighter.


    Before Y¡¯rid could consider this much Rhone came back followed by a young man, who showed them to the stable next to the inn.


    ¡°Latch!¡± The man shouted as he reached the open entrance to the stable. ¡°Got a d¡¯yar here for you!¡±


    ¡°Quit your yelling!¡± A voice yelled out from within. ¡°I¡¯m not deaf yet.¡±


    Another man came out of the stable, past his prime with a rough look about him. He wore sturdy clothing that, even at a glance, one could tell was made for durability instead of comfort. The sleeves were rolled up even in the cold northern air, revealing a black marking on one of the man¡¯s arms. A half circle with a line through the middle.


    The man stepped up to them, heavily favouring one leg as he did so. He looked them over as he wiped his hands on a cloth that looked more stained than the hands it was supposed to clean. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed the red eyes gazing back at him.


    ¡°Beast-eaters, eh?¡±


    The young man¡¯s eyes widened as he heard the older man. ¡°Latch! You can¡¯t-¡°


    ¡°Oh, shut up boy,¡± Latch said. ¡°I doubt they¡¯re as thin-skinned as you.¡±


    Holin chuckled as Rhone stepped forward and pointed at the mark on the man¡¯s arm. ¡°You were a part of the Riders?¡±


    Latch looked at Rhone in surprise. ¡°I was.¡±


    Rhone smiled, ¡°I fought with Hein in the Plains a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Latch said, squinting at Rhone. ¡°You were with that mad bastard with the spear, weren¡¯t you? Helped us take down those Ishali.¡±


    ¡°Gahnd.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, that was his name.¡± The man said smiling as he held out a hand which Rhone griped. ¡°Hell of a fight that was. Lucky you were there, not that we wouldn¡¯t have taken them down eventually though. Still, nice to say I fought with the red-eyes.¡±


    ¡°How did you end up here?¡± Rhone asked.


    The man slapped his leg. ¡°Got my knee done in, and not even in a hunt. Fucking new recruit didn¡¯t know how to handle his mount. Wrong place at the wrong time.¡±


    The man shook his head. ¡°Had a bit of coin saved up, but that only gets you so far. Been here for the past few terms.¡±


    The man led them inside the stable. Inside were large pens, most of which held d¡¯yari. What caught Y¡¯rid¡¯s attention however, was the hound lying sprawled out at the far end. An animal he had not seen in a long time. He could remember them from his previous life, some of the people in the town had used them when hunting. He had not seen any since he had awakened in this world though.


    ¡°You like waren?¡± The man asked, a smile stretching across his face as he noticed Y¡¯rid¡¯s gaze. ¡±Then you¡¯ll know that Harla here is more than she seems, she¡¯s my eyes and ears. Nothing gets past her.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked to the snoring hound, sleeping in the sunlight that shone through the window to the side. He heard Holin snort next to him.


    It was a bit bigger than those from his memories, almost the size of a steelwolf, the muscles clearly defined. But the greying hair around its snout and chest spoke of its age, making him doubt the man¡¯s faith in the animal. That and the fact that it hadn¡¯t even woken when they entered.


    Latch ignored Holin however and gestured Red forward who led the d¡¯yar. ¡°Well, bring that beastie here and let¡¯s have a look at him.¡±


    Red brought the d¡¯yar over, having unhitched the cart outside.


    ¡°Pity you use him for dragging your supplies.¡± The man said as he guided the d¡¯yar to one of the compartments.


    ¡°Not exactly the best terrain for mounts,¡± Rhone said.


    Latch grunted. ¡°So you¡¯re here to help with the horde?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll try to figure out what is happening here.¡±


    Latch nodded. ¡°That spear-wielder here as well? He was a monster with that thing. Made Tion abandon his sword in favour of the spear, got him killed when the shaft snapped though.¡±


    Rhone¡¯s expression hardened and he shook his head slightly. ¡°He passed.¡±


    The man sighed. ¡°More of that going around these days then I used to remember. Makes me think there¡¯s something in the air. Though Harla would have sniffed it out were it so.¡±


    ¡°Know where we can find d¡¯yari for sale?¡± Rhone asked changing the conversation.


    ¡°I might, but why would you need two?¡±


    ¡°I was planning on getting some more supplies to take back,¡± Rhone said. ¡°While we¡¯re here might as well get a few sacks of dosh.¡±


    ¡°That might about be the only thing you¡¯ll be getting here. The price of food went up threefold with the attacks. Dosh is the only thing still reasonably priced, though that also went up. What with the farmers being unable to get to their lands and all.¡±


    Rhone nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll probably take a look around before we settle on anything.¡±


    ¡°If you do decide to buy then come find me,¡± The man said and pointed to a d¡¯yar near the end of the stable. ¡°I¡¯ve still got one here that I can part with.¡±


    ¡°A Rider selling his d¡¯yar?¡± Rhone asked with a raised brow.


    Latch shrugged. ¡°Not much use in a fight with this leg, as you said, not the right terrain for mounted fighting. I¡¯d rather take the coin and Harla and move on to Vhiren up north¡± ¨C he rubbed his chin in thought ¨C ¡°Try Alma¡¯s, south side of the trade quarter. She might give you a half decent deal on supplies.¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± Rhone said and bid the man farewell, after which they grabbed what they could from the cart and started to carry it inside the inn to the rooms Rhone had rented.


    Inside, the common room consisted of a single long open space that stretched from the front to the back wall. Tall wooden pillars stretched from the ground in certain places. Looking up, Y¡¯rid could see them supporting large wooden baulks that looked like the trunks of small trees, stretching from one wall to the other and keeping up the angled wooden grid and strawlike mesh that made the roof. Doorways on the side of the room led away to hallways with side doors leading to, what Y¡¯rid assumed, would be the rooms of the patrons.


    The common room itself was filled with tables. At one side sat a large group of men and women spread out across three tables, most wearing rough clothing but a few in armour, though they all had weapons at their side.


    At the far end sat a group of people speaking in low tones, a sharp contrast to the first group that laughed as they spoke to each other while drinking and eating.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Except for one man eating alone in silence the rest of the tables, more than half of them, were unoccupied.


    Some of the people glanced up at them as they entered before turning back to what they were doing.


    After making two trips to carry the cart supplies to the rooms, which Y¡¯rid had rightly guessed to be located in the hallways, they went back to the common room and sat down at a table in the front corner of the room.


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Holin asked as they sat down.


    Rhone pulled out the reports he received from the citylord.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to make contact with the mage,¡± he said as he started to go through the stack of papers. ¡°It might also be helpful to speak with some of the guards, mercenaries and hunters. Hopefully, we can find out with who to speak from these reports. Might be able to save us some time.¡±


    Rhone looked up and Y¡¯rid followed his gaze to the serving girl that arrived at their table.


    ¡°Can I get you anything?¡± The girl asked with a smile.


    They ordered six bowls of stew and bread, which was the meal of the day, as well as five mugs of ale made from the dosh grains that Clove prided itself on.


    ¡°You said you wanted to buy some supplies?¡± Y¡¯rid asked after the girl left. ¡°I want to check around and see if I can get some warmer clothing for myself and Hadi.¡±


    ¡°I would suggest you do that today,¡± Rhone said. ¡°We might be spending a few nights up on the wall. I want to see how this horde functions. If it really is as strange as we heard. The supplies aren¡¯t all that necessary. They are mostly for Stronghold, if we can¡¯t get a good price then, I¡¯ rather leave it.¡±


    ¡°Selling the jewels we got from the scavengers wreckage should earn us some coin,¡± Holin said. ¡°However I doubt a lot of people here would be eager to buy them. No doubt getting all dressed up for the beasts isn¡¯t high on their priority list.¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded. From what he knew, most of their funds came from hunting down specific beasts that other groups had trouble dealing with, or selling parts of them as trophies to nobles. It amazed him to hear how much people with too much coin would spend on the skulls of certain beasts. The absurd amount some nobles would pay for a behemoth¡¯s skull was enough for a man to survive off of for the rest of his life.


    They kept a part of what they made and another went to the Order. There it was given out to hunting parties who ventured out, to trade with for supplies that were hard to come by, like those they bought at Lok, most of which was only produced in the south.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rhone muttered in agreement as he quickly scanned the reports, placing the papers he was done with to the side. ¡°Best save them for another time.¡±


    The aroma of the food caused Y¡¯rid¡¯s mouth to water even before he heard the girl¡¯s approach. She quickly arrived with another and placed the bowls and ale onto the table. Y¡¯rid immediately pulled one of the bowls over as Rhone passed a few silver to the serving girls.


    The food was good, though quite different from what he was used to travelling with the group. The stew was more watery and contained less meat and a lot of small brownish grains. This did not make it any less flavourful though. The grains sweet taste complementing the meat and vegetables.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Y¡¯rid asked pointing at one of the grains.


    ¡°That would be dosh grain,¡± Holin said. ¡°Same stuff the ale is made of. Seems like every second thing in clove is made of the plant, even the roof.¡± He pointed upward at the straw-like mesh to illustrate.


    ¡°Found something?¡± Holin asked.


    Y¡¯rid turned his gaze to see him looking at Rhone who had his eyes focused on the paper in his hands, his food laying untouched in front of him.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Rhone said after a few moments. ¡°A few hunters tried to track down the location of the beasts after they retreated.¡±


    The creaking of the front door of the inn drew Y¡¯rid¡¯s attention. A man stepped inside, his long hair tied behind his head revealing the sword hilt that poked out over his shoulder. Much more interesting though, was the faintly glowing symbols that were etched onto the metal breastplate he wore.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Holin said. ¡°Looks like company.¡±


    The man scanned over the inn¡¯s patrons before landing on their table. A faint smile touched his face as he made his way over.


    ¡°For a moment I thought I was given false information,¡± the man said as he reached them. ¡°Glad to see I wouldn¡¯t have to spend the night tracking down a beggar.¡±


    ¡°I guess said beggar would have been even more unhappy with the whole situation,¡± Holin said, causing the man¡¯s smile to widen.


    ¡°I would wager the same. But I would have found you eventually, the news of your arrival spread quite quickly.¡±


    ¡°Of course it did,¡± Holin replied. ¡°We are special like that.¡±


    ¡°That so? I have heard a lot about your Order over the years. First time I met any though, have to say I¡¯m a bit disappointed you¡¯re not all ten feet tall and riding alds.¡±


    ¡°Had to leave them back outside the city walls, scares the children. But if it¡¯s a giant you want then I am sure Red here can put on a foot or two under the right circumstances.¡±


    The man¡¯s brow creased as he looked at Holin in confusion before opening his mouth.


    ¡°You found us,¡± Rhone said, interrupting whatever the man was going to say. ¡°So perhaps telling us why you searched in the first place would be a good place to start.¡±


    ¡°Ah, where are my manners? I am Jear, the hand of Immanus, First Pillar of Theer,¡± the man said with a flourishing bow, his smile quickly returning to its former place. ¡°I came on behalf of the mage to request a meeting at your earliest convenience.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I just happen to have some questions for the mage myself,¡± Rhone said, folding away the reports and stuffing them into a pocket on the coat he wore over his armour.


    ¡°Red, you and Kali see what you can do about those supplies. Y¡¯rid, you get those clothes you wanted they might come in handy tonight,¡± Rhone addressed them before turning to Holin who was quickly gulping down the last of his stew. ¡°Holin, you¡¯re with me.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Jear said. ¡°I¡¯ll lead you to the First then.¡±


    Holin put down his empty bowl before he grabbed Rhone¡¯s untouched one and stood up. He slapped Y¡¯rid on the shoulder as he passed leaving with Rhone and Jear while starting to eat from the second bowl.


    ***


    Holin held up a hand to block out the sun¡¯s rays from his eye as he stepped outside, giving it a few moments to adjust. He followed after Rhone, eyeing the newcomer who was walking alongside Rhone and a stride or two in front of him.


    The warsword on his back was something between a longsword and a greatsword, the hilt wrapped in dark leather with silver stitching, and an unnecessarily bright ruby adorning the pommel. The scabbard had engraved patterns covering it with clip attaching it to the back strap enabling both sword and scabbard to be drawn in one movement in case of emergency. He could not see the blade but he¡¯d have wagered it had similar runes engraved onto it as the man¡¯s breastplate.


    The man¡¯s stride was balanced and fluid showing a familiarity with the weight of the sword and armour and a confidence that could come from either experience or arrogance, though given his station, Holin was willing to bet it was a bit of both.


    A smile touched his face, the stretching of the regrown skin causing it to itch. The man was dangerous. And he felt an urge to test out just how dangerous.


    But picking a fight now would be stupid, he doubted the mage they were visiting would be impressed. He dipped the wooden spoon into the bowl he still held and scooped up a piece of meat mixed with various other bits, bringing it his mouth and enjoying the taste.


    ¡°So,¡± Holin said, speaking over the food before swallowing the bite. ¡°That mage you¡¯re serving is quite the old man, eh? He must have seen a lot of things in his time.¡±


    Jear glanced at him over his shoulder. ¡°Indeed. He has served three Golden Lords. Seen more than most people could ever hope to.¡±


    Holin nodded. ¡°He ever saw any beasts with runes carved into their skin? Other than here, of course. Him having seen so much and all¡­¡±


    Jear turned to Holin as he walked. ¡°Not that I know of,¡± ¨C the man smiled ¨C ¡°seeing more than most people could hope for only means so much, especially since¡­ well, you know.¡± Jear said and rubbed at one of his eyes.


    Holin chuckled.


    Maybe just a little nudge.


    ¡±Hand of the First Pillar, eh?¡± Holin said. ¡°What exactly does being the Hand entail? Being so old, he must not get a lot of action, right? So if, say, the First Pillar was having a problem with his pillar... would a hand be required, expected, or perhaps, offered?¡±


    Jear¡¯s smile faltered as he looked at Holin, his eyes narrowing into a sharp glare.


    ¡°We heard from the citylord that the First Pillar managed to bring down one of those beasts,¡± Rhone said, glancing at Holin, the warning clear in his eyes. ¡°Anything you could tell us about that?¡±


    Holin shrugged and went back to eating. Jear looked at him for a moment longer before turning to Rhone.


    ¡°We did yes,¡± Jear said in a serious tone. ¡°Looked like one of those big cats you have here, nhilynxes right? Except this one was quite a bit different.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Bigger in structure, stronger legs. You¡¯ll see, the First Pillar has been studying its corpse. I¡¯ve seen a few of the nhilynxes scale the walls during the assaults, but it usually takes some time and they aren¡¯t always successful. This one cleared the wall in a single leap. Then the real fun started. It set itself on fire along with three other nearby guards with some kind of liquid flame. The fire didn¡¯t seem to do much to it, but hearing the guards screams, I doubt that had anything to do with the flames itself.


    A few of the nearby guard sent a few arrows into it slowing it down, which gave the First Pillar the time needed to utilize his magic. Don¡¯t know what he did but the creature¡¯s waist exploded in fire with enough force to tear it in two. Quite the sight.¡±


    Holin listened as Rhone asked a few more questions of Jear as they walked, mostly about what the man noticed about the rune-beasts, which didn¡¯t seem like much. While he had seen a few of them, he had never actually engaged one as his role seemed to be guarding the mage.


    Three dozen guards and retainers, including Jear, had come north with Immanus. Though the man didn¡¯t elaborate on their reason for doing so, and neither did Rhone ask. They had come across Clove with the intent to resupply, but hearing about the strange beasts and seeing them that very night had captured the attention of the mage and they had stayed until now.


    Holin took one last bite from the stew and reached out to balance to bowl on the edge of a passing cart. ¡°So your mage is just here for the sake of studying these beasts?¡±


    Jear turned to him. ¡°His reasons for doing what he does remains with him. But if you wish to guilt us into helping then you would do well to remember that our loyalty is to Theer, not this city.¡±


    A shattering sound followed by a few curses reached their ears from behind causing Jear¡¯s eyes to dart to the source before focusing back on Holin.


    ¡°I¡¯m not questioning his motives,¡± Holin said with mock offence before he narrowed his eye. ¡°Only wondering what they might be.¡±


    ¡°Then you can ask him yourself,¡± Jear said with a snort. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    The man came to a stop in front of a large building next to the river. A small yard separated the building from the street with a wooden walkway leading up to the doorway. Several armed men sat at a small table that stood in the shade of the single tree in the yard.


    Two of them were in conversation while the third seemed to be fiddling with a crossbow that sat on the table in front of him. The men looked up as they approached, their eyes scanning over Holin and Rhone.


    ¡°Jear.¡± The man with the crossbow said in greeting before turning back to his work. ¡°These the ones the mage wanted to see?¡±


    ¡°Why no Ayve,¡± Jear said, sarcasm dripping from his tone. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find them, so I just decided to take a couple of random people from the street.¡±


    ¡°And who could argue with such charm?¡± Holin said getting a snicker from one of the other men.


    ¡°Just asking,¡± the third man replied.


    Jear ignored him and led them inside the house. A large open room greeted them, with stone walls heated up by the fireplace located at the opposite wall. Mounted on the wall above the mantel was the skull of a globecharger, the thick forward-facing horns, long as a man¡¯s leg, reaching downwards to both sides of the fireplace.


    Barely adolescent.


    Flanking the skull were two halberds, too big to be truly effective¡­ unless you were Red. The thought brought a smile to Holin¡¯s face. The entire aesthetic of the room seemed to be designed to awe or perhaps intimidate visitors.


    ¡°Nice place,¡± Holin said casually.


    ¡°It is adequate,¡± Jear answered.


    ¡°Ridiculous is what it is,¡± A voice reached them from the side. Turning, Holin saw an ancient looking man step through an open doorway. Thin white hair flowed passed his wrinkled skin and onto his shoulders. Various talismans, armbands and rings covered in glowing runes adorned the man, the gold and silver of their make contrasting against the plain shirt and leggings he wore, which themselves were adorned with various bloodstains.


    ¡°The noble that owned the place turned tail towards the nearest neighbouring city when the attacks started,¡± the man said as he moved over with a grace that belied his apparent age. ¡°At least it has a lot of fireplaces. The cold doesn¡¯t work well with these old southern bones, and wasting constant strength on a heating spell would be nothing less than a crime given the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°I am Immanus,¡± the old mage said. His brown eyes rippled with gold as he looked at them before returning to normal, the corner of his mouth tilting upwards ever so slightly. ¡°And you are of the Order of Thal.¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± Rhone answered. ¡°I¡¯m Rhone and this is Holin.¡±


    Immanus nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve met a few of your members over the years. Unfortunately, we don¡¯t get many down in Theer, so when I heard you were in the city I invited you here, not knowing if you were only passing through.¡±


    ¡°The appearance of these mutated beasts are rather disconcerting,¡± Rhone replied. ¡°I doubt we will leave before we have a clearer picture of what is truly happening.¡±


    ¡°It is fascinating, isn¡¯t it?¡± Immanus asked turned back through the doorway, gesturing for them to follow. ¡°Adhering functioning runes to living flesh is immensely complicated. There have been a few odd cases of partial success, but other than the beastmen, no one has managed to achieve results consistently. Until now that is.¡±


    Immanus walked down a staircase leading below into the basement, Jear right behind him with Rhone and Holin bringing up the rear.


    ¡°I tried capturing one last night when the opportunity presented itself, but things turned out quite a bit differently.¡±


    The stairs opened up into a rectangular room containing a large wooden table. Dried blood stained its legs and the floor beneath, no doubt having come from the skinned and partially dissected corpse lying on top of the table.


    Holin scanned the room, taking in the two pillars supporting the floor above and the row of barrels lining the far wall before focusing on charred and the stretched-out skin nailed into the side wall. Visible through the blackened scorch marks were lots of small circular holes as well as the Old Tongue runes that had once given the beast its strength.


    Immanus strode over to the table and looked down at the cut mass of muscle and bone. ¡°A nhilynx. Though if I didn¡¯t see the runes myself I would have denied the fact.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Rhone asked, joining the mage at the table while Jear leaned against the wall near the stairs.


    ¡°Though it has been some time since I took apart one of those beasts,¡± Immanus said, ¡°my memory isn¡¯t as bad as my age would suggest. The runes seem to have changed the internal structure of the beast¡¯s body significantly.¡±


    Rhone leaned over the corpse and reached out to trace something, his posture blocking whatever it was from Holin¡¯s sight.


    ¡°Seems a rather strange way of trying to capture something, ripping it in half,¡± Holin said while observing the mage from the corner of his eye.


    ¡°Jear told you, I take it? Then he also told you that the beast had some method of using fire against its prey?¡±


    Holin nodded.


    ¡°And how do you think such a thing came to pass?¡±


    ¡°Unless those runes are for decoration, the answer is obvious, no?,¡± Holin said pointing at the skin hanging on the wall.


    ¡°You are not wrong,¡± Immanus said, his tone managing to convey the opposite. ¡°But that is only the beginning, the words that set the event in motion. Magic is not all powerful. A common misconception is that whatever you can write it in the Old Tongue would become reality. Such lines of thinking have killed more magelings and even experienced mages than beasts have, of that I can assure you. No, runes attempt to achieve what has been written by bending the laws of the world, not by breaking them.¡±


    ¡°Is the result not the same?¡± Holin asked. He had heard something similar from Kale, though he didn¡¯t see how the details of magic mattered now.


    ¡°The end result is sometimes less important than the path taken. One only needs to think about Ash¡¯tara of the forest to see an example.¡±


    ¡°A myth?¡± Holin asked incredulously.


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s real enough,¡± The old mage said with a shake of his head. ¡°Strove for immortality, yet the flesh could not fulfil her desires, so her legs grew into roots, her arms, branches and her hair, leaves. She still stands after all this time, free from age, disease and hunger yet unable to move a single finger¡¯s width by her own will.¡±


    ¡°In the case of this beast,¡± Immanus continued waving to the table. ¡°The runes demanded controlled fire, so the body created tubes running through the muscle and skin, carrying a liquid that ignited when exposed to air. When the beast sprayed the liquid, all nearby were doused in flame, including itself. I tried to capture the beast by forcing the air in the area to press down, onto the beast, in order to prevent it from moving. But because of its body¡¯s structure, this air was forced through the openings in its skin and through the tubes into the organ that stored the liquid, causing it to ignite while still inside the creature.¡±


    Holin walked over to the table, to see Rhone running his hand over an intact part of the beast''s shoulder, a frown on his face. All along the muscle, small blackened openings could be seen.


    ¡°You are suggesting,¡± Rhone began and turned to Immanus. ¡°That by changing the body¡¯s structure, new weaknesses or flaws would be created as well?¡±


    ¡°Just so.¡±


    The memory of the rune-beast that took his eye surfaced in Holin¡¯s mind as he looked at the corpse. That creature had been faster than any beast he had ever seen and could heat air to burn surroundings, yet that growth on its back had been surprisingly fragile. Kali¡¯s arrow had seen it to the ground and a cut had robbed the creature of both its speed and breath.


    ¡°And would you be able to figure out what those weaknesses are, based on the runes?¡± Rhone asked.


    ¡°That is much more difficult,¡± the mage answered. ¡°Our knowledge of the Old Tongue leaves much to be desired. Even if I recognized all of the runes on a beast, that would only allow me to discover the¡­ result, as your companion put it. How the beast would have changed to achieve such would be far harder to see.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen more than one of the same kind? Perhaps more of these nhilynxes?¡± Rhone asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Immanus said. ¡°However applying runes to these beasts in a way that they still function would require a lot of experimentation. Having one experiment succeed and then abandoning the progress to work on another completely different type of beast or rune array would be an immense waste of time, one only a fool would consider. And no fool could create this.¡±


    ¡°And if there aren¡¯t more of the same kind here¡­¡± Rhone started, his voice trailing off.


    ¡°Then they must be somewhere else.¡± Holin finished, pulling his eyes away from the corpse. A chilling thought, but what the mage said made sense, even if he was still suspicious about the man¡¯s motives.


    Truth isn¡¯t limited to honest men.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Immanus¡¯s voice was grim. ¡°This horde might be the beginning. A test of sorts, to gauge effectiveness.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling us this?¡± Rhone asked, staring the mage in the eye.


    Immanus¡¯s eyes rippled with gold before he answered. ¡°A show of goodwill. Contrary to what you may believe hunter of Thal, our goals are the same.¡±


    ¡°Being?¡±


    ¡°The survival of our species, of course.¡± Immanus held Rhone¡¯s gaze for a long moment before continuing. ¡°So tell me, have you ever heard of something such as this?¡±


    Rhone shook his head, ¡°As far as I know these beasts have popped up only recently.¡±


    ¡°Surely there must be records of such things happening in the past,¡± Immanus said pacing over to the skin on the wall. ¡°The occasions I¡¯ve spoken with members of your Order could be counted on one hand. But I vividly remember mention of the vast library Stronghold boasts.¡±


    The First Pillar turned to them, his eyes sharp and focused, seeming to banish any thought of a frail old man. ¡°No city still standing is older than that fortress. The records accumulated over the terms must be a sight to behold. I would very much like to take a look myself.¡±


    Holin raised an eyebrow.


    Of course, the scholar wants more knowledge.


    ¡°Access to the Archives has been given to individuals outside of the Order over the years, usually in return for service.¡±


    ¡°Alas,¡± the mage said holding up his hands. ¡°I have served the Golden Lord for longer than I care to remember and will continue to do so. Though perhaps access could be traded? I have no doubt that I¡¯d be able to make a significant contribution to the Archives myself.¡±


    A moment passed in silence before Rhone nodded. ¡°The choice does not lie with me, that would have to be made by the Weaver. I could put in a word, but I do not know you well enough for that I¡¯m afraid. Not yet.¡±


    Immanus smiled in an easygoing manner. ¡°Of course. We can get to know each other as we deal with the task at hand. First things first, after all.¡±


    ***


    Immanus looked at the two departing figures from the doorway of the house. Almost instinctively, he activated the array that he had carved into his memory over the terms. He felt his vision narrow as it became tinted in a golden hue. Inconsequential surroundings fell away as he peered through flesh and bone to what lay beneath, to what most would never see in their life.


    Two forms of white, anchored to their mortal cages. A picture his sight had shown him many times over the terms. He had eventually even managed to pick out the differences of individuals in the same species.


    But for these two it wasn¡¯t necessary at all. White forms made of both man and beast, merged into something else altogether. Runes flickering in and out of the forms, defying his efforts to see the array that held them together. A chaotic mess that seemed to be in perfect balance.


    ¡°Astounding.¡± The whisper that escaped his lips was barely audible.


    ¡°You say something?¡± Jear asked at his side.


    The spell faded, his vision returning to normal as the two began turning around a corner and out of sight, the one-eyed man glancing back in his direction. Immanus gave the man a friendly smile as he followed his companion.


    ¡°Nothing, Jear.¡±


    The sight that had originally only helped him carry out his duty had shown him much over his life. The hunters of Thal being a sight second only to one. He had longed to find out more about the phenomenon, but they kept their secrets close.


    Immanus smiled. There was still time. This trip up north seemed more fruitful with every passing day.

 Chapter 18

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    ¡°The Fall is coming!¡± a man shouted as he stood on the street corner, a small group of people listening, though most just ignored him.


    ¡°The beasts are restless! Soon the great horde will form and sweep across the land, devouring all in its path! Salvation lies in Ward¡¯s embrace, turn away from the Shield at your own peril.¡±


    Y¡¯rid gave the man a glance as he walked past him. He and Hadi were walking through the marketplace while Kali and Red went to see about getting their supplies.


    ¡°What is he talking about?¡± Hadi asked.


    Y¡¯rid looked at him. ¡°Preaching to the desperate. Best to not waste your time on doomsayers.¡±


    ¡°Doomsayers?¡±


    ¡°People who think the world is coming to an end, or worse, those that don¡¯t but use the idea to their advantage. There are always some of them.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No matter where you go,¡± he muttered under his breath.


    ¡°Why would they think that?¡±


    Y¡¯rid shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, they are always wrong.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still here,¡± He said smiling at Hadi. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s see if we can find a tailor still in the city.¡±


    The nights were already cold enough and would only grow longer and colder the further they headed north.


    It didn¡¯t take them long to find a tailor shop near the market place. A rather large stone building with a painted wooden sign above the doorway, depicting a needle and thread.


    A bell tied above the door rang out as he and Hadi stepped inside. To the side was a counter from which a man looked up, his sullen expression brightening as he saw them.


    ¡°Welcome, welcome,¡± the man said. ¡°Can I help you find anything?¡±


    Y¡¯rid scanned the shop. Several tables were lined in neat rows supporting all kinds of clothing as well as coat racks holding a number of coats and cloaks. Some were plain while others were brightly coloured with intricate designs.


    ¡°Just looking for something warm for me and Hadi here. Something to keep out the chill.¡±


    ¡°Well you¡¯ve come to the right place and at the best of times, I might add. We are offering a discount for multiple item purchases. Best to buy now before they¡¯re all gone.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked around, confirming that they were indeed the only customers. He looked back at the merchant with a raised eyebrow. The man held his gaze without blinking, though his smile did waver for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised your still here,¡± Y¡¯rid said. ¡°As I understand, most merchants already left the city.¡±


    The man laughed and shook his head. ¡°Not about to abandon my store so easily.¡± ¨C He walked around the counter and made his way over to them. ¨C ¡°So, what can I interest you in?¡±


    ¡°I need a coat or cloak that can fit over my armour. Something that¡¯s warm without restricting movement too much.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, yes. A warrior¡¯s coat I think. We do have a few still here which I am sure will be to your liking,¡± the man said as he moved towards one of the racks. ¡°You one of the new mercenaries coming to help with the beasts then?¡±


    ¡°I suppose you could say that,¡± Y¡¯rid answered.


    ¡°You brought the boy along?¡± The man said nodding to Hadi.


    ¡°Never too young to learn, right?¡± Y¡¯rid said with a smile, though the man seemed to take his joke seriously and nodded with a grave expression.


    ¡°Sad truth of our world, that. Though you¡¯d best keep him away from the walls.¡±


    ¡°I can fight!¡± Hadi protested. ¡°Look.¡± He showed the man the knife at his belt that Y¡¯rid had got for him back in Lok.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can,¡± The man said with a smile. ¡°But someone needs to guard the house, yes? What if the beasts make it over.¡±


    The man turned back to the rack and didn¡¯t see the slight paling of Hadi¡¯s face. Y¡¯rid placed his hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder and squeezed.


    ¡°Though,¡± The man said and turned to face Y¡¯rid. ¡°I would advise you to take the coin you gain after this and take the boy for a trip south. Maybe for a year or two.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Y¡¯rid asked. ¡°This about the stirrings from the north?¡±


    ¡°Just some rumour floating around,¡± the man said quickly, ¡°probably nothing.¡±


    Y¡¯rid looked at the man but he seemed to be intent on rifling through the different coats and cloaks, though Y¡¯rid did catch the glance directed his way. He sighed. Information was just another product.


    ¡°How about I buy an extra piece for both me and Hadi? We can spend the extra time talking about those rumours.¡±


    Buying extra wasn¡¯t a bad idea and, who knew, perhaps the merchant actually had something useful to say.


    The man paused before nodding. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll tell you what I heard some of the hunters say. You see, the story goes, some of them tried to trace the beasts back to their dens after the attacks.¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded.


    ¡°Well, they didn¡¯t find what they were looking for, but it seems they found something potentially worse.¡± ¨C The man paused for a moment and looked at him. ¨C ¡°Beastmen. So far only a few whispers are spoken about it but, mark my words, if those halfmen are involved then we¡¯re looking at a restart of the old war.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The education of young people these days,¡± the man said shaking his head and handing Y¡¯rid a longcoat of brown fur. ¡°Everyone knows those things are half beast themselves. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if they and the beasts talk to each other. And I wouldn¡¯t put it past them to work with beasts if they can get rid of us.¡±


    He felt a frown pull at his forehead, he surely would have heard from the others if this was really the case. As far as he knew the beastmen kept mostly to themselves, they were too busy dealing with beasts attacking their own settlements to start a war. Though Kali had mentioned a war between the two races once, so he supposed there might be some truth to this.


    ¡°Why would they attack now? This disturbance far north would hit them just as hard, would it not?¡± Y¡¯rid asked as he pulled on the coat. The left sleeve refused to fit around the bracer, which he quickly began loosening.


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. Most of them are either far to the southeast in their jungle or they live in the caverns underground, safely hidden away from the creatures on the surface. They might suffer some, but not as much as us. Perhaps they think to strike preemptively at us to avoid another Skin War in the future.¡±


    Y¡¯rid slipped on the longcoat. It was a good fit, the dark fur warm, yet it was a bit thick and he¡¯d have to fasten the bracer over the coat.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good coat but I don¡¯t think it fits well with my armour.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I might have something else for you,¡± The merchant said and went off to one of the shelves on the back wall.


    Y¡¯rid raised a hand to his chin as he thought of the man¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t know about the man¡¯s claims about the nature of beastmen. However, someone had made those rune-beasts and if the beastmen truly saw humanity as a threat¡­


    I¡¯ll have to ask the others.


    The merchant returned with a dark grey coat which he handed to Y¡¯rid. ¡°This is a warrior¡¯s coat meant to be worn under the upper body armour. The hide is made from the inner skin of a ko¡¯ari, it won¡¯t be as warm as the previous coat I gave you but it should still suit your purposes.¡±


    Y¡¯rid took the coat, the inner side of the coat was soft while the outer felt surprisingly rough. He took off the leather armour on his upper body leaving only the shirt and pulled the coat on, tying the few buttons in front. It reached down to his knees, dropping over his leather leggings, parting at the front and back to increase the ease of movement.


    He hadn¡¯t seen a ko¡¯ari before but he knew they were scaled creatures that preferred the colder climates of the north. He couldn¡¯t see any signs of scales, though perhaps that had to do with this being ¡®inner skin¡¯. He took a few minutes to put his breastplate and shoulder guards back on. After which the weighted bracer and the leather arm guard followed.


    He did a few experimental stretches, looking for any discomfort, but the coat barely hindered his movements.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°This is what I looked for.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is, my shop has everything to fit your needs. You want another coat of that type?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Y¡¯rid replied. ¡°I think it¡¯s best to get a thick cloak just in case. You got a warm coat that would fit Hadi?¡±


    ¡°Of course, this way young man,¡± The merchant said to Hadi and took him to the side of the shop were smaller pieces of clothing were hanged.


    Y¡¯rid looked around as he walked, avoiding the colourful dyed or embroidered cloaks. They would only attract unwanted attention in the wilderness whilst costing a lot more for that feature.


    ¡°Where can I find these scouts who saw the beastmen?¡±


    The merchant handed a brown leather coat to Hadi and looked at Y¡¯rid. ¡°I¡¯d rather not if I were you. The guards have been trying to silence the rumours. You might end up attracting the wrong attention.¡±


    Y¡¯rid shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d rather take the risk and know what I¡¯m getting myself into.¡±


    The merchant looked at him for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°If you¡¯re set on sticking out your head, I heard Fanin was one of those that saw them. You could usually find him at Rav¡¯s near the eastern gate. It goes without saying that you didn¡¯t hear any of this from me.¡± The man said, fixing Y¡¯rid with a stare.


    Y¡¯rid nodded. He could understand the cityguard trying to keep rumours from spreading and causing the population to panic, but their methods obviously weren¡¯t working. Perhaps he was missing something?


    He shook his head. For now, he would just have to see what the others came up with.


    They quickly finished their shopping after that, getting a thick dark fur cloak with a heavy hood for himself along with the coat he now wore. Hadi ended up getting a cloak and a fur-lined jacket that made him seem twice as big as he was, but was also extremely warm.


    They left after paying the man a gold piece and a few silver, and that was after the ¡®discount¡¯ the man assured him he had given. Y¡¯rid looked at the two silver pieces in his palm as he stood outside the shop. It was all he had left from the mage¡¯s payment.


    He had found an odd confliction within him when spent the coin. An almost instinctive reaction, as if he should be hoarding what he had lest he loses it. He could only think of it as some remnant from his memories of living on the streets.


    They walked through the city for a while, knowing Red and Kali was probably still looking for supplies and he had no idea when Rhone and Holin would be back from the mage.


    With the extra clothes slung over Y¡¯rid¡¯s shoulder, he and Hadi took in the sights. Along the streets were planted bushes and trees that supported vines, giving a bit of colour to the otherwise bleak look of wood and stone that made up the buildings. A solution to the lack of light at night as well, he presumed.


    The night¡¯s length was steadily increasing as the days shortened with their journey north, and by now the nights had long crossed the one and a half times as long mark. Apparently, at Stronghold, the night would be twice as long as the day. Even though the increase happened slowly and over time, he still found it rather bizarre.


    They made their way back to the inn after a few hours, though Y¡¯rid did take note of a bathing area at the southern part of the city next to the stream. One that he planned on visiting later if he had the chance.


    ***


    The sun could barely be seen peeking out over the top of the hill to the west as Y¡¯rid reached the inn. Long shadows cast by the houses stretched across the street stealing away what little warmth remained of the day.


    He opened the door and motioned Hadi inside before stepping in and closing it behind him. A fire roared upon the hearth warming the common room. Y¡¯rid looked over the other patrons to see Kali and Red at the table they had previously occupied. He and Hadi made their way over.


    ¡°Did you find what you were looking for?¡± Y¡¯rid asked as he dropped his cloak on the table and pulled out a chair.


    Kali sighed. ¡°The prices are ridiculous. We got a bit but not what we wanted, should be able to fit everything on the cart though, so at least we won¡¯t have to spend more on another. I see you had better luck.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I got what the tailor called a warrior¡¯s coat and a cloak, and Hadi got a jacket and a cloak,¡± Y¡¯rid said showing the clothing to her.


    ¡°Good,¡± She said with a grin. ¡°You¡¯ll need it when we reach Stronghold.¡±


    Red nodded. ¡°You will. First week I lived inside, next to the fire. Cold enough that the water refuses to move. Frozen solid.¡±


    ¡°But you came from the desert,¡± Kali said. ¡°I doubt Y¡¯rid would have such a hard time.¡±


    ¡°Why did you decide to come north, anyway?¡± Y¡¯rid asked. Of all the members of the group, he knew the least of Red¡¯s history. The quiet man rarely spoke of the past.


    Red shrugged. ¡°Anuneer is at one tip of the world. Wanted to see the other. Can¡¯t find balance when all you know is the edge. In time, I¡¯ll go and see it again. Maybe get Tara to join.¡±


    ¡°Hah, good luck with that,¡± Kali said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think she will?¡±


    ¡°She loves the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Anuneer is ashkalin. Pure. Peaceful. Except for the sandleaches. She will like it.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh.¡±


    Kali didn¡¯t seem convinced as she looked at him with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°A place consisting almost entirely of sand? I¡¯d go to see it just out of curiosity,¡± Y¡¯rid said.


    ¡°See,¡± Red said towards Kali with a smile and turned to Y¡¯rid. ¡°You¡¯ll come with then. I can show you where to find water. How to walk straight. How to keep skin from cracking. All you need.¡±


    Perhaps this isn¡¯t such a good idea.


    The door to the tavern opened with Holin and Rhone stepping through, saving Y¡¯rid from having to think up an excuse. They strode over and took their seats.


    ¡°So what did the mage say?¡± Kali asked.


    ¡°He has some interesting ideas,¡± Rhone said. ¡°Thinks there should be a lot more of these beasts, that this is the beginning of something larger.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe him?¡±


    Rhone shrugged. ¡°Too little information so far, but it holds merit. In short, mutating a single beast would be done over time and take a lot of experiments. After that, you would know how to mutate that species, starting on another would again take a lot of time. Much easier to simply make more of the first. So many different types showing up at once points to a large supply somewhere.¡±


    Y¡¯rid felt frown crease his face and saw a look of disgust cross Red¡¯s. Having a bunch of unknown beasts running around with abilities no one¡¯s heard of would make things a lot harder for hunters everywhere as well as the all cities that relied on the beast¡¯s meat as a source of food.


    Methods were developed to handle certain beasts especially by hunters that stayed in a specific region. If these creatures were numerous enough then they could cause a major upset by simply existing.


    ¡°Would you not have noticed if there were so many of these creatures?¡± Y¡¯rid asked. ¡°They only came into being recently, right?¡±


    ¡°As far as we know, yes,¡± Rhone said. ¡°That is just the mage¡¯s theory however, and regardless whether or not it is correct, we can use him to get to the bottom of whatever is happening here.¡±


    ¡°Use him?¡± Kali asked with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°A trade,¡± Rhone clarified. ¡°He wants to get into the Archives and hinted at being willing to help out if we can help him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not up to you though, is it?¡± Kali asked.


    ¡°No, but if he helps and we vouch for him, I think we can get the Weaver to consider, especially since he seems to be willing to trade some of his knowledge as well.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t like it,¡± Holin said as he stared at the table with a narrowed gaze. ¡°He¡¯s hiding something.¡±


    ¡°He has a hundred and fifty terms of secrets,¡± Rhone said dryly. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s hiding more than one.¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Keep an eye on him then,¡± Rhone said.


    Holin grinned. ¡°Was planning on it.¡±


    ¡°Guess it was too much to hope for that he¡¯d have the answers huh?¡± Kali said.


    Rhone sighed. ¡°Nothings ever that easy.¡±


    ¡°I heard something today,¡± Y¡¯rid said, drawing Rhone¡¯s attention. ¡°The tailor I went to told me about some rumours. Apparently, two scouts found some traces of beastmen when they were investigating the surrounds when the horde retreated. The tailor seemed convinced they were involved somehow.¡±


    Holin¡¯s head turned towards Y¡¯rid, his eyes seeming to look through him as he tilted his head to the side. ¡°Why haven¡¯t we heard of this?¡±


    ¡°Apparently the guards have been trying to stop the word from spreading.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± Rhone began, reaching into his coat to pull out a stack of papers. ¡°There was mention of something like that in these reports I skimmed before the business with the mage started.¡± ¨C He quickly paged through until he found what he was looking for. ¨C ¡°-reported sighting indicative of beastmen totemic markings. Further investigations failed to confirm sighting. Inconclusive.¡°Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°This changes things,¡± Holin said, his eyes fixed on Rhone. ¡°If beastmen are involved, this could get a lot uglier than it is.¡±


    Rhone returned his stare, his tone measured as he spoke. ¡°I lived through the Skin War, Holin.¡±


    A few moments passed as Rhone held his gaze until Holin nodded and broke eye contact.


    ¡°People always look for something to blame when things go to shit,¡± Rhone continued. ¡°And hate can fester for a long time.¡±


    Holin sighed. ¡°Right. You sure it is just rumours then?¡±


    Silence fell over the group, soon interrupted by the tapping of Rhone¡¯s fingers on the table. He didn¡¯t seem to notice as he stared at the surface of the table.


    ¡°No,¡± he finally said. ¡°Most likely it is nothing, but not looking into something can be as damaging as assumptions.¡± ¨C he turned to Y¡¯rid ¨C ¡°You get the names of the scouts?¡±


    ¡°One of them, a man named Fanin,¡± he answered.


    ¡°You and Holin see what you can find out tonight, people tend to watch their words around us, even in here in the north. Perhaps someone without red eyes would help.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Holin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to spend some time on the wall,¡± Rhone said. ¡°See how the terrain looks at night. From tomorrow, someone has to stay on the wall during the night, Ideally four of us so we can cover the four directions. I want to know exactly how these beasts operate. Where they gather, how they move, attack, retreat. Everything.¡±


    ¡°Think they¡¯ll come tomorrow?¡± Holin asked.


    ¡°Seems like as good a time as any. The citylord said the attacks were getting more frequent. The reports never showed two in a row however. Perhaps it takes time for the beasts to gather.¡± ¨C Rhone shrugged ¨C ¡°Either way I doubt anything will happen tonight.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you want us up on the wall tomorrow, then I won¡¯t join you on the wall tonight,¡± Kali said. ¡°I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to get a halfnight¡¯s sleep again, so I¡¯m going to take it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be up a while,¡± Red said towards Rhone. ¡°Might join you later.¡±


    Rhone nodded.


    ¡°I want to see. Can I come?¡± Hadi¡¯s voice came from the side, causing everyone to look over. He looked at Rhone with eyes full of expectation.


    Rhone chuckled, ¡°Sure you can watch my back then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Kali said and Y¡¯rid nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Please,¡± Hadi stretched out the word, looking first at Kali then at Y¡¯rid.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep him safe,¡± Rhone said, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smile as he looked at the boy. ¡°You sure you can keep up?¡±


    Hadi nodded vigorously.


    Y¡¯rid sighed. He reached down and picked up the new cloak he bought for the boy and threw it in front of him. ¡°At least take that, you¡¯re going to need it.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Rhone said.


    ***


    ¡°This was the place huh?¡± Holin asked, looking up at the sign hanging above the tavern, ¡®Rav¡¯s Respite¡¯ painted upon it in faded letters.


    Y¡¯rid turned to him and shrugged. ¡°The tailor said I might try here. Not like we have any better guesses.¡±


    ¡°Well we¡¯re in no hurry,¡± Holin said with a smile.


    He saw Y¡¯rid raise an eyebrow.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t look at me like that. As Rhone said, the horde will come tomorrow if not the day after. One has to relax a bit as well.¡±


    Y¡¯rid chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he said we needed to be on the wall tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°No, he said he¡¯d prefer four people on the wall. Him, Kali, Red and Hadi. Four.¡±


    ¡°You want Hadi to be a lookout? The boy¡¯s barely six terms old!¡±


    Holin scoffed. ¡°He only needs to watch the horde¡¯s movements, and he¡¯s got more eyes than me. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He said striding towards the tavern.


    His smile stretched a bit further as he noticed a conspicuous lack of footsteps behind him, before he heard a sigh as they started.


    Light spilt onto the street as he pushed open the door, the warmth of the tavern washing over him with scents of smoke, food and ale.


    Holin stepped inside and made his way over to the counter hearing Y¡¯rid shut the door behind him. The tavern was rather full given the situation of the city, though that understandable. Given the uncertainty of what was happening, many people would take what ¡®respite¡¯ they could.


    The fire¡¯s hearth and the many candles and lanterns lit the room giving it a welcoming atmosphere. Men and women crowded around tables, drinking and chatting as serving women swerved between them, arms heavy with plates and drink.


    He reached the counter and waved over the woman standing behind. She turned to him as she noticed the gesture. She gave him a smile as she met his gaze.


    ¡°Glad to see the rumours are true for once, especially since they bring good news.¡±


    The corner of his mouth lifted in a rueful smile, though she did an admiral job of covering it up, he had still caught the flinch when she saw the scars on his face.


    ¡°Rumours can be pesky little things, can they not?¡± He asked. ¡°Best to keep them at arm¡¯s length.¡±


    The woman snorted. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem to help, rumours are attracted to taverns and ale like lies to a lord.¡±


    Her eyes flickered in surprise as she scanned over Y¡¯rid who stepped up alongside Holin. ¡°So what can I get you?¡±


    ¡°Seeing as we¡¯re looking for some of those rumours, why not start us off with two of those ales.¡±


    She nodded and reached under the counter, retrieving two tankards before turning to one of the barrels lining the wall. Using the small tap at the bottom she started filling them up, speaking over her shoulder as she did so. ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    Y¡¯rid cleared his throat. ¡°A man, Fanin and... whoever he scouts with.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°You know them?¡± Holin asked.


    ¡°I do, Terig is the other man. They¡¯ve been coming here for a long time, long as I care to remember in fact, before their falling out. And I can guess what this is about.¡±


    ¡°They had a falling out?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    The woman shrugged with her back still turned towards them. ¡°That¡¯s what disagreements tend to do. Especially when there¡¯s so much interest in it. Especially when none of it¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°What can you tell us about this disagreement?¡± Y¡¯rid continued.


    She turned back and placed the two tankards down in front of them. ¡°I reckon I could tell you a lot, not that I will. Had the guard captain himself in here, making suggestions that were a lot less subtle than he thought. Not a lot of tact, that one.¡±


    She eyed them both for a moment. ¡°You want to start digging, that¡¯s fine, but I¡¯ll not be adding to the rumours myself. Got enough trouble as it is. Fanin¡¯s there, at the back.¡±


    Holin traced her gaze to a table at the back around which sat four people, laughing as the talked.


    ¡°The one with his back to us,¡± he heard the woman say. ¡°As I said, they used to come in together. You¡¯ll probably find Terig at the Drunken Ape now though, heard he was spending his time and coin there.¡±


    ¡°Thought you weren¡¯t going to help?¡± Holin asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°You found that out all by yourself, master rumour hunter that you are. You keep it civil now. At least my tavern, don¡¯t care what you do at the Ape, any patron you drive away there might come here. And that¡¯ll be three silver for the ale.¡±


    Holin raised his eyebrow at the price. The woman held his gaze and raised an eyebrow to match his.


    He shook his head, chuckling. ¡°And such wonderful ale it is. Drew in exactly what I wanted, worthy of a bit more even.¡±


    He slid five silver pieces over the counter which she swept up, a glint of amusement in her eyes.


    ¡°They¡¯re good men, those two. Bit hardheaded at times, but good.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be gentle.¡± He said, turning away as she snorted.


    Holin made his way over to the back of the tavern with Y¡¯rid beside him. Reaching out, he grabbed one of the free chairs next in passing. Seeing the man they were looking for still talking with his back turned, he walked over and thrust the chair down next to the man with a loud thud, causing the man to nearly jump out of his chair.


    ¡°What in the-¡° One of his companions started, only to stop mid-sentence when Holin¡¯s gaze found him.


    ¡°So, what are we talking about?¡± Holin asked as he sat down and looked around at the group who was staring at him with a mixture of surprise and confusion. ¡°Nothing? Well, allow me to suggest a topic of conversation then.¡±


    ¡°You see,¡± he continued. ¡°I hear there was a scouting mission a while ago that ended in some¡­ strange circumstances, isn¡¯t that right Fanin?¡±


    The man looked at him. He hesitated a bit before licking his lips and replying. ¡°Don¡¯t know what you heard, but I gave my report to the guard captain, you can get everything from him.¡±


    ¡°Sure. But you know what they say,¡± Holin started, his voice trailing off as he rolled his hand in the air a few times before finally shrugging. ¡°I don¡¯t know, something about a well and fresh water or some shit. Point was this though, it¡¯s always better to go to the source.¡±


    Fanin looked at Holin for a moment before he grimaced and looked at the table. He turned to his companions with a slightly forced smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys leave us, yeah? I¡¯ll catch up.¡±


    ¡°You sure-¡°


    ¡°Yeah man, I¡¯ll join you later.¡±


    The other man nodded and stood up with the rest. ¡°Thalsman,¡± He said with a nod towards Holin before walking away with the others.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mind the company,¡± Holin said as Y¡¯rid took the now empty chair opposite Fanin.


    The man looked at Y¡¯rid in surprise. He turned to Holin, the question in his eyes unspoken. Holin merely returned his look with a smile.


    Fanin broke his gaze and sighed. ¡°Look, you can tell the captain he made his message clear. There is no need for this. I understand, yeah? Can¡¯t have people causing panic.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Holin answered his smile growing a bit wider. ¡°I¡¯m some errand boy for the captain now?¡±


    ¡°I think you misunderstand,¡± Y¡¯rid said. ¡°We are not here on his behalf. We just want your side of the story.¡±


    Fanin gave a humourless chuckle. ¡°My side of the story? You even sound like him. Always two sides, another way to spin it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are lots of sides,¡± Hollin said. ¡°Tell us yours, maybe we¡¯ll put our own little spin on it, who knows. What I do know, is I couldn¡¯t care less about what the good captain said to you. I do care about what you have to say.¡± ¨C He let the smile fall from his face as he stared into the man¡¯s eyes ¨C ¡°So say it.¡±


    Fanin swallowed and looked to the side, before taking a deep breath. ¡°Alright. We went scouting, after the attack three days ago, me and Terig and a few other groups. See if we could trace the horde. Thought that since they attack from different directions they might have some¡­ I don¡¯t know, territory or gathering point or something, somewhere.


    We went out. Came across one of those carved bone totems, you know, the ones the half-beasts make. First time I¡¯ve seen one myself and the bones were fresh. We came back, told the other groups and the guard captain, who then told us to keep quiet. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Holin leaned back in his chair and dragged a hand across his face, his fingertips sliding along the marred and stretched skin that covered half of it.


    ¡°And Terig?¡± he heard Y¡¯rid ask. ¡°We heard there was a¡­ difference of opinion.¡±


    ¡°He claimed it wasn¡¯t beastmen work.¡± ¨C He shook his head and threw up his hands, his tone rising a bit higher. ¨C ¡°Who else caves totems out of fucking bone?¡±


    ¡°No need to get jumpy,¡± Holin said. ¡°Why did he claim it wasn¡¯t beastmen work?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Fanin said, reaching for his tankard and downing the rest of the contents. ¡°You should ask him. Best to get it from the source, yeah?¡± ¨C He stood up. ¨C ¡°Look, you wanted my side of the story and that¡¯s it.¡±


    Fanin turned around and strode away towards the exit of the tavern.


    ¡°He was eager to leave,¡± Y¡¯rid said. ¡°Bit too much so perhaps?¡±


    Holin grunted, still staring at Fanin¡¯s retreating back as it disappeared through the door.


    ¡°Also didn¡¯t say much more than what was in the reports,¡± Y¡¯rid continued. ¡°Except for those ¡®bone totems¡¯.¡±


    Holin turned back to the table. ¡°Beastman practice. Different reasons for them, but all of them would point to beastman activity in the area. Which make me wonder why the other said it wasn¡¯t.¡±


    He raised the mug to his lips and took a swig. Hopefully the other one was right and there weren¡¯t any beastmen in the area. Immanus had said that there might be a lot more of these creatures out there. If the beastmen were really behind this then it could really mean the start of another war.


    What he couldn¡¯t figure out was why. A restart of the war would serve no one, yet it would damage both races, perhaps even bring them to their knees. At least in Evener. The southern continent of Dron didn¡¯t have any beastmen as far as he knew, then again, the place consisted mostly out of sand. As for Eidir¡­ well, who would know?


    ¡°Maybe I should go talk to the Terig first.¡± Y¡¯rid¡¯s voice came from across the table, pulling him back from his musings.


    Holin looked up with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s like Rhone said, right?¡± Y¡¯rid continued. ¡°People act differently around you. That man, Fanin, he was on edge the entire time, and I don¡¯t think your presence did much to calm him down.¡±


    ¡°Got him talking quick enough.¡±


    ¡°And stopped him nearly as quick. Around who do you think one of these men would be more at ease? A member of the Order of Thal, or just another mercenary who is going to fight by their side in defence of the city?¡±


    ¡°Ahh,¡± Holin said, leaning back in his chair as recognition crossed his mind. ¡°You are technically not one of us yet, you don¡¯t bear the eyes.¡±


    ¡°To him, I might as well just be in the city for a job,¡± Y¡¯rid said. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, you can always go see the man after.¡±


    ¡°You think you can get him to loosen up?¡±


    Y¡¯rid shrugged. ¡°I can try. A new mercenary, hearing a rumour in the taverns. Wanting to know what exactly I got myself into? Worth a shot.¡±


    ¡°I like it,¡± Holin said. ¡°Very well, you do that.¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded, ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    Holin drank the rest of the ale and placed the mug down with a belch. He turned to glance back at the counter at the far end of the room. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can get some background on the two. Maybe that can help shed some light.¡±


    The chair screeched and Y¡¯rid stood up. ¡°See you at the inn then?¡±


    ¡°Sure-sure,¡± Holin said as Y¡¯rid walked to the door.


    He looked back at the woman still taking orders and filling mugs behind the counter. With a sigh, he ran a hand down the side of his face.


    Would have been a lot easier a month ago.


    His smile returned a moment later. Wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t enjoy a good challenge.


    ***


    Y¡¯rid took five of the coppers the girl held in her hand, leaving the sixth. She gave him a quick smile before disappearing, already on her way to another group of people.


    He looked down at the five coins before pocketing them with to his last remaining silver. He would really have to get some more soon. Rhone and the others already paid for his and Hadi¡¯s meals and lodgings, asking them for more wouldn¡¯t sit right with him.


    With a sigh, he transferred one of the two full mugs he had just paid for to his empty hand and turned to the table the girl had directed him to.


    Sitting alone at one of the smaller tables sat a red-faced man, his drink his only company. The Drunken Ape had a few of those. The lack of a fireplace allowed the cold to seep into the room, motivating people to find their warmth in the sour ale. The candles on some of the tables and the lanterns hanging from the walls were only enough to provide a dim lighting for the large room.


    A few details such as the oversized rough wooden doors or the uneven floor consisting of planks placed onto hard-packed ground hinted at what the building might once have been before it was turned into a tavern. Even so, the drink was cheap enough for people to overlook the flaws.


    Idly he wondered what that said about the man he was walking towards. This seemed less a place for social gatherings and more a drowning pool for troubles. The fact that the man was sitting alone only strengthened this idea.


    The man glanced up as he stopped next to the table.


    ¡°Mind if I join you?¡± Y¡¯rid said, holding out one of the mugs.


    The man looked at the mug, then at his own and sighed. ¡°Sure, why not.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t swing that way, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re looking for,¡± The man said, giving Y¡¯rid a stern glance, his word slurring slightly.


    Y¡¯rid looked back at the man in confusion before he started chuckling. He pushed one of the mugs over and took a sip of his own. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I had in mind. I¡¯m new here. Thought I¡¯d get to know who I¡¯d be fighting with. Unless that bow of yours somehow helps you to farm the lands?¡±


    The man followed Y¡¯rid¡¯s gaze to the bow that leaned against the table. ¡°These days I don¡¯t leave home without it. You¡¯re one of the new mercenaries then?¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded.


    ¡°What band?¡±


    ¡°No band. Heard there was well-paying work this way, so I took a job guarding a merchant that was heading here,¡± Y¡¯rid said. While most caravans were leaving the city when they arrived, he did recall seeing one or two coming in.


    The man¡¯s mug stopped halfway to his face, his eyebrows raised in surprise. ¡°Lone merc? Well, at least you got the right idea to try and make some friends then. Though being on your own and coming to Clove in the first place more than makes up for that spark of intelligence.¡±


    Y¡¯rid shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t eat without coin.¡±


    ¡°That you can¡¯t,¡± the man said and raised the mug the rest of the way, finishing it and picking up the new one Y¡¯rid had brought. ¡°But gods know, there are easier ways to earn coin than defending the city against a horde.¡±


    ¡°So why are you here then? Why not leave?¡±


    The man sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve been asking myself that question. I grew up here, doesn¡¯t feel right to turn tail.¡± ¨C He chuckled ¨C ¡°I wanted to be a trader, you know, back then. Then I wiped the sleep from my eyes and here I am.¡±


    He raised his mug once more. ¡°What about you? Why a mercenary? You don¡¯t come from here, why fight?¡±


    ¡°Gives a roof over my head and food on the table, isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± The man asked, his eyes narrowing.


    It would have been. For the Y¡¯rid that spent his childhood and beginning adult life on the streets. He might have done it for the roof alone. But as he was now, it wasn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t want to just survive.


    Y¡¯rid looked down at the mug in his hands. He swirled the ale, watching as it turned round and round, always moving yet going nowhere. ¡°A while back I had the chance to break away. Make a new life.¡±


    He paused and shook his head ¡°I have somewhere I need to go, not sure how to get there, but I do know that staying in one place won¡¯t help. What I¡¯m doing now has a chance to get me there and if not,¡± ¨C he took a swig of the ale ¨C ¡°at least it¡¯ll pay for the journey.¡±


    ¡°¡¯make a new life¡¯, eh?¡± The man asked with a grin. ¡°You look like you barely started this one.¡±


    Y¡¯rid laughed. ¡°I suppose I do.¡±


    ¡°Y¡¯rid, by the way,¡± he said holding out a hand.


    ¡°Terig,¡± the man replied, shaking it.


    ¡°Terig, huh?¡± Y¡¯rid repeated, rubbing his chin. ¡°I heard that name. Someone said you found beastmen in the hills or something. Any truth?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d you hear that?¡±


    Y¡¯rid shrugged. ¡°As I said, I¡¯ve been trying to get to know the people I¡¯ll be fighting with. Though every tale I hear seems as though it¡¯s trying to beat the previous one. So, what about yours?¡±


    Terig sighed. ¡°Seems like everyone asks me that, yet always manage to miss the facts. You came to ask me that question then?¡±


    His eyes shot up to look at Terig who looked back with a small grin.


    Y¡¯rid chuckled. ¡°I might have come this way after I heard the story and that you might be here. I like to know what I¡¯m getting into.¡±


    Terig nodded. ¡°At least you got a head on your shoulders, unfortunately, I can¡¯t answer that. I don¡¯t know what we¡¯re in. Me and another went out. We didn¡¯t find any beastmen. What we did find was a bone totem, though not made by beastmen.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°The lines were wrong.¡±


    ¡°The lines?¡± Y¡¯rid asked in confusion.


    ¡°Two of the pattern lines were swapped and a few symbols twisted. Yeah-yeah, I know. ¡®Details¡¯, right?¡± Terig said and shook his head. ¡°The totem was of the Huntress, one of their goddesses. No beastman would get the lines wrong.¡±


    He moved his mug out of the way and leaned forward as he started talking animatedly. ¡°The lines and patterns are like a representation of the god, yeah? A telling of their history. Carving out that totem is an act of worship, of prayer. Doing it wrong is like¡­ praying to the Shield for fresh water while forgetting His name.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you know a lot about this.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Terig said simply. ¡°And I can tell you now that was a fake.¡±


    ¡°So why do people think beastmen are a part of this,¡± Y¡¯rid asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you show it wasn¡¯t?¡±


    The man shook his head. ¡°Totem was gone when we went back with others. And Fanin, the other man that was with me, knows about as much about beastmen and their totems as most people, which is to say he doesn¡¯t know shit.¡±


    He sat back and picked up his mug. ¡°Blaming them would be a mistake. But the real problem lies in why it was there in the first place.¡±


    ¡°You think it is a setup,¡± Y¡¯rid said.


    Terig shrugged. ¡°Your guess is as good as mine. So telling you what you¡¯re getting into isn¡¯t something I can do, we can only hope that it isn¡¯t too deep to climb out from.¡± ¨C He raised his ale finished it in a few gulps. ¨C ¡°I¡¯m heading off. I¡¯ve got to be in the hills before dawn, see if I can find any sign of the next attack.¡±


    He stood up, swaying slightly while supporting himself with one hand on the table. ¡°Thanks for the ale. And if you want my advice, you¡¯d take another escort job out of the city. Whatever it is you¡¯re looking for, I doubt you¡¯ll find it here.¡±


    Y¡¯rid watched as he made his way to the door before turning his gaze back to the table. His fingers tapped on the side of the mug as he thought of the man¡¯s words. It didn¡¯t seem as though Terig was lying, or at least, the man believed in what he said. That didn¡¯t make the situation any better.


    He took another swig of the ale and pushed the half-full mug away. The ale here tasted as cheap as it had cost, and the taste didn¡¯t help lift his mood. Some fresh air could help with that though, at the very least, the cold air might help sharpen his mind.


    Y¡¯rid stood up and walked to the door dodging the serving girl that was busy carrying a tray laden with mugs. He reached the door and pushed it open, the gust of cold air banishing what little warmth the tavern kept, causing those nearest to complain as he slipped out and shut it behind him.


    He breathed in deeply, already glad that he had purchased the coat. For a moment he just enjoyed the air and the view, before starting to make his way down the street. The streets of Clove were lit by a combination of burning braziers along with trees and bushes supporting light vines set along the side the street. During the day it hadn¡¯t looked like much, yet now he couldn¡¯t help but appreciate the scenery.


    The street seemed quiet, a figure with his back turned towards him at the end of the street the only other person in sight.


    It still seemed strange to him that people could go to work at dawn and return after dusk, but it did make a kind of sense, with night being as long as it was here. And with most people avoiding being outside in the cold of the night if they could, the lack of people in the city only became more noticeable.


    He was walking down the side of the street when a man came out of an alleyway that ran between two buildings directly ahead. Y¡¯rid stepped to the side to avoid bumping into the man, his eyes glancing over him as he did so, catching the reflection of light flickering across red-stained steel. He pulled his gaze up, meeting that of the man, seeing surprise cross his face, before it hardened into a snarl.


    He drew back as the man lunged, acting on long hours of training, he deflected the knife thrust with the weighted bracer on his arm. He surged forward taking advantage of the opening to send his fist into the man¡¯s jaw, sending him reeling back.


    Y¡¯rid took a step backwards to gain some distance and drew his sword.


    ¡°Get him! Quick!¡± A voice shouted from the alleyway, a moment before a second man appeared.


    Shit.


    Y¡¯rid had just registered the dagger in the second man¡¯s hand before the first was upon him again. Cursing his lapse, he sidestepped the swipe and threw his arm forward in an underhand cut, the blade cutting through fabric to bite into flesh, too shallow for a real wound but enough to draw out a cry of pain from the man.


    The second charged at him, forcing him to retreat further into the street while the first recovered. The second didn¡¯t press the attack but moved to his right as the other moved to his left.


    Y¡¯rid stepped back further as they advanced, trying to keep both ahead of him. He slapped away another thrust from the first man with his bracer and swung his sword in an arc at the second forcing the man to leap out of reach.


    They were slower than Holin, much slower.


    Good.


    He pursued the leaping man, taking advantage of his sword¡¯s reach to stab at the man¡¯s chest. The man tried to parry the hit, but the weight of the dagger was too little, only managing to alter the course of the blade to from his chest to his arm. He screamed as the sword pierced his shoulder.


    Y¡¯rid headed his instincts and dove to the side, ripping the sword out of the man as he did so. He hissed as his shoulder hit the ground hard. He rolled on the ground, barely avoiding the swipe of the first man that was aimed at his back. He rolled again to avoid the follow-up stomp at his head. Rolling into a half-crouched position he swung at the man, forcing him back and giving himself time to spring backwards onto his feet. The man charged at him, the second man a few steps behind, one arm hanging limp.


    With a growl, Y¡¯rid sprang forward. He swung his bracer to catch the blade. It struck onto the bracer and slid across it to gouge a deep cut across the leather on his upper arm. He opened his hand and grabbed onto the man¡¯s extended arm pulling him forward as he drove his sword into the side of the man chest, entering beneath the man¡¯s ribs to skewer his lungs.


    Heaving, he pulled at the man¡¯s arm while pushing on the blade, shoving him into the path of the second man, whose dagger plunged into his dying companion¡¯s back. Y¡¯rid released the man and sword, darting around him and seizing the second¡¯s arm as he tried pulling out the dagger.


    The man swung his free hand at him in a desperate strike that struck his cheek with the back of his fist. Y¡¯rid reached out and grabbed the hand to prevent another strike before slamming his forehead onto the bridge of the man¡¯s nose with a solid crack.


    The man tried to pull back as blood poured over his face, but Y¡¯rid kept his on the arm that held the dagger. Ignoring the throb of his head he reached down and pulled his own dagger, thrusting it into the side of the struggling man. Pushing the dagger as deep as he could, he twisted the blade before ripping it out, spraying the street with blood.


    He released the screaming man, letting him fall clutching at his side. A futile effort. He would be dead in a few moments.


    Y¡¯rid took a few steps back and sank down, to support himself on the ground while heaving for air.


    Breath in. And out


    He repeated in his mind as the second man died, his cries second to the thumping of Y¡¯rid¡¯s own heartbeat in his ears and the rasping of his breath.


    His cheek pained and the headache was just starting to flare up, announcing the folly of using his head as a weapon.


    He held up his hand, still clutching onto the dagger. The blade trembled as adrenaline rushed through his system, his fingers throbbing from how hard he had gripped the weapon. He could hear shouting in the distance, but paid it no mind, focusing on his breathing.


    After a moment he slowly stood up and stepped past the corpses. He looked around, catching sight of a slumped figure in the alleyway they had emerged from. He walked forward, his stride growing steadier with each step as he reached the mouth of the alleyway.


    lying against the wall was the figure of a man he recognized. Someone he had met just a short while ago.


    Terig.


    The pants were untied as he lied in his own blood, throat cut, his lifeless eyes were staring up into the sky. They probably caught him while he pissed out all that ale he drank.


    Y¡¯rid sighed as his eyes caught the bow lying next to him. Didn¡¯t leave home without it he had said. It didn¡¯t help him much when the threat came from inside the city.


    The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, one he doubted could be washed away by cheap ale.

 Chapter 19

    This story is being rewritten! The new version,A Price in Memory, can be found here</a>.


    I highly suggest you read the new version as this one won''t be completed. Also, there has been a lot of changes so you won''t be able to continue with the other where this one left off.


    A shout tore through the air as the footsteps drew closer, hard heels of boots clipping against the cobbles. Y¡¯rid stepped back from the alleyway and into the street. He looked towards the source of the commotion as he walked to the corpse of the first man he had killed.


    In the distance, he could see a group of four quickly approaching. They wore steel breastplates that glinted in the light of the braziers and vines that lined the street. The light was just enough to get an inkling of the hill-and-tree symbol on their cloth-covered pauldrons.


    Guards. Someone must have heard the fight and alerted them, or perhaps they heard it themselves. He knelt at the corpse and grasped the hilt sticking out of it. He pulling pressing down on the body with his other hand as he extracted the blade. Harder than one might imagine, with the flesh pressing down on the blade, at least the sword¡¯s tapered profile prevented it from being completely stuck.


    Freeing the blade he started wiping it on the clothes on the man as the guards drew near. They would probably take him in for questioning, but whether or not they would clean the blade was another matter.


    ¡°Drop the sword!¡± The one in the lead shouted, his hand gripped around the hilt of his own.


    Y¡¯rid placed the sword next to the corpse. No need to agitate them for doing their job. He knew how ugly things could get because of a simple misunderstanding.


    He stood up and raised his hands, showing the open palms.


    ¡°These two attacked me after killing a man in the alley over there,¡± he said gesturing to the mouth of the alleyway.


    ¡°Keep quiet and stand still!¡± The guardsman replied staring him in the eyes. He waved to one of the others. ¡°Len, check the bodies.¡±


    The guard approached, flanked by two others, a man and a woman, the third man splitting off to see to the task.


    The guard reached out and grabbed Y¡¯rid¡¯s arm, and spun him around, twisting the arm. Y¡¯rid grunted but didn¡¯t resist as the guard grabbed his other hand and held them locked behind his back.


    Pain throbbed through his arm from the unnatural angle, but he grit his teeth and endured. With three corpses around him, he didn¡¯t couldn¡¯t really expect gentle treatment.


    ¡°Dead.¡± The other guard, Len, said before moving to Terig¡¯s body.


    ¡°No sudden movements.¡± The guard holding his arms said, his voice cold as the night air. ¡°You try something and I won¡¯t hesitate to put you down.¡±


    ¡°Fucking foreigners,¡± one of the other guards muttered. ¡°Horde not enough trouble for you?¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Len spoke again as he looked at Terig¡¯s face. ¡°I know this one. One of the hunters that¡¯s part of the scouting groups.¡±


    The guard behind Y¡¯rid clicked his tongue. The pressure on his arms increased ever so slightly. ¡°Edgar, go and get Ulin¡¯s group. Tell them to bring the corpses to the barracks. Len, you stay here and make sure nobody tampers with the bodies. You¡¯re with me, Eris.¡±


    The guard pressed Y¡¯rid forward, as one of the others sped off.


    ¡°My sword-¡°


    ¡°Shut up and walk.¡± The guard cut him off. ¡°The captain¡¯s going to sort this out, back at the barracks. You want to say anything, you say it to him.¡±


    Y¡¯rid sighed and gave up on explaining the situation. At this point, he doubted he would be able to convince the guard of anything, much less his innocence. At least the captain should remember that he was with Holin and the others.


    It was a long walk from the Drunken Ape in the eastern part of the city to the barracks. The few people who were on the streets avoided them, often giving them a single glance before hurrying on their way. Twice they came across other groups of guards, who nodded in greeting to Y¡¯rid¡¯s two ¡®escorts¡¯ or made some comment about thieves and cutpurses.


    One group they passed was pulling a man in worn armour off of a bloody figure as he shouted and clawed at the wounded him. The guards managed to throw the man off before beating him into the ground until he lost the strength or willingness to fight back.


    This surprised Y¡¯rid, it seemed later it got into the night, the rowdier the streets became. The guards seemed to have their hand full just trying to keep order.


    They passed the group and continued until the barracks came into view. Built against the north and eastern corner of the wall, the barracks almost reached it in height. At the top of the building, Y¡¯rid could just make out a stone staircase leading directly up the wall as a quick access point.


    The barracks loomed over nearby houses and structures with a construction entirely made out of stone. Yet, even with its height, its width gave it a squat appearance. It stretched from the eastern side of the wall to the northern, giving the triangular building a wide and intimidating front of smoothed rock.


    They walked up to the gates. The large iron-reinforced doors were flanked by two guards who leaned against the wall, looking bored. The two guards looked up as they approached.


    ¡°What you got there, Lyke?¡± One of the guards asked with a frown.


    ¡°Three dead, their corpses should arrive soon with Edgar and Len. You tell them to send them to the mortis when they come.¡±


    The guard whistled. ¡°Any witnesses?¡±


    The guard holding him, Lyke, must have given some indication as the other chuckled mirthlessly as he shook his head. ¡°And here I thought I got the shit post. Not envying you.¡±


    ¡°You did get the shit post,¡± The other guard next to the doorway replied to his companion as he opened one of the doors and Lyke marched Y¡¯rid through with the guardswoman a step behind. ¡°I heard that barmaid you been eyeing got the night shift.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d you hear that?¡± The first demanded, his outburst followed by silence. ¡°Hey! I asked you-¡°


    The sound muffled as the heavy door was closed again. Y¡¯rid was walked through a dimly lit corridor, lined with a staircase on either side that led further into the building. The end of the corridor opened up into a large courtyard containing numerous wooden dummies roughly in the different shapes showing various signs of damage. Circles of rock sprawled throughout one half on the yard, the hard-packed earth inside them a testament to long hours of being trampled by boots.


    They exited the courtyard at the side and Y¡¯rid was walked through a series of corridors and down a staircase and through a doorway into an even darker part of the barracks, the only light and warmth coming from a few torches placed underneath what few ventilation shafts there were. The light was just enough to reveal a row of cells, their fronts consisting of iron bars.


    An overweight guardsman jerked upright from a chair behind a desk to side, the line of drool he quickly wiped from his mouth leaving no question as to his activities, or lack thereof.


    ¡°Minra¡¯s tits, can¡¯t you at least try to look vigilant?¡± Lyke said in an exasperated tone.


    ¡°No one¡¯s ever gotten past me,¡± the man replied with a frown.


    ¡°Only for lack of getting passed the bars,¡± The guardswoman with Lyke muttered under her breath.


    Lyke pushed Y¡¯rid forward. ¡°Got another for you.¡±


    The guard nodded and reached for a quill and sheet of paper on the desk. ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Y¡¯rid,¡± Y¡¯rid replied.


    The scribbled down the answer, then turned to Lyke. ¡°Gonna need you to fill out the details.¡±


    Lyke sighed. ¡°Just get him into the cell first.¡±


    ¡°We need to ask some questions first,¡± The jailor said.


    ¡°We got three dead bodies, including one of the scouts. You know how the Captain feels about those under his command, even if it¡¯s temporary. He¡¯s going to want to look into this himself.¡±


    ¡°Still, rules stipulate-¡°


    ¡°That sleeping on the job will not be tolerated?¡±


    The jailor was silent for a moment and looked over Y¡¯rid¡¯s shoulder at the other guard. ¡°¡­Fair enough. But he¡¯s going to the back.¡±


    The man unhooked a bunch of keys from a hook in the wall behind the desk. He walked down the cells, passing them by.


    ¡°Move,¡± Lyke said and pushed him forward.


    Y¡¯rid looked at the cells as he passed. The first containing a figure covered in rags, curled up against the far wall, the odour of unwashed body wafting through the iron grid causing his nose to scrunch up. The second cell contained a woman in partial armour. She sat on a wooden bench to the side and watched them silently as they passed, her eyes sharp even in the dim light.


    Y¡¯rid was led past the first row of cells and through a small doorway into another room. This one also had a row of cells, although there were only three and they were all empty. The jailor opened the first one and waved him through.


    ¡°This is you,¡± He said with a gap-toothed smile. ¡°Enjoy your stay.¡±


    Y¡¯rid ignored him as the guard released his hold on him and shoved him inside. He turned to the slammed of the gate and the turning of the key, the lock clanking as it slid into place. The jailor and the two guards turned and left the way they came, stepping out of sight and leaving him staring at the wall across his cell.


    With a sigh, he turned and surveyed the cell. It was bare, to say the least. A plain wooden bench against a wall and a slop bucket in the corner. The only decoration was the dried blood that stained the cold floor. At least it was empty.


    Y¡¯rid rubbed his wrists. The guard¡¯s arm lock hadn¡¯t done them and his already sore shoulder any favours. He stepped over to the narrow bench and lay down, one leg hanging down the side. He crossed his arms beneath his head to provide what little comfort he could.


    Deciding that it would probably be a while until the captain came, he closed his eyes to sleep. Yet the image of Terig¡¯s face staring up at the sky appeared in his mind. He pulled one of his arms away and rubbed his eyelids, hoping to drive away the scene.


    The man had seemed honest. A little rough around the edges maybe, but who wasn¡¯t? Wanted to be a trader, wasn¡¯t that what he said? Yet he did what he could during these times to help the city he grew up in.


    He didn¡¯t deserve dying like that. Not like that. Cut down in the very city he risked his life to defend, probably by people he had unwittingly defended in previous beast attacks.


    And for what?


    Were they simply there to rob his corpse of what they could find or was something else? Perhaps something to do with the beastmen? He honestly couldn¡¯t decide which was worse.


    Y¡¯rid turned onto his side, his back to the gate, getting as much darkness as he could. Slowly he pulled his thoughts away, forcing them from his mind every time his focus wanted to return to the subject.


    He kept doing so until sleep came.


    Eventually.


    Y¡¯rid opened his eyes to the sound of footsteps and voices. His body felt sore from the hard wooden bench. He turned over onto his back and closed his eyes once more, determined to sink back into oblivion.


    ¡°-was one of the scouts?¡±


    The voice sounded familiar as it came closer. It took him a moment to realise it was that of the guard captain they had met when entering the city.


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Well, that confirmed it.


    ¡°And he was seen next to the scout¡¯s corpse? Terig you said?¡±


    Y¡¯rid frowned and closed his eyes once more, he relaxed the muscles in his face and tried to even out his breathing.


    ¡°Yes, sir. One of those who supposedly saw the totem,¡± the second voice came. ¡°Him and two others, known thugs, theft and the like. Picked them up a while ago, taught them a lesson. According to this man, they were the ones that killed the hunter. I figured it was best to let you handle it, considering¡­¡±


    The footsteps stopped just outside of his cell. Y¡¯rid laid completely still as he focused on what they were saying.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the captain voice came, his footsteps retreated for a moment before returning the light growing brighter as he did so. Y¡¯rid felt a wave of heat near the front of his cell and fought to keep his closed eyelids from twitching under the light. ¡°Ah, yes I know him. Good thing you brought this to me. If you¡¯d have ¡®taught him a lesson¡¯ as well, we would have even more trouble.¡±


    ¡°Captain?¡±


    ¡°Go to the Cobblestreet Inn, in the southern district. Speak to one of the Thalsmen there, inform them their man is with us and we are just asking some questions regarding a murder.¡±


    There was a sharp intake of breath.


    ¡°You¡¯re legs still work, guardsman?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir,¡± the man replied followed by a single footstep and silence.


    ¡°Well?¡± The captain¡¯s gruff voice was laced with annoyance.


    ¡°Uh¡­ there is one more thing sir.¡± The guard¡¯s reply came hesitantly. ¡°I had the mortis look over the corpses. The wounds on the hunter showed the use of a small bladed weapon, while one of the thugs was killed with a sword and the other with a dagger or knife, consistent with what the man said.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And, while the mortis was looking over the hunter, he found this.¡± A rustling of fabric followed the man¡¯s words. ¡°At first he thought it was a note to the man''s family, so he looked it over¡­¡±


    There was a soft rustling sound. Paper unfolding, Y¡¯rid guessed, considering the man mentioned a note.


    A few moments passed in silence, finally broken by the captain¡¯s voice. ¡°Who else saw this?¡±


    ¡°Just me and the mortis, sir.¡±


    ¡°Keep it to yourself. Not a word.¡±


    ¡°But sir, shouldn¡¯t-¡°


    ¡°There have been three citylords since I first started as a guard,¡± The captain interrupted. ¡°Two of them while I was captain. I¡¯ve been here for so long because of two reasons. I do my job better than anyone else can. And I keep my nose out of schemes. You understand?¡±


    Another moment passed in silence, though this time he could feel the tension from where he lay.


    ¡°Listen,¡± the captain said. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Lyke. You lead your squad well. You have a future here. But take some advice from someone who already walked the path. We are guardsmen. We protect the people, that¡¯s what matters. As for schemes and politics? I couldn¡¯t care less. And neither should you.¡±


    ¡°¡­yes sir.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now go.¡±


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    Retreating footsteps of the guard echoed down the corridor away from his cell, slowly fading. A jingle of keys sounded just outside the cell before one was inserted into the gate, followed by a loud clank as the door was unlocked.


    Y¡¯rid groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He sat up rubbed the side off his arms while looking around. He turned and squinted at the figure of the captain standing in the doorway.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± the man said in a cheerful voice. ¡°I apologize on behalf of my men. They were just doing as they were told. When times are tough, we can¡¯t afford not to be.¡±


    Y¡¯rid blinked a couple of times and rubbed a hand over his face. He paused for a moment before answering, as though taking time to register the words. ¡°Yes¡­ yes, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    He stretched out his back and slowly stood up. ¡°Can¡¯t be too careful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you understand,¡± The captain replied with a warm smile. ¡°I have a few questions for you about the incident if you wouldn¡¯t mind?¡±


    ¡°Sure, though I don¡¯t know if I have much to offer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, more a formality than anything else,¡± The captain gestured over his shoulder with a thumb. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk in my office. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve had enough of this place.¡±


    Y¡¯rid nodded and stood up following the man out of the cell and through the corridor. The captain walked ahead of him with a steady stride. In one hand he held a bundle of keys while the other held onto a folded piece of paper.


    Y¡¯rid pulled his eyes away from the note and focused back on the man himself. He stepped through the doorway leading to the first cell area, seeing that the number of people had increased by a few. Some of them who were still awake tried to proclaim there innocence at the captain, which the man promptly ignored.


    They walked over to the jailor¡¯s area, The overweight man standing and giving the captain a sloppy salute. The captain wordlessly tossed him the keys and led Y¡¯rid out of the area and up the stairs.


    ¡°No attacks on the wall I take it?¡± Y¡¯rid asked as they reached the top, breaking the silence.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Hmm?¡± The captain turned his head towards him, allowing Y¡¯rid to see the lines under his eyes. ¡°Oh, no, nothing so far and the night¡¯s reaching its end, thankfully.¡±


    Its end?


    It would seem he had slept longer than he thought. It didn¡¯t feel like it though, not the soreness in his body was any indication. But perhaps that just came from sleeping in armour on a wooden bench that would hardly fit a child.


    ¡°But even so, the streets aren¡¯t exactly quiet,¡± the captain continued.


    Y¡¯rid nodded out of habit, then realised the man couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°Yes, I saw some of that.¡±


    ¡°Bit more than saw, eh? Not that I¡¯m holding it against you. I won¡¯t shed any tears for two fewer cutthroats roaming the city.¡±


    The rest of the walk was spent in silence, going through corridors and heading up another flight of stairs, with guards they met along the way saluting the captain as they passed. Occasionally the captain would spare a word or two for them in greeting or encouragement.


    As they reached the second floor the torches on the walls started disappearing, a few narrow windows started appearing in their stead, the moon and starlight shining through them. In front of many of the windows were potted plants with lightvines growing on them, giving off a soft glow.


    They finally reached the office of the captain, a relatively large stone room that spoke of practicality. A desk stood opposite the doorway with two chairs, one behind the desk facing the door and another opposite the first. The only other piece of furniture was a narrow bookshelf stacked with neatly aligned books and scrolls.


    In fact, most of the things in the room were neatly arranged. All except for the desk, which was crowded with stacks of papers and maps. The desk was illuminated by a small brazier to right the side of the room a safe distance away from the desk and another of the plants to the left, in front of an open window that let in a cool night breeze.


    The captain walked over to the desk and dropped the folded note to one side onto the surface. Y¡¯rid pulled his eyes up away from the note as the man drew out the chair from behind the desk. He took his seat and gestured for Y¡¯rid to take the other, which he did.


    ¡°So,¡± the captain began, placing his elbows onto the desk and folding his hands. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take me through the events that took place.¡±


    Y¡¯rid did so, recounting how he met Terig and what happened after he left the tavern.


    The captain nodded. ¡°I suppose you were there to hear about his totem story?¡±


    ¡°I take it you don¡¯t believe it, captain?¡±


    The man shrugged. ¡°I sent men the location they specified after they returned. Nothing was found. But, regardless as to whether or not that totem was ever there, it won¡¯t make a difference me.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I keep the city safe. And with the horde attacking us, I certainly don¡¯t have the time or men to spare to chase after stories. All it would cause is more panic among the people and they are already stretched as far as they can get. Many would do whatever they can to get out of the city, you saw it yourself, even lived it yourself.¡±


    Y¡¯rid felt a frown form on his face as he looked at the captain in confusion.


    The man looked back before raising his eyebrows. ¡°Ah, of course you don¡¯t know. Someone looked over the corpses from yesterday. Standard procedure when no witnesses are present. But he did find the scout¡¯s coin pouch on one of the thieves you killed.¡± ¨C He shook his head ¨C ¡°Damn shame to die like that, murdered in an alleyway in your own city for a few coins.¡±


    The scout¡¯s coin pouch?


    From what he had overheard between the guard and the captain outside the cells, no mention had been made of a Terig¡¯s coin pouch. Had he missed that part?


    ¡°This is what I meant about people doing whatever they can. An extreme example of course, but one you saw yourself. Those two probably aimed to buy their way onto a caravan heading out of the city, or to start their new lives somewhere else. Who knows how many they would have killed before they deemed they had enough?¡±


    Y¡¯rid stayed silent. Were the two mere thieves? It did make sense in a certain way. They definitely weren¡¯t mercenaries or hunters, not when carrying only a pair of daggers.


    ¡°Well don¡¯t blame yourself for putting down those two. You might have done the city a favour,¡± The captain said seeing his expression. Y¡¯rid merely nodded making no effort to correct the man. After that, the captain asked him a few more questions, then stopped.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got everything I need. Like I said, just a formality,¡± the man said and pulled out a quill and inkwell and clean sheet of paper after rummaging through a stack on the desk. ¡°Just give me a moment to write down the details and we¡¯ll go and get your weapons.¡±


    Y¡¯rid¡¯s eyes drifted over the desk and landed upon the note the captain had carried with him when they arrived. The more he thought about their conversation the more he wanted to read the letter. He looked back to the man but he didn¡¯t notice, still busy writing the report. ¡°Lot¡¯s of paper here, more than I¡¯d have thought.¡±


    The captain sighed but didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Horrible system. Supposed to prevent corruption, yet all it seems to do is waste time, and the amount of dosh stems that go into making all of this is just as ridiculous.¡±


    The captain looked up at the sound of someone approaching. Y¡¯rid turned in his seat to, seeing the same guard that brought him in step into the doorway with Holin behind him.


    ¡°Captain,¡± the guard said, saluting before nodding to Y¡¯rid and leaving.


    ¡°Captain,¡± Holin said, copying the man.


    ¡°Ah, you have arrived, hunter,¡± the guard captain said, standing up and walking around the desk to greet Holin.


    Y¡¯rid stood up as the man passed him, he reached out and snatched up the note on the desk as he did so, turning to face them with his arms crossed behind his back.


    Holin greeted the captain and eyed Y¡¯rid with a knowing smile as he tucked the note into the sleeve of his coat, underneath the bracer on the arm.


    ¡°I leave you alone for a moment and you already find yourself in trouble,¡± Holin said looking at him with a grin.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± The captain said turning back to look Y¡¯rid over. ¡°Quite the contrary, he helped us get rid of some filth that was hiding in the city.¡±


    ¡°That so?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± The captain said. ¡°I was just going over the events of last night with Y¡¯rid here, but I think we¡¯re done. I¡¯ll walk with you and we can pick up his weapons from the mortuary.¡±


    The captain led them through the barracks to the mortuary. It was located at one end of the compound, a triangular shaped structure wedged between the city wall and the front side on the barracks with another small courtyard separating it from the rest.


    Unlike the first courtyard Y¡¯rid saw when entering, this one was overgrown with weeds, only a small dirt path, lined with vines, running through it to the structure itself.


    No guards were in sight as they approached, the reason for which quickly became clear the nearer they got. The stench of death hung around the structure, warding off any who didn¡¯t need to be there. This only increased as the captain opened the door, causing the stench to increase fivefold.


    The inside of the room held an array of items, leaning against the walls or laying on the tables. Trails of dried blood, dark from age mixed with more youthful streaks of red lead to a staircase at the far end, leading down into what was no doubt storage for corpses.


    A man stood over a large bucket placed on one of the tables, the splashing of water accompanying his movements. He turned as they entered, holding a cleaver in one hand, red tinted liquid dripping from it. His mouth hung open as he breathed, a raspy sound escaping as he did so.


    He nodded once at the captain then turned back to cleaning the cleaver. Y¡¯rid noticed an array of different tools already cleaned and drying on the table¡¯s surface, though he would be hard-pressed to name half of them.


    ¡°Mortis,¡± The captain said with visible unease. ¡°The equipment that came with the three bodies last-¡±


    He had yet to complete the sentence before the man held up a hand pointing to a table at the wall without turning around.


    The captain briskly strode over and gestured for Y¡¯rid to come along. Y¡¯rid matched his speed and quickly looked over the table, noting Terig¡¯s bow and the two daggers, before seizing his own sword and dagger.


    He quickly marched to the exit, spending any more time here than necessary was definitely not something he wanted to do. With the captain short on his heels, he could guess that the feeling was mutual.


    The captain shut the door as soon as they left and started walking back to the main structure.


    ¡°Can never get used to that place,¡± He muttered as he walked. Y¡¯rid glanced over at Holin half-expecting some snarky comment, but for once the man remained silent.


    ***


    ¡°You going to fill me in?¡± Y¡¯rid heard Holin ask as they walked back to the inn. ¡°Last I saw you, you were going to talk to the other scout.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t figure something was amiss when I didn¡¯t show?¡±


    ¡°I had just reached the inn myself, caught the guard just outside, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Just reached the inn?¡± Y¡¯rid asked. ¡°I was gone for hours, what were you doing?¡±


    ¡°Collecting information from the tavern owner, like we said.¡±


    ¡°Collecting information, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Holin replied with a grin. ¡°Very diligently.¡±


    Y¡¯rid scoffed, though he couldn¡¯t stop the half-smile forming on his face. He started recounting the events for the second time that day. It was really getting old, at least to his ears. The only difference between this account and what he gave the captain, was the detail. He went into what he and Terig had discussed as well as his impressions of the man.


    ¡°Hmm, that does actually fit in with his background. Apparently, his grandfather was one of the few traders that held relations with the beastmen of Orr, before the war broke out. Made himself quite a bit of coin. He must have learned about totems from the old man.¡±


    ¡°Get that from your ¡®informant¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I did, as a matter of fact.¡±


    ¡°The grandfather still alive?¡±


    ¡°Nope, he protested against the war. It seems people don¡¯t like it when you tell them the things that killed their loved ones were only defending themselves. Who knew?¡±


    Y¡¯rid shook his head. The similarities in their deaths somehow just seemed to make the situation sadder.


    ¡°That might be the end of Terig¡¯s story,¡± Holin said. ¡°But you took something from the captain. Back when I came in¡­¡±


    He looked at Y¡¯rid expectantly. Y¡¯rid quickly told him about what he had overheard, causing Holin¡¯s eyebrow to raise.


    ¡°Well?¡± He asked. ¡°Open up the letter and let¡¯s see what it says.¡±


    Y¡¯rid dug two fingers into his sleeve and found the end of the piece of paper. He pulled it out and unfolded the note.


    He scanned his eyes over it then started at the top, parsing out each syllable and stringing them together in his head.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Holin asked after a while, losing patience.


    ¡°Give me a moment.¡±


    Y¡¯rid continued. Unsurprisingly people who grow up on the streets didn¡¯t do much reading. His father had taught him the basics, of course, before he died on the wall.


    He paused.


    His father?


    Holin took advantage of his lapse and swiped the letter out of his hands. He quickly scanned over the letter, his expression turning serious. ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Well?¡± Y¡¯rid asked.


    Holin eyed him, his seriousness fading as it was replaced with a smile, amusement clear in his eye. ¡°You sure you want me to tell you? You were doing so well.¡±


    Y¡¯rid stared at him, unamused. ¡°You¡¯re not nearly as-¡°


    ¡°It is a letter,¡± Holin said cutting him off. The serious expression returning to his face as though it had never left, causing Y¡¯rid to sigh. ¡°Addressed to one mister Terig, from someone signed ¡®the Hand¡¯. It thanks him for his continued efforts to ¡®obscure the facts¡¯ and promises an additional sum added onto that already paid for services rendered.¡±


    Y¡¯rid slowly grew grimmer as Holin reached the end. What the letter talked about was obvious, though he did not want to believe it. He took the letter back from Holin and looked over it.


    Why? Was he simply unwilling to admit the man played him?


    ¡°Well, it seems to be what we were looking for to begin with,¡± Holin said. ¡°Even if it doesn¡¯t exactly fill me with joy to find it.¡±


    He went back over his interaction with the man. No, it didn¡¯t seem right.


    ¡°Something¡¯s off,¡± Y¡¯rid said. ¡°Terig didn¡¯t strike me as that kind of person. The way he spoke about their find¡­ he wasn¡¯t faking it.¡±


    Holin was silent for a while before speaking. ¡°People are capable of strange things, many of which you might never expect.¡±


    ¡°It still doesn¡¯t seem right.¡±


    The rest of the walk to the inn was done in silence. The sky was still dark when they reached the building, though Y¡¯rid knew dawn was not far off.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get some sleep while I still can,¡± Y¡¯rid said to Holin. ¡°Sleeping on a small bench while in armour hadn¡¯t exactly been restful.¡±


    Holin yawned. ¡°I could do with a few hours myself.¡±


    Y¡¯rid snorted. He made his way to his room and stepped inside. The darkness was alleviated a bit by a small vine intertwined with some sort of potted shrub that sat on the window sill, in the way that seemed common here. It gave just enough light for him to move around the small room without bumping into the bed, storage chest or singular chair that made up the entirety of the furniture in the room.


    Y¡¯rid took off his leather armour with a feeling of relief. He stretched, trying to get rid of the soreness in his muscles before taking off his coat as well. He went through his pockets and dropped the few contents of them onto the chests lid, the single silver coin and five coppers clinking as the fell.


    He should have taken the coin from the thugs¡¯ corpses. Terig¡¯s as well now that he thought about it. The dead had no use for them after all.


    He moved to the bed before coming to a stop. A frown creased his face as he stared out in front of him.


    Robbing the dead?


    Where had that thought come from? He was certain he should have found the thought uncomfortable if not outright repulsive. In fact, the more he thought about it the more he did, yet a part of him was completely fine with the idea. That part of him felt as though it was a given.


    He sat down on the bed and looked at the wooden floor. A part of him felt he was being foolish, making a big deal out of nothing. Perhaps he would have listened, but this was the second time today he felt like this.


    My father.


    That is what he had called the man who had taught Y¡¯rid to read, had he not? Except that the person he had taught hadn¡¯t been him.


    He stared down at his hands. He knew his hands had been older, covered in scars. Yet when he flexed these youthful ones, he couldn¡¯t imagine them being any other way. He had inherited the memories of Y¡¯rid he knew, and he knew it had affected him to some extent, after all, how could it not?


    Memories made a large part of a person.


    Yet for the first time, he wondered how much they affected him exactly. For the first time, he wondered if he would even notice the changes. These two had been easy to catch, but what about other more subtle alterations. Would he notice?


    Perhaps¡­ it already has and I never did.


    A shiver ran down his spine, one that had nothing to do with the chill coming in through the window. Was he still the same person he had been in his previous life? If he went back¡­ would his family recognise him? Certainly, they wouldn¡¯t recognise his body.


    The image of a little girl danced in his mind, one he had often recalled. The sunlight glistened off of her black hair, the sun¡¯s rays themselves paling in comparison radiance of her smile.


    Would she recognise him?


    ***


    Lerann watched as the mage strode out of the room clutching a tome of bound notes. Research he had spent a large part of his life on. His lip turned up into a sneer. The snake had the gall to suggest it was a fair trade. He even pressed for more. Now he slithered back to whatever opulent hole he came out of.


    Yet he had agreed to this. Payment for the inscribing ingredients he had already used. Soon Lerann would run out of things he could trade, unless he traded his modified versions of resurrection, and that was something he refused to do.


    A mage in need of coin.


    The thought dragged a rueful laugh from his throat.


    Any adjustment on the rune array required that the whole thing be redone. Each and every rune realigned and re-inscribed. Each test of his spell set him back more than he would have used in five terms and it offered no return on investment.


    He could move back south to his family. Go crawling back, looking for a handout from those who he severed ties with so long ago. They would be all to happy to welcome him back with open arms and fake smiles, all to elevate their position, to stare down at the rest from just a bit higher. Perhaps they thought if they rose high enough the rabble would disappear from sight altogether.


    Or he could always offer his services as in classical resurrection, but using the very thing he was trying to change seemed like a betrayal of all he had worked for. He glanced off to the side of the room, to the corridor that led to his personal chambers and the stone coffin that resided there. No, continuing that practice was something he refused to do.


    A knock on the door drew his attention back to reality.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door opened and Shara stepped through. She bowed her head to him before speaking. ¡°The subject has arrived.¡±


    Lerann nodded. ¡°Have you found out anything about the young man from Riversedge?¡±


    ¡°It is as we expected. The merchant I visited said he and one of the beasteaters came into his shop to buy some armour and weapons the day we arrived. In all likelihood, he joined them when they headed north.¡±


    Lerann sighed. Unfortunate, but his previous inquiries had pointed to this conclusion. The man had been seen spending a lot of time with the beasteater group on their journey to Lok. He was hoping his singular success could have helped to fine tune the spell, hastening its completion, but it seemed it wouldn¡¯t be happening.


    ¡°Very well, bring the subject to the casting room. I¡¯ll head there now.¡±


    Shara nodded before turning around and leaving.


    He ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath. Pushing himself off of the table he had been leaning against, he made his way out the doorway and down the stairs.


    He quickly arrived in the casting room and looked out through the window on the opposite wall. From here, near the centre of Lok, he could look out through the gaps in between the sprawling building-mass that made up the innercity. Through the gaps, he could see the lights of the outercity shining in the night.


    A prime located home, one that would cost more than any of the outercity would ever see in their lifetimes, yet he received it from the citylord without spending a single copper coin. If only the supplies he needed came as easily. Then he might have completed his work already.


    He went to check over the spell array one last time before the subject arrived. Two-hundred-and-thirteen runes. A decrease from the two-hundred-and-forty-seven of his last attempt, closer to what the array looked like at Riversedge.


    He was sure that his failure last time had to do with trying to take out more of the restrictions without perfecting the first. First, he had to get rid of the sacrifice and perfect it. After that, he could look towards altering the time constraints and corpse anchor.


    Shara and another woman arrived as he was checking over the runes. The woman started to greet him but Shara silenced her and let him continue without interruptions.


    Lerann nodded to himself as he finished the check. ¡°Right.¡± ¨C He turned to the woman ¨C ¡°Sit down on the table for me.¡±


    She walked up and pulled herself onto the table. He placed a hand onto her back while speaking. ¡°Just try to relax. There won¡¯t be any pain.¡±


    He formed the runes inside his mind and poured his will into them. He felt his hand heat up and her body cooled down. He slowly lowered her onto the table as she drew her final breath a minute later.


    Lerann stepped back outside the array of runes encircling the stone table. He looked at Shara and gave her a nod. ¡°Bring the chains.¡±


    She nodded back and retrieved the inscribed chains from a small table to the side of the room. She walked over to the woman¡¯s corpse and placed them over it before taking a step back.


    ¡°Easy now,¡± Lerann said. ¡°We don¡¯t want to harm her, only prevent her from harming herself.¡±


    After what happened last time, he had decided to take some extra precautions. Shara retreated from the rune array and held up her hands. The runes on the chains began to glow as they moved, seemingly on their own, loosely tightening around the corpse. Shara opened her eyes and nodded back at him.


    Lerann took a breath. Closing his eyes he extended his consciousness, like guiding a stream. He ran through each of the runes in order. He could feel every rune connecting to the next as the array slowly lit up, the strain on his will building with each addition. His body trembled as he went through the final runes. He opened his eyes to the expected blinding light, pulsing with energy. With one final push, he guiding the energy upwards and connected it with the body on the table.


    The runes pulsed with light one last time brighter than before and went out. He swayed as he felt the exhaustion set in. A steady hand caught his arm and supported him. He reached out and placed his hand on Shara¡¯s, grateful for her support as he looked at the table.


    Even with the torches on the walls, the loss of the array¡¯s light left him almost blind, he could only barely make out the jerking corpse on the table. He stared at it as his eyes adjusted, more and more details coming into focus.


    The woman jerked once more, before sucking in a deep breath her back arching, pressing her torso up from the surface.


    ¡°Tighten the chains!¡±


    The chains around her tightened and pulled her back onto the table, binding her in place. Her head spun around before landing on the chains holding her down.


    ¡°Relax, relax,¡± Lerann said holding up his hands to placate her. ¡°They are only there to help you.¡±


    Her head swivelled in his direction. Her eyes were half-lidded and unfocused, yet he felt an unease stir inside him as he looked at them. He felt the smile slip off of his face. It felt like staring into a giant hole, threatening to draw you in, instead of at a tied woman.


    Only for a moment then she turned back to the chains. Before his eyes, the pulsing of the runes began flickering.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose focus,¡± He said to Shara over his shoulder. He heard her groan and saw the runes flare with light. Shara screamed as he shielded his eyes from the glare. The light died as quickly as it came once more throwing him into darkness.


    ¡°What happened?¡± He yelled at Shara as he blinked furiously, trying to regain his vision. He heard the rattling of chains falling to the floor followed by a thud.


    ¡°Something¡¯s w-wrong,¡± Shara stuttered. He turned and squinted, seeing her hunched on the floor, her hands pressing on her head and swaying slightly. ¡°Couldn¡¯t¡­ cut the connection.¡±


    A snap drew him back to the table, he could make out the woman on the floor, crawling towards them. Her arm bent and snapped, twisting out of shape as she reached forward. More details came into focus as he stared. Her skin rippled, her jaw dislocated with a popping sound. Each time she moved a limb a loud crack was heard as it twisted, her movements becoming more fluid with each.


    His eyes glanced passed her at the chains on the floor. Extending his will he connected with the runes etched onto them. With a motion of his hand, the chains slithered forward and curled around the woman¡¯s ankle. One end anchored to the table, they began pulling her back as they wrapped around her leg.


    Her head turned to him again, he could feel her attention even though he could not make out her gaze. She reached, her hands clutching at the chains.


    He gasped as he felt the price on his will increasing. The runes started flickering as the drain increased, an ominous feeling building up in him. Without thinking twice he severed the connection, the runes dying and the chains falling limp.


    His eyes stretched wide as he stared at the woman.


    Impossible.


    His mind rebelled against what he saw. Such a thing should not happen. Can¡¯t happen. Only the mage himself has control of his will. Yet she pulled it into herself.


    The chains fell to the floor as she started making her way towards him on her hands and feet, faster than before and increasing with each step.


    A spike of fear shot through him snapping him out of his daze. He reached up, inside his shirt and pulled out the talisman that hung around his neck. With a tug he snapped the cord and held the round metal disk out in front of him, extending his will towards the rune array inscribed on it.


    The woman launched herself forward just as the runes activated, compressing the air in front of the talisman. It drew her in, pulling her forward and causing her to slam into the air barrier. She snarled and started clawing at the barrier, swiping and biting at it.


    Lerann took a deep breath and pressed his will further into the talisman and activated the secondary array on it. The air in the room surged towards the barrier compressing further. The torches on the wall went out and he heard Shara gasp for breath beside him before the barrier exploded outward with the sound of thunder.


    The blast of air stormed through everything in its path, hurling the woman through the air and into the far wall with a sickening crack. Furniture was overturned and torches were ripped from the walls, even the stone table slid back a few steps.


    Air came rushing back pushing Lerann from his feet as he felt exhaustion wash over him. His head felt like it was being pounded with a hammer, a sure sign of overextending. He heard Shara was gasping beside him, drawing in great mouthfuls of air.


    Lerann forced himself up onto his elbows and stared at the limp form of the woman on the floor, the moonlight shining through the window just enough to make it out. He reached out to his will but found it unresponsive.


    He gave Shara a moment before turning to her and speaking. ¡°Light. Create a light. Need to see what happened.¡±


    He heard fumbling in the dark until a sphere of bluish light appeared. A simple light array inscribed onto a metal ball that Shara was holding.


    Turning back to the wall he felt his eyes widen. A large blood spatter ran down the wall where the woman¡¯s head had struck it. But no corpse lay underneath it.


    Lerann¡¯s gaze snapped around the room, except for the devastation the talisman had caused, he saw nothing out of place. Pieces of wooden furniture, torn books and shattered jars were strewn about the room but no corpse. He looked back to the wall and noticed a bloody handprint on the window sill.


    He forced himself to his feet, and walked to the window with a wobbly gait, almost falling down twice before he crossed the distance. He reached the window and supported himself against the wall and looked out. A narrow walkway on the lower level separated him and the building opposite, on it was more bloodstains, leading off of its side.


    He looked down past the walkway and into the narrow street below. Pieces of wood lay scattered, blown out by the blast, but of the woman, there was no sign.

 Info on Rewrite

    Hello everyone.


    First of all, my apologies for disappearing for so long without notice. I had a lot to do and decided to put the story on hold for a while. A break that just grew longer and longer. There were quite a few things in the story that I was unhappy with as well as the approach I took to writing it in the first place. When I finally wanted to continue with the story, several months later, I decided to try and fix these things. So I am rewriting it.


    A lot of changes will be taking place, some minor and some major. Most notably, in my opinion, is that I am committing to writing the story. You see, when I started, I planned to post the first draft on Royalroad before editing the book once it was complete and then publishing it on Amazon. Since it was ''only the first draft'' it wasn''t that high on my priority list, though I did plan to finish it eventually.


    Rather than doing this, I decided to go with the web serial route. That is to say, publishing chapters at a constant rate according to a fixed schedule and having that be the end product, not some published version only available on Amazon.


    So I have started rewriting the original chapters which I will start posting a week from now. The schedule will be one chapter every day for the first five days, to get readers into the story. After that, it will switch to a constant schedule of one chapter every five days. Even though my chapters are a bit shorter than they were (3000-4000 words instead of 4000-6000) I think most would agree that this is an improvement on my previous 0-4(ish) chapters every 1-2(ish) months.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Regarding the changes to the chapters themselves; some plot points will remain, some will change and some will disappear entirely. Certain things are more fleshed out like the magic system and the religions. Changes have been made to some characters to give them more depth and fix some things I thought were broken. The prologue is largely unchanged but the further you move into the story the more things will differ from the original.


    Overall, I believe it is an improvement on the original story. Also, as these chapters will now be the final version of the story (except for correcting errors that might crop up), I am aiming to make the chapters more polished than the original which will hopefully provide a better reading experience.


    I will post another ¡®chapter¡¯ providing a link to the new version of the story as soon as it¡¯s up.


    For those of you who have read the original version and are now reading this (I¡¯m going to assume that is everyone who reads this post). Thank you for giving my story a try and I hope you¡¯ll give the new version a try as well. If you enjoyed the original, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll enjoy the new version. And if you decide not to read it, thanks for reading the original. I really didn¡¯t expect the number of readers I got back then and certainly not the number of positive reviews and ratings. Thank you all.


    -J Reyten

 Link to rewrite

    The rewrite is up. The new version is called ''A Price In Memory'', and you can find the fiction page here</a>.


    .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.